Dance Central in my Star Wars!?!? Uugghh...

Kinect Star Wars continues to be an abomination before its release on the 360 tomorrow and the Dance Central-like mode is proof of that. The R2-D2 360 console is still cool and all, but damn, way to ruin the franchise more LucasArts. Of course, this is a kids game at its core, but cmon even Star Wars fans that are getting suckered to buying this know how much of a disservice this game is gonna be.

Some Epic Mickey 2 Stuff...

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two was announced yesterday and getting the big premiere tonight on GameTrailers TV. No longer a Wii exclusive, this is also showing up on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 when it comes out later this year. Here is an Associated Press video already showing off the sequel and also Warren Spector talking about what is new with Mickey too. I do remember the original being great, but definitely flawed as hopefully Warren's team can make the necessary improvements and of course being on PS3/360 is a big deal too.

Who Needs Sackboy Jumping Now That He Races...

Another rumored Sony exclusive title is now official as a trailer for LittleBigPlanet Karting appeared on the interwebs earlier today. Also true to the rumors is the developer for Sackboy's next game, which is United Front Games, the folks that brought you Modnation Racers. If you played or seen Modnation Racers, it is basically the LittleBigPlanet for kart racers, but now we have a new game with the franchise slapped on it. From the trailer, you can tell it looks like Modnation, but now more catered to the LBP style especially having the starting pod from those games and tons of customization options with the karts, tracks, etc. We'll see if LBP Karting is more beyond a Modnation clone when it comes out later this year only on the PS3.

Another One Bites The Dust... Zynga buys out OMGPOP

I had to add the Queen reference because Zynga, mobile game giant, bought out OMGPOP today for 200 million. If you don't know who OMGPOP is, they are the makers of Draw Something, the hottest mobile game out now on iOS and Android devices. The game got crazy popular in the past couple of weeks because of its simple Pictionary-like gameplay especially on a social level. People can upload photos from the game to social networks like Facebook, hence why they also ask for your Facebook account info if you want your drawings shown there. It has become such a quick phenomenon that the big company Zynga has expressed interest that quickly and now they own them. What does this mean for Draw Something or even OMGPOP themselves? Who knows for now even though the OMGPOP staff will be part of Zynga's New York City division.

Zynga has had a notorious record for buying out their competition and even ripping off competitive games for their own on mobile devices. It is kind of crazy considering they are the makers of Farmville and the "With Friends" series (Words With Friends, the new Scramble with Friends), yet they have to resort to such tactics. Of course there is the everyday saying that this is all business at the end of the day and money does talk, which is indeed the case here. It is no surprise that this acquisition happened, but it is still a surprise how quickly they were able to snatch them especially they are just riding off their success in these past couple of weeks. Were OMGPOP willing to "sell out" because of the offer Zynga threw at them? We will see in the coming months how things will shake out from all of this, but for you Draw Something fans, enjoy the game as it now because it may not be the same in the future.

Some Thoughts of the "Last?" Saints Row: The Third DLC

The Trouble with Clones is the last DLC from Saints Row: The Third's season pass and they have been getting progressively better, but this latest offering is just as good as Gangstas in Space. A hardcore Saints fan takes an experiment a little too far creating a Johnny Gat clone that seems uncontrollable and it is up to you and Pierce to calm him down preventing him from destroying Steelport. Even though it feels like story missions, you're still getting the usual Saints Row flair of insanity especially in the last mission where you get cool powers for a limited time. If u see the trailer above, Saints Flow allows you to have super speed, power punches without the Apoco-Fist (if you have that weapon from the Murderbrawl mission), and launch fireballs Street Fighter style at enemies. Unfortunately, these powers only last for that mission only and it sucks you can't keep them when you're just roaming around wanting to cause some chaos. Just like Gangstas in Space, Trouble with Clones is only a hour long and its seven bucks like the past DLC.

Also similar to Gangstas in Space, The Trouble with Clones has a grainy effect when it comes to the graphics. This time things look a little more scientific and green, which is okay. It is probably because the fan is narrating the events of this DLC and all of this still being some experiment gone wrong. The same approach goes for the music too as well. There is also the same signature humor Saints Row: The Third has been known here too, but not much of it compared to the other two big downloadable offerings.

