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Amidst the sea of near indistinguishable first- and third-person shooters, MMOs and MMO shooters at PAX East, I found it somewhat ironic that two particular titles that stood out to me where both remakes of classic games: XCOM: Enemy Unknown
and Double Dragon Neon.

XCOM wasn't playable on the convention floor, but the developers were giving 25-minute gameplay presentations to limited groups of gamers who were willing to line up for the preview.

The beauty of Enemy Unknown is that fans of the original X-COM can rest assured that this isn't a duck-and-covered shooter with old X-COM elements retrofitted in. This is unquestionably a turn-based strategy game with alien resource and research management at the heart of its gameplay.

During the demo presentation, the developers walked through a classic X-COM-style intercept mission that gave audiences a sense of the tactical combat flow and highlighted the 4 specific roles of squad characters, which include assault, support, heavy weapons and sniper.

The thing that I found most striking about the gameplay was that there was no grid on the play map of any sort. Players select squad members and can freely direct them to any point or cover position, which made the game feel more open and non-traditional/hybrid-ish.

Commands for squad members can include pinning down enemies with suppressing fire, taking clear sniper shots and lobbing grenades. Aliens will also attempt to ambush squad members running through open spaces and larger brute-type aliens would smash squad members who aren't given properly coverage.

The big visual difference is that once commands are executed, actions immediately play out in dramatic cinematic slow-motion close-ups where you can see the detail and personality of the 3D models interacting with one another in bloody engagement.

Environmental damage to the surroundings and destructible building walls will also play strong factor in the strategic battles. Characters will also not faint and be revived. Death is permanent in order to add to the tension to the gameplay.

Closing out the presentation, the developers also gave a sneak peek of the home base which they likened to a childhood "G.I. Joe aircraft carrier" toy that only the rich kid on the block could afford. In that base, there will be all kinds of options for squad mates to hone their skills and of course research and develop captured alien technology.

Everything from the style of the art to the game design choices made it abundantly clear to me that not only are the developers fans of the original X-COM games, but they have a strong sense of what made them so great and that has me super psyched for this release.

In literally the final hours of PAX East, I also managed to discover Double Dragon Neon tucked away in one of the farthest corners of the exhibition hall.

At first glance, I'll admit I wasn't bowled over. There hasn't been a Double Dragon sequel that really grabbed me since Super Double Dragon on the SNES. Seeing the cheesy "neon" moniker left me a little puzzled.

It wasn't until one of the staff members explained the concept that Double Dragon Neon is essentially a tribute to all things eighties like Big Trouble in Little China did I really get it.

Just recently on the GameCritics.com podcast, we talked about how many eighties action movies would make terrific IPs for games and how it was near criminal that there isn't a Big Trouble in Little China video game.

Well boys, our prayers have been answered in the form of Double Dragon Neon where Marian bears a striking resemblance to Kim Katrall, Billy and Jimmy Lee sport ass kickin' mullets, embarrassing fashion choices abound and when a co-op player goes down, the other player can revive him by symbolically rewinding a cassette tape with a pencil (turning the thumb stick).

The fighting gameplay also felt worthy of the Double Dragon co-op legacy. In addition to the standard punch and kick combos, there were also grappling attacks that could be initiated upon stunning a foe.

The classic knees-to-the-head and elbow-drops-to-back were absent, but throws and double noggin knockers (if you grabbed two stunned enemies close together) livened up the action. The staff person assured me more grappling techniques would be unlocked as the player progresses through the game.

The hands-on demo ends in a crazy cliffhanger. Entering a Chinese restaurant-looking building reveals itself to be pagoda-shaped rocket ship that launches into space. Once in space, Billy and Jimmy face off against a heavily armored Raiden-looking boss wielding a massive sword with Marian being held captive in the background.

So while the business of video games drive the development of countless first-person shooters and MMOs, I'm happy to see that game culture has progressed to the point where revivals and reimagining's of classic titles actually feels more than just desperate attempts to cash-in on nostalgia.

