Thursday, December 23, 2010

How would you like to get Nail'd on the holidays?




That's right I said it. Your friends from MashButtons are looking out for our valued readers and to show our appreciation, Deep Silver has provided us with the swag pack of swag packs to give out to one fortunate person.

Below is the list of contents:
-a nail’d “high altitude sickness kit” messenger bag
-one tin of White Knuckle Cream
-one copy of the nail’d original soundtrack
-a bottle of nail’d high altitude sickness pills :)
-an “I GOT nail’d” shotglass
-and a copy of the game (your choice of platform)

So how do you get your hands on all this fun stuff? Shoot me an email to Dom@mashbuttons.com telling me why you need to get Nail'd on the holidays, along with your address and console preference, should you be chosen as our lucky winner.

Happy holidays and I'm looking forward to all your responses.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Atari gives the gift of car lineup for Christmas, and hotness it is

Atari has given the MashButtons gearhead an early Xmas present this year with the first developer diary and a sneak peak at the specs of some of the hottest cars to be found in the upcoming Test Drive Unlimited 2. Though I did not play the first entry, but from the looks of the social aspect, leisurely drives, and casinos, I can't wait to see how the final product fares.

·Aston Martin One-77 - One-77 fuses advanced technology with stunning Aston Martin design to create possibly the world’s most desirable automotive art form. Based on a sophisticated carbon fibre chassis with a handcrafted aluminium body, this 7.3 litre V12 super car will deliver exhilarating performance for a strictly limited number of discerning customers.

·Bugatti Veyron - The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a rear mid-engined grand touring car. The Super Sport version is the fastest road-legal car in the world, with a top speed of 431.07 km/h (267.85 mph).

·Chevrolet Camaro SS - Chevy Camaro is an excellent performance-car value whether it's equipped with the base direct-injected V6-powered base Camaro can sprint to 60 mph in 6.0 seconds, thanks to 300 horsepower.

·Corvette C1 - The Chevrolet Corvette (C1) is the first generation of the sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced late in the 1953 model year and produced through 1962. It is commonly referred to as the "solid-axle" generation, as the independent rear suspension didn't appear until the 1963 Sting Ray

·Dirty Blue Audi TTS Roadster - Audi TT RS has a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine with direct gasoline injection; it produces 250 kW (340 bhp) and 450 Nm (331.90 lb.-ft.) of torque. The blazing five-cylinder engine enables the Audi TT RS to perform extraordinary feats.

·Dodge Viper SRT 10 - The Dodge Viper SRT10 is Dodge’s flagship supercar model. It is a two-door, two-seat vehicle based on the Dodge Viper. The Viper SRT10 originated in 2003 as a roadster boasting an 8.3 liter V10 producing a staggering 500 HP.

·Ferrari Enzo - The Enzo Ferrari is a 12 cylinder mid-engine berlinetta named after the company's founder, built in 2002 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fibre body, F1-style electrohydraulic shift transmission, and Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) ceramic composite disc brakes.

·Koenigsegg CCXR Edition - The Koenigsegg CCXR Edition is a limited edition of the Koenigsegg CCXR manufactured in 2008, only available by special order in a very limited run of 4 production models.

·McLaren MP4-12C - McLaren MP4-12C is a sports car set to be launched in 2011. The MP4-12C features a carbon fibre composite chassis, and will be powered by a mid-mounted McLaren M838T 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo engine developing approximately 592 bhp (441 kW; 600 PS) and around 443 lb·ft (601 N·m) of torque. The car makes use of Formula 1-sourced technologies such as "brake steer", where the inside rear wheel is braked during fast cornering to reduce understeer.

·Pagani Zonda C12 F - The C12 uses a 7,010 cc (428 cu in) AMG–tuned version of the engine producing 550 PS (400 kW; 540 hp). It can accelerate to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.7 secs, to 100 mph (160 km/h) in 7.5 secs and complete the quarter mile in 11.3 secs at 131 mph (211 km/h). The C12 S features an elongated nose, flaps at the rear for improved aerodynamics, and new light clusters and exhausts. Only fifteen 7.0 L C12 S cars were produced.

