Month in Reviews: April 2011

KingdomBlade · Apr 29, 2011

This is sort of a continuation of these threads that Guild made weekly some time ago and thus nearly the same format, but with a few modifications (like the Review Quotes section). It contains only the big and important releases (well, the ones taken from Guild's April 2011 games thread, hope you don't mind Guild)

<div align='center'>Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection</div>

KB: Not nearly as high as I expected it to be. It's most likely because people's expectations of it where too high (mine included). I mean, it is arguably considered as the epitome of the the Final Fantasy series. Although it's undeniably a good game, it may not have been as good as some people thought it was. It seems worth a purchase though.

<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/psp/rpg/final-fantasy-iv-the-complete-collection/review.html" target="_blank">GameSpot</a>: 8/10
<a href="http://www.1up.com/reviews/final-fantasy-iv-complete-collection-review" target="_blank">1UP</a>: B-
<a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/games/final_fantasy_iv_complete_collection/b/psp/archive/2011/04/18/final-fantasy-iv-psp-review-take-one-last-ride-with-the-red-wings.aspx" target="_blank">Game Informer</a>: 8.5/10
<a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/gamereview.php?id=14282" target="_blank">GameTrailers</a>: 8.5/10
<a href="http://www.gamesradar.com/psp/final-fantasy-iv-the-complete-collection/review/final-fantasy-iv-the-complete-collection-review/a-20110419161127656004/g-2010121316250874079" target="_blank">Games Radar</a>: 8/10
<a href="http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/218929/final-fantasy-iv-the-complete-collection/" target="_blank">GamePro</a>: 3/5
<a href="http://psp.ign.com/articles/116/1162076p1.html" target="_blank">IGN</a>: 9/10
-------------------------------------------------
<a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/psp/615911-final-fantasy-iv-the-complete-collection/index.html" target="_blank">GameRankings</a>: 82.09 %
<a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/psp/final-fantasy-iv-the-complete-collection/critic-reviews" target="_blank">Metacritic</a>: 80
<div align='center'>Review Quotes:</div>"Clearly, Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection is the ultimate purchase for Final Fantasy IV fans. Even if you're already experienced with the core Final Fantasy IV experience, there's still so much to see and do here that it'll be hard not jump back in." - IGN"FFIV is great! But it's also well-trodden territory at this point, presented in a technologically unambitious and aesthetically questionable package. The problem with this collection isn't that it lacks anything new, but rather that the new content feels like a pale imitation of the masterpiece it follows." - 1UP

<div align='center'>Patapon 3</div>

KB: It's pretty much obvious that this game doesn't live up to the expectations set by the first two. It's doesn't seem that bad nonetheless. But it does seem to be decent at best.
<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/psp/action/patapon-3/review.html" target="_blank">GameSpot</a>: 8/10
<a href="http://www.1up.com/reviews/patapon-3-review" target="_blank">1UP</a>: D
<a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/games/patapon_3/b/psp/archive/2011/04/14/patapon-3-review-a-rhythm-of-pain.aspx" target="_blank">Game Informer</a>: 6.75/10
<a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/gamereview.php?id=13422" target="_blank">GameTrailers</a>: 7.3/10
<a href="http://www.gamesradar.com/psp/patapon-3/review/patapon-3-review/a-20110418153056795077/g-201006151331153010" target="_blank">Games Radar</a>: 7/10
<a href="http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/218807/review-patapon-3/" target="_blank">GamePro</a>: 3.5/5
<a href="http://psp.ign.com/articles/116/1163024p1.html" target="_blank">IGN</a>: 9/10
-------------------------------------------------
<a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/psp/997853-patapon-3/index.html" target="_blank">GameRankings</a>: 74.14%
<a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/psp/patapon-3" target="_blank">Metacritic</a>: 73
<div align='center'>Review Quotes:</div>"There used to be a nuance and a pleasant understated quality to the music, with flutes and mandolins. Now you get an overproduced wall of sound, as if Electronic Arts hired 30 Seconds to Mars to score the game. Patapon used to groove. Now it just sort of generically rocks out." - 1UP"You have to dig a little deeper, but that Patapon goodness is still overflowing in Patapon 3. It's just too bad its creators are starting to forget what made it so great and special in the first place." - GamePro