When done right and in a proper historical context like these two titles, it feels like there's actual cultural value and relevance in revisiting these titles as is so often the case in other mediums.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is set to release in fall of 2012 for Xbox 360 and PS3 and Double Dragon Neon is due out on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network in July 2012.

The post Observations from PAX East 2012: What’s old is new again appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

Being a 3DS and Kinect owner as well as a fan of Japanese robots/mechs, two neighboring games on the main exhibition hall of PAX East immediately caught my attention: Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor for the Xbox 360 and Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir for the 3DS. Both games are updates to game franchises that were once considered innovative back when they were first released.

The original Steel Battalion was a severely flawed mech simulator most noted for its outrageously priced over-sized controller that featured two control sticks, foot pedals and dozens of buttons and knobs.

Spirit Camera is a spin-off to the Fatal Frame survival horror series that incorporated a unique gameplay convention of being able to only see and combat ghosts through the lens of mystical in-game camera.

In attempting to modernize the gameplay for both game series, the developers choose to incorporate some of the latest and most popular hardware gimmicks that video games today have to offer.

In the case of Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor, rather than ask gamers to open their wallets for another ridiculous controller, the game controls are comprised of a standard 360 gamepad for movement/firing supplemented with Kinect motion gesturing used to simulate the complexities of commanding a VT (Vertical Tank), which is essentially a tank with legs.

In principle, this is a smart idea. The original Steel Battalion game took a cinéma-vérité approach to its gameplay and the Heavy Armor update follows that reality-based style.

During the 25 minute demo that I played (half training, half actual combat mission), I was motioning my arms to physically shake the hands of one of my co-pilots upon meeting him, standing up to peek outside of canopy of the VT, raising imaginary binoculars to my eyes to get a closer view of my targets and giving another squad-mate a fist bump upon completing training.

In piloting the actual VT, there were panels that need to be opened and closed, buttons that need to be pressed and levers that need to be push or pulled in order to perform functions like activating different weapons payloads, ventilate smoke in the claustrophobic cabin or bring up guard panels to protect the limited targeting window.

My sense of in-game immersion and depth perception was helped by the visual representation of my arms on screen as I moved my hands to complete various actions.

Throughout the casually paced training portion of the demo, the hybrid control scheme felt fairly intuitive and performed accurately. However, once the actual mission began and I mistakenly removed the visual hint aids, things became more of a struggle.

To peer into the tiny crosshair window to view the exterior and target enemies, required that I push both my hands forward in a downward motion.

Every time my VT was hit with heavy artillery, my view would get knocked back and require that I repeat the same two-handed downward motion to regain the crosshair view. This got old quick as I was hammered several times during the hectic combat mission.

It didn't help that the longer the demo went, the harder it seemed for the Kinect to keep sync with my body and pretty soon, it felt rather unresponsive and frustrating at times to perform the simplest of actions. I couldn't help, but wonder how easy it would have been to change views with a mere button press or thumbstick motion.

That's not to say there isn't value to the supplemental motion controls. As I said earlier, it does add a level of immersion with basic character interactions, but it can also harm the experience if it doesn't perform consistently and its over utilized for functions that could be handled more reliably through the gamepad.

So keeping in mind that I only played the demo once, I walked away with a mixed reaction to the overall experience to Heavy Armor.

While I appreciate the level of detail to the gameplay and commitment to the simulator experience, I was also worried that Heavy Armor would suffer a similar downfall of its predecessor: soul crushing difficulty.

There's unquestionable potential for new avenues of gameplay and player interaction by incorporating the Kinect sensor with a mech sim. Hopefully the final release will prove to be more consistent with its controls and perhaps there were more alternative control options I wasn't aware of that would make the game more accessible and entertaining.

The gameplay in Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir, thankfully proved to be less problematic with the use of its gimmicks: the 3DS camera and gyro sensor.

Since the gameplay from the original Fatal Frame revolved around using an in-game camera for hunting ghosts, the concept of using the 3DS camera within an augmented reality framework is actually a fourth-wall breaking stroke of genius.

