Infamous Sony PS3 Review

Developer: Sucker Punch Productions
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Designer: Nate Fox
Version 1.00
Platform: PlayStation 3
Release date: NA May 26, 2009

EU May 29, 2009
AUS June 4, 2009
Genre: Third-person action, sandbox
Mode: Single-player
Rating: BBFC: 12
ESRB: T
OFLC: M
PEGI: 16+
USK: 18
Media Blu-ray Disc
System requirements 1303 MB
Input methods Sixaxis, DualShock 3

At one point in time every guy and maybe girl wanted to be a superhero. Well the video game industry has also been trying in vain to recreate a superhero experience but has made great strides in getting it wrong. One of the best superhero games to date is Spiderman 2 for the Sony PlayStation 2. The game had citizens packing side missions, enemies roaming the city, and more. Of course, it also had a bunch of problems, but it at least gave the world a glimpse of what a superhero game could be. Now fast forward five years later add a Blu-ray player a Sony PlayStation 3 and throw Sucker Punch into the mix and Infamous is born.

Suckers Punch Production has managed to released an instant classic in Infamous for the Sony PlayStation 3. Suckers Punch, better known for the Sly Cooper series for Sony PS2 has branch off and created an incredible new exclusive world with Infamous.

Infamous put's you in the shoes of protagonist Cole MacGrath, a bike messenger caught in the epicenter of an explosion that devastates several city blocks of the fictional Empire City. Though the game's story follows Cole using his new abilities to restore some semblance of order to Empire City, the player is given several opportunities to use these powers for good or evil purposes in the game's Karma system, ultimately affecting character growth, the reaction of the City's populace towards Cole, and finer elements of the story.

Empire City is broken into three islands, and the player must work through main story missions on each island before being able to access the next one, though future missions may require the player to return to an earlier island. Each island is divided into a number of sectors, at the start of the game controlled by three different gangs. The player can undertake a side mission in each sector, once certain main story requirements have been met, to free that sector from gang control, reducing or eliminating the presence of the gang in that sector. Other side missions may also unlock medical stations where Cole will re-awaken should he fall in battle.

Cole's best friend is a fellow courier named Zeke, who takes initial refuge from the chaos on the streets at a rooftop pad and becomes both impressed and jealous of Cole's newfound powers. Trish is a medical student and Cole's girlfriend at the start of the game, but rejects him after accusing him of causing her sister's death. Shortly after the explosion, Cole meets with FBI agent Moya, who assigns him missions to complete in Empire City in hopes of finding an agent named John. John was trapped in the city while investigating a case for another agency when the quarantine was enacted and has left numerous encoded messages on satellite receivers. A rogue DJ, "The Voice of Survival", manages to broadcast his conspiracy-laden, panic-provoking messages across the city from a TV station.
Once you take control of Cole the former urban explorer, you will notice that your controls for Infamous is very fluid and responsive. Cole is very "sticky" he easily grabs onto just about everything that is laid out in Empire City. What makes Infamous different, you have the ability to easily transverse any building, any light pole and virtually any vertical/horizontal surface. Now unlike most superhero games Cole has some rudimentary and very cool modes of travel, they is travel by foot, an static electric glide, grind the railroad tracks & power cables or hop on top of the trains and take a tour of Empire City while executing some electrifying moves. Most open world games gives you the ability to commandeer cars or vehicles to transport you around town. Infamous ditches the car jacking for a more engaging experience that forces you to discover and explore Empire City. There is a great satisfaction hopping onto the train tracks and power lines and grinding around they city as you pick off the Empire City's garbage.

Empire City is a lively and gloomy place all at once, Sucker Punch does a great job of breathing life into the infected city. Sure, there are bystanders waving their arms to signify side missions, but how many times was I searching for a blast shard only to have someone run up to me and beg me to come heal a friend?. If you get caught up in how fun it is to zap bad guys and glide around town, it's these moments coupled with the out of control fires and destroyed vehicles that remind you that you're living in a city that has just gone through its darkest hour and doesn't know how to get back on its feet. Infamous visual level of chaos brings the seven year old out of you.

