Neversoft pulled a boneless on THP8; it seems ollies just don't cut it anymore. On the first announcement I had heard regarding the production of a new addition to the Tony Hawk series, I had my request papers in to our Editor-in-Chief. There was no debating in the matter, as I made it clear that on the event of GamingExcellence receiving a copy, I was to be notified without delay. Read More.
Following up on the fiasco that was THQ's last wrestling release WrestleMania 21, it would seem next to impossible for Smackdown! vs. RAW 2007 not to look great in comparison. With a mix-up in duplication sending an incredibly buggy WM21 version to stores, the WWE series needed a change of scenery and a fresh start, and SVR 2007 is just that. Read More.
Insomniac is best known for the original Spyro the Dragon and the Ratchet and Clank series. Ratchet and Clank in particular, brings a lot of first person shooter elements and blends them with a classic platforming approach. But the real highlights of that series are the weapons that players wield during the game. Read More.
A recipe ought to be swirling around in the gaming industry, as Saints Row seems all too familiar, bringing back the same shooting, driving, blowing up stuff, and 'de-limbing' innocent by-standers for the fun of it style of gameplay we've all come to embrace in our collections, happily pulling it out again if the mood strikes that certain dark side of our naughty gaming brains. Read More.
It's unfortunate to see great games whose remarkable instability causes them to gather dust on a shelf rather than getting another spin in the disk drive. The latest title from Malfador Machinations' Space Empires series is one such example, at least for now. Published by Montreal based Strategy First, Space Empires V offers up significant improvements over the previous release and is based on a solid concept, but the sheer lack of pre-release testing is baffling. Read More.
The first Destroy All Humans! game was a blessed in many ways. While probably intended as a niche title, the fact that it was an open-ended sandbox game released before the market became completely saturated with them was a definite bonus. That it also featured a clever title that made everyone take notice and that it was in essence a funny, clever game that received great reviews were all reasons for its success and its inevitable sequel. Read More.
Some of my fondest memories of playing videogames involve the Sega Dreamcast. Oddly enough, like its name implies, my memories of it seem short, hazy and dreamlike. I remember Resident Evil, I remember Soul Caliber, I remember Crazy Taxi and above all else, I remember Phantasy Star Online. Read More.
I must admit, I have enjoyed earlier Dynasty Warriors installments on the PS2, but I wondered if it would translate well to the PSP. I was skeptical that the PSP would be able handle the sheer amount of characters that appear on screen at any one time, a hallmark of Koei's "Warriors" franchise. Read More.
While advertising is one thing, the gaming community is more in tune with hype. You know, that little voice that gets everyone telling you that you need to buy a certain game because it's the next big thing. That wave of unjustified awe that gets newsgroups buzzing and fan boys coming out of the woodwork proclaiming the second coming. Read More.
Hockey is more then a past time up here in Canada; it's a way of life. When the hockey season rolls around every year, gamers eagerly wait and see what each of the major hockey gaming franchises has to offer up, and this year is no exception. Both 2K's NHL 2K7 and EA's NHL 07 have been competing for a few years with a similar set of features, this year however they've branched down different paths, which is good for hockey fans everywhere. Read More.
"Welcome to Bullworth Academy! Here you'll be receiving tutelage from some of the finest teachers in the country (that we could afford), rubbing shoulders with some of the best and brightest (that haven't run away or been grabbed up by the other schools), and interacting with the prestigious locals of the nearby town. Read More.
Set on one of Jupiter's moons, Ganymede (made habitable in the optimistic year of 2050), you'll take control of one of the mechanics on the base, an ex-soldier named Wesley Tyler. As usual, what turns out to be a routine maintenance task of restoring the power thrusts you into a battle with all manner of monsters and aliens as you struggle to survive your way through battle after battle in what looks to be an alien invasion. Read More.
A year and a half after its initial release, I still play Lumines religiously. Oddly enough, I can't say that about many games in my library. When I don't know what to play on the PSP, I play Lumines. When I don't know what to play on the Xbox 360, I play Lumines on Xbox Live Arcade. Read More.
I like to watch movies with Christopher Walken. I'd never run out to see one based on him alone, but when I realize he's in something, it generally gives me more incentive to see and enjoy it. I know he'll play the same character with the same speech pattern, but I like it and it entertains me. Read More.
The original Guitar Hero is arguably the best musical game on the market for the PS2. It has great songs from all around the Rock n' Roll spectrum and offers a great peripheral with the Guitar. In fact, it appeals to almost anyone who loves Rock but doesn't know how to play a guitar effectively. Read More.
