Spiderman: Shattered Dimensions (Wii game review)

       Here we go, this is a review of the just released "Spiderman: Shattered Dimensions" videogame. It was released across all major consoles, but for this review, we'll be looking at the Wii version of the game. The normal fare for games being released on multiple platforms was that the Wii version would be developed by a different studio. It would be the same game only in name and often it lacked the quality necessary to be worth a play. This time however, Beenox developed this game across all the consoles. Read on to find out if this made a difference and indeed, whether the game is worth your time at all.
      There's been a hell of a lot of buzz surrounding this game over the last few months but for the uninitiated, here's what it's all about. Shattered Dimensions does away with the open world concept of the past generation of Spiderman games. For some, that was arguably one of the better aspects of those games; the ability to swing around an entire virtual city does have an intoxicating quality to it. With this new entry, the focus was to be on the combat and the action sequences. While worrisome (many would view the combat in past games to be the weakest link) it still held great, untapped potential within it. Undoubtedly though, the biggest draw to Shattered Dimensions was the concept. In the game you would play as four different incarnations of Spiderman across different alternate realities. Yeah, the idea is shaky, but come on, it's a freaking superhero game, you don't play this for it's firm sense of reality. The four different versions you would play came from the Amazing universe (The classic Spiderman), the Ultimate universe (The black, venom suit one), 2099 universe (a futuristic Spidey) and Noir (A stealthy, spy-type Spiderman).
       Okay, let's deal with whether or not any of that actually works. Firstly, I'll deal with the look of the game. The game takes on a comic book look. It's not really cell shaded but definitely does have that drawn aesthetic to it. The four different worlds have their unique looks and style, but the comic book vein is constant throughout. I found that the look works. If anything, it keeps the game from starting to look monotonous and mundane. Obviously the Wii version looks the worse of the three major consoles, after all, the Wii isn't a graphical powerhouse. It doesn't look BAD by any stretch of the imagination, it just isn't as visually impressive as the ps3 or xbox 306 versions.
        What of the plot, though? There was a great deal of interest surrounding the plot before the game was released. It was written by one of the comic's writers so that was enough to build hype. The voice actors were even the actual people that have voiced Spidey in his various incarnations over the years. Let me just put this out there; the plot FAILS. Full stop. It's sad to say that because there was so much potential, but even more so because it seems as if the writer just phoned in the story. It's not a spoiler when I say that the story is Mysterio tries to steal a tablet, Spiderman bursts in and tries to stop him, ends up breaking tablet into pieces and causes chaos across different universes. Spidey then has to travel across dimensions tracking down the tablet. Seriously. That's that story. All of that was released before the game came out via promotional info and that's really all there is. That's just sad.
        Okay, so the plot is an epic fail, but how does the game work? This is a part where the crappy story shows up even more. Because the developer chose to do away with the open world system previously, you're guided on a very linear pathway where you simply do level after level. This shows the story up as nothing more than an excuse to push you along stage after plodding stage. The levels really boil down to simply segments of swinging, some combat with enemies and then a boss battle. You rinse and repeat this formula throughout the entire game. There are some side missions and whatnot, all in an attempt to lengthen the game but with no real motivation to do anything here, most players wont bother. There's also an upgrade system to make the different Spidermen stronger and unlock abilities. It's extensive and deep but ultimately frustrating. Why frustrating? It's a genuinely good growth system smack dab in the middle of a seriously flawed game engine. I'll be honest, my idea of fun does not involve plodding through a level just  to fight a boss then rinse and repeat. In this era of gaming we expect more, and in terms of the way Shattered Dimensions plays out, it doesn't deliver.
             So the gameplay design doesn't work well, what of the actual engine though? I can't say whether the players on the ps3 and xbox 360 versions encountered the same problems but there were several issues in the Wii version. The first was random slowdown and, unsurprisingly, every time it happened was when the screen was full of enemies. Another was graphical clipping. Spiderman would walk through objects like they weren't there, and a couple times he got strapped in stuff while swinging. Also, at times the animations seemed terribly wooden and robotic. The final engine issue I had was the camera. Dear God the camera is usually the downfall of Spiderman games but here it was more than unhelpful; it was downright antagonistic. The camera was probably responsible for more deaths than the actual enemies. In fact, sometimes it would stick at a view from underneath Spiderman, making gameplay all but impossible. Aside from those technical issues I simply have to discuss the issue of the different universes. This is no doubt a problem across the board. From before the game released there were questions as to whether or not the game wouldn't get old, whether the ability to play as different Spidermen was enough to keep the game from being repetitive. Simply put, it didn't work. Too much of the changes are cosmetic. Yes, the move sets are different and the worlds look different, but for all the differences, they play essentially the same. I noticed no real substantial difference between Ultimate, Amazing or 2099. Noir was probably the most different universe but that was simply because it necessitated stealth play. The stealth itself was lame though. It didn't work. It was altogether too simple and boiled down to nothing more than creeping from shadow to shadow, stopping at obvious headlights and stealth attacking enemies.
           I'll talk briefly about the controls. Because this is a Wii game it obviously controls vastly different to any of the other versions. Surprisingly, this part works well. There's a slight learning curve but that's to be expected. It's really fun to weave in and out of enemies, picking them off one by one without sustaining damage, all the the while flicking and waving the wiimote. Also, the sound design is superb. The score is good but not memorable. The voice acting shines however. Narration is taken over by Stan Lee, and as I said before, the authentic voice actors from the various animated series return. It's sad that the talent used here couldn't have a better game.

