Astro A50 Headset | Review

After a fairly long hiatus, ASTRO Gaming has finally released their latest concoction. The A50 headset is the first fully wireless headset that ASTRO has ever released, and it utilizes some of the latest wireless audio technology to make it one of the best sounding gaming headsets on the market. Everything that made the A40 headset a favorite of competitive gamers is still there, but ASTRO has taken it to a whole new level. However, at $300, this headset is not for everyone. The price tag may be a little steep, but this is a case where you get what you pay for. The quality of the A50s is unmatched by any other competitor.

After unboxing the headset, connecting it to the system of your choice (PS3, Xbox 360, or PC) is quite simple. Connect the optical cable and the USB cable to the transmitter and the console, and you’re ready to go. Setup is the same across all three platforms (except for the additional chat cable for Xbox 360). The transmitter also has optical pass-through to send the audio to an additional source, and it has a 3.5mm audio jack to connect another source to the headset. This can be used to listen to some music on an MP3 player while playing a game on your console.

Astro A50 Headset with included stand and transmitter

The sound quality is on par with any pair of wired headphones that I’ve ever used in this price range. The headset comes with three EQ settings that can be switched at any time via a small sliding switch on the headset. The first setting is designated for gaming, and it allows you to precisely hear every sound effect. This feature would be most useful for competitive multiplayer FPS gaming, but since I don’t play games like Call of Duty or Battlefield, I tested this setting on my favorite cooperative FPS of all time, Borderlands (on both PC and PS3). As soon as I loaded the game, I began to hear all the tiny details that sometimes get washed out when listening through speakers or a cheap headset. Every shot, every footstep, and every shout from an enemy was crystal clear. Even though this setting accentuates the higher frequencies, there is still a good amount of bass to go with it, but not too much as to drown out other sound effects.

The other two profiles are for movies/music and standard Dolby Digital surround sound. I used the music profile to listen to audio CDs on the PS3 and streaming music on the PC, and in both cases, it sounded wonderful. ASTRO has managed to successfully wirelessly transmit a full range of frequencies to the headset, from the thumping of an intense bass track to the high frequencies of a great vocal performance. The third profile is there for anyone who doesn’t want the hardware to interfere with the standard Dolby Digital output, but I found the other two settings to sound much better. ASTRO Gaming clearly knows what they’re doing when it comes to virtual surround sound.

Breakdown of the ASTRO A50 Headset

Besides sounding great, the A50 headset also feels great while perched on your head. The cushioned headband on top keeps the closed ear cups from putting too much pressure on your ears. The controls are located in positions that make it easy to adjust volume or change the EQ setting without taking the headset off. One great feature that ASTRO has always included with their Mix-amps is the game-to-voice balancer. Since they’ve gone fully wireless, this is no longer a knob on a separate Mix-amp. Instead, the right ear cup has a click button that allows you to adjust between the game audio and chat audio. Again, I tested this feature with Borderlands, and it works perfectly. I was able to quickly and easily find the perfect balance so that I could chat with my buddy and still hear what was going on in the game. Although I didn’t get to hear what the audio that the microphone picked up sounded like, my friend certainly did when we were playing Borderlands. He said that it was a huge improvement over my previous headset, and that my voice was crystal clear. The microphone is positioned well on the headset, and also features a positional mute switch. When the microphone is rotated all the way up, the mic is muted, and when it is moved down, it is unmuted. The A50s may not be the first headset to implement this feature, but I’ve always found this method to be preferable to a separate switch. Of course, this means that, unlike the A40s, the microphone is permanently attached and cannot be removed. That’s a small price to pay for a fully wireless headset, I suppose.

My only complaint with the A50 headset is the range. It uses Kleernet 5.8 GHz technology, which claims to have less interference and more range. I never had any interference issues (although my house isn’t the most extensive test of that), but I found myself to be limited to the same room as the wireless transmitter. As soon as there was a wall in the way, audio began to cut out until it dropped completely. I got better range from my 4 year old Creative HS-1200, which used 2.4 GHz RF signals. It could at least get a signal through a couple walls. Fortunately, I only need to use this headset in the same room that I’m gaming in, so this limitation doesn’t bother me. But don’t get the A50s and expect to walk all around the house listening to music or chatting with your friends on Skype.

