Our friends from Bandai/Namco and CyberConnect2 games handed us some Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations swag! One lucky winner will get a BRAND NEW copy of the game, including 6 of the pre-order cards, and a 2nd place winner will get all 6 of the pre-order cards! Anyone that ever wanted to get in the story of the popular anime can pick this game up and play through story mode where it essentially retells the whole series up to date! With 75 characters to choose from, this game is both gorgeous and addicting! Hit the jump to see all the details. “Developed by CyberConnect2, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™: Ultimate Ninja® STORM Generations is the latest rendition in the smash hit ‘NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Storm’ series of games. The title will power the series into the future by revolutionizing online play and ramping up the number of playable and support characters far beyond any NARUTO game in the wildly popular franchise. Players will compete in a variety of online battle modes with their favorite NARUTO characters, including Naruto and Sasuke. NARUTO fans have been waiting to see more of Zabuza and Haku since the launch of the original Manga, and now they will have their chance! These are just a few of the many new ninja in the game. All this, together with the original Japanese voiceovers and lovingly crafted presentation faithful to the NARUTO franchise ensures that NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM Generations offers NARUTO and gaming fans a torrential downpour of NARUTO ninja fighting action and adventure!” *Sorry, but this giveaway is for NA only.* You have until 12:01 AM April 4th PAC to get your entries in. Please like & follow NAMCO Bandai and CyberConnect2 on Facebook & Twitter. It’s because of them we are having this giveaway! So show them some love. Follow @filthierich Follow @cc2information Follow @paulfierce [Worth up to 5 Entries] Purchase Lottery Ticket for 125 Points for a entry into the lottery. Here are all the possible ways to earn points . [Worth 1 Entry] Like the giveaway post on the lottery page (not the actual post itself) via Facebook. Then post a comment to your facebook wall from the lottery page. [EARN 35 Points] [Worth 1 Entry] Follow @ps3blogdotnet on Twitter. Then there will be a tweet button. You just have to click that & tweet the exact text in the pop-up . Then a notification will pop up saying your entry was successful. [EARN 35 Points] [Worth 1 Entry] Use the Google +1 button on the lottery page (not the actual post itself), then share on your Google+ profile to complete your entry. [EARN 35 Points] [Worth 1 Entry] First, be a fan of our our Facebook page . On the left sidebar, there is a [Giveaway] link. Go there and at the bottom there is a “Enter Contest” button you can click for your Facebook PS3Blog.net Fan Page entry. Note: Make sure you’re logged into PS3Blog.net before you click the button. [EARN 10 Points] [Worth 1 Entry] Subscribe to our YouTube Channel . We will post a bulletin. Follow the link & it will count as your YouTube entry. Note: Make sure you’re logged into PS3Blog.net before you click the link. [EARN 10 Points] [Bonus 3 Entries] After you have purchased at least one lottery ticket you are eligible for video entries. Make a video saying why you want to win. It can be funny, unique, strange, etc. Have fun with it. Include PS3Blog.net and the name of the item being given away in your video & in the title of the video. Then use the button above to submit your video for review. Also leave a comment below with a link to your YouTube video. [EARN 30 Points] Here are the most recent YouTube video entries for all lotteries on PS3Blog.net with the most recent ones displayed first.

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[Giveaway] Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations

The Mass Effect series, which Bioware began in 2007, at last draws to a close—and it goes out with a bang. The review in brief: Mass Effect has a deep story and lore that are supported by fun and varied combat mechanics, great graphics that show off an original and unified environment aesthetic, thousands and thousands of lines of dialogue recorded by generally fine actors (many of whom you might well recognize, from Martin Sheen to half the cast of Battle Star Galactica ), and a surprisingly engaging new online co-op mode. My concerns with the game are generally niggling criticisms that shouldn’t put you off from throwing yourself into the Mass Effect universe. For those of you who have missed the hype over the years, Mass Effect is a space opera rendered as a third-person action role-playing game. You play as Commander Shepard, a human special operative marine, who in each game must put together a task force whose mission is to thwart the imminent invasion of the Reapers, a race of cyborg horrors who threaten to eliminate all advanced organic life in the galaxy. In the meantime, you learn a staggering amount about the history of the galaxy and the races that populate it, you engage in smaller-scale disputes between combative factions, and you engage in very personal relationships with your teammates. And you make tough choices. Not everyone will survive every game, nor is there any guarantee that you, Shepard, will in fact survive any of the games. Shepherd with a sniper rifle and cryo ammo As in other role-playing games, you pick your character’s gender and your class, among six possible classes. One cool innovation of Mass Effect is that it sports essentially two forms of “magic” in the universe: There are “tech” powers that have machine-oriented effects, such as disrupting enemy shields, creating combat drones, and hacking enemy battle droids. Then there are “biotic” powers, which are Jedi-like force effects, such as creating a temporary black hole that pulls enemies helplessly toward it, and telekinetic effects that pull enemies helplessly through the air or throw them with violent ragdoll physics against walls or off ledges. Magic aside, there is also a warrior-like skill tree that focuses on gunplay augmentations. Mass Effect has six classes to choose from: Soldier (warrior), Engineer (tech), Adept (biotic), and three that are hybrids of the above. Combat plays out very differently depending on your class choice and your advancement decisions. Class selection It is important to note that Mass Effect is not an open-world game in the model of the Elder Scrolls games. You progress through a series of well-designed maps, though you have some freedom in choosing the order of the missions that you take on. But you can never return to any of the maps. There’s a trade-off here for the player. I love open-world games, but I appreciate that the more linear design affords a tighter narrative structure as well as tighter design of individual maps. And the game looks amazing. It has a strong visual style and even an identifiable color palette that will be familiar to players of the previous Mass Effect games. Who can forget the electric blue and dusty rose lens flares that pepper the game’s visual experience? And despite the narrow focus of the game’s aesthetic vision, the game takes you to worlds and starships designed by different races over different times, and each locale feels wholly original. The biotic and tech power effects look more explosive than ever, and gun fights look spectacular. The game just looks great—better, in fact, than many games that attempt greater verisimilitude. London's burning Mass Effect 3 offers a multi-player experience, which is a first for the franchise. Like others, I was dubious at first; the multiplayer largely seemed like a money-making ploy by the developers. First, your actions in multiplayer games have some effect in the single-player experience. In order to get the “best” endings in the single-player game, it behooves one—though it is not absolutely essential—to play some multiplayer games before finishing the campaign. And to play multiplayer at all requires either a new copy of the game or purchase of an “online pass,” as EA Games has been pushing for the past couple of years. Multiplayer mayhem But my doubts were assuaged as I began actually playing the game mode. It’s a hoard-style game that pits you and three other online players against eleven progressively harder waves of enemies. You choose your class, just as in the single-player experience, and you can rank your character up to level twenty, unlocking new and improved combat abilities. There are (only) six maps and three different enemy factions against whom you can play. Multiplayer turns out to be a great deal of fun, especially when your teammates are representing different classes and you all are working together, making the best use of your individual abilities to target different threats. Communication is key, and it’s sadly lacking in my online experience, but hey, I still get a kick out of winning awesome battles with a bunch of silent randoms in my party. I’ve put about fifteen hours into multiplayer, and I will probably continue to play it for some time. Without fresh maps or new game modes, though, the experience will doubtless become stale. Punishing bad robots in multi-player I spent forty-four hours playing the single-player campaign of Mass Effect 3. I did everything I could possibly do: I talked to everyone at length, completed every side quest, and so on. One of my friends beat the game in ten hours fewer than me, and I would imagine that one could well beat the game in twenty hours or less if one really wanted to. But I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to. The story is engrossing, my relationships with my team mates (developed over the course of the Mass Effect series) feel real and authentic, and I feel increasingly like an awesome Jedi superhero as I play the game. A few criticisms: As I mention above, the game is shorter than previous titles. It sports fewer “cities” that one can visit than the earlier games as well. Resource mining has been streamlined, which is probably good on the whole, but the obsessional part of my personality would have rather appreciated a somewhat heavier accent on exploration and mining. The quest log is a bit of a disaster; it doesn’t update as you complete parts of quests, and it doesn’t provide much, if any, direction for where to go to complete them. Finally, the game’s resolution is, well, enigmatic as you may have heard, but no spoilers here—let me just say that I was not displeased with the ending. Lens flare! It never gets old. If you’ve played any of the Mass Effect games before, then you already know whether you’ll like Mass Effect 3. If you’re new to the series, then I would discourage you from starting with this title. Get the first game (not available on the PS3) or get the second game for the PS3 and play the “interactive comic book” intro that catches you up on the events of the first game and lets you make some of its key decisions. If you’ve played any of the previous games, definitely do play ME3 on the same platform and import your old character. The game imports thousands and thousands of decisions that you’ve made in your past games and takes them into account as it shapes the ME3 universe. It’s impressive and immersive— ME3 absolutely feels as if it’s my game, populated by my friends and my enemies, and I have to continue to live with the tough choices that I’ve made in the past. Mass Effect 3 is a great game. It’s an emotional ride supported by great gameplay mechanics and a beautiful graphical style. And most importantly, it provides a fitting conclusion to a long history—a living narrative to which most players of the trilogy will have devoted a minimum of one hundred hours of their lives. The game feels important and meaningful, and it’s a fine example of how video games can, indeed, offer deep and carefully plotted dramas. So, if you’ve never played a Mass Effect game before, do yourself a favor and start at the beginning. If you only read Tolkien’s The Return of the King, well, you’d just be confused, right? Start with The Fellowship of the Ring— or Mass Effect 1— and work your way forward from there. Better get started soon… the galaxy needs saving. Review Pros Cons Deep story Memorable characters and relationships Awesome Jedi-gunslinger action Fine conclusion to an innovative series Shorter than previous titles Some interface quirks Enigmatic ending is either brilliant or a bit of a let-down Rating 97% Review based off of a retail version of the title purchased by reviewer and had been completed prior to review.

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[PS3 Review] Mass Effect 3

The Vita is an amazing piece of hardware designed for people with small hands. The small design is its biggest drawback in my opinion, and the small buttons and tiny frame make for some very uncomfortable gaming sessions. The L and R buttons are so close to where your thumbs are that you’re forced to stick your index fingers straight up and bend them down in a claw like effect. This grows old after about 30 minutes of gaming. Introducing the must own accessory for the PS Vita. This Trigger Grip can be picked up for only $17.99 and will extend your gaming session by hours on end. The feel is extremely comfortable and is immediately clear that this is how the Vita should feel. No more clawing at the L and R buttons, as the case comes with fitted triggers that sit slightly more behind the Vita like a PS3 controller. My biggest gripe with the Vita, besides the tiny size of everything, was the fact that the Land R buttons need to be completely depressed to register. This is immediately fixed with the PDP Triggers. The base of the case is shaped like the bottom of the ever-so-familiar Dual Shock and feels right at home in my manly hands. I cant stress enough how much better the feel is with this small investment. The rear of the case doesn’t touch any of the back Touch controls and the front sits far away from the screen. The design is something you would expect from Sony. I thought long and hard about any drawbacks and the only one that comes to mind is if you use a purse for your Vita, it may not fit with the Triggers. Who uses a purse anyways? So, travel case aside, this is simply a must own. Review Pros Cons Amazing Feel More practical Trigger locations Prevents the infamous fingers/falling asleep Wont fit in a standard Purse/Travel case Rating 98%

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[Accessory Review] Trigger Grip for Vita

