AnimuHQ

Kane and Lynch 2 is the sequel to io Interactive’s not-so-successful Kane and Lynch. However, instead of focusing on Kane as the first Kane and Lynch does, the story flips over to Lynch’s perspective. In the beginning of Dog Days, Lynch has settled down in Shanghai, and welcomes Kane to the city as he is making a top for an arms deal. Enough to say, things get out of hand, and they’ll have to fight their way through endless swarms of thugs, policeman, and what seems to be members of the Chinese Army.

Liked:

Welcome to Shanghai: Dog Days, for the most part, does a good job changing the atmosphere of plain buildings of Dead Men to the streets of Shanghai, filled with neon signs.

Ammo Limits: Instead of the infinite ammo that you have in Dead Men, Dog Days force players to be more conservative with their ammo, as you can no longer get them from your NPC ally. Instead, you’ll have to pick them up from dead enemies.

Hated:

Camera Madness: The developers might boast the camera as innovative and new, and some reviewers might say it’s hardcore, but it’s really nothing more than a lazy step taken by the developers. The angle has changed from the standard third person view to what seems to be a cameraman following the action (or as some would like to call it, like a bootleg film). Blood and water would leave temporary droplets on the screen; dead civilians, people killed with head shots, and nudity are censored, as are explosions. When the player controlled character is moving faster than a walking pace, the camera would wobble around unsteadily. While that may be new, it seems to be a cheap gimmick to add frustration and headaches to the player. Also, it could be a way used to hide the low def details of this game in today’s hi-def world.

Bad Multiplayer: We gave Dead Men the benefit of the doubt when they blamed GFWL for their bad multiplayer and quickly dying player base. However, with a simple look at Dog Day’s multiplayer run by Steamworks, we’ll easily see that GFWL wasn’t at fault here. While the game does provide more game modes than the first, they’ve improved almost nothing. Matches are still held via in-game lobbies, which will then run through local hosts. If the host decides to quit, every player loses their progress. There’s still no way to control voice chat, so you’ll often hear people breathing in their mics, as well as a lot of other thing you don’t want to hear. The multiplayer population is at a low even when the game has just been released, and you’ll most likely be playing with the same couple dozen of people, if you can get a game started at all.

Short, Repetitive Campaign: Dead Men’s campaign is really short for a game of it’s type. Only boasting to be around four hours long, the campaign has you running around the city massacring your enemies, with no real plot in the game. The dialogue is random most of the time, so players will have to focus on listening to even understand what they’re doing and why. Unless you plan on playing the game in short bits, it’ll become stale fast.

Overall, Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days is a unmemorable massacre of a shooter. It has a dull campaign, boring multiplayer, and a very vomit-inducing camera ( which can have it’s level of vomit-inducing-ness lowered in the options). After finishing with this game, I’d like to quote Lynch: “We’re finally done with this shit” (or something similar, since the swarms of crazy AI detract from plot too much). If you’re a masochist and want to suffer, then go ahead and play this game. Otherwise, stay the hell away from this title.

Final Score: 3/10

From today forth, we’re announcing a slight change to the way our game reviews will be posted onto our website.

We’ll no longer be doing our game reviews in an essay format (like our anime reviews). Instead, we’ll be doing a general impression, list what we liked and disliked abut the games, then end with a final word and a review score.

We hope this will make it much easier for our different readers, so whether you’ll want to read the full review or just skim through the main points, our reviews will suit you.

All Points Bulletin, or APB for short, is a “massively multiplayer online shooter”…or, that’s what Realtime Worlds, APB’s developers, would like to say anyway. The game promises a persistent online world, where your character “levels up” through completing task such as delivering stolen good, robbery, or fighting criminals. While it seems good on paper, APB failed to meet most people’s expectations.

APB’s customization engine allows for an endless character customization. You play the game to earn decals and symbols to use in the game designer, which you can use to design your character’s clothing or vehicles. The customization is perhaps APB’s only good quality. The game falls short outside of customization.

It’s really simple to grasp the idea behind APB’s “innovative” leveling system: You have to complete missions to earn standing with certain factions, which will in turn unlock higher tiered weaponry and upgrades for your character. Players can experience PvP (player vs player) combat during missions, but otherwise, everyone is practically unkillable…unless you’re a griefer. This game allows players’ vehicles to interact with each other even though they’re not bound to the same mission. This results in an unusually high amount of 12 year old kids with too much Red Bull to ram their garbage trucks and armored vehicles into your path during a nice chase, thus ruining your mission.

The missions structure is also flawed. APB has few missions varieties, where players must either got to A, hold “F” fetch item, or run away for a set period of time. While this may seem to be forgivable during the first couple of weeks, it quickly becomes boring. Also, the same said 12 year olds love to exploit the system ,and will do anything to ruin your day. If they’re opposed to you in a mission, they could simply not show up, and earn cash and standing (more than you) for doing little tasks such as stealing and turning in cars.

