I play a lot of video games, natch, and since not all games (or gamers) are created equally I usually find it necessary to use various websites designed to give me a hand. I found a pretty good one the other day, it’s comprehensive and from what I’ve been able to discern, skips the bullcrap. I am personally tired of having to search through loads of text to find what I’m looking for. Like just the other day I was looking for GTA 4 Cheats and came across the site. I was immediately impressed with the layout of the site, it’s fun and chock full of good info you need to know.

I found myself looking around the site and digging the content for so long I almost forgot I was looking for GTA IV CHEATS. Cheat Planet is the cheat/FAQ resource section of a larger site called GamesRadar dedicated to all things gaming from news and reviews to cool polls, lists and random funny junk. The Cheat Planet side is mostly user contributed and is well organized and easy to navigate, a must for short attention span folks like me. There’s also a file download area where you can get sweet old school titles for free and even get some current-gen gamesave info for you achievement/trophy whores out there.

For those out there with a need to make your voice heard to the rest of the gaming universe there’s also a forum where you can”discuss the latest in gaming, news, YouTube videos, breakfast meats, and everything in between.” awesome. Best part? It’s free baby! Yep most jerk sites demand a signup fee or even a monthly membership to access all the really juicy bits but not Cheat Planet, all you have to do is register and you’re good to go.

I gotta say I was blown away by how good this site is. I’m usually pretty hard to impress when it comes to these things and this on really lives up to it’s potential. So if you’re like me and are looking for GRAND THEFT AUTO 4 CHEATS, or just a daily dose of all things gaming, give cheat Planet and GamesRadar a shot. GH recommended!

Keep on pwnin!

The Gamer Hero

I know this one came out about two years ago but I just got around to playing it this week and so here is my shiny new review of a slightly old game. Condemned: Criminal Origins is a first-person shooter/ survival-horror/ action title from Monolith studios. Though it might sound like a bit of a genre mash-up it actually turned out to be a pretty sweet game. I know I’m jaded when it comes to violence in games and movies so I’m sure some of the shock value of the game was wasted on me but that isn’t to say that I couldn’t appreciate it. I have to say that even though I didn’t get “scared” while playing I did get creeped out by some of the sound design and the sheer darkness the game is wrapped in.

So that said I’ll jump right in with the visuals of the game. Considering the 2005 release date of the game you have to be a bit forgiving. Monolith did a great job making the baddies in the game look scary as shit but when it came to the regular people in the game, including the main character, well, weird rubber mannequins come to mind. It’s no big deal though since the vast majority of people to actually see are the effed-up dudes you bash in droves with everything from a pipe to a shovel to a sub-machine gun. My only real complaint about the look of the game was how DARK it was. I mean, even with the bright turned up on my tv I still found I was only able to play after the sun went down. I know this may have been intentional by the developers to add to the “scare” factor but they would do well to remember that not all of us are insomniacs or live in the light-deprived basements of our parents. Oh well.

The story of Condemned is told from the perspective of FBI agent Ethan Thomas, one tough dude, all things considered. You start out at a crime scene and over the course of the first mission you learn that Ethan isn’t just any G-Man, he’s a top investigator and works serial killer cases. Nice. So then the game takes a left turn and heads straight to crazy-town. No not the sucky band, the place where scary things live and people like Leon Kennedy are populous. I love this genre so I won’t ruin any of the game’s many twists and turns, but now that the sequel’s out I feel safe in saying that the end’ll leave you wanting more.

Gameplay in this title is interesting and fun if a bit repetitive. You basically are in a first person shooter environment at night, with only a flashlight to light the game. And even though you do have the first person perspective, considering the very small number of guns to be found in the game and the even smaller amount of ammo for said guns, it seems more appropriate to call this one a first-person-brawler. You basically can pick up and swing just about anything you came across. Pipes, electrical conduit, 2×4 with nails or bolts, the list goes on and on. It’s a fun mechanic that when combined with the visceral feel of combat makes for a satisfying playing experience. That’s not to say that it’s easy, you do have to time your attacks and blocks pretty precisely to take on some of the later foes. All told though, you will get a real sense of accomplishment after finishing this one.