Bosco’s vanished from the face of the Earth—literally! When Sam & Max manage to track him down, what they find is so mind boggling, you’ll have to see it to believe it. Can the Freelance Police set things right, or will life as they know it fall victim to the capricious whims of T-H-E-M? After already playing Sam and Max Save The World (Season One) on Wii, Sam and Max: Beyond Time and Space (Season 2 on PC) and Sam and Max: The Devil’s Playhouse (Season 3) on PS3, I find myself asking… myself: how fun is the Season Two release on PS3? Let’s find out, one episode at a time! Seems that T-H-E-M has (have?) kidnapped Bosco, and without Bosco, the show can’t go on! But, where exactly IS Bosco? Turns out that T-H-E-M are actually aliens, and they didn’t kidnap Bosco, they adbucted him! Aliens! Oh, and they travel in a Sombrero UFO. Totally normal. Think Max calls this Wednesdays. Once you actually find Bosco, you’ll realize he has been turned into Boscow (yep, mooo), after he altered the time stream. It is your (part-time) job to find a way to fix him without making time break itself… in time! Oh, and in order to do that you need to make sure that Bosco is conceived/born, because if he’s never born, then he will never have a chance to alter the time stream, and he will never be turned into Boscow, and we will never have to find a way to turn him back into good-old regular Bosco because he was never born. But if he was never born, Sam and Max would have never met him, so they would not be using an elevator to travel in time as there would be no need to right any wrongs since Bosco would never exist and, therefore… oooh, look at the kitty! Where was I? Ah, right! Boscow? Bad. Bosco? Stupid. Carry on. Time traveling! Back to the Future fans will reaaallly like this episode. And since I’m also a Back to the Futuer fan, guess what? I reaaallly liked this episode! I can’t really say anything else without spoiling the whole episode since, thanks to the time traveling aspect of the game, mentioning a small, red caterpillar that sits on top of a space suit might unravel the whole story! You’ll have to play this one for yourselves, and you must definitely go to the White House in the 60′s, visit the younger versions of Sam and Max, talk with the much, much, muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch older versions of the dynamic detective/cop/gourmet-chef duo… oh, and maybe you should try not to step over a bug back in 10,000,000 B.C. as to not kill all the dinosaurs. Sam and Max Season 2: Chariots of the Dogs brings us one step closer to the exciting conclusion to the story arc. The very funny dialogue, the crazy situations, the remarkable voice acting, and the shinny sparkles from the Sombrero UFO, all make this a very funny adventure you should all enjoy. Cost – $19.99 (Full Season) Disclaimer Total amount of time played: 2 hours. Love me some Sam and Max. Own all 3 seasons, the Anniversary DVD Boxset AND the limited edition Hardcover signed by Steve Purcell. This review is based on a copy of Sam and Max: Beyond Time and Space provided by Telltale Games.

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[PS3 Review] Sam and Max Season 2: Episode 4

Zipper Interactive is showing the Vita some Socom love with Unit 13, and it gives us a glimpse of what 3rd person shooters will be like on the handheld. Rather than having a deep story, Zipper has decided to give the player a set of 36 missions and 10 High-value targets, which can be done solo or online with a friend or random stranger. It is a great look at what “Could be” on the Vita. Sadly, it doesn’t deliver on what it set out to achieve. The touch controls are a nice addition, but don’t really take advantage of what the Vita has to offer. A simple tap on the grenade icon will send a grenade out in the direction you’re aiming, and the tap of the scope icon will bring up your Red dot or Sniper scope. Not very innovative to say the least. My biggest gripe is with the controls. The little analogues are simply too sensitive from the get go and I found my self turning them to 0 to be able to aim with some control. I would have liked to have seen them have a separate option for Horizontal and Vertical aiming sensitivity, as turning down the sensitivity also makes you turn slower when your gun is not being aimed. This is Zipper, though, so one can only hope for a patch for this issue. My other major gripe is with the AI. Horrible is a nice way of putting it. Stealth missions are simply a disaster. Stabbing a guy from behind and having a guy a floor above me come running down, activating a mission failure is just absurd. Once enemies are aware of your position, they will track your movements, even through walls. Trying to flank a group that knows I’m there is simply not possible as walking around to their flank, you’ll notice the mini map icons of the enemies tracking your every move. Once again, one can only hope for a patch. As for multiplayer, the network connectivity runs smooth and co-op works as it should and is a blast, as long as you’re not on a timed or stealth mission. Timed missions are hard for the simple fact that the controls need some tweaking, as mentioned before. Graphically, the game looks great and having the points jump up after a head shot is almost as satisfying as the Killzone 3 kill chirp. Almost. The missions are fun and the dynamic setting can change up the layout quite drastically, but there is yet another problem. By the 5th mission, you are already seeing recycled areas of levels. I can understand this late in a game in small areas, but not an entire level with one different locale. This is where having a friend really changes the game, as you’re killing time as well as bad A.I., to make up for the games flaws. The pickings are slim right now, and if you want a shooter, Unit 13 is all that’s really available for early adopters. No multiplayer, in terms of competitive gameplay, and Unit 13 becomes an easy Rental at best. Review Pros Cons Small missions on the go Fun co-op Controls A.I. Recycled levels early on Rating 70% This review is based off of a retail version of the game purchased by reviewer