In the rather long demo I played at PAX East, Spirit Camera shifted between exploring an in-game world, conversing with a attractive female spirit and combating another ghastly figure in the augmented reality of the Boston Convention Center.

The first-person perspective of the game was handled by pointing the 3DS camera in the direction of where the player wants to view.

The demo also emphasized a unique gameplay method of scanning pages from a booklet that produced some haunting on-screen imagery and progressed the game forward.

In the short time that I spent with Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor and Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir I was pleasantly surprised to find two games that have strong roots in traditional gameplay that were also able to incorporate some of the newer gimmicks of modern gaming in intelligent and forward thinking ways appropriate to the subject matter of the game.

Whether these games can surpass the gimmick level of gameplay of games that utilized similar technologies before it, will be determined once these games are released. Spirit Camera is due out on April 13 and Heavy Armor is scheduled for release in early June.

The post Observations from PAX East 2012: Are video game gimmicks finally maturing? appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

At the end of episode 67, the announcement was made that after more than three years and what will be 70 amazing episodes, the GameCritics Podcast is losing our inspirational host and guiding light, Timothy J. Spaeth

While he will live on in our hearts (and live on in general) he will be missed.

However, the show isn't over. As is often said, the end of one thing marks the beginning of the next, and that holds true here as well.

GameCritics.com is now in search of a new host to take up the reins and lead our established cast of Mike, Chi, Richard and Brad in a new direction.

Have you been a podcast host in the past and need a new show to call home?

If not… are you someone who's always dreamed of hosting a podcast?

If not… do you at least speak English and want to talk on the Internet?

If the answer to any of those questions is ‘YES', you're a fan of the show/familiar with our format, and you're willing to commit to making podcast magic twice a month, then we want to talk to you – And by the way, a Scottish accent is a plus!

If you think you've got what it takes to become the next host of the GameCritics podcast (or would like to guest host several episodes in the interim), send an audio clip or a link to your past work. If you're a first-timer and don't have any past work, then send us a clip and show us what you've got. All sample submission (no more than 10 megs) and/or links should be emailed to Podcast AT GameCritics Dot Com. Candidates will be contacted by GameCritics staff.

Opportunities like this don't come along every day, and this chance won't be available forever. Drop us a line, tell us who you are, and who knows… *you* could be the new emcee of the world-renowned, fan favorite GameCritics podcast!

Thanks to Brad Gallaway for drafting this announcement.

The post GameCritics.com Podcast Seeking New Host appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Fusing a kick-ass demon after 30 minutes of planning and multiple steps.

LOW The voice actress for Midori has as much appeal as listening to chalkboard scratching.

WTF So God imposed different languages on humanity as punishment for not living virtuously? Mind blown.

In a recent blog post about the merits of Eurogamer's Uncharted 3 review, game developer David Jaffe (God of War, Twisted Metal) made an interesting distinction between narrative-driven games like Uncharted and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and ones that serve the "Gods of Gameplay." It's a somewhat deceptive distinction to make since all games contain some form gameplay, but what Jaffe was alluding to is that narrative-driven games are focused primarily on telling a story and may employ filmmaking conventions at the expense of user-interactivity and decision-making. Gameplay-driven games, on the other hand, are less concerned with telling a story and more focused on engaging the player with choice, customization, challenge and reward.

Jaffe makes it clear he prefers to make gameplay-driven games, and I've also directed criticism at games that don't prioritize gameplay because it is fundamentally unique and intrinsic to our appreciation and understanding of video games as a medium. However, not all games will fall neatly into one category, and a game can contain elements of both.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked in particular is one such case study when viewed through the prism of the narrative vs. gameplay debate. Overclocked is a throwback strategy JRPG (Japanese role-playing game) originally released in 2009 for the handheld Nintendo DS, and now ported to the 3DS with minor aesthetic tweaks and gameplay enhancements.

The true hallmark of the JRPG genre is an epic and engaging narrative, but the genre is also notorious for pumping out multitudes of indistinguishably generic clones that rely heavily on anime stereotypes and storytelling clichés. Devil Survivor avoids many of the usual JRPG pitfalls and defies expectations by creatively blending together an effective character-driven storyline with a dizzying array of traditional and non-traditional gameplay conventions. It's almost magical in the way each side elevates the other, rather than bringing the two into conflict.