<div align='center'>Mortal Kombat</div>

KB: It seems like a good game. I may have not played it yet, but the reception is surprisingly warm. Looks like it may have lived up to the expectations of people after all.
<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/mortal-kombat/review.html" target="_blank">GameSpot</a>: 8.5/10 (XBOX 360 & PS3)
<a href="http://www.1up.com/reviews/mortal-kombat-review" target="_blank">1UP</a>: A- (XBOX 360 & PS3)
<a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/games/mortal_kombat/b/xbox360/archive/2011/04/19/much-more-than-a-classic-revival.aspx" target="_blank">Game Informer</a>: 9.5/10 (XBOX 360 & PS3)
<a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/gamereview.php?id=12958" target="_blank">GameTrailers</a>: 9.4/10 (PS3)
<a href="http://www.gamesradar.com/xbox360/mortal-kombat-2011/review/mortal-kombat-review/a-2011041822464379342652/g-2010061085535550091" target="_blank">Games Radar</a>: 8/10 (XBOX 360 & PS3)
<a href="http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/218927/review-mortal-kombat/" target="_blank">GamePro</a>: 4.5/5 (XBOX 360)
<a href="http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/116/1162089p1.html" target="_blank">IGN</a>: 8/10 (XBOX 360 & PS3)
-------------------------------------------------
GameRankings: 87.57% (<a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox360/961032-mortal-kombat/index.html" target="_blank">XBOX 360</a>)/88.00% (<a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/ps3/961031-mortal-kombat/index.html" target="_blank">PS3</a>)
Metacritic: 87 (<a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/mortal-kombat" target="_blank">XBOX 360</a>)/86 (<a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/mortal-kombat" target="_blank">PS3</a>)
<div align='center'>Review Quotes:</div>"Mortal Kombat has achieved something that I never thought I'd see in my lifetime: a fighting game that has more than enough single player content to keep casual players involved, with a gameplay system that can satisfy even the most hardcore fighting game fans." - 1UP"Over-the-top, bloody, and bursting with content, Mortal Kombat is a return to form for the franchise." - GameSpot

<div align='center'>Portal 2</div>

[title

ortal 2]KB: I really want to fucking play this thing right now. It's so far, one of the most critically acclaimed games of the year. Nearly every player loves it, nearly every critic loves it, and the awards circuit will love it when the time comes. It's seen just by looking at the scores.

<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/portal-2/review.html" target="_blank">GameSpot</a>: 9/10 (All Versions)
<a href="http://www.1up.com/reviews/portal-2-review" target="_blank">1UP</a>: A+ (XBOX 360 & PS3)
<a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/games/portal_2/b/pc/archive/2011/04/18/the-sequel-you-were-hoping-for.aspx" target="_blank">Game Informer</a>: 9.5/10 (All Versions)
<a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/gamereview.php?id=12821" target="_blank">GameTrailers</a>: 9/10 (XBOX 360)
<a href="http://www.gamesradar.com/ps3/portal-2/review/portal-2-super-review/a-2011042116115133889771/g-20100308124746224008" target="_blank">Games Radar</a>: 10/10 (All Versions)
<a href="http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/218924/review-portal-2/" target="_blank">GamePro</a>: 5/5 (XBOX 360)
<a href="http://ps3.ign.com/articles/116/1162428p1.html" target="_blank">IGN</a>: 9.5/10
<a href="http://gamernode.com/reviews/10478-portal-2-review/index.html" target="_blank">GamerNode</a>: 10/10 (XBOX 360 & PS3)
-------------------------------------------------
GameRankings: 95.31% (<a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/991073-portal-2/index.html" target="_blank">PC</a>), 94.55 (<a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox360/991101-portal-2/index.html" target="_blank">XBOX 360</a>), 93.96% (<a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/ps3/997849-portal-2/index.html" target="_blank">PS3</a>)
<a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/portal-2" target="_blank">Metacritic</a>: 95 (All Versions)
<div align='center'>Review Quotes:</div>"It's hard to overstate my satisfaction. Play Portal 2 as soon as you can." - GamerNode"Portal 2 couldn't be Portal, but it's the next best thing. It's a longer, funnier, more emotional plummet through Aperture's perplexing laboratory, and its meticulous detail, perfect pacing, and kinetic, mind-expanding puzzles make it a blazingly memorable experience. It's so damn memorable, already feel nostalgic about it." - Games Radar

<div align='center'>Prince of Persia Classic Trilogy HD</div>

KB: Er.. hemm. I like Prince of Persia, so I guess this game seems fine. The reviews are mildly positive too.

