A distinct running first person that's worth playing.
937986
A distinct first person that makes running cool enough to bring attention to the curious addictive art of speed runs.

First person perspective. Nothing entirely new in video games, first person helps emerge the player more in the story. Mirror's Edge sets out to divide from the pack in appearance and play, it's still a first person that sends you through a story lined maze, doesn't involve much or any shooting while encouraging you to run from danger. Edge's different outlook is good in some areas to distinguish itself worthy a look from a player wanting a new experience than everything else that's been done before.

Featuring a young woman named Faith, a runner categorized as a rebel courier in a tight government controlled city, the entire story plays through Faith's eyes. Her arms, torso and legs appear in view as she ducks, jumps and runs her way around vents, pipes, fences and buildings. Framed for a murder she runs to find the killer as a deadly police force pursue her, using a underground network of secret passages oppose to firearms and weapons. The story isn't entirely new but moves along pleasantly accustom to the style of play.

Game play is basic, run, jump, move, adding a punch and kick commands for defense. Story aside no multiplayer exists due to the non-violent tone of the game but levels may be revisited for time trials, completing the main game chapter within a set time limit. Controls too are basic, matching the game play. Graphic ability is impressive. The entire world is brightly light akin to a Christmas tree, pipe & doors leading to objectives are bright red so they can't be missed, but the surrounding environment blends in so well it's a easy to lose your way. Sound consists of echoing footsteps matching perfectly with player movement.

Mirror's Edge is a good title with a low replay value. Hitting the market back when the PlayStation or Nintendo 64 made the current systems would've caused a standout, innovative title. Coming out after a countless FP's causes it to be overlooked & lost in the scramble. Faith can fire bullets but can dodge & outrun them so much better, plus with a bright world of objects to climb on makes it worth a rental or cheap buy. Have a run with this girl.

Last Words: B, running through Faith's eyes is engaging fun, too bad the trip can't be made more often.
1756725
The game is a first person perspective shooter with an old west theme. Weapons are limited.  For each mission you select one handgun, rifle and shotgun.  There are only 3 varieties of each.  You must play the missions in a specified order.  There were only a couple that were optional.  You can reset the keyboard controls.  (I changed Jump to Spacebar and Crouch to Shift)  You can't manually save the game.  It automatically saves when you complete a mission.  There usually is another save just before you confront the "big boss" in each mission.  Some missions are quite long so it is annoying to get killed and have to start all over from the beginning.

The best thing for me was the theme.  It is nice to get a break from the typical zombies and goblins.  The various missions take place in a wide variety of settings:
towns, RR yards, graveyards, mines, woods, a fort, etc.  A couple were on horseback.
(you didn't control the horse though - it ran as if on rails)  The best one was on a moving train.

I love rpg's (which this isn't) and would love to see one made with an open world western theme.  For me the linear nature of the game dropped it down to an average score although for shooter fans it might be a little higher.

ps:  If you have Windows XP with service pack 2 you must run the patch or the game will not start.  Copy the command line from the Read Me file and paste it to Run and then hit OK.  (the patch is included on the disc)  After that the game runs fine.
2862783
This game is truly a showpiece in how to make a unique game in a unique setting that offers a compelling single player experience. It is not the typical first-person shooter which are certainly a dime-a-dozen right now on PS3 and XBox360.  It truly makes you feel the part of an assassin and it gives you the opportunity to explore vertically like no-game before it has.

I rent almost all my games now (from Gamefly) but I decided to buy this game and I am really glad I did.  It really benefits from taking it easy and absorbing the game at a fun pace.  Ratchet and Clank is the game to rent (also a great game for PS3) and Assassin's Creed is the game to buy.

