Tag Archives: ps3 review

PS3 Demo Review: Dante’s Inferno

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Posted by Rob on December 11, 2009 – 8:28 pm
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Ive been interested in checking out this game for awhile, and after playing a demo, I am looking forward to it even more. Not because it is based on the epic poem/ode/whatever you want to call it, but because it was being compared to God of War. After playing the demo, I can say that this is a true comparison, and a good one at that.

From the controls to the gameplay to the story, it is all very reminiscent of God of War. In the demo, you play as a knight during the Crusades, and you go about killing the “heathens”. However, it turns out that God did not see it as being just (despite the fact that the Church claimed it was), and the hero finds himself murdered. You are then suddenly pitted in a boss battle with Death, and after defeating him you acquire your  signature weapon, which is his reaver. The remained of the demo has the hero attempting to go to Hell to save the soul of his murdered wife.

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PS3 First Impression: Batman: Arkham Asylum

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Posted by Rob on December 9, 2009 – 12:48 am
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I have been waiting quite some time to get my hands on the game. Now that its been a few months, it was readily available from Gamefly, and I got it in yesterday. Ive put a few hours into it, and so far it has been an impressive blast.

For anyone living in a hole who doesnt know the basic premise of the game, the Joker takes over Arkham Asylum and its up to Batman to stop him. This is one of the most realistic Batman games Ive ever played, in the sense that it “feels” more like Batman. Its not a side-scrolling beat-em-up…its Batman going toe-to-toe with gun-wielding psychopaths. The game understands that Batman cannot win a gunfight head-on, so the gameplay requires you to be stealthy, a la Metal Gear Solid.

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PS3 Review: WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010

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Posted by Rob on November 25, 2009 – 3:47 pm
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I always start off these reviews by saying this…I am no longer a fan of the WWE (I stopped following it in about 2001 or so, back when it was still the WWF). I do not watch it during the week, I don’t follow it online. All I know about whats going on in the WWE is based on each edition of Smackdown vs. Raw that comes out, so my knowledge is generally limited. That being said, I LOVE playing the Smackdown vs. Raw games (to hearby be referred to as SvR), and I tend to purchase the newest edition each year. Normally, there are some minor changes every year, but this years edition (2010) surpasses them all, and I think it is safe to say that SvR 2010 is the best wrestling game ever made.

I guess I will start with the actual in-ring gameplay. SvR 2010 now allows each wrestler to perform 16 strong grapples, as opposed to the old school 8, which means that each wrestler now has a move set that is twice as large. You use the right analog to perform a quick grapple, which is usually a cheesy weak move that wont do much damage, but is a great way to get in a cheap shot (usually a punch, kick, elbow, or quick takedown.) Then if you hold R1 while using the right analog, you will initiate a strong grapple. These are the big, devastating moves such as power bombs, choke slams, suplexes, DDTs, and all that other good stuff. Depending on the direction you push the right analog will result in different holds. For example, R1 and left on the analog will initiate a wrist hold, and R1 and up will start an up-close true wrestler grapple. Once the grapple is initiated, pushing the right analog in any of the four basic directions will result in a different move being performed. So that’s where you get your 16 moves from…four different grapple holds, and four moves for each grapple. You can assign which moves you want for each hold from a menu screen, and there are literally hundreds of moves to choose from. Oh, and lets not forget the grounded grapple moves. When an opponent is lying on the mat, you will be able to perform up to six different moves, depending on where you are standing (head, side, or legs), and if he is lying on his back or face-first.
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PS3 Review: Dragon Age: Origins

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Posted by Rob on November 12, 2009 – 6:45 am
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I sent Dragon Age Origins back to Gamefly today. I probably put about ten to twelve hours into it, and barely scratched the surface. Yet, from what I played, I know its a game that I HAVE to own. I was gunning to get Borderlands, but Dragon Age really blew me away, and I just have to have it as my next game. If I hadnt just bought MUA2, Uncharted 2, and WWE 2010 I would have been more inclined to keep it, but Ive been spending too much on games as it is. Regardless, it is safe to say that Dragon Age is the best RPG on the PS3 that I have played, and that says a lot based on how much I loved Sacred 2.

When you start a game, you create a new character by choosing the race, sex, and class. Then, you will select one of six “background stories” which introduce your character and the game. Which story you can choose depends on what kind of character you created. From there, you are thrust right into the game.

