Halo 2 Intensity during the Birthday Weekend

How cool is my wife? For my birthday, she flew in my best friends from Atlanta and LA for a weekend of late-night gaming and high-cholesterol living, all girl-free. Granted, the house smelled like a methane leak by the end of the weekend, but that's just a further illustration of how tollerant and loving she is.

And All the Trimmings...

As originaly printed in The Davis Enterprise (reprinted with permission)


What am I thankful for this Thanksgiving?

1. TiVo

2. Halo 2

3. Ohioans


And my incredibly forgiving wife who understands that due to number 2, the only time she will be able to watch TV in the near future is after I drop from pure exhaustion.


It’s a good thing we have number 1 in the house.



Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 (Xbox, PS2, Gamecube; MSRP $49.99; Rated T; thug2online.com)


Well another year, another Tony Hawk game.


Why the grandpappy of the extreme sports genre continues to release yearly offerings in the same vein as the Madden series is beyond me. Surely there’s something to be gained by waiting some time in between releases? At the very least some excitement could be generated surrounding the release of a new game.


But the kids love the skateboardin’; and Activision and the Hawk love their money. Thankfully though, the ol’ Hawk has got some flight in him left.


The story-based concept of “THUG” is continued in the sequel (which translates to the sixth Hawk game). But rather recycle the rags-to-riches story of an your highly customizable character, “THUG 2” focuses on the “World Destruction Tour” competition between hooligan teams lead by the Hawkster and “Jackass/Viva La Bam” star Bam Margera. Points earned during each of the numerous stages are determined not only by the skill with which tricks are executed, but also by the amount of juvenile delinquency caused. This low-brow humor adds a bit of levity to the “realistic” tone that the original “THUG” took, but also opens the door to plenty of bodily function humor which is, I suppose, to be expected with ex-Jackasses Steve-O and Wee Man as unlockable characters.


As much as I may poo-poo the frequency with which these games are released, it’s undeniable that “THUG 2” has more bang for the buck than ever before. Tons of goals await would-be thrashers on each level, and more goals are unlocked with each pro skater, guest skater, and hidden character found on every stage. New heights can be reached both figuratively and literally between the level of customization in Create-A-Skater/Park/Trick/Goal aspects and the continued “THUG” tradition of off-the-board open exploring of each level.


Hawk traditionalists who shyed away from “THUG’s” GTA-inspired non-linear gameplay will be able to grind anew with the benefit of a “Classic Mode” that allows the same type of time-based goal challenges that players became accustomed to through the first four “Hawks.” If collecting S-K-A-T-E and the hidden tape was your thing, then welcome home.


Extreme sporting has certainly lost its steam in the past few years, and who knows how much longer Tony and the crew can keep up his game-a-year gig. But if you’ve tuned out of the genre a while ago, there’s no better game this year to reacquaint yourself with the exhilaration and pain that comes from pulling your teeth from the asphalt after you miss the landing on that 300,000 point combo.


Fresh? Not so much, but grind for grind there’s no better value.



Get On Da Mic (PS2; MSRP $39.99, $59.99 w/mic; Rated T; getondamic.com)


I’m kicking myself for not having reviewed Konomi’s brilliant “Karaoke Revolution, Vol. 2” when it was first released. The game’s joy is found in its simplicity, party fun, cartoon visuals, and inviting gameplay.


Instead, I’m reviewing “Get on Da Mic,” an awful attempt to capitalize on the Karaoke genre “Revolution” left out- hip hop.


Unlike “Revolution” which judges crooners on pitch, “Mic” critiques only on wannabe’s ability to flow- sounding like the artist isn’t required, but keeping pace with the rapid-fire lyrics is.


This is the first problem area. Unlike the rhythm found in most songs, hip-hop moves with piranha-like ferociousness- meaning that even the most die-hard fan can flub up in the middle of his flow, have to take a few lines to reorient, and begin rapping again. When points are earned for how many lyrics are timed correctly, a simple screw up means tons of points lost. Additionally, the presentation of the lyrics on screen strays from traditional karaoke so confusion and where-the-heck-am-I-in-this-song begins to set in quickly.


