Uncharted 2

lolKarlB

I just wanted to even out the scores. The user score should at least be a 3-star before anything else, right? That way, it's middle ground.

WERD

Awesome Game, No Questions Asked Pt.1

Valkyria Chronicles is a game for PS3 that puts you in control of Squad 7, a unit lead by Welkin Gunther. The game takes place during a fierce war over resources.

STORY: Players are introduced to Valkyria Chronicles when Welkin Gunther, an everyday teacher, returns to his home town of Gallia to visit family. Unfortunately (and fortunately) for him, he encounters Alicia Melchiott, a soldier that previously had a job at a bakery. At first, they don't seem to be very fond of each other but after the situation clears up, they become invaluable allies to each other. As Welkin eventually through a series of events becomes the captain of his squad, with Alicia at his side, and fight to defend their hometown from Imperial invaders who are raiding the town for an invaluable substance. My persona favorite character is Alicia, followed by Welkin, then Rosie. Try the game out and you'll see some of the other members as well. That aside, the game is MUCH deeper than this, but I'd rather you all try it yourselves.

GAMEPLAY: Valkyria Chronicles features solid gameplay using SEGA's BLiTZ system. The gameplay is turn-based with strong RTS elements. Assembling the squad is another aspect of the game that offers very vivid customization options that require the player to be very strategic in the way they handle themselves. For example, snipers are very valuable characters but possess weak defensive ability (they die easily). Each character possesses unique attributes such as some operating poorly because of allergies or some working better with men. It's very, very deep and it truly does feel like you're in control of a flock of soldiers with unique attributes. Definitely a shining gem among a sea of titles. You also have the ability to upgrade classes and even weapons to your liking. Fortunately, members of your squad that are leveled up also applies to the ones you keep in your camp (a scout in play that levels up also levels up the other scouts you have in your reserves) so there's no need to worry about imbalance and inexperience among yourselves. Again, these are key gameplay elements in a nutshell.

GRAPHICS: Contrary to the way things are going for most games this generation, Valkyria Chronicles trades the push-technology-for-realism
for a much more artistic and anime-esque feel, which I actually enjoy much more. The graphics are very water-color canvas-like. The environments are lush with very vibrant coloring all around. The shading featured in the game consists of hatch lines, making it feel even more animated. The cutscenes are very believable with characters that give you the real feel as well. The CG is very artistic in the sense that while it still has a water color look with hatch-line shading, one can still easily see the computer-generated graphics from it.

A Great Franchise Pushed Even Farther.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is the final chapter in the life of Solid Snake. Now old and (somewhat) decrepit, Snake relies on the help of old allies as well as new ones.

STORY: With only a short time to live as the game opens, Snake must chase down and assassinate Liquid Snake, who now seeks to control nanomachines in what he calls "Guns of The Patriots." I won't get into detail as to how many allies and enemies return, but I will say that Meryl's return with her unit is a prominent factor. She links up to her unit using SOP, or Sons of the Patriots. In doing so, she can communicate and monitor their bodily functions as well as "be each other's eyes." Snake goes global and even returns to a familiar place in order to stop Liquid Snake (or Liquid Ocelot, if you will). The cutscenes are the longest I remember from any game, but it's very immersive and very detailed. Old fans of MGS games should have no problem sitting through the story.

GAMEPLAY & GRAPHICS: MGS4's gameplay is incredibly solid. The configuration is different from previous games, but if anything, it's been made better. Snake now utilizes OctoCamo, a suit that allows him to blend into his environment. Don't be fooled, it isn't as easy as you'd like to believe. First of all, Octocamo is only effective at distances unless you have the mask to compliment it, but even then, you aren't guaranteed safety. It takes a lot of strategic ability to get through.
The graphics are among the best seen this generation thus far. It's apparent that this game took a lot of work to fulfill effectively. Truth is, the game is absolutely awesome on the visual front. You can see Snake's hair swishing in the wind with detailed textures. This is more of a comment regarding the physics, but if Snake steps on a grenade and he gets blown against the wall, he crashes into it realistically, sometimes even upside down. Epic. The boss battles are interesting, each with their own unique of taking them down with unique background stories.

SOUND: Unfortunately, to really appreciate the audio, you'll need a great surround sound system (7.1 preferred). With it, you can definitely hear the emphasis on the dark, melancholy theme the game portrays. Themes like "Old Snake" and "Love Theme" are solid evidence. Soundtrack aside (which overall is fantastic), if you have a great surround sound system with this game, you can literally hear the bullets whizzing through the speakers. Excellent sound quality, especially in the voice acting.

GRIPES: To me, MGS4 only has 2 visible shortcomings: The use of Konami IDs and constant installs. I really do wish the game had a single install, but it does so periodically throughout the game. I didn't mind too terribly much because the install screen was informative and it gave me time to theorize what would happen in the next act. Back to Konami IDs, they really dropped the ball with that. It doesn't serve as a set back for me since MGS4 is a single-player experience and anything else is a bonus. Also, this is small, but the Big Boss Emblem is much easier to get this time around, mainly because you can now use radar and

OVERALL: Metal Gear Solid 4 is a fantastic game and may easily be considered the greatest game of this generation; perhaps even last generation. I wouldn't call the multiplayer terrible; it is fun. It's just that the IDs are a hindrance. Now, the graphics, emotional expression, music, storyline, and gameplay all come together to truly emphasize this as Snake's final mission. Although Snake is a video game character, it is very easy to identify his pain. Once a great mercenary, when you play this game, you can definitely see just how mortal Snake really is. If you don't like games that may stir your emotions, MGS4 may not be for you. Otherwise, you do yourself the greatest injustice to overlook this wonderful, wonderful title.

Someone Stop me.

This game gets all the bells and whistles. It's just too much fun. This is a re-make of the classic Prince of Persia game for either NES or SNES. I can't remember. The graphics are vamped up to modern day standards, the developers stayed true to what the game was, and it was just unbelieveable fun. Normally, I could pass on achievements, but not on this game! This game is awesome, and in my opinion, it does everything right that needs to be done. If only Sonic was remade in this way. Hm. Anyway, the point is, it's the good old traditional platforming, sword fighting, puzzle solving, addictive game it always was and always (hopefully) will be. I give it a 5 out of 5. If you own an XBOX 360, you owe it to yourself to download this game. Well worth the Microsoft Points, indeed.

And The Lord Said...............Yes.

Gears of War is perhaps the greatest thing to happen this year (well, aside from the PS3 and Wii launch). This game is so addicting, and you would hate to put it down. The controls are fluid, solid online play, and stellar graphics. The idea of the game is simple: blow the head off of any thing that isn't human, which would actually be deemed the Locust Horde. Powerful, and the central point of focus lies in mapping the tunnels below and destroying them along with the Locust down low. The only problem I encountered with this masterpiece would be the length of the storyline. I was actually quite disappointed in the length of the game, but online play saves it from the grasp of rushed. I definitely recommend this game. You owe it to yourself to own Gears of War.