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Busy Gamer Review - Portal 2 [BGN Game of the Year 2011]

2012-01-12T05:13:05Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: Xbox 360. Also available for Mac, PC and PS3.

In a Nutshell: A first-person shooter/puzzler with some of the best writing in videogames. Picking up after the events of the first Portal (originally part of Valve's Orange Box collection and now available as a standalone game), which you should play before this one if at all possible - if only so that you experience the magic of testing with GLaDOS firsthand. The sequel is actually more accessible, while adding much greater depth courtesy of new elements with which to solve some truly vexing (though never too difficult) puzzles. And solving these puzzles gives you such a natural high that the biggest risk is that you won't want to put it down, and you'll be more than a little sad (though ultimately satisfied) when it's over. Fortunately, there's a co-op mode that doesn't extend the main story, but can prolong the overall experience while encouraging you to be social and share the game with friends.

Learning Curve: If you beat the first Portal, you'll have no problem picking this up. Setting it down will be the hard part! If you're new to shooters, don't worry: The game designers are experts at teaching you the controls as you go, so you'll soon being doing science like the pros.

The Save Game: Save anywhere. What more could a busy gamer ask for?!

Family Factor: As with the original, there's some blood and a few adult situations. There's a heartless human named Cave Johnson who rants a bit about burning down the homes of enemies and such. But nothing too bad. In fact, the 10+ rating is probably more aggressive than you need to be. We let our 8-year-old watch us play the main story and he even participated in some of the co-op missions - and though he wasn't very much help in solving the levels, fun was had.

Buy, Rent or Skip? This one's a keeper. Buy it unless you absolutely hated the first one or first-person shooters make you excessively seasick.

On a Personal Note: We absolutely adored the original Portal's fresh take on storytelling with an innovative new puzzle dynamic and an antagonist whose vicious taunts and teases were so fulfilling we couldn't help but crave more. So we pre-ordered Portal 2 months in advance and began consuming it the same day it arrived. We immediately fell in love with the oafish Wheatley, a new robot companion whose smart British accent is paired with some of the stupidest dialogue ever written (get a sample in our audio review).

And once we each beat the well-paced main story, there was more. Part of the game's draw is the inventive co-op mode, which puts you in the metal boots of a duo of mechanical test chamber junkies -so there's not even any blood when they get hurt!

There were many games we loved in 2011, but Portal 2 was the most polished, the most enjoyable and the only title that we agreed deserved to be our pick for Game of the Year. If you missed out on it, you should look into remedying that now. You monster.

Game of the Year Runners-up: GrrlGotGame and I have very different tastes in games, so picking a Game of the Year that satisfies both of us can be a challenge, especially this year when I was leaning toward RPGs like Bastion and Skyrim and she was hot for zombie bashers.

Here are the games that were our very close runners-up, all worthy of a look:

GrrlGotGame: Alice: Madness Returns, Bejeweled 3, Dead Island and Dead Rising 2: Off the Record

Gamewatcher: Bastion, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Jetpack Joyride and L.A. Noire

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Busy Gamer Review - Resident Evil 4

2011-09-22T01:50:44Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: GameCube, PS2, Wii, iPad and Xbox 360. Also available for PC, PS3 and various mobile devices.

In a Nutshell: Meet Eastern Europeans and kill them with guns, grenades and a big-ass blade all in the name of rescuing the president's daughter. Once you get past the laughable soap operatic storyline and characters, there is immensely satisfying third-person shooter gameplay with light puzzles and the occasional quick-time event (you know, those "press a button right now or be crushed" things).

Learning Curve: There's a lot going on in Resident Evil 4, but you don't have to learn it all at once. You start out shooting zombie-like people and the occasional wildlife, busting open crates and barrels and picking up ammo and healing herbs as you go. Eventually, you learn to pack your case efficiently to carry as many weapons and items as possible, combine herbs for more potent healing, buy and sell items from a shady black market dude who never fails to amuse and upgrade weapons based on your gameplay preference (say, shotgun and big pistol vs. rocket launcher and scoped rifle). Amazingly, shooting enemies doesn't get old and effective game balance keeps things challenging but rarely frustrating.

The Save Game: Typewriters are scattered around the world for you to stash up to 20 saves. You can generally find one nearby on your map, or backtrack to one you used previously. It's not "save anywhere" but it's better than many games give you.

Family Factor: Keep this one far away from the kiddies. You won't want to blast the heads off zombified Eastern European villagers with your 8-year-old watching (at least, we hope not!). There's blood, there's gore and there's a dude with a sack over his head wielding a chainsaw. Heck, I'm not sure whether I'm old enough for this game! Keep it away from all but your most mature teens.

Buy, Rent or Skip? That depends on the version. The GameCube and PS2 versions are the gold standard, but you may lack the consoles needed to enjoy them (Wii can play GameCube titles and some older PS3s do play most PS2 games).

The Wii-optimized version is the most changed - in terms of controls and reduced gore - but it does allow you to aim with your Wii-mote. If you consider this a plus, rent it if you can and then buy it if you like it.

Some mobile versions contain snippets of gameplay or streamlined action, so they're not the optimal way to experience the game.

The new "HD" Xbox 360 and PS3 versions are download only in the U.S. (at least for now) and include an update to upscaled - though not true "high def" - graphics. They also add achievements and trophies respectively, plus the Assignment Ada mission and Mercenaries survival mode are available once you beat the game.

Bottom line: This is a game that's worth playing, so buy the best version you can.

On a Personal Note: Resident Evil 4 is definitely in our top 5 games of all time, and the main reason we hung onto our GameCube as long as we did.

We've gladly downloaded the Xbox 360 Games on Demand edition (our first such purchase!). Despite a little difficulty acclimating to the new controls (we chose the less awkward alternative setup, which has you aim with left trigger and shoot with the right) and are now greatly enjoying this 6-year-old classic which, so far, is the pinnacle of Resident Evil titles and third-person shooters in general.

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Busy Gamer Review - Jetpack Joyride

2011-09-15T00:38:50Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: iPhone. Universal iOS app also optimized for iPad. Due soon for Android.

In a Nutshell: Infiltrate a secret lab, Canabalt-style, in this action platformer. You control a dude who busts through a wall in a jetpack and maneuvers through the seemingly endless side-scrolling structure while trying to beat missions that range from trivial (high-five a few scientists who populate the lower part of the screen) to insanely difficult (traveling a long distance without dying or collecting a single coin).

Learning Curve: You can pick up and learn Jetpack Joyride in a minute or two, though it may take quite some time to master. But that's all part of the fun.

You activate your jetpack to dodge deadly obstacles by holding a finger against the touchscreen and release to fall earthward. There are other modes of transportation, including a powersuit called the Stomper, a Gravity Suit that lets you walk on the ceiling and a newly added robot dragon called Cuddles. Each controls differently and protects you from insta-death when you're struck by an enemy missile or fly into a zapper or laser attack.

The Save Game: As with all good mobile apps, the game saves anywhere if you quit. Normally you'll play a session for a minute or two traversing an in-game distance of a few thousand meters before running into an obstacle. It's hard to go much longer per run unless you are simply amazing at it or luck into random token spins that resurrect your fallen hero. Inevitably you'll crash and burn and then jump right back in for another run. But if your phone rings or you need to stop abruptly, don't worry - you can pick up right where you left off.

Family Factor: Reasonably tame, though you do shoot and crush people. When you start, your character is wearing a machinegun jetpack (which is, in fact, was the working title of the game!). So you basically mow down the helpless scientists who wander along the ground beneath you as you travel through the facility. Once you earn a few coins, you'll be able to switch to less violent modes of transportation - including packs that emit bubbles, steam and rainbows - but you will inevitably crush folks from time to time using the various vehicles in the game.

Buy or Skip? Only $1 for one of the best mobile games ever? Just buy it! You'll get your money's worth and more.

On a Personal Note: I'm not a huge devotee of this style of game, but Jetpack Joyride is so well engineered to make you want to complete "just one more mission" that I have a hard time putting it down.

