MEMBER PROFILE FOR Robflare
Average Overall Score Given: 9.66667 / 10
Total Forum Posts: 121
Reviews
Ninja Gaiden
Overall: Ninja Gaiden is a game that has received a lot of hype/outstanding reviews, and I have to say I was heavily influenced to pick up my copy the day it was released. Being a fan of First Person Shooters and Sports games, I was not sure if this was going to dissapoint me. Thankfully, I can say that this was not the case, and in fact, I am highly recommending this game.Gameplay: So far it's been outstanding. I'm learning how to run walls, perform different strikes, and defend. I've only played around 5 hours, and have made it to the first Boss battle, only to get beaten to a pulp repeatedly! This game is not easy, and I imagine it will take me months to complete it on normal difficulty. The action is fast, and there is a clear strategy that must be implemented in order to make it through each level without running out of health.
Graphics: WOW! I can't believe how great this game looks. Ryu looks unbelievable and the scenery is beautiful. These visuals are why we own XBOX, and I wish more developers took the extra time needed to get a game to this point. Not to mention, the speed of this game is crazy, as I'm sure you read elsewhere.
Audio: The sound is very good. I don't have 5.1, but the music used is great and the grunts and fight sounds sound really sharp as well. It's really not fair for me to downgrade this based on my technological inadequacy, so I'm going with a 5 as well.
Suggestions: The only suggestion I would make, is to expand on the Live component. I know, that's greedy, but it would be awesome to run through forests, temples, and ruins, to fight other ninja's on teams.
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
Grand Theft Auto: Double Pack
Overall: I had not played or seen GTA III or Vice City before purchasing it for my XBOX. I was skeptical that the game could be that good, and was certain I was going to be a little letdown. After dinner I sat down, popped in GTA III, drove around Liberty City, picked up a baseball bat, stole some cars, and figured I had been playing for about an hour. I looked up at the clock and it was midnight. I had been on the machine for 4 hours and it felt like I just got there. That's the best way to describe these games. They immerse you in the world and you don't want to leave. I've bought all the previous AAA titles for the XBOX including Halo, MaxPayne, SplinterCell, and the Ghost Recon Games. I can honestly say I have enjoyed this game the most. There's something really nice about being able to try a different chapter/mission after screwing one up a couple of times, vs. having to retry the exact same step over and over again on the more linear games. I haven't even started playing Vice City, but I've heard it's even deeper than GTAIII. Bottom line, the XBOX DP is a huge value!!!Gameplay: Not alot needs to be said here again. I would just be repeating myself. One preconception I had was that the game would eventually feel repetitive. Well, after playing for 30+ hours, these games are anything but repetitive, and the creativity and depth cannot be compared to any other games....Except, True Crime Streets of LA, which does some things well, but isn't a fun game. Actually that's a good way to define this game. It's a ton of fun.
Graphics: It's too bad RockStar did not make this game for the PC or XBOX first and port it over to the PS2. The visuals are still very good, and you really have to take your time to look at the names of the businesses and the individual characters you'll come across in the city. They did a good job. I would put the visuals in the class of Ghost Recon, in that they aren't the greatest, but they don't get in the way either.
Audio: I still need to get 5.1, but the soundtracks, character voices, and radio stations are all awesome. I have to say sound is excellent.
Suggestions: I can't say I'll never get tired of a game, but I can say that this $50 DP will keep me busy, for a very long time, especially trying to find time to play the Clancy games, sports on and off XBOX Live, and Halo2. This is a must have game for anyone who hasn't played the series and appreciates dry/mature humor.
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War
Overall: This is an incredibly addicting first person shooter that is whether you are a Ghost Recon fan or Unreal Championship player. I fall into The Ghost Recon category, rented the game first, and went out and bought it after about an hour of on-line play. I was unsure whether or not I would like the way it played from a realism standpoint, but it's actually a lot of fun.As an aside, I can't for the life of me understand how some of these other websites rated Mech Assault a 9.5 and gave RTCW an 8. It just doesn't make any sense.
Gameplay: Single Player is a lot of fun. I have only completed two levels, but so far they have been great and the controls are easy to learn if you have played Halo.
XBOX Live is where it's at though. It's incredible how well the frame rate holds up and communicating through the headsets is awesome. There does seem to be some lag on some games but it just takes a little trial and error to find a lag free map. The gameplay is great due to the different objectives and roles of playing an engineer, medic, Leiutenant, or soldier. The only problem I have is aiming with the sniper rifle. It's very unstable.
Graphics: The maps have a ton of detail. As I said, I am a Ghost Recon addict and RTCW is a much stronger game in this category. Buildings are huge and explosions look awesome. The ocean is kind of lame on the beach invasion, but who cares. You're too busy dodging bullets!!!
Audio: For me sound is minor. My wife is holding me back on the surround sound system and I have a high def 53" Hitachi. So I have to cut her some slack. I'm giving sound a 4.5 because, everyone else says it sounds great.
Suggestions: I would suggest using the white button, like on Ghost Recon, to speak on the headset. Otherwise you hear the other person's TV at times and it's distracting. Eliminate the bionic man jump, and go for something more realistic, and make a sniper rifle that can aim!!!
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
