Though it has got a format which is equivalent to Guitar Hero, this game that may be released in late October takes you underground to the rave scene where you can reign as queen of percussion and rhythm. It is a new game made using a prize winning premise. Whether you grew up listening to Marvin Gaye’s ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’ or ‘Disco Inferno’, or enjoy the most recent releases, there are songs for you included with the DJ Hero Nintendo game series. In fact, designers had an interest in tempting a generational mixture of players, so they attempted to make it important to everyone at each age.

For those that have been unhappy with the absence of hip-hop offered by Guitar Hero, they are going to find that their favorite genres have also been included. DJ Hero has additionally been developed to be played by both right-handed and left-handed players, so everybody will feel comfortable playing. Gameplayers travel down a road paved over with notes very similar to in Guitar Hero. Rather than strumming a guitar players use buttons and a turntable to form the required effects. The Effects dial is very similar to the Whammy Bar in that it permits players to give an individual spin to pre-mixed songs. Other features include a rewind button which you may use to rewind songs to score more points and an Euphoria button which is used to double scores. The DJ Hero Renegade edition has been recommended by Eminem and Jay-Z and includes two CDs with unreleased tracks. Folk are doing plenty of speculating about how good this DJ Hero computer game series is going to be.

Will it be nothing except a Guitar Hero clone, or will it be the proved format spun in a completely different way? Online reviews range between it will rule, to it will suck. Apparently all of us are going to grasp shortly.

We agree that this is a solid start, but the competition will be fierce in the coming months, as World of Warcraft releases its new expansion Wrath of the Lich King. While Lord of the Rings Online will also have come out with its first expansion Mines of Moria. Also, Funcom announced that they will do everything in their power to keep Age of Conan alive by hiring a new manager. They will begin to create new content for the game.

Warhammer also released larger images of “new” classes of characters which will make their appearance at the end of the year in Warhammer Online. This is not so much news, because the “new” classes” are two classes that had been removed during the development of the title. The Black Guard and The Knight of the Blazing Sun are the two new classes.

Halo 2 Super Jumps Within The Game

The stage is set for Halo, when a group of aliens joins together to from an evil conspiracy to destroy all humans. This group of aliens is following some humans. In a desperate attempt to keep them from discovering Earth, the humans lead the aliens to a planet called Halo. On this planet, the leader of the humans, who happens to be part cyborg, begins battling the aliens. The battles take place throughout buildings on the planet, and not only do the characters need to be quick, but they also have to have fast reflexes in order to move their characters before they are killed by other players. The Halo games are known for moving fast and encompassing a wide variety of strategy skills.

During the play of the game, there are several Halo 2 super jumps. These Halo 2 super jumps are integrated into the game, so that the main character, can reach higher landings within the game. Some of the Halo 2 super jumps enable the main character to jump up and retrieve skulls. These skulls are for items that will even enhance his abilities more. With the Halo 2 super jumps, the skulls may give the character greater strength, shields or there are even some that just make the character run around like crazy.

These Halo 2 super jumps, that can be used to find the skulls, or cheats, are a fun addition to the games that loyal followers of the game look for. The character being able to make these Halo 2 super jumps, allows for him to be competitive against the aliens. These powers let the character move from one space to another in a quick fashion to avoid detection from the aliens. It also allows the character to move through the settings to find and destroy the aliens before being caught and destroyed themselves.

The Halo 2 super jumps make the game exciting and can also have the added benefit of finding cheats to give the game a different dimension. Many players of Halo enjoy being able to control their characters physical responses, and the Halo 2 super jumps is part of that ability.

