All User Reviews *UPDATED 18/6/09*

[gruddy]

Latest Review: Sacred 2 by UberNerD20

A-F
[spoiler=Show]3 on 3 NHL Arcade

Lethal_NFS

Alone in the Dark

Lethal_NFS

Assassins Creed

Apollo
welshfrankie

Afro Samurai
disposableheroV

Bioshock

Lethal_NFS
Chimeran Killer

Bionic Commando

-Deadpool-

Burnout Paradise

gruddy
GTR1986

Burnout Paradise: Big Surf Island

TAZ427

Burn Zombie Burn

Lethal_NFS

Call of Duty: World at War

nskinnear
Roman007

Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

Lethal_NFS

Condemned 2: Bloodshot

Lethal_NFS

Damnation

Lethal_NFS

Dark Sector

Chimeran Killer

Dead Space

the_End
-Deadpool-

Devil May Cry 4

the_End

Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard
Lethal_NFS

Fallout 3

M-O-P-E-Y
Prosthetic
Lethal_NFS

Far Cry 2

gruddy
nskinnear
Chimeran Killer

FEAR 2

Lethal_NFS
-Deadpool-
VintageElise

Ferrari Challenge

-Deadpool-

Fifa 09

welshfrankie
Prosthetic

Fight Night Round 4
Lethalmind

Flower

gruddy
Lethalmind[/spoiler]

G-L
[spoiler=Show]Ghostbusters: The Videogame

Lethal_NFS

Go! Sudoku

You grazhny bratchny

Grid

Lethal_NFS

GT5: Prologue

RobinNL
GTR1986

GTA: IV

Jaeger
gruddy
-Deadpool-

Guitar Hero: World Tour

welshfrankie

Haze

Hybrid007

Heavenly Sword

bmfgeorgin2

inFamous

Lethal_NFS
VintageElise
-Deadpool-

Killzone 2

gruddy

Leisure Suit Larry: Box office Bust

Lethal_NFS

Lord of the Rings: Conquest

Lethal_NFS

Little Big Planet

nskinneaer
La_Resistance[/spoiler]

M-R
[spoiler=Show]Metal Gear Solid 4

gruddy
Hybrid007

Midnight Club: Los Angeles

-Deadpool-

Mirrors Edge

The Praiseworthy
dc89

MK vs DC Universe

Lethal_NFS
DreDayDetox

MLB: The Show

Lethal_NFS

Motorstorm: Pacific Rift

rockousaf
kyaw25
-Deadpool-
dualBang

Orange Box

Rhysivich
coldbloodied

Pain

Hybrid007

Pixel Junk Monsters

Hybrid007

Prince of Persia

-Deadpool-
pillaysteven
SikTh

Pure

-Deadpool-

Quantum of Solace

-Deadpool-

Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty

Hybrid007

Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction

Hybrid007

Red Faction: Guerilla

-Deadpool-

Resident Evil 5

VintageElise
SonyJunkie

Resistance 2

nskinnear
Lethalmind
SonyJunkie
Zoibi
Hybrid007

Rock Band

the_End[/spoiler]

S-Z
[spoiler=Show]Sacred 2

UberNerD20

Saints Row 2

-Deadpool-

Shaun White Snowboarding

Lethal_NFS

Siren 2: Blood Curse

Don G.

Skate 2

-Deadpool-

Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection

Lethal_NFS

Star Wars: Force Unleashed

-Deadpool-

Street Fighter IV

Lethal_NFS
-Deadpool-
VintageElise
Lethalmind

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

Lethalmind

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Chimeran Killer

The Last Guy

Prosthetic

Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X

-Deadpool-

Tomb Raider: Underworld

Lethal_NFS

Top Spin 3

welshfrankie

Toy Home

GTR1986

UFC: Undisputed 2009

Lethal_NFS

Uncharted: Drakes Fortune

zeloe326
nskinnear
Hybrid007

Valkyria Chronicles

Sieghardt
coldbloodied

WANTED: Weapons of Fate

gruddy

X-Blades

Lethal_NFS

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Lethal_NFS
-Deadpool-
VintageElise

Warhawk

GTR1986

WWE: Legends of Wrestlemania

Lethal_NFS[/spoiler]


