Need For Speed: Shift - Front Box Cover

A fantastic racing game by they guys who made GTR2. Not as hardcore as that title, strikes just the right balance between sim and arcade. The cockpit is simply amazing, an extremely immersive and intense experience.

The graphics are the best I’ve seen in any racing game (may not surpass GT5 Prologue). Clean graphics with a great view distance, no blurriness beyond 20 feet. Excellent use of post processing techniques to simulate what it feels like when driving a race car at 100+ mph. The camera angle will shift as you go into turns or slam on the brakes to simulate your body movement.

Sound is equally amazing, you will hear every detail of the car, of the road, the car rattling likes it coming apart at high speeds, engine roaring and tires screeching that is so authentic you will feel like you are in the game.

Need For Speed: Shift - In Game Graphics

Has some bugs, didn’t identify my logitech dual action gamepad, had to input manually. Quick race feature seems to have some graphical bugs right now so I’m holding off on that.

Excellent racer, best in this particular class right now, hands down.

IGN gave it a Superb rating of 9/10.

Release: Sep 15, 2009

Related posts:

1. DiRT 2 As the sequel to the acclaimed racer of 2007, DiRT...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Batman: Arkham Asylum - Front Box Cover

The most compelling element in this Batman game is its seriousness. It’s not just a collection of cartoonish characters engaged in a battle of good and evil — the environments are all a little darker and the characters are a little more sinister than in previous game incarnations. The Joker has his share of menacing moments, and we actually felt the fear while playing though the trippy levels starring another popular Arkham patient, Scarecrow.

Batman’s known for having equal parts brawn and brains, and the game experience reflects that by deftly combining action sequences with exploration — not an easy balance to strike. The combat starts off simply, requiring a series of simple button mashes to activate the game’s free-flowing combat, where Batman delivers a steady stream of punishing kicks and blows until the fight ends, cueing a dramatic, slow-mo finishing move. You really get the sense that you’re kicking butt, as a superhero should. As the game progresses, the combat turns from an exercise in button-mashing to a more challenging affair, a welcome shift that requires strategic thinking, using a combo of hits, stun, counter and evasive moves (and even a quick Batarang flick) to survive.

In between brawls, Batman uses his special Bat-vision goggles (the game calls it “investigative mode”) to drive the story forward. Turn on the investigative mode to track someone’s trail by scanning in a related chemical compound or spot objects that might be impossible to see otherwise, including enemies in another room, weak walls, hidden grates (Batman crawls through vents often in the game) and special collectibles. At times, it’s almost too easy to overly rely on this investigative mode, especially anticipating enemies around a corner. It’s not necessarily a ‘bad’ thing, but it can take away some of the element of surprise.

Investigate Mode

The game is also built around a lite upgrade system. Score points by defeating goons, finding collectibles and completing missions, then use them to upgrade Bat’s health, combat, gadgets or maneuvers. Some upgrades will give Batman access to parts of the island or make him stronger, but there are not really enough options to create a truly customized experience. Toward the end of the game, the upgrades start to seem arbitrary. If we’re going to do all the work to get the points, we’d like to feel like we’re really getting rewarded for them, even as we near the end of the game.

Joker

If there’s any Dark Knight game worth going bats over, this is it.

Release Date: September 15, 2009 (USA)

Related posts:

1. G-Force With proper training, guinea pigs can be impressive secret agents....

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

DiRT 2 – Front Box Cover

As the sequel to the acclaimed racer of 2007, DiRT 2 is set to take off-road racing games to a new level, with benchmark tech, thrilling new race types, big event atmosphere, stunning locations, a new breed of off-roading heroes and a peerless line-up of super-charged speed machines. Promising a thrilling race experience and an extreme sports attitude that borrows from snowboarding and skateboarding culture, DiRT 2 will take players on a World Tour to diverse and challenging real-world environments to compete in contemporary off-road events. Specifically selected to deliver aggressive and fast paced racing, DiRT 2′s garage will house a best-in-class collection of officially licensed rally cars and off-road vehicles; covering seven vehicle classes and players will be given the keys to powerful machines right from the off.

Release Date: September 8, 2009

DiRT 2 - In Game

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.