Once you press start you have to decide if you are going to be the savior or if you can reek total havoc and chaos throughout Empire City. And this is where Infamous get's very interesting, I choose to be a savior of all things good. Infamous karma moments system works very well, when you're faced with a good/evil decision it's very clear there are real world consequences that affects Cole and the rest of Empire city. Now some of your decisions may not seem down right evil because of the current circumstances. That evil decision at that time may make all the sense in the world depending on where you are at in the game. When a bunch of food gets dropped in Archer Square, Cole can let the masses get their fair share or zap the people so he and his friends are taken care of; etc. What I liked about the Karma Moments is that most of the time Cole justifies why he'd pick the bad option, which makes it not seem that bad; I mean, why wouldn't you want to zap the police from a crowd of protesters so that you have more people fighting alongside you rather than having it be one-on-12? Depending on your decisions you make as a savior or conqueror of Empire City the citizens will either love you or hate you. The citizens will put posters up increasing your visibility as evil or good, some may take picture of you while chanting and cheering or other may throw rocks at you because you are a low life scum sucking evil bastard.
Outside of these events, which are littered throughout the story and side missions, your actual actions feed into the morality meter as well. When you see a person writhing around on the sidewalk, you can be good and heal the person with a quick defibrillator burst or you can suck the bio-electricity from the person's body and kill them. That's an extreme example, but the smaller stuff matters, too. When you're out on a mission, the game keeps track of everything you do. When you complete a task, the game shows your stats as a pop up letting you know the task is done, how many experience points you've earned, as well as how your actions have influenced your Karma. See, if you're trying to be a good guy, you can't run and gun it through the game. You need to make sure you're only taking out the bad guys and not beating the hell out of the citizens of Empire City -- the citizens who love to get in your way.

As you're completing missions and taking out Empire City's trash on the streets, you're earning XP. This can then be exchanged for upgrades to most of your superpowers, some of which have three upgrades of sickness. As you upgrade Cole's powers it's becomes evident that Cole is one bad ass shout your mouth. If you are playing on the side of all things good your upgrades will allow you non-lethal take downs. For example as you upgrade and do good deeds, your shock grenades will also tether your enemies to the ground giving you a non-lethal way of submission. As you do more evil deeds and cause havoc your powers causes more damages over a wider area. Your same shocker grenades spreads out into multiple grenades over a wider radius destroying everything around them.

As Cole explores the city, he comes across three others with super powers like himself. Sasha is a scorned lover, trying to earn Cole's romance, and has the ability to use a tar-like plague-inducing substance to control the minds of others. She controls the Reaper gang of the Neon District. Alden is a wizened old man with powerful telekinesis abilities that leads the Dustman gang in the Warren District as well as mechanical golems under his control. Alden and his forces fight the First Sons, an ancient fraternal organization that works out of the Historical District. Kessler, a man with many super powers, controls the First Sons, using them to seek out Cole and the Ray Sphere, the device that caused the explosion in Empire City. These characters and events are beautifully driven home via cutscenes that play out as moving graphic novels

Playing Infamous for the very first time made me feel like I was Cole trying to find all the answers to my freakish powers. Sucker Punch does a great job with infamous game engine allowing for spectacular explosions, great lighting effects and pure chaos with minimum drop in frame rate. One of the most impressive things about Infamous is the draw distance, you can see for miles and beyond. You can find broken pieces of blast shards by just looking into the distant for a faint blue glow. Infamous also boast some of the best explosions in video games to date. A great example of the perfect explosion, was when I first blew up a gas station, the joy of unnecessary destruction and total human collateral damage overwhelmed me glee.

I do have a few criticisms about Infamous, one being that it felt short it took me about 30 hours to complete the entire game completing all missions as Good Cole. After I was done with Infamous, it left me wanting more now and soon in the future. I am very surprise there are no DLC available yet for Infamous such as a new city to explore or maybe new powers to find and unleash. Another minor flaw with Infamous was that at times Cole felt way too sticky. This does not take away any moments from the game but there are a few instances that it can be slightly annoying. My last complaint are the spawning of bad guys, on normal this is not bad at all but on hard it can be a slight pain in the ass. When you finished the first wave move a few steps and then all of a sudden the enemies are re-spawning in troves. This adds to the overall chaos of Empire City but I was never a fan of unlimited spawning enemies.

Infamous has virtually no load times only when the game starts and no pre-installs, but this does lead to some pop-in here and there. It's never anything major, but don't be shocked to see cars sprout up and building textures drop in as you rocket into areas of the city. Beyond the engaging story chockfull of interesting characters, there are a bunch of side projects for you to tackle. An undercover agent has hidden 32 audio recordings throughout the city, 84 districts need to be liberated from gang rule, and there are 350 Blast Shards scattered around Empire City. What I find interesting about all of these collectibles is the fact that none of them are hidden from you -- they all show up in some way on your radar.