We've been fans of developer Halfbrick Studios since we stumbled upon their race and puzzle platformer Raskulls at PAX Prime 2010. And while we enjoyed slicing some produce with our fingers in Fruit Ninja, it didn't inspire the sort of long-term commitment that this has.

After completing all of the missions in Jetpack Joyride (three are active at any one time), you get a medal and then start the game all over again - and I did just that. You also can see how your friends are doing on Game Center and try to beat their high scores.

We're not normally all that competitive, but this game makes you want to keep trying for a greater distance, higher rank, achievements and all of the jetpack and vehicle upgrades (bought with coins you collect when you're not trying to avoid them for a mission). There's just so much depth and fun here for what seems like it ought to be a rather shallow gaming experience.

The first free game update added new elements, notably a new robot dragon vehicle. If Halfbrick keeps this up, we might save a ton on mobile app purchases. Because this is all I've been playing on my phone for the past two weeks. And there's no end in sight.

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Busy Gamer Review - Ugly Americans: Apocalypsegeddon

2011-09-07T08:06:30Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: Xbox 360. Also available for PlayStation 3.

In a Nutshell: A co-op dual analog shoot 'em up with mild RPG tendencies based on the Comedy Central animated TV show Ugly Americans. Both the show and game are set in an alternate universe New York where demons, zombies, wizards and manbirds (yup, exactly what it sounds like) are as common as pigeons in Central Park. Non-human types can tap into the Department of Integration (DOI) for help settling in. It doesn't always go well.

Four of the show's leads appear as playable characters in Apocalypsegeddon:

Mark Lilly, the earnest social worker (human)
Callie Maggotbone, Mark's immediate superior and BDSM enthusiast girlfriend (hellspawn)
Leonard Powers, DOI desk jockey and semi-functional alcoholic (wizard)
Frank Grimes, head of the DOI's Law Enforcement Division and PTSD case (human)

Each character has a unique special-attack keyed to his/her personality. Mark plugs his ears and shoots in the sky, sending dead Manbirds plummeting onto enemies. Grimes goes into full metal jacket mode. And so on. Players can select any of the standard load-outs before entering the game, but it all comes down to pretty much the same thing: shooting objects at bad guys. Of course, the objects might be bowling balls, baseballs or knives.

Learning Curve: This is one time you really need to read the instructions before jumping in. There isn't much to learn, but you will need to have a grasp of the dual-joystick (left moves, right fires) and a basic understanding of how to use your power move to survive the level. Fortunately, these are some of the most entertaining directions you'll ever read.

Each level is preceded by a cut scene explaining why there is suddenly a ton of say, Manbirds screaming "suck my balls" while attacking in the streets, or a horde of zombies totally ignoring the ban on human brains. The scenes were written and voiced by the show's talent, creating a familiar experience for fans. The gameplay itself consists primarily of walking down a street, getting attacked, clearing out enemies and then advancing into the next trigger area until reaching the level's boss(es). It's extremely linear and, at times, relentless.

There's little in the way of exploration, but players with itchy trigger fingers and an appetite for destruction will be rewarded for destroying everything possible including benches, mailboxes and random statues. Some produce loot, others offer the opportunity to switch load outs with a specific weapon.

The Save Game: The game auto-saves upon completion of a level or other significant action, such as leveling up. The average level is around 5 minutes and, no, you cannot save mid-level.

Family Factor: Older teens who watch South Park will find the humor somewhat tame. Younger kids will be traumatized. Expect sex jokes (Leonard's girlfriend is an anatomically correct doll), crude language ("Suck my balls" is on auto-repeat when manbirds are around) and some gross moments.

Buy or Skip? Fans of the show who just want to go forth and shoot things will have a ball with the levels. Those who are easily offended and gamers who prefer a bit more precision to their shooters should pass this one by.

On a Personal Note: I've watched Ugly Americans from the beginning, and approached the game as a fan of the show. The game does a nice job of capturing the style and humor of the series while pushing the boundaries ever so slightly. I caught several references to past shows, a nice nod to the fan base that will (presumably) make up the bulk of the game's audience.

It took me a few minutes to adjust to using a second thumbstick to shoot, but once I got the hang of it, I rather enjoyed the freedom it game me to run and gun (and spin and gun, for that matter). I had a more difficult time with the specialty moves. I never quite mastered Frank's machine gun, making it a waste of bullets. I tried using Mark's gun several times, only to have manbirds fall flat on the ground – instead of enemies. I'm still not sure what Callie's power is – I assume she has one. It didn't make much of an impression. None of that mattered once I had leveled up my strength though. A leveled-up Callie with bowling balls did plenty of damage without having to resort to... whatever.

Through luck of the draw online, I played the game alone, as a duo and, for a brief period, with a full squad of four online friends (the game defaults to online play though you can back out and choose solo action). The best overall experience was with one other team member, but that's partly due to the people who were randomly dropped into my game. With one other person in my squad it was easy to keep track of the other, and I had someone to heal me if I fell to enemy forces. Plus we were able to stay relatively close together, a critical point when playing on a shared screen.

In my four-player game, it was complete chaos - with team members falling behind to loot while others were getting creamed by the just-triggered hordes. It was frustrating and made me wish there was a boot option. I should have been more careful with my wishes: the most difficult player froze in place shortly after. It wasn't clear if he left the game voluntarily or his game froze. Either way, we had to abandon the level and start over. We couldn't advance without the fourth player. The game froze on me another time, requiring a full Xbox reboot to get back into action. At that point, there were no other players available, so I opted to go it alone. After failing to complete a level alone three times, I backed out and waited until someone else appeared. I did manage to get enough credit during my failed attempts to level up, so points for letting me keep my progress even when I failed to complete a mission.

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Busy Gamer Review - The Great Urban Race

2011-09-01T02:28:00Z

I've been a fan of The Amazing Race for years; stalking Phil Keoghan on the global mat is on my personal bucket list. But first, I need a travel partner. Our 8-year-old, The Pikachu Fan, started watching the show with me last year and is ready to grab his passport and hit the road. Alas, we're at least a decade away from presenting Phil with a Travelocity Gnome due to age restrictions. That's a long time to wonder how well we'd do as a team.

In mid-August, we found out.

Pikachu Fan, Gamewatcher and I participated in The Great Urban Race, a one-day, single-city scavenger hunt in the same vein as The Amazing Race. The Great Urban Race sponsors events in major cities throughout the US. You won't get rich running the Great Urban Race - at best, first place winners earn back their entry fees and a little extra - but that's not the point. The Great Urban Race is about having fun, doing ridiculous tasks and finding out just how much (or little) you really know about your city.

Team Busy Gamer

We discovered the race a few years ago by accident. We were eating at a favorite spot downtown when several pairs of identically dressed people jogged by and ducked into a nearby sports bar. Not all that unusual for summer around here. Then the cow and the milkmaid ran by. Even in Seattle, that caught our eye. A quick search revealed that the Great Urban Race was in town, and the sports bar was the beginning/end point. I read a bit about it while we waited for our food. Pikachu Fan's eyes got bigger by the second as I described each delicious detail of the race. He almost exploded with glee when I discovered that in the summer of 2011, he would be old enough to participate in the family division with us. When the food arrived, he had just one question.

"So, what are we going to dress as?"

While ambitious costuming ideas danced in my head ("Pika" and the "chus"! Mario, Luigi and Lara Croft!), Gamewatcher wisely suggested we go simple: Team Busy Gamer. We had tees made up with our logo on the front and our gamer names on the back. Add shorts and comfy shoes and voila! Instant team uniforms. (Side note: Temperatures were in the high 80s on race day. I'd like to thank Gamewatcher for talking me out of that whole theme costume thing.)

The night before the race, I had the bright idea to read some personal accounts of the race. Within 15 minutes, I knew we were going shopping. (Nothing like being prepared...)

