Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead Redemption


Product Description
Red Dead Redemption is a Western epic, set at the turn of the 20th century when the lawless and chaotic badlands began to give way to the expanding reach of government and the spread of the Industrial Age. The story of former outlaw, John Marston, Red Dead Redemption takes players on a great adventure across the American frontier.
Red Dead Redemption is an open-world, third-person, action-adventure game set at the tail end of the American West West era. Action takes place in the first few years of the twentieth century and revolves around the choices that the protagonist, former outlaw John Marston, is forced to make due to his blemished past. The game features a morality system assigning honor and fame points generated through the player's choices. It also features Wild West themed mini-games, new targeting and cover systems, extensive horse riding abilities, a wealth of period specific weapons and more than 40 huntable animals. Story
Review
Red Dead Redemption (Video Game)
I am not one to buy new releases. I always wait until they are $20 or so. I've never paid full price for a game, until RDR. I bought into the hype and decided I had to have this game. Do I regret it? Hell no! I haven't put a ton of time into it but I have to say this game easily ranks in my top 10 and will probably climb to the number one spot.

There are moments in this game that will just make you laugh. They will amaze you. They will irritate you (like when I dismounted my horse to help a guy being chased by coyotes and my dumb horse wandered off a cliff and died). But they are all great! I am just in awe of the graphics. My wife came in while I was playing and thought I was watching a movie. She sat down and watched me play for 20 minuted while I hunted some animals and she was in awe and she couldn't give a flip about video games.

There is so much to do in this game. I am speaking single player strictly...I haven't played multiplayer yet. It's fun to just ride around and do stuff. You really get the feel of being in the old west. And if you are tired of doing stuff in the game, you can play one of the minigames. I won $75 in a poker game this morning. It was great (the AI is average).

I love the random events. Stuff happens in this game. I was out one night and just hunted down a treasure map and a cougar came out of nowhere and killed my horse. I couldn't get away and couldn't get a beat on it and it killed me. Amazing.

You won't regret buying this game. It's been awhile since I've had a game that has captured my interest like this one has. I can't wait to get home and play some more.

New Super Mario Bros

Product Description
The classic Mario platform game is coming to Wii! For the first time, you can experience an action-packed Mario platformer on Wii with simultaneous multiplayer fun.

A classic 2D adventure, the game follows the style of New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS. Princess Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser and it’s up to Mario to save her, but this time he’s not alone. Up to four players can join in the fun at the same time, playing as Mario, Luigi or either one of the Toads. Of course, you can also play solo and perfect your performance but friends and family will soon want to grab their Wii Remotes and join in the mayhem.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii offers a mix of cooperative and competitive play. Work together to rescue Princess Peach, or use your skills to battle for the best ranking. Co-operate by saving your friends from danger – or get rid of the competition by tossing them straight into it.

The game follows the style of New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS with new twists utilising the unique features of Wii. The motion control capabilities of Wii have been cleverly implemented to enhance the gameplay at certain stages. For example, the player can angle a see-saw like platform by tilting the Wii Remote, to reach secret areas or angle the beam of a lamp to see the way in the dark.

New features in the game include the new propeller suit, which, by shaking the Wii Remote, allows your character to fly and hover – great for reaching secret areas. You can also use your suit to help your fellow players, for instance if another player picks you up, you can both fly together. There is a new penguin suit too which enables you to throw ice balls at your enemy, jump onto your stomach and slide with incredible speed across icy sections of a stage. Players can even ride different Yoshis through the crazy and imaginative levels, using their tongues to swallow enemies – or their fellow players.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is also the first Nintendo game to feature a dynamic help system, which allows you to access a mode which allows you to watch how a level can be completed if you are stuck. The best thing about this mode is that you are free to jump into the action you’re watching on screen at any time!
Review

This is exactly the game you'd expect if you've ever played one of the Mario Bros. platform titles before - it's the same scrolling from right to left concept with the same characters, the same format of worlds and Bowser confrontations at the end of each one.

The important difference is that up to four people can play it at the same time - this turns it from a rather solitary and unsociable pursuit into many evenings of fun.

The levels themselves are very difficult - some of the bonuses are only achievable with more than one player playing unless you are very skilled with the controller, especially the time-based collection tasks - which lead me to conclude that this was designed as a multi- rather than a single-player game.

