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All reviews - Movies (990) - TV Shows (126) - DVDs (69) - Books (70) - Music (15) - Games (210)

Fainaru fantajรฎ X: My favourite game of all time

Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 3 March 2022 06:51 (A review of Final Fantasy X)

When it comes to franchises I'm a bit of a what would be known as "Fanboy" when it comes to Final Fantasy. I grew up with them and therefore I have a real soft spot for them.

Make no mistake that is not me saying that they're all flawless, or even good for that matter but they do have that magic and that charm I can't dispute.

Final Fantasy 10 following 7, 8 and 9 had huge boots to fill but it not only filled them but knocked the boots, the foot and the entire damn leg right out of the park.

It tells the story of young Tidus, a Blitzball player who during a horrific attack on his home city of Zanarkand by a mysterious creature bumps into an old friend of his long absent father. Before he knows it he has been transported elsewhere, safe but confused about what had taken place. This begins the most epic adventure I have ever been fortunate enough to be a part of.

Final Fantasy X IS a flawless game, from the visuals, cut scenes, outstanding score, excellent voice acting, combat systems and story this is the pinnacle of RPG's and remains my favourite game of all time even 17yrs after its release.

This is one of those titles I could rant about at length, I truly adore it. So many memorable moments, a heartbreaking finale, an addictive side game and SO much to it's credit.

I'll resist the urge to fawn over FFX anymore and merely say that for me it had never been better, has never been better and I can't wait until something beats it because that'll have to be something out of this world.

Flawless, masterpiece.

The Good:

Incredible story

Looks amazing especially the cutscenes

Wonderful score

Solid voice acting

The Bad:

Blitzball could have been a tad better

Things I Learnt From This Game:

I can fall in love with a video game character

It just doesn't get any better than this

In Spira, hugging a living cactus is perfectly normal


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Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue review

Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 3 March 2022 06:46 (A review of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue)

(this is a review for the Fragmentary Passage only!) --- In essence, this is a short bonus addition to Dream Drop Distance home console release. It was never released as a separate game and for the good reasons.

The game tells of the times when Aqua was stranded alone in the Realm of Darkness. For its short duration of 3-5 hours, the game showers the player with an astonishingly beautiful picture and sound, colourful and dynamic dance-like battles, a bit of puzzles and a pretty good story, which consists mostly of monologues.

If you liked Aqua back in Birth by Sleep, then this game can be considered a very generous gift.

One of the very few annoying elements is the repetition of certain boss fights. It's apparent that even with its short length the game is not completely free of padding. But honestly, that for me didn't make the experience considerably worse, since the combat is still a pleasure to both play and watch.

So overall, it's a great experience, rich and concise, rather short to do much wrong.


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Kingdom Hearts III review

Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 3 March 2022 06:44 (A review of Kingdom Hearts III)

This video game had a lot of hype and there was a risk that it might not live up to everyone's expectations. However, Kingdom Hearts III was more than worth it. It expanded on every previous game with all the characters, mechanics and settings. It was truly an epic game and I was happy to have played it through to the end.


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Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD ReMIX review

Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 3 March 2022 06:40 (A review of Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD ReMIX)

The task for getting a platinum trophy is just terrible. I loved this game, I remember sleeping over at a friend's house playing till 3 in the morning trying to beat Sephiroth on hard mode which is why I'm going to platinum this. As for the game, this is the start of a new unstoppable franchise. If you like Disney and adventure/fantasy games then this a good place to start in this crazy story.


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Kingdom Hearts II review

Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 3 March 2022 06:37 (A review of Kingdom Hearts II)

I have no idea where to start with Kingdom Hearts II. What stands out is the excellent graphics, catchy voice actors, the amazing gameplay, and a wonderfully mysterious story.