The story mode follows your character from “8-mile” inspire rap battles, through the party scene, to the money-makin’ big time. With each off the chain round, playaz earn mad bills to buy bling and pimpin’ cool whips to roll as the Mac Dad of all Mac Daddies…


I’m not even sure what I just wrote means.


The problem in all this? Who cares? The graphics are bland and jaggy; the animations are simple, repetitive, and wholly independent of the lyrics. During one round, my character was punctuating words repeatedly with finger points- the only problem was that there were no lyrics on the screen and I wasn’t rapping anything.


Rapper’s Delight? Anything but.



Fable (Xbox; MSRP $49.99; Rated M; fable-game.com)


Peter Molyneux released his self-proclaimed “Greatest Role Playing Game Ever Made” to eager fans, hungry for the game that had been in development for five years. Although unable to deliver on every promise made of the game’s foretold greatness, Moleneux and his company produced a game that’s highly engaging, beautiful, and epic in every sense of the word.


Players control… well… themselves. See, “Fable” prides its existence on the fact that no two people will play through the game the same way. Every choice players make determines the outcome in how characters within the game perceive you and therefore respond. Show mercy on fallen enemies and townsfolk will revere you as a champion among champions. Slaughter entire villages and sell the now-vacant homes to feed your evil greed and your infamy will ring throughout the fictional world of Albion. Players’ alignments towards good or evil also affects the characters’ physical appearances- only the most pious will grow a halo and have butterflies fluttering about; while despicable villains sprout horns and develop a foul stench.


Frequent use of melee and ranged weapons determine skill and proficiency with those items and the hyper-aging effects of magic use result in deeper wrinkles and wear-lines for those gifted in sorcery. In a refreshing break from the RPG norm, all combat occurs in real-time, which gives “Fable” a much more hack ’n’ slash feel to its gameplay.


Although there is a set storyline that is a tad short for hardcore RPG fans, exploring all of the side-quests, minigames, and hidden treasures that abound this giant land allow for many hours of gameplay, even once the story has concluded.


In fact, I knew I was playing a very special game when after only logging five hours into the main story, I was already looking forward to playing through again from a completely different moral alignment.


Not to mention eagerly anticipating “Fable’s” sequel (fingers crossed for online play next time around).



Katamari Damacy (PS2; MSRP $19.99; Rated E; namco.com)


Own a PS2?


Sick of carjacking, first-person shooting, platform hopping, or race car driving?


You would do well to pick up this quirky little title immediately.


The premise is simple: your father, the king of the cosmos, got drunk one night and knocked out all of the stars in the sky. You, the little prince, are sent to Earth to roll up earthling-items into a ball with the use of the cosmic Katamari.


What kind of earthling-items you ask? Initially, matches, thimbles, playing cards, and other minor prizes. But as your Katamari grows like a rubber band ball, so does the size of your treasure. What once started out being no larger than an orange now has the ability to pick up livestock, airplanes, stadiums, and skyscrapers.


Its simple control scheme (only the analog sticks are used) and Terry Gilliamesque quirkiness are infectious. Its laid back and soothing vibe is enhanced by its fantastic soundtrack and minimal, but grin inducing, sound effects. It is marvelous. It is inviting. And it is a shame that it almost did not make it to the States.


So few games actually calm nerves while playing, it’s important to add a title like “Katamari” to our library when we can, along side our zombie/Nazi/alien killfests.


And at twenty bucks, how can you argue?



X-men Legends (Xbox, PS2, Gamecube; MSRP $49.99; Rated T; activision.com)


Excelsior! True Believers!


Slews of sub-par X-themed releases date all the way back to the days of the NES. Really, when it game to gaming, the only thing “uncanny” about the X-men was how any developer was unable to do justice to one of the most successful comic books of all time.


“Legends” succeeds where others have failed by creating a semi-satisfying action/RPG title. It doesn’t blaze any trails, but it doesn’t screw up either. The levels are unusually long, with appropriately spaced save areas where players can mix ‘n’ match between a large number of classic muties to form a team of four and take on Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. They just never seem to quit, do they?


