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Contra 4 Review

(DS)
Released: 11/13/07 (US)
Rated T
Developer: Wayfoward
MSRP: $29.99

The old-school roughneck Contra series is back to form with its DS release "Contra 4".

The game simply is a retro gamers dream, with the classic contra game-play in contact, and more hardcore ever than ever. The action this time takes place in two screens, which makes you more alert to your whole DS, because there's enemy's shooting from top and bottom screen. The game does not hold back, with its extremely hard difficulty. Contra 4's biggest flaw is the gap between the screens, it 's an invisible layer which bullets can come and hit from out of nowhere, but that still doesn't stop this game from being the best in the series. The replay value in this game is amazing, its packed in with not only contra 4, but with the original NES Contra, Super C, and Contra 3. The game also has a museum, which shows the history of every single contra game, with screens, and its most challenging feat. " challenge mode ", which u need to do, to unlock the old contra games.

This game has revived one of the most beloved franchises, even though it doesn't do anything new to the series, it still does all the right things, that reminded us why we love Contra.

~Burnt Crust

Final Score: 8.5/10

Pretty Good

The Triforce: Game of the Year 2007 Awards

NOTE* LISTEN TO THE PODCAST (EPISODE 10) FOR THE FULL EXPERIENCE

Best Fighting Game

Virtua Fighter 5:Online (360)

Virtua Fighter 5 is the best fighting game of the year, and we are not talking about the PS3 version. The Xbox 360 Version of VF5 has online and that right there, it's AWESOME. With a complex fighting system and great graphics this is the game you need if you are all about fighters.

Runner up:
(Any other Fighting game)

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Best RPG Game
Mass Effect (360)

Bioware did it again, a massive RPG game of the year. More heavy in the action, but still a RPG that can't be missed.

Runner Up:

Persona 3

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Best Strategy Game

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (Wii)

Whenever a Fire Emblem game comes out, you know it's going to be good. Just like this one on the Nintendo Wii. Radiant Dawn is the most challenging and fun strategy game you will play this year on any console. Got a Wii? Check this game out.

Runner Up:
Soul Nomad
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Best Sports Game:
NBA 2k8 (360, Ps3)

2k sports made an other outstading basketball game. with a deep association mode and full feature online makes it the best overall sport game this year.
Read Review

~Mr. Striker

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Best Puzzle Game:
Zack and Wiki (Wii)

"Zack and Wiki, has humor, charm, nice graphics, great and easy controls, unbelievingly clever puzzles, and overall its a fun experience that can only happen on the Wii."
Read Review

Runner Up:
Portal

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Best Shooter:
Halo 3 (360)

Everyone knows Halo 3 is the biggest seller of the year. You know why? It's because the best shooter on the market. Now you might bring up Call of duty 4, but Halo 3 has the multiplayer that is much more exciting than CoD4.

Runner Up:
Call of Duty 4

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Best Action Game:
God of War II (Ps2)

GoW2 is just Non-stop Action. Listen to Episode 10.

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Best Platformer:
Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

"Super Mario Galaxy has finally hit, and it delivered every aspect in what a plat former should bring."
Read Review

Runner Up:
Ratchet and Clank: Future

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Best Racing Game:
Forza 2 (360)

Forza Motorsport 2 provides you with many hours of racing. With the added online modes this should also increase your chances of continuing to play and the customization on the cars should last you a very long time. Most things come out great in Forza Motorsport 2 - the sounds, graphics, and AI. In all make this game a very well-created project. Thats why it's the best racing game of the year!

~Mr. Striker

Runner Up:
PGR4

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Best Music Game
Rock Band (360,PS3)

Rock band is every music game put together and made perfect. This is the ultimate music game of the year by far, and probably will be the next year too. Thanks to it's downloadable content and nonstop fun.

Runner Up:
Guitar Hero III

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Best Graphics:
Call of Duty 4 (360, PS3)

The graphics for this game are outstanding. They are truly next-gen. Each character and enemy you come across is unique and realistic. The different environments are also greatly detailed and make you feel like your actually in the war.

Runner up:
Crysis (We couldn't play it.)
Bioshock

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Best Online Game
Halo 3 (360)

Halo 3 is a spectacular multiplayer game. This game is has alot of people playing, and it's fun and addicting. With people doing crazy things online with Forge and uploading clips of their OverKills and head shots, it makes it the best online experience of 2007. This is of course the most played Online game.