The sound effect in Infamous is also top-notch. Instead of using traditional instruments, the team sought to use sounds that results from objects that would be found in an urban environment and using such objects in combination with other instruments used in non-traditional manners; for example, bungee cords were strung alongside a bass drum and strummed, and wire brushes were hit against a suspended tuba. Infamous soundtracks does a great job in providing tension and excitement and if you have a digital system the sound will sure add another level of appreciation for an already great game.

Being a superhero and stunts go hand in hand. When you pause the game, you'll see one of 21 stunts at the bottom of the screen. If you feel like it, or you are the constant trophy whore the -- it'll be your job to pull off each one of these moves that range from crushing an enemy with an object to simultaneously blowing three guys off a roof with the Shockwave to taking out an airborne enemy with a melee attack. Even though the game is telling you how to do the feats, some are very challenging.

My first play through of Infamous was a joy ride that I did not want to stop and when it did I was highly disappointing. Infamous is hands down one the best and most exciting superhero games to land this generation and any other generation. Cole's super powers are badass, the games story captivates and holds your interest throughout and then tosses a little twist at the end, plus the city is alive. I can go on and on, about my exploits as a superhero or super villain but it does not do a great game like Infamous any justice. To truly appreciate what Sucker Punch has created, you'll have to sit down and play this game.

Side Note: On July 29, 2009 it was announced that Sony had chosen screenwriter Sheldon Turner to adapt the Sucker Punch game into a feature film in a seven figure deal. Avi Arad and Ari Arad (who are also making an Uncharted: Drake's Fortune movie) will produce, and Sony executives Matt Tolmach and Jonathan Kadin are handling for the studio. “What excited me most about the game was it was the first of which I’ve come across that had a big idea and a character arc,” Turner said. “It is, I believe, the future of gaming. The game, while big and fun, is at its core a love ballad to the underachiever, which is what our hero, Cole MacGrath, is."



Graphics:A-
The graphics for Infamous does most things right with very few flaws. Great draw distant, great used of lighting and special effects. There is some slight pop-ups which happens but not enough to sway your concentration or fun. The frame rate is constant with a dip here and there but nothing that will distract from your enjoyment.

Sounds:A
Sound can make or break a game, in the case of Infamous the soundtrack does a great job of enhancing the overall experience in Infamous. if you are luckily enough to own a Digital sound system you will be for a real treat.

Gameplay:A
Controls overall for Infamous was dead on and very responsive. Cole can be a little too sticky but hey he is a former urban explorer. Pulling of your super array of powers is very easy and just as satisfying.

FunFactor:A+
This is were Infamous excels above and beyond most games. Infamous is a pure do not want to put the controller down exciting, joyous and fun ride. When it's all said and done you will feel like you are Cole MacGrath, a bike messenger caught in the epicenter of an explosion that devastates several city blocks of the fictional Empire City

Final thoughts:

Buy Infamous enough said.


Infamous HDVideo (warning: Spolier Alert please watch at your own risk):

KillZone 2 Review

Developer: Guerrilla Games
Publisher: SCEE
Designer: Mathijs De Jonge (game director)
Composer(s) Joris de Man
Series Killzone
Engine Deferred Rendering engine
Native resolution 1080i & 720p
Version 1.11
Platform: PlayStation 3 Exclusive
Release date(s)
EU February 25, 2009
AUS February 26, 2009
UK February 27, 2009
NA February 27, 2009
Genre: First-person shooter, Tactical, action
Mode: Single-player, online multiplayer
Ratings:
BBFC: 18
ESRB: M
OFLC: MA15+
PEGI: 18+
Media Blu-ray Disc
Input methods Gamepad

Kobe Byrant, Tiger Woods, and Tom Bardy are pretty damn good at their respective sport. They have not done anything revolutionary to change their sport, some athletes out there can be debated as arguably better, and they are some people how really do not like them. KillZone 2 is the Bryant, Woods and Brady of FPS this current generation. Guerrilla Games KillZone 2 is damn good at what it does, nothing revolutionary was done to change the genre, some FPS could be debated as being better, and then they are people, out there that would not see how much of a special experience KillZone 2 has to offer.

KillZone 2 is not without it's flaws, I'll will vent my frustration about this later. I have only played KillZone: Liberation for PSP and that was a demo. Having no knowledge about the KillZone universe will not impend your comprehension of the sub par plot.

