Austin Bruner @A.S.T.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (Xbox)

Easily the worst video game I have ever played.

The Good
The only thing I liked about this game was the storyline. That's about it. The multiplayer was alright, but the game still sucks.

The Bad
Where do I begin? Even for a 2002 game, the production values were terrible. The graphics for the game are incredibly pixelated; in fact, even the text on the main menu is pixelated! Oh, my god! Every mission is exactly the same. For some games, this wouldn't be a problem, but the missions for this game are boring, and repetitive. Every level goes something like this: shoot enemies, rescue hostage. That's it. No bonuses, or anything. And as for sound, this is how I describe it. Put a cottonball in each ear while shooting a pop gun. THAT is the amount of sound you get in the game. And I hated how you can't see your gun. There's just an aim assist. C'mon! This isn't 1997!

The Bottom Line
The die hard tactical shooter fan may like it a bit, but as for me, it is the worst video game I have ever played. If you like normal FPS games, check out Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, Halo, or Metroid Prime. Don't play this game.

By Austin Bruner on September 19, 2010

TimeSplitters 2 (GameCube)

Amazing first-person shooter game; love it!

The Good
You can play as over 100 different characters in multiplayer, and there are several maps and modes to choose from. The graphics are outstanding for its time, even if the animation is a little bit too cartoon-like. There are tons of guns, from the past, present, and future. The single-player campaign can be played alone or with a friend, and each level takes place in a different time period. You get different weapons in each level, and the tasks are never easy to accomplish. You can play the campaign on Easy, Normal, or Hard difficulty, giving it extra replay value. There is also an Arcade League, in which you play these arcade-style challenges. You can play through the league to unlock new maps and characters in multiplayer, which is another fun part about the game. There is also a Challenge Mode, which is like Arcade Mode, except different. I can't go into detail about that one, though. The sound is extremely well done, and the music is incredible.

The Bad
I like a lot about this game, but I have to say that the campaign is a little too short and the story isn't easy to follow. Also, the weapons appear to be floating in midair; it doesn't look like a hand is holding them. But, other than that, it is a very, very, very good game.

The Bottom Line
Every FPS fan would be doing themselves a favor by picking up this game. It is good for all three sixth-generation systems. With so much to do, and so much fun, no gamer can go wrong with this game.

By Austin Bruner on August 31, 2010

Shadow the Hedgehog (GameCube)

Great platform/shooter game; critics are liars!

The Good
The game brings a darker tone to a normally cheesy, boring series. Sonic has never satisfied me until I tried out this game. The addition of guns makes the game a lot more fun, because it adds more combat style to the game than just jumping on enemies' heads (even though you can do that, also). The storyline is also great, and Shadow's voice acting impressed me. The game has perfect replay value; you can play through all the possible stories (over 300), unlock Expert Mode by getting an A rank on every mission, unlock all 10 endings to unlock the final story and beat the main game, and it even has a 2-player battle mode! You can drive vehicles and man turrets, and even though it isn't completely useful, it is so much fun to do so. The controls are good, but maybe this is only because I'm not a Sonic fan and haven't played many previous ones. Plus, Shadow is one of my favorite video game characters.

The Bad
The graphics could have used a bit of work. The intro and some of the cut-scenes looked great, but most of the game looked only about as good as the Dreamcast. The voice acting for everybody BUT Shadow (except Espio) was terrible, especially Tails and Charmy, and that bugged me so much. The game also gets really frustrating at times. I also didn't really like how you couldn't aim some of the weapons. The multiplayer mode doesn't have much to do, although it is still kind of fun, which was a little disappointing. It also is annoying how the characters give you hints all the time for the most obvious things.

The Bottom Line
If you are a huge Sonic fan, rent it first. You may not be used to the somewhat shaky controls and gun-play. However, if you are looking for a somewhat darker platform game or like shoot-'em-up games, then don't look any further. It is a great game with lots of replay value. Some flaws, but those can be overcome.

By Austin Bruner on August 31, 2010