Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings

Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Review

Kid Safe: Very Low (1.0 / 10)                           Game Quality: High (8.5 / 10)

Genre: Action/Adventure Role-Playing Game

-          As an Action/Adventure title, players will adventure and fight their way through the world while also finding alternate means of completing their tasks including battles, negotiation, and puzzle solving. Likewise, as a role-playing game, players will are able to create and developer their own unique character based on the decisions they make.

Internet Requirements: Low

-          Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings features a low amount of internet requirements and can generally be enjoyed without any connection to the internet. The only reason someone might want or need to use the internet is to acquire "downloadable content" in order to add extra gameplay hours to this title.

Story Summary: In Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, you take control of Geralt of Rivia, a professional

monster hunter in a fantasy world of kings, swords, and creatures, who has been framed for the murder of the king was once sworn to protect. Seeking to redeem his name and catch the killer responsible, you follow Geralt as he adventures through treacherous land and meet humans, elves, dwarves, and the hordes of vicious creatures which seek to make you their late-night snack. Will you be able to survive your hunt, find the killer, and bring justice to your the fallen throne?

Kid Safe: Very Low (1.0 / 10)

-          Foul Language: Very High - Not Recommended for Children

o   Witcher 2 features a very high amount of foul language in the form of the following words: "s*it", "a*s", "a*se", "f*ck", "b*tch", "c*nt", "p*ss", "b*stard", and "w*ore". These words very common throughout both cutscenes and gameplay from just about every character in the game; being heard regularly throughout dialogue amongst characters. This language is used in a variety of fashions and will be heard without any extensive provocation such as extreme anger or frustration.

-          Violence and Gore: Very High - Not Recommended for Children

o   Witcher 2 features a very high amount of both violence and gore. To start off, as an action/adventure, Witcher's gameplay focuses primarily on the usage of a variety of weaponry and magic to combat and most often kill your opponent. Players will be armed with a number of different weapons including, but not limited to, daggers, swords, hammers, maces, clubs, rakes, animal traps, and more. Players will also use magical spells that are designed to stun enemies or set them on fire. Players will fight a variety of enemies that include human and humanoid creatures like elves and dwarves as well as a wide variety of monstrous creatures.

o   When fighting enemies, it is the player's goal to deplete their enemy's health. Most often this results in the death of the player's opponent, although several exceptions exist in which the enemy will admit defeat. Players will swing with their weapons or cast their spells, most often resulting in yells of pain, jerks of anguish, and sprays of red to signify blood. When killed, enemies will often drop without real resistance. Players are also able to chop off enemy's limbs, however this does not create any excess blood or gore...they simply fall off.

o   Players will also be able to engage in one on one fist fights in certain sections which are significantly more brutal than the regular sword fighting. Players must used timed button presses to determine whether they do or do not hit their opponent. The camera angle is directly over the shoulder and tends to be a great deal more shaky, making hits feel a great deal more solid when the screen rocks from a solid punch. Likewise, whereas sword fights will denote hacking and slashing without real damage short of the red spray, fist fights will portray punches all across the body as well as hair pulling, kicking, throws, stomping, and a variety of other melee combat in an in-your-face style.

o   Aside from fights, a number of cutscenes will also feature moments of extreme violence and occasional gore. Several examples include: when the King is slain, he is grabbed from behind by another individual and has his throat slashed while his daughter is watching; while arguing with a marshal on the gallows, the lawman kills two criminals by kicking open their gallow-doors and letting them fall on their nooses, slowly hanging them to death (the corpses remain hanging from their nooses for a while). On top of this, while exploring dungeons and ravaged streets, you will often find bloodied and mangled bodies from individuals that lost their lives.

             

-          Sexually-Related Content: Very High - Not Recommended for Children

o   Witcher 2 features a very high amount of sexually-related content. This content takes place in sexually-related reference, full nudity, and depictions of sexual acts. There are several scenes throughout the game in which several women are depicted either topless or fully nude; some with and some without pubic hair for censoring purposes. One of these scenes in particular is literally at the very beginning of the game.

o   On top of this, Witcher 2 allows players to not only visit brothels throughout the various towns and cities that Geralt will visit, but also engage in sexual acts with the prostitutes that frequent them. Players will witness scenes of suggestive grinding, touching, and moaning as well as a variety of fully nude sexual depictions that include young women riding Geralt, being taken from behind, and more.

-          Use of Drugs and Alcohol: Moderate

o   Witcher 2 features a moderate amount of drug or alcohol usage; the majority of which tends to be depiction of alcoholic consumption. Players will often frequent bars, taverns, and inns which feature individuals in various states of drinking alcohol or with reference to individuals being intoxicated. On top of this, there are scenes depicting the usage of possible illicit drugs including one that features a cocaine-like substance being prepared and snorted by an individual.

