Bleach: Soul Resurrection Review

Platform(s): Playstation 3

Developer(s): SCE Japan Studio
Publisher(s): Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Action



Captain Kyoraku getting ready for war.



Bleach: Soul Resurreccion is an action game based on the popular anime and manga. The game starts out with Ichigo and company heading to Huecho Mundo to rescue their friend Orihime who has been taken to ex-Soul Reaper Captain Soske Aizen. You fight your way through waves of Hollows of various types including the giant Menos Grande to save Orihime from Aizen. All your favorite Bleach characters are present in the game each with their own chapter in the game's story. Soul Resurreccion's graphics nearly match the anime much in the way of the Naruto games. Side mission's provide action-packed areas to build your character's stats. The missions are pretty straight forward--defeat all the Hollows to complete the mission. This is a good way to build any character who is lacking in skills and abilities especially those who are aquired late in the game. Character development is done through a Final Fantasy type grid. Each character has their own section on the grid. Abilities and attributes such as life, soul energy, etc. are upgraded by spending Soul Points gathered during gameplay. Like in recent Final Fantasy releases, characters are not limited to their section on the grid. You can guide them to other sections to gain more abilities and attributes.





PRO: Bleach: Soul Ressureccion is impressive with graphics that closely match the anime. The game keeps everyone's powers and special abilities intact from the series. The cool thing is that Ichigo as well as some of the other characters start off already in the Bankai stages so there's no need to develop from scratch. The game is fast-paced like the series with sword swinging action and powerful enemies, some of which can finish off a character in just a few hits. Navigating the stages is not too difficult. You can run through it normally or dash your way to the end in a matter of moments. Combat is simple. You can slash away at the Hollows with your character's main weapon or use their special attacks which are limited in use by the Soul Gauge. But not to worry, the Soul Gauge recovers over time and is ready for use before you even know it. Another amazing feature is the Ignitioin Gauge which, when triggered, brings out your charater's most devastating attacks taken straight from the series.

CON: Soul Resurreccion isn't that bad of a game and there are a couple of drawbacks. For starters, the Hollow enemies aren't too difficult to defeat. You'll wipe out a large number of them before they can even cause damage. Even the larger Hollows pose no real threat. Their attacks take a good chunk out of your life bar but they go down easily once you figure outr their pattern which isn't that difficult. Boss battles are usually intense in games of this type but here not so much. Sure, as the game progresses bosses do get tougher and you will die. However, the strategy is easy to figure out and you can take out your foe with minimal effort. My biggest gripe is blocking and dodging. There's too much lagtime when executing either one. Plus I really couldn't cancel an attack to perform them smoothly. I was able to once I stopped slashing my sword but not during.

OVERALL: Bleach: Soul Resurreccion is a good action game that didn't miss on adapting from the series. Fans will enjoy this game as well as those new to the series. It may not be up to par with the Naruto games but it is definately a step from the previous entry. The action goes by fast but its side missions and hidden unlockables will keep you engaged. Bleach: Soul Resurreccion is a fun game that is a worthy entry for anime adapted games.

Overall Score: Bleach: Soul Resurrection gets a 3.5 out of 5

See you on the next level,

Brian M.

Catherine Review

Platform(s): Playstation 3, X-Box 360
Developer(s): Atlus Persona Team
Publisher(s): Atlus
Genre: Puzzle-platformer/Survival-Horror/ Adult-Adventure
Rating: M for Mature
Price: $59.99

A man told me once that there are three things that are certain in life: death, drama and taxes. The first will happen regardless, the last whenever money is involved, and the second – drama – will happen at any given moment. And Catherine, the survival-horror puzzle game developed by Atlus is chock-full of drama from the moment you turn the game on. But does the drama – and the insanely challenging puzzles – breathe life into this game or condemns it to an early death?

The Story

Vincent Brooks (age 32) is trapped in a nightmare, facing a choice of marrying his longtime girlfriend Katherine or moving on to the incredible blonde he just woke up next to – named Catherine. The worst part is, if he makes the wrong choice, he could end up dead.