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[Vita Review] Unit 13

Everyone hates HD collections until the one series they love comes along and then suddenly their attitude changes. For quite a while now, I have refrained from buying any HD collections because I viewed them as a cheap tactic to earn a few bucks. I passed on the God of War remakes, I didn’t even bat an eye at the Tomb Raider games, and in the end, even the Team ICO collection didn’t sway my stance. However, the Jak and Daxter HD collection is the series that finally won me over and made me rethink my views on the situation. When I first started replaying the games, my biggest fear was that my nostalgic childhood bias had lead me astray, and I would realize the games really weren’t that good (or worse, were just plain horrible). Thankfully, I was completely and utterly wrong. The Jak and Daxter HD collection is what every HD collection and reboot so far should have been. It contains three fantastic games, a true HD upgrade, trophies, and a low price. The games have racing, platforming, shooting, exploring-something for everyone. If you’ve never played the games before (and there is really no good reason to have EVER passed them up if you owned a PS2), now is your chance to jump on board and trek through the story. The Jak and Daxter series creates incredible worlds and fills them with lovable and quirky characters. They all have that unique and illusive quality to them that makes you remember the games years later. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy Perhaps the best compliment I can give to Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is that, even now, I cannot think of a better platforming game for the PS3. In the first game, you set off as Jak, who is accompanied by his newly transformed ottsel (that’s what happens when a weasel and an otter do a horizontal dance) companion Daxter, on an adventure to investigate why a group of sages went missing and help Daxter to return to his normal form. The story is lighthearted and comical without seeming too childish. This game certainly doesn’t cater to the same audience as Naughty Dog’s recent hit series, but it is still a great game for all ages. Now, to get some of the technical information out of the way. The HD update to Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy isn’t as evident as it is in Jak II and Jak III, though that’s not to say it isn’t a proper HD collection. The graphics are crisp and the colors are vibrant. Compared to the original, there is a stark contrast in visual design. The cartoonish art direction works well as a method of hiding the age of the game. Best of all-the framerate runs smoothly at 60 frames per second throughout the entire game, making for a gorgeous graphical update. Aside from the graphics, I was also genuinely surprised by the quality of the voice acting and sound in the game. Although the HD graphics update is certainly nice, the main focus of Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is the incredible platforming and enjoyable world design, which hold up wonderfully well. You will jump, fly, cruise, and roll through caverns, lava tubes, forests, swamps, mountains, and plenty more settings. The controls are as precise as they have always been, and a tutorial level helps you dive in right away without much frustration. The platforming difficulty steadily increases throughout the game without ever becoming annoying. As the difficulty increases, you will also face off against new, interesting enemies and bosses, which break apart the platforming nicely. My only real complaint with the controls (and the platforming, by proxy) is that they feel dated. This isn’t really an issue with the game, but rather that I have become so used to modern controls that seem intuitive that it took me some time to readjust to a game more than a decade old. Conclusion: Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy was considered a well polished and critically acclaimed platformer when Naughty Dog first released the game in 2001. The platforming and world design still compete with (and are better than) many games that have come out this generation. If you have never played this series before, this first title is easily worth the money you will spend on it. It has, so far, stood up to the test of time. Review Pros Cons Perfect platforming Witty and enjoyable characters Fun boss fights Varied world to explore Disappointing final level Weak story Controls are dated Rating 90% Jak II Unfortunately, not all sequels improve upon the original. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy succeeded because it focused on a few core gameplay elements, and it did all of them very well. It was an impeccably polished game in every respect. Jak II tried to combine the best aspects of the first game while branching out into new territory. It incorporated new mechanics such as gun play and a Grand Theft Auto like open world. The result, sadly, was the weakest link in this trilogy. Visually, the HD update to Jak II is even more clear than with the first title. The high framerate, lighting, and colors (or lack thereof in this game) are all much more noticeable. Jak’s animations are cleaner, and the game was rendered on a much larger, much more epic, scale. Jak II starts off immediately after the hidden ending in the first game. Jak and co. find themselves launched through a portal and scattered throughout time in a new world where three major factions are fighting over control of a bleak city. Jak is captured and tortured, which sets off the main events of the game. You run or clumsily fly through the city attempting to complete fetch quests and collect-the-item missions all while trying to uncover the secrets behind the city, stop the impending battle between factions, find your friends, and seek revenge. My biggest complaint about Jak II is that they tried, unsuccessfully, to incorporate too many elements into the game. There is a very forced change in tone from lighthearted and comical to dark and drab. The platforming elements are still there, but they are no longer the sole focus of the game. Although the platforming portions are relatively well done, they are all set in a world with little variation. Furthermore, many of the battles and exploration elements found in the first game have been replaced with fetch quests and poor shooting mechanics. Now you might get the impression I hated Jak II, but I actually still loved it. The introduction of new move sets and new ideas, including a dark version of Jak, were brilliant. Without the change, Jak II would have seemed stale-the ideas just weren’t implemented well. The story in Jak II is also greatly improved over the first game. Conclusion: Despite being the weakest link in the trilogy, Jak II is fun and decently respectable. The game tried to incorporate too many elements and the result was a hodgepodge of ideas that were not fully realized. Jak II just doesn’t have the same balance and polish that the first game had. It is a great game, and the collectibles will have you playing it for a long time (though they are sometimes tedious to find), but unless you are going to buy the entire collection, I would recommend passing up this game and instead downloading the first and third titles. Review Pros Cons Story is more interesting Return of lovable characters New ideas to keep the series from becoming stale Gorgeous graphics Poor balance of new ideas World is often boring and tedious The ‘dock’ level Fetch quests Rating 78% Jak 3 The third and final “true” game in the Jak and Daxter series, Jak 3, is once again a radical departure from the first title, and a vastly improved sequel to the second title. Jak 3 does away with all of the tedium involved in Jak II’s vehicle fetch quests, and replaces it with something that is actually fun. In short, Jak 3 successfully combines the random mix of ideas that was Jak II’s ultimate downfall. Top it all off with some of Daxter’s one liners (which are possibly the highlight of the game for me) and you have the recipe for a AAA game. Naughty Dog pulled out all the tricks with the gameplay styles here. Missions fluidly switch from racing to shooting to platforming and back again. The fetch quests all have a purpose now and all contribute towards the larger story. The best part about the new fetch quest system is that the ending location of one quest usually triggers the start of a new one, so you never feel like you have to repeatedly backtrack to previous locations. The larger missions in the game are broken up into smaller parts, which helps to maintain interest. Basically, Jak 3 is a refined version of the second game, and it shows. The platforming is on par with the first title, the shooting mechanics are now improved, the vehicle races are thrilling, and the world is once again an interesting place to explore. You gain the ability to transform into either a Dark or Light version of Jak, and the new abilities introduced with each transformation compliment each other. Furthermore, the combat in Jak 3 is more complex, requiring you to seamlessly blend various melee attacks and twirls, dark and light powers, gun games, and all-around bad-assery. Even small little annoyances, like traveling too slowly, are remedied by vehicles and hover boards. Conclusion: Without spoiling the entire series’ story, Jak 3 is set in the same universe as the first two games and marks the conclusion of the original trilogy. It is the perfect finale, and easily the best game of the collection. The relationship between Jak and Daxter, the cutscenes, and the wisecracks all have Naughty Dog’s signature style of humor. It’s easy to see how this studio developed Uncharted. Review Pros Cons Epic conclusion to a great trilogy Hilarious ending Fantastic mixture of gameplay elements Best looking game of the series Occasional camera glitches Some frustrating missions Rating 95% The Bottom Line The Jak and Daxter HD Collection is a must-own title for anyone. If you are ever looking for a platforming game, or you find yourself with a few bucks and some time to spare, I cannot recommend these games highly enough. No series is perfect, and I would be lying if I said these games were the epitome of the genre (I’m looking at you, Jak II), but they are an absolute joy to play. The gameplay is responsive, the story is humorous and amusing, and the worlds you explore are absolutely brilliant. All three games are still on par with this generations titles and are well worth checking out. You can download them separately through the PSN or buy all three games in the collection. Stay tuned for more news and an upcoming surprise! Review Pros Cons True HD update Sharp platforming gameplay Enjoyable characters Second game is good, but not great Camera is occasionally wonky Rating 90% *Disclaimer: As I do not have a 3D TV, I wasn’t able to test the 3D functions of the collection. However, the Jak and Daxter HD Collection can be played with 3D functionality. This review is based off of a retail version of the collection, provided by SCEA for review, and all three titles have been completed thoroughly.

