It’s the post-apocalyptic, wild west gunslinging, Mad Max-style driving FPS in which ID Software and Bethesda deliver one of the most undervalued titles of 2011.

The “post-apocalyptic FPS” genre has been something of a popular gaming commodity in the past few years. I remember games like Borderlands, and, to a degree, Singularity trying to provide gamers with an experience that included ravaged landscapes, obliterated cities, crazed, marauding gangs and vile monsters. Well, suffice to say neither of these games did it for me. I could dismiss Rage as simply another game that delves into what I consider a burgeoning genre, yet one that I predict will only flourish in popularity in the future, but has not had an experience captured correctly on consoles. Yet I must concede that ID Software and Bethesda have delivered an enjoyable, co-op romp and race through savage territory at breakneck speeds.

Story/Presentation: The truth be told, the story for Rage is pretty vague. You play the role of an “Ark survivor,” an individual who crash lands on a nondescript planet inhabited by roving gangs and bandits, mutants, and other aberrations that I’ll leave the player to experience. On top of all these problems the player encounters, a government group called The Authority is on the lookout for Ark survivors and you are public enemy number one if they discover you. Again though, pretty vague story if I do say so myself.

The game menus are pretty standard, with little or no gloss or flair added. A basic start and load screen are coupled with longer than usual load times, as well as a huge (8GB) install on the PS3 (note that the game is spread across 3 discs for the Xbox 360). I was not a fan of the 20 minute install on the PS3, but understand why it was done in order to cut down the load times. The whole game pretty much runs off the hard drive.

Gameplay: Rage’s gameplay is a varied experience for a FPS, with three ways to play the game. It has no “true” competitive multiplayer except for a car combat mode (we’ll get to this shortly though).

The single player campaign mode can be tackled with a friend or alone. The main story involves players traveling around the wasted planet, going to various settlements and taking on a myriad of jobs and tasks from the denizens that reside there. All these tasks earn you anything from goods, cash, weapons, junk, etc. Goods in this game range from materials used to build your own devices, extra weapons, and cash… which is king in Rage. The game relies heavily on cash and looting the corpses of fallen foes, as you use money to buy many serious upgrades from shopkeepers. Junk and other materials can be used in conjunction with recipes that are collected, which can be purchased at shops or found throughout the world. I really enjoyed the engineering aspect of Rage where you craft awesome items (think building stuff in Bioshock). Weapons are pretty standard, such as pistols, a couple of shotguns, machine guns and a crossbow (rockets become available as the game progresses). All of the weapons have different ammo types (i.e. electric crossbow bolts are one type of ammo that lets you shock enemies, or shoot water puddles to kill multiple enemies who happen to stray into them). What I like about the various ammo types is that you get a decent weapon load out early in the game and hold onto all your weapons throughout the game without having to pick up any on the ground like so many shooters these days. Ammo can also be engineered if you are low, provided you have the right parts.

In settlements, mini-games and gambling are ways to earn quick cash, and these can be some much needed diversionary enjoyment. There is a Magic: The Gathering-style card game with 54 cards players can collect in game, and customize their decks accordingly to play the game. A knife stabbing game is a nice homage to Bishop in Aliens, where players have to stab accordingly in between their fingers to earn money. “Tombstones” is a futuristic version of Craps, where players roll dice to take out holographic mutants before they attack, and various vehicle races which the player can tackle at their leisure.

Racing and driving is an integral part of the game, and surprisingly, really flawlessly executed. Players can access various cars they can upgrade by earning race certificates in various wasteland races. Ammo, guns, tires… all of these things are upgradeable, and various defensive measures can be purchased for cash such as vehicle shields, caltrops, and vehicle repair modules. It’s like 007′s Aston Martin capabilities, but in a Mad Max style junk car! Driving is a breeze, and your car even flips over for you if you land upside down on the roof, which negates the need of crawling out of your conveyance and running away before it explodes (which I call the crappy GTA model of escaping a wrecked vehicle). Should your vehicle be wrecked, a tow service gets you back to town and your car repaired. Just call it in the game.

Combat in Rage is the classic ID formula, with fan service paid to lovers of the classics such as Doom and Quake. Run-and-Gun coupled with intelligent enemy AI, even on Normal difficulty, make this a shining example of what FPS games should be. Bandits move with speed, guile, and finesse, player sniping requires patience, and all in all this is all I could have asked for from ID. Using the trigger buttons allows for quick weapon switches and item deployment. For example, automated sentry bots and turrets can be constructed for combat defense, damaging enemies with lethal precision. I like the fact that simple items the player constructs help the player in a positive way thanks to competent AI. Enemies range from foot soldier archetypes to gargantuan and heavily armored. My only gripe is with damaging these armored enemies that show up in the game at the midpoint. It takes careful strategy, correct ballistic selection, and explosives to take them down, and this can be difficult if you don’t have the correct ammo loadout. Fortunately, dying in game means life. Players are equipped with an upgradeable defibrillator unit that brings them back to life, depending on the charge you receive in the defibrillator “mini-game” that activates when you die. The catch is that the unit needs time to recharge, so if you die, you have to plan attacks more cautiously, or else dying again will cause you to reload your previously saved game.

Graphics: I don’t say this lightly: Rage has some of the best graphics for the current generation consoles. The drab colors of the desert, the crystal blue sky when you look up, and the level of detail put into the world, especially around destroyed buildings and cities, made me feel like I was living after the apocalypse. The details really made the game shine. Also, the game runs at at least 35 frames per second (if not more) with no slowdown. Enemy movements are fluid, and I would say the character models rival such games as LA Noire and Uncharted 3. ID developed games are known for being graphic powerhouses and they don’t disappoint on this one.

Sound: DTS quality sound bring out the grunts, groans, clip loading, gunshots, the rev of engines, screech of tires, and the clink of miniguns on top of your ride. Rage has some superb sound design and some colorful dialogue to boot. Definitely should be experienced on a DTS capable system.

Multiplayer: A quick note on multiplayer… Rage includes a competitive combat mode for all-out four player racing wars. The car handling in game is great, so I can assume it is great in multiplayer as well. Purists I am sure pissed and moaned like babies that there was no competitive FPS multiplayer, but Rage’s structure and campaign would have made that hard to achieve. I was pleased that co-op was included, and the AI, as far as the campaign was concerned, was sufficient enough for a challenge.

Verdict: Rage is one of those games that, in my opinion, fell under the radar during the game rush of the 2011 holiday season, probably due to the fact that conformist, bottom-feeding fools saved their gaming dollar and went out to pick up Modern Warfare 3 because everyone else did. It really is unfortunate, because this is one of the BEST shooters to come out in a long time. There is something for everyone in the package, especially for those looking for an original shooter combined with car combat style racing. The only improvement that could have been made, and I admit I am nitpicking, would be for better, maybe slightly easier, ways to take down armored enemies and a little more variety in the vague story. This is after all, a game that should be heavily story driven, as there is no true FPS multiplayer component. The story dragged a little toward the second half of the game, but overall it’s a 12 plus hour game to do everything in the campaign, a rarity (and welcome one) in gaming today.