Gameplay presentation is reminiscent of the classic “Gauntlet” series, or more modernly, of “Hunter: The Reckoning,” with the camera fixed on a top-down perspective of our heroes in action. Cel-shaded graphics and X-costumes ranging from the humble days of “Uncanny #1” to the modern “Ultimate” comic series gives the game a stylized look. Micro-managers will enjoy the ability to upgrade characters’ powers and skills and outfit them with performance-enhancing cybernetics, but thankfully there’s an option to bypass and auto-upgrade your team in order to get you back to the smashing.


Four heroes on the screen screams for cooperative multiplayer, a feature that was almost omitted from release, but thankfully found its way into the final version. Having three other friends jacked in around the same console (no online, sorry) takes me back to those days when I would feed my life savings into the “Gauntlet” machine, just so I wouldn’t leave my fellow players in the thick of battle. In fact, I hear the faint cry in the wind:


“Wolverine needs food… badly.”

Say Halo 2 My Little Friend

As originally printed in The Davis Enterprise (reprinted with permission)

Halo 2

(Xbox; MSRP $49.99, $54.99 limited edition; Rated M; halo2.com)



November 8th, 11:00p.m.: I stand, in the rain, outside of my local EB Games with another hundred or so people, waiting for the release of the most anticipated Xbox game of the year. Occasionally, being a game journalist makes me privy to the early release of a game before the general public. This was not the case with Microsoft’s most prized possession.


I, like every other fan, have to wait until the stroke of midnight, November 9th to experience “Halo 2.”


11:25p.m.: My best friend in Atlanta calls. He’s already been playing for almost two and a half hours, and so calls to rub that fact in my face. Damn you Pacific Standard Time!


12:00a.m.: The doors open, I’m 30th in line. I wait patiently, grab my copy of the “limited edition” version and race home.


12:40a.m.: Already have torn through the commemorative tin snap-case in the car, I drop the disc in my Xbox and there it is, “Halo 2” on my TV. Can this game possibly live up to all of the hype it has been getting since first announced almost two and a half years ago?


Uh, can I get a “hell ya?”


What drew most fans to the first installment was a solid sci-fi story, fantastic visuals, intuitive controls, and addictive multiplayer. Arguably, “Halo” is alone responsible for securing the Xbox as a solid contender in the console war. The sequel builds on all of the things that made the first so great, and the fans have responded. “Halo 2” reportedly grossed $125 million in its first 24 hours- shattering previous game and Hollywood box office sales alike ( “Spider-Man 2,” the largest opener ever, raked in an amazing $40.2 million at the box office its first day and swung to $180 million after its first six days).


“Halo 2’s” story picks up shortly after the conclusion of the first game. With the destruction of the first Halo weapon successful and the universe saved from decimation, our protagonist Master Chief returns to a Confederate starship to find that the Covenant, a unified alien coalition united by religion, has grown more aggressive in its jihad war against the humans. The Covenant has pushed its offensive to Earth while simultaneously pursuing another weapon of destruction to wipe out the human race.


So much for the welcome home parade, Chief.


Our emerald armored hero charges back into the thick of it for more plot twists and turns than in the original storyline. While not spoiling any of the story, I can say that the story twists come frequently throughout the fifteen level game, and intrigue increases with each cutscene between battles.


Not that you’ll need to find a reason to continually play, its putting the controller down that’s the hard part.


This time through, the Chief makes better use of vehicles and weapons, many re-tooled for better balance (the Needler gun) while others are brand spankin’ new (the SMG). Two of the newest additions to gameplay come in the form of being able to duel-wield weapons for some double-fisted firepower, and the ability to carjack or “board” enemy-piloted vehicles. Try not to smile too wide the first time you kick an Elite soldier off of his Ghost hoverbike and run him over with his own vehicle. Go ahead, try.


Clearly the most enjoyable new weapon in the game is the Covenant Energy Sword. This blade has the ability to lock onto enemies, resulting in an up close and personal one-hit kill. Even if you managed to remain stone-faced while boarding, no person with an ounce of self-satisfaction could remain stoic after standing amongst a pile of alien carcasses due to his own sword mastery.


Phenomenal graphical upgrades, full 5.1 surround sound, cooperative play with a buddy, increased AI, and a Hollywood worthy story is literally only half the game. We’re just getting to multiplayer, the crown jewel of “Halo 2.”