Bottom Line: In the end, Spiderman: Shattered Dimensions isn't worth your time. The visuals are pretty and the sound can draw you in. Ultimately though, the game is too simple and too broken to justify the full price tag that they're asking for across the board. The game isn't absolutely horrendous, it just doesn't do anything groundbreaking or even particularly well. A shame given the potential and the material that was available. If this game were released as a ten dollar download online for the three systems I would've recommended it. If you've nothing else to play it's an entertaining , yet ultimately lacking way to burn a couple of hours.

Game Rating: 2/5
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Linkin Park- A Thousand Suns (Album Review)

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Linkin Park- A Thousand Suns (Album Review)

    It's been a while, but Linkin Park, arguably the most popular rock/rap crossover group is back with a new record. It's just been released today and I've got quite a bit to say about this one so let's get into it.
    It seems almost necessary to address the whole "Minutes To Midnight" issue. Linkin Park's last record was an alt. rock affair, very little of the hip hop influence that built them up. It created, almost immediately, a vast divide between fans. There were those who liked it and those who just gave up on the band. I'll be honest, on my first listen of that record it didn't quite hold me, but after several successive listens it grew on me. It never captivated me as much as the previous albums, but it was an interesting experiment for a band trying to grow.
      A few years later and here we are at their newest effort, "A Thousand Suns". What does it sound like though? Well, shortly after the release of Minutes To Midnight, the band confessed via interview that their next effort would probably be a concept record. For the fans that still gave a crap it conjured up all kinds of awesome. Does "A Thousand Suns" hold true to that? Yes, indeed. It's a concept album, spanning topics of loss and war, the powerful over the weak and the dangers of living under a machine-like system.
      The more important question though is, obviously, what does it sound like? Ready for it? It sounds like old LP. Hurray! That's not quite right though; it sounds MORE like old Linkin Park is probably more accurate. Hip Hop is present once again, and there's greater use of electronica and beats on this album than the last. The best I can come to describing the overall vibe of the album is old Linkin Park and U2 had an awesome stadium rock, rapping baby.
     This record spans a total of fifteen tracks with a playtime of nearly fifty minutes. That sounds like a lot until you take into account the fact that of the fifteen "songs" a few of them are actually lead-ins to the actual songs, comprised of atmospheric pieces of music or bits of recorded speeches and what-not. All in all, there are an around eleven real songs. I think that's fine though, because to put it simply, the songs are awesome. It's important to remember that this is a concept album, really meant to be listened from start to finish as a cohesive whole. As such, the songs themselves have some pretty extensive introductions that might not work on a conventional album, but in light of a concept it works.
    Lyrically, this one gets it right. Chester's back into this comfort zone, speaking about loss and being broken down, just on a bigger scale this time around. Mike pens some clever rhymes here, you'd think the real LP hadn't ever been away. Also, the fact that Chester's made strides as a vocalist shows, it serves and helps to make the tracks much more anthemic.
    There's a lot of standout tracks here, one for instance being the first single released that hinted at the scope of the record, "The Catalyst". With a common lyrical theme repeated throughout this song (and elsewhere in the album) it's a hypnotic, tightly-scripted electro-based number. It works. Hit up the link at the end of this review for the music video, it'll give you an idea of what to expect. Other standout songs on the record include "Wretches And Kings", "Waiting For The End", "When They Come For Me" and "Burning In The Skies". All of those mentioned, save the last, feature Mike laying down some rhymes and they are a great return to form. "Waiting For The End" is especially awesome because they break new ground for the band there, with him doing a funky, sing-song style of rapping that seems almost reggae-influenced. That's hard to explain but once you hear it it'll make sense. The album closer, "The Messenger" was probably the biggest surprise on the album. It's an all acoustic song, and one would expect that Chester pulls back his vocals down to a more intimate feel. He doesn't. His voice sounds more raw and flawed without the backing of a billion synths and guitars but it's also arguably the most direct song of the record. It also fits into the whole theme and concept of overcoming the system, overcoming the control by machines and going back to basics.