The Pros

So…I’m gonna try to be unbiased with this game. First of all, the graphics of this game are nice. A mix between crisp 2D and 3D Japanese-style animation, the presentation of the game is good. It makes the game seem like you’re playing through an anime storyline, which caught my eye at first.

Secondly, the puzzles are a personal pro to me. The goal of the puzzles is for you to reach the top of the tower by rearranging blocks for you to climb. It’s challenging and slightly mind-boggling, requiring you to think on your feet a bit because spending too long on one area will have the ground fall out from underneath your feet. Thankfully, if you find yourself stuck, you can undo a move with the push of a button.

Finally, the story was a personal pro in my opinion. Although the pacing of the story was a bit…expected at times (like the repetitive drinking Vincent does at his favorite bar only to find himself waking up with the other girl), it doesn’t get too overloaded with drama to make it seem like a bad Jerry Springer episode.

The Cons

Okay…so what’s exactly bad about this game, you ask? Well, for starters, the price of Catherine is the first con that hit me when getting this game. Honestly, as good as I think the game is, it’s not worth the $60 that you have to put out for it. $40, yes, even $50 would be somewhat acceptable, but not $60.

Secondly, the difficulty of the puzzles is something that can be listed as a con as well. Now I wrote it as a pro because I enjoy some challenging puzzle games but there are points in the game where you wonder why they made the puzzles that difficult. In fact, the difficulty of the puzzles was something that the developers of Catherine had to create a patch for due to people’s reaction. Of course, that was the Japanese version of the game, however if even the Japanese have an issue with it, then you know that the game isn’t going to be a breeze.



Finally, the game’s overall presentation was something that fell into a bit of a con. When you first look at the game, either through advertisements or first glance, you get the feeling that it’s like Heavy Rain, only with puzzles to add a bit of variety in it. And unless you’ve followed the game like a few friends I know, you find yourself disappointed with the fact that you spent $60 on a drama-filled puzzle game that probably let down your expectations.

Overall

If you’re a fan of mind-boggling puzzle games with a somewhat interactive storyline, then I suggest you get this game. If you’re an anime fan, then you may want to pick this game up and add it to your collection. The storyline, puzzles, and the overall feel of the game will have you either addicted or enjoying yourself.

Outside of that…I suggest that you not get the game. Catherine screams of a cult-favorite, simply for its puzzles and nothing more. Honestly, it’s a hit-or-miss like most games but I have the feeling that it would be a miss for the average video game player.

Final Score: 3/5

King of Fighters-i (iPhone edition review)

King of Fighters-i

Developer: SNK PLAYMORE

Publisher: SNK PLAYMORE

Genre: Fighting game

Platform: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

Release date: July 07, 2011

Price: $7.99

Buy it Here!

Various fighters from around the world come together in 3 on 3 teams to find out who is the true King of Fighters!

FEATURES:

In King of Fighters (also known as KOF-i) you can choose from the following 4 game modes when playing in ARCADE MODE:

“TEAM BATTLE” for classic KOF 3-on-3 battles,

“SINGLE BATTLE” for 1-on-1 gameplay,

“ENDLESS” to defeat as many opponents as possible with just one character (life).

“TRAINING” to get accustomed to the Virtual Pad-based controls and practice your combos.

"BLUETOOTH" is for local versus matches as well as trading cards in the Trading Card mini-game.

"TRADING CARD" you can buy with Battle points various cards and sometimes you might get more than one so you can go to the KOF shop (in the game menu) and sell your extra cards to get more points to buy other cards.

PROS:

I say that these are some of the best graphics I've seen for a fighting game on the iOS platform to date. They captured the exact look and feel of the upcoming King of Fighters XIII, and I do mean captured! Unlike the visually stunning but disappointing KOF12 (console version) this brings the classic "good fighting game" KOF engine right into the palm of your hands. I love that you can do not only all of the specials and supers but you can do all the combos that they show you online for the upcoming KOF13! The gameplay and sound feels just like I'm playing the arcade version of the game. You can hear the vocals clearly and everything! This game lets me know how awesome KOF13 will be when it comes to console. The controls are solid, you just have to get used to touchscreen pad controls. Once you do that it'll feel completely natural.