The pre-game checklist:

City map
Water/snacks
Backpack
Smart phone
Notepad with pens
Portable cell phone charger
Camera (most clues follow the "Pictures or it didn't happen" rule)
GPS (we used our iPhones; Android and Windows Phone 7s should work too)
Bus passes
Cash

Packed and ready, we made our way to the starting point: the Pyramid Brewery in SODO (the southern end of downtown) near the baseball stadium. Game on!

The opening of an envelope

Clue envelopes were handed out shortly before noon. The clue burned in our hands as we listened to the rules: We must complete at least 11 of the 12 clues correctly to get full credit. A half-hour penalty will be given for each additional skipped (or incorrect) clue. No private transportation, including skates or scooters. Open your envelopes!

We ripped open our clue packet, booted our iPhones and set to work. Gamewatcher immediately identified a visual clue: a Totem Pole in nearby Pioneer Square. I got a little too excited when I realized we were going to Ye Olde Curiosity Shop on the waterfront. A few of the clues had addresses, including one in Capitol Hill - enough of a hike to justify getting on the bus. (Yay for bus passes!)

Then it got ugly. We knew at least one clue would be about sports - we were just steps from the stadiums, afterall - and there it was. "What's an itch-er-oo, Mommy?" "Ichiro, honey, he's a baseball player." "Oh." We finally got that one solved, only to hit this thing:

The clue indicated this was the logo of a local store.

We had to find the store, draw two random movie quotes and turn it into a wedding proposal. I latched onto the image, convinced it was a logo of a lighting store in the Belltown neighborhood downtown. Gamewatcher fixated on the word "movies." We were both stumped. I posted it to Facebook and Twitter to see if any locals might have a clue.

]]> And they're off!

Eventually, we decided we should, you know, leave the starting line. There were a couple teams left, but most had already taken off. We decided to start by finding the Seattle Pinball Museum in the International District, which is a short hike from the starting line. That's when we realized... we weren't sure exactly which direction to go. Fortunately, there was a Silver Cloud Inn across the street. My family had stayed there just weeks before - otherwise, I don't know that it would have occurred to me to go in. An extremely patient desk clerk marked the destination on a tourist map for us, and we were off!

As we walked by Safeco Field (where the Mariners play), we started looking for other opportunities to knock out clues. There was a tic-tac-toe option that required us to find strangers who would pose for photos in various configurations. Our first hit: a pair of tourists who gamely (and nervously) agreed to do the Village People YMCA pose with Gamewatcher and Pikachu Fan - good for the center square!

Less than a minute later, we spotted a police officer standing near the stadium. We needed someone to high-five a person in uniform, and figured this would fit the bill. As I approached nervously, I squeaked out, "Hi, we're..." and his hand went in the air for a high five. Pikachu Fan landed it, and we got our second tic-tac-toe square. We were on FIRE!

The last slot required us to find four people wearing Mariners jerseys. Being right next to Safeco Field, we assumed this was a no brainer. And we did find several people wearing team uniforms there and throughout the day - unfortunately, they were all Seahawks fans. We found someone better, however: a bus driver walking to the mass transit parking lot. He told us which buses to take to Capitol Hill, and where to catch them. Score!

We finally found the Pinball Museum and took the requisite picture. A little over an hour in, and we finally had one clue finished. We decided to head to Pioneer Square. Several clues were clustered between Pioneer Square, the Waterfront and the Pike Place Market - about 10 minutes apart from each other. We sampled some original flavors at Dry Soda, handed my camera nervously to a stranger to take a group photo in front of the totem pole and then headed to the Waterfront to pose with a pair of mummies at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop.

We grabbed some lunch on the waterfront and checked in on our Facebook/Twitter accounts. Two people had responded to our mystery clue with "it looks like a jewelry store." We ignored them and continued searching the web for electricity/movie stores in downtown and Capitol Hill while we ate.

My city by the (Elliott) bay

After lunch, we headed to the Waterfront Climb, which goes straight up to the Pike Place Market - and our next clue destination. Faced with climbing approximately 10,452 stairs or taking the elevator that goes one inch per hour, we opted for the elevator. When we finally got to street level, we made a beeline for Market Spice, a small store that is unfortunately located right behind the Guys Who Throw the Fish™. Getting through the hordes of tourists proved to be a bigger challenge than the official one, identifying spices by smell. (Well, the multiple choice helped.)

While we were at the Market, we stopped at DeLaurenti Specialty Food & Wine to pick up the requisite two items to donate to Northwest Harvest, a regional food bank. We had to backtrack a few blocks to find the donation truck, but it was worth it. This was one task we were not going to skip.

Who's on First (and Pine)

Our next destination was to be Capitol Hill. We briefly debated walking, but based on distance and our already aching feet, we decided to use our bus passes. A couple other teams were waiting for the same bus when we arrived at the stop. I took a shot in the dark and asked if they had figured out the logo clue that had been vexing us all afternoon. They did.

It was a jewelry store.

Specifically, a "fancy" jewelry store located somewhere near another task we had not yet done. We left the bus stop in search of this "fancy" jewelry store, cursing ourselves for not listening to the ever-growing list of friends and relatives who correctly identified the picture. We knew our next destination, the Milagros hair salon. We passed a bookstore with the doors wide open on the way to the salon. I ran in and asked the startled clerk if she recognized the jewelry store logo. This exchange actually happened:

Me: "I'm looking for a ‘fancy' jewelry store in this neighborhood that has this logo. Do you happen to know it?
Clerk: "Fancy?"

Me: "Yes, a fancy jewelry store."

Clerk: "Exactly."
Me: "Huh?"

Clerk: "You're looking for the Fancy jewelry store."

Me: "Yes, do you know what it is?"

Clerk:" Fancy."

Me: "No, really..."

Our Abbott & Costello routine continued 30 more seconds before I finally clued in: It wasn't a fancy jewelry store; it was Fancy, a jewelry store. The other team had technically given us the answer while also screwing with us. Nicely played.

Gamewatcher found the store address online while I styled a mannequin's head at the salon. Next, it was on to Fancy, the single hardest jewelry store in the world to find. (For the record, it's downhill from the Moore Theatre.) At the store, I pulled a quote from two separate bags. One was a long, thoughtful, mushy quote from My Best Friend's Wedding. The other was "ET phone home." I incorporated both into a heart-felt proposal to Gamewatcher. Pikachu Fan almost died laughing.

After Fancy, we finally caught our bus to Capitol Hill. We enjoyed a nice respite at Cupcake Royale, where Gamewatcher and Pikachu Fan bit into some mandatory cupcakes. We then worked off the calories at Velocity Dance Center, and made our way to a specific address only to discover - a boarded up area where our destination was supposed to be.

More progress in our city

Here's where it gets weird, but poignant. Our clue, which gave a specific address, had told us to look at three records and identify the artists from a selected list. Coincidentally, there were a number of artists on the wall exactly where the address would be. All were affected by the AIDS crisis. We stood for several minutes absorbing a massive timeline of the AIDS crisis, including artists who were both personally affecting and have taken steps to help. It was oddly sobering and touching.

After studying the wall for several minutes with a few other teams, we ducked into a nearby American Apparel and asked if the clerk knew what happened. She figured out they had meant to send us to Everyday Music, which had moved a few blocks away due to the light rail construction. Gamewatcher took the novel approach of calling the store and getting directions, which we shared with several other perplexed teams.

The record challenge was easy for me - my dad was in the music industry, and I was very familiar with artists and album art. I was able to make up some time, but it didn't make much difference - we were still stuck waiting for a bus back to the finish line!

All's well that ends well

And yes, we did make it to the finish, with a time of just over 4 hours. We came in 199th place, making my goal of finishing in the top 200. Given that we didn't listen to our friends, took a long lunch, walked a lot more than we should have and generally did everything wrong, I think we did pretty well. But best of all, we accomplished our main goal: we had a fantastic time.

It might have been the Great Urban Race, but for us, it was truly amazing.

