DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER/ PLATFORMS: VALVE/ VALVE/ PC & 360

FUN FACT: While many of the most violent video games are no exception, Left 4 Dead 2 found itself being played with much bloody and gory enjoyment except for Australia which put a ban on the much anticipated sequel.

WHY COMPLEX IS CO-SIGNING IT: While we’re fans of first person shooters, what’s the point of buying the same “run for your fucking life” game? Not having played the first Left 4 Dead and really only being fans of the Zombie Nazis mini game in Call of Duty, we stepped into the Left 4 Dead 2 world with a little bit of skepticism but left with a lot of smilies- and some new underwear.

STORY: Well like we said, it’s survival. Infected people running around trying to kill you and your friends and kill you. Of course every character has their background story but the main objective of the game is to live and reach a final extraction point.

GAMEPLAY: What’s cool about Left 4 Dead 2 is unlike other zombie games it gives you the Infected versus mode where you play as a boss zombie out to kill the survivors you play as in other modes. The other modes include Scavenge, Versus, Survivor, Campaign, and Realism. We really like realism. Sometimes there are just too many moments in these games where we find we some how survived an onslaught of enemies with very little bullets. Realism mode makes things a bit harder and requires a bit more communication between you and your fellow survivors.

Speaking of which, Left 4 Dead 2’s greatest aspect is probably the multiplayer. The game itself is fun but who the hell wants to fight zombies on their own? And more importantly who wants to really sleep by themselves after that? The Complex Crew roles deep so when we play video games, everyone has to like the game. This game provides the rush and awesome time that even your noob team mate can enjoy. Especially with the game’s “A.I. Director”.

The AI in this title is ridiculous. Depending on how well you and you’re team are doing it will switch things up. Things going too well? More zombies, less ammo. Things going too bad? It will make things easier for you and your crew of softies broskis.

GRAPHICS: If the sequel to a game’s graphics don’t improve, it’s really a let down. Thankfully that problem doesn’t occur. While it’s not the spitting image of New Orleans (and let’s face it, most games aren’t the spitting image of squat) the graphics do pay good homage to the southern city even whilst covering it in blood and brains.

DOWNSIDE:Unfortunately like we said, this is a zombie survival game. So like many other games in that genre it doesn’t have much to offer in terms of story and depth. This is a game you’ll probably never play on your own, but you got friends right? Oh you don’t? Shit.

CLICK HERE TO BUY LEFT 4 DEAD 2 FOR $54.99

DEVELOPER/ PUBLISHER/ PLATFORMS:
Double Fine Productions/Electronic Arts/360 & PS3

FUN FACT: Tim Schafer (Grim Fandango, Psychonauts) created main character Eddie Riggs (voiced by Jack Black) after being inspired by a Megadeth roadie.

WHY COMPLEX IS CO-SIGNING IT: This thunderous action-adventure (with some surprising RTS influences) game is unique for its style, story line and gameplay. Throughout the game there are multiple cameos by real heavy-metal legends (Shout out to Ozzy!) and it’s filled with plenty of humor, middle fingers, and foul language. Thank you, Jack Black!

STORY: Upon insertion (ayo!), the game doesn’t have a load screen, but an actual full-screen movie—featuring Jack Black at a record store—that sets up the storyline for the game. As the greatest roadie of all time transported to a fantastical heavy-metal realm, your task is to a) liberate the land from the evil Lord Doviculus and b) rock the fuck out whenever possible.

GAMEPLAY: During single-player mode, you’re armed with a guitar and battle ax to kill enemies (stick-figure goths, glam rockers, emo kids, misfits, etc.) by playing different combinations on your guitar. Outside the main narrative, there’s plenty of mini-game sequences (beat ‘em up, racing, shooting) that are way less lame than the term “mini-game” suggests. There’s ability to unlock songs, collectibles, and upgrades to pimp your ride.

The multi-player portion lets you and up to seven other people playing as various game characters to wild the fuck out on each other (no Rob Halford).