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[PS3 Review] Jak and Daxter HD Collection

Help legendary star fighter pilot Ace Armstrong defeat the Scumbag invasion of earth in this modern take on classic old-school shoot-em-ups, with an added 50s Sci-Fi twist and plenty of Scumbag-bursting humour. Fly Ace through several action-packed levels, each featuring a huge boss with unique attack patterns to defeat! Use Ace’s mighty Recycl-o-Ray to suck up the essence of defeated Scumbags and use their own weapons against them. Can you turn back the Scumbags’ tentacled tide of terror?! Controls are very simple to understand. You can move Ace’s ship either with the D-Pad or the analog stick (I used the D-pad to get the proper old school feel), and shooting your standard cannons is handled by the X button. You can use the L or R button to vacuum in the weapon energy left behind by some of the Alien Scumbags, and you can shoot these extra weapons with the Square or Circle buttons. You can still shoot your standard cannons while you’re doing this, so be sure to never stop firing or the Aliens will get you! Also, when you suck in a new weapon, your current one is immediately discarded, so make sure you really want to get rid of it before hitting either shoulder button. What weapons can you take from your enemies? You have access to a laser, to a spread shot, to a 3-way shot, and exploding shot, and a veeery powerful shot that can quickly kill all enemies in 1 or 2 shots at most. The more powerful the weapon, the lower number of shots you have available, so be sure to plan accordingly. A strong weapon in your arsenal when facing a boss can be the difference between survival and defeat. Before you start the game, you are given the option of picking one of the three difficulty settings available (Rookie, Pro and Elite). You should start on Rookie to get an idea of how the game works, as diving right into Pro or Elite can prove to be too much for most. Picking a higher difficulty cuts down the number of extra ships you start with AND aliens are stronger, thus requiring to be shot more times in order to be destroyed. You must quickly understand how to differentiate the things that can kill you from those that are there just for show, especially since all that it takes to bring down your ship is one hit. You can crush against scenery, aliens, spaceships, etc., and it is easier to know what scenery is physically there, and which one is just for show, by constantly firing with X. You can also autofire when holding down X, but you can definitely fire faster by constantly pressing X, thus allowing you to destroy more enemies. When you reach the end of the level, you’ll fight against a huuuuge boss. Learning their pattern is a must, or you’ll never defeat them. Be prepared to lose several ships during this fights if you’re not careful. Luckily, if all your lives run out, you can choose to immediately go on, as long as you have any continues left. Ace Armstrong vs the Alien Scumbags provides us with a fun game that takes us back to simpler times when 2D sidecrollers were all the rage. The art-style and gameplay mechanics allow this minis release to set itself apart from the rest of the options available in the service. Review Pros Cons Easy to control Several weapons you can use Crashing into a building before being able to realize that structures are bad Rating 81% Cost – $3.99 Disclaimer Total amount of time played: 3 hours. Game was completed before writing this review. This review is based on a PS3/PSP copy of Ace Armstrong vs the Alien Scumbags provided by Laughing Jackal.

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[minis Review] Ace Armstrong vs The Alien Scumbags!