I will do my best to explain the plot of KHII. It's been a while since Sora, Donald, and Goofy defeated Ansem, and it appears that the Heartless are back to their old tricks, but before we learn of them, we see a new, and mysterious enemy: The Nobodies. Also different, the first 4 to 5 hours of gameplay are spent playing as a new character, Roxas. For a while, the story will seem confusing, but once you reach the end, it will ALL make sense. After a few hours of gameplay, you'll play as Sora once again, and you'll meet old and new friends alike. Also going on as a side story, Kairi has forgotten all about Sora, but is eager to learn more about 'the boy I used to have so much fun with', and Riku seems to be gone without a trace. Meanwhile, Roxas (who sounds eerily like Jesse McCartney *wink*) has been dreaming about Sora, and his past adventures, despite never having met him before, and while all this is going on, a mysterious new force called Organization XIII is taking shape....

The gameplay behind KHII is phenomenal. Rather than the basic play behind KHI, the system has been overhauled with a new thing called drive form, which allows Sora to increase his power for a limited time. The MP gauge is also different, which isn't that great. It's the only flaw of KHII. You'll be hooked within minutes of playing this game.

With appearances from the Disney classic characters Beast, Belle, Cogsworth, Lumiere, Mrs. Potts, Chip, Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie, The Peddler, Iago, Chicken Little, Peter Pan, Stitch, Mulan, Captain Shang, Simba, Nala, Timon, Pumbaa, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Chip and Dale, Hercules, Megara, Phil the Satyr, Ariel, Sebastian, Flounder, King Triton, Tron, Jack Skellington, The Mayor, Sally, Dr. Finkelstein, Lock, Shock, and Barrel. Disney's villains are also back, including Captain Barbossa, Jafar, Shan-Yu, Hades, Scar, Commander Sark, The Master Control Program, Oogie Boogie, and Ursula. Square's Final Fantasy heroes are back as well, including Squall Leonhart, Aeris (Aerith), Cloud, Auron, Yuffie, Tifa Lockheart, Raijin, Fujin, Seifer, Yuna, Rikku, and Paine, not to mention the most evil villain in video game history, Sephiroth is back.

Kingdom Hearts II also has some cool voice actors, including Haley Joel Osment, Hayden Panitierre, David Gallagher, Sean Astin, Jesse McCartney, David Boreanaz, James Arnold Taylor, Tara Strong, B.D. Wong, Mena Suvari, and Robbie Benson.

This is one game you cannot afford to miss. If you play one game on PS2 this year, Kingdom Hearts II should be that game. Don't miss this clever blend of fun, epic battles, romance, action, adventure, humor, and gripping suspense.

10/10 --spy


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Kingdom Hearts review

Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 3 March 2022 06:35 (A review of Kingdom Hearts)

This video game will always remain a masterpiece in my mind. Nobody was quite sure what to make of it at the time - a Disney and Final Fantasy crossover featuring a spiky haired young boy who swings around a giant key? Well, it somehow made it work! Everything about this game - the world, story, battles and more - all contribute to a perfect experience. The only thing I didn't like was the battle menu interface and the camera but these were minor.


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Barbaric Bloodfest Bonanza

Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 3 March 2022 06:20 (A review of God of War II)

God of War could be my favorite game of all-time. It had non-stop action, blood, gore, nudity, a sex-game, a great story, amazing graphics, neat puzzles....I can go on and on about how great this game is. Well, the highly anticipated sequel has come out, and man oh man, this baby does not disappoint.

Kratos is getting a little power hungry and the higher-ups are not liking this one bit, especially the big man himself, Zeus. Zeus demands Kratos to stop his actions, but unfortunately for Zeus, Kratos is a little stubborn. Zeus then takes actions into his own hands and leaves Kratos fighting for his life. From this moment on the violence kicks into extremely high gear....scratch that, for the reason there was a epic boss battle just moments prior. Well what follows after Zeus and Kratos have this little showdown is one of the most beautiful, barbaric, action bloodfests I've ever played. Like what I said above, it's the same here, but improved upon. You got the blood, you got the boobs, you got the puzzles, you got the story, the graphics, the screaming, the bosses, the torture, the....whoa.

I really didn't find any drawbacks with this game. Some people complain about the ending, I thought it was absolutely fine, and was pretty much expected. If I were to complain about anything, I'd complain about there wasn't enough of the Hi-Res Cinematics...especially in the boob department. And that Titan Mode is ridiculously difficult. But that's just because I'm an impatient panzy who's broken around a half a dozen controllers.