·Spyker C8-AILERON - The road going Spyker C8 Aileron is powered by an Audi 4.2 Liter V8 that produces 400 HP and accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in 4.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 187 MPH.

·Wiesmann Roadster MF3 - The Wiesmann Roadster has been in production since 1993. It is a dynamic and powerful sports car, intended for enthusiasts looking for something a little different. It includes a 3.2 L, BMW M3 in-line 6 cyl Transmission, 6-speed manual, a max speed of 158 mph, 0-60 mph 4.9 seconds, 325 bhp horsepower @ 7400 rpm and weight 1180 kg, 2601 lbs.

Sergeant Knox gets introduced in new Operation Flashpoint video

Yes, Sergeant Knox, not General Knox from Borderlands, is a protagonist you will come across in Codemasters' newest entry, Operation Flashpoint: Red River. In Red River, it appears you will go to Tajikistan as part of the USMC. The previous entry, Dragon Rising, was not a very forgiving title in terms of FPS gameplay and difficulty, but for some reason Red River still looks good and though I am not willing to give up on Codemasters FPS titles, the Q2 2011 release of this will be marked on my calendar.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Ken explains Gymkhana in DiRT 3

Anyone that knows me, knows I love racing games, from realistic to arcade. So this comes as no surprise that I am absolutely ecstatic about DiRT 3 and here is a little video brought to you from Codemasters and Ken Block, giving a little introduction and some clips of the new feature, Gymkhana.

Did the robot just give the other robot the finger?

The recent Portal 2 coop triler is now available, and of course, Valve adds their subtle humor to the video. Below is the new trailer if any of you missed it on the VGA's last week. Enjoy and keep an eye out for more to come and please clarify if the fat robot is giving the skinny robot the finger.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

SSX is FINALLY coming out!

One of the lesser pieces of info to come out of the VGA's last weekend (lesser only since the mega-jackpot of Elder Scrolls V is killer!), was the announcement of EA's SSX re-boot "SSX: Deadly Descents".  No, this isn't a new genre-bending Snowboard-Survival-Horror game (though, what a grand idea, I think I'll patent that); this is the re-imagining/re-boot/re-start of the incredible PS2 launch title that helped define a generation.

Originally put out on EA's BIG label (now, I'm pretty sure that's defunct); if you had a PlayStation 2, you probably played, SSX, SSX Tricky, or even the full-mountain-spanning SSX 3!  All where phenomenal games, in the same vein of the Tony Hawk series (but way better).  Each new installment added new moves, features, and no-loading, that continued to up the ante.

Then they disappeared...no SSX games since 2005 (if you say the SSX Blur for Wii, we don't count that one); but just announced a few days ago, EA Canada is once-again taking the reigns to bring us an all-new mountain adventure, of sick snowboarding.  If you're not jazzed, check yo-self!

SSX: Deadly Descents will be available for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360; no release date is known yet. 

Monday, December 13, 2010

Breaking Mortal Kombat News Following VGA Premier


Some knew another Mortal Kombat was on the way, some didn't, and some just don't even care. Me? Well I was never a bag fan of any of the releases after the third, so why am I excited for this release? Well after playing at E3 and the reminiscent feeling of dumping handfuls of quarters into the Midway cabinets, I wanted more. Some of the big news that was just announced was that Kratos would be available exclusively for the PS3,and now two different editions are being announced. The first is the Kollector's Edition which includes the game, Sub-Zero and Skorpion figurines, art book, and DLC which includes a costume skin and avatar costumes. The Tournament Edition comes with the game, portable fight stick, DLC, and is limited to 20,000 copies.

How much Mario can you get in the All Stars Limited Edition?