The game’s flaws could be forgiven, if only it’s community was understanding and would play fairly. However, understanding the nature of such games, we notice that they attract an unusually large amount of trolls and griefers, and any complaint or request of help in their in game forums or in game chat will result in pages and pages of content that seems like 4chan material.

APB has an excellent idea, but it failed in execution. Lots of in-game bugs, too early of a release, and the developers lack of attention to playerbase suggestions has brought this game down. This has been attested through the game’s below average sales. AS of today, RTW is under administration ( a process similar to filing for bankruptcy). While the official website states that the game itself won’t be affected in any way and encourages users to keep player, a smart person can see that it’s the dying studio’s last attempt at trying to rake in money to fill in for losses before the project sinks. Stay away from this game. You won’t like it in the mean, troll caves of San Paro.

Final Score: 3/10

Black Rock Shooter is a one episode original video animation by Ordet. The story follows a couple of female students, who get to know each other and become close within time. However, their relation has weakened due to external factors at school. In between the main storyline, characters who look similar to the main characters in our “normal world” are fighting, with no plot or meaning at all (until the very end).

The plot of the anime, for the most part, was good. It shows how friends get to know each other, become closer, and how friendship falls apart due to external circumstances. However, it does get a little irritating when the storyline goes from being a normal slice of life anime to something out of a fictional work.

The music of BRS is average as well. BRS uses a piano theme for most of the “normal world” events, but will switch to a metal theme in the alternate world combat scenes.

The art style of BRS is good, but not the best. The normal world is detailed enough fro the audience to know what the characters are doing and where they’re doing. In the alternate world, the graphics sharpen up a big, providing a little more detail on the post-apocalyptic world the characters fight in.

Overall, BRS is an average one shot anime. It really does depict the slice of life parts really well, but due to it’s time and episode limitations, seems too rushed as a final product. The ending will also leave viewers with a big gaping cliffhanger. If you don’t mind cliffhangers, or just watch to pass the time, BRS is a perfect anime for you. If you want something complete, and well rounded, look elsewhere.

Score : 7/10

Alpha Protocol is Sega and Obsidian’s latest game. It boasts to be a modern-day espionage RPG, giving players customization, freedom of choice, and non-linear gameplay.

The hype, however, ends right there. The game somehow fails to deliver in both content and satisfaction.

For a game in 2010, the graphics are pretty lacking. Graphics will often glitch, and it’ll take a good computer quite a bit before the detailed textures load in.

The gameplay, however, is even more bash-worthy than the graphics. The enemy AI jumps from being totally stupid to wallhack smart.Although the game claims to be based off modern day espionage, I feel like playing a Superman RPG instead. Enemies will get their healths upgraded, and they’ll do weird things. The screen will spin 180 degrees suddenly at random times, making your perfect setup all wasted effort. Linearity is laughable at best. Sure, the game in “non-linear”, you get to choose which one of three areas you’d like to tackle first.

With all these flaws ruining a supposedly good IP, Obsidian should just go back and do what they do best: making sequels for games.

Score: 6.5/10

Xam’d: Lost Memories is an anime series by Aniplex and Sentai Filmworks. The story revolves around Akiyuki, a normal high school student living on Sentan Island. The world has erupted into a war between the northern and southern continents. However, Sentan Island has been left alone although it’s in the free-fire zone. This all changes one day, after a girl supposedly from the northern army bombs the school bus Akiyaki was in. The explosion turned him in Xam’d, a mysterious being with strong but uncontrollable power.

Xam’d has one of the greatest storytelling I’ve ever saw to date. Although the plot may be confusing at first, and lots of terms jump at the viewer without meaning, all that will become clear in a short amount of time. Also, the story development is very steady, with no major plot twists. It also comes to a spectacular, and bittersweet finale and ending.

The music of Xam’d is truly a masterpiece. The music and soundtrack are just excellent, as they accompany the storyline, and gains more and more emotional power as the story progresses.

The artwork and animation for the series never fails to impress. Everything, from the characters to the backgrounds to the floor are all detailed in the same way, and it seems that the artists haven’t skipped out of the details. The only thing I have against it is that sometimes the characters will look like they’re sleepy due to the way their eyes have been drawn, but that’ll wear off after a couple of episodes.

The character development for this series is really strong, and it shows how people easily change, and how one’s feelings could destroy friendships, bring havoc to entire cities, or reunite couples who were separated. If you’re a fan of steampunk, military, action, or a good emotional anime, Xam’d is one not to miss. Even if you’re not a fan of any of the above, you’ll still find Xam’d a fun, strong, and definitely enjoyable journey.