Bottom Line: There wasn't a bad song on this record I think. For a band like Linkin Park to come from the near-complete misfire that was "Minutes To Midnight" and pull of a record as complete as "A Thousand Suns" is astonishing. There's one thing I have to get clear though, this isn't "Hybrid Theory 2.0". That's not coming, it's never going to happen. The band has just moved on and grown up. They're not going to keep singing about having broken hearts for the next ten years. However, if this album is any indication of what they're about and what they can do, then I hope they'll be around for another decade. For anybody who likes Linkin Park, and even those who don't but like stadium rock, hip hop or electronica, this one is a definite purchase.

Album Review: 5/5

*As promised, here's the link to the first single, "The Catalyst". Enjoy, then go get the album and enjoy some more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAPXbypyaq0

Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare (Album Review)

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Avenged Sevenfold-Nightmare (Album Review)

     The new Avenged Sevenfold album dropped recently and fans and skeptics alike have no doubt been wondering how it would sound given the death of A7X's drummer, The Rev, late last year. Well the album's out now so here we go.
      First off, the record is a tribute to the Rev, even the album art pays him a little homage. The biggest question though, is whether or not the record stands up. The answer is a resounding yes! The sound is an evolution, or rather, an expansion of the sound that the band explored on their last record, the self-titled "Avenged Sevenfold".
     Many people can chart the evolution of A7X from their hardcore origins to the more melodic current incarnation. It's left some fans divided, and truthfully, this album won't do anything to change that. What I mean is, if you hated the last A7X album, you'll hate this one. If you loved it, stop reading, go out and get the album now (just kidding, stick around till the end of the review).
      The record consists of eleven tracks and runs just a little over an hour of playtime. This isn't unusual for A7X, their records haven't ever been short affairs. For the listener who sticks around till the end of this one though, you'll be rewarded; it's a journey through metal, classical and even avant-garde constructs by some of the best guides of this generation.
      The biggest question is probably whether or not the album suffers from The Rev's absence. The short answer is no, his presence is actually felt throughout the entire record. In fact, one would be hard pressed to notice the difference between the tracks where The Rev drummed and there was a stand-in. Also, he shows up on vocals on a couple tracks, the most notable being "Fiction". There's been a lot of talk around the net about that particular track being his "baby" on the album and it shows. His vocals are featured predominantly, and the lyrics in that track seem oddly prophetic. The track itself is engaging and very, very epic.
      How does the rest of the album fare, though? To be honest, in terms of songwriting, A7X will probably never match the radio friendliness of "Bat Country" again. That's not a bad thing though. The band isn't the same band they were during the "City Of Evil" era; they've evolved and their focus now is on arrangements and creating musical landscapes that blend all of their influences rather than creating radio-ready tunes.
       The title track, "Nightmare" is very epic, featuring a chugging verse and a catchy chorus that opens up and gives the song some room to breathe. Other notable efforts include "Welcome To The Family", "Danger Line", "Buried Alive" and the aforementioned "Fiction". The album closer, "Save Me" is awesome, it's a ten minute construct that ends the album well. To be honest I can't say I have any gripes with the album. There's just one; the track "God Hates Us". I can see how it's a good song, but this one comes down to a matter of personal opinion as I was one of the fans that prefer the melodic A7X to the harder edged one. The fans who liked the more screamy A7X will no doubt be spinning that song a lot though.