The story of Devil Survivor centers around a group of young friends trapped in Tokyo as part of a government conspiracy to lock down the area when demons begin to infest the city. The main objective of the game is to uncover the mystery of the lockdown and escape, or to survive the cataclysmic ordeal within seven days.

As a means to overcome enemies and challenges encountered throughout the game, players are given a device resembling a 3DS that grants the user the ability to summon and control demons in turn-based battles. "Tamers," as they are called, are also able purchase other demons through an in-game auction house and fuse demons together to create even more powerful demons.

While this may sound like the usual video game contrivances, the devil is in the details (pun intended) and the execution by the developers at Atlus is nothing short of brilliant. Devil Survivor is set in the renowned Shin Megami Tensei universe. Anyone familiar with this long-running video game series knows that it's a fantastic world that fuses elements of the macabre, occult, religion and mysticism with a culturally authentic modern day Japan using real-world locations and landmarks as part of its setting.

The writers and designers of Devil Survivor are also equally adept at taking that world and cleverly infusing its design elements within the flow of the story. A great example of this is the introduction of the "Death Clock" convention.

The "Death Clock" is a number displayed above each character in the game that shows the amount of days that person has to live. In a lesser game, the "Death Clock" would serve as just another data/menu point for a player to negotiate outside of the context of the story. In Devil Survivor, the cast of colorful characters are aware of their own Death Clocks and of those around them. This knowledge provides an opportunity for some for some rarely-seen drama and tension in how characters interact with one another. Knowing a person (or themselves) could be dead in a matter of hours allows the characters to open up and forces them to make life-altering decisions throughout the game.

Those decisions aren't something the player observes passively either. Over the course of seven days, players are progressively challenged to make more choices during battles and conversation trees that play a critical role in how events might unfold and who might live or die during the ordeal. While some of the decisions may seem arcane and simplistic at certain junctures, I still appreciated the degree of gradations that are available in the game's six different endings, which far surpasses what we see in many of today's games.

While there's no doubt that Devil Survivor breaks the mold of the JRPG, there are a couple of problems that it wasn't able to overcome. One is the heavy amount of grinding normally associated with JRPGs. While I enjoyed the hybrid turn-based battles and was completely absorbed by the demon fusion process, one thing I couldn't get around was the sheer amount of grinding necessary to buy and fuse higher level demons necessary for extraordinarily difficult later stages.

One other point of criticism of Overclocked is that while having multiple endings makes the game highly replayable, it's ultimately pointless if the time required to experience them all is borderline ridiculous for the average adult gamer with limited time. Granted, it's a tremendous help that the game allows players to bring previous demons and enhancements into a new game based on certain achievements earned, but some sort of device that would allow a player the convenience to flash-forward and revisit certain key points of the game or even just more save slots would have made subsequent playthroughs less arduous and frustrating.

Those two minor criticisms aside, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked is a brilliant game made all the more notable as many of today's games shift towards Hollywood-like narratives. In the current climate, it's ironic that a little game originally made for an underpowered handheld is full of the kind of story and gameplay that reminds us of the potential that video games hold as an interactive medium of expression. Overclocked is certainly blessed by the "Gods of Gameplay." Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Disclosures: This game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the 3DS. Approximately 140 hours of play was devoted to single-player modes (completed 3 times). There are no multiplayer modes.

Gamers who played Devil Survivor on the DS: While the core gameplay in Overclocked is largely unchanged, Atlus has added additional content. New demons and battle skills can be unlocked. The additional voice-acting for the large cast of characters is surprisingly good with the exception of the performance of Midori. Each of the major story paths have been given an extended 8th day that expand the story details further.

3DS owners: Your eyes can rejoice because Overclocked holds the distinction of perhaps being the only 3DS title that barely has any glasses-free 3D content (with the exception of the opening introduction graphics and the cut-scene for demon fusions).