Tips and tricks

Knowing what I do now, here's what I would tell future racers:

Research. Read all the blogs you can find (like this one!) that have personal accounts of past races. It really does help to prepare you for the day.
Pack light, but smart. Knowing what I do now, my pack list would include everything I mentioned above, plus sunblock (reapply!) and a tourist map of the city. That was the single most valuable item of the day.
Dress smart. You're going to be walking/running/taking buses all day. If you go for a costume, make sure you aren't going to die of heat stroke - and can get on the bus!
Figure out the most far-flung neighborhood and head there first. Everything we did was in two general areas: The stretch between the Market and SODO, and Capitol Hill. We had one clue that specifically said "Capitol Hill." The second we saw that, we should have left for the bus stop. We could have maximized our time by working on clues at the bus stop and on the bus, and then hitting the rest of the locations on the way back to the finish.
Listen to your friends. When several people say "I think it's a jewelry store," it probably is.
Don't use your cell phone as a camera. You will have to hand your camera to strangers at some point. Better to lose a digital camera than your iPhone. (We didn't, but there is a risk, obviously!)
Ask other teams for help - and offer. We never would have gotten the jewelry clue if we hadn't talked to another team that was generous with information. We paid it back by helping teams searching for the missing record store.
Listen to your teammates - and correct them if needed. For some reason, I referred to the Moore Theatre as the 5th Avenue Theatre three times while trying to help other teams. Fortunately, Gamewatcher heard me - and corrected the info. I was mortified. I was also exhausted and not thinking clearly (obviously).

Busy Gamer Review - Bastion

2011-08-25T06:48:00Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: Xbox 360. Also available for PC.

In a Nutshell: Action RPG with light level-up mechanics and not much looting but a deep story and riveting musical score.

You play a nameless Kid who awakens to the apocalyptic aftermath of a world knocked apart by an event referred to only as the Calamity. A character patterned on Sam Elliott's The Stranger from The Big Lebowski narrates your adventure and sometimes comments on your specific actions. For instance: "The Kid just rages for a while" is triggered if you go a little crazy with your hammer shortly after picking it up on the first level. You collect a variety of weapons and powerups - some active attacks and others passive skill boosters and upgrades - while exploring diverse locales in search of items to repair your shattered steampunk world.

There are also optional timed challenge levels should you want to test your mettle further, and you can play Plus mode after completing the main story once to go again while retaining your level and other progress from past outings - though you still have to rebuild the Bastion each time you play through.

Learning Curve: The game teaches you the main moves and weapon specific tricks as you find them and offers additional deeper control hints on the load screens. You'll pick it all up pretty quick for the most part, though some nuances (like reloading projectile weapons) may take a little time to uncover. No matter, since the game is pretty forgiving.

Bastion is more of a "story delivery system" by default. If you demand a bigger challenge, don't despair: You'll eventually unlock a Shrine that lets you increase the difficulty of specific game elements. It's purely optional though. As it should be.

The Save Game: You can only save between missions, which typically run you 10-20 minutes each. Watch for the save icon before shutting down! If you mess around with your weapon loadouts and other upgrades upon returning to the Bastion (as you'll be tempted to do), launch to the next level and watch for the spinning gear before quitting. You'll still start back at your base in the Bastion, but at least all of your changes will be recorded.

Family Factor: The violence is cartoonish and bloodless, which makes it a little easier to play with kids around. We won’t let our 8-year-old play since it is still somewhat violent, but he's allowed to watch and we actively discuss the themes it presents around war and intolerance.

Buy or Skip? We consider this a solid buy for action fans. On Xbox Live Arcade, you can grab a trial though I found that unlocking it when prompted didn't seem to trigger the save system (or perhaps I just quit too early) so I had to start over. Still, it's hard to stay mad at a game this good - and soon all was forgiven.

On a Personal Note: While Bastion's gameplay is solid and supports a number of play styles thanks to the wide array of weapons and unlockable special moves, it never quite devolves into a mindless hack and slash. This is probably due to the story, which is compelling and character driven, and the incredible soundtrack by Darren Korb. The music drew me in with its folksy yet modern edge and neat integration with the various realms you visit in your quest to find various cores and shards and such. In particular, making a specific choice near the end of the game can deliver one of the more poignant moments I've encountered in my not unsubstantial history with videogames. (Hint: Show a touch of compassion.) When the credits rolled, I stayed mesmerized on the couch listening to "Setting Sail, Coming Home," Korb's closing duet with soulful singer Ashley Lynn Barrett. All in all, this is one of the best game soundtracks in our extensive collection - so come for the gameplay and stay for the music!

Listen to Bastion gameplay and music in our audio review and, if you love it as much as we do, get the soundtrack at Bandcamp.com.

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Busy Gamer Review - Alice: Madness Returns

2011-07-21T04:19:18Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: Xbox 360. Also available for PlayStation 3 and PC.

In a Nutshell: A twisted platformer with some serious combat, set in a nightmarish Wonderland. The game picks up where America McGee's Alice left off in 2000. A house fire has claimed the lives of several, including Alice's beloved sister. Convinced she caused the fire, Alice spirals into a mental shutdown that transforms Wonderland into a toxic hellhole. Alice bounces between Victorian era London and this new Wonderland, trying to recapture her sanity and save her home away from home.

Alice is once again guided by the Cheshire Cat, who appears periodically to drop mad Zen master grooves that would be right at home in an episode of the old Kung Fu series from the '70s. Each level is a platforming paradise (or hell, if we're being honest here) based on an iconic Alice character (Caterpillar, White Rabbit, Mad Hatter, etc.). Alice alternates between visits to London, trips to Wonderland and flashbacks to what happened that terrible night.

Learning Curve: A love of platforming is absolutely necessary to survive. There is little learning on the job here: Not only must you plan your jumps, you will be jumping onto invisible platforms (made briefly visible using "intuition"), shifting in space and losing the ground beneath you without warning. You will die. A lot. The weapons selections include some devilishly clever takes on items from Alice's world – but really, it's just guns and melee. If you can aim and hit the button, you can defeat the enemies.

Navigating the game is generally easy. Alice's "intuition" reveals those invisible platforms, pathways and key doors plus blunt hints ("Go this way") written on walls and the ground. There are numerous hidden paths, doors and alternate locales to explore. Too bad these are blocked the second you enter the next section of a world. I missed out on many side trips because I couldn't tell which path was the main quest and which would lead me to hidden treasures.

It is a testament to the beauty of Alice, and the quality of the story (if not the writing itself) that I finished the game at all.

The Save Game: One of the worst save systems for busy gamers. You get one save, and it is entirely auto-save. The time between save points can be absolutely brutal: My worst experience was more than an hour between saves! The average seemed to be about 20 to 30 minutes, assuming you cruise through without any issues. Not bad, you say? It is if the game freezes at the 19 to 29 minute mark, or the game glitches and you can't proceed. Both happened to me, forcing me to restart from the last load. Had something corrupted my save file, I would have had to start the entire game over. Inexcusable.

Family Factor: Teens and more mature tweens will be able to handle it, but younger children will be horrified by the gory imagery and scary monsters. The London scenes include some language (mostly British profanity) and references to prostitution. There are some bare-breasted statues in a later Wonderland level.

Buy, Rent or Skip? Rent first and play at least three levels. If you get through three visits to Wonderland and are willing to keep going, look for a sale copy. $60 is simply unreasonable for a game that will not let you save anywhere, and that many will abandon around level 6.

On a Personal Note: I was a huge fan of America McGee's Alice on PC, but had to quit playing when my game glitched and I couldn't find my way out of an invisible area. Fool me once, right? I still have my original Alice and Cheshire cat figurines that Gamewatcher gave me all those years ago. So to say I was excited for this game is an understatement. Don't get me wrong – I did genuinely love Madness Returns. But I also felt disappointed that so many things that were wrong the first go-round simply weren't addressed in the sequel.

Every level is designed with a signature look that while not unique – you're still running/jumping/fighting – do keep the game fresh. Sadly, the truly breathtaking stuff is saved for the last few levels. Yes, the earlier ones are generally pretty cool. But when you reach the Queen of Hearts, you'll see what game designers can do when they put their heart and soul into it.

