Hello, Gamers!
Our next GAME ON event is scheduled for Friday night, October 16, 2009.
Doors open at 6:00 PM at Grand Blanc United Methodist Church. The event runs until 10:00 PM.
The event is FREE to attend! Of course, any donations of snacks or pizza money for the night are welcome.
Junior high-, Senior high-, College-age, and adults of all ages are welcome to come.
Some of our featured titles include:
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- Mario Kart Double Dash
- Wii Sports
- Final Fantasy VI
- Guitar Hero: World Tour
- DDR Supernova 2
If you would like to contribute any hardware or games (E-, E-10, or T-rated ONLY) for the evening, please contact me at your earliest convenience.
Any other questions, please contact me and I will answer them to the best of my ability.
We look forward to seeing you at GBUMC this Friday night.
GAME ON!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 (PS2)
Hello, Gamers!
I've decided to post of few game reviews on my blog today. Here's the first:
"Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2" for Sony PlayStation 2
Developed by n-Space
Published by Activision
Concept: Based on the "Secret War" and "Civil War" storylines produced by Marvel Comics, "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2" immerses the player in the struggles of Marvel's legendary characters.
In this action/RPG game, players begin as a raiding party upon Latveria, homeland of the perennial villain, Dr. Doom. Nick Fury leads your team, consisting at first of Captain America, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Wolverine, into Doom's stronghold to defeat the villain Baron von Bardas. Once Castle Doom is destroyed, the story picks up in the present day. Von Bardas has returned, and is threatening Time Square. After her demise, cutscenes reveal that Fury's strike against Latveria was unprovoked and based on false information.
A rift has clearly formed within the superhero community, particularly between Captain America and Iron Man. The last straw breaks when millions of reality TV viewers watch a televised fight between two characters that causes explosions and massive fatalities in Stamford, Connecticut.
On this note, the U.S. government signs into action the Superhero Registration Act. Under this law, all superheroes are forced to register as agents of the United States government. While Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Ms. Marvel, and others willingly comply with the law, there are those who defy the act in the name of freedom and liberty, Captain America and Luke Cage among them.
For the player, it all hinges on a choice: Do you sign with Iron Man and become pro-registration, or do you become a rebel by siding with Captain America? The choice is yours, and it is ultimately your allegiance that determines the characters you can play as, the battles you will fight, and who your opponents will be.
Play control: This game is essentially a continuation of the first "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance" game. In the PS2 version, the controllers are similar to the original game. There are a few notes of difference, though.
First, there are times when the player cannot control the camera angle. This can be frustrating in large, crowded areas. You can lose track of your heroes among the walls, objects, and enemies with no way of focusing on your current playable character.
Second, if you choose to level-up your heroes manually, REMEMBER that the L1 and R1 buttons control the distribution of skill points, while the X button controls the binding of powers to each particular button. This control scheme is the opposite of the previous game. In frustration, I found myself spending my hard-earned currency to buy additional points when I meant to bind Psylocke's Psychic Drill power to the X button. I'm not sure if the menu controls can be changed like that battle controls can, but it's worth looking into in future adventures.
Third, Fusion rocks! While the game no longer features Extreme attacks, the developers have taken superpowers one step further. Two players can FUSE their powers together into one gigantic attack, called a Fusion. My favorite example is Beam Split, in which one character uses an energy-based attack, trademark of Iron Man or Cyclops, while the second character, i.e. Wolverine, diffuses the beam with his adamantium claws causing the beam to split into numerous directions and taking out most, if not all, of the villains on the screen. Try the game with different teams of heroes to find out which attacks work best for you.
Graphics and sound: While nowhere near the depth of PS3's or X-Box 360's multimedia prowess, the PS2 version of MUA makes a decent effort. My biggest regret is that I cannot see extreme close-ups of Invisible Woman and Luke Cage when they perform their Billiard Ball Fusion attack. Still, the sounds work well. Despite not being able to hear the voices of some of the non-playable characters in conversation, you can't beat Dr. Bruce Banner's cries of "HULK SMASH!!!"
Overall: "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2" is a must for fans of the action/RPG genre that began with "X-Men Legends" and has continued to thrill fanboys and fangirls throughout the world. For the player with only a cursory knowledge of Marvel Comics, this game may not be for you due to its tricky play control.
For me, the best part is unlocking new characters and recruiting them to your side. So far, I have recruited Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Gambit to the anti-registration cause. The Thing is next on my list. This series proves that great character development and button-smashing action can (and SHOULD, in my humble opinion) be part of the same game.
I enjoy this game thoroughly, and am looking forward to playing the other (pro-registration) side once I complete Captain America's campaign. Remember, the choice is yours. The fate of the Marvel Universe is in your hands.
