You’ve got to hand it to Electronic Arts and Dice, it aims high. Buoyed by the success of last year’s downloadable release Battlefield 1943, the combination puts the reigning king of first-person shooters, Modern Warfare 2, squarely in its sights with the latest installment in the series, Battlefield: Bad Company 2.

The problem with inviting such comparisons is that if your product isn’t up to snuff it can come off as little more than a cheap knockoff. So was Bad Company 2 able to step out of the self-imposed shadow of Modern Warfare 2 and carve out its own identity? Read on.

CONTROLS (3.75/5)

Things are pretty much standard fare here when you’re on foot, meaning anyone with FPS experience will pick up the controls quickly. The only thing that may take some time to get used to is having your melee attack mapped to the right bumper. To me it made using it feel like a pre-planned event rather than a defensive reaction, which can be problematic when you’re having an unexpected face-to-face encounter with a tango.

Where the game struggles is when operating the vehicles. During the campaign you’ll find yourself driving all kinds of things, from ATVs to tanks, and yet none of them feel natural. I always felt like my vehicle was drifting, and the smaller vehicles move so fast it can be difficult to control. The button mapping seems odd as well with the triggers moving your tank back and forth instead of firing.

Once online, you’ll have the opportunity to fly a helicopter. Two words: learning curve. If you played Battlefield 1943 with any frequency, you know that flying a plane with any level of competency took a significant time investment, and the chopper might be even tougher. Sure, there’s an undeniable level of satisfaction obtained when you’re no longer crashing it into the ground, but it still feels needlessly complex.

GRAPHICS/SOUND (4.5/5)

The visuals in Bad Company 2 are generally very strong, highlighted by environments that border on photorealistic with beautiful mountains and jungles looming on the horizon. It can be nearly stunning at times. Character models are also good, even if there are a lot of “clones” among your enemies – most games get around this by putting some sort of headgear on the enemies, but you won’t see that done extensively here. Buildings are completely destructible and bringing them down piece by piece looks really cool and never gets old.

Things don’t hold up quite as well when you’re close to certain objects, however. For example, a weather-worn sign that looked good from a distance never gets any clearer as you approach, and it ends up being unnatural. The gun models are also underwhelming, lacking the type of detail we’ve seen in other recent titles. Despite those shortcomings, though, the majority of what you’ll see here ranges from good to excellent.

Where the game truly excels is in recreating the sounds of battle. Explosions are sudden and impactful, leaving your virtual ears ringing, and the gunfire sampling is outstanding. The voice acting can be a little uneven, but for the most part the four primary characters deliver the goods even if three of them are unapologetic stereotypes. I also enjoyed whatever sound effect they cooked up for the ultimate weapon during the campaign — it’s very interesting with a decided otherworldly quality to it.

GAMEPLAY (4/5)

Like most modern shooters, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 contains both single-player and multiplayer components. The campaign here stretches over 13 levels, with 12 of them focusing the men of B Company. The overarching plot centres on a brewing conflict between the United States and Russia (sound familiar?) with U.S. intelligence concerned about the Russians acquiring a new super weapon.

Even though this may sound like the backdrop of some intense moments, the story itself is told with tongue firmly planted in cheek. The members of B Company find the humour in nearly any situation — so much so that even the moments you’d think would carry some gravity pack no emotional punch whatsoever — and the developer’s missed no opportunity to take not-so-veiled shots at MW2. To be fair, the story here is no more implausible than what was seen in Modern Warfare 2, but Infinity Ward simply did a better job of creating intensity through some incredible set pieces.

In terms of length, you can expect to put around seven hours into the campaign your first time through, though there is minimal replay value. Sure, there are guns to collect and hidden items to detonate, but most of the trophies/achievements can be acquired on one trip through. Plus, too much of that initial time investment is spent replaying sequences because of an absurdly uneven checkpoint system.

Take, for instance, one point where I found myself advancing solo through a city street with enemies all around while my squad members joked about speaking “spanglish” in the distance (I could still hear them for whatever reason) without hitting a checkpoint for over 10 minutes. After finally reaching it, my squad instantly caught up and I hit my next checkpoint in less than 60 seconds. Trust me — it can be as infuriating as it sounds.

Squad and enemy A.I. are both solid, though there are times when the other three members of B Company are standing in the open getting pelted by bullets and rockets while looking none the worse for wear. It’s a necessary evil since your squad isn’t composed of faceless and ultimately interchangeable bots a la MW2, but it definitely takes the immersion level down another notch or two when you’re the only one that can be hurt.

Things take a decided change for the better once you venture online, however. It’s here that Battlefield: Bad Company 2 emerges as a legitimate challenger for Modern Warfare 2, pushing a team-oriented focus that’s almost as much about working together and utilizing sound strategy as it is about reflexes and steady aim.

One major difference between Bad Company 2 and the competition is that the environments here are completely destructible, which means strategies will change as cover points are reduced to rubble. Those that have grown tired of the amount of camping in other titles will find this to border on a revelation. If there’s a sniper on the roof of a building, simply bring the entire building down and force them to adapt.

When you start a game, you’ll be asked if you want to join a squad, which allows larger teams to segment into smaller groups. It also brings the added benefit of your squad members serving as mobile spawn points. This way you can have one member set up shop behind enemy lines and have the rest of your crew fan out and engage the enemy from behind.

The game features four different kits — assault (soldier), engineer, medic and recon (sniper) — and the most successful squads/teams will favour a mix. Each kit possesses its own strengths and weaknesses, and Bad Company 2 does a great job of balancing them, making it more a matter of preference or need within a group than one being overpowered (though you’ll definitely see far too many would-be snipers). Like in the Call of Duty series, you unlock new weapons, gadgets and abilities (called specializations) as you earn experience. It’s a considerably slower leveling process than other games, but you never feel like the next reward is too far off.

Variety isn’t the game’s strongest suit with only three game types at your disposal: Rush, Team Deathmatch and Conquest. Still, the modes are all quite different with Rush being the best of the bunch. It’s within this mode that you really get a feel for what Bad Company 2 is capable of with up to 24 players battling on foot and in vehicles over massive maps. When you’re with capable teammates and the game is running smoothly I’m not sure there’s another combat experience on consoles that can match it.

One item worth noting is that there were a ton of server issues surrounding the launch of this game, as there were when Battlefield 1943 hit Xbox Live and Playstation Network. Considering the amount of resources that went into hyping this game and the lessons that should’ve been learned last year, it’s pretty disappointing to see them present again. Thankfully, I haven’t experienced much lag once I’ve gotten in a game, which can be considered a silver lining.

OVERALL (4.25/5)

If you’re part of the dying breed that plays games almost exclusively offline you’re unlikely to find enough originality or replay value within the campaign to warrant more than a rental. However, if you love bringing the pain online, consider Battlefield: Bad Company 2 a great pickup as a more cerebral shooter than you’ve seen recently.

