Gears of War 2

(Xbox; $59.99; Rated M for Blood/Gore/Intense Violence/Strong Language; gearsofwar.xbox.com)





A lot of gamers gripe when a sequel is released for a game without a major graphical overhaul or stunning new features.  An often complaint when this happens is it's "more of the same." But when a developer gets to spend more time in a familiar game engine and refine the rough areas of the original game and improve on the successes, how is this a bad thing? After all, Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy all looked the same, but that didn't make the second and third films any less impressive than the first.

"Gears of War 2" is not a drastic overhaul of the Xbox's third-person, sci-fi, shoot-a-thon, but it is a refinement of an already stellar game.  Because of this, haters may gripe that it's simply "Gears of War 1.5," but if that means that I can jump into a new game, already familiar with the controls, and enjoy new levels and progression of the story established by the original release, I welcome that opportunity.  "Gears 1" is still one of the best-looking games on any console and with the improvements to the size and scope of the sequel, "Gears 2" is unrivaled in amazing visuals only by its predecessor.

The marketing focus of "Gears 2" has been the improved storytelling in order to give the war between the humans and the underground-dwelling Locust Horde more of an epic weight.  Despite attempts at tugging on heartstrings and exploring the personal lives of Delta Squad, "Gears 2" still relies heavily on vein-poppingly muscled protagonists and their chest-thumping bravado as they shred through enemies.  The more interesting aspects of the game are the nods to classic platform-styled gameplay through some levels and improved online multiplayer options.  Notably, the multiplayer "Horde mode"- which pits up to 5 players to survive against 50 increasingly difficult waves of enemies- feels like a next-gen reimagining of classic arcade games; think: Galaga or Space Invaders, but with five players and in 3-D.  With four other friends playing together, it may be the best addition to the series.

Left 4 Dead

(Xbox; $59.99; Rated M for Blood Gore/Intense Violence/Language; www.l4d.com)





I've got a soft-spot for the Undead.  Not only are they completely objectified in today's pop culture, but they've also been the scapegoat for the end of the world time and time again.  Let us not forget that they were just like us at one time, and were it not for this oppressive cast system of living vs. non-living, we might be more understanding of them and their plight.

However, the one objection I have to zombies is the fact that they will not stop until they eat my brain.  As such, I have no choice but to shotgun them in the face.

Best thought of as "28 Days Later: The Game," "Left 4 Dead's" premise is simple: You and three other friends are the last survivors of an infected city teaming with hordes of brain-eaters.  Thousands in fact.  And they just keep coming.  You and your posse have to get from one end of the city to the other in order to be rescued, along the way there are safe houses that give you a short respite, ammo, and health kits before having to venture out again.

Also along the way to safety is the zombie apocalypse and there is no escape from the swarm without serious teamwork and lots of bullets.  Although the routes to the safe-houses and the progression through each level is linear and unchanging, the implementation of Valve's "AI Director" dynamically changes the enemies' spawn-points, difficulty, type, and volume depending on how well or how poorly the team is doing.  This means that as the team works together more cohesively, the number of enemies, frequency of attacks, and difficulty of attack will change on the fly.  In addition, the location of weapons, health kits, and ammo will change dynamically with each game- so players can't just plan on making it to a certain room where a Molotov cocktail will be, because it may not be there at all.

Given how well the "AI Director" adjusts difficulty on the fly, and the fact that "L4D" was built from the ground-up to be a cooperative experience, straying outside of the group is guaranteed to get you overwhelmed by zombies, knocked down, and have to be rescued by your teammates.  If you go unaided too long, you will die and respawn in a closet somewhere in the level for your friends to find and free you.  But if you've been a jerk to your teammates, hording all of the health packs and ammo to yourself, they could just leave you in the closet to rot.

Though you can play the game solo and have the computer control, rather competently, the other three characters, "L4D" is really meant to be enjoyed communally.  Split-screen play between two players on the same couch is good, but four-players over Xbox Live is ideal (or through Valve's "Steam" gaming service on PC).  Despite how completely satisfying this game is, and the promise of more downloadable levels on the way, if you are not someone who games online, it may be better to pass on this title until it drops in price.

For all others: this is a can't miss title.

Prince of Persia Mini-Review

(Xbox, PS3; $59.99; Rated T; www.princeofpersiagame.com)

For those that like their acrobatic action/adventure games a little more traditional and on the fanciful side, "POP" reboots the favorite franchise with a whole new Prince. A return to the near-flawless "Prince of Persia: Sands of Time" means that the Prince spends most of his time scaling everything around him, but this time with an intelligent AI partner who adds a new depth to the story. Light-hearted dialog and artistic visuals, plus a healthy helping of hand-holding for newcomers to the series will find this a satisfying, but less challenging title than "Mirror's Edge."

The Much-Delayed Fable 2 Review

Fable II (Xbox 360; $59.99; Rated M for Blood/Language/Sexual Content/Use of Alcohol/Violence; www.fable2.com)

"Fable II" the epic follow-up to the already epic "Fable" for the original Xbox improves on every area of the original's shortcomings, it is more ambitious, prettier, easier to play, and even more enjoyable- it is, however, not without some disappointing concessions.

"Fable II's" celebrity designer, Peter Molyneux knows how to create a hype when it comes to designing his games.  For the original "Fable," he wanted to create a world where the player experienced the whole of the protagonist's life, from childhood to old-age- and where each decision the player made in the game affected the way the player was viewed and received both in terms of physicality and morality.

With "Fable II, " morality and choices have a much greater impact on the story and the world as a whole.  Players have the ability to look into their dark hearts and be the most infamous beast that ever stepped into the land of Albion.  If one so chooses, a player can go into a town, kill all of its citizens, buy up all of the houses and shops for dirt-cheap, and then rent out the entire town to newcomers at an oppressive price.  Alternatively, one may choose to charge no rent for your property, while performing acts of purity such as defending a sacred religious landmark for a group of monks.  No matter the choices, minstrels will sing your praises whenever you enter a town where your reputation is well-known by its citizens.  To become truly evil takes acts of true corruption- for instance, human sacrifices; whereas to be truely good takes personal sacrifices of your own- both paths are thoroughly entertaining and make the "play as you like" mentality so much fun that you can't help but look forward to going through the game again as a different character.

Along with you for the ride is your faithful dog who acts as an alert to enemies and when treasure is nearby.  Players can choose to be as nice or naughty to their dogs as is consistent with their character, but even evil-doers like to throw a ball to their pooch every once in a while.  Did I find it ironic that I sat and played ball with my dog in "Fable II" as my own real labradors sat on the floor beneath my feet while I played? Yes.  Yes I did.  Was I surprised that I actually did care and bond with my virtual dog throughout the game and come to really enjoy his company by my side while I adventured? Absolutely.

Other original tweaks to gameplay that are successful in "Fable II" is the ability to always know where to go on a quest, thanks to a glowing trail of "breadcrumbs" to lead players in the right direction.  In a world that is so large as Albion, it's easy to get lost and derailed from where you should be going in order to complete the main story arc of the game, the breadcrumbs make it more enjoyable to be able to divert your attention away from the main quest, to partake in the side adventures that flush out the world of "Fable II" (and there are a bunch of them), without losing track of where you should ultimately be going.

