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Cut The Rope Review

Philip Federico
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Cut The Rope Review

Cut The Rope HD
Publisher: Chillingo
Developed : Zeptolab
Platform: iPad (Reviewed), iPhone
Released: 7th October, 2010
Price: $1.99
BUY NOW

A mysterious package has arrived, and the creature inside has only one request…CANDY! Help get the candy to Om Nom, the adorable monster, in this highly innovative and addictive puzzle game. Combining outstanding physics, devilishly tricky levels, and bright colorful High Definition visuals, Cut the Rope is one of the most original and fun-filled games on the App Store.

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The fine people over at Zeptolab have provided us with another amazing puzzle / physics game that will keep you busy for hours.  If you’re a fan of Angry Birds then step right up.  A little monster with a HUGE appetite called Om Nom has arrived on your door step and he needs your help.  The object of Cut The Rope is quite simple, all you need to do is cut the rope that’s holding the candy and make sure it lands right into little Om Nom’s mouth and collecting stars along the way (this is the challenging part).  You do this by slicing across the screen with your finger.  It sounds simple right ?  Well in the first  few levels it is.  But believe me the deeper you delve into this great game the harder it will become, but that’s what you want right ?? A challenge …
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Cut The Rope has a fantastic physics engine behind it that is simple and works very accurately with the touch controls for the iPad.  It’s simple but most of the time you’re going to have to plan your cuts to avoid obstacles, such as spikes and enemies.  Each level has a different challenge to feeding Om Nom and getting all the stars, this will certainly keep you thinking and hooked and entertained.  The Golden stars in Cut The Rope are also what you need to unlock further boxes and also to obtain maximum points.  Some are easy to collect and some will have you pulling your hair out.  In the end it all comes down to quick reflexes and using your head as the levels get harder obtaining the stars become even more difficult as some don’t stay on the level forever.

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To help in your quest to feed Om Nom you wont just use ropes.  Other useful items will be available to use at your disposal on specific levels.  For starters you’ll have Bubbles that float upward hopefully towards Om Nom’s mouth, air pumps that can blow the bubbles in the right direction, hidden ropes, pulleys, tension ropes and a whole lot of other stuff that will help you get CANDY to OM NOM’s mouth and hopefully the stars along the way.

There’s a total of 4 levels (boxes) in Cut The Rope to progress to each level you will need to collect a specific number of stars to unlock that level/box.  For example, the final level, The Gift Box will need 190 stars before it opens up.

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Accompanying this review is a full 10 mins video review for Cut The Rope.  Click on the play button below and watch how the game works along with other feature and options.

If your a fan of puzzle and physics style games then look no further.  Cut The Rope HD has amazing graphics, accurate and precise touch controls and will keep you busy and challenged for hours.  To start with the levels are quite easy and collecting the first box’s 75/75 stars will be simple.  But moving forward that’s where the real challenge awaits.  Do you have what it takes to feed that hungry monster in the box ?? I know you do.  Pick this up now from Apple iTunes store before someone else does and takes that adorable Om Nom home with them and leaves you with nothing.

9-0-capsules-out-of-10

Billabong Surf Trip Review

Jack Joly
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Billabong Surf Trip
Publisher: Chillingo
Platform: iPhone/iPod Touch
Released: 7th October
Price: $2.99
BUY NOW

Story
As you can imagine, there can only be so much story behind a surf game, or for that matter any sports game or extreme sports game. After all, if there was any hint of a serious plot, players would complain in their masses as generally speaking, people want to jump straight into the action, whether that be running out onto the field, kitting up and charging into the fray, or in this case, grabbing your board and paddling out to sea to ride the next wave.

As a result, the game is lacking when it comes to story, which is in no way a bad thing. It’s just your typical underdog story of a surfer working his way up the surfing scene, travelling the world and pulling some ‘gnarly’ moves out on the waves.

Sound and Graphics
The sound and graphics of Billabong Surf Trip by no means excell your expections after you’ve seen the screens; the grainy visuals are ambitious to put it nicely, and while the game wouldn’t work without the three-dimensional game world, you can’t help but wonder whether the developers could have put the technology to better use, rather than creating an experience a little rough on the eyes. It’s by no means a problem, and considering it’s on the iPhone, the graphics aren’t bad, although there are times when the camera goes funny and you can see through certain textures.

