-GAMES- Jump Ultimate Stars

'Jump Ultimate Stars' is 2D fighting game for the DS developed by Ganbarion and published by Nintendo. It is the sequel of the game 'Jump Super Stars', also for the DS. The game was released last November 23, 2006. There have been no plans for the game to be released outside of Japan. This is largely due to the international licensing issues for the plethora of series represented. The game boasts 305 (56 which are battle characters) from 41 different Shonen Jump manga series.

If you're a manga and anime fan, you will surely love this game. One of the most popular animes and manga; Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Death Note, Dragon Ball, Hunter X Hunter, Yu Yu Hakusho, Katekyo Hitman Reborn, Rurouni Kenshin, Black Cat, Gintama, D. Gray Man, Shaman King, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Slam Dunk, Prince of Tennis, Eyeshield 21, etc, are in this game. Now you'll see Ichigo Bankai battling Naruto Kyuubi and some of you're anime dream fights. You'll definitely love this game.

The bulk of the gameplay is the use of komas ("panel" in Japanese, referring to the panel of a manga comic) that represents your charcter. Komas comes in various shapes and sizes, taking up from one to eight blocks. There are three types of komas: Battle, Support, and Helper. Battle komas are the playable characters you use in battle, they go for about 4 to 8 blocks. Support komas are characters which do damage, status and healing effects which are like assists in the game 'Marvel vs. Capcom', and they go for around 2 to 3 blocks. Helper komas are panels which boost Battle komas which go for a block. Each koma has a certain nature: Knowledge, Laughter, and Power which act like a "Rock, Paper, Scissors" way with Power beating Knowledge, Knowledge beating Laughter, and Laughter beating Power, which does more damage to the weaker type.

Top: The Battle komas fighting.
 Bottom:  Komas you use in battle

In order to K.O. opponents, you have to drain their health or knock them out of the stage. The game is similar to the fighting game series 'Super Smash Bros'. Stages of the game are like the pages from a manga comic book. You can build your own koma deck, and you can evolve komas in to a stronger koma. The game also features Wi-Fi modes if you want to fight online. 

Prepare for the epic manga battle

Personally, this is the best fighting game for the DS. I suggest it even if it isn't on English. I dare you to play this game. Any otaku out there should probably know every series. Also, if you're looking for an anime series, why not play this game to look for some? You can see dream fights of animes here. And if you think there isn't any good game for the DS... here it is. I've got to say, this is one of the games that DS owners should play before it's "too late".

OVERALL RATING: 9/10

-musicgamer

*Edited by Red Hood 03/31/12

-GAMES- Call of Duty: Black Ops

Call of Duty is one of the most well-known First-Person-Shooter games, it is also known of being sold for over a million copies worldwide. If you've played Call of Duty, you know why this game rocks, but if you haven't played it yet, I'm forcing you to play it.

Call of Duty: Black Ops, an FPS, was developed by Treyarch and published by Activision for the PC, Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii. It also has a DS version which was developed by N-Space. Call of Duty: Black Ops is the third series of the game developed by Treyarch, just like Call of Duty: World at War.

Due to the sales, it breaks the record of its predecessor, Modern Warfare 2. Activision reported it has earned $1 billion in sales and on August 3, 2011, it had been confirmed to sell over 25 million copies worldwide.

Call of Duty: Black Ops is like any other FPS where you use guns; your primary weapons (AK-47, M16, DRAGUNOV), secondary weapons (Pistols and Launchers), and grenades. Oh, and yes, we can still use a knife. The player also has stances, like standing, crouch, and prone. Like other FPS games, you have your team which help you decrease the number of enemies. When the screen glows red, it means you're in low health, wherein other players do is to crouch or hide to regenerate your health back. When the enemies throw a grenade at you, it will show a grenade icon, and can be thrown back or you can just run away. There are new weapons in the game. They are the crossbows with bolts and explosives, Dragon Breath rounds and the ballistic knife.

