The battle within finally begins. Final Fantasy XIII captures the true nature of story-telling in the pages of gameplay that make up the masterpiece of the narrative. Final Fantasy XIII ensorcells players into a world of action, heart-ache, and a contrasting dichotomy of good vs. evil which furthers the nurture and attention that an elegant storyline requires. The struggles make us forlorn to the protagonist, the themes make us feel alive within the world, and the form and mood of the storyline allow us to experience something on an entirely new level. Final Fantasy XIII uplifts the senses in its linear outline through encapsulating the audience in a RPG with lightning gameplay that shocks us into the reality, unforgettable storyline which grasps our hearts, a diverse cast with personalities that are a wonder to discover, and presenting a unique piece of art designed with Fabula Nova Crystallis in mind after a long wait which was well deserved. Final Fantasy XIII brings form of emotional tenacity that is tangible every minute within the world of Cocoon, and action that engages the audience through every plot-twist woven through drama.  Final Fantasy XIII acquiesces a form of gameplay that is both linear and exceptional, achieving a level of respect in the name of the Final Fantasy series.

Over centuries ago, a prenatural being created through a crystal in his body created a floating Utopian continent in the atmosphere, which was to be isolated from the lascivious lands below. The fal’Cie creature created the grand Pulse as a new world without the Gran Pulse below. Machines were commissioned to be the guardians of the citizens as barriers were fortified to prevent any and all contact with the outside world, giving the bulging metropolis the name of Cocoon.  Seclusion came easy to the citizens of the world for many years, but the Cocoonians became curious as to why the Gran Pulse is restricted. With a recent contact with people from below, citizens became rife with doubt and curiosity, questioning their morality and scruples. The Sanctum, the governing entity of Cocoon, issued an edict:  any and all individuals suspected to be in contact with the world of Gran Pulse are to be banished from the safety of the continent and cast out into the ruthless underworld. Within this essential background, Final Fantasy XIII creates a revitalizing group of characters with exceptional voice acting that have their own reasons for taking a journey to the Gran Pulse. The thaumaturgic tension within the narrative, combined with the intricate character interaction is unforgettable. Lightning is the protagonist that is essentially on a quest to save her sister the fate of being marked an l’Cie, and she has a propensity for fighting and putting down anyone in her way. Characters themselves are part of the journey within the Final Fantasy XIII series, and as such no more details will be given. What does remain to be seen is unfathomable, parapsychological, and simply a story that revitalizes the soul through incredible narrative direction.

Final Fantasy XIII takes linearity and makes it a part of the gameplay mission structure aspect within the world. While some exceptions exist given certain side-quest monster missions, players are constantly moving forward within the Pulse Vestige.  When in the Pulse, there are several crystal points where the party can acquire missions.  These missions become similar to Hunts from Final Fantasy XII and involve battling monsters around the Pulse.  As these l’Cie failed to complete their assignments, this gives the party an interesting look into l’Cie tasks despite lowering the pacing of gameplay as a slight distraction in the midst of chaos. The linearity becomes further pronounced as the corridors of the level designs are usually narrow during mission.  Players do not pick and choose which characters they want to play as the storyline is divided amongst more critical chapters giving different aspects of the story from different perspectives and furthering the choice for storyline over convenience of the audience to select a certain individual to complete missions with throughout. The gameplay mission structure is described with the context of the storyline, which macadamizes one difference between Final Fantasy XIII and its predecessors comes to fruition: there are no towns to explore, no puzzles, no offset missions to complete. While this may seem like a negative thing to legacy players of the Final Fantasy series, this allows for the storyline to seem more focused than ever, and less about simplicity and more about balance between complicated and simple storyline aspects.

The battle system within Final Fantasy XIII has been more customized and tweaked to provide an increased nuance with tactical and seamlessness. The Command Synergy Battle begins the moment the player runs into an enemy, which transforms the field into a battle arena with a few enemies on-screen. Players can control one character out of the party of up to three characters. Every action is guarded by an Active Time Battle bar, essentially the stamina bar for the battle character. Every command for the battle party places the ATB Cost as a strategic and manageable aspect of the battle system, with the ATB bar being divded among different sections to represent higher costs. Variety of commands and attacks for each character is stunning and traditional moves such as Attack, Cure, Fire, and Summon make a return, with notable area-field strength spells that target larger groups. From these battles, players gain Crystarium Points in battle, and can use Crystarium Points to purchase statistic increases, abilities, and finally spells all of which can be used to further advance the character into higher levels of battle difficulty.  Final Fantasy XIII’s battle system takes a page from the predecessors, while focusing the need to be less turn-based and more dynamic and strategic through the use of linear item collection and character progression that works well for the type of battle gameplay.

Masashi Hamauzu work within Final Fantasy XIII is simply something worthy of mention. As a notable composer of the Final Fantsy X soundtrack, Masashi Hamauzu has composed melodies of string quartets composed of the Viol, the slow tone of the Lute, the sagely wisdom of the violins with the bold flavor of the techno inspired heavy beats creates a memorable Final Fantasy XIII soundtrack that is worth the purchase alone.

Final Fantasy XIII brings elements from the series into a new light of day while still reflecting on the traditional origins, making a game meticulous and beautiful at the same time. While Final Fantasy XIII revolves around the linearity of the gameplay, it superimposes a believable narrative with more focus and attention to minute detail with the enhanced Command Synergy Battle System. Final Fantasy XIII paves the way to declare that linearity is not a bad thing, and further endeavors towards greatness in a form of its own.

The world has evolved games into two categories that are both worth a closer reveal. The high budget ‘blockbuster’ titles can become very generic and live on an established name whereas smaller titles which are full of creativity just do not pack the punch compared to a bigger offering. Heavy Rain is a refreshing title that has the major themes of a large release yet has the innovation and creativeness within the storyline and production value needed to really make this stand out from the rest. Created by Quantic Dream’s inspiration from Indigo Prophecy and renewed sense of exploration and experiment, Heavy Rain takes psychological thrill with attention to details and dares to do things which other titles simply do not try. Unfortunately with such minutiae of details, Heavy Rain comes bundled with large errors such as generic voice acting, and a lack of combat interactivity for an action thriller that all take their toll.  Regardless of the issues, Heavy Rain provides a great sense of exploration and takes innovative steps to draw players into a fascinating story full of intrigue and mystery.

Quantic Dream always describes the story as an experimental narrative thriller when it comes to Heavy Rain. The storyline is dynamically split to a certain level and is told through four different characters all involved in the case of the Origami Killer: Ethan Mars – a father of two who is the real main character and the one the player gets to know best, Scott Shelby – a private investigator who is hired by the families of the Origami Killers’ victims to find out who killed their sons, Norman Jayden – an FBI agent, who is drafted in by the local police force to help them in their investigation and Madison Paige – a reporter who is doing her own investigating of the murders and gets caught up in the drama of her own cathartic experience. Each character’s story is intertwined with the other characters for a similar feeling to CRASH and it is not a choice for the player to decide from which perspective the story will be detailed through, an interesting narrative element choice but can present a limited aspect when given the already limited spectrum of 4 characters. As each scenario builds up the suspense, Heavy Rain uses different perspectives of investigation that gives a 12 hour experience over the differing storylines. The story starts with Ethan Mars in his home having a quiet afternoon in before his sons 10th birthday party that evening, which acts as a gameplay mechanic tutorial of getting the player used to the controls while also showing Ethan as a family man with a normal life. Something, however, happens to Ethan’s life forever and the story fast forwards to two years later which is the time in which the main story is set. Two years later seems rather ambiguous for an emotional connection within the storyline, but presents no issues in directly offering players the fact that there is a lot of tension built up by this time. Ethan now finds himself a part of another sad turn of events that percusses his life and embarks on a journey to find the Origiami Killer. Many questions are asked throughout the story: Who is the Origami Killer? How far will Ethan go on his journey? What happens at the end? Heavy Rain builds on this suspense within the gameplay and storyline while making sure the latter two have no real answer as each decision the player makes throughout the game affects the outcome of the story.

Gameplay is driven in Heavy Rain first and foremost by the storyline, which is the key concept of the entire choices and layout. Players walk around a beautiful environment that provides various interactivity options and can discover what the character thinks at special moments in the game, when he/she enters a specific room or scene, or is even conversing with someone in a ‘timed’ converse event (TCE). Heavy Rain and is primarily told by button-commands for conversations and actions with the environment in regular scenarios. Every single aspect in the suspenseful narrative of Heavy Rain includes investigation in one form or another, a key element that is blended across different moods and tones of gameplay than ever before and perfected in Heavy Rain. As the characters experience events, more interactivity builds upon structuring tension of scenario aspect elements that are furthered through the camera angles. The central control mechanism begins with the introduction of the Quick-Time Elements, similar to the same gameplay core followed throughout.  The QTE’s are very well implemented into the different motions of the characters and the majority actually feel like they map to a human body doing various actions. The QTE’s are also very clearly marked with flashing icons needing pressed several times, ones with triangles at the top needing held down, dotted outline needed careful movement and normal white outlines just needing pressed normally. Quantic Dream sets up the traditional Indigo Prophecy influence through real time camera angle showing different views for differing action scenarios. The character’s moods themselves also act to the intense action in which players carry out their moves. The players do not solely affect the characters, but the characters also affect the players and their actions to create a thaumaturgic effect.

