Voter's Choice: Game of the Year

The fans have chosen! This year's Fan Choice BAMF for Game of the Year goes to Batman: Arkham Asylum! The vote was again very close between Batman and Assassin's Creed 2, but Batman pulled ahead with 57% of the vote.

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February is Music Month

Why? Because I've been told we need more music coverage (personally, I think it's more the tv/movie aspect we should beef up) so I'm making more music posts, effective immediately, by officially kicking off Music Month here at Installation 04. For February we'll be doing all sorts of music-related stuff, but let us know what kind of regular musical features you all want to see in the comments below. Besides that, makes sure to check out the poll on in the sidebar.

THE 600TH POST

Well, this is interesting...



And what a 600th post that was...

Star Wars Druken Jedi Master

This is one of the funniest clips I've seen in a while. Enjoy!

Review: Borderlands

Having played Borderlands with all four characters for quite a good number of hours, I finally feel I can properly review it. The last game developed by Gearbox Software was Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway, the series the company is known for. Like Obsidian, Gearbox is more known for its ports of games such as Halo for the PC, Half Life for some consoles, and for sequels to series nobody wants to continue such as Counter-Strike. Frankly, I wasn't expecting too much from Borderlands, but if you haven't gotten the idea from us giving Borderlands our Best Offering Of The Year award, it's pretty good.

The BAMF Awards!

A brief note - the BAMF Awards apply only to game that I have had ample hands on experience with. This year the only notable exception is Uncharted 2. Before the PS3 Fanboys flame up the site, you wouldn't want me to include Uncharted 2 anyway, because friends tell me it's the same-old same-old as the first game but with better visuals.

Here are the winners:

Best Shooter - Borderlands

Some might consider this an upset considering Modern Warfare 2 and Halo 3 ODST both came out this year; however, neither game presented anything new or groundbreaking. Borderlands, on the other hand, took massive leaps forward in the shooting world. It created a fast-pace frenzy of firing filled with gun lust and gore galore. It has redefined the RPG and Shooter. Modern Warfare 2 comes in second place, largely because Modern Warfare 2 is short. Unlike Halo 3 ODST, Modern Warfare 2's short length isn't a problem because the game is non-stop action and well-made the entire way.

Best Graphics - Batman: Arkham Asylum

On the PS3, the Graphics for this game blew my mind. It was Batman come to life, and unlike Uncharted 2 where graphics are the game, in Batman the creators made graphics a fantastic complement to the game. I also love attention to small details, and in Batman everything is done right. Every chair has the wood marks/lines, every floor has each square perfectly detailed, and even Batman's suit retains any battle scars you get throughout the game. All I can say is...WOW!

Best RPG (games like Borderlands don't count) - Dragon Age: Origins

I didn't play this game too much since I only rented it, but it reminded me of KOTOR 1 and 2. No surprise given the maker. Head to head against Borderlands, Borderlands wins out, but I feel that Dragon Age: Origins is a true return to the lore-filled RPG. As an aside, if you want a fun RPG, check out Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 (it's along the lines of a Baldur's Gate type game).

Best Music - Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits

Is it cheap giving best music to a music game? Why yes, yes it is. If I was a massive Beetles fan the Rockband game would have won.

Most Addicting - Ratchet Clank Future: A Crack in Time

It's predecessor (Ratchet Clank Future 1) returned my attention to the series, and while this game is more of the same as the first future, it still rocks. The crazy weapon names, humor, and massive destruction keep you entertained for hours. Honorable mentions in this category go to the juggernauts (Assassin's Creed 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and Borderlands).

Best Co-Op - Borderlands

This is the Co-Op from my dreams! You play the actual game, but with other people! It is like World of Warcraft collides with Halo 1 and Call of Duty into a massively fun adventure.

Best Online/Multiplayer - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

While Modern Warfare 1's online play was waaayyyy better, Modern Warfare 2 lucks out in that it is the only real online game to have come out. Game-wise, this game has received a lot of hatred that I don't find justified. The single-player is very intense and you will love it. The Challenges are also fun. The integration of cutscenes with gameplay is also an innovation, but one that was out-shadowed by Assassin's Creed 2 similar interwinding.

Best Action - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

For me, an action game is about non-stop killing. Borderlands won Best Shooter so I won't give it best Action, and I consider Batman more of a detective/stealth with combat mixed in. Assassin's Creed 2 is a game where the combat is a bit repetitive and focuses more on cool acrobatics. That left me with few choices I considered as a true action game. Then it hit me: Modern Warfare 2. The game isn't all shooting; it is a suspense ride with plot twists and cool cinematic scenes built into the story. It even has a few surprises in game.

Best Adventure (TIE) - Assassin's Creed 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum

Are these games adventure games? Well, they each take you on a journey. They each involve puzzle challenges and learning more about yourself on the journey. Each has an arch-foe, and each has an internal struggle. If it sounds like an Odyssey it's an adventure game in my book, and both of these take the cake.

