WARNING: Possible Spoiler to Featured Games Ahead

If you are a gamer, then this is most likely happening to you. One, you own one of the following games; Two, you received one of the following games as a gift; or three, you hold cash, and or, a Gift card with you and arte planning on buying on of the following games. These games are four of the top games for the Fourth Quarter of 2007; Call of Duty 4, Guitar Hero 3, Halo 3, and The Orange Box. Though some may dispute them being the “top” of the list, you must agree they are the some of the most owned and most played of the quarter. In this report, there will be review for each of the games, and then it will show how they stack up against each other.

I will start by going over how this rating system works. First is the “Game Play” section. This is the storyline, levels, characters, weapons, and such of the selected category. Thus, there will be a separation of Single Player and Multi Player, due to them both being very different categories. However, they will be totaled and will make up the Game Play Score. Next, there is Graphic Look and Effects of the Game. This is everything from textures to water effects. It is important for the game to look good while you are playing it, therefore it also is scored in the reviews. Also Important to this review is the Sound Quality and Effects of the game. Everything from explosions to footstep sounds play a role in how the game sounds, and whether or not it sound real enough to receive a high rating. Control also plays a major role in the rating. This is everything from the control of the main character or character in multi player, to control of objects in the game. (Doors, Ladders, Switches, Moving Objects, ect.)

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Developer: Infinity Ward

Publisher: Activision

Consoles: PC, Xbox 306, Play Station 3

Game play: 9/10

– Single Player: 4/5

– Multi Player:  5/5

Graphics: 9.5/10

Sound: 9/10

Control: 9/10

I do not even know exactly what to say about this game, except one thing … Wow. I was a little skeptic when I heard that Infinity ward was taking their World War Two Shooter License, and shoving it into Modern War. I expected a rip-off of Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, but you cannot imagine how much I was wrong. It is a nice break from the previous games of the series.

Lets Start with Game play, and keep it simple. The Single Player Campaign is everything you want in an award winning game, but is a little short. The Story line is excellent, and has a few twists to mix up the game play a little. You still have you everyday levels though; foot solider, car, ect. However, they added some more to it, my personal favorite is the AC-130 level. Even with how short it is, the excellent design of it makes up the points lost by its length. Now for the multi-player, two words describe it … Kick Ass. With major changes in the classes systems, and having the ability to create your own class, it adds a level of customization to the game. Player Perks, Weapon Modifications, and the number of weapons available keep it so that you can create your perfect solider. However, you still have you basic game modes; some are reworked into modes that are better than the average game. Territories is reworked into Domination, where you have three flags that you need to try to control, it labels each with a letter, allowing better communication between teams on where to go to get the enemy. In addition, the added in game rewards of UAV Scan, Air Strike, and Helicopter support is a much welcome addition. The Multi-Player is worked almost too well, just kidding it rocks, it surpasses all the previous Call of duty games in Game play, and is definitely a contender for Game of the Year.

Graphics wise, Call of Duty has always had great graphics, maybe not the best graphics you have ever seen, but still great graphics. The Character Models are greatly textured, along with Terrain, but it always seems as through they put much more detail into the weapons and a little less into everything else. Maybe that is just my opinion, but still the graphics still are great. There really is not much to say here without tying in another category, Sound Quality. The Sound Effects go hand in hand with the graphics, the weapons fire and look just as if they were the real thing. The explosions and other visual effects have top-notch sound effect to go with them. These are both pushed to their breaking point during the last level as the US Marine. However, the graphics are not the best, the sound makes up the lost points.

On the control end of the game, everything just goes right. The controls have not changed much from previous installments of Call of Duty, but still manage to do it better. The keeping o the fast passed “throw back grenade” action is a welcome idea, along with the “snap the Dog’s Neck” action on levels with hostile dogs. Remember, though that may seem wrong to do that to the animal, if you don’t they kill you. Air strikes are called in by use of the in game map, and selecting where it is that you want the strike. The game even alerts you if you are too close to the strike so that you can sprint out of the zone. Perks can modify controls though, adding addition speed, agility, or the ability to have a “Last Stand” with your pistol after you get shot. Thus, there is not much to say about the control aspect of the game, except that it holds very well.