It’s been just a little over a month since BioShock 2 was released, and 2k has kicked off their promised aggressive approach to post-launch DLC with the Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack. For 400 points ($5), you’ll unlock:

• The rank cap moving from Level 40 to Level 50, including new rank rewards
• Two new playable characters: Louie McGraff and Oscar Calraca
• 20 new trials
• A third upgrade for each weapon
• New masks

The term “unlock” is completely accurate here as you aren’t actually downloading any new content. Instead you’ll be granted access to content already on the disc, which is something I first remember seeing in Resident Evil 5, when gamers were asked to part with $5 to play the game’s Versus Mode. Some will surely be upset by this, but 2k says it was done this way to “not split the player base” into those with DLC and those without.

However you feel about the business aspect, the Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack actually contains some pretty cool stuff. McGraff, a member of Rapture’s criminal element, is easily my favourite character to date, and Calraca isn’t far off. Obviously raising the level cap is a big deal for those that have already maxed out and continue to play, though achievement/trophy hunters may be frustrated to learn that nothing new has been added on that front.

From an in-game standpoint the new weapon upgrades are the main attraction here as some of them really add pop to your arsenal. Each of the game’s seven weapons received an upgrade with the sawed-off shotgun emerging as a highlight for me as well as my weapon of choice for close encounters.

The lack of new achievements, trophies and/or maps is a little disappointing, but the new characters and weapon upgrades are welcome additions. If you’re still fighting in Rapture’s Civil War, the Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack is definitely worth downloading.

The Xbox Live Arcade has undergone quite a transformation since its inception, going from a service that offered mostly ported arcade games to what is now a steady pipeline of original titles — some of which have to be considered on par with full retail releases. The recently released Toy Soldiers kicks off of this month’s XBLA Block Party, and is an intriguing hybrid action/tower defense game grounded in the technology and weaponry of World War I.

Controls (3.75/5)

It’s always tricky business getting a real-time strategy game to function well on a console, but Toy Soldiers generally does a good job. When setting up your units you use the analog sticks to move the camera and cursor around the map before bringing up a radial menu of available units with the right trigger. After selecting one you purchase and place it by pressing A.

Once purchased you can interact with the individual units (upgrades and repairs are available), but what makes this game different from your average strategy affair is that you can assume control of any unit at any time. Manning the machine gun nests and mortars is a lot of fun, and there are strategic advantages to doing so, such as getting to fire three mortar shells before reloading instead of one.

In addition to the purchasable units, you’ll also find airplanes, tanks and an interactive sniper tower that allows you to pick off enemy infantry. The controls are kept simple when in the vehicles with little outside of moving and primary/secondary fire to be found. Flying can be a bit clunky and tanks feel like they move a glacial pace when trying to reach combat, but there’s nothing here that sucks the fun out of controlling the units.

Graphics/Sound (4/5)

For a downloadable release, Toy Soldiers features some really strong graphics that comfortably rank among the better efforts I’ve seen on XBLA. The battlefields, presented as World War I dioramas, are loaded with trenches, barbed wire and destructible cover. There aren’t a lot of vibrant colors, but that makes sense given the source material. Also, despite that drab palette, the game manages to create a quirky and upbeat mood with the way units look and move — watching enemy infantry march into your toy box is always good a laugh…or at least it would be if it weren’t costing you the game.

Even though the screen is consistently populated with upwards of 50 advancing units to go along with hails of gun and mortar fire there’s never any slowing or dipping in the frame rate. Destroying your plastic adversaries is also a highly satisfying experience, one that doesn’t lose its charm no matter how many of the little buggers you blow apart.

The audio holds up its side of things as well, highlighted by some immersive sound effects during the combat itself. Everything from battle cries to gun fire is beautifully reproduced without compromising the game’s relatively light-hearted vibe, which deserves major kudos. There are also fun WWI-era tunes worked into the mix along with some pulse-pounding boss music.

Gameplay (4.25/5)

Every mission you embark upon in Toy Soldiers ultimately has the same goal: keep the enemy out of your toy box. That’s easier said than done as the computer will put near constant pressure on you by launching wave after wave of attackers. You have access to six unit types, each of which is designed to counteract different types of enemies — anti-air batteries are necessary to fend off incoming airplanes and chemical nests can stop advancing soldiers in their tracks, but neither of them is effective against armoured ground units. That means you’ll need to keep an eye on the enemy queue to know what’s coming next or you’ll risk being overrun.

What separates Toy Soldiers from so many other strategy/tower defense games is the ability to get your hands dirty by controlling any unit you’ve constructed, adding more than a little action to the mix. The A.I. does an effective job of defending your position, particularly controlling the AA guns, but when you filter enemy forces into choke points, it’s always best to be handling the key weaponry yourself. The balancing act of going between building/repairing new units and taking care of business personally is easily the game’s most addictive element.

The game offers two different 12-mission campaigns. You start off guiding the Allies and as you move through the campaign you’ll unlock more unit types as well as additional upgrades. Ultimately you’ll have access to the six types mentioned above, five of which can be upgraded to Level 3 — you cannot improve the basic barbed wire. It does feel a little short on variety, though the game is judicious in unlocking the ability to upgrade units, which makes it seem like more.

Upon completion you’ll unlock a second campaign where you play as the Central Powers. It’s worth noting that both campaigns contain the identical 12 maps with the same bosses found on the same levels, although some missions now take place at night. Despite the familiarity, switching sides is plenty to make it feel like a different experience and you’ll definitely want to play through both versions.

Toy Soldiers begins with three difficulty levels, but each time you finish a level you’re given the ability to play through it on Elite difficulty. Here the friendly A.I. will not fire a single shot, leaving you to try to ward off the entire assault solo. I personally can’t fathom clearing most of the levels on my own, so anyone looking for a challenge will find it here.

There’s online and offline competitive multiplayer (no co-op) as well, which adds launching attack waves at your opponent to go along with the defensive abilities. It’s well balanced, though the tanks feel a bit overpowered, and can make for a lot of fun. Finishing the campaign also unlocks a survival mode where wave after wave assaults your position until your toy box is destroyed.

Overall (4.25/5)

Toy Soldiers is a charming game that’s rich in both strategy and action. It packs a lot of content for its asking price (1,200 MS Points – $15) and should satisfy both cerebral and action-hungry gamers.

As someone that had only played Sony’s baseball series on a PSP, I was more than a little eager to finally get the chance to put the critically acclaimed title through its paces on my Playstation 3. It didn’t take long to see why it has been so highly regarded, as MLB 10 The Show packs a ton of little touches on top of excellent gameplay to create a truly memorable recreation of America’s pastime.

Controls (4.25/5)

Pitching is handled via the same meter system I first remember seeing in EA’s MVP Baseball series during the original Xbox days. It was great then and still holds up well despite minimal advancement. You start the process by selecting which pitch you’re going to throw, then tap X to begin your delivery, which causes the meter to start filling. As it nears the top you’ll see a sweet spot to get optimal power on your pitch — stop the meter too soon and you’ll throw softly, let it to go too far and you’ll overthrow the pitch. After it fills all the way a line will move back down where you’ll once again have a target area to hit. The closer you get to that point the more accurate you’ll be. It’s all about timing.