Then there’s the sound, which is good music wise. It’s got a small but quality playlist of surfer tracks that play in the background as you navigate the various menus. On the other hand the sound effects aren’t quite up to this standard. Lets just say you’d be surprised how irritating the sound of splashing water gets as you paddle through the ocean. Consequently, most will prefer down during actual gameplay.

Gameplay and Controls
In Billabong Surf Trip, you are quite literally dropped in at the deep end. Some things are touched on briefly, although for the most part you are left to figure the controls out for yourself. Adding to the discomfort when starting out, a lot of the characters offering guidance will often use surf-speak, especially when referring to tricks, which can leave those not down with the lingo feeling swept away.

You control your surfer using two analog sticks placed on the touch screen, and while the learning curve is steep, moves are laid out logically in general. For example, in order to perform a 360 spin, simply rotate the stick in a circular motion. If you’re preared to put in the time to learn the controls, and then in turn, master them, it’s a rewarding experience, but it will take a long time, with lots of frustration-inducing practice involved. But if you are willing to figure everything out, there’s a god deal of fun to be had.

Conclusion
There are a number of benefits of being associated with one of the biggest Surf distributors, which the game takes advantage of in the form of customization options. The ability to shop around and equip your character with a selection of billibong surfboards and surf-wear gives the game an authentic feel, which is topped off by real-life surfers making an appearance as your mentors. The set of 11 famous real-world surf locations further contributes to this realism. However, in search of a true surf experience, I fear the developers may have left non-surfers behind. Much like real surfing, it’s hard to learn, takes a lot of practice and you mainly have to figure out the appropriate techniques for yourself. As a result, the inaccessibility of the controls and gameplay may deter some people, which is a shame as it’s a decent handheld extreme sports game when it gets going. Also  washed-up visuals -I’m just on fire with the puns- and repetitive sound effects, while minor, hardly help the games case. But,with all this taken into account, I can still say that it’s worth a blast, with a reasonable price tag with all the content on offer. Some may hate it, finding it overly challenging, whereas some may just love it if the controls happen to just click.

6-5-capsules-out-of-10

Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals Hits Shelves October 12th!

Dustin Spencer
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Back in the old days when the Super Nintendo dominated the RPG genre, the Lufia series was one of the best video game series to grace the console. With an addictive battle system, pure quality soundtrack and compelling stories, both Lufia titles are still highly sought after by RPG fans today. After many years of waiting for a new title to release, Natsume are now about to launch Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals exclusively for the Nintendo DS.


“It’s time to return to the world of Lufia!” said Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO of Natsume. “With its thrilling action, mind-bending puzzles, and moving story, Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals sets a new bar for action RPGs on the DS!”


The Sinistrals, legendary gods of destruction spoken of in feared whispers, have returned. The world’s mightiest armies are helpless to stop the fear and chaos spreading across the land. It’s up to the fiery monster hunter Maxim and his eclectic band of adventurers to put a stop to the Sinistrals. Their adventures will take them across an expansive world packed with deadly monsters, powerful items, and diabolical puzzles!

Unlike the other Lufia titles, Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals is an action-rpg. The title also features six playable characters to choose from, each with their own special abilities and attacks. It also appears that in order to move on in the game, players will need to master use of each character which should add a hefty amount replay value. If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, you can check it out below. The visual presentation and fresh new battle system look look stunning in my opinion based on the trailer alone. October 12th will mark the release of what could be one of the best RPG titles of 2010.

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    Philip Federico
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    Kail in the Big Apple – New York Comic Con Day 1 Recap

    Chris Reyes
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    Kail in the Big Apple – New York Comic Con Day 1 Recap

    Yesterday was the first day of the New York Comic Con, and while I wasn’t able to see everything, I did get to see some pretty cool things! Cosplayers, upcoming games, internet celebrities, pretzels (that I didn’t get to enjoy), and co-workers from my old job at Blockbuster. Lemme give you a run down of how yesterday went, and what articles you can expect me to write within the next few days.