             

Game Quality: High (8.5 / 10)

-          Graphics / Visuals: High

o   Witcher 2 features a definitively high level of graphics and visuals. Some of the games major strengths include the fascinating design of a large number of different monsters and creatures as well as excellent level and environment design; on the contrary, the game suffers from the occasional glitch as well as poor facial expressions. Starting off, you can tell the moment that you get into this title that the team put an INCREDIBLE amount of time into designing and realizing the entire world in Witcher. Not only will players be able to explore a number of different towns and cities, each with their own unique feel, look, and dozens of different homes and businesses to explore, but the details put into the buildings and environments alike is breathtaking.

o   Even more of a treat then exploring the world is fighting the enemies. Each different creature that you run into has been fully conceptualized and brought to fruition with flesh and bone (so long as they actually have flesh or bone). Every monster, whether dragon or sewer monster, is a treat to run into. You never know what you'll run into next and, while I don't want to spoil it too much, don't think you know everything; the team has developed a number of new, interesting, and nasty beasties that Geralt will have to fight for the chance to clear his name.

o   However, world and creatures aside, Witcher 2 suffers from two major problems. The first is the occasional graphical glitch. A number of these graphical problems include "holes" which characters get stuck on; one example being where, while fighting on a set of stairs, Geralt walked up and then suddenly "sunk" up to his knees in the stone stairwell, leaving him unable to escape. Aside from that, the facial expressions in the game need some work. While the team put an EXCELLENT amount of work into the monsters that Geralt faces, the same can't be said about the human-factor of the game. Many characters suffer from unbelievably stiff facial-expressions that make them look and act more like robots making a vague attempt at expression.

   

-          Audio: High

o   Witcher 2 features a high level of audio and musical quality. Some of the game's strongest features lie in its musical score and ambient sound effects while its weakest link lies in poor voice acting. So, starting with the good, Witcher 2 features one of the finest musical soundtracks that we've run into in a good while. The game features an impressive orchestral score for just about everything you can imagine from action to stealth to a simple neutral traveling tone. Yet, with each one, the music is grand in its delivery, lifting your spirits and always making the player want to push just that much harder. Each piece is also matched to the fantasy-feel of the game and tends to be very heavy in horn and string pieces.

o   On the contrary, the voice acting is a bit of a haphazard mess. While not all of the voice acting is a problem, in fact the game features the talents of both Damian O'Hare and Doug Cockle, it still needs work. Many of the unimportant and "off-characters" tend to have exceptionally poor voice work, sounding like someone is simply reading off their lines from a piece of a paper rather than attempting to portray any form of emotion or make their performance believable in any fashion. Likewise, these same characters tend to run into the problem being heard over and over as many "off-characters" repeat and reuse the same couple of lines amongst dozens of different people. While it's not debilitating to the gameplay, it is a mildly annoying distraction that tends to take away from the game's enjoyment.

-          Gameplay / Playability: High

o   Witcher 2 features a relatively high level of gameplay and playability; this is due to a very high level of gameplay but a moderate amount of playability. Starting off as always with playability, Witcher 2 has a couple of problems. While I have been unable to play the first Witcher title to confirm this belief, it would seem that the game relies heavily on the idea that players may have already experienced the first title. With the exception of battle and a few minor concepts or gameplay features, the game tends to expect you to either know how to control and navigate the game or look up how to do so. On top of this problem, the game itself tends to be a bit complicated when it comes to using all of Geralt's different skills and abilities and requires a good deal of explanation and maybe even a little studying to fully grasp how to play this game.

o   Now, while actually getting into the gameplay can be a bit of a rough start, once you do: the game is a blast. Witcher 2 features absolutely exceptional gameplay that seamlessly blends back and forth dialogue with sword fighting, magic usage, a wide variety of context-specific gameplay like using a ballista or attempting to calm a prisoner, as well as a huge number of mini-games that are used both to progress the story as well as provide player's the opportunity to relax from their adventures and win a little in-game money while they're at it. The game also focuses very heavily on player choice and, as the story progresses, allows players to make decisions throughout gameplay that will affect them both immediately as well as later down the road. A perfect example of this includes when I saved a group of people that were being rounded up to be killed by some corrupt soldiers early in the game. While I could have watched them die or even encouraged their genocide, I fought to defend the families who were set to burn. What resulted was a seamless recognition by several people down the road that remember me for my deeds and some who even rewarded me for going out of my way to help their friends and families. The entire game is like this and allows you to really make the gameplay experience unique to you.

          

-          Dollar-Value: Very High

o   Overall, Witcher 2 has a very high dollar-value. So long as you can get around and are ok with the exceptionally high amount of adult-rated content, this game will keep you going for a very long time. With already having over 20+ hours of gameplay and more to come with downloadable content in the future, Witcher 2 will most definitely stretch your gaming dollar. Not to mention the excellent visuals, heart catching music, and well-rounded and enticing gameplay options; Witcher 2 is an excellent choice for mature audiences looking to enjoy a fascinating story and the gameplay to back it up.

Recommendations

-          While not too many games will back up the clean, well-rounded gameplay that Witcher 2 has to offer, there are a couple we would recommend. First, if you are looking for a less adult-rated title, we would recommend Arcana Gothic 4. However, if you are ok with mature-rated content, Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, Sacred 2, and Dragon Age 2 would all be excellent choices.