Now that the Trouble with Clones is out concluding the season pass, is this it for Saints Row: The Third? It seems so as Volition has not said anything regarding more mission-based DLC. Plus, considering the state THQ is in as of late, it is probably for the best to save things up for Saints Row 4. The DLC offerings have been from just okay to good, but they could have been so much better considering how wild the main game was. Most of these missions have one time use weapons as well and it is unfortunate they are not unlocked for use just to mess around as some of the rewards haven't been worth it. Fans of the game should get Trouble with Clones despite the short length and seven dollar price because the cool moments are good enough to experience.

Don't Stop Believing... The Journey Review

Note - The following gameplay videos will likely contain spoilers, so watch at your own risk if you don't want the game spoiled.

Every now and then, the whole "games as art" discussion is out there for people to argue about as there have been recent examples that can prove that point right even though the industry is still dominated by the Hollywood blockbuster philosophy of how games should be. Thatgamecompany has been one of the forerunning developers with that "games as art" mindset creating unique yet memorable experiences this console generation with Flow and their last downloadable hit game, Flower. Jenova Chen and his team are back again with Journey, another original downloadable title exclusively on the Playstation Network. From its initial announcement a couple years back, I knew Journey was going to be something special and indeed it is from beginning to end. This is one experience you cannot miss and it is one of the best games I played in a while.

Even though it seems like a mysterious and unique game, there is actually a simple premise to Journey where you play as some unknown creature with a scarf that can grow and all you have to do to go to some tall mountain with light coming out of it. It is called Journey for a reason as you will transverse through few environments that spices things up later on through the game until you reached that destination. It is also not a game purely set at a desert because of how much a role sand plays into it, but things do take a turn in the second half and where it becomes more a video game like Flower was in its second half. Despite the simple premise, it is the actual experience that counts and the emotional investment you can take in as you trek along is an one of a kind feeling that most games never do.

I never felt so emotionally invested and attached into a game like Journey because it definitely fits the title well. There will be moments of fun such as surfing on the sand for a good few minutes, yet there are some of struggle too when there is a snake-like monster watching over certain areas and you can't be caught along with dealing with the weather elements. The way the game shows and tells all of this though it is simply amazing. It also goes to show that the game is not that complicated to play due to the control scheme and the platforming puzzles are easy to complete as well. Sure, the game is short like the developers' past games as you'll be able to complete the journey in two hours at the most, but it is one memorable trip worth taking over again and again especially with another person via online co-op. Collectable symbols, glyphs and hidden easter eggs are spread throughout the game as well, which adds along to its replay value.

Another reason why Journey is so unique and memorable is how they handle online co-op. Even though the whole game can be played alone, another person can just join in at an instant as long as you're signed in to PSN. However, this ain't your typical co-op experience because the person you're with is anonymous until you reach the players met screen after the ending. There is no invite system and voice chat as the only form of communication with another player is the chirping button that tends to be the main button in completing puzzles and activating doors to the next area (Circle button in this game). That limitation however is why the emotional investment and attachment works beautifully in this game because of the fact you can provide memorable moments beyond what the game provides. Plus, that satisfaction of completing the whole journey together as other players will wait for you if they get a little ahead of you to catch up for instance is unmatched compared to most games today.

What completes Journey as an unique and original experience is how stunningly beautiful it looks. This is quite arguably the best looking PS3 game I have ever played and that is saying a lot considering the other exclusive games on the system like God of War and the Uncharted franchise. It is the best usage of sand I have ever seen just by how it flows and moves especially when you're surfing during one level. Some shots and camera angles of the game, specifically during certain times of day, are also breathtaking being among some of my new favorite moments of gaming ever. Journey also has an amazing soundtrack, sorry not full of the band Journey's songs, especially during the tense and buildup moments where the music picks up. It is one technological achievement that cannot be missed.

