It may no longer carry the “Tomb Raider” name in its title, but “Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light” is still very much a “Tomb Raider” game, although a very different one from what fans of the treasure-hunting archaeologist are used to. Square Enix has not only rebranded the series in name, but in presentation as well, shedding its trademark third-person viewpoint for an isometric fixed camera reminiscent of the dungeon crawler genre. It’s also the first time that a “Tomb Raider” game has been released as a digital download, but if this is the future of Lara Croft, then count me in, because while “The Guardian of Light” might be a little too easy for hardcore gamers, there’s more than enough content here to guarantee that you’ll be back for seconds.
The story is as follows: After accidentally unleashing the evil spirit Xolotl from a cursed artifact called the Mirror of Smoke, Lara must team up with a 2000-year-old Mayan warrior named Totec (the titular Guardian of Light) in order to imprison him in it once again. The combat system is slick and simple, with twin-stick controls that allow you to shoot and move in a fluid 360 degrees, while accessories like bombs, a grapple hook, and a golden spear keep the game feeling fresh as you explore each level to find shortcuts, hidden artifacts and relics that act as power-ups, and unique challenges that come with their own rewards. Though co-op mode is even more fun with the addition of Totec as a playable character, Square Enix really dropped the ball by failing to support online play. (An upcoming patch will fix that, but it should have been ready on Day One.) Still, while it may not be Lara Croft’s finest hour, between the replay value of co-op and the promise of additional content in the form of new maps and characters coming soon, it’s a bright start to the series’ latest chapter and a fitting finale to the Summer of Arcade.
It’s been ten years since Midway’s powerboat racer, “Hydro Thunder,” became a staple in arcades all across the world, and if you’ve been inside a Dave & Buster’s since then, you’ll find that it’s just as popular as ever. This undoubtedly played a major role in Microsoft’s decision to develop a sequel for Xbox LIVE Arcade, but while “Hydro Thunder Hurricane” is definitely similar in spirit, it loses some of its appeal with a regular controller. The game still consists of racing, boosting and jumping your way through a series of themed water courses while riding tricked-out powerboats, but since that alone isn’t worth the $15 price tag, the game has been outfitted with a few extra modes.
Along with the basic Race option, there’s also a frustrating slalom mode (Ring Master), a time trial mode littered with exploding barrels (Gauntlet), and multi-event tournaments combining all three. Additionally, you can play with up to four players locally or eight players online, and there’s even a multiplayer-only event called Rubber Ducky that pits two teams against one another in a race to push their rubber duck across the finish line first. Though the single-player mode offers enough to keep you busy for an afternoon or two, it’s in multiplayer where the game really shines. Not only do the races feel faster, but you can also rack up points (used to unlock new tracks, difficulties, boats and skins) a heck of a lot easier. It’s still not an incredibly deep racer, but you get what you pay for.
Want more Summer of Arcade? Be sure to come back every Wednesday through August 18th for a first-hand look at Microsoft’s newest XBLA exclusive. Next week: break out your whip, stakes and holy water when Dracula returns in Konami’s “Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.”
Though it might seem a bit ballsy to lead off this year’s Summer of Arcade event with a game of such humble origins, “Limbo” is sure to become an instant favorite thanks to its resemblance to past XBLA titles like “Braid” and “Portal.” The 2D puzzle platformer doesn’t have much of a story, however, other than that you play a young boy who is searching for his sister in Limbo. At least, that’s what appears to be going on based on the title and the creepy surroundings that the bright-eyed boy awakes to, but even that’s a guess at best. All you need to know is that “Limbo” features striking visuals and an array of addictive puzzles wrapped in a minimalistic package of black-and-white silhouettes, an effectively non-existent soundtrack, and a two-button control scheme.
The gameplay may be simplistic (A jumps and B performs actions like pushing, pulling and activating switches), but it doesn’t make the actual puzzles any less difficult. In fact, they only get harder as you progress, and while many are challenging, some are downright impossible unless you’re willing to think outside the box. It can certainly be frustrating at times, but it’s only that much more rewarding when you do finally complete them. Playdead Studios has also done an incredible job of keeping the level design fresh and innovative, and although I missed the more immediate danger that came with the giant spiders and “Lord of the Flies”-like tribe of children from the earlier stages, the introduction of gravity in later puzzles really takes things to the next level. It’s just a shame there’s such little payoff in the end, because while the ambiguity of the story adds to the game’s eerie atmosphere, “Limbo” had the potential to be so much more.
Want more Summer of Arcade? Be sure to come back every Wednesday through August 18th for a first-hand look at Microsoft’s newest XBLA exclusive. Next week: hop into your powerboat time machines with the long-awaited sequel to Midway Games’ arcade racer, “Hydro Thunder.”
The Tiger Woods franchise has always been a good one, and it’s one of few sports franchises for which the Wii outperforms its competition. PGA Tour 11 takes the good from previous versions of the game and improves upon pretty much the entire experience.