There are a few issues but the overall product is so much fun that this one game convinces me that I made the right choice in buying the PS3.
1597963
A great surprise, one solid action, frenetic and violent first person shooter, with a great variety of weapon and the valuable help of a riot shield bulletproof. The history so far... you are a police man in the midle of a urban pandemonium, and share company with fireman in occasion those which open doors and lead the way when is impossible go on. you gain point if you arrest the suspect without kill him, and earn medal that result and new mission (unlockeables). full action.very fun, but a bit violence.
3975563
Open-world games have been all the rage over the past couple years, but when they're done right they end up providing for some wonderful video game experiences.  Prototype is one such game, in which you play as Alex, an amnesiac hero who has some mysterious powers and abilities, and are caught in the middle of a viral outbreak in which the citizens of Manhattan are turning into blood-thirsty mutants.  Technically speaking the game looks gorgeous and features some vibrant and brilliant sound effects as well, but it's the surprisingly rewarding gameplay that really stands out.  Alex's superpowers are easy enough to be able to pull off, and you also posess a huge arsenal of moves and other abilities to use as well.  The game's storyline is intriguing and there are a great amount of side-missions and challenges to accomplish as well.  While the game's missions themselves are pretty varied, the environments aren't, as most of the island's environments starts to look alike after a while.  Still, that's really the only drawback to Prototype, other than not having any multiplayer options, which would have made the game all the sweeter.  All in all though, Prototype is a great game that makes good on having an open-world environment at its disposal, and the game is wholeheartedly worth your time.
1760574
This is the first game that I have ever immediately gone back to the beginning and played it through one more time. Like the headline says, previous XCOM players will find this to be an excellent continuation to the series.  For first timers, the turn-based system at first may seem to slow things down from standard action or shooter games, but it brings the strategy to the forefront. While I like running around blowing stuff up as much as the next guy, there is great satisfaction in this game in trying to figure out the best plan to bring all of your squad home in one piece.
2394889
I got the whole game for 50 bucks including all dlc during a christmas sale.  For this I give it five stars.  The game is a questionable departure in terms of movement and combat.  I will say passing between both a unique male and female at the drop of the hat is fun, and the additions to the combat bring a fresh skill based approach.  The criticism here is the characters can be somewhat unlikable given the cast strong performances elsewhere; to say the two protagonist aren't well acted may be wrong, they are just unlikable or unrelatable at times to me. Another is that the surprisingly fun combat and massively better stealth mechanics have only one real criticism.  Combat with the cane, or any weapon no matter it's size is completely invisible till combat is initiated which breaks the realism, it is very fast and somewhat unintelligible and the animation occasionally nonsensical if you pay close enough attention, oddly focusing playability over immersion. However, the stealth mechanic is better than ever.  The grappling hook can be very random but finds its necessity.  I personally liked climbing everything but for realism sake and the size of the map this is necessary. Movement again for the third ac installment since 360 degree jumping from certain ledges and objects has been removed again making the immersive climbing feel very scripted as opposed to the more skilled approach of games past.  For example you see a ledge 45 degrees behind you but because you can only jump up, left, right, or straight back you have to shimmy around till you can collide with it.  It's not only annoying but deeply breaks immersion where the stores used to be at its best.

Not everything is gloom and doom though the alternative to the cane is a kukris and the animations are well timed and impactful especially the multi-kills.  The extra weapons and limited wardrobe are beautiful and functional carrying over the past games steady upgrades and ramping difficulty fairly well considering the myriad of changes.  The city itself is massive and alive.  While not as packed as unity it's streets are less full and slightly less detailed but the steady performance is very welcome.  Carriages work well something I was concerned about.  Bugs are far and few between as well.