Shortcomings notwithstanding, Rage remains purely enjoyable in a Bioshock sort of way, and if you see it is on sale (as I have seen it recently) definitely pick it up. Loot Rage today, like a dead mutant, for it could very well be the template for future games based on the “post apocalyptic world” genre!

Rating: 9/10  

Positives:

+ Awe-inspiring graphics

+ Consistent frame rate

+ Engineering of items

+ Variable ammo types

+ Many in-game diversions

Negatives:

- Vague story that could have been more varied

- Difficulty of armored foes

For the past three years, we have lived in the past life of Ezio Al’Auditore di Firenze. Ubisoft concludes that which it began in 2009, and it looks like it’s about time for a definitive Assassins Creed III, and not more sequels of a sequel.

Ubisoft has been cranking out Assassin’s Creed games for the past three years, trying to innovate both gameplay and multiplayer experiences into a unique package. Revelations, the third installment in the story that started in the second game, and followup to Brotherhood, returns again to the now all too familiar gameplay of the Assassin’s Creed series. Some “hits” and some misses, Revelations could have been a more ambitious conclusion to the current story arc, but overall, misses the “mark” by just a bit.

Story: Revelations begins pursuant to the events of Brotherhood. Desmond Miles is trapped in the Animus, yet is able to directly access the memories of Ezio thanks to the help of Subject Sixteen. The whole interplay between Desmond and Sixteen had a strange Tron-like feel to it since both are stuck in a digital world. In classic literary tradition, this, more than any other series entry, is a frame story, with Desmond’s story framing Ezio’s, and Ezio’s framing Altairs’ flashbacks. The Desmond bit being a smaller part of a complex story, the meat of the game is Ezio’s memories. Now in Constantinople, probably the heart of the Ottoman Empire in the 1500′s, Ezio is on a quest for the five keys of Masyaf. These access five memories of Altair (who you also play as in flashback sequences) and the secret he has buried in Masyaf long ago. Couple this quest with the turmoil in Constantinople that the Templars have brought to the city, and you are thrust into the final chapter to ensure the Templar menace is stopped. Is this for good? Far from it, as by the end of the game, shocking, albeit cryptic revelations are made.

Gameplay: While the story for Revelations was intriguing for the most part, the final chapter for both Ezio and Altair left me wanting. The gameplay is petty much the set of standard modifications made in Brotherhood, with two notable additions. The “hookblade” replaces one of Ezio’s hidden blades, and allows him to “zipline” through the city and execute a rollover move in combat (sadly, didn’t use this once). Hookblade = useless addition. The other innovation is the ability of bomb crafting, enabling the player to craft various types of bombs for the purposes of distraction or combat. This is an interesting addition to the franchise as a whole and breaks up the monotony of the gameplay tasks as you can create bombs out of many different materials, with differing payloads and effects.

This brings us to combat. Sadly, the game has soured me on this aspect. Fundamentally, the combat has not changed since the last entry, but the enemies have gotten more difficult (Janissaries, in particular, the elite Ottoman guard) requiring a mix of pistol, poison, and blade to be utilized in tandem in combat. This disrupts the flow of combat in my opinion, as well as your ability to create kill streaks successfully.

Two additions that were added that really detracted from the game, and definitely DON’T belong in the Assassin’s Creed world are Den Defense and shop upgrade notoriety. An addition to Revelations is the optional (yet annoying when you have to) Den Defense. Depending on your notoriety level, Templars will attack one of your reclaimed dens, at which point you must play a poorly executed tower defense mini game where you assign troops to rooftops to defend your den. This mode might be a great addition to multiplayer, but not the single player campaign. Take note that player notoriety increases when you purchase shops and faction buildings also. I would buy two buildings, then have to reduce my notoriety before it got into the red zone. Reducing it is a chore in itself, with the only ways being bribing a herald or killing a witness (witnesses only appear when your notoriety is very high). Unfortunately, the lollygagging back and forth between buying and bribing hurts the game flow. On the topic of purchasing, by the games end I had not purchased any landmarks in Constantinople, hardly purchased any weapons, and instead of classic art this time around, any of the books available at booksellers. Money collection in this installment, with shop prices soaring, was a lot more difficult to utilize and collect than the last two games.

The Masyaf key quests and high powered action sequences were amusing enough to keep me playing, and Revelations shines when it comes to the Altair flashback missions because we finally find out more about this enigmatic man, at least enough to keep this gamer satisfied. The Desmond sequences (accessed by collecting Animus fragments in the world) leave a lot to be desired, with poor first person platforming. If you really want to find out about Desmond’s past and earn a few trophies, go for it.

Graphics: For a three year old engine, Revelations still looks good compared to most other games. Constantinople and the Bosphors are beautifully rendered, as are the facial expressions of characters. We have come a long way since the original game. Cutscenes, sadly, are mediocre at best with a lot of choppiness and skipping on a few. As good as it looks, the engine shows its age. 3D was added this time around, but time for an upgrade.

Sound: Music has always shined in the series and there’s no exception here. DTS sound would have been a good addition, but the digital gets the job done. The soundtrack builds upon the music from the last game, with subtle changes here and there. The typical combat sounds are present as is the always comical din of the crowd when you climb a wall or barrel through someone escaping from a fight or chase.

Overall: The culmination of this chapter in what is arguably one of the “top 5″ franchises in video games right now is not quite the sharpest blade in the vambrace. Ezio’s blade, however, still shines with purpose. I have no real gripe with Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, I just desire a polished, definitive sequel. This game played like Assassin’s Creed 2.75, and as stated left me wanting more. It is essential playing if you want to see where the story goes for Ezio and Altair, yet it is more of the same of what we saw in Brotherhood. The den defense and notoriety were found to distract this gamer from the tasks at hand, and add a level of frustration I never felt before in the series. Nevertheless, these small gripes aside, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations is a decent pickup, especially if you have been playing the series from day one. Jump once more into the animus before Assassin’s Creed III comes along to decide the fate of the world in what will hopefully be an all-out clash between Templar and Assassin.

(Note: PS3 owners will get a copy of the original Assassin’s Creed on their Blu-Ray disc. Also, Assassin’s Creed: Embers is a 20-minute short film detailing what happens to Ezio upon finishing the game.)

Rating: 8/10  

Pros:

+ Still great visuals

+ Bomb crafting adds a layer to the game

+ Well researched story

Cons:

- Den defense

- Useless hookblade addition

- Poor notoriety system changes

About as fun as a headbutt from the Juggernaut (bitch), Destiny is about as paper thin as the graphics applied to the characters.