Runner Up:
Call of Duty 4

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Best Multiplayer Game
Rock Band (360, PS3)

Call your friends over for Rock Band, they will never leave the house and they will come every day. Rock out with a BUNCH of tracks. This is the ultimate party game.

Runner Up:
Halo 3

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Best Story:
Mass Effect (360)

If Mass Effect weren't a game, it would be a two-inch thick novel.The universe is extremely deep for a new franchise. I would go into detail about story, but I wont spoil it for you. It's just AMAZING!

~Mr. Striker

Runner Up
Bioshock
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Best Soundtrack
Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

"The music has a few throwbacks from Super Mario Bros. 3, that old Mario fans will appreciate and love, with an addition of new ones that sound surprisingly epic for a Mario game."
Read Review

Runner Up:
Rock Band
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Biggest Suprise:
Jeff Gerstmann Fired from Gamespot

Who knew a Gamespot Editor who worked there for 11 years can get fired for some unknown reason. Most people thought it was the Kane and Lynch Review but according to Gamespot and the Hotspot, it was not cause of that. But none the less, this has to be the biggest surprise ever that happened this year.

Runner Up:
Bioshock
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Best PSP Game:
Silent Hill Origins

It's scary and has great graphics. This is basically a console game on a handheld, not a port, a real PSP game.

Runner Up:
Jearne Darc
Castlevania Dracula Chronicle X
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Best DS game
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Phantom Hourglass masters the DS stylus controls.

Runner Up:
Contra 4

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Best Wii Game:
Super Mario Galaxy

The First 10/10 game on The Triforce
Read Review

Runner Up:
Metroid Prime 3 Corruption
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Best PS2 Game:
God of War II

GoW2 came out early in the year 2007, and we did not forget about it. Because of the epicness and the crazy boss fights, this game makes it to our list. Graphic wise, this game can still beat some of the next gen games out there. Also the music is still stuck in my head.

~Moeshiznit

God of War 2 may not be the best action of all time, but the best ps2 game. The giant set pieces, over the top combat, and many graphical enhancements makes this game even better then some of the next gen games out there. God of War 2 is a must play for mature audiences only.

~SW Balla

Runner Up:
Persona 3
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Best PS3 Game:
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

Listen to Episode 10.

Runner Up:
Ratchet and Clank: Future
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Best 360 Game:
Bioshock

Listen to Episode 10.

Runner Up
Mass Effect
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Biggest Disappointment:
Assassin's Creed (360, PS3)

A hyped game that came out to be most disappointing.
Reviewed: 5.5/10
Read Review
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Best Value:
The Orange Box (360, PS3)

Where do I start, The Orange Box is THE best value pack of the century. Games like Half-Life 2, Episodes 1 and 2, Team Fortress 2, last but not least Portal. What's not to say about The Orange Box. If you like fantastic games, then the Orange Box would fit right into your stocking this holiday season.

~SW Balla

Runner Up:
Link's Crossbow Training
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Donut King's Game of the Year
Halo 3

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Mr. Striker's Game of the Year
Call of Duty 4

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SW Balla's Game of the Year
Mass Effect

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Burnt Crust's Game of the Year
Super Mario Galaxy

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Moe Shiznit's Game of the Year
Super Mario Galaxy

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TRIFORCE GAME OF THE YEAR:
Super Mario Galaxy

Episode 10 is OUT

Game of the Year edition folks, listen and find out what is Game of the year. Also Jeff Gerstmann FIRED!!

*To listen goto iTunes and subscribe to our podcast (search Triforce), or Click listen now!

Assassin's Creed Review

(PS3, Xbox 360)
Released: 11/14/07 (US)
Rated: M
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
MSRP: $59.99

Game of the year contender? Probably not.

When Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed was first shown, jaws were dropped. You can climb anything and go anywhere, it was just so crazy. Now the game is out and it disappointed the hell out of me.

Let's get in to the flaws first. This game has so much repetition that it will bore you to death. I'm serious, all you do is run around the city and just do the same thing over and over again. The missions get boring quick. I mean how many times do I have to save a citizen. The good thing is that you don't have to, but sometimes you do. The could've made it different to save the citizen, but no, throughout the whole game you are saving these citizens the same way, listening to their same sayings.