Heavy Rain controls are decent for the most part but can present quite an issue when it comes to movement, an annoying factor in the game when combined with the different aspects of the environment to get a newer look. While holding down a button to see the environment in a new and different way, holding R2 down and having the right stick in a specified direction can be an issue. The game maps the movement differently when so many angles change and serves to confuse the player as to when the character suddenly turns around and walks in an opposite direction. Quick-Time Events themselves within Heavy Rain are unoriginal and not innovative compared to the storyline elements and presents a rehashed view of adding tension. Action and Tension, while both are well built in some areas of the game slowly through progression and character interaction surprises, are not about how fast a button can be pressed but should allow for more dynamic realism in the controls with an actual fluid fighting dynamic. Heavy Rain focuses on controls throughout but has double standards when compared to other aspects of the game where feet are mapped to rear triggers and provide a sense of some realism in the mapping.

While each character is different, certain characters have different abilities to their controls. One in particular is very keen on looking good, using great technology, and having a substance abuse problem.  FBI agent Norman Jayden is one clever fellow when it comes to investigative elements. He is armed with ARI: (added reality interface) prototype, which consists of a pair of glasses and a black glove that can detect and analyze DNA, certain traces, and footprint patterns in the environment in real time, something that is simply incredible and vivifies the CSI scene. The actual search for clues is probably the most tedious part of the game but once you have them and are sitting in your office searching for answers the virtual reality comes into play in full and makes you really want a pair of these glasses.

Graphical detail in the environments with Heavy Rain is absolutely fantastic and the actual character models  feel like they have a soul and have obviously been done by the work of an excellent mo-cap team with some strong physical acting and nuances. Unfortunately in the shadows of the killer’s wake lurks another terror in Heavy Rain: the voice acting. Heavy Rain characters can provide a great experience in the emotional expression through their faces while embarking on an incredibly detailed story, but the voice acting becomes stale at time and wholly uninviting.  The character’s thoughts in response to the environments are bland and the dialogue sometimes feels disillusioned in a gritty and realistic world.

Heavy Rain comes with an exquisite soundtrack for the tense scenes and musical tastes of enthusiasts. Heavy baritones build a tension and trouble that befalls a certain character, while sharp lapses in the euphonium takes a transitional scene into a whole new soundscape. A lot of Pensante instrumentals convey a heavy tone during investigation scenes combined with the emotional force of Patètico. Heavy Rain latches onto the suspense through the music but also the mournful, and abrupt by presenting different riffs with Spicatto and Mèsto to create short and very fast erratic musical scores that are parapsychological for the experience.

Heavy Rain cannot be called a game. Quantic Dream has created rather a great piece of interactive entertainment despite the very little realistic qualities of gameplay. An in-depth story keeps things focused, while the intriguing mystery and murders redefine a new category of gameplay where a game does not have to be a game in the traditional sense.  Heavy Rain is undoubtedly an interactive drama despite its problems that will entice and interest audiences to a newfangled definition of the word: interaction.

Collaboration by: Usman Ihtsham & Stuart Blair

Look above you as hundreds of people are parachuting towards their objectives. MAG reveals player ipseity through central command and engaging 256-player online matches that are a sight for the eyes to see. MAG is another wonderful creation from Zipper Interactive and Sony Computer Entertainment  (SCEE) to delve players into the strife of combat and the grueling circumstances in which it revolves.  While skirmishes are close and personal on an objective-based scale, MAG provides the thrill of bullets flying through the air and teamwork at an apex that is hard to withstand. MAG is without its problems such as small repetitive elements throughout the overall tone of the game, but becomes completely exhilarating during the moment. MAG undoubtedly presents a prodigious look into warfare and combat through an immense venue of a lot of squads and too much action at the same time. MAG is filled with objectives for different teams, formidable enemy squads, incredible map design, and a lot of opportunities to use individual skills and teamwork along with objective coordination to earn a powerful reward: the feeling of being a soldier and fighting for a greater cause.

Every player is required to choose a siding faction within MAG which involves three private military companies: S.V.E.R., Valor, and Raven.  The appurtenance of the combat is due to the world being engrossed in a Shadow War in which military contracts and facility wartime creates a competitive edge in the capitalistic world. Each faction itself comes with different customization options relating to appearance, weapon choices, and newer attitudes on the Shadow War. Zipper Interactive creates a sense of variety with these 3 limited choices to create a great personality that missions and MAG’s game design can work off.

Player design within MAG is monumentally important with faction-based gameplay at the core. Enlisting with a faction requires that a person stay with the faction and show loyalty at all times. MAG creates a level of teamwork and recognition not just through the battlefield or a simple lobby, but it also keeps players persistence and dedication to gaining a +5% bonus for their faction over another with a camaraderie of friends in the same faction. Players can choose to group up in one faction or players can choose to create varying teams with friends for different player profiles. Once players advance to level 60, they can change their faction for a new career type. Player design incorporates various maps that are central to certain factions that ensure different fronts are protected from the enemy. Every map for each faction has a different layout with four fronts and has its own challenges. While this can be great, there is a small amount of map repetition that can be exhibited despite the great level design. Luckily, this is nothing that a bunch of planned map packs cannot solve.

MAG mission structure in the key map areas involves four types, with only two being available at the beginning of the career Rookie stage. Supression is the typical team deathmatch mode while Sabotage presents players with a challenge to hold their own capture point, while attacking two other points from another faction to unlock and destroy a third point. These two introductory modes are 64 players only and give the audience a challenging look into the future as 64 slowly changes and grandfathers its way to 256 players in one map as part of MAG’s monumental battles.

The next modes become Acquisition (at 128 players) followed by the key gameplay element: Domination (256 players). These matches still focus on 64 player battle intensity in a certain quadrant of the multi-quadrant map that still manages to create an aptitude and concentration as part of the larger war. In Acquisition, the attacking faction tries to infiltrate enemy territory, steal a vehicle with wartime goods, and return it to their home insertion point. Acquisition can be quite intense as the quadrants are less than Domination and there are 2 quadrants in 64 player divisions as opposed to 4 that Domination makes really engaging. With Domination, the offense has to dominate a series of objectives to gain capture points which need to be kept in order to win. With not only mission-intensive objectives, the battlefields also contain strategically focused objects such as Bunkers for armored refuge on the front lines in addition to providing a haven for supplies. Turrets and sensor arrays along with mortars allow central rank-based Commanders in each unit to engage combat abilities while motor pools provide vehicles for mobility and further firepower.  These facilities are critical defense outposts and can create a tremendous impact with the small close quarters combat with varying factions. An opposing team can plant charges to or destroy the material goods to weaken another factions resolves. Repairmen with a high enough rank can fix these and the battles can be extremely significant and engaging as players fight to survive, support the team, or control individual loadouts to gain ground for their faction.

Zipper Interactive really focused on MAG gameplay and mission design solely by making sure command structure is a key element. MAG has tremendous shooting mechanics and controls to compliment gameplay which becomes both rewarding and enticing when it comes to command structure. With matches of 256 players, command element is important and beyond simple mission structure and design. Command gameplay design comes in the variety of squad leaders that can designate a target for the squad to engage. While staying near a squad leader, player receive an additional boost to their abilities such as reload speed and resistance to certain enemy damage along with the most notable form of advantage characterized by double the experience on the battlefield. When a squad leader actively creates newer targets, the players can keep close and the gameplay element is ramped up to a nostalgia that emits camaraderie within the squad only seen by one other title so far on the PlayStation 3 – SOCOM: Confrontation.  If a leader is not doing the proper job or the tactical advantages are not enough, squad members do not have to rely solely on rank and can nominate someone else if the need arises. Like Commanders, these Squad Leaders have access to localized abilities such as localized strikes, cluster bombs, and poison gas along with more diverse and broad help such as Sensor Sweeper and Bombardments.  Platoon leaders and Officers In Charge can voice chat with everyone on command and provide immense gameplay abilities that might not be as advantageous as Squad Leaders.  Role diversity and command design in MAG is completely incredible and well worth the time spent in-game fighting enemies despite a repetitive element in mission design.

