Arkham City Review

Rocksteady surprised the gaming community with it's release of Batman: Arkham Asylum in 2009. Ranked as the most "Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game Ever" in the Guiness Book of World Records, the sequel obviously had high expectations to live up to. Now Rocksteady has released Batman: Arkham City for the world to play, and it's safe to say that it meets and exceeds those expectations.

Devil May Cry HD Collection

After countless rumors of a Devily May Cry collection being released in time for the series' 10th year anniversary, Capcom has finally announced it's reality. Coming in 2012, all three Devil May Cry titles will be available for PS3 and Xbox 360. No word yet on a PC release, and DMC4 won't be included because it's already available for current gen systems. An exact release date wasn't mentioned, just early 2012 with a price tag of $39.99. Capcom did provide some comparison screenshots for fans to stare at.

Arkham City DLC Contents, Dates, & Price.

Batman: Arkham City had already confirmed to have DLC after it's release and Rocksteady revealed today more information about it. The "Robin Bundle" will be $6.99 and the "Skin Pack" will be $4.99, both releasing on December 6th. Also, for those who are unaware, there is "Catwoman" DLC but it will come with all "new" copies of Batman: Arkham City.

This announcement is a treat for fans and collectors who are unsure of which retailer to purchase a copy from, due to each one having a specific preorder bonus. The skins included in the "Skin Pack" haven't been announced so we will have to wait for further information, but definitely check back for future updates.

Jak & Daxter Collection!

Naughty Dog's Justin Richmond revealed today during the Uncharted 3 press conference in Oslo that there will be a Jak & Daxter Collection coming in 2012. This is a good surprise for Playstation fans, with this series being one of the more asked for collections. Now all I need is for a Ratchet & Clank Collection to be announced to make me a happy camper.

Yakuza: Dead Souls US Bound!

Earlier this week, SEGA confirmed the US release of Yakuza: Dead Souls. Thankfully to the fans of the series, this title will be coming over and exclusively for the Playstation 3. To celebrate the announcement, they released a trailer to build up some anticipation.


Known as Yakuza of the End in Japan, the title will bring Zombies to the franchise, which is a first. So far, SEGA haven't mentioned anything about "extras" for the US version, but the entire storyline and new minigame will be included. It'll be surprising to see if the game keeps a series tone as the previous entries, but regardless it well be a "Yakuza" game. Tell us what you think in the comment section down below and check back for future updates.

Ezio & Altair's Last Stand

This November 15, 2011 will tell the finale of Ezio Auditore and Altair from the Assassin's Creed universe. As a personal fan of the series, I can't wait to see how the story unfolds for these two and their connectivity through Desmond. This past week has been filled with various news for this title so here's a collection of all things related to Assassin's Creed: Revelations.

Multiplayer was a successful adventure for Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Revelations will bring this feature back and expand on it. Ubisoft has confirmed a multiplayer beta for all PlaystationPlus and Uplay members which will be available on September 3 and run until the 11th of September, however it's unconfirmed if this beta will hit other platforms. The beta will host nine playable characters, three maps, and four different game modes.
Assassin's Creed II released several editions with a figurine of Ezio. Brotherhood chose to follow it's own path with it's special edition but Revelations will return to add another figurine to the collection. The awesome statue will stand 9" (22cm for all the collectible peeps) and features Ezio sporting his new gear found in Revelations. If obtaining one of this special figurines of Ezio Auditore is out of grasp, Neca Toys has released images of two new figurines that will be sold at two participating retailers. The un-hooded Ezio will reach Toys R Us this fall and the ebony version will hit GameStop shelves this October.

A live-action short series made some impact for the series on YouTube with the launch of Assassin's Creed Lineage. Seeing the visual style of Ubisoft's creation acted out with real people was a treat to a lot of the fans, however the length and little story involved left a void for more. To release alongside Revelations will be a computer generated film called "Assassin's Creed: Embers", which will expand a different look on an older Ezio and bring some closure to his saga. The Revelations panel at Comic-Con 2011 recommended players to watch Embers after completing the story of Revelations.



Altair made his debut in 2007 and introduced the world to the Assassin's Creed universe. Since then, the series has sold over 28 million units worldwide and has been established as one of the best new IP's for the next-generation consoles. To remind fans of their involving story or to help catch some newcomers up, Ubisoft released today a new fancy trailer recapping all things Assassin's Creed.



Personally, the trailer made me hyped up for the release of Revelations this November. Pushing the fun multiplayer aside, the ending of Ezio and Altair's journey will be the major selling point for fans of the series. The past Assassin's Creed's have had some unexpected endings to say the least and I highly doubt Revelations will be any different. Check back with GamersGameplay for a full review of Assassin's Creed: Revelations and be sure to voice your opinion the comment section below.

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron Review

For months I awaited the arrival of El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron after playing the Japanese demo. Seeing the lush and vibrant backgrounds along with what seemed to be an in-depth battle system had me hyped for its release. However, after playing one play through, I have to admit my patient waiting was only for a mediocre game with a unique style.

Starting off, those looking to enjoy a fruitful story would be better off finding and reading the “Deutercanonical Book of Enoch” which the game is inspired by. If you want a quick summary, you play as Enoch, who is on a mission to bring back several fallen angels to prevent the end of mankind. The game doesn’t deliver more than what it tells you at the beginning. You are out to hunt the fallen archangels, no more or less.

