Top Ten Franchise Reboots

With Doom on its way later this year and with players having experienced the beta, it seems like a perfect opportunity to delve into other franchises that saw impressive reboots. Sometimes the only direction a long lost franchise can go is just wiping the chalkboard clean and starting fresh. That's what these ten gaming franchises did, and they were quite successful in doing so. While the jury is out on Doom currently, I know for a fact that these ten reboots are some of the best within the industry. After you've checked out my picks, why not list some of your own favorite franchise reboots in the comments section?

Note: This list isn't to be confused with my Top Ten Franchise Revivals, which were about games from series that hadn't seen an entry in a long time, though some games on that list are on this one.

10) Prince of Persia (PS3, 360, PC)

Though not doing that fantastically sales-wise, Prince of Persia's 2008 reboot added a lot of personality, charm, and colorful cel-shaded visuals that did everything to impress. The game followed the Prince, using all manners of acrobatic platforming goodness to move through the various environments. Exploring the open world setting, granting players the ability to go anywhere in the game world, along with Elika, a helper AI character that will save him from when he falls, the Prince has the corruption of the land to heal. Prince of Persia (2008) showed a different side to the series while retaining many of the elements that made past games in the franchise so endearing and entertaining.

9) Star Fox Zero (Wii U)

While the controls are incredibly polarizing, Star Fox Zero happens to control really well in my opinion. There's nothing like flying on-rails, having an enemy escape the TV screen, and then using the GamePad to look to the side of the Arwing and shoot them down, something that would otherwise be impossible without this two screen setup. The many missions of Star Fox Zero are some of the franchise's best, particularly a mission where you take on a fleet of ships, have to slip between a battleship's shield when it fires its laser, and take down said battleship from the inside. Star Fox Zero is hardly a dumpster-tier title, and you'll see why later this week when I review it.

8) Tomb Raider (PS4, XONE, PS3, 360, PC)

I'm at a crossroads in my opinion of Tomb Raider. While I think the game is good overall, I don't think the darker, macabre direction the series took was needed. Then you have the story, writing, and characters that were horribly done and pretty much an embarrassment. Tomb Raider's 2013 reboot played more like a much more violent Uncharted than keeping in line with past games in the series. Still, the action is intense, the world is fun to explore, the combat is enjoyable, and finding secrets within the world is a wonderful experience. The things that hold Lara Croft's reboot back make the game only reach the eighth spot on this countdown.

7) Shadow Warrior (PS4, XONE, PC)

A reboot of the 1997 first-person shooter of the same name, Shadow Warrior released in 2013 to critical and fan acclaim. Possessing the same main character of Lo Wang within a present-day setting, Shadow Warrior put players against massive amounts of demons of all shapes and sizes in this fast and frenetic shooter. Levels had multiple secrets within them, including alternate routes, so multiple play-throughs encouraged exploration while filling the ground and walls with the blood of demons. In essence, Shadow Warrior is a retro-style shooter that gets what made the original and games of its ilk at the time so special.

6) Shinobi (PS2)

With a sword that eats souls, protagonist Hotsuma played through eight levels consisting of two parts and a boss encounter to get vengeance on a sinister sorcerer. This sword required Hotsuma to defeat as many enemies as quickly as possible or else the sword would start feeding on him. Shinobi, initially conceived for the Dreamcast before Sega went third-party, for PlayStation 2 saw the return of the franchise in all of its glory, this time with enough hyper-violence to quench anyone's blood lust. While now 3D, Shinobi managed to feel like its older 2D counterparts, making for a hack-and-slash action game that shined brightly like the edge of a shuriken.

5) Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS)

This next title could be perceived as a sequel, as it mentions multiple characters from past Kid Icarus games, but I see it as a reboot, as Kid Icarus: Uprising is so far removed from its predecessors. Offering two types of gameplay: on-rails levels similar to that of the Star Fox series, though much more crazy, and ground combat and exploration, Uprising was a massive adventure full of high octane action, hilarious and self-aware dialogue, and amazing presentation in its visuals, story elements, and orchestral music. Uprising was like most of Masahiro Sakurai's creations, as it had lots of longevity and replay value, whether it was gaining new weapons and abilities, completing all of the in-game challenges for rewards, or battling it out online. Kid Icarus: Uprising is a personal favorite reboot of mine, making it one of the best Nintendo 3DS games in my opinion.