For those not old enough to remember, the original BurgerTime was released in 1982 for arcades (arcades were rooms filled with TVs inside wood cabinets, and each TV was hooked up to a single game. Oh, and you inserted quarters in a slot in order to be allowed to play), and it was a 2D game that tasked you with avoiding 3 major enemies (Mr. Hot Dog, MR. Pickle and Mr. Egg, the walking food), in order to assemble several giant burgers to clear the level. You had to climb and drop from all available ladders, to make it to each burger layer, and trapping your food enemies within the burger layers allowed you to increase up your high-score. A top bun, lettuce, a tomato, a beef patty and the bottom bun made for a deliciously pixelated burger. We only had 6 levels to play, and once we reached the last one, we were looped back to level 1…and we liked it! After all these years, Burger Time is back, and this time around we are going on a world tour, to prove to all other chefs that Petter Peper (that would be the chef you control) is the best one there is at making burgers. BurgerTime World Tour is all about retro evolution. The fresh remix introduces burger stomping to a whole new generation of gamers who expect a greater diversity of gameplay fun! • Rotating Environment System that adds visual flair to the whole arcade experience. • Fully 3D world, where you can see behind you and on the other side of the world, to figure out the fastest way to the next burger, or how to beat your friends. • 4 challenging worlds, 50 total maps. Loaded with content! • All new boss battles added to create a rewarding experience in beating each world. • All new platforming gameplay added to make the game even more fun. New features like dangerous interactive platforms, rocket riding, new weapons, as well as the ability to pick up and throw your enemies everywhere! • All new multiplayer modes! Simultaneous Split-screen and Online Multiplayer Modes for up to 4 players. In single player mode, you can either choose to play on easy or normal difficulty. As you can obviously imagine, picking one over the other will make things easier or harder during your culinary journey, since enemy density will not be as high as usual and you’ll get more power-ups when playing on easy. But you must also consider that, when playing on Easy, your score, the number of deaths suffered during the level, your best completion time and other stats will not be tracked. All of these stats are saved when playing the game in Normal difficulty, and you can earn several trophies by the time you complete the game if you obtain a good enough high score (you can tell if you did great since the game will give you 1 to 5 stars for the level AND it will throw lots of burgers under Petter Peper, making him rise towards the upper half of the screen). The game has the same basics as before – you must complete the burgers to clear the level. IF you trap enemies between burger layers, you earn extra points, and the more enemies that are trapped between the layers, the harder that layer will fall, and this opens up the possibility of being lucky enough of trapping even more enemies when, say, the top bun falls on top of two pickles, which makes the lettuce fall two levels, trapping an egg or a sausage, making the whole thing fall straight down to the plate, in one swift move. You can still use your trusty pepper to stun all enemies… and now you can now pick up enemies and throw them whenever and wherever you want! You can stun an enemy, pick it up and throw it on top of a burger layer, and then make the layer drop! Ah, did I mention you can jump? Late 20th century improvements, right in the 21st century! But be careful. Just like in real life, when you jump, pickles jump, as well! You have access to several Power ups this time around – you can obtain a spatula to hit your enemies, a rocket so you can fly up, up and away, a speed boost, invincibility, etc. You can also collect all letters of the word BURGER for a big increase to your score… but they are not available on all levels! BurgerTime World Tour makes us remember simpler, old-school health mechanics from back in the day. Something touched you? You’re dead! Easy to remember, right? Avoid anything that is not a power up, a letter or a layer of the burger you’re making. There are a lot of enemies in the game, and they all react differently to Petter, so be sure to learn their patterns in order to have a better chance at survival. To get you started, let’s look at three of the enemies you will meet: Sonny Guards certain areas; upon seeing the player, commits to a bull rush if not on a ladder and runs straight for the player. Ruthless Dill Guards a certain area, mimics the players jump. When the player jumps the pickle jumps. Frank Furter Hunts the player wherever they may be, can use ladders to get to player. But wait, there is more! You must also avoid fire shooting out form burners, spinning drills that go up and down, moving platforms, trapdoors, rolling barrels, crushing elevators, floor installed drills, and other hazards that are out to get you. There are checkpoints on each level, which is a nice extra. If you touch them, you will spawn right there when you die, with all burgers intact up to the point when you got touched by a bad, bad ingredient! They come in handy when you’re working your way towards the top layer of a burger but get killed before you can reach it, as there is usually a checkpoint that will let you skip half of the trip back up there. All levels are self-contained, and you can complete them in 1-10 minutes at most. The longest levels in the game are always the boss battles, since you’re tasked with crafting burger after burger in order to come on top. Two of the four boss battles add a little something-something to to spice things up, so be on the lookout for special cues that will let you know exactly what you need to do to triumph. The game includes an offline multiplayer mode, and it also provides an online multiplayer mode. Up to four players can compete at the same time, either in split-screen or by the magic of the internets, trying to get as many points as possible while completing all the burgers available in the MP level while, at the same time, avoiding the other chefs and their nasty tricks! We are presented with several cutscenes in between some of the levels, which do their best to try and move the story along. Cliff notes version? You start to complete some burgers on the first level or two, then, suddenly, one of the Chefs will challenge you. They do this by way of a story printed in the newspaper (which you’re reading on an airplane), and the challenge is for you participate in a burger duel, because the other chef says that his burger is better than yours. You fight, you win. Do this 4 times. Congratulations! Roll credits. As mentioned before, when making a burger, the enemies you crush are added to the burger. Some combinations give you a special burger that in turn provides you with extra points. For example: Add some sausage to your burger, and you have an Italiano specialty! Discover all the new burger specialties that you can create! You should also remember that it is best if you always start to make your burger from the top bun! Every layer hits the one below, and then the one below, and so on. Each time this happens you get more points, and you have a great chance at trapping an enemy in between any of the lower layers when using this method! BurgerTime World Tour signals the return of a classic, and it does so in style. You will travel through 4 distinct locations, fighting against crazy food that is alive (accept, and embrace this!), and battling bizarre chefs that will try to end your reign as the top burger chef. There is a lot of content in the single player mode, and the multiplayer, both offline and online, will allow you to continue playing this well after you’re done with the story mode. Review Pros Cons BugerTime is back! Easy to control Finding an online match takes a while Rating 86% Cost – $9.99 Disclaimer Total amount of time played: 7 hours. Game was completed before writing this review. This review is based on a PS3 copy of BurgerTime World Tour provided by MonkeyPaw Games.