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game contains fantasy violence, language, mild blood, partial nudity. While there isn't any profanity and/or grotesque imagery to be concerned about, Overclocked isn't a game made for young ones. The story contains very mature themes laced with the occult, religion and theology. Some of the demons are highly sexualized; leaving very little to the imagination in terms of garments.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing: Being a traditional JRPG, all the dialogue and menus in the game are text-based and there aren't any significant audio cues that should pose any problems.

The post Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

As a video game collector who's constantly on the lookout for the best deals, sometimes I'll come across some cool video game related novelties and paraphernalia. On a recent trip to Kohl's, I found a board game based on Tetris, Tetris Link that I couldn't pass up.

Several years ago, I saw a similar Tetris board game, Tetris Tower, at Barnes & Nobles. I always regretted not picking it up at the time as I could never find it again. Even if I never played the actual game itself, I always thought it would be neat to display a sculpture of Tetris on my office desk.

So not only was I ecstatic to finally be able to pickup a physical Tetris game, but I was also blown away by the price. Tetris Link is priced roughly $30 on Amazon, but Kohl's had it on sale for $19.99. Coupled with a $10 giftcard (sign up for Kohl's rewards program to regularly receive giftcards for free) and additional 20% off at register, I paid only $6 and change after sales tax.

The rules of Tetris Link are quite interesting as well. Rather than clear lines, the objective is to connect 3 or more Tetriminos pieces on the tower. For every Tetriminos connected, a player is awarded 1 point. For every, empty space a player creates when dropping a Tetriminos, 1 point is deducted. Once there isn't any space left on the tower, the player with the highest point total is the winner. I have yet to play an actual game, but the rules seem like an elegant and a clever adaptation of Tetris. Overall, I'm impressed with the quality of the product.

For anyone interested in playing a traditional Tetris video game, Tetris Axis, which has a snazzy augmented-reality mode, is the latest and greatest version out today. If you have yet to take the plunge on the 3DS, Target has got you covered with this terrific deal: as part of their Pre-Black Friday 4-day Sale , they dropped an additional $24.99 off the recently lowered retail price to only $145.00.

With Black Friday only a few days away, keep an eye out for a Black Friday edition of Video Game Collector Deals later in the week.

The post Video Game Collector Deals: Tetris Link appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

For the debut of this blog column, I wanted to feature two games that I have been tracking for quite some time that I rarely see go on sale: Monster Tale for $13.99 and Radiant Historia for $19.99. I have yet to play either game, but I have been hearing good things on both titles for quite some time and thankfully GameCritics staff have reviewed both.

In the case of Monster Tale, our own Richard Naik had this to say about the unique gameplay in his review:

The gameplay relationship between Ellie and Chomp distinguishes it from just another Metroid mockup, creating a remarkable fusion of platforming and monster training sim mechanics. Chomp faithfully follows Ellie, sometimes clearing enemies for her or taking down obstacles. Ellie can let Chomp attack on his own or issue direct commands to use his powers. As Chomp levels up by either fighting or eating food, he learns new powers and eventually entirely new forms of his own. Chomp's powers range from quick projectile attacks, to powerful melee hits, to pure defensive abilities, so outfitting him with an eye towards strategy is critical.

As for Radiant Historia, our resident JRPG expert and horror afficienado, Mike Bracken drew a strong comparison between Radiant Historia and what many consider to be the greatest JRPG of all-time, Chrono Trigger in his review:

Fans of Chrono Trigger, rejoice! At long last there's another deep and engaging Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) that makes use of time travel. Radiant Historia, brought to us by the fine folks at Atlus, may be the most perfect spiritual successor to Square's classic game-yes, even moreso than Chrono Cross. Only a few niggling flaws keep it from being classic-but the end result is still one very good role playing experience.

Both games are part of a "4 Star Games Under $20" sale on Amazon, but since the sale is only for one day, be sure to act quickly.

Update: Sadly as for 3:30 pm EST, Radiant Historia, has already sold out under the discounted price. None the less, it's still a title worth highlighting and I'll be sure to feature it again if it goes on sale.

