House of the Dead: Overkill -- Initial Impression.

Next up for me, I'll be jumping over to the Wii with House of the Dead: Overkill, developed by Headstrong Games and published by SEGA. Overkill is a light gun shooter that is a prequel to SEGA's House of the Dead arcade series. It's the first title in the series that was developed for a home console without an original arcade version. Headstrong Games has taken the series, which always was decidedly B-movie corny, and added a massive dose of Grindhouse cool. My initial impression of the game through the first level is that it's already proven to be a massive success. It's just damn entertaining. The gameplay seems to be slower and combo based compared to the rest of the series. The graphics initially seem functional. Meaning, they're not going to be impressing anyone. And there initially seem to be some frame rate issues. We'll have to see how the rest of the game plays out and what sort of replay value the title will present, but I'm pretty sure this will be a fun ride.

Street Fighter IV -- Final Opinion.

As I've previously mentioned I bought Street Fighter IV for the legacy factor more than anything else. I own all of the previous entries in the main series as well as those in the Alpha series. So buying Street Fighter IV was more about the completion aspect. Which is fine for me as I've never been a hardcore Street Fighter fan. I've always been a casual fan. I've enjoyed the games for what they were. I've never played them as versus titles. That aspect has never appealed to me. Which would be the exact opposite thinking of anyone who would consider themselves hardcore fighter fans. Street Fighter IV is easily the best Street Fighter title ever made. The gameplay is classic Street Fighter with the better elements of the Alpha series thrown in. The game is wrapped up in a gorgeous video and aural package. Street Fighter has certainly never looked nor sounded better. The backgrounds are filled with action and are very lively. The music offers a lot of arrangements on classic themes. The new characters have varied styles and are all interesting. The game offers up an immense amount of gameplay for those insane enough to unlock everything and earn all the achievements. The game is not perfect however. There are some balance issues between the characters and the final boss Seth is the new standard in cheapness. It would also seem that some people are not content with the one-on-one only versus lobby. They miss having a spectator mode and also miss some sort of quarter match system. I've only played player matches with Neo and there I've experienced no lag at all. Even with us being in party chat with two other people playing online in another game. Overall I'm very impressed and satisfied with Street Fighter IV. I'm giving the game a 9.

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned -- Final Opinion.

I have completed The Lost and Damned with one-hundred percent completion and a time of twenty-two and a half hours. That is a pretty sizable amount of gameplay for an expansion, and the asking price. Especially considering I never even touched the online multiplayer. The Lost and Damned offers up more of everything you'd expect from a Grand Theft Auto IV expansion. The only notable exception would be there are no new unique jumps to be found. But everything else is there. The Lost and Damned follows the exploits of The Lost Motorcycle Club in Liberty City and the game is played through the eyes of Johnny Klebitz. The story is told over twenty-three missions and is roughly one third the size of Grand Theft Auto IV's story. I really enjoyed the story of The Lost. I personally found Johnny to be easier to identify with and a far more likeable character than Niko Bellic. I also enjoyed the group dynamic of The Lost than the more solo feel of Niko. The story is great and introduces a couple of great characters to the Grand Theft Auto universe. The game is set in Liberty City at the same time as the events of Grand Theft Auto IV and the story intertwines here and there. It's interesting to see more of what exactly went down with the diamonds that featured heavily in the story of Grand Theft Auto IV. The Lost and Damned doesn't reveal everything though as the final pieces to the puzzle should be provided by the second exclusive expansion to Grand Theft Auto IV coming sometime down the line. The Lost and Damned does provide some excellent hints as to whom the main character will be for that one. I really enjoyed the Lost and Damned would say it provides a substantial bang for the asking price. I look forward to the next expansion. I'm giving Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned a 9.

Street Fighter IV -- Initial Impression.

The next must play day-one title, which happens to be Resident Evil 5, doesn't arrive until March 13, so I'm going to continue sort of stretching myself thin by playing numerous titles at once. I'm still messing around with Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection and I'm actively playing The Lost and Damned and now I'll be adding Street Fighter IV for the Xbox 360. I own all the proper versions of Street Fighter and Street Fighter Alpha. I don't own much in the way of the spin-off titles. Just when you thought the 2D versus fighter was all but dead for the masses, here comes Capcom and their Street Fighter IV. Capcom has done something instantly cool with Street Fighter IV by staying entirely true to the roots of the 2D gameplay while at the same time offering all the modern visual flash one could want. Pretty much in the same exact vein as their Bionic Commando Rearmed. I can say that the game is just visually impressive. Those goofy wide-eyed expressions and reactions look awesome in motion. The stages seem to ooze charming details. The animation seems fluid. Capcom's famous cheese is also very much present in the game's victory statements and story. I can say that I don't intend to chase very many achievements for this one. I bought this one mainly off of the legacy factor more than anything. I intend to play some non-ranked player matches. I won't be doing anything in the ranked modes as that isn't very appealing to me in this genre. We'll see how it all turns out...

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned -- Initial Impression.

