It’s too easy to just jump out and scream that this game is awesome no matter how true that statement might be. Now I have just let the cat out of the bag but it I want to focus on a few problems with this game. One of the biggest reasons I’m going to start out with problems has more to due with the lack of them rather than their abundance. First and foremost the biggest problem with the first Arkham title was size of the game. With this game being placed in to a city, or rather a portion of Gotham you would expect to see enough real estate to move around. However, this game is still a little too small for all the content packed into this game. Again as mentioned with Arkham Asylum, too much content is never a problem. The second problem you’ll run into is the pace of the game’s story. With so much content, so many available villains, you should never feel rushed but at what should have been a perfect mid-point in the game I just kind of felt like I was getting thrown into a pit of madness. The same could have been said for the first game but at that time we couldn’t see the bottom of that pit. For those of us that have taken that trip in the past, we clawed the walls trying not to land.

This all being said, the game is still one of the best games I’ve played this year or in a few years for that matter. Batman: Arkham City sets a new bar for all action video games, comic book or otherwise. This is the perfect transition from first title to second and the story is so good and so well written that the small plot holes don’t matter. What does matter is that the game has too many DLCs for any gamer. First the game came with a code to play as Catwoman, if I got the from one retailer I would have gotten another code or I could wait to throw down extra cash to download the content at a later date. This is kind of off putting but that’s the nature of the game industry.

Overall, Batman: Arkham City is gem. The game perfect for every gamer. It’s one of the first must have games of the year and if you’re still looking for that perfect gift, here it is. My only hope for future titles is a larger landscape like maybe all of Gotham city. The only problem with that could be my continued complaint that the game still isn’t large enough but is that really a problem in the long run?

Going into this game and every game I try to look at the game with the anticipation that I’ll be playing a good game. I liken it to the idea that I’m a fan of games first and I only try to find the bad points after the fact. I tried to do with X-Men: Destiny. My hope for a good game lasted about 10 minutes. Right from the start of the game, the graphics looks kind of poor. This isn’t something I normally open with in a review but the moment this game started I couldn’t help but think that this game was just missing something.

The next realization that I was in for an awful game was the gameplay. I don’t know how to say this in any other way but saying it’s as if every bad aspect of a game was put together in the hopes that something would be good. The results are far from it. This gameplay design borders on unplayable and then to top it all off the game progresses in such a bad way that the more you play the game the worse it gets which is a huge surprise. Normally a game works like a roller coaster where it builds up with a few drops but with enough momentum to get you back up the next hill. X-Men: Destiny, however is like taking a train that only goes down.

One recently, I started reading comic books again. Before I even thought about picking up a few books I had to take a look at what was out there and the X-Men sat at the top of my list. I read them in the 90s and I was hoping to check them out all over again. However, my search left me looking elsewhere. In some ways you might think this game shouldn’t have influenced this decision but that would be a lie.

In any game, the potential for a good is always there but with a comic book game, the story is a must or at the very least is should be coherent. In X-Men: Destiny, you get neither. The story is dull and lame. You play as a mutant that just received their powers. Upon unlocking these new abilities you have must play through and decide on being a good or evil mutant. This is done through a series of RPG like dialog choices that further limit the story for a comic book fan and seem lazy for a gamer.

This greatest problem with the overall story in X-Men: Destiny, is that it tries too hard to be a video game when it should be a comic book and vise verse. In a comic book you don’t get a choice as to how your favorite character plays out. You just get a solid story. I know this in games you should get the choice to craft your own story but with so many black and white answers it seems like someone forgot that comic books and most other stories are far from black and white. If you constantly worry about making the decision to be good, you wind up doing some bad things and every so often you need to work with a bad guy here and there.

In a video game setting, you worry too much about getting your good or evil level higher enough which hurts your experience ultimately in this game. But I can’t just blame the player in that sense. The game itself is flawed and undeniably bad. Even before the game’s tired gameplay, vacant layout and boring NPCs, the story totally kills this game from start to finish.

It’s not easy to look at a game in such a bad way but I really did want to like this one. I just couldn’t bring myself to it in any way. The story is bad, the graphics are worse and the gameplay is just terrible. This may not be the worse game I’ve ever played but I would never recommend it to anyone.

A free copy of X-Men: Destiny for this review was provide by Activision.

Today the much anticipated trailer was released. It’s kind of awesome. If you have the time you should watch it a few times. There’s a lot going on here so try not to blink.

There are some comic books that just work well in the arena of video games. It’s not incredibly shocking that one of these long running franchises is Spider-Man. The series has seen some good games and some bad ones but at one point did anyone ever question the need for another Spider-Man game. Now a new Spider-Man title serves to continue this long running enjoyment of Spidey in gaming with Spider-Man: Edge of Time.