Top Reviewers
[spoiler=Show]-Deadpool-
[spoiler=Show]Prince of Persia
F.E.A.R 2
Motorstorm: Pacific Rift
Quantum of Solace
Skate 2
Ferrari Challenge
Midnight Club: LA
Saints Row 2
Pure
Star Wars: Force Unleashed
Dead Space
Street Fighter IV
H.A.W.X
GTA: IV
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Bionic Commando
inFamous
Red Faction: Guerilla[/spoiler]
Lethal_NFS
[spoiler=Show]Alone in The Dark
Fallout 3
F.E.A.R 2
Lord of The Rings: Conquest
MK vs DC Universe
Tomb Raider: Underworld
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection
Shaun White Snowboarding
Bioshock
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
3 on 3 NHL Arcade
Grid
Street Fighter IV
MLB: The Show
X-Blades
Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard
WWE: Legends of Wrestlemania
Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
Burn Zombie Burn
Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
UFC: Undisputed 2009
inFamous
Damnation
Ghostbusters; The Videogame[/spoiler]
gruddy
[spoiler=Show]Metal Gear Solid 4
GTA: IV
Flower
Far Cry 2
Burnout Paradise
WANTED: Weapons of Fate[/spoiler]
Hybrid007
[spoiler=Show]Uncharted: Drakes Fortune
Haze
Resistance 2
Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty
Pixeljunk Monsters
Pain
Metal Gear Solid 4
Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction
Killzone 2[/spoiler]
nskinnear
[spoiler=Show]Uncharted: Drakes Fortune
Resistance 2
Little Big Planet
Far Cry 2
Call of Duty: World at War[/spoiler][/spoiler]


Extra Information
[spoiler=Show]Introduction

I'm sure a lot of you will agree with me when I say that most of the main reviewing websites are biased in one form or another. I want to try and help that problem by providing a database of non-biased and well written reviews.

There are many members out there who have great skill in writing and I feel that it would be a great opportunity if we can create a 'database' that will contain a large selection of game reviews with no bias so that people can get a good view of the game.

Taking Part

How this will work is you must post a review for any game (in a spoiler tag). If I feel that it's good enough, I will link to it in the OP (this post). With time, I am sure that we can build up a comprehensive set of reviews for many games.

Anyone is welcome to take part. Like I mentioned above, just write a review for any game and post it here. The rest will be up to me. If you like, you can post a new review in a different thread and I will still link it.

Possible Review Layout



This layout should help encourage readers to read through it as it will be nicely split up. It helps make things neater. However, you don't need to follow it.

The Rules

1. You MUST use proper punctuation.
2. You MUST give reasons for your opinions.
3. You CANNOT be biased.
4. You MUST use paragraphs.
5. You MUST proof read your review as no one will correct any mistakes.
6. You MUST go in depth and MUST NOT rush the review[/spoiler]

If you have any problem with your review being linked, please tell me!

[gruddy]

GAMES NEEDING REVIEWS

Sacred 2

[Kyaw]

Wow, gruddy you make the best threads.
I will try and do an unbiased review but i dont have that high ability of english as some of you.

[gruddy]

Wow, gruddy you make the best threads.
I will try and do an unbiased review but i dont have that high ability of english as some of you.

Thanks mate

I try to do things that will benefit the community. If this idea works, I'll try get a mod or someone from the staff to sticky it for me.

Feel free to write a review. I'm sure it won't be too bad.

[Mopey.]

You know what? This thread is such a good idea I'm going to write a Fallout 3 review right now.

[Feli]

Great idea. I'll be taking part when I have time.

[gruddy]

Thanks for the interest guys.

I'm glad people feel that this is a good idea. Together we can make this a very useful thread.

[DarkVincent07]

Ill do one eventually, maybe over the weekend.

1 question, do we have to follow that layout of review, or can we do our own kind of style

[Kopkiwi]

I like this idea. Do you think there could be any way to combine this thread with the game rating thread that armagedon does once a week? Having both a review to read and overall unbiased rating to look at would be great. It would also cut down on having 30 threads dedicated to the same question "Should I get this game"

[gruddy]

Ill do one eventually, maybe over the weekend.

1 question, do we have to follow that layout of review, or can we do our own kind of style

You don't have to fully follow it as it's just a guide but you should set your review out similar to the template.