Rage

Rage Review

      Kid Safe: Low (2.5  / 10)                        Game Quality: Very High (9.0 / 10)

Genre: First-Person Shooter / Open World RPG

-          The name makes this form of game sound more complicated than it really is. These games are characterized by the viewpoint and weapons used in the title. In a first person shooter, you are looking down the barrel of a gun as though you yourself are holding the weapon. Likewise, as the term "shooter" implies, the game specifically uses guns and firearms. On top of this, in an Open World RPG, players explore a place where choice is everything. Rather than providing a set story that a player has to follow, they are provided a world that they can explore. Finally, RPG means "Role Playing Game" and is characterized by the ability for a player to customize the appearance, weaponry, and special skills and abilities that are available to a character that they are playing.

Internet Requirements: Moderate

-          Rage features a moderate amount of internet requirements due to the presence of two forms of internet-based game options: two-player cooperative gameplay as well as competitive racing. The two player cooperative mode will pit two individuals against a series of tasks such as disarming bombs, turning water valves on, fighting bandits, etc. The competitive racing will set multiple players against each other in dune-buggy racing similar to the game's mini-games. Nonetheless, this title can be enjoyed without any internet usage whatsoever.

Story Summary:

-          In Rage, you play the role of a nameless "Ark Survivor". In this title's fictional future, a massive asteroid is set on a collision course for Earth. In order for mankind to survive this terrible catastrophe, the powers that be selected groups of people who were best suited to survive, injected them with powerful nano-technology, and then set them into Arks. These Arks were large lifepods that buried themselves into the Earth for a set period of time and kept their precious cargo in stasis until they are unsealed sometime in the future. Now, woken up from your long period of rest, you find yourself in a post-apocalyptic world that has been changed into a MadMax style oblivion filled with bandits, pockets of humanity, a controlling "authority", and dune-buggy racing to boot. Can you make your way through this changed world or will the Wasteland claim you?

Kid Safe: Low (2.5 / 10)

-          Foul Language: Very High - Not Recommended for Children

o   Rage contains a very high amount of foul language in the form of the following words: "d*mn", "h*ll", "b*tch", "a*s", "b*stard", and "f*ck". These words are heard regularly throughout both combat situations as well as through normal dialogue between a variety of characters. While this language is heard from most characters and people throughout the game, those most commonly at fault are the groups of bandits that roam the wasteland. Likewise, this language is heard through a variety of situations and is thereby not restricted to instances of extreme emotion such as anger, frustration, pain, or anguish.

-          Violence and Gore: Very High - Not Recommended for Children

o   Rage features a very high amount of both violence and gore. First off, as a first-person shooter, there is a focus on violent gameplay in which players use a variety of guns and firearms to dispatch their enemies. This range of weaponry includes, but is not limited to, fist and fist-like weapons, pistols, rifles, sniper rifles, assault rifles, shotguns, machine guns, grenades, remote-detonated explosives, and boomerang-like bladed weaponry that is flung at enemies to maim or impale. Players will then use said weapons against a number of enemies that are seeking to injure and kill the player. These enemies include tribes of carnivorous and murderous bandits, flesh-eating mutants, human-soldiers, and an array of monstrous creatures. Players are unable to harm innocent civilians.

o   Now, let's take a look at the combat. First, allow me to say that Rage is most certainly not the bloodiest game that we have reviewed on this site. To that same point, the more disturbing point is to an enemy's reaction when they are killed. While in combat, players will be encourage to maim and kill their enemies. When shot or injured, enemies will show a red spray of blood to indicate that they have been hit. When an enemy is wounded, they can  be seen cradling their injuries. When an enemy is severely wounded, they will often be seen falling to the ground; from there they will either weakly sit up, cradling their injuries, and attempt to fire upon the player or they will attempt to drag themselves or slowly crawl away from the gunfire. When killed, enemies will crumple to the ground realistically. A headshot is the perfect example of the disturbing amount of realism in this game: the enemy's head suddenly snaps backwards as they are hit by the bullet and their legs slowly crumple to the ground and their body follows. Wingsticks (boomerang-like throwing blades) can become imbedded in an enemy and have to be pulled out. Certain attacks and weapons will dismember enemies, leaving bloody stumps.

o   Outside of combat, players will also see a number of violent and gory sights. First off, the player is the only survivor of their Ark. When they wake up, an examination of the surrounding stasis pods will reveal decayed and mummified bodies of those that were not quite as lucky as you. Likewise, throughout the Wasteland players will find a variety of carcasses, both human and animal, that have been killed in a variety of fashions. Some even have the pleasant addition of having flies and insects buzzing about them. Players will also come across desecrated forms, one which stood out to me being an individual that is found tied with her hands and legs to four corners of a hallway. Occasionally the corpses even come in large piles of flesh that are simply decomposing into primordial black goo.