The game also has a campaign which is the story of the game. It show the objectives of the game to move forward and checkpoints which lead the way. Each mission you can see troops which accompanied you throughout the mission, also you can use a helicopter which you're partner moves while you shoot enemies. The game also its best feature, Multiplayer. The online multiplayer mode have missions like Team Deathmatch which see who have the most kills on the team and Capture the Flag, which players take other flags and put it on their base. Additionally, there is Free For All which players don't have teams. Furthermore, the game has over 14 different maps. It has Combat Training which players fight AI alone or with friends. The game also have a split-screen for the multiplayer. For the first time you can record your clips from online games. Steam is an exclusive platform for the PC, and it is protected by Valve Anti-Cheat. The Wii version of the game includes voice chat which you can talk with other players online.

Online Multiplayer mode is cool.

The game is set during the Cold War. Missions take place in various locations in the world, such as the Ural Mountains, Russia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, Laos, Vietnam, and the Artic Circle. The player controls an SAD/SOG operative, Alex Mason, who is strapped on a chair in an interrogation room. Most of the missions played are flashbacks of Mason. Black Ops features several historical figures like John F. Kennedy, Robert McNamara, and Fidel Castro.

The graphics of the game are more realistic. The soundtrack is good too; it features 'Sympathy for the Devil' by The Rolling Stones, which is played during a gameplay sequence and also in the credits. Eminem's 'Won't Back Down' featuting Pink is used for the credits as well.

Are you coming or what?

For me Call of Duty: Black Ops is the real deal. Though the story is very short, the gameplay makes up for it. For me, this the best FPS. You might feel dizzy sometimes, but you'll get along. Playing online may give a bit of a challenge. Also there are zombies here. Call of Duty fans have played this game, why not you try it too? You'll love this game. THIS. IS. THE. BEST. GAME.

OVERALL RATING: 10/10

-musicgamer

*edited by Red Hood 02/26/12

-GAMES- Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Hey guys, I'm gonna do another game review, this time it's 'Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective' for the DS and iOS.

'Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective' is an adventure game developed by Capcom. It was developed by Shu Takumi, creator of the Ace Attorney Series. The game won awards from GameSpot for 'Best Handheld Game' and 'Best Game No One Played'. It has been nominated for 'Best Puzzle Game' and 'Game of the Year' categories. The game also won awards for 'Best Nintendo DS Game' on GameTrailers. It is also nominated for the 'Best Story' award from the same site.

Do you believe that ghosts are real? Well in this game, ghosts are real. If you think this game is all about ghosts who scare you, you're wrong. Is it about finding ghosts and putting it in jars or just a plain detective who can solve "ghostly" cases? Well, you're close enough. You play a ghost who brings the dead back to life. That's right, you bring the dead back to life.

In this game, you play as Sissel, the main protagonist of the series who is dead from begining of the game. From the very start of the game Sissel is a ghost who has extraordinary powers which are called 'Ghost Tricks'. As a spirit, you can switch between the Land of the Living, where time runs normally, and the Ghost world where time stands till. Sissel can travel through various objects, which is represented by blue cores, as well as talk to spirits who have died which represents yellow cores. Sissel can only travel through objects with certain lengths, which means that the player will have to connect through multiple objects in order to move forward. Sissel can also possess telephones which let you listen through conversations and travel through communication lines to other areas. By interacting with a dead body, Sissel can rewind four minutes before the death of that character. The player must use 'Ghost Tricks' in order to change the victim's fate. Later in the game, you'll be able to have a partner who is also ghost with extraordinary powers which has different powers.

In the Ghost World where Sissel is using his Ghost Tricks.

What I can say about this game, the game truly deserves to be the 'Best Game'. The game gave an amusing story to gamers which, of course, they enjoyed. The story, in fact, is overwhelming and full of twists. If you manage to finish the game but didn't understand the whole story, why not repeat it again? Every chapter you finish, puzzles get harder, that is why I love this game. The story and gameplay are the main things here. Why not try and play it? You'll love the game.

OVERALL RATING: 9/10

'Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective' out now on iOS wherein two chapters are free.

-musicgamer

*Edited by Red Hood