Visually, the game is one of a kind with the art style being very unique, but is such a mixed bag amongst the levels with no consistency of direction. Each level has its own style but offers very little in the “bigger” picture of things. The chapters, separated by its own visual taste is tainted by being a variety of side-scrolling and plat-forming sections that feel very disconnected from each other, despite the game’s efforts to offer a great experience in either category.

Combat competes for the player’s attention when not jumping around the level’s plat-forming sections. With only three weapons throughout the whole game, combat is generally just a rock-paper-scissors match against the enemies. The bosses appear in different sections of the chapters to challenge you, allowing you a sneak peak of their repetitive patterns so you don’t fail when the final confrontation comes. As neat as that may seem, it’s more of an annoyance to have the same fight spread out through the entire game. Midway through the game you acquire an “Over Boost” technique which I found quite useless considering the ease of the one button combat.

I am very grateful at Igntion Entertainment’s idea and direction of mixing creative visuals along with a 3^rd person action game, however the attempt was just not polished enough for a complete game. Story and combat seem to take a backseat to visuals and that should have not been the case with such a large medium to base the game off of. Fans of the book might get more out of the experience than the average player, but the game itself is only worth checking out if you want to experience a visual acid trip with mediocre combat.

Overall Score: 5/10

Shadows of the Damned Review

"Just grab your Johnson and start shooting."

In Shadows of the Damned, you play as foul-mouthed demon hunter Garcia Hotspur. His mission is to travel through Hell to rescue his girlfriend from the Lord of Demons. With the combination of Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil creator) and Suda 51 (No More Heroes creator), this title definitely offers a wild ride through Hell.

Keeping a conventional gameplay style in the form of the third person shooter, Shadows of the Damned brings a few nice touches. The availability to move and shoot is nothing new to the genre, but is done quite nicely to keep a nostalgic feel even including a 180 degree turn. The camera can be quite odd sometimes, especially with the change of perspective when aiming.

Combat is where the game knew how to please its audience. Johnson, ironically named, is Garcia's companion on this journey. Able to take multiple forms such as a torch or motorcycle, Johnson is also the only weapon you need with the ability to change into the single shot Boner, rapid-fire Teether, or the shotgun-esk Skullcussioner. Each of these forms is upgraded with blue gems which are obtained after defeating bosses. The bosses themselves are fun but not really challenging as the most difficult aspect of the fights is solving the puzzle to their defeat.

Gems are not limited to being blue, but white and red also. White gems are the games currency in order to buy Sake, Tequila, and Absinthe to cure your health or purchase ammo. Red gems are hidden throughout levels and are used to upgrade Garcia's health or weapons reload speed, capacity, or power.

Another feature to add to the mix is the element of darkness. Some areas are covered with darkness, which slowly depletes your health. A goat head is usually nearby and can be shot with Johnson's alternative fire, the Light shot, to purify the area. If the goat head sounds surprising, gates are locked with crying baby demon heads with keys being in the form of brains, eyes, or strawberries.

Shadows of the Damned is plagued with crude humor, adult themes, and grotesque demons but it all adds to the ridiculously fun gameplay. Unfortunately the game is not without its flaws but can be generally overlooked with its silly jokes and odd exploits. The whole experience can be described as mindless and gratifying. Hopefully there will be future collaborations between these two great creators, possibly without all the penis jokes.

Final Score = 7/10

L.A. Noire Review

“The Case That Makes You, The Case That Breaks You.”

L.A. Noire can be described with two words, innovative and unique. Taking place in 1940’s Los Angeles, you play LAPD officer Cole Phelps. Phelps is a former military serviceman who served his time in World War II. Starting off as a patrolman, you take on cases and move through the ranks to traffic detective, homicide, vice, and arson. Each rank is divided into multiple cases which may have shootouts, chases, brawls, or interrogations.

During your case investigations, you’ll have to find clues at the crime scene and ask persons of interest questions. Using musical chimes and vibration hints, the clues can be found pretty easily. You do have the option to turn this feature off, which would make it quite tougher. During the interviews, the game closes in on the amazing technology it possesses. As you watch the facial technology work flawlessly, you are given three options; truth, lie or doubt. Choosing doubt is the only tricky one in terms of response. It seems like Cole always has to gain a louder voice and accuse them of lying, which sometimes is a little too dramatic.

Rockstar Games could have easily made another sandbox shooter, but I respect their risk of taking a chance in this game. The beautifully designed city and talented voice acting from the actors make the game one great experience. Gunplay works similar to their previous title Red Dead Redemption with a cover system and snap targeting. It could have used a little more polish in that area but there isn’t many in the game to make it a big deal. If you want a break from story cases, you can take on side-missions in the form of police dispatch calls, find numerous landmarks, search for film reels, or drive each one of the 95 uniquely designed automobiles.

L.A. Noire delivers a one-of-a-kind experience that no other game will have to date. If you are expecting another Grand Theft Auto or Red Dead Redemption, you will be disappointed. The game is all about finding clues, interviewing and interrogation. Playing as detective Cole Phelps, you get to witness a involving story in the Golden Era of Los Angeles. Car chases, shootouts, and fist brawls are fast paced and give breaks to the investigation element of the game. Rockstar Games delivers another top-notch title to their list, and hopefully a new franchise to capitalize on.

Final Score = 8/10