MEMBER PROFILE FOR electramax
Average Overall Score Given: 9.33333 / 10
Total Forum Posts: 0
Reviews
Spider-Man 2
Overall: Great, fun and addicting game. Especially for casual gamers, who like games where you can mess around endlessly for hours. Even aftr you think you're sick of it, you find yourself playing it again in a matter of hours.Gameplay: The swinging dynamics are phenomenal. I've spent more time swinging around the city than I have on the missions. Real life physics in terms of free fall, web elasticity etc. are great. The controls take a little getting used to, but after a bit of prcatice, you'll never notice.
Graphics: The gameplay really takes over for the graphics, which are sub-par by next-gen system standards. Everything is moving so fast, and the control is excellent, so you'll rarely notice. The times where this really evident is the petty crime cutscenes. But again, what it lacks in graphics sharpness is more than made up in game play and fun.
Audio: The rush of the wind during long swings is great! The music seems sporadic, and the voice acting is so-so. Aside from that, there's not a lot to speak of.
Suggestions: This game is a great foundation for the next release...it's lightyears ahead of this first one. I would recommend MORE side missions and crimes to stop. Perhaps stumbling onto bigger things like crime rings, etc. This would add intrigue, without having to "force" the use of super villains. Some of the missions were a little weak too (weka meaning, not fun.) I wouldn't change a thing in terms of gameplay, especially swinging mechanics.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Halo: Combat Evolved
Overall: I'm a pretty avid gamer, but no game has ever captured my attention or imagination like Halo. Not caring much for FPS's, and in reading the premise of the game (human soldier battling aliens), you can imagine I wasn't exactly overwhelmed with anticipation. Even through the first level, I wasn't genuinely impressed. However, the second you step foot into the world of Halo, you are genuinely hooked. I actually found myself almost weeping with disbelief, between the ENVIRONMENT, REALISM and INTENSITY of the game. You really feel like you're there in combat; you find yourself scraping through intense battles and when it's over, you're almost waiting for the level to end. Then you realize, as the echos of gunfire and explosions slowly fade into the eerie silence of the world...it's not over. One of the best parts of Halo is that it doesn't rely on "bosses" at the ends of levels, or having to time a jump perfectly to "beat" a stage. You only have to survive and accomplish objectives. A great added feature is the ability to play through the main game with a friend. It makes for a very fun multiplayer experience. In all, it supports 16 players with system link capability and countless games you can play against friends (all of which is customizable). A group of 7 other friends and I often get together for 8 man Halo. Good lord, it rules. Because of the replay value and multiplayer options, I can say with confidence that this is one of, if not THE, best video game ever created. Gameplay: The gameplay is nothing short of excellent. Very responsive and concise. I never once felt cheated because of delayed controls or response time. Something worth noting is that the levels of Halo are incredibly massive and you experience no load time during a mission (only in-between stages). These levels are so big, that some of them can take 45 minutes to an hour to get through. The AI is also very smart. You may learn where you can EXPECT to find an enemy, but you'll never take one down the same way.
Graphics: Halo is simply gorgeous. The textures of the grass, the destruction marks of gunfire on the walls and doors, the clouds, the lighting effects...all are flawless and very much add to the experience. You really feel like you're there (and you don't want to leave).
Audio: The sound is the binding component of the game. The gunfire, the explosions, the sounds of the aliens are very realistic. The best part is the chatter of your fellow marines in the midst of combat, such as running up and popping off a few rounds into an alien corpse and exclaiming, "Get up, so I can kill you again!" The sound is fantastic.
Suggestions: Very little. In having played it so much, a few more levels wouldn't hurt. It would also be nice to play the CPU one on one in Multiplayer modes. Beyond that, no complaints....very, VERY well done.