Overall, the quality of the ASTRO A50 headset matches the price tag. Although many people would balk at spending so much on just one accessory, I think it’s absolutely worth it. Some might be upset at the lack of speaker tags (strong magnets don’t work that well with wireless!) and the lack of a removable microphone, but the A50s make up for it by being ASTRO’s first fully wireless headset. If you want to lose the wires but keep the great sound, then look no further than the A50s. This is the finest wireless headset on the market.

Original Article

NCAA Football 13’ | Full Review (PS3)

With college football right around the corner, there is no doubt in the minds of many college football fans this is their time to celebrate. And what a better way to celebrate the tradition of college football with the release of NCAA Football 13’ right? Well, actually there’s a catch to that. If you haven’t played a college football game in quite sometime, this is one you’re not going to want to miss. However, if you purchased last year’s game, you’re really not missing much. Something that is unfortunately all too familiar with EA Sports football games.

Don’t get me wrong NCAA Football 13’ is a fantastic football game. It’s as real as you’re going to get in accordance to tradition, rivalries, and school spirit. There isn’t anything like it in the industry today. The crowd getting fired up, the marching bands on the football field prior to kickoff, the pre game traditions before taking the football field, the in stadium chants - it’s all there in NCAA Football 13’. It’s the little things like this that make NCAA Football 13’ an enjoyable college football game. EA Sports surely knows how to capture it’s audience when it comes to that.

There are multiple new modes of play with NCAA Football 13’. With this year being the 20th anniversary of the game (wow I am really getting old if the first game came out in 1992) EA Sports added the Heisman Mode. Basically, this gives you the opportunity to control a player from the past who won the coveted trophy and take them to any college football team in the game. For example ever wish Barry Sanders would have chosen Oklahoma over Oklahoma State? Done. How about Desmond Howard playing for The Ohio State Buckeyes? Sold. Or Robert Griffin III playing for Alabama (as if they need another superstar on their squad) no problem. I thought this was a really cool feature to be added in this year’s game as it also gives you a history lesson of that player’s journey throughout his college career, highlights, and more.

[jwplayer mediaid=”16757”]

In terms of graphics, NCAA Football 13’ has not changed much over the years; which well, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The animations are the same but where EA Sports seemed to really improve upon was the time lapse during the duration of the football game itself. You’ll find yourself playing a game during the late afternoon and by the fourth quarter the stadium lights will begin to turn on as the sun sets over the stadium. It’s a really nice touch.

Recruiting in NCAA Football 13’ in Dynasty Mode still has the usual recruitment map but some AI improvements were made. For example if a player is interested in attending your school, if you do not recruit him, he will gladly choose another school. In the past, usually if the player had your school ranked in the top 3 with your school having the most prestige it was a shoe in and you didn’t have to devote nearly as much time to that player. This time, around though, you have to do your homework and make sure you follow through with the recruit or you might find yourself having headaches because he’s lacing up against your rival in the same conference.

Perhaps the best addition to the game this year was the in game updates. Reese Davis provides in game updates during your game in dynasty mode as if the game is live on television. It made the game feel a lot more real in terms of presentation and I welcomed this addition with open arms. Transitions are flawless between the in game updates and your game as if you’re watching an ESPN television broadcast. Another nice touch - the ESPN Bottom Line. It updates as if there are live games going on just like an ESPN broadcast. It’s really superb.

[jwplayer mediaid=”16792”]

NCAA Football 13’ Video Review

Outside of that however, there really isn’t much that has changed with NCAA Football 13’. In fact, a lot of people might think it’s the same exact game. I had a close friend of mine watch me finish up a game in the fourth quarter and he mistakenly thought I was playing the previous year’s game. This is a testament of how EA Sports tends to stay with the, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. With that said in conclusion, NCAA Football 13’ is a fantastic game, but I would only recommend it if you’re a hardcore college football fan, or if you haven’t played the previous year’s game. There’s a lot that is offered in this year’s game but there is also too much of the same as well. But all in all, a solid college football game. NCAA Football 13’ is out today, July 10th 2012, for Xbox 360, and Playstation 3.