Since the release of Batman: Arkham Asylum, comic book games have taken on a certain look and feel. Spider-Man: Edge of Time, continues that trend perfectly. On the other hand the game also does enough to the comparisons down to a minimum. But if you’ve played both you can easily see similarities on the surface. This doesn’t mean that Edge of Time is a bad game or too derivative. Basically you have a superhero game taking place in a finite space with large amount of enemies as you did with Arkham Asylum. Other than that you’re just splitting hairs.

It’s somewhat lame to talk about the importance of story in a game based on a comic book. This is just an obvious situation. However, one of the leading problems with comic book games is going into with little knowledge of the subject matter and the game not giving you enough background. Now given Spider-Man has been around too long to lay down the full story in any game. Even when that game is a few hours long you still can’t explain everything going on at one time. Edge of Time does suffer from this problem but only in minor ways. For myself, I don’t know all that much about Spider-Man other than what I’ve seen in the latest round of movies, some of the 90s cartoon series and I read an issue or two of the comic book including the first episode of Spider-Man 2099 way back when it was first released. This give me far less understanding of the series to fully grasp everything in the game but I don’t think I missed anything important.

The story of this game is set around crossing over of the Spider-Man 2099 universe with the present day Spider-Man universe. As I mentioned I’m not an avid reader of Spider-Man so I don’t know if this happens a lot or really at all. I go with it anyway and kind of learn it’s not a big deal for the two Spider-Men to interact. In fact most of the story is slightly humorous due to the overwhelming need to poke fun at the ridiculousness of this interaction and overall story of time travel.

For a simplistic explanation of the story, the future Spider-Man, Miguel O’Hara works with the present day Spider-Man to fix the future from a guy that alters both the present and future by going into the past. Oh and they work together by altering the present to effect the future on the fly and they can talk to each other because of some physic link. It’s really confusing so to paraphrase, guy from the future alters the present. So a hero from the future fights to save the past with a physic link to a hero in the past which still makes the game hard to explain no matter how you slice it.

So the story for Edge of Time doesn’t suck, the gameplay is equally as good but what really sets this game apart from other Marvel titles I’ve played lately has to be the graphics. Surprisingly recent games featuring Marvel games haven’t all been that appealing yet Edge of Time is whole other story. The game transitions from cut-scenes to gameplay almost seamlessly giving continued motivation to keep playing the game even after a storyline is finished and a new one is laid-out. It’s an interesting aspect to talk about graphics in this way considering how well games have looked in the last few years but a game that looks this great is something to cheer about even if it is a dead horse.

Overall Spider-Man: Edge of Time is solid game but what can you expect, previous Spider-man games have been just as solid in the past. I don’t know if this game would prompt me to pick up an issue of the latest Spider-Man comic book but it does leave me with a lot of anticipation for another Spider-Man title and that is saying a lot for any game.

The minute the last Grand Theft Auto was released gamers wanted to know what was next for the game series. As a few extra stories became available the anticipation for the next full title grew. Gamers the world over constantly asked for the next step in the GTA universe. Well that time is now upon us and next week a new trailer should shed some light on the next Grand Theft Auto.

With hardly a mention or even a rumor, RockStar Games one placed a single image on the front page of their only stating that a trailer is coming. The release date of that trailer will be next week, November 2, 2011. Currently there is no word as to what we’ll see or what the trailer will display. Considering RockStar’s reputation for being extremely tight-lipped, there’s no real reason to question what the trailer will show any of us. But if you wanted to speculate I would look at what’s been shown in the current Max Payne 3 video and obviously L.A. Noire for an idea of what to look forward to in the future of any RockStar title.

This past August, DC Comics, rebooted an astounding 52 comic book series. The mass reboot included Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. The results of reintroducing some of the worlds greatest superheroes has been a huge move for DC Comics. Sales are up and the content is equally as exciting. However, getting back into comic books isn’t an easy task. Some are turned off to the idea of going out to find a comic book store and with some many new and interesting stories out there it can be tough to find any comic book. Luckily for those that enjoy the move into the all digital age, there’s a new app Comixology for PC, Mac, iPod, iPad and Android devices that makes reading comics a new and enjoyable experience.

Let me be completely honest here, for gamers, going into a comic book store isn’t an outlandish concept. In fact it’s probably on the to-do list of most hardcore gamers but for the average gamer, not so much. So when DC gave their flagship titles a new kick-start it may have sounded like a great time to pick up a comic book or two before thinking about heading into a comic book store. I felt the same way. Plus I’m a borderline hoarder when it comes to comic books and I made a decision a long time ago that if I was going to get back into comic books it was going to be for the content and not for a collection. With all of this in mind I looked for a way to read comic books while not spending a ton of cash on collecting them. I turned to my trusty Android powered HTC EVO and found a DC Comics App from Comixology. I was fairly happy with the app but after looking a little deeper I found the main Comixology app simply titled Comics.