Best Fighting (TIE)- Street Fighter IV, Punch-Out!!!

While Street Fighter IV is a fun game, it is very challenging and the controls are hard to learn for an American Boy. So, I give it a tie with a game that is often over-looked and doesn't get the loving it needs: Punch-Out for the Wii. Punch-Out is plain fun. Using the Wii-Fit Board, I get to dodge, dip, punch, jab, jump, everything. It captured what drew me to Fight Night Round 3 as well as the soul and animation of Mike Tyson's original. You'll have a hell of a good time with Punch-Out.

Best Sports Game - Madden NFL 10

As a sports guru I take this category very seriously. While the new FIFA game gave Madden a run for it's money, Madden 10 wins the award because it saved the series. Since 2005, Madden games have been getting worse and worse. Madden '09 was an atrocity. Nay, it was an abomination. 10 saves the series and takes it back to the best in the series, Madden 2005. While not as good as Madden 2005, 10 is a sign that the series is back on the right path.

Most Challenging - Demon's Souls

I did not play it, but tales of its difficulty are legendary. It ranks up there with the first Xbox Ninja Gaiden.

Best Strategy - Halo Wars

Another one I didn't play, but given the Age of Empires history and high reviews, I can sit back and agree.

Best Cutscenes - Halo Wars [and Uncharted 2]

Again, I said Uncharted 2 wouldn't be mentioned, but I have heard that when it comes to cutscenes this game blows everyone out of the water. I'd also like to mention Assassin's Creed 2, because cutscenes fit flawlessly into the game and created a narrative that seemed to continue without pause. All in all, after youtubing the cutscenes, the Halo Wars cutscenes were epic. To win this BAMF, epicness is a req.

Most Underrated - The Conduit

Asking youself what is this game? A Wii Shooter that rivals Halo 1. Yes, it rivals Halo 1. For more info, check the archives over at Installation 04.

Best Wii Game - Madworld

Alright, so everyone loved Mario Brothers Wii. I found it boring alone. It's the same exact thing as the DS one, only now with Yoshi's. Oh, and the Koopa Kids return. Big Whoop. I still don't get their relation to Bowser. Anyway, the game is boring. Madworld, on the other hand, is just plain crazy. I only rented this game and was blown away by the sheer insanity of this game. It's like the Gears of War Chainsaw meets, well, whatever goes on in Rorshach's head.

Best Sequel - Assassin's Creed 2

Some sequels were solid and did more of the same, like Modern Warfare 2 or Ratchet Clank Future 2. Assassin's Creed 2, on the other hand, did what X-Men 2 did and it raised the bar. Not only did it fix all the flaws of the first game, but it also took the game to new depths and combined Ubisoft's best work (Prince of Persia, Splinter Cell) into a game for the ages. The storyline is also one that keeps you on edge.

Best Game Based on a Movie (TIE) - Ghostbusters, X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Oh noes! Games based on movies! Well, both games are among the 20 best games this year in my book. Both are fun and highly entertaining. Both are solid 8s and are cheap now given the infamous nature of movie games. Wolverine is a BAMF after all, so he was also due for a BAMF Award.

The Byestander (aka Most Overrated) - Halo 3 ODST

You can read my review on this, but it's time that Bungie stops getting a pass. Halo 1 was years ago, and since Halo 1 each Halo game gets worse and worse. 3 was slightly better, but still fit along with the downward trend. Halo 3: ODST was very short, not at all challenging for a Halo Vet, the graphics sucked, and the game wasn't even fun until the end. It was rather boring watching your team-mates do everything. The only good point was that the game had massive potential and a very creative story. Never again will I let Microsoft rob me blind.

The Pussy Dishonor Award for Worst Game - Watchmen: The End is Nigh

What a shitty game. Not only is it an outdated street fighter type game from the SNES days, but it is also bad at it. The combat is lame. The enemies are lame. And the graphics are too dark to see anything. Epic Fail!

The Pussy Dishonor Award for Worst Sequel - Resident Evil 5

Huh? I can't run AND shoot like in every game in existence since the PS2 hit? WTF! FAIL!

The Pussy Dishonor for Outdated Cutscene Graphics - Halo 3: ODST

Besides the very strange facial expressions, the cutscenes looked 4 years in the past. In fact, it looks worse than Halo 3's cutscene graphics. Even Watchmen had way better graphics. C'mon Bungie, get with the program here.

3rd Place Game of the Year BAMF - Borderlands

Let me be clear: in terms of fun and replay value Borderlands is, without a doubt, game of the year. The game could have won well over 75% of the BAMFs on this page. This is a game I will still be playing years to come. My only problem is that for Game of the Year, I look towards fun, but more importantly a game that you will remember years to come (even if you don't play it again). For example, I still remember Bioshock and hold it dearly. When the dust settles, I will remember this game as fun, but there is nothing story-wise to latch on to.