Original Article

NCAA Football 13’ | Full Review (PS3)

http://vimeo.com/45491780

With college football right around the corner, there is no doubt in the minds of many college football fans this is their time to celebrate. And what a better way to celebrate the tradition of college football with the release of NCAA Football 13’ right? Well, actually there’s a catch to that. If you haven’t played a college football game in quite sometime, this is one you’re not going to want to miss. However, if you purchased last year’s game, you’re really not missing much. Something that is unfortunately all too familiar with EA Sports football games.

Don’t get me wrong NCAA Football 13’ is a fantastic football game. It’s as real as you’re going to get in accordance to tradition, rivalries, and school spirit. There isn’t anything like it in the industry today. The crowd getting fired up, the marching bands on the football field prior to kickoff, the pre game traditions before taking the football field, the in stadium chants - it’s all there in NCAA Football 13’. It’s the little things like this that make NCAA Football 13’ an enjoyable college football game. EA Sports surely knows how to capture it’s audience when it comes to that.

There are multiple new modes of play with NCAA Football 13’. With this year being the 20th anniversary of the game (wow I am really getting old if the first game came out in 1992) EA Sports added the Heisman Mode. Basically, this gives you the opportunity to control a player from the past who won the coveted trophy and take them to any college football team in the game. For example ever wish Barry Sanders would have chosen Oklahoma over Oklahoma State? Done. How about Desmond Howard playing for The Ohio State Buckeyes? Sold. Or Robert Griffin III playing for Alabama (as if they need another superstar on their squad) no problem. I thought this was a really cool feature to be added in this year’s game as it also gives you a history lesson of that player’s journey throughout his college career, highlights, and more.

[jwplayer mediaid=”16757”]

In terms of graphics, NCAA Football 13’ has not changed much over the years; which well, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The animations are the same but where EA Sports seemed to really improve upon was the time lapse during the duration of the football game itself. You’ll find yourself playing a game during the late afternoon and by the fourth quarter the stadium lights will begin to turn on as the sun sets over the stadium. It’s a really nice touch.

Recruiting in NCAA Football 13’ in Dynasty Mode still has the usual recruitment map but some AI improvements were made. For example if a player is interested in attending your school, if you do not recruit him, he will gladly choose another school. In the past, usually if the player had your school ranked in the top 3 with your school having the most prestige it was a shoe in and you didn’t have to devote nearly as much time to that player. This time, around though, you have to do your homework and make sure you follow through with the recruit or you might find yourself having headaches because he’s lacing up against your rival in the same conference.

Perhaps the best addition to the game this year was the in game updates. Reese Davis provides in game updates during your game in dynasty mode as if the game is live on television. It made the game feel a lot more real in terms of presentation and I welcomed this addition with open arms. Transitions are flawless between the in game updates and your game as if you’re watching an ESPN television broadcast. Another nice touch - the ESPN Bottom Line. It updates as if there are live games going on just like an ESPN broadcast. It’s really superb.

Outside of that however, there really isn’t much that has changed with NCAA Football 13’. In fact, a lot of people might think it’s the same exact game. I had a close friend of mine watch me finish up a game in the fourth quarter and he mistakenly thought I was playing the previous year’s game. This is a testament of how EA Sports tends to stay with the, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. With that said in conclusion, NCAA Football 13’ is a fantastic game, but I would only recommend it if you’re a hardcore college football fan, or if you haven’t played the previous year’s game. There’s a lot that is offered in this year’s game but there is also too much of the same as well. But all in all, a solid college football game. NCAA Football 13’ is out today, July 10th 2012, for Xbox 360, and Playstation 3.

Original Article

Cross Border Gaming #115: *** With Friends! (by Zynga)

Harold and Frank are joined by TGH’s own Adam as they talk about the 3DS XL, Miyamoto’s credibility (or lack thereof), more Reggie hate, fecal precipitation, Montana, Nintendo’s 8-bit Summer (There’s my f***ing Wario Land!), the lack of any Animal Crossing news for North America, IKEA, more 38 Studios fallout, Skylanders invading Frito Lay chips, Need for Speed news, pinball, Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rainslick Precipice of Darkness, the summer of 1994, bad songs & more.

