A NEW PROTOTYPE FOR THE SUPER HERO GENRE

With super hero popularity at an all time high, one of the premiere super hero video game publishers, Activision, teamed up with DC and Wildstorm to create a brand new anti-hero and to put out a brand new game.

In Prototype, you fill the shoes of Dr. Alex Mercer after he wakes up on a morgue slab with amazing metamorphic abilities; the ability to change his body's structure at the molecular level into almost anything he can think of. Along with enhanced speed, strength, leaping, and the ability to run straight up walls, Dr. Mercer must use his new found powers to piece together his lost memory and figure out the nature of a pandemic virus that turns those it infects into uncontrollable, zombie-like beasts.

Many people have already found out how good Prototype is considering it sold nearly 500,000 units combined for PS3 and Xbox 360 in its first week, but for those of you who haven't and are looking for a solid action/adventure game, this is something you should probably consider picking up. The action is frenzied and there are always missions to complete and upgrades to collect. The experience reminded me of the Spider-Man 2 game from the last generation of consoles (also an Activision product), which was easily the best super hero movie/video game adaptation in a long time.

The bounty of powers and possibilities is obviously the biggest draw for this game. From making hammer-fists or blades come out of your arms, creating full body armor and developing limited flight, to absorbing your enemies into your body to regain heath, it's hard to see how you couldn't have fun with this on your quest to becoming the ultimate weapon.

The main drawback I felt for the game though was also the big draw; there might actually have been too many powers. All of those choices left a lot of room for experimentation, but usually you filtered out powers you never used and only used these powers during the missions in which you earn them. I never used the heat vision or the shield feature once you developed the full body armor; they were pointless.

Aside from the abundance of powers, there really wasn't much to complain about with this game. Running up buildings could be difficult at times because it seemed Alex had trouble with any uneven surface; this glitch could be frustrating. But, when you have streets full of New York City residents screaming in terror as hive zombies emerge from infected buildings without any lag, it can be forgiven. Add in music that set the mood perfectly and your senses are kept constantly stimulated.

Unfortunately, again, aside from the powers, there isn't anything that sets this apart from any other super hero game either. I was able to draw too many parallels to games that come before it. This prevented Prototype from feeling as if it was something truly special and original.

Although the game lacks multi-player, there are plenty of collectibles scattered around New York City and the opportunity to try and get gold medals on any and all challenges will keep you coming back for more. Plus, there aren't many things I enjoy more in gaming than climbing to the top of a virtual Empire State Building and then flying off into the skyline.

Prototype is out now for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest.

Graphics: 9.0: The graphics weren't overly flashy, but being able to have an abundance of Non-Player Characters on screen at once and having some awesome live-action cut scenes when absorbing enemies make this a visual gem.

Audio: 8.5: There isn't a theme song that will stick in your head or anything truly memorable, but the music does a fine job of setting the mood. The SFX are all solid and the voice acting is top-notch with voice-acting vets like Phil LaMarr or big screen talent like Barry Pepper lending their talents to the game.

Plot/Plot Development: 8.5: The story is a little predictable in most aspects, however, a surprise ending and the overall mystery to the game makes this a memorable plot more-than-worthy of the super hero genre.

Gameplay: 7.0: A minimum of general glitches in terms of lag, but the difficulty with running up curved walls, switching between powers in the middle of battle, and aerial attacks make the gameplay only on par with most games of this nature.

Replay Value: 6.0: A lack of a multiplayer mode hurts this game, but it still gets an okay score because there are plenty of collectibles and the chance to replay side-missions for higher scores.

Overall: 8.0 (not an average): The game really revolves around your powers and their development more than anything and this is a huge plus and downfall for the game at the same time. Even considering this dependency on your powers and not a great amount of originality, this game is still worthy of the super hero genre and deserves a look from any action/adventure fan.

-Ray Carsillo

PUTT PRECISION PERFECTION

Right off the bat I'm going to admit that I'm not a golf aficionado to say the very least. In honor, though, of the conclusion of the U.S. Open, especially since it is being played in nearby Bethpage Golf Course in Farmingdale, NY, I am taking this time to review EA Sports' Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10.