Next up for me will be the Xbox 360 exclusive download content to Grand Theft Auto IV which goes by the subtitle of The Lost and Damned. The 1.78GB file is a full on expansion to Grand Theft Auto IV. It won't add any new areas to Liberty City, but it does add new characters, missions, weapons, vehicles, collectables, music, and mini-game distractions. In fact Rockstar has made it rather clear that The Lost and the Damned is really a new game separate from Grand Theft Auto IV. It just happens to share the same location of Liberty City and take place at or around the same time as the events of Grand Theft Auto IV. The Lost and Damned begins like any other Grand Theft Auto game and it quickly establishes the main characters and gets you settled into a safe house. You're then free to advance the story or not. In my typical Grand Theft Auto play style, I chose not to advance the story and I've been spending my time checking out the optional entertainment available within The Lost and Damned's version of Liberty City's sandbox. Supposedly the motorcycles have been reworked and controlling and more importantly staying on them has been made far easier. That seems to be true from the brief time I've spent with the game. I'm actually decently excited to be back in Liberty City again, even if it's far sooner than normal. I'm not so excited to see there are fifty seagulls to track down and slaughter. I just hope they're handled better than those goddamned pigeons. We'll see...

Flower -- All In One.

I have completed Flower, an exclusive PlayStation Network title. Flower was created by That Game Company who also made Flow. Just like Braid was last year's 'it's art' title, Flower is sure to become the same for this year as both really were pursuing some sort of Zen experience. Flower is a gorgeous game visually. You'll control a single petal afloat on the wind in a 3D space. Flower is controlled by the tilt functions of the DualShock 3 controller and the press of a single button to engage the wind. You'll steer by titling the controller. Twisting forward to dive, back to climb in the air. Tilting left and right to turn left and right. To move you'll simple hold a button, and release it to stop. Flower has no real discernible goals initially. You'll just set out to discover what's there to be discovered. As you play a narative will develop. Flower, like Braid, has a message. Flower's message is far less heavy-handed and it certainly isn't as whiny as that of Braid. Flower's message isn't very subtle however, and that's really the only flaw I've found with the game. Because when you're not subtle you run the risk of being preachy. I don't think anyone likes being preached to, whether you're in agreement with said message or not. The game itself is enjoyable and is equal parts fun and soothing. You might find some frustration if you're inclined to chase down the trophies. I would consider Flower to be a must try experience, and I found it well worth the asking price. It encompasses some of the best aspects of Nights Into Dreams, and Okami. Nights' feeling of flight, and Okami's visual representations of environmentalism. I'm giving Flower a 9.

Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection -- Golden Axe Warrior.

The credits have rolled on Golden Axe Warrior. The game was originally released for the SEGA Master System in 1991. That was very late in the system's life. It was one of those 'we're still supporting our Master System fan base' titles while most everyone else had moved on to the 16-bit era. The game was most certainly not a throwaway title. In fact, it's probably the best Zelda clone on the market. It's a clone of the original Legend of Zelda with flip screen progression and four way movement and a secret hidden on every screen. It does have a couple things Zelda does not have though, and that's a story and real challenge. The game has towns filled with non-player characters and a clear story and a sense of why you're doing everything. The game is also rather tough. In both the puzzles and the combat. The enemies are determined to kill you throughout the game. And the bosses are true challenges. The game is great looking with colorful and clear graphics. The sound is pretty good with a couple of tracks from Golden Axe in the mix. Anyone looking for the toughest version of the Legend of Zelda should check out Golden Axe Warrior. It was great replaying this one. Now where to go from here...

Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection -- Update.

I pretty much spent the first day earning some achievements and unlocking everything that there was to unlock. I spent the second day collecting the rest of the achievements to the point where I have the full one-thousand points. So now that the full game is open to me and all the work is done I can start enjoying the games for themselves. I've already played through E-SWAT: City Under Siege and it was as fun as I remember it being. Decent early 16-bit graphics with great music and really solid Shinobi like game play with an absolutely unforgiving difficulty level. I've also managed to play through the arcade version of Alien Syndrome. I sunk enough quarters into the original machine back in the day and never managed to see beyond the third level. It's absolutely great to at least be able to see it through to the end. So many choices as to what to play next...

Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection -- Initial Impression.

It's more retro goodness up next for me. I'll be playing bits of Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for the Xbox 360. The title is a collection of forty-nine games. Forty Genesis games are open by default with two SEGA Master System titles and seven arcade games as bonus games that need to unlocked. The disc also features the front of the box and cartridge art and a handful of video interviews. All of that for the low entry price of $29.99. That's an insane deal, especially to someone who saved up fifty dollars plus to buy each of these games originally The games are all playable in 4:3 and 16:9 in 720p. There is also an entirely optional smoothing filter built into the emulator. Of course the question remains of how good is the emulation graphically and aurally. The full list of titles is as follows...