4) Killer Instinct (XONE, PC)

When Microsoft purchased Rare after Nintendo declined to buy up the owners' remaining shares of the company, many were quite excited to see how Microsoft would put Rare's many awesome franchises to use. To say that Microsoft has failed to capitalize as much as they could on Rare would be an understatement. However, with the 2013 launch title for the Xbox One, Killer Instinct, one of Rare's most beloved franchises is back and better than ever. Released in season format, Killer Instinct retained a lot from the Super Nintendo and arcade predecessors, but added enough to make for a fresh fighting game experience. The battle system is tremendous, still offering the fantastic combo-based action the series was known for. With its release on Windows 10, Killer Instinct now has an even bigger, deserved audience to sink their teeth into this fabulous fighter.

3) Mortal Kombat (PS3, 360, PC, Vita)

Taking the idea of a reboot to the max and retconning the entire Mortal Kombat mythos, this ninth installment of the killer fighting game franchise delivered all the hyper-violence that one had grown to expect from the Mortal Kombat name. The addition of X-Ray Moves showed just how deadly and brutal many attacks from MK characters like Raiden, Liu Kang, and Johnny Cage really were, displaying broken bones and copious amount of blood. The Challenge Tower mode added longevity to this Mortal Kombat reboot, offering 300 individual challenges each granting the player one reward for completing them. This edition of Mortal Kombat is one of the most packed and great feeling fighters within the franchise, and the reboot returned the MK name to its former glory after several lackluster prequels.

2) Ratchet & Clank (PS4)

The original Ratchet & Clank on the PlayStation 2 played wonderfully and introduced the world to the lovable pairing of a lombax and his robotic helper friend. Now, Ratchet and Clank's first adventure has been given the re-imagining treatment, holding several new words along with familiar territory, brilliantly creative weapons that this time can be leveled up, and additions like strafing that make the gameplay feel as great as ever. This reboot is one of the most beautiful games ever to be devised, offering a solid 30 frames-per-second, gorgeous Pixar-like visuals, and enough action and exploration to make players yearn for the series to keep on keepin' on.

1) Ninja Gaiden (XBX)

Taking five years of development time to perfect the game and its various mechanics, the NES classic Ninja Gaiden was given the reboot treatment by Tomonobu Itagaki and Team Ninja. What players got was one of the best character action games in the genre, filled with high octane sword-based combat, graphic violence, and a steep challenge. Ninja Gaiden's Xbox reboot was definitely not for the feint of heart. Its length, its depth, its amazing sense of swiftness and speed all added up to a brilliant action adventure game that demanded a lot from its players. That's why it's no wonder why Ninja Gaiden is still held to such a high regard and is viewed as a modern classic.

The SuperPhillip Central Best of 2013 Awards - Night Three

By the end of tonight we'll be more than halfway through our five night games ceremony spectacular. Night Three of SuperPhillip Central's Best of 2013 Awards contains three awards to hand out. These awards will go to the Most Overlooked game of the year, the Publisher of the Year, and finally, the Multiplatform Game of the Year. As usual, wear your finest clothes for this special sixth annual event!

[Most Overlooked]

An unfortunate aspect of our industry is that for every great selling AAA blockbuster, there are five excellent games that sell like water to a drowning man. If you are frequent reader of SuperPhillip Central, then you know how we liked spotlighting such games in our Most Overlooked series of articles. This category awards the Most Overlooked of the most overlooked.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PS3, Vita)

Although it appeared on the NPD for the month it was released, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time ended up on the lower end of the top ten in a month of low sales almost all around. Regardless, the newest entry in the Sly Cooper series saw the Cooper gang time traveling to various locales and time periods, such as the Old West, Medieval England, and even the Ice Age. Saving the Cooper Clan from disappearing from history was the goal here, and the stealth gameplay, fun platforming, and entertaining missions meant that all of those PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita owners who ignored Sly Cooper's latest missed out big time.

Puppeteer (PS3)

A game too niche for the PlayStation 3 audience, Puppeteer came from Sony's Japan Studio, and it was set up like you were controlling a character in a play. Controlling Kutaro, our headless hero, you went through levels coming across objects that could temporarily take the role of Kutaro's head, allowing him access to otherwise unreachable areas. With a special pair of magical scissors, Kutaro could defeat enemies and be involved in unique platforming challenges. While the gameplay didn't reach its full potential, the presentation and originality alone are worth looking into Puppeteer.

