UGH!!!! ANOTHER FIRST PERSON SHOOTER!!?? wait...you mean you can shoot through just about everything you need to in order to kill bad guys?? well....maybe I will play it just a little bit...you know, just to see what its like....yeah..... Well just like the above text says, it is a first person shooter, so right off the bad when i first heard about it, i thought it wasnt going to be anything special. so i did what most people would, i read the review on gamespot first, as well as IGN, then i read what actual players said, then i decided from there, but i have to say I am happy i decided to get this game. The game play is VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD. its basically running through levels and shooting and killing TONS of guys that are gunning for you. I dont think the AI is very good, as sometimes the computer just stands there while you try to blow them away. so as far as the gameplay goes, its standard shooting. What makes it interesting to say the least is almost anything that can be used as cover or that stands in your way is able to be blown to smitherines. Enemy hiding behind a pillar or car?? dont want to walk around it to kill them?? then get that old shotgun or machine gun or even your pistol, and blow your way through it!!!! great idea finally added to a FPS, and it should have been done a long time ago. Franted Red Faction did have that type of idea as far as that whole chaos engine that they used where the environment can be changed with the gunfire. The graphics are definitely the showcase of this game, and by looking at all the pretty particle effects and smoke and dirt and everything...this is definitely one very nice looking game. Whether it be on a PS2 (how did they get it to look that good on that system) or Xbox, this game really does shine and show how hard Criterion Games works on there games. I mean...just look at Burnout!!!! so you know it looks good. The sound totally rocks!!! If you have a surround sound at all, crank that baby up, and play it loud!!! You will hear every bullet and explosion from every direction and it rocks!!!! There aren't too many extras to unlock so chances are you will only play through it once or twice before it gets hold but it is still a good game. I would have liked to see some sort of online play modes here after all, it is basically a staple to have online play in a FPS now-a-days. Overall though, this is a pretty, great sounding, fun game, but it definitely could have benefit from some multiplayer modes.

When the SNES first had Mega Man X hit it, I was very impressed with just about everything about it.  Great animation, enemies, power ups...man it just doesnt get much better than that does it?? sigh....I miss those days.

Anyways, lets fast forward more than 10 years (if i remember correctly).  When i first heard about this game and saw the first few pics of it, i was both excited like a kid in a candy store, but also very afraid...afraid that Mega Man X could potentionally be destroyed by this port.  But there was a little voice deep in my video gaming soul that said...THIS IS CAPCOM...HAVE FAITH BROTHER...so I did, and i have to say I am not disappointed at all!!!

Once I took this game and placed it into my PSP and saw the intro movie, my doubts melted away like cheese on a burger...mmmmmmmm burger.....  anways back to this game lol, I was immediately happy about this game and realized that it was NOT A PORT, but a REMAKE.  Capcom has once again breathed new life into their games. 

The graphics are great.  On the PSP, they are just damn pretty and although i still love the original game, I cant help but wish they would redo all the Mega Man X games like this.  The movements are smooth, very little slow down is present, and the character models are quite good.  visually, capcom has outdone itself. 

The music is both hit and miss in my opinion.  You will find a lot of the same themes with just a little tweeking here and there.  Overall you will notice that there are not too many changes to the tunes in this game, but they are different enough where some people may not like them from the originals.  It is tough to redo music because you will always have to compete with the classics that were originally made, not an easy fight to win by any means. 

They did change some of the locations of the power ups around, but that is all good, its a nice welcome change and some of the bosses are either easier or harder to fight as well.  Which is also a welcome change.

The controlling is dead on and it feels as responsive as the original game is.  Overall, this is a great update and an HONOR to the original Mega Man X.  All I have to say is, THANK YOU CAPCOM FOR NOT MESSING THIS GAME UP!!!  when is Mega Man Maverick Hunter X2 coming out??

OK, lets get past the fact that this is 2D, because that should have no bearing on how good this game is.  Second, lets take the fact that this game is a port of a game that came out quite a few years ago, very lightly. 

What can I really say about this game.  It is one of the greatest fighting games ever made, not because its Street Fighter, but because is genuinely is a fantastic fighting game with tons of characters, multiple "ISMs" to customize your character and how they use their Super Bar, seamless animation, and AWESOME extra modes.