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PS3 Quick Review: Dragon Age: Origins

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Posted by Rob on November 8, 2009 – 10:20 am
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I was waiting and waiting to get Fairytale Fights in from Gamefly, but they kept pushing the release date further and further back. Eventually it was pushed back so much that Dragon Age was now releasing before it, so I went for it. The PS3, in my opinion, is lacking in the RPG library, so I wanted to see how Dragon Age was. I had heard lots of good things, but for some reason I wasnt following the game closely, so I had no idea what to expect. I didnt know what kind of RPG it was, how leveling and combat was worked, etc. So when I popped the game in last night, I wasnt sure what to expect.

What from the about two hours I have played so far, I am very impressed and pleased with the game. There are six different stories to choose from, and which story quest you will follow for the game is based on the kind of character you create. There are three races (human, elf, dwarf), three classes (warrior, mage, rogue), and each race can be either male or female, so that makes a total of 18 different character combinations. Depending on which of the three you choose, there are either one or two stories to choose from. The stories are actually more like background information for your character, and give a general sense of where your character will go in the game.

For example, last night I made my first character. I didnt know how the game play or combat was, so I wanted to play it safe. Thus, I created a boring male human warrior. This choice unlocked one story for me, in which I was the son of some Lord. That was all well and good. I played for a bit, and got to see how the game play was, and enjoyed it. I saw that I would definitely be able to play as any character I wanted. So this morning I pop it in, and start up a whole new character. This one is a male elf rogue. Upon choosing him, two of the stories were unlocked…I  could either be a tribal forest elf, or a slave elf that eventually revolts because some king tries to rape my newfound wife. I decided to go with being a slave elf, since the background reminded me of Braveheart.

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PS3 Quick Review: Smackdown vs Raw 2010

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Posted by Rob on November 3, 2009 – 8:24 am
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I know I always say this, but I feel like I have the need to restate it constantly. I am not a wrestling fan. I havent watched wrestling since 2001 or so. However, I LOVE the WWE series of games. It is such a unique, fun, and interactive fighting game that I find myself constantly getting the most recent version each year. And this year was no exception. I got it in from Gamefly yesterday, and after spending a little under two hours with it, I was sold. I traded in some games to Gamefly and in return kept SvR2010.

The first thing you notice is the training mode. The main menu screen is actually a training mode, where you can do all kinds of moves to your opponent as the game prompts you to do particular ones. This is a great way to quickly get into the action if its your first time, and see what the game has to offer.

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PS3 Quick Review: Borderlands

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Posted by Rob on October 23, 2009 – 6:24 am
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I got home from my college class at around 7:45. After wolfing down dinner and finishing up some school work, it was a little after 9:00pm, and I was ready to pop Borderlands in and try it out. I wont be around Friday or Saturday, and I have a bunch of school work to do Sunday, so I wanted to use the opportunity to get to see what Borderlands was all about.

Its pretty great.

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PS3 Demo Review: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

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Posted by Rob on October 8, 2009 – 5:14 pm
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Uncharted 2 comes out next week, but last week they released the online multi-player demo. I loved the first Uncharted, and enjoyed playing the Uncharted 2 beta a few months back, and Im really looking forward to Uncharted 2. In fact, my Gamefly queue is currently empty so that Uncharted 2 will ship on release day. But enough about the full game…this is about the demo for the online modes. The demo showcases seven different online modes. From what I could tell, two of them were co-op, and the other five were competitive. Steve and I met up and decided to rock through the co-op ones and see how they were.

I was pleased to find that the controls remained the same, as did the basic style of gameplay. Uncharted is not a FPS where you run around with a machine gun and blow everyone away…you really have to do a lot of duck and cover firing, meaning you will constantly be hiding behind objects, then firing off a couple of rounds, then hiding again. The health system is how a lot of FPS are going these days…as you get hit, the screen begins to turn red, and as you are near death it will turn gray. You can regen health by hiding somewhere and avoiding damage for a set period of time. The game looks and sounds amazing, with great graphics and voice overs. I cant wait to get into the single player campaign. Its gonna rock! But on to the demo!

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PS3 Review: The History Channel: Civil War- Secret Missions

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Posted by Rob on October 2, 2009 – 9:13 pm
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I have been in a Civil War kick as of late, between classes, books, and documentaries. Also, I was in need of a quick game to pass the time between now and Uncharted 2 for Gamefly rentals. Both of these needs resulted in me renting History Channel Civil War: Secret Missions. Unfortunately, the game does nothing to bring one of the most epic wars (aside from WWII) to life.