The post Best Deals for Video Game Collectors: Monster Tale and Radiant Historia appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

Early Columbus Day morning, I awoke and found my son in the living room playing his favorite free-to-play mobile game on my smartphone, Tap Fish. This wasn't anything out of the ordinary except that he immediately started to brag about how many coins and Fishbucks he had accumulated. Upon hearing this, I became extremely nervous and a quick check of my credit card confirmed my worst fear: my son had spent over $400 on in-game transactions.

Coins and Fishbucks make up the in-game currency used to purchase fish and other virtual goods to maintain one's digital aquarium in Tap Fish. Normally, the game awards coins for completing little menial tasks, but the purchase of anything substantial requires enormous sums of coins and/or Fishbucks. Outside of someone with the time and patience of Gandhi, it is near impossible to accumulate the amount of virtual currency required to purchase expensive in-game goods and there in lies the business model of many of these free-to-play games. One can use real-world currency via a credit card to purchase virtual currency to buy digital in-game goods. Welcome to new world of mobile gaming folks.

Sadly, all of this was too much for my 6-year old son to comprehend as he wasn't aware of the consequences of his actions. I didn't feel it was necessary to discipline him beyond a stern warning. In fact, after I investigated the matter further, I thought that in some ways the game manipulated my son into making such purchase. This is the part that surprised me and something that I wanted to document as a warning to other parents.

Prior to this incident, I had monitored my son playing Tap Fish many times to ensure I would approve of the content. I was always weary of the possibility of him making a purchase that would cost real-world dollars, but the purchasing menu wasn't prominently placed in the interface and I instructed him never to buy anything on that particular menu.

So what went wrong? As anyone who enjoys downloading many apps on their smartphone, you'll notice they will frequently require updates. I always assumed that updates were only to fix bugs, glitches and that sort of thing. I never realized that games would change and update gameplay elements to a significant degree and that's what happened with Tap Fish. Somewhere along the way, one of countless updates to Tap Fish added a "Daily Jackpot" feature that pops up at the start of each session to award players with bonus coins. The "Daily Jackpot" feature didn't cost anything extra to play, but what it succeeded in doing was conditioning my son to click on buttons and menus outside of the standard gameplay menus.

The tipping point was the additional advertising that displayed alongside the "Daily Jackpot." On the morning of the purchasing incident, the game starrted to run a banner ad featuring 20% off sale on coins/Fishbucks. My son may not know the actual value of a dollar, but one thing he does know is that Mommie and Daddy like to buy stuff on "sale" at the store. So between the "Daily Jackpot" winnings and the flashing "sale" promotion being featured on the advertising spot, I'm sure it all seemed innocuous and irresistible to my son–which lead to the costly purchases.

At this point, I went about getting a refund and not surprisingly, it wasn't as straightforward as I would have hoped. While purchases made through the Android Market can be refunded within 15 minutes of purchases, the same policy does not apply to in-app purchases made by my son. Though apps like Tap Fish process credit card transactions through Google Checkout, Google maintains that in-app purchases can only be refunded at the discretion of the developers. In the back of my mind, though my son never spent any of the purchased coins/Fishbucks I was dreading that since this wasn't a case of fraud, I would actually be held accountable for the purchases. Not being able to plead my case over the phone with a representative from either Google or the developers, Gameview Studios (both of whom can only be reached via email), didn't give me much confidence that I might find a sympathetic person to help me.

Initially, things did not look good as I ping ponged emails back and forth between the developers of Tap Fish, Gameview Studios and Google. Gameview tried to pass the buck back to Google for the refunds while Google maintained that refunds of in-app purchases were at the discretion of the developers. This went on for a stressful 3 days as I patiently waited for responses back from both parties until I finally got the email I had been hoping for: Gameview agreed to refund all transactions.

So in the end, I'm grateful that I dodged a $400 dollar bullet that would have really hurt right before the holidays, but I also wanted to impart the following advice to parents who allow their kids to play with their smartphones:

1. Turn on the pin code feature for transactions. While this wasn't an option for me at the time (I was using an older version of Android Market which doesn't have the feature), if you have and/or update to the latest versions on either Android or iPhone, turn on the security option that requires the user to enter a pin code upon purchase. Parents can also take this one step further by screen locking your phone with a password to ensure your children don't use your phone without you knowing.