Download Now
[podcast]http://s93380653.onlinehome.us/CBG_Podcast/episodes/cbg115.mp3[/podcast]

On This Week’s Episode:

  • Nintendo Announces the 3DS XL……. AFTER E3!!!!
  • Reggie calls gamers “insatiable”
  • Squenix says that FF7 is not getting remade unless its outsold by another FF
  • NEWSFLASH: Physical games don’t make you lose weight
  • Sony wishes it gave more space to Vita at E3

Alternate show titles that didn’t make it:  “Butt, Montana”, “Just ‘Cause”, “”, “⅛ of an Ass”, “My Body is Ready”

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  • [Facebook] Become a fan on Facebook to receive our latest shows and updates.

Hosts:

Harold (@usfhbomb) & Frank (@EMaster1980) with Special Guest Adam (@musicman2059)

Audioboo: Hbomb (Harold),  E*Master (Frank)

Music:

Intro Song: The CBG Theme by E*Master
Played during the show: Various
Outro:  I Touch Myself - Divinyls

Original Article

Lollipop Chainsaw | Review (Xbox 360)

Just a year after bringing us the highly entertaining Shadows of the Damned, Suda51 is back with a brand-new original games. Taking a break from demons (sort of), the crazy Japanese game designer puts us in a world infested with zombies and… cheerleading? As weird as it may seem, that’s what Lollipop Chainsaw is about. Even weirder: these two elements work rather well together. Here are my thoughts about the game.

Lollipop Chainsaw tells the story of Juliet Starling, a young zombie hunting cheerleader celebrating her 18th birthday. Sadly for her, things go wrong as a teenage antisocial Satanist unleashes a zombie apocalypse in the poor girl’s high school. Even worse, her boyfriend gets bit by a zombie and she is forced to cut his head off to keep him alive as her sidekick that she keeps attached to her. Juliet then goes on a quest to stop the evil forces from destroying her hometown, equipped with a cute heart-decorated chainsaw. While all of this might look weird, the game’s strange setting and dialogues are such a blast to hear and see that it’s almost a good thing that most of the game’s cutscenes are not skippable on the first play through. You will laugh at the ridiculousness of the game and come back to it to hear it over and over again.

Lollipop Chainsaw’s gameplay is rather simple and very linear: execute crazy chainsaw moves against waves of zombies to proceed to the next area and repeat. The gameplay feels like a slowed down version of Devil May Cry, but with “stiffer” controls. Not that it is necessarily a bad thing but more fluidity in Juliet’s moves would have been better. It is also possible to upgrade Juliet’s stats and abilities using the game’s store, as well as buying alternate costumes, songs, and concept art pieces. In addition to this, there are also some rather original gameplay sections like any other Suda51 games. You will get to fight enemies on a Pong arena (having to dodge the bouncing ball as you are fighting enemies), collecting keys in a Pac-Man level (while avoiding Pac-Man-like enemies that want to eat your character), and many others.

As it is the case with all Suda51 games, the boss battles are an important and great aspect of the game. Without spoiling much of the surprise, Lollipop Chainsaw’s bosses are totally ridiculous. Not in the way that they are insanely hard to beat or anything like that. They are simply over-the-top stereotyped characters which will make you laugh quite a lot and will definitely keep you coming back for more of their awesomeness. Each of the game’s bosses represents a specific music genre, making them even more special and distinct from one another.

Graphically, the game is not all that impressive performance wise. It definitely is up to recent game standards but it does not crush any expectations you might have from today’s video games. However, the game does shine through its explosion of colors it brings to the zombie games universe. Gone are the brown and dark colors: the game is all about bright colors, pink, sparkles and glitter. While some gamers might be alienated by this strange mix of colors and monsters, it brings a wind of fresh air on the zombie genre that has been rather predictable over the five past years.

The audio front is quite good too. The game’s soundtrack was handled by Akira Yamaoka who previously worked on No More Heroes 2, Shadows of the Damned, and most notably the Silent Hill series. As for the boss battle theme, Little Jimmy Urine (from Mindless Self Indulgence, also voicing a punk boss in the game) was brought on the team with an excellent result of explosive tunes that heavily support the intense combats you have to engage yourself in. Like if that was not already enough, the game’s soundtrack also features some licensed songs including Joan Jett’s Cherry Bomb, Children of Bodom’s Needled 24/7, and even Skrillex’s Rock and Roll (Will Take You To The Mountain).

