Giancarlos Calderon's Game Reviews

NEWS: Peter Cullen returns as Optimus in Fall of Cybertron

Picture What’s happening gamers and gamerettes? Our very own Peter Cullen is set to return as his iconic character for the upcoming video game Transformers: Fall of Cybertron. Now it’s really hard to imagine a Transformers movie or game without Mr. Cullen, and we all remember how iconic he was in the 1980s cartoon series, as well in the 1986 movie (better than those Michael Bay movies). High Moon Studios will be behind the game’s development, and it is set to be released this August, at the end of the summer where the school year will be upon us once again.

Other notable voices in the game will include veteran voice-actors such as Nolan North (BRUTICUS, CLIFFJUMPER and BRAWL), Troy Baker (JAZZ, JETFIRE and KICKBACK), Fred Tatasciore (MEGATRON, RATCHET and METROPLEX), Steve Blum (SHOCKWAVE, SWINDLE and SHARPSHOT), Isaac Singleton (SOUNDWAVE) and more. Hopefully Johnny Yong Bosch (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Bleach, Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Wolf’s Rain) will return for the voice of Bumblebee. Of course, at least they made him talk in the game, and not make him a butchered mute version like that of Michael Bay (jackass!).

God Bless and Play Hard Gamers

Review: Tetris (Nintendo/Game Boy)

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What’s up gamers? Today’s game review is none other than the classical tile-matching puzzle solving video game Tetris. Tetris is a game that was developed by Russian game designer, Alexey Leonidovich Pajitnov. Tetris was released in 1984 in Russia, then known as the Soviet Union (USSR), and two years later in North America on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Tetris is one of the most old and classical games of all time and continues to spawn it’s magical popularity across the globe.

Tetris was released also on the Nintendo Game Boy in August 1989, when I was 3 years old. The Game Boy version is a portable version of the NES game made by Alexey Pajitnov. I highly remember this game in the old days where most of my family members, especially my father would play this game. Now this game is gonna be reviewed with power.

Gameplay. Tetriminos are game pieces shaped like tetromines, geometric shapes composed of four square blocks each. That random sequence of tetrominos fall down the playing field. Each of these pieces have seven different shapes such as an I, J, O, L, S, T, and Z. The players objectives is for them to manipulate the tetrominos by rotating them to about 90 degrees, with the aim of creating a horizontal line of ten blocks without gaps. When such a line is created, it disappears, and any block above the deleted line will fall. When a certain number of lines are cleared, the game enters a new level. As the game progresses, each level causes the Tetriminos to fall faster, and the game ends when the stack of Tetriminos reaches the top of the playing field and no new Tetriminos are able to enter. Some games also end after a finite number of levels or lines.

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NEWS: Yoshinori Ono overworked by Capcom.

Picture Yoshinori Ono, the game producer of Street Fighter IV, was admitted to a hospital and stepped down as the producer of Street Fighter following the health scare. Mr. Ono has revealed that after returning to work, Capcom did not acknowledged that he’d been in the hospital; he came back with a full time schedule and an airline ticket to Rome.

Also, what Mr. Ono said was the following: Capcom doesn’t allow a trade union or any sort of worker movement you see. So if I complain I will probably get sacked. You have to say it for me, OK? I want you to write: ‘Capcom overworks Ono’. That’s your headline.

This man could use a good rest, and Capcom needs to stop it’s stupidity. It’s bad enough with the lady that was mistreated at the company, and now, they are overworking this guy. Capcom has just become the new Activision of Japan. The bosses need to stop being so stupid and get their acts together, because Capcom is falling apart with cancelling awaited titles, giving rights to Hollywood, and even turning scary games into action ones instead. To me, Capcom is just a shadow of it’s former glory.

God Bless and Play Hard Gamers!

Final Fantasy III coming for the PSP. I hope it comes out here sometime soon. The game will first be released in Japan on September 20, 2012.

Review: God of War: Ghost of Sparta

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What’s happening gamers? Today’s game review for my 26th birthday is God of War: Ghost of Sparta, developed by Ready At Dawn and SCE Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The game was originally released on the PlayStation Portable on November 2, 2010 and re-released as part of the God of War Origins Collection on September 13, 2011. God of War: Ghost of Sparta is the sixth installment in the series and takes place between God of War and God of War II, thus serving as an interquel. The game also takes place after the mobile game God of War: Betrayal.

