Game Review: Portal

Just so you know, I did an LP on it over here:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=3280577CB2A97D4D
I may go back to doing LPs but I most likely won't any time soon. I also did one on Fatal Frame III but stopped and I've been too lazy to continue Tomb Raider Chronicles.

Portal, a puzzle game released in 2007 by Valve is a creative game with an interesting concept, the travel from point A to D but to get there you need to utilize point B and C which are the game's portals which can be placed on light colored surfaces mostly. The portals can be used to teleport to certain areas which can seem easy but not all surfaces may be affected by your "Portal Gun" and a combination of switches, items, platforming and gravity (cause force and velocity is maintained when traveling through a portal) will have to be used to reach the end. The game is in spirit a sequel to the game Narbacular Drop.

The plot opens up with two characters, one named Chell and another named GLaDOS who is robot. GLaDOS instructs Chell into vigorous "testing" on products for a defunct fictional company called Aperature Science. GLaDOS soon becomes corrupted and attempts to kill Chell while providing some sarcastic commentary throughout the game.

The gameplay is pretty well balanced, you can obviously get to a lot of places with just the portal gun but you are not in possession of it until about a couple "tests" into the game so you are introduced to buttons, weighted storage cubes, emancipation grills, etc. before the gun.

The story is pretty short, not much to talk about, at least not yet... Unless you want to be spoiled!

The soundtrack... nothing to say but GLaDOS sings a song called "Still Alive" (But different from Mirror's Edge and I can play it on the flute :D) at the end credits. The song is pretty popular with fans.

No negatives to the game except that its a bit short, it was only meant to be a small game that was part of the Orange Box compilation. Otherwise, its a near perfect game, great and challenging!

I give this game 84 out of 100

The Cake is a Lie!

Game Review: Fatal Frame III: The Tormented

Why don't I start off the blog with my most favorite game of all time?
Btw, Imma be reviewing mostly older games!
Also, spoilers!

Let me explain the series, the Fatal Frame series has been going on for almost 10 years now (The anniversary is December 13) and it is basically a horror game with a twist, your only weapon is a camera. Don't get intimidated by it as it makes the game twice as scary as it already is.

Now on to the game...

The game (released in 2005) revolves around Rei Kurosawa, a freelance photographer who's fiancee, Yuu Asou dies in a car accident. As she takes pictures of an abandoned manor (it is scene in a cutscene that Miku Hinasaki, the protagonist of the first Fatal Frame is Rei's assistant) until she takes one particular image of Yuu standing in a hallway. You are quickly brought into a world of grainy black and white shortly after following him...

The beginning of the game is pretty good, controls are good and in fact are easier than the previous games. The game features unique controls for the camera as it puts you in first person, having to go as close to a ghost as possible to get both points and deal more damage, as well as the extra scare factor it gives. I enjoy the camera, it gives a scare just bringing it up. The gameplay can range from easy to difficult depending on how quick you get into the controls and solve puzzles. The game does not only employ running around and fighting, it has a collection system for ghosts captured by the camera, puzzles and side quests to add to the fun. The game features two different areas to play in, mainly the Manor of Sleep and Rei's home between chapters. Parts of the maps from the first two Fatal Frame games appear such as the Fish Tank Room of Fatal Frame and part of the Osaka house of Fatal Frame II. In addition to that, the games feature 3 playable characters, Rei, Miku and Kei who is the uncle of Mio and Mayu from Fatal Frame II.

The story is great, confusing but great! The story contains a couple holes but can only be fully understood by reading and examining everything in the game. The story branches out into different other ones and its fun to solve all the mysteries of the game.

But the thing I appreciate the most is the soundtrack, its great, the music matches the mood more than previous games, fast ghosts have fast music, slow ghosts have slightly neutral music and the ambiance tracks are spectacular. I also enjoyed hearing the koto near a certain room in the manor, it was very similar to the first Fatal Frame. The ending theme Koe by Amano Tsukiko is one of my favorite songs to this date, it describes the game's theme almost entirely and it is a beautiful piece of music.

The negatives of the game are very low, I have not experienced anything bad except for a game stopping problem when you leave a room during a certain ghost battle which prevents you from obtaining a key. Game stopping bugs go down low for me.

Overall, I give this fantastic game an 87 out of 100

Scares for the whole family! :D