• GamePro (4/5) "Here's an Xbox 360 exclusive that proudly wears its lofty ambitions on its sleeves, and yet sometimes seems bent on self-sabotage. That it's so relentlessly addictive despite its aggravations is something of a minor miracle."
• IGN (78/100) "What's been delivered in the end is a good game that ultimately falls just short of its promise due to a few questionable design decisions. One thing is for sure, though. If you love collecting random loot drops, you'll find a lot to like here."
• Giant Bomb (3/5) "If you have an insatiable lust for items with higher stats than the ones you're currently using, or if you get giddy at the mere thought of Diablo-style rare item naming conventions, you'll probably be able to look past the game's issues and have a good time. But even at its best, it's hard to ignore Too Human's monotonous combat and dated approach to cooperative play."
  
• GameSpot (55/100): "Too Human is a game of false starts and unrealized potential that infiltrate almost every aspect of the game, from story, to combat, to balance. Its elements feel stitched together, making for a patchwork quilt of a game that's fraying at the seams."
• 1UP (C-) "At the very least, the cyber-Norse concept of Too Human is a good one that's worth exploring further, just not in this context. The game is simply schizophrenic; it attempts to be all things to all people and never succeeds in executing any of them well. The end result is in dire need of polish and focus, and that doesn't solely apply to gameplay mechanics. There's absolutely no reason why a game released in 2008 should have a bug where characters can fall through solid ground and into some pseudoabyss."
  

• IGN (94/100): "The best elements of the original are back, but have been upgraded to be better than before. The new bosses add a more interesting challenge and the final level is one for the ages. And, of course, the visuals are brilliant. The remastered soundtrack is fantastic as well. From top to bottom, Bionic Commando Rearmed is an incredible game that's well worth owning."
• OXM UK (80/100): "[BCR] is unapologetically old-skool, from the inability to jump right through to the spiked pits that bounce you back a few feet minus a huge chunk of your health. Bosses have attack patterns, health pick-ups have to be earned and each level has been designed around blind leaps of faith and tiny margins of error."
• EuroGamer (80/100): "Between the multiplayer modes and the Challenge Rooms, there's more than enough innovation to make up for the minor irritations of the retro controls. Far from perfect, Bionic Commando Rearmed is still a much more complete and robust package than either 1942 Joint Strike or Commando 3 and another impressive addition to Capcom's download library."
• OXM (70/100): "Rearmed quickly wears out its welcome and devolves into a series of frustrations. Precision platforming is required for almost everything, and failure often leads to death. The latter half of the game is especially unforgiving, although ironically, the end-level bosses aren't nearly as bad as the path you took to get to them. We recommend bringing a friend along in the excellent new co-op mode."

Continue reading Metareview -- Bionic Commando Rearmed (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

• 1UP (A): "Madden's the sports-gaming superpower, though, so it's hard not to nitpick some of this stuff. But even with the listed complaints, this is a football game that one-ups the stakes between the sidelines, and it's so visually impressive that it's likely to stick in your system all season long -- even on Saturdays."
• GameDaily (80/100): "Despite all the this cool stuff, Madden commits some penalties. The game supposedly has more dynamic camera angles, but you'll often see the same one repeat up to ten times per game. As for the computer, it often makes strange decisions, such as running out the clock when it needs a score or wandering out of bounds for no reason."
• IGN (88/100): "It may not look all that different to the casual observer, but football aficionados and Madden veterans alike will be able to appreciate the small enhancements."

• IGN (88/100): "Xbox Live Arcade needs more games like Braid. Heck, gaming on all platforms needs more titles like this. Imaginative, innovative, and engrossing, Braid is a spectacular achievement. If only the experience lasted a little longer and there weren't as many puzzles with singular solutions."
• Edge (90/100): "Braid remains a beautiful and brilliantly demanding game that barely contains its dense population of ideas, taking its place alongside Geometry Wars and Pac-Man Championship Edition as one of the finest original titles available on Live Arcade."
• Eurogamer (100/100): "I've gone to bed thinking about Braid, and I've woken up thinking about it. From the fragments I remember, I'm pretty sure I've dreamed about it as well. Braid is that sort of game."