Now this is the second game in the series to be released on the PSP, preceded by God of War: Chains of Olympus, a game which served as a prequel to the other five titles. I actually liked this game a lot more than Chains of Olympus, the more you know about Kratos and his dark past, the more you love this game series. Loosely based on Greek Mythology, God of War: Ghost of Sparta is chronologically the fourth chapter in the series, and forms the part of a saga in which vengeance is the central theme to the game. The game focuses more on protagonist Kratos, now the new God of War, still haunted by the visions of his dark past, in which the gods continue to refuse to remove them from his mind. In this game Kratos visits the long lost city of Atlantis, which is ruled by the God of the Seas, Poseidon.


Plot. After defeating Ares, Kratos has become the new God of War. But shunned by his fellow gods who refused to remove the nightmares of his past, goes to explore the lost city of Temple of Poseidon in the lost city of Atlantis -  against Athena’s advice - to learn more of his past. Despite Poseidon’s best efforts to stop him, even by sending the monster Scylla, Kratos manages to enter the temple. There he encounters his ailing mother, who tells him who his father is and the truth about his younger brother Deimos. This game also tells the flashbacks of Kratos childhood and his brother Deimos, and also how an oracle predicted the destruction of Olympus would come by the hands of a marked warrior.

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Review: Altered Beast

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What’s happening everyone? Today’s game review is none other than the legendary game Altered Beast. This game is set in the time of Greek mythology, and you play as a centurion on a mission commanded by Zeus to rescue his daughter Athena. The setting of ancient Greece in the game is very interesting and it was long before Kratos from the God of War series ever existed. I highly remember this game as a child, and never played the Arcade version, but I grew up with the Sega Genesis version.

Originally released in Japan on November 27, 1988, the game arrived in the United States on August 14, 1988 and later on November 30, 1990 in Europe. My older brother introduced this game to me when he had his Sega Genesis. However, this is one of the most hardest games ever created by Sega. This game is gonna challenge your gaming skills, make you cry, piss you off, break your controllers and even leave you partially insane with rant in the AVGN style. Now before this is said and done, I will teach you how to tame the monster that is Altered Beast once and for all.

Plot. A Roman centurion who died in battle is resurrected from the dead by the Greek god Zeus, and his orders are given, to save his daughter Athena from the evil Demon God Neff in the Underworld. To be able to withstand the perils of his adventure, the warrior gets the ability to absorb spirit balls which transform him into the Altered Beast, a part animal, part human creature of formidable force.

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My thoughts on E3 2012

This year’s E3 was actually great to see, there are many cool games coming and some that don’t seem surprising at all, but hey, we shall see what happens once they come out. Call of Duty used to be cool, but it has just become so annoying. Halo 4 looks great and makes me wish I had a 360. And to me this year, it seems that Nintendo had a lot of games this year, and I have never seen it do so good, because last year it kinda blew. Though what kept Nintendo going last year were games like Skyward Sword, Epic Mickey, Star Fox 64 3D, Mario Land, and even Ocarina of Time 3D. Sony’s press conference was not that good however, but what makes up for it is the games that are coming soon, but their new game The Last of Us is what stole the whole show. EA had my vote for games such as Dead Space 3, Star Wars, Crysis 3, Battlefield 3, Sim City, and so on. I hope you enjoyed it this year gamers. The trailers also kicked ass as well, such as Quantic Dream’s Beyond: Two Souls, DMC, and more.

One thing I don’t like about the new Devil May Cry, is Dante’s look. To me, he looks like Justin Bieber with black makeup. My other favorite trailer was Medal of Honor Warfighter, and I sincerely hope the campaign isn’t short like in the 2010 game. One thing that disappointed me of Square Enix was that there was no info on Final Fantasy Versus XIII, well, there’s always the Tokyo Game Show. So that is all I have to say about E3. Thanks for your time.

God Bless and Play Hard Gamers!

E3 News Day 2 - Part 4. Ubisoft and Conclusion.

