MEMBER PROFILE FOR shrew king
Average Overall Score Given: 8.66667 / 10
Total Forum Posts: 5103
Reviews
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Overall: Panzer Dragoon Orta is a solid game, it has gameplay, it has graphics, and it has replay value. Just an amazing game. Gameplay: This is one of the games that surprised me, I played the demo for it and didn't like it all that much, but gave it a chance and bought it anyways. I couldn't be happier with the choice I made. The main thing that turned me off with this game was that it was a rail shooter, which sounded like it would be boring, but turns out it is actually pretty fun. It takes a bit of strategy, but not much, which is a good thing if you just want to pick up a game and play it. Also, there are tons of unlockables, including the original Panzer Dragoon. I have had fun playing through the mini-missions that can be unlocked, and still haven't even unlocked everything.
Graphics: This game is amazing, and easily the best looking game on the Xbox right now, which is saying a whole lot. The bosses are absolutely beautiful, just thinking of the graphics in this game makes me want to go and play it. The levels are well done, the dream-like one being my personal favorite. The enemies movement and look is what amazed me most, the big serpeant/worms on the second level just moved and looked amazing. This game is a very very solid 5.
Audio: I'll keep this very brief, I don't think this game has the best sound, but I hear that it uses Dolby Digital very well, but since I don't have Dolby, I gave PDO a 3 in this category, just nothing that striked me as out of the ordinary.
Suggestions: More weapons, and a tad bit more of strategic gameplay is all I can think of. Very well done game.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
Overall: Overall this is a nice game, with its major advantage over other games in the same category is the game being Xbox Live compatible. I'll get into all the details I want to below.Gameplay: Multiplayer is where it's at in Ghost Recon, it is definitely one of the funnest games out right now. There haven't been much games where my heart gets pounding simply looking at a screen with nothing but an alleyway with a broken fence and some boxes in it, but Ghost Recon does the trick. One game that comes to mind was when the mission was to kill the 'president', in which my team had to take out a member from the opposing team before he got to an extraction point. My spot to guard was an alleyway, I had my sniper rifle (bad choice) constantly looking between a stairway and a fence, in which an enemy could come and kill me. My heart was going one hundred miles per minute, about 10 minutes later, I hear footsteps, then see someone dash inbetween two fence posts. Now my heart is really pumping, I've got my finger on the trigger and I'm ready to kill. The enemy comes at me, guns blazing, I get one shot on him but he catches me with three to four bullets and I see the 'camera' hit the floor and a puddle of blood cover the cement. Even though I died it was hella fun. THAT is what Ghost Recon is all about.
Graphics: This game is a huge let-down visually, there are jaggies and smudged textures everywhere you look. The lens-flare is a welcome site, but can't save this game in the visual category. The character models are less than great as well, one of the worst being the sniper. It honestly looks like he just layed some green ribbons onto his helmet. Also, the water in the game looks like moving cement, except crappier. The only way they could have made this game good in the graphics category would be to totally re-do it and use a different engine.
Audio: Easily the best sound I have heard in any game to date. This game makes music seem lame. You can hear almost anything you can think of in this game, the footsteps echoing in a basement, the deafening effect after an explosion, the whir of bullets as they fly by your head, even the sound of your body hitting the ground when you go into the laying position. Definitely the games best feature is its sound, without it, I think the game would be much worse.
Suggestions: Use the power of the Xbox to your advantage and don't settle for the graphics we saw in Ghost Recon. Also, when on Xbox Live, it takes a long time for it to find a game, and when it does, it often disconnects. Very annoying.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Overall: This game lives up to the hype 100% in my opinion. I still find myself playing it whenever I can get the chance. Also, with the addition of downloadable content I am assured that I will be playing this game for a long time.Gameplay: I think the gameplay for Splinter Cell is amazing. Nothing beats sneaking up on someone with a bottle in hand and knocking them out. I had fun playing through every level in the game, it did get frustrating at parts, but half the fun is getting past those parts that kept you trying for 30 plus minutes. Personally, the fact that you could use whichever strategy you chose is a big plus. You could do a single objective ten times through and never do it the same way. So what I am trying to say is, this game's gameplay kicks ass.
Graphics: There are times when I play this game that I'd just sit there for a second and look at the surroundings, the lighting and other effects are just that amazing. The graphics also enhance the gameplay 10x, without the awesome lighting this game could have been a lot less fun/realistic. When you sneak up on a guard, and your shadow comes into his view, he actually responds to it and tries to find you, just some cool stuff. Then there were those parts in this game where I was a little less amazed. Take for example Sam's body, the textures for his arms/legs aren't that great, and a bit jaggy even. Also in some parts the shadows that are cast by Sam become extremely jaggy, although not often, it does affect the overall rating for visuals.
Audio: Another awesome part of Splinter Cell is the sound. One of the biggest things that come to mind when thinking of the subject is the creaky boards and other environmental sounds. I remember running through a level then slowing down to snail-pace when I came to a wooden plank or walkway, you have to go very slow or the boards creak and an enemy guard can easily be alerted. Same with your footsteps, take a step too fast and you could be heard, and shot. One thing that would have helped is having sound when you brush against a wall or shrub.
