The Broke Gamer Review: Mirror's Edge

Usually I post some video game reviews under the title "Cheap ass games", but I've decided to re-title the posts as "The Broke Gamer Review".




It's a Friday night, you've got nothing to do, and can only spare about 20 dollars, its time to head down to your local video game store and pick up something cheap for your broke ass. Welcome to The Broke Gamer Review.



Mirror's Edge is an action platformer presented in a First Person view format. Make no mistakes this is no first person shooter. Retailing for about 17.99 (Used at Gamestop) Mirror's Edge is a fun and fast paced video game for under twenty dollars. Sometime in the future you play as Faith, a runner. Runner's are like couriers but they get to shoot people, better think twice about stiffing the bike messenger next time. They run here, run there. Giving people info, taking info, generally doing things against the 'law' in this city. Faith becomes caught up in a scandal when her sister is framed for killing a would be Mayoral Candidate and she is looking for the real killer and answers as to why her sister was framed.

Now, I said it's not a first person shooter, but there are guns you can use in the game. However the entire game is based on running, and no it's not some treacherous Nintendo deal that disguises exercise as a video game. You run everywhere, and anytime you have a gun it slows you down, the bigger the gun the slower you run. In fact the entire game pretty much tells you to avoid the enemy at all costs, unless you cant help but not to. Basically youll run everywhere, and jump over everything. It's a great experience to be had. The game is totally different and unique from any other. The city is pure White, beautiful colors mixed in with it as well. It gives the game an overall look that separates it from other things out there. And the cut scenes, are all done in an anime style format, no CGI which itself gives it something that separates it from other games.

The running is highly addictive and when you're on a roll, it really sucks to get stopped just cause you didnt jump at the right point, or ducked too early, and youll just stop, it makes it worse when theres enemies shooting at you, and you're more than likely to get killed when something slows you down. And you better hope that you can grab that ledge if not youll fall all the way to ground at a velocity that probably liquefies Faith. The story itself is forgettable, and theres no interesting characters in it that really make you want to continue the story, however the gameplay drives the story itself. FPS fans might be turned off when they find out that it isnt a run and gun adventure game. And if you get motion sickness really easy I wouldn't recommend playing it. The developers put a little dot in the center of the screen, giving the illusion of a cross-hair, to make you focus on that area so you wont get sick, but still it could be hard for those who suffer from the illness to play it. And the dot, despite looking like a cross hair, isn't. It's just there for that purpose, trying to aim with it is about fifty-fifty on accuracy.

Overall it's a great game that sets it apart from anything out there, but nothing story or character wise is truly memorable, and it seems sometimes that even if you nail the button right and jump right the game will still make you miss your target, or hit something to slow you down. Mirror's Edge gets a 3/5.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Review

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Nathan Drake returns in the blockbuster sequel to the first PS3 classic, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. It's the game that's got everyone's buzzing about. Some say it is THE reason to get a PS3, next to Heavy Rain. For me it was Heavy Rain, and this game. I used to own a PS3 about a year ago, but decided to trade it in for a 360. Now a year later, I've gotten one again, and decided the first game I'd try out was the one that everyones talking about Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

Now, I played a little of the first game but never got into it enough to beat it. This one how ever, does suck you in with it's cinematic presentation. Sometimes it gets too cinematic, but its not like the camera's flying everywhere like in a Michael Bay movie. The story goes that Drake and his buddies have found a treasure that someone's willing to pay them big bucks to steal, well as you'd expect one of his friends is really just using Drake to get the treasure for himself, and screws him over right at the begining, trust me this is no spoiler you see this coming a mile away, well you would if you've ever seen EVERY ADVENTURE MOVIE EVER MADE. And now Drake's on a quest to get back at his friend and the guy's boss but gets sucked into something waay deeper than what it appears to be. With a few friends returning from Drake's Fortune and new allies a long the way, Drake has the group he needs to take down this meanace.

Now I said before the begining of the plot is cliched, for an adventure story. Yet I haven't figured out if its suppose to be a serious take on the adventure movies, or a parody of them by introducing some cliches. Because the game takes itself seriously, but not too seriously that some comedy isnt thrown into the story. The action in the game, to me is about like that of any other 3rd person action game. Enemies out number you, and all you've got is one or two guns to take them out, and of course Drake's quick thinking and wit. The Shooting mechanics are great, but its not really like anything you havent seen before. Enemy AI's will try to flank you when your in a tight spot with no where to run, so most likely you'll have think outside of the box to get out of it, and boy does this game force you to do that. IF you get stuck however, there is a button to press that'll give you a hint on what to do.

After playing through part of the game, you start to wonder if it wasn't for bad luck then Drake wouldn't have any at all. Buildings fall apart around you. Helicopters pop up outta nowhere. And just when you think you're safe, your friends turn on you. But all this just adds more to the visuals. Which are STUNNING. The in game graphics are great and detailed. At one point I started to wonder why Drake's clothes got darker, then i realized I had just been swimming in water. But this game really shines with its cinematics. The characters are funny, deliver their lines just right so its not too cheesy. The actors here really did a fantastic Job. because it dosen't feel like your watching a game cinematic, it feels like a real movie. And the cut scenes. Wow. I was surprised that the graphics didnt look realistic, but then I remembered the first one didn't either. It just slipped my mind. But the cinematics look as if someone painted them with beautiful water colors, and comes very close to looking like a Pixar movie, closer than any other game available now.

This game is a reason to get a PS3. Dont let anyone talk you out of it. If you have a PS3, then why dont you have this game? Its well worth the 60 dollar price tag. The game has multiplayer, featuring your standard game type. But more than likely youll be too busy playing the story to want to tackle multiplayer, I've only played one match thus far. Either way this game is awesome. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves for the Playstation 3, gets a 5/5.