MAG creates not just differing kinds of soldiers from Squad Leaders to Platoon Officers, but also it furthers a level of camaraderie in working for the team that has been exhibited on a more massive scale. While MAG may seem a lot like SOCOM: Confrontation in creating a beautiful atmosphere of wartime camaraderie and squad life, it is based on an entirely more massive scale with a different gameplay design and more strategic elements for different rank structures. MAG carries through not just an experience of war itself, even if it may seem repetitive to a point, but in addition an experience of teamwork, tactical dimension, and coordination unrivaled.

1968 has never been so cold and the water never this damp. Awaken as Subject Delta in 2K Marin’s BioShock 2, the sequel to BioShock that introduces the gaming world to an unraveling Dystopia in which philosophical individualism and seeping autocracy haunts the flooded corridors. BioShock 2 takes a very daring road to build upon the exotic backdrop of BioShock in which a plane crash lands the Protagonist Jack Ryan to the mysterious underwater world of Rapture. 2K Marin valiantly creates a new and recognizable atmosphere into a completely different storyline that evokes the responses through totalitarian dictatorship, improved gameplay based upon similar game interface as BioShock, and furthered incredible variety when it comes to the chills and haunting images that Rapture exudes. BioShock 2 furthers improvements and shooter mechanics beyond the first one and continues to up the par with a multiplayer mode from Digital Extremes. While something about the atmosphere, however, is not quite on par with the first title as things seem all too familiar and lose their substance that made the microscopicity of the original so daring, BioShock 2 still creates an atmosphere that is engaging and still very much provoking.  BioShock 2 incontestably creates an atmosphere that is prominent regardless of the familiarity that veteran players might feel and new players might not completely believe.

Hastily inscribed upon the walls of Adonis Spa are cries for a lost religious overtone in a philosophical narrative that is all too real. “Fallen, fallen is Babylon,” the great kingdom that was once the vision in the latter part of the third millennium, and it was here that the Bible says God confused the languages of mankind. Impregnable to incredibly different degrees of religious notions, Bayblon was lost in a bewildered flood of the Euphrates River from the Persian advance. The air is familiar as Subject Delta awakens in the decaying Adonis Spa in 1968. It feels like yesterday that you were with your Little Sister Eleanor Lamb through an unbreakable bond. As Subject Delta, one of the original Big Daddy protectors introduced in BioShock, you seek out to find Eleanor that is sending you troubled signals of being held captive by her mother:  the totalitarian Sofia Lamb, who took influence of Rapture after Jack Ryan departed on his own in 1958. Sophia Lamb is undoubtedly more different than anything Andrew Ryan preached as the wealthy founder of Rapture.  While Sophia Lamb may not be a shockingly similar match to the deep-rooted and downright maniacal beliefs of Andrew Ryan, she shares a level of disturbing presence engrossed in her own personal and moral philosophy that makes the senselessness of her persecution even more radiant.

BioShock 2 incorporates gameplay heavily through story as the original with a beautiful didactic narrative but comes with some inherent problems in the storyline progression. One of the central introduction aspects WhatIfGaming became concerned about makes itself known once again: the question of how BioShock 2 incorporates and furthermore pleases not just veterans but also newcomers of the game but also newcomers alike. 2K Marin assured that newcomers will have an equal experience as veterans of the series in terms of storyline narrative, but there are core storyline progression elements from BioShock that BioShock 2 simply does not touch upon. The first game focuses on the immense discovery and building façade of mystery on the city of Rapture and the downfall dynamic that engrosses any player who still plays it to this day. Unfortunately, BioShock 2 misses out on taking the same level of intrigue and placing it into the game in terms of microscopic details.  To fully understand the new game, players need to have prior knowledge. Some ancillary reading is hidden either in the menu or the tapes / tutorials of gameplay elements, but unfortunately it is not as powerful as incorporating these into the story directly.  The issues in terms of storyline do not end here. There are also issues in terms of the origins of Subject Delta never being truly explained along with the factors of key characters that played a monumental role of the first game being lightly delved into the sequel. Another problem that manifests itself is the lack of emotionality within BioShock 2. While Subject Delta wants to find Eleanor with tidbits of memories consistently being presented throughout the game, there is no real emotional construct to rely on other than the fact that the game simply bases the entire journey upon finding Eleanor Lamb. Despite these prominent issues, BioShock 2 still continues to present a strong case of philosophical undertones that furthers the psychological barrier that has already been established by the entire premise of the storyline.

BioShock 2’s mission structure revolves many enemies and few gains that create a survialistic nature in the horror-torn Rapture. Like Babylon, there is a lot of ADAM and an increased level of struggle with Lamb’s cult of Splicers, former Citizens of Rapture that went mad from using a drug called ADAM to give them superhuman abilities such as lightning shock and swarming bees. The ten years between BioShock reveals the splicers have gotten slightly religious and are more disfigured and confused with an even more dangerous combination than just disfigured.  Splicers encounters come with the typical enemy types from the first game which includes wall-latching splicers and teleporting splicers in addition to the fearful brute class splicers that throw concrete. Subject Delta soon reveals that he himself can use ADAM by injecting it into one of the situation cores in his suit (used to lock the Big Daddys in their suit and their body). ADAM is obtained through the unforgettable Little Sisters that made the first game iconic, brainwashed children under the aura of Rapture. Little Sisters discover various ‘angels’ or ADAM infused corpses to drain with EVE hyponeedles. The Catch-22 here follows the fact that each Little Sister is guarded by a Big Daddy that does not let another Big Daddy remotely near his ‘daughter. Once defeating the Big Daddy, it is up to Subject Delta to decide what to do with the little girl that cries and mourns for her lost Daddy like a poor orphan. As a Big Daddy, you can choose to ‘Adopt’ the Little Sister by placing her humbly onto your shoulder or sacrifice her (through murder) for ADAM. These two choices are constant throughout Rapture and the option to choose on the spot similar to the first game really extends upon the consequences of the choices players make. From here, if Subject Delta chooses to adopt the Little Sister, he can help the Little Sister to keep collecting ADAM while making sure to defend her. One interesting thing about BioShock 2 is the way the developers keep this aspect of the game astounding, through either momentary twists or dynamic variability with enemies to keep BioShock 2 from being one big escort mission.

Combat in BioShock 2 is extended with certain improvements but stays close to the original and traditional. ADAM can be spent on DNA plasmids to gain access to psychokinetic and potential powers with which players can freeze people or hurl fireballs. Gene Tonics make a return to create enhancement to certain passive abilities such as faster movement speed, quieter footsteps and more.  Combat options are not limited to genetic variability but extend to weaponry as well.  Since Subject Delta can dual-wield weapons, the combat feels more fluid and dynamic than the first game. This allows players to keep an active defense in one hand while creating a level of hard-earned damage with a gun on the other.  As players continue into Rapture, they can upgrade plasmid guns and add tons of improvements to give certain weapons secondary and tertiary abilities to grant bonuses.

BioShock 2 introduces the series’ first look into multiplayer that presents BioShock 2 as ‘part prequel in Sequel’ —with gratitude to our contact at 2K Marin for spilling the details the day the first teaser came out. Players will be the citizens of rapture that have joined the Sinclair Solutions Consumer Rewards program for self-defense to test various weapons and plasmids for the war between Andrew Ryan and Atlus, his nemesis. Multiplayer modes are pretty standard such as Team Deathmatch and Deathmatch with Capture The Sister as a capture the flag counterpart where players try and capture a crying Little Sister from the enemy.  Maps are set in notable locations from the first BioShock and multiplayer remains challenging while also adding more for players to accomplish into the game.

BioShock 2 is undoubtedly a great game with amazing improvements despite dismal issues with storyline and continuity for newcomers. Rapture continues to be the underwater city with a baroque style movement that creates the atmosphere for the continuing storyline. Sophia Lamb and her Family are constantly out to destroy older parts of Rapture to eliminate any of the remaining ego that Andrew Ryan possessed, while creating an even more interesting approach to religious backdrops of rebirth and retribution for the sins of Rapture and its existence as a whole.  The haunting atmosphere of Rapture carries through with the story embedded in the environment – the details being on the walls with crayon, neon markers, or sketchy chalk. Writings in the surroundings and the context of the storyline are undoubtedly still as disturbing as before regardless of the storyline flaws affecting the atmosphere and tone. Rapture remains an underwater city that still is impossible to escape as the struggle for Subject Delta to find humanity seems impossible in the environment. The city is undoubtedly perturbing with incredible gameplay improvements, voice acting, and soundtrack scores that make the surroundings in BioShock 2 as memorable and horrifying as ever.