    I got out of my real job at 3 and quickly got changed in the bathroom and rushed out the door to catch the bus to the city, I live in New Jersey so the bus ride is only about 20 minutes and then walking to the Javitz center is another 20. So I get to the Javitz center around 4 and I don’t even know where to begin. First thing’s first, I need to pick up my press pass! I head to the front booth and ask where the press office is, and a girl tells me “it’s down that way, you’ll see it, it’s a big red booth”. I get to the big red booth and talk to the girl there, she asks for my name and I show her my I.D. and she goes “and which exhibition are you with?” and I go “Capsule Computers, but I’m press, we’re not exhibiting.” She looks at me and goes “Oh! Then you want the Press Office!”

    Well, that’s where I thought I was! So I ask her for directions and she points me in the opposite direction, and off I go. I finally get to the office after all this confusion and this nice fellow asks me for my I.D. and I give it to him and he checks me off the list and gives me my pass, and off I go for real this time!

    I get into the convention center, and when I tell you I didn’t know where to begin, I wasn’t lying. Because I had gotten there late (press was allowed in at 10, I couldn’t get out of work so I got in at 4), I had missed the opportunity to avoid crowds to play the latest games. That’s okay, I got to see a lot being played and let me tell you they look cool!

    I started with Capcom, shook hands with the guys from Capcom-Unity, showed them my Capcom-Unity Debit Card which I still carry around with me even though the service has been discontinued. I got to see Mega Man Universe first hand, didn’t get to play it yet, hopefully today or tomorrow, but it looks cool, especially for an XBLA/PSN game. Think Mega Man meets Little Big Planet, it works pretty well. Then I saw, of course, Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. Let me tell you, the videos you watch online do it no justice. In person it’s REALLY cool. I didn’t have time to play it, hopefully tomorrow morning I’ll play it, I doubt I’ll be able to get in today, the crowds were too huge yesterday. Took a peak at Bionic Commando ReArmed 2, didnt get to see much, but it seemed like a more improved version of the first one with more to do, looks awesome, I’ll definitely pick that one up.

    Next up was SEGA, I went over and first thing I played was Sonic Colors. I’m a huge Sonic fan, an incredibly picky Sonic fan at that, and if you know me or my music than you already know that. People on the internet have been following the infamous “Sonic Cycle” to the T over this game. It wasn’t that I was disappointed by it, but it didn’t sell me on the idea that it was the savior of 3D Sonic games. Take the daytime levels from Sonic Unleashed and add some power-ups and that’s what Sonic Colors is. The way the game’s meant to be played is you have to follow the directions the designers laid out, if you’re running forward, you have to just hold forward, you move slightly and Sonic loses momentum and slows down and it gets jumbly. It’s full of quick time events and high speed “press this to do this” moments, and really it’s like it plays itself. It was kind of cool because they did fix some of the problems with it, but in actuality a bad concept is a bad concept. The game isn’t awful, it’s just not going to be what everyone’s been wanting from Sonic. I believe Sonic 4 is what the fans want, not Sonic Colors, but Sonic Colors DID look really good for a Wii game. My number one gripe about it though, besides the gameplay, was while it looked good, it had too many jaggies. If it was on Xbox 360 or PS3 it would’ve looked stunning. But enough on that, let’s keep moving.

    After I played some games, I looked at my phone and saw I had to run because I had requested an interview with YouTube sensation and fellow video game music parodist Brentalfloss, so I quickly ran to his booth. When I got there, he was doing signings for some fans, I asked him if I could get the interview in real quick and he said things were pretty slow, so he’d give me a few words then. I unfortunately forgot my digital audio recorder, so I had to use my phone and film it! I plan on transcribing the interview and posting it at a later time, but I’ll tell you right now Brentalfloss is one of the coolest guys in video game culture. He’s very down to earth, good natured, loves talking to fans and signing autographs, he’s an all around great guy.

    After interviewing Flossman I ran into some old friends from when I worked at Blockbuster, we went and checked out the DC Animated Universe panel and I was totally bushed from everything and just sat back and watched some cartoons. Slacking on the job? Absolutely, but don’t tell Phil!