Tearaway (Vita)

It seems obvious that a game that is exclusive to a platform that is severely underperforming would make it on a list of overlooked games. That is exactly the case with Media Molecule's Tearaway. Using a ton of what the PlayStation Vita had to offer functionality-wise, Tearaway was a platforming adventure quite unlike anything else on the market. Between its lack of marketing, odd premise, and audience, it's without much surprise that Tearaway takes a place on our Most Overlooked nominee list.

Soul Sacrifice (Vita)

While PlayStation Vita owners do not have a Monster Hunter game to call their own, several imitations have appeared on the system. The first of such of these titles was Soul Sacrifice. Taking the risk of battle to a completely different level, Soul Sacrifice allowed players to sacrifice items as well as body parts in order to get a leg-up (no pun intended) on the battle at hand. The colossal creatures that were ready to be faced meant for some very intense encounters. Soul Sacrifice's premise was quite intriguing, but apparently it wasn't intriguing enough for a lot of Vita owners.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate (3DS, PSN, XBLA)

We were very weary of trying out the latest in the Castlevania series. After all, the old staff had nothing with the game-- it was all Mercury Steam, a Western developer. However, while Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate did not stand on the same shelf as classics like Super Castlevania IV, Symphony of the Night, or Dawn of Sorrow, the game did impress enough and had enough quality to make it recommended by us. The game was essentially doomed on the word "go" once it was announced for the Nintendo 3DS, a system that doesn't have the most M-rated games on it, or a fan base that buys them like they were going out of style. However, those who did get to try the game with an open mind found a Castlevania game that was a worthwhile play.

Runner-Up: Rayman Legends (Multi)

One of those fresh breaths in the gaming industry, Rayman Legends was a 2D platformer with not just a marvelous art style but it had the gameplay to back the presentation up. Originally to be released as a Wii U exclusive, the game was delayed seven months in order to be ported to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, and PlayStation Vita. Unfortunately, the new release date was right in the thick of the AAA gaming season, making Rayman Legends a game that many passed on in favor of other games that were releasing that season. It's a darn shame, too, as Rayman Legends is one of the most refreshing 2D platformers that has been released in retail in a long time.

Winner: The Wonderful 101 (Wii U)

Just like with the PlayStation Vita's Tearaway, it should be no surprise that a niche, new IP released on a struggling system would not receive much in the way of sales. It doesn't help that many critics were too impatient in learning the actual mechanics of The Wonderful 101 before writing the game off, turning countless potential consumers off simultaneously. The Wonderful 101 offered a deep and complex combat system, a story that kept raising the stakes to ridiculous levels, and a presentation that was out of this world. Although it was given its own Nintendo Direct, The Wonderful 101 did not do so hot in sales, but then again, what Wii U game has? Unfortunate, as The Wonderful 101 is one of the best action games released in a few years.

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[Publisher of the Year]

For the past five years we have had a Developer of the Year category. This year, at the very last moment, we decided to transform it into the Publisher of the Year category. We have five nominees for the first edition of this award, so let's get to it!

Microsoft

For the first 3/4 of the year, Microsoft was relatively quiet, only releasing Gears of War: Judgment as they made their preparations for the Xbox One. The Xbox One launch alone was fantastic, with such titles Microsoft published like Killer Instinct, Dead Rising 3, Forza Motorsport 5, Zoo Tycoon, and although its potential was not met, Ryse: Son of Rome. All these games add up to giving Microsoft a spot on our list of nominations for Publisher of the Year.

Ubisoft

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Call of Jaurez: Gunslinger, Rayman Jungle Run, Rayman Legends, Rocksmith 2014, Just Dance 2014-- These are just a wide sampling of the offerings of Ubisoft this past year. There's something for everyone here-- action-adventure games, shooters, platformers, party games, etc. It's for these reasons that Ubisoft takes a nice place in our list of nominees for Publisher of the Year.

Warner Bros. Interactive

Giving gamers and less serious players a host of content to enjoy, Warner Bros. Interactive did rather well for itself this year. With LEGO Marvel Super Heroes for Marvel fans, Scribblenauts Unmasked for DC Comics buffs, as well as Batman: Arkham Origins and Injustice: Gods Among Us, WB Interactive has had a good offering of quality games in 2013.