Bottom Line: What can I say about this album in closing? It's a triumph. For a band that's dealing with the death of their bandmate and childhood friend, which, mere months ago was unsure about whether or not they would even release this album, they've done amazingly. They've not only released what I consider to be the best and most expansive album of their career, but they've created more fitting a tribute to The Rev than would have been possible any other way. A definite purchase.

Album Rating: 5/5
   

3OH!3- Streets Of Gold (Album Review)

3OH!3 - Streets Of Gold (Album Review)

     Here we go, this one's on the new 3OH!3 album. For those who don't know, 3OH!3 is one of the better of the new wave that is crunkcore electro-pop that seems so popular in the market these days. Before even delving into this review I'll say right now that this music falls squarely into the "love it or hate it" category; it's just that fucking simple. In fact, if you didn't know 3OH!3 before, you should head on over to youtube and listen to the song "Don't Trust Me", it's one of their most popular off the previous album. That should give you a taste of what they're about. Okay. Moving on.
     Firstly, the length of the album; it's fourteen tracks and clocks in at close to three quarters of an hour. That's a good length for an LP, even a bit long but there you go. I'll also get this out of the way, for those who listened to the first album, this is more of the same. Yup. Not an evolution, not nearly, but if you liked the first one, you'll like this one.
        What does it really sound like though? Well, for the uninitiated, crunkcore, or electro-pop as it's known in some circles is a mix of club, dance music with a sense or hint of rock and pop sensibilities. More often than not this "hint of rock" boils down to nothing more than screaming, shouting or vocals done in the typical rock vein. For the most part it can't be found in the lyrical content, which typically deals with partying, sex, drunkeness etc., definitely not the typical rock repertoire.
       Does this mean it's bad? There are those who'll make that argument. In fact, aside from this band the genre has taken beatings left, right and center. I'm not going to say that the beatings aren't warranted, but most of the times the ones issuing the beatings aren't looking at this music in proper context. Can 3OH!3 be taken seriously as a musical act that has something serious to say? Hell no. Does this kill any of their legitimacy immediately? Again, no. I expect to collect flak for this statement, but for what it sets out to do 3OH!3 is one of the better bands out there.
     What IS it that they set out to do then? Create good club music, that's easy to listen to, hella catchy, and doesn't require a serious listen. The two guys of 3OH!3 know how to write great pop hooks and they make use of that skill extensively on this record. This is ultimately what saves "Streets Of Gold" I think. It's also what separates 3OH!3 from the other "crunkcore" bands out now.
     So, the good and the bad of the album. There's tons of uber catchy songs on this record. Some of the more memorable ones are "I Can Do Anything", "We Are Young", "Touching On My", "I Know How To Say" and "Streets Of Gold". I know that's a lot of songs to just list as the great ones on the record, but it's a testament to their understanding of how to craft a catchy song. Their choruses in those songs are undeniably hooky and they stick with you. Occasionally 3OH!3 steps outside of their comfort zone and tackle some serious subjects such as relationships ending on "R.I.P." and "I'm Not The One". It's here that you catch a glimpse of the bigger picture of this band. Also, they aren't known much for singing, but their performances on those two songs are among the best on the record. There are issues with the album though. The first two singles that were released, "House Party" and "My First Kiss" weren't, in my opinion, single worthy. They fall the flattest in the record, when compared to some of the songs I listed above, which confuses the shit out of me as to why they were released as the flagship tracks for the album. Another problem I had with the album, although a much minor one is the choice of sounds that they use at time. The squelchy bass and synth farts that they employ over and over again can wear away at your ears after a while.

Bottom Line: In the end, "Streets Of Gold" is a good album for what it sets out to do. I'm kind of on the fence as to whether it's a purchase or not. I'd have to say that comes down to the type of person you are. If you're a musician or music listener who takes his shit seriously, then stay away from this album. If you party a whole lot or don't mind light, catchy, tunes then this will be your thing. "Streets Of Gold" is best in a club or when hyping yourself up to go out. As an album to be listened to by itself  though, it's just not enough.

Album Rating: 3/5