The first and biggest addition is known as True-Aim. I, for one, have wanted to get closer to the real thing without having to adventure into the super-difficult Tour Pro setting. True-Aim, coupled with the focus mechanic that I’ll talk about in the next paragraph, helps to up the difficulty without making it frustrating. True-Aim removes the accuracy circle when zooming into your shot and forces you to aim your ball entirely from an over-the-shoulder camera. You have the same viewpoint as you would in real golf. That means there’s no more camera tracking as your ball flies through the air. Instead, you’re left to judge from the crowd and commentators’ reactions how well you fared. It’s much more realistic.
If there was one thing Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 did right, it’s making the realistic aspects of the game more accessible, without requiring you to enter the crushingly difficult modes of the game.
The idea behind Singularity isn’t exactly new. The Russians found something they shouldn’t have, you’re going to kick their asses for it. Simple enough. But Singularity takes things further, creating a rich atmosphere full of time-bending mechanics and some truly scary monsters. It feels a little bit like Bioshock, and I’m pretty sure everyone and their mothers loved Bioshock.
The selling point for Singularity is a special gizmo Renko is quickly bestowed called the TMD, or Time Manipulation Device. With it, he has near limitless power that is, in fact, only limited by the developer’s rather mundane imagination. This device can alter time with incredible precision enabling its user to age or revert single objects. Decayed crates filled with ammo can be made new again. Boxes can be aged to pieces for easy transport. Locks can be aged to dust to open safes or lockers.
It’s a cool idea, even if it is a little expected. Singularity launched on June 29, 2010.
I don’t know about you, but I loved the first Crackdown. The powerup system was a lot of fun and really, how could you possibly not enjoy bounding from rooftop to rooftop across several city blocks? The missions got a little long toward the end, but anytime I was bored I would just go back to jumping. Good stuff.
At the outset of Crackdown 2, you’ll find yourself in the shoes of a general badass, capable of doling out pain and stomping squads of freaks. You’ve got a few guns in the arsenal, a decent car, and your athletic abilities are well above average. That’s only the beginning. By the end you’ll be able to leap from rooftop to rooftop with ease, pick up and toss cars and trucks, fill the sky with homing missiles, and even glide through the air like a flying squirrel. To become that ultimate superhero, you’ll have to collect orbs. And that is really the whole point of the game.
Sounds like the devs really buy into the “ain’t broke/don’t fix” method. Things could be worse for a game like this.
For a while there it looked like the Madden franchise might be dying. Each new version of the game felt stagnant with few new features to make anyone but the dearly devoted come back for more. In the past two years, though, EA has managed to revive the series, giving new life through better features and more in depth gameplay. Madden NFL 11 is set to follow that trend and will likely become the deepest sports experience in a game to date.
Though the game won’t launch until August, you can keep up on the latest developments at IGN. Here’s what they’re saying about the game.
Madden NFL 11 redefines the way you experience the game of football. It’s simpler: From 350 plays down to 1, the all-new GameFlow system puts you in the helmet of an NFL quarterback to execute an authentic, situational game plan, one play at a time. It’s quicker: 60 minute game times reduced to as little as 30 minutes; spend more time on the field and less in the playbook. full games, half the time. It’s deeper: Madden NFL 11 is feature-rich including all-new 3-on-3 Online Team Play, improved animations, more intuitive controls, and Madden NFL Ultimate Team … all to the play-by-play of the most exciting voice in sports, Gus Johnson.
Whether you’re one of the die-hards that buys each new iteration of the NCAA football franchise or a newbie to the series looking to coach a team to greatness, NCAA 2011 will bring unprecedented levels of access to game content when you’re away from your console.
The most notable feature is Dynasty Mode, which gives players a chance to create and manage their own dynasty from a variety of mobile devices. From IGN:
What that means for you, the user, is that they’re designing custom interfaces for your PC, Mac, iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad that allow you to do things like recruit and sign college-bound prospects as well as upload photos and videos to brag to other players if you happen to be playing in an Online Dynasty (or want to gloat to the CPU). You’ll also be able set your dynasty to public or private, so players can elect to give random gamers the ability to hop in their league if they want.
NCAA 2011 will be available for Xbox 360 and PS3 July 13.
We’ve seen exclusive titles for classic bands like The Beatles, Aerosmith, and Metallica, and they all made sense. These are bands with huge and fanatic followings, bands that have all been a major part of rock and roll history.
And then there’s Green Day. Don’t get me wrong, I love Green Day. I grew up on Green Day. The first album I truly loved (and still listen to today) was 1,039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours. But is Green Day the kind of band that warrants an exclusive Rock Band title?
Jason at Bullz-Eye Main had a chance to play the game over the weekend and found that while the band’s history lends a solid background for the game, ultimately it will probably only be the hardcore fans that are begging for more from the rock trio’s list of tracks. Check out the full Green Day: Rock Band review at Bullz-Eye.com.
Most of the time this blog is dedicated to happenings in Riot Games’ League of Legends, but I do occasionally branch out and play other games. Halo is one such game, and I’m always excited by the announcement/experience in the latest the franchise can offer. I got to play a bit of the Reach beta, and there was a lot to like (finally, a needle rifle). There was a lot I didn’t like, too, but I can hold my judgements for a release version of the game.
For now, you can see some of Bungie’s thoughts on the beta in the video above. There are some great shots, and I love that they included an ugly section for all the things that just shouldn’t be happening. Hopefully those will all be fixed by September 14th, when Reach officially launches.