Overall, the game has definitely secured its place as a game of the year nominee on any award show, site, or magazine. I personally give it a Thirty-Six point Five out of Forty, a very high score. This game definitely does not disappoint, and excels the previous games of the series.

Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock

Developer: Neversoft

Publisher: Activision

Consoles: PC, Mac, Xbox 360, Play Station 2, Play Station 3, Nintendo Wii

Game play: 9/10

– Single Player: 5/5

– Multi Player:  5/5

Graphics: 7/10

Sound: 10/10

Control: 10/10

There is not much to say about this game. It is one of the greatest, if the top, seller for the Holiday Season of 2007, and for good reason. Though much hasn’t changed in this game since the last version, it still deserves a full review, so here it is.

On the game play section, not much has changed from the previous versions (Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero 2, and Guitar Hero: Rock the 80s). Yet this game feels like it has been fine toned a little more. The Controls feel a little looser, but tighter as you play. It just works well for what the game is trying to get across. You again, as with previous versions, have the option of playing the game with the Guitar controller of the Regular Xbox 360 Controller. This adds to the fun and complication that makes the game worth playing for hours on end. Though, I cannot completely agree with the selection in songs, for I feel a few songs could have been switched off for a better song by that artist, but for the most part the songs are excellent. The Single player and Multi-Player go hand and hand in game play, with one exception. I personally do not believe that the Single-Player Campaign is long enough. I beat it in about 6 hours of game play, it is a good campaign but it needs to be just a little longer. The Multi-Player aspect is fine-tuned with battle mode and co-op play, adding hours to the Xbox Live games you will play. Also, a nice feature is that there are, and will be more, songs added to the game through Xbox Live; some of which, some of the one currently available, do not cost any Microsoft Points. It is a Welcome addition.

As far as graphics, well it scored low on that area. The game’s emphasis was never the Graphics, it was the music and game play. I feel it lacks a little on the side of graphical quality, and should be improved in the next games. This could be done by adding anything from more effects in game, more realistic effects, or even more movement from the characters; the seem a little stiff during game play. The sound excels at what it is, because of the selection of music. There is no description necessary for it; all the greatest Rock bands are here, old and new. The quality is amazing, all the songs are in here in their Top Quality; either by the original artist, or if a copy of the song could not be obtained (as was the case for “Anarchy in the UK” by the Sex Pistols), they were re-recorded for the game. The Control Aspect of the game is the difficulty area of it, for it varies from the controller and who is playing it. If you use the Guitar it is much different than playing it with just the regular Xbox 360 Controller. The Controls on the Guitar are tight, but powerful. They feel as they should for a guitar, but yet you can tell it is not a real one from the buttons. In Short, the controls are excellent, and do their job perfectly; though the whammy bar is a little weak, and is known to break.

Overall the game scores Thirty Six out of Forty, a very high score. You can tell while you play it why it is the most bought game of the Fourth Quarter. It is an excellent game, that is definitely worth a buy, that is if you want to put out One Hundred Dollars to get the game and Guitar Controller.

Halo 3

Developer: Bungie Studios

Publisher:  Microsoft Game Studios

Consoles: Xbox 360

 

Game play: 9/10

– Single Player: 4/5

– Multi Player:  5/5

Graphics: 10/10

Sound: 9/10

Control: 9/10

You have waited a long time for this, and as of November it is here. The Climactic Finally of the Critically Acclaimed Halo Trilogy.  The Question is, does it live up to all the Pre-Release Hype? Well, I am sure that there is one very simple answer to that. Hell Yes!

