Best of the Decade: Shadow of the Colossus

Shadow of the Colossus

Platform: Playstation 2

Release Date: October 18, 2005

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer: Team Ico

Whenever the overplayed argument over whether or not games are art gets dragged out for another flogging, there’s one title in particular that never fails to come up in the discussion. It’s certainly not the only title that gets put forth as an example of a game that does something more than mindlessly entertain, but it does seem to be the most consistently mentioned.

Though I will celebrate another title or two before this list is complete that I feel stand alongside it as the industry’s most museum-worthy productions to date, Shadow of the Colossus undoubtedly deserves to be recognized as a standout effort that truly represents the best of what this medium has to offer in terms of interactive emotion.

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Best of the Decade: Soulcalibur II

Soulcalibur II

Platforms: GameCube, Playstation 2, Xbox

Release Date: August 27, 2003

Publisher: Namco

Developer: Namco

Every Soulcalibur game has meant a lot to me. Until recently, it was the only fighting game series I had ever gotten into. It was one of the titles I bought alongside my beloved Dreamcast on 9/9/99. I bought it on a whim because of a fantastic review score in Electronic Gaming Monthly. I had no idea whether I’d like it because I had never liked a fighting game before, but my gamble payed off and I’ve been playing it ever since. 

Just as I’ve never been a huge fighting game fan, I’ve never been much of a multiplayer gamer either, but the Soulcalibur series has long been the exception to both of these rules. Wrapped up in the many tales of souls and swords I’ve encountered over the years across four games now are countless battles, painful wins and losses both, and many hours of honing my skills, trying new characters, and improving my game. 

The most important aspect that these games have brought into my gaming life is the social element. Few of my friends are into fighting games and the genre usually isn’t worth the effort if you have no local competition to spar with. Here again Soulcalibur proved the exception. I’ve known many people that have enjoyed a quality bout of weapons-based combat and just about all of them have been well matched to my own skill. Winning a close match by that fraction of an inch against a good friend never fails to bring a smile to my face. 

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First Impressions - Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

Publisher: LucasArts

Developer: LucasArts

Release Date: October 26, 2010

Date of Play: October 28, 2010

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed was a game I enjoyed playing, but never finished. I got my fill of the spiffy Force powers during my rental period and before I ever got anywhere near the end the repetition, occasionally clunky combat, and frequent frustrating sections put an end to my lightsaber-wielding ways.

I was hopeful when I heard of a sequel that they would improve upon some of the elements that I disliked about the first game and turn the experience into something I might be able to see through to the end. I was also wary that they might simply spit out an easy followup with nary an improvement in sight; something that would be all too easy to justify given the high sales of the first game.

So which is it? Does Force Unleashed II give us perfected Force flinging like we’ve never seen before or does it rest on its laurels and deliver more of the same? Let’s find out.

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Rob Zombie: Hellbilly Deluxe 2 Special Edition CD/DVD Review

Longing for the past seems to be a common pastime among Rob Zombie fans. There’s a great deal of debate as to whether his recent work is actually any good. Regardless of which side of the fence you fall on, you’ll find something to like in this reissue of Hellbilly Deluxe 2. With the addition of a few new tracks, the tweaking of one that was a bit self-indulgent, and even a little video content, Rob Zombie has moved this a solid step closer to being deserving of its title as a sequel to his most fondly remembered solo album.

“Devil’s Hole Girls and the Big Revolution” begins the festivities, becoming the album’s new opener. It has been a long time indeed since Zombie has sounded more like his old self than on this stunningly aggressive track. It almost sounds out of place on the album as a whole, lacking almost any of the catchy pop influences that have been so prominent in his work of late, but its two newcomer brethren make the fit more comfy. Longtime fans are sure to have a smile on their face with this one.

“Everything is Boring” is sandwiched in the middle of the disc. It sounds right at home next to former Hellbilly Deluxe 2 singles such as “What?” and “Burn”, but has a more abrasive edge that its predecessors lack. The quiet verses make a nice contrast to the relentless energy of the chorus and give the song a comfortable pace. The song brings a pleasing blend of old and new Zombie influences which should hopefully give each camp something to enjoy.

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First Impressions: Dead Rising 2

Dead Rising 2 (Xbox 360 version)

Release Date: September 28, 2010

Date of Play: September 29, 2010

One could accurately say that I’m a little hesitant going into Dead Rising 2. I adore the concept, but historically I have not been such a fan of the execution of said concept. The clunky, outdated mechanics, terrible save system, and difficulty level requiring you to play the game multiple times just to beat it once aren’t up my alley. 

So I head into Dead Rising 2 trying my best to keep an open mind. I hope the game will have changed enough this go-round to let me enjoy the wonderful open world zombie killing antics this series does better than any other, but I somewhat expect that I will be once again turned off and forced to give up. 

We shall see. 

• The first thing the game does when I press the start button is freeze for long enough to make the think the game has locked up. We’re off to a good start, ladies and gentlemen.
• I am already disheartened by the fact that there does not appear to be a free roam mode. I was desperately hoping there would be one, because that would stand the greatest chance of letting me enjoy this experience. I can hope one is eventually unlocked, I suppose, but that would require me to play enough to unlock it, a feat of which I am currently uncertain of my ability to accomplish.
• Let’s see if the game proper can get me playing quicker than Case Zero did. I certainly hope so. Call me crazy, but fifteen minutes of mediocre cutscenes before any zombie killing at all is not what I want out of Dead Rising. 
• I’m not going to lie, this game is a little fugly. It’s better looking than the first though.
• Am I over-thinking it when I wonder how in the hell the economy of a zombie goddamn apocalypse can support a reality show like Terror Is Reality, the one featured at the beginning of Dead Rising 2? 

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