With all of this said, Journey is quite simply a masterpiece. It is an unique experience unlike any other despite the simple premise. I don't know if I would ever get the same emotional investment and attachment in a game ever again as much as this did because how much of an actual journey it is dealing with moments of pleasure and even struggle. The game's unique idea of online co-op also goes along with how emotional this game can be because how special certain moments can be with another anonymous player. It is also arguably the most beautiful game I ever played in recent years and certain shots are just too stunning. Don't let the game's short length and fifteen dollar price point prevent you from experiencing this masterpiece because it was the best two hours of gaming I had in a long time.

Score = 10/10

Pros:

• This game is simply stunning and beautiful to look at, especially some specific shots and camera angles
• The emotional investment and attachment is unparallel compared to any other game out today
• Simple premise to understand along with a simple control scheme
• It truly felt like a journey where there are moments of fun and struggle
• Great use of online co-op

Cons:

• Yeah, its two hours long, but don't let that the main reason you would pass on such an amazing game

One Epic, Yet Flawed Finale... The Mass Effect 3 Review

Note - This review may contain spoilers, so you are warned if you haven't beaten the game yet.

It has been a long five years for BioWare's Mass Effect franchise as it seemed like crazy talk back with the first game that this was going to be a trilogy and the fact your decisions you made will matter in the big finale. Here we are now with Mass Effect 3 as everything you did in the last two games, assuming you played them, has led up to this point where it is up to Commander Shepard to save the galaxy and end the Reaper threat for good. I have my own expectations on how things play out for Shepard and company, but there is also multiplayer support to go along with the campaign. Does Mass Effect 3 end the franchise with a bang? It is surely one epic, yet flawed finale that is still worth playing through.

There is actually a simple core storyline in this conclusion as the Reapers are invading Earth hard and it is up to Shepard to persuade the other races of the galaxy to save Earth and eliminate the Reapers. Along the way, there is Cerebrus to worry about as well as the Illusive Man still has his own agenda of controlling the Reapers. Besides all of that, it is also the little things that count throughout Shepard's journey to rally the races together as they have their own issues with themselves and obviously the Reapers too. Traveling the galaxy again is worth it in attempt to take Earth back with as many war assets as you can gain throughout the game, but the ending is not something I expected and it will be a heated topic once more people finish the game.

Your squad in the last two games are back as some of them actually return with you in your quest to rally the races as the rest, pretty much most of the ME2 cast (assuming they survived the ending of that game), are there in cameo appearances during side missions. In other words, most of the cast in the first game are back with you assuming they survived the events up to now as Ashley/Kaidan, Garrus, Tali, and Liara come back to the Normandy. There isn't much new guys that join up your squad as the most significant newcomer in Mass Effect 3 is Alliance soldier James Vega. Despite that, I'm glad that I was able to spend my time with characters I have been attached to throughout the games and it definitely shows in the little yet memorable moments Mass Effect 3 provides. I mentioned in my Mass Effect 2 review how much of a character study that game can be and I can say that is reinforced here in Mass Effect 3. My favorite moments of the game come from these little moments with your squadmates sharing their stories of the war and maybe even act out of character sometimes in certain cases. This is all of course played with imported saves as newcomers playing this game only are not going to get that same character attachment as folks who started the franchise from the beginning.

Playing through Mass Effect 3, I felt that BioWare played it safe on most things, especially the mission structure, where it is similar to the last game as there is a prologue section and when the game opens up having control of the Normandy through the various clusters to do missions. The same thing goes for the story as mentioned earlier where you are basically traveling throughout the galaxy to gather up your squad and war assets in preparation for the final stretch. They did however make some changes for the better regarding the fetch-like side quests. Exploring every planet and cluster is not much as a chore as it was in ME2 getting minerals, but you're still launching probes to get certain items to complete side quests. There is a twist when exploring clusters as Reapers can disrupt your travels to the point of getting that mission failure screen if two of them catch you.

The same safe approach can be said also for the game's core combat where it is not as significantly changed as say from the first Mass Effect to the second game. There are still some little changes such as the health and shield bar systems being more like the first Halo, meaning you still have regular shields, but you have five health bars though. Despite that, the combat is pretty much the same against enemy forces with the cover-based shooting, use of powers, and so on. If you have been playing the previous games, the various changes didn't receive any significant changes either, so your Vanguard as an example plays the same as he or she did in the past. I would say the big difference from ME2 is the customization options as BioWare tried to balance this out as a mixture of the past two games. Armor and weapons can be modded (these mods can be bought in stores or mostly found during missions) for boosts on certain stats. In addition, stats of your powers can be altered when leveling up your Shepard and squadmates as there is a branching tree whether or not you want to increase its damage, or range for instance. The combat still plays fine in Mass Effect 3, but don't expect it being a big leap from the last game.

