Crackdown 2 Preview
Originally published on Ace Gamez on 8th July 2010.
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Back in 2007, the original Crackdown was a breath of fresh air for those looking for something new from their open-world gaming. Placing the player in Pacific City, you worked for ‘The Agency’ and took control of one of their super-soldiers, capable of marvelous feats such as the ability to jump higher than the average human, precision targeting with weapons and super-strength. The fact that these attributes were leveled up over the course of the game meant you became capable of some exceptionally satisfying accomplishments, such as kicking cars a considerable distance and jumping entire tower blocks in a single bound. This superlative silliness, along with the fact that you could play alongside a friend, led to some fantastic (if eventually repetitive) action gaming, with tonnes of baddies to wipe out and a whole lot of vehicles to blow up.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Preview
Originally posted on Square Go on 9th July 2009.
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Games based on comic books are always welcomed by the fans, but unfortunately their quality is often patchy at best. For every Spider-Man 2, there’s an Iron Man, and for every Marvel vs. Capcom a Superman 64, the latter regularly hailed as one of the worst games ever created. Recently however, publishers and developers appear to have become wise to the true value of these franchises when handled properly and seem to be creating comic-based games with a great deal more care and respect than usual. Many gamers are eagerly awaiting titles from both of the major comic stables this summer, with DC releasing Batman: Arkham Asylum while Marvel unleashes Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. Will Marvel’s second foray into squad-based role-playing prove a thrilling sequel, or almost equal?
Ghostbusters: The Video Game Preview
Orignally published on Square Go on 11th May 2009.
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Back in the 80s, Ghostbusters was a phenomenon. The story of three parapsychologists (and one man just looking for a job) turned ghost exterminators captured the hearts of audiences everywhere. Its wonderfully quotable script, spectacular special effects and hilarious comic moments, combined with a fantastic soundtrack, lead to the eventual box office takings of over half a billion dollars in the U.S. alone, and that’s omitting any money made from the merchandise the film spawned.