Unfortunately, many will never reach that point due to some lopsided, occasionally punishing gameplay and one of the poorest save schemes ever (detailed above). I breezed through some levels and had a splendid time, only to find myself trapped in an endless loop of pain in the next. A smattering of mini-games in various genres (rhythm game, Galaga-like sea odyssey, and what appears to be a Braid knock-off) felt random and added little to the title.

Console players can download and play the original Alice when the game disc is in the console using a code provided with new copies. NOTE: It is not being offered separately at this time, so don't buy the "add-on" unless you have a secondhand copy of the game! I actually dove into the the original Alice on Xbox 360 with great anticipation and realized... well, Alice wasn't the only one who's lost her mind. Maybe I've been spoiled by modern games, or maybe nostalgia is a fickle beast. Either way, I barely got 20 minutes into the original before I gave up and switched to the sequel. Sometimes, maintaining sanity means avoiding madness.

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Busy Gamer Review - Bejeweled 3

2011-07-07T01:19:10Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: PC. Also available on Mac. In development for Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

In a Nutshell: Bejeweled 3 continues the match-3 tradition with some new twists joining the classics. This edition features several modes that will send your finger (and eventually, eye) twitching in fast and furious style. Zen mode offers a laid back endless game for players who don't need the stress. Those willing to take on the challenge can try out all of the modes through the quest, which tests players with a little bit of everything in each progressively tougher level.

The major modes available include:

Poker. A clever take on the card game, with players creating "cards" by matching gems. Each match grants a single card with the corresponding gem. (In other words, a three-diamond match is the same as a four-diamond match – both will give you a single diamond card.) The goal is to create classic poker "hands," such as a Full House, using the gems. It requires more planning than you'd expect, as a single cascade can destroy several potential matches.
Ice Storm. Ice builds from the bottom up at an aggressive rate, threatening to "freeze" the board and end the game. Matching gems melts the ice, with special gems (explosion, electricity, etc.) turning icy boards into short-lived oceans. It's survival mode for match-3 freaks.
Lightning. The classic stress-inducer. It's match-3 for people who need a bit more action in their lives.
Diamond Mine. Players excavate by matching gems in the dirt. The challenge: A certain number of items must be unearthed before time is up. Again, tougher than it sounds, but quite fun.
Butterflies. Certain gems turn into butterflies on the board. All butterflies move up one row with each move. Match the butterfly with at least two like gems, and it flies free! Just watch out for the spider carousing at the top of the board. If your butterfly reaches the top, it becomes dinner – ending your game.

Learning Curve: The basics are easy: Match 3 or more gems, you know the drill. Mastering certain individual games may take longer – for example, Poker was particularly vexing. The games are fun and engaging, though, and the learning curve is never frustrating.

The Save Game: The game saves on exiting a mode, making it easy to drop in and out for some quick match-3 action.

Family Factor: Entirely family friendly, although certain modes may inspire decidedly R-rated language. (I'm looking at you, Ice Storm!)

Buy, Rent or Skip? A solid buy. PopCap offers a one-hour free trial if you're on the fence.

On a Personal Note: I absolutely love Bejeweled, and have bought numerous versions of the games in the series for different platforms over the years. Bejeweled 3 is by far the best combination of engagement, challenge and fun. It also provides a great way to take a "brain break" from work.

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Busy Gamer Review - L.A. Noire

2011-06-30T05:26:55Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: Xbox 360. Also available on PS3. Due fall 2011 on PC.

In a Nutshell: A refreshing update to classic point-and-click adventure games blended with Grand Theft Auto-style action and carjacking, er, commandeering in 1940s Los Angeles. You divide your time between inspecting areas for evidence, interrogating persons of interest and chasing down suspects who make a run for it (and they always do!). The story is deep and engaging, but with cut scenes that are for the most part neatly integrated with interactions. Cinematics often lead into chases or questioning, so you rarely feel like an observer despite the film noir movie feel of the game (you can even turn on black-and-white mode if you're a traditionalist!). You are the detective, and the only major downside is that you're a pretty straight-laced officer of the law - so if you dream of playing a "bad cop," this probably isn't your game.

Learning Curve: L.A. Noire eases you into the various gameplay elements one at a time, starting with a relatively straightforward beat cop case to get you started, and then it constantly reminds you if you seem to have forgotten anything as you progress through the Traffic, Homicide, Vice and Arson desks. You can turn off certain cues such as crime scene music that ends when you discover the last clue, if you want to increase the game difficulty and get a better chance at a higher rating.

The Save Game: The game saves automatically at various points during cases and when you pick up any collectibles. It's not "save anywhere" but checkpoints are reasonably spaced and you'll likely find good stopping places in between searching locations and interrogating suspects, or at the close of a case - though it's always tempting to start the next one right away.

Family Factor: While far from family friendly (there is bloody violence, coarse language and fully nude corpses for starters), you can choose a free roam mode from any completed desk called The Streets of L.A. You might hear the occasional salty outburst from a citizen you nearly run over while driving on the sidewalk or when causing a traffic accident. But if you're smart and stay away from the street crimes on your map, you can explore and find locations and innocuous collectibles such as cars, film cans and badges (with the optional badge challenge DLC) while a young one watches. I turned the volume down to low and let my 8-year-old watch me explore the city, and he loved it.

Buy, Rent or Skip? L.A. Noire can be beat in about 20 hours, with 5-10 hours more if you spend a lot of time collecting cars, film cans, badges, and other optional items in the game. I spent at least an hour just driving around the city to discover locations. DLC cases extend the story with missions that will be integrated into the main story if you download them before you start the police desk they're tied to, so add an hour or two for each case you add. If you want to beat it and street it, rent. But if you're a completionist, then this is a good game for you - so you might as well buy.

On a Personal Note: I fell in love with L.A. Noire largely based on its excellent writing and storytelling, and the fact that it pays homage to one of my favorite films of the past 20 years, L.A. Confidential. From the music to some of the performances, you feel like you could easily turn a corner and run into "Shotgun" Ed Exley, Bud White and Captain Dudley Smith. The actors are eerily real, to the point that you can readily identify Mad Men's Aaron Staton as your character, Detective Cole Phelps, and Heroes' Greg Grunberg as a murder suspect.

GrrlGotGame is less fond of the game, largely because she can't role play as a corrupt officer - though she did manage to toss a perp off a roof, jack many cars from citizens and gun down countless criminals and the occasional civilian.

The only serious black mark is some sloppy structure, particularly during the Homicide cases. A well planted clue to what was really going on popped up early, but the game prohibited me from running down any leads in that direction. Instead, I had to see it through in a forced linear fashion that included interpreting obtuse clues and even some platforming action (which felt mostly out of place). The finale of this section took forever because I didn't realize I had to proceed at a certain point in what had been a dodge-and-shoot pursuit, and it kept failing me. This might have been saved if the game had let me pursue my suspicions to a dead end and the last homicide case were better constructed.

But once I landed on the Vice Desk, all was forgiven. I really enjoyed the remainder of the game, and was glad I saw it through to the bittersweet end. I just hope they keep making DLC so I can extend my investigations until the inevitable (and most welcome!) sequel.

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Busy Gamer Review - You Don't Know Jack

2011-04-07T00:19:44Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: Xbox 360. Also available on PS3, PC, Wii and Nintendo DS.

In a Nutshell: An often-suggestive comedy show disguised as a trivia game, wrapped in a Generation X wrapper. (Say, when's the last time you heard anything about Gen X?!) The conceit is that you are part of a slickly produced game show, complete with ads, bumpers and a snarky host. Up to four people can participate in the festivities, with every correct answer earning money. The faster you answer, the better the rewards. Miss an answer, lose your cash.

Your long-time host and resident smart-ass Cookie (also known as Tom Gottlieb in real life) returns to quiz you and, more importantly, sarcastically ridicule you when you get the answer wrong. Seriously, I'm pretty sure he's rooting for you to lose! Cookie's questions can be mind-bendingly hard due to phrasing. Things that should be pretty straight forward are twisted and warped into pop-culture candy that both entertains the palette and confuses the taste buds. Don't spend too much time trying to get the reference; it probably has zero to do with the answer.