The Dirty Harold's Assistant (2nd Place) - Batman: Arkham Asylum

Honestly, this and Assassin's Creed 2 are equal. Both games are nearly perfect. The only flaws are the boss battles against Killer Croc, and especially irritating, the last boss battle against Joker. What lame boss fights. Anyway, the Scarecrow fights in this game will give me chills for years, and the storyline was the best story-line of any game since Bioshock.

The Dirty Harold (Game of the Year) - Assassin's Creed 2

So why did Assassin's Creed 2 win over Batman? I'm a history guy, and I loved the historical fictions and truths weaved into the game. The Truth segment was also the most incredible moment of any game this year. Like I said, this and Batman are on even footing.

BAMF Awards: Coming Soon!

Our partner site, Installation 04, gives out the BOOTY Awards every year. It is a compilation of the best games the past year. To honor them, and because every video game review site needs them, we now unveil the Cutting Edge's BAMF Awards!!!!

For those of you who don't know, a BAMF in slang is a bad-ass mother f%*#er! For example, see Shaft. A BAMF can also refer to a female who kicks some ass, like the fictional Kasumi (Dead or Alive IV) or the real-life Torrie Wilson.

Anyway, for the purposes of this website (for those of you who are still reading instead of looking at the picture), a BAMF Award goes to the game that is the best in a category. The categories are: Best Shooter, Best Graphics, Best Music, Most Addicting, Best Co-Op, Best Online, Best RPG, Best Action (includes stealth games), Best Adventure, Most Under-rated Game, and lastly, Best Cutscenes. Then, a special BAMF, called The Dirty Harold, is given to the Game of the Year (the Super BAMF Award!). 2nd and 3rd place Games of the Year will also be announced; they receive 2nd Best BAMF and 3rd Best BAMF.

Like everything in life, for every positive there is a negative. So what is the opposite of a BAMF? A pussy [cat]. The pussy [cat] dishonors go to the Worst Game of the Year and Worst Sequel of the year. The Byestander Award goes to the 1 game who doesn't fit in with the BAMFs or pussies (err I mean pussy cats). It is the byestander; the byestander award goes to the Most Overrated Game of the Year! Enjoy!!!

Street Fighter IV Game Review

I am not a fan of the Street Fighter Series. I played Street Fighter II, arguably the best one, many times at a friend's house back in the day. Every round went the same: I picked Blanka, got my ass kicked as I aimlessly mashed controls, and stopped playing after a few rounds. So what compelled me to get Street Fighter IV given my hatred of the Japanese Fighting game? It was on sale at a Blockbuster going out of business. And so we come to the fabled bad news, good news scenario. The bad news is I still suck; the Japanese have a way of making very complicated fighting games with no tutorials. The good news is that, partially thanks to extremely very very easy mode (that's not the actual name but you get it), I love this game! Now for the review:

First, the fighting mechanics. The fighting mechanics are awesome and still complicated, by now with the 360's dual-axis set-up, a lot less complicated than the time I played Street Fighter II. I play as Ryu who is fairly easy to learn, and my only complaint is that every time I try to do an Ultimate Attack, my character jumps in the air or shoots the same fireball out. Alas, this is a noob problem, but, the fighting is fast pace and fun enough that it got this noob to play for hours and even look at some tutorials online to get better!

Second, the difficulty. Even playing on very easy the last two opponents in the "classic" mode are hard and very cheap. The last both, Seth, is the cheapest I have seen in all my 14+ years of gaming. He has one attack that sucks you on and is instant death. So why even bother? Well, when bashing buttons leads to victory you feel very accomplished. In fact, I can proudly say I now win 3 of 4 matches. There is joy in the struggle, but it's one that would be less difficult if the game had a tutorial in it (or my game's manual wasn't missing)

Third, the graphics. Love them. Fantastic! Brilliant! It is cartoony and serious, bringing the street fighter game to life in a dazzling way. If any IGN'ers are reading this, they probably give the game a 9 or 10 on this section alone.

Fourth (and last) characters, arenas, and modes. The game offers many modes from do-it yourself training, to classic, to online, death match, etc. The campaign (or classic) also has cool anime cutscenes that make no sense, but are nice anyway. The characters are all quirky, unique, and I'm drawn to them. There are also many characters to unlock so you can get a solid amount of gametime out of this baby. The fighting arenas are all over the world and each have their own cool thing (one arena is a drive-in movie and teenagers are flipping cars and going wild over the fight). the music is sweet too.

Outside of the Super Smash Brothers Series, the only fighting game I was ever able to get into was Dead or Alive 4. Well folks, add Street Fighter IV to the list. Maybe it's a coincidence that both end in IV, or maybe I'm just older, but I thoroughly enjoy this game besides sucking tremendously.

Final Score: 8

The game gets an 8 because it is in dire need of a meaningful tutorial or else noobs like me will stay noobs and play this game once in a while once all the flare leaves.

Game of the Year Poll

The poll results are in and a run-off is required:

Batman Arkham Asylum and Assassin's Creed 2 tied in most votes, with Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 in 3rd. A run-off between Batman and Assassin has been posted up so start voting!