As your pitcher becomes fatigued or rattled the meter can fill faster or your sweet spot may shrink, making it more difficult to mow down hitters. Even something as simple as working from the stretch rather than the wind up will alter timing; this keeps it from being overly simplistic. There are two drawbacks with this system, though. First, it draws your attention away from home plate and forces you to focus on the meter. Second, it makes all the pitchers feel very similar since your success is dependent on accurately timing the button hits.

One noteworthy new addition on the bump is an actual pickoff system. No longer does your pitcher own just one move. Instead he can make a casual throw to the base, utilize a quick pickoff attempt and even a deceptive move. They’re all easy to execute and it adds another layer of realism to pitching.

At the plate things also remain essentially unchanged. You still have the option to swing for either contact (X) or power (square) along with the ability to check your swing and lay down a bunt (circle). Before the pitcher delivers you can guess what pitch is coming, both the type (fastball, curve, etc.) and location (down, up and away). Once the pitcher begins his windup the strike zone will blink red if you guessed correctly as to the type, or a section of the zone will fill up to indicate you were right about location — if you see both you can just sit on the pitch. Hitting can be difficult in MLB 10 The Show, but that’s how it should be and the system really emphasizes the importance of working the count, anticipating pitches and knowing tendencies. If you step into the virtual batter’s box thinking you’re going to put every pitch into the seats you’re in for a lot of frustrating walks back to the dugout.

The fielding controls are solid and things play out about as well as I’ve ever seen in a video game in terms of realistic range, arm strength and frequency of errors. Everything just looks and feels right, even if the throwing meter is underwhelming. Baserunning can also take a little getting used to when it comes to combining the left stick and face buttons to advance runners, but once you get the hang of it the controls become imminently accessible.

Graphics/Sound (4.75/5)

The visuals in MLB 10 The Show are, in a word, stunning. Player faces look amazingly accurate, and I don’t just mean guys like Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez, as even the lesser known guys are beautifully rendered. As excellent as that work is, however, it pales in comparison to the incredibly lifelike animations in every facet of the game. Pitcher windups, release points and even grips are painstakingly recreated. Swings are varied and look airtight in their authenticity.

Then, there’s the fielding. Simply stated I’ve never seen any sports game recreate the feel of a sport the way The Show does with the fielding animations. Watching your team turn a double play where your shortstop ranges deep into the hole, flips the ball behind his back to your second baseman, who then bare hands it and fires to first for the out is awe inspiring. Players move so naturally out there; they boot balls, make poor throws, argue close calls, express disappointment when a play isn’t made and a thousand other small touches. It’s tremendous.

One of my favourite moments came during Road to the Show when I was on the mound. I fired in a fastball and the batter fouled it right off the umpire’s mask…and the mask dislodged as the ump slumped to his knees. I can’t oversell how all these touches come together to create a sports gaming experience unlike any other, and the development team deserves no end of credit.

The Show also does a good job of creating a broadcast experience with plenty of dynamic camera angles, replays and stat overlays. You’ll also get little touches like hitters shedding their helmets or talking to base coaches as the game “goes to break” to add more of a televised feel. Gamers can also use the game’s user-friendly Movie Maker to create highlights and upload them directly to YouTube.

As great as things are visually, however, the commentary can’t keep pace. As a SoCal resident, I’ve had more than my fill of Matt Vasgersian, who handled play-by-play duties for the Padres for several years. He’s surprisingly solid in his role here, though, and is stronger sticking to scripted calls than trading absurd stories with Mark Grant. His colour man in The Show, Dave Campbell, is shaky and repetitive but still rates comfortably ahead of Rex Hudler in the pecking order. Hudler’s comments bring almost nothing to the table and sound detached from the other two. The rest of the audio is very strong, particularly the ambient noise in the stadiums, but I’d love to see more attention given to overhauling the commentary for next season.

Gameplay (4.5/5)

Realism is the name of the game when it comes to the on-field product in MLB 10 The Show. I’ve touched on all the aspects, big and small, that go into making it such an engaging experience so I won’t rehash them here. Just know that this game does as good a job as any I’ve ever seen in making what you’re looking at seem like the real thing.

As with most sports titles these days, The Show comes packed with two primary single-player modes: Road to the Show (RTTS) and Franchise. We’ll start with the former, which allows you to create a player and follow them throughout their career beginning at Double-A. You’re able to select a starter or closer on the mound or any position player, including an expanded catcher mode that allows you to call games. My playing time early on was sporadic, but that’s to be expected as your ratings are low and you’ve yet to earn a starting role.

You’ll only be playing events that affect you directly, such as at-bats and fielding situations for a position player and obviously whenever you’re on the mound as a pitcher. Goals are obtainable in certain situations and after the game you’ll be given a detailed run down of where training points were earned (holding opponents scoreless, getting hits) and lost (failing a goal, not covering a base). These training points are then used to select activities that improve your player’s attributes. It’s a slow but ultimately rewarding process as you advance incrementally through the farm system.

I would stress that those thinking about progressing through RTTS with a catcher need to realize it will be exponentially longer because you’ll be calling every pitch in about four out of five games. That’s not to say it’s not an interesting edition, but the dedication level needed to advance will definitely thin the herd trying to reach the majors as a backstop.

Beyond the games themselves you’ll be given the chance to do some optional training to improve your skill set. As a pitcher you may be asked to throw a three-inning simulated game. Position players can perform fielding drills and so on. Another cool addition is that if you’re in the starting lineup you’ll be given the option to take batting practice before the game. You can also voice concerns about your role on the club, team chemistry and more.

Managerial A.I. can be questionable at times, however. I opened my career as an 18-year-old middle reliever for the Birmingham Barons and was eased into action by pitching in every game of the team’s opening five-game set. There’s no way a manager would trot out any reliever, much less one that age, that many times in a row. Once I became a starter I seemed to stagnate far too long at the back end of the rotation despite being the team’s most effective hurler. The decision as to when to leave me in and when to pull me seemed arbitrary as well, but these issues don’t ruin the experience by any means.

Switching our focus to the Franchise mode, The Show puts more tools at your disposal than probably any console game I’ve ever seen. In fact, it comfortably outpaces the depth of last year’s MLB Front Office Manager, which was built entirely around the GM experience. Everything from personnel moves, draft picks and contract negotiations on down to hot dog prices, stadium advertising and whether to have your club travel by plane or bus is included.

That ability to micromanage can certainly be a bit overwhelming and unwieldy given the less than stellar menu system, but the game does offer the chance to have most of the various tasks handled by the CPU. I had this meet with mixed results as the game seemed to handle certain aspects that I didn’t ask it to while not monitoring areas that I did. Personally I don’t mind that level of control, but I’m sure some would rather not be bothered. Also, a bug that is known to exist (though I didn’t encounter it) is the A.I. trading players from your team even when that aspect is set to manual. A few other bugs have been found within the Franchise mode as well, including games freezing at certain stadiums, and while some have been patched and others have fixes in the works you’ll need access to the Playstation Network for those issues to be remedied.