Apparently a full 25 years worth in one small package. To celebrate the huge anniversary, Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition will contain four classic games, playable on the Wii along with a soundtrack CD and commemorative booklet. What will this must have purchase set you back, well an affordable $29.99 while supplies last.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time| Review


Synopsis: The Rabbids are back and this time they trying to change history as we know it, luckily our friends at Ubisoft have provided us with a review copy of this Wii exclusive to play the mini games with friends. In the fourth title of the series, Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time, you will wreak havoc on a poor unsuspecting history museum with 20 new mini games played with up to four friends, 30 costumes for your Rabbid, and for the first time players are able to join others online and share scores and trophies. Get ready to break out the remote and nunchuks, and get this…Travel in Time even has mini games specifically for the motion plus, now on with the review.

Praise: I need to start by saying this is my first Rabbids game that I have played but am a fan of the party games, both good and some bad as they are mostly played in small amounts with the wife and kid. The game begins with an amusing cutscene, and then you create a new game by entering the bathroom and exiting into a museum with toilet paper stuck to your foot, funny right? Well the humor does continue throughout the mini games, from collecting beans to flying, my personal favorite, and even dancing. The graphics look great and there is a lot of replay value to be had, even when you don’t have anyone around to play with, the computer plays as the opponent. Another strong feature that this title totes is that it is one of the few games that support the motion plus accessory, and it works great!

Gripes: I wish more of the games within this party title focused on the motion plus, as there were times in which I was fighting with the controller to detect my movement. A small issue I had is that I always felt I was missing something in the museum as it is pretty large with the number of rooms, I constantly felt that certain mini games were being overlooked, but with enough time and exploration, I think I found the majority of the games and costumes, hopefully. Lastly, for a multiplayer party game, navigating the history museum is done by the first player and once your find the game you want to play, then the other players are able to join in the fun.

Overall, Travel in Time is a laugh out loud good time whether playing by yourself against the CPU or with friends. The real replay value shines when you have a group of people to play with, just make sure you have as many nunchuks as you do remotes. This title is targeted to the casual gamer, but hardcore players can enjoy as well when it comes to having some time to kill and looking to have some fun and good laughs. There is a lot to explore and unlock, so get your Rabbid to the museum and be ready to change history as you know it!

Mashbuttons.com gives Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time an 8 out of 10.

Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time is available now for the Nintendo Wii.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Disney Epic Mickey | Review


Synopsis: One of the year’s most anticipated games is finally here, toting the Disney name and a number of characters and environments almost forgotten; Disney Epic Mickey is an action platformer for gamers of all ages exclusively available on the Nintendo Wii. You will play as Mickey Mouse on a journey of creativity and discovery, armed with a brush, some paint, and thinner which is used to change environments, solve puzzles, and interact with your friends and enemies, in a play style described as “Playstyle Matters”, where there will be consequences for your decisions and actions. All characters, both friends and enemies, and environments are inspired from Disney’s vault of films and shorts, some newer and some older, such as the ruler of the alternative Disney universe, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Will this title from the mastermind behind Deus Ex, Thief, and Wing Commander, Warren Spector live up to its hype?

Praise: To start off, the characters and environments in this title make me feel like I am looking at Disneyland through the eyes of Tim Burton. The graphics and music that accompany the game are beautiful, memorable, and keep players hooked to see what they will encounter next. The “Playstyle Matters” element of gameplay is the standout feature which also provides the games replay value, as the story and character interactions are based on your previous actions, whether heroic or mischievous. The levels are a pretty good length, taking between a half hour to an hour depending on how much you are looking to complete and explore. I really liked how the developers made the world from Disneyland and provided their own twist on how the park would look in their eyes should an evil blot run rampant through it.

