Posted on 13 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Reviews, Wii | 2 Comments

Posted on 13 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, Reviews | 6 Comments

Game Info:

System: Nintendo DS
Category: RPG
Players: 1-4
Release date: July 11, 2010
Developer: Level-5/Square Enix
Publisher: Nintendo

Dragon Quest has always been a huge hit in Japan, but has never quite managed to capture the same attention elsewhere. It seems more likely, in comparison to past DQ games that the release of Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies will lead to greater worldwide success. Never before has a primary Dragon Quest game been released on a handheld – in fact, it is designed for the best-selling portable video game console of all time. Moreover, the title features a mix of classic role-playing gameplay as well as a few new additions and modifications that make this particular title a worthy addition to the series.

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Posted on 13 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Reviews | 0 comments

Game Info:

System: Nintendo DS
Category: Puzzle
Players: 1
Developer: Scholastic
Publisher: Scholastic

When I was a kid, I loved the I Spy series of books. I’ve owned quite a few different editions, including the original I Spy and my personal favorite I Spy: Haunted House. To this day I’ll occasionally go back and glance through them, noticing little things I never did before and getting a little blast of nostalgia from many years back. When I received an e-mail from Scholastic Media offering me a review copy of the game, I certainly couldn’t refuse. After all, what’s better than the content of several I Spy books all in one cartridge? Well, apparently quite a bit…
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Posted on 13 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, Reviews | 9 Comments

The image above is based on a drawing created by a Chinese blogger who says he has a 3DS development kit. There are also a number of unconfirmed details about the system, which we’ve posted below.

– 3D camera
– Differently-designed screens
– The blogger says “the effect of the [3D] screen is amazing.”
– MP3/AAC hardware decode function
– Media player
– Will have a second, proprietary medium for 3DS games
– 3DS titles will fit on a card similar in size to a Compact Flash card
– May be able to put in 3DS and DS games in the same slot
– Might not have an analog stick
– Possible tilt sensor/accelerometer
– Might be as powerful as the Wii

Original drawing from the Chinese blogger below:

You know, I really can’t wait until the 3DS is shown on Tuesday. All of the speculation and mock-ups are driving me crazy!

Source

Posted on 13 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Reviews, Wii | 9 Comments

Game Info:

System: Nintendo Wii
Category: RPG
Players: 1-2 (offline), 1-4 (over wi-fi)
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom

Monster Hunter Tri is the latest game in Capcom’s Monster Hunter franchise, a series of RPGs that have never really taken off outside of Japan. Well known for multiplayer co-op allowing for up to four adventurers to team up and take down colossal foes, the series now finds itself on the Wii —a system often criticised for its approach to online play. Is Tri the series’ best game to date or is there still something that has been lost in translation?

There’s really no plot to the game. In the single player mode, you’re a wannabe adventurer who is asked to save a small seaside village from a massive leviathan lurking in nearby waters. The storyline only really serves to add new gameplay elements, which is fine by me. After the first few tutorial missions, you can start opening up new missions courtesy of the Hunter’s Guild. Over time, more areas open up, and you can gain access to things like a farm providing you will common (but useful) items and ingredients, a shipping fleet offering to trade commodities and a cat-run canteen that serves up meals which grant temporary stat boosts and abilities. A few quests in, your lonely hunter is joined by Cha-Cha, this weird masked midget who serves as a constant companion both in and outside of quests. He can help gather resources, learn different techniques from different masks and, most importantly, act as a diversion for drawing monsters’ attention.

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Posted on 14 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, Reviews | 8 Comments

Game Info:

System: Nintendo DS
Category: RPG
Players: 1-2 (versus)
Release date: March 14, 2010
Developer: Game Freak
Publisher: Nintendo

Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver are the latest games in Nintendo’s hugely successful Pokemon series, though they are both remakes of Gold and Silver: two Pokemon titles that were released back in 2000 for the Game Boy. Gold and Silver were believed by many to be the best games in the entire series, adding many innovations that have become standard, like the game’s internal clock and Pokemon breeding. Do HeartGold and SoulSilver manage to do these classic games justice, or do they not hold up after ten years and 200-and-something new Pokemon?

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Posted on 14 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Reviews, Wii | 9 Comments

System: Wii
Category: RPG
Players: 1
Developer: Namco Bandai Games/tri-Crescendo
Publisher: XSEED
Available: Now

I’m going to start this review off by telling you I have no idea how to start this review off. Why? Because Fragile is such a unique game, I’m hard pressed to review it as a “game” at all. Unfortunately, being that this is a website about games and not about whatever it is that Fragile is, I’ll have to just give it my all and hope things turn out okay.

Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon is classified as a role playing game, and it follows the tale of a young 15 year old boy named Seto who finds himself alone in the world after his “grandfather” (whether it actually was his grandfather or just an old man he was living with remains to be seen) passes away during the summer. As such, he is left to explore the ruined world and look for survivors on his own with no information as to what happened that left everyone dead except for him. Shortly thereafter, he runs into a girl (a mysterious girl, at that) and decides he better follow her if he wants to be not-lonely for the rest of his life. Thus begins the solemn tale of Fragile Dreams.

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Posted on 14 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, Reviews | 3 Comments

Game Info:

System: Nintendo DS
Category: Adventure
Players: 1
Release date: February 16, 2010
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom

The fifth game in the Ace Attorney series puts players in the shoes of tea-sipping prosecutor, Miles Edgeworth. As well as the change in character, Investigations mixes up the gameplay, putting the focus on investigating crime scenes rather than the usual courtroom antics. Sure, it blurs the line between detectives and lawyers, but when taking the law into your own hands is this enjoyable, it doesn’t really matter. Investigations is proof that the Ace Attorney series still has plenty of life left in it.

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Posted on 14 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Reviews, Wii | 2 Comments

Game Info:
System: Nintendo Wii
Category: Combat Flight Simulator
Players: 1-2
Release Date: January 12, 2010
Publisher: XSEED Games
The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces, based on the anime film and novel of the same name, is a combat flight simulator developed by Namco’s Project Aces, the same development team responsible for the Ace Combat series. The game follows the player, callsign “Lynx,” a newly recruited pilot during an alternate world history in which war has all but vanished. In spite of the peace, private corporations contract fighter pilots to wage wars in an attempt to entertain a war-accustomed populace. Lynx joins Cougar Squad, one of many fighter squadrons in commission under Rostock Corporation.Read More

Posted on 14 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Reviews, Wii | 4 Comments

Game Info:

System: Wii
Category: Sports
Players: 1-2
Developer: Next Level Games
Publisher: Nintendo
Available: Now

Though it lacks the toothless grin of Iron Mike, Punch-Out!! for the Wii retains all of the depth, accessibility and charm of 1987’s Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! with all the upgrades expected of a current-gen game.

Stepping back in the shoes of up and coming boxer, Little Mac, players fight their way through 14 unique boxers accompanied by the always-unhelpful coach, Doc Louis. It’s clear that the developers at Next Level Games really loved the old Punch-Out!! games, as the Wii version is incredibly faithful to the source material. With the exception of Mike Tyson and Mr Dream, all of the boxers from the original game make a return appearance, as well as Bear Hugger and Aran Ryan from Super Punch-Out!! The sole new boxer is Disco Kid, who is a lot of fun to fight, but it’s a shame that he’s the only new competitor.

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