Pads & Panels

#8 Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (PS3)

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment — Developer: Naughty Dog

Naughty Dog’s flagship series hits another high note with the third chapter of Nathan Drake’s adventures. The organic storytelling makes this something every gamer owes to themselves to experience. Uncharted 3 delivers the thrill of an Indiana Jones movie and more twists and turns than a ride at Six Flags. Some parts of this game will leave the gamer breathless and pointing at the screen while asking the person next to him, “Did you see that?” As if that weren’t enough, after the credits roll and the brilliant colors fade away, there’s still a fantastic multiplayer game to experience. (more…)

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Title: Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime

Platform: XBLA (PSN, PC)

ESRB: E

Publisher: Atari

Developer: Behaviour

Rating:

Review by: Eric Stuckart

Since 2009, Ghostbusters: The Game has been sitting on my ‘to do’ list for quite some time, as I heard that while it might not be the greatest game out there, it had enough spirit and character to stir up the nostalgia factor and be a decent title to purchase once the price came down. That being said, when I heard that Sanctum of Slime, a sequel of sorts, was being released as a downloadable twin stick shooter, I was already losing hope. I’m sure that Atari probably lost a little bit of money with the last one, as it wasn’t exactly a high-profile release, let alone the type that would be demanding sales, but it wasn’t that bad, was it? (more…)

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Title: Blacklight: Tango Down

Platform: XBLA (PSN, PC)

ESRB: T

Publisher: Ignition Entertainment

Developer: Zombie Studios

Rating:

Review by: Archie Easter

A downloadable title with big aspirations, Blacklight: Tango Down is a slightly futuristic FPS that’s no slouch in the graphical department. Dashing good looks aside, Blacklight’s central multiplayer mode is fun and includes much of the standard FPS fare in its seven modes like Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Last Man Standing. Much in the same way as many popular shooters like Modern Warfare and Battlefield, progression trough the multiplayer allows players to gain ranks and unlock new weapons in addition to armor customizations. While the game’s presentation hints at an overarching storyline, the scant backstory of the game is buried in two small paragraphs in the “How to Play” section. The only single-player mode available is the 1-4 player cooperative “Black Ops” mode that consists of short mission objectives that lack any narrative against waves of AI opponents. In addition, the enemy AI in this mode is out to lunch, with enemies that get stuck behind cover and routinely run to the same positions. (more…)

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Update: This contest has ended. Winners have been contacted and codes have been delivered to: Doug, of Leesburg, Ohio (fresh02_88); Guy, of North Bergen (totoguy); Andy, of Normal, Ill. (ajpacho); and Kimberly, of Sterrett, Alabama (IceeLady). Congrats! And thanks to everyone who entered. More contests to come.

Last month, EA’s Bright Light studio release Spare Parts, a robot-based platforming game that features both local and online drop-in cooperative play. The game focuses on that cooperative play, with special moves that can only be initiated by two players working together. The game is available on both Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, and Electronic Arts was swell enough to send us four (4) redemption codes for the XBLA version of the title to pass along to our fine readers, so by the end of the week, that’s exactly what we’re going to do. Read on to find out how easy it is to win yourself one of these codes. (more…)

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Best Games of 2010 – Honorable Mentions

Creating a Best of List for Pads & Panels is no easy task. It involves everyone putting in feedback, a get-together and copious amounts of drinking, when we argue our cases for what belongs where on the list. Inevitably, fantastic titles don’t make it to the top of the tower, and we’re left feeling bad for not honoring the enjoyment some of these games provided us throughout the year. So that’s where the Honorable Mentions come into play. These are the list of games that didn’t quite make our Top 10, but we think you should be playing them nonetheless. Plus, it’s always kind of fun to make our readers wonder, with titles this great on the honorable mentions list, what is going to make our Top 10. They are essentially our #11 through #20 picks, but are presented in no particular order. Enjoy! (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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Title: “The Incredibles Level Kit” DLC for LittleBigPlanet

Platform: PS3

Publisher: Sony

Developer: Media Molecule

Review by: Bill Jones

Adding to Disney’s partnership with Sony for LittleBigPlanet comes “The Incredibles Level” Kit” and “The Incredibles Costume Pack.” The costume pack steals the show this time around, with nine costumes for the $5.99 price tag. It comprises all of The Incredibles, as well as a “retro” version of Mr. Incredible, their allies Frozone and Edna Mode, and their arch-nemesis, Syndrome. Though The Incredibles costumes are pretty much identical, fans of the Pixar movies should like the different hairdos that give the characters some variety. But “The Incredibles Level Kit” is a bit of a disappointment. This one is strictly just a level kit, with a “Gallery Level” for Sackboys and girls to run through to collect the items that come with the pack. The Incredibles settings are well done, but at $4.99 it’s a shame the property didn’t get the same developer-created levels present in other packs. (more…)

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Title: Joe Danger

Platform: PSN

ESRB: E

Publisher: Hello Games

Developer: Hello Games

Rating:

Review by: Archie Easter

Joe Danger is the first game from the upstart Hello Games. The story follows thrill-seeker stuntman Joe Danger, who is attempting to make his comeback after a botched stunt forced him to prematurely retire from the tracks. The player must now lead the determined daredevil through a series of tours that progressively change in difficulty and complexity until he’s back on top. Along the way, Danger will encounter Team Nasty, rival bikers looking to beat him at his own game. (more…)

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Video games encompass a lot of genres, but oddly somewhat rare among those is the murder mystery genre. Relentless Software looked to rectify this back in March when the company released to U.S. audiences the first of six episodes in a PlayStation Network-exclusive series titled Blue Toad Murder Files. The complete series is available now, and allows one player to go it alone, or four friend to compete in a series of puzzles, while collecting clues to figure out whodunit. Relentless Software was kind enough to send an extra redemption code our way, so by the end of the week, one of our readers can be the one figuring out whodunit. Entering is simple. (more…)

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Title: Rocket Knight

Platform: XBLA (PSN, PC)

ESRB: E10+

Publisher: Konami

Developer: Climax Studios

Rating:

Review by: Kevin Haverty

Rocket Knight Adventures and Sparkster for the Sega Genesis often get overlooked, so it was a pleasant surprise that Konami dusted the IP off for a new game. In Rocket Knight, the Sparkster dons the armor again to stop the invading wolf army. Rocket Knight might look like a typical 2.5D platformer, but its vibrant style and jetpack-based play mechanics set it apart. And a few side-scrolling shooting stages are thrown in to cut monotony. But the game is criminally short. It can easily be finished in an hour and a half. Rocket Knight has some replayability, though, as gamers can try to reach the top of the leaderboard for each stage. (more…)

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