Whose side are you on?
Final rating: B
Disclaimer: I receive no endorsements, freebies, kickbacks, etc., from any game companies, producers, or developers. I play these games for my own satisfaction and pleasure, and also hope to select the best games possible for Game On events. I gain no monetary compensation for my activities, and hope that I can entertain and inform other gamers with my opinions.
- Brian
GAME ON!
I've decided to post of few game reviews on my blog today. Here's the first:
"Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2" for Sony PlayStation 2
Developed by n-Space
Published by Activision
Concept: Based on the "Secret War" and "Civil War" storylines produced by Marvel Comics, "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2" immerses the player in the struggles of Marvel's legendary characters.
In this action/RPG game, players begin as a raiding party upon Latveria, homeland of the perennial villain, Dr. Doom. Nick Fury leads your team, consisting at first of Captain America, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Wolverine, into Doom's stronghold to defeat the villain Baron von Bardas. Once Castle Doom is destroyed, the story picks up in the present day. Von Bardas has returned, and is threatening Time Square. After her demise, cutscenes reveal that Fury's strike against Latveria was unprovoked and based on false information.
A rift has clearly formed within the superhero community, particularly between Captain America and Iron Man. The last straw breaks when millions of reality TV viewers watch a televised fight between two characters that causes explosions and massive fatalities in Stamford, Connecticut.
On this note, the U.S. government signs into action the Superhero Registration Act. Under this law, all superheroes are forced to register as agents of the United States government. While Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Ms. Marvel, and others willingly comply with the law, there are those who defy the act in the name of freedom and liberty, Captain America and Luke Cage among them.
For the player, it all hinges on a choice: Do you sign with Iron Man and become pro-registration, or do you become a rebel by siding with Captain America? The choice is yours, and it is ultimately your allegiance that determines the characters you can play as, the battles you will fight, and who your opponents will be.
Play control: This game is essentially a continuation of the first "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance" game. In the PS2 version, the controllers are similar to the original game. There are a few notes of difference, though.
First, there are times when the player cannot control the camera angle. This can be frustrating in large, crowded areas. You can lose track of your heroes among the walls, objects, and enemies with no way of focusing on your current playable character.
Second, if you choose to level-up your heroes manually, REMEMBER that the L1 and R1 buttons control the distribution of skill points, while the X button controls the binding of powers to each particular button. This control scheme is the opposite of the previous game. In frustration, I found myself spending my hard-earned currency to buy additional points when I meant to bind Psylocke's Psychic Drill power to the X button. I'm not sure if the menu controls can be changed like that battle controls can, but it's worth looking into in future adventures.
Third, Fusion rocks! While the game no longer features Extreme attacks, the developers have taken superpowers one step further. Two players can FUSE their powers together into one gigantic attack, called a Fusion. My favorite example is Beam Split, in which one character uses an energy-based attack, trademark of Iron Man or Cyclops, while the second character, i.e. Wolverine, diffuses the beam with his adamantium claws causing the beam to split into numerous directions and taking out most, if not all, of the villains on the screen. Try the game with different teams of heroes to find out which attacks work best for you.
Graphics and sound: While nowhere near the depth of PS3's or X-Box 360's multimedia prowess, the PS2 version of MUA makes a decent effort. My biggest regret is that I cannot see extreme close-ups of Invisible Woman and Luke Cage when they perform their Billiard Ball Fusion attack. Still, the sounds work well. Despite not being able to hear the voices of some of the non-playable characters in conversation, you can't beat Dr. Bruce Banner's cries of "HULK SMASH!!!"
Overall: "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2" is a must for fans of the action/RPG genre that began with "X-Men Legends" and has continued to thrill fanboys and fangirls throughout the world. For the player with only a cursory knowledge of Marvel Comics, this game may not be for you due to its tricky play control.
For me, the best part is unlocking new characters and recruiting them to your side. So far, I have recruited Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Gambit to the anti-registration cause. The Thing is next on my list. This series proves that great character development and button-smashing action can (and SHOULD, in my humble opinion) be part of the same game.
I enjoy this game thoroughly, and am looking forward to playing the other (pro-registration) side once I complete Captain America's campaign. Remember, the choice is yours. The fate of the Marvel Universe is in your hands.
Whose side are you on?
Final rating: B
Disclaimer: I receive no endorsements, freebies, kickbacks, etc., from any game companies, producers, or developers. I play these games for my own satisfaction and pleasure, and also hope to select the best games possible for Game On events. I gain no monetary compensation for my activities, and hope that I can entertain and inform other gamers with my opinions.
- Brian
GAME ON!
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