Another Crazy & Random Game from Japan... Brief Hands-On with the Catherine Demo

Every now and then, a Japanese cult classic comes around and blow people's minds whether there and here at the States. Atlus's Persona series has been a recent example of that in the past couple of years especially with Persona 4 being an amazing RPG. It took a while, but finally they are heading to the current generation of consoles with Catherine, a totally different, random, and unique game, but still shares a resemblance to Persona fans because of the graphical anime style. The demo that came out on the Japanese Playstation Store today is indeed mostly in Japanese, so you can't really understand what in the world is on with the characters and how the main dude, Vincent, is in some crazy love triangle. If I can get a sense of the story, he has some crazy haunted dreams because of one of the love interests, Katherine. He is just in his boxers and sheep horns in dream sequences where it becomes a puzzle platformer where he has to transverse vertically to a gate before a monster kills him or the blocks fall down running out of time. Once you get the hang of the core gameplay, it is simple to navigate the block puzzles moving them around in order to keep moving, but since it is a puzzler, one wrong move will likely lead to a loss life. Plus, with huge monsters chasing you before you reach the goal, the added pressure and intensity makes Catherine one crazy ride. Add along a random and anime-like story that will make players curious what the hell Vincent has got himself to, and Catherine is shaping up to be another underground Atlus classic. It is nice to see crazy Japanese games such as this still being made because of their random factor to appease fans. Catherine is out next month at Japan and who knows if Atlus plans to localize it for the States, but after playing this demo, I hope they do since there is a Persona-like fanbase still here.

Get HYPE for Rocket Punches, Drones, & Re-Flys Again... Sentinel + Hsien-ko MvC3 vids

Its no surprise by now, but Sentinel and Hisen-ko (of Darkstalkers & Puzzle Fighter fame) are now characters in Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Sentinel is expected since he is one of the best characters in MvC2 as he makes the transition well here. It remains to be seen how good still he is, but pretty much of most of what made him such the beast he was can be applied to MvC3 somehow even if a little slower this time around. Hisen-ko is an odd one if u know her from Darkstalkers, but as someone who hasn't appeared in a new fighting game for quite some time, I don't mind the addition since now they're at 3 Darkstalkers characters for MvC3. The full roster is pretty much set besides DLC and we're only two weeks away, so the HYPE is getting closer to reality.

Quickie Hands-On with the Bulletstorm Demo...

A demo for EA and Epic Games' Bulletstorm came out today on Xbox Live Marketplace and Playstation Network as of course I gotta get my hands on another anticipated first quarter game. From what I seen of Bulletstorm so far before this demo came out, it seemed like one of those first person shooters that just do not care what it is, which is actually a good thing. It brings the days when shooters don't give a you know what and focuses on the killing rather than trying to provide an epic war-like story. This game screams style over substance and that's what Bulletstorm is all about as they describe it as shooting with skill. The demo is a quickie though as it is an one level run of a Echoes level, pretty much a time attack mode of sorts to rack up the highest score possible doing it a fast enough time too. Out of the gate, this game, as many have claimed, feels like a first person shooter version of MadWorld (that Sega/Platinum Games violent sleeper on the Wii) and that itself is pretty good to stand on. Your imagination is the limit of how to kill when given the environment you're in. In this demo, there are spikes everywhere, bottomless pits near the end, and spots to electrify enemies for more points. Getting kills in a variety of ways racks up your high score as doing bullet kicks (even though cool and causes slowmo) numerous times will become less. Your weapon set will become more crazy in the final game which causes for more high score opportunities, but your leash, a grapple beam of sorts, is the main tool to get the party started basically. The Echoes mode has potential for addiction going for high scores beating your friends and top players on leaderboards like even Pac-Man Championship Edition DX to a certain extent when the final game comes out. Bulletstorm can bring back the classic fun first person shooters have been missing out on, which is killing in a stylish manner and you don't need some epic storyline to back things up. Plus, the non-serious bro-heavy tone is good for what it is in this game even though I can see it can turn people off because they rather prefer a character-driven shooter like the most of the ones out now. Bulletstorm is one of those games that don't care what it is and doesn't take itself seriously and maybe that's what I need again in the industry today. Sure, you still need those epic Halo or Call or Duty like experiences, but Bulletstorm to me feels like a straight up game, and hopefully people can recognize that when it comes out next month on 360, PS3, and the PC.

