User Reviews

All Reviews by Jake016

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Mass Effect - Xbox 360

Pros Cons
Engaging story It's boooring
Loads of content Unresponsive controls
  Braindead computer AI
A critic's game

I'm not going to say that this game is bad, it just doesn't know what it wants to be. The story is dood but the way it is told is better. Dialogue trees are pretty cool, but you rarely see your ever see your choice in dialogue affecting the
world(s). The leveling is fair. You barely notice a difference when you level a stat unless you level dialogue or hacking, etc. Exploration is also not fun at all. In this way the rpg elements are not a full blown Oblivion, but hold their own. The combat has some fun gameplay. The controls are floaty. It is fairly fun to go into combat but you get 4 weapons the whole game. Yes you get upgraded versions of them, but the way you play with them stays the same. In this way the shooting is not a full blown Halo or Gears. Overall, the game is good, but critics seem to have more of a taste for it than regular gamers.

Assassin's Creed - Xbox 360

Pros Cons
Amazing visuals Not enough content
Engaging story Doesn't live up to expectations
Engaging story Repetitive gameplay
Addictive gameplay Braindead computer AI
Tight controls  
Innovative concepts  
Just plain fun  
Room for Improvement

Assassin's Creed is like no other game. It is a stealth game, set in the Middle Ages (except for some sequences). The story is awkward at times but is solid. The gameplay itself is very fun, and the controls are innovative. The combat is sort of hard to pick up, and easy to master. Once you can combo and counter, you will win every battle easily, no matter how many guard come for you. The problem is that the same missions are repeated over and over the whole game and events that would be random in real life show up on your map to do anytime. Also the guards are very dumb sometimes, and other times they chase you even if you aren't acting suspicious. The replay value goes down a lot because the missions you do are repeated throughout the game and there is no multiplayer. If anything this game is fun and definatly worth a rental, but the real draw to it is that all of the things that this game does will be improved times 1000 when the inevitable sequel comes out.

Half-Life 2: The Orange Box - Xbox 360

Pros Cons
Engaging story  
Loads of content  
Intense action  
Addictive gameplay  
Tight controls  
Innovative concepts  
Valve is a PC

I have to start by saying that there is no glaring flaw with this game, it just is made by PC developers and is best played on a PC. You can buy this game for a bargain considering its 5 games in one. Keep in mind load times are very long.
Half-Life: The Half-Life games tend to be hit or miss. I expected it to be way different than it really is. 2 of the H-L games are straight ports, so don't expect flashy graphics. They are great games though.
Portal: Great. Enough said. Buy Portal somehow, download it, I don't care how, just get it (if not just because the end credits are amazing).
Team Fortress 2: Good class-based shooter. The graphics are nice and so are the weapons. Health doesn't regenerate and good-luck finding a medic. It lacks some variety, too, and for although this may be a good thing, there is no standard machine gunner. You can play as a big buff chaingun user (awesome) and a lot of classes carry a weak SMG, but there is no "standard" class, which is worse than it sounds. There are much fewer updates on 360 than PC. Overall, this game rounds out the package, but is not the next Halo.

Halo 3 - Xbox 360

Pros Cons
Loads of content Ugly visuals
Tight controls Poor storytelling
Fantastic multiplayer Doesn't live up to expectations
  Repetitive gameplay
I know, but it's worth 5 stars anyway.

Yes, the story is pretty weak. Yes, the graphics look like Halo 2.5. Yes, you will spend a lot of time on the "shoot, punch" technique. The expectations were ridiculously high. It is not my favorite, but it is still great. The multiplayer is solid. The game is very polished and that's why it deserves 5 stars. I may have my gripes with it, but it still is one of the best shooters ever.

Gears of War - Xbox 360

Pros Cons
Amazing visuals  
Awesome audio  
Engaging story  
Intense action  
Addictive gameplay  
Tight controls  
Innovative concepts  
Fantastic multiplayer  
Just plain fun  
My Favorite Game

While there are some things that are not the best, it is still a great overall game. The campaign may not have the best storytelling or dialogue, but it is awesome. The story is original and not overly confusing. The online is very, very addictive. I have been playing it constantly for a year and a half. I have played it more than all of my other games, including Halo 2 and 3, and Call of Duty 4, combined. The weapons are some of the best in any game. There are not a vast lot of them, but they are tight, balanced, and awesome. A crossbow that shoots explosive arrows? A machine gun with a chainsaw on it? A sniper that can blow someone's head off? Tell me that's not awesome. It introduces new concepts, like active reloads and balls to the walls violence. This game has its flaws, but it is still a gem.