Toronto Thumbs

GEAR REVIEW
Mad Catz Wireless Gaming Adapter

For years, I have lamented the fact that I could only take my Xbox 360 online by running a long Ethernet cable across my living room floor, which posed a health hazard to anyone else that happened to walk by. As I’m not a fan of having cables stapled up my wall to run along my ceiling and back down another wall to my router, this was the best I could do. The long cable would be hauled out only if I wanted to go online, and I would weigh it down with mats so that the likelihood of someone tripping over it would be minimal.

Microsoft has had its own brand of wireless adapter for the console for years now, and has just also released a Wireless N version of it for about $99. The pricing is a little steep to justify, however, so I shied away from purchasing one. Luckily, Mad Catz has also released a Wireless N adapter at a more affordable $79.

The small adapter comes with a short Ethernet cable, an AC adapter, and some software to help get it up and running. Ironically I’m a bit of a technophobe when it comes to installing and using new software and hardware, and I even get nervous about it. Thankfully setting up the Mad Catz Wireless Gaming Adapter was a fast and simple process. Although it connects to the 360 (or any other wired network-enabled device, for that matter) the actual network information, including any relevant passwords, is stored on the adapter itself. By connecting it directly to a computer, it’s possible to configure the device. A few short minutes later, it was up and running properly with my Xbox 360.

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Posted in Awesome, Gear Reviews, Xbox 360 | 3 Comments »

GEAR REVIEW
SteelSeries Siberia V2 Full-Size Headset

If you game online with friends at all, you know how important it is to have a good, comfortable headset to voice chat with. Unfortunately being frugal when it comes to headsets doesn’t pay off, as they need to be durable, dependable, and most importantly comfortable.

My Xbox 360 came with a wired headset, as did my first Xbox LIVE subscription, as does the Xbox chat pad. Microsoft is willing to give these away with so many other peripherals that I ended up with three of these. I’ve used them from time to time but truthfully the set isn’t that comfortable. Maybe it’s because I have a lot of hair, but the headset just never sits right. It’s always sliding around, the microphone needs constant adjusting, and the sponge earpiece, covering only one ear, feels strange.

Of course, this is a headset that’s included with systems and other peripherals, so I forgive that it’s not of the greatest quality. It certainly gets the job done. Its special plug means I can’t use it with my PC, so for that platform I have yet another headset. It’s a cheap Logitech one that shares many of the same shortcomings as its Xbox counterpart, with the upside that it covers both my ears – when it’s not falling off. Still, for seven bucks, I’m not too worried about it.

It wasn’t until PAX 08 that I realized there are much nicer gaming headsets to be had. I can only blame this ignorance on the fact that I was never on the market looking for them. But there, on the showroom floor, several companies were showing off their wares. Big headsets with retro designs that reminded me of sitting around a record player in kindergarten with giant head clamps on seemed to be the norm. I tried a few on but ultimately shied away because of their price tags (the one pair I fancied was going to cost over $300 with all the necessary “accessories”).

Recently SteelSeries gaming gear became available in Canada, via Best Buy. Among their product offering are several gaming headsets. Better still is that with proper adapters, they’re useable on different platforms. So with this in mind I checked out the SteelSeries Siberia V2 Full-Size Headset (henceforth referred to as “the V2″).

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Posted in Awesome, Gear Reviews | 3 Comments »

REVIEW
Tekken 6

Tekken 6 has been around in specialty arcades for just over two years but has been available to home gamers for just over a month. My first serious foray into the world of Tekken was playing Tekken 3 in the arcades. Eventually, I would get a bit more serious about it, playing it at home on the PlayStation. I had played some Tekken Tag Tournament in the arcade while killing time in theatres waiting for movies, but not enough to really claim to know the game well. When I went to the Sony Holiday Event, I got to sit down and play it, and it blew me away. But even that did not prepare me for the amount of fun I would have playing it at home.

I have raved about how incredible this game looks (there is no exception on my plain ol’ tube television at home), as well as the more realistic pacing in my impressions from the Sony Event, so I will instead focus on gameplay.

The standard offline section of the game is full of typical fighting game goodness, with Arcade, Team Battles, and Survival modes. Each of these options is fun and challenging, especially given the deformable terrain and multi-stage levels. The Rage system is refreshing; when you’re getting low on life, your hits become more powerful. You can even perform moves that allow you to extend your juggles by bouncing your opponents off the floor thanks to the Bound system.

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Posted in PlayStation 3, Reviews | No Comments »

FASHIONABLY LATE REVIEW
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

The all-star comic cast in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 features some impressive talent and a gamut of super powers. My two favourite characters to play as, however, are Wolverine and Deadpool. It’s not that I don’t think the rest of Marvel’s superstars are cool – It’s just that once you have Wolverine and Deadpool on your team, you don’t quite need anyone else. So the other two dudes you choose to round out your team of four? Who cares who they might be?

Beat-’em-ups are meant to be just that – good, old-fashioned beat downs at the touch of a button (or in most cases, at the repeated mashing of a button – but that’s just semantics). So my preference for these short-range characters has some sort of sense to it. Apart from allowing for some up close and personal fisticuffs, Wolverine and Deadpool have some of the best banter found in the game. Because the banter can get repetitive during extended play sessions, it’s a good idea to pick characters you can stand.

Comic fans and those that respect the medium know that it’s capable of some excellent storytelling. Games derived from comics, however, don’t always come through in this regard. It’s not something to hold against comics-related games so much as it’s something to hold against games in general. While in recent years games with narrative have become a big movement for the industry, not all of them have great stories. It’s a forgivable offense, as games themselves are a) still a very new medium and b) much more than just a story anyway and can be appreciated on many levels.

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Posted in Comics, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Xbox 360 | No Comments »

Overview
Academy of Champions

Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with Carsten Myhill from Ubisoft Vancouver to take a look at that studio’s very first title, a fantasy soccer game called Academy of Champions. I was intrigued to see how this game would play, especially considering that while the game is good for all ages, it seems to be targeted at the ‘tween’ demographic. In an industry that often strives for realism (read: FIFA series), how would a cartoon-y soccer (Carsten: “Football!”) game turn out? Surprisingly well, actually.

In the game you portray a young soccer player (your choice of male or female) attending soccer legend Pélé’s Brightfield Academy, a soccer university of sorts (many comparisons were made to Hogwarts from the Harry Potter series). Here you will take your character on a journey that will lead him or her to become a great soccer player. Through a series of training, conversations, and actual soccer matches, you will provide your character with loads of experience and special tokens that allow you to unlock goodies in the store. The 16-hour single-player campaign (20 or so hours if you want to unlock everything) seems to be a good mix of hands-on and observation.

This game does not claim to be an accurate sports simulator. But I believe that it’s good because of this fact. While not as intense as other sports games, Academy of Champions has a decent physics engine. It’s caricatured and feels like an arcade title, for certain, but the engine replicates the feeling of a great soccer match. The training exercises are mini-games and are cleverly disguised soccer drills that allow you to hone your skills while ultimately bringing a smile to your face (some of the mini-games actually allow you to use the balance board, too). The actual matches are also real enough, but concentrate on the essence of the game, and remove the trappings of penalties, throw-ins, and corner kicks which, while authentic, ultimately slow down play.

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Posted in Overviews, Wii | No Comments »

REVIEW
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time

After my stellar podcast performance, and with Jorge busy working on his DJ skills in DJ Hero, I was lucky to have been offered the opportunity to review Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time.

Admittedly, this is my first experience with the Ratchet & Clank series. I never bothered with them on the PS2, even though they had always been reviewed favourably. Since I just picked up my PS3 a few months back it wasn’t on the top of my list of games to play. But I am fan of platformers, and I particularly love them when they don’t take themselves too seriously, so after spending time working my way though A Crack in Time, I’m looking back wondering why I didn’t play any Ratchet & Clank in the past.

A Crack In Time starts off with a recap of the previous two games in the Ratchet & Clank Future trilogy with gorgeous cinematics and humour that both adults and kids can appreciate. A lot of background story happened in a really short period of time, so I won’t even attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of the last two games. In a nutshell, however, Dr. Nefarious captured Clank. The Zoni saved Clank and he’s whisked away to The Great Clock, which is located precisely in the centre of the universe (give or take 50 feet). You start off the game as Ratchet, who is attempting to locate his lost sidekick. The story is deeper than what you’d expect, and it also wraps up the series nicely. No spoilers here: the story brings a tremendous amount of depth to the game and I wouldn’t want to rob potential players of that experience.

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Posted in PlayStation 3, Reviews | 1 Comment »

REVIEW
Cities XL

Dubbed as the next generation of city building, Monte Cristo’s Cities XL picks up the ball that the SimCity franchise dropped a few years ago. It’s a powerful and fun city-building simulator. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to take the game online, so I will only be addressing the solo portion. Don’t be fooled by that moniker, though. This simulator still has a hefty amount of variety and challenges galore.

Those who have played SimCity before will slide into the game fairly easily. The familiar Zones (Residential, Commercial, Industrial) are available, but with a twist. Each zone has several layers to it: Unqualified Workers, Qualified Workers, Executives, and Elites. Each of these sub-categories attracts a different level of income and business to the cities. For instance, once the executives want to move into the city, you can start to create high-tech industry (that utilizes executives, qualified, and unqualified workers).

Those who have not played SimCity before will not find it too difficult to pick up the game. The tutorial that is available is both entertaining and insightful. However, those who have city-building experience may want to pass it by, as it can get somewhat tedious if you know what you’re doing.

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Posted in PC, Reviews | 3 Comments »

BYTE-SIZE REVIEW
Motorstorm: Arctic Edge

Motorstorm: Arctic Edge starts like a Coors Light commercial: The camera follows helicopters as they weave between snow-capped mountains over a pristine white landscape. The helicopters unload their cargo and, instead of six-packs or inappropriately dressed women, its cars and ATVs. Like Coors Light, Arctic Edge is a pale imitation.

The Motorstorm series is known for its vibrant graphics and Arctic Edge, being released on the PS2, can’t compete with its next gen cousins. Even adjusting the curve, the style of Arctic Edge is muted and gray. I would rather drive through the pure snow of the intro than the depressing steelworks and mud look the game goes for. The scant bit of colour that finds its way into the game is neon loud and garish. Crashes are shown in slow motion, a feature seen in the Burnout series, but in those games the slow destruction is a thing of beauty and gives you the chance to crash into competitors. Arctic Edge’s version is neither beautiful nor practical, but a waste of time.

Speaking of crashing: I got a clear lead during a race, but then I crashed. Five times. In any other game I would’ve had to restart. Here I didn’t lose my position. That’s right, five crashes and nobody had managed to pass me. This happened several times. On one stage there was a “challenge” to remain in first place for ten seconds straight. Aren’t challenges supposed to be difficult?

The accelerate button isn’t the standard X button, but rather R1. X is reserved for boosters, which give you a burst of speed, but can explode if overheated. Driving through snow could help with the overheating, but differentiating between which shade of white means ice and which means snow is not a task to be attempted at 100 miles per hour. It didn’t matter though. I’d hold down the X button out of instinct and explode into a fiery (slow motion) wreck. It was okay, though. I’d still be in first.

Posted in Byte-Size Reviews, PlayStation 2 | 3 Comments »