One Year Later & Still an Amazing Space Epic... The Mass Effect 2 (PS3) Review

Last year, Xbox 360 owners experienced arguably one of the best games of this console generation with Mass Effect 2. Now, Playstation 3 owners that don't also own a 360 now get a chance to see what the fuss is all about with this BioWare shooter/RPG franchise. One year later, Mass Effect 2 is still that amazing from beginning to end and the PS3 version feels more complete with some additions. These additions range from the DLC that the 360 version had (Shadow Broker, Overlord, etc.) and it is now already in the disc. Since the PS3 missed out on the original Mass Effect, there is an interactive comic at the beginning of the game recapping the major events of that game along with making the key decisions that will play along in this sequel. If you thought BioWare will put out a lazy port for the Playstation 3, think again because Mass Effect 2 is still as good if not better.

Mass Effect 2 continues the adventures of Commander Shepard as his ship, The Normandy, was brutally attacked by an unknown race known as The Collectors. The ship got completely destroyed and it was like the end of the line for Shepard until a human organization, Ceberus, comes in and gives him a second chance of life and retribution. The Illusive Man is behind Shepard being brought back to life and gives him a "suicide mission" of taking down the Collectors at their homeworld by going through the Omega 4 Relay. These Collectors are apparently working for the Reapers, the big enemies of the franchise that almost took out The Citadel in the first game. It is up to Shepard to assemble an expert team of people with varieties of skills to achieve this "suicide mission" for humanity's sake and pretty much everyone else's. The story is pretty straightforward with a certain goal to accomplish, but of course with BioWare it is more than just the main mission and being also a character study diving into the various faces you recruit during the game. The philosophical ties are also worth exploring with these characters through the course of the game learning about their morals and their ethical ways of their lives.

While the original Mass Effect was an amazing game on its own, it was a flawed experience even from a gameplay standpoint. BioWare's solution to this to make Mass Effect 2 more shooter-y than a RPG with a combat being a huge focus. The approach did work even though it is debatable if it is now classified as a third-person shooter than a RPG. Deep down, Mass Effect 2 is still a RPG at heart with the RPG-like elements from the dialogue-heavy choices you make throughout the game, but with improved shooting combat, it is a better gameplay experience. The shooting feels more in vein of a Gears of War with cover-based combat along with rechargeable health/shields and the biotic powers the franchise has been known for. Your squadmates will do their part of the mission as their AI do a good job for the most part of helping out and not dying as much for you to waste medi-gels to revive them during a kill room against enemies. You can still dish out orders for them to hang at certain positions for a tactical advantage, but honestly, I didn't need to use orders that much throughout the game. Like the original game, there are varieties of classes to choose from at the start that suits your playstyle from the standard Soldier class of being gun-heavy, to my personal favorite Vanguard maintaining a balance of guns and biotic powers especially the awesome charge attack.

Other than the combat being improved, other gameplay elements have been improved as well in Mass Effect 2. Exploring planets for minerals is not as much as a chore anymore from the uncontrollable vehicular sections back in the first game to now just launching probes when scanning them. Speaking of vehicular sections, there is a big lack of them this time around as these only appear in DLC missions like Shadow Broker and Overlord, which I mentioned earlier are in the game at the get go being able to play them as early as possible. There are still side missions to play through exploring planets and visiting cities, but there is not as much of them compared to the original being way repetitive in design back then. The franchise signature dialogue sequences have improved drastically from generic scenes of standing to more dynamic scenes with various camera angles during conversations and basically making them feel like you're talking to someone in reality. Paragon and Renegade choices still matter throughout the game and there are times when you to have to press a button for an interrupt in a good or bad way pending with how you want your Shepard to be. BioWare was able to learn from their mistakes from the first game and were able to make a better game with Mass Effect 2.

