Pads & Panels

Title: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

Platform: 360 (PS3)

ESRB: M

Publisher: Konami

Developer: MercurySteam

Rating:

Review by: Archie Easter

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow has some fairly large boots to fill. The original series has long been a fan favorite, spanning multiple console generations. Series standout Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is one such classic that up until its eventual re-release as a downloadable title, fetched exorbitant prices on eBay and other online sites. While the majority of previous titles have remained 2D, forays in bringing the series into the third dimension have been met with mixed results. While Lords of Shadow is at heart an enjoyable action title, does it shed too much of the series cherished lineage to become so? (more…)

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#5 Super Meat Boy (XBLA, PC)

Publisher: Team Meat – Developer: Team Meat

Super Meat Boy is an addictive platformer that can be taken in short spurts or over a long haul, with a maddeningly steep difficulty curve, especially if you want to unlock everything the game has to offer. Team Meat has stripped down the very essences of hardcore gaming into adrenaline bursts, especially when the game starts to really get rolling. And that’s before players even discover that there’s a “dark world” (read: even harder) version of everything they’ve beaten once they’ve perfected their runs through each level. (more…)

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#7 Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)

Publisher: Nintendo – Developer: Nintendo

Super Mario Galaxy was arguably one of the best games in the famed Mario series, reinventing the series once again in phenomenal fashion. At the same time it reminded us of some classic Mario titles, it didn’t rely on nostalgia and references to win us over. Its spherical platforming took the series to new heights. But in providing such a fantastic experience, it definitely set a high standard for a sequel. (more…)

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Title: “Marvel Level Kit” DLC for LittleBigPlanet

Platform: PS3

Publisher: Sony

Developer: Media Molecule

Review by: Bill Jones

Sony has teamed with Marvel to offer more developer-created platforming content for LittleBigPlanet in the form of the “Marvel Level Kit.” The kit hit the PlayStation Store the same day as the first of several planned Marvel Costume Packs, the first one comprising Iron Man, Thing, Daredevil, Doctor Octopus and Mystique. And while Sackboy versions of Iron Man and Doctor Octopus are absolutely adorable, it’s the level pack that deserves the real attention. Media Molecule gives Marvel the full treatment, with four brand-new levels created by the developer, along with an extra background, three music files, 24 create objects and 156 stickers for players to use on their own levels. But with four awesome levels that pit up to four heroes against the maniacal plans of Magneto, it’s the developer stuff that should attract the most attention. (more…)

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Title: Rocket Knight

Platform: XBLA (PSN, PC)

ESRB: E10+

Publisher: Konami

Developer: Climax Studios

Rating:

Review by: Kevin Haverty

Rocket Knight Adventures and Sparkster for the Sega Genesis often get overlooked, so it was a pleasant surprise that Konami dusted the IP off for a new game. In Rocket Knight, the Sparkster dons the armor again to stop the invading wolf army. Rocket Knight might look like a typical 2.5D platformer, but its vibrant style and jetpack-based play mechanics set it apart. And a few side-scrolling shooting stages are thrown in to cut monotony. But the game is criminally short. It can easily be finished in an hour and a half. Rocket Knight has some replayability, though, as gamers can try to reach the top of the leaderboard for each stage. (more…)

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Title: Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands

Platform: 360 (PS3, PC)

ESRB: T

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Ubisoft

Rating:

Review By: Eric Stuckart

After what was considered by popular opinion to be a misstep in the series’ canon, the Prince of Persia series has been brought back to its platforming roots. That can be taken with a grain of salt, for by going back to its roots the series is also going back to the insanely unforgiving traits of past games. (more…)

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Title: Mega Man 10

Platform: PSN (XBLA, WiiWare)

ESRB: E

Publisher: Capcom

Developer: Inti Creates

Rating:

Review by: Eric Stuckart

Fans of the Blue Bomber know exactly what to expect with the 10th entry in the Mega Man series. After the 2008 release of Mega Man 9, a surprise downloadable hit that made a return to the beloved 8-bit style of the classic first six games in the series, it was nice to see a sequel, but how does it fare when compared to the other games?

In my opinion, there have always been two types of Mega Man games. There are the groundbreaking games (1-4, 9), the ones that really make the player want to return for more, and there are the ones that feel as though the developers were only going through the motions (5-8). At some points, Mega Man 10 feels like one of these latter games. (more…)

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Title: Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Platform: PS3

ESRB Rating: E10+

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer: Insomniac Games

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

Insomniac Games may have found a piece of success in the crowed shooter market after introducing the Resistance series on the PlayStation 3, but that hasn’t stopped the developer from returning to its classic, cartoony action-adventure series that originated on the PlayStation 2, Ratchet & Clank. The latest installment for the PlayStation 3, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, marks the ninth installment in the series across three platforms. It also marks Insomniac Games finest achievement to date, an amalgamation of everything the company has worked to create since the series was first introduced in 2002 – a masterpiece of its kind. (more…)

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Title: Shadow Complex

Platform: XBLA

ESRB Rating: T

Publisher: Microsoft

Developer: Chair Entertainment

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

Old-school gaming fans are in for one hell of a treat with Shadow Complex – the sophomore Xbox Live Arcade title from Chair Entertainment (Undertow) – a side-scrolling action-platformer that takes its influences from the likes of Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (with a visual style reminiscent of Metal Gear Solid), but reinvents them for a new generation rather than simply rehashing old ideas for a retro cash-in.

Shadow Complex is based on the Orson Scott Card novel Empire. The player controls Jason, who is on a camping trip with his girlfriend, Claire. The two become separated and Claire is abducted by a shady military organization. Armed only with a flashlight to start, Jason goes in search of his love only to find a larger conspiracy unfolding before his eyes, one that could see the whole country, then world, in disarray. Jason continues the search for Claire, but the two realize they must also do something to stop the bigger threat. Jason acquires bigger and more lethal weapons and gadgets, and explores an incredibly large underground base, strategically taking on enemies as he goes. (more…)

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Title: ‘Splosion Man

Platform: XBLA

ESRB: E

Publisher: Twisted Pixel

Developer: Twisted Pixel

Rating:

Review by: John Gustafson

Twisted Pixel’s April Fools Day joke-turned fully-realized game ‘Splosion Man launched with the dubious honor of being the first title in this year’s Xbox Live “Summer of Arcade” program. As Twisted Pixel’s sophomore Xbox Live Arcade release after the well-received The Maw, ‘Splosion Man is an original side-scrolling platformer featuring a hysterical cast paired with addictively polished gameplay. (more…)

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