One-button combat, though seemingly simple, is also satisfying and allows for a surprising amount of variety to players who want to mix and match swords, crossbows, and magic during fisticuffs.  The variety in spells and attributes that players can choose to improve is deep enough that no two players will probably go through the game in the same way.  I personally like to slow time down and then get up close and personal with my blade, others will chose to hang back and pick off enemies by using ranged weapons.  Again, "play as you like."

The big fail of "Fable II" is the total lack of flexibility or personalization in the cooperative play that was so highly anticipated.  What was promised was to be able to take your fully realized character into a friends game online, and adventure together.  Whatever gold, experience, or items you acquired while in your friends game, you'd take with you to your game.  This is not the case with the finished project- online coop is incredibly limited, no customized characters can be used, and the screen is locked to a single camera which restricts player movement- an absolute shame for a game so ambitious.  Maybe we can hope for a patch to change this in the future.

Nevertheless, even with these shortcomings, "Fable II" is impossible not to enjoy.  It's size and scope is on par with "Grand Theft Auto IV" or "Fallout 3" and, as such, with just a few of these games in your library, you'll have more than enough game and entertainment to last you an entire year.

The Much Delayed Little Big Planet Review

Little Big Planet (PS3; $59.99; Rated E; www.littlebigplanet.com)



Last year's big gaming trend was online co-op. This year? Undoubtedly, user-created content. With blogs, YouTube, Twitter, etc. clogging up the internet, we are a world that is bound and determined to express ourselves to anyone who is willing to listen or look- it was only a matter of time before the "YouTube mentality" spread to gaming and "Little Big Planet" is the YouTube of the gaming world.

It's difficult to describe "LBP" without actually seeing it in action. Deceptively, it looks like a regular platformer: players control their adorable and highly-customizable SackBoy as he traverses colorful levels that are all look as if they had been designed using house-hold items. Traversing each level is different and varied as the one before it: complete a race on a giant skateboard, or collect as many gems as quickly as possible, or simply jump-rope as long as your stamina permits- all the while unlocking special stickers, objects, or effects. All the while, everything that happens on-screen is charming, pleasant, and a joy to behold.

Using the tools, objects, pictures, environments, and sounds collected in other levels, players can use the fairly intuitive design tools to create whatever type of game they can imagine on the canvass of their Little Big Planet. Effectively, "Little Big Planet" is the rudimentary way to design a video game without ever needing to know how to program a single line of code.

Once your masterpiece is completed, the third leg of "LBP" becomes apparent- uploading and experimenting with others' user-created levels. Just as others can play your level once it has been published to the Little Big servers, playing other user-created levels is just a simple button-press away. Each level gives prizes chosen by its designer- sometime it may be a piece of custom equipment made by the designer, a custom sticker that can be used to tag your own level, and sometimes it's just the respect that's earned from placing top on the online leaderboards of that level. After playing the level, users can rate and assign a meta-tag to it for other users to be able to find it easier in the future.

And such is the experience of surfing the "Little Big Planet."

This is a title that won't even realize its full greatness until more people have gotten used to the design interface and really let their imaginations run wild. Already there are numerous homages to classic 2D platforming and recreations of some of gaming's greatest levels from other titles, but the excitement of a game like "LBP" are the original experiences that will come as a result of having simple design tools in the hands of Joe Gamer. For those who are willing to invest the time, there's no reason why "Little Big Planet" can't be the proving ground for a future game designer.

But for those of us who just want to play- "Little Big Planet" has a limitless supply of game levels to enjoy either alone or cooperatively. While there are several other titles this season which showcase user-created content, "Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts" for the Xbox 360 or "Spore," "Little Big Planet" certainly sets the bar incredibly high for a first effort.

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

(Xbox, PS3; $59.99; Rated T for Blood/Suggestive Themes/Violence; www.worldscollide.com)



There was much ballyhoo about the battling between the Kast [sic] from the notorious Mortal Kombat series and the heroes from the Justice League.  "What? This doesn't make sense!" Fanboys of the DC Universe cried, "How could Superman possibly be beaten by Sub-Zero? I refuse to accept!" When it was announced that the game would be getting a T-rating, marking the first time the series was not rated M, "MK" purists wailed "But what about our tried-and-true Fatalities!? How can you have a 'Mortal Kombat' game without Fatalities?"  Geekdom as we knew it, was turned on its head.

When the dust settled, gamers realized that stranger mash-ups had occurred ("Marvel vs. Capcom").  As for Fatalities, reassurance that Fatalities would make its way into the game, but toned down for the T-rating, helped settle some.  "But Batman doesn't kill!" a nerdier minority shouted.  Fine, fine, the publisher responded: 'Mortal Kombat' characters and villains from the DC Universe will have fatalities, superheroes from the DC Universe will have new 'Brutalities'- non-lethal signature endings that, if done in real life, would probably be fatal anyways.

It seemed that all nerds were silenced in satisfaction.  But what about the gamers that realized a good 'Mortal Kombat' game hadn't been released in a long, long while?

Thankfully Midway assuaged that fear as well: "MK v. DC" is a fun, satisfying surprising return-to-form for the sixteen-year-old series.  What could have been the... ahem... final fatality for the series, has actually rejuvenated it.

No, this is not a tournament-quality fighter, but this is a game that you'll bring out when you have non-gaming friends over who can memorize just enough special moves to enjoy beating the crud out of each other.  It's not an Oscar-caliber movie, it's a holiday/summer popcorn flick- colorful with quality production values; mindless, but an amusing diversion.

It's too bad that this is a full-priced game.  With so many other top-tier titles available right now, I can't imagine that "MK v. DC" is going to be in hot-demand.  At $30 this would be a fantastic stocking-stuffer for the fanboy in your life, and likely would have sold like hotcakes; but at full price it's a bit of a stretch.  Still, given the softer T-rating, and the option to turn off blood-effects in the game, parents who are comfortable with cartoon violence would do well to pick this title over the gorier M-rated titles that their teenagers are probably asking for.

Mirror's Edge Mini-Review

(Xbox, PS3; $59.99; Rated T; www.mirrorsedge.com)

Combining classic platforming gameplay and a first-person perspective could have been a recipe for a vomit-inducing game.  Thankfully, "Mirror's Edge's" cool minimalist style, smooth parkour-inspired flow, and emphasis on avoiding the use of firearms make this one of the most refreshing games of the year.  When the whole world is a giant jungle gym and you have to use your puzzle-solving skills to get from one building to another while being chased by an Orwellian police force, you know you are in for a unique experience.

My Media Domination Continues

This morning on the Sacramento NBC-affiliate:

-click for legitimacy-

Much-Delayed Pure Mini-Review

Pure: (360, PS3; $59.99; Rated E; disney.go.com)

While I long for EA to release a next-gen version of their outrageous snowboarding franchise "SSX," I will settle for a spiritual successor in this off-road ATV racer.  Finely balanced between racing and stunts, players will compete on varied terrains and environments, all of which are beatiful set-pieces and with a level of polish on it that I wouldn't expect from a Disney-published game.  The racing is fun, there's a depth of customization for gear-heads, and the challenge to pull off a bigger and better trick is always just one-jump away.

