In episode 7 of the Kill Kast, Stephanie (Tigresa), Eric (The Herp), and Dave (Snarkasaur) as always talk a bit about what we’ve been playing before we get into this episode’s main topic: The Ethics of Reviews. We discuss what type of things in reviews are, obviously, ethical in each of our opinions, i.e. how long you should play a game before reviewing it, who is qualified to review what game, the most worthwhile/helpful type of reviews, etc. But, no matter how much we banter like hot 20-something grumpy grandmas about what is the “right” way of doing things, as Dave says in the end, the essence is somewhat moot, because it’s still all subjective.

For this podcast we could really use your opinions on the topics we discuss regarding reviews! We’d love to hear it to make our reviews the best they can be for our readers and listeners at Spawn Kill. We take a lot of pride in our reviews, and it’d be awesome to know what you all think, if you like “Second Opinion” type reviews, and more. I hope you enjoy this week’s episode of the Kill Kast here at Spawn Kill.

Feel free to follow the entire Kill Kast (both present and not present this week, including our very helpful podcast editor K-Tuck) on Twitter as well as download and subscribble to the podcast here. We should be up on the Zune marketplace as well soon.

@Tigresa – @Snarkasaur – @K-Tuck – @The Herp – @Molotov Cupcake

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Like many video games, Fairytale Fights gained attention because of the unique appeal of its basic concept. A violent, adult-themed twist on classic fairy tales has worked as a draw to many entries across various forms of media. However, unlike those more successful books, movies, or even games, Fairytale Fights totally abandons its core premise during its execution. Furthermore, this title manages to implement only barely-mediocre action and presentation elements.

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Torchlight, the little game by creators of Runic Games has caught the attention of many PC gamers since its debut at E3. After hearing from gamer friends that it is a “good Diablo rip-off” I figured I had to give it a try being the dungeon crawling loot whore that I am.

For starters it is almost an exact replica of Diablo. That’s not a bad thing, though, because Torchlight does it well. They get all the Diablo systems right (ie: UI, combat), and add their own twist to it. So sometimes the word rip-off should not be taken in a negative context.

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Eufloria, previously known as Dyson, was created by Alex May and Rudolf Kremers. It made its breakout onto the gaming scene at the Independent Games Festival. It was designed as a simple, elegant, single-player RTS to attract both the casual and hardcore gamers alike within its asteroid plant growing theme. It is available for PC right now with plans to support Linux and Mac in the near future. You can download the game on digital download sites for $19.99.

Starting the game I was intrigued and eager to learn about the gameplay. In the background was playing a peaceful tune by Brian Grainger. Brian wrote the soundtrack for Eufloria, and it’s very zen-like. It perfectly encapsulates the ambient game idea that the creators are trying to create.

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As horror enthusiasts are probably aware, the Obscure franchise as a rule is approached with trepidation. And for good reason. It’s not exactly the creme de la creme of the land of Pyramid Head and cursed tattoos. While the original game stood on its own as an intriguing thriller, its Wii sequel tended to disappoint, as migrations to the Wii tend to do. It stands on wobbly legs as a survival horror title, stumbling more than once as it struggles to be recognized as a viable spectacle of the macabre. Now that it’s on the PSP, this is one port you may be wise to pass up, especially if you have a strong aversion to pitiful, Americanized attempts at college horror films. Because that’s what Obscure: The Aftermath is trying to be, and that’s a nightmare in itself.

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Artificial Mind and Movement’s shooter title WET aims to satisfy a very specific crowd. Fans of B-movies, Hong Kong martial arts films, over-the-top action, or anything using the grungy “grindhouse” aesthetic will surely be drawn towards the title. The methods for laying waste to the countless enemies are most certainly appealing visually. Unfortunately, the mechanics that rest beneath the stylized exterior are both dated and repetitive. Perhaps this throwback to eighties B-movies is a bit more accurate than the developers intended?

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It’s hard not to expect something from a developer who specializes in specific genres and similar titles. IO Interactive, the studio behind the popular shooter titles Hitman and Kane and Lynch, threw the world a curveball when they announced Mini Ninjas, their first foray into  the action genre that surprisingly garnered an E10+ rating from the ESRB. Mini Ninjas‘ feudal Japanese backdrop and simple, cartoon-style visuals show that the developer can move on to a different direction, but can IO Interactive successfully pull it off? In word, yes.
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John, Paul, George, and Ringo – four young men who would unknowingly change the face of the music world forever. Regardless of your personal opinion as to the quality of their work, one cannot deny their influence on the way music has been shaped over the years. With infectious hooks, haunting melodies, and musical trips, the Fab Four have entranced us for years with a song catalogue that had never before been allowed to see its way onto a rhythm title, and for quite a while it seemed as though this was an event that would never occur – that is, until now. Though, sadly, John Lennon and George Harrison could not live to see it happen, the day has finally come that the Beatles’ music has been extended a warm welcome into the world of music gaming. Using what can arguably be called one of the most accessible music titles to general audiences, Rock Band, The Beatles have finally been immortalized in digital form, complete with their likenesses, voices, and even photographs, and they are ready to sing with you via the magic and intrigue of The Beatles: Rock Band.