Marvel has one of the strongest licensing machines in video games, with a myriad list of classic characters and storylines that are perfectly adaptable to the arena of interactive games. We have been privy to some of the finer applications of these licenses, such as the fantastic X-Men Legends I and II, as well as the movie tie-in for Wolverine: Origins (all published by Activision). So why is it when I saw that X-Men: Destiny was slated for release in 2012 I was elated that we, the gamers, might be in for another fun romp through the Marvel universe… only to check back a few weeks later and see the release date pushed forward roughly 8 months (4 or 5 months earlier than the games originally planned release). So I entered the game cautiously, with the same trepidation the bachelor has on a first date.

Story: When the game began, I had a hard time trying to figure out where in the X-Men canon this game fit. Professor X is dead, as is Magneto (or so we are led to believe) at the hands of Bastion. In the current universe of the X-teams, their home base is San Francisco for the most part. They have, in the game at least, negotiated a peace with the Mutant Response Division and the game begins at a peace rally. Shortly thereafter, a terrorist attack hits the rally, at which point you are prompted to select a character and begin an adventure (I use this term loosely, mind you) to save the world or destroy it.

Gameplay: Once again, comic fans and gamers are given the promise of an action RPG by the developers. Destiny is really not an RPG at any length. The game is a bizarre mix of a third person brawler with trace elements of the Marvel Ultimate Alliance formula throw in with such elements as a minimap, collectible powers, and “buffs” that can be picked throughout, giving your character the same powers as some of the X-Men. This is one of the few cool things, swapping powers in and out. Offensive, Defensive, and Utility powers, as well as the costumed looks of  the X-Men and Brotherhood leave a good degree of open ended customization, albeit poor in terms of execution. There is just not enough meat in the game to utilize all the power sets, and multiple playthroughs seem unlikely (we’ll get to that soon).

Unfortunately, the whole game involves not much substance at all. The familiar beat up the Purifiers (the games main antagonist), go to the next area, fight alongside the X-Men or Brotherhood, complete a challenge map, then have a boss brawl. The only real choices players have is participating in either Brotherhood or X-Men missions, and changing the alignment of your character meter from either X-Man or Brotherhood.

Combat is button mashing and a lousy combo system, a dodge button, and a poor jump button. Four basic combos round out standard combat, with a powered up, selectable move set becoming available as the game progresses, based on the choice of power selected at the beginning of the game. X-Mode super powers your character when you complete a suit set of X-genes. For example, a Juggernaut suit has 3 X-genes available to be equipped , unlocking a super powered X-Mode. All in all it sounds cool, but the execution is not. Most battles rely on mere button mashing, with some atrocious simple AI.

Boss battles range from simplistic, pattern based combat to infuriating. I can reference one Purifier boss that had the simplest pattern, but due to GOD AWFUL platforming, made it an ordeal by fire. You would think Silicon Knights/Activision would have learned something about platforming and jumping, considering they did it well in the SPIDER-MAN games Activision published. Sadly, the bosses in this game, while beatable,  leave a lot to be desired.

Graphics and Sound: Graphics are about as paper thin as they get. That about sums it up. From a distance, I swore my PS3 had turned into a PS2 (I played Shadow of the Colossus Remastered concurrently with X-Men, and I swear a remastered PS2 game had better visuals). The typical background character animations are awful, and the X-Men/Brotherhood character models mediocre at best, in no way comparing to current generation, big budget game technology. The soundtrack was piss poor, with a mix of techno/house beats and thumping bass. One of the most irritating levels was the Chinatown level, with a low, droning sound and strings that made me have to turn down my digital sound to a low level. Add in the fact that the voices cut out quite a bit, due to shoddy programming or loading. (Which was which I couldn’t say). The 6 GB install on the PS3 didn’t help the game any either, as clearly it could have been run on a PS2.

Overall: X-Men: Destiny is yet another rushed superhero game from the Marvel license, and probably a game that is much worse than this summer’s offerings of both Green Lantern and Captain America. If you must play an X-Men game, RENT it please. Or, buy on sale for less than $30 like I did. C’mon Activision… you know better than this, as much as Silicon Knights (developer) should, since you made Eternal Darkness, the finest Gamecube gamer ever! An abysmal first playthrough wants me to teleport to the nearest frat party and kick a wannabe frat boy. It might be more fun.

Rating: 5/10  

Positive:

+ Customization of X-suits is about it

Negative:

- Um…

- Button mashing

- Graphics are subpar or worse

- Lacking story

- Hollow characters (although Milo Ventimiglia is pretty good in his role)

- Infuriating boss battles for the most part

- The worst platforming I have see since 8-bit days

Nine months after the initial release of the greatest fighting mash up in history, Marvel vs. Capcom III gets the ultimate edition treatment with a comprehensive package that falls a little short of being worthy to wield Mjolnir for the ages.

Fans waited for years for Capcom to announce the successor to what was one of the most lauded arcade fighters of it’s time, Marvel vs. Capcom 2. In 2011, gamers got their wish, as Marvel vs. Capcom 3 bombarded gamers with a laundry list of characters from both companies that basically ran the gamut of every hardcore gamers’ and Marvel fans’ dream roster of combatants.  The inevitable Ultimate release has finally seen the light of day, and many people are probably asking, “Is it worth it?”, especially if you bought the original or pricey limited collector’s edition (as I did). I can honestly say, from a Marvel fans standpoint, UMVC3 is a definite purchase, especially if you enjoyed the original. From a Capcom fan standpoint… eh, it’s a little harder to comment on the game in that regard.

Assuming you, the reader, played the original MVC3, let’s talk about the new additions to this version. In terms of interest and balance of the characters, the Marvel roster this time around is truly stellar, especially if you are a comic fan. Favorites like Nova, Ghost Rider, Dr. Strange, Rocket Raccoon (!!!), Hawkeye, and Iron Fist round out the Marvel side of things. The new animations and crazy, over the top finishing moves for some of these characters are truly a sight to behold. Rocket Raccoon, for example, uses Groot in his special attacks and Ghost Rider takes advantage of riding his motorcycle across the screen to attack enemies as one of his hyper combos. Iron Fist’s moves incorporate a lot of martial arts, and  players may find him a kindred spirit and a good pairing with Ryu from the Capcom side. Hawkeye, as a character, was a little bit of a bizarre let down, with his special moves involving trick arrows that are tacked on after a series of control pad/analog stick input motions, and multiple button presses. They vary the type of arrow he uses, each with a special property. Dr. Strange uses many of his classic Marvel spells in his special attacks such as the eye of Aggomotto and the Daggers of Denak, while Nova can fly and use a variety of his cosmic powers in all his special moves. Overall, from what I have played, the Marvel side offers a little more than the Capcom side.