Runner-Up: Sony

Sony earns bonus points for taking a lot of risks by investing in new IP at the end of this past generation. Some were absolute successes like The Last of Us, while most had the quality but not the sales, such as Puppeteer and Tearaway. Regardless, Sony's output this year was very good, offering Gran Turismo 6, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, God of War: Ascension, Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus, Soul Sacrifice, two Killzone games (one for the PS4 and one for the Vita), among others. The reason why Sony is only runner-up is because a lot of the titles published by the company pale in comparison quality-wise to our winner.

Winner: Nintendo

While coming nowhere near the levels of risk that our runner-up ventured to, Nintendo without a doubt had both quality and quantity when it came to their releases. On the Nintendo 3DS alone you had Fire Emblem: Awakening, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Pokemon X and Y, and finally The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. Then when you look at what the Wii U gave us, LEGO City Undercover, Pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Wii Party U, and Super Mario 3D World, it's difficult to give this award to any other publisher than Nintendo.

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[Multiplatform Game of the Year]

We have reached the first really really important award of this ceremony. You see, the winner of this category will be in the running for SuperPhillip Central's Game of the Year 2013 award. While there were a lot of multiplatform games to choose this year, we have selected six of the very best to represent the year that was 2013.

Tomb Raider (PS3, 360, PC)

Tomb Raider was already in the running for our Most Unexpected Surprise award, and now it leads off the nominations for Multiplatform Game of the Year. Lara Croft in this reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise is a more vulnerable girl, not yet battle hardened. That certainly changes through the events of the game. From the enjoyable gun play to the massive amount of exploration within the game, Tomb Raider is indeed an excellent revision of the classic Tomb Raider franchise.

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Multi)

Take to the open seas in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. The developers successfully took the issues players had with the previous game in the series, Assassin's Creed III, and corrected them. The incredible scale of the open world setting Black Flag offers is absolutely remarkable with tons of areas to venture in. Even the side missions this time around are fantastic and some might argue even better than what is offered in the story. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is a game that properly reinvigorated the quickly aging franchise, making it a shoe-in to be nominated for our Multiplatform Game of the Year category.

Rayman Legends (Multi)

The odd game out on this list of Multiplatform Game of the Year nominees, 2D platformers were a dime a dozen back in the NES and SNES days of gaming. Now, they've been unfairly positioned in a place where gamers expect them to be cheap for whatever reason, regardless of how much content they actually have. Rayman Legends gives players all of Rayman's move set at the beginning of the game, tricky platforming challenges, amazing music-driven stages, difficult Invasion levels, a stunning presentation, and innovation in the form of Murfy. 2D platforming fans have no doubt already enjoyed what Rayman Legends has to offer, so if you haven't, there's no better time than the present.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PS3, 360)

Platinum Games knocks another one out of the park with Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Slicing and dicing up foes with Raiden's blade is always exciting and immensely enjoyable. The fast pace of this high octane action game shows off just why Platinum Games is king when it comes to character-driven action games. It has a deep, rewarding combat system that seems so simple at first, a level of challenge that is just right, and crazy as all get out set pieces.

Runner-Up: BioShock Infinite (Multi)

With pitch perfect shooting mechanics, an awesome ability to jump on and off as well as ride sky rails, and one of the most captivating stories told in a video game, BioShock Infinite no doubt is worthy of the BioShock name. Ken Levine and his team deliver a compelling mystery that is accentuated by the excellent gameplay mechanics. BioShock Infinite is definitely a great contender for Multiplatform Game of the Year, but it's not THE winner of this category.

Winner: Grand Theft Auto V (PS3, 360)

Not only is our Multiplatform Game of the Year one of the most ambitious games of the past generation, but it unquestionably offers the player an insane amount of freedom. Los Santos and its surrounding areas is a huge open world sandbox setting to explore. The amount of detail in Grand Theft Auto V is astounding, the story is intriguing with characters you might not like but are interested in, and the customization options are incredible as well. Grand Theft Auto V takes the series to new heights and with that in mind it certainly deserves top honors for Multiplatform Game of the Year.

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We're not past the halfway point in our awards ceremony! Tomorrow night we will add more games to enter the running for Game of the Year 2013 here at SuperPhillip Central. We hope you are looking forward to it!