I like this idea. Do you think there could be any way to combine this thread with the game rating thread that armagedon does once a week? Having both a review to read and overall unbiased rating to look at would be great. It would also cut down on having 30 threads dedicated to the same question "Should I get this game"

I don't think the threads can be merged because you can't keep changing the poll. However, I can link to the thread if people want me to.

[DarkVincent07]

You don't have to fully follow it as it's just a guide but you should set your review out similar to the template.



I don't think the threads can be merged because you can't keep changing the poll. However, I can link to the thread if people want me to.

Yeah sure thing, ill add some pretty pictures too ^^

And although not necessary, i think a link to Armageddon's Game rating library thread would be awesome

[Mopey.]

Phew. I cant believe I actually wrote one. Well here's my review of FALLOUT 3, this is my first, but if its OK I hope to write many more.

FALLOUT 3


Introduction


Well, as many of you don't know, I'm not a professional journalist, and this is my first review, but I'll do my best.

Fallout 3 is a post-apocalyptic, open world RPG set in the year 2277 in Washington DC. The game kicks off 200 years after an atomic war with China, as you are born into the safe little underground shelter known as Vault 101. Upon your 19th birthday, you are thrust into the dangerous world of the Capitol Wasteland in search of your father and the answers he may provide...


Story


The story of Fallout 3 is really something you must experience first hand to truly appreciate. I'll try not too spoil anything to much, although I'm sure many of you already have played through the game.

After you are thrown headfirst into the Wasteland, its completely up to you how you go about finding your father, or if you choose, you could completely ignore the main quests and go exploring the various settlements and locations scattered across the wasteland. You may even come across an optional quest that has no effect on the main story whatsoever. That's not to say the main quests aren't up to snuff, on the contrary, if you stick strictly to the main story you wont be disappointed at all. It holds many twists and turns and includes a host of difficult moral decisions. I felt it was these choices that really make Fallout 3 something special, you can choose to take the high path of a savior or the low path of a mercenary. All these choices affect your Karma, which in turn effects how poeple see your character. Both sides of the Karma spectrum hold their own pros and cons, but I wont spoil them. Voice acting is very good throughout and really brings many of the characters to life, I only wish more actors were cast because you will hear repeated voices throughout.

Overall the story is excellent, its a good length, very deep and engaging and is a clear step above Oblivion.


Gameplay


This is where Fallout 3 really sets itself apart from other games. As stated before, once you escape Vault 101, you can do whatever you like, be it kill innocent beggars, or go hunting for some Mole Rats. Its this feeling of freedom that gives you the very real sensation that this is a huge and expansive world that is filled with interesting and original people that you WANT to interact with. Once you leave the safety of the Vault though, your on your own. Its survival of the fittest out here in the Wasteland, and every bullet wasted, or weapon broken really hits home the feeling of constant threat looming around every corner. Its this atmosphere that is so intelligently conveyed that makes this game so good. This is by far the most believable world since Oblivion.

While scouring destroyed houses and delapitated buildings searching for precious bobby pins or some ammo, you while undoubtedly come across some shady characters who would rather see your brain splattered across the wall. This brings us to combat, which is a real treat to say the least. But first, one thing that must be said, this 'aint no COD4. You wont be run-&-gunning your way through anything. This is an RPG, and not an FPS, and your combat effectiveness is largely based on your stats.

While in combat you can choose to engage your enemies in real time or with VATS (Vault-Tech Assisted Targeting System) which as you may know, stops time and lets you set up a series of attacks targeted at specific body parts. Once done, the proceedings are played out in cinematic slo-mo, often ending with body parts flying everywhere. I found that most of the time, VATS is the more effective choice when in combat mainly because the human error is taken out of the equation and it is purely stats driven, plus its a helluva lotta fun. If your stats are good, you will be more successful. Real time still has its moments, but the aiming isn't the most precise out there, although it can improve with some sensitivity tweaks.

That brings us to controls, which are just plain great. Its the usual R1 to shoot, L1 to zoom type deal. And if you don't like the default preset, you have the option to completely customize every button, which is a welcome addition to any game. Everything else is pretty much what you would expect. The only gripes I have are minor ones about some of the default button mapping, but its easily fixed in the options menu, and that the aiming can be just a tad stiff and not as fluent as it could have been. But these in no way detract from the experience.