The game does suffer from some problems unfortunately. The most notable element is that the gameplay is very stiff like I mentioned earlier. You never really feel like you can attack enemies exactly like you would really want to, making it hard to chain combos together easily. Also, the game is very, VERY linear with basically no alternate path letting you play the game how you want. This is usually not a bad thing in some games but it does get repetitive and less motivating at some point. Finally, the game has very low replay value, giving you almost no reason to go through it after you are done with the game’s single player.

Despite that it is not what I would call a AAA title, Lollipop Chainsaw is a very entertaining game. If you are looking for a change from the modern shooters, the prince-saving-the-princess, and all the other predictable video game stories, this game is definitely for you. I would highly suggest you rent it at least, and to buy it if you are a big Suda51 fan. Lollipop Chainsaw is not the designer’s best effort but it sure is not one you should pass on.

Positives

- Original and over-the-top story
- Incredibly great soundtrack
- Great boss battles
- Humorous non-politically correct dialogues

Negatives:

- Very “stiff” gameplay
- Rather short game with low replay value

Game experience at time of redaction: Game cleared on Normal difficulty.

Lollipop Chainsaw is available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 for $59,99.

Original Article

Cross Border Gaming #113: Kevin, The Magic Waffle

Harold and Frank are joined by Andy Hoover of Nintendojo (and People Eating Tasty Animals) as they wrap up E3 and also talk THQ’s new boss dissing Saints Row the Third, a Minecraft wedding, things to do on public transit, a release window for Rock Band Blitz (spoiler: not soon enough), a bunch of Zen Pinball/Pinball FX news, a bunch of Nintendo news, & more.

Download Now
[podcast]http://s93380653.onlinehome.us/CBG_Podcast/episodes/cbg113.mp3[/podcast]

On This Week’s Episode:

  • E3 Wrap Up - Nintendo
  • 38 Studios Declares Bankruptcy
  • Zen Studios In the Process of making a PopCap based Table
  • Wii U will not be sold at a loss to have simplified friend codes

Alternate show titles that didn’t make it:  “Happy to Satisfy You in Any Way”

Subscribe:

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  • [Facebook] Become a fan on Facebook to receive our latest shows and updates.

Hosts:

Harold (@usfhbomb) & Frank (@EMaster1980) with Special Guest Andy Hoover

Audioboo: Hbomb (Harold),  E*Master (Frank)

Music:

Intro Song: The CBG Theme by E*Master
Played during the show: Various
Outro: Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch - Good Vibrations

Original Article

Microsoft E3 2012 Press Conference

Kinect has been around for a couple of years and the Xbox 360 has been around for about six years. Since it was announced that no next-generation console was going to be presented at this year’s E3, the American manufacturer has to rely on games to impress gamers: Fable: The Journey, Halo 4, and Forza Horizon. We will bring you all the information about Microsoft’s press conference live starting at 12:30pm Eastern / 9:30am Pacific.

Original Article

Cross Border Gaming #111: It’s on the Vita, Eh?

It’s our E3 Preview Episode!  Harold, Frank and Adam talk E3 rumors, Egg McMuffins, Barenaked Ladies, Epic v. Sillicon Knights, Activision v. West & Zampella, No Doubt v. Activision, Hbomb v. Nintendo, Dead Space 3, E3 predictions, Harmonix makes some Rock Band Blitz announcements, & more. Plus, Adam needs a Diablo III intervention.

Download Now
[podcast]http://s93380653.onlinehome.us/CBG_Podcast/episodes/cbg111.mp3[/podcast]

On This Week’s Episode:

  • Harmonix spills the beans on Rock Band Blitz
  • EA will have Dead Space 3 at E3
  • Nintendo E3 Rumors
  • Sega reveals E3 lineup
  • Al Lowe wants an “infringing” LSL kickstarter copycat project shut down

Alternate show titles that didn’t make it:  “The Egg McMuffin of Video Game Podcasts”, “Deja Vu”, “They Can’t Even Play With Themselves”, “Don’t Diss Gaea”. “Wacky to the Extreme”, “Capcom, Go…”, “Occupy EA”, “They Ran Out of LSD”, “Everybody Hates Canada”, “R. Kelly Treats”, “You Will Not Be Whelmed”

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  • [Forums]Join our forums and talk with us and our other listeners.

