PS3 Games Review #1

Suddenly I have a strong urge to review my PS3 games. Please not that the reviews are non-biased and I only review something that I OWN or tested vigorously.

Lost: Via Domus

I got this game purely because I was a die-hard Lost junkie. It is well produced for a Lost fan; the art direction is superb, just like the way Naughty Dog did with their game Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. You play as Elliot Maslow, a photographer, and you're also a survivor of the Oceanic Flight 815 crash halfway from Sydney to LA. The game is pretty much linear - you'll hardly get 'lost', and even if you do, you can always restart your path. They even tell you if you're going off track. Throughout the game, you'll have to solve alot of puzzles (Hint: Fuses & Voltages), string back your memory pieces through cool flashbacks, and also interact with other survivors such as Kate, Jack, Sawyer, Jin, Hurley, Sayid, and more.

The best thing about this games are references to the TV series - like the Dharma Volkswagen van, you'll find it in the Dark Territory. Also, you might remember the Monster - the black smoke that moves around making loud machine-like noises, the Monster that killed Mr. Eko. You'll be having a few run-ins with the Monster, you can hide in banyan trees until the Monster is gone or you can go crazy and run through the forest. Another thing are the Others - yes, the other people that live on the island. If you watched the series you'll remember Ben Linus and Juliet Burke, two important Others. You can even explore the Hydra station, but how you'll get there I won't tell for it's a spoiler!

The Verdict: 7.0/10


Grand Theft Auto IV

Being a fan of the GTA franchise, I naturally bought a PS3 just for this game - and never regretted so. Anyway you play as Niko Bellic, a war veteran from Eastern Europe - migrating to Liberty City to escape his cruel past, and to pursue the man who framed him. I liked the storyline of the game - a poor man's struggle to bring justice to his dark past, illegally of course, with guns DUH. It ain't fun if the whole game is about going to court and rounding up several suspects for testimony. That is like, sooo Nintendo DS (Ace Attorney!). Niko was greeted by his cousin Roman, and was soon dragged into the crime underworld thanks to Roman who owed loan sharks and mobsters alot of money due to gambling it off. In this game Niko makes many useful allies and also enemies - also at certain parts you get to choose to let your victim die or let him go loose. The game environment is closely and 99% accurate to New York City, up to the derelict tenements of Bohan (Bronx), the lush greenery of Middle Park (Central Park), and many others. You know what - just play the game, you'll know why everyone is giving it the 10/10.

The Verdict: 10/10


Guitar Hero: World Tour

This game incorporates the use of drum sets as well, just like in Rock Band 2, but I couldn't afford the full band set nor do I have anyone to play it with, so I only own the Solo Guitar set. This game rocks to the max. It's better than any Guitar Hero I've ever played. A large number of the tracks in the game are my personal faves - Paramore's Misery Business, Linkin Park's What I've Done, Bon Jovi's Livin' on a Prayer, Lost Prophet's Standing on the Rooftops, Michael Jackson's Beat It, The Eagle's Hotel California, and many more. This game (and guitar) is well worth the RM340 I bought it for at launch. This game also helps you get together with friends. Whenever I have a few friends come over to my house it's almost always to rock out on my GH:WT. So keep rockin'!

The Verdict: 9.1/10


Haze

This game was heavily commercialized before it's launching in South-East Asia, so I was rather anticipating for the release. So I finally got the game (read my last post) and it's really nothing to go "wow" for. The game is not half bad - it's pretty decent. I like their art direction, and the concept of the game, the use of biochemistry and human DNA alteration to boost our physical capabilities, and such. The sad part is the gameplay is too linear and predictable - if you've played other shooter games that is. One thing that makes it relevant is that if you've ever watched any WW2 movies such as Flags of Our Fathers, Battle of Iwo Jima or Pearl Harbor, you'll find the way the Mantel troopers talk pretty much like the US Army. Loads of over-exaggeration, extreme sarcasm, and profanity - not that it bothered me, I liked it! The game setting is in near future in which Mantel troopers were hired to fight of the South American guerilla gang called the Promise Hand. What happens next is a spoiler: You'll be joining the Promise Hand once they explain to you their reason to fight. So - you'll be more interested in Call of Duty than this one. OH yeah - please note that this game lacks HD 1080i output support.

The Verdict: 6.8/10


Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

If you've played Tomb Raider you'll find this game similar in style but with a much deeper storyline. You play as Nathan Drake, who claims that he is a descendant of the late English seafarer, explorer and voyager by the name or Sir Francis Drake (He's a real person!). A rather nosy but cute journalist, Elena, will tag along at the deed that her production company helped fund the trip to uncover the supposed treasure described by Sir Francis Drake in his past notes. But an evil and merciless treasure connosieur is set to race Nathan to find the treasure, which is a large golden idol. The evil guy hires an Indonesian man, Eddy Raja and his other Indon workers as mercenaries to help ward off the good guys (us). Funny thing is there are scenes where they talk Indonesian and it's totally broken - out of slang! Apparently the voicings are done by people who probably directly translated it from Babelfish or something. Anyway long story cut short this game is absolutely sweet.

The Verdict: 9.5/10


Rainbow Six Vegas

The Rainbow Six are a team of elite SWAT-like tactical combat team, and you are the leader of it. You are to stop this merciless Mexican guy from taking over USA with their nacho stall workers. You start at a town near the American boarder where the gang influence is high. Your search for him brings you to Las Vegas, the Sin City, hence the name of the game. Can't say too much yet - still rather new into the game, but so far things are working out a-OK.

The Verdict: 8.3/10


Midnight Club: Los Angeles

Okay I do not know much of this game, only my brother plays it, using the Thrustmaster steering wheel and foot controls I bought for him. I intend to start playing this soon, but I've played too much street racing games already. But many a time I watched him play, so here's a based-on-looks verdict.

The Verdict: 8.5/10