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That game is none other than Mass Effect. Mass Effect is an Xbox 360 exclusive game that comes from the brilliant creators of games such as Jade Empire and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The video game company responsible for those amazing games is BioWare. BioWare has been teasing audiences with trailer after trailer of this game since 2005. Everyone knew BioWare had an ace up their sleeve that they were keeping a secret. Fortunately, the cat is completely out of the bag and is no longer hidden. Mass Effect kept on garnering attention from all angles, and the game is showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. Does Mass Effect live up to the extraordinarily expectations? Luckily, the answer to that question is an emphatic yes. The storyline in the game transpires in a futuristic galaxy. There is an alien forewarning explaining that a portal will be unlocked, and that portal will inflict reprehensible damage to human life. The protagonist in the game is played by Shepard, and he or she (depending on the player) is what is known as a Spectre. A Spectre is someone who is a guardian of harmony. He or she protects those in the galaxy who cannot defend for themselves. On the other hand, there are those perverse Spectre’s that are called Rogue Spectres. One of these Rogue Spectre’s is the antagonist named Saren. Saren’s primary objective is to eradicate the human race to the point of extinction; furthermore, these motives are due in part because of Saren’s perceived notion that humans are impious and lack compassion. A predominate subject matter in the game is the correlation between humans and artificial intelligence. That is a common thread that is exemplified throughout the duration of Mass Effect. The gameplay in the game begins like any other traditional BioWare game. You start by customizing your character from the gender to the attributes (ala Jade Empire or Star Wars). BioWare give gamers the option to the modify every single element of the appearance down to the eyes, mouth, hair, and so much more. I attempted to create a character that looked like Nariko from Heavenly Sword, but I failed miserably. Instead, my character wound up looking like a deformed skeleton. In other words, my character ended up looking like Nicole Richie. A skeleton and Nicole Richie are indistinguishable. I cannot tell the two apart from each other, but I digress. The game is classified in the role playing game genre, but the best way to describe Mass Effect is that it is a combination of various other games. Gamers have to take a closer look at Gears of War, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon, Jade Empire, and the aforementioned Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Players must meticulously examine those games and put them in a blender; consequently, the end result will be Mass Effect.The role playing aspects comes from selecting a character type, earning experience, and spending experience points. Gamers has the option to distribute the skill points they earn in any way they desire. If this process appears intricate, then there is a automatic feature that levels the character up instantaneously. There are pros and cons to this method. For example, using the automatic option is less time consuming. However, you might not get the experience points properly assigned. The skill set you can use is contingent on the character class for that particular person. Initially, Mass Effect has a slow and steady pace to the gameplay. That all changes after the first couple of hours. This is where the game moves at a much more brisk pace. There is a main storyline campaign and optional side missions. These optional missions are not mandatory, but they do provide experience and divulge more information about the plot. Although only the main storyline mode is needed to complete the game, accomplishing the side quests are highly recommended. As you progress, Shepard can explore a map of the entire galaxy. Some planets are barren, and other planets have inclement weather conditions. Not all of the planets have there own nuances. As a matter of fact, there are planets that are virtually identical to one another. Discovering the planets will allow you to use a vehicle that can be utilized to navigate the terrain. The vehicle itself can travel to the most unique places without any trouble. Nonetheless, the disadvantage is that it controls like a sluggish tank. On the bright side, the bulk of the gameplay does not take place in a vehicle. The most engrossing part of the game is the combat on foot. You can have up to three members in your party at any moment, (including Shepard) and they all have their own personal style. As mentioned earlier, Mass Effect has gameplay sequences that comes from a game such as Gears of War. This entails taking cover and using cover in order to put yourself in an advantageous situation. Although you can use the surroundings as cover, you are unable to blind fire in this game for some reason of another. Giving squad commands is another possibility that is available in the game. Regrettably, none of them really work to perfection. Moreover, you can only issue orders to the entire team. You cannot say commands to each member of your team individually. This is somewhat compensated by the fairly respectable artificial intelligence of your teammates but not entirely. You are also somewhat limited in the number of people you can have on a team. The maximum is three; on the contrary, you are allowed to have up to four in Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon. Those minor flaws should not deter players from enjoying the entire cinematic gaming experience of Mass Effect. The game also features a pause and play gameplay mechanic that was seen in previous BioWare games. Holding the left or right bumper will enable you to pause the game and survey the battlefield. Pausing the game will permit players to methodically decide their next course of action. In addition, Shepard can use precision fire for better accuracy. Your companions earn experience and can also level up along with Commander Shepard. Additionally, your squad mates can also be assigned what weapons and powers to use.The available weapons in the game are standard for a game in the third person shooter genre. There is a sniper rifle, handguns, shotguns, machine guns, grenades, and biotic powers. Biotic powers work much like the force powers in games like Star Wars. There is push, sabotage, and many others. The part of the gameplay that has been receiving the most attention are the countless conversations. You can choose to play as a Paragon or Renegade character. The Paragon is the Star Wars equivalent to the Light Side; conversely, the Renegade is like the Dark Side. Depending on your responses in the conversations, you will be accumulating Paragon or Renegade points. In a nutshell, acting like a quintessential noble person will earn Paragon points. At the other end, acting like a narcissist will net you Renegade points. The graphics in the game are stunning. There is a considerable amount of detail that is accentuated in the character models and environments. Everything from the flora to the fauna is absolutely exemplary. All of the facial animations are immaculate. Anyone can clearly see the wide range of emotions: pain, elation, exhaustion, regret. Never before in a game has this much attention to animations been given. The audio in the game is truly incredible. BioWare has recruited actual actors to do many of the voice acting in the game. One of whom is Seth Green from the facetious Austin Powers movies. Even the weapons have a realistic ambiance to them. The live orchestral musical score definitely fit’s the tone the game developers were attempting to capture. Overall, Mass Effect is a game that revoltionizes the role playing game genre. Move over Final Fantasy VII and Oblivion. There is a new king of the role playing game genre, and that king is Mass Effect.