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
NFL 2K3
Overall: I simply cannot imagine anyone who loves football video games to not like this game. The 2K series has always had the best graphics, gameplay and animation. Now Sega has turned up the heat and ironed out all the wrinkles of the franchise mode and other odds and ends that prevented it from being perfect. A football fan MUST. The hugest improvement is the franchise mode. I can't even begin to cover the number of improvements and new features here, but I'll cover the highlights:Trading Block: Want to get rid of an overpaid benchwarmer? Instead of the hassle of seeking specific trades, you can put a player here and just wait for bids to come in from other teams. Once you have an offer you want to entertain, let the negotiations begin.NFL Combine: This is one of the coolest features of any football game to date. Instead of getting full blown stats on rookies in the upcoming draft, you get specific statistics about their athletic ability, such as their 40 time, or jumping ability. In order to get a better idea of their abilities (and category actual stats), you can assign scouting time to these players during the offseason (you only get so many hours, so assign your time with consideration). You may find a diamond the rough, or you may get the next Ryan Leaf. This is the test of you ability to not only find talent, but find a place and use for them in your organization. You're also provided with an interest meter, which indicates the hype and interest of the player from around the league. You can even edit rookies names and physical attributes. You can't affect their abilities or position however; you need to create a player for that. Mock Draft: Here you can see how the draft may come down to help strategize your picks. Another great addition is much smarter AI regarding the negotiations of contracts. In previous versions, once the players salary requirements were met, you could bump up the contract term to 6 or 7 years. Now you rely on an interest meter of the player while negotiating. A high salary is great for shorter terms, but if you try and increase the length of time, their interest may go down. Basically, you can adjust the salary and term to your liking, and tweak these levels until the player is satisfied as well. Beware though! Too many declined offers may result in the player bolting. so, when picking up free agents, you don't automatically get a free agent if you have enough money. You go through the same negotiations with them as one of your own players and then make an offer. They can also accept other offers from the league and you must monitor what's on the table to ensure you get your guy. He may prove to be too rich for your blood but it makes this process FAR MORE realistic and fun.You now have the ability to bring created players into Franchise mode. Heck, you can re-assign jersey numbers to your liking. You can even try and keep key players from retiring...My God, it's endless!Gameplay: The gameplay, which has never needed much tweaking, is incredibly accurate. The running game has been improved so that runners can't get held up behind blockers (they twist their body and squeak by). The passing control is identical to it's predecessors, but you'll have to be good with Maximum Passing to account for the revamped AI and DBs that respond more realistically to your plays and patterns.
Defensively, everything is the same for the most part. My only complaint is the removal of the "pump up the crowd" or "quiet the crowd" feature while playing. I'm not sure why they took this out; though not critical, it was fun.
Graphics: Gorgeous. Between the 500 new animations, split screen replays (including the coaches) and added lighting effects, there is no game that competes visually. Animation is seamless. If you really want a treat, play in the snow. I honestly can't tell the difference from the real thing.
Audio: The sound is flawless as well. The presentation of the announcers is almost creepy, it's so real. They talk about key plays in the game, even several minutes after they occurred. The sounds effects, crowds, field chatter are all the same as 2K2, which is fine.
Suggestions: Well guys, you've finally created a game that's 99% perfect. There may be a few odds and ends that could use some tweaking, but every single complaint I had about 2K2 has been addressed with authority.
Keep up the great work!
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
NFL 2K2
Overall: As a long time football video gamer (Tecmo Bowl for the NES was my first) the NFL 2K series has been nothing short of excellent. This game is no different. Though I strongly believe it's the best football title for any system to date, there are still room for improvements. It seemed evident to me that VC was rushed to get this out with the football season coming to a close and I hope more effort is put into 2K3. Though as I said it's excellent, it could be better for a system as powerful as the Xbox.
If you liked the DC versions, you'll love this one. The graphics, gameplay and commentary are still top notch.
Gameplay: The gameplay, as always, is excellent. Not much to report except that it handles almost identically to the DC version, including button control.
Graphics: The extereme closeups are incredible. I also like the way the camera fixes on the players as they line up for the next play, very TV-style and welcomed. The actual gameplay graphics however, are not overly improved. They are still excellent and I certainly couldn't complain about them, but the Xbox is capible of better.