Graphically, Mass Effect 2 looks and runs a little better on PS3 due to BioWare actually using the engine that is being used for Mass Effect 3 in this version. Character models look amazing and detailed and the various backgrounds you visit look beautiful as well. Sure, there will be many moments where the framerate will slow down when things get hectic during combat situations. Plus, there were times where the game gets a little buggy with enemies being stuck to the point you can't continue progressing causing a restart to the nearest checkpoint or a previous save. In addition, your character can be just stuck in the geometry walking around areas you didn't plan to walk on. During a side mission for example, it felt like I was floating in the air walking around. There is also a mandatory install for the PS3 version, but even load times feel a little long especially when navigating around floors of your ship. Another nitpick is some areas not looking as good as other areas especially in Overlord where it feels like textures were missing. Despite all those nitpicks, Mass Effect 2 still looks great on PS3 and the potential is there for Mass Effect 3 to look better with the engine. As for the sound, it is a top notch effort once again by BioWare from the soundtrack to the voice acting. The soundtrack, even feels a little similar to the first game in regards to tone, is still one of the best gaming soundtracks that fit the game's style exceptionally well. Voice acting is also superb in all aspects for the variety of characters from Martin Sheen being the Illusive Man, Chuck's Yvonne Strahovski as Miranda (Their character models are based on their real-life counterparts), Seth Green returning as Joker, and so on.

One year later and Mass Effect 2 is still an amazing space epic from beginning to end. Even though most of the RPG elements are limited such as the armor customization for your characters and less weapons to choose from and customize, the improved core combat makes the game feel better as a gameplay experience. Some say the game feels more of a cover-based third-person shooter than a RPG, but deep down, it is still a BioWare RPG at heart with the signature dialogue sequences making Paragon/Renegade choices on the fly. Plus, your choices and results after you beat the game will affect things in Mass Effect 3 if you plan to import your Shepard there, which is a nice bonus as well continuing the story by your choices. The PS3 bonuses are good having the DLC available on disc out of the gate and the digital interactive comic recapping the first game for those that never played it. In addition, BioWare continues to deliver an amazing visual and audio production from how beautiful the game looks and the movie-like voice acting. For those that missed out the game last year on the Xbox 360 and even those that wandering what this franchise is all about, you can not miss out on this version of Mass Effect 2. It is still highly regarded as one of the best games of this console generation and I support this notion. As a fan of this franchise, bring on the third game and we'll see if BioWare can end it with a bang.

Score = 9.5/10

Pros:

• More content out of the gate for the PS3 version with the DLC that is been available for the 360 on disc plus the ME1 interactive comic.
• The core combat has improved significantly becoming more shooter-y
• Top notch production by BioWare both in visual and audio departments
• The RPG elements, despite limited this time around, are still the heart of this franchise, and still done exceptionally well (the dialogue sequences in general).
• Moral choices still matter throughout the game and for Mass Effect 3 if you're planning to import your Shepard there.

Cons:

• Framerate will slowdown when things get hectic especially in combat sequences
• Can be a bit buggy at times as well

A fitting end to MvC2 High Stakes Money Matches...

Last Sunday at West Coast Warzone 3 was history being made as arguably the last high stakes money match in Marvel vs. Capcom 2's existence happened between Neo vs. Clockwork for 15,000 dollars. Being there in person to experience the HYPE was unlike anything I have witnessed in the world of fighting games. The environment was just insane with one side cheering for Clockwork and another side cheering for Neo. Even though Clockwork was considered the crowd favorite because of being the originator of Strider/Dr. Doom/Sentinel (called team Clockwork for a reason) and Neo has been playing a solid Santhrax (Storm/Sentinel/Captain Commando) being undefeated in high stakes money matches. Sometimes, the underdog is what you want to cheer for, but for me, you gotta go where is the money is at, which is for Neo (safe pick) specifically if you're side betting in the hundreds and even thousands of dollars. While most of SoCal was behind Clock, even top players of MvC2 and SSF4 knew where the money is at, and it was up on Neo's side. Hanging out with the likes of Marn, Filipino Champ, Crizzle, Dark Prince, Noel Brown, and Flash Metroid was fun stuff as Facebook references are on Marvel slang now. There were moments that some drunk and crazy girl that was cheering for Clockwork losing her voice like no other would take her drunkenness overboard and then Ricky Ortiz would slap her. Anyway, enjoy the first to 15 match between two amazing Marvel players and witness the HYPE why this game is still the business for 10 years because Marvel 3 won't be the same regarding HYPE.

