Mega Man 10
When Capcom released Mega Man 9 in 2008, it was hailed as an impressive return to the series' original, 8-bit roots. Development company Inti Creates, also known for creating the Mega Man Zero and Mega Man ZX series, took a very old school approach by including an incredibly punishing gameplay experience with common hardware restrictions that existed when these games were most popular. They then...
Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love
I’m going to let you in on a little secret: playing the original Sakura Wars (via the PSP port) was actually one of the game experiences that I personally found to be most enjoyable in 2009. Well, the first half of the game, but we’ll get into that shortly. The game certainly showed its age, as a package complete with excessive load times, CG originally generated for the Sega Saturn,...
Sin & Punishment 2
The quality of a work of art is, by its nature, rather subjective. Scholars and critics are free to jargon up a critique in order to elicit the necessary recognition of “standards” demanded by their peers, but in the end, even the most eloquent appraisal is muted against the ears of the participant (which is what we are when we engage with games, and “art”) who is wholly...
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars
Not unlike Capcom's previous brawls with SNK or Marvel, Capcom's seventh entry, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, pays homage to the obscure characters, intense fighting, over-the-top moves and sheer insanity of past games in the versus series. Bringing the series' frantic two-on-two action on the Wii has to have been Capcom's best move yet, whether or not you know even...
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
After three years, Travis Touchdown returns angrier, feistier and hornier than ever. Something rotten has gone down in the assassin infested state of Santa Destroy, and Travis isn’t one to miss a fight. On the surface, No More Heroes is about assassins, swordplay and violence. Below the surface, it’s a series devoted to understanding and exploring unique characters,...
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (WiiWare)
Known for its immersive storytelling and unique gameplay, the Phoenix Wright series has captured the hearts of millions of gamers worldwide. With Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney recently released on WiiWare, even more people can now enjoy this timeless courtroom drama! If you’re not familiar with the Phoenix Wright series, the gameplay revolves around playing the role of defense...
Muscle March
Every now and again there’ll come a videogame that is so downright bizarre that you’ll wonder why or, rather, how a game like this managed to come to North America. Japanese titles usually faced a dismal fate, or worse, they weren’t even translated for North American audiences. Katamari Damacy was one of the few oddballs that earned itself a cult following in the west, but what about...
A Dose of Reality: Breaking the Fourth Wall Part 1
At the start of No More Heroes, Travis Touchdown looks right into the camera and asks, “How about this. If I become number one, will you do it with me?” So, you just killed thirty people and decapitated another assassin just to get laid? He sounds single-minded and he is, but this is just the start of Travis’s absurd quest into the assassin underworld. With the release of No More...
What’s In A Mascot?
It’s interesting, when you look at the three big companies, Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony, only one of them has a definitive mascot. Mario is arguably the most recognizable name in video gaming, along side Link/The Legend of Zelda, yet another Nintendo franchise. The brand loyalty and instant recognition of these names is what really drives home Nintendo’s sales. People feel comfortable...
2010: Looking Back at a Decade of Games
While most sites compile a Game of the Year feature, we here at LevelFortyTwo decided to take things to the next level (pardon Michael's pun). Each one of our writers, and some committed community members have contributed what they believe is their game of the decade. Staff members have also included a list of three runners up and on the third page you will find each person's disappointment...