Much-Delayed Dead Space Mini-Review

Dead Space: (360, PS3; $59.99; Rated M; deadspace.ea.com)

Fans of sci-fi horror like "Aliens" or John Carpenter's "The Thing" will feel right at home with this survival horror game set within a desolate mining spaceship adrift in space.  Creepy-crawlys lurk within every ventilation shaft as you attempt to piece together what went horribly wrong and why everyone is either dead or transformed into a horrible-looking thing that wants to eat you.  Though gameplay is only mediocre, the presentation, graphics, and sound design is top-notch- making what you don't see a whole lot freakier than what you do see.

Much-Delayed Spider-Man Mini-Review

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (360, PS3, Wii; $49.99-$59.99; Rated T; seizecontrol.marvel.com):

In the best-looking "Spider-Man" game since "Ultimate Spider-Man," and the best playing Spidey game since "Spider-Man 2," players will help ol' Web-head defeat the infection of alien symbiotes that canvass NYC.  Players can switch on the fly between the classic red-and-blue suit for speed, or the symbiote black suit for power.  Combat is enjoyable and acrobatic- and does a great job capturing how Spidey fights in the comics- often never touching the ground.

Swing Heil!

Bionic Commando: Rearmed

(360, PS3; 800MS Points ~ $10; Rated M for Blood/Gore/Language/Violence; www.bioniccomando.com)



In 1988, playing video games was an exercise in patience more than it was a pastime.  Platformer-based titles were all about the pixel-perfect jumps across bottomless chasms, often resulting in frequent deaths and replaying levels time and time again.  And the original “Bionic Commando” was no different, one wrong move and players would plummet to their deaths again, and again, and again, and again.

For some reason, we loved it.

The original “Bionic Commando” holds a special place in this reviewers’ heart, and has been at the top of his most-desired list for remakes.  It may have taken 20 years, but Capcom is obliging its patient fans with a 3-D, current-gen sequel of “Bionic Commando” due later this year.  In the meantime, and maybe more importantly, it released a high-definition remake of the original classic onto Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network in the form of “Bionic Commando Rearmed.”

With “Rearmed,” gamers will get a game so chock-full of content, that Capcom would have been justified in asking $30-$40 for this title.  The time and care taken to bringing this classic back in a High-Def format, while remaining true to the essence of the original, is impressive: the color pallet of the original title- with the enemies still in pink uniforms- is in tact, the evil villain still bears a striking resemblance to a resurrected fascist dictator, and our hero, Radd Spencer- sporting his red flat-top and Ray Ban sunglasses, has never looked more 80’s.

Of course, resurrecting this classic also resurrects the old-school frustrations of not having a ‘jump’ button for an action-platformer.  Instead players have to learn the art of using the Bionic Commando’s arm-mounted grappling hook to traverse levels.  The bionic arm is, of course, the reason why “Bionic Commando” is such a beloved classic game; but when a missed grapple on a vertical-based level results in Radd falling all the way to the bottom of the level and having to start over again, that controller-throwing urge you may feel is the all-too familiar sting of nostalgia to fans of the original.

Still, the sting is easier to bear with local, co-op multiplayer and over 100 timed, swing-based puzzles that make perfecting the art of the swing feel like a true badge of gaming honor.  All of this for $10? For masochists, and video gaming historians, it is a must-have.

Too Much Hype Too Care

Too Human

(360; $59.99; Rated T for Blood/Language/Mild Suggestive Themes/Violence; www.xbox.com/toohuman)



For all of the hype and controversy surrounding the development of this game- it’s alleged ten-year development, a lawsuit against Epic Games who developed the game engine for Too Human (and ‘Gears of War’), and the self-indulgent pontifications by developer-head Dennis Dyack regarding the importance of this game and its deep meanings- “Too Human” is just not that good.

To be honest, though, “Too Human” is not the type of game that normally revs my engine- I was never into “Diablo” or any of the other loot-finding games which were clear inspirations for “Too Human” and its treasure-finding mechanic.  Although the depths of the Role-Playing Game customization of the main character are impressive- with the ability to change all aspects of weapons, armor, spells, and skills in an effort to create a completely unique character- too much of the game is spent in menus tweaking these aspects immediately after a battle where loot is earned.  Part of the time spent in the menus is the nature of these types of games, but when new and better loot is constantly being earned around virtually every corner, the excitement to go into the menus to equip the new items every five minutes wears thin.  Why this system works for me in a game like “Fable” and not here, is because of the sense of accomplishment that I feel in earning a new or unique look.  Here, every time I get used to using something or looking a certain way, it’s time for me to change.

The problem is that the time spent outside of the menus and in the actual game isn’t all too interesting either.  Shoddy collision-detection, invisible walls, and a poor camera system, combined with too-simplistic-to-be-fun controls, little variety in enemies, and an un-skippable, 30-second death sequence makes for a game that feels very unpolished- or at least one that feels like it should have been released back in the 90’s.

At least the Norse mythology-meets-hi-tech is a unique idea, even if it seems a little clunky in execution- perhaps the two sequels that are slated to be released to complete the series will help flush things out a bit.  But by that time, I won’t be playing them to find out.

DeJa Vu?

Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise

(360; $39.99; Rated E; www.vivapinata.com)



“Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise” really should have a retroactive effect on the original “Viva Piñata’s” score: if “Trouble in Paradise” is a 4.5 out of 5, than the original “Viva” should be about a 2 out of 5 because “Trouble in Paradise” is what the original “Viva Piñata” should have been when it was released last year.

“Trouble in Paradise” is not so much of a sequel as it is an improvement on all of the things that the original “Viva Piñata” got right, but also includes everything that it lacked when originally released.

Players will still create a garden and manage resources to attract brightly-colored, candy-filled critters to their garden.  All the while, protective gardeners will still have to keep warring critters away from each other (the Sweetles do not get along well with the Buzzlegums) and ensure that Preztails are restrained from eating too many Mousemellows.  But this time, maintaining gardens in different environments- like snow and sand- mean attracting different species of Piñatas which you can now trade and share with friends over Xbox Live.  Co-op, either local or over Xbox Live, allows friends to tend their gardens together, and is great for the parent who wants a wholesome and fun game to play alongside a young gamer.  Plus the addition of a “Just for Fun” garden which allows players to experiment without repercussions, is a perfect mode for the gamer (young or old) who just wants to fiddle without all of the deep resource management of the full game.

Tapping that collector’s vein to “catch ‘em all” which “Pokemon” did so well, “Trouble in Paradise” adds a new dimension to being able to add elusive Piñatas to your garden.  By using the Xbox 360 Vision Camera, players can print out Piñata cards which have a unique barcode on them that, when held up to the camera, scans the card and adds that Piñata into the garden. For now, Piñata cards can be created by other users by using an in-game camera and uploading them to a community website, or given away during special events.

For now, all of the card wizardry is free, but I wouldn’t be surprised if these collector’s cards start showing up in retail chains.  That is, if the “Viva Piñata” franchise can really catch on.  It’s great in concept, but this is now the third title of the “Viva Piñata” franchise, which attempts to draw interest from its Saturday-morning cartoon series, and I’ve yet to hear anyone except for game journalists like myself actually talk about the franchise.