First off, the game play; the finally to a Fight you have waited to finish. The Covenant are at Earth, and they have the Ark, haul-ass and stop them or we all die. Simple, but effective. It makes for an excellent story, though I wish it was a little more detailed and a tiny bit longer. The Choice in locations is well planned, going back to where the previous installment (Halo 2) took place in Eastern Africa. Only this time, after the slip space rupture, the area is a wasteland. It adds to the feeling of the war, making you see how the planet was destroyed. Later on, you change location to other places and a Location that should seem all too familiar if you played the First Game. The Multi-Player Aspect of the game keeps everything Halo 2 had (Minus Coagulation, I mean really? They dumped my favorite map …) and builds on the fact of Dual Wielding, Melee, and all out Havoc. The Choice in Weapons, combos, and vehicles is amazing. The game even gives you “Forge”, the map-editing program that allows you to customize your maps to you likening, and allows you to use it online. The Only major problem with the online play is the number of Player on it, and their attitudes. However, that is not something Bungie could have avoided, so it shall not harm their score.

On the Graphical Side, there are no simple words to describe it. It boasts the greatest quality of the fourth quarter and deserves more points than are on this scoring system. There is nothing like it on the console. The effects are perfectly executed; smoke, blast, flame, its all here and in full force. The Graphics go hand in hand with the sound, which also is top notch. The sounds are beautifully recorded, placed, and used. They take you into the game, the battle, the whole war. They make you feel like you are actually there fighting off a Brute. Again, there is nothing like it on the Console, it is truly amazing. As far as control, it is basically the same as Halo 2, only reworked for the new controller. Everything moves smoothly and has a feel to it that make you know what it is for, and why its here. Every weapons acts as you think it should, fires how it needs to, and carries adequate ammunition. It has some of the best Control in any Xbox 360 game to date, which is good for it is also one of the most played games on Xbox Live at the current time.

Overall, the Game Receives a Thirty-Seven out of Forty, the Second Highest Score in this review. It is a definite buy for any gamer, and especially if you enjoy spending your entire life on Xbox Live. ((If you get the game, drop me a message on IRC and I’ll play you on live : p))

The Orange Box

Developer: Valve Corporation

Publisher: Valve Corporation

Consoles: PC, Xbox 360, Play Station 3

 

Game play: 9/10

– Single Player: 5/5

– Multi Player:  4/5

Graphics: 9.5/10

Sound: 10/10

Control: 9/10

This one is fresh in my mind, and believe me when I say that it is as good a deal as it sounds. Five games for the Price of one, what other package can you get something like that. Half-Life 2, and its Two Expansions; Episode 1 and 2, Portal, and Team Fortress Two are all included in the package. Though it is kind of cheating to rate Half-Life 2, seeing as it has won over forty game of the year awards. Therefore, I am not going to base the score off that, nor will I base the score with Episode 1, seeing as it also has  previously won awards and it would not be fair to rate the overall game package based it.

Half-Life Two Episode Two, on the other hand I plan to use in the rating. All I can say is that this game is Uber, yes I said Uber. It picks up directly following the events of Half-Life 2: Episode One and continues the journey that Episode One Takes. After Completing Episode Two, I can honestly say that the moment that Episode Three has a release date, I will definitely go out and pre order it. The Game not only continues the Half-Life 2 story, but it also explains parts of the storyline of Portal. It goes into further details about Aperture Science, what is going on with the Citadel, the Super Portal, and so many others it will make it seem as if you were actually there. It is amazing what they have done, though similar to Episode One it is very short. The Storyline is Epic, taking you deeper into every character and location you play in. The combat is intense and twisted as you journey through the lands far outside City 17.

Portal, somewhat of a mind game, is an interesting concept. Place a person is a small room with impossible obstacles and then hand them a gun that shoots two-way portals. Through the levels, the Challenges get tougher and longer. They begin to require more thinking as the levels go on, but so far this is the most “fun” game of The Orange Box. There really, at this time, is very little along the lines of a storyline, though some is explained during the final levels (along with Half-Life 2 Episode 2’s Final Levels). As far as a sequel, well … I am not sure how they could make it work, but it would be good idea for them to try. The Portal Technology of the gun being used by the game engine is some of the greatest parts of a game engine I have ever seen. However, it will not take very long to complete, for the game is a little short on the amount of levels.