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Ubisoft this year on its part has new games such as Just Dance 4. Just Dance 4 is the fourth installment of the Just Dance series of dancing games. This game will be released in the United States on the Wii, PlayStation 3 (for PlayStation Move) and on the Xbox 360 (for Kinect) on October 4 in Europe and five days later in North America. There will also be a version of the game for the upcoming Wii U console, which will be released during its “launch window.” 12 songs have been confirmed and the final game will feature 40 songs. It has songs performed by current and retro artists such as Barry White, Will Smith, The B-52’s, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Christina Aguilera, and so on.

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There is also the long awaited Far Cry 3, the sequel to 2008’s Far Cry 2. Ubisoft presented the demo gameplay at its press conference at E3, and it looks incredibly awesome as it has also an interesting storyline to be exact. It was revealed that players have the ability to shoot enemies behind objects in crousch mode without moving his head but with free hands. Players will assume the role of Jason Brody, a tourist who has been stranded on an island chain in the grips of violent local conflict for years.

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We also have Splinter Cell: Blacklist and I am so happy that this fantastic game series is back and this will be the seventh installment in the Splinter Cell series. In the Microsoft Press Conference, it was revealed that this game will boast new features integrating Kinect, unfortunately Michael Ironside, the original voice of Sam Fisher will not return, and his replacement is Eric Johnson. In the game, our hero Sam Fisher has been appointed as commander of the Fourth Echelon, working to stop a new terrorist plot known as the “Blacklist”.  Features returning include a moving “mark and execute”, Sam’s signature goggles and combat knife, and the ability to perform “kill and drag” stealth melee takedowns.

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Wii U has also joined with Ubisoft for a new horror game, ZombiU. The game is a first person shooter that will be released only for the Nintendo Wii U. The trailer of ZombiU indicates about a zombie outbreak in London, Great Britain. This game is considered a reboot of Ubisoft’s first commercial game, Zombi. What’s interesting of this game is that when you die, you have to create a new character, which means; no continues, no game overs, no respawns, and NO lives. Online Multiplayer is a possibility as well.

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Watch Dogs also looks like a really cool game about surveillance technology. The gameplay consists about hacking electronic devices including cell phones, cameras, traffic lights, in order to reach the target. Our story is set in Chicago, Illinois about a man named Aiden Pearce. More details of the plot, coming soon. Ubisoft has confirmed that this game will be on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

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Marvel has also joined with Ubisoft for a new game, Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth based upon the movie The Avengers, and it’s headed for the Wii U. This game was announced at the E3 Press Conference after THQ’s game based on the hit movie was cancelled. The game’s story will be based on the Secret Invasion storyline, and will have over 20 playable characters.

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Rayman is also coming back with Rayman Legends and it’s headed on the Wii U. The gameplay on the Wii U allows players to control Murphy using the Wii U GamePad’s touch screen. Murphy can perform various actions such as cutting through ropes, activating mechanisms, grabbing hold of enemies and assisting in gathering Lums. Certain levels also mix platforming for Rayman and friends with rhythm gameplay for Murphy.

And finally in conclusion I have to say that this year’s E3 was actually great to see, there are many cool games coming and some that don’t seem surprising at all, but hey, we shall see what happens once they come out. To me it seems that Nintendo had a lot of games this year, and I have never seen it do so good, because last year it kinda blew. Though what kept Nintendo going last year were games like Skyward Sword, Epic Mickey, Star Fox 64 3D, Mario Land, and even Ocarina of Time 3D. Sony’s press conference was not that good however, but what makes up for it is the games that are coming soon, but their new game The Last of Us is what stole the whole show. EA had my vote for games such as Dead Space 3, Battlefield 3, Sim City, and so on. I hope you enjoyed it this year gamers. That is all for my writings on E3, and my thoughts as well. Thanks for your reading and time.

God Bless and Play Hard Gamers!

E3 News Day 2 - Part 3. Sony and EA.