I sheepishly admit that I got addicted to this game for the entire weekend and for someone with as many games as I have to play, to devote an entire weekend to one game, shows how good this game is. It's not going to dazzle you with graphics, but I think this is easily the best simulation for a sport there is right now, from mimicking the difficulty of sinking a 10 foot putt to trying to play in the rain at Bethpage.

I found myself wanting to throw my controller after every missed putt like I was actually living it. And this was on only the first hole of the Buick Invitational. The new putt-precision system is a nice addition and does make it a little easier for amateurs like myself, but for you pros out there with Tiger, you can simply up the difficulty for that more classic feel.

The putt-precision system though does need a little tweaking. Allowing only one look at how your ball will track is a little frustrating and can actually up the pressure if you see that your current path will send the ball spiraling into the fringe if your corrections aren't enough to sink the putt. One thing, though, that can really push the casual player away is how the consequences for squandering a putt opportunity, as opposed to a normal shot, are extremely harsh and unforgiving.

If you have the Wii, these problems are a little less noticeable since with the inclusion of the 1:1 Motion Plus sensor with the game, you can judge your shots with a little more accuracy than with the analog stick on a Xbox 360 or PS3 controller making this the first preferred sports game for the Wii, at this point in time. Add in the lack of processing power needed for the simple graphics (grass is grass, whether in 480i or 1080p) and the Wii might be the best buy of the bunch for this particular game.

Along with an extensive career mode, that will lead you through every major as you try to up your stats to near-Tiger levels and became a tour de force, the game now includes a Tournament Challenge mode. In this mode, you can relive some of the most impressive performances in tour history at some of the most famous courses from Bay Hill to Sawgrass to help you unlock new and better clubs and louder and more interesting clothing apparel.

Include live, online tournaments, mini-games, and plenty of other multi-player options; if you are a golf fan, this game is your dream come true. Even if not a golf fan, you're going to have a good time and find yourself mildly addicted if you're anywhere near as competitive as someone like me. Just don't go smashing too many controllers.

The only real knock on the game is as with most sports games that the commentary gets tired very fast and Scott Van Pelt is tired to begin with so you might want to grab your iPod or put a CD on to cover up the droll ramblings. Other than that, this is an early front-runner for sports simulation of the year. Of course, that could change very quickly with Fight Night Round 4 coming out shortly.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 is out now for all systems.

Ratings are based on a score of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest.

Graphics: 8.0: There aren't a lot of knocks here in terms of graphics, but it doesn't exactly push any system's threshold either. There are only so many ways to make grass look good, especially when not supporting 1080i or 1080p.

Audio: 6.0: A generic music playlist is disappointing considering the lineups EA usually compiles, but it is a golf game. Coupled with repetitive, dry commentary (even for golf) and the audio is a clear weakness for this game.

Plot/Plot Development: N/A: It's a sports simulation...

Gameplay: 9.0: Although the putting is frustrating to say the least, I think that it adds a level of difficulty that you would only see if you were playing on a real course so I can forgive it. Even having people in the crowd reacting from some shots that slice astray was a nice touch to this spectacular sports simulation.

Replay Value: 10.0: If you like golf, you'll keep coming back to this game over and over again until next year's release. Mini-games, online play, an extensive career mode, and now the Tournament Challenge mode along with tons of unlockable content will keep every golfer happy for a long time.

Overall: 9.0: The putting system can be frustrating at times and the game doesn't exactly stimulate the senses. Of course, it's not like there is any competition for golf games out there since EA has the monopoly on the field like with their Madden franchise. The gameplay, though, is what makes this game and if the game of golf is what gets you pumped up then you'll be all set for another year as Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 improves on their already high golf gaming standard.

-Ray Carsillo

INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE WRITER

Being a true geek to my very core, it is easy to understand why I am a fan of most everything that Guillermo del Toro does. He is easily one of the premiere special effects and costume design experts in the film industry and his directorial work speaks countless volumes about the depth of his creativity. Add to that his Oscar for Pan's Labyrinth and his résumé speaks for itself.

It was for these reasons that when it was announced that he was releasing a vampire novel, what would be the first in a trilogy, that I had to jump all over it. Already a New York Times bestseller, The Strain is a thrilling read that is everything a vampire novel should be.

