More Holidays! Those who currently fasting will soon end, end of this month. And then Raya comes and also Deepavali that comes earlier 2 days. It's that time again to enjoy some kuih raya, lemang, ketupat, muruku, masarodey..hehe. So, I update my blog today to wish Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all who celebrate it and also Happy Deepavali to all Indian. Happy Holidays! =D

OK, time for another review on some of the game I got this past few weeks. Both for PSP and DS. We start with X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse first.





X-Men Legends: Rise of Apocalypse Review Overall 9/10

Gameplay 9/10
Anyone who has played either of the previous XML titles will feel right at home here, this game looks and plays as well as it's cousin on the consoles. In fact, it's amazing how much they were able to cram on this UMD and still keep load times down! The story plays out over five acts as you unite the X-Men with their most unlikely allies, The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. >=D Best described as a comic book Diablo, each character contains a plethora of powers that can be unlocked and customized to your liking as you fight your way through the levels. Any character can be customized as a ranged caster, or a heavy melee hitter, it's all up to you. The controls are definitely tight, all buttons are mapped out, and feel very smooth. It would have been nice to have camera control, but since the camera angles are fantastic, it's not missed at all.

Story 8/10
Total comic book experience here. Some moderations have been made, but any fan of comic book movies knows that's a bitter taste we just have to get used too. No spoilers here, but I was definitely impressed with the cutscenes and voice overs which help flesh out the story as you play, very nice touches.

Graphics/Sound 10/10
Graphics are awesome, cutscenes are easily comparable to it's console brethren, and the cell-shaded gameplay is looking just as good on that small 16 x 9 screen. There are some hiccups after saving/loading games, but they are certainly bearable, and don't draw away from the X-Men experience, especially not when you realize that this is the full console game on a portable system. Sound is equally as good, music is not either annoying or unnoticeable, it compliments the settings nicely. As I've said before the use of voice acting I believe is a first in a PSP game, and hopefully not the last. Patrick Stewart does well in his portable debut, as does the rest of the cast, completely enriching how easily this game sucks you in.

Playtime/Replayability 7/10
Playtime all depends on how you like to play. If your the type that likes to march through the game, let the AI level up your characters for you, and forget about the unlockables, then this could be a short game. However, if your not then there is more than enough to keep any fan of this type of RPG busy. Levels are easy to jump back into to search for unlockable content(ie levels, items and art). You can also take some new characters for a spin after the first completion of the game.

Final Recommendation
This is definitely THE PSP action game to have. It's taken a few months to reveal that the PSP can turn out games of this caliber.

Second review, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow for DS Overall 10/10

First before I start the review, I have to say this..HOLY CRAP!! IT'S CASTLEVANIA AND IT'S PERFECT

This is just one of those kickin' games the DS needed. Take an established and hugely popular franchise like Castlevania and couple it with a gimmicky system with unlimited potential and you have success.

Graphics: 10/10

The 2-D graphics are very reminiscent of past Castlevania games such as Symphony of the Night(The GREATEST Castlevania among all). I must say that they are indeed detailed and colorful. There are numerous enemies designs (both old and new), and they look incredibly fluid and rich. Every inch of the labyrinths and locales of this game are covered in a rich glaze of shine and design. It's really cool, even if it is 2-D.

Gameplay: 10/10

Three litle words..WOW! WOW! WOW! The gameplay is stupendous thanks to the awesome level design. With the whip and an assortment of other goodies, you can control your character to do all types of acrobatics. It is quite exquisite thanks the amount of moves you can simulate. And let's not forget the combat! Combating legions of ghouls and whatever else populates decaying castles is a hell of a lot of fun. There are just so many awesome things about the fighting. It's just....FUN....!

Also, there's more good news in the gameplay department! The DS touch-screen function is implemented into the game. Using the stylus, you can rub away ice blocks that otherwise impeded the main character. It may sound a little lackluster, but trust me, this game is even cooler thanks to the ability to rub away blocking ice blocks.

Sound: 10/10

The music and sound effects in Dawn of Sorrow are top notch. I cannot really describe them other than by saying that they're catchy, moody, mysterious, and foreboding. There is obviously a wide variety of things to listen to in this game, and each little bit does its job just right using the correct chime and most sublime sleekness.

Overall: 10/10

What??!! Still reading this blog??!! Go out now and buy Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow. This is the game to get not only if you like this hallowed franchise, but also if you just enjoy the platforming genre in general. I swear that if you have never even given thought to purchasing a DS, this game will change your mind on that. So go out there and use your whip to grab a copy of this game. It's that good!

Last, but for sure not the least, are my newset addition to my toys collection.