Gripes: I really wanted to like this game more but there were a few issues that really affected the gameplay for me. The camera, yes I know this is commonly a complaint from me on adventure games, you cannot manually control it but press a button to bring the camera behind Mickey, unfortunately sometimes that doesn’t work or help. The paint/thinner does get old at times as this is your main means for playing through the story, however, when you have to decide on what to use on each enemy along with challenges, it grows tiresome. I have a love/hate relationship with the controls as I understand why this was made for the Wii, using the remote to aim your brush, but half of the time you aim at something and are unable to hit the target without having to move around trying to find the right angle.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this title, all gripes aside, the good outweighs the bad. Sure it was very frustrating at times trying to complete quests where the boss seems to be the camera, but once you best the camera, it is very fulfilling and entertaining, until your next fight with the camera. Unfortunately, I do feel that this game was oversold as I had higher expectations, and with a little extra polish to the gameplay it could have been a truly epic title.

Mashbuttons.com gives Disney Epic Mickey a 7 out of 10.

Disney Epic Mickey is available now for the Nintendo Wii.

Nail’d | Review


Synopsis: The time has come for the feel good over the top off road racer which is nail’d, to hit consoles and PC’s and it is our duty as always to play the hell out of it and see how it stacks up. The have done a number of races, both online and off, with Deep Silver's new racer, so let’s get down to the brass tacks. The game is based on it’s over the top speed and tracks, while providing depth with the ability to choose from motorcycles or ATV’s, both being fully customizable. Boosting has been brought into the equation to give you the edge on racers, earned by landing huge death defying jumps, landing on opponents, and making your way through fiery gates. The break neck action is accompanied by a rock, punk, and metal soundtrack fitting to the blur of dominating roller coaster like tracks.

Praise: I’m hooked! I do not think I have had this much fun with an off road racer since the MX vs ATV series, but with speeds that make DiRT 2 look slow, how could it be anything but fun. This is not a racer to be taken seriously but a racer that makes the player sit on the edge of their seat trying to nail unfathomable jumps, with the flair of an SSX title on wheels. One of the biggest features that I feel makes this title forgiving is the ability to steer in midair, though not realistic, the formula works wonderfully. The tracks are massive and beautiful looking with a number of routes taking many plays to master and find gates to keep your boost gauge at max. Whether your preference is two or four wheels, racers can choose their vehicle of mass destruction and customize it as they see fit. There are a large number of events on over a handful of tracks to keep players coming back for more.

Gripes: Though not without faults, it does only have a few that didn’t affect the gameplay for me. The first being that you are unable to pull off tricks, which seems like it would be a good fit for the amount of time spent flying. Licensed vehicles would have also made this game stand out a little bit more, but for the price it isn’t a huge complaint. My biggest issue with this title is probably the small online community as I have not successfully located a server when quick match is selected, however, if I create an online match, it does not take long to locate other people to play against. Other than that, those were the only issues I could find while playing.

Overall, nail’d is my go to guilty pleasure of the year, as there is a good amount of replay value, fast and fun gameplay, and free DLC out of the box, adding to everything racers have to take advantage of. If you are looking for a realistic racer, this is not for you, but if you are in the market for an over the top racer and tracks that leave you breathless at times, I highly suggest this title. For those on the fence, the price starts at $49.99 new to prevent sticker shock. See you all online!

Mashbuttons.com gives Nail’d 2 a 9 out of 10.

Nail’d is available now for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

James Bond 007: Blood Stone

In sort of a strange turn of events, Bizarre Creations, best known for their work with racing titles like Blur, and the Project Gotham series, gets picked up by Activision, who has the license to kill for the James Bond franchise and sets out to create the next game in the legendary series.  Will this one be as good as Goldeneye from days of yore (circa 1997), that happened to also get a Daniel Craig face-lift (sorry Pierce), and re-released on the Wii the same day as it's newer brethren?

If you play it, like me, you'll find a lot to love here.
Daniel Craig in full polygonal action!