The music was decent, it was cool to have the change of music when you encounter an enemy and things like that, but nothing extrordinary.
Suggestions: Definitely make a sequel, and add a little more sound to the game. Other than that, job well done.
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
Fifa World Cup 2002
Overall: FIFA World Cup seemed like a good game the first screenshot, looked like it had excellent graphics, gameplay, and sound. I found this to be untrue when I actually had the chance of playing it for the first time. The game has a good assortment of teams and names, but its gameplay lacks. The character sequences inbetween penalties, goals, etc. got annoying after 10 minutes of playing. The players seemed to play bunch ball (soccer players know what I mean) which got annoying.Gameplay: This game lacks organization in my opinion, the players don't hold their positions very well and switching from player to player got annoying because it went to the closest one to the ball. Shooting and passing seemed very unrealistic, all you do is press a button and boom, the next guy has it. It wasn't much fun when you feel like you don't know where your players are and what is going on with them. My friends liked this game, it just wasn't my thing I guess.
Graphics: The screenshots for the game looked good, but as soon as you started playing you could tell how choppy and jaggy the players, stadium, sidecrews, and crows are. Some of the characters look like they are in that one show "Dragonball Z" the hair is straight up and jaggy. They could have actually looked at actual soccer players and model each one individually. In some shots of the crowd they wave flags that are completely disproportioned to the size of each person in the crowd (no relevance to graphics, but a stupid thing to have nonetheless.) I would like to see an Xbox exclusive soccer game, because this one suffers from being a bad port.
Audio: Probably the best part about the game, I liked how the players interacted with eachother. When someone would kick the ball you could hear it and it sounded real. The crowd was nicely blended in as well. Overall good job on sound.
Suggestions: If you release anything on the Xbox, it is nice to see why we bought it, I dont like seeing the same kind of graphics on a Gamecube and Ps2 version of a game as on a Xbox version. Make it feel more organized.
Overall Score: 6.0 / 10
MotoGP
Overall: At first I hated this game, I just couldn't figure out how to successfully do a good turn (those that have played this before know what I mean) it takes a little getting used to. Once you get the turning down, this game starts kicking major a$$. Its definitely up at the level of Rallisport, its a very realistic racing experience.Gameplay: As i previously stated, once you get the turns down, you can really get into the game. I loved the Arcade mode too, that was probably my favorite part, its kinda like Tony Hawk on motorcycles (Project Gotham Racing had the same idea with Kudos Challenge, but it lacked options, there wasnt much you could do). In arcade mode, you can do wheelies, ummm... those things where the back tire is lifted from the pavement, and donuts and much more. Tournament mode is pretty kickass too though, dont get me wrong.
Graphics: Wow, a very well put together game graphically, The bike looked great, in all angles. The weather in this game showed me something pretty cool that I hadnt seen before, when it rains, drops of water start showing up on your screen then slowly dripping down, like youre watching the race through a camera, really cool. The lightning flash was pretty cool looking too. The pavement lacked a little though, it looked kinda cartoonish, I would have wanted it to look worn and dirty, instead it shines, im not sure if that is how it is when they race, but I thought it would look better my way. Oh yeah, the blur effect when youre really hittin' a high speed is really awesome looking. Overall: BADA$$ GRAPHICS.
Audio: Sound lacked. My lawnmower engine sounds more powerful than these, they kinda sound like flies, I wanted to hear the engines roar, not buzz, i dont care if thats how they really sound! I wanna hear em' roar down the track.
Suggestions: Improve the road, and give the motorcycles f*ckin V8 soundin engines. Good Game Overall.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Elder Scrolls III : Morrowind
Overall: I have never really been interested in even trying RPG games, but the thing that got me to go and rent this was that what you do in the game effects everything, you have to build your character. I rented it and im truly addicted to it now.Gameplay: As i said, RPG games dont really look too fun, but i decided to give this one a chance, im telling anyone who has the same state-of-mind as me to go and atleast give this a chance, this game does such aa good job creating a realistic experience.
Graphics: This game has some horrible graphics at parts, great at some. The water is the best i have seen in any game, better than halo even (I never thought i'd be saying that) When it rains, the water shows it, its great. Another good thing was when u hold a candle or lantern you can light up a room, which is alot of work for a programmer to do, so I give them props there. Now lets get to the bad parts, This game looks pretty bad for being on xbox. In halo, when u get close to an object, it gave u more and more detail the closer u got to it, This game on the other hand, the closer u get, the worse it looks.
Audio: This game overall has great sound, the lightning, WOW, the music, WOW, and sounds of different weather, WOW. But when your walking, it sounds like you have stone feet or something, even on dirt, and when u jump, i wont even tell you how horrible that sounds.
Suggestions: Spend more time on developing the graphics. Also, there are alot of things that mess up, when your walking against a wall and a guard is a couple feet away from the wall, u really have to struggle to get past him. I guess this is because of poor bump mapping? I really hope more RPG games follow Morrowind's lead though, and create awesome games.
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