Nevertheless, for households with an Xbox and in need of family-friendly titles to play alongside your kids- Piñata Island is still where it’s at.

Have Fun Crashing the Castle!

Castle Crashers

(360; 1200MS Points ~ $15; Rated T for Blood/Gore/Crude Humor/Cartoon Violence)



I remember a time where friends of mine and I would go to the movie theater with pockets full of quarters in order to play multi-player beat-em-up arcade games like “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “The Simpsons,” “Golden Axe,” or the six-player, double-monitored mother of them all “X-Men.” If I had, perhaps, saved those quarters, instead of feeding them into the jukebox of my childhood, I might not have any grad-school loans to pay off.  Such is life…

And in this day and age of party games being primarily rhythm-based music games like “Guitar Hero” or “Rock Band,” it’s nice to see a downloadable title like “Castle Crashers” come on the scene and bring back the feeling of tearing through a two-dimensional, side-scrolling adventure with three other friends, and slashing the heck out of anything that moves.

And with what style! “Castle Crashers” continues to bring the whimsical, comic-strip visuals that the developer, The Behemoth, brought with its delightful “Alien Hominid” title, but despite even the impressively colorful look of “Alien Hominid” when it made its way to HD on the Xbox, it pales in comparison to the beauty of High Definition cartoon animation of “Castle Crashers.” Not to mention that any time a game has many of its boss-battles centered around giant, evil cats- you’re in for a treat.

Four players control four knights (and a host of unlockable characters), each with its own unique style of magic, on a quest to free four princesses stolen by an evil sorcerer.  “Castle Crashers” may win no originality points in story, but it is more than made up for in visual jokes, punchy humor, and overall silliness that is too enjoyable to put down.

Even with the poor network connections, leading to dropped multiplayer games over Xbox Live (a patch is coming soon, promises The Behemoth), and relatively short gameplay, “Castle Crashers” is definitely worth the $15, and even moreso if you have three friends to play along side of you.

Hendrix make way for His Holiness

Saw this on the ol' Game Wire yesterday and initially dismissed it as a "well of course they are going to come out with that." But then I thought about the staggering number of not-as-good-as-sectarian products out there that try to be as cool as their non-holy counterparts, but always fall squarely into the "lame" category.

Which made me think about all of the great marketing slogans for the #1 product for the family afraid of popular rock:

"Just like Guitar Hero, but irritating after 20 minutes!"

"Shred with the Blood of the Lamb"

"Guaranteed to Disappoint at Christmastime"

"Like Rock Band for Canadians"

"Rock and Roll will never die... but Live Eternally in Paradise"

"For those who love to Rock an appropriately reserved amount"

"Christ had 12 Roadies, why not you?"

"Rock 'n' Roll for the Masses"

"Now with 100% less coolness"

"Rock so hard you'll resurrect the dead!"

"On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other guitar-based rhythm games are sinking sand"

"If it's too loud... then you're probably right, I'll turn it down."

I feel like I could keep going at this for days.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

(PS3; $59.99; Rated M for Blood/Crude Humor/Strong Language/Suggestive Themes/Violence; www.konomi.com)



How do you sum up twenty years of franchise history with more bizarre story elements than “Lost,” “Twin Peaks,” and “X-Files” combined?

I remember twenty years ago spending two weeks in the middle of the summer at Andy Phelka’s house playing the original “Metal Gear.” In a sea of shoot-everything-that-moves games on the NES, “Metal Gear” was all about stealth, about not shooting, and it was the first.

Now, twenty years later, the core element of “Metal Gear” haven’t changed: theoretically, a player could go through the entire game, and with the exception of boss battles, never actually shoot another character. Whoever does this, by the way, deserves a metal, because it’s near-impossible with all of the action and danger in the game.

I’ve played all of the “Metal Gear” titles available on consoles and completed a few of them. In the weeks preceding the release of “Metal Gear Solid 4,” I read a lot of story overviews of the franchise. As best and brief as I can sum it up, here it goes: Protagonist Solid Snake is a clone of Naked Snake, a war hero in the 60’s fighting against the Russians during the Cold War. After killing his mentor, The Boss, for defecting to the Russians (but not really defecting, more double-crossing both sides), Naked Snake becomes Big Boss who eventually defects from US service and attempts to control a walking nuclear tank known as “Metal Gear.” Solid Snake is sent on a mission to take out Big Boss. Years later, Solid Snake is sent on another mission to stop Liquid Snake from gaining control of “Metal Gear Rex.” Liquid Snake turns out to be the clone brother of Solid Snake and is killed by Solid Snake, but then Liquid’s hand is grafted onto the gunsmith, Revolver Ocelot after Ocelot’s hand is cut off by a ninja who used to be the commander of Solid Snake’s unit, Foxhound…

I think…

Liquid Snake’s hand begins to take over Revolver Ocelot’s mind and turns him into Liquid Ocelot, who attempts to control a computer system that was put in place by a clandestine group of individuals known as “The Patriots” who have overseen and pulled the strings on every geo-political event that has occurred in the past 40 years. The computer system, known as “Sons of the Patriots” controls nanomachines that are imbedded in every soldier in the world. Liquid’s control of the “Sons of the Patriots” means that he would be able to stop all soldiers in Private Military Corporations from using weapons- which would mean world peace, if not for the fact that the entire world is running on a “War Economy” and would also enable Liquid to launch an attack without anyone being able to defend against it.

Along the way, there are supermodels-turned-weapons of warfare, a vampire, and a fat guy on Rollerblades.

Yea… I don’t understand it at all either.

For those who have followed the series, “MGS4” is an incredibly directed final chapter with almost every bizarre loose end tied up. Plot twists abound between action-laden levels. The sense of world war occurring around players is astounding, and having to maintain a level of stealth in the middle of a battlefield is an exciting and nerve-wracking experience. Snake is never at a loss for weapons or gadgets to use in getting through levels; the introduction of being able to purchase weapons and ammo at any point in the game means that players can be as stealthy or as Rambo as they feel- making multiple playthroughs to see the Easter egg-laden game more enjoyable.

“MGS4” stumbles as a game by becoming less interactive as the game goes on. Initial levels see players having a fair share of sneaking and shooting time, but as the story progresses, so do the lengthy cutscenes, overly dramatic dialog, and bogged-down narrative. As the game moves closer to the end, players will watch more of “MGS4” than they will play. For those expecting traditional gameplay, this may become frustrating, especially when twenty-minutes of exposition are the rule, not the exception. However producer, Hideo Kojima, has always been candid in his desire to make an “interactive movie” rather than a traditional videogame. Kojima is certainly a frustrated Hollywood director, and its more apparent in “MGS4” than in any other game in the franchise- which is still good, because the PS3 has the power to create the visuals and the sound needed to create such a satisfying and production such as “MGS4” and Kojima has the heart and dedication to this series which makes this game so compelling.

The exhaustive (exhausting?) exposition doesn’t make this any less of a worthwhile gaming experience, but players- especially newcomers- should know what they’re getting into before playing.