The missions in this game are atrocious, they lack the fun and put you to sleep. They are probably fun for the first time, but then you will keep doing these stupid missions for the whole game. Missions like eavesdropping, interrogation and goto the high point aren't fun. Also that's all the missions right there. Imagine Grand Theft Auto: Vice City with just taxi missions, ambulance and police missions; throughout the whole game but those missions are much funner than Assassin's Creed.

Sure the environments are big and gorgeous but they are the same as the rest. They look different but they feel the same. Jerusalem, Acre, and whatever the other one is. You see, I can't even remember the other one because they all have the same god damn missions. There's nothing memorable about them either.

The story of the game is very stupid in my opinion and confusing, thats all you need to know. I probably would have liked the story if the cutscenes were better. Because the cutscenes in this game, are extremely dull. All Altair does is just stand there and listen to a lecture which is never interesting.

Let's go in to the good things. The controls are solid and very simplified. All you need to do is hold the right trigger and the jump button and there you have it, you can climb any thing and jump to any destination you are pointing with the analog stick. The combat is ok at best because later on you just parry the enemies and it gets annoying. Graphic wise the game looks great. Very detailed and has a unique style to it.

Sure this game is kind of innovative with many people on screen and a hardcore free running sim. But All in all this game is not worth $60.00, it's probably worth the rental to check it out, I'm sure you will not finish it.

~MoeShiznit

Final Score: 5.5/10

They Tried

Episode 9 (finally)

Finally! The episode you've been waiting for!

Just to let you know, we are not quiting this podcast. So enjoy this Thanksgiving Special edition of the Tri-Force Podcast.

Listen now, or subscribe on iTunes.

Super Mario Galaxy Review

(Wii)
Released: 11/13/07 (US)
Rated E
Developer: Nintendo
MSRP: $49.99

Super Mario Galaxy has finally hit, and it delivered every aspect in what a plat former should bring. This game takes a huge step forward on the genre, just like what Mario 64 did, and this is the true successor of Mario 64. The game opens up with Mario getting an invitation from peach, leading to that comes bowser, who kidnaps the princess (again) starting off Mario's new adventure. Gravity plays a big role in this game, making for some cool gameplay mechanics.

The presentation is beautiful, with over 50 galaxies to venture, and each with there own unique look that really distances them from each other. The lighting is top notch, and you've never seen Mario look this damn good before in your whole life. Yea, this is the best looking Wii game, and it proves to us that Nintendo's little machine has some power after all. The pretty looking graphics is also backed up with an amazing orchestrated score, setting up the mood of the game, and bringing a smile to our faces. The music has a few throwbacks from Super Mario Bros. 3, that old Mario fans will appreciate and love, with an addition of new ones that sound surprisingly epic for a Mario game. The game is played with the the nunchuck and wii-mote, you jump with A, and shoot star bits with B. Star Bits are used to shoot at your enemies, and to feed hungry Luma's, once you feed the hungry Luma enough star bits, he'll transform into a galaxy, which now is accessible to go. Shake the Wii-mote to spin attack. and jump, while in mid-air press Z to do the famous Butt-stomp(ground pound). The game plays so nicely, and even more thanks to its genius level design; the way there implemented into the game is simply astonishing, also executing it with Mario, with his precise controls is one unforgettable experience in gaming.

Super Mario Galaxy is simply magic, that will reach out and touch your heart. You wont want to stop playing till you achieve all 120 stars , and the more stars you get the more challenge you get out of it. This game is hard to stop playing, and if you do, you just cant stop thinking about. This game certainly has the " feel good " feel when you play, leaving you close to tears, to how good the game is. All the recognition I'm giving this game may sound that its perfect, but let me say that this game is not perfect, there's a few camera issues, even though its good most of the time, there might be times that it can be bothersome. If I don't give this game a 10 out of 10, then I don't know what deserves a 10, like I said, this game is not perfect, but this game is too freaking close to perfection, giving this game a 10 is the right thing to do, and well deserved for Super Mario Galaxy.

~Burnt Crust

Final Score: 10.0

Instant Classic