Assassins, Zombies, And More — Review Roundup 11/17

This week has several heavy hitters, including Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed 2 and Valve's Left 4 Dead 2. In addition to those, there's a new LittleBigPlanet release, another Resident Evil shooter and an expanded look into the LEGO world of Indiana Jones. Click the links to read the full reviews for each of the games mentioned.

Assassin’s Creed II
Assassin’s Creed II shatters expectations. It’s bigger, more complex, better looking, and more fun to play than its predecessor. That first game set the bar for innovation in action games, establishing a unique control mechanic, a nuanced and clever approach to plot development, and an overriding concept unlike anything in the gaming milieu. In many ways, the sequel is far less innovative. Ubisoft Montreal improved all of the standout features, but it didn’t push the envelope. Instead, the team used this go-around to fix problems, perfect their strengths, and, perhaps most importantly, model some of the tent-pole ideas of other games. The pacing of open world crime games, the upgrading mechanics of a great RPG, the reward-based hidden items and unlockables of an exploration game, the puzzle elements of a classic adventure game – they all merge flawlessly in Assassin’s Creed II.

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles acts as a fantastic primer for those who started with the more action-centric Resident Evil iterations, while simultaneously providing fan service and fun for dedicated followers. Novices and veterans alike would be doing themselves a disservice by passing up this game.

Left 4 Dead 2
Left 4 Dead 2 is swollen with action that will leave your controller sweaty and worn, and emerges as one of the most powerful online co-op experiences I have ever had. This trek into zombieland boasts more intense combat, finales, crescendos, settings, enemies, and game modes than last year’s title. Four players banding together for survival is still the focus, but the conditions have become far more chaotic.

LittleBigPlanet PSP
Lightning doesn’t strike twice, so I was a little skeptical as to whether a game that relied as much on a surprising, offbeat charm as LittleBigPlanet did could work a second time around. The news that multiplayer (one of the most loved modes of the first game) was being taken out of the PSP version didn’t do much to raise my hopes. I’m glad to report that, while it might not be the classic that the original is, LittleBigPlanet PSP is something we see far too rarely on the system: a well-made and captivating platformer.

LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues
Whether exploring levels with my young nephews or furiously harvesting new characters on my own, I’ve developed a great fondness for the LEGO adventure games. But I can’t endorse the dramatic and unfortunate new direction in Indy 2. While I appreciate the desire to try something new with the game structure after so many titles, the resulting mishmash of ideas is frustrating, repetitive, and unfriendly to both kids and adults.

Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage
The sequel to last year’s Road Trip struggles off the bunny hill and into the competition. The game starts with Shaun tagging along as a few of his schlubby friends drive to the airport, ready to embark on a multi-tiered global competition. However, the second his friends reach their gate, Shaun sprints off to polish his medals and make Red Bull ads. You play as Shaun late in the game, but most of the time you’re riding without him. It’s unfortunate, because his friends – and the game in general – could have benefited from some professional expertise.

The God of War Collection
The God of War Collection includes both of the series’ PS2 iterations in their entirety, but they haven’t been unceremoniously dumped onto a Blu-ray. The games have undergone some visual improvements to make them look even better than before. When I go back to play an older game, I’m sometimes surprised how the harsh reality of the visuals are at odds with my memory. That doesn’t happen here; this collection makes these games look like you remember them, not how they would actually look if you plugged in your PS2. I can’t exactly say that the graphics have been updated, but they have been optimized for HD and given a silky smooth framerate that would put plenty of current-gen titles to shame.

Naruto Shippuden Clash of Ninja Revolution 3
For those who have never played the Naruto Clash of Ninja fighting game series, start with this one. It’s got 40 characters, a slick fighting system, tons of unlockables, and online combat for the first time. Longtime fans might be wary of the game, however, as this is the fifth game in the series in four years.