             

-          Sexually-Related Content: None

o   To the best of this reviewer's knowledge, Rage does not contain any explicit scenes of nudity or sexually related content. To this point, however, we would like to warn parents to exercise caution as the sheer size of this game does create the possibility of an overlap in judgment. In simpler terms, there is just so much that it's possible we missed something in some remote area of the game.

-          Use of Drugs and Alcohol: Very Low

o   Rage features a very low amount of drug and alcohol usage that pertains to some visuals of and some references to alcoholic beverages. Players will be assigned tasks that will require them to go out and locate "booze". Likewise, while playing through the game, players will be able to pick up alcoholic beverages around the wasteland. These beverages are not consumable but are instead used for crafting weapons and tools.

             

Game Quality:  Very High (9.0 / 10)

-          Graphics / Visuals: Very High

o   Have you ever wondered what it would be like to explore a Mad Max style world where bandits roam free and what little pockets of humanity struggle to survive? Rage gives you this chance. With such absolutely stunning graphics and visuals as are available in this title, you might just think that you are wandering the Wasteland with the arid heat beating down on your back, the dust in your face, and the sweat cooling you as you speed through the foothills in your dune-buggy. This game does just about everything well, but most especially praise-worthy is the breathtakingly gorgeous environments that that game has to offer. Aside from that, I also have to pay special praise to the realistic character movements.

o   I have to say that Rage won my cynical little critic-heart within a matter of minutes of even turning on the game. After I awoke from my long bout of stasis-sleep, I examined my surroundings, taking in what I could, and then stepped out of my Ark to see what had become of the Earth that was left behind. The sky is what caught my attention first. Brilliant, glittering sunlight shone down through perforated clouds that spilled a speckled flood of light and shadow down across the canyon below me; so real that it seemed cut from a video, not a game. Looking upon the canyon, the simple striations and rock formations catch my interest; leading further examination and revealing some of the finest texture graphics for the mountains and Wasteland. Aside from the absolutely breathtaking visuals themselves, the environments also feature interesting imaginings of life after the end of the world; broken down factories, recycled radio and TV equipment, and just about everything from the world left behind being recalled for service. A perfect example (as disturbing as it sounds) is an urinal that had been retrofitted as a water-pump.

o   The game's characters were another thing I marveled at; not specifically that ones that you talk to, but the ones you fight. Don't get me wrong, the talkers are just fine, but the enemies are amazing. I died more than once because I was just staring at them. Rage offers some of the smoothest enemy animations I have seen...one example including a bandit who jumped off a ledge, rolled down off a dirty mattress, slide behind a couch, vaulted, ran on a wall, and then dove at me. All of this was done without a flaw. Even then, while it's a bit more disturbing from a violence standpoint, the amount of character reaction to fighting is quite impressive. Very few games feature such realistic reactions such as a character cradling their injury or so-weakly attempting to fight back.

   

-          Audio: High

o   Moody and creepy music along with some very well done voice acting are on the docket for any audiophiles who enjoy Rage. If the graphics didn't quite convince you of where you are in this game, the audio will certainly help to hammer it home. Players will regularly hear conversations, announcements, and different radio stations and music while they wander towns and cities; really helping to add to a feeling of life and living in these areas. Likewise, when in the Wasteland exploring different areas, hideouts, bases, etc. the audio favors background music versus music from the environment. This score, with its moody and spooky tones, really help to set your hair on end or, should a firefight break out, get your blood pumping as you fight for your life against the all the horrors the Wasteland has to offer.

o   The voice acting is equally very well done, with one or two issues. First, understand that the main majority of "main characters" that you deal with on a regular basis are incredibly well done, with special attention paid to most every line and pulling in some big name talents. However, the problem (if you can call it that) is not so much with the main characters as it is with the hordes of bandits and soldiers. Their canned responses, comments, and other dialogue tend to feel a little bit less refined than that of author characters. More often these phrases feel less realistic and tend to read off or they simply get repetitive as you hear them more and more often.

-          Gameplay / Playability: High

o   And now for the real bread and butter. As always, we start with gameplay. First, the game does a decent job in actually introducing every concept of gameplay; from simple movement to engineering to combat to driving...on and on, etc. etc. It also does a good job in providing regular cues so that players know what button they need to hit or what item they need to use to solve a certain dilemma. However, the real problem that stems from Rage's playability comes from a control scheme that is slightly different from most first-person shooters, making it a bit awkward for some more experienced players, as well as making it difficult to find out how to do something if you forgot after the initial introduction. This is by no means game breaking, it just stands out as a bit annoying.

o   The gameplay is also well done, with the occasional minimal flaw. First off, players are really able to go anywhere that they want to in the Wasteland and are allowed to explore to their heart's content so long as they accept that they might get eaten for wandering too far from safety. If you aren't the wandering type, the game still does an expert job in leading you through a variety of easy to follow, simple to understand quests that progressively build and paint a picture of the world for what it has become since the asteroid hit. Likewise, if quests and gunplay aren't your game, there are plenty else to choose from. Simple games like dice and card games can satisfy your time as can dune-buggy racing, delivery runs, and much, much more. The only major problem is that the game feels a bit artificially lengthened via the focus on "dune-buggies". Players are, in certain spots, forced to partake in the titles mini-game races over and over in order to earn certificates so that they can buy certain items to complete quests. While a race or two wouldn't be a bad thing in general, the heavy amount of focus on these mini-game races can be a bit distracting for someone aching the exploring and gunplay that the game promises.