Sound design in the game is one of this title’s high points. The dark, claustrophobic feel of the game is intensified by the score, which is noticeably absent at times leaving you with only the sounds of your own footsteps and the odd crunch or laugh from the scurrying dark. Sweet. Voice work was on par with what you’d see on any network tv drama so I give it a pass.

All-in-all the good visuals, excellent sound, and balanced gameplay make condemned an easy thumbs-up for me. If you dig horror games and dark, dark FPS’s, give this one a shot. you won’t regret it.

Gamer Hero Score: 8/10

Keep on keepin’ on

The Gamer Hero

Ok so everyone knows that most movie or TV based games suck serious wind right? Right and as a rule that still holds pretty true even in today’s next-gen gaming world. So why even bother reviewing The Simpson’s Game at all? Because it’s one of the few (very few) TV licensed games that DOESN’T suck, that’s right it’s actually pretty good! That’s not to say that it doesn’t have it’s flaws but as a Simpson’s experience you really can’t go wrong here.

So let’s hit the basics here, graphically, this is one of the best conversions from two to three dimensions that any ‘toon has received. You’ll get to roam a beautifully rendered Springfield as all four Simpsons (Marge carries Maggie on her back), and interact with the town’s colorful (sorry) cast of characters. Even the face-mapping to the dialogue is pretty good, sometimes better than the show. So no complaints here.

Sound is another great aspect of this game. All of the voice cast from the show are here to bring the residents of Springfield to life, and you can expect to see all your favorites, yes even Ralph. The writing is sharp and does a very good job of poking fun not only at the show but the gaming industry as a whole as well. You’ll collect video game cliches throughout the game reminding you that the developers were very aware of what they were creating.

Which leads to the gameplay. It’s not bad. It’s not GREAT, but it’s not bad. There are times when the camera gets in the way and the lack of vehicles is sorely felt. Any gamer worth his or her salt will find conventional gaming elements that range from classic platforming to GTA-style sandbox play, a breeze to pick up an master in about two minutes. That’s not to say that it’s a bad thing, they just didn’t break any new ground here.

So here’s what it comes down to folks, if you’re a fan of The Simpsons, get this game, you’ll love it, I did. If you’re a casual gamer looking for a light romp through a familiar world, rent it from GameFly. And if you’re a hardcore gamer looking for a challenge, you might want to look elsewhere. Just remember, easy games equals easy achievements.

The Gamer Hero

Gamer Hero Score: 7/10

Ok people, this is it, the last list I’m going to make for the old generation of console games. This time it’s going to be the multi platform games, you know, the ones you could play no matter what system you owned? I know that the vast majority of those games were big steaming piles of dung but there are so effing many of them that this list will still be the longest despite all the poop. I’ll list what systems each title is on so’s to avoid any confusion (the ‘Cube got left out quite often in the last gen) about availability. Also this list will be too long for one post so I’m going to break it into three parts: Shooters and half of Action, then the other half of Action and Fighting and lastly I’ll do Racing, RPG’s and Sports. So let’s get started shall we?

These are in no particular order by the way.

-First Person Shooters (FPS)-

Sniper Elite -Let me start by saying that this one won’t be for everyone. This isn’t your typical high octane shooter with lots of nonstop action. It’s a sniping game. WWII sniping to be exact. By today’s standards, Sniper Elite doesn’t look or sound as good as the competition but the gameplay is still top-notch. We’re talking serious snipering here. You need to find good hiding spots to shoot from and when aiming you have to take wind, gravity and even your breathing into account. This title requires patience and skill. Not for shooter virgins. Sniper fans this one is for you. Xbox/PS2/GCN

Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War/Operation Resurrection -This one was released on both the Xbox and PS2 but the Xbox version is the one to get (sorry PS2 owners, y’all got the shaft on this one). The single player campaign has an odd story about occult Nazi experiments or some such nonsense, but the online multiplayer via XboxLive is truly a joy to play. You can really see where current hits on the 360 and PS3 got their ideas about online gameplay. There are some real innovations here that make the game a must have for the Xbox set. Xbox/PS2