• IGN (76/100): "Even if the formula is a bit stale by now, that doesn't make Guitar Hero: Aerosmith a bad game. In fact, if you're a huge fan of the band, of the Guitar Hero franchise, or haven't yet seen what all of the fuss is over the music rhythm phenomenon, this release will please and then some. However, if you've been following the franchise since the beginning, you'll probably wonder if this game is really necessary."
  
• GameDaily (70/100): "Aerosmith junkies will love Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, thanks to its impressive song list and extra content. Everyone else, however, should rent it. It's a pleasant diversion, providing single-player and multiplayer enjoyment for would-be strummers, but with missing songs and the same old gameplay, it doesn't have enough sweet emotion to justify its $59.99 price."
  
• GameSpot (70/100): "If you like Aerosmith, you'll like this game. If you don't like Aerosmith, you will not like this game. Even dedicated fans of the group may have trouble rationalizing paying full price for just 41 songs, but while GH: Aerosmith is a little short on content, it's plenty of fun."
  

• Xbox World 360 (85/100): "Away from the main single-player campaign you'll find a number of scenarios to tackle, there's the promise of a free downloadable 'game of the week' and the Live multiplayer options are comprehensive. While far from as deep as the PC games, Revolution is a fine achievement, extremely accessible and great fun to play."
• Eurogamer (80/100): "Unfortunately, I'd be lying, as the many punches Civ Rev pulls means its exhilaration is so often followed by slight dissatisfaction. An 8 may not be enough to convince cynical minds to suck it and see, which is a terrible shame. This slick new Civilization may be more reduction than Revolution, but it's easily one of the most distinctive games on 360 and PS3."
• NZGamer (75/100): "For new players, it may be a stepping stone to true greatness. Fans of the older Civ games may enjoy it for nostalgia. It may also serve as a 'nicotine patch' for megalomaniacs; a healthier alternative to wasting whole days taking over the world. The serious Civ fans, however, should keep to their PCs: this one isn't for them."

• Game Informer (93/100): "The extreme polish evident in the final product makes it all worthwhile. Both single- and multiplayer shine - at long last redeeming DICE for the crappy bot-fests offline players had to endure in previous games in the series."

• GameSpy (90/100): "Battlefield: Bad Company may look like other FPSes on the market in terms of theme and graphics, but there are enough key gameplay differences to set it apart from the crowd. One could easily say that Bad Company expands the genre itself with its combination of great story, destructible environment and surprisingly deep single-mode multiplayer."

• IGN UK (86/100): "In spite of its sluggish opening, Battlefield: Bad Company goes on to produce one of the most entertaining first-person shooters since last year's Call of Duty 4. Bold and bright in tone, it's blockbuster fare that combines DICE's first-person expertise with a small sprinkling of innovation that's enough to ensure it's a perfect way to shoot the summer breeze."

• Gamervision (60/100): "Don King Presents Prizefighter is a flawed boxing game with excellent presentation and some features that should make the next Fight Night team stand up and take notice. I stop short of calling it a solid effort because of the actual boxing gameplay, but 2K definitely has something to build on in the future."

• IGN (50/100): "The poorly constructed gameplay handcuffs the game from the word 'go' and it never recovers. It's neither strategic or arcadey in nature and the animations are just plain ugly to watch. Boxing fans will just have to wait for the fourth addition to the Fight Night series in 2009 for another worthy addition to their boxing library."

• 1UP (33/100): "When a boxing game gets announced with (in)famous boxing promoter Don King as the pitchman, it's hard not to take notice. But if you're looking for the second coming of Fight Night here -- or even a viable alternative -- you've gotta continue the search elsewhere."

• Game Informer (100/100): "For a game as ambitious and groundbreaking as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, sticking to the formula simply isn't good enough.As the crowning achievement of the series' 20-year history, Hideo Kojima's final Metal Gear Solid title may not be what you expect, but it is everything you could hope for in a video game."