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This year, Sony has revealed so many new games and many awaited ones such as PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. The E3 trailer for Battle Royale has confirmed two new rosters, Nathan Drake of the Uncharted series, and Big Daddy of the BioShock series. This game can be played up to four players in the similar fashion to Nintendo’s hit fighting game, Super Smash Bros. I actually hope that was the game is being developed, more characters come. And probably in the future when it is released, new fighters will also come in DLC. I actually hope that Solid Snake, Raiden, and even Cloud Strife make it in the game. We shall see what happens soon enough before or after the game is released. Sony PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale may be released sometime in the third or fourth quarter of 2012. Also, Sony will also have games made by EA and Ubisoft such as Assassin’s Creed III, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Madden 2K13, Dead Space 3, Medal of Honor: Warfighter and more.

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Quantic Dream, developer of one of my most favorite games of all time, Heavy Rain, will make a follow-up to the game called Beyond, which is written and directed by the very same David Cage who brought you Heavy Rain. This game stars Academy Award nominee Ellen Page as Jody Holmes, a girl with a telekinetic power with a connection to the afterlife. According to Mr. Cage he said the following “It will be emotional, mature and unique, but also epic, unique and spectacular. We want to create unique moments that players will remember for a long time.”

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Madden NFL 2K13 looks great so far with new style of gameplay that will have Madden fans jumping off their seats. Madden delivers physics players can feel, making it more intense and realistic. I’m not a big Madden guy, but the fans must be really happy right now.

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The 2010 Medal of Honor game introduced Tier 1, one of the most highly disciplined soldiers in modern combat. But the upcoming game, Medal of Honor: Warfighter is going global this year, and every mission has dotted lines to actual events or a real world hotspot. An example is a mission in Somalia where you take on a group of pirates. The game is a first person shooter, just like every MOH game. But of course this game cannot be complete without an online multiplayer, because the new multiplayer combat of this game is gonna introduce global warfighters with 10 different tier 1 fighters from 10 different nations. This October 23rd, Medal of Honor: Warfighter will hit the store shelves of GameStop, Best Buy, and more.

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Sim City is also coming back, and I happen to like the old games. I must say I’m happy that such a great simulation game is coming back. In my opinion, screw Cityville, everyone knows that Sim City was and will always be the best. Zynga in my opinion is like ripping off a classic.

Picture Dead Space 3 features the return of Necromorph slayer, Isaac Clarke, taking players to new locations such as outer space, a frozen planet infested by necromorphs and more. And also it’s gonna feature new characters, new single player and co-op gameplay, and even new and nastier necromorphs. The co-op gameplay will have players playing with friends and family, which is really cool and one of the many things I’m starting to like about this new game. Dead Space 3 is set to come this February 2013.

Other EA games coming are also Star Wars: The Old Republic, Bejeweled, Plants vs Zombies, Pogo, FIFA 13, Crysis 3, and Need For Speed. In my opinion, EA games has done so great in the past few years with games such as Dead Space 2, Crysis 2, and Battlefield 3.

E3 News Day 2 - Nintendo Wii U and Pikmin 3

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Today’s new son E3 is about Nintendo. Nintendo this year has been promoting their new technological device, the Wii U, to make the gaming experience far more exciting than it used to be. Six years have passed since the release of the Nintendo Wii which successfully sold millions and millions of copies worldwide. However, in the previous years it was losing its popularity but at least it made a comeback last year with games such as The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Epic Mickey, and also with the 3DS games such as Star Fox 64 3D, The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, Mario Land and more.

The main feature of the Nintendo Wii U is a built-in touchscreen, which either supplements or replicates the gameplay displayed at the television screen, and even functioning as a standalone without having to use the television at all. This controller shares some of the characteristics of the Nintendo 3DS such as an accelerometer, gyroscope, camera, dual analog sticks, as well as a built-in microphone and resistive touchscreen.

Picture Games shown at E3 Nintendo Press Conference by Shigeru Miyamoto and Bill Trinen were Pikmin 3. The game is currently in development for the Wii U as said by Miyamoto in E3, and it is the third game in the Pikmin series. The gameplay can choose between five or more Pikmin types. There will be a new rock type of Pikmin that will allow players to break through hard walls and other obstacles in the way, which is really cool. The main controls will use the Wii Remote and the nunchuck while the Game Pad will always show a world map. Alternatively the player can control the character using the Game Pad as well. And there are several game modes in the game.