Zero Punctuation review: F.E.A.R. 2

This week's "Lazy Thursday" brings F.E.A.R. 2 into Yahtzee's arena in this week's Zero Punctuation. I presume the sequel is as shallow as its appended "2" to the original title, since Yahtzee didn't seem to fancy it as well. According to him, if you've played the first one, you've played the sequel.

Fortunately, Yahtzee has much more to rant about than that. NSFW below!

Paying my last respects...

Upon visiting the doomed PlayStation Store, I happened to find this lonely PS2 station appropriately left on the game over screen.

The only difference between how I found it to the picture above was that the words "restart from last checkpoint" were highlighted.

In true mourning fashion, I reached out to the controller and selected "quit game."

You were my break room from SF, my launch event where I got Jet Li's autograph, and my place where I finally purchased my PS3.

But now, you have no more lives left, and you're out of continues.

In other words, PlayStation Store...you are dead.

Zero Punctuation review: Skate 2

Ever determined to post on a "Lazy Wednesday," here's this week's Zero Punctuation for you - a review on a game I just recently acquired, Skate 2.

Granted, skateboarding isn't Yahtzee's cup of tea, but he knows that. Even so, he still does his "job" and gives the game his own wit and charm.

Oh, who am I kidding? He rips it a new one.

NSFW below. Click and enjoy!

Little Big Planet...finished!

This was actually done a few weeks ago, but I finished the main story mode in Little Big Planet. Like Rock Band 2, this is about as complete as I can do in a game that has a much lengthier replay value. There are a few levels that I'd like to construct, and even more that I'd like to play.

Unfortunately, all that takes time. And as a gamer, time is not on my side.

Rock Band 2 (tour)...finished!

Rock Band 2 is not the type of game I could really classify as "completing," simply because there's always something new to play or compete in. Which is why I'm putting a "finished" stamp on the game for just finishing the world tour, which would technically count since the credits rolled right after.

It's gonna take me more time to master the drums and start earning some of the harder-to-achieve trophies within, though. Couple that with the constant stream of new songs to download, and you have a game that I'll always return to for more.

Prince of Persia added to collection

What's this? Another game? So fast? Are you kidding??

I can at least say I played and completed the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. I can't say the same for the second and third installments of that trilogy, but it's good to know that the new Prince of Persia is starting all over with a new story and new system. And that is part of the reason why I now have a copy of the game in my house.

That, and it was on sale.

In any case, adding this to the growing pile isn't helping my playthroughs much...

Skate 2 and the evolution from Tony Hawk

Games are a great escape, but more and more the line between them and reality are blurring more and more. Pressing buttons to perform actions is such a backseat in many of the games that we play that it has had to evolve to literally get people off their seat. Wii was the most prominent influence toward this new generation of games that involve bodily movement, making players literally swing a racket or golf club to perform well in their games. Rock Band has also forced players out of their seats and really get involved with the music they love as well, potentially increasing their fondness for real instruments.

And, on a smaller scale, Skate has taken out the conventional button-input commands towards a more spontaneous flick of the analog sticks.

When the first Skate came out, I admit that the new control scheme scared me. I just stopped playing the Tony Hawk games, and was still used to button-mashing every single move while I made ridiculous air. It's not until Skate 2 where I decided to return to my video-game-skateboarding roots.

Now the controls feel more natural, the tricks look more realistic, and the bails look incredibly painful. All in all, yet another game added to my ever-growing PS3 library.

Zero Punctuation review: Thief: The Dark Project

For today's late "Lazy Thursday" post, we have Yahtzee do something he hasn't done in a while - express praise for a game, reviewing Thief: The Dark Project.

Long time fans of Zero Punctuation has probably heard the witty Australian mention Thief here and there when referencing a good game, and this week he tells us why he enjoys the game so. But it's still Yahtzee, so he still can't help stuffing in any penis or poop references during the process.

Enjoy the NSFW review below!

Zero Punctuation review: Little Big Planet

It's another "Lazy Thursday" (which should be "Lazy Wednesday," but I've been a bit laggy lately), and this week's Zero Punctuation review is on Little Big Planet for the PS3.

The review is standard Yahtzee fare, but there's some "cheeky" stuff in the middle.

You'll see.

NSFW below, obviously. Enjoy!

New games acquired over the weekend

Something old, something new...

Hot Shots Golf has had a solid run when it comes to playing an enjoyable golf game in an arcade-like setting, and the Out of Bounds PS3 version is no different. One of the few PS3-only games that I wanted to get, now finally in my house. Fore!!

And for my PSP, another music game to tap my fingers to. DJ Max Fever hopefully will fill the "portable Beatmania" gap in my heart, combined with anime graphics and hip Korean beats. I enjoy my English, Japanese, and Chinese beats, so this should be right up my alley.

Oh, and leave it to a new PSP game to remind you that you need to update your PSP firmware. Thanks, Sony.