    Anyhoo, as I got out of the panel the day was pretty much over, so I went out with my friends and got dinner and then went home and went straight to bed to prep myself for work this morning, and then Comic Con Day 2 as soon as I get out of work! Today I hope to play more games, get more swag, and score with gurlz (a guy can dream can’t he?).

    Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes – streaming

    Justin Mienkiewicz
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    Well, as I promised earlier, I’m going to be streaming as much as I can today.  Know that this game is pretty great, it’s basically dynasty warriors with style. Admittedly, I will be off and on with the streaming for today, but whenever I get a chance I’ll be streaming it, so keep checking back every so often if it’s down.  Spread the word around to your friends, the more watching the better.  I will try and look at the chat while I’m streaming but no promises.

    Broken Controllers for Politics

    J. Bradshaw
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    Perhaps you may remember that a landmark court ruling is soon to be decided here in the United States.  The Supreme Court will rule on a First Amendment rights bill that could restrict video games and player’s right to free speech.  In a nutshell, the law prohibits excessively violent video game sales to children.  This may sound like a good idea, however, if this law is not proved unconstitutional, how far will the lawyers go?  They could end up trying to censor books and movies, even for adults.  I don’t know about you, but I appreciate my right to decide when I want to virtually snipe a terrorist. The Entertainment Software Association also appreciates this right.  They are the ones who are fighting in this trial, which will start oral arguments on November 2, 2010.  As part of their effort to protect the First Amendment, they are asking you to send in your old or broken controllers to Senator Leland Yee, the Senator who took the action to make this law in the first place.  You can find all the details in this link.

    After the ESA made the plea for gamers to send their protests to Lee, Game Politics was able to get a statement from Senator Yee’s office. Basically,  Yee’s Chief of Staff had this to say,”I can only assume these broken controllers must represent the broken promises of the video game industry to parents.”  In addition, he also declared his own knowledge of video games when he said this,”…I think the Senator would appreciate a Kinect add-on rather than those dated controllers.”  It would be interesting to go into much more detail, but I am afraid I would go too far.  So, I leave it up to the community, the Supreme Court and gamers across the world to respectfully keep video games alive and uncensored.

    Caging a Video for Fighters Uncaged

    J. Bradshaw
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    Announced exclusively for the Xbox 360 and Kinect, Fighters Uncaged shows what a UFC fighter without  a legal license to fight would probably do in his spare time.  All joking aside, Fighters Uncaged will hopefully be another quality game from Ubisoft.  I have high hopes for Kinect, and it will be incredible if this game uses Kinect to its fullest potential.  Fighters Uncaged will be ducking and weaving towards a November 18, 2010 release date.

    Sir Arthur and Bionic Commando join the roster in Marvel vs Capcom 3

    Travis Bruno
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    Sir Arthur and Bionic Commando join the roster in Marvel vs Capcom 3

    With an already large amount of fighters available in the fighting roster, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has just added another two fighters to its ranks. They have added Sir Arthur from the classic Ghosts ‘n Goblins series, and Nathan Spencer from the revamped Bionic Commando series to help flesh out Capcom’s roster even more.

    Catch both new fighters’ videos below which show off some of their different abilities and their fighting styles. Sir Arthur is definitely getting a lot of love from Capcom lately. First an appearance in Dead Rising 2 as an easter egg outfit and now as a fighter for MvC 3.

    [pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r4tmpIY0y8[/pro-player]

    Capcom’s Ghost Trick Spooks up a New Trailer..

    Dustin Spencer
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    Possession and giant chicken, well mainly possession. Both are shown in the newest trailer released today for Capcom’s newest franchise, “Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective”. In this trailer, the main protagonist, Sissel, searches for the truth about his suspicious demise he finds himself in a restaurant. Sissel is able to possess items within the restaurant to interact with the other characters within the story. The more I see of the game, the more it looks like Ghost Trick will be packed full of satire along with a solid story, which is a good thing considering many of the darker mystery titles dropping as of late.

    You can check out the newest trailer for Ghost Trick below and as of now the game is scheduled to hit stores in January of 2011 exclusively for the Nintendo DS.

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