CONS:

No endings. Understandably it is a mobile phone game. You can't expect to have EVERYTHING that's in a arcade or console to be in an iPhone game. There is the fact that it doesn't allow you to play opponents online, but after seeing how well that works (or doesn't) in other games, I'm not sure if that fits as a con.

OVERALL:

With hours of replay value especially just to see what each individual fighter says to one another, and free character DLC in October, I couldn't understand why this wouldn't be in your list of apps.

4 out of 5

Street Fighter IV Volt: Battle Protocol review

Street Fighter IV Volt: Battle Protocol

Developer: CAPCOM

Publisher: CAPCOM

Genre: Fighting game

Platform: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

Release date: June 30, 2011

Price: $6.99

Buy it Here!

--------------------------------------

In 2010, CAPCOM put out Street Fighter IV for the iPhone which to my surprise was actually quite good. The game has the ability to provide a feel (even though it's limited) as close to the PS3 and Xbox360 console version as possible. The things that make the game work on the iPhone is that there are less characters then the console versions. Combos that you do in the home versions are still doable in this mobile addition. I could go on about Street Fighter IV iPhone addition but the focus is Street Fighter IV Volt, so let's get to it!

GOOD:

I love that this version (unlike the 1st iPhone version) has ONLINE MULTIPLAYER!! That's right folks you can play other people who enjoy SF4V all across the globe! Phones have come a long way baby! With Street Fighter IV iPhone edition having only 14 characters in the game total, the addition of 4 new characters (Cody, Vega, Balrog and ????) is welcome. The "????" is a hidden character that you can later unlock (I'll explain on our Facebook fan page). to give it that newer/update feel they made the interface like the Character Select screen and Stage Select screen follow the look of the updated Street Fighter IV game, SUPER Street Fighter IV. This also gives me the thought that via iTunes you MIGHT be able to buy or download for free, more characters. Here's hoping! With the Online play you build up stats just like you would on the home versions (kinda cool). Your avatar that you customize to represent you ONLINE can actually "battle" other avatars that you played via online matches. That builds up stats but they are separate from your actual fighting stats. Think of it as a silly mini-game. You can even post your stats and achievements via Twitter. Graphically I think it looks pretty amazing especially for an iPhone game, and the sound quality is top-notch!

BAD:

I know that this is a mobile game but I still wish there were endings for the characters. You do get a 5 sec cinematic, which is better than nothing (SS4 iPhone), but the biggest complaint is the LAG in the online play. Yes I know this is a first for CAPCOM when it comes to phones, so I expect a game update that will fix the problem. Still when it works, it works!

OVERALL:

Overall, I have to say that I really enjoy Street Fighter IV Volt. It is a great on the go game and a great time waster especially for the price of $6.99. I mean come on, I was doing my crossover combos on my iPhone!! I have to say that this deserves a 3.5 out of 5. GET IT NOW!

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 Review

Platform: X-BOX 360, Playstation 3
Developer(s): CyberConnect2
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Genre(s): Fighting
Rating: T for Teen

Anime-based video games…it’s the one type – if you could call it a type – of video games that usually doesn’t leave a good taste in people’s mouths. Reason why: while the series provides crazy, over-the-top action, the game puts heavy limits on how over-the-top the mayhem can get. However, there have been a few games that have gotten fans attention recently. The main one being the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja series, Ultimate Ninja Storm being its highly-acclaimed hit. Can the sequel raise the bar on what its predecessor brought to the table?

The Story:

First off, if you know the story of Naruto, either because you follow the manga/anime series, then you know what’s going on and you want to skip this part. With that being said…

Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 picks up where its predecessor – and the entire season of Naruto – left off. The story revolves around an older and slightly more matured Uzumaki Naruto and his quest to save his friend Uchiha Sasuke from the grips of the snake-like Shinobi, Orochimaru. After 2 and a half years Naruto finally returns to his village of Konoha, and sets about putting his ambitions to work, though it will not be easy, as He has amassed a few (more dangerous) enemies, in the likes of the shinobi organization; Akatsuki.