I won't waste your time or mine explaining all the modes because anyone who has played street fighter already knows the basics of the moves and the way each mode is.  I will say however that the ability to do a mode where you can do a 2 on 1 is LOTS OF FUN, especially if you play with other buddies.  This game really shines with its wireless play, when you have friends around that are fairly good at it.

The animation and is arcade perfect, smooth and very colorful and like other people may say, it really is amazing how good this game looks on PSP screen.  So when it comes down to the visuals of this game, it is arcade perfect and anyone who played this game in the arcade or on any other system would agree on how good this game looks.

The sound quality is just as good as it is what you would expect from a street fighter game.  Great music and your standard fare of sound effects accompany this games gorgeous 2D goodness. 

The controls are effective but in some ways leave a bit to be desired as it is sometimes difficult to pull of certain moves and combos with the directional the way it is.  Anyone who played Darkstalkers for the PSP will know what I mean by this.  The directional is just not very forgiving and is slick because of the plastic they used.  This takes away from some of the matches as nothing is more annoying than having someone beaten and going for the killing move or combo only to have your thumb slip off the pad or to just plain do the motion and not have it register.  Once again, this is a problem BUT NOT THE GAME'S PROBLEM.  It's a design flaw in the PSP itself...Oh well.

In closing, this game is well worth the money if your are looking for a great fighting game and DYING for a Street Fighter that you can play wirelessly with friends....MMMMMMM gaming GOODNESS!!  Pick it up, play it, love it, and if you don't, you obviously are not a real fighting game fan.  I do agreet that we could use a Street Fighter 4, but until that happens, this is a fantastic addition to my fighting game library, especially for my PSP.

Lumines Review:

At first, I did not know what to expect from Lumines besides knowing that the game came from one of my favorite game creator's mind. The man who has been known for other such cult classics such as REZ and Space Channel 5 has rocked the handheld world with another visual and audio masterpiece. Lumines is a simplistic game that you wouldn't believe could be this much fun to play or to just listen to and watch, but it is, and oh is it fun to play to boot!!

The premise around the gameplay is quite simple. It is basically a supercharged tetris with pulse pounding music and visuals that if your not careful, you may end up having a seizure from all the bright colors and heart pounding music. Essentially you have blocks that fall from the top of the screen and a nice wide screen to place them on any ways you would like. Each block is 2 toned in color, depending on the stage you are playing, sometimes gold and green, sometimes silver and orange, you get the picture. Depending on the color scheme of each block you have to flip them to make all silver touch eachother, and as you do this, the blocks will meld together to form a bigger block of that color, all the while, there is a bar that goes across the screen from top to bottom and erases the blocks that you form, as it does this, you get points, you effect the music that is playing in the background, and eventually, the stage will change and so will the music. Yes, it sounds simplistic enough, but it is VERY addictive, even if you are playing by yourself.

Now lets move onto the graphics. This game is simple looking in pictures. Once you see it in motion, the bursts of colors and flashes both in the foreground and background of the game will have your eyes loving every second of it. Each stage has its own color scheme, details and motifs. Not really much more to explain here but the fact that it is bright, beautiful and attractive when in motion.

The strong point to this game and the part that I think is the "real deal," is the music and sound effects. It sounds great on the PSP speakers but MAN does this game rock on a good pair of head phones. Anyone who has ever played REZ or Space Channel 5 knows what im talking about if you have a good stereo or surround sound hooked up to your game systems. Pulse pounding basslines, and "tweety" trebles make your ears scream for more with every new song and stage you come across, my only regret is that this game doesnt let you listen to the music of the game on the fly like an MP3 player, because if it did, that would be all the better.

Replay value wise, this game is a very fun single player with over 40 stages to play, each with its own look and music, but unfornately, every time you start, you have to go through the same stages in the same order. If there was a "remix" feature where the stages would be set in random order, i think it would be more beneficial to the game's single player lasting ability. The multiplayer is where this game really shines. With someone to play with on the wireless hook up ability, this game shows it can be played for HOURS without the participants being bored. It's a total blast!

