Heavy Rain

March 9th, 2010
By: JDsBlackBox

Get that gun out my face, don't you know I'm from Bosyorkatchewan?!?

Heavy Rain is one of the most engaging video games I’ve ever played.  To call it a video game doesn’t really do it justice.  Heavy Rain is about the story, first and foremost.  And the story is compelling.  Unlike so many titles where the story is an afterthought that seems tacked on to the game (Gears of War, anyone?); Heavy Rain feels like a rich, character driven story with a game added to it.

The game is not perfect, don’t get me wrong.  I’ll try and do this without spoilers, so feel safe to read on if you haven’t played it yet.  Heavy Rain is about a series of murders completed by the “Origami Killer”.  Named so because he leaves an origami figure with his victims.  You play as one of four characters, rotating between them as they all travel along separate – yet sometimes intermingling -paths to try and stop the killer.  There’s the good samaritan, the private investigator, the FBI agent, and the father trying to save his son.  Each one with their own vested interest in finding the murderer.  The story is well done, just what you would expect from a good mystery.  It starts off slow, and depressing (make sure you play the first couple hours on a sunny day).  Even with the slow start, the emotions that the main character was going through were palpable.  I was immersed and emotionally affected very early on in the story.  It picks up nicely a few hours in however, gradually building to the eventual set piece finale where the murderer is revealed.

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Darksiders

February 1st, 2010
By: JDsBlackBox

War. He speaks softly but carries a BIG SCYTHE.

One of the main things I like about Darksiders was how it really surprised me.  Surprised me by how good it was in a below the radar dark horse (pardon the pun) sort of way.  I feel this game stands up well against your triple-A high profile titles like Devil May Cry or Bayonetta.  That being said, this game is not simply a brawler.  It is a true adventure game in the style of the popular Zelda series.  Having read and heard a few reviews of the game while deciding if I should buy it or not, I heard the Zelda comparison often.  But the similarities are obvious and in-your-face – from the grappling hook, to the horse, to the boomerang.  All the other aspects are there as well – puzzle solving, exploration, collecting health boosts (not hearts :p ), and of course the combat.  I’m not a Zelda expert, but I do enjoy the series, most recently having played through Twilight Princess on the Wii.

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GHR Review: Bayonetta

January 11th, 2010
By: ShoNuff71

Craftmanship. Its a word that 99.9% of the general public would never associate with a videogame. However, sometimes for a person like me, you come accross that ultra rare gem that meets that definition. In the world of brawlers, Ninja Gaiden stands out in a classroom of one, until now. The new star pupil is Bayonetta. It is without a doubt, the second best brawler I have ever played–but for different reasons than my fanatical fanboyism love for Ninja Gaiden.

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Assassins Creed II

December 11th, 2009
By: JDsBlackBox

Assassins_Creed_2_cover

I wanted to wait until I played the last game in the list of what I considered to be game of the year candidates before I rendered my opinion of Assassin’s Creed II.  My list, by the way, in no particular order – Resident Evil 5, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Batman: Arkham Asylum, COD: MW2, Borderlands, Assassin’s Creed 2, L4D2, and The Saboteur.  Now back to Assassin’s Creed…

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Tekken 6

November 11th, 2009
By: ShoNuff71

tekken 6

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Its a familiar saying, and in the world of videogames and their sequels, it is practically a rule–for better or worse. From a developer’s perspective, history shows that people like what is familiar to them, and that comes out in sales figures. From a gaming enthusiast’s point of view, it can mean more of the same, with developers not being willing to stretch boundaries when it comes to gameplay.

Enter Tekken 6. From a game play perspective, Tekken has always been comfortably seated between the hard to master uber technical style of Virtua Fighter, and the gorgeous button mashiness of Soul Calibur (I’ll not even mention Dead or Alive). So, does Tekken’s latest entry break new ground, or re-run the same ‘ol same ‘ol? Click the jump to find out.

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Dragon Age: Origins

November 11th, 2009
By: Bumblb19

Dragon Age: Origins

Its been nearly 400 years since the last blight and the Grey Wardens are few in numbers because no one believes that another blight is coming and they think it is just legend. You however soon find out that the Archdemon will be here in a very short time. You are recruited at a young age by one of the Grey Wardens who has been around for a long time and seen many battles.

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GHR Review: Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2

October 9th, 2009
By: ShoNuff71

ngs

Ninja Gaiden is the definitive action brawler series. While new-comers like the recent Wolverine, and the long standing God of War and Devil May Cry series bring eye-popping visuals, no brawler can touch Ninja Gaiden’s level of game play. It demands everything you have as a player to beat it, and it grinds you into the dirt mercilessly with it’s obscene difficulty. I love it.
Now, Team Ninja has brought out a remixed version of Ninja Gaiden II to the Playstation 3–this time without the series’ controversal creator, Itagaki. Click the jump to see if Ryu’s katana is still as sharp as ever.

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Retro Game Challenge: Mini Review

September 6th, 2009
By: Alfred "GHR Maverick"

retrogamechallenge

The median age of a gamer is in his/her mid 30’s, and those statistics show that the average gamer grew up in the golden age of electronic entertainment, the 80’s. If the names like Galaga, Life Force, Dragon Warrior, and Bad Dudes causes a grin from ear to ear, then make sure and give Retro Game Challenge a try. Click on the jump for the full review!

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Madden 10 Meta review

September 5th, 2009
By: Alfred "GHR Maverick"

maaden10

Review By GamerHusbands Staff: Joe(JDsBlackBox), Bob(FullTil101), and Alfred(GHR Maverick)

We’re trying a different approach to the Madden 10 review. We all have different opinions and different likes and dis-likes. Make sure and leave a comment telling us what you think about this format. Click on the jump to read the full review.

-The GamerHusbands

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King of Fighters XII

August 14th, 2009
By: ShoNuff71

KOF12_COVER_PS3_vJ2_HiRes

It’s prom time. At the last minute, you get the gumption up to ask the prettiest girl in school–and she said yes. This chick is smokin’ hot, and you figure its time to step it up a level, and go for the trophy.

On prom night however, you realize that the grass isn’t always greener. This hot babe is as dumb as a lugnut, has bad breath, and is only going to the prom with YOU to make her ‘roid raging football star linebacker boyfriend jealous–and he’s seconds from clasping his hands around your throat. All of a sudden, all that cash you spent for the limo, tickets, and corsage doesn’t show much of a return on your investment–and you didn’t even get lucky. This little story is kind of a parable with my time with SNK Playmore/Ignition’s King of Fighters XII.

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