Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception PS3

 Everyone has a favorite game. Sometimes it's a classic like The Legend of Zelda, or it's something addictive and massive like World of Warcraft or Call of Duty: Black Ops. Well my n3rds, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is MY favorite game ever....or was.

 Uncharted 3 begins with our rough-around-the-edges hero Nathan Drake and his long-time companion and mentor Victor "Sully" Sullivan entering a pub in a shady corner of London. Things happen, plans go awry and there ends up being an old-fashioned bar brawl. Now, anyone familiar with Uncharted: Drake's Fortune hand-to-hand mechanics is probably groaning. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was a significant improvement but still wasn't pleasant in some cases. The new hand-to-hand system is a VAST improvement over both. In fact, there are many times in the game that melee is the superior form of combat, not to mention a few hand-to-hand boss battles. This of course is a nice addition to a pretty decent arsenal of weaponry.

 Now, another aspect of any modern game is of course the graphics. I can, without a doubt, say that this is the most beautiful game I have ever seen on a console. From sweeping vistas of Cartagena, Colombia to the mystic sands of the Rub' al Khali desert. This game never ceases to amaze in terms of visuals. Over and over my jaw dropped at some new sight and it's incredible realism (Nope! Chuck Testa) and detail. Anyone who picks this game up will never be disappointed in this regard.

 Getting to the downside. This game is NOT easy. There were a few places I got stuck for a considerable amount of time. That isn't to say that it's impossible, but it can be a little frustrating at times. If you're not so hot at shooting games I definitely recommend doing the campaign on easy. I promise, you will still get a good feeling of accomplishment upon completion. I almost wish I had started on Easy or Normal, but being the big-time TPS player that I am, I couldn't resist.

 The story this time 'round follows the footsteps of Nathan's famous ancestor Sir Francis Drake yet again, and the archaeological exploits of T.E. Lawrence (aka Lawrence of Arabia). Some familiar faces come back to join Nate in his quest to find what his ancestor was hiding. Namely, Chloe Frazer, Elena Fisher, and most importantly Victor "Sully" Sullivan. Nate's relationship and history with Sully are a huge part of the story dating back 20 years prior to the current events of the game. Also, some new faces are introduced, like the imposing but loyal Charlie Cutter, and the mysterious Sheikh of the desert, Salim.

 Per usual with the Uncharted series, the characters are voiced with such aplomb, and the actors are so believable, you feel as if you're watching a movie rather than playing a game. It's truly a cinematic experience, and is a better movie than a lot of movies I've seen. The witty banter continues like always, and Nate's off-the-cuff remarks still rouse a nice chuckle. Hearing is definitely believing.

 Overall, this game was simply amazing in every aspect. If it doesn't win Game of the Year like it's predecessors then something is wrong with the gaming world. Granted, there are some heavy contenders to compete with this year (Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim come to mind) but it definitely is worth a heavy load of praise and then some. I just hope that the folks over at Naughty Dog can continue to provide new gripping stories for this series and the crown jewel of their company: Nathan Drake. For me, this game gets a perfect score.

Gameplay - 10
Graphics - 10
Sound - 10
Story - 10
Replay Value - 10
Multiplayer - 10
Overall - OVER 9000!

He's baaack....

Sorry for the long hiatus my n3rd friends. I have my copy of Uncharted 3 in-hand and the review will be up ASAP! So look forward to this post being edited within the next few days!

Also to come: A Sims 3 Generational Blog from the creative mind of my good friend Lauren K. As you may know, story progression blogs are all the new rage in the world of The Sims but only the most dedicated Simmers undertake such a task. Not only does it require perseverance, patience, and an unhealthy amount of energy drinks; but also a pretty good gaming rig. Lauren's PC is a custom job built by yours truly, and was built on a pretty tight budget. So, be excited for things to come!

Portal 2 PS3/360/Mac/PC

Hello my fellow n3rds! After completing Portal 2 I have only one word to describe this game: Epic. The new addition to the Valve library vastly exceeds expectations. Everything about it has been improved from the first game, and is on a much wider scale. The puzzles are daunting, dastardly, and deadly. Not only are you contending with new ways to die (Lasers, explosives, your brain melting), but they've added some interesting new mechanics and puzzle devices that will make you jump for joy or pull your hair out depending on the situation. The graphics and overall visual effect have made some improvements as well, though they really only seem drastic in cinematic sequences. Remember GLaDOS taunting and teasing you toward the end of the first game? Not only do you get to enjoy more of that, but you also get it from another AI wielding a minuscule intellect and an English accent, AND some rather humorous commentary during a section of the game from Cave Johnson (voiced by actor J.K. Simmons) the founder and former CEO of Aperture. For those of you speed run nuts from the first game (a fair 42 minutes for me), Portal 2 offers a much greater challenge not only in the puzzles but in game length as well. Co-op mode is also extremely impressive. You and your partner will need extreme teamwork to make it through these bewildering puzzles, but you can definitely have fun throwing each other off ledges and incinerating one another with lasers. Also, for people playing on the PS3 you not only get a free code to download and play the game on your PC or Mac, but you can access your Steam account via Playstation Network and play with your friends who are using their Mac/PC. Unfortunately, Xbox LIVE did not receive the same blessing. Anyway, that's all I've got for now. Happy puzzling and remember to think with Portals!