          

-          Dollar-Value: Very High

o   Overall, Rage still has a very high dollar-value. When you consider that on the Xbox 360 version of this title, it uses 3 DISCS; this game has a LOT of content. If you are ONLY playing the main storyline and not doing any other jobs or exploring at all, this game will take roughly 15 to 20 hours depending on gamer skill. However, given the fact that it would be very hard not to start exploring or try out other jobs or just see what kind of trouble you can get into, I would easily expect this game to last you a very long time. When you count that with the decently fun multiplayer and internet functions and absolutely stunning graphics, this makes Rage a good buy for the apocalyptic-survivor in your family. 

Recommendations

-          At this time, there really aren't any open world games that aren't mature rated; sadly post-apocalyptic Earth just isn't a nice place. However, if you are ok with mature content, you might check out Borderlands or Fallout. Bulletstorm might also perk your interest if you are into the nitty-gritty first-person shooter titles.

Mass Effect 2

 Mass Effect 2 Review

Kid Safe: Low (2.5  / 10)                             Game Quality: Very High 9.0 / 10)

Genre: Third Person Shooter / Open World RPG

-          This game is characterized by the viewpoint and the weapons used in the title. In a third person shooter, you are looking over the shoulder of an individual that is armed with a variety of weapons. On top of this, players are able to explore a "world" where choice is everything; rather than providing a dead-set story that a player has to follow, they are provided a world that they can explore. Finally, as an RPG, or "Role Playing Game", players are given the ability to customize the appearance, weaponry, special skills, and abilities that their character uses in order to create a unique individual.

Internet Requirements: Low

-          Mass Effect 2 features relatively low internet requirements. While it does not offer any kind of multiplayer functionality or score-tracking service, this title does offer the ability for players to purchase and download additional content to get more gameplay out of this game.

Story Summary: In Mass Effect 2, you take the role of Commander Shepard, a former member of the

special forces group, the Specters. You pick up Shepard after he has been dead for two years following the surprise attack on his space-vessel, the Normandy, by an unknown enemy. Resurrected by a humans-extremist group known as Cerberus, who is lead by the enigmatic "Illusive Man", Shepard is called upon to investigate the disappearance of a number of human colonies on the fringe of known space. They don't care how you get it done, just do it. Players will then get to explore the entire universe with dozens, if not hundreds of planets; going anywhere they so desire and gaining friends along the way as they try and solve the mystery of the Collectors.

Kid Safe: Low (2.5 / 10)

-          Foul Language: High

o   Mass Effect 2 features a high amount of foul language in the form of the following words: "d*mn", "h*ll", "b*tch", "a*s", "f*ck", "p*ssy", "b*stard", "p*ss" and "f*ggot". These words are not commonly used except by a handful of certain characters, most of them tending to be of a rougher and unsavory nature. Two of the characters that commonly use cuss words are your ally "Jack" and your other ally "Grunt". They will commonly use foul language as a part of their regular speech patterns without any real reasoning during both cutscenes and gameplay. Most everyone else will usually only use foul language during scenes of extreme emotion, frustration, and anger.

-          Violence and Gore: High

o   Mass Effect 2 features a high amount of both violence and gore. To start off, as a third person shooter, players will be using a wide variety of weapons that include, but are not limited to, space-age pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, grenade launchers, rocket launchers, lasers, artillery cannons, assault robots, and more. Players will also be able to use a variety of other worldly powers such as fireballs, ice-powers, and telekinesis. Players will be fighting a number of different enemies that include human beings, human-like aliens, robots, and a variety of monstrous alien creatures. Enemies and individuals that players can attack are generally always hostile and attempting to attack and kill the player, however there are some situations during cutscenes where players might attack and execute innocent individuals if they are deciding to be evil.

o   When in combat, players will be encouraged to shoot and kill their enemies. Shooting an enemy will generally produce very little blood unless the enemy is shot in the face with a high powered weapon, such as a sniper rifle; this will result in a large red spray around the face area. Shooting an enemy will result on blood spraying on walls and items behind them. Occasionally, if using an explosive power like a fireball or an explosive weapon like a rocket launcher, the enemy will explode in a spray of red, sending chunks of flesh and gore in every direction; this is not overly common. When an enemy is killed, they will stop and slowly fall down rather realistically. Once dead, enemy bodies or gore (in the instance of a fatal explosion) will quickly dissipate and disappear, leaving no mess behind.

o   While exploring the galaxy, players will stumble upon a number of gory sights, although they are not overly common. While adventuring through several different derelict space stations and cities, players will stumble upon bodies laying here and there; however there are no obvious signs of pain, suffering, or injury. While exploring the Collector's space ship, players will find a massive heap of corpses that have been experimented on by this alien race. Yet again, while fighting through an enemy stronghold, players will find roughly a dozen corpses that are all covered by sheets that were used for medical experimentation.

o   There are also a number of slightly disturbing areas such as a room where there are claw marks on the wall from individuals who, while dying of a plague, tried to claw their way out. Likewise, another example includes a video that features a human-alien woman who, having barricaded herself in a room, is telling her daughter that she loves her just before the other creatures burst into the room to kill her and the screen goes blank.