In closing, this game is truly an experience to HEAR and to be SEEN. The gameplay is essentially nothing new, and its a very addicting multiplayer for two puzzle game fans who are looking to stick it to each other "intellectually." Like I said before, the music and sound effects are fantastic in this game and i personally thing this game has one of the best soundtracks of the year, probably out of most games that I have ever played. Now I can only hope that Sega will do another REZ game, HEHEHE. So if your looking for a great puzzle multiplayer, look no further. I have a feeling Lumines will have the PSP on puzzle "lock-down" for a long time to come.

-Juvinwo

When I first got this game, i figured it would be just another fighting game that i would play a few times with friends and then pack away. Little did I know that Capcom would bust out of the gate on the PSP with this 2D beauty. In the words of the Iron Chef Emeril, BAM!!! Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower for the PSP is an exact port of the dreamcast version, but with a different title and maybe a few other things. Those buying this game looking for groundbreaking gameplay, new ideas and state of the art graphics will be disappointed. But if they look deeper, and see what capcom fans already know, is that it is a very solid and beautiful fighting game in its own league.

Considering 2D fighters are a dying breed, and that everyone considers 2D to be a thing of the past, I was very pleased to see this game ported to the PSP BEFORE Street Fighter, and i have to applaud capcom in this fantastic effort. The port of the Dreamcast version is all here, especially the beautiful fluid animation that each of the characters showcase so well. For those of you that don't know, Darkstalkers is a street fighter-esque one on one fighting game that has gained much popularity in japan but has not seen as much showtime here in the states. All the controls are the same as a street fighter game would, even the super moves are almost all identical, but if you look deeper you will see a casting of characters that few games are able to rival with.

If you read a lot of reviews by other people, chances are you will hear them complain about the directional pad, how you can't do moves with it, how it doesnt feel right, *blah* *blah* *blah*. The truth of the matter is, if you are AT ALL skilled in street fighter games or ones similar to that, you should have no trouble controlling this game once you get used to holding the PSP in your hand. I do not recommend the analog for this game as it is too sluggish, and if I can be so bold as to give my opinion....anyone who needs the easy setting to pull of moves instead of actually doing them, shouldn't be allowed to play these games at all, it ruins all the fun in LEARNING THE MOVES, COMBOS AND FIGHTING SYSTEM.

The animation like i said previously are beautiful and there is no way they could possibly be an prettier on the PSP's widescreen. The colors are vibrant, there is NO slowdown during combos, supers or any other time. Lets get this straight, the PSP is NO SLOUCH when it comes to 2D graphics, and this game proves it. This game is chock full of beautiful, smooth animation, and the PSP cranks out the frames better than the Dreamcast. For anyone who didn't know, the Dreamcast was the king of 2D games because of its high RAM and processor strength. Granted, they are 2D graphics, and they are in Low-Res animation, not quite up to par with Guilty Gear now-a-days, but they are still very pretty none-the-less.

The sound of this game hits you where it counts...with catchy stage toons, nice hitting sound effects and voices (when needed). The music is nicely composed and allows the listener, with a good pair of head phones to really appreciate the treble and basslines that this game has to offer. The sound effects of punches and kicks, etc. all get the job done as you would hope they would, so no gripes there what so ever.

Where this game i think takes a hit is in the "replay/value" section. This game is fantastic fun if you have a friend or 2 to play against via the system's wireless connection, and if you are both fairly good at the game, it is that much more fun. On the other hand, one player mode (like all fighting games) is not what it should be. Yes, there are unlockables, there are a hidden character or two, and yes there are pretty ending movies and the like, not to mention a nifty new "chaos" section of the game where you can do different handicap matches and try to reach the top of the "tower" while gaining rewards. Overall though, the core to this game is multiplayer and if you don't have someone to play against, you might find yourself bored eventually...that is once you've practiced the combos and moves WITHOUT the easy mode activated ;)

In closing, im sure you have figured out a thing or two about me since you have read this review...YES I am a capcom fan, YES I love street fighter and the like, YES I may like 2D fighting games a little too much, but let me tell you something. You could make a million 3D fighting games now-a-days, and you still wouldnt get the beauty, color and gameplay that you can have in the palm of your hand with Darkstalkers: Chaos Tower. With wireless multiplayer gameplay to boot, and a beautiful widescreen to look at it on, this is a game everyone should try to play for at least an hour. You may think I'm crazy if you've played it already and didn't like it, while I would say you are crazy for not appreciating a classic fighting game reincarnate into a handheld masterpiece.

