Friday, July 17, 2009

VIDEO GAMES: Demo Reviews

With the Mrs. out of town and my NHL 09 season winding down, I needed a diversion to get me through the week. I considered downloading FFVII from the Playstation Store for 10 bucks, but I wasn't looking for something that would suck up 40 hours of playing time. So, I downloaded the demos for Ghostbusters, UFC Undisputed, and Battlefield 1943.

GHOSTBUSTERS



I've heard good things from reviewers, and you can't go wrong with a story (set a couple of years after Ghostbusters 2) written by Harold Ramis and Dan Ackroyd, especially when all the original voices are on board. The demo level has you back in the same library from the beginning of Ghostbusters where the guys see their first ghost (the librarian). The graphics are awesome, and the chit-chat amongst the Ghostbusters is amusing, but the mechanics are a bit wonky, and it was dumb being the unknown rookie. A demo is supposed to jump out at you and catch your eye with the best level available (think Uncharted), and I just didn't get that sense from Ghostbusters. SKIP IT


UFC 2009: UNDISPUTED



This game reminds me of two things. Firstly, when Tony Hawk came out in 1999, it took the gaming world by storm and made skateboarding a popular sport that you could find on ESPN. I get a similar feeling playing UFC's video game, which is selling like hot cakes, and MMA's popularity has never been bigger (again, just look at ESPN's coverage). The second thing I think of is Madden. What Madden was to me in college (every dorm was playing it), Undisputed could be for the next round of kids. There's just something so enjoyable about beating the hell out of one another. The graphics are so realistic, the attacks look, sound, and feel punishing, and more than anything, it's a thinking man's boxing game. Every attack has a counterattack. Is he blocking the head shots? Work the ribs. Is he an aggressive striker? Slow him up by keeping him in tight with the clinch. Stuck playing defense on the ground? Time his punch with a grab and go for the submission. Fights could last 45 seconds and they could last 10 minutes depending on the fighters. I feel like I may be overhyping the game, but it really is a blast. BUY IT!

BATTLEFIELD 1943



What's amazing about this is that, for only $15.00, you get a multiplayer experience that other games might charge the full $60.00 for. The game consists of 4 or 5 maps, all from the original PC game, Battlefield 1942. The object of the game, and the tools to carry out the objectives are pretty much the same, but the graphics and gameplay is amped up for the PS3 version. The game's maps hold dozens of people with no lag and, unlike the original 1942, they keep track of your achievements as you get promoted up through the ranks. While I would much rather play UFC Undisputed if I had the choice, there are very few games that you could get at this price for this much quality. Besides, there a few things in life better than scoring a headshot on a real person with a sniper rifle. BUY IT

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