One thing that’s sure to stand out is the trading A.I., as you are going to see some jaw dropping transactions take place with stars you’d never see switch teams in real life populating the trading block (Pujols, anyone?) and waiver wire — I scooped up Victor Martinez off waivers. Obviously, blockbuster swaps do happen, but not to the degree they occur in The Show, which I feel is a drawback.

Another item I’d put on that list is free agents not adjusting their asking price as the season wears on. I lost my second baseman for two months and decided to try to sign Felipe Lopez for the rest of the season. Even though it was early July, he wouldn’t budge off his demand of a three-year deal worth over $10 million. To be fair I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sports game capture that aspect of free agency, but with all the details that are attended to here it’s unfortunate that such a seemingly basic aspect of contract negotiations hasn’t found its way in.

Although the bugs are a legitimate concern, particularly for gamers without PSN, most of the mode’s other issues amount to little more than nitpicking. Yes, the baseball purist in me doesn’t like seeing Derek Jeter on the Astros, but the further along you go the less those things matter as computer generated players begin populating the league. Simulating games result in reasonable full season stats and enough injuries to test your organizational depth. Franchise mode has shortcomings, but it still offers unparalleled control on the console market.

Beyond the two primary offline modes you’ll also be able to spend your time playing the best recreation of the Home Run Derby to date (part of a really cool All-Star Weekend), honing your skills with practice drills or calling the shots in Manager Mode.

Shifting to online, MLB 10 The Show offers the depth of full user-controlled leagues or the relative simplicity of head-to-head matchups. The lobbies are easy to navigate and there are always plenty of people playing. Most importantly, however, is that The Show delivers an exceptionally smooth online experience with minimal lag — an absolutely vital component in a timing based game like baseball.

Overall (4.5/5)

No baseball game I’ve ever played has more accurately recreated the look and feel of the sport itself than MLB 10 The Show. It’s still got areas that need to be addressed, but I can’t imagine anyone that considers themselves a baseball fan not enjoying it immensely.

Of all the reviews I’ve done for this site, none have saddled me with writer’s remorse more than my overly favourable critiquing of MLB 2k9. In the weeks after submitting the review I was consistently finding more issues, and my subsequent remarks in the comments section showed some of that realization emerging. The reality was that title deserved a score in the 3.0-3.25 range, not the 4.0 I had bestowed upon it.

To that end I found it reassuring that, after sitting in on a developer’s call with Visual Concepts, they were very forthright with their own disappointments regarding MLB 2k9 and were adamant that many areas had been rebuilt from the ground up for this season. I’m pleased to say it wasn’t baseless boasting as MLB 2k10 represents a major leap forward from last year.

Controls (4.5/5)

Even with all the problems in MLB 2k9, the pitching/hitting interface had solid mechanics. These return and have been improved. Perhaps the most notable issue last year was that the pitches were selected based on the motion you made with the right analog stick. This led to instances where you’d wind up throwing a curve when trying to throw a slider.

This time you select the pitch prior to throwing it and then make the motion — holding down the first part of the motion until the meter fills establishes how much power you generate while completing it determines control. It works great and makes for more variables with each pitch. Hold down for too long and you’ll overthrow. Don’t make the motion smoothly enough and accuracy will suffer. The meter fills at different rates based on factors like fatigue and composure, meaning it’s tougher to hit your spots in clutch situations or as your pitch count rises.

Hitting has also seen some refinements and is now more timing based. You can still attempt to go to either field by aiming with the left stick, but if you’re late don’t expect to pull the ball even if the stick is pointed in that direction. Also, MLB 2k10 has added a defensive swing (flick the right stick to either side) to compliment the standard contact and power strokes. It works well for fouling off pitches when you’re behind in the count and waiting for something you can drive. However, the ability to check your swing is not on the disc and was instead added as a downloadable patch. This should be fine for most gamers, but those without access to Xbox Live or Playstation Network will be left wanting.

The fielding is better this year as well with some of the more annoying problems (outfielders dropping too many fly balls, first basemen coming off the bag for no reason) seemingly corrected. However, there’s just very little excitement to that aspect of the game. It always feels like the A.I. is doing the heavy lifting and you’re kind of along for the ride. One important item is that fielders now have the ability to load up throws, something that was a major issue last year. It works well as the meter fills at a good pace and most importantly you won’t see your cutoff man hurl a rainbow that arrives at home plate just as the baserunner is reaching the dugout steps.

Baserunning is pretty much the same; although anyone that felt stealing was nearly impossible in MLB 2k9 will find it a much more realistic experience this time.

Graphics/Sound (3.75/5)

It’s a little difficult for me to directly compare MLB 2k9 to MLB 2k10 graphically since last year I had an Xbox 360 copy and this year I’m reviewing the PS3 version. However, things seem to have been cleaned up with nice looking motion capture and less of a waxy look to player faces. However, you’ll still see some disjointed animations and players clipping through one another during post-game interactions. Most of the time, the things that look out of place occur while fielding. Too often players still use full throws when their real-life counterparts would simply flip the ball, and you’ll also see an inordinate number of off-balanced Derek Jeter inspired leaping throws. Other visual shortcomings include the removal of cloth physics from uniforms, balls vanishing during replays and a rough looking crowd.

One thing that immediately stands out on the positive side, though, is that the frame rate has been vastly improved for MLB 2k10. That’s not to say you’ll never detect any slowing, but for the most part things flow smoothly. You’ll recognize plenty of signature stances and delivery motions, and the game does a nice job with statistical overlays as part of an upgraded presentation.

The commentary in MLB 2k10 is also first rate, taking a cue from NBA 2k10 in adding a lot of things to make you feel like you’re part of an ongoing season. Gary Thorne and Steve Phillips return and are joined by ESPN’s John Kruk. The three of them must have recorded a ton of dialogue because you’ll constantly hear them reference recent game results, career numbers for a specific player versus a pitcher or team and so on. That, coupled with a deep statistical database, really helps immerse you in the game and give it more of a broadcast feel. The sound effects and soundtrack both do their jobs well.

Gameplay (4/5)

The core gameplay of MLB 2k10 is superior to last year’s game in every respect. No longer can you just hold the left stick toward the fence and park ball after ball into the bleachers. In fact, this time around you’re actually going to have to do things like work the count, fight off pitches and even take walks. It’s much more like real baseball where most teams play station to station rather than swinging at everything while smacking several home runs per game.

Pitcher fatigue has been recalibrated as well, meaning Roy Halladay won’t be gassed after throwing 70 pitches, though at this juncture it looks as though the game might have gone too far the other way (more on that later). As noted earlier, pitching in your fifth inning of work can have a decidedly different feel than it did in your first, and if you start getting knocked around you may find your pitcher’s composure waning dramatically. It’s effective and the refinements around the battle between hitter and pitcher were clearly a focal point this season.

One addition worth noting in the hitting dynamic is batter’s eye, which essentially tips off what kind of pitch you’re about to see. It pops up as the opposing pitcher is starting his delivery and is dictated by each batter’s rating so a patient hitter like Nick Johnson or Chipper Jones will have that information appear more often than a free swinger like B.J. Upton.