2. Beware of updates that may change game features. If you update a game that your child likes to play, make sure you review the game after the update to ensure there aren't any new features that might prove problematic. Some apps may update automatically so make sure you turn off the auto-updates and/or stay vigilant on monitoring what you child is playing on your smartphone even on games that you think you are familiar with.

3. Free ain't really free. While many of these games appear to be free on the surface, they are ultimately driving users towards purchasing in-game items. While I have nothing against companies like Gameview studios maximizing their revenue generating opportunities with more ads and eye-grabbing promotions for their adult audience, there is also a degree of callousness in the way these ads prey on unsuspecting children like my son with whom these games hold great appeal. If developers aren't going to be more conscientious of their potentially younger audiences, I'm not going to install any "free-to-play" apps on my phone for fear of something like this happening again.

The post Dangers of Mobile Gaming: How my son racked up $400 charges playing Tap Fish appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH My son telling me to jump back onto my horse after I chased down a moving truck with it, jumped into the back, and took out a bad guy.

LOW You’d think Drake has Wolverine-like healing powers after crashing through the floor for the umpteenth time.

WTF A middle-aged Sully convincing a teenage Drake to stay with him. There has to be some international law against that.

Apple has become one of the most successful and richest companies in the world by taking preexisting gadgets like MP3 players, smartphones and tablet PCs and applying an unparalleled level of industrial design and marketing hype to make them appealing to the mass market. In that sense, if Apple ever decided to develop video games for the current generation of console platforms, I suspect it would look much like the Uncharted series–which has now reached the end of a trilogy with Drake's Deception.

In its two previous iterations, the Uncharted games have taken the third-person action genre to another level by crafting Hollywood-like experiences with remarkably high production values and believable character performances aided by innovative motion-capture technology. Much like Apple, the developers of Uncharted have a keen vision on making that experience accessible to hardcore and casual gamers alike.

For the most part, Drake's Deception predictably follows the Uncharted model to a "T" with its returning cast of underwritten but well-acted (and likable) characters and set-pieces tailor-made for trailers that will blow viewer's minds.

However, my biggest problem with the Uncharted series has always been that the accessibility comes at the expense of any significant progress in terms of game design and interactivity. By being a jack-of-all-trades that derives much from its contemporaries in terms of gameplay design, Drake's Deception is ultimately a master of none. Though polished and streamlined, the end result feels as though the game is trying its darnedest to get out of a gamer's way rather than actually engaging or challenging them. For example, if a player struggles with a puzzle for a few minutes, the game offers up the solution. Climbing pathways are marked with impossible-to-miss colored bricks and/or ledges. The game auto-saves progress and step-by-step checkpoints ensure players will never repeat more than a minute of play upon death.

It's somewhat ironic that the frequent handholding intended to keep up the brisk pace of gameplay only serves to amplify any bumps typical of most other video games. Players don't expect to fail, so when death comes or there's confusion as to which direction to head in a stage, annoyance and frustration sets in faster than one would expect in single-player campaign that takes only around 10 plus hours to complete.

In my opinion, this is what happens when a game doesn't ask much of its players, and actually expects even less. While one can appreciate the level of craftsmanship that drives players towards this universal experience, the pandering degree of guidance replaces any sort of depth for a player to sink their teeth into. Beyond the multiplayer modes, there's very little reason to replay or even remember much of the main campaign.

The one saving grace of gameplay is that after the second half of the game gets underway (with the plot's plausibility firmly in the back seat) players are shoehorned into a series of remarkable stages that feel less like directed experiences and more like playgrounds to be engaged in. It is in these moments that the petty annoyances and frustrations subside in lieu of an exciting blend of platforming, shooting and even horseback riding action that didn't exist in the prior two games. In these stages, I found myself enjoying the game as a game and not as a second-rate Hollywood movie with things exploding and collapsing as I run towards the screen.

