The Last of Us

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Naughty Dog

During the life of the Playstation 3, Naughty Dog established itself as a major asset to Sony. All three Uncharted games received critical praise, but the game that very well could be their crowning achievement was the Last of Us. A great mixture of stealth gameplay with bits of survival horror tossed in, The Last of Us was easily one of the best games released on the PS3, but it was also one of the best games of that console generation, regardless of what platform you included. The gameplay, even on the easiest setting, isn't going to result in most people just breezing through the game - you'll probably die a lot, especially as you get used to everything. But the difficulty never feels cheap, even on the higher difficulties. It always feels like you can overcome everything if you just come up with the right strategy…and you can. Exploring the game's beautifully designed areas is another enjoyable aspect, and it tends to be rewarding as well, as you'll find supplies to stock up on as well as training manuals and such to boost various stats. The gameplay of The Last of Us is honestly enough for me to rank this game high alone, but Naughty Dog also manages to make you genuinely care about Joel and Ellie, the two main characters, and by the end of the game, you just want to see things end up on a positive note for both of them. I'd imagine that wanting to see how their journey ends is enough to push most people through to the end of the game, even if they're not as smitten with the gameplay as I am…though those folks seem to be few and far between. Almost universally praised, The Last of Us is an absolutely amazing game and if you've never given it a try before, I highly suggest tracking down a copy and seeing what all the hooplah was about.

Review added: 09/30/2022

Last Rebellion

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Hit Maker

If you look on Metacritic, Last Rebellion looks like an absolutely terrible game with both critics and players taking a big ol’ verbal dump on the experience found here. While Last Rebellion will likely never find its way onto anyone’s “Top Games of All-Time” list, I still enjoy it all the same, and I feel like most of the complaints and distain towards this game are the result of folks not having patience. The interesting combat found in Last Rebellion, for example, is complex enough where I don’t really have room to describe it here in detail…and while it’s unique and mildly fun, the combat can also be extremely frustrating until you get the hang of it – where I’m guessing most of the hate towards this game comes from. I don’t think a lot of folks that complained had the patience to understand how the combat system works. Once you get the combat down, though, you’ve got a neat, unique fighting system that helps Last Rebellion stand out a little bit in a sea of generic RPGs. The rest of the game is simply passable, though, so despite my praise for it, this still isn’t a must-play RPG by any stretch. But, if you’re looking for a quick (probably about 10 hours to platinum the game) and unique RPG, then Last Rebellion is worth a look. If you’re not really big into JRPGs as it is, then Last Rebellion probably isn’t going to do anything to convert you into a fan.

Review added: 04/07/2020

LittleBigPlanet

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Media Molecule

LittleBigPlanet is such an enjoyable game...Not just because it's got a fun and different take on the 2D platformer formula, but because the replay value of the game is near infinite due to the fact that you can download player-made levels (many of which are really, really well done and they’re STILL online as of this writing, surprisingly enough) at your leisure, or even create your own levels, if your creative juices are flowing enough. The beauty of LittleBigPlanet is that it isn’t just a fun game to play alone, but it’s just as fun when playing with some friends…and some of the levels are designed in a way where you’re encouraged to have a few friends over to join in to gain access to certain areas. My friends and I were so smitten with this game when it first came out that I had mentioned at the time, when trying to come up with a score for it, that I was considering giving it a perfect 10 out of 10…and I remember one of my friends, who hates everything, looked at me, nodded, and said, “Yeah…I can see that.” Obviously, I pulled the score back a bit from that initial thought, but LittleBigPlanet is still a fantastic game. Why dock the score? Well, the controls can feel a bit awkward initially, which may be a turn-off for some, but after a few levels, you’ll have it down and making your way through levels like a pro. Also, the levels that come with the game are fun, but again, the player-made levels are what will keep you coming back for more. Some of them are absolutely fantastic. But, with them being online, it’s only a matter of time before they will no longer be available…so if you played this game 20 years from now, much of what makes this game so fun will be lost. But still, as it currently is, LittleBigPlanet is still a fantastic platformer, and custom levels or not, it’s well worth playing through if you want a platformer that is just a genuinely fun experience…especially if you’ve got a few friends to join in.

Review added: 04/19/2020

Lollipop Chainsaw

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture

Oh, Lollipop Chainsaw, how I love thee. For those that know me, I don’t watch movies very often…but when I do, they tend to be low-budget, b-movie horror movies. When Lollipop Chainsaw was first announced, it immediately made me think of something that Troma would release straight to video, which was a good thing in my eyes. After all, you’re controlling a high school cheerleader who happens to have the decapitated (but still animated) head of her boyfriend clipped to her belt while she uses a chainsaw to slice and dice through several variations of zombie while expressing to her bodyless boyfriend how much she loves him as the blood splatters around, along with sparkles and rainbows. Little did I know that not only did the story deliver with how bizarre and over-the-top it was, but the gameplay held up as well. I expected a so-bad-it’s-good game, much like the movies I enjoy. Instead, we got a so-bad-it’s-good story with very good gameplay to boot. This is one of the better 3D brawlers that I’ve played…it’s what I always wanted the Onechanbara games to be in terms of gameplay. Lollipop Chainsaw definitely is not a game for children, but if you’re up for some stupid humor, a ridiculous storyline with ridiculous characters, and some solid, enjoyable gameplay, Lollipop Chainsaw is sure to deliver. It’s likely better than you’d think it should be.

Review added: 07/03/2019

Lucha Libre AAA: Heroes del Ring

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Immersion Software & Graphics

I'll be honest with you, despite my score for Lucha Libre AAA, I mostly enjoyed my time with this game...But, in fairness, when it comes to professional wrestling games, I'll almost always enjoy myself. That said, Lucha Libre AAA is a very neat game for fans of lucha libre and the AAA promotion in Mexico, but it's not exactly a good game. First off, there's not much to do here. If you're dedicated enough, I'm sure that you could beat everything in the game, unlock all wrestlers, and get all achievements/trophies within a single day. I had both story modes beaten and all characters unlocked in the span of roughly five hours. Aside from the not-so-overwhelming amount of content, this game is loaded with bugs and glitches. Another complaint I have is the speed. Lucha is a high-flying, fast, agility-based form of professional wrestling...So why is this such a slow, methodical game? And while I understand certain limitations are put on the game, which prevents these things, but a lucha libre game without options for trios or atomicos matches just seems incomplete. Since those match types are staples of lucha libre, one would think that they’d be included. All that said, if you know who El Zorro, Chessman, El Elegido and Dr. Wagner Jr. are, then you'll likely find enjoyment here anyway. If you have no interest in lucha libre, then this will just seem like a below-par wrestling title that is moderately fun, but nowhere near the quality of THQ's WWE games from the same time period.

Review added: 04/14/2020