2013 Holiday Gift Guide - Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of SuperPhillip Central's 2013 Holiday Gift Guide. This is our third year in a row doing this special duo of articles, and we hope at least some of you out there find it useful. The final part of our gift guide focuses on multiplatform titles. From Grand Theft Auto to Call of Duty, there's plenty to stuff a loved one's stocking with. As always, if you feel we've neglected to mention a game that you think would make for a great holiday present, let us know in the comments.

Review Round-Up - June 2013

Happy days are here again, as the Animal
Crossing series makes its glorious return.

Summer might be a time where new games are few and far in-between, but SuperPhillip Central kept chugging out new reviews like there was no tomorrow. We began the month of June with a review of God of War: Ascension, receiving an 8.5. Following that, we had our first Better Late Than Never review with Darksiders II. All Death could muster was an above average 7.5 score. Next up we went retro with the original F-Zero, zooming to an 8.0. Then we went back to the AAA blockbuster category with Tomb Raider. Ms. Lara Croft survived our review process and got an 8.75 for her efforts. We reviewed two more retro titles (though not nearly as old as F-Zero) with Fortune Street (7.25) and Metal Slug Anthology (8.0). We finally reviewed our PS3 Game of 2012 with our review of Journey (9.0). However, Journey was quickly usurped by our Game of the Month, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, delivering a 9.5-worthy experience. Lastly, Pandora's Tower proved difficult to review due to a freezing glitch at the end of the game. Not cool, XSEED Games. Not cool. Overall, it was a nice month for reviews, and we've got plenty of games to judge for July!

God of War: Ascension (PS3) - 8.5
Darksiders II (Wii U) - 7.5
F-Zero (SNES, Wii U VC) - 8.0
Tomb Raider (PS3, 360, PC) - 8.75
Fortune Street (Wii) - 7.25
Metal Slug Anthology (Wii, PS2, PSP) - 8.0
Journey (PSN) - 9.0
Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS) - 9.5
Pandora's Tower (Wii) - n/a

A true, hardened survivor, Ms. Lara Croft
made it through our rigorous reviewing process.

Tomb Raider (PS3, 360, PC) Review

A game that is too recent to be listed as a Better Late Than Never review, Tomb Raider released back in March, and now SuperPhillip Central is finally giving Ms. Lara Croft's origin story some of our devotion. How does Tomb Raider hold up? Let's find out with our review.

A Story of Survival... And Mass Murder

Back in the days of the original PlayStation, Tomb Raider was a franchise that was a force to be reckoned with. However, as more sequels came out in later generations, each feeling more iterative than the last, the quality of the games declined greatly. Now, the series is faced with a massive reboot created by Crystal Dynamics-- certainly no easy undertaking. Simply titled Tomb Raider, the game shows a more fragile Lara Croft's origin story. Is the price of survival worth the price of admission?

As stated, Tomb Raider tells the tale of Lara Croft's not-so-humble beginnings. When a voyage to an island in the Dragon's Triangle goes awry, Croft and crew's ship crashes. Lara wakes up, calling for her friends, only to be blindsided by a local. Dazed, tied up, and hanging in some kind of cavern, Lara frees herself and must do everything to survive on her own. It won't be easy, as the island is maintained by a crazed cult, any ship or plane that tries to leave the island gets shot down by Mother Nature, and supplies are scarce. Tomb Raider definitely shows a different side to the mythos of Lara Croft. She starts out as an incredibly vulnerable and scared girl and by the end of the game she becomes a hardened survivor. However, I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief at times. Lara is constantly put in ridiculous situation after ridiculous situation, each more insane than the last that it felt like the storytellers were trying to shove it in my face that Lara was a strong-willed survivor. Seriously, I got it already. It's sort of tough to swallow to have it repeatedly drilled into me.

It takes a big man to use a woman for a shield.

Another issue I have with Tomb Raider stems from how violent the game is. It just feels forced and unnecessary. I don't play Tomb Raider games to see Lara Croft impaled through the throat, bashed in the face until she's a bloody mess, or have her spine snap when she smacks into an underwater rock, nor do I want to see that. What the developers call a visceral gameplay experience, I call gratuitous violence for the sake of violence. There's realism and then there's what Tomb Raider is. It gets worse when you realize that  as soon as Lara Croft comes across her first gun (before which she has to carefully sneak around the island), she almost immediately transforms from a helpless young woman into the female version of the Terminator, complete with genocidal kill counts and merciless executions. The violence displayed by Tomb Raider almost becomes comical at some points, obviously not the intention of the developers. It makes emotionally nuanced story sequences of the game seem wasted when the next moment Lara begins slaying foes as easily as a mass murderer.