If you thought Rocket Raccoon was a strange addition, try Phoenix Wright, Strider, Frank West, Vergil, Firebrand, and The Nemesis T-Type for the Capcom side of things. By far the strangest character (and most useless) is the Phoenix Wright character. His moves involve his bungling secretary falling into your opponent on screen, and his special moves involve collecting evidence and putting your opponent on “trial”. Absolutely crazy. Vergil tends to be a stylish Dante-esque clone, while Frank West incorporates a lot of Zombies, bats, hammers, and a shopping cart full of weapons in his arsenal. Nemesis is a bruiser type like Hulk on the Marvel side, with a huge bazooka used to inflict damage (also, tendrils that extend from his body for some special moves). Strider, arguably the most requested character, is a quick, sword swinging, blade shooting addition to the roster. Firebrand, a lesser known demon from Ghosts and Goblins and Demons Crest has a lot of flying and special moves that rely on moving quick and passing through the opponent when used. Overall, Capcom got the lesser end of the deal in terms of characters, because some of them just aren’t that interesting in my opinion, and beating Galactus with Phoenix Wright if you are collecting the endings might nigh be impossible.

With the roster now boasting 48 characters, is Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 worth it to the casual/average gamer? It depends how much more you want to pay a game after it was released 9 months ago, how much of a fan you are of the characters, and ultimately if you want to master twelve new characters. For a hardcore, online player, it’s a new challenge to compete against others with these new characters, a plus if you can’t relinquish your controller in order to go out and socialize with real people. A casual Arcade mode player such as myself, who enjoys the story and endings, might not be so keen taking the time to do this, as it was hard enough playing most of the characters in the first place. Other than the characters, there are 8 new stages to compete in (some a redux of previous stages) and the long requested spectator mode. One interesting item of note is the ability to play as Galactus by holding a shoulder button + select (on the respective controllers for 360 and PS3). Still, with all this cool sounding visual caviar, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, 9 months after its predecessors release, might be a little too much for cash strapped gamers this holiday season. Seek out only if you enjoy a good beat down, and want to see Ant-Man riding one of Hawkeye’s arrows.

Rating: 8/10  

Positive:

+ Awesome new Marvel characters

+ Galactus playable

+ 48 character roster

Negative:

- Capcom’s added characters just don’t seem that exciting

- 40 dollar price tag nine months after original release

- How much fighting can you actually stand?

Ugly:

… Phoenix Wright assistant as a special move

… Frank West’s Zombie infused special moves

Last year, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions returned our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man to greatness with a lengthy, streamlined crawl that brought the visions of four different universes to fruition on next-gen consoles. This years follow up, Spider-Man: Edge of Time, unfortunately stumbles a few times in an attempt to capture the formula which made last year’s game the hit it was. In fact, it stumbles to the point that sometimes you would swear Peter Parker and Miguel O’Hara shared a few drinks before embarking on this adventure to save two parallel realities from ultimate destruction.

Plot: In order to keep would-be players in suspense, the storyline of Edge of Time (written by veteran Spider-Man 2099 scribe Peter David) revolves around the present and the future of the Amazing Spider-Man universe, and that of his counterpart, Spider-Man 2099. Walker Sloan, an Alchemax employee of the future, attempts to alter his reality by going back in time to found Alchemax. Sloan succeeds, and the time line is altered, leading to an alternate New York being created. It’s time for both Spider-Men to swing into action and fix what has been done.

Overall, the story serves its purpose, with what seems like a lot of heavy research done in order to give fan service to loyal Marvel fans of both Spider-Men. I enjoyed the telling, and the voice actors really added a flair to some of the dialogue, primarily Christopher Daniel Barnes (Spidey 2099), who voiced the Amazing Spider-Man in the 1990′s cartoon.

Gameplay: With last year’s game revolving around 4 different universes, Edge of Time attempts to streamline the players experience with two Spider-Men, and two upgradeable move sets. Collecting orbs and large experience boosts enable the player to customize each character, with a third shared move set providing basic moves for both Spider-Men. Unfortunately, with all the upgrading and moves, I found myself focusing more on hammering the square and triangle button to defeat enemies, while using my decoy or acceleration (both dodge-style moves) to take out enemies. In essence, glorified button mashing. This is fine for a game of this type, but why bother with the elaborate move sets? Never did I find myself using at least half of the moves I upgraded, compared to last year where I used just about everything in Shattered Dimensions. Aside from orbs, golden spider tokens make their return to upgrade abilities such as acceleration and decoy, health meter, and health regeneration.

Combat, as stated, is a bit of a button mash festival against the typical small, medium, and large groups of minions Alchemax throws at you. Finding your groove in combat, you can rack up some impressive combos (past 200 hits) in tandem with your decoy, acceleration, and web zip smash. The problem is, when playing as Spidey 2099, I felt overpowered against enemies, given he has a shield that absorbs hits and his attacks generated more damage than the Amazing’s did. The biggest disappointment was, however, that there was no opportunity to choose a path where actions in the past or future change anything. You essentially just play through the sixteen chapters, alternating between both Spider-Men, until you reach the end. The overall challenge of the game was a bit lacking, with some really frustrating enemy encounters. By far the worst were the free fall sequences when playing as 2099, with poor collision detection and imprecise control at times.

Replayability: If you enjoy beating the same enemies over and over again, a second play through might be warranted. The meat of the game is really in the web of challenges, where medals can be earned. Silver or Gold will earn you unlocks such as concept art and costumes, as well as golden spiders that unlock character abilities. The real incentive to do well in the challenges and earn at least silver medals is the myriad of costumes, ranging from Spidey’s “Future Foundation”, “Big TIme”, “Spider Armor” and “1602.” The list is huge with over thirteen costumes to unlock. A hard mode opens up once you beat the game, but you’ll still be fighting the same enemies over and over again.

Overall: Edge of Time is ultimately a button mashing beat ‘em up that attempts to capture the essence of Shattered Dimensions from last year. While it does a good job with dialogue and storytelling, the gameplay is just lacking. Add in the frustrating free fall sequences, and you don’t have the worthy successor to Shattered Dimensions. That being said, the web of challenges and unlockable costumes definitely give fan service to die-hard Spider-Man fans. Unfortunately, with the fall gaming season in full swing, people may not be apt to picking this one up because of all the other top shelf games coming out (Arkham City, anyone?) For the casual player, Edge of Time is a good weekend diversion, but I recommend only making the purchase if you are the Chameleon and just robbed a bank, and want to part quickly with your gaming dollar.

Positive:
+ Good story
+ Web of Challenges
+ Huge unlockable costume selection

Negative:
- Repetitive enemies
- Free fall sequences
- Lack of challenge
- Short story length

Rating: 7/10  

Last year’s Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions was arguably one of the finer entries into the vast pantheon of Spidey-themed video games. In my very recent memory it was one of the best, melding together the multiple universes that exist for the character (Ultimate, 2099, Noir, and Amazing). Now, a year later Activision brings us Spider-Man: Edge of Time, an update attempting to correct some of the flaws first showcased in the previous entry. Here are my first impressions from the first 25 minutes of gameplay.

