For the sophomore effort, developer Pandemic added a few much needed options to the already huge list of things to order your squads to do. First and foremost is the option for a more direct way to lay down suppressing fire, as well as offering a little bit of shooting on the part of the player, rather than just giving orders to shoot. By way of the “team leader” you can aim and fire using the sharpshooter field of vision, and take targets down in quick time. Sadly, there’s still limited interactivity with this option.

That may be TEN HAMMERS biggest downfall. The core gameplay of tactical squad orders remains, but the bits of interactivity they’ve thrown in to make it more “shooter” like just don’t add enough, or make the already hefty controls a bit bogged with options. There are sections where you can split your four man squad into buddy groups of two, but then you’re going in 3 or 4 different directions (in the occasions where you’re commanding both alpha and bravo teams,. And then their 2 man off-shoots) and you tend to get spread a little thin. Also, waypoint indicators show up through buildings, and trial and error dictates how well you reach them, as the direct route often isn’t the one you want to take while, for example, attempting to perform a flanking order.

There is some good here, and that’s the actual tactics themselves. Your squad is a sharp one, and they follow orders to the letter, laying down fire, seeking cover and generally kicking butt. Once again, your options for orders are huge, and the interface, while a bit thick with options, is easy to manipulate once you remember where everything is mapped. You may have to work through the tutorial mission a few times to get it all set, however.

Sadly, while all that came before is still good, all that’s new isn’t quite up to speed. The storyline for this game just stinks, and the graphics aren’t as smooth as the previous game’s (though honestly, I was playing the PS2 version, where the original I reviewed on Xbox). There’s still the huge amount of swearing, but there’s actually an option to turn that (and the gore) off in the starting menu, which is a nice touch.

All in all, the old axiom of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” can be best used to describe this sequel. Lots of stuff that should have been in the first game are here, but they’re not implemented as well as the stuff that already existed. What could have been a stellar sequel only ends up being a sub-par effort. Enjoyable, yes, but maddening as well.

One Gamer’s Opinion:

…GONNA WASH THAT SAM-U-RAI OUTTA MY HAIR…

Developed by Grasshopper (the studio responsible for the equally stylistic KILLER 7), the game acts as a side story to the SAMURAI CHAMPLOO anime, a story which takes place in ancient Japan at the end of the time of Samurai, but set to modern hip-hop. It’s an odd mix, but the flow of which is very engaging. The game tries to capture that feel and incorporates it into the game’s combat style, adding a twist the usual hack and slash style of gameplay.

As one of the two Samurai in the game, Jin or Mugen (or a third, unlockable character), you set off as usual with Fuu in search of the samurai who smells of sunflowers. Depending on which character you choose, your paths separate and storylines flow together at intervals, branching out for each character, depending on whom you play as. The multiple storylines are very well done, and the art style, an almost 3D rendering of the anime itself, is one of the best parts of the game.

The gameplay sets itself as a pretty standard hack and slash from the start, but as you progress you’ll notice the game’s combo system at play. As you fight, your moves are disciplined by whichever rhythm track you’ve chosen. At the top of the screen is a set of turn tables, and they act as your move sets. Switching between the two records changes which combos are available to you. At first it seems a little weird, but as you fight on, it ads a sweet little flavor to the admittedly stale set of fighting options (there are only two attack buttons, light and strong, and your combos usually consist of a variance of the two).

Of course, weird is the name of the game with this series anyway, so the combat should come as no real surprise in the strange department. However, fighting along this way allows for some pretty sweet effects, and as you blaze past enemies, you can even engage in some quick mini-game killings for points and unlockable items. The Kill Bill silhouette mini games are just one example of how the game’s style dictates the action. Everything here looks in tone with the anime, so despite it’s third dimension, it flows and fits within the series.

Still, as with all hack and slash games, it can get a bit repetitive. The monotony is broken up a bit by the record shops scattered through the game, where you can purchase records (of course) to change up your combo moves depending on the new beats you’ve bought. But beyond the grooves and guts, it doesn’t get much deeper than that.

For an anime game, it’s quite enjoyable, and more than playable, which is more than can be said for most games licensed from the genre. Its quick action and humor will keep fans happy, and the gameplay is familiar while still offering a few ideas to keep things fresh. It won’t reinvent the wheel, but it’ll have a damn fun time dancing with it.