Overhauling the gameplay itself wasn’t Visual Concepts’ only mission, however, as they’ve also implemented a brand new mode called My Player. It’s not exactly a unique concept, but baseball enthusiasts should find it a welcome addition. You’ll begin by customizing a player from the basics like name and position down to the minutia like whether or not you keep your batting gloves in your back pocket when on base.

I created four different players to test things out: one starter, one reliever, a second baseman and a catcher. They all begin the same way, with your player having just been selected in the June draft and being fast tracked all the way to your club’s Double-A affiliate. After being placed in a “clutch moment,” you’ll start the task of improving your player enough that they can meet the goals for promotion to the majors. The goals are split into two sections: performance (i.e., hit above .275 or post a sub-4.00 ERA) and ratings (speed must be rated 65 or higher).

Each game gives you numerous chances to earn points to distribute later. For example, as a pitcher you’ll be given a goal against each batter you face — such as strike them out or induce a ground ball. Succeed and you’ll be given a small number of points. You’ll also earn points for pitching scoreless innings, tossing complete games, etc. For hitters, you get more points for things like home runs and RBI than singles. You’ll also earn points for fielding your position and running the bases. The points are restricted to the area you earned them. This means you can’t take points acquired while batting and use them to boost your fielding range.

It’s pretty straightforward and works well, even if at times it feels like grinding for experience in an RPG. However, it’s difficult to earn points in baserunning early on because you mostly get them for stealing bases (something you’re too slow to do consistently) and scoring runs, which leaves you at the mercy of your A.I. teammates. I can’t tell you how often I was stranded, but I do know that after reaching 25 hits in the minors I had still scored just three times, twice on my own home runs.

Even with the difficulty of earning baserunning points, I still reached the majors quickly with all four players. In fact, every one of them bypassed Triple-A entirely and were starting for their respective parent clubs before the All-Star break. I can appreciate not wanting to bog players down in the minors, but as long as you don’t simulate games and have modest skill, you’ll be up in no time. My starter took just five turns in Huntsville’s rotation before joining the Brewers (insert your own Jeff Suppan joke here).

I would definitely say it’s a more enjoyable experience as a pitcher than a hitter because you’re more involved. As a hitter, you control your at-bats and are fast-forwarded to fielding situations where you’re almost certain to get the ball. It’s almost zero fun to field as a catcher (you don’t call games) and even at a busy position like second base I did nothing but take grounders and pop flies. Not once in over 70 games was I called upon to turn a double play started by another infielder.

My Player also suffers from shaky managerial A.I., which extends to your opponent as well. The CPU leaves starters in far too long, and it’s not uncommon to see an opposing pitcher throwing over 125 pitches. In my first six starts I went the distance four times, including my major league debut where I was left in to hold a 4-3 ninth inning lead despite being fatigued and having Trevor Hoffman available in the pen. It will also allow your pitcher to bat in key situations, such as in a tie game with runners on in the bottom of the eighth, which hurts the realism.

Despite the shortcomings, there is still plenty of enjoyment to be had in My Player. Games move quickly, goals and rewards are clearly spelled out and the mode overwhelmingly focuses on the two strongest aspects of MLB 2k10 — hitting and pitching. Some tweaks are needed to take things to the next level, but it’s definitely headed in the right direction.

The game’s other primary offering is franchise mode, which has also been improved from what was seen last year. There are some new bells and whistles that streamline the process, such as a feature that allows you to select anyone on your roster and see what teams are willing to trade for them. You can also go to another team’s roster, select their player and find out who you’ve got that they’d be interested in acquiring. The MLB Draft lasts 10 rounds and is properly placed as an in-season event, and the game now hands out compensatory draft choices for lost Type A and B free agents.

The trading A.I. is competent, though it tends to be savvier when initiating deals built around similarly rated players. You can still outwit the computer, however, as I was able to nab Andrew McCutchen from the Pirates for Corey Hart and spare parts — a deal the Pirates would scoff at in real life. My general feeling is that the game still doesn’t value upside and salary enough. Thankfully you won’t see many truly lopsided or unreasonable deals, which is important.

Also, for those that value realistic stats from a fully simulated season, you’ll find individual numbers to be pretty reasonable though team totals end up low on batting average and high on power. Franchise games can now be “super simmed” as well, allowing you to simulate half an inning at a time and jump in at any point. It’s a nice addition and offers a happy medium to those that want some degree of direct control over games without investing the time to play an entire nine-inning affair.

MLB2k10 also offers head-to-head games online as well as entire online leagues. The leagues can be created to include anywhere from four to 32 teams with seasons that run as few as 10 games all the way up to a full 162-game slate. Of course, baseball remains the most difficult sports game to play online because of how precise the timing has to be and my forays into cyberspace were typically low scoring. If you found the right group of gamers with strong Internet connections, there’s a lot of value in online leagues, but there’s always the possibility that the same problems that plagued Madden NFL 10’s offering (inactive owners, sore losers, quitters) will wind up here as well.

Overall (4/5)

There are still some kinks to be ironed out in many facets of the game, but the truly debilitating issues have been eliminated. Those that have held off purchasing a 2k baseball game in recent years should reconsider as MLB 2k10 is a strong effort that bodes well for the future of the series.

After treating gamers to a more vintage Resident Evil experience with its first DLC, Lost in Nightmares, Capcom goes action heavy in their second offering, Desperate Escape, duplicating the gameplay found in Resident Evil 5. Whereas the last DLC offering told a story leading up to the events of the main game, Desperate Escape runs parallel to it with you guiding Jill Valentine and Josh Stone — a peripheral character from RE5 — through hordes of infected foes in an attempt to escape the Tricell facility and provide support to Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar.

Actually, classifying the enemy presence in Desperate Escape as a horde might be an understatement as the game throws bullet sponges at you left and right. In fact the combined body count from my initial tromp through this level was well above 300, which is pretty impressive considering it took me just north of an hour to complete (some quick math indicates that equates to roughly five enemies per minute). The constant pressure of these pseudo-zombies bearing down on you can wear thin after a while, though, as there’s not enough down time to create sufficient tension.

While Lost in Nightmares offered both an all-new location and unique adversary, Desperate Escape has a familiar setting and completely recycled enemy list. You’ll see all the various types of “Majini” that you engaged throughout the full retail release, including boss types like the maniacal chainsaw guy, executioner and the heavy set gentleman that wears a beret and wields a Gatling gun. About the only new wrinkle thrown into the mix is that some Majini will man rocket launcher batteries, meaning staying in cover is a necessity. Of course, with such a large enemy presence, remaining concealed from the rockets is easier said than done.

Desperate Escape will undoubtedly test your combat mettle. So much so that tackling it with an A.I. partner can be an exercise in frustration as you watch them burn through ammo unnecessarily, waste precious healing herbs or fail to cover your six for the umpteenth time. Fortunately the game once again supports co-operative play both online and offline, which makes for a more enjoyable experience.