Edge of Time starts out with a bang, and without spoiling any of the plot, I’ll just say pressing the start button hurls you into combat with Anti-Venom (Eddie Brock). The brief glimpse of combat I caught here seems to be a marked improvement from the last game, and I can tell that a larger move set is in store for our hero. Graphically, the glossy finish to the suits of both spider-men (Amazing and 2099) seem to be an improvement from last year, even though the engine of the game is the same. Again, this is not an “open-world” game, but focused more on combat and quick web-slinging as opposed to exploration.

Post-prologue level, the player is transported to the future, and Spider-Man 2099 makes his presence known. The plot, thus far, is played out through a great interactive credit sequence where you guide Miguel O’Hara (Spidey 2099) through the labs of the Alchemax Corporation in an attempt to discover what a man named Walker Sloan (voiced by Val Kilmer) wants with Alchemax. To summarize it quick, greed propels a man to change his future by altering the past, and hoping to knock out the competition.

Following the interactive credits, players begin to web-swing and zip line, collecting the essential gold spiders, orbs, and health upgrades necessary to keep both spider-men growing. By the time the first combat sequence is reached, a new and awesome addition to Spidey’s arsenal manifests itself; a quick button tap allows you to do a quick “decoy-like dodge” where you are able to move quickly past treacherous obstacles and projectiles.

With a story and dialogue by Peter David (the man who scribed the original Spider-Man 2099 comic book for Marvel in the 90′s), Edge of Time is shaping up nicely. There are a myriad of collectibles, challenges, and memos to collect throughout the game, and the more streamlined experience of two spider-men as opposed to four will hopefully tell a more cohesive story. I hope to have a full review forthcoming. With decision making affecting gameplay choices, Spider-Man: Edge of Time should provide players with another mighty Marvel adventure for the wall crawler to occupy himself with and give him a break from “Spider-Island…” not the ideal vacation spot mind you.

ArkanoArena is a new game for iPhone/iPod Touch from Sketch Games and is available for $1.99 in the App Store. Here’s the description:

ArkanoArena for iPhone has easy-to-use touch controls and unique steampunk graphics that put a next-gen twist on an old favorite. Unexpected bonuses hidden within each of its 50 addictive levels and the ability to upgrade weapons and equipment add a new layer of strategy and customization to traditional brick-breaking gameplay. Three difficulty modes, unlockable achievements, and GameCenter leaderboards add replay value to an already addictive experience.

I’m a busy guy, and I’m sure you are too, so here’s the breakdown in the simplest way I can do it.

The Good:

+ Classic Arkanoid-style gameplay
+ Steampunk fans will dig the art style and color scheme
+ Lots of different backgrounds that change, even when replaying the same level
+ Tons of gameplay for only $1.99. How can you argue with that??
+ Music is unobtrusive and stays in the background, which it should for a game like this
+ Armory and armed enemies add a new dynamic

The Bad:

- Controls feel clunky, but I have issues with iPhone game controls in general
- The steam sound on the “paddle” gets annoying quickly
- Limited color scheme makes it tough to tell one power-up from another
- Might just be me, but I haven’t been able to pull off hitting the ball with the side of the “paddle.”
- At times, I couldn’t tell what the power-up I’d just gotten was doing

Rating: 7/10  

Well worth the price. Want to buy it now?? Here ya go: ArkanoArena for iPhone/iPod Touch

Screenshots:

Captain America: Super Soldier is the latest “Marvel movie” licensed game published by Sega. In the past, games like Iron Man 1 and 2, and Thor, have been utter train wrecks with wonky camera angles, sub-par graphics and horrendous gameplay, hence the cost being $49.99 retail for these games. Captain America, while not at all perfect, is a bit better than all those aforementioned.

The game attempts to ape the style of Batman: Arkham Asylum and really has nothing to do plot-wise with the Captain America movie. In fact, it’s hard to tell where this game takes place in terms of movie continuity, before or after. Players are thrust into the enclosed castle of Baron Zemo (which is the headquarters of Arnim Zola, Red Skull’s researcher and master of cosmic cube infused weapons. Strangely, Zemo is nowhere to be found in the game.) The plot, penned by current Avengers Academy scribe Christos Gage, finds Cap attempting to stop Zola’s experiments while running around rescuing various members of the Howling Commandos, sabotaging gun emplacements, collecting Hydra intel, and other various “added content” collectibles throughout the 6 hour campaign. The collectibles come in the form of film reels detailing enemies, diaries detailing the history of castle Zemo, artifacts of the Zemo family which allow you to listen to said diary entries, and ceramic eggs… yes you heard right. (Apparently they came from the fabled ceramic chicken I found as I was exploring the castle). Concept art is unlocked thorugh collecting and progressing throughout the game.

Gameplay revolves around a poor man’s “free flow” combat system. However, poor man’s does not mean uninspired, just simple. Cap has a basic strike command, a grab, a counter, and a defensive roll maneuver. Energy is built up through attacks and counters, allowing for slow motion “smash” strikes, crippling enemies in one hit. All this is cool and easy, and one of the high points of the game. It just feels at times you are overpowered for the enemies you are facing, especially with the 9 upgrades that you can fully purchase in one play through (most of which I never used). Platforming, probably the lowest point of the game, looks like a cross between a bad Prince of Persia and Assassins Creed. Swinging from poles, vaulting around corners… I never felt like I was doing the moves when inputting them on the control pad. The game suffers in this aspect, because I hate playing something I am not in full control of. Bosses (of which there are about 4) are all from Cap’s rogues gallery, and are really not that difficult to defeat. I died more from explosions than boss fights, truth be told.

Graphically, the game is mediocre at best. Enemies and textures look the same, typical for a movie tie-in game. The only bright side of the graphics is Cap’s Shield, which is detailed when the camera is behind him… not so much when you hurl the shield. The model of Cap himself is decent, but still a little muddled in my opinion when he is fighting.

Overall, Captain America: Super Soldier is not a horrible game. It is definitely not the rushed garbage that was the first Iron Man game. By no means, however, is it a stellar game like Batman was. I think Marvel needs to yank the license from Sega for these “movie” characters stat, because the potential this game had was lost in development and “cash in on a movie tie-in”, in my opinion. The positive aspects of combat are marred simply by navigation issues (navigating the castle is a pain in the ass, especially when trying to backtrack). The 5-6 hour campaign and a few challenge levels do not warrant a $49.99 purchase, but as a rental or a value rack buy is definitely worth it to kill time. Amazon currently has it for $37, which I didn’t think was a bad deal for a brand new game. The only replay incentive is if you missed anything in the castle the first time around (not worth it in my opinion).

Positive:
+ Good combat system
+ The iconic vibranium shield
+ Chris Evans’ voice

Negative:
- Awful platforming
- Easy AI
- Fairly simplistic bosses
- short length

Rating: 6/10  

I played the demo for Telltale’s original Puzzle Agent and didn’t much care for it, so I never got around to playing the full game. Now that reviewing games has become a part of my job, I felt obligated to give Puzzle Agent 2 a fair chance when they sent over a review copy.