KillZone 2 begins two years after the Helghast assault on Vekta. The ISA is taking the fight to the enemy's home world of Helghan with the ultimate goal of capturing Helghast Leader, Emperor Visari, and putting a halt to the war machine called the Helghast. The first thing that will strike your retinas like an HD rainbow collage being beam directly into your pupils are KillZone's 2 graphic. KillZone 2 in a sense, is just like every other FPS out there with a few major tweaks, and the first being pushing the graphic bar on all FPS on current generation consoles. You have to see KZ2 in motion to appreciate the beauty and grace, death can bring.

Many Wii owners out there may shout at the top of their lungs "graphics is not the end all be all", but that is the main reason Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo( I think they took a step backwards) "con us" I mean persuade us into purchasing a new system every five to seven years is due to graphics. Graphic matter and KillZone 2 proprietary game engine really show off the potential of the PS3 as a graphic powerhouse with no equal this generation.

One of the most impressive aspects of KillZone 2 is the animation and killer AI(some of the best I have to date). There is not too many games that do death and destruction as gracefully as KillZone 2. As you scorch the the Helghast with your flamethrower or nail them to the nearest object, it's a brutal and painful reality that drives the ugliness of war in the Halghast universe. If you like dishing out pain, you standard weapons will be making an appearance in KillZone 2. You will have your trusty pistol, Assault Rifles,sniper Rifles, Heavy Machineguns, Shotgun, VC1 Flamethrower, VC5 Electricity Gun and the VC21 Boltgun. My issue with KillZone 2, in the weapon department is the ability to carry only two weapons. I want the ability to carry any two weapons for example, a sniper rifle and a Flamethrower. The fact that you are always stuck with your trusty pistol does add a level of panic but it would have been nice to have a choice with my devices of death.

KillZone 2 supports full 1080i and 720p resolution and most importantly some of the best 7.1 Dolby digital in the industry. The score to Killzone 2 was composed by Joris de Man, who scored 60 minutes of in-game music and 30-minutes of live orchestral score for the game, recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, with the Nimrod Studio Orchestra. The orchestral score is epic, it enhances the overall sense of chaos, war and tragedy, especially if you play with high end headphones, which I did for the most part of the game.

The controls for KillZone 2 plays a little different form the norm. As you guide your protagonist Sergeant Tomas "Sev" Sevchenko through his personal nightmare against the Helghast. You will notice the weight of his armor and weapon in his movements. If you run with your pistol versus your rocket launcher you will notice a slight change in your speed. The controls for KillZone 2 is tight, smooth and very responsive. My only complaint about the controls would be, when you are running around for your life and you need to pick a weapon up, you have to directly stop over the weapon hold square for about a second before you can pick your new weapon up. This sucks, especially towards the end of KillZone 2, I'll would rather have the ability when I run over a weapon press square I pick it up automatically akin to the Call of Duty series there should be no delay.

KillZone 2 single player campaign is a epic battle for survival what gives this shooter legs is its fantastic online play, a fun and competitive extravaganza that issues a constant stream of benefits. Like the most recent Call of Duty games, Killzone 2 rewards you with bonuses as you play, which in this case can mean new weapons, extra grenades awarded upon respawning, and most intriguingly, entire classes. This is done not only via a leveling system that pushes you ever closer to the next reward, but also with ribbons earned by completing specific tasks, such as getting a certain percentage of your team's kills. These bonuses are earned separately from leveling, which makes for two layers of online play enhancements to keep you ever addicted.

The modes themselves offer few surprises, what with variants on Team Deathmatch (Bodycount), Conquest (Capture and Hold), and Capture the Flag (Search and Retrieve), among others. Rather, matches are unique because these modes are strung seamlessly together, forcing teams to move from one objective to the next with barely a breather in-between. Up to five modes mesh into a single game, which keeps teams on their toes and spreads hotbeds of action about the maps. In a single match, you're likely to band with teammates in an exposed courtyard, navigate tight walkways as battles rage in the artificial gully just beyond, and defend an objective in a claustrophobic alcove. It's unlikely that you'll have trouble finding players online to join you in one of Killzone 2's 32-player engagements, but should you be so inclined, you can fill out the games that you host with up to 15 AI-controlled bots. You can even practice offline in one-off matches with those same bots if you prefer.