Forget everything you know about playing online multiplayer Xbox Live. The common system for setting up, finding, and competing online is antiquated compared to the advancements made by Bungie and Microsoft for “Halo 2.”


No longer are ranked games controlled by an individual player where cheating and artificial statistic increasing can take place. Bungie has developed a system where competing in a ranked game (a game that contributes to world-standings of Halo players) means the game automatically finds players similarly ranked in skills and abilities and loads everyone together in a match under randomized playing conditions. Gone are the days of deathmatches controlled by the host player who knows the map like the back of his hand and can be assured a win. Here, everyone is on equal footing, all competing to level up their bragging rights and the opportunity to compete against better players. Team games require strangers to communicate with each other and act as a unit in order to assure victory. The benefit of playing against similarly skilled players, as opposed to being slaughtered by crack-shot fourteen year olds every time you log on makes the Optimatch version far more enjoyable, even if it does feel awkward at first.


Adding to the depths of detail, players can log onto Bungie’s website to find their statistics and compare them to friends and other players. Players can also pull up the maps of the matches they played in order to find out where they got fragged, by whom, and with what weapon.


I know, crazy.


But lets be honest, smack talking friends is always more preferable than to strangers, so what about getting a gang together for hours of slaughter? This is where the new online “party” comes into play.


A party is a group of friends on your buddy list who can join you in non-ranked games. Those friends “attach” onto you as the party leader. Whenever starting a new game, they’re playing with you- without a worry of being dropped from the game. If you decide to join a larger party lead by someone else, they follow, if they want. If the party leader has to bug out or, say, has to have dinner with his wife, he can transfer his leader status to another player- eliminating the old problem of an absenting host that kicked all players out of a group game. It also means that after leaving a game, a player can return fairly easily to the party and jump back in for more action.


For those “Type-A” personalities out there, “Halo 2” takes full use of clan support. Whereas a “party” is a group of friends that game for a single session, a “clan” is a group of friends that form a long-standing team. Designated by a clan name, clans compete against other clans for the same bragging rights solo-players compete for. Organized clans will have practices within their team before challenging another clan to battle because no self-respecting clan member wants to be humiliated or let their team down for a ranked game. Being a part of a clan becomes somewhat of a nerdy status symbol. In “Halo 2,” a player can only be part of one clan at a time, which means that skilled players can shop out recruitment offers they get from clans while successful clans can persuade players of an opposing clan to defect.


Getting a group of sixteen buds online for countless hours of game playing, of countless game modes, makes for some fantastic gaming. The ability to easily find, join, and frag your friends means this is one Xbox Live game with legs that won’t be getting old anytime soon; and with the promise of downloadable content that could take the form of new weapons, vehicles, and maps- it may never get old.


I must confess, if not for my slave-driver of an editor who makes me review new games every month, I would be perfectly content to keep this disc warm, and let everything else in my collection gather dust. At this point, all other games are part of my job- “Halo 2” is my post-work recreation.


This is, by far, everything we had hoped for and the greatest game released this year. “Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow?” “GTA: San Andreas?” “Burnout 3?” Sorry guys, hail to the Chief.

New, Fresh, and Exciting?

Well, here's the first shot of the first entry into my first Blog. I was expecting it to be a tad more momentus than this. I have no idea what I'm doing with the new webspace I've purchased. Hopefully a profile and a resume will be up shortly. With luck, it will help me snag a new job.

Landspeeders & Drum-beaters

As originally printed in The Davis Enterprise (reprinted with permission)


You know what’s great about October?


Besides autumn coolness, trick or treating, and increased candidate bashing, October is great because it means less than a month until November 9- the best date in 2004.


November 9 is the release date of “Halo 2,” follow up to the greatest first-person shooter ever.


Now granted, there are a bunch of great games released before 11/9/04. Heck, some of them are reviewed for you below. But make no mistake about it: Halo 2esday will go down as one of the geekiest dates in history.


God I love being a dork.



Star Wars Battlefront (Xbox, PS2; $49.99; Rated T; starwarsbattlefront.com)


To increase the synergetic celebration of the Classic Trilogy release on DVD, Lucasarts unleashed “Star Wars Battlefront” on the same day.