Brothers in Arms: The Road to Hill 30 - I know I know, it’s another World War 2 shooter! But honest, this one has some real innovations in the gameplay dept. You run around with a gun like you do in every other shooter but here you have up to two squads directly under your command, and you’ll need them. The default setting on the game has no crosshair or aiming reticule so shooting with out manually aiming makes hitting your target nearly impossible. When you do aim, you do it by looking down the sights like you would in real life, this serves to emphasize the need to keep your squad alive, you can’t kill all the bad guys yourself (contrary to what other games would have you believe). So you have to send your squads to do squad things like setting up a base of fire or flanking a target. The online multiplayer is just as fun and provides a welcome change from the standard online deathmatch fare. Xbox/PS2

Star Wars Battlefront I & II - Star Wars shooter goodness! The first battlefront was a huge success both as a single player game and a multiplayer one but the sequel is where the developers really hit their stride. Take sides in all the classic battles you love from the movies! Be a clone trooper fighting the Separatist droid armies or a rebel trooper fighting alongside Ewoks on Endor! You can even be Darth Vader storming Echo Base on Hoth with wave after wave of Stormtroopers behind you. Take the action online for intense 16 player deathmatch and capture the flag missions. If you like Star Wars and shooters this is the game for you. Xbox/PS2

Black - At the time of it’s release, Black was both praised and panned by critics for being an audiovisual feast for the senses but ending far too quickly. Back then I could understand people being pissed about plunking down fifty bucks for a game that only lasts 6 or 7 hours, but nowadays you can get the game off Amazon for like $9 so how can you really bitch? The game looks, sounds and plays great. Like I said, the only gripe here is the length, so give it a shot and see what shooting for shooting’s sake is all about. Xbox/PS2

-Action/Adventure-

Beyond Good and Evil - This game reminded me of Zelda quite a bit with it’s level design and control scheme, but hey nobody said that being compared to Zelda was BAD. Instead of a sword-swingin’ elf kinda guy on a quest to save the princess, you’re a stick-swingin’ asian kinda chick with a camera out to expose government corruption. Confused? Don’t be, it’s all pretty well explained in the game’s first five minutes. Seriously though, give this one a try, you’ll be surprised how much you like it. I was. Xbox/PS2/GCN

Spider-Man: The Movie & Spider-Man 2 - Somehow Activision managed to avoid the curse of the sucky movie game and produced a officially licensed title that not only doesn’t suck, it’s actually pretty good! Swinging around on webline through the concrete jungle of New York City is thrilling to behold and simple to control. Just being able to be Spidey in a game doing what you want when you want is a fanboy dream come true. I loved the sequel even more than the original as the combat controls and camera were improved and besides, who doesn’t want to kick Doc Ock’s ass? There was a game to go with the third movie, but like the flick it was based on, it was weak. Xbox/PS2/GCN

Mercenaries - Dig this: sandbox-style action a la Grand Theft Auto, North Korean nuclear terrorists, fully destructible environments and a heaping helping of gory action all combine in this wonderfully dark game from LucasArts (if you can believe that!). Sound too good to be true? it’s not! You pick from three mercs out to get the job done, as long as the price is right. Do missions for various factions and collect bounties on the numerous bad guys in the terrorist chain-of-command, then spend your hard earned loot on new weapons and vehicles from the Russian Black Market. Awesome. Get this game. Do it. Xbox/Ps2

Max Payne & Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne - Anyone ever see a John Woo flick? How about the Matrix? Then you’re familiar with the concept of “bullet-time” whether you know it or not. Basically “bullet-time” is when the action of a movie, or in this case a game slows waaay down so you can actually see the path of each individual bullet. Now imagine being able to do that with the push of a button within one of the darkest, grittiest games ever released on any system and you have Max Payne. The controls are super tight, the voice work is top-notch and the graphics are sweet (at least on the Xbox), so what more do you want? Oh yeah, they’re both available for less than ten bucks. ‘Nuff said. Xbox/PS2

That’s it for part one of the multi-platform hit list. Next time I’ll cover the rest of the action titles and fighting games. Until then make with the gaming, and for crying out loud put some pants on! Nobody wants to see that.