GRAPHICS: Featuring tons of leather, skulls, studs, hot-rods and flames, the 3-D alternative reality is clearly heavy metal-inspired—classic album cover art references are sprinkled throughout. Character animation is expressive and lively—from using a Zippo to light a stogie to flipping people off, typical bad-ass attitudes are present and accounted for. It’s extremely detail-oriented and you’ll need to look twice at everything… like seeing Mariah and Nick together for the first time.

DOWNSIDE: Some mission objectives aren’t stated explicitly, and the only way to figure them out is to fail. Also, after a while, the game’s side quests become a little repetitive. And in a move that’s a little disappointing for button-mashers, Eddie Riggs can’t jump. Of course, being voiced and modeled by Jack Black, what did you expect?

VIDEO: BRÜTAL LEGEND Video Game Trailer

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DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER/PLATFORMS:
Zombie Studios/Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc./360, PS3, PC

FUN FACT: Based on a treatment by creators of the SAW movie franchise, Leigh Whannell and James Wan, and voiced by the man who made Jigsaw a horror icon, Tobin Bell.

WHY COMPLEX IS CO-SIGNING IT: Games based on movie franchises are almost always instant fails. SAW manages to bring you through a story that’s compelling and relevant in an environment that never lacks for tension—and amazingly enough does it more successfully than the past four big-screen sequels combined.

STORY: You have the misfortune of playing the detective who spent his career obsessing on hunting and taking down Jigsaw. The consummation of your mission is also your imminent downfall with your friends and family broken, hurt, or killed in the process…and now Jigsaw is here to punish you for it. Locked in an asylum, you are not only forced to outwit Jigsaw at every turn but he has also implanted something in your stomach (ayo!): the key that will free the other unfortunate souls locked in here with you…

GAMEPLAY: In a matter of minutes, we had the controls locked down and were well on our way maneuvering through Jigsaw’s most extensive traps yet, using a welcome combination of wits, fast reaction, exploration, puzzle-solving and holy-fuck-what-is-that escape tactics. All of this came easy with an intuitive third-person control layout with only minimal hiccups in the combat…or maybe that’s because we were nervously tapping buttons trying to smack a bitch up quick before we became just another stain on the floor.

GRAPHICS: Steeped heavy in the grime and blood-saturated visuals that made the films a hit, no detail is left untouched, as you sneak down halls with your Zippo flickering, creeping through nightmarish environments that excel beyond our expectations of depravity. Thankfully there’s enough down time to really soak in the bloody brilliant set designs.

DOWNSIDE: Unfortunately we didn’t get to play all the way through to the end, so the only downfall to this game we can predict is a short game length—which could easily be solved with downloadable content. So, in other words, this is a game that defied all our negative expectations and delivered a great gaming experience that moved beyond the trappings of survival horror clichés.

VIDEO: SAW Video Game Trailer

DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER/PLATFORMS:
EA Canada/EA Sports/360, PS3

FUN FACT: New this year is EA’s Photo Game Face, which allows players to use their own likenesses (or Gucci Mane’s) in the creation of original characters.

WHY COMPLEX IS CO-SIGNING IT: Unfortunately, last week’s Best of Video Games (So Far) post was filed too early to include Fight Night Round 4 (which officially drops tomorrow). But no worries: By the time ‘09 expires, we’re quite sure that FNR4 will be atop everybody’s year-end list (check the Metacritic.com stats, son!)

Many a wack boxing game has been released in the three years since the last Fight Night—we’re looking at you, Don King Presents: Prize Fighter—but they’ve all been pretenders, not real contenders. Fight Night Round 4 resoundingly reclaims the belt with everything you loved about Round 3—only better. That means noticeable improvements to the Legacy and World Championship modes (including a much deeper single-player career experience and online title fights) as well as subtle refinements to graphics and gameplay, which were pretty damn near flawless already. FNR4 is the best boxing game you’ll ever play, period. So even if you’re gonna be broke for the next few months, know that some Dutches and this game are all you need to kill off summer. Word!