And dorks like myself everywhere rejoiced.


Effectively, “Battlefront” is the kissing cousin- or for Star Wars fans, the kissing sibling- to the critically acclaimed “Battlefield 1942,” only taking place a long, long time ago in a galaxy far away. Controlling command posts and wiping out opposing forces amidst a massive firefight is the name of the game.


Like “1942,” crushing the enemy can be done by either hoofing on foot across the spacious battlefields or by hopping into any one of the many vehicles from either Star Wars time period- the Clone Wars or the Galactic Civil War (read: crappy films or good films).


Before charging into battle like a crazed Rancor, you’ll select your class of troop. The appropriate class choice depends on the type of terrain: a rocket launcher or sniper rifle will do little good against close-quarters combat with no vehicles, but put them in a board like the forest moon of Endor, and you will be blowing up AT-STs and bullseyeing Ewoks aplenty. Class distinction between the four selectable armies is non-existent, however each army does have their own specialty class unique to their team, which means Wookies for the Rebellion.


And dorks like myself everywhere rejoiced again.


Battles on the consoles are huge, with approximately 32 soldiers on the field at any time. Because soldiers continue to respawn until their command posts are overtaken, players really get the sense of being in the middle of the epic battles as seen in the films.


Impressive as this recipe may seem, the repetition of command post conquering in the single player mode gets stale quickly. Taking the game online is the only way to inject some extra longevity. Even though multiplayer battles have the same capture goals as in the single player campaign, playing against other human opponents requires teamwork with fellow human teammates. The coordination of offensive and defensive strategies with others is not only critical to success, but also adds a great amount of fun unattainable in the solo-play setting.


Still, the lack of gameplay style, online options, and frequent lag only stunts the additional longevity created by “Battlefront’s” multiplayer. Although this game may fill the gap for massively multiplayer battle games on console systems, it does so at a $50 price tag, which is a pretty expensive cork.


Love Star Wars, hate George Lucas, and have a great broadband connection? Seriously consider this title, especially when it takes a dip in price. Indifferent to the movies and don’t game online? Avoid this game like Bantha poo-doo.



Burnout 3 Takedown (Xbox, PS2; $49.99; Rated T; burnout3.ea.com)


“Burnout 3” injects the same adrenalin pumping, euphoric exhilaration as the world’s best theme parks- all without the $12 hot dogs and motion sickness.


In this street-racing throwback to the arcade racers of old, defensive driving takes a backseat to seizure-inducing speeds of reckless racing. In fact, the more dare-devil stunts, the more points and precious turbo boost are earned.


Case in point: I’m racing head to head against the computer. Due to several bad turns, I end up sucking exhaust fumes and am in a distant second place. The only way I can hope to catch up is to drive like a maniacal bat out of Hell. Swerving into oncoming traffic, I bob and weave my way though semis, motor homes, and passenger cars. The closer I come to playing chicken with fellow motorists, the more boost I earn to propel me into more oncoming traffic at higher speeds, requiring millisecond reaction time or else I’m a road pancake. Many drifts and needle threads through traffic later and I nudge my opponent out of first, rocketing past the finish line in a split second before he does-


Now this is an awesome game.


But even Speed Racer’s going to screw up and careen 150 MPH into an overpass now and then. This is where the ability to slow-mo, or “Aftertouch,” your crash can turn from burning wreck to blaze of glory. Aftertouching allows the player to control the direction of his wreck, namely into oncoming traffic and cause massive pile-ups, netting tons of points leading to unlockable cars and tracks.


More importantly, it allows the player to steer into the path of opponents- leaving opponents out of commission and the player back on the road with increased turbo capacity!


The only downsides (and these are stretching) to this near-perfect game is the fact that the cars are not actually licensed cars. So although you’ll be driving Ferrari look alikes, they won’t be the actual cars. That and with the exception of the Von Bondies and Franz Ferdinand being on the in-game soundtrack, all of the other licensed songs suck. Granted, this is made up by the fact that the Xbox allows for custom soundtracks, but hey, it is worth mentioning.


But do not, in any way, be dissuaded by the very minor criticism, this game’s single player mode is deserving of everyone’s library. Add seamless competitive online play for both platforms, without any downgrade in the supreme graphical presentation seen in the single player mode, and lunatic driving hasn’t been this much fun since the first day you got your license.