As noted, you can expect to invest around an hour on your first run, though upping the difficulty will tack on additional time. As with the first add-on, Desperate Escape also has Score Stars to find and comes packed with two more playable characters for the Mercenaries Reunion: Josh and everyone’s favourite medic, Rebecca Chambers (Resident Evil Zero).

Overall (3.75/5)

Anyone that found Lost in Nightmares lacking in the fighting department should have their bloodlust satisfied in a big way this time around as Desperate Escape provides a sustained combat experience that will have you racking up the kills. It doesn’t escape the “been there, done that” feeling, but if you preferred the action-oriented RE5 to past titles in the series it should be right up your alley. Given its more than palatable price tag (400 MS Points, $5) it’s a worthwhile download to be sure.

With a whimsical title like The Misadventures of Mr. P.B. Winterbottom I kind of had a feeling going in that I would be seeing something a little different. On that front this game doesn’t disappoint. Many of the things you’ll see are unlike any game you’ve played before, and the challenge level is on par with some of the more devious brain teasers I’ve encountered.

Controls (4.5/5)

Although The Misadventures of Mr. P.B. Winterbottom is primarily a cerebral exercise, you’ll still need to do some platforming to navigate through the levels. To do this you’ll need to jump, which is done by pressing and releasing the A button — holding it down will open your umbrella, allowing you to descend slowly — and smack objects with the umbrella by hitting X.

Beyond your basic movements, Winterbottom can also clone himself by holding down the right trigger, which records your movements. Once you release it your newly created clone will duplicate your recorded actions. If you mess up or the clone is no longer useful you can delete them by pushing the Y button. One stage requires the use of portals rather than recordings. In these instances you’ll activate the portals via the left bumper. It’s a simple scheme that’s easy to use, though at times I found myself using the right trigger to smack clones. Guess I need to stop playing so many shooters.

Graphics/Sound (4.5/5)

Set sometime in the early 20th century, The Misadventures of Mr. P.B. Winterbottom presents itself as a silent film. Nearly everything you see is in black and white, and the story itself is told via rhyming limericks in between levels. In many ways the artistic style looks like something right out of a Tim Burton movie with dark, jagged backdrops that must be tackled in Winterbottom’s endless quest for pie. Adding to the colourless presentation are nice touches like old fashioned film grain along with scratches and rips on the screen.

Winterbottom himself is something of a cross between Ebenezer Scrooge and Snidely Whiplash from the old Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. He, too, has an angular face with a jutting chin, protruding nose and sinister moustache. His ensemble includes a vintage stove pipe hat and an umbrella.

The musical score is brilliant in its simplicity. Instead of going the route of creating a caricature of the piano music often associated with silent films, developer The Odd Gentlemen instead favour a broodingly familiar yet oddly fresh selection of music to perfectly compliment the visuals. There’s no other game that looks or sounds like this one on the market, which is no small feat.

Gameplay (4.25/5)

Those that have played Braid will undoubtedly find some similarities between that puzzler and this one, as in The Misadventures of Mr. P.B. Winterbottom you will be required to create clones of yourself to solve the game’s many puzzles. Each level allows for a specific number of clones that can exist at any given time, which means you’ll need to use them judiciously. Later on, the game puts an interesting spin on that formula, but rest assured the creation and controlling of multiple mustachioed “buttwits” is essential to advancement throughout.

The basic story here is that P.B. Winterbottom has an insatiable appetite for pie — think Daniel Plainview from There Will Be Blood here where he says he’s got a competition in him and wants no one else to succeed…only substitute pie for oil. Winterbottom is obsessed with consuming every flake of delicious crust regardless of the consequences. Thus when he encounters the mysterious Chronoberry Pie he literally pursues the mouth-watering confection through time itself.

As noted earlier, the game itself is presented in the guise of a silent film as you make your way through five chapters, each with 10 levels to traverse. Things start off fairly straightforward, but can get difficult in a hurry. It’s in the difficulty of solving the game’s many puzzles that the value is found as were you to know in advance how to solve them, all 50 levels could be completed in not much more than an hour.

However, you’re almost certain to get stuck several times throughout the game, sometimes to the point that you’ll invest 20-to-30 minutes or more into clearing one of them. That difficulty can be a bit of a double-edged sword as it undoubtedly makes solving the puzzles all the more satisfying, but it can also be frustrating to fail over and over again to the point that you may want to stop for a while. The game does do a strong job of changing up the puzzles by adding little wrinkles along the way like environmental hazards or making some pies only obtainable by your clones. By doing this it remains fresh for the duration of the game.

After completing each chapter you’ll unlock a corresponding bonus stage, each of which contains five levels (25 in all). Every one of the levels has two goals to meet, one for time and one for recordings (how many clones you use), which brings a lot of replay value and challenge to the bonus levels. In fact, you could make a pretty strong case that the game’s toughest tests are found here.

Overall (4.25/5)

There’s very little not to like about The Misadventures of Mr. P.B. Winterbottom. It’s visually impressive, presents a satisfying challenge and is clearly a game the developers enjoyed making. Not only that, it bucks the recent trend of $15 XBLA games and delivers all of the above for just 800 MS Points ($10). My only gripes are the relatively short length and limited replay value in the main game. That shouldn’t be enough to dissuade anyone from downloading it, however, as it’s definitely a unique title that’s absolutely worth experiencing.

It’s always easier to copy someone else’s blueprint for success than to invent your own. That’s why for every truly innovative motion picture or recording artist there are countless cookie cutter formula films and sound-alike performers. The world of gaming is no different, which explains the seemingly endless line of Modern Warfare 2-inspired shooters that are on the way. That general aversion to risk taking makes Sony’s brand new release, Heavy Rain, all the more exciting because it steps outside of accepted gaming clichés and offers up a completely distinctive experience.

Controls (3.75/5)

When it comes to games played with a traditional controller, Heavy Rain manages to be about as non-traditional as you can get. Outside of walking (hold down R2), switching camera angles (L1) and bringing up your thoughts/dialogue options (L2) no other buttons serve a specific purpose. Instead, the game plays out through a series of interactions and quick-time events (QTEs) where manipulating the right stick, face/shoulder buttons and even the controller itself creates your character’s actions.

For instance, you may be asked to move the entire controller back and forth to brush your teeth, or to hold down several buttons in a row to climb through a window. It’s an ambitious choice, and one that serves the game well for the most part. Frantic sequences will have your hands working feverishly pressing buttons and flicking the right stick in all directions, while more serene moments might ask you to gently move your controller to crack eggs or sooth a crying baby.

Dialogue selections are handled by choices swirling around your head, usually starting with four that correspond to each face button. At times you’ll be given a selection of topics to pursue, while others will give a choice of attitude — such as whether to be aggressive, sympathetic or persistent when attempting to extract information from a witness. These dialogue choices along with your ability to successfully navigate the QTEs will help shape how the story progresses.

While things generally run smoothly on the control front, I did encounter some frustrating moments. This is mostly because when situations become tense, the game makes your commands and dialogue choices blurry and shaky to indicate anxiety. When this happens it can become difficult to distinguish between being told to hold down a button or press it quickly, which leads to unnecessary failures. You can also “say the wrong thing” as the square and circle look very similar when your conversation choices are trembling. I like the idea of fear affecting your judgment, but the actual execution falls a bit short.