             

-          Sexually-Related Content: High

o   Mass Effect 2 features a high amount of sexually-related content in the form of both sexual reference as well as some minor sexual content and partial nudity. Starting off with sexual reference, there are a number of scenes and dialogues between characters that make note of sexual activity. When players are talking to other characters, they will have the option to, if friendly with them, lightly flirt back and forth. This flirting can make reference to several things including "letting off some steam" and "filling them up". There are also suggestive comments like "If this is just about sex, maybe you should ****ing say so." and "Oh my, she really is quite...flexible". Finally, there are also sexually related situations such as a mission where the captain of a ship which crash landed apparently killed or exiled all of the male crew members in order to keep the women as a harem.

o   As far as sexual content and nudity goes, let's start with nudity. First, allow me to establish that there is NOT any blatant nudity. The most players will see is underwear and lingerie. While exploring, players will occasionally venture into bars and exotic dance halls where they will see women dancing in partially revealing outfits which tend to reveal buttocks, but little else. Likewise, players are able to pursue romantic relationships with their allies which will result in sexually suggestive scenes. These scenes will show characters flirting, kissing, caressing, embracing, and partially disrobing; however these are not sexually explicit in any fashion, all characters are at least partially clothed with no blatant nudity, and after these initially scenes of intimacy, the cutscene will fade away and fast forward to the characters clothed and embracing on a bed. These scenes are generally more romantically focused than sexual and only one character has a truly "lustful" depiction: the character "Jack".

-          Use of Drugs and Alcohol: Moderate

o   Mass Effect 2 features  a moderate amount of a drug and alcohol usage that takes place primarily through reference to illicit drugs and scenes of using tobacco and alcohol. Starting off with the references, there are several missions and discussions which concern drug use as well as the addiction to or trafficking thereof. There are also discussions in which characters make reference to having been on or using drugs; examples provided "The asari injecting so many drugs into me was terrifying" and "He had me so drugged up, I can't even remember what you said to me."

o   Aside from the illicit drug use, players will witness a fair share of tobacco usage, especially from one of the main characters; the Illusive Man. This individual, quite literally, is smoking a cigarette in every scene that you see him in. There are also a number of other characters throughout the game that are scene smoking cigarettes. The same is to be said about alcohol. Players will very often witness characters throughout the game drinking alcoholic beverages. If players wander into a bar in this title, they are often able to order drinks from the bartender. There is no obvious limit placed on the number of drinks they can order and doing so results in a slightly blurry and shaky screen for roughly a minute. Past that, drinking offers no ramifications, bad, good, or otherwise.

             

Game Quality: Very High (9.0 / 10)

-          Graphics / Visuals: High

o   Mass Effect 2 offers up a rather amazing experience that is visually very well done. To start off, one of this game's major strengths is its imagination and focus on varied environments. As you explore the galaxy, you will notice a wide variety of different places. Not only will you be walking the halls of human, alien, and robotic buildings and ships, you will also be exploring a number of alien planets, lost worlds, and crumbling ruins. Every planet and alien race has a very unique appearance and feel to their design and the worlds that you explore reflect this nicely. The galaxy feels fully realized and complete, filled to the brim with nooks and crannies that are just waiting to be explored.

o   The other notable visual experience in Mass Effect 2 is in the design of the characters. To start off, the game is very dialogue heavy, and players will very often be talking back and forth with other characters. The focus on facial features and expressions across the alien races are top notch and generally well done, offering up a multitude of realistic emotions and expressions. Likewise, the range of motions that characters exhibit while moving through the world is rather impressive. Not just counting stuff like running, strafing, turning, etc., characters will often react to things like flame and explosions, shying away from it realistically, and showing signs of unease and lack of balance.

o   The game's major visual issue comes in graphical glitches. There were several instances where characters would stop "walking" and suddenly just start hovering and floating, standing perfectly still. There was one comical example where one of my characters, Miranda, suddenly went stiff as a board and floated around me and the other character Jacob in a circle, almost like a mannequin orbiting a moon. Likewise, there were a number of other issues where I would walk over an invisible "break" in the graphics and suddenly get caught in places that I was not supposed to go. Examples include an instance where I was merely hovering over a massive hole in the ground or when I walked forward and suddenly walked "up" where I walked through the ceiling of the room I was in. These were uncommon, but an annoyance when I found them.