It manages to keep both types of player happy though - both dedicated ones and casual. At first there's 8 worlds to explore, but if you manage to get all the large coins then a 9th opens up for you to try (but you ned to get ALL the big coins in all other 8 worlds to progress to different stages in the final world). This adds a real longevity to the game because once you have it mastered, there's an addd incentive to get all the coins.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to play a fun game with children who have a basic level of proficiency to their gameplaying skills; it would make a great gift too.

Edit: it tok me a week before I realised that if I held the 1 button down while moving, my character would sprint - and therefore jump a little further too (I wish I had known that earlier), and that if I pressed the 'a' button at times of extreme danger I would go back into my bubble and be safe (another thing I wish I knew earlier).

Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)

Product Description
The most critically acclaimed Wii game ever returns, as Mario battles Bowser and his minions across an even more bizarre galaxy of worlds. The first game is already acknowledged as the greatest 3D platform game ever made and this new sequel adds to the excitement with long-time Mario ally Yoshi.

Not only will the little green dinosaur give you a ride wherever you want, but you can aim his tongue with the Wii remote and gobble up bad guys and bonuses alike. Eat a fruit and Yoshi will turn into a giant balloon or gobble a hot red pepper and he'll suddenly run at super speed.

You'll need all the help you can get too with even bigger and meaner bosses and some super hard secret levels. With a healthy mix of new tricks and old this is perfect fun for all the family and one of the best games on the Wii so far.

Review
Finally. The wait is over. Mario Galaxy 2 bursts onto the Wii. And what can I say that hasn't been covered by almost every other games magazine? It's amazing? It's excellent? Nostalgic? It's fun? At times challenging? Or the simple fact that after it arrived on my doorstep on Wednesday I've very rarely put it down?

Gameplay: The gameplay is much the same as the first game. You travel to a wide variety of planets in the search for stars jumping on a wide variety of enemies. Controls are perfect and don't deviate from the first game. A simple waggle of the wii-mote spins mario. You can jump with A, Triple Jumps and Wall Kicks make a return too.

Each Galaxy is filled with a theme. Be it a normal grassy planet to a block puzzle planet to even Ghost Planets and Huge Worlds. Each Galaxy has one or two stars and most usually have a secret star and a comet star. Unfortunately however some of the levels are that good it seems too short to only have one or two stars in the level. The difficulty in the game seems to have spiked too. While the first few galaxies are easier. Once you get to area 5 the game seems to shoot up in difficulty making a nice challenge. And that's not even touching on some of the comets and green stars. Never do you feel like you are playing the same type of Galaxy twice as each one brings something new and fun to it.

Another new feature is Yoshi. Mario's dino pal makes a comeback in a wide variety of ways. His tongue allows you to eat certain enemies and transform them into star bits and sometimes even shoot Bullet Bills back at enemies. You can even use Yoshi's tongue to grapple to new areas too!

As always in Mario there are numerous powerups. And this Mario isn't different. The Bee Suit makes a return alongside some other powerups such as the Cloud Suit which allows you to drop clouds to use as platforms. Also comes the Spinner which allows you to drill through planets to the other side. There are also powerups for Yoshi such as a Blimp Fruit and a Dash fruit.

Bosses are frequent once again. Most galaxies tend to have one which is nice. From a Huge Dragon that tries to gobble you up to Giant Mechas to even over sized bugs. Of course Bowser and Bowser Jnr make a return too.


Graphics: The Graphics on Mario are as you would expect them to be. Perfect and cute. While it doesn't match the same powerhouse levels that Mass Effect 2 or Red Dead Redemption do on the PS3 it's still amazing for the Wii's limitations. This seems to be the main argument that this is a bad game from PS360 fans but lets face it. It doesn't need to have great graphics to be a great game.

Story: Wafer-thin. Normally this is where I'd bash the hell out of game if the story is lacking. But it's Mario. They've used the same 'Save the Princess and traverse the world/galaxy' enough times it doesn't really need anything adding. Having a Faceship that travels the world is a nice touch too.

Sound: Best bit. Not surprisingly Mario Galaxy 2 boasts an AMAZING soundtrack. New tunes fit every galaxy aswell as blasts from the past. The Nostalgia was working overtime when I heard the 'Rainbow Ride' tune not to mention the 'Ghost House' tune in one of the Ghost galaxies.

Length: So far I think I'm nearing hour 30 or so. While I am nearing 80 stars I still have plenty more stars to get. Not to mention the Comets and the Green Stars to bring me up to 240

Other Notes: The game was packaged with a DVD to teach the young ones how to play. While it doesn't affect the older generation it does help the young uns to learn how to play the game and understand the mechanics without throwing them into it. Definitely a nice little addition if you are wanting your child to play the game.