Square-Enix Going Big for 2011 at Japan... (Trailers for FFXIII-2 & Versus XIII)

It was rumored for a week, but now its official. Final Fantasy XIII-2 exists and its coming out in Japan by the end of the year (stateside next year). This means a return for Lightning as it seems like she's more of a knight. Nothing else besides that was revealed during the clip other than part of the XIII ending (spoilers, but good thing they didn't reveal the real spoilery part of it). This is the second direct sequel to a Final Fantasy game and plus X-2 was good, but not amazing. We'll see if XIII-2 fixed the problems XIII had as both PS3/360 versions are planned for release.

Final Fantasy Versus XIII, on the other hand, is still amazing and this new trailer reveals a lot of more than Squenix has in the past. If you thought the CG cutscenes were amazing in XIII, think again because Versus is already blowing it away with the visuals. Plus, believe in Nomura (the man behind the Kingdom Hearts franchise) to deliver the goods again even though it has been development for a while. Even the trailer style is straight up Kingdom Hearts with the random quotes. There's even gameplay in this clip which seems Kingdom Hearts-y but in the next generation. If you want Kingdom Hearts 3, you'll have to wait longer as this fills the void for that and maybe provide the template for KH3 to happen since the gameplay is somewhat similar. Versus XIII should be out next year for the PS3 as still no 360 version is announced (likely at this year's E3).

All I Do is Party Party Party... A LTTP Review of DJ Hero 2

Even though I never owned the original DJ Hero, I loved the game a lot playing it at my cousin's house to the point I am pretty good it on hard difficulty five starring mixes left and right. Among the oversaturated Hero lineup two years ago, DJ Hero was the underappreciated one of the bunch since it was different and people were starting to give up on the genre as a whole as it started to become an one hit wonder. However, those who played it appreciated it for what it is and it was actually a pretty good game laying the groundwork for what has become a legitimate franchise. The developers Freestyle Games have learned from what they missed out on and were able to make a more complete sequel with DJ Hero 2. Basically, DJ Hero 2 is a significant improvement over the original from more modes, gameplay additions, and better collection of mixes that spread among numerous genres of music.

DJ Hero 2's main career mode is called Empire as it is pretty much like the first game with some slight differences. Most of the selections will be a setlist of certain mixes (usually three or four) where you scratch and crossfade away to as many stars to unlock more sets and venues increasing your worldwide rep as an upcoming DJ. On your way towards achieving that worldwide success, you run into other DJs and even famous ones as you battle them in certain mixes, which is the game's biggest addition being more multiplayer focused. The main DJ battle mode is about performing well getting more checkpoints than your opponent by doing well in the various sections of a mix. In the specific checkpoint battles, you can even end the battle quickly by the knocking out your opponent getting a certain number of checkpoints first. These battles can be intense at times as even if you can 100% a certain section, you can still lose the checkpoint because your opponent nailed more perfect notes and did better at the fresstyle sections, another big addition in DJ Hero 2, which I will mention later. Sometimes, it can just depend on luck if your opponent messes up at times, but these battles are fun and challenging providing a completely different gameplay experience than just any normal mix. There are also a few songs that have to be unlocked in the Empire mode, but the majority of the songs are playable out of the gate on Quickplay. Other unlockable goodies from playing Empire are more outfits for the DJs and power decks, which I'll also mention later on.