Bad dog! Down, boy!

That said, Tomb Raider is an incredibly fun experience. The game has you moving from section of island to section of island, exploring the wide open areas (of which you can fast travel from camp to camp), venturing into optional tombs for treasure, performing feats of climbing prowess that would give Nathan Drake a run for his money, hunting animals as if Lara was on an African safari, and taking out violent islanders that want nothing more than to see outsiders like Lara taken out as brutally as possible.

Well, aren't these cheery surroundings. 

Thankfully, Lara has tools at her disposal to bring the brutality right back to them. There are four weapons that Lara Croft comes across in Tomb Raider, and each serves its own purpose. Lara starts out with the bow and arrow, perfect for silently taking out foes and animals. Holding down the fire button draws the bow back more for increased damage, and also easier penetration into armor. Then there's a pistol, an automatic rifle and a shotgun, all of which can be upgraded through earning salvage points. These come from coming across and opening boxes strewn about the island, and looting the corpses of your slain victims. Upgrades purchased through spending salvage points can be used to strengthen the recoil of your weapon, allow more ammo in a magazine, or cause give better accuracy.

In addition to salvage points, Lara Croft can also earn experience points through multiple means, such as scavenging fallen animals she hunts, defeating enemies (headshots and more savage kills net more points), and coming across hidden collectibles. When enough experience points have been earned, Lara gains skill points. These can be used to get survivor abilities for Lara to use. Such examples of this include being able to spot otherwise hard-to-find sources of loot, recovering shot arrows from downed creatures and enemies, and increased climbing speed.

Speaking of hunting, one of Tomb Raider's first objectives after Lara escapes from the cavern of crazed cult members is to hunt a deer for a source of food. You might think that this skill is useful and is used more prominently later in the game, but no, it's simply a one-off deal that only nets you experience points each time you kill an animal. I would have liked to see taking down animals as something necessary, since after all this is a game showing how Lara survives her ordeal. Wouldn't scavenging for food be an important part of that? And I don't mean something as boring and as tedious as collecting and eating food like Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater had. Just something to make the experience seem more realistic would have been interesting to see.

There's no thrill to these hunts in Tomb Raider.

A great part of Tomb Raider is how much exploring is available to you and Lara. Of course, the linear set pieces that drive the action sequences of the game are nice and wow-worthy, but it's nice to just be able to explore the island at your own pace, uncovering secret tombs and collectibles like GPS caches, documents that fill in the holes of the story, and relics left behind by those who were doomed to never leave the island. The island feels natural, and there's a remarkable sense of wonder in every facet, mountain face, and area. New tools allow for Lara to reach previously inaccessible areas to further discover the entirety of Lara's marooned location.

Nathan Drake, eat your heart out.

Meanwhile, something that Tomb Raider fans are generally unfamiliar with, multiplayer, comes with this all new reboot. It contains four mostly fun modes where beginning players need to grind experience to unlock better skills, weapons, upgrades, and characters. It isn't the most innovative or routinely engaging multiplayer out there, but it does its job well and increases the replay value of Tomb Raider immensely. Some might argue that the multiplayer could have been scrapped in order for the developers to bolster the single player experience better, but I, for one, welcome being able to hop online for some gratuitous shooting that actually belongs in this portion of Tomb Raider.

Multiplayer offers four unique modes to enjoy.

Tomb Raider's budget is quite high, and it's easy to see that a lot of the money went into creating the vast island expanses, gorgeous visual output, and brilliant voice acting. It's nice seeing how Lara gets increasingly more messy as she explores dirty caverns and have her clothes stay wet after she exits a body of water. Effects like fire look damn impressive, and the vegetation and structure of the island are built to look as natural as possible. The island doesn't usually feel like its made by a designer for Lara to easily get to point A to point B. It feels more genuine than that, much like a game like Metroid Prime used the environment to make platforming and journeying seem more organic.

Fire bad! But it looks really good at least!