In the game you start the game as a Confederate ranger, who is given special missions in which you have to sneak around Union forces and accomplish some goal. First off, the gameplay is all over the place, and does not follow a timeline of any sorts. The first level takes place in 1863, and then the next one is in 1861, so there is absolutely no continuity. Also, there is no story to connect the levels or anything else. Your character has no name, and simply navigates the level going to the next point of interest. While there is an excellent introduction to each level, telling you the date and battles, commanders, and whatnot, there is nothing throughout the level to reinforce your mission. Whats worse, the level will end abruptly and simply go to the stats screen. There is no information telling you that the mission is over, or a movie explaining what your actions resulted in, or anything. For all the work they put into the introduction of each level, I expected them to give similar attention to the remainder of the level, but they did not. This was a very disappointing aspect of the game.

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PS3 Demo Review: Brutal Legend

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Posted by Rob on October 2, 2009 – 7:43 pm
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I was a bit on the fence with Brutal Legend as I was watching its progress. It had an interesting premise with Jack Black voicing a heavy-metal loving dude stuck in a fantasy-metal world. However, I didnt know how the combat or anything else would work. After playing the demo, this game is a must-play for me.

The demo reminded me of Bioshock’s. Not that the story or gameplay is similar, but the effort and content put into the demo was enough to blow me away and make me know this game is a must-play. The demo has a long intro video setting up the story. After the movie is complete, you can play through a few stages, checking out the combat system and vehicle driving.

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PS3 First Impression: Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

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Posted by Rob on September 15, 2009 – 10:05 pm
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As many may know, I have been looking forward to this release for quite some time. I love the action/rpg games of Marvel, which include X-Men Legends 1 and 2, and the first Marvel Ultimate Alliance. I was pleased to see that the game made some nice improvements and other changes which makes this game far superior to others.

Like the first MUA, you start the game with a fixed team of heroes (Spidey, Ironman, Capt. America, and Wolverine) who are on mission for Nick Fury. As with the original, up to four players can take control of the characters, and any free characters (ie- character who is not controlled by a physical player) can be switched to with a hit of the directional. The basic combat moves are the same as the first, with a light attack, heavy attack, and grapple.

The super powers are of course the key change. You can now do “fusion” attacks, where two players combine their power for one massive area attack. For example, Iron Man can fire a beam into Capt. America’s shield, which will reflect like ten points of energy to hit several different opponents. Juggernaut and Spidey had a cool one too, where Juggernaut rips a huge chunk of pavement out of the ground and throws it in the air, and Spidey grabs it with his web and brings it down on several groups of enemies. This is the big change, and its awesome.

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PSN Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled

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Posted by Rob on September 11, 2009 – 7:23 pm
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The game came out about a month or two ago on the XBLA, and I have been waiting patiently for it to arrive on PSN. It was slated for an August release, but that came and went, and I lost hope. Then as usual, it was a complete surprise when it appeared last night on PSN. I really hate how Sony gives no advance notice on what to expect on PSN Thursdays…

So the game is a remake of the arcade version of the original Turtles in Time. However, many changes have been made, and most of them for the worse. The biggest change is the new graphics, which were redesigned to be modern/new age, not the old school arcade look. They failed, and the graphics are dark and just dont look very sharp. I definitely would have preferred the old school sprites to what they gave us. The second big difference is the loss of the Technodrome level. In the original, the fourth stage was the Technodrome, where Shredder was the boss. To beat him, you had to stun and then throw Footsoldiers into the screen. It was classic. However, the remake totally removed this level and boss battle, which was a disappointment.

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PS3 Review: 50 Cent- Blood on the Sand

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Posted by Rob on September 7, 2009 – 7:08 pm
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I just finished up the game and shipped it back to Gamefly today. All in all, it was a very solid game. The controls and gameplay were pretty sweet, and the “gangsta” theme made me laugh the whole game through.

So in the game, 50 Cent has a crystal-studded skull stolen from him, so he goes off to get it back. You play as 50 Cent, and you are always followed around by one of three partners. You choose who the partner is, but there is no gameplay difference, and each partner is another member of the G-Unit. Also, you can select a different partner each time you resume play. I went through all three, and the only difference is the voice acting. I dont know if its the same dialogue or not, but its not a big difference. The AI controlled partner is actually pretty good, and one of the better AI partners I have played with. He will actually attack and kill opponents while 50 ducks behind cover, so that he can either regen health or reload his guns.

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PS3 Quick Impression: 50 Cent:Blood on the Sand

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Posted by Rob on September 1, 2009 – 7:30 pm
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First off, I am not a fan of 50 Cent, or rap music. I have never owned a rap/hip hop/whatever CD, and will NEVER listen to it on the radio or anywhere else. However, I had heard a lot of good things about the game starring 50 Cent, and I heard it was short (which was what I was looking for), so I decided to give it a rent. So far I am far from displeased, and was actually shocked to find how good and fun it is.

Its a third person shooter in which you play as 50 Cent, and the AI (or a co-op partner) follows you around as another memeber of G-Unit (the rap “clan” or something like that). Anywho, somebody jacked Mr. Cent’s (as he is sometimes referred to in the game, which cracks me up) newly acquired blinged-out skull, and you have to track down the fool who did that and teach him a lesson. So basically this army of two runs through the game, blowing bad guys away with a wide array of weapons. 50 can also get up close and personal, using melee combos to take out thugs as well.  You purchase new weapons by finding bling and benjamins as you take out enemies and break open boxes. You can also collect posters and shoot hidden targets to get a higher score.

All in all, I am very impressed so far. The story, while ridiculous and comical to me, keeps me interested. The gameplay is solid and fun. The graphics are decent (especially the cutscenes), and the voice acting is awesome, which tons of ridiculous dialogue. The controls are also nice and tight, and the camera can easily be controlled. The AI partner is actually useful, and will actually kill enemies if you are trapped behind cover or something. I have not tried the co-op with an actual person, but Im sure it would be a heck of a lot of fun. Gamefly says that I can keep the game for $30, but I will wait until it drops down in price. However, I do intend to snag it for keeps someday, because it is a lot of fun, and Im sure its even better with a buddy.

PS3 Demo Review- NHL 2010

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Posted by Rob on August 28, 2009 – 7:22 pm
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I havent played an NHL game since 08. NHL 09 I wasnt a fan of. I tried it on the PS2, and tried the PS3 demo, but I wasnt a fan of it, and never went further with it. I just stuck to 08 on my PS2 when I wanted to play hockey.

However, I have been looking forward to 2010. One of the biggest reasons I didnt like 09 was because it made a big move control wise. Rather than having one of the buttons assigned to shoot and pass and what not, the right analog was made to control shooting. I never got comfortable with it in the demo, and thus never had an interest to pursue it. In 2010 the right analog once again controls shooting and deking, and I am now ready to accept this fundamental change and get used to it.

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PS3 Review: Wolfenstein

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Posted by Rob on August 27, 2009 – 12:28 pm
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So I just completed the single player campaign today. The story follows BJ Blazokwicz as he attempts to take out the Nazi’s plan to build a super weapon from another dimension. The game takes place in basically two areas; Midtown and Downtown. From those two areas, you interact with resistance fighters to accept missions, and then travel to a marker on the map to begin the mission. Along with interacting with them, you will also find black market dealers, who can sell you upgrades and ammunition for your weapons. Weapons range from tradition guns and grenades to advanced Nazi weapons like a proton gun (reminds me of Ghostbusters) and a large gun that disintegrates enemies.

As you travel through the city, you will run into Nazi squads which you will have to engage and take out. Also, you will be on the lookout for intellegince documents, gold, and hidden tomes. Both sections of the city have a set amount hidden throughout, as well as each mission. Finding these items not only will eventually land you a trophy, but you also collect money, which is used to purchase upgrades from the black market.

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PS3 Demo Review- Mini Ninjas

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Posted by Rob on August 22, 2009 – 10:36 am
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Much like it sounds, Mini Ninjas is a game about cutesy little ninjas. The main character must go on a quest to save his friends and the animals of the forest from some evil Samruai forces. I was pretty impressed overall with the demo.

The main character is Hiro, and the game is similar to most adventure games where you walk around a 3D world. Hiro uses a sword for his basic attacks, but he can also learn ninja spells, such as casting fireballs and lightning bolts. Another pretty neat ability he has is to enter the bodies of animals, and thus take control of them. So you can fly a little with a chicken or bash some bad guys with the bear or boar. You must also explore and snag all sorts of collectables, including ingredients to make more spells. Along the way there are side missions you will be able to activate by talking to people in need (for example, I had to find a flower for a giant stork.)