This app contains everything you’ll need to find, purchase and enjoy comic books all over again. Sure the comics are digital only but in today’s growing digital only market the idea of buying comic books to read on your phone isn’t all that ridiculous. When I first jump onto the app I was looking for a way to read comic books for the story and art without a large price tag. I certainly found what I was looking for with both the ability to read my favorite comics, not such high and low for every book and without having to worry about spending too much on every issue.

Using the app is fairly easy. You just look up a comic book and buy it. The app carries a ton of books and most of DC’s books along with a few Marvel titles. Independent companies are also carried by Comixology so don’t think that this is an app for the big guys only. However, for fans of DC Comics, you should know that DC has a deal with Comixology to carry their books on their day of sale. So if you have to have a book the same day as everyone else you don’t need to worry.

Other great points on the app is their extensive browsing features. One of the hardest parts about getting into a book at a late state is not knowing what a peticular story line. Sometimes they’er mentioned and you have no clue as to what happened in the past. Well, Comixology lets you browse by story lines and story arcs. This way if you’re only interested in a single story you have find it quickly. I haven’t found this feature on the webstore but the app has it and that’s really all you need. Another cool thing with the mobile app is that you can have you comics purchased through the android marketplace so if you are on an android phone you just defer your comic book bill to your upcoming phone bill or whatever payment option you use for the marketplace. This option may be on the iPhone but I didn’t have one to test out this feature.

As for reading the books, this really where the app stands out next to other readers. Rather than having to zoom in and out of each panel, the Comixology app almost animates the reading experience by gliding you through a book from panel to panel. This becomes so easy to use that you’ll never notice how useful this can make reading comic books. Lets just say that you are new to comic books, you won’t get lost in reading a book or find it hard to follow. I know that sounds silly but some people don’t like having a chance to skip ahead or losing your place while reading and lets face when you start reading a book you might not when what to read next.

Comixology might sound great but it isn’t perfect. I have some problems with the pricing of newer comics. Now to be honest comic books don’t really cost all that much but on Comixology you don’t get a price break for buying a digital product on the day of print. I can understand why the pricing is set this way but if you’re a user of products like say Amazon’s Kindle you enjoy a lower price for purchasing a digital copy of a book. This isn’t the case when buying a comic book on the same day of sale. To counter this you do get a price break when buying an issue of a comic that’s slightly older. If you’re buying an issue of a book from August you’ll get a lower price next to the say the current issue from September. This price doesn’t continue to go down but the lower price of a previous month will give you an extra push to buy any book.

Other than the price, there are some small issues with the overall service. As mentioned you can browse by story lines on the mobile app but you can’t do the same on the Comixology site. This isn’t a issue that would keep you from using the app but it would be nice to have the option. Also shopping on the main Comixology site is a little easier than on the app. Again, this isn’t going to hurt my view of the service but it’s something you should know about.

In the future this service will work with the Kindle Fire and it is avalible for the iPad. So if you don’t like the idea of reading a comic book on your phone or computer, you can check it out on a tablet as well.

When I first started using this app I wasn’t sure how I would like it. I personally love my Kindle but when I thought about using a similar service for a comic book I was a little nervous. Than I was interested in DC’s new books. I didn’t feel like searching out a local comic book stores filled with sobs looking down on me because I haven’t read a comic book since the mid-90s. My options to find a book and just read it came down to this app or find something similar. Yet, overall decision came down to two things. I wanted to read the books and I didn’t want to get involved in building a new collection. This may also sound strange but when I start collecting anything I stop using the items for their general purpose. I have a box of old crappy Atari games, I never played them but I have a working Atari 2600. The same goes for comic books since I also have a box of old comic books somewhere that I know I didn’t store properly but I never read because I was “collecting” them? My point is that I enjoy comic books for the stories. If you feel the same way and you’re looking for a quick and easy way to read them Comixology is the perfect app for reading comic books. Enjoy them for what they are rather than just looking at them wrapped in plastic never to be touched with unclean hands.

For more information, visit Comixology.com

So what does an  artistically minded gamer do if they’re without the resources to produce such gaming sculptures? Well, they need to purchase the units pre-made in an artistic form. But you might not know where to go to find such a unit. This is were Major League Mods comes in to help game with their artistic needs.

At the recent New York Comic Con I ran into a very cool looking set of mods produced by the above mentioned Major League Mods. These mods included two R2 styled Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Both of which cost a pretty penny at just around $1000 but this includes more than just a console. Each unit is a self-contained super unit featuring a ton of fans, speakers and a projector.

