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So this is short, hopefully everyone is using limited lives, but if your new and checking back i've got some suprises and it'll deal with a complete makeover for the limited lives and our podcasts, i can't wait to tell you all about it. Expect something solid in early Feb. So, keep on checking back and hitting up the Limited Lives website.

Thanks

LIMITED LIVES IS HERE!~

While the site has launched, it's also still under some construction. However, it's pretty much solid. So here's what you'll want to do, go to the Limited Lives website and make an account. After that, you're good to go. Set up your profile, check out some of the reviews and listen to the podcast, while listening to this weeks podcast episode.

It's all that simple. Everything is now conveniently located. Wait I forgot to mention the most important part. You are now able to write for us. That's right, blog your own features, reviews, opinions, top 10 lists, ect. The topics go on and on. We'll be posting submissions guidelines on how to do that this week, but honestly just write and if it's good enough, it'll make the front page.

In order to submit it for review/edit by our editors, all you have to do is mark your blog post as "unpublished" and it'll enter our system for us to take a look at it.

Also, if you want to know what reviews we need, just look at the front page under "we need your help!"

Also, check out the forums, make them lively, chat up a storm, you know, or even suggest new topics for the podcast.

I hope you'll enjoy the site, everyone (mainly Andrew) put their heart and soul into it.

Now, this weeks podcast which grant will be somewhat old, deals with some details about the site, Borderlands, Trine, our games for this Christmas, and the DSi XL/LL.

All podcasts and articles will be available via Limited Lives only. I'll be posting snips and updates through the blog so don't abandon it yet lol.

ABXY Podcast #18~ Uncharted 2, Storytelling, and Limited Lives next week!

I'm pleased to announce to end of ABXY Podcast. Next week, get ready for Limited Lives because yes....it's Official~

This weeks podcast is short form and all topic. The topic is story telling in gaming and how it's evolved. We've got matt, myself, andrew, tiara, and steven, so I hope you enjoy, and I hope you're prepared for next week's epicness.

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Xbox 360 Review: Far Cry 2

For as long as I call myself a gamer, the Far Cry franchise will hold a special place in my heart. I cannot call myself a diehard fan, as I have played only Far Cry Instincts and Predator (both, conveniently, on one disc). However, I logged more hours on those games than many others in my library, largely because of the addicting map editor, but also because the story was attractive enough to make me develop a fondness for the main character and the exotic places to which the game carried me ).

So I was immediately intrigued when I saw a magazine article about Far Cry 2 and read the entire article, as well as any I could find online, topping off my casual mania with the first pre-order in my time as a gamer. When release day came, I happily collected my copy and eagerly loaded the game into the console. Far Cry 2 is set in wilds of Africa, a somewhat exotic locale for a mainstream videogame, and one which did not disappoint . In the intro scene — a first-person, mood-setting ride through the savannah — the player takes in the flowing, amber hills and sage-green brush, as well as some ominous signs about what is in store for the player . As you are chauffeured towards a small town, you are subjected to a one-sided conversation with a guide, who laments the violence between two warring factions and the difficulty of civilians leaving the war-torn, unnamed nation. As the guide rambles on, evidence of the conflict appears along the road: burning shacks, wildfires and, in one particularly tense moment, a faction-controlled checkpoint that the guide bribes in exchange for safe passage.

Far Cry 2 is a free-roaming game, much like previous sandbox-style games such as the Grand Theft Auto Series. Players have substantial flexibility in how they approach missions and are free to select the weapons, routes and even time of day they wish to attack. One thing that is different from other similar games is that instead of provoking responses from enemy forces that start at ”timid resistance” and eventually reach ”ridiculous armada of tanks, helicopters, etc,,“ Far Cry places faction camps at crossroads and other important areas that you must scheme around. You can either attempt to sneak past, strike guerilla-style and thin their numbers or attack them head on. The stealth option can be difficult, as the AI occasionally seems too difficult to fool, but this just means that you must always be prepared to blast your way out if need be. You can also scream through in a high-speed buggy and watch them scramble to chase you in their assault trucks while you set up on a hill with a sniper rifle or rocket launcher.

Things get really interesting when you decide to start a brushfire, which you can do via a surprising number of options — a flare gun, flamethrower or the back-blast of a rocket-launcher — and watch the enemy get caught in the raging wave. Unfortunately, this game element is not as destructive as you might think, and sometimes you will simply find yourself in an old-fashioned firefight while your brushfire withers among the buildings or decides, as brushfires are want to do, to parade off into the savannah as opposed to barbequing your prey.

The health system is unique and is one of my favorites so far. You have a health bar which is cut into a number of segments. Health within these segments regenerates, but it can only fill up to the next segment. Players carry around a number of morphine syringes, which can be used to replenish all of the segments at once (apparently without risk of overdose, which is good, because you’re going to poke yourself with them so many times in the course of an hour that you could start naming constellations on your forearm).

However, if you get within the danger zone of the last two bars, you start to bleed out, and must subject yourself to improvisational medical care. Sometimes you pull a bullet out with your teeth. Other times you put gauze on a burn. Still others you will actually snap bones back into place and continue on your merry way. It’s closer to realistic than magically auto-healing Call of Duty style, but it does place the player in the list of super-manly men from Mars every time he casually yanks rebar out of his midriff.

No, that is not hyperbole. That is an actual healing sequence.

Ironically, this health system does not prove to be clunky, despite its seemingly complex nature. Even within multiplayer, which has an only slightly different version , it leads to tense, even epic situations in which you gun down two people with an auto-shotgun, heal your wounds in a hut and then maul someone trying to capitalize on your wounds with a sub-machinegun. You will get gunned down just seconds before you are healed more than once, but it rarely becomes grating.

On that note, multiplayer is done fairly well, with weapons that demonstrate the developers made earnest attempts at balancing the experience, but did not succeed to the degree we are used to in this generation. This is probably because of the nature of the weapons, which come in three tiers per class, minus the special weapons, with the last tier being absurdly powerful.

One problem in particular is that a few basic weapons seem to reign supreme, while others have no value beyond style points. On most maps, decent snipers, especially one wielding the .50 caliber that can be quickly unlocked, can make being in the open extremely risky. This is a problem, seeing as many of the maps have large, open, hilly areas, characteristic of the savannah. This problem is compounded by the fact that the .50 caliber is a one-hit down and astoundingly accurate when fired from the hip, meaning that even an auto-shotgun ambush can fail with a single, well-placed shot.

The flamethrower, though devastating in campaign, is a very risky weapon of choice on all but a few maps. The enemy only takes damage from being set alight, and any follow-up blasting is a waste of time, except maybe to blind the enemy while you scramble for cover, hoping that they roast before they find you. This was especially disappointing to me, though I understand it to a degree, because I have a veritable fetish for flamethrowers. Finally, the basic class, which begins with an assault rifle, is somewhat overpowered in most scenarios, and outlandishly so once the grenade launcher sidearm is unlocked. The grenade launchers in general, as there is also a four-round, high speed, sniper-accurate grenade launcher to be unlocked, make Far Cry 2 multiplayer a bit more of a painful, nerve-wracking and abrupt experience than it should be, at least for anyone like me who refused, perhaps foolishly, to jump on that particular bandwagon.

Overall, it is exceedingly well done, with successful new ideas, excellent story elements and only a few clunky features. But some part of our gamer nature plays with the new toys, tires of them (at least for awhile) and dreams of what the next next-generation game can do to make it better.

Rating: A

Platforms: Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 3

Price: $59.99

ESRB: M for Mature

Pub: Ubisoft

Dev: Ubisoft Montreal

Players: 1

Xbox 360 Review: Halo 3 ODST

The shame of Bungie’s expensive expansion

When I first heard about Halo 3: ODST, I was at least partially onboard with Bungie. “Sure,” I thought, “why not expand a successful and entertaining game with a tangential story line and some new content? Twenty bucks not utterly wasted, I guess.” I was slightly less onboard after seeing the $60 price tag. And I was well sick of Bungie by the time I realized I was playing Halo 3 cleverly disguised as original content.

A good first-person shooter like Call of Duty 4 for example can easily balance the need for inventive game play with the desire to create an interesting story and characters. However, ODST abandons both goals in favor of bland, virtually undeveloped characters and game play so eerily similar to Halo 3 you could swear it was running on the same engine with the same enemies and weapons. Granted, players get a scoped, suppressed SMG and an upgraded pistol that magically headshots an enemy when aimed in their general direction, but both are essentially minor tweaks of existing weapons.

For $60, I think I deserve something more than Halo 3 with new box art and minor tweaks. One would think Bungie could take time from fleecing its loyal fans and make a new melee weapon or over-the-top explosive. For that matter, they could also have tried improving the graphics on a new iteration of the series; the armor and environments, particularly in cutscenes, are done in an olive drab-and-brown “next-gen” filter and things that should be light and airy, such as hair, are flat, poorly textured blobs.

The story, though emotionally unmoving, is told like a novel. You, the nameless, faceless “Rookie” with no personality or voice, act as a detective, unraveling the fates of your squad by finding clues strewn about the battlefield while occasionally winding up in small skirmishes. These scenes were, by far, my favorite parts of the game, as the pitch black city, haunting background music and ability to sneak past resting enemies create a very unnerving and surprisingly engrossing environment. Each clue found by the Rookie brings you to a flashback, in which you play through the adventures of your scattered squad mates. Sadly, these missions are dismally boring, as your squad mates do little more than interact with each other with all the emotions of unpaid extras in a b-grade horror movie, all while killing aliens on missions of no discernable importance. Upon reaching the end of the campaign, I had the distinct feeling I had made no impact on anyone’s life and my four or five hours of blasting aliens in cookie-cutter corridors had not affected the fate of the universe in the least. So much for the “epic” feel of the Halo series.

To be fair, ODST does have at least two interesting gameplay innovations worth mentioning. The first only appears during campaign and Firefight mode: the VISR. Whereas the “X” button was used to deploy special items, it now turns on a light-amplification and target-identification HUD. This feature is useful for navigating the numerous night maps and dimly lit corridors in the campaign.

Another new feature, Firefight mode, allows one to four players to cooperatively defend a position against wave after wave of alien death. Exciting as it sounds, the whole experience lacks any sense of urgency. Areas are wide-open, allowing ample time to snipe all the smaller enemies with your pistol before they can even react. Even when left to their own devices, enemies are not prone to rushing your position, but will sit patiently and shoot at your well-defended position, except the hammer-wielding aliens who will destroy you with ease as they absorb clip after clip of SMG ammo. Firefight is fun enough, especially with more players, but it could have benefited from the inclusion of more powerful weapons and enemies, or just by the addition of some vehicles to the maps to liven the experience up.

Despite this ODST’s abundant flaws, overpriced content and short campaign mode, there is still something entertaining about it, no matter how badly anyone wants to hate it. I found myself thrilled by murdering an alien twice my size with a rifle butt to the face. As slow-paced as Firefight can be, I felt compelled to work for a new high score and see how many headshots I could get with the pistol. The multiplayer, which is on a separate disc from the campaign and Firefight, is Halo 3’s map packs along with three brand-new maps and it’s every bit as solid as before. It’s definitely the reason to own any Halo game. However, I could get the same amount of entertainment and repetitive game play for half the price with an old copy of Halo 3.

Rating: C-

Platform: Xbox 360

Price: $59.99

ESRB: M

Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

Developer: Bungie

Players: 1-4 (firefight, campaign), 2-16 (multiplayer)

PlayStation 3 Review: Fat Princess

Note: Reviewed before Patch

Who says all princesses are skinny?

Fat Princess is a PlayStation Network exclusive that really tailors itself to the multiplayer community. The heart of the game is capture the capture the flag-style gameplay (with a princess as the flag) combined with class structure-type game play. Since the princess is the objective, the main way a team can make it difficult for the opponent to capture her is to feed her cake, making her fatter and more difficult for one person to carry. This game mechanic really lends itself to well-formed teams that can upgrade facilities like jobs and catapults while fattening up the princess and assaulting the enemy.

Multiplayer and single player host a variety of modes on a great selection of maps. Modes include capture the princess, deathmatch, invasion and a soccer mode. All except the soccer mode are available on almost all maps. The maps are innovative, varied in style and quite balanced for the types of play. Maps contain resources that can be farmed for each team’s castle, and smaller outposts that can be captured for a strategic advantage.

Worker, age, priest, and archer are the five distinctive classes each team has at its disposal. Each class is accessed via hat factories within each team’s castle. A player simply has to put on a different hat to assume a different role. Hats can also be picked up in the field as other players die. The hat factories are upgradeable via the wood and metal upgrades scattered across the map, and each class has one upgrade. The upgrades allow players to switch back and forth between iterations of the same class to have different effects in battle. For example, the can switch between fire and ice upgrades to cause continual damage on foes or just freeze them in place so teammates can more easily hit them. The worker class is the main source of mining upgrades, which, after farming, can be taken back to a captured outpost or castle to be used in upgrades.

Multiplayer matches support up to 32 players with 16 players on each side. Matchmaking is handled intelligently by the game, as weaker connections are not allowed to host more than the connection can handle and, if the host connection is lost, the game will automatically try to find the next best connection instead of kicking everyone in the game. Players can jump into the same game as those on their friends list or players can forgo the specific match choices with the “Jump In” option.

Multiplayer is really where this game shines. Sixteen vs. 16 person play can become a bit chaotic at times, but overall, the game is extremely enjoyable, especially when played with a group of people who all have headsets for voice chat. Unfortunately, one downside of multiplayer is the inescapable stalemates that arise every game. Matches can go on for at least 20 to 30 minutes if players are not well-organized and just end up fighting in one ball in the center of the map. Again, headsets are what make this game shine as even a small, organized group of players can thwart even larger numbers of enemies.

The single-player component of Fat Princess is quite forgettable. It does put a cute back-story to the game, but to get through the story, the player must endure the same stalemated matches with stupid AI (often seen standing around the battlefield) for eight battles. Beating the single-player mode unlocks some customizable parts of your player and a trophy, but the single player is still rather underwhelming when compared to the multiplayer experience.

Fat Princess is a truly enjoyable game on the multiplayer side. Some other issues like unbalanced classes — the and age in particular — are the cause of some annoyance, but the aesthetics of this unique game truly make it shine. Players login to the game and are greeted with several humorous options such as “Twiddly Knobs” and “Play With Yourself,” and the style is further accented by the cute characters killing each other in extremely bloody fashion. These visual options can be turned off, but doing so significantly takes away from the experience.

Despite slow-paced single player, frequently stalemated online matches and slightly unbalanced class structure, Fat Princess is a excellent game. Its style is unique and its game play fun enough to easily overlook the game’s flaws. If you have a PS3 and a headset, this game is a must buy — especially if you have friends who have it.

Grade: B

Platform: PlayStation 3>PlayStation Network

Price: $19.99

ESRB: T for Teen

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer: Titan Studios

Players: 1-32 (online)

iPhone Review: Real Racing

-Why this realistic pocket racer should be the next app on your iPhone

As an avid racing fan, I am constantly browsing the App Store to find new games suited to my high-octane gaming. The iPhone is well-suited for the racing genre, using a tilt-to-steer mechanism to create a realistic driving experience. Enter Real Racing. Real Racing is developer Firemint’s second game released on the iPhone, and it is not a stretch to say Real Racing is one of the best handheld racers, offering gameplay comparable to similar titles on the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS at a fraction of the price. Though it does not reinvent the racing genre as a whole, Real Racing does set the bar for racing games on the iPhone, providing quality game play and excellent graphics that combine to create one of the best games ever on the iPhone.

Real Racing has two modes in which to race: career and online multiplayer. Career has four classes of cars: hatch, sedan, muscle and exotic. The player begins with the hatch class and competes in events, unlocking cars from each class and additional events in which to race. The tracks are modeled similarly to real-world race tracks and the game contains a variety of unique courses to challenge the player.

After an event is completed, the player can repeat a race in the same event at a greater difficulty level (yes, I know this sounds tedious). However, Firemint programmed its AI to race more competitively and realistically at higher difficulties; this does not mean the AI simply follows a preset line, making them impossible to pass. They actually become more aggressive both against the player and the other AI racers, forcing the player to hone his or her driving skills in order to achieve victory. This increased difficulty actually creates a learning curve that makes the player more competitive in the online portion of the game. Frankly, the game becomes more fun at these higher difficulty levels due to the increased competition.

Real Racing features some of the best online features I have experienced with an iPhone game, and multiplayer works well with 3G and Wifi; EDGE, however, does not really work for online competition. There are two parts to the multiplayer — time-trials and leagues. Time-trials are simple — drive a fast lap and place your time on the world leader boards. However, Real Racing’s multiplayer shines with the online leagues. Leagues allow the player to race against players online to achieve a higher rank within the community. The leagues are supported by a full Web site, permitting players to compare results against others and join other leagues in which to race. The main flaw with the multiplayer is that the ranking system is a points-based rather than competition-based system. This means that the more a player races, no matter what the outcome, the higher the rank her or she will attain. However, this is a small flaw compared to the overall quality of the multiplayer experience.

Simply put, Real Racing’s graphics are among the best on the iPhone. The cars and environments are detailed with smooth textures, even at race speeds, and the cars’ sounds are very life-like, though slightly computerized. The cockpit view is very slick, adding to the realistic nature of the game. Though the game contains a variety of generic, computerized rock tracks, it does feature iPod support to allow the player to listen to custom tracks while racing. The tilt-to-steer mechanism works almost flawlessly, and should a problem occur, there are five steering settings and adjustable accelerometer sensitivity feature.

Real Racing is easily the premiere racing game on the iPhone. It raises the bar for iPhone gaming as a whole and is the new standard among racing games on the platform. Its $9.99 price tag should not discourage potential buyers, as the game offers weeks, if not months, of game play.

Graphics: A+

Sound: B

Gameplay: A+

Longevity: A

Overall (not an average): A+

ABXY Podcast #17 is live!~ Limited Lives.....is close...

Hello once again. I'm glad to say things are almost to normal. We got some more reviews coming, and the site, Limited Lives, is almost complete. This means we'll be one step closer to having our podcast searchable on iTunes. Yes, this makes life easier for you. For now, enjoy episode #17. It's just Matt and me (Adrian) this week, but it's a great show with...RAMEN! Also enjoy Katamari Forever, Dead Space: Extraction, Let's Tap and Lumines for iPhone. We've also got some news and release dates for you. Expect a new episode of portable pocket games next week as well. Cya next week! ENjoy!

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Xbox 360 Review: Batman: Arkham Asylum

Being the Batman is no easy task; dealing with childhood trauma and balancing his life as Bruce Wayne just add to the pressure. To make matters worse, Batman’s foes are constantly wreaking havoc on his nightlife. No matter how many times he thwarts their evil plans, they just seem to keep coming; so when the Joker surrenders without a fight, the Dark Knight has every right to be more than a little suspicious. Still, he follows procedure and transports the Clown Prince of Crime to Arkham Asylum, the most secure facility for the criminally insane in all of Gotham City. With the Joker under intensive care, it seems the Dark Knight may finally be able to take some well deserved rest. I mean, what damage could the Joker possibly do from inside Arkham? Well, being the criminal mastermind that he is, The Joker has more than a few tricks up his sleeve and, in no time at all, the inmates are running the asylum. What ensues is one of the most engaging and realistic depictions of the Batman universe ever created.



There is a great story to be told here and make no mistake, it’s a dark one. You can get a much better idea of what you are in store for by reading the graphic novels or watching the more recent Christopher Nolan films. People are dying here, and not in a fun, cartoony way. The premise is simple; The Joker hatches phase one of his latest maniacal scheme, leaving Batman trapped inside an Asylum full of psychotic “patients” who just can’t wait to get themselves a piece of the Caped Crusader. You’ll be touching gloves with many of Batman’s greatest foes, including Harley Quinn, Bane, Killer Croc and the Scarecrow, who is given a new life with his outstanding dream sequences which rival Psycho Mantis from the Metal Gear Solid series. By the time you find out Joker’s real “magic trick,” you’ll have plenty of classic boss battles under your belt, all of which are memorable in their own right.

Combat is not at all complex, but is extremely satisfying. You have a basic attack button, a counter button, a stun button and a run/glide button. That combination sounds like a dangerous recipe for another button masher and, honestly, if it wasn’t put together so well, it might be. As it turns out, a single attack button is all Batman needs to paint a Picasso with his hard earned Ninjutsu skills. But don’t expect his enemies to take it lying down. If you’re in danger of being popped from an incoming enemy, you’ll see a couple little lightning bolts pop up above their heads, which is your cue to press the counter button and watch the show. The stun button doesn’t really come into play until later in the game when you run into super-powered knife wielding thugs who can’t be taken down so easily. As the game progresses, you’ll unlock various other attacks that reward you for stringing together combos. This keeps Batman a force to be reckoned with in world of constantly evolving enemies.

Sometimes, brute force just won’t cut it; this is where being trained to be invisible comes in handy. You can swoop in and take foes down with your bare hands, but it just wouldn’t be a Batman game without all the cool little toys. You have several tools of destruction at your disposal, including the batarang, a grappling gun, a seemingly endless amount of explosive gel and the Dark Knight’s own special brand of night vision. All this and more can be used to stalk your enemies from the shadows and have a blast doing it.



Rocksteady Studios really outdid themselves on the production values here. The game is simply beautiful and has a distinct advantage over the movies, comics and graphic novels: you can explore it all first hand. Take it from me, once you get loose on the Arkham grounds, you’ll definitely find yourself doing a double take at the scenery. Both Batman and his enemies look great as well, with the dark and deadly appearance of all of his foes really adding to the atmosphere. Just try not to panic the first time you run into Killer Croc. The only aspect of the production more satisfying than the look of the game is the voice talent that comes with it. Mark Hamill reprises his role as the Joker, whom he voiced in Batman the animated series, and he’s not alone. Kevin Conroy returns as Batman and Arleen Sorkin reprises her role as Harley Quinn. All of the voice acting in the game is absolutely fantastic and really helps immerse you in the experience.

Once you’re done with the story you can try your luck at solving the Riddler’s puzzles and come back to the challenge mode to test your skills. If you purchased the PS3 version, you also have the opportunity to play as the Joker, which is just another great feature to keep you going. My only gripe is that you can’t bring your upgraded skills and gadgets over to a new save file if you want to play through the game again on a harder difficulty.

Not only is this the best Batman game of all time, it’s easily the best comic book game of all time. As a matter of fact, it was just awarded a Guniess World Record for “Most Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game Ever!” To those who never thought they would see a superhero game weighing in as a game of the year contender, that day has finally come. Developers take note: Arkham Asylum has set the bar for superhero gaming.

Rating: A

Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows

Price: $59.99

ESRB: T

Pub: Rocksteady Studios

Dev: Warner Bros., DC Comics, Eidos Interactive

Players: 1

Wii Review: Muramasa: The Demon Blade

Developer Vanillaware brings a truly immersive experience to the Nintendo Wii with Muramasa: The Demon Blade. The game takes place in the Japan of yesteryear where demons, woodland creatures and shogun warriors run amuck. Players can choose between two characters: Momohime, a young princess who becomes possessed by the soul of a deadly samurai warrior, and Kisuke, a master ninja who loses his memory and searches for the ultimate blade in hopes to remember his past. Muramasa is an action-RPG game, so all the fighting is real time and done like old-school 2D shoot 'em ups in which the player uses directional buttons and an attack button. Various button combinations allow the player to execute some truly destructive and flashy moves.

The RPG elements of the game will surely please RPG fans, as there are the usual merchants who provide the player with life-restoring items and gear to improve strength and defense. The two playable characters in the game can also cook, which can almost been seen as health spells of most RPG titles. The characters; however, can only eat and drink things when they are hungry enough for them; all foods add to their fullness gage and, depending on what they ate, determines how long it will be until they can eat again.

The characters wield swords, three of which can be equipped at one time. One may wonder, though, how to go about collecting more swords. This is where Vanillaware goes the extra mile. Money is gained along with experience points after every fight, but blades can not be bought. They are only rewarded after defeating a boss or forging. Forging is, in itself, a type of leveling up. Particular swords can only be wielded once a certain strength and defense level has been reached and to forge swords, the player needs previous swords. So it ends up as a large, connected chain beginning from the very first three blades down to many more. Another way to unlock blades is to do challenges. Enemy lairs are survival matches against ninjas, monks and sometimes mini-bosses, as well as other enemies. Access is only granted to these areas when characters have reached a certain level.

Vanillaware's past works, Princess Crown and Odin Sphere, had unique looks, and Muramasa follows the trend. Ringing with ancient Japanese drumming and cymbal clashing, Muramasa is just as pleasing to the ears as it is to the eyes. The characters speak in Japanese with English subtitles. There's the clashing of cymbals and beating of drums for a little melody to accompany the mayhem your character causes.

Most importantly, the game play is full of win. First of all, the HUD needs to be explained before you can mastering combat. There is the usual health bar, which is measured in HP (just like in an RPG), but each blade has a Soul Meter. The Soul Meter is what determines whether a quick draw can be performed, parrying is possible or if the sword's at full strength. There's also a special move attached to every blade, like a lightning storm or homing energy waves, which drains the Soul Meter, but whenever an enemy is defeated souls can be collected to refill the meter. The bosses in the game, which range from the Japanese ruler of the underworld to a gigantic centipede to a totally outrageous and insanely outlandish giant that turns into a giant boar, are quite a sight to see.

On a side note, the bosses can be very unforgiving at times. They have a rather lengthy life bar that can be very misleading at first, leading to some premature celebrations if things get too out of hand. Vanillaware really puts the player in a position to unleash a barrage of relentless attacks and special moves that'll make the gamer in all of us say, "Wow" with an unhinged jaw.

At the end of the day, Muramasa: The Demon Blade is a great Wii exclusive that should not be overlooked, despite its lack of advertising. For any gamer who has dreamed of fighting hoards of evil monks, gigantic demons or shogun warriors while cooking rice balls and drinking liquor in between unleashing tornadoes, fire balls and poison from magical swords, this is the game to get.

Rating: A

Platforms: Nintendo Wii

Price: $49.99

ESRB: Teen

Pub: Ignition Entertainment

Dev: Vanillaware

Players: 1

A final fight for Final Fantasy

Dissida: Final Fantasy is a Final Fantasy lover’s dream come true. More than 20 characters across Final Fantasy games from FFI to FFXII come together to fight for Chaos (discord and evil) or Cosmos (harmony).

Dissidia is an extremely deep game. At first glance, the amount of equips, summons and skills may be overwhelming to players not used to action games. The game hosts more than five modes of play with varying difficulty levels for each mode. There is also an unimaginable amount of unlockables including characters, alternates costumes, BGM tracks, additional play modes and character enhancers. If you are looking for a game to sink some time into, Dissidia is a great choice.

The game plays primarily as an action game. After selecting a fighter (and opponent, depending on the mode), the player can choose the opponent’s level, fighting strength, specific rules for the level and even CPU behavior. Fights can be conducted in “action mode” or “command-based mode.” Action mode is like a traditional action-based fighting game: Players use “Brave Attacks” to build up their brave to power up HP attacks which damage an opponent’s HP bar. Attacks are customizable before the battle and can be set to different directions on the analog stick, along with either the circle button for brave attacks or the square button for HP attacks. Unfortunately, these attacks are not quite as responsive as one would like; however, careful input can solve the issue of unresponsive commands. It is unfortunate that the player has to take extra care when the input type could have been tweaked to accommodate for this shortcoming.

“Command-based mode” is more for those who enjoy traditional RPG-style fighting. Commands for brave attacks, HP attacks, defending and other context-sensitive commands are displayed that allow the player to pick one and see how their choices play out. Besides these attacks, players can build up their “Ex-Force” by collecting spheres and cores on the field to activate an extremely strong Ex-Attack. Ex-Attacks often refer back to the Final Fantasy game a character is from for their properties (Squall’s Renzokuken or Cloud’s Omnislash), and Ex-Attacks are often deciding blows in matches that can turn the entire fight around.

Battles are conducted on well-rendered 3D battlefields that players may recognize from previous FF games. Stages such as the Lifestream or the Final Aeon stage make a welcome appearance in Dissidia, and most of the stages are quite spacious, allowing room to take a breather in the fight or the providing the satisfying feeling of knocking your opponent a mile away. Stages are dynamic and allow players to smash through certain stage elements, run up and down walls and interact with stage elements — such as riding on the Lifestream —which adds an interesting element to the game play. In stages with no floor or bottom, characters who run out of jumps land in a void which saps bravery and teleports them back onto stable ground. There are sometimes issues with the camera, most noticeably in stages with many walls. The camera has some issues with maneuvering so that the player can see what is happening when the action gets stuck on a corner or through a wall.

The Story Mode sports a separate story for each of the heroes on Cosmos’ side that allow the same overarching story to be told from several different viewpoints. Unfortunately, the story is lackluster and the characters’ motivations often static and boring; it would have been nice to see character personalities pinned down through deeper story-telling. Fortunately, the story modes are enough to give each character a direction and a higher purpose than just fighting. Other modes, like Quick Play or Dual Coliseum, allow players to quickly earn experience, items and weapons while learning the finer points of a character’s play style. Since all of the fighters in Dissidia are unique and changing characters requires players to rethink their strategies, modes like these are welcome.

Most of the fights start before the battle. Players have a wide array of weapons, armor and accessories to choose from, along with many fighting and support skills. Many weapons cannot be equipped until higher levels or require other specific items to be traded into the shop to obtain. Weapons generally follow the same name and effects as the weapons from the FF game that they are from, and all characters have at least three weapons that are exclusive to each character. While exclusive weapons are the most effective, they often are the most difficult to obtain and getting them requires diligence and some luck on the player’s part. Enemies can drop weapons, items or accessories they have equipped, or the player can “Battle Generate” them. This is a system that, by performing certain actions in battle, increases the probability that specific items will drop after the match. Actions for BattleGen include breaking field objects, getting rid of all your opponent’s brave or ending the match in a certain amount of time.

Dissidia also supports multiplayer via online ad-hoc mode. Though it is unfortunate there is no online multiplayer, the ad-hoc mode is seamless. Players can engage in the same great battles amongst themselves as they do the computer, with the added bonus of getting items, experience and money from human opponents. If a player acquires another person’s Friend Card, the game will remember the final setup that their opponent used so that the player can fight a Friend Card at any time, even when offline. Players can manipulate their levels, equipment and weapons just like they can within the single player portions of the game.

Overall, Dissidia: Final Fantasy is an excellent game. The character models are rendered extremely true to the original concepts, English voice acting is generally very good and the two (yes, only two) CGI cutscenes are excellent. It is a bit of a letdown that there are not more cutscenes, especially in lieu of a better storyline, but the two that are there at the beginning and ending of the story modes are awesome. Such beautiful renderings on the PSP screen are sights to behold, and really make the player pine for more. It is unfortunate that more of these scenes were not included.

Dissidia: Final Fantasy works great on the PSP. A bland storyline, annoying camera and unresponsive controls are the only major shortcomings to this otherwise awesome game. If you are a PSP owner and need a game with some legs on it, Dissidia is an awesome time sink. If you enjoy the FF universe and its characters, this game was made for you, so go out and get it. A unique battle system, deep character customization, and tons of unlockables make this game worth the price. After all, who does not want to see Sephiroth fight Squall?

Grade: A-

Dissida: Final Fantasy

Platform: PlayStation Portable

Price: $34.99

ESRB:Rated T for Teen

Pub: Square Enix

Dev: Square Enix

ABXY Podcast #16....and Portable Pocket Gamers #1! Snake, I'm Confused

Note: Both podcasts were recorded during ABXY's Game Night 3> Easter Egg Edition outside the Ferguson Game Room. So yes, both podcasts are live and feature an audience. I'd like to say thanks to everyone who participated and shared what they've been playing and their opinions.

So, we (ABXY soon to be Limited Lives) decided to get a little tricky. We've been trying to add a second podcast to the roster for a while now, and while yes we we're hoping for a video podcast, we got an audio. Now that's not a bad thing, in fact is actually much easier and better for us, BUT don't write off the video podcast yet. I would keep an eye out for it lol.

So, the first edition of Portable Pocket Gamers features your hostess (former ABXY podcaster) Tiara Dees, Amy Pippin, Neal Taylor, and yes....Sean Randall. This week they discuss Scribblenauts, TGS from a portable perspective, and what they've been playing...Dissidia. It's a really awesome episode and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Download Here: Right Click and Save As

As for the regular ABXY (soon to be Limited Lives) main podcast, we discuss more TGS, PSP Go, and what we've been playing. This week we welcome back the demo man himself John Davis, and he's been playing a lot of games. We have some WoW, Champions, Forza 3, Halo 3: ODST, and some live demos to give you the scoop on. So, enjoy one of the best podcast we've done.

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THanks and ENjoy!~

ABXY Podcast #15 is live!~ TGS Anyone?

This weeks show is short, but we did bother to include both a pre-show and post-show. Unfortunately, i wasn't able to add any music or breaks, so you'll have to enjoy the show without it. Luckily that's not too hard to do lol.

The show this week will preview the Tokyo Game Show and Scribblenauts. Also we throw in some MGS 4.

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Enjoy!

ABXY Podcast #14 is live!~ This time, we talk game relaunch

Hello again. Glad to see you've come back for the best podcast on Earth lol. So, this week's show might be one of the best we've done in a long----time. I'm not hyping it up just to hype it up....well maybe I am, but I sure you won't be disappointed.

Topic this week was what constitutes a game relaunch and what does it take to make them successful relaunches? That's the entire 30 min show this week. Next week we'll be back to standard format and we'll also have some announcements I think you might enjoy~

*For those who use itunes to update, andrew hasn't updated it to the feed yet, so it should be up tomorrow.

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ABXY Podcast #13 Live! ~ Set for Relaunch!

Seems like a hiatus occurred, but don't worry because we're back. I will say the reviews have taken a hiatus, but it's for a reason. I think you'll find it's for a good reason. That reason is because we'll be moving to an actual site, but we need a name. So please comment on which you like better. Divisible Zero or Limited Lives, there's also a thread open on the facebook group: ABXY Gaming Network.

So, what's up this week? A podcast of course....that was bad and I know it.

This week, we discuss what we've been playing, along with some news, and the topic this week: video game system re-launches. Yea, i know you're going to buy a PSP Go lol. We've also got some Batman, so it's a great show this week. I hope you enjoy!

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PS> if you're on the campus of the University of Alabama this weekend come check us out at the Ferg Center Game room this sunday from 5-8. That's a gamble that's you're actually looking at this and in Alabama lol. Also expect another podcast later this week.

ABXY Podcast #12 Live! ~ What Do You Download ^_^

The gang returns and tackles yet another podcast. Despite having not played a lot of games, a great discussion ensues. Join John, Andrew, Adrian, Stpehen, and Tiara for another podcast. The topic is digital downloads in gaming, specifically, consoles and where it's going. Hope you all enjoy this weeks show, and look forward to another one being posted at the end of the week.

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If you were on the campus of Alabama this week, this part is for you. First of all, thanks for everyone's help during get on board day, second, thanks to all the numerous members who join the group. Third, seems like this list is long, I'm very greatful for everyone who came to Game Night saturday, it was a true success because the social interaction around games was awesome. I'm looking forward to what we're all going to do on campus, and i can't wait to see where this will take us. So, Thanks everyone.

Also, if you like the blog and want more, please comment/spread the word.

THanks and ENjoy!~

ABXY Podcast #11 Live! ~Hello again, Together Again

So this time we're back, we as in Andrew, Stephen, Tiara, and yes.....Matt Ferg, and of course yours truely Adrian, to talk about *drum roll* how difficulty in video games has changed and evolved over the generations. The show also comes packed in with a special segment that may or may not return, so please comment here if you want it to continue or change. Heck, just write in and tell us how you like or dislike the show and what you want to see changed/added. We're open for critics.

Oh yea, we're in the same room again...Finally, so it's a great show and i hope you enjoy it. Also join the facebook group, ABXY Gaming Network to keep in touch with us and the topics we'll post until we get our site up and running. *mid sept hopefully*

P.S. invite your friends to join, the more the merrier, or so they say lol.

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ABXY Gaming Podcast #10 is live!~and here you thought we left you...tsk tsk..

Andrew's only here virtually this week, but the podcast goes on! Adrian, Anthony, Stephen and Tiara give us all the news this week along with an interesting topic. I'm pretty sure you will all enjoy it lol as usual.

Anyways look forward to another podcast being posted by the end of the week. That will catch us up, also look forward to reviews hitting once again. The drought is almost over lol. Also, the show will return to normal within the next few episodes, aka. release dates and posting topics.

Finally, look forward to the soft/beta launch of the website mid sept.

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ABXY Gaming Podcast #9 is up! Another Shock.....Helix...

ABXY Gaming Podcast ep #9 is live! I'm absent, but fortunately Andrew, Stephen, and Anthony are hold'n the fort down with some FAT PRINCESS!! Also expect another post later this week for this week's podcast. Sorry for the lack of reviews, but the summer is slow. However, once where out of it, def. expect some more reviews and an actual website lol.

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SHOCKING! ~Podcast #8 is live!

As promised! Episode #8 of the ABXY Gaming Podcast is live!~ Join myself, anthony, andrew, scott, and stephen as we discuss the summer drought in gaming. Plus, this week's ep is done over Skype so the quality is soo much better. Oh yEA, it's also under 1 hour, so we can all relax lol. Hope you ENjoy!~

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Podcast

Podcast #7 is live!

It's episode 7, and we're here on UA's campus in, of all places, the library. Well at least we're here in person! Matt makes his glorious return as well as the debut of Neal. This weeks ep is short, but don't worry because another podcast post will be up this wednesday. Yea, it's as awesome as it sounds. Anyways, ENjoy!~

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“Punch Out!!” Review: Little Mac Is Back!

“Punch Out!!” for the Nintendo Wii brings the legendary Little Mac out of retirement and back to the ring to face off against some new and familiar opponents in the first 3-D rendition of the beloved boxing series. Although the mechanics will be familiar to veterans, there is enough new and revamped content to bring veterans back to “Punch Out!!,” and new players will be in for a treat.

Players assume the role of Little Mac, a young up and coming boxer looking to prove himself by taking down the best boxers in the business. Standing in players' way are three circuits full of big, mean and hilarious cartoon drawn opponents looking to end Little Mac's winning streak. After beating the best opponents, Mac has to defend his belt against all of his former opponents, plus a surprise guest.

The three circuits, along with a few twist to defending Mac's title, add to the replay value in “Punch Out!!” These twist range from something covering the opponents weak points' to a new haircut coupled with more punishing attacks. These tweaks force players to rethink their strategy and memorize new patterns. Defending Mac's title will unlock the “last man standing” mode followed by “champion” mode to really test player's skills. Exhibition mode allow players to practice and prepare to fight stubborn opponents.

There are a few ways to play “Punch Out!!” this time around. Players can use the Wii Remote and Nunchuck to throw punches, or they can go retro by turning the Wii Remote sideways and use the numbered buttons. Players who own the “Wii Fit” balance board can use the balance board for dodging side to side and ducking. However, I found this control method quirky and I do not recommend it. For me, throwing the punches with the Wii Remote never got old, but the game did become harder as I progressed. It’s not impossible to progress on harder difficulties using the motion control, but using the Wii Remote like an old Nintendo controller is more precise.

The presentation is excellent. “Punch Out!!” has substituted its old 2-D look for a new cel-shaded 3-D style that is a perfect fit for the ridiculous, cartoon like boxers. Each opponent has their own unique personality and nationality, which is accompanied by each boxer speaking their native language. Little Mac's voice actor gives each of your opponents thei

r fair share of witty commentary, but the crowd reactions and other audio effects are nothing special.

“Punch Out!!” is not for players seeking a fighting simulation title like “UFC Undisputed 2009” or “Fight Night: Round 4,” but for Wii owners looking for an addictive boxing experience, Little Mac is back and better than ever. Combined with a fun “one on one” multiplayer mode and additional replay value, “Punch Out!!” is a great buy for Wii owners.

Rating: B+

Platforms: Nintendo Wii

Price: $49.99

ESRB: E 10+

Pub: Nintendo

Dev: Nintendo IRD, Next Level Games

Players: 1-2

Better Late Than Never: ABXY Gaming Podcast #6 is LIVE!

This week, i mean last weeks topic, was how reviewing games has changed the way we play them. I hope you enjoy it, even though we might note have done the topic justice, you'll notice I was the only reviewer on the podcast besides andrew. So, we're going to revisit the topic with all of our reviews on hand and really do it justice in a couple of weeks. As it stands though, me, andrew, and anthony held the 3-man fort down.

Download Here: Episode 6

ENjoy!

“Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor” Review: A Perfect Mix of Traditional and Strategy RPGs

How many times has Tokyo been destroyed? It seems every anime, movie or game set in Tokyo has enough imminent chaos to warrant Tokyo setting aside plans for alien, giant reptile and mech attacks. The heroes in “Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor” for Nintendo DS have seven days to escape Tokyo before it's wiped off the map.

“Devil Survivor” is part of the “Megami Tensei” or “MegaTen” series and translates to “reincarnation of the goddess.” The series’ title and first game were based on the first of Aya Nishitani’s Digital Devil Story series. Each “MegaTen” game has similar elements such as a high school-aged main character players can name and summoning demons in battle. The summons' names are mythological references from Greek, Japanese and Egyptian mythology among others. Another similarity is the critical philosophical choice at some point in the game which affects the following storyline and ending. Consequently, several endings are possible in “Devil Survivor.”


In “Devil Survivor,” the main objective is to escape Tokyo. An alleged gas leak caused the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces to block the exits in Tokyo by sealing the Yamanote train line, and all communications outside Tokyo have stopped due to a massive blackout. The guards seem suspicious to your party when you confront them, and it's as if there is something more to the lock down. Unlike other characters met in “Devil Survivor,” the guards are missing the “death clock” indicating how many days are left until they will be killed. However, characters met in the streets have less than six days on their clock, which leads your party to believe the catastrophe will occur at the end of the week.

The death clock is activated by your party’s COMP, communication player systems, which were left by the hero’s cousin, Naoya, and look remarkably like a Nintendo DS. The COMP’s main screen contains a map of Tokyo with icons next to areas that have events. Events marked with clocks take 30 minutes of time within the game, but some events will only occur at a certain hour and cannot be accessed afterward. Your hero’s email can be accessed from the COMP's menu where Naoya will send the time and place of battles along with the devil auction and fusion programs.

The characters quickly learn that Tokyo’s problem is not poison gas, but that demons are running rampant through the streets. The COMP allows players to befriend and control certain demons to fight back. While the first three demons are captured, others can be purchased from the devil auction, a list of demons the party has fought against so far. New listings are posted every 30 minutes of game time. There will often be more than one of the same demon up for auction as each one will have a rating of one to five stars based on strength, which will also affect the price. Once demons are purchased they can be assigned to a party member in the Team function or fused with another in devil fusion. Fusion can be done randomly or through a search database which lists all demons necessary for a certain fusion.

Once the perfect party is assembled, players can access one of the battles listed in Naoya’s email. There are also “free battles” on the map that do not pass time, but are great for leveling up characters. Starting the battle is like a typical strategy RPG. Area maps are gridded and each character must be placed before starting. Also, players may only move a certain number of spaces per turn. Your party’s demons travel with them and therefore aren’t placed separately on the map. Before the battle starts, players can use “Skill Crack” on an enemy to learn one of their abilities after they are defeated.

When a character or enemy attacks, the battle style changes. The screen changes into a traditional RPG setting where enemies line up across from you. Player and enemy stats are on the top screen and will indicate any magical weaknesses or strengths. The attacking team often has an advantage and get extra turns, which can be taken away by the defending side by performing critical hits or casting the spell an enemy is weak to. Instead of giving general directions like other “MegaTen” games, the player can control each specific move for the hero’s party and demons. Your party’s demons have their own turns apart from assisting your characters. Although the battle system is a hybrid of the two styles, it's very easy to learn.

For a game where majority of player’s time is spent in battle, the story is intriguing because of the air of mystery around the government’s role in the lockdown. “Devil Survivor’s” multiple endings lend to its replay value, and with so many devils to collect, it’s easy to spend time in the fusion menu. My only disappointment is the lack of touch screen capabilities – even the start-up screen will not react to the stylus. Touch capabilities might have less place in a strategy RPG, but the option should still be available. Despite this, “Devil Survivor” certainly lives up to the series’ roots in futuristic, apocalyptic style gameplay and is able to seamlessly merge two battle styles into something any Japanese RPG fan can enjoy.

“Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor”
Rating: A-
Platform: Nintendo DS
ESRB: T
Publisher: Atlas
Players: 1

"Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires" Review: 1,000 KILLS +

The epic fight to control China has arrived again in the sixth installment and expansion of the “Dynasty Warriors” series. Koei has not made many changes to the series, but “Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires” does allow players to create their own character, forge friendships and become married.


“Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires” feature mode is officer mode. This mode lets players serve and leave leaders, or become their own ruler. However, becoming a ruler makes only gives players more money. Officer mode also allows players to earn up to three officers to fight beside them. Players are required to either kill them in battle or complete side missions to become their friends and then players can swear an oath to them or, if it’s a girl, marry them. However, only two oaths or one marriage can occur and neither can be redone. “Empires” also allows players to choose secondary powers for their weapon, but it makes the game easier rather than challenging players to use strategy.


The next mode, ruler mode, lets players command a legion of troops and choose strategies each month by choosing cards to affect the outcome of battles. However, it’s repetitive and even “Dynasty Warriors” fans will find themselves returning to the character editor. Luckily, players can carry over the action points they have earn in both modes. Action points increase by either the number of territories players own in ruler mode, or by what their officer level is in officer mode.

The graphics are disappointing and have not changed much. While the attention to detail on main characters has not changed since “Dynasty Warriors 6,” the enemy soliders, trees and other objects look like reused PlayStation 2 textures from “Dynasty Warriors 5.” The music has improved and players can choose from songs which span the entire “Dynasty Warriors” series to play before each level.


“ Empires” has downloadable content which could add more levels or character options, but I do not see it changing the experience. “Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires” is a good game for fans of the series or those who did not buy “Dynasty Warriors 6,” and while killing a thousand enemies with your custom character is fun, it’s not worth buying the same game.

Rating: C+
Platforms: PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
Price: $39.99
ESRB: T
Pub: Koei
Dev: Omega Force
Players: 1-2