Archive for April, 2010
Review: Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360)
Apr 30th
by Aaron Thayer
Mass Effect 2 is the greatest game BioWare has created in its 15 years as a developer. Its prolific development schedule seems all but impossible: to release one fantastic blockbuster in November (Dragon Age: Origins) and then, two months later, hurdle over the quality of that game with the launch of another — while simultaneously crafting a massively multiplayer online game set in the Star Wars universe, due out in 2011. It’s an enormous accomplishment, satellite studios or not, for a developer already respected for its history of producing top-tier software.
Yet greatness doesn’t always imply perfection, and the second title in the Mass Effect trilogy stumbles on occasion during an otherwise impressive stride. But with those minor problems in mind, Mass Effect 2 is still among the most satisfying games I’ve ever played. It deserves the praise and the hype.
Science-fiction space operas don’t appeal to every gamer, but I sincerely doubt that BioWare’s recent opus, with its intelligent gameplay, diverse characters and compelling plot, is incapable of attracting both role-playing game skeptics and shooter scoffers alike. This truly is the best of both worlds.
The Backlog: Go Get Some Sun edition
Apr 24th
This is how I spent my last weekend in Seattle: taking a ferry to Bainbridge Island. Walking around I got the impression I'd stumbled onto the village belonging to The Others from Lost. I later discovered that the actor who plays Juliet actually lives there, so…there you go.
Can you believe it? A third post in a single week. You’d almost get the impression that we like writing about games.
There’s no tongue-in-cheek theme this week. Just…c’mon. Have you looked outside? It’s supposed to be sunny and almost 70 degrees. This probably isn’t gonna happen again until July, so put down that controller, call off that Icecrown Citadel raid, and grab your iPhone so you can experience the great outdoors…with a bit of an insurance policy in tow, of course.
The Backlog: Better Late Than Later edition
Apr 21st
Last week’s post, which was intended for Friday, had to be re-appropriated by our crack team of internet henchmen at this tardy hour, and even though it’s late it’s fashionably so. In fact, it’s so fashionably late, Tim Gunn would be proud.
He’s from Project Runway.
Why do I know that?
Love ME 2 Times
Apr 21st
We’ve got another podcast for you, and despite what the oh-so-clever title might suggest, it’s utterly devoid of references to The Doors. This latest podcast — our eighth so far — is so named because each participant on this recording has played Mass Effect 2 at least twice. And Aaron and Tyler, well…they’ve played it a lot more than that.
This one was recorded a couple of months back, but the discussion is hopefully just as relevant as ever. We’re hoping to jump-start things again over at Sasquatch HQ, so please stay tuned.
The Backlog: Raw Power edition
Apr 10th
Iggy approves of the gratuitous display of raw power.
We are bringing the thunder this week; the appropriate background soundtrack for the Backlog this week can be found right here. Aaron is blowing stuff up in a variety of games; Doug is breaking free from the shackles of the standard Xbox 360 hardware; and Nick is breaking hearts and tiles with another great Scrabble lookalike.
So kick back, put on some real proper ass-kicking music, and prepare to have your mind BLOWN AWAY!
The Backlog: Sandbox of Chaos edition
Apr 5th
I kinda got carried away with Photoshop this week. You see, Rico Rodriguez, the protagonist from the Just Cause games, is chaotically belly-flopping into a child’s sandbox, which serves a visual metaphor for the open-world adventures he stars in. Hence the headline.
With that out of the way, I can tell you this edition of our beloved (by some — maybe our mothers) Backlog pertains to Nick’s first aural experiencing of Axis: Bold as Love, Doug’s dusting off of the old Xbox after his adventures in Asia and my unbelieving satisfaction from playing a ton of Just Cause 2.