The Gamer Hero

So yesterday I finally jumped on the bandwagon and joined Xbox Live. I know that just about everyone who has a 360 has already signed up and are probably online killing each other as you read this. But there has to be a silent minority of folks who, like me, for whatever reason still haven’t joined. I personally was only waiting to get my Xbox back up and running, but I know that financial constraints and high-speed ISP access issues also keep good gamers down. So what do you need to get started? There are quite a few options available and not all of them are a requirement to playing online.

First up you need a 360. Duh. Got that? Ok next you’ll need an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and a high speed connection, no dial-up and here’s where it can get tricky. All of your major cable television companies offer a high speed option, this is probably the way to go. For those of you that live outside the service area you should look into a satellite provider like HughesNet or a similar brand. Note: if you plan on using both your PC and Xbox on the same connection at the same time you’ll need a router ($30 and up) as well.

Got your Internet runnin?All right, now do you have a credit or debit card? No? Go to your local retailer (GameStop, Target, wherever you get games) and get yourself a Xbox Live subscription kit or card. If you are trying to do this with a minimum of cash spent then just get a one month card for $7.99 (you can get 3 month and 12 month cards as well). You won’t get a headset but you can get one of those for like 17 bucks at Amazon and save some cash.

If you have a credit card and don’t want to make another trip to the store you can get Live going right away. Connect your console to the ethernet cable coming out of the modem your ISP gave you. Power up your machine and select the Xbox Live tab. Follow the simple instructions, fill out a few screens of info and pick your subscription amount. You will also need a Windows Live ID (a Hotmail account basically), if you don’t already have one it’ll walk you through creating one.

That’s it! Provided you could come up with an original Gamertag, you are all set to take on the world in your favorite games. Most games nowadays have an online multiplayer mode to enjoy, some however offer downloadable content instead. Be forewarned that the vast majority of content in the Xbox Live Marketplace needs to be purchased with Microsoft Points which cost real money to buy. You can add points to your Live account directly through the Marketplace or go to your game store and pick up a pre-paid points card. Points aren’t cheap and in future posts I’ll go over the stuff you should get and the stuff to avoid.

For now I have Perfect Dark Zero and Star Trek Legacy to play and both have online play. Next on my GameFly GameQ is Oblivion:GOTY and Call of Duty 4, so look for me online if you want to play my gamertag is flash3×3.

Here’s to the online revolution.

The Gamer Hero

Since I have only recently had a working 360 I am doing some catch-up with games I’ve played. Here I give you Mass Effect, to me this is truly a step in the right direction towards a truly immersive gaming experience. I think the majority or RPG and TPS fans will be very pleased with this title and only cynical, nit-picky assholes like me would find things to bitch about.

The game plays quite a bit like the venerable Knights of the Old Republic for the xbox. It is a BioWare creation after all. So that said, let’s get right into it.

Forward thinkers at BioWare have upped the ante in terms of storytelling and adult themes (girl-on-alien-girl love scene anyone?). The familiar conversational choices are streamlined to keep the dialog moving but after multiple play-throughs, the good/bad choices you make really only affect the your next line of dialog and not the conversation as a whole. First time through though, the story really grabs you and unless you’re like me and get sidetracked with every little side mission, never lets up on the tension. It is clear that BioWare plans on this being a multi-game series it is unclear how they plan to work the story elements out between the titles. Will you need a saved game from ME1 to play ME2? Will they take a cue from the disappointing KotoR2 and change characters completely? Only time will tell but I have my fingers crossed.

The gameplay is fluid with little or no break in the transition from story to exploration to combat. The days of actual gameplay graphics being inferior to cut-scene graphics are finally being left behind. The game does use the hell out of your console though. It seems like the programmers use no cached memory so your drive is running continuously as you play. This leads to some minor frame-rate lag and texture pop-in that can take you out of the story. Hopefully the folks at BioWare work that out by the time ME2 hits.