The eight maps included are exceptional, largely because they are flexible enough to make every mode feel like a natural fit for the precise layouts. Aspects such as the varying spawn points of the propaganda speaker in Search and Retrieve, and the vulnerable locations of capture points in Capture and Hold, provide focused hot spots and send you to every nook and cranny of the maps. Be prepared to think vertically because the pathways wind up stairwells, through hidden tunnels, and across balconies walkways. The addition of techniques available to each of Killzone 2's seven classes makes the ensuing action even more dynamic. An engineer's turrets can make Pyrrhus Rise's natural chokepoints even more treacherous, whereas a cloaked enemy may pounce on you as you navigate Tharsis Depot's constricted walkways. All the while, visual flourishes such as floating embers on Visari Hammer and distant artillery fire on Salamun Market keep the mood oppressive.

Guerrilla Games Killzone 2 is a clinic in FPS that will defiantly help usher in a new kind of immersion. But KillZone 2 is not without it's flaws. My biggest let down with Killzone 2 is the lack of any online or offline co-op game play. Any sort of co-op gameplay in KillZone 2 would have launched KillZone 2 to heights that no other FPS would have been able to follow. As you play on Veteran or Elite, it's evident that co-op would help with the Halghast relentless pursuit of your demise.

Guerrilla Games has some work cut out for KillZone 3 especially with it's rough narrative. KillZone 2 is an excellent, chaotic and brutal FPS, it does not do anything revolutionary or even new. What KillZone 2 does is provide one of the best console gaming experience offline and online and graphical superiority that has garner the attention of the competition. Most importantly KillZone 2 is a reason to be proud to be a PS3 owner.


Graphics: A+
KillZone 2 is the best looking shooter so far this early generation. From fluid death animations, to amazing lighting, and particle effects. Guerrilla Games has created a brilliantly realized immersive environment to stimulate all your sense

Sound: A+
Sporting the best 7.1 HD audio in the business, KillZone 2 epic score, thunderous explosions and piercing gun play helps enhance the battle for survival on enemy home turf.

Replay Value: A+
MP will keep you playing for months or until KillZone 3 comes out. One of the great features of KZ2 is the ability to track your stats, from online to offline. Beside seeing where you stand around the globe there seems to be an endless array of online unlockables.

Control: A
If you've played FPS you can handle KillZone the control scheme is a little different, but the more you play the more it feels very natural. Weight is translated very well when running and gunning for your life.

Fun Factor: A +
From single player campaign to online with up to 32 players KillZone 2 is pure fun. If KillZone 2 had co-op online and offline, it will surpass the realm of fun.

NanoGeekTech Overall Score: A+
The hype is for real, KillZone 2 is an extremely great ride that every PS3 owner should experience. Leading the way with superior graphics,ear melting sound track while
pushing the boundaries of the FPS experience.

Should you buy it or rent. Both, if you cannot afford to purchase KillZone 2 than go out and rent it at your local Blockbuster, if you can afford it, KillZone 2 is a worth while title to add to your PS3 library.

KillZone 2 Review Scores from the Net

KillZone 2 is still a month away, but the review embargo has been lifted and the reviews are flooding the net fast. From the looks of it, KillZone 2 seems to be a gaming spectacular Sony has promised.

Will KillZone 2 be one of the greatest FPS experiences to ever grace home consoles? From the look of things , I'll make an educated guess and say "absolutely yes"

-GamePro (100/100): "It took a long time for Killzone 2 to finally come out, but after diving head first into the game, there's no doubt in my mind that it lives up to the hype and is a must-play for FPS fans."

-IGN (94/100): "The single-player experience is a truly enjoyable campaign across the Helghast home world that will test your skills, particularly on the higher difficulty levels, and the game simply looks phenomenal for a console shooter. But perhaps the strongest segment of the game is the extremely deep multiplayer, which gives seven basic classes with which you can create your own customized super-soldier after performing your class-specific duties."

-IGN AU (90/100): "End line, Killzone 2 is, by IGN's definition, outstanding. It is consistent in every respect and is testament to the talents of the developer as well as the power of the PS3 in the hands of a team that knows how to use the hardware -- and who have the full support of Sony behind them. In the same stroke, it is not the be all and end all of console shooters, or even shooters on the PS3 - but if you've read this far and you're one of the Killzone devout, you probably won't care anyway. You can rest easy knowing it was ultimately worth the wait."

