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“Playing in a Fish Bowl” is how I heard Sea Life Safari reviewed on other podcasts and game sites. But not from us at XBLRadio.com we go in depth with our reviews for you the listener/reader. Check out full details “down under”…
Hey what is up everybody at PN and XBL Radio, it is Mr B4 here to give you the latest about what is going on in the gaming community. I do not have any nintendo news for you this week, what I do have is a written review for a game that I played recently. The game is called Hellboy: The Science of Evil, and it is available for the PS3, 360, and PSP. I will be reviewing the Xbox 360 version of the game.
Without further adieu, let us get right into the review:
With the release of the new Hellboy movie only days away, what better way to cash in on the movie franchise than to release a game that is loosely based on the movie in someway shape or form. Hellboy: The Science of Evil is a beat-em-up game that is tied in with the movie release. To be honest with you, this is a title that should have never been released, and I will tell you why.
Story (D-): This is by far the biggest dissapointment of this game. I am honestly going to tell all of you right now that I could not figure out what the story was in this game whatsoever. You basically move from one random location to another without being told why you are doing so. You go from being in a graveyard, to a forest, to somewhere in Japan, to a rainy abandoned town, to a desert, then to a castle. There are certain characters you meet along the way who will explain to you the reason as to why everything is going on, but honestly, it gets confusing and uninteresting very quickly. I would have just preferred the story from the movie, that way at least there would be some from of structure to it.
Sound(C-): There is nothing special in the game as far as sounds are concerned. When Hellboy beats down enemies, all you hear is a basic whooshing sound, which is kind of strange considering the size of his hand, you would think it make a more thunderous sound, but this is not the case. It is kind of cool to hear the sound of an entire wall crumbling when Hellboy beats it down with his fists. Enemies have no sounds other than grunts, which makes it easier for you to beat down on them, but really also gives them a lack of personality.
The voice acting is pretty good for the most part, with Ron Perlman’s sarcastic sense of humor being the highlight of most of the voice acting in the cutscenes. Other people that you encounter, such as the witch, and a few skeleton people, do an okay job of voice acting, but do not do enough to counteract the one liners from Ron Perlman.
The music is pretty bad as well, with literally the same background music repeating itself over and over again from level to level. When you first hear it, it does sound pretty cool, menacing, and scary, but after awhile you will grow tired of it. Different background music for each of the different levels would have been nice, but sadly they are non-existent.
Graphics(B-): Graphics are actually the high point of this game. Character models for the most part look next-gen, with Hellboy once again being the highlight of the graphics department. He looks very menacing, has piercing red eyes, and much detail has gone into the overall look of his body as far as muscles go. Environments are nothing special, there are a few nice lighting effects here and there, but much more could have been done to make the environments more inviting, such as more parts of the environment being available to destroy. As it stands, the environments look like they were taken from games on the original xbox.
Gameplay/Controls(C-): The game is a beat-em up, which basically comes down to mashing buttons to defeat your enemies, primarily in this case the X-button will end up being your button of choice. You can do other combos by mixing the X and Y buttons together, but they are not really neccesary or fun to do. There are also finishers that you can perform on both small and large enemies by grappling them with the RT button and by pressing the B button, but the only time that you will need to use them in order to progress through the game is during some boss fights, that is it.
Boss fights themselves are boring and unintersting, and really require no other strategy to them other than mashing on the X button until the enemy is stunned, then do a finishing move, then the fight ends. Even though the fighting is dull and repetitive, it is quite easy to understand. You can also use your gun by pressing the LB button to shoot at your enemies, and the RB button to select different types of ammo that you will find throughout the game. The different types of ammo include a spread shot, a power shot, a grenade shot, a flame shot, a crystal shot, etc. You really do not need to use your guns that much throughout the game, other than to shoot an object to open it, to break through a wall, etc.
You can also use Hellboy’s fists to break through walls, open up certain areas, light torches to burn down obstacles, but that is about it. All of these actions can be performed by locking onto something with the RT button, then pressing the X button to perform the action. These action promps do not occur that often throughout the game, leaving you wondering why they were put there in the first place.