<a href="http://www.videogamer.com/ps3/prince_of_persia_trilogy/review.html" target="_blank">VideoGamer</a>: 9/10
<a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-11-17-prince-of-persia-hd-trilogy-review" target="_blank">Eurogamer</a>: 8/10
<a href="http://ps3.ign.com/articles/113/1135451p1.html" target="_blank">IGN UK</a>: /10
<a href="http://ps3.ign.com/articles/116/1164215p1.html" target="_blank">IGN</a>: 8/10
-------------------------------------------------
<a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/ps3/605948-prince-of-persia-classic-trilogy-hd/index.html" target="_blank">GameRankings</a>: 83.71 %
<a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/prince-of-persia-classic-trilogy-hd" target="_blank">Metacritic</a>: 80
<div align='center'>Review Quotes:</div>"Not all of the Prince of Persia games are created equal, and there will be times when the story will fall flat on its face, but ultimately all of these games are worth playing – especially at this price." - IGN"If you've never played the PS2 Prince of Persia trilogy before, this is the perfect opportunity to do so. If you have, play it again; reliving the experience in HD is a glorious reminder of just what great games these are." - VideoGamer

<div align='center'>SOCOM 4</div>

KB: I'm not really familiar with the SOCOM series all too much, so I can't really give much proper commentary. It's a TPS that primarily relies on multiplayer.. and that's the extent of my knowledge. Maybe you guys should just look at the reviews below. They're pretty much mixed.

<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/action/socom-4/review.html" target="_blank">GameSpot</a>: 7.5/10
<a href="http://www.1up.com/reviews/socom-4-review" target="_blank">1UP</a>: B
<a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/games/socom_4_us_navy_seals/b/ps3/archive/2011/04/12/new-innovations-and-old-problems-arise-in-socom-4.aspx" target="_blank">Game Informer</a>: 7.8/10
<a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/gamereview.php?id=12807" target="_blank">GameTrailers</a>: 7.9/10
<a href="http://www.gamesradar.com/ps3/socom-4/review/socom-4-us-navy-seals-review/a-2011041921185819015/g-201003101755133087" target="_blank">Games Radar</a>: 7/10
<a href="http://ps3.ign.com/articles/116/1161560p1.html" target="_blank">IGN</a>: 7/10
-------------------------------------------------
<a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/ps3/991064-socom-4-us-navy-seals/index.html" target="_blank">GameRankings</a>: 69.50%
<a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/socom-4-us-navy-seals" target="_blank">Metacritic</a>: 66
<div align='center'>Review Quotes:</div>"The game makes several middling attempts to align itself more closely with other successful designs while keeping its identity mostly intact. Despite a few stumbles in engineering its single-player experience and some irregularities with its controls, this is still a unique and solid experience provided you plan to enlist in online multiplayer." - GameTrailers"Most of the time, though, it just sort of is, existing as a weirdly generic, blandly acceptable compromise between casual and hardcore that doesn't really go far enough to please either set of fans." - Games Radar

<div align='center'>Conduit 2</div>

KB: I tried the first game at my friend's house, wasn't very good, and this sequel got positive to mixed reviews. Maybe those wanting a good FPS for their Wii should look into this though.

<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/the-conduit-2/review.html" target="_blank">GameSpot</a>: 7/10
<a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/games/conduit_2/b/wii/archive/2011/04/19/one-stumbling-step-forward.aspx" target="_blank">Game Informer</a>: 6/10
<a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/gamereview.php?id=12956" target="_blank">GameTrailers</a>: 7.9/10
<a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/gamereview.php?id=12956" target="_blank">Games Radar</a>: 6/10
Nintendo Power: 7.5/10
<a href="http://wii.ign.com/articles/116/1162746p1.html" target="_blank">IGN</a>: 7.5/10
-------------------------------------------------
<a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/wii/991817-conduit-2/index.html" target="_blank">GameRankings</a>: 72.08%
<a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/wii/conduit-2/critic-reviews" target="_blank">Metacritic</a>: 68
<div align='center'>Review Quotes:</div>"Conduit 2's cheeky dialogue and creative weapons are amusing, and there are enough multiplayer options to keep you busy, although not likely for the whole of spring. Conduit 2 isn't top of its class, but it's a fun B-movie experience nonetheless." - GameTrailers"If you're an FPS-loving Wii owner that doesn't care about single-player, or someone who adored the original Conduit, you may be able to squeeze some entertainment out of this game. Everyone else should pass." - Game Informer