Puzzle Agent 2 feels a lot like the first Puzzle Agent. It even takes place in the same empty town that the first does. The first issue I ran into with Puzzle Agent 2, is that from a story perspective, it relies heavily on the assumption that a person has played through the original Puzzle Agent. As I mentioned, I only played through the demo of the original, so seeing interactions with characters that should be familiar making references to events that happened in the past turned out to be rather unfulfilling when it was the first time I had seen them. Most games that have multiple entries in a franchise make an attempt to sum up the events of the first game in the sequel to create a jumping-in point for new players. In Puzzle Agent 2, gamers aren’t granted this courtesy.

Even if I had played through the first, I can’t imagine the story in the second would have held my interest much anyway. The characters are very two dimensional and their conversations are dull and drawn out. There’s a mystery trying to be solved, but I couldn’t have cared less about it. Unlike other point-and-click adventures, you won’t find any puzzles beyond the mini-games designated as puzzles. Having a lackluster link between the puzzles makes the puzzles themselves feel much more empty. While I’m guessing the intent of linking puzzles together with a story was to create an overall experience that was more engaging than a simple series of puzzles, the story elements felt like an unnecessarily long journey between destinations in a poorly-crafted sandbox game.

The animation isn’t very flattering either. In still shots, it looks similar to the style of cartoons I’m actually fond of, such as Dr. Katz or Home Movies. The follow-through with the animation, however, is jerky and unnerving. I’m not sure exactly what caused it, but watching the animations play out caused me anxiety to a point where I had to stop playing. I’m not sure how far into the game I was, but it was more than far enough to be able to properly critique.

So then, how are the puzzles?? If I’m to be expected to put up with everything I’ve encountered so far, at least the puzzles are worth playing, right?… wrong. Some of the puzzles are clever, but feel very weakly tied to the story. It’s as if the creators had a puzzle in mind and figured out a way to loosely chain it to some random event. There’s one area where you’re in the house of a puzzle lover, and you must solve three different puzzles that have zero link to what’s occurring in the story. You’re just supposed to solve them to advance. Many of the solutions to the puzzles make sense once you know the solution, but there are several where even after you find out the solution by some random chance and see the explanation, you’ll scratch your head wondering why you were supposed to even consider the proposed course of action.

Bottom Line: Puzzle Agent 2 is a series of mediocre puzzles linked together by jerky animation and boring dialogue.

Rating: 2/10  

This is how I felt after playing Puzzle Agent 2:

Being a huge fan of both classic point-and-click adventures (Full Throttle, Sam & Max, Day of the Tentacle) and Telltale’s more modern offerings (Sam & Max, Strong Bad, Back to the Future), I was absolutely thrilled when they reached out to me to review the first episode of their upcoming game, Hector: Badge of Carnage. Entitled “We Negotiate With Terrorists,” here’s the breakdown of the first episode’s story:

When a hostage crisis breaks out in Clappers Wreake, the town that takes the “Great” out of Britain, Hector – a tough-talking, soft-bellied cop, known by some as “the fat arse of the law” becomes the only hope for justice. Now, the flatulent detective has to make a hard decision: carry out a terrorist’s curiously altruistic demands, or watch as his fellow officers are picked off one by one.

I’m always eager to try out the latest in adult-oriented gaming, and at first glance Hector had me thinking that I would be seeing a lot of humor similar to that in the Leisure Suit Larry series, you know… before those started to suck. Unfortunately, that’s not the type of humor I got. Adult-oriented gaming should be clever about its use of “adult content”, but Hector is anything but subtle. There’s very little in the game that’s not vulgar or sexually related, so after a bit it starts to lose its effectiveness. It’d be like a cute little kid standing in front of you and repeatedly saying the F-word. It’d make you giggle at first, maybe get a laugh, but eventually you’d want to turn him around and send him back to his parents. In the first episode of Hector, one of the locations you need to visit is a porn shop that has boxes of vibrators in the basement. That might sound funny on its own, but after about 40 minutes of playing in this gratuitously vulgar world, I was ready to send Hector back to his parents.

The graphics are one of the best parts of the game. They’re simple and charming, and the animation is fluid. That doesn’t go the same for the sound though. The sound effects and music were fine, but the voice recording was painful at times. Being someone who records audio on a weekly basis, I quickly recognized when levels were maxing out and popping. Some of the British accents were comical while others were downright atrocious. I apparently need to study up on my British lingo as well, because even while reading the subtitles, I still lost the meaning of a sentence here and there. Also, I’m not sure if it was a result of the code I was sent, but there were 2-3 lines of dialogue that popped up as subtitles were displayed and mouths moved, but there was no audio track playing for the intended line.

The hint system is a good addition to the game, especially in an age where a gamer could just look up the answers online if they are that stuck. It allows the player to start going in the right direction without just giving a blatant spoiler. Although, those are there too if you really want them.

Those pieces aside, my biggest issue with Hector: Badge of Carnage was Hector himself. Most story protagonists, even the gritty, dirty ones,  have some sort of redeeming quality that allows the audience to either connect with the character or at least have a sense of empathy toward them. Hector does not. He’s rude, crude, a total asshole, and there’s really nothing likeable about him. By the final scenes of the episode, I was hoping Hector would suffer the same fate as the other negotiators that came before him. It’s just not a good sign when you want to see the main character killed within a span of a couple hours, nevermind future episodes. I’m sure there’s an audience out there that this game appeals to, but it’s certainly not me.

Bottom Line: As a game, Hector is on par with other point-and-clicks, but you’d be much better off spending your time with Telltale’s other offerings such as Sam & Max or Back to the Future.

Rating: 5/10  

I’m a huge Warhammer 40k fan. I have been painting minis and doing off and on table top gaming for several years now. When Dawn of War first came out, I thought it was awesome. I have always been a fan of RTS games, and bringing some of my favorite table top lore with impressive graphics and play styles definitely helped cement THQ and Relic Entertainment as some quality game developers.

When Dawn of War II came out, it drastically changed the way the game was played. The graphics, engine and overall game play was completely different. Instead of controlling a large battle group, you commanded a small hand picked assault force consisting of up to 4 squads: your Commander, a Tactical squad (basic fire team), Devastator Squad (heavy weapons), Assault Squad (close combat, fast attack specialists), Scout Squad (lightweight, maneuverable and infiltrators) and even a mighty Dreadnought.

In Dawn of War II THQ and Relic introduced the Tyrannid Swarm to the 40K gaming universe. Your group of Blood Raven Space Marines were tasked in driving back the swarm, and saving your recruiting worlds of Sub-Sector Aurelia. The plot line was good, there were some descent cut scenes, and the availability of customizing your squads with experience points let you have some pretty good replay value. But since the story line was locked in place, it didn’t take long to get bored.