Other than the main Empire mode, there is the standard Quickplay mode where you can play any mix you want to making setlists as well if you want to play numerous songs after another. There are nice additions to setlist management as you can save setlists so you don't have to create the same one over and over again. Another notable addition is being able to like mixes Facebook style, which goes along with the social aspects of the game. Also in the Empire mode, but available on their own after played there are megamixes. These megamixes are certain sets by the more known DJs like David Guetta, Deadmau5, and Tiesto as these aren't just your normal sets. The mixes in these sets flow continuously as if you're at some nightclub dancing away hearing the transition from one song to another, which makes these megamixes sound great. I hope we see more of this concept in future DJ Hero games because these are the closest into the real club experience. One of the more important social features in DJ Hero 2 is the Hero Feed. Also somewhat borrowing from Facebook, this feed tracks your progress in the game, lets you know when a friend has beaten your score in a mix, and any news of DLC that is released. The nice part of this feed with the friends beating your scores is that you can instantly try to beat their score and claim your top status back, which goes along with the competitive aspect of the game when you see your friends' ranking while playing a mix. I love the social element of the game which gives the game's solo modes more replay value especially if you have friends at your skill level competing for high scores.

The core gameplay concept of DJ Hero 2 is fundamentally the same as it uses the same controller from the first game as you press the three buttons, scratching (in specific directions on Expert difficulty), crossfading, spiking, dialing, euphoria for a bigger multiplier, rewinding, and so on without failing at all. The new gameplay additions though make the game feel like you're doing more than what you did originally. Held notes and scratches are examples are that especially in the Tiesto mixes, rewinding has improved significantly as you can rewind complete sections if timed right, but the big addition is the freestyle sections. There are sections in a mix where you can crossfade like crazy, but there is a certain element in doing them right as you can't mash the fader left and right as it won't be an effective freestyle. Freestyle scratching is a different story as you can scratch in any direction you want to even though you do that on hard and lower difficulties. The red part of the turntable is changed as you can't mash Flava Flav samples anymore as the samples are more related to the mixes now, which is a good thing at the end of the day. Then there's the power decks that allow more scoring opportunities like more points while scratching, hyperspeed (which I prefer to go with), and a bigger multiplier than can go to x10, which kind of ruins the leaderboards a bit, but not much if you aren't into going for the top score. Borrowing from the Guitar Hero games, there is also Party Play, which can drop in and drop out at any time playing mixes. Also improving the party aspect is the addition of vocals, but it seems tacked on as it is similar to the Guitar Hero system and signing certain parts of songs that go back and forth from one song to another seems weird at times. Plus, vocals are not in all of the game's 80 mixes, but at least half of them have it. It is still nice though that it exists in DJ Hero 2 for the sake of parties.

The online aspect of DJ Hero 2 has also significantly improved because it has become more a competitive game with all the battle modes available to play. Normal DJ battles in the battle-only mixes and checkpoint battles are playable, along with other multiplayer only modes such as star battle, compete for the most stars in a mix, streak battles to compete for the longest streak, and accumulator, which is similar to streak, but your streaks keep adding after storing them by pressing the euphoria button. There is a leveling system for the online modes that goes up to 50 as you level up for winning mixes, battles that can have up to five mixes, beating people that have a higher level than you, and so on. The only rewards you're getting from online is more medals and tags to choose from a la Street Fighter IV and Call of Duty for performing this many perfect notes, scratches, etc. The online experience can be a mixed bag though depending which difficulty you're playing on as you can be playing on Hard while your opponent plays on Easy or Medium as it can be unfair at times especially in streak and accumulator battles where there are more notes on higher difficulties. Online strategies can be weird though depending with your playstyle going the safe route on lower difficulties hoping your opponent screws up on harder difficulties, which dampers the balance a lot. Imagine messing up on Easy on a streak battle and you have no chance of coming back against someone is 100% a mix on Hard or Expert. When you and your opponent are playing on the same difficulty though, the online experience becomes better and even as it depends on skill than luck. Despite some issues especially with people ragequitting knowing that they will lose rather than try to finish the battle out, DJ Hero 2 has one of the better online competitive experiences in the rhythm genre.

Graphically, DJ Hero 2 looks pretty good even though like all rhythm games, you're focusing on the chart of notes popping up rather than the environment you're DJing in. The venues look great and there are a variety of them from the small club to some big stadium. Even the famous DJs look really close to their real-life counterparts and not as cartoony to the point Freestyle games nail their signature poses such as David Guetta fist pumping and Tiesto stretching his arms out while the camera is spinning around 360 degrees. You still don't see the DJs not actually DJing at some points like the first game if you want to get nitpicky, but it is pretty minor. The presentation has also improved over the original as it is easier to navigate in the game's menus finding what you want to do.