We haven't had a Bond movie since Quantum of Solace released in theaters for over 2 years now, so those that are in need of the hero really need to look no further than the latest game, Blood Stone.  While the story doesn't pick up after Quantum, it does star the likeness (and voices) of Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, and Joss Stone as the obligatory female lead, this IS a Bond story after all, so it definitely feels like the natural next entry into the series.  I also love the feeling of the added soundtrack that really puts you in the shoes of Your Majesty's Top-Secret Agent.
It's not James Bond without a pretty lady in tow

You begin the game, as the G-20 Summit is about to begin in Greece (eery timing), and you have to interrupt an attack on the meeting, that leads into a full-on boat chase through the channels.  From here, you're paired with your "partner", a socialite/fashion designer, Nicole Hunter, who you can bet will be the object of Bond's desire, if he so chooses.  She will facilitate the next few missions of yours, and plays a role throughout the rest of the game.  As you chase down your target, a man named Pomerov, you'll globe trot and hop from Athens, to Istanbul, Monaco, Bangkok, and Siberia.  Lastly, you'll end up in Burma, navigating the dense jungle, leading up to a pretty epic showcase of a finale.
Drive fast and see lots of explosions.  Oh Bond

Gameplay is in the third-person, and borrows from the latest in "bullet-point" features.  A cover system is integrated well.  There's even a Splinter Cell: Conviction-like "Mark and Execute" feature, that works more in real-time, rather than setting the mark, and executing it, and letting the pre-set marks go down.  As you take out enemies in hand-to-hand combat, you earn "focus aim" that you can use to basically auto-lock onto an enemy, and provided they're in your line of sight, no matter what weapon you're wielding, Bond always gets his man.  You can queue up to three, and string them together to make quick work of a room before anyone really knows you're there.

The action isn't limited to the sneaking variety either, oh no, there was more than a few times where the enemies in an area just kept coming.  The AI leaves a little to be desired, as you could just duck behind a strategically placed wall, and take them out one at a time.  I was sorta hoping they would try to flank me from time to time, but that didn't happen.  Overall, In usual Bond fashion, there's a lot of action here, and the franchise was ripe for Bizarre Creations to add their own signature to the legacy - great car (vehicle) chases.

Multiplayer is here, and if that's your thing, you'll find the standard fare.  With Activision's other release already taking place - I don't think there will be anyone playing the Bond variety, when they can get their Call of Duty on.

All in all, Mashbuttons.com gives James Bond 007: Blood Stone an 8 out of 10.  Clocking in around 8-10 hours, and filled with hallmark Bond moments, fans of the franchise will find this one worth checking out.  Or those of you who just like to avoid the popular things in life.

SBK X | Review


Synopsis: Moto enthusiasts prepare to rejoice for the two wheel super bike racing sim, SBK X. Southpeak games has provided me with a review copy of their new racer boasting a number of new features and changes from their previous entry to make it the go to game for street bike racing fans. With multiple game modes like simulation, arcade, and online multiplayer, there is multiple ways to play through this fast paced racer depending on your liking. Players are able to make their own personal racer and choose their racing team to work their way up the ranks against 90 current racers and legends. Here is my review of the time spent with all the licensed bikes, riders, and tracks, enjoy.

Praise: How often is it that you hear unforgiving as a good thing? Being that you are on two wheels with a motor between your legs capable of sending a rider faster than they can ever dream, it is the closest you will come without the road rash. Simulator felt as technical as other racing sims out there, making sure that you can’t rely on bumping into other racers to move up to 1st place. The feeling of speed is well portrayed in SBK and starting by selecting your team and tuning your bike kept me coming back to try and make more money while having the fastest bike out there. Arcade gameplay is a LOT more forgiving if you are looking for a “sim lite” feel, putting you in the middle of races having to achieve specific goals mid race. Multiple races classes from Superbike to Superstock to Supersport give each class a unique feel and sense of accomplishment. Crashes and bike damage is beautiful and realistic, until you find yourself fighting to get back into position.

Gripes: The graphics of the tracks and environments are mediocre at best, while the bikes and racers look good, it just seems like there wasn’t the same polish put into the tracks. Being a huge fan of both the Forza and Gran Turismo series’ I was expecting more from the simulation mode, but found it to take a while to get the hang of how the bikes control before being able to place in the higher ranks and not crashing multiple times a race, by the way, the brakes are your friend in this one. Tuning, if you choose to tune your bike manually is a love hate relationship, while I am familiar with tuning of cars, I felt extremely out of my element trying to manually tune bikes, luckily I was able to trust my mechanic and his suggestions pre-race.