God of War II is easily one of the best games on the PS2 or on any console. If you're looking for a great action game look no further. If you're into action games like Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden, Rygar or just a lover of great games like Shadow of the Colussus, Gears of War, Castlevanias....this game will definitely make you one happy little gamer. And if you enjoyed God of War, there is no reason why you shouldn't be playing this baby. 9.5 outta 10


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Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection review

Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 3 March 2022 06:17 (A review of Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection)

If you didn't have the privilege of playing Uncharted 1 - 3 on the Playstation 3, then this is the collection for you. Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection collects ALL THREE of the original trilogy for your convenience and currently goes for the low price of about ten bucks. Yep -- you can get hundreds of hours of Nathan Drake, Sully, Elena and the rest of the gang, along with plenty of shooting, engaging twistin' n' turnin' story, treasure hunting and fun for about TEN BUCKS!

Stop sitting around reading reviews and BUY THIS COLLECTION!

ADVENTURES AWAIT YOU!


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The New Indiana Jones

Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 3 March 2022 06:11 (A review of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune)

Warning: Spoilers
Naughty Dog seriously knows how to make games. I'm a gigantic fan of the Jak and Daxter games, well besides Jak Racing...or whatever that was called. But the platforming/action trilogy of Jak and Daxter are fantastic games. You probably already know that Naughty Dog is also responsible for the mega-hit Crash Bandicoot. Unfortunately I was addicted to Mortal Kombat at the time so I never played any of the Crash games. Well, just like their brethren in Insomniac games, Naughty Dog can also make other games, besides the platforming stuff. Uncharted: Drakes Fortune is an all-out blast to play, and easily one of the best games on the PS3 and the video game market as a whole.

Drakes Fortune revolves around the story of Nathan Drake, possibly a surviving member of the famous explorer Sir Francis Drake. Well, he certainly takes after Sir Drake in the love for adventure department, that's for sh!t sure. Well, this quest Drake is currently on is to find the priceless treasure of El Dorado. Unfortunately, Drake isn't the only one going after the treasure, and too bad for him, the other guys going after the treasure are bad guys. Shame for Drake they just weren't other friendly adventure seekers. But that's fantastic news for us, we get to kill all those bad guys! Throw in a couple side-stories of rescue, and an unpredictable, fantastic story revolving around Sir Francis and El Dorado and you have class A story-telling.

The game itself has some of the highest production values you'll ever come across. I recently finished playing the new Ratchet and Clank, and I thought to myself it won't be for a while until a game this good looking will come out. Boy was I wrong. This game is absolutely stunning. From the water effects, the swaying trees and even the rocks. When you can make rock look good-looking, you know you've got a pretty game on your hands. Add in unbelievable, Oscar-worthy music and incredibly realistic environment sounds, great voice work, and you have yourself one of the best sounding and looking games ever to come out for any system.

But the most important part of the story is the gameplay. And just like the story and production values, it's kickass. Puzzles, platforming (leaping, hanging, swinging etc), shoot-outs, a duck and cover system....the game has wicked good gameplay. And another great aspect to the gameplay, is the fantastic pace of the game. There are zero boring spots in the game. They don't overload you with certain areas, meaning if you just had a huge fire-fight, the next area will be a big change in gameplay, either it being some sort of puzzle, jet-skiing, platforming etc. Naughty Dog has tons of experience when it comes down to gameplay options, and it seriously shows.

The game isn't perfect, but it's damn close. I sometimes had issues with the amount of guys showing up to a shoot-out. You think you have a shoot-out cleared, and then another six guys drop down the cliff and start blasting. I sometimes had problems duckin and covering. I'd be at a weird angle, and I'd try to hurry and duck around something, but since Im at that weird angle, the duck and cover system wont work and I'd end up eating a ton of bullets. But in all seriousness, that's mostly my problem for rushing out into a unsafe area. Obviously you can think of things that bug you in any game, but that's just it, they are just minor nuisances that take barely nothing away from the overall experience.