Graphics/Sound (4.5/5)

Heavy Rain is a cinematic experience to say the least, and a big part of what makes that aspect so successful is the crisp visuals. By transporting gamers from one specific location to another as opposed to allowing the player to roam, Heavy Rain has been able to create areas with stunning detail. It may not be photo realistic just yet, but I’d argue you can see it from there. A fixed camera also limits the angles you can view, adding tension since you’re unable to look around you.

Part of what makes the locations here so exquisite is that the vast majority of them feel organic, lived in and absolutely believable. There’s a level of creepiness they obtain by making the mundane dangerous; a sense that you never know what’s waiting around the next corner. Add to that the constant gloom of a perpetual downpour and you’ve got a game that does an excellent job of creating the somber mood a story about a serial killer needs to be successful.

The character models are generally very good with natural movements. Facial detail is also strong, though a couple characters have unusual looking mouths. Staying in that area, lip synching isn’t always spot on — in most games it wouldn’t be much of an issue, but in a game that contains so much dialogue and relies on gamers immersing themselves in this world it can be distracting.

Obviously with all that dialogue the voice acting also becomes of central importance, which is one area that Heavy Rain can be hit or miss. Thankfully, the four primary characters tend to be the strongest in terms of delivery, but some of the peripheral characters border on painful. The children are shaky at best while one character looks like a computer programmer but sounds like someone doing a poor Al Pacino impression from Scarface.

Heavy Rain does feature some very good musical efforts, which more than hold their own in combining with locations and camera angles to create palpable tension. Occasionally during some of the more sentimental scenes I thought things sounded a little too much like they were ripped straight from the soundtrack of Days of Our Lives, but when the chips are down the musical score delivers.

Gameplay (4.5/5)

Developer Quantic Dream will tell you point blank this isn’t a video game in the usual sense of the word, instead labeling their creation as “interactive drama.” It’s a fitting designation because Heavy Rain really is more like a movie you affect with your decisions than a game in the mold of Modern Warfare 2 or even Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. This means your finely honed ability to survive massive firefights, spring across chasms with perfect timing and execute complex combos will do little good here. Skill isn’t meaningless per say, but since you can literally miss every command prompt and still complete the story, being an adept gamer isn’t necessary.

You assume the roles of four different characters: Ethan Mars (an architect that has endured personal tragedy), Madison Paige (an investigative journalist), Scott Shelby (a private investigator) and Norman Jayden (an FBI profiler). Heavy Rain does a strong job of fleshing out these characters, and you’ll become emotionally invested in them as the game progresses. The fact that each of them is faced with ongoing physical or emotional challenges feels a bit cliché, but they’re given enough depth that those frailties become merely a part of what they are rather than defining them.

Things begin incredibly slowly by video game standards, so understand going in that patience is a must as the early chapters are highlighted by such scintillating activities as shaving, getting dressed, setting the table and carrying groceries. This deliberate build serves to establish the motivation for one of the primary characters, however, and is ultimately an important piece of the story.

Once things pick up, the game moves along at a fairly brisk pace, though not at the expense of continuing to provide insight and adding additional layers to the characters. Heavy Rain definitely strikes a nice balance between action sequences and plot development, allowing the story to unfold while keeping gamers on their toes. That isn’t to suggest that the story being told is airtight, but it’s certainly leaps and bounds above what most games offer.

Without getting into too much detail, the basic story is that there’s a serial murderer dubbed the Origami Killer on the loose. Their M.O. is drowning victims in rainwater and leaving pieces of origami at the crime scene. With the arrival of another storm comes the disappearance of another victim, which causes the FBI to send Jayden in to investigate. As you go you’ll be alternating between all four characters, each of whom is in some way connected to the killer. How you feel about the story itself will vary from person to person, and it’s tough to discuss even in general terms without potentially providing spoilers. Suffice to say that there will be some that enjoy the game but still don’t like the eventual revealed identity of the murderer.

Despite the presence of more than a couple red herrings and some rather liberal use of poetic license in the plot, where Heavy Rain truly succeeds is in creating tension. There’s no game over. No multiple save files for trial and error. If one of your characters dies, the game rolls on without them. If a suspect escapes, you may not get another chance to interrogate them. This rippling effect really adds weight to every scene and also provides Heavy Rain, which clocks in around seven-to-eight hours with no multiplayer, with a surprising amount of replayability. You’ll want to know how things would’ve changed had you not saved Character X or had you questioned Character Y another way. There are also plans for downloadable content entitled Heavy Rain Chronicles, which delve further into the characters’ backgrounds. The first episode is set for release on March 4.

One nice thing is that you’re not obligated to start from scratch to see how different decisions affect the outcome, as you can reload any completed scene and replay it. When loading, the game offers you the chance to save, thus overwriting the existing file and allowing you to progress toward the end from that point, or to suppress the auto-save function if you just want to experience another round of QTEs (or Madison’s shower scene).

It’s worth noting that my copy of the game did have some technical issues with my save file becoming corrupted and failing to load. Ultimately I ended up having to backtrack nearly two hours before finding a scene that would load properly. I’ve read other complaints surrounding the same issue as well as some freezing, which I also experienced on occasion. With the game not yet in full release domestically it’s impossible to know how prevalent the issue is, but just knowing that it exists can make for some nervous moments during load screens.

Overall (4.5/5)

Beautifully written dialogue, an interesting and well-paced story and pulse-pounding tension combine to create a truly fascinating ride. Heavy Rain falls short in some areas, but as an overall package it offers a completely fresh take on gaming. Those that believe a video game doesn’t need a body count in the hundreds to be entertaining should take a chance on Heavy Rain.

It’s been nearly a year since Capcom took Resident Evil, the trailblazer of the survival horror genre, in a decidedly more action-packed direction with its first current-generation release, Resident Evil 5. Gone were the dark, zombie-infested hallways of mansions in lieu of an expansive adventure across Africa that relied more on gunplay than mood. However, the game’s first of two downloadable chapters, Lost in Nightmares, represents a total throwback to the days when the “master of unlocking” was doing her thing outside of Raccoon City.

You once again play as Chris Redfield, veteran STARS member and current BSAA operative, who finds himself on the trail of the sinister Umbrella Corporation. In keeping with the partner dynamic introduced in the full retail release, Redfield is paired with fellow RE alum Jill Valentine (replacing RE5’s Sheva Alomar) as they infiltrate the residence of Ozwell E. Spencer, who is one of the founders of Umbrella.

The result of this operation was actually shown during Resident Evil 5, so you know who is waiting for you at the end, but before you reach the inevitable conclusion you’ll get to do some exploring of Spencer’s mansion. Long-time fans of the series will definitely enjoy all the little nudges and winks from the designers with things like Jill’s lock-picking prowess and Umbrella’s penchant for cranks being featured heavily. Lost in Nightmares even brings back the old loading screens with the door opening when moving from room to another. It’s total nostalgia.