Presentation


Frankly, at first I wasn't overly impressed. Vault 101 just isnt that much of a nice looking place, but that quickly changed once I stepped outside and the brightness from the sun blinded me, slowly revealing the miles and miles of beautifully rendered post-apocalyptic countryside. Its a very good looking game and a clear step above Oblivion. Draw distances are extremely impressive and water effects are a nice touch as well. All textures are nice to look at with only the odd ones bordering on ugly. But its the little touches that make this game great. The flock of birds circling over settlements, the mini dirt tornadoes rolling by, the light shining through makeshift metal shacks are all sings of intense detail.

Now the things you don't want to hear. The aliasing is extremely harsh and jaggies are everywhere, this is a clear sign that this was an inferior port of the 360 version. Further technical problems like completely random 30 second freezes, rather obtrusive, and yet again completely random texture pop-in, audio glitches, NPC disappearances, and many more glitches hamper what is an amazing experience. I really wish these issues were resolved before release, especially the freezing, which hits at any time, frequently in the middle of VATS. On more than one occasion I have been exploring the wasteland for hours (autosaves occur when you enter buildings) when all of a sudden I will just freeze, losing an hour or two. Save often is the best advice.

Good news is that load times aren't bad at all for what the game does. Menus are slick, and even the load screens have some nice adverts of the time period and present your stats and other neat things, so you never feel bored while it loads.

As far as audio goes, its the usual deal. All the weapons sound great, voice acting is top notch. The inclusion of radio stations is a welcome addition on those long treks through the wasteland. And I must say, the ambient sounds are amazing. I have to admit I was pretty terrified sneaking through a super mutant infested vault with only creepy red lights lighting my way. Really good stuff.


Conclusion


If you are a fan of previous Bethesda games, go buy it right now. You will not be disappointed. It may be plagued by some nagging technical problems, but the atmosphere and utter depth this game provides are clear incentives to keep playing. I have played this game for over 200 hours, completed it 3 times, and there is still more I haven't even touched, more than I could ever include in this short review. One thing that constantly surprised my about Fallout 3 is that no matter how far you dig, the game will keep delivering.




Score:


Story: 8/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Graphics: 8.5/10
Sound: 9/10
Value:9/10


Overall: 9/10

Any comments on how I can improve?

[gruddy]

Great review M-O-P-E-Y.

I found a few small grammatical errors but they aren't too important. I've added your review to the OP. Feel free to edit anything because I think the link should change with each edit.

[Mopey.]

Ya for some reason my spellcheck wouldn't work. I'll go through it again if I have some time... who am I kidding, I'll do it right now.

Thnx btw.

[DarkVincent07]

Awesome job MOPEY, really nice stuff ^^

Great start ^^ Ill have one up in a couple of days.. id start now, but its bedtime ^^ Night all

[Mopey.]

There, fixed all the errors. Glad you guys liked it.

[gruddy]

Deadpool has kindly said that I can link to all of his reviews.

If there is anyone else out there who doesn't mind me linking to their review, just leave a comment.

M-O-P-E-Y, in the second line in the story section, you said 'I'll try not to spoil anything to much' when it should be 'I'll try not to spoil anything too much'

[Mopey.]

LoL. Thanks. Damn 'O'.

I think I might more reviews. It's actually pretty fun.

[Kopkiwi]

I don't think the threads can be merged because you can't keep changing the poll. However, I can link to the thread if people want me to.

I think that would be a good idea mate. Just make a link for the poll that corresponds to each review. That way people can read the reviews for said game and click on the link to get a good idea on an over all rating.

[Kopkiwi]

Surely must be some people out there interested in doing up some reviews. Seen some pretty talented reviews around the site.

[gruddy]

Currently I can't edit the OP and add more links but I thought that I should bring this back to the top so that more people become aware of it and can write up reviews untill the editing problem is fixed.

[-Deadpool-]

Nice work again on this Gruddy - hope you are able to Edit the original post again soon too

[admartian]

Thinking of doing a review but I'm not sure on which game. I might do Valkyria Chronicles when I finish it this week.

[-Deadpool-]

Thinking of doing a review but I'm not sure on which game. I might do Valkyria Chronicles when I finish it this week.

I'd be very interested to read more on this one, still unsure whether I'd like it.

[stonecoldbean]

Great thread, definetly got me thinking about a review I might do in future. Wish I had some way of taking my own screenshots of a game I would be reviewing though.