It was only a matter of time when the Mass Effect games get multiplayer and of course there is the whole discussion of why is BioWare putting this in and not putting more work in the campaign? The way they handled multiplayer in this game is actually not that bad even though it is unoriginal. In a nutshell, it is just another wave-based survival mode, but with the Mass Effect touch. A maximum of four players play a map to defeat ten increasingly difficult waves of enemies (either Cerebrus, the Geth, or the Reapers) using the various races and classes. Not all races though play similarly as they get a different power or two depending on the class. There is also a quick command item system that consists of more ammo, instant revive, and missiles that are mapped on the d-pad when you're in hairy situations. Weapons, mods, and more characters can be unlocked by buying random packs as if you're opening a Magic the Gathering booster pack hoping you get something rare and good. Team coordination is key in surviving these maps especially on harder difficulties, so it is best to have a gameplan in mind attacking these enemy waves. Random objectives will also pop up during matches as it is just another thing to do such as killing certain enemies or getting into certain territories for more credits. Playing multiplayer does factor into the campaign a little bit with the Galaxy of War status as long as that is high enough. Even though it feels another Horde mode, Mass Effect 3's multiplayer is fun and has tons of replay value especially with leveling up various characters and playing the maps on harder difficulties.

My biggest problem with Mass Effect 3 from my personal experience, is that it is filled with technical bugs and issues (keep in mind this is the PS3 version I'm talking about). Sure, the game's graphics still look great especially seeing all the various locales, but it is the performance that bums me out a lot. The franchise has a history of various technical issues, but personally for me, this is the worst of the three in terms of bugs, framerate slowdowns, random loading prompts, etc. In addition, the game crashed on me a few times too even on not the most heated moments, but it did during cutscenes and the squad selection screen as examples. Then there are the awkward bugs where one of the squadmates completely disappeared as if I have only one guy instead of two and also the sound tends to lose it sometimes too (Good thing the autosave system is there to reset things if you run into any of these). Speaking of sound, the game's voice acting is still as top notch as it gets when it comes to AAA franchises as most of the cast throughout the franchise return. The same goes for the music too being great as it has been for all the three games.

So does Mass Effect 3 live up to the hype and ends the trilogy right? Unfortunately, it is both yes and no as it is nice to play through this finale, but the flaws really put a damper on it being a game of the year contender. Despite that, it is still the Mass Effect you know and love especially if you played the previous two games. Plus, it is best to have an imported save because when things do come together connecting them, it is a good thing to experience as BioWare did live up to that promise of continuity throughout the franchise. The characters are still as great and lovable as they have been as I don't know if I will ever get that same attachment that I had with Shepard and his squadmates over the years in another franchise. The little moments with these guys remain as my favorite memories of the game other than the big story reveals. The ending will not be what people expected as it will be a heated topic of discussion in the coming weeks and months as well as I definitely felt like I didn't get the one I wanted. Multiplayer is a nice inclusion to round out the package adding more replay value and of course there is downloadable content in the future with more missions and likely more maps too. What is the most disappointing to me though with this game is the numerous technical issues I had to deal with from hard crashes, random bugs, and other problems I mentioned earlier. Mass Effect 3 is still worth playing especially for fans to finish up the franchise, but it is still a flawed experience the whole way through.

Score = 8.5/10

Pros:

• BioWare's promise of continuity in terms of the big decisions you made throughout this trilogy definitely came through
• Being attached to this set of characters is still amazing as the little moments with them are my favorite parts of the game
• Multiplayer is not that bad as you first thought when it was announced
• Audio production is still top notch as it has been throughout this franchise

Cons:

• BioWare definitely took a safe approach with this game in terms of core ideas (Mission structure and core combat are pretty much to similar to ME2)
• The ending is not what I expected it to be
• Major technical issues from random bugs, hard crashes, etc.