Diehard GameFAN

Author: Mark B.

  • Review: WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2007 (XB360)

    WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2007 Genre: Wrestling Developer: Yukes Publisher: THQ Release Date: 11/14/07 As we established last year, I’m a fan of the Smackdown franchise. It’s by no means as exciting to me as, say, a good, solid Fire Pro game, but I like the franchise all the same. It scratches the itch of…

  • Review: Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (XB360)

    Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 Genre: Sports/Other Developer: Team Ninja Publisher: Tecmo Release Date: 11/13/06 Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball was a pretty polarizing title as far as opinions go. Whereas the normal DOA titles usually have a pretty wide frame of appeal, DOAXBV was a love it or hate it sort of game,…

  • Preview: Lost Planet (XB360) Hands-On

    It’s been a strong two years for Capcom; besides some very solid re-released compilations of the Street Fighter Alpha and Power Stone franchises, they’re released a slew of Triple A titles, including Okami, God Hand, Dead Rising, Phoenix Wright (with a second on the way), and, of course, Resident Evil 4. Add to this a…

  • Preview: Maelstrom (PC)

    If you missed Perimeter back when it debuted in 2004, that’s hardly surprising; despite being one of the more innovative takes on the RTS genre in years, it was deemed confusing and convoluted by many and passed over, either deliberately or otherwise. While that’s a horrible thing, Codemasters, with the assistance of one KD Vision,…

  • Review: Resistance: Fall of Man (Sony PS3)

    Resistance: Fall of Man Genre: First-Person Shooter. Developer: Insomniac Games Publisher: SCEA Release Date: 11/14/06 System launches, by and large, aren’t exactly the shining pinnacle of quality gaming and innovation in software. Sure, we’ve seen games like Project Gotham Racing 3, Condemned, Halo, and Soul Calibur over the more recent system launches, but the vast…

  • Preview: Culdcept Saga (XB360)

    To those of you out there who are appreciators of innovation in gaming, allow me to say this: If you missed out on Culdcept, I truly feel badly for you. A PS2 title of virtually non-existent sales, Culdcept built a small but loyal fan following purely on the sheer originality of its concept. For those…

  • Review: F.E.A.R (XB360)

    F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon Genre: First-Person Shooter Developer: Monolith/Day 1 Studios Publisher: Vivendi Games Release Date: 10/31/06 I love the FPS genre. When they’re done right, FPS games embody what is wonderful about gaming: they allow you to experience an environment, a game world if you will, as you WOULD experience it. And I’m…

  • Playing the Lame: Next-Gen Special Edition

    PLAYING THE LAME: NEXT-GEN SPECIAL. AKA “So why am I buying this again?” So, a couple of days ago I was sitting down and “playing” Smackdown Vs. Raw 2007. I say playing in the sense that I was interacting with the product, but not in the sense that I was DOING anything productive… I was…

  • Review: Gears of War (XB360)

    Gears of War Genre: Third-Person Shooter Developer: Epic Games Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios Release Date: 11/07/06 Epic is one of the more… let us say focused companies in the video game market today. For those not aware, Epic makes first-person shooters. A LOT of first-person shooters. Anything with the Unreal name attached to it? Yeah,…

  • Review: Strawberry Shortcake: Strawberryland Games (Nintendo DS)

    Strawberry Shortcake: Strawberryland Games Genre: Platformer/Puzzle Developer: Gorilla Systems Publisher: The American Game Factory Release Date: 10/23/06 Strawberry Shortcake. She’s as synonymous with the 80’s as Transformers, GI Joe and Cabbage Patch Kids, and much like those franchises, she’s on the comeback trail. Along with her friends Blueberry Muffin, Orange Blossom and Peppermint Fizz, she’s…

  • Review: Marvel Ultimate Alliance (XB360)

    Marvel Ultimate Alliance Genre: Action RPG Developer: Raven Software Publisher: Activision Release Date: 10/24/06 Small note before we begin: I appreciate the idea of “guest reviewers” and such, but I’ve learned the craft, as it were, in a more “straight man” fashion. In other words, we’re going to opt out from such an approach in…

  • Review: Konductra (Nintendo DS)

    Konductra Genre: Puzzle Developer: oeFun Publisher: O3 Entertainment Release Date: 10/31/06 The Nintendo DS seems to have become the de facto home to weird but entertaining puzzle games. If I wanted to count all of the puzzle games that came out for the damn system, I’d probably have to take off my shoes… and, for…

  • Review: Phantasy Star Universe (XB360)

    Phantasy Star Universe Genre: Action/MMORPG Developer: Sonic Team Publisher: Sega Release Date: 10/25/06 The Phantasy Star series has been through an interesting metamorphosis through its existence. Originally starting out as a standard turn-based RPG franchise, Phantasy Star I-IV were all cut into that mold before Sega stepped back and decided to change things up. After…

  • Review: Wildlife Zoo (PC)

    Wildlife Zoo Genre: Strategy/Building Simulation Developer: Dreamcatcher Interactive Publisher: Dreamcatcher Interactive Release Date: 10/2/06 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Windows 2000/XP, 2 GHz Pentium 4 or Equivalent Processor, 512 MB RAM, 16X Speed CD/DVD ROM, 64 MB DirectX 8.1 Compliant Video Card, DirectX 8.1 Compatible Sound Card, 1.5 GB Free HDD Space RECOMMENDED: Windows 2000/XP, 3 GHz Pentium…

  • Review: God Hand (PS2)

    God Hand Genre: Action/Beat-em-up Developer: Clover Publisher: Capcom Release Date: 10/10/2006 Clover Studios has certainly been busy recently; aside from the exceptionally entertaining Okami, Capcom is releasing their second Clover developed title in two months, God Hand. But whereas Okami is a fairly easy cel-shaded semi-serious Zelda-esque adventure, God Hand is a fairly difficult not…

  • Review: Scarface (PS2)

    Scarface Genre: Action/Adventure Developer: Radical Entertainment/Vivendi Games Publisher: Sierra Release Date: 10/10/06 I don’t know where the motivation to do this has come from, but a lot of developers seem to be interested in dipping into older movies lately for the purposes of making video games. Because, you know, there just aren’t ENOUGH bad licensed…

  • Review: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner (PS2)

    Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army Genre: Action RPG Developer: Atlus Publisher: Atlus Release Date: 10/10/06 RPG franchises, if you’ll allow me a moment to abuse my analogy license, are a lot like relationships. No, not because of what occurs within them, and not because of all of the people…

  • The 32 Worst Horror Games, Part FINAL

    The Top Thirty-two Worst Horror Games, Ever, FINAL Alright, folks, here it is. It all comes down to this: the final four. That’s right. For those tuning in late, I’m Matt, he’s Mark, and this is the final entry in the list of the Top Thirty-two Worst Horror Games, Ever. Exactly. We have a lot…

  • The 32 Worst Horror Games, Part Eight

    The Top Thirty-two Worst Horror Games, Ever, Part Eight Okay, we’re back with the second to last part of the Top Thirty-two Worst Horror Games, Ever. For those who are tuning in late, I’m Mark, And I’m Matt, And we’re basically running an uber-extended Playing the Lame. Quit shilling your crap and let’s get on…

  • The 32 Worst Horror Games, Part Seven

    The Top Thirty-two Worst Horror Games, Ever, Part Seven Hey folks, Matt here, welcoming you to another edition of the Top Thirty-two Worst Horror Games, Ever. In case you’re wondering why I’m opening the article for the second time in a row, well, after Friday and what happened there, Mark’s been spending the weekend scrubbing…