Gameplay - 10

Graphics - 9

Sound - 10

Multiplayer - 10

Replay Value - 10

Overall Score - 9.8

Dragon Age 2 PS3/360/Mac/PC

Hello, n3rdy ones! Sorry for the delay in getting this one out. But here she goes...

Dragon Age 2 can be summed up in just 2 words: Hack and Slash. Yes, the new combat system has adopted a classic hack and slash style of play. Activated abilities, chained bonuses, and the whole nine yards. This is a huge improvement over the automated swing timers, and brings a whole new level of excitement into the gameplay. The character customization is essentially the same as the first game, but re-skinned and recycled. Select your points in different trees and optimize as best you can. The story is a little slow to develop but works out in the end, and integrates well with the first game. You can even import the backstory of your previous character in the beginning. Graphics are a little behind for a next-generation title as far as small details and environment go, but the overall visual effect is still impressive and just as gory as it's predecessor. A lot of the same plot hooks (like romances and darkspawn invasion) are still there from the first game but there hasn't been a huge change. The only major difference in character relationships is that instead of having a love/hate dynamic they've changed it to Friendship and Rivalry. With rivalry your that specific character receives combat bonuses instead of the bonus being transferred to the main character. This of course means that the character does not hate you, there is still a level of respect but you see the world from a different point of view. Romances and story lines can even open up through this route as well, taking the need to be completely friendly towards your party out of the picture. You can agree to disagree! Anyway, I do recommend it for the fans of Hack and Slash RPGs, and for fans of the first game. Anyone who is picky about their RPGs may not like it as much because of the slow story development. Well, that's all for now! Check out the breakdown, and stay tuned for the next one!


Gameplay - 9
Graphics - 7.5
Sound - 8
Story - 7
Replay Value - 9.5
Overall Score - 8.2

Tech Talk: Apple iPad 2 - Innovation or Reformation?

Photo Courtesy of iFixit.com

Greetings my N3rds! With the advent of Apple's shiny new iPad 2 a lot of people are wondering if they should trade up from their old iPad. Well, that's a decision you have to make for yourself but perhaps I can give you some info to help aid in the decision.  First off, let's look at the specs: Apple's 1GHz Dual-core A5 ARM processor (basically just 2 ARM Cortex A9 cores), 512MB of RAM, and some fancy new features in addition to almost identical specs to the original iPad. Thinner, lighter, the normal improvements that come with any upgraded or second generation device.

 What are the major new selling points outside of specs though? For one, the new HDMI/USB adapter. Fans of the first iPad have only been begging for USB support for a year. Secondly, the new smart case. It's well designed yet simple, I expect no less of Apple. It even puts the screen to sleep to improve upon battery life. A very nice addition. Also, a nice mention for some of the new software like Garage Band. It's very impressive, and integrates very nicely with it's more powerful companion on the Mac OS platform. Sadly though, that's about it for new features.

 As it is common knowledge, Apple still has the widest market share in tablets, and I anticipate that it will stay that way. The new iPad 2 is a fantastic device, but doesn't bring a lot of new shiny things to the table different from it's predecessor. With tablets like the Motorola Xoom upgrading to the new 1.5GHz Snapdragon Processors, Apple may need to step up a little more on the specs. However, the one thing Apple has hands down is integration, creative innovation, and familiarity. I'm not sure anyone will ever catch up on that front, but it's hard to tell. Anyway, that concludes my brief review. Now go forth and play Angry Birds!

Marvel vs. Capcom 3: The Fate of Two Worlds PS3/360

Benvenuti fellow geeks, nerds, and gamers! Today, I'd like to rant and rave a little about Marvel vs. Capcom 3: The Fate of Two Worlds. I'll start off by saying that I'm not a fan of Fighting games. That said, this game is absolutely fantastic! Being a fan of Marvel Comics does help a little, but the gameplay speaks for itself. There are a wide selection of characters and a fantastic variety of abilities for each one. The only downside in this regard is that there are currently only 4 characters that unlock from gameplay, all the others are readily available. I won't spoil who they are, but I'm sure the majority of players will be satisfied. The fights are fast-paced, visually appealing, and in Arcade Mode they get increasingly difficult with each round until you get to the final boss who will not be named here. The soundtracks are an upbeat techno mix with each character having their own theme. Also, the character voices are funny, snarky, and have good voicing. Online play can still use a little improvement for Xbox Live users. The fights are fine, but getting into one can be quite a chore even on a fast connection. Until someone fixes it, get used to seeing "Connection to Host has Been Lost". Anyway, that's all for now. See below for the rating breakdown. Thanks for reading!


Gameplay - 9
Graphics - 8.5
Sound - 10
Multiplayer - 8
Replay Value - 10
Overall Score - 9.1