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Review Roundup: Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon, MotoGP 08
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Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, DS)
For the last several years the Spyro franchise has been a pretty bankable entity, and with Dawn of the Dragon that trend looks to continue with the final game of the series. This time you’re able to play as both Spyro and Cynder after they wake up from a three year sleep. Spyro is once again voiced by Elijah Wood who does a decent job, while Cynder is handled by Christina Ricci. Actually the entire presentation of the game is superb. The game has great graphics and imagery plus an excellent cast that includes Wayne Brady (Sparx), Gary Oldman (Ignitus), Blair Underwood (Hunter), Mark Hamill (Malefor) and others that give the game a Hollywood production feel. Even the story is halfway decent. The place where the game falters is actually the game play. The game is super repetitive and even though the dragons have some cool Elemental powers to use during battle, it just feels like a mediocre hack-n-slash as you battle waves of enemies at a time. The one cool thing is that you can fly, problem is, you can’t go very high. So if you fall off a very high pillar you just climbed, you can’t fly back to the top, you have to climb back up once again. And it doesn’t help that camera control is very limiting. There are some points in the game where the camera doesn’t even allow you to point it in the direction you’re going. But if you’re a die-hard fan of the Spyro series, you’ll probably want to know how the story ends and for the kids, it’s a pretty fun adventure that’s real easy to play.
Q’s Rating 3 out of 5
MotoGP 08 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC, PS2)
In the past the MotoGP franchise was for the hardcore motorcycle racing fan but now in the hands of Capcom, the game is trying to be more accessible. Upon first putting the disc in, the game puts you in a “Tutorial” that is supposed to help you determine what type of control/handling you want to have: Arcade, Advanced or Simulation. Of course, Arcade is supposed to be the easiest and Simulation the hardest, but even playing Arcade requires some practice. Once you get that down, the 
“tutorial”, which really doesn’t do much tutoring, defaults to what handling best fits your skill level after a lap or two around a practice track. Once you get past that, there are a few modes to play in. Career Mode is the meatiest where you get to create your rider by only really making a name, choosing a bike and helmet – that’s the end of that customization. Once you get past that, there are three different classes to race in: 125cc, 250cc, and MotoGP with each class getting 18 races to fulfill a season. The thing that’s bothersome is there isn’t much reward for winning races and having a pretty good career. There’s no money, no points, and as soon as you finish a race, you swiftly taken to the next one. There are some customization options for your bike but it’s limited. Essentially, it’s just the bikes and the tracks and after awhile it can get pretty boring if there are no incentives. Even the environments are lackluster. While arcade racers like Pure, Midnight Club and even Baja: Edge of Control spent a huge amount of time making their environments look just as attractive as their vehicles, that’s not the case in MotoGP 08. The environments along with the crown just look drab while the racers and motorcycles look clean and fresh, even though they all look alike. Other modes in the game include Championship Mode where you compete in 18 races with one bike, Time Attack Mode where you try to record your best racing time and Quick Race which is just one race. While the game play isn’t bad and the different levels of control/handling is a great addition, there’s just so much left to be desired.
Q’s Rating: 3 out of 5
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