Uncharted: Drakes Fortune instantly became one of my favorite games. It has a unique feel to it, that is very difficult to describe. It's has a vibrant quality that you just don't feel enough in games. I've finished the game on Normal and am halfway through Hard, which by the way IS Hard. And once Im done with that, yup, I'm on to Crushing, the highest difficulty. Why? Because the game has amazing replay and has awesome bonuses. There's also treasure hunting, and medal earning. You shoot 100 dudes in the head, bingo that's a medal. Drakes Fortune is a blast to play, and any fan of action/adventure games should definitely give this game a shot. 9.5 outta 10


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My Personal Favourite

Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 3 March 2022 06:07 (A review of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception)

Warning: Spoilers
This is a game that a lot of people criticise. Not a lot of people hate it or anything, but there always seems to be something preventing people from loving this one, especially since they tend to prefer 2 or 4. And yet I find Uncharted 3 to be the best of the franchise, and possibly the best action adventure game out there.

There are positives I can attribute to this game as an individual work. I can say, the gameplay is amazing, I can point out the amazing graphics, the cinematic talents in both cutscenes and gameplay. But yet, this is all common in this series. I think the best way to do this is to compare it to the other series and why I think it is better. These might be only minor for some, but the overall presence of all these make this game the best in the franchise.

1. The engagement. Uncharted is essentially an Indiana Jones game - as such our character should be constantly moving to locations. Not only does this give a sense of grandeur for the story, but it keeps gameplay that may be similar feeling exhilarating. In 1 this is a huge problem because we are mostly at the same scenery. 4 is like this for the first half, but in the second half we get reserved in the forest. In 2 this is less of a problem, however I would say that in the second half the action set pieces and overall gameplay is less with the introduction of those annoying yetis. 3 is constantly moving from country to country, and even when we stay at a country each chapter focuses on a new area. This movement not only helps the atmosphere but helps keeping new sections rewarding.

2. The gameplay. I think this is the strongest game in this regard. Firstly, we get introduced to the best melee combat system, which is not only ridiculously fun but helps a lot to the combat system. 1's gun fights suck, but 2 and 4 are also great. In 2 the standout are the big set pieces, a.k.a the heli chase and the train while the less linear action can get frustrating when it introduces the villagers. In 4, there are much less action set pieces, but the actual free combat is much better and consistently fun and challenging. In 3, there is a consistent blend of the both which are both very challenging. For example, you'll get those water sections in the ship graveyard, which are very difficult but also very fun. Then in the next chapter becomes more linear giving more movie thrills. The set pieces in my mind are the best in the series, and the gun fights may also be my personal favourite.

3. Story. Personally I don't find these games the right avenues to have amazing stories, as some might be surprised to here. Some people think "oh these games are cinematic so there stories are good." The story in these games need to be clear. It's not about the story - it's about the characters and the feel of adventure. 2 has a very well told story, but I find that it slows down a lot in the second half. The first half has a lot of twists and turns, and is greatly accentuated by the fact that we know something bad is gonna happen. Once this bad thing happens, we get introduced to the mystical things, the whole bad guy stuff etc. Pretty much we focus more on the story than we need to, because ultimately it should be about the characters. 4 clearly tries the most with the story, and has more effective beats. Overall I prefer 3's because I don't like it's lack of commitment. 3 and 4 have a similar "Drake needs to be less obsessed" story, which 4 commits a lot more to. However, in 4 my biggest problem was the lack of a real change. Without spoilers a twist happens, Drake doesn't do to well, and something bad should happen but it doesn't really. 3 has a similar plot, excluding the whole retirement angle, but the difference is huge. Firstly, it doesn't set up that something bad is going to happen to these characters, more that threats are in the way. As such, I don't feel cheatened when people don't die. Secondly, the section in the middle, in which Drake is completely alone, are very difficult and through natural gameplay and storytelling, convey much more a sense of Drake deliberately enabling himself. I also think that story wise it gives enough to Drake's character to understand his connection to justify his actions and feel compelling.

These are three things that I think the game does a lot better. Now, the Uncharted games aren't very different, so to compare other things doesn't really achieve anything to me. However it's this small group of things that establish this game as a slight step above the others.


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