Gamer's Corner

Wednesday, 18 November 2009 10:46

November 2009

Console Game: Saw
Multi-Platform (reviewed on Xbox 360)
3.5 Stars

Audiences have been watching the Saw films for years. This year, however, the series finds a new diabolical home: your video game system. Saw plays like the game Condemned—you take on the role of Detective Tapp, a man who has let his obsession with catching Jigsaw ruin his life, and now the infamous killer has decided to play a game with Tapp. You wake up in an asylum filled with deadly traps, puzzles and best of all, insane individuals who will stop at nothing to kill you. The game is creepy. You get to see disturbing scenery (mostly destroyed hallways and such), and at the end of each chapter, you are presented with the challenge of saving people from your past from dismemberment from one of Jigsaw's machinations.

Unfortunately, the puzzles are tedious, and the horrifying deaths are copies from the movies. The combat with the insane inhabitants is choppy at best, so not much of a reprieve from the brain teasers. As a survival game, it isn't a terrible title, but there are better games out there. Saw is worth the money to rent, but don't look for much more.

PC Game: Aion
Rated: T (teen)
4 stars

Aion, a game previewed by INsite a few months ago, has finally been released. My initial hopes were confirmed and bashed at the exact same time. Created by Ncsoft, Aion has many elements from other MMOs that players will find appealing, such as a crafting system that feels a part of the game (I found myself spending a ton of time leveling up my professions instead of playing the game), and adds in a few things that haven't been really explored, such as the winged combat system, which is actually well fleshed out.

The graphics are amazing, giving you hours of eye candy, and the character customization is second to none.

What limits this title is its lack of depth in the PvE aspect. You'll spend all your time leveling your character so that you can eventually participate in the PvP zone known as the Abyss. If you're not a fan of PvP action, this title will feel hollow after you reach the level cap. As with almost every MMO title, Aion will improve the content, both in amount and depth. Until then, there is still a solid title to be had.

Free Online Game: Peggle
Rated: E (Everyone)
4 stars

Though Peggle isn't exactly a “free” game, the demo is free to try, and that in itself is enough to addict you for hours. Peggle is an odd version of pinball. You launch a ball into a series of bumpers, but there are no paddles to keep your ball in play, and the bumpers disappear after they're hit a certain number of times. Strategy is the name of the game here, since you only have a limited amount of shots. It becomes a challenge to clear a stage before you run out of balls. On top of this, the characters you choose have different special powers.

The game also features an impressive amount of high-res art for the backdrops. The demo is so gripping, you'll probably go running for your debit card within five minutes.

Upcoming Title: DJ Hero
Multi-Platform
Simulation/Music
November/December 2009

The music genre of video games has seen explosive growth, but the industry is running out of instruments. Many gamers have been curious as to how the genre could grow and what types of music it would branch out into. Well, DJ Hero is the first title to explore these ideas.

In DJ Hero, you grab your scratch table controller, and scratch your way through the electronic beats as you make your way to stardom. The controller is a miniature version of a scratch table, including sliders and a record to lay your hands on. The track list is slowly being leaked on the Internet, and it's shaping up to be pretty good. The graphics are pretty neat, and it even stars those two lovable robots from Daft Punk. This intriguing venture will see the market this holiday season, so look for a full review in coming issues of INsite.