Overall, SBK X is a motorcycle racing enthusiast’s dream, as it puts you in the shoes of a new racer and shows the player what it is like to start as a rookie and work their way up the ranks without dumbing it down to make it easy. Patience is necessary with this title like numerous other racing sims, to get used to the bike and tracks, before trying to place first in every race. I enjoyed playing SBK X, both arcade and simulation, unfortunately I was unable to locate any matches online, but this will definitely not be put aside after having purchased Gran Turismo 5.

Mashbuttons.com gives SBK X a 8 out of 10.

SBK X is available now for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Sonic Colors | Review


Synopsis: The blue blur is back in Sonic Colors, and what do you know, Sega has sent us a review copy of the Wii version to get a review out to our Sonic the Hedgehog fans and Nintendo gamers alike. Sonic Colors is exclusive to the Wii and DS unlike Sonic 4, which is available on any handheld or console you may have. The premise this time around is that Dr. Eggman has erected an amusement park and Sonic and Tails decide to check it out knowing Eggman’s devious nature. Low and behold that troublesome villain is holding wisps captive for their energy and it is Sonic’s duty to thwart the madman and use the wisp’s energy to do so. So how will Sonic fare this time around?

Praise: Do you remember Sonic Adventures, well this feels a lot like that but much faster with amazingly fast gameplay. The environments are a blast to play and many times I had to go back and play them a second time just to see things I may have missed the first time. The story is something you would find in any typical Saturday morning cartoon, but I miss Saturday morning cartoons with their simple humor and conflicts. Though this game does have a 3D look and feel, it does not have full 3D gameplay, which I prefer with the sonic titles, it is still more of a 2.5D platformer. The addition of the wisps to the gameplay help to complete levels, and once acquired, you can go back to previous levels and use the wisps abilities to help find unlockables and create a different experience after the first level playthrough depending on the colored wisp’s ability.

Gripes: Who needs instruction manuals?!?! You will for this one as when you start, there is no tutorial, you are just thrown into the action and there is more buttons that they old school jump and spin boost you’re used to. On top of the typical jump and spin, you now have slide and a button for the wisp’s ability and I actually found gameplay easier with the remote and nunchuk over the classic remote. The controls are also not so forgiving as previous games being that you can double jump and if an enemy is targeted, you can hit jump and Sonic will take out that nearby baddy. Well the issue lies within the double jump and targeting because if you are trying to double jump on a platform and there is a targeted enemy nearby, then you will have to change your plan of action on the fly.

Overall, this is a classic Sonic game through and through, like a mashup of all the Sonic title with the addition of wisps and a deliberate exclusion of werehog, thankfully. Fans of the iconic blue hedgehog will enjoy this bright multidimensional platformer, while those unfamiliar to Sonic’s roots will enjoy this for the well put together beautiful game that it is. Thanks Sega for giving me a reason to put Hot Pursuit down to go just as fast with the blue rodent that I grew up to.

Mashbuttons.com gives Sonic Colors an 8 out of 10.

Sonic Colors is available now for the Nintendo Wii and DS.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Gameplay footage revealed for upcoming DiRT 3

Codemasters has released their first Q & A dev diary for the upcoming rally racer DiRT 3. From the looks of it, the developers are putting even more into this racing title from environments to cars in their attempt to create an even better experience from DiRT 2, which I am still a huge fan of. Check out the video below to see what to expect.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Goldeneye 007 | Review


Synopsis: The original multiplayer FPS is back, with Goldeneye 007 exclusively for the Nintendo Wii. Though it may not be developed by Rare, the makers of the original entry, however, it is released by a little company that knows a little something about multiplayer games, Activision. This Goldeneye however features a new Bond, Daniel Craig, and while it does feature the old couch competitive multiplayer, it will now include online multiplayer…Thank you!!! As far as the numbers go, here is the breakdown, deep breath…4 player split screen multiplayer, 50 total characters, 8 of which are classic Bonds, 10 maps, 3 standard modes, and 17 special modifiers, which equals hundreds of game combinations.