Tomb Raider is the type of triple-A experience that succeeds in creating an engaging gameplay experience, but fails at conveying a realistic vulnerable survivor in Lara Croft. When one moment you're seeing Ms. Croft cry her eyes out for killing her first islander, and then the next you're performing headshots like a professional hitman, it gets quite jarring. That notwithstanding, a plot and campaign that will keep you wanting to play, fun (though oftentimes unbelievable) set pieces that amaze, and a multiplayer component that increases the longevity of the game make for a remarkable reboot for the Tomb Raider franchise. I can't wait to see in which direction Lara Croft's adventures take her next, because I will happily follow.

[SPC Says: 8.75/10]

21 More Fantastic Gaming Commercials

Are you ready for more gaming advertisements? SuperPhillip Central has more than you can shake a 30 second TV spot at. This time we're back with 21 more gaming commercials that will fill you with nostalgia, impress you with their production values, or just make you go "wow" in general. These chosen commercials are some of gaming's best, so we hope that you are as entertained by these ads as we were.

Note: These commercials are all from the States. Feel free to share commercials from outside the U.S. 

Note 2: To save everyone from lots of loading, the actual videos are linked to as opposed to embedded on this site. Click the name of the ad to get to the video. We apologize ahead of time for YouTube comment sections.

God of War: Ascension (PS3)

A brilliant commercial for a game that just recently released, God of War: Ascension's ad is a dramatic and emotional one showing Kratos losing the ones he loved, his wife and only child. They turn to ash and that ash gets absorbed into Kratos' skin. The song that plays is one that works wonderfully and pulls on the heartstrings.

BioShock Infinite (Multi)

Releasing today, BioShock Infinite's commercial might not have any gameplay to it, something that I don't usually like a commercial not to have. However, this 30 second ad does well with getting the viewer interested in the game. I love the city in the sky setting that Columbia has, and the commercial also shows the protagonist's ability to use his powers to blast enemies away. Here's hoping a commercial with some gameplay gets released like what happened with God of War: Ascension.

Tomb Raider (Multi)

Reboots are sometimes viewed poorly by the gaming public. See Devil May Cry for such an example. However, sometimes reboots work out incredibly well. For that example, we turn to Tomb Raider. Crystal Dynamics really turned out a stellar product with their origin story of Lara Croft. This commercial pushes how Tomb Raider is all about how Ms. Croft came to be and got into her treasure hunting ways.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS3)

Now this is a game commercial! No filler, all stuff within the game. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception dazzled players with its gorgeous graphics and sensational set pieces, all culminating in the end of the trilogy on the PS3. The games do a fabulous job of weaving story with gameplay, so much that makes you feel like you're playing an Indiana Jones-like adventure.

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (PS3, PSV)

A commercial created with live actors portraying the numerous PlayStation all-stars, the ad for Sony's answer to Super Smash Bros. shows off characters Nathan Drake, Cole MacGrath, Kratos, and a CG Sackboy dueling on a dark and dilapidated alley. No worries if you're getting creamed currently, Kratos, as your human partner and you have apparently been through worse.

inFamous (PS3)

Seamlessly switching between comic panels and gameplay from the actual game, this inFamous commercial is an excellent example of how to weave art and gameplay together to a fantastic effect. inFamous is a great game and this commercial more than shows why many PlayStation 3 owners claim it is one of the best exclusives for the system.

Killzone 3 (PS3)

The Kevin Butler PlayStation 3 campaign was a terrific one. It featured a fictional Sony executive presenting the various games being advertised. This particular ad is all about Killzone 3, a game that many stated was PlayStation's answer to Halo. This ad, like the others, does great at showing off gameplay while displaying a fine level of humor. Cleanup aisle you, indeed.

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (PS3)

This second Kevin Butler PS3 campaign ad is all about one of my favorite games for Sony's third home console, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. While that game was one of the last truly great Ratchet & Clank games, one can only imagine how cool it really would be to have the franchise's trademark weaponry in the real world. Just don't let that shady organization have them before I do.

Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus (PS2)

One of those commercials that feels like it comes straight out of 90's Sony, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus's ad shows investigators doing what they best... investigating... a stolen item in a vault. What they come across is a hole burrowed none other than a wild raccoon. The real Sly Cooper is much more civil, a sharp dresser, and always knows just what to say at a given moment. Meanwhile, a wild raccoon will just go through your garbage and make a mess of things. Sly Cooper: 1, Wild raccoon: 0.