-Juvinwo

Powers #10 (For Mature Readers Only)

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: Mike Avon Oeming

Colors: Peter Pentazis

Lettering: Ken Bruzenak

First off I would like to express that I in no way am bias towards one company or another or one character over another, I simply am going to review books that I read on a scale of 1-10.

Now that I’m into my second review I don’t have to explain myself so this should be a little easier. For those readers who know who Brian Michael Bendis, his is the God of Comic Book writers. It seems as if any book he touches, it seems to turn to gold. Thus this book, one of his creator owned books, POWERS is especially impressive. All the characters are original and all of them are interesting in their own way, and this is a book where I am constantly chomping at the bit to read the next issue.

The premise of the story is simple. It is the story of two people, one normal female with a very dirty mouth, and a male who used to be a superhero at one time, a POWER if you will. They are both police officers in a city where the use of POWERS are illegal, whether it be for good or evil. They investigate various cases that concern the use of powers. Both characters have fantastic personalities and histories behind them. Although this book is in the middle of a story arc, it is fairly easy to follow if you read the “up-to-date” part on the first page that will catch you up to speed on it. I don’t want to ruin the story arc too much, but basically over the course of the story, the female acquires some powers of her own, but she is has been hiding them so no one knows, nor does she know how to control them. Also, a hero known as the Blackguard has been killed but turns out that Blackguard is not real, but someone who was able to get his costume and power jewel that gave him his powers. You find out that the jewel and costume was sold, and the story delves into why it was sold, and what will unfold because of these actions. So needless to say, it is very interesting and I cant wait to see how the story pans out.

The writing by Brian Bendis is always strong, so strong in fact that I get to the point that I have been wanting to read nothing but him. Bendis’s strong point is when he has dialogue between characters. I don’t know what it is about him, but when he is writing dialogue it is as if he is watching the two people and copying exactly the way they talk and how they word everything. Bendis is a master of writing engaging stories and loveable characters and this book is no different. I could go on for hours about this man’s writing, but if I did, we would never get to the rating.

The artwork in this book is simplistic yet effective. Oeming’s artwork reminds me of the art style from the old Batman cartoon on television where the characters had big square chins. He draws some great facial expressions, and you can’t help but feel the emotion bursting from the panels. The colors are also very vibrant as well as the inks. As always, this book is the pinnacle of the comic book industry, and if every book was of this caliber, the comic book industry would be much better off. Hats off to Bendis and Oeming once again for a great issue (Big Surprise).

RATING: 8/10

Youngblood Genesis #2

Writer: Kurt Busiek

Pencils: Chad & Eric Walker

Script: Brandon Thomas

Inks: Rob Liefeld & Dan Fraga

Colors: Matt Yackey & BLOND

OK, This is my first review in a LONG time so I’m going to try to do my best with this and I’m going to be honest. First off I would like to express that I in no way am bias towards one company or another or one character over another, I simply am going to review books that I read on a scale of 1-10.

OK, enough chit chat, lets get to the review. Now, I don’t know if anyone has ever heard of Youngblood or Rob Liefeld but there is simply something that you should understand before picking up a Rob Liefeld book. Rob Liefeld is a creative man, but very very slow when it comes to him putting out books that SHOULD BE monthly but are far from it.

I will go out on a limb and express my feelings on Liefeld as I’m sure if it was possible I would be having things thrown at me by at least a few people. I am a BIG fan of Liefelds ART, but not his work ethic. I like many other people have been burned by him multiple times but regardless of that fact, I like his stuff. HOWEVER, you will not find any Rob Liefeld art in this book, so don’t look for it. This is strictly a Youngblood book with other people writing and drawing it, though I’m sure Liefeld had his hands in it.

This book was supposedly very hard to find for some reason, according to various websites and fellow comic collectors I know, It was a very limited print run for issue #2, but that is nothing new with the history of #2 issues. The storyline is just getting started since it is only on issue 2. So far we have been introduced to multiple characters that are part of the superhero team, some you may recognize from the older Youngblood book. The premise is the Youngblood team is being re-launched and new members are being selected and they are gaining popularity with the people but the man behind setting up the team and getting them camera time (not to mention has ties to the government) has something else up his sleeve, but we have yet to see what it is.