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Big Surf Island gives gamers a new way to experience Burnout Paradise. This stunt driven island will have you catching huge air, hitting multiple barrel rolls and doing things you’ve never been able to do before. The new content offers a brand new island set across from Paradise City and includes 15 new events, 12 new Roads to Rule, 75 Island Smashes, 45 Island Billboards to crash through, 15 Island Mega Jumps to hit, 10 new Freeburn Challegnes, 12 new night and day Bike Road Rules and 9 brand new cars. Having put tons of hours into Big Surf Island I can safely say this is the best DLC given to us from Criterion Games and is definitely worth the $12.99 price tag.

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Let’s clear the slate here and stand eye-to-eye with this one. This isn’t the game game of 2009, of course that renowned title has already been awarded to Damnation. It’s also not the Brad Pitt or even the Fiddy Cent of retro-styled RPG wannabes who continuously struggle to be the great and the wonderful that we have already had the blessings of partaking in. No, Black Sigil is more like the Adrien Brody [Replace with Pee Wee Herman is you are not familiar with him] of the genre: fatally unattractive as a man so he should really just play the role of “the ugly chick.” Yeah, that sounds about fair. Black Sigil is that “man who plays the ugly chick” of 16-bit “Wish I were good” RPGs. You heard it here first. Now allow me to tell you why…

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Before this game even arrived at my front door, I had prepared a checklist in hand before I could bust even one ghost. I packed my boots, got my uniform all tailored up (Hey, it’s been a while, we all can’t look as good as we used to), re-adjusted my Proton Pack equipped with tons of energy to power up a few of my rather innocent jam-packed arsenal of oh I don’t know, Meson Colliding, Boson Darting, Statis Streaming goodness? Yeah, that’s about right. It’s time to join the ranks of our original Ghostbusters: Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler, Winston Zeddemore and Peter Venkman (Original voices intact, in order: Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson and Bill Murray) as we clean up shop again down in our slimed up and very haunted New York City.

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Nearly 20 years after the release of the original Bionic Commando, Super Joe has returned to grace our modern consoles with a new installment to the franchise, simply titled Bionic Commando. Sorry, arcade purists – he won’t be found in the limelight here. You’ll be taking up the mantle of Nathan “Rad” Spencer, star of the hit NES title, instead. Were you excited? In the spirit of taking classic franchises, slapping an ill-conceived sequel onto them, then marketing them as XTREME and mindblowing, Capcom presents us with a direct sequel to the original arcade hit. While it proves a decent amount of challenge, as well as obvious graphical improvements, it ends up conjuring, well, every OTHER third-person shooter I’ve ever devoured.

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Burnout Paradise is one of the greatest examples of how a game franchise can use downloadable content to continue to offer gamers a great experience long after the game’s release date. Since January of 2008, when Burnout Paradise was released, we’ve seen a continuous flow of add-ons. They’ve brought us everything from classic movie cars, to more online game modes, to toy cars, and even the addition of motorcycles as Paradise City continues to grow. The latest update is the new Cops and Robbers online mode. This DLC comes with 33 new cop cars and a new capture the flag game mode. This is one of the best updates we have received from Criterion Games since the Motorcycle DLC!

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In Japan, games are fearless and full of taboo and danger that the Western world has long barricaded itself from. Suicide, incest, infanticide, gives you the creeps right? Probably not, because in this generation we’re ready for themes like this, and if you’re me, you’re more than ready, you crave it. Tons of these games exist in Japan, but a lot of video game publishers tend to keep it that way in fear that it won’t gain any attention (Read: Sales) in other venues like the U.S. Luckily, there are publishers like Ignition Entertainment that are willing to jump over hurdles to bring us these sinister evils and “oh my’s” of gaming with their recent release of the quirky Lux-Pain.

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Atlus really knows how to keep their audiences happy. Whether it’s by releasing quirky RPGs, innovative titles with engaging stories, or simply by providing extras with game releases, they have got us pegged. Sometimes, this includes publishing relics that deserve a second chance at reaching audiences.

Though some games truly merit re-releases over the years, there always seem to be a few that can’t quite hack the transition from late eighties to the present day. Unfortunately, Legacy of Ys: Books I & II falls into this category. Having been unveiled to the public nearly two decades ago, Ys was in fact a tour-de-force for its time. However, the years have been unkind to what was an entrancing adventure all those years ago. This is the case with many classics, and the basis for so many unfounded “X is overrated” arguments. In the right mindset, Legacy of Ys: Books I & II can net you some quality entertainment, but only if you’re ready to invest a lot of time and patience. (more…)

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