PC Reviews

Alpha Protocol Review

The power of choice – it seems like that’s been one of the biggest selling points for really any game these days. Choices in how you can kill a guy, choices you in how you can go about a level. Those are easy, but what about choices that shift a narrative, change up relationship dynamics between NPCs and affect the world around you in a tangible, convincing way? Harder. Whatever it may be, may it be time constraints, the increased costs of developing a video game, or whatever, when a developer promises choices and consequences these days, they rarely ever consist of nothing more than either a “Hey, this isslightly different now.” or a slap on the wrist for choosing the ass-jock dialogue option.

This is where Alpha Protocol is different and where Obsidian absolutely succeeds in.

Metro 2033 Review

Metro 2033 is like STALKER’s cousin, the hot one yes… yet far from perfect. It is an atmospheric adventure through the dark tomes of the Russian public as they descend into a world of madness caused by the nuclear holocaust on the surface above. This atmospheric thrill ride is extremely intriguing while it lasts, but there are a few glaring technical problems, story elements and odd engine errors that hamper the experience. This game isn’t crippled at all by the bugs, but the game experience of this STALKER-esque game can be ruined as the thin white line between the graphical prowess of 4A-games and underdeveloped gameplay are all a blur when you go into this game blind of what the happening of it all is. A heavy weight on systems who want to run this game on high settings, and a descent action game for those who seek to shoot though the cramped corridors of the Russian underground, this game really comes down to what you really are down for in a game… choose one way, story… graphics… or action.

Supreme Commander 2 Review

Remember the first Supreme Commander? Remember how big and massive the game used to be—gargantuan battles that made a difference, air fights with fleets the size of Washington to Chicago, and maps that dwarfed any strategy game to date? Well, the sequel gets all that in spades… but what is the game missing that disappoints the average Supreme Commander fan?

Left 4 Dead 2: The Passing

Valve’s always good about post-release support for their games. The amount of updates Team Fortress 2 is borderline mythical in its scope and ambition and that’s a game that’s nearing its third birthday. Support for both Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 have left most of us wanting, especially when compared to the amount of attention Team Fortress 2 has received. It’s a bit more understandable, considering just what kind of multiplayer experience the Left 4 Dead series is; it’s a co-op/4v4 multiplayer game and any single map needs to work for the vast volume of modes Left 4 Dead 2 contains. The Passing, which will hopefully be the first of many more content updates for Left 4 Dead 2, is a great slice of DLC. It might have taken months for it finally land, but it’s bound to rack up some extra playtime.

Bioshock 2

When a game is surrounded by so much hype, there is always the possibility that the high you think you will have ends up falling short. That disappointment is part of the reason why I’m only getting to this article now. It’s not to say that Bioshock 2 is a bad game. It just wasn’t what I was expecting on my return to Rapture.

Bioshock 2 sees a brand new protagonist familiar to the confines of the intended utopia beneath the sea. Simply known as “Subject: Delta”, you play as an early prototype of the famed Big Daddies from the first Bioshock who is “killed” in the final days leading up to Rapture’s fall. Your carcass is left to rot in the middle of the streets of Rapture where you remain undisturbed for 10 years. Somehow, someway, you are brought back to life and are now forced to wander around Rapture searching not only for your lost memories, but also for the original Little Sister you were sworn to protect.

The first thing you will notice is that the graphics are still just as sharp as they were in the first Bioshock. There are moments where you will jump at your own shadow, literally, as the lighting effects cast eerie outlines of your own form against walls and floors. It sometimes takes you a second to remember, that Big Daddy shadow, a figure ingrained into your memory as an enemy, is actually your own, which only adds to the creepy atmosphere of the dilapidated Rapture.