The biggest dissapointment in the gameplay department is the camera positioned on Hellboy. The camera places Hellboy in a fixed perspective point of view, making it hard for you to see where enemies are coming from, judge distances between certain gaps where you have to jump, where an enemy is during a boss fight, etc. The fact that you cannot adjust the view at all is very dissapointing and frustrating. By simply allowing players to adjust the view, alot more parts of this game could have been easier to complete.
Replay Value (D-) : Other than completing the maing quest, which only consists of six levels, there is not much else to do. You can play through the game again either alone or online with a friend to complete certain tasks in order to gain achievements, such as kill a certain amounts of enemies with a certain weapon, find artifacts, etc., but that is about it. Some unlockable costumes or new weapons might have given gamers a reason to play through the game one more time, but sadly they are nowhere to be found, a major dissapointment.
Overall (D): While the nostalgia of playing as Hellboy and smashing your way through enemies and obstacles can be fun for about an hour or so, the fun wears off pretty quickly. With bad camera angles, unintersting boss fights, decent dialogue, repetitive gameplay, and a disjointed story, this is a game that you should definitely pass on. The only reason I gave it a D instead of an F is because you do receive a free movie ticket to see the new Hellboy movie when you buy the game.
Give it a rent if you are looking for an easy way to gain achievement points, otherwise, just do not bother playing it at all.
Take care gamers, and I will see you next time.
Take Care,
Mr B4
What I, Mr B4, will be reviewing for you today is the Wi-fi USB Connector for both the Wii and DS. The MSRP on this item is $39.99, and can be purchased here or any major video game retailer.
Pluses
+ Provides good internet connection for both the DS and for the Wii
+ Easy to install and use on your computer
Minuses
- Cord to connect USB connector to computer is too short
- Only provides connection for a couple of hours
- Overheats way too easily
- Only compatible with computers that support Windows XP
- Too Expensive
- System needs to be a short distance away from connector in order to work
Just a quick reminder, XBL Radio is currently looking for a new picture to use for the video reviews. So be sure to send your best 640X480 pixel image to us at xblradio@platformnation.
The person who gets their picture chosen will be credited on future video reviews and also win a free copy of Ticket To Ride for the XBLA.
Other than that, take care gamers, see you next time, and good luck with the contest.
Take Care, Mr B4
Guess what folks, the DRM issue has just been fixed. You can now go to Xbox.com and transfer your license to your new Xbox 360. For more info head over to majornelson.com for all the info you need. I’ll be doing this to my new elite as soon as I get home.
Yippee
MAJOR’s BULL SH*T Video on how to do this is HERE!
This is, INFECTEDPB503, here with a first hand report of how well this works! And guess what…
As I been told numerous times, by everyone, I am a 360 fanboy (shh.. its is the better system so…). And when this was announced I hailed it as the end to the only other complaint on the 360. As the “Red Rings” as been fixed DRM was the only other issue that Sony Fanboys had as ammo against the 360.
So as you can see by the video above you goto Xbox.com and click a couple links. This transfers all liscences to your primary Xbox 360, of your choosing. The issue arrises in the next step…
You have to goto this 360 and RE-DOWNLOAD EVERYTHING! Sure this is no issue for someone who just bought a 360, who would not need to use this tool, but for someone, like me, who has had their 360 SINCE LAUNCH this is going to take FOREVER to do.
When I did the transfer I had 1200+ game licenses and 180+ video licenses. Sure I am not going to re-download everything (some items are not needed or available anymore) but I have over 50gbs of DLC on my HD at the moment includeing: 60+ arcade games and over 50 hours of TV Shows. To re-download all this would be insane (given we can only do six at a time).
Not to mention the bandwidth this would take. What if you are one that has a “cap” on how much content your can download a month? Yet again this is just Microsoft trying to “calm the roar” of gamers everywhere that are having DRM issues and while this may fix this issue this should not be considered the “final fix” or people/gamers will just stop downloading items from MS.
***WARNING***
This show contains some…actually, a lot of EXPLICIT language.
Topics Include:
Call of Duty 5: World at War. Are they stuck in the past?