-Eurogamer (90/100): "This is a methodical shooter that makes few concessions to those not already interested in its single-minded approach to cover-based military action. I've compared it to Rainbow Six in the past, but it also calls to mind F.E.A.R, another tough tactical effort that was often misunderstood by those expecting a frag-happy spook hunt. Killzone 2 is a taut and muscular game, a shooter that gives back more than you put in, provided you have the intestinal fortitude. It may take its time revealing its true depths and pleasures, but the journey is well worth taking."

Call Of Duty: World of Wars PS3 Review

Developer: Treyarch, Certain Affinity (Multiplayer maps)
Publisher: Activision
Designer: Margaret Tang (director)
Writer: Craig Houston
Artist: Brian Anderson
Composer: Sean Murray
Series Call of Duty
Engine Call of Duty 4 engine
Native resolution: 600p (Xbox 360, PS3)
Version 1.1 (as of November 10, 2008)
Platform(s): Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360
Release date(s) NA November 11, 2008
EU November 14, 2008
AUS November 12, 2008
Genre: First-person shooter
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer, cooperative
Rating: BBFC: 15
ESRB: M
OFLC: MA15+
PEGI: 18+
Media Blu-ray Disc, DVD-DL, Wii Optical Disc, Nintendo DS Game Card, Download
System requirements See Development
Input methods Gamepad, Keyboard and Mouse, Wii Remote & Nunchuk, Touchscreen


What a cruel thing is war: to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world; to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors, and to devastate the fair face of this beautiful world. ~Robert E. Lee, letter to his wife, 1864



Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was able to throw players into an overwhelming adrenaline filled world of death and utter chaos making it by far the best game of the series. Call of Duty: World at Wars has some damn big shoes to fill.



World at Wars focuses on the lesser known theaters of World War II. You will not be part of Normandy or D-Day for the billizion time. Call of Duty: World at Wars covers the island hoping campaign in the Pacific as well as the Red Army's reversal of tide at Staligard all the way to the Fall of Berlin.



World at War is a dirty, nasty and unforgiving affair but the Pacific and Eastern Front were especially brutal. Japanese soldiers swarm out of the brush, wait for you in spider holes and sometimes play dead waiting for you to walk into their trap. All the combat in Call of Duty: World at War occurs in open environments but for the most part, it feels like close-quarters combat much of the time.



Call of Duty: World at War feels like any other COD game through and through. The action is fast, fluid and highly scripted. Enemy soldiers and computer teammates respawn endlessly until you hit a trigger to get to the next phase you repeat this until the game ends. The AI is pretty bad the only way you are killed, is because you are out numbered and not paying attention. Being that there is an endless respawn of soldiers you have to keep it moving in Call of Duty World at War or you will come to a quick death.



The single player campaign in World at War ends fairly quick, it is in no way as satisfying as COD4. The character models in Call of Duty World at War are completely fugly. I do not know what the hell Treyarch was thinking! The in game characters look like they have Elephantiasis in the face(no joking some of the fugliest shit I have seen it's unacceptable)



Online Muliplayer is similar to the established Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. You will find the same perk and ranking system and six different MP modes includes the standard death match and capture-the-flag. Cooperative gameplay is available up to two players via split screen on consoles, or four players online the first for the COD franchise. One of the coolest features in Call of Duty: World at War is a minigame called Nacht der Untoten( German for "Night of the Undead)where players work together to kill and endless swarm of zombies. You gain points by killing, injuring or repairing boarded-up windows. Overall the online MP for Call of Duty: World at War is very impressive, the levels feel twice as big as COD4. They are numerous nooks and places to hide and snipe. The amount of details shown in any level is also an impressive feat.



Call of Duty: World at War is an entertaining game, single player campaign is quick and does not have the awesome theatrics found in COD4. Where you will get your money worth with COD5 is online. War at World online matches the pace and intensity of COD4 making it an overall fun experience.