Following the hyper-approachable formula used by Apple in the electronics industry, Naughty Dog has crafted another Uncharted game that a majority of players will feel is a welcoming and praiseworthy achievement. However, in comparison to many of its contemporaries, the gameplay ultimately feels stale and doesn't emphasize the more unique and rewarding qualities that separate video games from other media. Uncharted 3 represents the pinnacle of Hollywood mimicry, but I can't help but wonder if we're starting to see diminishing returns in that endeavor. Perhaps games as a whole would be better served to define their sense of value on their own terms. Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Disclosures: This game was obtained via rental and reviewed on the PS3. Approximately 12 hours of play was devoted to single-player modes (completed 1 time) and 0 hours of play in multiplayer modes due to the requirement of purchasing an online pass.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game contains blood, language, violence. Despite the game's PG Indiana Jones aspirations, there is a marathon of consistent "shit" talk from nearly all the characters that made me uncomfortable to play around my son. It is unfortunately a huge detraction for what would have been decent family-friendly fair.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing: There are subtitles for all dialogue throughout the game, but they need to be to be turned on in the options menu to display. There are no audio exclusive cues or hints that would make this game unplayable for the deaf and hard of hearing.

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A couple of years ago, through a combination of Rock Band, Guitar Hero and Lips, I was able to use my Xbox 360 as an somewhat limited karaoke system and relive the karaoke bar hoping days on my youth while entertaining friends and family at the same time! It was never an ideal solution trying to organize all of the music tracks across the various titles and having to swaps discs was a pain in the ass, but old karaoke standards like "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx on Lips made it worth the hassles.

But when the plastic instrument business tanked in 2010 and fresh DLC for Lips dried up earlier this year, I knew it was time to move on and find another way to get my karaoke fix. For awhile I subscribed to the premium Karaoke Channel from my cable provider FIOS. It wasn't a bad service, but the monthly subscription fee proved too expensive given the lack of new songs and infrequent updates.

Then I recently discovered how to turn my PS3 and Xbox 360 in a working karaoke player and I thought it would be helpful to share how I did it with our readers. The solution described below isn't free, but it is still more affordable and expandable than the many confusing and costly Magic Mic-style systems out there.

1. Download and install TVersity (free version) on your PC
TVersity is an incredibly useful media server software that allows you to stream all kinds of media (video, music, photos) from your PC to your game console and serves as the foundation to playing standard Karaoke MP3+G files on your game console.

2. Purchase and install Power CD+G Filter on your PC
TVersity will not read MP3+G files natively, so you'll need to install the Power CD+G filter in order for TVersity to recognize and decode the file format. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find any freeware options that worked, so purchasing the filter will set you back $19.

3. Setting up microphones and speakers
While the Karaoke music and lyrics will play through your game console, there isn't a way to utilize and mix-in audio from microphones made for the Xbox 360 and PS3. You'll need to incorporate either a separate audio receiver in your home theater setup that has a microphone mixing feature or go with a cheaper stand-alone Karaoke Machine like this one that I picked on sale at Toys R Us. Most Karaoke Machines will come with a microphone, but if you plan on doing classic Karaoke duets, you'll need to pick up an extra microphone at a local Toys R Us or Target.

4. Downloading MP3+G Music Files
MP3+G is the standard Karaoke file format and consists of two files: the .mp3 file. paired with a .cdg file that contains the lyrics. You can purchase and download MP3+G songs at The Karaoke Channel and TriceraSoft. (The Karaoke Channel sells MP4 versions of Karaoke songs which should play on the PS3 and 360 natively–making Power CD+G filter in step 3 unnecessary if you choose to go this route.) Move all the MP3+G files to the folder you've setup to stream media in TVersity.

5. Finding Karaoke songs on your game console
After you've turned on the "Start Sharing Service" on TVersity, go to your game console and open the TVersity Media Server located in the "Video" menu option. You'll find the MP3+G files located in whatever folder you've configured in Step 1. The MP3+G files should play like any video file. Let the good times roll!

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