I was given the rare opportunity to sit down with this visionary media emblem and talk about everything from his inspirations for the book to how his work on The Hobbit is coming to the possibility of a third Hellboy movie. Check out the interview below!

WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

When trailers were leaked on Youtube about 18 months ago, I can still remember the cheers eminating around the office as I forwarded the link along.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game strikes a cord with fans young and old alike and looks like everything die-hards of the franchise have been waiting for since the end of the cartoon series.

Picking up about three years after the second movie, the Ghostbusters are revered like heroes, but the ever rising amount of paranormal activity leaves them looking to expand their ranks.

That's where you come in. You'll get your chance on June 16th (ironically, the 25th anniversary of the franchise) to strap on a proton pack and lace up your boots as the 5th Ghostbuster and learn the ropes as you battle the newest paranormal threat to NYC.

I had a chance to catch up with the man who played Dr. Egon Spengler, acclaimed writer, director, and actor, Harold Ramis, about the franchise lasting 25 years, doing voice over work for the new game, and if we will ever finally see a third Ghostbusters movie.


CLICK HERE - to listen to my interview with one of the original Ghostbusters, comedic genius Harold Ramis.

Also, be sure to check out my preview of the game with Josh Parker of Red Flag Studios who worked on the Ghostbusters video game.




Look for my full review of Ghostbusters: The Video Game when it is released on June 16th, 2009.

-Ray Carsillo

AND THE WINNER IS...

After four days of press conferences, huge announcements, and new demos, E3 has drawn to a triumphant close. Only now can we look back and truly analyze the full goings-on of the conference and draw the undeniable conclusion that Xbox 360 was the clear winner amongst "The Big Three".

Now, this isn't to say that Nintendo or Sony did not put up gallant fights, because they did.

Nintendo came out with the big news of a new Metroid game and that Retro Studios, the developer of the Metroid: Prime trilogy, would not be working on this game, but that Team Ninja of Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive fame would be mixing first- and third-person shooter elements in Metroid: Other M. An early trailer with Samus fighting against Ridley looked breathtaking, but I'm not sure if the strong anime style graphics will appeal to Nintendo's hardcore audience. Fanboys everywhere though will rejoice from the many scenes of Samus outside of her famous gold and red spacesuit.

Along with this, Nintendo's other surprise reveal was Super Mario Galaxy 2, Mario's first true sequel since the SNES and the first in 3D. The early trailer showed that the Yoshi clan will return with many different powers and colors, much like in Super Mario World for SNES, to lend Mario a hand once again. These reveals, along with New Super Mario Bros. for Wii, another remake of the all-time classic, this time with 4-player co-op action and new powers like the propeller suit, were the only real eye-openers to Nintendo's presentation.

Other news from the Nintendo front was the reveal of a Wii Vitality Sensor which monitors your heart rate as you play games. I appreciate Nintendo always trying to think outside of the box, but unless it is packaged with one of their Balance Board workout games like the newly revealed Wii Fit 2 (basically Wii Fit with more exercises; Heath Bell will be thrilled), this sensor looks like the biggest waste of money since the Virtual Boy. This lack of earth shattering reveals means that Nintendo is simply staying the course and that they are beginning to hit the same problems they had with the Gamecube: a lack of third party development, aside from a look at No More Heroes 2: Desperate Measures and Red Steel 2. Of course, in terms of economic times, it's also safer just to push established titles (which you see from everyone now; we are living in the era of the sequel), hence another Metroid and two more Mario games.

Sony led with the worst-kept E3-secret since they were promoting the PS1: the PSP Go! The Go! is a smaller, sleeker, touch-screen-enabled PSP with 16 GB of flash memory and the ability to download games directly to the system. Along with the new system, Sony announced exclusive Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Assassin's Creed, Gran Turismo, and Little Big Planet games for their PSP line that will be able to provide exclusive content for their PS3 brethren when you link the PSP and PS3 games.

On the console front, Sony had a couple of blockbuster games up their sleeves to try to steal thunder back from Xbox's press conference, which revealed a lot of Sony's formerly exclusive titles would no longer be exclusive. However, Sony did unveil Final Fantasy XIV to be an exclusive. Unfortunately, a nice trailer does not mean the game is anywhere near finished, and considering we're still months away from FF XIII, I don't think we'll see FF XIV for a long while. Along with this, Sony revealed Mod Nation Racers, a game that looks like Little Big Planet, but with go karts.