Graphics: B
Call of Duty: World of War sports some pretty nice graphics especially the massive environment you use as your personal killing field. The character models are a little ugly which is unacceptable but this does not take away from the overall experience.
Sound: B
COD4 support some of the best gun and explosions effects in a FPS. World at War does explosion well but the sounds of your guns when fired lacks that audible punch found in COD4.
Replay Value: A
Online is where you will get your monies worth. The single player campaign is short quick and at times uninspiring. Playing online with friends or random strangers adds a high level intensity not found in the single player mode.
Control: A
There not much to say about the controls in War of Worlds, it's as good as you can get. The controls are easy to get, especially if you played any of COD games in the past. The learning curve is a great as your first time playing tic-tac-toe.
Fun Factor: A -
Call of Duty: World at War is fun, playing co-op with a few friends against a Nazi herd of Zombies never gets too old. The massive level gives you many unique hiding places to perfect your sniping skills.
NanoGeekTech Overall Score: B+

Should you buy Call of Duty: World at War or rent it: This is a hard one for me, I am still playing COD4 and enjoying it tremendously, for some strange reason COD 5 does not feel as intense as COD4. This could be the fact that I am a little tried of WWII games. Or it could be due to the fact I like the sound of the guns and explosions more in COD4 versus Call of Duty: World of Wars. I would recommend purchasing World at War if you have not experience the COD universe. If you own COD4 most of your friends may have already stepped up to World at War so it only may make sense to add World of War to your Sony PS3 library.

NanoGeekTech Special Report: Gears of War II Review

Developer: Epic Games
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Designer: Cliff Bleszinski
Composer: Steve Jablonsky
Engine Unreal Engine 3 with PhysX
Native resolution 720p
Platform: Xbox 360
Release date: November 7, 2008
Genre: Third-person shooter
Tactical shooter
Mode: Single player, System Link, Multiplayer, Cooperative modes
Rating(s) BBFC: 18
ESRB: M
Media DVD-9
Input methods Gamepad

From time to time NanoGeekTech will review Microsoft AAA Exclusives Games for the Xbox360. Today we are going to take a look at Xbox 360 multi-zillion dollar mega blockbuster Gear of War 2 the other "GOW"

Halo and Halo II help usher in the original Xbox and made it relevant in the console gaming world. It is my opinion that Gears of War has made the Xbox 360 a considerable foe for the almighty Sony Corporation. Gear of War debut to enormous fanfare, hype and rave reviews. GOW officially has helped put the Xbox 360 on the map with main stream media and troves on fanboies. This megaton of a game has solidify the Xbox 360 as a true and real threat to the gaming world as we know it.



Gears of War 2 begins with our heroes Marcus Fenix, Dominic "Dom" Santiago and Benjamin Carmine, and later joined by Augustus Cole planning to stage a final offensive against the Locust in their backyard.



Gears of War 2 has to be one of the best looking games on any system to date. Cliffy B has found the genie in a bottle with the marriage of the Unreal Engine 3 and the Xbox 360. It's pretty obvious that Cliffy B is the master of the Unreal Engine when tearing through hordes of Locust with a bloodied chainsaw. Most developers that attempt to utilize this engine has never reach the near perfection that Cliffy B was able to accomplish with Gears of War 2. That being said, Too Human is a tragic classic example of "when a good game engines go bad".



Gears of War 2 is a graphical powerhouse aka "Beast". Epic games was able to squeeze more juice into an already beautiful game. Many new techniques were use to beautify Gears of War 2. Epic added in-game lighting through ambient occlusion which enables more dynamic shadows to be rendered more realistically. The ability to render large crowds of Locust has now been included. Other notable enhancements would be the inclusion of destructible structures and objects along side with great improvements to rendering water. These new techniques slightly enhances Gears of War 2 gameplay.



Gears of War 2 Soundtrack was released on November 25th, 2008 under the record label Sumthing Else Music Works. The music in Gears of War 2 was composed by Steve Jablonsky. GOW2 soundtrack is not mindblowing in anyway in my opinion but it does fit the Gears of War univerise. Gears of War 2 does digital surround sound very well. Explosions can make your sub-woofer bark at times and the buzz of the chainsaw will make you feel like Paul Bunyan.



What has made Gears of War 2 such a great experience is how easy it is to pick up and play. Gears of War 2 is very much a casual shooter, anyone can pick up Gears of War 2 and begin their personal killing vendetta against the Locust. The controls feels the same as the original, nothing has been changed or removed. When using the cover system this time around you don't feel like you are sticking to everything around you. It's easier to remove yourself from a cover position. There is no real thought process involved in playing Gears of War 2 you run, use cover, shoot evil nasty bad Locust, throw a grenade or two, use some more cover and in between the mayhem switch between weapons.