Live long and prosper in a universe that is constantly expanding and providing exploration a new definition. Star Trek Online makes the emergence of the millennia that people will witness and recount for years to come.  The space-adventure odyssey Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing game by developer Cryptic Studios (City of Heroes/Villains, Champions Online) captures the excitement from the Star Trek television series and gives players a journey in which they are constantly cultivating their love for all things Science Fiction. Star Trek is definitively not like any other MMO out there that focuses too much on traditional grinding gameplay, leveling pride and lust, and special glowing items found in the pits of some exotic mountain or crafted by a rare animal. While using certain traditional aspects, Star Trek Online keeps the underlying backbone on a skill-based system in which players can rank up from Ensign to Admiral and max out skills respectively.  Core gameplay mechanic that is efficiently detailed within Star Trek Online creates an imperceptible and ingenious balance with skills, abilities, and the central team-based life of a Captain to create an unheralded atmosphere in Space that is not as bitter or bland as other MMO’s that rely too much on repetition, difficult controlling schemes, and furthermore an unbalanced interface and system. With an ingenious gameplay design, incredible variety in gameplay mechanics of space and ground adventure that relies on a cleverly crafted skill-system to advance players in the universe, and the key facet of exploration and adventure both in space and on a microuniversal planetary level, Star Trek Online is undoubtedly the precedent of what a MMO can transcend in an entirely new and unimaginable way.

Star Trek Online begins similar to the Big Bang which created the universe as the setting: Character Creation. Before travelers actually set foot on the universe, they need to create their persona in Star Trek Online.  Customization throughout Star Trek Online constitutes an exemplar value that Cryptic Studios holds dear: the players are given full customization through an interface that is necessary, beautifully detailed, and precise to individual personalities. Players can choose any race authentic to the series or can create their very own race in the Federation, a choice that fans will be extremely pleased about than simple cut and paste series tactic customization options. Every race has a predetermined bonus that is expected: Vulcans are extremely intellectual and Humans possess Leadership and Teamwork qualities with ground combat. When a race is chosen, players have to choose their class and career type that determines the fate of the entire universe of that specific character. Star Trek Online starts customization through a unique series of options that makes it incredibly worthwhile to have individuality in the type of characters players become.

Cryptic Studios creates an unforgettable balance in gameplay mechanics from the inception of character creation in Star Trek Online. Star Trek Online makes the introduction to professions seamless regardless of the innate complexity and skill of each profession later on the game, which is something admirable for a game that presents and essentially delivers on the high standards of the Star Trek franchise.  Science Officers support friends with buffs and heals while weakening enemies, an Engineering Officer protects other players from harm and soaks up a tremendous amount of damage while controlling certain key-based tactics on the ground, and Tactical Officers control the tactics such as supporting the away team by drawing away enemy fire or setting up flanking stances. One key social and gameplay aspect Star Trek Online does beautifully is to balance every class in the MMO. There is no class better than the rest, and the critical thing that Star Trek Online makes very diaphanous to players is the fact that they are part of a larger universe in which there is no competition for ‘levels’ like other amateur MMO’s that build off of that need to grind endless nights just to reach some omnipresent level. Everything follows adaptation. Engineers Officers can further onto career types becoming Combat Engineers that focus on explosive training and Starship Combat Support, Technicians who focus on team technology, and the Engineer that is constantly setting things on the ground as Fabrication experts. Science Officers can be Researchers, Doctors, or Scientists focusing on Combat Control, Medical Assistance, and Enemy Damage respectively. Tactical officers follow in the same way through Soldiers who are focused on improving their Away team and Grenades, Special Forces with menacing Martial Arts training, and Security Officers that are built on Weapons Training and ally protection on the field. Once players are done choosing their character’s destiny, they are asked to name their character, and the ships currently stationed on, and are given the chance to write character biography. After this is done, the adventure begins as players know that the beautifully well-balanced gameplay core details and crafted professions system will have an incredible journey waiting beyond the Stellar Horizon.

Star Trek Online initiates every player post-creation where they set foot before expanding out into the universe: the ground. The breathtaking view Star Trek Online introduces players to centers on a large cabin with a space-port window showing the bright star outside, a symbol that is an indication of essentially a very minuscule part of the large unknown universe that lies ahead in the year of 2409. Missions are first assigned with an immediate sense of urgency and liveliness that thrusts players in the game’s storyline. Players start off as an Ensign hoping to be a Captain of his/her very own ship and ready to take action to save lives. Missions are incredibly varied due to the fact that Star Trek Online builds primarily on the four core facets of the franchise: Combat, Teamwork, Exploration and Discovery.  In turn, this makes Star Trek Online an incredibly varied game that never gets tiring. While certain missions still have a number count, it never feels like there is any repetition. Everything within Star Trek Online is fluid and dynamic due to not just the overarching universe and storyline, but also the intriguing storyline with each mission debrief. When arriving for a mission, Star Trek Online adventurers will face ground combat that engages with certain species that are hostile.  Players will begin on a solo mission that reveals ground combat and general weapon utilities such as the Stun Phaser Array and Basic Martial Arts in a control scheme that works with logic and rationale. Star Trek Online creates an essential dynamic with the primary foundations of the franchise and incorporates it into everything, especially mission design and structure. After enemies are defeated, Ensigns will begin to commandeer their own ship and are set off to the universe beyond the Earth SpaceDock through an incredible transition into Space and the vast unknown.

Space provides players a venue to travel to distant planets, systems, and moreover unforeseen galaxies in which discovery and combat phenomenally combine with various different ships of different races and ships yet to be discovered. Ships in Star Trek Online are not something Cryptic Studios took lightly or put as an add-on like many other games. Ships are as much a part of the Captain as much as Bridge Officers. Ships themselves are customizable both cosmetically and functionally. Everything about a ship from the nacelle pylons and saucers to every other component can be changed.  Players have to choose wisely and make decisions in how they outfit the ship’s weaponry, impulse engines, shields, deflector dish and space station modifications that make the gameplay further unique and ensures no one ever has the same ship or gameplay experience. Same classes in a ship type can hardly be compared. Once players reach the rank of Lieutenant Commander, they can select three ship types: Science vessels, Escorts and Cruisers. Every ship is unique and contains different Crew Capacity, Weapon Capacity, and Bridge Officer Capacity which allows players to determine a best fit for their class, specialization, and Bridge Officers. Star Trek Online once again takes an unprecedented stance in gameplay mechanics because no ship is better or even comparable to another. Everything leading up to Space, including the ship customization, provides a level of detail and balance that can be essentially meaningful to any race, and any player depending on individual customizations, class choice, and finally the differing kinds of Bridge Officers chosen. Star Trek online takes the very same balance in gameplay structure and design presented at the beginning of the game to space exploration and furthers it into new galaxies.

Space combat for the most part involves hull bays, and bridge officers with abilities. Hull bays need to be damaged for an enemy ship to be defeated. To help in this  are the specially chosen Bridge Officers in Space that also have special talents that can be utilized for ground combat later on in the game. Bridge Officers are an integral part to the teamwork mechanic that the Star Trek franchise is built upon. As Bridge Officers learn newer abilities, they can be a helpful part to the space combat structure and deciding if a certain ship has an advantage when compared to another one in terms of damage and defense alone minus actual ship type bonuses. When a hull bay is destroyed of an enemy faction and the mission is completed in Space, players can report back to Spacedock and receive Skill Points, Starfleet Merits, and finally Bridge Officer points that allows for extensive skill customization.

Skill customizations follow with abilities that strengthen as a base of skills. Skills, abilities, and other rewards can be unlocked as players naturally progress on their Merit-Based scale in the game. The skill system clearly reveals a detail not just for accuracy and preciseness to every skill with both ground and space utilization, but also displays the balance that makes the skill system work in the game so remarkably well in relation to every class, ship, and profession choice.

Space is a beautiful place in Star Trek Online and feels never-ending because it is definitively never-ending in the stretches of the universe map up to an unknown point 14 billion light years like actual Space.  The significant difference with Star Trek Online comes through the incredible balance with every item, ship, class, and character in the game having an identity and purpose that is unique and can be used at any point in time no matter what a merit badge presents. Star Trek Online creates a universe that is constantly evolving and changing gameplay design that will be hard to ever forget. Star Trek Online carries a bright torch in a repetitive and constantly dreary MMO world of repetition, grinding and level pride pointlessness, and misbalance in gameplay structure. Star Trek Online glows brightly with an incredible design and structure that can find a place in the bigger picture of the universe.

