Pads & Panels

Game of the Year

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (360, PS3, PC)

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks – Developer: Bethesda Game Studios

The fifth game in the now well-established Elder Scrolls series, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a game that simply must be experienced. No other game released this year shares such a massive scope or breadth of gameplay. After an impressive initial sequence, players are drawn into a world that has a life all its own and in which the threat of savage dragon attacks looms against a backdrop of a bloody civil war.

Although players will find numerous quests available to them, it is oftentimes the random encounters in the game that are most memorable. Each is full of unique moments that will make for interesting discussions among fellow gamers, and this is truly one of Skyrim’s biggest strengths. The game succeeds in telling a compelling story but also gives the player just enough freedom to make each individual’s journey his or her own. Previous rough areas in the series, such as inventory management, have been given elegant solutions, while side quests are seamlessly interwoven in the main story. There are seemingly hundreds of places to explore. It all amounts in one of the best gaming experiences to be had. (more…)

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Title: Shadows of the Damned

Platform: 360, PS3

ESRB: M

Publisher: EA

Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture

Review By: Eric Stuckart

Rating:

It’s pretty standard fare by now to know that when going into Grasshopper Manufacture games, the player is likely to find a satirical, oftentimes unique gaming experience with humor and personality to spare, but it isn’t going to be the most polished experience out there. However, I have yet to be disappointed so far with this expectation, and Shadows of the Damned is no different.

In fact, the main thing that I think really pulls people into Grasshopper mastermind Suda51’s games is his way of always spinning a great, albeit weird, story. Well, that and how it factors into his games’ typically quirky “anything goes” approach. The X factor that might draw some otherwise curious gamers into this outing, however, is the involvement of Shinji Mikami, known for creating the Resident Evil series, as well as composer and sound designer Akira Yamaoka, known for his work on the music for the Silent Hill games. (more…)

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Mortal Kombat Movies Go Hi-Def, Still Pretty Bad

By Bill Jones

For damn near two decades now, video game film adaptations have been serving as more of an embarrassment to the industry than anything else. And at the cusp of that movement in 1995 was Mortal Kombat, the New Line Cinema adaptation of the now-defunct Midway’s popular fighting series, following by Mortal Kombat: Annihilation in 1997. Now, in time for the release of the latest installment of the video game franchise, the Mortal Kombat movies hit high-definition Blu-ray for the first time.

But no amount of lines of resolution can make the Mortal Kombat movies good. The first helped launch a career of crappy movies (including more game adaptations in the Resident Evil series) for Paul W.S. Anderson, and the sequel is made not less than four times worse by the high-definition output, as its effects were horrendously bad, and the clarity does them no justice here. (more…)

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2010 Holiday Gift Guide – Beyond the Games and Books: Fun Collectibles

By P&P Staff

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Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Play Arts Kai Snake “Jungle Fatigues”

It may cost a little more than the Toys R Us packaged-variety action figures, but Play Arts Kai makes a meanly detailed figure for the hardcore fan. Its Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Snake in Jungle Fatigues is a perfect example. With accessories and plenty of ways to pose the combat veteran, this camouflaged figure will blend right in with the rest of your collection. (more…)

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2010 Holiday Gift Guide – For the DS Fan…

By P&P Staff

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Professor Layton and the Unwound Future

For those that like their puzzle games served up with a healthy amount of narrative, the Professor Layton series has been a definite favorite. The newest title in the series, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, finds the professor and his apprentice Luke in a tale of time-travel and mystery after receiving a dire warning from the future. Combine that with over 165 puzzles to solve, and you’ll lose some time yourself in solving this mystery. (more…)

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Title: Dead Rising: Case Zero

Platform: XBLA

Publisher: Capcom

Developer: Capcom

Rating:

Review by: Matt Peters

Since zombie survival is arguably the most popular horror genre today, it’s tempting to write off Dead Rising: Case Zero as a quick cash grab. After all, it’s published by the same company that’s brought us countless Resident Evil titles.

What differentiated the original Dead Rising from Resident Evil, however, was the sense of humor the game had about itself. The inclusion of such items as tennis rackets, a Servbot helmet and a full Mega Man costume gave some much needed hilarity to a melodramatic story.  It created one of the most enjoyable early experiences I had with my Xbox 360. (more…)

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Title: Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles

Platform: Wii

ESRB: M

Publisher: Capcom

Developer: Capcom

Rating:

Review by: Dan Braun

Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles is a rail shooter that offers fairly solid gameplay, and lovingly re-explores two titles in the RE franchise from a very different perspective. The game begins with Leon Kennedy and Jack Krauser exploring South America in search of a drug lord with ties to the nefarious Umbrella Corporation. From there, the game follows its standard convoluted narrative, and somehow backtracks through both RE2 and RE: Code Veronica. It is a fairly accurate recreation of both games, as many famous scenes and events are wholly intact, the only difference being that players are guided through the game without all the unnecessary exploring and backtracking that is so familiar to the RE franchise. Darkside a pretty straightforward shoot-em-up with a decent arsenal and impressive graphics for the Wii. The only real problem is that the game’s camera is often ridiculously shaky, providing for some frustrating sequences. With more than 10 hours of gameplay to offer, Darkside Chronicles will keep fans of the genre busy. (more…)

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As I write this, I have been up since 2:30 in the afternoon yesterday. It is now 8 a.m. Such is typical for me, as I haven’t really seen a “set” schedule in about 3½ years. However, it’s these types of days that really put me into a state where writing and ranting blur together and…pondering…just tends to flow. It might come across as eccentric to some, but for me it’s just par for the course.

So anyways, I’ve been kind of upside down the past couple days, and will continue to be so the next couple of days. It kind of makes it hard to really stay focused on much, especially when there’s a whole lot to be focused upon. I started watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy on Blu-ray the other day, but feel that when I’m not sleeping much that I can’t really put much attention on watching anything. It just makes me drowsy. Not to say that the Lord of the Rings movies are boring, but I could pretty much fall asleep watching anything if I stop long enough to sit still and pay attention. That’s how I got through much of the last couple of semesters at community college. Go academics! (more…)

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Title: “Lost In Nightmares” DLC for Resident Evil 5

Platform: 360 (Also PS3)

Publisher: Capcom

Developer: Capcom

Review By: Eric Stuckart

Lost in Nightmares is the first part of two new downloadable episodes to add to Resident Evil 5’s main storyline. To those familiar with RE5, the episode centers around the ill-fated mission to capture Ozwell E. Spencer that ended with Chris Redfield losing his then-partner to Jill Valentine. Taking place at the Spencer Mansion from the original Resident Evil, the game is high on tension, something that the main story tended to skimp out on. Fans of the older games in the series should be happy to know that this episode relies more on the survival aspect of the earlier games rather than the shoot-em-up style as of late, and it even contains a few puzzles to keep gamers busy. This short mission was more fun and interesting than most of the chapters in the main game, and at a mere $5, one really can’t go wrong. Lost in Nightmares also includes a rehash of the Mercenaries mini-game, entitled “Mercenaries Reunion,” with different levels and the opportunity to play as Barry Burton, from the original Resident Evil, and Excella Gionne. (more…)

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Chris Park is acting as our correspondent in his spare time out at E3 in Los Angeles this week. After waking in San Fransisco at 1 a.m. and making the five-hour trek to the Los Angeles Convention center today, Park sat in on the Sony Computer Entertainment Press Conference. Then he did a hands-on at the Southpeak booth with two of the publisher’s upcoming titles, before a little wandering. He also took some photos of the event. Park’s report follows… (more…)

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