• 1UP (91/100): "The MGS4 conundrum is this: The further you play into the game, the less you actually play. Surrendering so much control to make way for movie sequences is galling, especially when the dialogue makes such a big deal about freedom and free will. And it's frustrating that this final chapter of the series begins so well, but ultimately fades -- because once the shock of the nonstop plot revelations wears off, the vanished gameplay leaves a nagging sense of disappointment. Despite this gradual decay, though, MGS4 is absolutely a great game."

• GameDaily (80/100): "Snake's epic, final act just isn't the triple A extravaganza we expected, and it's clear that if Konami intends to continue this franchise or spin off into something new, it needs to study its competition and evolve, delivering shorter cut scenes and superior shooting. But for now, this is one of the most important games in history and you'll dig its cool boss battles, at times witty dialogue and unrivaled sneaking mechanics."

• IGN (99/100): "If you've ever loved any one of the Metal Gear games, or any moments from the series, there will come a moment when MGS 4 will send your spirits soaring. If you've loved them all, well then there'll be many, many more. It's a masterpiece."

• PSM3 UK (95/100): "Will you enjoy it? Yes, definitely, but while most hardcore fans will adore it, a tiny minority may be left slightly deflated by the weight of their expectations, despite the game's unarguable quality."

• Edge Magazine (80/100): "MGS4 is not the game it could have been; nor is it the game it would have been had the series grown with the benefit of hindsight; nor is it the game it should have been if you believed that early trailer. But it is faithful to its fans, its premise and its heart, delivering an experience that is, in so many ways, without equal."

• GamePro (75/100): "The Bourne Conspiracy, which is loosely based on the events of the first movie, doesn't suck. In fact, it's pretty good. Sure, it's not a true blockbuster but it's not total garbage either."

• IGN AU (73/100): "A trifle repetitive and brief, The Bourne Conspiracy is a diamond in the rough. Well worth a look but it's not going to change your life. However there're two more films worth of material to adapt so maybe future Bourne adventures will give a little more control to the player and a little less to the button pressing mini-game."

• Game Informer (68/100): "Though The Bourne Conspiracy is weighed down by broken gunplay mechanics, its thrilling hand-to-hand combat, slick presentation, and relatively short time commitment (eight hours) make it a perfect rental for fans of the films."

• IGN (80/100): "Traveller's Tales has once again delivered an experience that boils down to smashing stuff over and over again while searching for secrets, while also managing to make that formula fun and addictive. It's certainly not a huge leap over the LEGO Star Wars titles, and in fact still has some of that series' issues, but it's no less enthralling and certainly a fun adventure worth taking on."
• 1UP (75/100): "Lego Indy's main quest isn't terribly expansive -- you can finish it in a weekend, and that's if you take your time -- but the game's unquestionably built for completists, with a ton of hidden treasure and extra characters (you can unlock pretty much every character in the films, right down to Last Crusade's castle butler). It's easy to dismiss as kids' fare, but Lego Indiana Jones is a light, enjoyable action game, especially if you've got a willing friend for co-op play."
• Eurogamer (70/100): "This is all starting to sound a bit grinchy, so at this point I feel I should point out that my five-year-old son, who helped me with the hands on preview, is currently at 99.7 percent completion on our second save game with just one character left to unlock. He's certainly commented on the absence of familiar features, and seems less enthused about collecting billions of LEGO studs now that there's not as much to spend them on, but he's still been happily replaying his favourite levels over and over, just as he did with Star Wars."

Continue reading Metareview -- Quake Wars vs. Quake Wars

• IGN (92/100): "This is easily one of the best RPGs on the platform in recent years, delivering a terrific new universe, a fun blend of action and role-playing, and a deeply satisfying story. If you have any love of science fiction or space opera, then you owe it to yourself to check it out. There are hours upon hours of joyful discovery here, and an undeniable love for science fiction, as well."
• GameDaily (90/100): "Although the game suffers from a few minor bugs, including a small number of missions that don't show as completed when finished, some computer controlled teammates that have trouble following orders and occasional glitches when switching between movement and hacking mode, the PC version of Mass Effect is superior to the Xbox 360 release. The mouse and keyboard controls are so natural that they improve the game's performance at practically every level."
• Eurogamer (80/100): "It's an incredibly ballsy game, not afraid to take on any of its competitors, in any field. Story-lead games? Shooters? Even genuine, non-game populist sci-fi? Mass Effect has a try at them all, and leaves more wounds in them than they leave in it, before blasting off into a space all of its own."