Aside from the visuals and sound, which are stunning, “MGS4” doesn’t do much in terms of revolutionizing gameplay, but gameplay remains top-notch and intense- especially with revamped controls that are finally intuitive. Even with the frustrating controls of old, newcomers to the series should really start with the original “Metal Gear Solid” and play through “MGS2: Sons of Liberty,” and “MGS3: Snake Eater” to get a true appreciation for the culmination in “MGS4.”

The “Metal Gear” franchise is gaming history, everyone who owns a PS3 really ought to own this piece of history as well.

The Bourne Conspiracy

($59.99; 360, PS3; Rated T for Blood/Mild Language/Alcohol and Tobacco/Violence; www.bournethegame.com)



Every major gaming publication, and anyone who’s in the know, is talking about “Metal Gear Solid 4” as the stand-out game of the summer season. All the press and glory is going to that triple-A title which may be the single reason why some purchase a PS3.

And we’ll get there, don’t worry, but not before covering a brand new intellectual property in the gaming world that’s worthy of a good long look.

Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne made his big-screen debut in 2001 with the phenomenal “Bourne Identity” followed by two equally good sequels. Doug Liman’s speed-up/slow-down photography in those films captured the speed and precision of the trained assassin’s ability to handle himself in any situation and in any environment. In fact, one of the most enjoyable aspects of the “Bourne Trilogy” was watching Bourne use the environment to his advantage in combat- taking simple objects like a pen or a telephone book, and turning them into lethal weapons. Likewise, one of the most enjoyable aspects of Bourne as a character is that he’s an incredibly smart man, constantly staying one step ahead and out-smarting other smart men.

Developer, High Moon Studios’ take on the Bourne franchise is true to the style of the Liman films, but doesn’t carry over Bourne’s… ahem… identity as a out-witter. As a result, “The Bourne Conspiracy” is visually satisfying, but a simpler game than the title character deserves.

“Conspiracy” ties into the “Bourne Trilogy” with flashback missions that serve as a lead-in to “The Bourne Identity.” Elements of the films, and almost-direct reproductions of key scenes are used to tie the missions together and really make the game feel like an extension of the films. Though Matt Damon did not lend his likeness or voice to the game’s protagonist, the look of Bourne is still satisfying- getting Bourne’s movements down is much more key than making sure he looks like Damon.

And Bourne’s movements are spot on. When in hand-to-hand combat, the action will slow down at key points to initiate a quick-time event, where the player needs to hit a sequence of buttons in order to successfully dodge or counter-attack oncoming enemies. Once the sequence is complete, the action speeds up in double-time to reflect the film’s sense of speed. In this respect, High Moon Studios nails the feeling of Bourne just right.

Unfortunately, the level-progression of the game is a little bland and leaves much to be desired. Levels are linear, with little flexibility or room for spontaneity- very un-Bourne; and though players are encouraged to use stealth to accomplish their missions- the inability to diverge off the set path combined with poor stealth mechanics, means that most missions result in unwarranted gunfights or hand-to-hand fighting.

Which leads to another complaint: High Moon Studios obviously wanted players to be able to fight like Bourne, and so took a lot of time to make sure that melee sections felt more like a fighting game than a traditional action game. As a result, the action can feel choppy: one moment players are in cover-based shoot out, but as soon as an enemy comes close enough, a short cutscene begins and transitions the game into a fighting segment.

One major problem is that while Bourne is fighting one person, he’s frequently being shot by other enemies that are off-screen and impossible to deal with; the other problem is that the fighting is only conveyed by three buttons, and none of them feel responsive enough to be satisfying. Why a full fighting system with controls reminiscent of “Street Fighter” or “SoulCalibur” wasn’t implemented is completely beyond me. Instead, we are left with a combo-less, handicapped fighting segment in a game that thrives on fighting.

What is very fun in the fighting segments, however, are the “Takedowns” that allow players to hit a single button for a special move that transitions to a short cut-scene showing Bourne kicking serious butt. Many of these takedowns are environmental specific, which means that after a while, players will begin to look for sinks, car doors, and windows to throw an enemy’s head through. With a more traditional fighting-genre combat system, however, these “Takedowns” could be tied to a “special move” button combination that would make accomplishing the “takedown” even more satisfying.

Nevertheless, what High Moon Studios has in “The Bourne Conspiracy” is an awesome beginning to a game franchise that could become phenomenal with more maturity and, unfortunately, more development dollars. A bigger budget or a more dedicated publisher could really turn this franchise into a spy-thriller worthy of competing with the “Splinter Cells” and the “Metal Gears” of the future. Its shortcomings, however, are what keep it as a rental-only recommendation- but here’s to hoping that the Bourne name is strong enough to warrant a sequel with more time and depth in development.

Games Want You

While perusing the VG Classifieds on the ol' web, I stumbled upon this delightful recruiting poster:



Which makes me wish this was a real ad for Mortal Kombat- because that's what the series needs.

Nintendo Makes/Breaks my Self-Esteem- WiiFit, Day 1

Well what should show up to my house a couple of days before its American release date, but Nintendo's latest foray into getting everyone in the world to purchase a Wii.

Wii Fit, the balance-enhancing, get-your-butt off-the-couch interactive exercise coach arrived with everything you see here: Wii Fit Balance Board, game, a pair of Wii Fit booties for me to wear with special non-slip rubber grips, and a towel for me to wipe the gallons of sweat that is sure to pour from my face as I whip myself back into shape- Nintendo-style.

(who, by the way, has the most un-athletic looking mascot I could imagine: a short, stout Italian plumber who looks like he's had one too many meatballs. Really- I'm taking fitness advice from this company? But I digress...)

I remove the Wii Balance Board from its box, sync it wirelessly with the Wii (a wireless board = a very good thing in aesthetics and likelihood of it being used more often), and begin my journey to see if a video game will indeed get me into better shape.



The front-end of the Wii Fit setup is pretty non-gamer friendly. The presentation is crisp, relaxed, and minimalist- a good thing for those who fear that turning on a game system will result in machine gun blasts and car chases. The Wii may not be the most hardcore of gaming systems, but it is definitely the most accessible.



After selecting my Mii avatar, Wii Fit begins to save a body profile for me. The profile will rate my balance, center of gravity, weight, and BMI (Body Mass Index).

Now, I don't think of myself as THAT out of shape, however I do have a terrible body image about myself; as such, having a video game weigh me, determine my BMI, and display it up on my TV isn't exactly the equivalent of fun videogaming as, say, "Call of Duty 4." The moment of truth is here, after monitoring me on the Wii Board for a moment, the next screen spits out:



Ok Nintendo- you're lucky, I will continue to play your fitness game...

And play I do, the balance and strength training exercises, though they look like rehab for stroke patients, are actually really fun and will probably get a lot of folks who feel embarrassed to go to a gym, to get up and start exercising. Wii Fit, and moreover the Wii Board, are just the tip of the iceberg as to how game companies can use the balancing dynamic in their games, or to make a really good fitness coach program- just imagine when Nike gets into the software development gig, now that they have a perfect opening.

And I just want to call it right now: because the Wii Board connects wirelessly over Bluetooth- will someone PLEASE make a fitness program that can utilize the board for my Mac that I can save all of the information, so much so, that it looks like Ivan Drago's training profile?