Final Verdict: Mass Effect is a near perfect game.

9.8 out of 10

Video Games: The World of Gaming and Electronics

Sony has had a somewhat arduous year with the PlayStation 3 in 2007. Much of this is due in part of exclusives like Halo 3, Mass Effect, and BioShock going to the Xbox 360. This is exacerbated by the fact that Sony is losing exclusive rights to games such as Devil May Cry 4, Resident Evil 5, and Grand Theft Auto IV. Furthermore, Metal Gear Solid 4 has been delayed until the year 2008. Many gamers thought that Sony was done and should bow down to Microsoft; however, the PlayStation 3 has injected new life into Sony recently. After the PlayStation 3 price reduction down to $ 400, the sales of PlayStation 3’s have increased. Moreover, there are PlayStation 3 exclusives such as Heavenly Sword and Ratchet & Clank: Future Tools of Destruction that are worth playing. Luckily, things are finally looking bright for Sony. Sony appears to be on the right track and heading in the right direction. This is conspicuously seen from their biggest PlayStation 3 game this holiday season in Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. The storyline in this game revolves around Nathan Drake and his allies. They are on a quest for a treasure; consequently, they get lost in an island in the Pacific Ocean. Now, Nathan and his acquaintances have every intention to escape from this retched island because they are being chased by deadly mercenaries. Naughty Dog definitely delivers the goods when it comes to the storyline. The plot is compelling and is not as predictable as some games might be. The gameplay has aspects from a typical third person shooter with a twist. This twist being that you will be doing more than gunning down adversaries. Gamers will have to play through some fairly unique platform jumping elements as well. There is a peek around the corner technique that is eerily similar to Gears of War. Mr. Drake can utilize cover by putting his back against the wall and squatting down. Blindfiring is also another gameplay mechanic that was heavily influenced from a game like Gears of War. This is of course when you are hiding behind cover and firing without exposing yourself.The platform jumping is analogous to a game like Prince of Persia. Drake does not seem athletic, but looks can be deceiving. He can perform the most acrobatic maneuvers when he is airborne. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune boasts stunning visuals across the board. The textures are clean, and the flora is grandiose. Lighting and architecture are just a few of many things that are amazing in this game. In addition to the gunfire, there is a few moments in the game where Nathan can use his arms and legs in combat. The pro of correctly executing a combination attack is more ammunition, but the con is that failing will net you nothing in return and a loss of health. There is nothing too extravagant about the weapons in the game. They range from the rudimentary handguns to the explosive grenades. Drake can also traverse his way through the environment with his mobility. He knows how to climb large obstacles, swing across a gap by using a rope, and jump from one ledge to another ledge with ease. The controls are responsive and never deter players from enjoying the game. Replenishing health is done simply by standing still and waiting (ala Gears of War). Fortunately, all of Drake’s actions are easily done. The only two flaws with the game are the animations and length. There were occasional sequences where foes do not exactly act accordingly after they are hit. This resulted in awkward and unrealistic physics. Opponents will not perform the electric slide, but it was odd to see an enemy fly around in a eccentric manner. Another gripe with the game is the nine hour length. A game that succinct needs more gameplay. Even though the game is concise, the gameplay itself is engrossing. The audio in the game really made the plot come together. Voice acting is superb and not over the top. The sound of Drake reloading his gun has a tactile feel to it. Water falling down to the ground have a different sounding fluctuation to them. Overall, there is no doubt that Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is the best PlayStation 3 exclusive that PlayStation 3 owners will greatly admire. The intriguing storyline overrides the few minor glitches in the game.