So if you’re looking to get a new Xbox 360 or a PS3 and you want it to be stylish and with the ability to travel. You can’t bet one of these modded bad boys. For more information, visit mlmod.com.

If there’s one game publisher that can quickly change your opinion of a game series quickly, it’s Rockstar Games. Lets say you’re not sure about how will look or play, Rockstar Games can make it cool. But lets say it’s a game series that’s been hibernating for a longtime and the last you heard of the game was thanks to a less than stellar feature film. This may be a tall order but for Rockstar Games, they take it in stride.

At this New York Comic Con this past weekend I had a chance to see a preview of Max Payne 3. This preview was hands off but with a company like Rockstar Games, seeing the game as be as telling as playing the game.

In this next chapter of the Max Payne saga things don’t really turn a corner, there’s no change in luck and life certenly isn’t going to get much for Max Payne. His family is dead, is career is over and the only thing he has left on earth is pills, alcohol and long list of men that want him killed. The only bright side is that this game is set in Brazil but don’t let the tropical location fool you, this game looks to be one of the darkest in the series.

For those less interested in have to offer in story, be happy in knowing the tech behind the game is as impressive.

Just as with most of Rockstars Games, Max Payne 3 is thankfully made with Rockstar’s Rage Engine. Not is it produce with this engine but from the looks of it, Max Payne takes the expectation of the engine to new heights with enhanced animations and the bullet time effects that made Max Payne a hit in the past.

Overall Max Payne 3 isn’t just impressive looking to returning fans but it will prompt you to play through the first two games for the first time. In fact, I just started doing it myself due to the demo.

Red Orchestra 2 depicts World War II battles between Germany and Russia. These monstrous battles help to create a game that servers more as a simulator than a game. displaying some of the fearsome fighting found in first person shooters today. However, Red Orchestra 2 isn’t filled with victories. Some of the games finer point may have been pushed to the side as content and feel of the game took precedence over things like graphics.

In the first person genre, there was a time when true to life situations were constantly expected. If a game didn’t feel real than the game wasn’t taken as such. Now that attempt to “be real” has more to do with graphics than game play while the game play itself has pushed competition over experience. This isn’t a bad thing but finally Tripwire Interactive, team behind Red Orchestra 2, has found a way to balance both sides without compromising game play or substance. So right off the bat Red Orchestra 2 will welcome hardcore gamers but can they get past some of the elements of the game that may not have fared as well as the game play.

Basically in RO2 you play both sides of World War II. In the German campaign you work to over take and protect many Russian strongholds. This servers many purpasses in both game content and overall game play. As you may not realize, since you’re taking a look at the German/Russian conflict you don’t into the uncomfortable situation of fighting against US forces and since Russia was an enemy of the US after the war, you don’t feel that bad about taking them on in all out battles. But you won’t notice this because you’re interested in the game.

As for the game itself, RO2 takes an interesting look at tactical battle. In an interesting fashion Red Orchestra 2 takes a little from real time strategy and a little more from the king of tactical shooters, Counter Strike. For the little bit of RTS, RO2 allows some players to bomb some areas, direct players and give commands. For bits of CS, you just need to play the game. You have a finite amount of respawns based on available players and a finite about of playability. Some might see this as a problem but I’ll tell you that it makes the game worth play well rather than just worth playing poorly.

Any long time gamer can’t be upset at work done to bring great graphics to video games. Every game released has the chance to look better than a game released just a week earlier. This isn’t really the case with Red Orchestra 2. While the game play is frightening and fearce, the graphics are a little less than you may desire but it doesn’t take away from the overall outlook of the game. Oddly enough, you don’t always need great graphics when you have game play this amazing.

The single player for RO2 kind of awesome. The multiplayer is also good but it’s a little less than awesome that the singleplayer only because it doesn’t add all that much. I know this might sound hypocritical but with a multiplayer that doesn’t add anything extra it just seems like a replaying of the single player.

Overall Red Orchestra 2 is great. If you’re a big time PC gamer you should check it out. However most of the game is aimed at the uber hardcore so don’t expect too much excitement if you’re not going to invest some time.

This month Microsoft in a continued effort to expand on the Xbox 360 with a new hard drive. For owners of an original Xbox 360 you might think this is great news. Unfortunately it’s not perfect news. This new hard drive only works with the Xbox 360 S. This is however great new for those that picked up the sleek new Xbox 360. For those that didn’t, you’re out of luck.

If you need more incentive to purchase this new hard drive you should know that it also comes with a game. This is not really a newly released game, only new to you if didn’t play Star Wars Lego Episode III.