Much of Sony's press conference hinged around two things though, God of War III, which was expected (and the live demo of Kratos ripping harpies apart looked fantastic!), and a new motion controller that looks like a remote with a light bulb on the end. This new 1:1 motion controller won't be released until Spring 2010 and requires the purchase of the PS Eye with it. Its best feature, aside from the 1:1 movement, is the light bulb changes colors depending on the game and actions you take during the game.

Nintendo may not have been the winner, but it definitely wasn't a loser. Sony on the other hand should just fold up shop at this point like SEGA did after the Dreamcast because the PS3 is going nowhere in terms of innovation. This new motion controller is clearly a rip-off of Nintendo's Wiimote and adds nothing to the gaming experience besides a light bulb. I understand that bright lights and colors often grab people's attention, but I'm pretty sure most gamers will want something with a little more substance in the long haul. Considering that Nintendo's Wiimote will be 1:1 in a few weeks, the Sony motion controller doesn't have any special features that Nintendo hasn't thought of.

The PSP Go! is a direct response the DSi as the inclusion of a touch screen seemed necessary as the DS and its variants are outselling the PSP and its variants at about a 2.5:1 ratio at this point and will most likely continue to as long as the PSP and its variants are $100 more than the DS.

In addition, one of the games they spent the most time on, Mod Nation Racers, is nothing more than a Mario Kart rip off with a create-a-track mode, just shows that Sony has run out of good ideas and is the exact opposite of Nintendo in that they have to rely on their third-party developers to survive because their lack of originality is leaving them floundering in the game community. The fact that the games they announced that were the most interesting, Agent, a Rockstar developed game that deals with international espionage, and God of War III, had the least amount of time spent showcasing them just shows how backwards Sony is at this point in time.

This leaves Xbox 360 as the only one to come out with true blockbuster announcements and reveal an actual step forward in motion sensor technology with Project NATAL, which if when released is anywhere near as good as the demo at E3 was, will fly off shelves like the Wii did with its release over two years ago.

With a little help from Steven Spielberg (yes, that Steven Spielberg) and Peter Molyneux of Lionhead Studios (of the Fable franchise, who coincidentally, looks like a bad James Bond villain), Xbox 360 unveiled a motion sensor that would eliminate controllers altogether. With graphics reaching their fullest-potential with current technology, the next step in gaming is apparently going to be finding ways to give gamers a more immersive experience beyond the television set. The Nintendo Wii had capitalized on this with their pre-set waggle commands (which the Xbox 360 folks took a bit of a shot at) and this left Xbox 360 asking "what would be the next logical step in gaming technology?". They would give us an answer.

Imagine a sensor that connects to your current Xbox 360 and could scan your face, your clothes, objects in your room, and then follow every motion you make perfectly. You would become the controller. No more rechargeable batteries. No more tripping over cords. No more limitations. As development kits are being shipped as you read this, Xbox 360 showed to everyone at E3 several of the endless possibilities this device could have.

They began by playing a Brickbreaker-type game, where you served as the paddle that would deflect projectiles at the bricks. The woman doing the demonstration danced around in a small circle as she hopped, punched, and kicked her way through the first three levels. It was a simple demonstration, but enough to start making eyes bug out of heads.

The next demonstration reminded me of Mario Paint for the Super Nintendo, a game that debuted almost two decades ago. It was a simple program where your arms served as the brush and your voice commands were recognized when you wanted to go to a more detailed or broader painting tool. An interesting concept, but how many gamers would really drop their hard-earned cash on it?

The demonstration that took my breath away though was done with a small film presented by Molyneux, one of the first to get their hands on the development kits. Peter proceeded to introduce us to "Milo," an A.I. program that responded with original thought to the context of questions and answers it was given and reacted to objects that were scanned into the system, recognizing colors and shapes. This mind boggling revelation means that, in theory, for truly the first time ever, the game could intelligently interact back with you.