   

-          Audio: Very High

o   An all-star voice cast, high quality sound effects, and an excellent musical score make the audio in Mass Effect 2 a treat. Starting with voices, Adam Baldwin, Keith David, Seth Green, Martin Sheen, Quinton Flynn, and Phil LaMarr are just a few of the names that make this game a Grade-A hit. Every line is nailed, every inflection perfect, and every bit of dialogue truly carry this story driven game along. As for the music: again, top notch. With a wide variety of pieces that range from slow and calm to heavy and fast paced or soft and creepy, all of Mass Effect's music is specially craft just for the game and always sets the tone for whatever mood or action is going on at the time.

-          Gameplay / Playability: High

o   Mass Effect 2 has some of the most enjoyable gameplay to date with a pretty high level of playability. Starting off, as always, with playability. The game does a decent job in introducing all of the controls and functions that you will need to use. Introducing everything in a slow paced, action environment, the game progressively displays all of the control buttons that you need to know, followed up by when and how to use a variety of things like squad commands, special powers, medical kits, and more. Likewise, should you ever forget how to use any of these powers, or you just haven't used them for a while, the game will display a prompting telling you how to use said power or command during regular gameplay.

o   The one major problem with playability comes, again, from a number of glitches that I experienced. I'm not sure if this had something to do with the PC/Computer version of this title or what, but a couple of these glitches were incredibly frustrating because they forced me to reload the title. Falling back on the same examples. In an instance where I got stuck hovering over an open chasm for no apparent reason, the game would not allow me to leave. No matter what I tried to do, I could not go back onto solid land. Likewise, when I suddenly started hovering up to the ceiling, I was never able to get back down. These glitches forced me to start over at an earlier part of the game.

o   However, the gameplay is a much different story. If you are wanting a heavily story-driven title with a variety of things to do, this is the game for you. Obviously, as the genre implies, there is shooting; but that's just the half of it. Players will constantly be dealing with hundreds of different characters throughout the game. They get to decide how they want to be perceived...kind and caring or brutish and arrogant, strict and understanding or completely unforgiving. How you act towards others will progressively unlock different features, powers, and capabilities, not to mention a host of different possible endings to the game. Plus, as you explore, players will constantly be trying new and different activities such as hacking doors and consoles to unlock them, scanning and probing planets to harvest rare materials, bypassing security networks, upgrading weapons and equipment, wagering on alien monster fights, defending food stores from space monkeys using an artillery cannon, and so much more. Not to mention that every choice you made in the first mass effect will influence the entire world in Mass Effect 2. All of these features blend together seamlessly into an exceptional and enjoyable experience.

          

-          Dollar-Value: Very High

o   Overall, Mass Effect 2 has a very high dollar value. So long as you are ok with the mature themes that this game has to offer, this game has somewhere in the range of 30 to 40 hours minimum of gameplay. I would keep in mind that, while this is certainly not the most violent or suggestive game, the title may be less appealing to some younger players due to the incredibly heavy focus on story and dialogue. While it makes it an excellent choice for an older audience, the long periods of talking might bore a younger player. Nonetheless, given the game is quickly approaching bargain bin costs, this massive game and exceptional game is worth just about every penny.

Recommendations

-          Not too many games can really come close to the complexity of Mass Effect, however we do have one or two recommendations. If you are looking for a less mature rated title, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic would certainly be an excellent choice. Other, more mature rated titles, might include Alpha Protocol and Dragon Age Origins.

Hunted: The Demon's Forge

 Hunted: The Demon's Forge Review

Kid Safe: Low (3.0 / 10)                           Game Quality: Moderate (6.5 / 10)

Genre: Action/Adventure Role-Playing Game

-          As an Action/Adventure title, players will adventure and fight their way through the world while also finding alternate means of completing their tasks including battles, negotiation, and puzzle solving. Likewise, as a role-playing game, players will are able to create and develop their own unique character based on the decisions they make.

Internet Requirements: Low

-          Hunted: The Demon's Forge features a low amount of internet requirements that is exclusively build around "cooperative" gameplay. What this means is that players are able to connect to each other via the internet in order to help each other play through the game's story.

Story Summary: In Hunted: The Demon's Forge, you take the role of E'Lara, an Elven Hunteress
                              with akeen eye and well-taut Bow, and Caddoc, a brutal and vicious barbarian
                              warrior who lets his sword do the talking. Following a recurring vision that Caddoc
                              has been experiencing, the two mercenaries set off in search of an answer to his
                             dreams. Everything comes together when they meet a magical young woman who
                             leads them on their quest to find a mysterious artifact that will not only help her, but
                             grant them incredible wealth and power.
 

Kid Safe: Low (3.0 / 10.0)

-          Foul Language: Low

o   Hunted: The Demon's Forge contains a relatively low amount of foul language in the form of the following words: "d*mn" and "h*ll". These words tend to occur rather infrequently and can normally be heard in dialogue between the characters. They are not overly prompted by overt anger or emotion.