The final event, the Jack Attack, asks players to match up two things based on a topic. A name or item appears on screen followed by a series of flying options, including many that either sound alike or just sound plausible. First to buzz in on the right one gets the points. Get too itchy and buzz in wrong, and you lose. The massive point build up means that even a doomed player can come from behind and own the category for the win... and the "Came From Behind" achievement. (See, I told you it was freaky!)

Learning Curve: If you know your game controller (or PC keyboard), you can play. If you aren't sure which button is where, you might want to brush up before you get started. Otherwise, it's very straightforward. Your only limitation is trivia knowledge. Don't have a name (or too rushed to enter it)? One will be assigned to you, and it's usually pretty amusing.

The Save Game: Each game session takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. The game records your progress, including questions answered, at the end of the game so you don't repeat any. There are 73 games on disc, and PS3 and Xbox 360 gamers can buy packs containing 5-10 more for $5 each.

Family Factor: Not as crude as South Park, but definitely some questionable material. Language runs to the damn/hell/ass variety. Heavy sexual innuendo. While small kids won't get most of it, you probably don't want them running around screaming "I CAME FROM BEHIND!" following a victory, either. Teens probably won't understand half the humor unless they watch a lot of Nick at Night. Finally, a game you can beat them at!

Buy, Rent or Skip? With 730 questions and add-on packs of new and "classic" (read: old) sessions coming down the DLC pipeline, this is a solid buy for those who enjoy trivia games, bawdy humor and screwing their neighbors.

On a Personal Note: We played You Don't Know Jack about a decade ago on the computer back in our Macintosh days, and we loved it. The new game feels just like the old one, which is a good thing. The addition of Achievements/Trophies makes it even sweeter – finally, I can up the sexual innuendo factor in my gaming score!

On the flip side, there are some seriously WTF questions mixed in for "fun." For me, these typically involve the word "physics." As in, I barely passed algebra, and don't go near the stuff (well, unless I trip and get a real world schooling). These don't show up every game, but they do seem like frequent occurrences. And when they do appear, it's the perfect opportunity for Gamewatcher to screw me! As in, hit the button that takes a small piece of hardware (a screw) and drills it down into the words, "Player 1." (Queue obligatory suggestive Cookie comment.) This option, available once per game, forces your neighbor to answer in 10 seconds while a dramatic clock counts down. It's worse than it sounds. The losses are bigger, but get it right, and the screwer becomes the screwee.

Gamewatcher and I especially enjoy playing mid-day during work breaks. If you're wondering, he usually screws me first. Damn physics questions.

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Busy Gamer Review - Fallout: New Vegas [BGN Game of the Year 2010]

2011-02-02T08:04:06Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: Xbox 360. Also available on PS3 and PC.

In a Nutshell: Post-apocalyptic RPG set in the western U.S. The big one hit somewhere in the '40s or '50s (based on music and style) but life went on... sort of. Multiple warring factions including The Legion (think Roman Empire), the NCR (military government) and multiple thuggish gangs are just a few of the things that stand between you and your destiny. As with Fallout 3, you can play it good, bad or ugly - but this time, your reputation varies down to the town. Piss off one faction and win brownie points with another. Play do-gooder in another area and expect a rival faction to come gunning for you in the wild.

The bounty hunters can make a simple trek across the desert a real pain - especially when they show up in the middle of a rad scorpion attack. And exploration is really what this game is about. There are tons of caves, towns, graveyards, and burned out camp areas to discover and loot, many with back-stories to distract you from the main mission. Expect to spend at least 100 hours on this game, and more than likely twice that. And, apart from the occasional freeze up (even after the most recent patch), New Vegas really delivers and builds on its predecessor with a deep, compelling world and rich and engaging action and story.

Learning Curve: New Vegas gives you the option to skip some training in the beginning, which is tempting to Fallout 3 vets. I opted to skip it myself, while ever-patient Gamewatcher went through the whole thing. He confirmed that the training included a few new skills that would have been helpful - but I managed to beat the game, learning what I needed on the job. If you're impatient and just want to start killing things, skip it. If you're a completest, take the training. Either way, you'll pick up everything you need as you go.

The Save Game: You can save anywhere from the menu, including during combat. This is the only reason I got through some particularly treacherous boss battles - shoot, retreat, hide, save. You are limited to 100 saves, which seems arbitrary to me. I easily burned through 400+ saves on Fallout 3, and I'm still not entirely done with it. (Beat it? Yes. Done with it? No.)

IMPORTANT: As with the original release of Fallout 3, you cannot return to the game after you beat the final quest. You can reload an earlier save and return the wasteland, however. You will be asked if you have done everything you want to do before entering the finale. If you have not saved recently, say no, save your game, and start the speech challenge again. Fallout 3 was eventually patched to allow you to continue after the ending, but apparently that bit of wisdom wasn't picked up for the sequel. Maybe we'll see a patch for this down the road, but the Dead Money expansion pack doesn't address it - you still have to play it from a save that predates the finale.

Family Factor: This one is for the grown-ups. Even people playing for good are forced into violent (and quite gory) confrontations with realistic people, giant mutants and an army of Elvis impersonators (Elvii?) There is some bad language, although a lot of it is written rather than spoken. Still, not for tweens or younger. Your teen may be mature enough, but that's for you to decide after you've logged at least a few hours in New Vegas yourself.

Buy, Rent or Skip? This falls into either Buy or Skip - there is simply too much to do in a reasonable rental time. Fallout New Vegas is a fantastic, immersive experience with much to offer both shooter and RPG fans. New expansion DLC extend the life of the game, although just wandering the wastelands and looking for new areas will keep you busy for quite a while. That said, gamers who don't have a strong tolerance for violence should skip it. But, for all others we recommend you buy this one.

On a Personal Note: There are plenty of areas open from the beginning, but don't be fooled - there are ample super-nasty factions waiting to hand your ass to you across the wastelands. The best way to level up is to stick to the main mission at least for a little while. Once you've gotten a few perks under your belt, you'll be good to go.

As a bonus, the more missions you perform, the more Mr. New Vegas - Wayne Newton in a genius piece of casting! - has to discuss as your personal DJ. Yes, once again, your actions will influence what you hear on the radio. Sadly, it won't do anything about the music, which is limited and repetitive. (Dear God, not Johnny Guitar again!)

Long-time readers know I'm firmly on team chaos, while Gamewatcher plays for the nice guys. We've both had some issues figuring out exactly how to keep our reps where we want them to be though. This game is hardly black-and-white. I finished it with two different endings, and I'm still not sure if I was a naughty girl or not. Now THAT'S a game!

The main mission is relatively short, and requires much more attention and thought than in Fallout 3. You'll have a chance to align yourself with one of several factions as you fly toward the grand finale. There's just one problem: Making even one incorrect speech choice can forever shut down access to your desired faction. I had to reload several times to redo seemingly innocuous speech decisions. Even speaking to the wrong person at the wrong time can kill an entire quest line.

I should note that I tried Hardcore Mode for about five minutes - and I do mean five minutes - before returning to regular mode. As you've no doubt heard, Hardcore Mode ups the ante by requiring you to find water, rest and actually seek out a doctor when you get hurt. It adds a serious level of masochism that is unlikely to appeal to busy gamers. But if you beat the game and want a bigger challenge, it's there waiting for you.

However you play, New Vegas is packed with magical moments:

The first time you see New Vegas at night.

The various vaults you unlock and the secrets they contain.

The relationships you build with the many characters who drop in and out of your travelling party, from the girl-crazy technophile Veronica (voiced by The Guild's Felicia Day) to the floating robot ED-E who plays march music whenever he attacks. Or my fave, Cass, who finally left me after the abuse I heaped on her took its toll. (I told you I was a bad girl in the game!)