I'm playing on Xbox one.  The only thing I can't comment on is the overall story of which I'm only two thirds through.  It has been enjoyable but standard fair so far.  If you can get it for half price or with full dlc included it is worth a fans time but certainly not full price. The total loss of multiplayer is a considerable impact to this if you  came expecting itas well.  In all it is very average in all ways, holds no real surprises for long term fans, and nothing you truly haven't seen before I in any other assassin's creed.
2545295
Like most people, I bought a GameCube as part of a bundle, so I didn't have much choice over my initial game selection. Unlike the PS2 bundle I bought, I wasn't won over by the games that were included, with one exception. This wasn't the exception.
The premise for Luigi's Mansion is startlingly different from the previous launch titles for Nintendo systems, especially from Super Mario 64. Instead of Mario having all the fun, Luigi is now the central character, exploring a mansion to rid it of ghosts and find his brother.
The graphics are excellent, as you might expect, although it's more about detail and subtlety than high-speed action. The game play, however, leaves something to be desired. Instead of the standard run-around-pick-things-up-and-do-things play, Luigi has a vacuum on his back reminiscent of Ghostbusters. He uses it to flush out ghosts, suck them up, and return them to the paintings from which they've escaped. He can also use it to pick up some items to throw and to suck up elements and spit them out. That's about it, though. If you're used to squirrel tails, super-high jumping, and the like, you won't find it here. I found the absence of unusual movement to be a detraction from the game play.
The puzzles, too, don't seem to be quite up to par, possibly because they're limited by the tools with which you can solve them. I'll admit that I also got stuck at one point in this game, which is something that I use as an indication of a game's quality - how frequently do I get stuck, and, if I use a hint book, could I have discovered this on my own? I never did check this out for Luigi's Mansion, partly because I wasn't inspired to keep playing.
The actual capturing of the ghosts is essentially reeling them in as fish - if you played Ocarina of Time on the N64, you'll remember that little part of the game. For me, it was an enjoyable break in the game, but hardly enough to base an entire game on. Little ghosts are easy to reel in. Bigger ghosts take more effort. Sometimes you can reel in two or more at once. Special ghosts require that you do certain things before you can reel them in. Yawn.
I'm not quite sure if this is intended for adults as much as it is for kids, but my experience with this type of game and with the kids that I know indicates that more often than not, kids expect just as much out of these games as adults do, especially if it's their money they're using to buy them. In any event, I found it to be a disappointing launch title, and I traded it in about a month after purchase. If you're a die-hard Mario/Luigi fan, or if you're collecting every GameCube game there is, maybe you'll have more fun with it than I did. It was fun for a while, but the novelty wore off quickly.
3658376
System Shock 2 is hard to categorize, because it blends several genres and styles of games so well. It's a Role-Playing First-Person Shooter Science Fiction Survival/Horror game, with some extra twists here and there. If you wished Half-Life was more like Deus Ex, or you wanted to play the more violent and scary parts of Thief with 22nd century firepower, this is the game you want to play.
Though it's getting a bit dated now, this game was far enough ahead of its time to still be very playable. Where the original System Shock made history as a remarkably immersive story-driven first-person shooter, the sequel goes even further with complex character development elements usually only seen in role-playing games. The graphics scale up smoothly enough to still look impressive on today's faster, higher resolution (and higher polygon count) displays, the sound is of sufficient quality to still be just as effective as most newer, more technically advanced productions, and of course, a great story is never obsolete.
Once you get into a game this immersive, you forget about the technical details that may no longer be as cutting-edge as they once were. Just turn off the lights, plug in your headphones (or surround-sound if you have it), and try to stay alive. If you happen to forget that it's just a game, this one can really scare you. Definitely not for the faint of heart.
The biggest flaw in this game is that the developers just didn't have enough time to fully flesh-out and polish some of the later parts. Certain areas are just less expansive and detailed and finely-tuned than others. The game doesn't significantly suffer from what's missing. It just could have been that much better.
By far the most common complaint about this game is that the weapons break too fast. Personally, I don't consider that a flaw. I like the extra stress factor of having to keep an eye on the condition of my weapons. Unlike most First-Person Shooters, your resources are very limited in this game. Throughout most of the game, you will very rarely have enough ammo to stop worrying about making every shot count. There are a limited number of weapons available, and if you keep firing one until it jams, you have to either expend other resources to fix it or deal with the fact that you have one less gun to work with.
If you really don't like worrying about broken weapons, there is a way to reduce or completely disable weapon deterioration. It's not a menu option you can switch on and off within the game, but the release notes file on the CD explains how to do it, and it's not difficult.
One complaint I've heard about the end of this game is that there are two "final battles" at the end, and the second one is disappointingly easy. I didn't feel that way because I recognized that the first final battle was the climax, and then when there was one more confrontation after that, I thought of it as more of an epilogue than a challenge. This is something gamers just aren't used to, and the only other game I've played that had an "epilogue" after the final confrontation was Half-Life, which has been accused of having the worst ending of any game ever. The ending of System Shock 2 isn't nearly that bad, but it can be disappointing if the relatively short final areas have left you expecting more.
Unfortunately, due to the particular circumstances of the closing of the company that developed the game, Looking Glass Studios, it is very unlikely that there will ever be a third System Shock game.
3576635
This is the first game in first person play that the story line is easily understood that I have played.
Go with the flow, read everything.  Best of all sneak up on people and easdrop, there is a wealth of info. to learn from this advantage.  First time through I think I killed everything that moved but the best time was going through in stealth.  It is not easy so you need to save your game often. As you go through the game you will learn the different moods that JC goes through and it will help you to choose witch of the three ending you will go for.  I have found that the choice you make during the game also gives you a differante aspect of the game.  All in all I can't wait for Deus Ex 2 to come out.
4214024
When you first play Nier: Automata it isn't completely what you're going to expect. Judging by the gameplay footage, the pictures, etc., you expect just a hack and slash action adventure rpg game. Which it is, but also delivers so much more.

This game was loaded with goodies and cameos from the first nier game plus drakengard as well. Not only that, it offers an overview of characters giving a new stand on the game in some parts, dynamically changing the way you need to approach said spots. While the enemy variety can be kind of limiting, there is a certain charm about them that makes them, in a way, unique in the game. At some points I felt attached to the enemies more than the protagonists, 2B and 9S.

The customizing in this game is extensive as well as what some would consider overpowering, making you feel kind of like a god. But the difficulty is balanced well enough to where if you want more of a challenge, it will be there for you. That's another thing about customizing though. It will cater to your play-style however you feel comfortable. Which is enjoyable.

I've never played the first nier nor drakengard, but I have read about its amazing multiple ending segments that actually can continue the game further the more times you play it. And with Automata it was no exception. I beat the game once only to be given a message saying that there is more to be discovered. Tempting it I play a new game on the saved data only to get the same story, but in a different perspective by playing as 9S this time around. The gameplay between 2B and 9S is somewhat the same, but there is enough of a difference between the two such as hacking instead of a heavy attack with 9S that it actually felt like a new game.

This story goes so much further than any other linear story that I have played to date! Hell, I'll give it this; most open world games, including gta V, don't have this kind of pacing and sort of dynamic story arch with sub- quests. The one game I believe comes close to this would be witcher 3. And the best part of it is, Nier DOESNT NEED DLC TO CONTINUE ITS STORY (looking at you, Destiny).

So the only fault I felt Nier Automata had would honestly be it's lock on system. In my opinion, it is quite tedious to get the hand of it. But with a little practice that shortly become a minor nuisance.

So if you liked the first Nier, you're going to love Automata. If you've never played the first one, that's fine too because the game doesn't heavily lean on it considering that if you played the first one and got the "True" ending, then it'll all make sense. This game offers a thought provoking story, in depth lore, and immersion. Truly a game you should have in your archive.
4946767
A fun game with lofty goals and a unique playing experience. I didn't play on the 360 which from other reviews is a good thing as few technical and graphical improvements are in this version and little content was added.

Its no DayZ, but it is the best thing on consoles if you like that sort of survival.

Game play has been pretty smooth, a few hordes and some high speed driving have made the game lag a bit, and some textures pop in and out, but for 30$ it doesnt bother me and I have many hours into it already, and will put many more into it. I'm getting more out of it than some much more popular titles I paid double for and none of the glitches are game breaking.

It has a steep learning curve, but the community wikia is pretty good. Best of all the game is a challenge. No lollygagging you have people depending on you to help them survive, its much more than a zombie smasher.

I recommend it as a good time filler, will be a few weeks yet until some other big games drop so if you didn't play on the 360, this is well worth its price.
1220644
Pros:
-Great free running experience. Not quite as good as Batman: Arkham City, but way better than Assassin's Creed: Unity. Very few instances where I'm yelling "come on, I could climb that in real life!" at the TV
-Cool powers, all 4 of them!
-Pretty open world Seattle
-Compelling main story line
-Main character is good for a few solid chuckles throughout the main story line.

Cons:
-Spray painting side missions are the pinnacle of obnoxiousness. Holding the controller that way, shaking it, using it like a kinect/wii u motion feature..I chose PS4 because I hate those gimmicky features.
-Main Character's personality is kind of lame and 2 dimensional. Especially when interacting with his brother. Funny at times, but stereotypical, eye-rolling, anti-establishment punk at many others.
-Powers can get a little overwhelming, remembering the differences between them all and which ones suit which situations best.
-Smaller map/world to explore than other open world games.

Overall Second Son is a great game with an excellent super-powered free roaming experience and I would recommend it to anyone with a PS4.
1770681
Some people have given this game some bad reviews, but I cannot see why. It's fun, innovative, and visually pleasing. The story line is predictable but the characters pull it through to the end.

I personally love playing this game. It can be challenging the first time through and the gameplay is fast paced. It has a high replay value. The game world is vivid and beautifully rendered.

Supposedly the co-op play is great, but I don't subscribe to Xbox Live, so I cannot review that half of the game. Yes, that means there is no multiplayer outside of Live.
1747459
Not a real long or overly complicated game. But well thought out and enjoyable for a relative newcomer to this type of game.
2164751
Agent 47 is not Sam Shepard or Ezio or Altair. He is a cross dresser who doesn't like to be recognized. His deception of choice is plain sight and he does not disappoint with the options in this game. It's understood they wanted to go a littler more mainstream with this game, and I think they did an ok job with this. It's better not to analyze the small stuff. The real bonus in the game is replayability. I'm constantly replaying missions, trying so hard to get the elusive Silent Assassin ranking. This game has kept me occupied and satisfied.
One caveat: Square Enix has said they are working on issues with the save file occassionally corrupting, but it would be a very good idea to frequently back up your save, preferably via USB. Be ye warned!
4415704
This is an ambitious sci-fi shooter that delivers on most of what it sets out to accomplish.  Very memorable.  If you like other third person games like Uncharted, Tomb Raider, etc, you'll probably enjoy this.