<div align='center'>Minor Titles</div>

Persona 2: Tsumi 
Famitsu: 7 / 7 / 8 / 7 – (29/40)
-------------------------------------------------
Battle & Get! Pokemon Typing DS
Famitsu: 8 / 8 / 8 / 8 – (32/40)
-------------------------------------------------
Operation Flashpoint: Red River
Metacritic: 74 (<a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/operation-flashpoint-red-river" target="_blank">XBOX 360</a>), 71 (<a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/operation-flashpoint-red-river" target="_blank">PC</a>), 76 (<a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/operation-flashpoint-red-river" target="_blank">PS3</a>)
Game Rankings: 76% (<a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox360/604137-operation-flashpoint-red-river/index.html" target="_blank">XBOX 360</a>, 63.33 (<a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/604135-operation-flashpoint-red-river/index.html" target="_blank">PC</a>), 75% (<a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/ps3/604136-operation-flashpoint-red-river/index.html" target="_blank">PS3</a>)

Guild McCommunist · Apr 29, 2011

It's good to see someone picking this up again, reviews just haven't been consistent enough to do it weekly as I did. Monthly sounds good though and I'm glad you're taking up the project.

Just my take:

- It's good to see the FFIV CC get some love. Maybe it's just "yet another FFIV port/remake", but FFIV is awesome and this is the definitive version of it.
- I'm not real big on Patapon and Patapon 2, I have Patapon 3 on my memory stick though but odds are I won't try it as Patapon 2 is feeling really boring.
- I don't see the point of Mortal Kombat over the current fighting flavor of the year, Marvel vs. Capcom 3. It just seems to be there as a fighting game between MvC3 and SSFIV: AE.
- I've heard Portal 2 is just getting "OMG BEST GAME EVER" reviews but I won't try it until a friend lends me a copy.
- PoP Trilogy is your standard "port 3 last gen games to HD" thing but that's not all that bad. They're pretty good games.
- SOCOM, not really interested.
- I have Conduit 2 on my hard drive but I haven't been able to force the region to NTSC to put it in color (it's the Euro version). I'm probably just a bit rusty as I haven't touched the Wii in a while.
- I'm waiting for localizations of Pokemon Typing and Persona 2. I don't really trust Famitsu or its reviews.

shakirmoledina · Apr 29, 2011

i have played portal 1 almost for 3 hrs (which i believe is half way) and i did not find it THAT good though it was interesting and nice. To get 90% for a game of this nature is quite unexpected from my side. It is good definitely, but maybe the ratings are based on how well the game fits its genre and is focused upon it.

_Chaz_ · Apr 29, 2011

The sun rises, and Final Fantasy IV is ported to another console.

Cyan · Apr 29, 2011

Thanks for your work on gathering all the informations.
I usually don't take reviews as granted, I'm making my own idea of a game by playing it myself.
Sometime I like crappy games

I want to play PoP trilogy and Persona 2, but I won't have enough time.

I think it's better placed in General gaming discussion instead of Submitted news.
I'm just moving it there.

ZeroTm · Apr 29, 2011

Completed portal 2 in two sessions (pc, of course). Game of the year, no questions about that. Though you NEED to play portal before you play portal 2

8BitWalugi · Apr 29, 2011

shakirmoledina said:
i have played portal 1 almost for 3 hrs (which i believe is half way) and i did not find it THAT good though it was interesting and nice. To get 90% for a game of this nature is quite unexpected from my side. It is good definitely, but maybe the ratings are based on how well the game fits its genre and is focused upon it.

>Portal 1
>3 Hours

Either you suck at Portal or you suck at trolling. Pick one.

Month in Reviews: April 2011

Blade v3+ (I R SHMEXY)

(not on boat)

Legend

GBAtemp's Official Mook™

GBATemp's lurking knight

Well-Known Member

Taiyohhhhhh!

Similar threads

Popular threads in this forum