Genesis:

Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
Alien Storm
Altered Beast
Beyond Oasis
Bonanza Bros.
Columns
Comix Zone
Decap Attack
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
Dynamite Headdy
ESWAT: City Under Siege
Ecco the Dolphin
Ecco: The Tides of Time
Fatal Labyrinth
Flicky 2
Gain Ground
Golden Axe
Golden Axe II
Golden Axe III
Kid Chameleon
Phantasy Star II
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
Ristar: The Shooting Star
Shining in the Darkness
Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention
Shining Force II: Ancient Sealing
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
Sonic 3D Blast
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic Spinball
Streets of Rage
Streets of Rage 2
Streets of Rage 3
Super Thunder Blade
Vectorman
Vectorman 2


SEGA Master System:

Golden Axe Warrior
Phantasy Star

SEGA Arcade:

Alien Syndrome
Altered Beast
Congo Bongo
Fantasy Zone
Shinobi
Space Harrier
Zaxxon

Secret of Mana -- Final Opinion.

So I've completed Secret of Mana on the Wii's Virtual Console. This is the second time I've completed the game of course. Waiting fifteen years or so to replay the game was actually helpful as I did not remember much of it. The game is good looking for a middle era SNES title. It's bright and colorful and there is a lot of animation on screen. Too much it would seem as flicker is common in combat. The battle system is still mostly fun. You'll have issues with the AI characters from time to time but they actually perform well enough. Especially considering it was on the bleeding edge of AI at the time. I didn't remember the lag during combat. Maybe it didn't bother me at the time. But this time I found it mildly annoying. The music is very good. The composition is strong and the sound quality is high. The story on the other hand is very much less than special. It probably explains why I didn't remember much of it as it's very disjointed and unconnected feeling. And it's just often bizarre. Overall the game is still solid fun and worth playing through. I just can't escape the feeling that this time around I was considerably less impressed with it. Unlike some of the other titles I've revisited on the Virtual Console like Super Metroid and A Link to the Past and Shining Force among others. Those titles remained as strong today as I remembered them originally. Secret of Mana just doesn't give me the same vibe.

Secret of Mana -- Initial Impression.

I've completed Tomb Raider: Underworld on the toughest settings and wrapped up that final achievement. I'm still sitting on a rather large backlog of games. More than a few of them are massive RPGs of the Shin Megami Tensei variety, like Persona 3: FES, Persona 4, and Nocturne. I think it's too soon after Fallout 3 for me to jump into another massive game. I just don't think it would be wise. So I find myself before the bizarre flood of games coming in the next few months. I mean, the new year is always a time to clear out the backlog. Not this year it seems. I'm going to be playing Secret of Mana, the Super Nintendo 1993 action RPG from Square. I'm going to be playing the game via the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console. I was there originally in October of 1993 where I first played the game through to completion. I've only played it that one time. I've only rarely ever played an RPG more than once. I remember the game as being fun. Great fun in fact. One of the system's best titles. I remember the game as having one of the better soundtracks on the system as well. In all honesty, I can say I remember some of the events in the game, but overall the story is more than a little hazy. But my gut tells me the story was good. It'll be interesting to see how much I remember. It'll also be interesting to see how much I'll end up in agreement with what I seem to remember my twenty-one year old self thought about the game.

Tomb Raider: Underworld -- Final Impression.

I've completed Tomb Raider: Underworld for the Xbox 360 with a current Gamerscore of nine-hundred points. I'm not done though, as I am going back through the game for that last one-hundred points and that final achievement for completing the game on the hardest settings. I can say that Underworld is the best Tomb Raider since Anniversary. The story is great and comes to a satisfying conclusion. Even before the two download packs are released. The graphics are nothing short of great. Lara Croft has never looked better and she's never explored better looking environments. She controls as well as she ever has. There is a lot of new animation in her actions that I enjoyed a lot although some people have complained that the extra animations cause control issues. I didn't really find that to be the case. The only real control issue that remains is the camera during combat. They've implemented some changes to the formula. You no longer find any weapons or ammo within the levels. You get to decide on an outfit, and your secondary weapon before each level. You only get the ammo you take in with you for the secondary weapon. Her twin pistols still come with unlimited ammo. For the most part the ammo isn't going to be an issue as overall Underworld is thin on combat. It's so thin on combat that there aren't actually any bosses. The bosses in the game are more environmental puzzles instead of combat. Speaking of the puzzles the game contains probably the most enjoyable puzzles of the series. The game also contains what amounts to the best action set pieces in the series. The game moves along at a rather breakneck speed and you're not going to be getting lost. There is a large deal of collection in the game with one-hundred and seventy-nine treasures to be found for an overall smaller Tomb Raider. I'm giving Tomb Raider: Underworld a 9.

Tomb Raider: Underworld -- First Impression.

Next up for me is Tomb Raider: Underworld for the Xbox 360. Underworld is the final game in the reboot trilogy that involves Tomb Raider: Legend, and Tomb Raider: Anniversary. What am I expecting from Underworld? Well, it should be the be best looking Tomb Raider to date. It should hopefully fully wrap up the story thus far. It should have some great puzzles and some great exploration and platforming. As per usual, there is only one way to find out...