Reviews Round-Up (Mass Effect, Cho Aniki, Relativity)
The past week has been a relatively mundane one regarding game releases since most of the big boys are expected in the coming week or by the end of the month. Splinter Cell: Conviction, Super Street Fighter IV and Monster Hunter Tri, anyone?
Regardless, Gaming Union has put together a couple of lovely reviews for the smaller titles released this week, including the PSP's flamboyant Cho Aniki Zero: Muscle Brothers, XBL Indie's Relativity and the new downloadable content for Mass Effect 2, Kasumi: Stolen Memory.
Cho Aniki Zero: Muscle Brothers (Sony PSP)
Brace yourself for a side-scrolling shoot 'em up experience with plenty of in-your-face art and dialogue that may rupture brain cells. Take on the rolls of Idaten or Benten as they scour the galaxy to save what little protein is left from the hands of the evil Balzac. The game can be fun and doesn't take itself seriously with some rather homoerotic game designs. Regrettably, it doesn't offer anything new in terms of gameplay and, instead, sticks to the very basics of tried-and-true side-scrolling bullet hell mania.
Relativity (Xbox Live Indie)
Don't be fooled by its humble presentation, PurpleGames' Relativity for Xbox Live Indie is a pretty interesting take on physics and Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Lead the ever expanding Toodians in their conquest against the Squishians, utilizing physics and gravity to your advantage. Gameplay is split between real-time strategy and combat. The former lets players expand their territory and invest in some R&D. However, the latter is where it starts to get interesting! Everything is displayed on a 2D plane, however anything physics and gravity related is represented in 3D. Suns and planets have their own gravity pull and disrupting this gravity with shockwaves and spacetime weapons initiates some very cool results. After all, why take over a planet when you can simply obliterate it?
Mass Effect 2: Kasumi - Stolen Memory (Xbox 360/PC Downloadable Content)
BioWare's latest DLC addition to Mass Effect 2 sees Shepard team up with the witty Kasumi on a quest to reclaim something that had been stolen from her. Unlike the previous DLC, Kasumi's character fits in with the rest of the cast quite nicely with her fun and likeable personality. The scenario shifts direction from the standard 3-men squad to just 2, Shepard and Kasumi, and players will notice the difference at the outset. Swarms of enemies can be quite a challenge with just two characters and Shepards class will become quite important in this adventure. Aside from the new mission, there are additional character dialogues, a new casual outfit and the Normandy's got a bar!