For years I have waited to save the galaxy once again. For years, I Commander Shepard, have been alone and now is the time to make my glorious return to the Intergalactic Stellar System. BioWare’s Mass Effect 2 might be another game in the trilogy of the saga, but it reminds us that beautifully superb video games are possible as part of a bigger adventure. BioWare’s Mass Effect 2 brings the space action back once again to allow players to experience a role-playing action-adventure title never before experienced since Mass Effect or Dragon Age: Origins. With beautiful overarching stories with multiple plotlines, a trenchant role-playing dialogue system, suitable combat gameplay, and moreover characters which are truly believable with voice acting to suite every colloquy in pure harmony. Mass Effect 2 redefines the space galaxy as Mass Effect did before it and incomparably changes the scale and customization by an even more magnificent sight.

Mass Effect 2 begins the sequel for the epic series two years after Commander Shepard deterred invading Reaper threat bent on the destruction of organic life. Now, Commander Shepard faces a new and mysterious threat than ever before. Emerging from the darkness on the fringes of known space, something is suddenly abducting entire human colonies which comprise of thousands to millions of people. Commander Shepard is put to the test in this mission as his incontrovertible reputation as being the first human Spectre in the universe precedes him. Commander Shepard must work with Cerberus, a ruthless organization devoted to human survival at any cost, to stop the most petrifying threat mankind and aliens alike have ever faced.  With this in mind, Commander Shepard must gather the galaxy’s most elite team and command the most powerful ship ever built. While people say the mission verges on the border of being suicidal, Commander Shepard is determined to prove them wrong.

Mass Effect 2’s mission structure remains similar to the previous title but is engaging more than ever before through the dynamic galaxy map, and much more to do on planets this time around. Commander Shepard still travels galaxy to galaxy while encountering incredibly believable characters that challenge his response and fortitude. As the audience, we are engaged on a role-playing experience that is not just engaging but also alluring. It is no longer just about choosing choices and seeing responses. For the most part, the dialogue system has changed dynamically with surprises in between that shocked even us. Renegade Hostile and Heroic Interrupts change the course of the gameplay and crazes players on the wild side to give them more power that they can feel in a physical way. Without giving away any crucial details to this dialogue system, we can easily say that the action is more engaging than ever before albeit the mission mechanic remains the same in essence.

Mass Effect 2 places an incredible new variety on combat through weapon variety and power talents to display a profundity to the world that the first title lacked. The combat foundation no longer requires running from a straight linear path shooting down repetitive enemy types. The weapon types include shotguns, sniper rifles, heavy weapons, light machine guns, and heavy pistols that are all more intuitive to the shooter gameplay. The action becomes more dynamic through a variety of new talents called ‘Powers’ while the actual complexity of the battle has shifted from work to simplistic.  New talents come in the form of two types: biotic and tech. Biotic powers focus more on biomechanics between the fights and can be used by certain creatures directly given innate talent abilities. Combat abilities themselves provide more class benefits to different characters more experienced with war while tech powers further the usage of technological emphasis that the first title made too simplistic. Along with the new gameplay combat mechanics in Mass Effect 2, the shooter mechanic is more dynamic through different weapons but also vast improvements to the aiming abilities. Targeting of individual body parts enables players to make more damaging headshots and further damages in a strategic way than randomly firing at the torso. Legs, arms, and any other limb can be shot off displaying the sheer brilliance in design and graphical flare Mass Effect 2 has to offer. Ammo systems have also been put in place which works well with a modified health system which regenerates shields and health when a player is not taking damage. Mass Effect 2 dramatically increases combat incongruity that creates an overwhelming appeal to players to actually choose combat and really experience the true natures of space battle.

Enemy A.I. in Mass Effect 2 has seen a change in combat that involves different strategies from enemy types. You do not constantly keep shooting at enemies randomly or enemies running towards you shooting. BioWare focused on this aspect in addition to combat to provide a sense of tactical advantage or disadvantages with enemies that also use different armor, have different power talent innate abilities, and utilize various other combat methods to make the flow of combat more realistic.

The latest feature that BioWare has added with Mass Effect 2 revolves around the great user demand for more armor customization. To most people, it seemed rather odd that Commander Shepard bore the same N7 suit without any need for customization from different weapon types and many other threats.  Finally, Mass Effect 2 answers these demands with an in-depth armor system for combat missions that respond to the environment in a multifarious way. Dual layer of fabric armor and kinetic padding within a lightweight ablative ceramic create a newer ‘Appearance’ for Commander Shepard rather than his own Casual Appearance. Casual Appearances itself can also be edited to deliver sustainability in keeping the visuals not only good looking but also fresh from the same outfits.  Armor is modular and custom N7 armor can be built from parts bought from merchants, or acquired on missions, through the player’s armor locker aboard. The in-depth customization also follows through to the gameplay which creates an effect on behaviors and influences as well as modifying aspects of armor through ‘research projects’ to be collected.

Mass Effect 2 provides a gritty action adventure game that redefines the genre yet again by refining the same formula used in the already incredible Mass Effect 1. With a greater combat system, better enemy A.I., increased tactical customizations with power talents and armor, and an even more memorable dialogue system that creates dynamic pacing, Mass Effect 2 delivers an insatiable experience for anyone with a thirst for interstellar travel and saving the galaxy. Gear up Commander Shepard: mankind and the universe need you.

When the words ‘game’ and ‘World War II’ are mentioned in the same sentence, everyone has a stock image of a first person shooter storming the beaches of Normandy. The Saboteur deviates from this redundant, tired look and lets you feel like a small part of a more rewarding cause. Rather than being a soldier, the gun-for-hire aspect gives the player a greater sense of accomplishment which works exceptionally well during the harrowing scene of one of the most brutal times in recent history.

The Saboteur is set in Nazi controlled France, specifically around the city of Paris not long after the start of the war. Sean Devlin, an Irish immigrant with a sharp tongue and clever wit. As the main protagonist of the game, Sean finds himself facing choices that are difficult and questionable at times, and that there is more to his demeanor than pure simplicity of a cigar in the mouth and a mechanic turned racer.  It is hard not to like Sean in The Saboteur at the onset especially with some of the crude and hilarious jokes of the title. Through the course of his missions and the gameplay design, Sean shows that he has ulterior motives for hating the Nazis but has to bide his time. Sean works for various resistance and black market people throughout the story to fulfill his revenge against the Nazis, for which the reasons will remain unclear until well into the introduction chapters of the game. As the story progresses, each characters traits are shown in the full and you are never in any doubt who Pandemic Studios want the player to like and which ones to loathe. The Saboteur provides an incredible time in 1940’s France and makes sure players encounter characters that have their own plans and motives in the world.

One of the main features that was touted for The Saboteur was that the game is in black and white until certain missions are completed which give the locals hope for the future hence the change into colour. There were a lot of skeptics about this, whether it would work or just feel like a gimmick, but it is achieved really well and the art direction really complements the sense of liberation that the player is giving to the people of Paris. The missions themselves are full of variety which is excellent considering the number of main and side missions that are given to choose from. However traveling, either, to the mission starts or the target of the mission feels extremely long and while there is a plentiful supply of cars, some fast travel system would be greatly appreciated. The climbing mechanism, that we have seen in games such as Infamous and Assassin’s Creed, is again used here and while it does not feel as free as Assassins Creed — it is solid and allows scaling the famous structures of Paris with relative ease and efficiency. The driving feels unfortunately stiff but it seems to work because of the amount of times you will be escaping Nazis. The only real downside to driving is the fact that crashing into other cars feels pathetic, but it makes more sense on a chorniclogical note even though it is not realistic.

The main mission structures involve a simple 4 word plan: Easy-In, Hard-Out. The concept works fairly well for the most part as the initial difficulty requires stealth for parts of certain missions and then requires a battling fight to the exit, providing action and adventure in one mission. An entire mission can technically be played out with stealth, but it is not easy. Taking the disguise of a German officer is an interesting approach but becomes frustrating  at times due to the A.I. being a bit overdone. On the whole, mission structures work well to support the action and add fun stealth elements to the countless other methods involved in approaching a mission.

A fresh idea was needed for the World War II setting and The Saboteur definitely brings a lot of new ideas to the table. While it recycles a lot of features and ideas seen in other open world games, The Saboteur brings enough new mechanics and styles to make it stand on its own. Parts of the game which are not upto the standards of the rest do not affect the enjoyment you get from playing against the Nazis and The Saboteur ends up being a far better game in the process.

The dead have risen to seek the blood of those that precede their rotting flesh. On June 1, 2009, Valve Software officially announced the birth of Left 4 Dead 2, sequel to the premiere horror 28 Days Later inspired Left 4 Dead. Valve Software created an exceedingly decent title with Left 4 Dead despite the issues of repetition and no story arc back in November of 2008, and seeks to improve upon various aspects left unfinished. Left 4 Dead 2 is the aegis to Valve and their ambition to create an extremely unique experience that has never been accomplished prior to the Left 4 Dead series, bringing horror and survival together to form a whole new definition in the realm of cooperative gaming action. Uniting a mysterious player and three other unsuspecting and horrified friends together, Left 4 Dead 2 makes sure players are at the edge of their seats not knowing what to expect next, making sure players use their eyes and ears to their fullest degree in order to survive the horrific zombie onslaught. Try not to blink or it may be your last breath.