Def Jam: Fight for New York (Xbox, PS2, GC; $49.99; Rated M for Blood/Sexual Themes/Strong Violence)


I’m more Vanilla Ice than Ice T;


More Pearl Jam than the Wu Tang Clan;


More Green Day than Redman.


So it was with great trepidation and cynicism that I played this sequel to the hip-hop inspired fighter.


40 legendary stars of hip-hop fill the roster of fighters on both sides, providing their own voice-overs so filthy they would make a trucker blush. Additionally, the stars, ranging from OG’s like Slick Rick to young Playaz like Busta Rhymes, provide their likenesses.


Although I use the term “likenesses” loosly- last time I checked, Method and Red were two scrawny guys with a struggling TV show, not the hulked-out beefcakes they appear as in this game.


No matter your level of appreciation for the misogynistic melodies of these lyrical MC’s, it’s impossible to deny that “Fight for NY” is an incredibly tight game. Each fighting location has its own distinct look and feel and boasts many environmental objects to throw, body slam, or pummel your opponent into- be them jukeboxes, cement poles, or the rowdy crowd of onlookers.


Countering your opponents’ move sets will depend on which of the five fighting styles you are fighting against. Special finishing moves vary between fight styles and can be unlocked and added to your repertoire for a limitless variety of head-cracking, back-breaking, groin-kicking fun. Performing these special moves leads to a short animated sequence of the utterly painful move that is unblockable by opponents.


Unfortunately, the instruction booklet is thin and there is no substantial in-game tutorial or practice mode; so learning the delicate timing of defense/counter-attack involves getting your butt handed to you over and over again. Adding insult to injury, the computer takes cheap shots, making some bouts seemingly impossible to land a single punch. Without learning the proper defensive techniques to turn the tables and you may be cursing more than your in-game homies.


I will probably never understand hip-hop culture, or why some artists in this game appear as themselves while others are “playing” characters. But the top notch graphics, fluid fighting, variety of moves and styles, unlockable characters, and solid multiplayer matches won me over to this thoroughly solid fighter.


Now I just turn the in-game rap off and blare some rage-inducing Tony Bennett in its place.



Donkey Konga (GC; $49.99; Rated E; donkeykonga.com)


I will hand it to the Big N, they sure don’t mind taking the unconventional route. Sometimes it flops terribly, like the Virtual Boy (1994). Other times it flourishes like “Donkey Konga,” the first DK-themed title for the Gamecube and Nintendo’s best peripheral since the Power Glove.


Riding the surge of rhythm-based music games created by the “Dance Dance Revolution” craze, “Konga” has players (up to four) banging out drum beats to onscreen musical cues- all on a set of plastic bongo drums hooked into the ‘Cube.


Numerous play modes allow for cooperative or head to head competitions across 33 songs. Ranging from children’s songs like “Itsy Bitsy Spider” to Blink 182’s “All the Small Things,” from the Mario theme song to Stray Cats’ “Rock this Town” to “Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G Minor,” there’s something for everyone’s musical pallet.


Obviously, the greatest amount of fun is had by hooking four sets of bongo drums up and having a tribal quartet play the bones on the hardest setting. But even though a set of bongos are included with the purchase of “Konga,” extra controllers are costly and outfitting a 4-player game will drain the pocketbook. True, you can always use controllers instead of bongos, but where’s the fun in that?


Of course the problem with any rhythm game is that only so many songs are available and any extended drumming sessions means repeating songs. This, naturally, leads to longevity problems. Preservatives are added to “Konga” by being able to unlock special drum sound effects and moderately enjoyable mini game, but that only goes so far. Without the ability to download new songs, players can only hope for a quick sequel.


Thankfully, Nintendo already has plans to release a 2-D side-scrolling platform adventure that uses the drum controller- “Donkey Kong Jungle Beat” should be out by the end of the year.


Family friendly, easy to learn, and perfect for those non-gamers in the family, “Konga” puts everyone on an even playing filed since complex controls are replaced by simple, but highly addictive drumming. Pick up a set and do your best Ricky Ricardo.


Babaloo!