Praise: It’s Goldeneye, though I wish I could say I’m not a fan of recycled titles and franchises, but Nintendo has yet to disappoint. This is the Goldeneye you remember playing for hours with friends, in which, it has the similar look and gameplay to the original, it even has the same writer as the original movie, Bruce Feirstein. New to this title is online multiplayer, which I feel is where the replay value is at, as it is quick to find matches, has a large community playing, and uses many of the online FPS elements seen in the Call of Duty multiplayer that makes it more engaging. I played through this with the classic remote as I try to shy away from the motion controls and it handled very smoothly, I even consistently played better online with this over Call of Duty, which for those that have played online with me know that I suck.

Gripes: It has to be some sort of sacrilege to put the voice and characteristics of Daniel Craig as Bond in Golden Eye as Pierce Brosnan was the Bond of Goldeneye, but hey I may be the only one that feels this way about the decision. Though it does play really smoothly and is a fun shooter, but it feel that the storyline behind this title was a little flat and didn’t really stand out as anything memorable aside from a tutorial to the multiplayer gameplay. Also, one thing in which I wish was in this title that was in the N64 versions is the multiplayer gameplay where you have to race for you gun as opposed to starting with your choice load out.

Overall, as a huge fan of Goldeneye on the N64, I feel that this is a sufficient remake for the current gen console. Those new to the series may not appreciate this as much as other FPS shooters out there but the die hards should find this to be the go to shooter for the Wii. As far as replay value is concerned, I see this being my go to shooter for multiplayer action whether it is 4 player split screen or online multiplayer, this is something us older gaming generation needed to take us back to our high school years.

Mashbuttons.com gives Goldeneye 007 an 8 out of 10.

Goldeneye 007 is available now for the Nintendo Wii.

Call of Duty: Black Ops | Review


Synopsis: It is that time of year again when Activision throws out their newest release for their highest selling franchise title to see how many records they can break with their newest entry to Call of Duty. Guess what, looks like they did it again with Black Ops, but how does this title compare to the previous entries? In Black Ops, you will once again go behind enemy lines, however, this time you play as a member of a Special Forces unit, engaging in covert and classified missions. Like the others before it, this release includes the cinematic single player, the always popular multiplayer with RPG elements including new wager abilities, and the returning zombies gameplay mode. Time to go back to the Cold War and see if Black Ops can hold a torch to Modern Warfare in the seventh Call of Duty entry.

Praise: Where do you start reviewing a game that has repeatedly been great for any fan of the FPS genre? This is the seventh entry to the Call of Duty series and what can I say aside from WOW? The graphics and sounds of battle are amazing, making you feel like you are the lead in an exciting war flick full of explosions, close calls, and nonstop action. Aside from the visuals, the gameplay is fast, smooth, and practically flawless. The multiplayer is the same as the previous titles, but with new kills streaks and maps to keep it fresh, and weapons, while not perfect, few games come close in providing a comparable experience. Zombies, I have nothing bad to say about that, though it isn’t a new feature, it is always fun to work cooperatively to keep the zombies away from your brains by blowing the crap out of them.

Gripes: The story feels more like a movie than being in battle, especially when you hear Fortunate Sun playing as helicopters are raining fire on villages and enemies as you work your way to the next objective. Though the cinematic experience provides that high production value but what I liked about the previous entries was that it felt like a gritty against all odds experience and not a Michael Bay movie. The online is great, but the majority of matches, Team Deathmatch being my flavor of choice, do not use much if any teamwork. The reason for this is that a lot don’t use headsets, for probably good reason at that due to the unsportsman like audience you are likely to find in most matches whether it be a 10 year old prepubescent child screaming obscenities or the middle age gamer rapping nonsense into the mic. It still takes a number of matches to unlike character customization and perks so your kill/death ratios may be less than you like until you level up.