So that said, let me say this, the game plays like a mash-up of KotoR and Resident Evil 4. The third-person , over the shoulder perspective is easy to get a handle on. It plays like KotoR in that it may look like a simple shooter on the surface but underneath the action are a complex set of calculations going on that are based on your character’s stats. As you level up you add earned skill points to categories that range from active combat skills and first-aid, to passive buffs and proficiency with the game’s four weapons categories. Pure RPG.

I know that this is a futuristic story but one of the few gripes I had was the complete lack of melee weapons. There were skills that upped melee damage but in combat all you get in terms of hand-to-hand is a pistol-whip or bash with your weapon’s stock. Weak. I know guns make more sense but who said games had to make sense ALL the time?

Graphically this game is beautiful. The character animations are nearly flawless and the facial expressions are subtle and allow for more nuanced conversations. The sheer variety of people to interact with and places to explore were a treat for the senses. The only real problem I had with the presentation was the score, it was bland, it wasn’t bad, just not as exciting as the story deserved .

So all in all I highly enjoyed this first offering in what will hopefully be a great series. I’d say that for BioWare fanatics and serious RPG fans this one is a must buy. Over 30 achievements that require multiple play-throughs, and promised downloadable content make this one worth your money. Everyone else, rent it from GameFly it’s definitely worth playing.

The Gamer Hero

Gamer Hero Score: 9/10

p.s. Thanks to Sean for posting his review of this game on the forums, it is still there is you want to read it.

So here it is December 9th already and I haven’t done any Christmas shopping yet. Have you done yours? As any gamer worth his salt will tell you, this season is a real good time to be a gamer. You’ve got three major consoles vying for dominance and your hard earned cash: Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii. With major title releases and price drops the Holiday season is one of the best times to get on board with a new console.

All three have their selling points, Wii is the cheapest at about $250 and it has the motion-sensitivity controls that make it easy to pick up and play by a wider audience. The drawback is that it’s graphics just don’t hold up to the processing powerhouses of the 360 and PS3. Still, innovative gameplay mechanics and exclusive titles like Mario and Zelda you can’t go wrong with this one (if you can find one that is).

The PlayStation 3 is the beefiest of the three with a Cell Broadband Engine advanced microprocessor, a built-in Blu-Ray player and a 40GB hard drive. This console also supports Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1. However unlike the other models of the PlayStation 3, the 40GB does not offer backwards compatibility. But with a growing library of quality games on the horizon like GTA4 and MGS4, and a recently lowered price tag (about $400) the PS3 may just be the next big one, if Sony doesn’t eff it up that is.

Last but certainly not least is the Xbox 360 from Microsoft. First let’s just acknowledge that the 360 had a year lead on both of the other consoles so it’s only natural that the games on it are better. That said, let the praise begin! Let’s talk about the machine itself, great processor power, a removable hard drive, wireless controllers, customizable faceplates, and XboxLive online service. At about $400 bucks the price can be daunting, but the library of titles (Halo3, CoD4 and Mass Effect to name just a few) more than makes up for it.

In the final analysis I’d say the best buy of the season is the Xbox 360, the games are just better than the competition’s. That’s not to say that you should only get one, by all means get all three and don’t deprive yourself of any of the gaming goodness that this time of year always seems to deliver. They all have (or will have) exclusive games that you are going to want to play.

Trust me kiddies, save your pennies and suck up to Mom and Pop or this Christmas you’ll end up with more boring clothes and junk you don’t really want. If the ‘rents aren’t savvy enough to find what you want, and you know you can tell if they’re not, ask for gift cards to the game store near you. Oh, and if you’re the one shopping for the gamer in your family remember, gamers want games, not socks.

The best deals on consoles and games can be found at Amazon, Play-Asia (for those hard-to-find and rare games). A subscription to Gamefly is a great idea if your gamer giftee already has the console of his choice.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays or whatever you celebrate this time of year!

Here’s hoping you all get what you’re wishing for.

The Gamer Hero