Pads & Panels

#2 Batman: Arkham City (PS3, 360, PC)

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment — Developer: Rocksteady Studios

Our Review

Batman Simulator 2.0 doesn’t disappoint, as it hits all the high spots gamers loved in Arkham Asylum and scatters them across an entire sandbox of a city to find. Rocksteady Studios is to be commended for continually getting what makes Batman fun. The double-edged sword here is – even though Arkham City is more robust than Asylum, gamers won’t get that stunning moment again where they realize that finally someone finally got a Batman game right. But the overall quality of the game is vastly improved, making it one of the year’s best. (more…)

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Title: The Gunstringer

Platform: Xbox Kinect

ESRB Rating: T

Publisher: Microsoft

Developer: Twisted Pixel

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

In the realm of undead marionette cowboy video games focusing on motion controls, The Gunstringer is the only entry. And that’s why, no matter its faults, the title demands the attention of gamers. But with Twisted Pixel (Ms. Splosion Man, The Maw) behind its development, the unique entry for Xbox Kinect keeps the faults to a minimum and the fun at its max.

The Gunstringer also happens to be the name of the game’s main character, or at least the only name we come to know him by. He is a sheriff who was betrayed by his posse and killed. Only, The Gunstringer is simply a marionette, and the story takes place on a theater stage which is framed by a live-action audience. The player takes the role of puppeteer, lifting The Gunstringer to start the game, as he crawls from his grave, now undead and bent on revenge. (more…)

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Title: The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile

Platform: XBLA

ESRB: M

Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

Developer: Ska Studios

Rating:

Review By: Eric Stuckart

The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai was a surprise favorite of mine that I didn’t discover until last year, but I was glad that I did. Two-dimensional side-scrolling beat-‘em-ups are a personal favorite of mine, which may or may not be a byproduct of the games I grew up with, but I instantly fell in love with the art style and the fast-paced action of Dead Samurai. (more…)

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Title: “Traitor’s Keep” DLC for Fable III

Platform: 360

Publisher: Microsoft

Developer: Lionhead

Review by: Archie Easter

Fans clamoring for more Fable III have so far not had much to choose from in the way of additional game content since the game launched. Lionhead’s previous DLC add-on for the game, the “Understone Quest Pack”, was widely considered mediocre at best. Aside from a main quest that could be tackled in about 30 minutes, the “Understone Quest Pack” added a mere two short competitions – one being a shooting range, and the other, an arena based event recycled from the game’s main story. (more…)

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#4 Mass Effect 2 (360, PC, PS3)

Publisher: Microsoft – Developer: BioWare

Our Review

Mass Effect 2 has earned its spot on this list due its outstanding storytelling, rich characterization and exciting combination of adventure and combat. Additionally, Mass Effect 2 boasts an impressive musical score, a vast array of weapons and abilities that can be tailored to any play-style and a variety of ethical and personal quandaries that players must endure, which essentially guarantees a unique experience with every campaign played. (more…)

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#8 Alan Wake (360)

Publisher: Microsoft – Developer: Remedy

Our Review

Back in 2005, the same year Microsoft debuted the Xbox 360, Remedy announced Alan Wake was in development. This year, gamers were finally given a chance to visit the world of Bright Falls, and it was well worth the wait. While the game provides a truly suspenseful experience, it has more in common with a season of X-Files than the Silent Hill or Resident Evil series. (more…)

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Title: Fable III

Platform: 360

ESRB: M

Publisher: Microsoft

Developer: Lionhead

Rating:

Review by: Archie Easter

The team at Lionhead has taken great strides in making sure Fable III sticks out from the rest of the series, and for better or worse, they succeeded in doing so. Rather than lead players though the entire life of a hero, Fable III is focused on a certain period of the main character’s life. As the son or daughter of the hero of Fable II, the player is tasked with unseating a tyrannical older brother as the king of Albion and taking on the crown—and the responsibility it entails—for themselves.

Fable III sports a completely revamped interface, practically stripping menus from the game entirely. While ordinarily I would applaud attempts like these to further immerse players in the world of the game, here it’s so drastic that it’s sometimes more inconvenient than a menu screen ever was.  For example, hitting the start button will not pause the game, rather it teleports the player to a hub world called the Sanctuary. Here, players can change weapons, magic, quests, etc. The trouble is, while considerably more engrossing, physically walking around in the Sanctuary can sometimes feel more tedious than selecting desired weapons or spells from an interface. (more…)

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2010 Holiday Gift Guide – For the Digital Download Fan…

By P&P Staff

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Super Meat Boy

(XBLA, PC)

This game is alternately heaven and hell for platforming fans, but it manages to toe the line well enough to always be stuck in that sugary sweet spot that makes it so addicting players don’t even mind dying a few thousand times in the game’s 300-some levels. Plus, the Xbox Live version is going to have regularly-updated free downloadable levels added, which only makes the game even better! (more…)

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2010 Holiday Gift Guide – For the Racing Game Fan…

By P&P Staff

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Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit

(360/PS3/PC)

The series is Need for Speed. The developer is Criterion Games (Burnout: Paradise). How much more do you need to know to realize this is a wise choice for the holidays? How about a wide array of vehicles, including Lamborghinis on both the speeder and cop fronts, with gameplay designed around fast chases and spectacular crashes. If that doesn’t get you, the addicting Autolog system surely will. (more…)

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It is not uncommon for FedEx and UPS to be dropping packages off at my house in the early afternoon, with all the gaming and comics materials we cover at the site and with AMP Magazine. It is rather unusual, though, for one of those packages to come from PepsiCo. But it was a nice surprise to hear the doorbell yesterday and find a Halo: Reach-branded box with Mountain Dew and Doritos logos also adorning the outside of it. I was intrigued. (more…)

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