Lego Batman for PS2, DS, PC, Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, PSP

 

 

 

Lego's are fun building toys, so why not put them in a fun videogame?  Lego Batman was the first non Star Wars entry.

 

   

GAMEPLAY

The basic style of the lego series is here, keeping true to the gameplay established by Lego Star Wars II.  Some changes were made, to help the caped crusader save Gotham.  Batman and Robin can drive cars, climb, punch enemies, and each have a bunch of suits to help them with challenges.  Suits can only be accessed from certain points, which are sometimes hidden, and the player must build it.  You can also build lego peices that are scattered and jumping, throw batarangs, and collect lego studs.

There are also missions that take place at the same time as Batman and Robin's, shown from the villians perspective.

 

Story

In Gotham City, trouble is begining, as arkham asylum's inmate's have escasped, and Batman must defeat them, and send them on their way back to arkham.  Each of the 15 levels contain a different villian. 

 

GRAPHICS

The Graphics in the game are cartoony consisting of lego's on a cartoony 3D background.  Lego character's can bend in places, that they can't in real life.

Texture's are better for Xbox 360, PC, and PS3 versions.

 

AGE

Nothing that bad, but it is rated E10.  Some crude humor is shown, in speechless cutscenes.  I suggest this title for 6 and up.

 

CONCLUSION

If looking for a fun family game, or for a young child.  The batman elements are fun, but it really doesn't add to the gameplay, so there's no fresh feeling, compared to Lego Star Wars.  I give this 7.5 out of 10. 

 

 

 



 

Medal of Honor: Frontline

In 2002, the fourth game in the Medal of Honor series "Frontline", was released.  It's one of my most favorite shooters for 6th gen consoles.

GAMEPLAY

Frontline keeps most FPS elements from the time, this means no iron sights can be used.  Obviously you shoot Nazi's throughout, and sometimes, different classes take longer to kill.  Some inanimate objects, such as bottles, windows and crates can be destroyed, which is a nice feature for the games age.   A cool factoid is that the levels "D-Day", and "Seaside Stowaway" are modeled on the set of Saving Private Ryan.  When it comes to guns, your loadout is pre-determined, but throughout the course of the game, you get to use a lot of vintage guns.  Since there are 19 levels spread accross 6 missions, this game should keep you busy for a while. 

STORY
The game takes place from during the events of D-Day and Opeation Market Garden in 1944.  You play as fictional american OSS agent and Medal of Honor recipient Jimmy Patterson.  Over the campaign you storm Omaha Beach, aid in Operation Market Garden, rescue a captured agent from a mansion, infiltrate a secret Nazi base.
The story isn't amazing, but the historical tie-in materials make interesting.

GRAPHICS

The graphics in Frontline were good for the time it came out, but not the best seen by FPS game's in the 6thgen console era.  The Xbox version has the best graphics all together, while the PS2 version has the same texturing, but pale colors compared to other games from the time.

CONTENT

Being a FPS, this game is naturally violent.  You kill hundreds of nazi soilders during the first time playing through the game, and you do see them fall somewhat realisticly.  Due to the age of this game, there's no blood or gore, so it's cleaner than the modern Call of Duty and Medal of Games. There's also minor profanity occasionally throughout.

Frontline is rated T for Violence.

CONCLUSION

Medal of Honor: Frontline is a fun shooter to play, and learn about history from.  I became very interested Operation Market-Garden, and this sparked me to watch movies such as "A Bridge to Far", and seek out books at the library regarding the battles featured.  I'm not saying "let kids play violent games", but that in the case of older tweens/teens, playing games like Frontline can teach them a small amount of history.  Although the story portrayed is highly implausible, there's footage of real battles shown during cutscenes, and mission dossiers that have even more historical info to add

The old graphics aren't that bad, and the 4 player splitscreen deathmatch in the Xbox and Gamecube versions is also a fun addition.  

I give this one...

8 out of 10.