While the first game's soundtrack was pretty good, DJ Hero 2 turned it up to 11 with more mixes and more genres of music to mess around from. Personally, I liked the fact Freestyle Games added more house music since there was a lack of it in the original. With the house music they added, they were able to get the hits from Deadmau5, Kaskade, that "Show Me Love" song, and more. There is still a lot of hip-hop and pop in the game especially the mainstream representation as you still get classics like "California Love," you can get an awesome mix of that and recent hit "Nothing on You" by B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars. A lot of mixes in the game that I thought would suck definitely impressed me and feel underrated compared to most of the more played mixes like ones revolving recent songs like Enimem's "Not Afraid" with Lil Wayne's "Lollipop." A variety of artists from over the decades and various genres are in this game from Janet Jackson, Salt N' Pepa, Pitbull, Lady Gaga, Missy Elliot, Sean Paul, Metallica, Kanye West, and I can go on. There are definitely songs that you will definitely be interested in playing, but of course there will be some misses depending with your music tastes.

DJ Hero 2 is definitely a great sequel to the original that was able to lay the groundwork and core concepts as Freestyle Games were able to make a more complete game full of features. From the Empire mode, online, and the social aspects, there are plenty of things of DJ Hero 2 especially with friends either offline to party with or online competing for high scores and testing each other's skills in the various battle modes. Even though the online experience can be a mixed bag depending on which difficulty you play and the amount of ragequitters still months after the game's release, it is still cool to have a good online competitive element to a rhythm game. The soundtrack is also amazing with more than 80 mixes plus downloadable content (depends how long the DLC schedule will be) even though there will be hits and misses depending with your preference of music. While it still feels like an underappreicated franchise because of the sales (bundle prices are affordable these days which is why I bought it recently) and the publisher, DJ Hero 2 one of the better rhythm games to come out in recent times. Hopefully, DJ Hero 3 is coming and I'm interested to see what Freestyle Games is able to do to attempt to top this one.

Score = 9/10

Pros:

• Gameplay improvements add more to the core DJing experience
• Numerous modes to play both offfline with Empire and online with the competitive battles
• The new DJ battles are a great addition making the game feel more competitive
• The social elements are also spot on from the Hero Feed being able to see how you stack up against your friends at an instant
• The soundtrack is amazing spreading across numerous genres (more house "clubby" stuff personally is great news)

Cons:

• Vocals feel tacked on, but hey, its still nice that its available
• Online experience can be a mixed bag pending on which difficulty you play - it doesn't feel balanced at times

My Top 10 DJ Hero 2 Mixes

I have been playing DJ Hero 2 for the past several days (yeah I bought it) and even though I don't plan to review it, I'll say that it is a pretty good sequel and finally I get to own it to play through Expert difficulty. I did beat Empire mode in two days because I'm crazy. Anyway, now that I played through all the mixes, I might as well share my ten favorite ones in no particular order (factoring in DLC I bought too). I think I did a similar list with the first week of the game's release, but now that I played it... some mixes really surprised me how good they are.

Basement Jaxx - "Where's Your Head At?" vs. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Heads Will Roll"

Usher feat. Will.I.Am - "OMG" (DLC)

Robin S. - "Show Me Love" (Stonebridge Radio Edit) vs. Calvin Harris - "I'm Not Alone"

Pitbull - "Calle Ocho" (I Know You Want Me) vs. Nightcrawlers - "Push the Feelin On" (MK Mix 95)

Lady Gaga - "Bad Romance"

Major Lazer feat. Vybz Kartel - "Pon de Floor" vs. Harold Faltermayer - "Axel F"

Iyaz - "Replay" vs. Rihanna - "Rude Boy"

The Chemical Brothers feat. Q-Tip - "Galvanize" (Hardest song in the game!!!)

Deadmau5 & Kaskade - "Move for Me"

Deadmau5 & Kaskade - "I Remember"