Each character has a backstory to unravel, and the game may overwhelm you with its wide array of interesting quests to complete. Seriously, there's a good chance you may still be chipping away at this game a year from now.

If you've read this far, pick it up - you won't regret it!

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Busy Gamer Review - Kinectimals

2010-12-22T19:20:15Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: Xbox 360 (Kinect required)

In a Nutshell: Play mini-games and teach tricks to virtual wild feline friends. You adopt a lion, tiger or other ferocious kitty spawn and then pet and play with it like you never could in real life. You can throw small balls and rubber chickens for it to pick up (ha, like any cat would "fetch"!), volley soccer balls for fun (and a stealth mini-workout!), drive remote control vehicles (including a Warthog and Ghost from the Halo series!) and even dig for buried treasure (the cat collects the chest for you and then pats it back into the ground after you've claimed its booty). There are also slightly longer RC vehicle races, obstacle courses, target shoots and other challenges that you can play alone or with friends to compete for high scores. Winning these earns you unlockable items and currency to purchase décor for your virtual home in the game.

Kinectimals unfolds with an overly long intro and lots of backstory about some captain who once cared for the kitties and how they've been craving attention since he left, and there are other parts of the island that have been forgotten. There's a flying lemur who introduces you to new areas and activities; if you can get past this over-the-top touch and rambly explanation, there's some great gameplay to be had. Typical play sessions tend to be longer than most Kinect games (30 minutes or so) since activities are easily strung together and your pet helpfully introduces new and existing items as play suggestions if you don't pick something to do quickly. Completing mini tasks (such as hitting targets with a frisbee or knocking down objects with an RC car) earns you points toward unlocking the next challenge or area of the island, which progresses the game and adds new cats and toys for you to play with.

Learning Curve: Some of the tricks you teach your critter can be tricky to pull off, but otherwise this is an easy game to pick up and play. It's arguably the best launch game to get you started with Kinect because it teaches you the mechanics of movement and control, plus it works better in tight spaces (less than 8 feet from the TV) than the pack-in game, Kinect Adventures.

The Save Game: Despite the warning that you may lose progress, the game saves your score and any unlocked items and locations when you quit and periodically as you complete activities and challenges. It won't save your exact place in the game, but it's easy to return to your kitty and select a challenge or toy box item to play with, so there's not much lost when you exit. Your pet is also infinitely patient, so you can leave the game running while you're doing your chores (like feeding your real-world cat, who probably isn't happy about all of the strange purrs and meows he's been hearing!) and your little virtual feline will entertain itself until you return.

Family Factor: The whole family will love it, from the toddlers to the grandfolks. The only exception may be teens and young adults, who may not want to admit how much fun Kinectimals is due to its overly cutesy veneer (mostly due to that talking, flying Lemur who narrates your adventure).

Tell them there are Halo unlockables and that they can play it with their favorite emo or death metal soundtrack (ripped to the hard drive), and they might just give it a try. I played with Green Day's "American Idiot" (when our 7-year-old wasn't home) and had a blast!

Buy, Rent or Skip? If you have a Kinect, this is a "must buy" - especially if you have small children. Even after you beat the game, there's fun to be had cavorting with your favorite feline and topping your high score in challenges. You might even get a little exercise playing. It makes a nice warm-up for the more intense workout programs on Kinect or your favorite cardio regimen. Teens will probably be too cool for this game, but adults who are secure in their identities can (and should!) love it.

On a Personal Note: I'm an adult male, and I love Kinectimals. I expected this game to win over GrrlGotGame and our 7-year-old son, Pikachu Fan, but I had no expectation that I would play this more than once or twice just to check it out. When I was younger, I railed against overly cute games - but now, perhaps due to the feline theme, the solid game mechanics, the wisdom of my years and the light runner's high I get after a game session - I play it more than they do!

My first cat was a black panther I named "Midnight," though I've unlocked several more cats - both through gameplay and reusable codes collected from Burger King promotions and stuffed animals included as pack-ins with some versions of the game. Scan cards can be found for free on the Internet; just print them and hold them up to the Kinect camera when visiting the Scan Stone at the circle where you pick your active pet. (Individual stuffed animals without the game are expected to hit retail in 2011, if your kids are wondering why Santa couldn't drop one in their stocking.)

If there's a knock against this game (besides the "cute factor"), it's that you can't quickly jump into multiplayer from the main menu. It takes hours of play to unlock the various challenges, and then you have to travel back to them using your map and switch off to another player (by holding your arm out to the upper right of the screen) to let them have a go at challenging your score. So it's not a great game for when you have a lot of kids vying for their turn - for that, I'd recommend the Kinect Sports mini-games or Kinect Adventures.

But other than the lack of quick play, it's a great game - I'd even say it's the best Kinect launch title.

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Busy Gamer Review - 7 Wonders HD

2010-11-24T20:09:47Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: iPad. Also available for PC, PS2, PSP and Nintendo DS.

In a Nutshell: Fantastic match-3 game for finger gamers who enjoy a bit of eye candy with their competition. Your mission is to build the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, including the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Great Pyramid of Giza. You won't be slinging bricks, though. Instead, you match gems (at least 3, up to 5) to make room for bricks to fall down to your minions.

Each "Wonder" is built through a series of levels. You begin with a written educational debrief about the Wonder and then proceed to a set of puzzle levels. There are two basic goals: One, match every space at least once to clear it (additional layers are added as the game progresses), and two, drop the bricks down to your minions. This is achieved by matching gems in any vertical row below it. At the end of each level, an antiquated schematic shows your progress to date, with completed work on the "Wonder" filled in and remaining work displayed in outline. It's a kick to see the buildings and statues grow each level, and the artwork is simple but beautiful.

There are 49 levels total in the game. Finishing the game unlocks a free play mode, or you can go for a second (or third!) go-round building the Wonders. Subsequent games begin at a higher difficulty and do get extremely challenging: I found myself timing out much earlier, and more often, my second time through. It was not frustrating, however. It simply demonstrated that I needed to rethink my strategy. If anything, the game became more fun!

Learning Curve: Very easy to pick up. The early levels are generous with time and matches. My 7-year-old picked up on what to do just by hovering over my shoulder, and started pointing out moves that I missed. The second half of the game does require strategy and a quick hand, but by that time players have mastered the basics and are ready to take on the multi-layered pieces.

The Save Game: Very busy gamer friendly - you can save your exact place in a level at any time by exiting to the menu.

Family Factor: Completely family friendly, and your kids might even learn something! Pikachu Fan was amused by the little minions running back and forth across the screen, although he was disturbed when one appeared to be "crushed" by a falling piece. (The minion emerged unscathed. We decided it actually fell in front of him.) Seeing the monuments also sparked some discussions about the actual 7 Wonders of the World, a bonus in my book.

Buy, Rent or Skip? Buy – this is a must for match-3 fans or anyone who is looking to give the genre a try. It's a deep, rich game that will keep you entertained for a long time to come, and the increased difficulty for repeat playthroughs lends the game even greater value.

On a Personal Note: I was a fan of 7 Wonders of the World on PC and always wished they would put out a phone version I could take with me. The downside: The large boards realistically wouldn't represent well on a little screen. The iPad is the perfect solution, offering a screen large enough to make the colors and textures pop, plus plenty of room to maneuver pieces into place without the frustration of mismatches that often happens with these types of games on small touchscreens. Before this game came back into my life, I barely touched Gamewatcher's iPad - now he has to fight me for it!

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Busy Gamer Review - Fable III

2010-11-18T07:40:00Z

This week, we have a guest reviewer. Patty Campbell (Tackyspoons on Twitter) is a friend and former game industry colleague.

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: Xbox 360. A PC version is in development.

Is Fable III a misfire?

In a Nutshell: Set 50 years after the last installment ended, your brother Logan is King of Albion and not a very popular one at that. The first half of the game leads you through a rebellion to overthrow your brother and the second half of the game puts you on the throne. As Queen (or King), the choices that you make and the way you decide to rule have a huge impact on how the game ends. Are you a benevolent ruler who makes good on your promises or do you simply drive forward in a self-serving quest for riches, not caring who or what you harm in the process?