The Pros:

To start this off, I’ll say this: if you have a game that can draw in fans, even when they aren’t fans of the series or Japanese animation in general, then you have a solid pro. The combat in this game is where the game shines at. Combat has a high risk of getting insane, which is exactly how it is in the series. Every move can still be evaded with the Kawarimi no Jutsu (Substitution Jutsu – a well-timed block will get you behind the opponent when he attacks), which is still one of the best defensive mechanic in fighting games. Reason why: it makes sure that there's no chances for infinite combos.

An improved feature that they’ve added to the game is the Team Assists, which is a pro. With the addition of the Support Drive meter and the option to choose what type of support your character does (attack, defense, and balance), it adds a new depth to the combat. It gives the option of letting a character continue a combo, stopping an opponent from charging in, and even pushing the character out of the way when an Ougi (Ultimate Jutsu) lands. And, there’s also the Triple-Team Ultimate, where all three characters attack, ending with the main character performing his finishing technique on the opponent.

A personal pro of mine is how well the story was done in the game. Simply put, when you do story mode, you’re literally playing the series. All the events in the game are the same thing that happened in the series, which is another plus for the game. Also, the crazy boss battles that the predecessor had are back and better than ever. And with 44 characters in the game, including Lars Alexandersson from Tekken 6 (his alternate costume in Tekken 6 was designed by Masashi Kishimoto, creator of Naruto)…well, it’s self-explanatory from there.

The Cons:

Sadly, there are some objectionable downsides of the game and they have to do with what was taken out of the game. A main con is the loss of the Jutsu Clashes, where if two techniques collide, the two players will battle it out in a button-mashing contest to see who wins. It’s no longer in there so if two Jutsus hit, they’ll cancel each other out unless the technique’s not a projectile.

Another con is the loss of the Ougi Battles. When a player did an Ougi (Ultimate Jutsu), they would have to input a displayed button command to see if the move would connect. With that no longer in the game, it’s just a case of “if it hits, then it’s over”. Not that it takes anything away from the game overall, but it’s a bit of a downer in my eyes.

Overall:

For fans of the series (video games, anime or both), Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is a must to buy. If you’ve played the first one, then you’re going to enjoy this new installment. Everything that was great in Ultimate Ninja Storm is back along with new stuff and an Online mode, so you’ll be getting your $60 worth. And if this is your first introduction to the Ultimate Ninja Storm series, well…you’ll have your mind blown away by this game. Crisp graphics, an excellent story mode with good replay value, epic boss battles and combat that rivals the action in the series…you can’t ask for more.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

Super Street Fighter 4 release date. Juri's anime trailer!!

Well, the release dates have been announced for Super Street Fighter 4!!

“Super Street Fighter® IV will be coming to the Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and PS3 system on April 27, 2010 in North America and April 30, 2010 in Europe.

The follow-up to the critically acclaimed Street Fighter IV will further redefine the 2-D fighting genre with a host of new features including new characters, new ultra combos, new online modes, the return of the famed bonus stages and retuned online and offline gameplay. Super Street Fighter IV’s new characters include Street Fighter’s first Tae Kwon Do-styled fighter - the deadly female fighter Juri - classic Street Fighters such as Cody, Guy, T. Hawk, Dee Jay, Adon and more to complement the full roster of returning fighters from Street Fighter IV. Featuring all new user-selectable Ultra Combos and advancements to the online gameplay and matchmaking, Super Street Fighter IV is the ultimate vision of Street Fighter.”
Well there are still some character slots that need to be filled. I want to see Hakan (a new grappler character) already!!

When we complained about having terrible anime intros and endings by Studios 4C, they went and apologized to us by giving us from the studio known as GONZO!! This trailer looks hot!! I pray they make a FULL LENGTH Street Fighter 4 movie with GONZO. I didn't hate the other movie, it just didn't have enough characters in it for me. CHECK THIS OUT: