With so many RPGs out these days, it’s hard to find one that breaks through the mold or even steps out of the shadows from such RPG juggernauts as Final Fantasy or Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. So much has been done with the genre that is truly becoming more and more difficult to innovate the genre significantly. With the release of Sacred in 2004, Ascaron Studios hoped to add their own twist to RPGs by offering up a game with a strong theme of customization and roots in the classic dungeon crawler. While fans were lucky enough to have the sequel  released on the PC a year ago, we have had to wait until this year to play Sacred 2: Fallen Angel on the Xbox 360. As I have not yet played the original Sacred, this review will be based on Sacred 2 as it’s own game, not as a sequel.

Story

Set 2000 years before the events of the original Sacred game, we find the world of Ancaria in the grips of a power struggle. Two factions of High Elves are fighting over an unusual force known as T-Energy: a force responsible for all life and magic in this fantastical world. Much like the ring of power in Lord of the Rings, he who controls the T-Energy becomes the dominant power and soon the other races of Ancaria begin to want it for themselves. As the conflict continues, the T-Energy begins to evolve into a violent and destructive force, corrupting or destroying everything in it’s path. Choose to heal Ancaria or spread the carnage around: it is entirely up to you.

Something tells me a can of Raid isn't gonna work here...

Gameplay

Sacred 2 boasts two impressive features which will make most gamers very happy. First off is the sheer enormity of the game world. This game offers you many, many hours of game play with a wide variety of quests and a seemingly unending landscape to explore. No matter how far you venture into the wild, you will always find a substantial part of the map yet to be uncovered. With the massive number of quests even outside the main quest, you will soon find yourself being a little more selective on who you decide to help out just so you can advance. The scope of the the world and different opportunities for adventure is reminiscent of Elder Scrolls: Oblivion despite being a remarkably similar in style to Blizzard’s popular Diablo series.

The second major bonus of Sacred 2 is the customization for your character. There are 6 playable classes you can venture through Ancaria with: Temple Guardian, Inquisitor, Shadow Warrior, High Elf, Dryad and Seraphim (the only race returning from the original game). While most characters can be played in both the Light and Shadow campaigns, the Seraphim is restricted to the Light path and the Inquisitor is limited to the Shadow path. But no matter the character and no matter the class, you will have endless customization options. So many skills, weapons and spells to learn, so little time. Once you have found the the weapons and skills that best suit your desires, you can assign your abilities to the face buttons of you controller and even develop powerful combos. The possibilities are seemingly endless.

Shall we just file this under 'Bitten off more than I can chew'?

But with the good sadly, comes the bad. One of the most frustrating aspects of this game was the menu interface, which is even more troublesome for anyone unfamiliar playing games with this level of customization. Navigating these menus is so awkward it definitely becomes evident that the controls were not properly adapted for the console from the PC version. Example: to reach the inventory menu from the main menu hub, you must hold the right shoulder button down while using the left analog button to point at the inventory section. While most games would leave the area you selected highlighted, these controls require that you awkwardly hold the analog in that position until the menu pops up.

Another disappointing part of this game ties in with one of it’s best features: the size of the game world. Many a time, you will find yourself at a loss for where to go next. You will follow a seemingly obvious route to reach my next objective only to find your path was blocked by a thick treeline, impassable hill or stream a short distance from my destination. No matter how shallow the brook, you cannot wade through it. No matter how small the hill, you will only be able to go so far up it. With other epic games which offer equally immense worlds but more of an explore-friendly landscape, Sacred 2 leaves you wanting. This immense world also brings up some frame rate problems as well. While normally not enough to make game play completely impossible, it is very frustrating and detracts from the fun that hacking and slashing little fantastical beasties normally brings.

All you ever wanted to be and more

Graphics

The opening cinema of Sacred 2: Fallen Angel will definitely get you excited. The opening sequence full of elves, wizards and Jason & the Argonauts style skeletons will have you gripping your controller in anticipation and hoping that the in-game graphics are closely on par with it. Sadly, this is where the graphical pluses end. There is no beating around the bush here: the graphics of Sacred 2 are not so hot. Limited and weak texturing  plague Ancaria, taking away from the experience and joy of seeing your customized armour and weaponry on your character. Even a large portion of the environmental animations were weak and seemed to have been directly ported (and undeveloped) from games released several years prior. The water splash animation when running in puddles, for example,  had no fluidity and you could see the pixelated makeup of the effect with every step.

Audio

The musical audio of the game is definitely one of it’s stronger points. The opening cinema theme actually stands up as one of the better game intro songs of recent years, especially since metal music in games usually tends to go down the cheesy hair band avenue. Composed by self described ‘German symphonic fantasy metal’ band Blind Guardian, this song will have you pumped to get into the game within the first few bars. It was as if Metallica and Queen collaborated to make the ultimate bad ass rock opera. What’s not to like? The regular game music itself was of high quality on it’s own, adding great dimension and life to Ancaria. There is no theme here that will get stuck in your head but you will not be disappointed by the music the game does offer up.

Not exactly a lap cat

The weak aspect of the audio is the voice acting. While the dialogue sometimes had you wondering if the comedic line delivery was deliberate or unintentional, there were many moments where the acting was just painful. The irritating tone and delivery of character dialogue particularly after a battle victory is almost cringe worthy. The ambient and weapon effects were pretty solid although there were a few animal and environment sounds that just seemed a little off.

Multiplayer

Take one enormous world, add nearly limitless customization and throw in a little multiplayer and you have yourself one fun online experience. Although there were not too many people playing Sacred 2: Fallen Angel on Xbox Live during my review window, I definitely found it to be a more satisfying game experience online. You can share items and strategies and team up for some satisfying online battling. But the main advantage of the online play was getting help from other players. People unfamiliar with playing epic-sized world games may wonder if their need for an ingame GPS is because of their inexperience but there are many an online gamers in the same predicament. Having others to co ordinate and troubleshoot with definitely gave the multiplayer an advantage over the single player campaign.

One admirable feature of the multiplayer was the ability to import your single person campaign character into the online game without compromising your original game. Leave the one player adventure behind for a while to battle online with your friends and you can still return to your single person game with no adverse changes to your character.

Emperor Palpatine would be proud

Reccomendation

There are some major ups and downs throughout Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. While the huge game world and immense customization opportunities make for endless different ways to play and many hours of playability, a combination of weak graphics and poorly translated controls among other things make for a  proportionally frustrating and disappointing experience. While there are those who are willing to accept a game’s shortcomings in exchange for a few admirable aspects, it is a shame that given how far games have come, we can’t always expected a well rounded and completely polished game.. The good does not entirely outweigh the bad here. Had Sacred 2 delivered decent graphics and smooth gameplay with well translated controls in addition to it’s current merits, it would definitely be a force to be reckoned with. For Diablo-style game fans and Sacred fans alike, you will find there is still much fun to be had in Ancaria. For those want a  game that doesn’t feel unfinished, take your adventure by way of the rental.

Sacred 2: Fallen Angel

Systems: Xbox 360, PC, PS3
Developer: Ascaron
Publisher: cdv Software Entertainment, Deep Silver
Find: Gamefly, Amazon , Goozex

All reviews are based on final retail code unless otherwise noted.

A bleak, apocalyptic future has always been a staple premise for good science fiction and horror film. Read the full story

I vividly remember purchasing the first Patapon game. As soon as I brought it up to the counter, the clerk at EB warned me that for the next few months, I would regularly start chanting “Pata pata pata pon”. I looked at her like she was a little nuts and headed home. But sure enough, within 20 minutes of game play, I found myself rambling those faithful words. Patapon was a unique rhythm based game that was not only addictive but couldn’t help not making you smile. Quirky and cute, this fast became one of my favorite PSP Games of all time. And now Sony Computer Entertainment is giving us more drum lines to chant with Patapon 2.

Story

While both Patapon games do have a small underlying story, it is really not the type of story that will keep you wondering about upcoming plot twists and the fate of your adorable marching army of eyeballs.  Leaving off from the original Patapon, we find the ship of the Patapon army dashed on the rocks of a strange shore. Their quest for that giant Visine bottle in the sky, Earthend, isn’t going so well. Very few Patapon remain so it is up to you to rebuild your forces and continue your journey.

Gameplay

Patapon 2 is rhythm based gaming at it’s finest. In order to control your adorable chanting minions, you must drum your way into battle. Earning different drums as you progress, you use varied drum combinations in order to execute your moves: advancing, defending and attacking. The key is staying on beat with the game’s music or your little Patapon will be very disappointed in your rhythmically challenged skills and mope. Along your travels you will also uncover Juju: special drumming skills that allow you unique abilities such as conjuring rainstorms and wind. Keep that funky beat going and you will soon find yourself in Fever Mode which will grant you more power in attacks and defense and enable you to use that powerful Juju of yours.

Your newly acquired Keith Moon-like skills are not solely for battle and hunting though. In Patapolis, the Patapon’s hometown, you will find fun mini games to play in order to get extra items to upgrade your army. This will help you out even more than in the first Patapon for Patapon 2 not only gives you the opportunity to advance the skills of your army through battle experience but also lets you level up and evolve your Patapon at the Tree of Life (where all your little blinky friends are born). No longer are you restricted to the basic types of Patapon; you can create a wide variety of Patapon from giant Patapon with brute force or small Patapon with speedy attacks. Each variation of Patapon can be leveled up as well, granting it better attack and defense the higher the level. Although not upgradeable, one of the best new additions to Patapon 2 is heroes. You will now find your army joined by a Patapon Hero: a strong warrior donning a mask who, unlike your other Patapon, will respawn shortly after being killed. Heroes also offer more a special hero attack, usually attained during fever mode, that will do significant damage to your enemies. With the consistent presence of your Patapon hero, you will now be able to access the Patagate: a new travel portal where you can join other Patapon heroes in unusual battles to earn even more Pata-swag.

Patapon 2 also throws multiplayer into the mix. While it was a bit disappointing to find that the multiplayer was just battling bosses from the single player, having another Pata-fan to join you in the fun is most welcome.

Graphics

While Patapon 2 isn’t laden with impressive textures and staggering visuals, this still remains to be one gorgeous game. The graphics are very reminiscent of asian shadow play with it’s own quirky style. The buildings, obstacles and even your patapon warriors (in their early stages) are mainly black and white while the backgrounds are pulsing with rich tones that are very vibrant and contrast very well with your little eyeball buddies. Everything from the detailed fortresses, covered with drawbridges and spiked defenses to the animal life in Patapon 2 are gorgeous to look at. While it was a little disappointing to see that the majority of your animal adversaries were the same as the first game aside from some minor modifications (like a tail or different color), this game features some very impressive new bosses which are larger and more intimidating than the original game. While other games are so detailed that at times is distracts you from where you should be focusing,  Patapon 2 and it’s predecessor have found the perfect balance between graphical beauty and basic although not mundane art-style.

Audio

Unless you’re not a fan of infectiously adorable chanting, you will find yourself grinning along as your little Patapon sing their way into battles. Their squeaky yet adorable voices are what drive the audio in this game. Everything from their battle chants to their songs of celebration in Patapolis will have you fighting the urge to sing along. While some of the classic drum chants remain, there are a wide variety of new tunes to mix it up and tap your feet to, be it on the battlefield or playing a mini game in Patapolis.  The addition of difficulty levels for the mini-games adds even more fun music to PON your way through - don’t be thinking that you could get by on all the music you had memorized from the first game!

Recommendation

The goal for any game sequel is to keep everything that made the first game good and improve on it and that’s exactly what Patapon 2 does. This games maintains it’s addictive gameplay and infectious music but brings even more to the table with multiplayer, customization and new characters. While there are those who may see this as simply Patapon 1.5, I see this game as it’s own animal and you would do yourself a great disservice to pass it up. Don’t miss the rhythmic brilliance that is Patapon 2.

Patapon 2
System: PSP
Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Publisher: Pyramid (JP)
Find:Sony Playstation Store
All reviews are based on final retail code unless otherwise noted

It seemed like a simple trip: take renegade droid to Alderaan, deliver stolen Death Star plans and all would be well in the galaxy. But nothing is ever as easy as it seems for the pithy little crew of the Millennium Falcon soon found themselves ‘guests’ of the Empire in the Death Star itself. While Obi Wan Kenobi went off to disable the tractor beam to allow their escape, farm boy Luke Skywalker and intergalactic scally-wag Han Solo soon found themselves donning Storm Trooper uniforms in order to save Princess Leia from her cell and imminent termination.

Sideshow Collectibles will be bringing it’s homage to this memorable scene from Star Wars: A New Hope to Comic Con this year. Behold the Luke Skywalker and Han Solo 12″ Collectible Set. Yes, you not only get one but two classic Star Wars characters in this limited edition set. Both characters offer a 12″ armored body with over 30 points of articulation and feature the impressive detailing that Sideshow Collectibles is known for.  Both figures carry a storm trooper pistol and Luke also sports a belt attached grappling hook as well as a com-link. The Storm Trooper helmets are fully detailed in the inside but take note that they will not fit over the characters’ heads. But who really wants to cover up Han’s swarthy expression?

Debuting at this year’s Comic Con, this set is a limited editon of 2,000, retails at $189.99 USD and can only be picked up at Comic Con. A second set will be available for online purchase in the same quanitites and will retail for $199.99 USD. The purchase price for both sets include a base with the Star Wars logo on it.

It’s fair to say that one of the best sci-fi movies of all time is James Cameron’s The Terminator (1984). The story of a soon-to-be apocalyptic future where Artificial Intelligence has not only become self aware but is bent on destroying humanity has become a classic of the genre. Read the full story

Usually when you check out a collectibles site, the figures you find are generally from movies, television and sometimes history. Read the full story

Ah Disney! You’ve been such an integral part of our lives. Read the full story

The technology for gaming keeps catapulting forward as the years go on; the graphics, the game engines and the hardware itself all keep advancing at a staggering rate as well as the ways to play our games. Read the full story

It is always such a shame when a great game goes relatively unplayed and under appreciated. So often these little gems of video game goodness get their release but fall on deaf ears and gather dust on a shelf at EB. As such, the chance of  sequels to these impressive games being produced fades. Fortunately, this is not the case here.

Read the full story

Video games have come a long way. While still constantly defending themselves from claims that they are the cause of the problems of today’s youth, they have established themselves as not only a form of basic entertainment but as art. From archaic, 8-bit games with soundtracks of bleeps and bloops, they have evolved into cinematic masterpieces with soundtracks comparable to most film. It only made sense that video games would start to integrate themselves into their main competition for audiences: the film industry.

For anyone who loves gaming, nothing should sound sweeter than hearing that your favorite game is going to be made into a full length cinematic feature. On the contrary, this concept is now something that fills the average gamer with groans of “Oh please don’t ruin it”. To date, there has never been a film based on a video game that has truly done it justice. They may have come close but the films almost always seem to lose something in translation. Prime example : The Resident Evil movies. I am fairly certain that I am not the only gamer who wanted the mansion the way it was in the game, wanting to see a member of STARS walk around the corner to see the first zombie bite someone’s neck off, wanting to hear “I hope this isn’t Chris’ blood”, but no… What we got was techno music, an underground office building with a hive and any excuse to see Milla Jovovich wearing a strategically placed shower curtain. We wanted to be scared – we wanted Resident Evil. Other offenders such as the films versions of BloodRayne, Mario Bros, Mortal Kombat and Dead or Alive just added insult to injury. I would however like to say that the Silent Hill movie is probably the best video game-to-film translation to date despite the fact that it should’ve been the father looking for his daughter, not the mother.

On the other side of the coin, we have the film to video game translation. Ironically, they seem to suffer the same plague as the video game to movie translations. While a few may be decent, the majority are mediocre and plagued with bad camera angles and other major glitches. It has reached the point where most movie based video games are released even before the film, perhaps to allowing the player a better chance of enjoying it since they are unaware of how bad of a translation it is. The ultimate example being E.T the Extra-Terrestrial the Game. While attempting to cash in on the fame of one of the most popular movies at that time (and all time), they created a game so bad that it was not only viewed as one of the biggest commercial failures in video game history, it also spelled the beginning of the end for Atari.

So why does this happen? Why do two forms of entertainment that can only benefit from each other’s full out co-operation create such below standard homages to each other? Despite the fact that both film and games contain interesting stories, relatable characters and gripping music, sadly it seems that neither industry has total respect for the other. So much the same and yet still contented to churn out mediocrity for any easily marketable product that has half the promotional work done already.

So what can the average gamer do about all of this? As long as we show either industry that we are willing to see or play anything just because of a film or game license, these games and movies will continue to be made. So do your research on your video game movies; watch for bad directors who are poison to anything they touch ( you know who you are!), bad actors, and involvement of the game studio. Tough it out the extra day and wait for the review before going to the theatre. The same can be said for movie video games. If it doesn’t look up to snuff and the reviews are bad, rent it if you have to before you buy it. Whether you’re more into movies or video games, we all deserve better quality than what we’ve been getting and until we demand it, it’ll just be the same sad story.