It disgusts me, I'm horribly jealous.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxZZ3zJ62Pw[/youtube]

Skills I will never have, nor hope to even come close to having.  100% drumming on Expert for NIN's "Perfect Drug." The only thing harder would be actually coming up with the drum line yourself, then having to remember it the next time.

Welcome Home to Liberty City

The Summer Blockbuster season is here: Iron Man makes his feature debut and following him are old favorites like The Hulk, Indiana Jones, and Batman. Heck, even the crews of “The X-Files” and “The Mummy” are returning for another summer chocked with action at the theaters.

Despite what cinephiles may say, the Blockbuster season did not start last Friday with the release of “Iron Man,” but just a few days earlier when throngs of gamers lined up for the midnight-release of Rockstar Games’ highly-anticipated “Grand Theft Auto IV.”

Sure, there have been other video games released in the past month, but when it comes down to it- if you own a PS3 or an Xbox 360, and you are old enough to play an M-rated game (shame on you if you aren’t and are still playing), the only game worth talking about is “GTA IV.”

So next month, I promise to have a wealth of wholesome, family-friendly titles to talk about- most likely “Mario Kart Wii” and Stephen Spielberg’s “Boom Blox.” But for a title as massive in both technical scope and controversy as “GTA IV,” it deserves its own dedicated month.

Kids, go turn on “Hanna Montana” or something, the adults are talking…

Grand Theft Auto IV

(360, PS3; $59.99-$89.99; rated M for Blood/Intense Violence/Partial Nudity/Strong Language/Strong Sexual Content/Drugs and Alcohol; www.rockstargames.com/iv)



Let’s get it out of the way right now: “Grand Theft Auto IV,” or for that matter, any game in the “Grand Theft Auto” franchise is not for children. It’s intended to be played by audiences 17 years old and up. And though there will be tirades from mothers’ groups, church groups, and any other group concerned about the delinquency, immorality, and illegality of the actions depicted in the game, this is a Mature-rated game, designed for mature-audiences, just as any R-rated movie is designed for its mature audience.

So parents, please do not let your kids play “Grand Theft Auto IV,” it’s not made for them. Just because this is a video game, it does not mean that it’s a kid’s toy. “GTA IV” is illustrative of the growing video game industry that has matured and expanded over the past thirty years to accommodate a wide range of genres, interests, and ages. Back in 1985 when I was playing my Nintendo Entertainment System, video games were “only for kids;” but we’ve all grown up since that time… the industry has grown with us.

Trust me, your kids are going to want this game- exercise those parenting skills and don’t let them have it.

“Grand Theft Auto IV” returns to the scene of the crime where the series first got its notoriety- Liberty City, “GTA’s” fictionalized version of New York. And whereas gamers were concerned with the return to a smaller location after branching out into the three cities and countryside represented in “GTA: San Andreas,” players can rest assured that this Liberty City- but its changed since you’ve been away.

Density is the name of the game when it comes to Liberty City’s design in “GTA IV.” Though approximately the same square mileage as seen in “Grand Theft Auto III,” everything in the “GTA IV” version of Liberty City is taller, more crowded, better lit, and built from the outside in: buildings have interiors meant for exploration, pedestrians carry on their own activities throughout the day (including committing their own crimes for which police pursue them), and real-time weather accompanies an improved day/night cycle. Truly, this feels like a metropolis with its own life, you just happen to be visiting.

Stepping into the Liberty City harbor, players are introduced to their protagonist, Nico Bellic- literally fresh off the boat from an unidentified Eastern European country. Nico arrives to Liberty City after hearing about all of the wonderful opportunities his cousin, Roman, has experienced since moving to the States. Upon meeting Roman, Nico realizes that there is no mansion, no sports car, no harem of women waiting upon Roman hand and foot- Roman is scraping by in the Slavic-sounding section of Liberty City- the land of milk and honey, this is not.

Nico, trying to run from his past and make a better life for himself, finds that “everytime he tries to get out, they pull him back in!” The only Opportunities in this Land are the kind that come from carrying a big gun and using it often.

Rockstar Games has successfully made a protagonist that has a vulnerability to him- you may actually feel a little sympathetic towards Nico. Like in other great crime stories, though his actions are despicable, but based on the amazing amount of back-story players learn about Nico and his past, you can also understand why he feels forced to do the things he does. That is the sign of solid character development.

All of the standard “GTA” missions are here: escort, racketeering, assassinations, smuggling, etc. As Nico meets new contacts throughout Liberty City, he’ll start working his way up the food chain to achieve the American Dream- lots and lots of power. Though players can barrel through the entire game in order to complete all the missions and conclude the main narrative story- existing in Liberty City is really what the experience of “GTA IV” is all about. Whether its courting a girlfriend at a comedy show, playing pool with an “associate,” or getting drunk and hanging out at a strip club with Roman, all of the sights and sounds of Liberty City are yours to experience at your leisure. When not forming relationships with other characters, players are always free to swipe a car and go for a joyride to find side quests, hidden items, or stunt ramps to launch your ride from.

And yes, there is a “Drunk Driving” mode. If you hit the bars and get plastered, you either have to stumble home- tripping every few steps, or hop in a car and try to make your way as the camera blurs out and shakes with so much swish that I almost got sick and dizzy in real life. Of course, there’s always the option to call a cab to have a safe ride home, but it wouldn’t be “Grand Theft Auto” if there wasn’t something new that warranted an eye roll and an “I can’t believe they did that.”

The experience of “GTA IV” is so engrossing and monumental, that completing the game 100% will net the first several players to accomplish this feat, an actual Key to the City, produced and given out by Rockstar Games.

And if that isn’t enough- there’s a full multiplayer part of the game where players can drop into Liberty City with up to 16 players in a variety of game modes from traditional Deathmatch and Racing, to objective-based missions, to a “GTA” race that takes a page of inspiration out of “Death Race 3000,” and my favorite- Cops ‘n’ Crooks, which has one team of police chasing down a team of robbers desperately trying to get away. There’s also a free-for-all mode where players can exist within Liberty City together, with no particular objectives, and let their creative/destructive minds run wild.

Mechanically, this is all presented with a complete overhaul to the horribly frustrating controls that players have become accustomed to all of these years. Driving is left relatively unchanged, with only more realistic physics and weight to make handling vehicles more of a skill; on-foot combat and gunplay, however, is drastically different than in the past “Grand Theft Auto” games- making targeting, shooting, and adjusting on the fly much more manageable and a very welcomed change.

When demonstrating the game to someone earlier this week, they remarked “I can’t believe how violent it is.” I responded by asking whether it was any more violent than R-rated movies like “Heat,” “Scarface,” “Goodfellas,” or any other film depicting the seedy underbelly of society?

In terms of the levels of violence alone, the answer is no: all involve amoral protagonists pushed to their limits, turning to crime as their hope for saving their crumbling livelihoods; all involve the loss of pedestrian life caught in the cross-fire of their actions; all involve the murdering of police officers when their backs are against the wall. The “GTA” series has never been any more violent or excessive than any movie available on the shelves at your local Blockbuster; in fact, compared to many of the torture-horror films like the “Saw” or “Hostel” series, “GTA” is much less graphic.

