Croc: Legend of the Gobbos (Playstation)

Hey guys,

What I'm playing this week:






 Croc: Legend of the Gobbos


-----------------------------------------------------------
About the game:

Platforms: Playstation, PC, Gameboy Color, Saturn

Publisher: Fox Interactive

Developer: Argonaut Software

Year:  1997

Genre: Platform

Played on: Playstation
------------------------------------------------------------

Croc was the first real video game I ever got. I was born just under a year after it was released, so I didn't get it when it was new.

I probably got it around 2002, when my cousin had just purchased a Playstation 2. He gave me his old Playstation, along with two games. This was one of them.





Croc is very similar to games like Super Mario 64. That's not to say it is a rip off, it is very original in its own ways. You play as Croc, the little 'crusading crocodile' and you have to rescue these little creatures called Gobbos from 'the evil magician, Baron Dante'.

You explore different levels, collecting crystals and rescuing Gobbos. There are more than forty levels but, especially early in the game, most of the levels feel the same. It feels like the makers have used the same template too much. But as you progress in the game the levels start to feel slightly more unique and interesting.

The graphics (while shocking now), were probably very good for the time, so I won't talk too much about the graphics.

Overall the game is quite fun. It's not perfect, far from it. But it is still a classic.

Weekly Gamer Score:

7/10

~SuperMaloPerro~

Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

Hey Guys,

What I'm playing this week:




Super Mario Galaxy

About the game:

Platforms: Wii

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Nintendo

Year: 2007

Genre: Platform

I'm sure everybody would have heard of this game. And a lot of people would have played it. I only really got into gaming at the start of this year, but I played this a lot last year.

Super Mario Galaxy is a game for everyone. No matter what age you are, no matter where you live, you will probably like this game.

Like a typical Mario game, Princess Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser. But his time, her whole castle is stolen and flung into outer space! This is where this game gets interesting, because now, unlike a typical Mario game, this one is set in outer space on lots of different planets in lots of different galaxies. Hence the name, Super Mario Galaxy.








I urge you to try this one out if you haven't already, even if you have never played any Mario games.
It is brilliant.

Weekly Gamer score:

9.5/10

~SuperMaloPerro~

Change of Format

Hey Guys,

I'm going to change the format of the site a bit. Instead of reviewing games every Monday, it will be every second Friday.

I hope you enjoy these changes.

~SuperMaloPerro~

FUTURAMA (PS2)

Hey Guys,

This week's game is Futurama!

Platforms: PS2, Xbox, (Also on GameCube in Europe)

Publisher: FOX Interactive

Developer: Unique Development Studios

Year: 2003

Genre: Platform, Shooter, Action

Played On: PS2


If you are a fan of Futurama, like I am, you might enjoy this game. Might. You'll certainly enjoy the cutscenes, that's one thing I can guarantee. The cutscenes are like a whole new episode of Futurama! But, I'm afraid there are a few things lacking in this game.














The graphics in the game are OK. The environments look good, but I'm afraid the characters can sometimes look a bit goofy and horrible. The game uses cel shading, but it doesn't really do the game or the show justice.

The gameplay is fun and action packed, but the controls are clunky and can be very annoying. It can also be extremely hard, depending on your skill level.

The voice acting is great, and one of the few good things about this game. It feature the whole cast of Futurama, and most of the characters, except for Amy, who mysteriously was not feature in the game.

The game is also very short, but there is a wide range of gameplay styles in each level, and different objects to collect. There are also photos and bonus cutscenes to unlock, so it could last you a while.

All in all, an average game. It has a few redeeming features, but unless you are a massive Futurama fan, you probably won't like this game.

Weekly Gamer Score:

5/10

Until next week,

~SuperMaloPerro~

inFAMOUS (PS3)

So this week's game is inFAMOUS for PS3!




 Platforms: PS3

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer: Sucker Punch Productions

Year: 2009

Genre: Open world, Action, Adventure

inFAMOUS is about Cole Macgrath, a bike courier in Empire City. He is instructed to deliver a package, and open it. Inside the package is a little thing called the Ray sphere, an electrical device. It is rigged to explode when opened, and it wipes out most of Empire City, causing many deaths, and a plague. Cole is at the centre of the explosion, and survives it!

As a result of the explosion, he has electrical powers, and he can choose to use them for good or for evil.

Or, more like YOU can choose to use them for good or for evil.

The game is open world, so you can explore Empire City, completing story missions, side missions, and looking for hidden objects such as dead drops and 'blast shards.' Dead drops are little recordings you can find and listen to, giving you little bits of information. Blast shards are leftover bits of rubble from the explosion that, when collected, boost your power. There is a lot of freedom in the city, but there are also a lot of enemies, that pop up randomly in the city, and you need to defeat them. This can get annoying if you are trying to get to a blast shard or dead drop, but it is usually quite fun to defeat them with your powers.

InFAMOUS is exceptionally fun. It has a great story and loads of action. The graphics aren't bad, but they improved on them in inFAMOUS 2, the 2011 sequel. You'll notice that in inFAMOUS, the cutscenes are comic book style, and that is a great touch, but when characters are interacting with each other and other objects, it looks pretty bad. But, again, they improved on that in the sequel.

Personally, I find Empire city a bit depressing sometimes. There isn't much colour, and all the buildings look the same. There is no UGC in the game, and the melee is very unrealistic. But those are really the only bad things about the game.