Another key improvement is better colision detection - if you're doing a spin move and get hit, the players body conforms to the physical dynamics of the hit. Very cool.
Audio: The sound is excellent. The commentary is improved and expanded...it's more directly related to actual dynamics of plays (such as pointing out key blocks instead of the player that actually makes the big play). They bring up players stats throughout the game and the impact (or lack thereof) that they've had in the game.
Suggestions: My improvements with this game are the same with every other NFL 2K game:
More drama: If I score a last minute minute touchdown to win a playoff game, or even the Super Bowl, make me care. I feel no different by doing either of those compared to a pre-season loss. Drama is why people watch football. It should definitely be a priority in the next release. The graphics and gameplay are fine-tuned to a science, it's time to move on. Also, allow created players in Franchise mode. Lastly, expand the create-a-team. You've been using the same templates since the beginning!
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Max Payne
Overall: Sorry mom: Violent games kick ass. This game is indeed violent, but incredibley well done and cinematic. The story line is excellent. Bullet time is perhaps it's single strongest quality, and will more than likely revolutionize this type of game. (Obi Wan's slowdown Force power is a good example!)Gameplay: The gameplay is generally easy, just running around. I'm still getting used to being effective in Bullet Time. The learning curve is not a long and tedious process.
Graphics: The attention to detail and realism in this game are phenomenal. Every physic involing gunplay is flawless; you can shoot ANYTHING. If you shoot a water cooler, it leaks. If you shoot a picture on the wall, it shatters and falls to the floor. Every place on a wall where bullets have struck, there are holes. This is even broken into the physical dynamics of actual matter...meaning, if you shoot brick or concrete, it shatters, where if you shoot wood, it splinters.
The surrounding environment is very dark and brooding. The human models could be improved, but not much.
Audio: Oh man, the sound is fantastic. From the guns being fired, to the shells hitting the ground, to the sound a bullets ripping through flesh, this game captures it all. It almost seems like a game based on an action movie.
Or perhaps Hollywood will make the dreaded mistake of making a film after it!
Suggestions: None.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Star Wars: Obi-Wan
Overall: OK, if you've played one LucasArts single-person adventure games, you've played them all...you are a hero, fighting through "single-file" type levels againt several enemies, ultimately to fight and stop a big bad villain. Not the most original concept, but hey, it works. This game is plain fun.
Gameplay: If you're a Star Wars fan, you'll like this game. It's the single best one-person game from LucasArts to date. It blows games like Jedi Knight and Dark Forces out of the water. It's clean, it's reletively easy to learn and most importantly, downright fun. It also is a very well told story and connection with the Episode I plot.
Graphics: Many critics have complained of the graphics in this game. I will not argue that this game does not live up to Xbox's capabilities, but it by no means has bad graphics. LucasArts was smart to include minor touches that really enhance the game's realsim, such as scorch marks left on walls and floors when hit with a lightsaber. The visuals of Coruscant in the first few missions are incredible. The player models could be cleaner, but it's not a bother.
Audio: The sounds of this game is fantasic. The laser fire, the voices and of course, the infamous humming of a light saber are flawless. The music, as well, it excellent and well timed with the action. I have to admit, Obi Wan's occasional remarks are a bit tiring, but it's Ewan McGregor's fault...he fails to disguise his Scottish accent, when Sir Alec Guiness (the original Obi Wan) was English. Sorry, but this annoyed me in Episode I as well.
Suggestions: Not so much applying to this game, but LucasArts games in general...
Consider developing games that aren't driven but such basic and conventional neccessities such as "powerups" and "exploration markers". They are a bit tiresome and unnecesary. Create something that we can explore...something that we wouldn't expect. There's so much appeal and imagination to Star Wars, consider developing something that exbands those boundries, rather than relying on heros from the films. Shadows of the Empire and Tie Fighter are great examples of this.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