Dawn of War II – Chaos Rising has your Commander returning to Sub-Sector Aurelia to investigate the appearance of planet Aurelia from the Warp. Plant Aurelia was the crown jewel of the sector, and thousands of years ago the planet was gripped in the maddening clutches of a Warp Storm, eventually pulling the planet and all its inhabitants into the foul Warp. The Warp is where the Chaos gods dwell, where demons roam free and where a man’s sanity is as easily lost as a snow flake on a hot bolter barrel. Aurelia was seized in the clutches of the Warp for thousands of years, until now. Just as easily as the Warp Storm took your planet, it spit it back out: barren, covered in thick ice and snow, and seemingly lifeless…until a Blood Raven distress beacon was activated on the surface.

Dawn of War II – Chaos Rising picks up several years after the ending of the Tyrannid Swarm. Now you must use all new wargear and squad abilities to recon this distress beacon, and keep your wits about you brother, for the sweet stench of Chaos lurks in every shadow.

Features for DoW II: Chaos Rising include:

1. New single player missions.
2. The ability to level your squads to 30, for added firepower and abilities.
3. New PvP maps.
4. Chaos Corruption Mechanic – You can locate and even use powerful Chaos weaponry to defeat your foes with. But beware: these weapons and armor come with the taint of the warp, and will effect your squad every time these items are equipped.
5. New Units for each race, to include a powerful Librarian Psyker for the Space Marines.
6. Play as the Chaos Space Marines in multiplayer maps.
7. New heroes to play in last stand: Chaos Sorcerer or the Tyrannid Hive Tyrant. Use your skills and wits with your friends to see how long you can last against wave after wave of enemy units.

I highly recommend this game for any of my fellow Warhammer 40k fans, or for people who are fans of small unit tactics/RTS style games. DoW II: Chaos Rising has great replayability (Co-Op mode and Last Stand) by keeping your Blood Ravens pure in the eyes of the Emperor, or ravening mad from the corruption of Chaos artifacts.

Rating: 4.5/5  

Article by Sean W.

A startling gaze into the lives of those willing to do anything for love.

Every once and awhile a game comes along that makes me take a serious look into what I define as entertainment. Heavy Rain, a game developed by Quantic Dream, is a tale that follows the adventures of four characters in search of the Origami Killer. Everyone is searching for the Origami Killer for different reasons, though they are all equally dedicated to solving this complex and engaging mystery. The game takes place in a fictional east coast town known for its high precipitation, and somewhat sleazy atmosphere. Heavy Rain is classified as an interactive drama, and there is not a better classification that I have heard anyone come up with. It’s a huge stepping stone for this genre, and I hope to see more come from its success.

Instead of going into detail about the plot (and potentially spoiling this masterpiece), I want to explore the reason as to why this game works as well as it does. You start the game as Ethan Mars, a happily married father of two who works as an architect. You quickly find out that this is not your usual game. All actions are executed by correctly hitting the correct button that flashes up on the screen. This can be a bit tricky at times, especially if you are a Microsoft fan (as my roommate found out quickly). However, this can be remedied by changing the difficulty, which is not traditionally something you see in adventure games such as this.

The graphics are breathtaking throughout the entire game. I had difficulties at times actually progressing because I would get stuck exploring the many varied environments. Everything from the home of Ethan Mars, to a hopping techno bar, to an abandoned apartment in a shady section of town; it all came to life. There are times when this game feels very voyeuristic, peering into the lives of these characters at some of their lowest and most desperate moments. I have never experienced a game where I felt like I knew and cared for the characters more while putting in less than 10 hours to the game overall. I have gotten attached to characters before, but in Heavy Rain, it is much more than that.

One of my favorite components of Heavy Rain, and truly what makes it work most for me, is the fact that there are twenty-two unique endings to this game. I played through the entire game in probably about 7 hours; however, there are certain things that I did that in the long run shortened the experience. As heavy as the character development in Heavy Rain is, there is the option (or consequence), that certain decisions may lead to the demise of a character (or more) throughout the game. Once a character is dead, you simply do not play their scenes throughout the rest of the game, and outcomes then change without their involvement.

It is a rarity that I find myself wanting to play through a game a second time directly after beating it; Heavy Rain makes me want to sit through and get all twenty-two endings. I am curious really as to how much can and will change based on my decisions, though from the way that my first play through went, I think there is much to be done differently. I will say that I lost a character about halfway through the game, and the impact of that was largely noticeable.

One more thing I want to touch on is the saving feature. This game auto saves like crazy, and thus, anything that is done is done. As in, when something major to the way the plot progresses is completed, there is no going back. This makes the game very engaging, as you are not riddled with trying to get past a certain point. If you cannot complete a task that is given to you, you go on through the game living with the consequences of not completing said task.

In an industry that seems to be ruled by so many factors other than a compelling story, Heavy Rain is more than just a video game. If it continues to do as well as it has been, we can all hope to see more of the interactive drama genre come to fruition. Another promising attribute to games like this is the highly likely addition of quality DLC to the mix. I’m looking forward to seeing what they have to offer when the time for DLC comes.

Heavy Rain by all accounts should not be a popular game, but it surpasses all the hype surrounding it and delivers an amazing experience. In it’s “choose your own adventure” of murder, mystery, and intrigue, you truly do feel as though you are not playing a game, but living in this haunting world.

Sean’s Final Result:

Rating: 4.5/5  

From the creators who brought you games such as Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect and Knights of the Old Republic (KotOR), Bioware has really outdone themselves with this one.

Dragon Age: Origins (DaO) is a fantasy story set in a different world lived in by humans, mages, elves and dwarves alike. But among these races are the Darkspawn, and when the kingdoms of man, elves and dwarves don’t expect it, they strike forth from the bowels of the Earth to wreak terror and destruction upon the land. They almost remind me of a medieval version of the Locust from the Gears of War series. Since the arrival of the Darkspawn there have been a group of men and women known as the Grey Wardens who have stood tall against the evil threat of the Darkspawn. Here in DaO the Grey Wardens have come looking for recruits…

Anyways, DaO is a visually impressive game with its roots coming straight from classic RPG storytelling. It’s a 3rd person view of the battle field, and you can pause the game at anytime to help control your party’s actions, much like KotOR. The game comes with a tactics menu, so you can set up the default actions of all your party members, which means you don’t have to constantly watch their actions. And you can even take full control of any of the characters at any time.

Dragon Age lets you start off the game at many different combinations of races / classes.

Races:

Elves: You can either be a City Elf or a Dalish Elf. The main difference here is that the Elf race (city elves) have more or less been enslaved and used as menials or just worked. But if you’re a Dalish Elf, you belong to no man. You’re a wild elf living with your clan in the forest, feeding off the land and trying to preserve your own history.

Dwarves: The dwarven kingdoms rely heavily on their different Castes (Nobles) of family from the Smith Caste, Warrior Caste and even Merchant Caste. You more or less have to be born into a Caste, and if you are not, you’re caste-less. Being caste-less means you fight for everything, you live in poverty and your life will never be easy. You can play as a Noble or Caste-less dwarf to start off your adventure.