Spiderman: Web of Shadows. Will this one be any better?
EA Battlefield: Bad Company poking fun at Gears of War and Rainbow Six.
Sporn! There goes the spores!
This week’s movie review: Hulk! We also touch on other Marvel games coming out in the next few years.
Also, special guest KingL3pr3chaun!
All this and more!
Thanks for listening, Please leave us a comment on the show or send us an e-mail at: xblradio@platformnation.com
Direct Download (right click, save as)
So there is the first hour of gameplay (click for direct link to video) from the Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix Beta. As you would hear on AllGames “IT’S MAD BUGGY”. There is no ranked matches, it is not keeping stats in player matches, and everytime i tried a tournament it froze. Overall in an hour it froze my 360, I think, 7 times! But it was the FIRST HOUR of an eight week beta.
It looks very nice. There are numerous costume colors to choose from by selecting your character with different buttons. As some players mentioned, the shadows are a little dark on some of them.
As you will see by the video I let the other people win a lot. That was on purpose! Nite All!
In bringing Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 (WOTB: C3) to both the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, Backbone Entertainment (developer) and Capcom (publisher), have brought me back to the days of beating my dad at the local arcade on any machine and is going to expose the younger generation to the sequel of a couple of the all time greatest arcade shooters: Commando and Mercs! WOTB: Commando 3 maybe the third title in the series but it’s the first to carry in its title the direct translation of original Japanese game “Senjō no Ōkami” (Wolf of the Battlefield). Adding the original title is just one of the many tributes to the past WOTB: Commando 3 has in it.
In WOTB: Commando 3 you play as one of there characters: Wolf, Coyote, or Fox. Each character has different statistics for health, speed, and the number of grenades they can carry at one time. Depending on what type of gamer you are there is a male/female character to fit your style.
While the story and levels are linear there are multiple ways to accomplish the overall task of killing the boss at the end of the level. With decisions like: should I save the hostages? should I look for that secret area? Or should I just run-n-gun through the level, destroying everything in my path? Any combination of the three is an option, and the choice is yours! Throughout the levels are multiple weapons (shotgun, flamethrower, or the default assault rifle), upgrades for those weapons, grenades, badges (points), and plenty of health packs and trust me… You’ll need them!
WOTB: Commando 3 has four different difficulty levels and depending if playing in SP, Live or Local 1-3player co-op the enemies do ‘ramp’ up to match your playing configuration. Suicide Mission is the most difficult setting and, from my experience, should only be attempted in three player co-op with people you know & trust!
1080p! Enough said! WOTB: Commando 3 is a top down shooter so the characters don’t require a lot of detail to look good. But what is missing in character detail is more then made up for in the location details. Almost everything in the game is destructible! See a tree! Blow up tree! Even in a three player co-op match over Live, with voice chat, up to 30 enemies on the screen at one time, all shooting at us, us shooting at them, trees exploding, buildings blowing up, there was no lag! no texture popping! no frame rate issues that we have experience with full retail titles costing two to six times as much! WOTB: Commando 3 is drawn in a cartoon style ala Rocketmen which adds to the humor of the overall game.
WOTB: Commando 3 does use Dolby 5.1 but maybe not to its full advantage; and this is WOTB: Commando 3’s only issue. In WOTB: Commando 3 enemies will be coming at you from all directions, but there is not much warning which direction they are coming from. Utilizing the 5.1 surround sound could have help with this. In most shooters these days you can hear where the shots are coming from or if someone is creepy up behind you but in WOTB: Commando 3 this does not happen. There are a lot of visual items on the screen and a little better use of the sound could have helped in finding out where the next wave of enemies is coming from.
WOTB: Commando 3 is, in essence, a dual-stick shooter that we all should be accustomed to by now. Left Stick controls the players movements, Right Stick controls… wait for it… where your player shoots, Right Trigger launches your grenades, Left Trigger uses the M-Stat weapon (special power move that destroys all on the screen). The controls do exactly what is stated and do it pretty well.
