Bargain Bin Bio - Batman Arkham Asylum

So I missed the first boat for Batman AA when it first came out mainly because my money was tied up in other new releases at the time. Recently however I was able to pick up a copy for about 25 bucks and was greatly pleased with what I had purchased.

• Gameplay - The gameplay is surprisingly solid with well executed puzzles, and fantastic stealth elements... oh did I forget to mention that the combat is absolutely superb? With the right timing and moves Batman can achieve a combo that allows you to flow from each baddie in swift motions allowing him to pretty much down an entire room full of them. Instead of making a separate control section I will just include it here, the controls are solid and allow for easy movement and to execute combos with ease... well once you get the hang of the combat.
• Sound/Music - Everything from the voice acting, to the sound of breaking bones is executed well. I can't recall too much on the music side but I do remember that it fit the mood.

Final Word: If you are looking for a solid single player experience at a killer price look no further than Batman AA. It features awesome combat, as well as a stellar voice cast that will make the entire game an enjoyable experience for hardcore Batman fans, to those just looking for a fun platform game. I give Batman AA a 5/5.

Batman Arkham Asylum

Baragin Bin Bio - Dead Space

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past year or so you will have heard of Dead Space, a third person survival horror published by EA that dare I say... is good?

Now I am one of those people who did not buy this game outright for 60 bucks when it was released nor did I purchase it when it dropped to around 20 bucks. I waited until this bad boy hit 17.99 and I almost feel bad for how much of a steal it was for this game.

• STORY:Your are placed in the role of a space engineer by the name of Issac Clarke who with the other members of his crew is sent on a mission to answer the distress call from the Ishimura the largest planet cracker of its class. Upon arriving on the Ishimura it becomes painfully clear that this is no ordinary distress call and you quickly find yourself separated from your crew and fighting for dear life against a horde of monsters known as "Necromorphs". Let me start by saying the story is solid and fits perfectly with the overall mood of the game, and fans of any Sci-Fi horror movies will find themselves right at home in the creepy metallic hallways of the Ishimura.

• GRAPHICS: Wow is all I can really say. The graphics for Dead Space are some of the best I have seen on the 360 to date, and mind you at the time of reviewing this Dead Space is a little over a year old. The first time I was really blown away was being in a room when a quarantine hit and this yellow caution light flashes around the room leaving creepy shadows and for me brought memories from the Aliens movie.

• SOUND: Everything from the gun fire, to the eerie noises the Necromorphs make this game pulls it off. The music is downright creepy and always leaves you uneasy when things are quiet. Like I said before fans of Sci-Fi horror will find themselves right at home here.

• GAMEPLAY: This I have to admit playing the demo left doubt in my mind how good this game really was, and I have to say having played the full version my doubt was unfounded. The full game offers better controls and explains all the controls to the player right from the start. Combat is downright intense and you will find yourself having to quickly react to each situation, lucky for us killing the Necros is not a matter of emptying X amount of bullets into their rotten torsos but rather strategically dismembering them is the key to killing of the beasts. Also unique to any game is the HUD system, Dead Space lets go of the normal HUD and replaces it all by stuff displayed on either your character or the weapon you are carrying; The only downside to this is your inventory menu/map does not pause the game so if you are in the middle of a battle I advise against going into these menus as well as menus of the store because you can and will be attacked.

Dead Space is a solid game to add to any library and with the 17.99 price tag at Gamestop you really can't go wrong. I give 5 out of 5 for having a fantastic story, easy to use controls, and for bringing something new to the survival horror genre.