Mirror's Edge (Multi)

Another gameplay-empty ad that shows enough to intrigue its viewers to interest them into trying out the game, Mirror's Edge's commercial shows Faith participating in the types of gameplay that players will find themselves engaging in if they picked up the game. Mirror's Edge was a wonderful experience, and it's a shame that there's no hint of a sequel coming from EA's direction.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS)

Nintendo has a habit of putting their characters into the real world for their commercials and to interesting results. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon released this past Sunday, and its ad features a boy investigating his dark home. Picking up his own version of the Poltergust 3000, he comes across a room full of ghosts. What makes this commercial special is how elements of the game get put into reality, and like I said, the results are quite interesting.

Mario Tennis Open (3DS)

We're going on a Mario kick for a little bit, so stick with me here. An ordinary game of doubles tennis starts out innocently enough, but soon the colors of the Mushroom Kingdom seep into reality. The court transforms into a mushroom pattern, and the tennis participants have their clothes change into those that one's Mii can wear in Mario Tennis Open.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star (3DS)

This stop motion animation TV advertisement does a great job thrusting viewers into the colorful world of Paper Mario: Sticker Star. The voiceover also does an admirable effort in presenting what the game is all about within the brief 30 second time period. Although the final product, the game, did not reach the same heights as previous entries in the Paper Mario series, Sticker Star still was a load of fun.

Super Paper Mario (Wii)

Part of Nintendo's excellent "Wii would like to play" campaign (much better than their Wii U campaign, but what isn't better than that?), the Super Paper Mario commercial shows a grand amount of gameplay, and Super Paper Mario's gimmick, the perspective shift between 2D and 3D. Both are shown prominently throughout the ad, and the gimmick is even shown in the room the players are standing in with the camera shift.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii)

Mario and Sonic's third Olympic outing saw them heading to the Summer Games in London. Before that, however, they needed to rub elbows with English royalty. Methinks that chili dogs are not on a traditional royal dinner menu. However, when you have Sonic in your company, you bet they should be. For the Mario version of this ad, click this link.

Mario Golf (GBC)

This is a cute and short ad that shows the hand of Mario trying to situate an indigo Game Boy Color on a golf tee. After a second try, he winds up his shot and sends the handheld system flying, bouncing across the screen. The commentary by Mario is adorable, and that alone sold me on the game back as a younger version of myself so many years ago.

Mario Tennis (GBC)

Let's continue the Mario sports theme we have going on here. Poor Donkey Kong just cannot defeat Mario, whether it's when he kidnaps Pauline or in this example when they're playing tennis atop a lime green Game Boy Color. Unlike Mario Golf, I missed out completely on Mario Tennis. I'm hoping that the game soon arrives on the Nintendo 3DS eShop sometime soon so I can rectify that.

Animal Crossing: Wild World (DS)

Looks like the kids are back to visit the animals. That is exactly what Animal Crossing: Wild World is all about. The game indeed does continue on whether you're there or not. The DS version introduced Wi-Fi play, so up to four people could play together in a host's town, digging up fossils, planting and watering flowers, as well as talking with the animal denizens. I eagerly await for not only Animal Crossing: New Leaf, but what Nintendo's advertising department will do for the game.

Punch-Out!! (Wii)

Here we have a commercial that shows the struggle of Little Mac, a fighter defeated by King Hippo, and looking for comeuppance. Thankfully he has the help of Doc Louis to coach and train him to be the fiercest fighter around. No Glass Joe or Mr. Dream will stand in his way now. A commercial filled with quotable lines and immense levels of humor, Punch-Out!! is one of Nintendo's greatest ads. Check it out and see what I mean. Note: It's even better if you have nostalgia for the NES classic.

Wario World (GCN)

A politician mentioning that greed is good while sweating like a hog? I'd make a joke about a particular political party, but I don't want to upset a part of SPC's audience. Regardless, what else do you expect to have a speech be about when you have Wario feeding you the lines? (And stealing from your pocket in the process.)

Monster Hunter Tri (Wii)

If shows like Deadliest Catch do nothing for you, then I'm with you. Who needs to hunt sharks, whales, and whatever else lies beneath the deep blue sea when you have gigantic monsters to topple over? This mention of the Monster Hunter Tri ad is perfect timing for Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, an expansion to the original game, available for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Forget the sharks and bring on the Royal Ludroths!

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If this dose of commercial carnage wasn't enough for you, why not check out the other three segments devoted to gaming commercials?

21 Fantastic Gaming Commercials
21 Terrific Gaming Commercials 
19 More Terrific Gaming Commercials