If you're looking for a fun game, no matter what your skill level, look no further than inFAMOUS.

Weekly Gamer Score:

8/10

See you next week,

SuperMaloPerro

THE SIMPSONS: HIT AND RUN (PC)

Hey guys,

This week's game is The Simpsons: Hit and Run!

Platforms: (PC, PS2, Xbox, Gamecube)

Publisher: Vivendi Universal (now Vivendi Games)

Developer: Radical Entertainment

Year: 2003

Genre: Action-Adventure, Racing

Played On: PC

This game is a 'must-play' for The Simpsons fans and gamers.

The story, written by the writers of the show, is fantastic. A horde of mechanical wasps has hit Springfield, and nobody knows why. That is until the Simpsons (and Apu) investigate. It gets even stranger when Bart is abducted by aliens, and comes back with his memory wiped, and not able to speak properly. You play as Homer, Bart, Lisa, Marge and Apu, and try and find out what the heck is going on!

You can tell that the game is a sort of parody of Grand Theft Auto. Take a look at this screenshot of the game:

Now compare it to this screenshot of Grand Theft Auto III:

As you can see, they are very similar, but Hit and Run is more colourful, humorous and, well, The Simpsons!

There are seven levels in the game. You play as Homer and Bart twice, and Lisa, Marge and Apu once. Every level starts you off with a car, but you can use cars from previous levels, and you can also earn new, faster cars by completing races and side missions, or buy them yourself.  There are hundreds of 'Buzz Cola' coins scattered around Springfield, and you can collect these to buy cars and clothes. There are also wasps, which are cameras, flying around Springfield that you can earn money by destroying.

The most challenging of all are collector cards hidden in tricky places around Springfield, and if you collect every card in a level, you earn a bonus race track to play at the end of the game, which, I must admit, I was a bit disappointed by the first time I played one, but you don't need to play it, it's just an added bonus.

There are three different parts of Springfield you can play in. Each is unique and has different famous locations from the show.
















Level 1 (Homer)

Level 2 (Bart)
 

Level 3 (Lisa)

Level 4 (Marge)












Level 5 (Apu)














Level 6 (Bart)












Level 7 (Homer)


Level one is, as you'd expect, the easiest. The missions get harder every consecutive level, but the cars get faster too! The most challenging level is level 7, the last level. You play, again, as Homer, and your main car is your 70's sports car. It is a Halloween based level, with zombies everywhere, and a giant alien space ship in the Elementary school playground. The gameplay in this level is much more fast paced than the previous levels, and it feels like there's more to do. It is a great conclusion to a great game.

After you have finished the main story you can go back and either free roam, or complete side missions, races and collect cards, so the replayability is okay, but the game could have been a little longer. Even just one more level.

The game's graphics are old, but they aren't that bad, and they look good enough for the game. Many argue that this is the best Simpsons game ever made, and I would agree with them. It is a classic. The gameplay is great, the story is great, the voice acting is great and there are few faults.


Weekly Gamer Score:

9/10 
See you next time!

~SuperMaloPerro~

SID MEIER'S PIRATES! (WII)

Hey Guys,

This week's game is Sid Meier's Pirates!

Platforms: (Version played) Wii, PC Xbox, PSP, Mac.

Publisher: 2K Games

Developer: Firaxis Games

Year: (Version Played) 2004

Genre: Strategy, Action, Adventure, Simulation

Played On: Nintendo Wii

'Live the adventurous life of a pirate.'

That's what you do in Sid Meier's Pirates!

The game was originally made in 1987, and then in 2004 was remade for the Xbox, Windows, Mac OS X, and eventually Wii and PSP. The version being reviewed is the Wii version.

The game starts off exciting enough. You are a small boy, and your family is enslaved by the evil Marquis De Montalban after not paying debt. You, of course, escape capture. You then set about finding your family again.

Set ten years after your family is taken, you have your own ship and you sail for either the English, Dutch, Spanish or French.

The gameplay in Sid Meier's Pirates can get very repetitive at times, and you do a LOT of sailing. However, it is quite fun to travel around the Caribbean, bombarding ships, trading, duelling, and, yes, even dancing. Because this is quite a casual game it is usually not very hard, but there is the occasional duel that you lose, and end up being thrown in jail or stranded on a beach. But even that's not annoying.

The game is old now, so the graphics are a bit dated, but never the less, it is quite a good looking game. The ocean is a beautiful blue and the trees are a stunning green.

On the Wii, it is pretty obvious that for duels you would use the Wii remote like a sword, and you do. It generally works well, but sometimes it can be a little bit slow to react, or it might not even react at all. But the sword fights are fun, and if you win, they are quite rewarding. You'd win a ship, gold, and men for your crew. Or you could sink all of them!

There is also an option in the game for a second player to join in, but I found it a bit boring, and the second player wasn't really very involved. Player two will act as a parrot during duels, temporarily blinding your opponent, while you catch them off guard. It's just not as fun, and it feels like an afterthought.

It is a very long game. You are constantly sailing around to different places, stocking up your ship, repairing it, searching for treasure, bombarding other ships, dancing with governors' daughters, and hunting down notorious pirates. Then there is the main story, of finding your lost family. But all in all, it is an enjoyable experience.

Weekly Gamer Score:

7/10

See you next week,

SuperMaloPerro.