Exactly a year after the release of Left 4 Dead, the sequel gallantly presents itself from the brushes. Although the arrival of Left 4 Dead 2 was rather speedy, Valve has managed to not disappoint. The initiation of the central plot replaces beloved survivors Francis, Bill, Zoey, and Louis from Left 4 Dead with newer more savvy characters in Left 4 Dead 2: the buff Coach, a yokel Ellis, a charming and charismatic Nick, and the epicurean Rochelle. These new characters all bring very unique personalities to the table and are the central components that bring Left 4 Dead 2 to life, as the level of interactivity that takes place between the characters during your playthrough make the experience intense. Without these emotions and without these character survivors, Left 4 Dead 2 would be very grim without a context or setting.  The cleverly written and very believable characters bring out the inner survivor in everyone within Left 4 Dead 2 and the zombie tyranny across the globe.

Left 4 Dead 2 brings the mayhem with different characters into newer environments. Left 4 Dead 2 offers five new campaigns within Campaign Mode, each with their own set of challenges to go though: Dead Center with four chapters, Dark Carnival with five, Swamp Fever with four, Hard Rain with five, and The Parish with five as well. Altogether, there are a total of 23 levels to be played and are spread across five campaigns with various scenarios as described by the names of the levels to emanate various qualities about each environment for the campaigns. Each of these campaigns all offer very distinctive settings for players to survive in and are more detailed than the prequel.

While you continue fighting off more hordes of zombies in Left 4 Dead 2, you will quickly notice that the gore level has been increased by quite a bit and more detail has been put into the annihilation of the zombies. The level of detail within the campaign modes and the gameplay is the first thing to notice. Left 4 Dead 2 effects for the most part seem very much the same, with very little improvements through the game. Some of the effects have been improved for the better such as the Boomer bile, evidently also making it harder to see through.

Gameplay additions run rampant in Left 4 Dead 2 as much as the zombies in every campaign. Left 4 Dead 2 includes the introduction of Uncommon Common Infected. These new infected are part of the common infected, but are not as common, thus the name “Uncommon Common”. These new enemy A.I. types include Bulletproof Zombies, unable to take damage from the front as they are decked out in riot gear, Zombie Clowns with their loud clown attire prone to attract nearby common infected when in motion, and a variety of others. These new Uncommon Common infected changes the gameplay dramatically. If a player is on the ground and unable to move while being relatively far away from your team, then a Bulletproof Zombie would be the last thing the character would want to see, as he could do some very serious damage. Luckily with Left 4 Dead 2’s incredible A.I. Director, this is more than likely to happen. While new types of zombies are plenty in Left 4 Dead 2, the Uncommon Common Infected are only found in their own specific campaigns and are just a useful model by which Left 4 Dead 2 increases the action.

Left 4 Dead 2 comes with a gigantic set of new weapons ready to tear limbs of blood-thirsty zombies ready to vivisect brains. The same tier progression system from Left 4 Dead is still present: players are rewarded with better and more powerful weapons as they advance deeper into the campaign. All of the weapons from Left 4 Dead have returned, and in Left 4 Dead 2 are accompanied by a much larger variety: Grenade Launchers, Desert Eagles, AK-47s, SPAS-12s, FN Scar Assault Rifles, Suppressed MAC-10s, and Chainsaws are all patiently waiting to be picked up by the survivors. Yes, that is correct: Chainsaws. Left 4 Dead 2 includes improved melee weapons for a new twist. Melee weapons fill the secondary weapon slot, which happens to be pistols, so players have to choose between pistols or melee weapons. Melee weapons allow players to swing away and chop the zombies up as if they were professional chefs in the world’s nastiest restaurant. Melee weapons include but are not limited to: Fire Axes, Baseball Bats, Cricket Bats, Katanas, Guitars, and Crowbars. Although cutting zombies up in Left 4 Dead 2 never gets old, it gets rather bothersome as the difficulty level goes up. This is mainly due to the fact that you are bound to take a few slaps to the face from the infected while using a melee weapon, and if you are playing in Expert mode, one hit could very well cost you the whole game. The balance with new weapons and the difficulty level of Left 4 Dead 2 is incredible despite some minor issues and remains better off than the prequel in a blood infested action rampage.

Weapons are hardly the only things used for survival. Along the path of Left 4 Dead 2, players will find themselves reminiscing about new and evolved tools to further aid the survivors. Laying around the new campaigns, survivors will find defibrillator units to revive one of your dead survivors and vials that contain Boomer bile which attracts nearby zombies when thrown, and makes them attack whoever the bile is on, whether it is the infected or the survivors. In a way, with the vial of Boomer bile in hand, Left 4 Dead 2 allows players to be a kind of mini- Boomer for the group of survivors, creating an interesting new perspective to gameplay and character interaction. The third and last new aiding tool in Left 4 Dead 2 is the adrenaline shot. These take the slot where the pain pills go in the inventory, and are very similar to the pills. Like the pills, the adrenaline shots should only be used in emergency situations. The adrenaline shots provide the survivor that uses it with a temporary boost in speed. All of these new additions to Left 4 Dead 2 will force players to think their plans even more thoroughly before moving into the zombified world, where zombies are the least of their worries compared to resources.

While Left 4 Dead had the legendary A.I. Director that created a different experience every playthrough, Left 4 Dead 2 now has an improved version: the AI Director 2.0. The improved AI Director now makes every playthrough even more different than before by being able to change the weather dynamically, change the lighting to reflect different times of day, or even alter the path you have to take through each campaign depending on the zombie size. Left 4 Dead 2 makes teamwork essential to fighting a way out to rescue.

Left 4 Dead 2 would be bewildering without the included 7 gameplay modes: Single-player, Campaign/Cooperative Mode, Scavenge, Versus, Survival and the most requested Realism Mode. Realism mode is the center of attention: garnering over being the most requested feature according to Valve.  The only thing that can be said of Realism Mode is this: extremely tactical and complex communication that SWAT uses will not be enough to survive this mode. In a nut shell, Realism mode is the great grandfather of the Expert difficulty. Realism mode is not a difficulty setting; rather it is a new game mode, and just like the Campaign mode, it can be played in four difficulty settings: Easy, Normal, Advanced, and Expert. Realism mode removes some of the features that aided players in surviving the Campaign mode, and in the end makes the gameplay much harder. Modifications include the removal of the very helpful and color coded character outlines, the names above players, the microphone indicator above players, and the ability to come back to life through closets. The infected also pose more of a challenge since they take less damage all together. All of these changes make it almost absolutely impossible to survive any of the campaigns in Realism mode without all four players having a microphone. Just like the saying goes: you do not know what you have until you lose it.  The first time you play Realism mode, players will surely be lost within minutes, having no outlines and no indicators but do not be ashamed of this fact while frantically running around to find the rest of your group. After players understand how Realism mode works, communicating with fellow survivors a lot more than the Campaign mode becomes easier and the Realism mode starts to become more fun, while at the same time almost feeling like a whole different game.

Realism is not the only new game mode in Left 4 Dead 2. Scavenge mode is also new to the series. Scavenge mode puts up to eight players into four versus four competitive and round-based matches, where the survivors have to scavenge around and find gas cans to refuel a gas generator located in each map while fighting off the infected and racing against the clock. Every gas can the Survivors empty into the generator add up into points and at the same time adds time to the clock. The infected on the other hand get to play as the boss infected just like the Versus mode, and fight to stop or stall the survivors as much as they can. Like the Versus mode, the teams of four get switched back and forth between the survivors and the infected after each round.

The complete highlight of Left 4 Dead 2 is definitely the three new special infected. Introducing three more playable special infected on top of the four old ones to the equation ends up creating a completely different experience, since most of your old strategies will no longer work. The new special infected includes: the Spitter, the Jockey, and the Charger. The Spitter is incredibly useful and nasty when paired up with any of the other special infected. She spits out a large puddle of fizzy green goo that deals massive amounts of damage to any of the survivors over it. Alone however, she is pretty easy to avoid, and is fairly easy to kill. The Spitter is also very good for finishing off any survivor that is down but not yet dead. Unlike the Spitter, the Jockey can be pretty annoying for the survivors if he is alone. The Jockey is able to jump onto any of the survivor’s backs and slowly steer their character away from the rest of the group and in any direction they want. This can be pretty game breaking if the survivors are not paying attention. When paired up with the right special infected like the Boomer, the Jockey can be very nasty and can lure away one of the survivors and go unnoticed the whole time. The Charger, the last of the three new special infected, can be called the brother of the Tank. He basically charges into a group of survivors, grabs one puny human, and then starts smashing them into the ground to their death. The Charger deals massive damage, and if not taken down in time, can put the survivors at a loss in no time. All three of the new special infected are all very well thought-out are implemented into the game just right. Not too overpowered, and not too underpowered, creating a perfect taste for flesh in Left 4 Dead 2.