Hosts:

Harold (@usfhbomb) & Frank (@EMaster1980) with Special Guest Adam (@Musicman2059)

Audioboo: Hbomb (Harold),  E*Master (Frank)

Music:

Intro Song: The CBG Theme by E*Master
Played during the show: Progressive House
Outro: Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison

Original Article

Fez | Review (XBLA)

In development for over five years, Fez has finally launched. Since its first announcement back in 2007, the game has increasingly been getting more attention from gamer with its unique twist on puzzle-platformers and since it is featured in the highly anticipated Indie Game: The Movie documentary. Is Polytron’s first attempt in the video game arena a success? After having spent some time with the game, I sure believe it is.

Fez tells the story of Gomez, a little white creature living in a 2D world. One day, he gets out of his house and is given a special red fez hat. However, this gift completely breaks the universe which he must put back together by collecting special golden and blue cubes. To make his quest easier, the fez make him realize that he is actually living in a 3D environment, letting him rotate around the levels.

That is the core mechanic Fez uses throughout the game and is actually one that is easy to understand when you see it but somewhat hard to describe in words. So here we go: each of the game’s levels has four sides to each of them and you can only see one of them at a time, having the game “flatten” the 3D environment into a 2D one. Due to perspectives magic, this allows you to cross huge gaps even though the platforms are not really close to each other in the 3D space for example. This transforms the actual game exploration a puzzle in itself while never really being a pain to figure out.

Going through the levels, you must collect pieces of the universe which are represented by golden cubes. Collecting most of them simply require you to explore the game; the only obstacles getting in your way being simple perspective trickeries. However, there are also blue cubes, which are much harder to obtain since they usually require you to navigate through very complicated paths or by solving really complicated puzzles. While these can be quite a pain to collect, they were the reason why I actually enjoyed the game to a higher level. Everything you need to solve these puzzles is located within the game, only requiring you to pay attention to the details around you. This requires you to take a lot of notes as you go through the game and understand a few simple yet very important concepts in the game. Since I do not want to spoil anything, I will just say that some of the puzzles take advantage of some rarely used capabilities of modern gaming consoles (at least, not in this meaningful way).

Fez also shines through its beautiful 8-bit looking graphics. Just by taking a small look around the environment, you can tell that a lot of attention was given to the game’s look with complex tetramino patterns all over the place, interactive animals living in the levels as well as multiple interesting level themes. While pretty much all levels are marvelous, I would say the old Game Boy look (black and green) and Virtual Boy (black and red) looking sewer levels are amongst my favorites. Finally, without spoiling any surprise, I have to admit that the game gets even more beautiful when you start playing the “New Game +” option.

The game’s audio also follows the 8-bit ambiance with sounds that will quickly remind you of your childhood. While the sounds are somewhat nice and do fit in perfectly, its the game’s soundtrack (written by Disasterpeace) that totally steals the show on the audio department. Calming, vibing… the music just makes you feel like you are in some kind of yoga session. It’s pretty much like the music wanted to tell you that you are not in any hurry and that you should take your time to explore the game’s world.

Still, Fez does suffer from some slightly annoying problems. The most notable of these is that the game is very unstable. This can be seen in the numerous frame rate drops you will most likely run into either during normal gameplay or during the game’s loading transitions. Even worse, the game actually crashed over 10 times in my case so far in around 7-8 hours of play (thing that NEVER happened to me on any other Xbox 360 game). Also, the map system is rather complicated at first, which is going to get you more lost than anything else (although you do get used to it). I love the aesthetic of it but it should have been designed to be easier to use.

Fez is indeed the diamond people are praising right now. The game takes you back to an era long gone in the video game industry. An era where it was all about taking your time and figuring out complex puzzles by yourself, taking notes on a piece of paper. Fez is brilliant, complex yet accessible, and should serve as an example to some developers who could really bring us great experiences like this one on a more regular basis. Just get on Xbox LIVE and buy it already.

Positives

- Great use of technology and great variety in puzzles
- Peaceful and relaxing music
- Simple yet great art style
- Reminiscent of old-school exploration games

Negatives:

- Quite a few bugs and crashes encountered
- Confusing and complicated-to-use map system

Game experience at time of redaction: All Gold cubes collected, almost all Blue cubes collected (25).

Fez is available on the Xbox LIVE Arcade for 800 Microsoft Points (around $10.00 USD).