Final Verdict: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is a very good game.

8.9 out of 10

Video Games: The World of Gaming and Electronics

The game is currently available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the PC. In terms of storyline, the game follows Kane and Lynch. Kane is a mercenary, and Lynch is a lunatic who is on strong medication. They manage to meet each other and plan on working together for a big pay day. This game definitely has an amazing plot that will entertain anyone. There is no doubt that the sequence of events is the selling point in the game. Kane and Lynch are two gritty characters that have undesirable pasts. Since the game made by the same core group that worked on the Hitman games, expect a great deal of twists and turns. IO Interactive is notorious for games that bolster the blood by decreasing the ammunition being fired (ala Hitman). This game is a dark crime drama that will keep gamers intrigued. The protagonists in the game are not exactly the stereotypical heroes. Kane is on a journey to save his daughter, and the aforementioned Lynch has habitual drug problems. Violence and foul language are two things that are immensely mundane in this game. It makes sense because that is the type of tone the game developers had in mind. Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is told via two methods. One method is through the use of actual gameplay footage, and the second method is done via cut scenes. Both methods work extraordinarily well and do a brilliant job of complementing each other.The gameplay deals with heists, robberies, gunfights, and so much more. In addition, the game plays eerily similarly to countless other games in the same third person shooter genre. Players will have their usual assortment of weapons that entail handguns, machine guns, shotguns, and grenades. There is even some melee attacks that you can execute that will terminate your adversaries. As a matter of fact, many aspects of the gameplay in this game is clearly inspired from a game like Gears of War. For example, you can rejuvenate your health by waiting and having patience. Blind firing while using cover and swinging out of the corner while taking shots are all available. Furthermore, gamers can even go into manual aiming mode that allows for more accurate headshots. The little things in the game make it stand out more than the other elements in the gameplay. For instance, there is real dialogue that is spoken during the loading screens and a near death experience when you are on the verge of dying. Kane & Lynch: Dead Men gives a gratifying feel to the action sequences. All of the guns will have a realistic recoil that gives more authenticity to the guns. Shooting a machine gun with short controlled bursts will provide better accuracy; conversely, holding down the fire button will drastically diminish your accuracy. The game also has a two player cooperative multiplayer mode that enables both Kane and Lynch to complete the game. Regrettably, there is no online cooperative multiplayer. Nonetheless, there is an engrossing online multiplayer that has an original take. Players have the option to work as a cohesive unit, stab their teammates in the back, or seek vengeance for being betrayed. The multiplayer was definitely one of the most unique features in the game. Ally and enemy artificial intelligence is somewhat average. Yes, your allies might revive you when you die. Your teammates will also act accordingly after you issue a command to them. However, there are instances when they die at an alarming rate for absurd reasons. Likewise, the same rule applies to the foes. Occasionally, it is arduous to discern when your character in actually protected by cover. The graphics in the game are not exactly next generation. It appears that many of the character models were a mildly enhanced adaptation of a PlayStation 2 game. Fortunately, the audio in the game more than makes up for the lack of polish in the visuals department. There is no such thing as a spectacular plot without incredible voice acting. Luckily, this game has both of those going for it. Even with the gratuitous profanity, all of the lines of dialogue are fantastic. An excellently written script coupled with exemplary voice acting is a recipe for success. Overall, Kane & Lynch: Dead Men might be a game for gamers with an acquired taste. Nevertheless, the game is certainly worth experiencing.