All of your weapons of mass destruction has made it's way back into the game with the inclusion of a few new items. Your personal arsenal of chaos will compose of the Boomshot Grenade Launcher, Frag Grenade, Gnasher Shotgun, Gorgon Pistol, Hammerburst Assault Rifle, Hammer of Dawn, Lancer Assault Rifle, Long Shot Sniper Rifle, Ink Grenade,Snub Pistol, Torque Bow, Boltok Pistol, Troika Turret, Mortar, Mulcher and the Scorcher Flamethrower. My favorite weapon in the Gears Series is the Hammer of Dawn. The weapons used in GOW2 is nothing special, ts just slightly modified version of things we have seen before. Epic need to add an alternate fire options for all weapons to the Next Gears Of War. The weapons in GOW2 needs a little more imagination next time around espically the Locusts weapons. Gears of War can add more depth by slightly modifing all weapons and adding some new cool weapons.



Gears of War 2 has made a few new additions to online multiplayer. Gears of War 2 will allow up to ten players to play simultaneously. They are three new modes "Guardian", "Wingman" and "Submissions". Guardian is a modified version of "Assassination" from the original Gears of War. Wingman splits all ten players into five teams of two, where both members play as the same character. Submission aka" Meat Flag" is basically capture the flag with a players body being the flag. There is also a new co-op game mode called "Horde", this mode allows up to five players to fight off waves of attacking Locust together. As you destroy the attacking waves each new wave becomes more difficult as you progress.



Epic was able to re-tool the cameras in the multiplayer modes. The new Battle cam allows players to freely pan around any map as the camera focuses on the areas of intense fighting. The Ghost Cam allows a player to roam freely around a map. There is also the photo mode that allows you to take photos in multiplayer and upload it GearsofWar.com



Multiplayer is where many will get their money worth from Gears of War 2 and LIVE subscription. Epic was able to add just a pinch more content to make GOW2 online a little more interesting and appealing to die hard gear heads.



Gears of War 2 for the Microsoft Xbox 360 has help put Xbox 360 on the map and at the same time help establish a strong install base. Yes, Gears of War 2 is one of the best looking games on any platform, Yes, Gears of War 2 has sold millions of millions of copies, and Yes if you have a 360 Gears of War 2 is a game that you have to experience.



My problem with Gears of War 2 is that it felt like a great summer blockbuster movie with no plot or substance. Gears of War 2 reminds me of StarShip Troopers, awesome action, lots of blood and guts, and the F-bomb thrown around like a three foot midget in a midget throwing contest. But what Starship Troopers lacked, was average to good acting, story and character development. And for the most part Gear of War 2 lacks from all of the above. I am a graphic whore the better it looks the more my brain can appreciate it and at the same time comprehend it. But this generation has showed me that you can have a compelling story, good character development, and great acting alongside with uber super sexy graphics a classic example being "BioShock". For Gears of War not to fall into "The Halo Trap" the next Gears of War has to up the ante, and I do not mean bigger, badder, or bloodier. I want a little more sophistication with my blood and gore.



Graphic:A+
Gears of War 2 excels in the graphic department and is the best looking game on Microsoft Xbox 360 so far and ever.
Sound:A
I am a sucker for good sound and a glass of grand mariner liquor on the rocks with a splash of red bull.
Replay Value:A-
If you ever wanted to justified to your friend that owns a PS3 and plays online for FREE and you have to pay as low as $39.99 per years just pull out a copy of GOW2
Control:A
Gear of War 2 is so easy a cave man can do it. If my wife can pick up a controller and blow some Locust knee caps off so can grandma.
Fun Factor: B+
Gears of War 2 is fun if you have never played the gears of War series you will be in for a treat. If you are a veteran of the series you may appreciate to new additions the multiplayer.
NanoGeekTech Overall Score: A
Gears of War 2 is clearly a great gaming experience with a few short comings but I can only blame that on Cliff B. This game is a reflection of Cliff B personality lots of fluff and no substance.



Should you buy Gears of War 2 or rent it: "Rent or Buy it you cannot go wrong. Gears of War 2 can be a great reason to consider purchasing a Microsoft 360 at the current prices. If you already own a PS3 and considering splurging on a cheap arcade 360 GOW2 is a great reason to consider it! "

What Bored me about Gear of War 2: "Its hard to get bored when playing GOW2 it is non-stop blood fest. If there is one thing I would change in Gears of War 2 would be the weapons, your killing apparatus could have been more imaginative. The single player campaign can be rather quick if played with a friend. Is Gears of War 2 worth trading in your Sony PS3 for a Xbox 360 and a copy of GOW2.....no. Do not let the hype fool you."