Of course the apples-to-apples comparison of R-rated movies to M-rated games isn’t exactly appropriate; a direct comparison between the two fails to take into account the level of interaction that is inherent in games and which is lacking in film. The active participation in these criminal acts is much worse than the passive observation of them in a movie, or so the argument goes. Whether this argument elevates games as having a greater negative effect on the mind than movies, and therefore warranting some stricter protection or censorship, is still hotly debated- both in and out of the legislature.

Anecdotally, I regard myself as an incredibly well-rounded and mentally-stable individual, and I can say that prolonged exposure to any type of violent media leaves me with such a general feeling of cruddiness that a hot shower and a steady diet of looking at adorable pictures of kittens is needed to pull me back to the hum-drum of modern life. I can understand how someone with less mental stability, exposed for hours a day to such violent material- be it in games, movies, television, or music- could be negatively affected.

But I digress. Bottom line: Liberty City is nowhere I’d want to live, but a heck of a place to visit time and time again. The sheer scope of this game is enough to last most gamers until the holiday season before looking for something new to play.

Finger Clickin' Good...

Those of you who have gmail know of the targeted ads posted on the sides of your inbox that "correspond" to the subject of your emails. After writing to one of my Nintendo contacts requesting some information, I noticed a target ad that stated "Like Super Mario Bros.? You'll love this" with a hyperlink to a flash-based game for the PTEA-sponsored site Kentucky Fried Cruelty, adorably titled "Super Chick Sisters."

From a quick perusal of Kentucky Fried Cruelty, it looks to be a celebrity-promoted anti-delicious fried chicken website spearheaded by the great philanthropist/philosopher Pamela Anderson. Thankfully Pammie also brought her think-tank of great minds to support her cause, including: Pink, Ryan Gosling, and Rev. Al Sharpton. Worthy of note is that the Dalai Lama is also one of those in Pam's entourage who does not dig on the Colonel, which stunned me because I didn't even realize that they had KFC's in Dharamsala, India- go figure.

At any rate, "Super Chick Sisters" knows that video games are no longer about getting from point A to point B; no-the designers of "Super Chick Sisters" realize the importance of a strong narrative in our current generation of gaming. So, in following the tradition of "Bioshock," "Deus Ex," and even the recent "Grand Theft Auto IV," "Chick Sisters" tells the following take upon startup:

"Colonel Sanders and his minions have kidnapped Pamela Anderson for revealing to the world that KFC's Secret recipe is cruelty to chickens! Help the Super Chick Sisters save Pam before it's too late!"

If that ain't compelling, I don't know what is.

Ironically, one of the Chick Sisters is named "Nugget" which, unquestionably, is one of the most delicious parts of a chicken. Apparently if you complete the game, you have the option of playing as Pam Anderson- but if you've ever played "Tomb Raider" you've pretty much had that opportunity since 1996.

But if you thought this was going to be just the run-of-the-mill flash-based platformer in the same vein as "Super Mario Bros." you're dead wrong. Special guest copyright-infringing appearances are made by Toad and the Brothers themselves, Mario and Luigi- who, due to excessive Wii playing, have hurt their arms that they are unable to embark on the adventure, leaving only the Chick Sisters- dressed in red and green caps- to finish the job.



I don't really understand why a cardboard basket, clearly intended for holding fried parts of a chicken, is used as the power-up mushroom to turn the normal Chick Sisters into the "Super Chick Sisters," if PETA is going to go far enough to steal the likenesses of the Nintendo characters and the question-mark blocks, why not just go the whole nine yards and swipe the Super Mushroom too? It's PETA, so I don't think eating mushrooms goes against their philosophy- then again, those mushrooms DO have faces, and I've heard that eating anything with a face is in square opposition to the precepts of PETA. Maybe this is just the type of detail that makes "SCS" designers geniuses, and me a simpleton.

Additionally, from a design standpoint- though the Colonel-Spiders (that's what I call them) may be a little derivative, the bucket of blood is just plain genius. It strikes that "Silent Hill" creepiness- familiar, but chillingly evil.





I could only make it into the KFC before things, like my own sense of ridiculousness, made me stop. But you don't have to- hit up the banner below for some good ol' education- courtesy of Professor Pamela.

Unfortunately, it only made me more excited for my cold KFC that I brought for lunch today. I mean, those herbs and spices really ARE finger lickin' good.

Smash it Up!

Poker Smash

(360; 800 MS Points- approx. $10; Rated E; xbox.com)



With all of the “Bejeweled” and “Puzzle League” rip-offs clogging up the internet and ho-hum puzzle games available over the Xbox Live Arcade, it’s hard to think that a color-matching puzzle game could come along that would actually be engaging, fun, and dare-I-say-it inventive.

“Poker Smash” accomplishes this, and does so by being developed by only two guys.

In the same vein as “Puzzle League,” rows of colored blocks rise from the bottom to the top, players attempt to eliminate the blocks, and once they reach the top- the game is over. In “Poker Smash,” the colored blocks are also card suits, and so instead of matching colors to eliminate the blocks, players also need to try to make the best poker hand. The better the hand, the bigger the points.

The genius behind “Poker Smash” is that the even the player with the least amount of card-sharkery can still play and have a great time- matching colors to create three, four, or five-of-a-kind will keep the player engaged long enough to feel fulfilled. But when players want to, ahem, up the ante- full houses, flushes, and straights are all there to be made for points. Thinking three steps ahead is what separates the great player from the casual player- if your eliminated blocks cause other blocks to be eliminated, chains build up for massive point multipliers, called “smashes.”

These “poker smashes” are the key to winning multiplayer battles of “Poker Smash,” either online or split screen. Players will battle to take “chips” away from opponents, and the key to doing so is in the “smash.” Even a player who is almost broke in their chips can battle back to victory with a few well-played chains.

Its perpetual single-player mode, brain twisting puzzle mode, and multiplayer modes are all incredibly satisfying for those who are in the mood to have a quick pick-up-and-play. Online and off, “Poker Smash” is one of the best values on the Live Arcade.

I Feel Like I'm Melting!

Rez HD

(360; 800 MS Points- approx. $10; Rated E; thatgamecalledrez.com)


Hey kids: ever wonder what it would be like to trip out on Ecstasy in a German discothèque all night long, come home, and design a video game before majorly crashing? Well now you have the opportunity, and all without ever leaving the comforts of your own couch.

“Rez HD” is an updated version of the classic PlayStation 2 release from Tetsuya Mizuguchi, who’s company “Q Entertainment” has been blurring the lines between gaming and music-making since 2001. With games like “Lumines” and “Meteos” and “Every Extend Extra,” Mizguchi has carved out a trippy niche for himself in terms of gameplay and design- all of which can be traced back to “Rez.”

Now available for download over the Xbox Live Arcade, “Rez HD” is an updated version of a game that was way ahead of its time when it was originally released. Now with 16:9 aspect ratio, full HD graphics, and 5.1 digital surround sound, “Rez HD” is probably a truer form of the game that Mizguchi wanted to make, but was limited by the technology of the times.
Players enter into a “supernetwork” akin to the settings of “Tron,” and float through a cyberspace in an attempt to hack deeper and deeper into the mainframe. Players float through the mainframe on a predetermined path and have to shoot down enemies that try to stop player’s progress.