Team Fortress 2, what can I say … I never played Team Fortress. I cannot compare this game to its previous version because of that. However, I can say that if the previous game had any bit of the genius used in this game it was almost certainly a great success. This is the only Multi-Player game in the Orange Box, so the Multi-Player aspect will be reviewed from this game. This game is … different, to say the least. It is a major change than what was previously shown for it. This is a game that was in Development Hell, as it had not been heard from in years it was listed as a game that was as dead as Duke Nukem: Forever. I cannot say I like the wait, I hate to see any game go into that stage, but what they have come out of it with, well that is up to you to decide whether it was worth the wait. Keep in mind that they took a more humorous approach to this game, and there is a lot of comedic parts added in it, as seen from some of the characters. The locations of the maps are solid locations, and so is the online play. It is a solid shooter that you will have fun playing on repeatedly. The Different classes available also add levels of use to the qualities they have. (Ex: Engineers can build Turrets, Dispensers, and Portals) The control is very similar to the system used in Half-Life 2, so it should not be much of a switch.

As Far as Graphical Quality, well this presents an issue. Half-Life 2, and its games, along with Portal used similar texture quality. They both give you a very real looking game, but Team Fortress 2 decided to go another way with their game. A major change in the game was its cartoonist graphics that add a level of humor and fun to the game. Nothing in lost from the graphics in either, it is just that they are very different looking. Overall, the graphics are some of the best in current games. On the other hand I have no trouble in the sound area of the game, they are both Top-Notch and deserve a rating that goes beyond the levels that I set for this review. The sound effects go hand in hand with the graphical effects and draw you into the game. Finally, there is the control of the player and the environment. If I even have to go into this for you to know it there is a problem. In the Half Life games, you have the Zero-Point Energy Field Manipulator, aka the gravity gun; in Portal, you have the Aperture Science Two-Way Portal Gun. There is no lack of control in this game. Everything from picking up and moving objects, to moving through portals to maneuver the environment.

Overall, the game scores Thirty-Seven point Five points out of forty, the highest score of this gaming review. It is definitely worth buying for any fans of the Half-Life series, Team Fortress, and Valve Products, along with your everyday gamer looking for the next best game.

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| The Orange Box     –              37.5 / 40 |

| Halo 3                    –              37    / 40 |

| Call of Duty 4        –              36.5 / 40 |

| Guitar Hero 3         –              36    / 40 |

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Reports from Corellia have shown an increasing amount of activity in an ‘up-and-coming’ human supremacy movement. More and more disgruntled members of society are actively speaking out against many of the non-humans that live within Corellian space. Those of us who were more self-aware of the ‘glorious’ empire in which we used to inhabit would remember the Humano-centrism and ‘Human High Culture’ which permeated much of Imperial society.

Here at the VE, it’s hard to imagine an upper class elitist system, where non-humans were segregated and even discriminated against. Iconified as the “Non-HuMan” or nHm classification, this purist attitude started to die out after the death of Emperor Palpatine in 4 ABY. However, a group of individuals calling themselves the “Human League” are apparently trying to re-live this ideology.

With Corellia still reeling from the Battle of Tralus, and with the entire sector suffering from a post-empire slump, disgruntled individuals serve as excellent recruits for this charismatic and extreme movement. Who better to blame than the aliens?

This new move is bizarre as it is unwelcome. ‘nHm’ classifications also included females and droids, but the “Human league” seems to be more lenient with the former. The League also holds a deep hatred for the growing “New Republic”, and the self-appointed ‘Jedi’ Luke Skywalker. People who have come into contact with the League have speculated that this group is trying to iconify everything they thought the Empire stood for, as they seem to hero-worship Palpatine and Vader.

This is not to say that this group is Imperial friendly. Ignoring the fact that the VE does not condone racism or xenophobia of any kind, since the Human League at the moment is comprised mainly of Corellians, the fanatic isolationism that most Corellians secretly harbour is a key point to the League’s manifesto.

We here at VE Today have decided to issue a general warning to all citizens that frequent Corellian space. The resident Imperial government is friendly with the VE, and have said they will try and protect any visitors, but please, if for no-ones sake but ours, please be careful.

We will keep and eye on this troubling movement, and keep you up-to-date with the latest happenings.

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