When the original Fable was released on the Xbox back in 2004, there were mixed reactions. On the one hand it under-delivered on everything Peter Molyneux had promised. It was so far short of the goal that it actually lead to Peter offering a public apology on his company’s official website. On the other hand? Despite not being the world we were promised, where our actions and the passage of time would have a true and lasting impact on everything we touched, Fable offered one of the best action-RPG experiences that we’d seen to date. No matter how far it fell short of the mark, Fable offered some amazingly addictive gameplay that easily ranks it in the top 5 games available for the original Xbox.

But what did they have in store for Fable II? Was it to be more of the same, or would Mr. Molyneux again shoot for the stars? And if he did, how close would he get before falling?

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I liked the first Viva Pinata. I liked it quite a bit actually. It was the first game my wife and I found ourselves fighting for TV time to play. So when I heard there was a wholly legitimate sequel on the way that would support the Vision Camera and add in a new trapping element? That’s when I knew that, despite the crack-like addiction I would likely form to the franchise again, I had to give it a shot.

For the most part Trouble in Paradise plays exactly like it’s predecessor. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing. On the one hand VP was a solid title and didn’t need much re-tooling. The few gripes people had about the original have largely been addressed. On the other hand, playing Trouble in Paradise feels a little too familiar. The new additions make for some refreshing changes at first, but quickly begin to feel like a few bells and whistles that were stuck on to justify calling it a sequel. More than anything Trouble in Paradise feels like a standalone VP expansion pack, and that’s not a bad thing. The pricing feels right for the package offered, and it’s giving VP a new lease on life. So many people overlooked the original that it’s great to see Microsoft give these papery party animals a second chance to find an audience. Considering so few of you picked up VP the first time, I think it’s time I cleared up a few things about what Viva Pinata is and what Viva Pinata isn’t.

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There’s no doubt that more often than not I’m looking forward to the AAA release titles like Gears of War 2 or Resistance, but I think what truly gets me excited about video games these days is finding that diamond in the rough, the little indie or niche title that no one is talking about but is fantastic nonetheless. I think it’s similar to my love for movies, sure I think 300 was fantastic, but give me a off-the-wall or foreign film any day of the week.

That’s brings us to Air Traffic Chaos for the DS from Majesco. In it you play air traffic controller who’s job it is to juggle all the incoming and outgoing flights. Quirky? Yes. But just cause it’s quirky doesn’t mean it’s worth your time necessarily. So does this game fly high, or is it left stranded on the tarmac? Continue Reading »

Ever since the first Lego Star Wars game there’s just been something about the series that strikes a chord with me. Granted they’re essentially kids games at heart but the style and execution give them a much broader appeal. I for one have spent a large amount of time playing the games with my fiancee, both the Star Wars and (to a much lesser extent) Indiana Jones. They’re fun, mostly simple and a great way for us to get some gaming in together.

But for both of us Batman was easily our most anticipated, being that we’re both comic book nerds. Well, it’s finally here and at a time of year where it has to fight for game time with tons of huge fall releases. So does Lego Batman get to stand alongside cool Batman stuff like The Dark Knight or Year One or does it belong closer to Batman & Robin? Continue Reading »

One of my biggest gripes when reviewing the sublime Buzz! Quiz TV for the PS3 was it’s utter refusal to cater to the single player crowd.  Sure you could always hop online and make a friend, but if really wanted to fly solo you were stuck with a quick round of questions without any of the bells and whistles the series has become known for.  Clearly, Quiz TV was intended to be a party game experience.

But what about Master Quiz?  Surely taking the Buzz experience on the road would force the series to take a step in the single player direction, wouldn’t it?

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I’m a bit of a trivia nerd at heart. Anyone who’s listened to our recent Jeopardy bitcast and giveaway should know that. After all, a man doesn’t write 60 gaming question and fake a Trebek voice for an hour because he’s a fan of the Wheel, you know. That’s why it should come as no surprise that one of my most eagerly anticipated releases this fall was Sony’s first PS3 foray for the Buzz! franchise.

We should probably preface this review by making it clear that this is my first experience with Buzz. I have yet to dabble with any of the PS2 releases that appeared stateside last year (though our own Kevin has had some experience with them) , so my own excitement was based purely on what I’d seen of it, the promise of MyBuzz, and the good words spoken by others in the past. So did Buzz Quiz TV tickle my trivia bone? Continue Reading »

WipEout HD is one of those rare titles that people were either frothing at the mouth for or disinterested to the point of comatose about. The series has it’s die hard fans, and to those on the outside it just seems like a confusing hardcore mess.

Our staff represented this dichotomy quite well. Ryan and Dan were both series veterans. As a matter of fact, those following the site know that there’s no title Ryan has posted about more than WipEout HD. His anticipation was frighteningly palpable. Dan too was looking forward to picking it up. But Jim? He may of dabbled in the past, but in all honesty couldn’t have cared less about WipEout HD’s impending release.

So now that it’s here, what did all three (lovers and naysayers alike) think about it?

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