Darksiders
Never has a game plagiarised so much from other sources, but it all somehow fits together well for a fun, if overlong experience. The story is nonsensical but the combat makes up for it with some fun weapons, well designed stages and epic boss battles. Though it may be a bit of a mangled zelda clone, it's still a good game bogged down by a few flaws.
8/10
Child of Eden
If this is the reason to own the Kinect, I'm tossing mine out the window. This visual extravaganza is simply a rail shooter dressed up to look incredible. Except that it doesn't. The music all sounds the same, the visuals are an eye strain and the Kinect controls are frustrating. I went in expecting a sensory experience and came away with a headache. The real kick in the pants is that it's a full priced retail title, with only 2 hours of gameplay, even for me that's just a bad deal.
2/10
Battlefield Bad Company
The large open battles of previous BF titles combine with an over-the-top story the cheesy humour to make for an uneven, but still somewhat fun experience. Bad Company (4 soldiers representing different stereotypes) are on the hunt for a truckload of gold through enemy territory and will blow up everything in their path to get to it. The large levels can feel a bit empty at times and being without a vehicle is frustrating as hell but when this game gets it right, it's a rollicking good time. It's just a pity it doesn't get things right as often as it gets things wrong.
6/10
Battlefield Bad Company 2
Opting for a more linear approach than the previous title, Bad Company 2 plays more like every other shooter on the market, and is better for it. The destructive aspect is still present and feels more chaotic due to the tighter level design, making things much more enjoyable. It's still silly as hell but it's more fun now thanks to a more streamlined approach to gameplay.
7/10
Medal of Honour
What I feared would be another Modern Warfare clone turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable and feels like something unique. This is mostly thanks to a more realistic approach to gameplay and story that sees you caught up in a more believable fight, ending with a rescue of fellow soldiers rather than saving the world. The gunfights feel hectic and real, while the vehicle sections provide some satisfying destruction. It all comes together in a tight package that doesn't outstay its welcome.
8/10
Kane & Lynch 2 - Dog Days
Very few games can boast that they feature sections where you run through shanghai naked, covered in blood, gunning down police officers. Kane and Lynch 2 can boast such a thing as well as many other ludicrous scenarios such as storming sweatshops, stealing commercial airliners and destroying buildings with a helicopter. It's all in a days work for 2 of gamings' more deplorable characters who somehow got a sequel they never really deserved. Label this under guilty pleasure, but I loved every minute of it.
8/10
Alan Wake
Alan Wake is less of a homage to horror stories as it is to mid-90's sci-fi tv. Though it may make numerous references to writers (to the point of being annoying) the game owes far more to the likes of Twin-Peaks, The X-Files, and The Outer Limits. It's this degree of homage that lends the game some character and makes it entertaining, far more than it should be given it's clunky narration and one-note combat. The scares are genuine in parts, but mostly early on, as you know what to expect after a while. It doesn't stop you biting your nails though as ammo is scarce and your enemies are much faster that you, making for some truly frightening moments that you rarely see in games.
8/10
Transformers War For Cybertron
Giant robots blasting the crap out of everything for some evil Mcguffin, that's about the extent of War for Cybertrons plot, but really, that's all some people want. All the cheesiness from the show is present, the banter between characters and oversized boss battles provide a fun distraction from the dreary visuals. Transforming is a relatively small aspect of the game and only really felt necessary during the flying stages, which there are sadly only 2 of. If it weren't for the utterly hideous design (the levels are all made up of metallic parts, making it difficult to tell scenery and enemy apart) this could have been a real gem for transformers fans. As it stands, it's just a good game, which is more than most licensed titles can boast.
7/10
Red Dead Redemption - Undead Nightmare
It seems like every game is shoehorning zombies in nowadays, even Red Dead Redemption is not immune, and while it may not be a bad expansion it still doesn't feel necessary. What shocked me at first is just how much content there is here, well over 8 hours, which is enough for a retail title. The story is fun enough and it's good to see some old faces back again but it kinda made me wish there was even more. Some missions are so short the characters in them feel underutilised, whereas others have you hunting for flowers for what seems like an eternity. In a game like Red Dead where I was used to spending hours with one character it just feels a bit odd to have my time cut so short now, and wasted on flower picking and clearing out the same graveyard 10 times. It's still better than nothing and probably the best value you'll ever get from a downloadable expansion pack, but it felt like a tease at times, and a stretch at others.
7/10
Braid
What is all the fuss about? Something about this game just reeks of wankiness. The puzzles are clever for the most part and the time manipulation is unique and well thought out, but it's just surrounded with so much wank. There's no other way I can put it, I don't know what is it but the text sections just make the whole affair sound like some sad nerds attempt to turn heartbreak into an indie wonder. Outside of that though the levels can be fun but some of the puzzles are so obtuse that when someone finally tells you the answer you don't say "ohhh THAT's how you do it", you say "how the F**K was I supposed to know that!?"