What would seem to be a very basic “on rails” shooter, turns out to be a sensory-overload experience- each shot fired and each enemy hit contributes to a beat or effect of music that adds a melody to the trance music that forms the backbone of the trip through the mainframe. Soon, as more action takes place on screen, and more enemies are being shot down, the music evolves and intensifies- leading to a very effectively enveloping soundtrack. Music swirls all around you, and the vector-based graphics feel like they are pulling you into the television.

Sights and sounds aren’t enough, “Rez HD” also pulses the controller in your hands to the beat, and up to three other Xbox 360 controllers can be synced to also pulse with the beat. Where those controllers are placed to feel the full effect of the “trance vibration” are completely up to you.


“Rez HD” is a short game and easy to get through in one sitting. There are only four levels, but the experience of “Rez” is what will get gamers coming back for more. Maybe this isn’t the type of game that you play constantly, but it is the type of title that you will return to periodically, if nothing more than to remember how video games have the ability to create an experience unlike any other medium.

Oh Won't You Please Take Me Home...

Burnout Paradise

(360, PS3; $59.99; Rated E10+ for language/violence; burnout.ea.com)


Criteron Game’s “Burnout” series has always been my type of racing game- I don’t concern myself with customizing my ride, modifying my engine, or finding the perfect racing lines. What I like to do is hop in a fast car and blaze through oncoming traffic at speeds so fast that you have to use The Force to navigate.

As a racing simulation, “Burnout Paradise” is anything but; as a fun arcade racer, “Burnout Paradise” is the ultimate- a pretty amazing accomplishment, considering that “Burnout 3” was one of the most solid and addictive racers ever.
“Paradise” strays from the series’ traditional menu-based racing structure by dropping players into an open world, all of which is instantly accessible from the very beginning of the game. Paradise City (complete with the Guns ‘n’ Roses track as its theme song) has a congested urban center, long winding mountain paths, a coastal highway, quarries, airports, railways, and anything else that sounds remotely fun to push pedal to metal. All of which hide hundreds of different shortcuts and back-alleys that make getting from point A to point B a quicker, but a heck of a lot more dangerous.

Getting into a race event in “Paradise” is as easy as driving up to a stoplight and mashing down on the gas and brake buttons. That’s right: every stoplight in Paradise City is a different driving event; and whether your driving in a flat-out race for first place, a “Marked Man” competition where all drivers are gunning for you, or a “Road Rage” competition that requires you to take out as many enemies as possible in certain time, all of the races will end at one of eight finish lines throughout Paradise City. Those finish lines, designated by the eight points on a compass, mean that it is totally up to the player to figure out the fastest way to finish- because unlike previous “Burnout” titles, there are no invisible walls or blinking arrows telling players where to go.

The amazing sense of freedom in “Burnout Paradise” is what makes playing the game so addicting. After finishing a race, you are only a short drive to the next stoplight for another event across town; “Just one more” can last for a couple of hours.

“Paradise’s” single-player mode only scratches the surface to how rewarding the seamless online play is. A quick button push launches players online and racing up to seven friends. If those friends have the Xbox Live Vision or PS3 Eye cameras plugged in, every time you cause one to crash and burn, the camera will snap at the moment of defeat for your pleasure. Let’s just hope you game with friends who wear pants.

The host of the online match gets to set all the rules, designating what challenges all of the players perform or what type of races everyone enters into. Because of the flexibility, the host can either pick a pre-determined race path, or create his own- but please don’t make your players circumnavigate Paradise City five times, those twenty-minute laps will just make you hated by everyone.

The only downside in hopping online into a quick match full of strangers is that you run the risk of having a host that doesn’t know how to keep the momentum of the game going. Bad hosting just means that players continually try to smash into each other without any real challenges or races being played. That may be fun for the first five minutes, but gets old quickly. If you are a host, just set races up regularly for your group, they’ll thank you for it.

These features, combined with the “Showtime” crash mode that keeps your car bouncing down the street as a steel wrecking ball in order to set a high score, and the ability to set speed records for every street in Paradise City and upload the record online for the world to see and beat, means that “Burnout Paradise” is one city you’ll want to visit over and over again.

Like a Shot to the Groin...

 

 

Pain
(PS3; $9.99; Rated T for Crude Humor/ Sexual themes/ Violence; us.playstation.com)

Allegedly born out of a brainstorming meeting by the Sony marketing department (always where the best game designs come from), "Pain" is a simple downloadable game who's target demographic falls along the maturity spectrum between the TV series "Jackass" and the "American Pie" films. It is for those who can't get enough of ball-to-balls hilarity on "America's Funniest Home Videos" and TiVo reruns of MTV's "Scarred."

For me, it's only mildly amusing and only for a very limited period of time- place me on the spectrum where you will.

 

Rock Band Weekly: 'Clarksville' Edition

This week's "Rock Band" DLC involves a little old, a little new, and a little show that had me glued to the television every day at 4:30p.m. during my junior high years in all of its syndicated goodness.

For those of you who need more 60's tunes, maybe The Monkees' "Last Train to Clarksville" isn't the first one to spring to mind, but then again, if you're like me and had dreams of being Micky Dolenz (I was never a Davy Jones fan, just a little too girly for me), you're not going to gripe.

For those jonesing for some Classic Rock, Action's "Sweet" should satiate you for a while. And for those who don't want to listen to good music can always download the admittedly-catchy, though musically simple, "All the Small Things" by Blink-182. Don't get me wrong, I have a great time listening to some Blink, I'm just saying that it's more towards Fall Out Boy than towards The Outlaws on the Rock Band musicality spectrum.

All songs are 160 MS points/$2 and are not available in a discount pack. Rock on.

Answer the 'Call'

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
(360, PS3; $59.99; Rated M for Blood/Gore/Intense Violence/Strong Language; charlieoscardelta.com)



Developer Infinity Ward made a huge splash when the Xbox 360 launched by having "Call of Duty 2" available on day-one. "Call of Duty 2" was the game that showcased what a next-generation game should look, sound, and feel like.

After taking a break from the "COD" franchise, and letting another developer create the ho-hum "Call of Duty 3," Infinity Ward propels the series in "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" both in timeline and gaming experience. "COD4" takes the franchise out of Nazi-controlled countries during WWII, and sets them in the all-too-familiar modern Middle East, where Russian nukes have been stolen by a radical terrorist group who've just taken control and assassinated the president of unidentified Middle Eastern country. Bouncing in between storylines of a US Marine and British SAS operative, players will find themselves in the thick of a global conflict.

Also known as "in the s@%t"

Trailer: Star Wars in SoulCalibur IV

In addition to the "HOLY CRAP" announcement yesterday from Bandai-Namco that the Dark Lord of the Sith AND the lean, green, Jedi-machine would both be making appearances in the highly-anticipated "SoulCalibur IV," screenshots weren't good enough.

So over at Gametrailers.com is the trailer that shows them in motion- not much fighting from our favorite Jedis, but a lot of dramatic posing amidst next-gen fisticuffs.

Trailer after the break; in the meantime, here's an image that sprang onto 1up.com yesterday:

Makes "The Godfather" look like "Space Jam"