Final Verdict: Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is a good game.

8 out of 10

Video Games: The World of Gaming and Electronics

The game comes from the creators who worked on the Prince of Persia games. No one can question the quality of games from Ubisoft due to the release of games such as Splinter Cell, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon, and Prince of Persia. Assassin’s Creed is Ubisoft’s next installment of a game that has been in development for close to four years. The storyline in the game transpires in 1191 during the time when the nefarious Third Crusade tormented innocent civilians in Jerusalem. Here is where the role of the assassin come into play. The protagonist in the game is Altair, and he just happens to be a skillful assassin. It is revealed to gamers that Altair was unsuccessful in eradicating Robert de Sable (Master of the Templar Knights). As a result, Altair is on a mission to recover his acclaim that he earned before he failed to eliminate Robert de Sable. Fortunately, Sinan (the leader of the Assassin’s) extends an olive branch to Altair and gives Altair an opportunity to make amends for his past blunders. Sinan tells Altair to exterminate the men responsible for the Third Crusade and end the tyranny caused by these men. Consequently, Altair complies with Sinan’s request and prepares himself to annihilate the Third Crusade. This is where players will begin playing Assassin’s Creed. The game is definitely has an engrossing plot from beginning to end.Let me get straight to the point: this game is brilliant. There are endless possibilities in the game. For example, you can jump from rooftop to rooftop to avoid detection. Conversely, this game also offers a much more conspicuous method to killing adversaries. The amount of freedom in Assassin’s Creed is truly exemplary. Damascus, Acre and Jerusalem are where the three major gameplay will occur. The majority of the gameplay will take place in three phases: phase one is the approach, phase two is the assassination, and phase three is the escape. In order to be successful in the game, all of the three phases of gameplay are mandatory. The approach is how well you premeditate for the assassination. This entails knowing the terrain and assessing the location of foes. The assassination is the actual killing of the target. This can be done in a clandestine manner or a visible technique. Sometimes Altair is left with no alternative but to be discernible. Other times he will have an option to execute a target surreptitiously. Last but certainly not least is the escape. This is how proficiently you manage to flee from the scene of the assassination. Altair can knock down people and obstacles to elude the onslaught of opponents chasing him. All of the three phases are enjoyable and provide a great deal of depth to the gameplay. The versatility in the game is another element that really shines. Altair can pilfer information from strangers, protect pedestrians from being mugged, and slaughter guards. Furthermore, there are optional side missions that are available. There are a grand total of nine core objectives in the game, and they all start in a similar fashion. Climbing to the very top of buildings to scan the area is pivotal. If anyone is pondering whether or not getting back down is a vexing process, then the answer to that question is no. Once Altair reaches an incredible height atop a building, he can dive straight down into an enormous pile of hay to break his fall.