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[Review] Burger Time World Tour

Saints Row has always been one of those franchises where each successive title is more over-the-top than the next, and Saints Row: The Third is no different. In fact, this title takes the ridiculousness to a much higher level than the jump from 1 to 2. It may have been a few months since the game originally released in November, but a hundredth opinion doesn’t hurt, right? With the amount of hype and attention THQ built up for this game, does the title fall short, or does it meet or exceed the expectations? Back in the prime of the Grand Theft Auto series, open world, sandbox titles (at least as far as action/crime-themed ones go) were referred to as “GTA Clones.” Although this is more of a sensationalist monicker, I’d say this is also the title that would best fit it. It’s not inherently bad, though. Saints Row has a habit of taking things that worked right in GTA games, gave it their own personal touch, and then took them to a higher level. Look at the vehicle customization, for instance. Not a whole lot has changed as far as the Saints Row universe is concerned, but what did GTA have after San Andreas? Nothing. Anyway, I won’t delve deeper into the comparisons between the two, because that’s not what this is about. Here’s where the review truly begins. As you know, since Saints Row (which was available on the 360, but not the PS3), the universe revolved around your character climbing the heights of the Saints’ criminal organization. Upon taking over in Saints Row 2, the Third starts a little later in your character’s career, at a point where the Saints are in the ranks of celebrities, with merchandise and sponsorships all over the place. Well, eventually, you wind up in a city called Steelport (giving you a different locale, with only a slightly different vibe, than the first two, but still feels fresh), where the action truly begins. This new location makes sense, though, considering Stilwater was completely controlled by the Third Street Saints anyway (the Syndicate did a hostile takeover of Stilwater, though, but a botched attempt to rid the Saints of their leader winds the player up in Steelport, in spectacular fashion). Steelport now offers up a completely new set of gangs to take control from, but with the ridiculous level kind of up there, the gangs took on some traits of their own. Brutes, for instance, are members of the Syndicate’s “Morning Star” and are guys built like tanks that either carry large Gatling/chain guns or go around ramming vehicles out of the way, causing considerable damage (they’re essentially dumbed down clones of another character, which eventually joins your gang), or the Deckers (a cyberpunk gang) and their extremely fast, energized specialists. Hell, there’s even a gang of wrestlers called the Luchadores. The specialists take some time to defeat, but for the most part, regular gang members are still pretty standard. Eventually, the Saints wind up causing such a big problem that an anti-gang unit by the name of STAG invades Steelport, bringing with them a range of high tech weaponry and vehicles, and become a pretty integral part of the story, climaxing at the end. The guy in charge of STAG proves to be a power-hungry hard-ass and a thorn in everyone’s side, including the government’s (speaking of which, I laughed so hard when I saw who the mayor of Steelport was). Taking over the city is an exercise in itself. There are gang hideouts in certain areas, and upon killing off all of the marks, you’ll take control of a small portion of a neighborhood. This, however, isn’t how you take control of everything. There are activities strewn about, and upon completing them, you take control of other areas. These can rang from helicopter escorts (protecting a driver while flying a heli) to the series mainstay, the Insurance Fraud activity (because what’s more fun than raking in thousands of dollars by throwing yourself into traffic?). Of course, you can go back and replay some if you’d like. With that said, sticking to the theme of “ridiculousness,” there is one activity in particular that stands out, and that’s Professor Genki’s Super Ethical Reality Climax, which is themed like a Japanese game show, except you go around killing other people in what is essentially an obstacle course. This is a pretty insane diversion. Traps can be found anywhere, as well as power ups like more health, etc. The goal is to make enough money to unlock and reach the exit (usually there would be a special character you can opt to kill before exiting, but they’re tougher than the other inhabitants). Oh, and Hulk Hogan is one of commentators (the commentary is pretty funny if you pay attention to it). You’d figure he’d have been one of the Luchadores. There is also an upgrade system that allows the player to upgrade themselves, unlocking new attributes, increasing the strength of weapons, etc. This is dependent on the Respect level, though (which works better than previous games, as you no longer need to have a filled respect meter to play the next mission), so the more “Respect” you have, the more upgrades there are available to you. Eventually, you can get to the point where you have infinite health (for the most part) and ammo. Shopping around is still there, too. For some reason, though, the shops available seem pretty limited on the merchandise. Layering clothes seems to be gone as well (or, at least, effectively). There are some costumes you can get, though, and you can unlock others later in the game, including a toilet and a blowup doll… Oh, and the vehicles. Although only available to pre-order DLC, there is a human catapult car based off of Professor Genki, but right now, it’s not available for purchase. I tried looking for it in game, not realizing it was a DLC item at first. However, you can get a flame throwing Johnny Gat van, or steal a tank (which crushes cars when you drive over them, in a really cool way; you can also get killed yourself if they drive over your car). Personally, though, I think the most useful vehicle is the F-69 VTOL. Mainly because it’s essentially a jet that can take off and land anywhere, but also because this game is missing something that I used ALL THE TIME in previous titles. The ability to hail a cab. Heck, you can’t even call the numbers you see everywhere like you used to. The phone, apart from viewing the map, selecting missions, or changing settings, etc, only allows you to call up people already on your contact list. Anyway, mission variety is your standard fare, with a few outrageous missions thrown in. Remember that scene from the new A Team movie with the skydiving tank? There’s something similar to that in this game, too. Sorry if I spoiled that for you, but it was pretty insane. There’s another mission (it may have been the same one) where a plane wrecks into one of the islands, and a chemical spill causes a zombie outbreak. Yes, I said zombie outbreak. Making a parody of the current trend of having zombies in everything, THQ/Volition decided to throw this in there, too. With now way of getting it to go away once it happens. Sometimes, though, when you first drive into the island, everything is more or less normal, but given enough time, your map lights up like a Christmas tree and there’s zombies everywhere. This makes doing the activity available on that island very hard (though you can make it a hell of a lot easier with the VTOL and its laser), or getting to that person for a “photo op” with one of the many citizens before the undead starts showing up. It’s an annoyance, but could be fun for people who just want to drop in and have themselves a killing spree. Of course, what is a killing spree without weapons? Personally, I think the weapon choices should have been more varied, but there are a couple standouts. With the ability to upgrade your weapons this time around, each upgrade adds something to it (f upgrades are available). Usually, melee weapons don’t have upgrades, but if you want to degrade people, you can slap them around with the Penetrator. Or, if you fully upgrade the flashbangs, you can start throwing fart jars at people (no typo). Heck, if you don’t want to use any weapons, you can do some grappling moves with random people, including slamming their faces into the ground as if you’re performing a bulldog in a wrestling ring, and topping that off with a self-indulgent pose. There are also laser-painted air strikes and drones that fire player-guided missiles. Also, you don’t have to play the game alone. You can also hop into someone else’ game, or allow people to hop into yours. I tried this, and it seems to work OK, but if you don’t communicate with one another and don’t know what they’re doing, it can get a little pointless. The nice thing is, you can do anything you normally can do on your own, including shopping, etc. Still, the drop-in/drop-out aspect is fun, but I don’t think co-op will be the biggest draw for people looking for their multiplayer fix. That would have to go to Whored Mode. Whored Mode is the Saints Row take on hoard modes in other games, where you and friends fight to survive waves of enemies. Each wave has a specific theme to it, with specific weapons available to the player(s). This can range from fighting zombies with Penetrators, or taking down Brutes with nothing but grenades. Some waves even have miniature or giant enemies to take out. This would be fun to play amongst friends and see how long each can survive and how many points you can acquire. The only downside is that there aren’t enough maps and this could still get repetitive. With the gameplay out of the way, it’s time to shift focus to some other aspects. First of all, the graphics this time around are crisper and more colorful than the past titles (which, honestly, I felt seemed a little washed out), but they still feel like Saints Row. The sound design is no different, but my biggest complaint is still the radio. There’s hardly anything worth listening to, so I either play the game with the radio off, or I have it on the classical station. However, your interactions with other gang members (which you can recruit, up to 3, by pressing up) can include singing along to songs on the radio, or engaging in random banter. Beyond that, not much else can be said. As for some complaints, apart from the phone, there is also a lack of good cheats available. I know, cheating is usually frowned upon, but honestly, Saints Row titles are a lot more fun with cheats involved. Sure, you can buy some DLC that gives you more cheats available (like gravity-based cheats, etc), but the standard game? I couldn’t find a cheat worth even trying out. My complaints don’t really end there, either. For some reason, my interest in this title died down a lot faster than previous ones. I’m not sure why, but it doesn’t have that staying power (though, even in the first two, I would eventually lose interest). At least the driving physics have been improved, but they’re still pretty bad. I know a lot of people didn’t much care for them, but I still like GTA4′s driving physics more than any other open-world game. Another thing I’m not too crazy about is the fact that on some missions, you can’t go back and re-play them to unlock the other item that could have been available to you. I missed out on the Apocafist, for instance (and the only way I can get it now is by either replaying the game or using the cheat). At least you can replay the last mission (once) and take the other route, but this was the only mission that allowed you to do so (and after doing so, it’s no longer available). So what conclusion can you draw up with this? Saints Row the Third is a fun, ridiculous game, but it’s not one of those games with staying power. Eventually, the novelty wears off. You might feel inclined to play through it again eventually, but definitely not immediately after like you can, say, a Metal Gear Solid game. There are some outstanding qualities to be had, still, including the ability to upgrade your characters and weapons, but a lot of the variety from past games is missing. The inability to call for a cab is a big letdown, and zombies? Really? I can understand the parody aspect of it, but still… I’m going to have to give this game a solid C. Review Pros Cons Amped Up Ridiculousness New Location Lots of vehicles Decent Upgrade to Graphics Co-op Available Seems Lacking in Variety Replay Value Isn’t Too Good Still Has Bad Music Lack of Good Cheats No Taxi Service Rating 75% This review is based off of a retail copy of the game provided by THQ and has been completed thoroughly