-          Violence and Gore: Very High

o   Hunted: The Demon's Forge features a high amount of violence and gore. To start off, players will be controlling two human characters that are encourage to fight and kill a number of different monstrous and humanoid beasts that include demons, skeletons, dragons, arachnids and more. Players will use a variety of weaponry including swords, axes, clubs, torches, bows, crossbows, ballistae, magical spells, and more. Players become covered with blood and gore as they fight.

o   When fighting against an enemy, the screen will occasionally shake to denote a particularly powerful hit. Enemies will, given they have blood, lightly spray viscera when they are hit by sword or bow attacks. Players are also able to complete headshots in which the enemy's head will explode and spray gore in all directions. Likewise, players are able to perform "special attacks", which focus on particularly brutal ways of killing an enemy. E'Lara will fire an arrow which the camera follows until it embeds itself in an enemy's head. Caddoc will viciously knock down an enemy and embed his weapon in their skull.

o   Aside from what players will see while fighting, the game also features several scenes of violence and gore in the game's cutscenes and environments. Players will regularly discover killed or mutilated bodies lying around. Likewise, they will also find a number of people who have been strung up as prisoners or who are mourning the loss of a loved one. On top of this, players will witness the deaths of different characters including where a man is pushed through a window, attacked by a monster, and has his heart ripped clean out of his chest before the monster presents it and then runs away. Other examples include a civilian who, when trying to escape the creatures, has a sword run completely through him so that it is visibly sticking out of his chest.

             

-          Sexually-Related Content: Low

o   Hunted: The Demon's Forge features a low amount of sexually-related content which consists of a number of female characters wearing exceptionally revealing outfits that show an ample amount of breast cleavage and/or buttocks.

-          Use of Drugs and Alcohol: None

o   To the best of the reviewer's knowledge, Hunted: The Demon's Forge does not contain any instance of drug or alcohol usage.

             

Game Quality: Moderate (6.5 / 10)

-          Graphics / Visuals: Moderate

o   Hunted: The Demon's Forge features a really mixed bag when it comes to graphics and visuals. While it is certainly not bad, it does not have any real visual strengths. To start off, the game is generally very drab in appearance and has an relatively dark color hue that contributes little more than frustration when it comes to trying to navigate a number of the almost-lightless dungeons that players will be exploring. While the textures for things like stone and wood the dungeons tend to be decent, there is nothing that really stands out.

o   The character animations are equally lackluster. Hunted uses a slightly dated system to design their characters which results in many of the characters have a very unimpressive appearance. Strange facial expressions, choppy or distorted body movements, and the problem of some characters not even being fully animated all detracts from an enjoyably immersive gameplay experience. Likewise, a lack of overly interesting enemies as well as the occasional graphical glitch or visual malfunction further detract from the player experience.

   

-          Audio: Moderate

o   Much like the game's visuals, Hunted: The Demon's Forge features a moderate level of quality in terms of audio. The game does not boast any particularly ground-breaking strengths or extreme weaknesses. Starting with the voice acting, the actors are decent but do little to add any real weight to the performance. While the occasional back and forth banter, cracking jokes and making quips, tends to be amusing, the characters feel rather soulless and the lines of dialogue that are spoken simply don't provide any emotional weight to be worth anything. The music is very similar in this aspect. When there IS any music, it is generally enjoyable and well-done, but the soundtrack for this title is nearly non-existent and therefore what bonus is could add to the gameplay just isn't there.

-          Gameplay / Playability: High

o   Luckily, Hunted: The Demon's Forge actually features a relatively high level of gameplay and playability. As always, starting with playability, the game caters relatively well to both casual and hardcore gamers alike. This title uses a relatively standard control scheme that many players, especially those that have played Gears of War, Unreal Tournament, and Uncharted, will be familiar with. For those that haven't gotten a chance to sample the controls before, the game slowly and casually introduces them to the player as they travel through a relatively safe environment. The player's first introductions into puzzles, combat, and special events are all done easily and with full instructions.

o   The gameplay is of an equally high quality. Players will not only be able to explore the fully fleshed out story of E'Lara and Caddoc as they search for the answer to Caddoc's vision, but they will also be able to discover and explore a number of completely unrelated dungeons and areas that will grant them extra powers, magical weapons of incredible strength, and richest beyond their wildest dreams. Not limiting the players simply to fighting, they will also be able to solve a number of puzzles, rescue civilians who have been captured from their plight, interact with the dead, use siege weapons, and more.

          

-          Dollar-Value: Moderate

o   Overall, Hunted: The Demon's Forge has a moderate dollar-value. While the game boasts somewhere between 8 to 11 hours of gameplay, there is very little reason to play through it again. Having only a cooperative mode that will allow two players to play through the story together, there isn't any real multiplayer function to fall back on nor is there any way to influence the story enough that a player will be tempted to play through it again. This title can be generally enjoyable despite the slightly lackluster audio and visual quality, but offers little in the way of replayability.

Recommendations

-          First, if you are looking for a less adult-rated title, we would recommend Arcana Gothic 4. However, if you are ok with mature-rated content, Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, Sacred 2, Witcher 2, and Dragon Age 2 would all be excellent choices.