Even with all of the intricate maneuvers that Altair has in his arsenal, the controls are immensely accessible. Instead of having a jump button, there are simple action buttons that enable Altair to circumvent the surroundings. This is particularly useful when Altair is outnumbered and needs to get somewhere with ease. The game gives Altair the ability to complete objectives in various ways. For instance, climbing a wall or rushing through the front gate. One of the most unique gameplay mechanic is how Altair can use the crowd to his advantage. He can mesh with the people around him to keep a low profile and get from point A to point B. Nonetheless, attempting to blend in with the crowd does have its consequences. If you do something out of the ordinary, then the people will react accordingly and attention will be drawn to you. The combat in the game is fairly challenging and entertaining. Do not expect to just pulverize enemies (ala God of War) because Altair attacks can be blocked. The best course of action is from counterattacks. Precise timing is needed to perfect an instantaneous one hit counterattack kill. These counterattacks are not implausible, but they do require some skill to master. They work in a similar way the counterattack system in Heavenly Sword. The fight sequences are realistic, and Altair will be going up against formidable adversaries. With that said, they also act exactly in that same manner. Some guards will run away from Altair, and other guards will taunt Altair. It varies for each guard; they all have different personalities and mannerisms. There are four weapons Altair has at his disposal: a long sword, a short sword, throwing knives, and a hidden blade. A long sword is the primary weapon that does a fair amount of damage. The short sword gives Altair a chance to attack swiftly with little damage. Throwing knives are incorporated to dispose of enemies from afar. This is especially useful when Altair is on a rooftop. The hidden blade is utilized mostly for a one hit assassination. You can easily switch the weapons you have equipped because they are all mapped to the directional pad. In addition, Altair can use his fists for interrogating people. The graphics in the game are stunning. All of the characters in the crowd have their own distinctions and look different. The architecture looks significantly well represented. The animations are remarkable: everything from falling down to jumping look spotless. There are even beggars who will implore you for some money. The audio in this game is absolutely spectacular. Sounds of swords clashing against each other is gratifying. The voice acting is superb. Every line of dialogue is extraordinarily delivered. Gamers will also hear the sound of people bantering with each other in the crowd and birds chirping in the distance. The only lingering flaw with the game is the artificial intelligence of the enemies. Sometimes they will act like blind squirrels trying to look for you. Overall, there is no doubt that this game is Ubisoft’s best game. Ubisoft has a knack for creating amazing video games, and Assassin’s Creed is no exception to that rule.

Final Verdict: Assassin’s Creed is a near perfect game.

9.7 out of 10

Video Games: The World of Gaming and Electronics

Naruto: Rise of Ninja is an Xbox 360 exclusive video game that features the eccentric Naruto. This game comes from the same video game company that was responsible for games like Prince of Persia, Splinter Cell, and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon. Since the game takes numerous aspects from the television show, the plot in the game parallels the television show. Gamers will have an opportunity to witness the Hidden Leaf Village and view scenery that is eerily reminiscent to the cartoon. The gameplay in this game is a combination of both role playing and action. Players will comprehend how to talk to other civilians, bolster attributes, buy equipment and accessories, and accomplish mission objectives. At the beginning of the game, Naruto is somewhat of an outcast. He wants to become a Hokage, but Naruto fails miserably. In an effort to strengthen his self-esteem, he seeks to lend a helping hand to others in need of assistance. When you progress through the game, more and more pedestrians will admire your performance. There are two mission types in the game. One type is the core objectives that further the storyline, and the others are the optional side quests. The majority of the gameplay in the game entails platform jumping and fighting. Both the fighting and platform jumping elements in the game are done in a cohesive fashion. For instance, the combat emulates the Jutsu maneuvers that are prevalent in the cartoon. These techniques include summoning an attractive woman and cloning himself. The techniques varies depending on the characters on the screen. The fight sequences range from the rudimentary button presses to some fairly intricate button combinations that require timing. Moreover, there certain attacks that can only be performed based on the distance of the foes and the situation. This game has a well rounded fighting scheme that is engrossing.The platform jumping segments in the game are also well balanced. Naruto: Rise of Ninja is a challenging game that does not treat gamers like they are a bunch of immature children. The game does have its arduous moments, but they can be easily overcome with perseverance. I felt like the game developers were paying an homage to previous games in this same genre. In addition to the main gameplay, there are some mini games to play. For example, Naruto can partake in a racing mini game that tests his running ability. All of the skills that you will master is given at just the most opportune time. The game does a fantastic job of pacing you through the gameplay by keeping you interested throughout. There is the enormous gratification of defeating a boss and the disappointment of losing to an opponent. Naruto: Rise of Ninja does not skimp on the amount of content either. This game should take approximately fifteen hours to finish from start to end. There is some online multiplayer that incorporates a Tournament mode, and it even tracks statistics for players via Xbox Live. However, the Xbox Live online support is not the true bulk of the game. The graphics in the game does an accurate job of representing the tone of the cartoon. All of the architecture has a Japanese appearance to them, and the environments are representative of the television show. Cel-shading was used in this game as well as it was in games such as X-Men Legends and X-Men Legends 2. Gamers will actually feel like they are immersed in an episode of Naruto. It is just a breathe of fresh air to see something different from the typical next generation visuals the Xbox 360 has to offer. The audio in the game is about as grandiose as the graphics. You will hear all the characters from the cartoon reprising their roles in this game, and the music added some personality the gameplay. Overall, Naruto: Rise of Ninja might not necessarily be for everyone. Nevertheless, avid enthusiasts of Naruto will be entertained.