Plot and script wise, the writing is effective and detailed and gives you the idea that this team really is getting the camera time and popularity ratings from the general public. The characters all have a style and personality of their own, especially the character Badrock, not Bedrock, that would be a copyright infringement. Throughout the issue, you know that the man behind this team has an ulterior motive, but no one can quite grasp what it is yet. You get a few flashback scenes of what this mans childhood and “growing up” years were like, so you tend to feel like you can relate to him in some ways, which is always an important quality for characters, relate ability. Overall the writing is good, no typos and I can see myself getting to like the characters in the long run.

The art work on the other hand, is average. I love Rob Liefeld’s art like I said before, but the Walker Brothers here are using a style similar to Rob’s but its doesn’t capture the same energy that his do. I know that I can’t draw at all, so I have to give every artist some credit for having some talent. I like the colors in this issue as they were very bright and impressive. I think the inkers in this issue were used well but I find that there was too much shadowing in some of the “talking heads” scenes. I guess I am just spoiled by Rob Liefeld’s art, that when I see a style similar to his, but not HIS, I tend to get a little angry. Youngblood is Rob’s book, HEY ROB, DRAW THE DAMN THING!!!

In closing, this book is a nice re-launch of the original Youngblood with some interesting twists and plots that I’m sure if done correctly, could really be turned into some great tales down the road. The writing is strong and carries the book, the art gets the job done, but who knows, maybe I just have to warm up to the Walker Brothers in order to appreciate their Rob-like style. People who like a good superhero team book, want something a little more extreme than the X-Men, Avengers, GLA, etc., then I would advise you to check out Youngblood. That is, if you don’t mind waiting AT LEAST a month between issues, you may enjoy it. It’s a fair start to a book that has the potential to get interesting very quickly.

RATING: 6/10

Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to say I dont know if I will be online much for right now because I am totally hooked on my PSP that i picked up on launch day with Wipeout Pure, Twisted Metal, Lumines, Darkstalkers, Need for Speed Rivals and Ridge Racer :D. I have to say that anyone who hasnt seen this or played this system, it totally rocks!!!! I recommend picking one up as soon as you can, it is only going to get better. Well, until later, PEACE!!! :lol:

-Juvinwo

Hello Everyone, This is gonna be short and sweet because I am about to be dragged out of the house away from this heaven that is Gamespot...to do LAUNDRY....UGHHHH!!!!!! UHHH OHHHH she's looking over my shoulder, she just read this, I'm so screwed :cry: anyway, entertain yourself, go check out my friend's band's website, give them some support people!!!! small bands rock!!!! http://www.jumpband.com

PEACE, i will post another update soon.

-Juvinwo

Hello everyone, another day, another entry. Now that I have gotten all the formalities out of the way, I can start talking about what I want to. First off, if you look at my collection you will notice that I have MANY MANY games. I also have been awarded a "Good Choice" award from gamespot because of my impeckable taste in good games. So I will soon be reviewing all of my games one by one, if anyone has any recommendations on which ones to do first, let me know and i will see if i can pull it off. I would also like to let everyone know that for over 6 years i worked at gamestop/funcoland and when it comes to games, i see myself as a knowledgable book of info. So if anyone wants an opinion on games let me know and i will be happy to lend my opinion. I also am always open to new friends and topics to talk about, so email me.

As you can see I am currently in the process of playing many games. I have too many to play and no time to do it, LOL. Currently my soul is owned by such games as Street Fighter III, Gran Turismo 4, Resident Evil 4, and my soon to be PSP. I just can't seem to get enough of Street Fighter III or Gran Turismo. I'm also currently in the middle of watching one of the greatest Animes of all time, Initial D. I have to say that if any of you have not seen this show, check it out, it would be well worth it if you love cars and racing and good characters with memorable moments of action. Well I guess i should be going soon, I have to go and write a post for a new Union that was just created and I was so graciously selected to be a chairman of, thank you for choosing me (you know who you are.) I encourage EVERYONE to come join it and check it out, lets make this the best Union on Gamespot!!!! The direct link is...

http://www.gamespot.com/unions/home.html?union_id=SRG

Until next post, keep playing those games, kicking ass and chewing bubble gum, and hope that you don't run out of gum.

-Juvinwo