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Reviews
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (2007)
Another selection from Eidos
So I had just recently finished the game and I was left at awe. This feeling rose up in question of if I really enjoyed the game or not. In the end I decided that I did. There are a few factors you must take into consideration when you play this game: 1) The Graphics - Something I have come to expect from most 3rd person shooter games is a set of lackluster graphics. No they are not up to par with next-gen standards, but people say that about every single 3rd person shooter. From Grand Theft Auto, to Eidos's own Hit-man everybody wants more. Sure it would be nice for it to look great but think of this. Would you rather a game with great graphics and no character development or story to a game with great character development or story and not so up to snuff graphics?
I was always under the impression that a video game was meant as a means of entertainment, a distraction from the real into the land of your fantasy. If you play a game because of the way it looks, you are into gaming for all of the wrong reasons.
Do you remember Super Mario Bros. 3? That was fun, simple, graphics were obviously horrible... Everybody still has fun playing that game today. I know I do. So stop moaning over the look of the game and remember that it was only a decade ago we were playing at 16-bit and still having fun.
2) Audio - Paranoia rings a bell when I think about this. There are very few moments int he game where you hear no gunshots being fired. As for the voice acting, Lynch leaves something to be desired but the voice acting for Kane adds much more to the character of this flawed man.
3) Game play - The game has a simple premise, kill the bad guy's, a little harder than we are usually used to. Somebody is always shooting at you, and you are always on the brink of death. The shooting system is to the point, which has received some criticism.
Many players are stating that the line of fire is often broken or flawed, saying that the bullets don't go exactly where you aim all the time. Guess what? They are right... However, if you go to a shooting range, or if you have ever shot a gun before, you would know that at distances the line of fire can be altered depending on many things. I think it added a sense of realism to the game.
4) AI - This is where things go wrong for me. The AI is stupid. There is no other word to describe it. Not so much the enemy though, more so your crew. There had been times when Lynch or anybody wouldn't follow me, or they walk up to a high cal. turret.
Now the game works easy, you can revive a fallen ally be injecting them "Mia Wallace Style" (Adrenaline). The problem here resides in previous paragraphs where I had stated that there is always someone firing at you and often time you have to revive a fallen ally in front of the enemy or turret that had killed him.
This is one tough game.
--- My overall reaction to the game was great. I had high hopes for this one, and wasn't let down too much. I like simplicity put to a challenging game with a good premise.
When the game got to the end I noticed something that has been popping up in many games of recent release... The inevitable lack of an ending. This was present in the recently released Assassin's Creed as well as Jericho, both games toted for sequels. This is where my advice comes in... If you are like me and you like getting frustrated and finding your way out of a good fire fight, play it. Especially if you are fans of Hit-man and Freedom Fighters.
My only warning is that this, like the two games mentioned above, should have been made directly as a movie. Great story, great potential.
In conclusion, I rate this game a nice 9 out of 10. Eidos has never been one to impress those looking for absolutely everything (Graphics and the like), but most do not realize that game creators are on a budget and some things cost more money and more importantly in the industry TIME that they do not have. You can only push a release so far before people forget about it.
Castlevania Akatsuki no menuetto (2003)
A Great Game To Continue A Great Legacy
As I read a past comment. A person inquired to the castle rising in Japan during the first eclipse. This person must be a terrible follower. If he were a good follower than he would know that the castle was within the eclipse itself, and there isn't one moon for every country.
So the game has a great quality to it. You play as Soma Cruz, a guy who knows hes been in the castle before, just can't think of how or when. You have the unique ability to absorb the souls of those who you defeat. You can use them as special powers, or transformations. These come in quite handy as the game progresses.
The Medusa heads, are Medusa heads...Death is Death... The bosses... We need some new ones. I am sick of killing the same Golems, and Death's all over again, in pretty much the same way. At least in 3D you can get creative. There is little you can innovate in a 2D environment.
Overall this game delivers the good IL' Castlevania experience we come to love, with a good little tweak from the souls. Oh, we need a new place to go. Dracula needs to do some home renovation. Next time he comes back he should stop worrying about taking the world, and worry about adding a new wing to the castle.
I give this game ***.5 out of ****