Humans: You can only chose to be a Noble as a human, which I’m not overly found of. Every other race has the “upper and “lower” classes to chose from, so why not humans?

Classes:

Warrior class: Your typical commanders of the battlefield. Warriors can duel wield, use massive 2 handed weapons, use a shield not only as a defensive tool but a potent offensive weapon, and wear the heaviest of armors in the game.

Rogue class: These shifty, quick witted characters like to stay out of direct combat and rely mainly on stealth and guile to win their battles. You can duel wield light weapons, excel at dagger use, and there’s a skill tree for archers if you prefer the long range combat. Rogues wear mostly leather armor but can make poisons to help take down the toughest of foes.

Mage class: Elves and Humans can play as a mage, but Dwarves lack the ability to use magic, therefore this class is not open to them. Mages can choose from many different skill trees, from being a master of the elements, to healing magics, and even entropy magics to drain your foe of its own life. Mages are very powerful classes, but their power relies on the amount of mana they have at their disposal. From controlling the flow of battle with freezing ice spells to healing your damaged party, mages are a must have for any party. Mages also have their own beginning, as you must prove yourself at the circle of magi before venturing off into the world.

Now, each class comes with different sub trees you can pick from. Most of these sub trees are found throughout the land by either purchasing manuals to learn from or interacting with an NPC and have them teach you their special skills.

DaO isn’t a game for everyone unfortunately. Just like any true-to-its-roots RPG, DaO has a lot of scripting and story telling. All the script has voice over so you’re not constantly reading, but it’s still a lot to take in and pay attention too. If you’re the type to quickly click your way through all the back story and lore this game has to offer, then you’re going to find yourself lost and rather bored with the game pretty quickly. DaO is like reading a book, it immerses you in a new realm of excitement and adventure and if you’re not willing to take the time to enjoy all the aspects, I would suggest not picking this title up. The reason being is that the choices you make throughout the game reflect upon what happens later on. There’s a possible 4 different endings to this game, with 6 different beginnings.

DaO also comes with downloadable content, which of course costs money, to keep your adventures rolling. Some people don’t like the DLC, thinking it’s a way for game companies to squeeze that extra amount of money out of you… but to be honest I don’t mind. The DLC is fun, introduces new players for your party, and allows access to some rare armor and weapons. For me, it’s like buying a few extra chapters for your favorite book(s).

All in all I think DaO is an amazingly beautiful game that will keep you busy for hours on end. From achievements to unlock to different story lines and endings…this game has real potential for extra playability. I would highly recommend this game if you like to take your time and immerse yourself into a world of new lore, adventure and visual treasures.

Crayon Physics Deluxe is an incredibly innovative game that involves the simplest of concepts: Get the ball to the star. And yes, as the 2008 Grand Prize Winner at the Independent Games Festival, they were doing this before Scribblenauts borrowed some of their concepts. The game can be both relaxing and insanely frustrating at the same time. The music is soothing and easier levels reward you with a great sense of accomplishment. However, trying to find a solution to some of the more difficult puzzles can make you want to tear your hair out, especially when there are no predefined solutions. The beauty of Crayon Physics Deluxe is that your solutions are only limited by your imagination and ability to execute your ideas.

The visuals are simple (sometimes complex) scribbles on paper-like backgrounds, but they’re exactly what you would expect. The more it looks like you’re drawing on paper, the more cool it feels when you start to bring that drawing to life. The game can certainly be played with a mouse, but having a tablet really makes the experience more genuine.

In addition to the 70+ levels in the game, there is also a level editor and an online community supplying additional content to help stretch out the amount of play time this game can really get. Check out the video below to see a demo of the game being played on a tablet PC.

Note: This game is currently on sale on its official website until January 15th, 2010. Instead of the normal $20 price tag, you may purchase the game by making a donation of any amount you wish. I got it for $5. Good deal!!

Bottom Line: A very innovative game that will supply hours of fun.

Rating: 4/5  

Best known for games such as the Bejeweled series and Peggle, PopCap Games is certainly not a new company in the gaming industry. While I enjoy puzzle games, they’ve never been my prime focus, but then I stumbled upon Plants vs. Zombies. PvZ is a tower-defense game in which you must protect your home from incoming hordes of zombies by building up the lawn with defensive plants. Using the power of falling sunshine and sunflowers, you must unleash various vegetation such as pea shooters, wall-nuts, and melon-pults. Upon completion of each level, you are awarded a new plant for your arsenal, so that in typical PopCap fashion, you’re itching to play “just one more level.”

The humor in the game is as great as the gameplay itself. There’s an old man zombie who walks slowly holding his morning newspaper…upside down. As the plants knock the paper from his hands, he gets upset and makes a mad dash for the house. That’s just one example of the various comedy elements placed into the game. If you want more of a taste, check out this video that shows off more of the humor along with a ridiculously catchy song that you’ll no-doubt be caught embarrassingly singing later.

If the regular 50-level adventure mode wasn’t enough for you, Plants vs. Zombies also features Mini-Games, Puzzle, and Survival modes. There’s also a strangely addicting Zen Garden mode that features a little snail collecting coins for you while you water your plants. You’ll have to see that one for yourself.

Bottom line: The best tower defense game I’ve ever played. Lots of replay-ability and it’s only $20…well worth the cost.

Rating: 5/5  

Love it, hate it?

No matter what your thoughts are on Steam, there’s one thing you can’t argue: It’s convenient.

Ever wanted a game so badly you were willing to be one of “those” people waiting in the dark hours of the night to get a game on release day? Well, wait no more! With Steam you can simply pre-purchase the game before it comes out,  and the day it’s released all you have to do is download it from the comfort of your own home. No waiting in lines, no dealing with geeks with bad b/o, and NO hassle.

Once you own the game Steam will always apply the latest patches to keep it running nice and smooth. Plus with a built in chat program, you can stay in touch with your friends or players you met while in game with a simple “alt – tab” which pauses the game for you and opens the chat dialogue.

The one main drawback I have about Steam is when your internet goes out, or the Steam servers are down (has happened once in the past 2 years I have used Steam), you can’t play any of your games on Steam. Even the games that aren’t multiplayer are not accessible to play. Luckily this doesn’t happen too often, so I haven’t had much issue with it.

All in all, I think the Steam Client is a great, easy to use program which lets you manage your games, download patches, and talk to your friends with the click of a mouse button.

Rating: 4.5/5  

If you’re interested in trying the Steam Client out, head on over to the “What is Steam?” page and find out!

Clicky!

System Requirements to Properly run Steam

• Windows 2000, XP, Vista or 7
• 64 MB RAM
• 400 Mhz processor
• 1GB HD space (recommended)
• Internet connection (broadband recommended)

If you are not sure your computer meets these system requirements, check with your computer manufacturer.