I have played WOTB: Commando 3 all the way through multiple times. The multiple difficulties, the co-op, and the need to rescue all the hostages or find that last secret area all add to this replayability. Although, on the easiest difficulty, WOTB: Commando 3 is just about an hour long, with five levels. Getting three players together on your couch or on Live provides endless fun that will make WOTB: Commando 3 as enjoyable a year from now as it is today! Include in this that there are NO SAVES / NO CONTINUES will also add to WOTB: Commando 3’s replayability
We add all this up: 1080p graphics, 5.1 Dolby, on-line and off-line 1-3 player co-op and what you have is one of the best deals on XBLA right now and for just a mere 800 MS point ($10 USD). If your a old school gamer, like myself, and played Commando and Mercs this will take you back to those good ‘ole days of quarters and arcades. If you’re a newer gamer or just never experienced this style of classic arcade shooter, unlike other consoles, head over to the XBLArcade, download the FREE TRIAL, give WOTB: Commando 3 a test run and when you buy it send me a message over LIVE! and lets play some co-op!
Please leave a comment or send feedback to xblradio@platformnation.com
It is a sad day for the world today. Many of us have grown up seeing and hearing George Carlin, his “Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television.” to his stand up that always made you think while your side was splitting open. He was a comedian, author, actor, and an inspiration to free thinkers everywhere. 
Carlin died of heart failure at the age of 71 on Sunday June 22nd 2008. He was a hero to a great many of us. He will be missed by all who loved him and his work. The next .0 show will make sure to include those seven words he loved so much.
Hey there all you sports fans. Kemanswar has been doing some stock car racing this past week with NASCAR ’09 for the Xbox 360. This year’s cover athlete is Jeff Gordon, driver of the number 24 car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. At the start of the game he provides the tutorial to help get you started. Any time Gordon is explaining anything to you it is via cut scene; you can skip it or listen to him talk. If you are a fan of NASCAR you already know the basics but let’s break it down anyway.
If you run through the career mode you start out in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, this is where all you rookies will get some experience. You can sign contracts for teams and sponsors, as you progress and meet objectives i.e.: place in the top 25 for 3 races, etc… This gives you Reputation Points, the more of them you have, the more options you have for sponsors and teams. As you complete sponsor objectives and team objectives you also get Performance Points. Use these to upgrade your stats in four categories: Engine, Chassis, Aerodynamics, and Durability; and in the four track types: Speedway, Super Speedway, Short Track, Road Course. Leveling up comes in heavy when you play online (more here later). After some time in the Truck Series, you can move up to the Nationwide Series, think of this as big engines with training wheels. A faster car, better aerodynamics, better stability, makes competition a little bit harder than the trucks. Same rules apply though work your way through the season and build up your reputation and make your way to the Sprint Cup Series.
Sprint Cup Series: fast cars all turning left over and over! This is where the big boys race for the win, or make a smoking wreck in turn four! All your big names and big sponsors are here where big engines cut loose for you to take to the front.
If you were to remove the NASCAR licenses it would still be a decent racer, it has control modes that make it easy for novice users to keep up with the hardcore simulation fans. Speaking of whom, will love to go in and tweak their set up, much like Forza 2. This detail into handling, aerodynamics, tire pressure, etc makes it a worthy simulation (I’m not going to lie; I just looked at the options, as I know nothing about cars).
There is also a race now feature, as in all EA Sports games, and of course the obligatory country EA Trax. One of my favorite features is the option to create your own paint scheme, which for once EA stepped up and is giving you more. You can also upload your very own custom paint job from your computer. Love to edit in Photoshop? Than go to the EA website and download the templates you need to create what ever your mind can come up with. We could talk about the dangers of what some gamers will “paint” on their cars, but that’s been beat to death.
Overall I really enjoy NASCAR ’09, it’s a fun race game that helps you learn how to adjust your cars and build up a reputation. If you are a fan of NASCAR than you will probably enjoy the ’09 outing, heck if you like racers check it out! It’s more about how you control your car and how you tweak your settings that make this a keeper. If on the other hand, you are not a fan of either, but your interest has been sparked, rent it and find out what you think.
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Here is a trailer for the game:
