Review: LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7

The magical world of Harry Potter meets the magic that is Lego in LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7. A continuation of Years 1-4, Years 5-7 wraps up the last three books and four movies of Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s adventures to stop He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named from causing certain doom for wizards and muggles alike. Following the same family friendly formula as past LEGO titles, LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 sits nicely as a rare game that combines fun gameplay with a challenge that’s accessible to all ages.

 

 

Review: The Lord of the Rings: War in the North

The Lord of the Rings is among the greatest fantasy epics ever told, and after the success of the movie franchise a bevy of tie-ins products, side stories, and other media was created to expand the universe. Snowblind’s newest action title is set in the land of Middle Earth but does not follow the paths of Frodo, Aragorn, or Gandalf; instead it tells an entirely new story. The Lord of the Rings: War in the North acts as a side car to the main storyline, telling of the heroic deeds of three brave warriors whose actions directly impacted the success of the Fellowship. Grab your axe, sharpen your swords, and get ready to kill some orcs.

 

 

Worth Playing vol. 1

There’s way too many video games to play. Way too many. While everyone will undoubtedly have their favorites there are certain games that might get passed by that shouldn’t have. Maybe it’s a game that came out while another, bigger game was released. Or perhaps its something you’ve just completely overlooked altogether. In the first volume of Worth Playing I’m looking at a few games that may or may not have flew under your radar but should be considered regardless. Let’s get going.

 

Sunday Roundup: 11/6/11

After a relatively slow week last week with only Kirby’s Return to Dream Land being added to the collection, the following week walks a strangely similar path. The new Lord of the Rings title, War in the North, has come into my possession this week for a review. Slow weeks are fun too, but hopefully I can find some better deals here soon.

 

Review: Guardian Heroes

Treasure has the right idea: rereleasing critically-acclaimed and hard-to-find classic games for a new generation of gamers with updated HD visuals and a much friendlier price tag. Last month saw the release of side-scrolling shooter classic Radiant Silvergun, and Treasure once again delivers sweet nostalgia in the form of Guardian Heroes. A beat ‘em up in the same vein as Double Dragon or Final Fight, Guardian Heroes first met praise on the Sega Saturn for its satisfying action and multiple branching paths. Fifteen years after its initial release, Guardian Heroes still retains some of that charm although the shine is starting to tarnish.

 

 

Gameplay Vault: Dungeon Defenders

After having a grand time with Orcs Must Die!, I decided to delve even deeper in the genre that is tower defense and downloaded Dungeon Defenders for the Xbox 360. Another tower defense/RPG title, Dungeon Defenders has a focus on multiplayer co-op and grinding out levels as you would in a game like World of Warcraft. Well, a game with this many comparisons has to be somewhat decent, and not surprisingly it is. Check out the videos and see for yourself.

 

 

Initial Thoughts: Bastion

I picked up the new XBLA game Bastion yesterday and was able to get a ways into it before I had to stop. I’ve seen and read many reviews on the title, and I was impressed with the amount of praise the little game was getting. From what I could tell it was an action-RPG with gorgeous visuals and a unique touch to narration. So, being the person I am, I felt I owed it to myself to play. And I did. And it was good.