Valve decided to modify the models on the old special infected, but nothing too major has been changed. Only minor things like removing the hair of the Tank and changing the clothes of the Hunter have been altered. Also, if anyone sees a female Boomer in the distance while playing Left 4 Dead 2, and think they are going crazy, then think again. The Boomer has two models this time around: one male and the other female. This does not affect the gameplay in any way, shape or form. The Witch has also been modified to wander around during the day and to sit down like in Left 4 Dead, at night. The Witch is now able to wander during the day, but she still does not pose too much of a greater threat than while sitting down.

Valve delivers another quality game once more in the bruised and battered body of the horrific Left 4 Dead 2. It is very possible that witchcraft is involved in the development of Left 4 Dead 2, because it failed to disappoint in more than one way. Left 4 Dead 2 manages to keeps all the great things Left 4 Dead had to offer, and implements even better features with extreme precision and detail. Having a new emotional set of characters to play with, playing through more detailed campaigns to survive in, having two new game modes to play, and having a whole new selection of weapons and tools to blow zombie brains with creates dozens of new challenges to encounter with Left 4 Dead 2.  Left 4 Dead 2 is undeniably a must have for any zombie enthusiast, or anyone that loves to not want to sleep at night and still believes in zombies.

Review Collaboration by: Berk Erilmez and Usman Ihtsham

Come from the rooftops, steadfastly swift direction at night, let your blades be the serene guide. As an assassin you will learn: truth is written in blood. Assassin’s Creed I abashed players worldwide by allowing them to explore the political depth of war and intrigue through the eyes Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad, an assassin dedicated to a group interested in shifting the pace of The Crusades in a war against the Christian Orthodox Templars. Unfortunately, repetitive gameplay combined with a poor set of voice acting contributed to the fall of Assassin’s Creed I as a mediocre title with no variety. Ubisoft is marked with unfaltering dedication and persevering power when it comes to Assassin’s Creed II. Assassin’s Creed II completely alters the perception of the prequel, providing stunning gameplay, brilliant voice acting, and most importantly than the former: a medley of variety that is badly needed for any game to be a success. Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed II heralds a vivacity unseen of the Assassin’s Creed saga, and pronounces an unwavering view of the life and struggle of what it takes to defend the honor of family in Renaissance Italy.

Assassin’s Creed II begins the epic story in 15^th century Florence, Italy and introduces Ezio Auditore da Firenze as a suave and charming charming protagonist in a fight against nobles of the Pazzi Family. Ezio is a young Florentine nobleman who is both a ladies’ man and a charismatic character unlike Altaïr. Ezio is wealthy, has a father that is apparently a Banker, and a brother that he always engages with in friendly competition as life keeps looking at him in the eyes with a flare. After a grand conspiracy shatters this vision, Ezio sets out on a revengeful path and metamorphoses into an Assassin by utilizing the innate Auditore fighting style abilities he had since he first kicked his feet after being born.  Along the way, Ezio meets various friends who include very prominent figures such as Niccolò Machiavelli and Leonardo da Vinci. The level of depth to Ezio Auditore da Firenze is undeniably more approachable than the reclusive Altaïr, which provides for more contrast in the storyline and the conception to a grand beginning. Ezio has to change not only emotionally but also physically in his fighting style to protect his family as the entire Florentine officials try and hunt him down. The storyline has more uniqueness, and provides room for a level of sympathy from the audience to really allow them to become connected with the idiosyncrasies character and consequently the harrowing storyline.

Gameplay presents an extraordinary detail as Assassin’s Creed II comes with more variety and profundity due to more missions, and various enhancements to the city of Florence, Italy. Assassin’s Creed II rids itself of the repetitive nature of gameplay, which has seen an extraordinary change since Assassin’s Creed I. With more than 200 mission types, Assassin’s Creed II heralds a new form of a mission structure for Ezio to take part in. Looting and pick pocketing missions have been entirely removed and various mission types are related to side quests that take a part in the story-arc in general. Missions provide the corridor to an exciting gameplay adventure and allow core gameplay features to be fully realized. What Assassin’s Creed I lacked, Assassin’s Creed II delivers on with mission mechanics.

Along Ezio’s journey in Assassin’s Creed II, players will find themselves aided by famous Renaissance figures, most noticeably Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolò Machiavelli. Some few interesting characters make reappearances, and provide an interesting plot dynamic and enthusiasm for engaging with characters and not being the lone wolf skipping from rooftop to rooftop. The various friends players come across give Ezio an affability that is admired and a storyline that is more intriguing than just plain and mediocre.

Assassin’s Creed II leads the gameplay facet of a notoriety system, allowing Ezio to become recognized and for the environment to dynamically change response around him.  A high notoriety makes the consciousness of civilians and guards increasingly vigilant of Ezio’s movements. Dividing the notoriety comes between different cities, so the player can gain a sense of dynamic gameplay that aids in the change of day to day life. Affecting notoriety comes intertwined with the realistic gameplay mission style: Ezio kills informants and good people for bad thugs in turn leads to the notoriety increasing. Should he do good things for a lot of people, notoriety drops and Ezio becomes the lively town prince that he is presented as to his close friends. To aid the change in life, the gameplay further adds a day/night system, which is not scripted anymore. A day and night system in Assassin’s Creed II presents a level of continuity and realism that the living world badly lacks in the previous iteration. A notoriety system combined with a day/night cycle gives Assassin’s Creed II substance that is both exhilarating and revitalizing.

Combat mechanics are fluid and furthermore have a level of electric progression both emotionally and physically with Ezio’s character in Assassin’s Creed II. As the storyline increases, and the proficiency gets more and more difficult with enemy A.I., Ezio learns to adapt. The subtle changes from the way he wields his sword, to the way he sends enemies catapulting into the water to drown change as he embraces more of his inner assassin as the gameplay carries on. Various attacks are different and come in the same style as the first title: punch, grab, knee, and throw are made of variations with the right trigger button, and have nuances to them that are simplistic but also varied. In terms of combat weaponry, Ezio gains access to various weapons, which work on an upgrade system with shops or the ability to scavenge them off of defeated enemies. Most prominent in amazing feats of weaponry includes Ezio and his two hidden blades beneath his gauntlets and also a gun below his left hidden blade. In addition to normal weapons, certain allies or friends will be able to give Ezio special devices that allow him to complete certain missions or use it to traverse around the huge landscape, making a major addition to Assassin’s Creed II and weapon variety. With over 45 kinds of new weapons, Ezio will be sure to get the target but also be more fashionable to the sense of action in Assassin’s Creed II. The additional new system for upgrading and acquiring weapons provides flexibility to the world that really gives the free-roam scale meaning and every weapon more powerful than before.

A newer conception leads to more depth in the interaction of the combat with the environment  and an introduction to monetary reward for engaging with enemies, both sorely lacking with Assassin’s Creed I. After killing an enemy in the previous title, the protagonist would simply run away for cover into a group of monks as an outdated and extremely repetitive factor or tried to climb away at buildings in a faster pace, rarely escaping enemies in the process. Assassin’s Creed II allows players to furtively loot the bodies of defeated foes and also steal openly in public or be stolen from, adding a whole new factor to gameplay with the monetary system of Italy. Ezio is able to use money to heal himself from street doctors as a new element to gameplay, and uses money for bribes  to local courtesans for various reasons to be seen throughout the variety of mission structure. The monetary system follows closely behind the weapons upgrade cache to enable players to use the already well established upgrade system for different kinds of weapons, allowing the character to feel play a part with the economic community rather than just social and political influences of the 15th century. While enemies are degraded after a humilating loss, Ezio can also use stealth tactics to hide the bodies in various ways that are increasingly surprising throughout the game. The more in-depth combat within Assassin’s Creed II creates a stunning compliment to include stealth based tactics nd an introduction to a monetary system that engages the culture of 15th century Venice, Italy.

With combat comes greater enemies and A.I. talent. Assassin’s Creed II lives up to provide challenging enemies but also logical enemies that do not make it impossible for you to escape into the crowd. Ezio encounters heavily geared swordsman, to halberdiers, civilians and plain enemies in the crowd from a notorious family. While enemy A.I. is talented, they still slightly lack in a sense of believability. Sometimes as Ezio navigates through a path, an enemy will notice him from too far away and reclaim how he looks so familiar, and then all of a sudden everyone starts chasing him. There is no strong sense of believability in the approach, which makes the enemy A.I. seem at times unpersuasive as a whole. Assassin’s Creed II provides enemy A.I. who are mostly intelligent in their tactics and more skilled at fighting and approaching an assassin than ever before even if they are not very realistic.