Score: 9.5/10

Angel Beats is Key’s latest anime series. The story revolves around a teenager named Otonashi Yuzuru, who stumbles upon a girl with a sniper rifle. He later learns through this girl that everyone in this world is already dead, and that she’s trying to find a way to fight against the God of this world for her unfair life. Otonashi eventually joins them, and their battle against Tenshi, who is supposedly the key to finding God.

Angel Beats has an excellent plotline. Although the first couple of episodes might seem slow, boring, and more or less just for comedy, the story develops itself into a masterpiece. Also, like many other of Key’s works, Angel Beats has a lot of plot twists that’ll keep viewers on their seats.

The animation and visuals for Angel Beats is first class. From the concerts that GirlDeMo hosts to the backgrounds to the character work, the amount of effort and detail can be clearly seen. Even in non-important scenes, you can see that the background and props were very detailed (such as the floors of the classroom).

Angel Beats possess a very beautiful soundtrack. From the action scenes tot the comedic moments to the tear jerking revelations, the soundtrack wonderfully accompanies and enhances the viewer’s experience. A thumbs up is also given to the GirlsDeMo band songs, which besides giving a sudden change to the mood, sounds very very good.

Overall, Angel Beats is a very entertaining anime series for the Summer 2010 season. If you’re looking for something to watch, this is the show! Unfortunately, you’ll suffer from Angel Beats drawbacks after watching this series, because you’ll want to know what happens after. Don’t worry however. An unreleased episode will be available in the DVD this December, and I bet it’ll cover all the little things that’s been nagging us.

Score: 9/10

Blur is an action/racing game developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Activision. Aiming to steal Mario Kart’s throne, it tries to steal the target audience by stating that this game is for “grown men”.

The game’s main focus is an action-intensive racing game where each racer can use various power ups to gain an advantage over the other racers. The cars are modeled after realistic vehicles by different real life car manufacturers.

However, the game fails to achieve its role. The amount of power-ups made available to the player is very limited. The vehicles in the game are very easy to handle. However, the lack of race tracks and different game modes put this game at a disadvantage. While Mario Kart’s tracks are filled with colorful patterns and challenges, Blur’s courses are all standard looking race courses with very little variability.

Score: 6/10

Since his father’s disappearance years ago, Itsuki Iba has inherited Astral, his father’s company, which dispatches magicians to those in need. However, there’s just one problem: Itsuki has a shallow understanding of magic, and is defenseless against magical creatures. However, if Itsuki removes his eyepatch, his other eye will allow him to see through enemy’s movements. The series then continues on how Itsuki has to deal with his company, his eye, and the various situations resulting from contracts his company receives.

Rental Magica is part fantasy, part romance, and part comedy. Although it doesn’t quite fulfill the role of any of those genres, it ends up being a somewhat satisfying balance of the three.

The artwork of the series is good. The characters are detailed, as are the battle scenes and demons.

Rental Magica’s soundtrack does a great job of fortifying the atmosphere of each scene. From the tension of the battles, to the comedic fighting between characters, the soundtrack successfully enhances each and every moment.

The only gripe I had about this series is the way the ending played out. Although satisfying, the ending leaves quite a few mysteries unsolved, as if it was waiting for a non-existent second season. Mikan is also played by Kugimiya Rie, but this time around she’s more tolerable since she’s playing more of a supporting role.

Score: 8.3/10

Claymore is a fantasy based anime set in the alternate middle ages. In this world, demons (called Yoma) roam the land, blend in, and feast on humans. To fight Yoma, a mysterious organization has created mysterious half-human, half-Yoma warriors, called Claymores. Feared by both Yoma and humans, Claymores take on assignments and slay the Yoma that disturbs humans. The anime centers itself on one such Claymore, Clare, and her companion, Raki.

The storytelling of Claymore is superb. The pacing is good, and viewers will always be kept on their toes, wondering what’s next. Viewers will also, at times, sympathize with the main characters’ emotions, and understand why they’re doing what they do. The only gripe I have against it is the ending, which leaves viewers at a cliffhanger.

The art style of Claymore is mediocre. Although the towns and creatures of Claymore are superbly drawn, the people seem to be drawn in a weird proportion. If you look at the way the main characters’ faces are drawn, you’ll see why (especially during side views).

Claymore’s soundtrack helps give the world the story a deeper meaning. The background music homes in on the central theme, and whether it be sadness, revenge, or danger, the music has it all covered.

Claymore is an excellent anime, with it’s only downfall being it’s character design and cliffhanger ending. If you’re in for some good adventure, this is the place to go. However, fans who fear gore and dismemberment should avoid this, because this series is filled with limbs and body parts being chopped off.

Score: 8.8/10