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[PS3 Review] Saints Row: The Third

Journey is a beautiful game. Not in the sense of graphic design, which is astonishing by the way, but also for how unique the concept is. Journey takes the standard applied rules of every game you’ve ever played and throws it outside the window. My advice to you is to buy Journey and experience it for yourself, as there are many things words can’t describe. Journey is one of them. During my second play-through, my wife asked me why, why am I always heading for that big mountain in the horizon? I simply didn’t have an answer. I just knew this is where I should be heading. I knew that the beacon of light shivering in the horizon is my destination. It wasn’t a task I acquired by an NPC, nor a mission I unlocked on my travels, It was just my instincts, the inner objective and the curiosity that lives inside and motivates all of us. So I walked the golden sands with strangers aiming for the big mountain and the beacon of light, looking for answers . No objectives, no missions, not a single sense of what you should be doing, but I’ve always knew what had to be done. In Journey, you will walk in the shoes of a mysterious red cloaked character. Both you and the character will be looking for answers. Why am I here? What is my purpose? What do I have to do? Well, the answers will represent themselves in a unique package only the mind of ThatgameCompany can create. You will eventually find some answers by the end of your journey. Of course, you will also have more questions, but this time, you will have a sense of satisfaction and disappointment, all combined with an emotional tendency. The controls in Journey are as simple as they can get. The game also benefits from the sixaxis motion of the Dual Shock 3 controller. Something we have already experienced in Flower. You will dive straight into the game, with no complications of any sort. I think that’s what the developer always intended. I was part of the game, sliding down the endless sand, floating with the mysterious creatures and meditating with strangers by the fascinating landscape Journey presented. I haven’t encountered a single bug during my two runs in Journey . The developer dedicated all their resources to make this experience incredibly satisfying in every aspect imaginable, and I think they did a fantastic job at that. The multiplayer in Journey is like nothing you’ve ever experienced. Personally, I wouldn’t call it a multiplayer, as it is something quite entirely different from anything I have played before. Allow me to explain. In Journey, you will encounter many strangers. There will be no names, no voice chat, nothing to unveil the identity of the other character. You both share the same look and sense of curiosity. You can communicate by graceful tunes your characters can make, mostly for the purpose of unveiling your locations, especially in dark times. Journey is short, disappointingly short. It is also different, unforgettable, hauntingly beautiful and food for your soul. Do yourself a favor and buy Journey when it comes out on the 13th, or get it now if you are a PlayStation Plus subscriber. Review Pros Cons Unique Outstanding visual design Serene soothing soundtrack Replay value Short Rating 92% Price on PSN is $14.99 Disclaimer This review is based on a PS3 edition of Journey developed by Thatgamecompany and published by SCEA.

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[PSN Review] Journey