Through combat, interactions with people and quests, you earn Guild Seals, which you can spend to level your magic, melee and ranged weapon skills. Melee combat has improved since Fable II. The more you use a weapon, the more elaborate your attacks with that weapon will become. Instead of augments, Fable III makes use of a unique levelling system for weapons, but you'll need to read each weapon's description carefully to find out how to activate it.

If you only follow the storyline-based quests, the game is appallingly short. I was able to finish twice in one week. My advice, if you get this game: Take your time and explore the side quests along the way to unlock new content and extend the life of the game.

Learning Curve: Fable creator Peter Molyneux has long tried to do away with the traditional game interface to reduce the amount of clutter on the screen and allow a player to become fully immersed in the game. There are some improvements over past Fable games, but not many.

Like Fable II, you learn how to play the game through character dialogue or pop-up help text at the top of the screen. But from there on out, Molyneux's vision of a simple UI falls flat. Your items, clothing, map, save features and access to Xbox Live features have been moved to a place called The Sanctuary — just a button push away from your game screen. Although it's a marked improvement over Fable II's character/item management, the user experience of The Sanctuary is clunky and inconsistent.

Interactions with villagers, a key way to gaining the guild seals you need to progress in the game, are frustrating at best. The elegant "emotion wheel" from Fable II has been replaced with a jerky, time-consuming cut scene consisting of three emotions: a "good" one, a "bad" one and a "funny" one. My first "meh" of this review. (Oh yes, there will be another!)

The Save Game: You'll have to play through about an hour of the game before you can get to a save point. After that, as long as you're not in the middle of a quest or interacting with another character, you can save your progress at any point by entering the Sanctuary and going to the options menu.

Family Factor: In addition to scary imagery and dark, supernatural beings that even made me jump a little, there's sex, mildly foul language and lewd behavior. Sure, you can play the game without getting married and having a family, but you miss out on a lot of the experience if you do. Bottom line, not for kids.

Buy, Rent or Skip? Rent. While it's still fun to explore the world of Albion, the game is too short to justify a $60 investment and I hate to reward Lionhead for sloppy testing.

On a Personal Note: I loved Fable II. I spent hours exploring the kingdom of Albion, interacting with its citizens, fighting crime, buying property and making choices that affected not only my character's life, but the lives of those around her.

This shot from a Fable III developer diary shows a bug count of 30.
Did those bugs all get fixed? It doesn't seem like it.

Fable III was to be the jewel in Lionhead Studios' crown. Their marketing materials were rich with the promise of dramatic visuals, all-star voice talent (including John Cleese, Simon Pegg, Stephen Fry and Sir Ben Kingsley), exciting battles and a compelling story line.

Dramatic visuals? Check. All-star voice talent? Yes, plus a bonus gold star for crafty dialogue! Exciting battles? Sure, if your definition of exciting is using the same spell all the way through the game. Compelling story? Meh. Not exactly.

The sheer number of plot holes and dead-end storylines alone should have been my first clue that this game was rushed through production. But those paled in comparison to the number of bugs I found in the game.

There were at least three quests I was unable to finish due to bugged NPCs or environmental issues. The sparkly gold trail that leads me from quest to quest would disappear for no reason, and at one point, my butler (voiced by John Cleese) just stopped talking to me. These are all well-documented bugs, but so far Lionhead has been silent as to how or when there will be a patch to fix them.

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Busy Gamer Review - Dead Rising 2

2010-11-04T16:11:19Z

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.

Reviewed On: Xbox 360. Also available for PlayStation 3 and PC.

In a Nutshell: A strong update to the original Dead Rising, with a new hero, storyline and location (a Las Vegas doppelgänger called "Fortune City"). You play as Chuck, a motorcross superstar who is trapped in the city with an infected daughter. Fortunately for you (and the kid), a pharmaceutical company has developed Zombrex, which holds the virus at bay. The events unfold over several days, with survivors once again holed up in a blocked-off mall security area while you go out and run errands and save survivors.

While this will all sound familiar to Dead Rising vets, there are some new features to the game. You can now combine certain items to create super-cool weapons (tiki torch + water gun = muy bueno!), and the Dead Rising 2 psychopaths have been cranked up way past eleven. (Tip: If you make it far enough to get the One Hit Wonder side mission, do it - this was by far the BEST. MISSION. EVER.)

The game has a separate online multiplayer arena where you can earn cash to use in the game - and you will need cash. Lots of it. Once you get past the rather long intro video (which can be skipped once you are placed in a game), you'll be challenged to a random set of mini-games, some grosser than others, all geared toward killing zombies. Ride the Zombonie and then spew zombie-touie into grotesque clown mouths! Snipe zombies from above! And, of course, ride your motorcross bike over every zombie in the house. You can stay as long as you want - just be sure to cash out before you leave. Your earnings will appear in your single-player saved game the next time you load.

Speaking of re-loading, should you make it through the game once and go back for more, all cash, levels, health bars and weapon slots will come back with you. As fans of the first Dead Rising know, sometimes it's better to level up, quit and start again - although with three slots, it is feasible to hack your way to an ending... even if it's not the one you might want.

Learning Curve: The game will teach you what you need to know as you go. Some stuff you do have to trigger, so keep your eyes peeled for icons appearing on objects or locations. Even Dead Rising experts will have a thing or two to learn this time around, so don't dismiss messages without at least a cursory read.

The Save Game: Capcom's game designers once again require you to find a bathroom (classy!). The semi-good news: There are a lot more bathrooms in Fortune City than at the Willamette Mall. Better news: You get three save slots this time. I know, I know... but you only had one in Dead Rising, so this is progress.

Family Factor: Ha. Haha. Hahahahahahahahha... ha... ha... heh.... no.

Buy, Rent or Skip? Masochists and people who love finding new and creative ways to beat the hell out of zombies should rent it with the option to buy. At $60, it's hard to recommend just flat out buying it without at least taking a brief spin. Once it drops down in price, have at it. Those who can still feel their tendons (oh how I miss mine) or who don't enjoy high-stress, timed missions should definitely skip it. Not sure which camp you fall into? Xbox 360 owners can download Dead Rising 2: Case Zero for $5 and get a small taste of the game, albeit in a location NOT found in the actual game. More importantly, you can level Chuck up to 5 and transfer his progress to the main game. That alone is worth the money. (Plus, extra achievements!)

On a Personal Note: I absolutely loved the first Dead Rising, although I sometimes feel like I'm the only one in the world who isn't 20 with endless patience and limitless time to play. I never beat the original game with the "good" ending - in fact, I've never made it past Day 3 due to one particularly difficult mission. I kept going back for more, though, because I just enjoyed wandering the mall and finding new ways to mess with the zombies and psychos. Plus, the more I leveled up, the easier different missions became. But I really hated the single save slot and that one mission I still have yet to complete.

The fact that I managed to finish Dead Rising 2 on my first run through - and yes, I had to visit GameFAQs a few times for some sage advice - says a lot about just how much I wanted to find out what happened. I've already started going back through a second time, because - and this is painful to say - now is when it gets fun! I've leveled up, I know my way around and this time I'm going to be a better dad. (Let's just say Daddy is going to the toy store early and often this go round.) But more importantly, there are tons of shops, gambling joints and restaurants I've yet to see, and people I haven't even tried to rescue.

The developers have said these games are designed for multiple play-throughs, so I guess I'm their audience. It's up to you to determine if you feel the same way.

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Busy Gamer Audio Reviews and Features (MP3):

Dead Rising 2 First Impressions
Dead Rising 2 Gripes
Dead Rising 2: Case Zero Impressions
Dead Rising 2: Case Zero Tips
Lego Universe (by 7-year-old Pikachu Fan)
Comic Jumper
Hydrophobia
Crackdown 2 Tips
Alan Wake
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Doom II
More audio reviews and features from the Best of Busy Gamer Podcast