Original Article

Trials Evolution | Review (XBLA)

Some games never get old through time. Whether you think about Tetris, Frogger, Peggle, and many others, a core gameplay formula will always have you coming back for more. This is what Red Lynx is trying to do with Trials Evolution, a new entry in the popular racing/puzzling action franchise that started many years ago as a free flash game. Thankfully for the fans, this new title holds up to the high standards set by the previous title.

For those of you who don’t know what Trials is about, consider this game as a 2D racing title using left and right balance as its core mechanic mixed with puzzle elements through its environments. Basically, you control of one crazy motorcycle freaks and must gauge its balance as well as its acceleration in order to get through some crazy obstacle courses. While it might sound like an easy job, the game gets complicated rather quickly with original objects obstructing your way such as steep hills, fires, mines, TNT crates, saw blades, and much more. Luckily for newcomers, each difficulty setting comes with a mandatory tutorial, making it easier to understand how to overcome specific situations. The game does feel like its predecessor (Trials HD), but the physics in the game are somehow slightly more “realistic”. It is not much (most players won’t even notice) but the bike feels heavier, changing how you approach each jump compared to what you were used to.

As far as the single player is concerned, nothing has changed much in terms of single player progression. You get through progressively harder levels, earning new bikes along the way. The only notable changes are the possibility of customizing your character and your bike as well as the aforementioned tutorials, which are all simple but great additions. New skill games are also available and are a great change of pace. From skiing down a hill making flips to flying in a UFO, or controlling a huge silver ball (Marble Madness style), each of these little mini-games are fun to play and can even make you forget you are playing what is supposed to be a motorcycle game. Still, Trial Evolution’s impressive improvements can be seen in the great online multiplayer and on the overhaul the track editor received.

The online multiplayer option is a great new addition to what is already an awesome game. You can play ANY of the countless tracks the game has to offer as well as new Supercross levels in which four players simultaneously appear on the level (on different “tracks”, just like Excitebike). This brings a totally new dimension to the game in which winning is much more about being consistent in races than having a lot of patience to get THE golden run.

As for the track editor, Red Lynx has gone totally crazy and given players an insanely great creation tool. Not only will people be able to create good traditional trials track, but they will also have the power to create mini-games that do not necessarily have anything to do with the core gameplay mechanic. That means players can create top-down racing games, first person shooters, side-scrolling shoot ‘em ups, and more. In short, Trials Evolution’s map creation tool is essentially like LittleBigPlanet level creator included with what is already a great game. Even better still: levels can be shared with the rest of the world easily, providing players with an infinite amount of levels to play. An all you can play Trials game? Sign me up.

Graphically, Trials Evolution is as beautiful as its predecessor. However, the game does have more variety in its environments that are more animated too. Instead of being stuck in rocky levels, mountains, or abandoned factories, you will get to see many more environments such as backyards, rooftops, back alleys, and even a baseball field! As for the audio, nothing had really changed. The same type of motocross type music (intense punk/hardcore music) was kept in the game and the sounds are more or less the same too (crazy bikers yelling and the motorcycle’s “vrrrrrrr! Vrrrr!”).

However, the game is still not perfect. The new online multiplayer supercross events do come with some frustrations due to the weird camera angles that can sometimes obstruct your own character. This causes you to have to guess in what posture your character is and most of the time making you fail because of not knowing this crucial information. Also, load times are much more noticeable than in Trials HD, killing the fast rhythm of the game that was so enjoyable. However, it is not such of a big deal since the game’s addictiveness makes up for these small flaws.

If you own an Xbox 360, you must get your hands on Trials Evolution. While some would say it is only more of the same experience that Trials HD was, the game is highly addictive and fun to play. You will have trouble putting the controller down and will keep coming back for more to beat your friends’ scores over and over. This is one of the best downloadable games to have been released on Xbox LIVE for a long time.

Positives

- More of the same old Trials awesomeness
- Faced-paced online multiplayer sessions are great additions
- Skill games are a good and fun change of pace from the real game
- The Track Editor is just perfect

Negatives:

- Weird camera angles in Supercross multiplayer sessions
- Rather long load times kill the rhythm of the game

Game experience at time of reaction: All Single Player tracks - Gold, played some Skill Games, played some online games.

Trials Evolution is available on the Xbox LIVE Arcade for 1200 Microsoft Points (around $15 USD).

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