It is a bit of a scary thought when you think of all the sci-fi movies that always begin with a benevolent A.I. that runs amok, but also think of the gaming possibilities: Calling out commands to squad mates in Call of Duty, climbing up towers that nearly touch the sky in Assassin's Creed, ducking for cover in Gears of War, all with never pressing anything more than the "on" button.

Of course, I'm sure there are a lot of additions and changes that need to be made before an optimistic release for the Fall of 2010 (and to get the image of SkyNet out of people's minds when they see it ), but Project NATAL's announcement was the left hook that Sony and Nintendo didn't see coming. Nintendo is strong enough to withstand it, I'm not so sure about Sony.

Project NATAL aside though, Xbox 360 also dropped major game and system announcements that will have repercussions throughout the ongoing console wars. The announcement of exclusive relationships with Twitter and Facebook that can be accessed via your Xbox Live account and all Netflix movies coming in at 1080p HD brings Xbox Live to a new level in terms of providing quality entertainment and interactivity to home consoles and this comes at no extra charge to your Xbox Live subscriptions.

Add in the announcements of FF XIII and a new Metal Gear, Metal Gear Solid: Rising, will be coming to Xbox 360 as well as the PS3 is a huge blow to Sony's dwindling exclusives list. This just shows how little of the market Sony is actually appealing to right now and that Xbox 360 is still going strong, even though the Wii is far and away the number-one seller as of this moment.

Aside from snuffing out some of Sony's exclusivity for certain franchises, Xbox 360 also made strong showings from their own exclusive titles as well as a few new ones. The first one, which did not surprise many people, was Forza Motorsport 3. With the promise of over 400 available cars, new tracks, and better controls, this was an expected announcement that had racing fans nodding with approval.

Then the big guns came out. Halo 3: ODST was revealed as expected along with a new Firefight mode that resembles Gears of War 2's Horde mode. As everyone knows by now, ODST is a side-story that follows a new character during the events of the third Halo, expanding on the already rich lore of Xbox's premier franchise. What no one expected though was the announcement of Halo: Reach, another new game in the franchise due out in 2010 that takes you through the fall of humanity's main colony. Although only a teaser was revealed along with the details that it will be a first-person shooter, this announcement shows that the Halo franchise is alive and well and should have Nintendo and Sony a little worried considering how well Halo always does.

Xbox also revealed an Xbox Live exclusive download called Shadow Complex. It reminded me of a Metroid game in that you start off with all your upgraded devices and weapons in the first level, only to lose them all and have to search through a giant complex that you can go forward and back in as much as you want as you find new weapons to open new doors. Considering it is an Xbox Live game, the promise of a 10+ hour campaign, it is made by the guys who brought us Gears of War over at Epic, and that it reminds me of a great classic franchise like Metroid, will have this at the top of my Xbox Live list when it comes out later this year.

The last exclusive that really knocked my socks off was Alan Wake. Set-up almost like a murder mystery TV show, this survival horror game redefines the idea of lighting effects, especially since it is your main weapon in the game. Alan is a novelist who has lost his inspiration and hasn't written anything worthwhile in over two years. His wife suggests a nice relaxing vacation in a backwater town up in the state of Washington. Everything seems picture perfect until Alan's wife disappears and his only clues are pages he keeps finding to a book he hasn't begun to write yet. With a feel like Stephen King meets Silent Hill, this looks like it will be a worthy addition to Xbox's exclusive library in the Spring of 2010.

Along with these exclusive titles and announcements, Xbox also revealed that along with PS3 it will have Tekken 6 and a new re-launch of the Castlevania series that is being developed by Hideo Kojima of the Metal Gear series that people are already comparing to God of War in terms of its style. On top of those announcements, looks at Bioshock 2, Assassin's Creed 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Fight Night Round 4, Madden '10, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, The Saboteur, Brutal Legend, and Alpha Protocol, which will all be out this year for multiple systems along with the console exclusivity Left 4 Dead 2 (now you can wield an axe!) and Xbox 360 looks very strong in the coming months in terms of their library and the direction they are headed in.

Therefore, as the only system to make an actual technological advancement and to have both strong first- and third-party projects coming out that after a long week of gaming greatness being on display, as the dust has now settled, Xbox 360 walks away the winner after quite possibly their best showing ever.

-Ray Carsillo