Star Raiders Review

Star Raiders is a remake of the classic Atari 8-bit game. It was originally released in 1979 and was one of the first space combat simulation games, inspiring many other classics of the genre.

First, I want to point out that the opening story dialog moves along in a readable phase and the game is played out through a numbers of missions  and the overview of those missions is presented in a readable format as a result for a newcomer its easier to understand what’s going on in the story and you never feel lost.

The graphics of the game are very well done and visual effects are eye catching and interesting, the sound effect and music are also very pleasing– the entire atmosphere of the game can phase the idea of deep space combat.

The game offers all the standard ship upgrade options and some that are not so standard– to begin with you collect chunk of savage floating out in the space, everything you collect can save in form of currency that you can spend later to upgrade your ship, you have a number of primary and secondary weapons to choose from when making a purchase. As a newcomer I found the game modes and controls utterly confusing at first but after a couple of missions everything becomes clear.

Overall I would give this a 5/10. It’s a nice idea to revive classic games and in some cases they will work, such as with Pacman, Galaga and other retro games, but despite the tarted-up graphics, this one will still look very dated by comparison. This new version will probably not be a classic, nor will it inspire any future genre classics. However, it’s good simple fun which those who like classic games and gameplay from the early era of gaming will certainly enjoy.

 

Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime Update

Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime goes one up on Ghostbusters: The Video Game by offering proper simultaneous 4-player co-op for its ‘busting adventure, as you and three friends strap on your proton packs, assuming the role of four ghostbusting rookies.

Exploring all manner of haunted environments, you’ll bust and trap apparitions and other ectoplasmic nasties, facing huge bosses using a variety of different proton pack weapons, such as the Proton Stream, Plasma Inductor, and Fermion Shock.

There’s a new trailer showing the 4-player mode in action. Check it out. Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime is due for release on the PlayStation Network from March 23rd, 2011

 

The UnderGarden Review

The UnderGarder is a underwater physics-based single player/local-co-op puzzle game that involves a charming creature floating around underwater with the goal of discovering secret gardens and bringing them to life to all its 15 level. The entire game took me about 8 hours to complete which is a pretty good deal for only $9.99.

Players take the role of a charming creature as it explores a series of underwater caverns where you will need to discover the secret gardens. In order to bring the gardens to life, you have to collect pollen and then spread it around the area of each level. On top of that each levels is absolutely beautiful with vibrant colors which adds to the atmosphese of the game and the soundtrack that accompanies this game is very relaxing, which set a comfortable feeling helping you relax while you mindlessly pollinate flowers and float weightlessly through the levels.. each level has slightly different looks and feels to it, which really kept me interested till the end.

A hub level allows you to choose which level you would like to play or replay with/or without a friend, and allows you to select which costumes your character wears which you can unlock throughout the game. The first few levels aren’t all that tricky, but the difficulty escalates pretty quickly if you want to complete the bonus objectives in the later levels, which typically requires multiple passthroughs to clear everything. I actually really enjoyed the design of all the levels, as each one presented new and unique challenges and kept me hooked for the entire section. 

For the most part everything works as I expected once I figure out the game mechanics but I did encounter a bug during the gameplay that prevented me from completing the level and I had to start over. As you progress through the game, new items become available to help you solve various puzzles with it, such as bombs to blow up doors and fruits that can be used to complete electric circuits, etc… The pace of the game is slow and steady, and nothing can go wrong. You can’t die, and there arent any enemy per say, but there are objects that can remove all your pollens and cause you to drop all your fruits, and bombs that will explode really fast. That said, the bombs are perhaps the game’s trickiest element: in some puzzles, you’ll need to place one explosive underneath another so that when it detonates, the second bomb is propelled off to hit the wall you’re trying to break through.

 

Overrall The UnderGarden is quite enjoyable and easy to recommend to anyone who enjoys physics-based games. I will give this give title a solid 8/10. The UnderGarden is available on both PlayStation Network Store and Steam for $9.99 and XBLA for 800 Microsoft Points.

 

Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime

With the city quaking in fear and no help in sight, who you gonna call? Atari, one of the world’s most recognized publishers and producers of interactive entertainment, is once again answering the call for gamers everywhere by delivering the first ever Ghostbusters digital title, Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime.

Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime is a four player, ghost-busting adventure that will take players on a brand new paranormal experience. Players will suit up with their proton packs and assume the role of a rookie hired by the Ghostbusters to save New York City from a disaster of ghoulish proportions. The action-packed gameplay progresses as players complete jobs as fearless rookies who explore a series of haunted environments that must be cleared of any ectoplasmic threats. The gripping adventure rages on as players encounter gigantic bosses that require a concentrated effort to defeat using a medley of highly destructive weapons including the Proton Stream, Plasma Inductor, and the Fermion Shock. 

In conjunction with Sony Pictures Consumer Products, Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime will be available on Xbox LIVE Arcade for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation Network, and Windows PC Download at Atari.com, in Spring 2011. No price or date has been set yet.