Justin Hubbell's blog

System: Xbox Live Arcade (reviewed on), PSN (whenever it comes back), PC
MSRP: 1200 MSP, $14.99
Release Date: May 25, 2011

Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale is an action-RPG, based on the 4th edition rules of the tabletop game. This game is similar to other hack-and-slash action-RPGs, like Torchlight and Baldur's Gate. You travel through various dungeons to complete tasks, kill monsters, collect loot and level up your character, which there are 4 of (human fighter, halfling wizard, dwarven cleric, and an elf rogue).

The story isn't horrible, but it's not very original either. Rezelus, the main bad guy, is planning to amass a huge army and take over the world of Daggerdale and it's up to you (and your friends if you're playing co-op), to stop him. The story unfolds quickly, which is nice. I'm not a fan of long cut-scenes. With that said, the dialogue is still pretty bad.

Back to the characters - each character has his or her own set of abilities to learn, and as you level up you can allocate skill points to various stats and abilities. The characters are well diversified and equipping different types of armor will show on the character model. Read more

System: PS3
MSRP: $59.99
Release Date: March 15, 2011

It's been a year, and another Yakuza game has come stateside. Is it what we wanted? No edited content? Great story? Lets find out!

The visuals and cut scenes in Yakuza 4 are decent. You can tell that some of the visuals are very similar, if not recycled, from Yakuza 3. This game isn't going to win many fans for its visuals. Although, the depiction of Tokyo and its districts are great!

The audio is all in Japanese, but there are subtitles, obviously. The Japanese voice actors are phenomenal, too. There are many cut scenes in this game. Granted, none of them are as long as Metal Gear Solid 4, but they can rack up in time spent "watching the game and not playing it." However, I do want to add that without the cut scenes, this game would lack emotion and meaning. The cut scenes are spaced fairly well throughout the game and they help move the story along exceptionally well.

This game is a mix of a brawler, and RPG, and a "sand-box" game. The story unfolds from 4 different people's perspective: a loan shark, a jaded cop, an escape convict, and the reformed Yakuza himself, Kazuma Kiryu. Each character can upgrade their moves and abilities as they gain levels by progressing through the game. Some of the moves and abilities are character specific, too. Read more

System: Xbox 360 (reviewed on), PS3
MSRP: $49.99
Release Date: February 8, 2011

In the past six months, we have seen some excellent racing games: Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Gran Turismo 5, and Forza 3 Ultimate. So, does Test Drive Unlimited 2 maintain pace, blow pass, or fall behind a couple of car lengths with the competition?

The first thing you will notice in TDU2, is the atmosphere that it creates. It is very unique and alive, literally. The environment is vast and varied with paved roads in a city, to muddy off-road forests. Additionally, you'll see the days change from night, to dusk, and so on, and you'll even see different types of weather come and go.

This game is meant to be an MMO of sorts. You can drive around and challenge other people in the game who are online. This is a hit and miss, because it seems that half of the time the servers are down, so it's hard to fully enjoy the online portion of TDU2. When you do get online, there are several different types of modes, such as: races, speed traps, (co-op) follow-the-leader and photography missions (where you snap a picture of a certain area in the right conditions with your car).Read more

System: PS3 (PSN download)
MSRP: $9.99
Release Date: January 4, 2011

This rendition of Tetris is the most beautiful yet with its support of 1080p HD graphics and it sounds great with its 5.1 surround sound support.

Players can now play online or locally with up to six friends in all-new game modes: Shared, Team Battle, and Battle. "Shared" enables two players to team-up in a single matrix to combine efforts and clear lines together. "Team Battle" allows two teams of two to play against one another, alternating between offense and defense as they compete for the win. And "Battle" has been enhanced with new power-ups for more fast-paced fun.

Additionally, Marathon mode is included, but with a new twist, now multiplayer games let up to four players locally play "Marathon" mode at the same time. Also included, is the new "Challenge" mode, which allows players playing "Marathon" mode or any of the 12 variants to try to beat "replays" of either friends or some of the best Tetris players in the world.Read more

The Mophie Workbook for iPad is a lightweight, form-fitting case that provides iPad users with infinite adjustability and an unlimited number of viewing angles for comfortable typing and screen viewing. It's designed so that you never have to take your iPad out of the Workbook ever again. All of your ports and buttons are exposed.