Final Verdict: Naruto: Rise of Ninja is a good game.

8 out of 10

Video Games: The World of Gaming and Electronics

TimeShift is a first person shooter video game that is available for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows. The storyline in the game revolves around time travel. Scientists are developing a way to travel through time. Aiden Krone becomes corrupt with greed and wants this time travel technology all to himself. He travels to the past in an effort to formulate his own personal agenda. As a result, the protagonist is sent to the past to thwart Aiden’s nefarious plan. The plot in the game attempts to add variety to an unoriginal premise, but it fails miserably. In terms of gameplay, gamers can manipulate time in various ways. You are presented with a combat suit that has the capability to reverse, stop, and slow time (ala Max Payne, FEAR, and Stranglehold) altogether. When players strive to alter time, they are shown a meter at the top right corner of the screen. This meter signifies how long they can adjust time. After the meter depletes, you are unable to utilize the time abilities. Waiting for the meter to replenish is the best course of action at that point in time (no pun intended). Gamers can accomplish all sorts of tricks with that handy suit. For example, slowing down time will make an adversary as immobile as a cow. As the game is in slow motion, you can pilfer weapons from opponents with ease or simply shoot at them. Furthermore, you can use the slow motion effect to perform evasive maneuvers such as dodge incoming enemy fire. When the game slows down, foes that are equipped with jetpacks are drastically less arduous to defeat.

For instance, a missile can be blown up with a grandiose explosion without too much trouble. Things are just plain more gratifying to watch when they are broken down frame by frame. The enemy artificial intelligence is challenging. They will go from cover to cover, and they will do their best in flanking you (ala Gears of War). The precociousness of the opponents themselves are somewhat offset by the time skills you possess. A great junk of the gameplay entails you to activate a time power and pulverize foes in the game with ammunition. In a nutshell, this is intrinsically a rinse and repeat gameplay tactic that suppresses the difficulty in the game. Once the time meter is exhausted, you can just wait for the meter to refill within four or five seconds. The other two attributes in the game about stopping and rewinding time are primarily used for light puzzle solving. One puzzle might require you to stop time in order get to a specific location. Another puzzle will have you rewind time to ascend on an elevator. The puzzles are rudimentary and can be completed with little to no effort. I felt like the puzzles were just like an afterthought the game developers decided to put together for no apparent reason. Integrating time powers to resolve puzzles seemed fine, but none of the puzzles are ludicrous. There is no logical explanation as to why there are puzzles in this video game at all. The gameplay is not the best among first person shooters; however, I thought it was still engrossing. The graphics in the game are brilliant. Visually, the soldier models are represented in a fairly realistic manner. There is an amazing amount of attention to detail with the physics and blood in the game. Moreover, the online multiplayer is unique enough too keep players interested. In total, there are 14 playable maps. The online multiplayer plays differently from the single player mode. There are time grenades that replace the time meter in the top left corner of the screen. This adds some depth to the gameplay. Overall, TimeShift is a game that is not necessarily the best nor most original first person shooter. Nonetheless, the game does have its moments.

Video Games: The World of Gaming and Electronics