Overall, Black Ops is just what you would expect from a Call of Duty title, a strong FPS full of action, online with a huge community, and replay value out the wazoo. Though most of my issues come from the online side of the game, it still provides a dominant online experience you aren’t likely to find in any other recent shooters out there. This is almost the same experience we have grown to expect from the franchise but like the saying goes, if it isn’t broken, there is no reason to fix it, so if you’re a fan of the series or genre, you will not be disappointed.

Mashbuttons.com gives Call of Duty: Black Ops a 9 out of 10.

Call of Duty: Black Ops is available now for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Nintendo Wii and the DS.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Get Nail'd and get free DLC token


That is right, this just in from those wild and crazy peeps over at SouthPeak,if you purchase a new copy of Nail'd in the states, you will also receive a token for a free content pack. What is in the content pack you say? Well, you can expect to find four new tracks, vehicle paint jobs, parts for both mikes and ATV's, and rider suits. Also, you will see a new tournament called the Bomb Cup that will have five new campaign events.

New epic mickey trailer shows off the epic environment.

The friendly folks at Disney Interactive sent over a five minute featurette showing off the Disneyland-scape behind Epic Mickey. With these featurettes, I have learned that they can be hit or miss, but with this, it surely was interesting to see the development team take as much as they can from the park and put their own dark little twist on it. November 20th cannot come soon enough for this release.

Monday, November 8, 2010

EA MMA | Review


Synopsis: Fight fans, here is a little review for you as EA Sports has provided us with a copy of EA MMA to let out some of that testosterone in the ring without the pain and swelling. In this title you can create your own character and climb the ranks to become the title holder of the worldwide circuit. You will travel the world to learn a variety of techniques and special moves to work your way up the ranks and train to perfect the basics, ultimately making you a force to be reckoned with. EA Sports has also put a lot of work into the online side of this game giving the player the ability to set up fight cards, broadcast live matches, and fight as either your created character or your favorite MMA fighter. Let’s get on with the review, will you submit or dominate the competition?

Praise: After the most recent Fight Night title was released, I have fallen in love with the twin stick fighting style, well that same fighting style is in MMA, however, depending on the modifier buttons used, you can take down, grab, kick, and deliver some match ending moves on your way to the title bout. You can develop your fighter however you see fit, from weight class to fighting style, I was granted full control as to the type of champion I wanted to be. The graphics are amazing and with the lights and atmosphere of the bigger bouts, it is pretty awe inspiring. Fights for the most part are pretty quick and extremely gratifying when you win, especially when you are getting worked, you deliver that one blow to take the opponent by surprise and depending how you handle yourself from there it can be over quickly, the downside is that it goes both ways.

Gripes: First and so very foremost is the online community. This title came out less than a month ago and I have yet to see more than one hundred people playing at any given time, but it is usually less than fifty people playing. While the online gameplay is fun when you can find a match, but when a title that gets its replay value from playing online doesn't have many people playing and you are continuously getting beat by the same people, it isn't as much fun. Building your character, while mostly fun has its downside as you allot your time out of the ring training, but after doing each training exercise you can have it simulate training, which means constantly being smacked into submission with load screens. The roster is also something that I was less than impressed with as I am semi familiar with the MMA fighters, more so with the Thq title’s roster but barely able to recognize a handful of those appearing in EA MMA.

Overall, if you are a fighting fan and online gameplay is not important to you then EA MMA might just be the game for you. Being that you are able to create multiple fighters there is a lot of replay value to keep you coming back for more. However, if you are interested in this game to play online against the Xbox community then you may want to pass as you will spend a lot of time looking for matches and even longer trying to find matches against people you have fought yet.

Mashbuttons.com gives EA MMA a 7 out of 10.

EA MMA is available now for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo Wii.