Assassin’s Creed II has a more dynamic music system and does not start scripted anytime something awkward happens.  The Florentine culture and music is included with every note, and does not ruin the temperament of the music by feeling overly action intense. Most of the music is calm, and the brilliant part about the musical integration lies with music being played amongst the crowd in the environment itself, making the environment even more lively than before and showing the culture of the entire game. Custom soundtracks can still be used, but this creates an interesting blend between music and in-game music of Florentine culture that revolves around flute compositions that convey 15^th century Florentine culture that combines for a baroque inspiration that is brightly conveyed with the amazingly detailed environments. Music in Assassin’s Creed II is lively, entertaining, and most of all appropriate this time around to the culture of the surroundings.

Climb the rooftops, drop down from the sky, or just swim in the sea; everything is presumptive in Assassin’s Creed II. Ezio is an assassin that changes with the struggle he has to endure, and provides an invigorating glimpse into what it truly means to rise to the occasion for the first time. With powerful weapon selection, an incredible variety in mission gameplay, inspiring cutscenes for a deeper storyline plot than ever before, and a living and believable environment in the world of Renaissance Italy, Assassin’s Creed II gives players a trek they will not tire to experience multiple times. Grab some hidden blades and ensconce with undulating robes of renaissance Florentine culture: it is time to live life by the way of Ezio Auditore da Firenze and relive the Assassin’s Creed on an unprecedented scale.

It has been two years since Infinity Ward has let the giant known as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare loose. Once Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare had been released from its cage, and was able to flex its massive guns, it had quickly taken over the First Person Shooter genre and had sold the most number of any action titles at the time. Fast forward to present day and Infinity Ward has catapulted us into the future of Modern Warfare. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has become exhausted from all the flexing in the last two years, and because people have found the creature’s weak spots, Infinity Ward has decided to release an evolved and more enhanced creature that goes by the name: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Beautiful environments, a real modern warfare grasp that enscorcels any shooting buff and delivers a realistic combat feel that allows Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to once again take over, and to show the audience what true war means.

The giant is inside of your television screens, lucidly glaring back to scare any other First Person Shooter title on the shelves far away. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 provides a terrific tale that makes the single-player action as intimidating as the rest of the title. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 continues the story five years after where the prequel leaves off. The Russian nationalists are back and are led under the leadership of Vladimir Makarov. As the previous game, the singleplayer requires constant switching between different characters and environments, providing a broader feel for the storyline. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s singleplayer experience makes commendations to the storyling of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Players will encounter some returning characters from the previous game, and will meet a lively host of comrades to shoot next to and defend certain aspects of the army. Along the way, players will also come upon an exceptionally wide-jaw dropping variety of environments that ranges from frostbite rampant conditions in the snow, to the deep grasps of the territorial sharks in the water, and to the scorches and waterless surrounding of the desert.

The gameplay is analogous to the prequel for the more enhanced action of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The first Modern Warfare ran on the IW engine, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 now runs on a slightly upgraded version of the same engine, which is the IW 4.0, so there is not a monumental transformation in terms of general structure of the gameplay. New weapons and gadgets including most noticeably the Riot Shield and the Heartbeat Sensor have also been added to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, giving players more of a feel for not just weapons but also the technological weaponry enhancements. In order to allow players to take a break from all the action on the frontlines, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 does a good job of mixing the gameplay into a medley where players are driven into thrilling scenes featuring snow mobiles, water boats, helicopters, and underwater scuba diving to name just a few. Modern Warfare 2 also is simply stunning and immerses the player into the warzone and creates an extremely realistic atmosphere that is relevant to the experience during an actual modern day war (according to our Correspondent in the 10^th Bridgade – General Rowen Airen).

The singleplayer campaign has four difficulty settings; Recruit, Regular, Hardened, and Veteran. The typical player will be able to complete the campaign in around six to eight hours on the Regular difficulty, so the length of the game is very comparable to that of the first Modern Warfare. The great singleplayer experience that the series is known for is still there, and this time, it is even better than before thanks to the incredible immersing story.

With the singleplayer aside, Modern Warfare 2 offers a brand new cooperative mode called Spec Ops. This new mode supports up to two players, either online or split-screen locally, but can also be played alone. The way it is set up can easily be compared to the co-op mode in Splinter Cell: Double Agent, for anyone who has experience with that. Players are essentially put into different types of missions and are ordered to complete tasks for those missions. One mission could have a task you have to complete within a time limit or another could have you defend against a wave of enemies, so you will not be having too much of a limited or repetitive co-op experience here.

These missions will have players in familiar locations that are straight from the singleplayer mode, but will have nothing to do with the main campaign of the game. The missions are set up in five different categories; Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, and Echo. All of these categories have five different missions each except Echo, which only has three, so players have a total of 23 different missions to play from, with or without their friends. Players will first start off with having only Alpha unlocked, and will need to complete missions and earn stars in order to advance onto other categories. The way you earn stars is simple; each mission has three difficulty settings; Regular, Hardened, and Veteran. The stars you are rewarded depends on which difficulty you complete the mission on. Completing a mission on Regular will grant you with only one star, Hardened two, and Veteran three. These stars do not stack per mission, so the maximum number of stars you can get per each mission is three. The new Spec Ops mode in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is definitely a good addition to the series, but we feel they could have made it even better by upping the amount of players to four instead of two. Nonetheless, it is still a great co-op experience that players will enjoy taking part in, whether they are playing alone or with a friend.

The singleplayer and cooperative Special Operatives modes are prodigious, but the primary action comes down to the core set of multiplayer action. The multiplayer resembles the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare with a several improvements that tweak gameplay. Infinity Ward definitely uses the concept of trying to not fix what is not broken to please fans of the prequel and the current iteration. The progression system in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is built around experience points which constitute various levels that are in turn awarded unlockables. The game modes come packed with new ones and mostly the beloved ones from the previous Modern Warfare. New modes include few in number, most manifest in Capture the Flag and Demolition. The one new gameplay multiplayer mode is the intriguing yet relative 3^rd person mode, which consists of both 3^rd Person Teams and 3^rd Person Cage Match modes. These modes are both just played in 3^rd person. Although the need to have the option to play in those two 3^rd person game modes is incredible and exciting for anyone craving a new view, it will definitely not be replacing the first person aspect of the game any time soon. Playing in 3^rd person is entertaining, and offers players a change from all the first person action. Some of the strategies you would use in the first person modes will not work so well when playing in 3^rd person, so it forces players to create different strategies for both the different views. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 brings a multiplayer aspect that allows for an incredible playthrough with something traditional and also new and revealing.

Customization is the new and improved factor that provides players more identity. Players will find that they have more customization tools than the previous game. Now, people are able to customize what you want your three kill streaks to be, whether you want a helicopter drive by or a bomb drop, you make the calls. A total of 15 different kill streak rewards can be unlocked and selected / customized to the likings of the player. You are also able to customize and unlock more Call Signs, which are basically fancy titles and emblems that go beside your name (such as veteran, elite, etc). These are only displayed in-game in certain situations, like if someone captures a point or if you kill someone. A lot of the old perks that have been modified have also received some name changes as well. The not-so-well received perk that went by the name of Martyrdom in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has now been removed, and instead made into a Deathstreak. Deathsreaks are basically the absolute opposites of Killstreaks. If you have been killed three times in a row, you will receive the Deathstreak called Painkiller, which basically grants you with a health boost for a limited time after you re-spawn.

All of the interesting changes in the multiplayer factors provide the key difference between Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and the prequel: the shots and hits seem to register much faster and are more accurate. Infinity Ward has improved the multiplayer for the better by re-introducing and improving upon the features beloved from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. It will not be surprising to see people still playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for many more years until Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 arrives.

Multiplayer sees an addition of completely new sets of the maps, excluding maps from the previous game. Players will be able to play a total of 16 new maps plus the two map packs that will be released later on for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 gives players an experience that would otherwise be untenable: the experience to see war for what it is. With outstanding singleplayer experience that will have you at the edge of your seat, the entertaining Spec-Ops cooperative mode that will fill your hunger for a quick burst of fun, to the well-prized multiplayer experience that will once again be played for a good couple years, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the premiere and definitive title of modern warfare and combat of 2009. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 shows us that while war may be costly and oppressive, war brings a certain glory to it, comes with uncertain amount of thrill, and most of all: war reveals his hidden beauty.

Collaboration by: Berk Erilmez and Usman Ihtsham