• GameDaily (90/100) is willing to overlook some of the bad for the heftier good, writing: "Ninja Gaiden II isn't perfect, but it's an incredible attempt. Lame English dialogue, a somewhat limp story and awkward camera angles aren't nearly enough to derail the splendid gameplay and eye-popping visuals."
• IGN (87/100) enjoyed NGII, but was left wanting something more than what's been previously offered in the series: "Even with a technical hiccup here or there, Ninja Gaiden II is a sight to behold and a great deal of fun to master. And yet, the game doesn't feel as special as Ninja Gaiden did. Let's face it, Ninja Gaiden Black left us a bit spoiled as far as the complete package goes. In terms of straight action and stylish, deep gameplay, Ninja Gaiden II succeeds on nearly every front. What it lacks is the fat -- that extra something on the meat to give it flavor."
• Eurogamer (70/100) was more upset by the technical shortcomings pointed out in most of the game's reviews, and was particularly disappointed with the game's at-times frustrating difficulty: "It's beautiful, cinematic and full of fantastically detailed enemies, gorgeous animations and incredibly fast, exciting combat. But while it's good, it's not quite great. It's marred by technical problems and Team Ninja's previously perfect balancing act just isn't in evidence in major sections."

• 1UP (83/100): "I guess I'd hoped an exercise videogame would make fitness a lot more fun -- and easier to do. And, though it doesn't quite exceed those expectations, Wii Fit will get you moving -- especially if you're looking for a gentle, fun introduction to an exercise program."
• Eurogamer (80/100): "You can compare your results with others, but really it's about setting your own targets and seeing how your performance improves. So far I've found this provides enough motivation to play Wii Fit every day - sometimes for ten minutes, sometimes for an hour. I don't know how long I'll keep this up for, but I do know switching on the Wii is a lot easier than going to the gym. Wii Fit is not as beneficial, undoubtedly, but a lot more fun."
• IGN (80/100): "But for a title that is so geared toward the everyman, it clings onto one hardcore fundamental -- unlocking challenges. So if you're the type who wants to jump right into everything that Wii Fit has to offer from the beginning, you're out of luck. You'll need to spend days upon days partaking in all of the modes to earn Wii Fit minutes, which eventually add up and open up other portions of the experience."
• GameDaily (80/100): "Like Miyamoto said a few months ago, Wii Fit won't necessarily make you fit. If you're looking to get ripped, you're better off buying some protein powder and heading to the gym. For everyone else, this is a clever way to sneak in a little extra exercise every day."

• 1Up (100/100): "Boom Blox is simply a laundry list of great features and options wrapped around an incredibly fun, expertly designed, and well-tuned puzzle game. Sure, its cute veneer won't do it any favors with the more intense console crowd, but I found it charming and refreshingly cheery. It's a casual game made for a casual crowd, but it's far and away the best one I've ever played. Buy this game."
• IGN (81/100): " If you're looking for a game you can play with friends and family - - one that everybody will be able to pick up and enjoy in a matter of minutes -- look no further than EA Boom Blox. It's a fun puzzler and also a game that really puts Nintendo's controller to great use."
• GameTap (80/100): "In Boom Blox, however, you might complete one level that is pretty challenging only to unlock a new level that's strangely simple, which is particularly odd in a game that requires you to finish one level in order to move on to the next. ... Nevertheless, Boom Blox is still a worthy purchase for Wii owners. It's one of those rare family games that doesn't fall into the genres of minigame collection or rhythm title, and your seven-year-old kid will have as much fun as you do."