So while Hiro is fun to play with, it doesnt stop there. You also have the ability to switch between Hiro and a bunch of his friends. The demo had two others already unlocked. One was a big guy who swung a hammer, so he was definitely a slow but powerful character. The other was a faster moving ninja girl. The demo reveals that there are other characters, each with different weapons. For example, I saw a girl with a bo staff, an archer, and a guy with Wolverine-like claws on his hands. This ability to switch characters to overcome different obstacles is pretty cool. Im not sure if there is two-player co-op, but there sure is room for it in this game.

So overall, the demo did a great job in displaying the potential this game has. Its an action-adventure game where you run around an adorable environment filled with great characters. Im not sure if I would recommend purchasing it yet. I would have to wait and get some other initial reviews, and determine how much play time is actually in the game. Its just that the demo made it seem that the game is going to be short in length, and if thats the case, I wouldnt recommend it. But if there is two player gameplay in it, it will definitely be worth looking more into.

First Impressions: Wolfenstein (PS3)

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Posted by Rob on August 20, 2009 – 5:39 pm
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Finally got Wolfenstein in from Gamefly. They shipped it Monday, but I didnt receive it until today (Thursday). But enough about how slow shipping is. Onto my first impresions of the game!

Wolfenstein is a FPS set during WWII. The basic story is interesting, as it has the Nazi’s doing some crazy occult stuff, and its up to you (Agent B.J. Blazokwicz) to put a stop to it. So you run around, shoot Nazis and creatures from another dimension, and collect gold and intel pickups. You also get cash at the end of each mission, which can be used to purchase new weapons and upgrades. What was interesting was upon starting the first mission, I was rewarded bonus cash for playing Wolfenstein 3D from the PSN.I didnt play too much into it, so I only got $1000, but I wonder if I play more I get more cash, and possibly some other goodies.

The difference-maker in the game is the Thule Medallion. Its an artifact you receive early on, and you use it to alter the environment. For example, the two powers I have for it allow you to either view the environment with enhanced senses to easily pick out key locations, and also lets you slow down time, making it easier to dodge traps and bullets.

Also, in between missions you go to the town, from which you interact with individuals to prompt the next mission. You can also search the town for gold and intel documents, and take down Nazi soldiers who are patrolling the area.

So far its a lot of fun. The WWII setting, and the occult twist, has definitely got me hooked, and I already know I’ll be playing this game through. There is also an online competitive multiplayer mode which I have not checked out yet, but I will get around to it eventually.

PS3 Demo Review: Batman Arkham Asylum

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Posted by Rob on August 7, 2009 – 7:55 am
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The demo came out last night for Batman: Arkham Asylum, and I was pretty excited. The game has been getting a lot of hype, and seemed to be a much more in-depth and realistic Batman game. Ive been looking forward to it, and was glad to see that the demo launched last night. I downloaded then, and woke up and played it this morning. I was not disappointed.

The game pretty much starts off as Batman delivers a captured Joker to Arkham Asylum. For those of you not familiar with Batman, Arkham is a mental institution for the criminally insane, and is where many of Batman’s foes are put away until they eventually escape. So Batman delivers Joker, but it turns out that Harley Quinn and the rest of Joker’s goons have already taken over the asylum, and it was actually all a trap to lure Batman there. Now Joker is holding Gordon and other cops hostage, and Batman must make his way through Arkham to reach Joker and put a stop to his plan.

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PS3 Review- InFamous

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Posted by Rob on August 4, 2009 – 6:01 pm
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InFamous is a great PS3 exclusive game, and definitely has enough to satisfy and turn some heads. InFamous is a free-roam game, so you follow story missions while also picking up side quests and finding collectibles. The game starts as the main character, Cole,  is caught at the epicenter of an odd electrical explosion which takes out the island of Empire City. The fallout causes some of the residents to become diseased, and the government quarantines the city. As you progress through the game, Cole realizes that he can harness electricity, and conduct it from his body as a weapon. Aside from electricity, Cole also has increased strength (he can jump off buildings like the Hulk) and is agile enough to scale buildings and walk across telephone lines. Oh, and did I mention that he can also get “electric impressions” of dead people and see the future as well?! Yeah, hes got quite a few abilities. It is up to you to choose whether to use your new found powers for good by saving the city or for your own personal gain.

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