The Workbook features a soft interior that snuggly cradles the iPad. It also features an elastic band that helps keep the folio closed. Additionally, the exterior is designed to be durable enough to hold up to just about anything you can throw at it, while still being slim and portable.

Out of the other iPad cases I've reviewed, this is my favorite; however, it is the most expensive, too. Overall, it has a solid design that keeps the iPad protected, but still allows it to be very mobile and versatile. You can pick up your Mophie Workbook at mophie.com or amazon.com in five unique colors: black/black, white/grey, orange/black, chocolate/cyan, and cement/yellow for $59.95 today.

Verdict: Buy

Speck Products has released some new cases for our iDevices. Among them, I was able to review the PixelSkin for iPad, which has a very unique look to it. As the name states, this rubber case has a gridded texture that feels very comfortable to the touch. It seems to absorb a lot of impact when dropped and it is very light.

The PixelSkin is very easy to take off and put onto your iPad. Like pretty much every other iDevice case sold by any company, it won't fit into a dock (or in this case, the keyboard dock).

The design of the PixelSkin is very smart. It gives you access to the speaker, 30-pin proprietary port, auxiliary port, and screen rotation lock. The other buttons, including the home button are actually covered, but the PixelSkin shows where they are underneath it, so you can easily use them with no issues.Read more

MSRP: $29.95 (Screen and Back Protector)
Screen Protector: $19.95
Back Protector: $24.95

Usually, people are only worried about protecting their screens for their iPad, iPhone, PSP, DS, etc. But when you have a sleek back that can easily show dirt, like the iPad, you're going to want to protect it, too. BodyGuardz has released a screen and back protector ($19.95 and $24.95 respectively or both for $29.95) for the iPad.

I was a little concerned when I found out that I had to spray a solution (similar to soap and eyeglass cleaner) on the protectors and then place them, wet, on the iPad. Nothing happened, but it was weird for me to put anything wet near my iPad.

With that said, I think this is actually what makes this screen protector better than others. When I've tried to put screen protectors on other devices, they always seem to attract some dust or a hair, and then I have to take them off and try to clean them, and then I usually end up throwing the screen protector away. These screen and back protectors are made of a thicker plastic and the solution helps make them less sticky. Plus, you have to rub the solution around on the protectors with your fingertips, which helps to shove away any debris.Read more

System: PS3 (reviewed on), Xbox 360, Wii, PSP
MSRP: $59.99, $59.99, $49.99, $39.99
Release Date: April 27, 2010

It's that magical time that happens every 4 years, that brings the whole world together, the FIFA World Cup! And with it, brings a new game from sports gaming giant, Electronic Arts.

Graphics

The graphics in this newer version of FIFA are excellent. EA has done a great job at recreating how magical the World Cup is. The opening game ceremonies are spectacular with fireworks, confetti, and streamers going everywhere. One thing I find interesting is that the streamers and confetti don't disappear after a game has started. It would have been nice to see them be interactive though. Nothing happens if a player runs or slides through them. Read more

MSRP: $49.99

The Elan Passport folio from Griffin Technology is a slim leather folio that snugly holds your iPad. It's not bulky, but it does offer a nice amount of protection. Additionally, the folio is slim enough that you can bend the front cover over the back so you can hold your iPad more comfortably; or you can turn it sideways and play a game of Real Racing HD. This folio is stable enough that you could bend the front cover over, set the iPad horizontally on your kitchen counter, and make a new dessert from Epicurious, too. With that said, my main gripe is the leather tab that secures the front cover to the back. It tends to get in the way, no matter how you hold the folio. However, I did find that you can tuck the tab behind the iPad, keeping it from obstructing you view. Read more

System: PS3, Xbox 360
MSRP: $59.99
Release Date: March 9th, 2010

The fantasy that never ends… Does Final Fantasy XIII reinvent the RPG genre, or does it take two steps back? Let's find out.

Graphics

The very first thing you will notice in Final Fantasy XIII, is the gorgeous graphics. Move over Uncharted 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4, Final Fantasy XIII now holds the title of "Best Graphics to Date." On the PS3 version, there are zero graphical issues. The character animations are fluid, the lip-sync is perfect, and the environments pulsate with life. Even the Crystarium menu (where you increase stats and learn abilities) is pretty.Read more