6/10
Never has a game plagiarised so much from other sources, but it all somehow fits together well for a fun, if overlong experience. The story is nonsensical but the combat makes up for it with some fun weapons, well designed stages and epic boss battles. Though it may be a bit of a mangled zelda clone, it's still a good game bogged down by a few flaws.
8/10
Child of Eden
If this is the reason to own the Kinect, I'm tossing mine out the window. This visual extravaganza is simply a rail shooter dressed up to look incredible. Except that it doesn't. The music all sounds the same, the visuals are an eye strain and the Kinect controls are frustrating. I went in expecting a sensory experience and came away with a headache. The real kick in the pants is that it's a full priced retail title, with only 2 hours of gameplay, even for me that's just a bad deal.
2/10
Battlefield Bad Company
The large open battles of previous BF titles combine with an over-the-top story the cheesy humour to make for an uneven, but still somewhat fun experience. Bad Company (4 soldiers representing different stereotypes) are on the hunt for a truckload of gold through enemy territory and will blow up everything in their path to get to it. The large levels can feel a bit empty at times and being without a vehicle is frustrating as hell but when this game gets it right, it's a rollicking good time. It's just a pity it doesn't get things right as often as it gets things wrong.
6/10
Battlefield Bad Company 2
Opting for a more linear approach than the previous title, Bad Company 2 plays more like every other shooter on the market, and is better for it. The destructive aspect is still present and feels more chaotic due to the tighter level design, making things much more enjoyable. It's still silly as hell but it's more fun now thanks to a more streamlined approach to gameplay.
7/10
Medal of Honour
What I feared would be another Modern Warfare clone turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable and feels like something unique. This is mostly thanks to a more realistic approach to gameplay and story that sees you caught up in a more believable fight, ending with a rescue of fellow soldiers rather than saving the world. The gunfights feel hectic and real, while the vehicle sections provide some satisfying destruction. It all comes together in a tight package that doesn't outstay its welcome.
8/10
Kane & Lynch 2 - Dog Days
Very few games can boast that they feature sections where you run through shanghai naked, covered in blood, gunning down police officers. Kane and Lynch 2 can boast such a thing as well as many other ludicrous scenarios such as storming sweatshops, stealing commercial airliners and destroying buildings with a helicopter. It's all in a days work for 2 of gamings' more deplorable characters who somehow got a sequel they never really deserved. Label this under guilty pleasure, but I loved every minute of it.
8/10
Alan Wake
Alan Wake is less of a homage to horror stories as it is to mid-90's sci-fi tv. Though it may make numerous references to writers (to the point of being annoying) the game owes far more to the likes of Twin-Peaks, The X-Files, and The Outer Limits. It's this degree of homage that lends the game some character and makes it entertaining, far more than it should be given it's clunky narration and one-note combat. The scares are genuine in parts, but mostly early on, as you know what to expect after a while. It doesn't stop you biting your nails though as ammo is scarce and your enemies are much faster that you, making for some truly frightening moments that you rarely see in games.
8/10
Transformers War For Cybertron
Giant robots blasting the crap out of everything for some evil Mcguffin, that's about the extent of War for Cybertrons plot, but really, that's all some people want. All the cheesiness from the show is present, the banter between characters and oversized boss battles provide a fun distraction from the dreary visuals. Transforming is a relatively small aspect of the game and only really felt necessary during the flying stages, which there are sadly only 2 of. If it weren't for the utterly hideous design (the levels are all made up of metallic parts, making it difficult to tell scenery and enemy apart) this could have been a real gem for transformers fans. As it stands, it's just a good game, which is more than most licensed titles can boast.
7/10
Red Dead Redemption - Undead Nightmare
It seems like every game is shoehorning zombies in nowadays, even Red Dead Redemption is not immune, and while it may not be a bad expansion it still doesn't feel necessary. What shocked me at first is just how much content there is here, well over 8 hours, which is enough for a retail title. The story is fun enough and it's good to see some old faces back again but it kinda made me wish there was even more. Some missions are so short the characters in them feel underutilised, whereas others have you hunting for flowers for what seems like an eternity. In a game like Red Dead where I was used to spending hours with one character it just feels a bit odd to have my time cut so short now, and wasted on flower picking and clearing out the same graveyard 10 times. It's still better than nothing and probably the best value you'll ever get from a downloadable expansion pack, but it felt like a tease at times, and a stretch at others.
7/10
Braid
What is all the fuss about? Something about this game just reeks of wankiness. The puzzles are clever for the most part and the time manipulation is unique and well thought out, but it's just surrounded with so much wank. There's no other way I can put it, I don't know what is it but the text sections just make the whole affair sound like some sad nerds attempt to turn heartbreak into an indie wonder. Outside of that though the levels can be fun but some of the puzzles are so obtuse that when someone finally tells you the answer you don't say "ohhh THAT's how you do it", you say "how the F**K was I supposed to know that!?"
6/10
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