One Gamer’s Opinion:

SOMETHING LIKE A PHENOMENON

Where as the last game was a bit of NBA JAM meets MTV’s Cribs, this sequel adds a third title to the amalgamation: TONY HAWK’S AMERICAN WASTELAND. In PHENOM, you play as an up-and-coming baler, out to make a name for himself in Hollywood. But rather than skating around the locations, you hit the courts, taking on all comers in various one-on-one sessions of street ball savvy.

The gameplay remains essentially the same from the previous game, which is a good thing. Juke, shoot and pass to yourself as you run game on your opponent with special moves to make them “Act A Fool”. As you progress and rank higher in the match sets, you gain cash and prestige, where you can purchase more gear and bling, and even build up your own crib. I think I may have broken my slang there…

Beyond the normal 1-on1, there’s some multiplayer that includes two-one-two, and even a 1-on-1-on-1 game…changing up the statistics fairly nicely. You can take your created character off the courts to online as well, where you can mix it up with other baler-types.

The only thing is, beyond the two new multiplayer modes and the “bling” options, the game remains pretty much the same as last year’s. Not that that’s a huge deal, but it would have been nice for a few more options, or a bit more expansion in the story mode, other than “here’s the story, now travel around and win games”. Also, the story of the story mode is LAME. Your best friend and you are about to hit the big time when he double crosses you and makes it as a solo act. Oh, and he takes your girlfriend too. Not really epic, but it at least centers a nice revenge theme around…basketball.

Bottom line, it’s a fun arcade-y style b-ball game with a few new hooks. Customization of your character and his crib is cool, but the main draw is the stellar on court antics and moves. It may not be realistic, but it’s fun, and that’s all that really matters, right? It ain’t how much you have, it’s how you play, and PHENOM plays just fine to me…as it did LAST year.

One Gamer’s Opinion:

DRIV3R? NEVER HEARD OF IT

The past is actually what the game is all about…at least in the first half of the game. You’re an up and coming wheelman known simply as TK (gone is the undercover Tanner) trying to make a name for yourself in New York, circa 1978. The look, feel, and music of the game all fit the period, and TK is a scruffy but loveable hoodlum who does right by his friends and takes jobs to get the green he needs…until getting set up and sent to jail midway through the game. The second half takes place in present day, as TK gets out of jail twenty-eight years later. Guess what’s on his mind…

The game really is a return to the roots of what made the series great in the first place: driving. Most of the action and missions take place IN cars, from races to missions where you need to tail or take out subjects. The few foot missions have some improved control, but still act a bit on the clunky side. Thankfully, they’re so few and far between that it won’t matter much.

The cars all handle well, and the city is a great recreation of the city in the two very separate time periods. The music is the main appeal here, setting the tone for each time and grooving the player along as he does his dirty deeds. Sadly, with such an open city, there’s not nearly as much freedom as is offered in many other games of its type, which have since moved past DRIVER in terms of quality (which shall remain nameless, but always serve as a comparison to this series). The missions aren’t varied or interesting enough to hold you for long, and the side quests just don’t hold much appeal at all.

Still, what it does it does well, and that’s the action behind the wheel. You can actually collect cars and store them in your garages around town, and even do some minimal modifications on them, such as engine upgrades, paint jobs, and even bulletproof glass. The targeting from the vehicles is also much improved from before, though even if you just hang out of the window and don’t shoot and the cops see you, your wanted rating will instantly jump. Losing them is easy enough, though…just get far enough ahead of them and switch cars without them seeing to lose the felony.

It may not be as good as other crime games with automobiles, but for the DRIVER series, it’s a welcome return home to familiar turf. The foot missions could still use some improvement, and the races seem a bit too much like filler fluff, but the story and overall action (once you fit the story together) is as good as this series has been in ages. Though, I still miss the “Take a Drive” and “Survivor” modes from the older titles, separate from the main story. Ah well, maybe in the next-gen.

One Gamer’s Opinion:

Next week, more of the same reviews and fun as always, including reviews of TOMB RAIDER: LEGEND, RAMPAGE: TOTAL DESTRUCTION and METAL SAGA. See you next week.

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