• GameInformer (100/100): "There so much more to appreciate about this game. Its dynamic mission structuring, remarkable sound design, wealth of side content, amazing animation, the list goes on and on. Long story short, I never thought I would see this much content in a game. Grand Theft Auto IV doesn't just raise the bar for the storied franchise; it completely changes the landscape of gaming. Once you play it, you won't look at video games the same way again."
• GameDaily (100/100): "Finally, the wait for a true GTA multiplayer experience was well worth it, and the online game modes (mostly variations on deathmatches, car races, car races and self-contained co-op missions) add a lot of value to an already jam-packed game. Multiplayer is not as integral part of the game as it was to, say, Halo 3 or Call of Duty 4, but the ability to play over the entire city map is brilliant. Online matches are accessed right from the game via the call phone, and we'll have a more in-depth take on the game's multiplayer offerings once the game is released and the servers are fully populated."
• GameTrailers (98/100): "Grand Theft Auto IV is the sex, drugs, and rock and roll of video games. It's a little less brave and intimidating this time around, but it's also the most refined and polished game in the franchise's history. This kind of sheen is generally reserved for titles with a much smaller scope. It's been one of the marquis games in the industry for years and the addition of a killer multiplayer component puts it over the top. Few games manage to deliver on the hype, but this is one that does." (GT video review after break.)
  

Continue reading Metareview -- Grand Theft Auto IV (Xbox 360, PS3)

• IGN (85/100): "Every player is going to have their own love/hate relationship with Mario Kart Wii, but in the end the game does so many things right that it'd be foolish not to give credit where due. Online seriously raises the bar for Nintendo, trumping even Smash in a big, big way. ... It isn't the best Mario Kart in the series, but it's a must-play experience on Wii, and standard-setting offering as far as online, channel support, and connectivity are concerned. Now if you'll excuse us, we've got some online stats to obsess over. "
• GameTrailers (84/100): "Generally, video game franchises move forward with each successive release. In this case, Mario Kart for the Wii has taken a few steps forward, and one huge step back. This is the first case of Nintendo not finding a happy medium between accessibility and servicing hardcore players. Yet if you get a group of people together on a Saturday night to play you'll be the only one complaining. While the competitive spirit may be quelled, there's no denying that the foundation here is solid, and the addition of bikes, tricks, and online play are all positives that no one can deny."
• GameTap (80/100): "Mario Kart makes a good case for connecting the Wii online, too. Via the Mario Kart Channel, you race other gamers from around the world in an eight-driver contest; you can even see which countries they represent. This is the way to go for multiplayer karting. ... But online or off, you can't go wrong with Mario Kart. If this is your first experience or you've been absent for a while you're in for a treat. If you're a grizzled MK vet at least you can pit your skills with racers around the world--and still have something to grumble about. "

Need a Kart fix? Check out all our coverage of Mario Kart Wii!

Or Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core, depending on who you ask. It seems the two sub-titles have every reason to dance around the colon, as reviews label Crisis Core as an excellent PSP adventure and better still, the one part of the Final Fantasy VII whoring compilation that everyone can agree to like. Aside from the initially confusing "Digital Mind Wave" system (a slot machine that randomly bestows bonuses in battle) and an infamous "stealth" section (which nearly every review moans about), Square Enix's portable prequel draws few major complaints and loads of nostalgia.

• PSW Magazine UK (90/100): "Crisis Core is a fine PSP adaptation of FFVII's key qualities, taking inspiration from its dramatic cutscenes and magic (Materia still has a big role), but cutting away the fat (lengthy wandering, and an overlong centre) to present the critical core of FFVII's enduring spirit."
• IGN (85/100): "I was sincerely moved by certain portions of the title and I suspect many others will feel the same. I wouldn't dream of spoiling anything for eager players, but I will say that Crisis Core's ending moments are a must see. I'd go so far as to call them brilliant."
• GameTap (80/100): "If you shudder in horror when hearing the phrase "Nibelheim incident," then Crisis Core is a fantastic and emotional companion piece to FFVII. If you shrugged at that phrase, well, you'll probably just see Crisis Core as a well-made PSP action role-playing game."