While being heavy on atmosphere, Lost in Nightmares is a bit light on combat. Yet despite this dearth of enemies the game still offers up a challenge by making the abominations you face big and tough while forcing you to engage them in tight quarters. It can be a nasty combination on the higher difficulties when ammunition is scarce. Also in keeping with the Resident Evil spirit, there are a few puzzles that need to be solved en route to your showdown with Albert Wesker, who is always a tough adversary.

All told the first trip through the mansion should take around an hour depending on how much exploring you feel like doing. Beat it once and you’ll be allowed to play as Jill, though as in Resident Evil 5 two players are able to tackle the mission co-operatively from the beginning. Other little goodies include Score Stars scattered about Lost in Nightmares that can be destroyed for bonus points as well as a new addition to the Mercenaries mode called Mercenaries Reunion, which allows you to play as two new characters: Barry Burton (Resident Evil) and Excella Gionne (Resident Evil 5).

Overall (4.25/5)

Lost in Nightmares offers a lot of enjoyment for gamers that have embraced the Resident Evil series since inception. It’s a fun ride while it lasts, which unfortunately isn’t that long. In fact, it feels like things end just as the momentum is really picking up. Still, it’s reasonably priced for the content (400 MS Points, $5) and is worth scooping up if a copy of Resident Evil 5 is still in your collection.

By Herija Green and Mike Chen

Herija’s Take

The original BioShock was a revelation in the first-person shooter market, mixing intense action with a strong plot and unique visuals as you explored the underwater city of Rapture. Any question as to whether or not I was playing a transcendent title evaporated when my fiancée started regularly sitting down to watch me tackle splicers and Big Daddies — a scenario that never happened to any real extent before or since.

Now two-plus years later 2k is sending gamers back to Rapture for BioShock 2. The sequel looks to build on the original by adding a fully realized multiplayer mode to accompany a robust campaign while facing the daunting challenge of retaining Rapture’s “wow” factor — not to mention convincing the Mrs. to return for more video game watching.

Controls (4.75/5)

In what was clearly an effort not to mess with what helped make the original so successful, BioShock 2 features a virtually identical control scheme, though the added ability to wield firearms and plasmids simultaneously has brought about a few changes. Your right hand holds your weapon and secondary items (such as a camera), which is then controlled by the right trigger (fire) and bumper — tapping the bumper cycles through your weapons while holding it down brings up a radial menu allowing you to directly select one. The left side gets the same treatment only with plasmids instead of weapons. It works very well and is a welcome improvement over having to switch back and forth between weapons and plasmids, allowing for some creative combinations when fighting waves of splicers.

Even in your fancy Big Daddy diving suit you’re still able to jump (Y) as well as uncork some devastating melee (B) attacks. The other two face buttons control multiple actions, such as X handling both reloading and hacking, and the A button searching objects. Each ranged weapon has multiple ammo types, which can be easily swapped with the d-pad. The select button provides access to an area map, as well as allowing you to track your progress researching enemies and your log of audio entries that you’ve found along the way.

Graphics/Sound (4.5/5)

One of the things that really made BioShock stand out in the oversaturated first-person shooter market was its artistic style. Rapture was amazingly detailed, favouring a 1950s look that was slowly decaying due to neglect and civil unrest. The city is once again the star visually, but the second go-round won’t be as awe inspiring simply because we’ve seen this world before, down to the same vending machines, health stations and items. Things look more polished, but it’s best described as incremental improvements.

While the environments remain largely unchanged, the variety and quality of adversaries has been elevated. That includes new types of splicers and a larger assortment of Big Daddies, but it’s the Big Sisters that take top billing on the enemy front. They look great and move with incredible quickness, creating some of the game’s most difficult battles.

BioShock 2 also follows in its predecessor’s footsteps on the audio front, delivering an excellent blend of vintage songs and mood-setting background music. It’s a testament to that music and the undeniable sense of claustrophobia you get being stuck on the ocean floor that the game can create some unsettling moments even as a heavily-armed juggernaut in a diving suit. The voice acting is another strong point, which is important since much of the story is told via audio logs found throughout the city. It’s an all-around strong effort.

Gameplay (4.5/5)

The big question when discussing the story of BioShock 2 is whether to compare it to the original or against other shooters. The former seems to be the more natural comparison, but it’s also inherently unfair because BioShock was able to create Rapture’s history as it went along while featuring some excellent antagonists (Andrew Ryan, the founder of Rapture, and Atlas) and an awesome twist. That left BioShock 2 to tell a tale that, while interesting, feels tacked on in terms of the back story and simply can’t match the original’s depth.

Gamers will find themselves opposing Dr. Sofia Lamb, who was a philosophical adversary of Ryan during Rapture’s heyday and has taken control following Ryan’s demise. She makes for a worthy adversary, but she simply cannot measure up to Ryan or even Frank Fontaine. The basic premise here is that you were an experimental creation of the Big Daddy program, code named “Delta,” and you were assigned a Little Sister to protect a decade ago. For reasons that are shown early on you were not successful, and the game follows your quest to reunite with her, much to Lamb’s dismay.

Lamb’s influence over the inhabitants of Rapture is seen throughout the game as splicers, which generally avoided Big Daddies in BioShock, will now band together in an effort to thwart your quest. It’s a good move since so much of the city’s mystery was unveiled in your initial trip to Rapture, leaving an increased focus on combat for the sequel.

Combat has received some nice improvements, primarily the aforementioned ability to utilize your plasmids (these allow you to do things like shoot lightning bolts from your hand) and weapons simultaneously rather than having to switch back and forth. This not only makes things smoother but also enables more creativity when fighting enemies. It never gets old to set a cyclone trap on the ground, infuse it with an electrical charge and then pick off splicers as they hurl through the air after stepping on your trap.

The upgrade process has also been overhauled as each gun can now be upgraded three times. The first two will be things like increased power or capacity, but the third one (which can only be accessed after unlocking the first two) will grant a new ability. For instance, fully upgrading your drill will allow you to reflect projectiles back at attackers. Plasmids feature three levels as well and will add benefits the further you progress, such as the Dummy plasmid, which creates a clone to draw enemy fire. At Level One it’s little more than a distraction, but reach Level Three and it’ll be reflecting attacks while healing you.

Of course, these plasmid upgrades cost Adam, which is Rapture’s currency for genetic improvements (they use cash for things like ammo and health packs). You still obtain Adam from Little Sisters, but in your role as a Big Daddy you’re given the option to “adopt” them. Do this and you’ll be able to gather Adam from corpses. However, don’t expect it to be easy as setting her down will draw crowds of splicers and other foes, forcing you to defend her. Succeed and you’ll be rewarded with more Adam. It’s a challenging addition that allows for more upgrades, though it’s completely optional.

Whether you choose to do that or not you’ll eventually be given the option to save or harvest the Little Sister — it’s a moral dilemma: save them and receive less Adam or harvest (read: kill) them for more of the red stuff. This, along with choices involving the fate of Lamb’s lieutenants, shapes how things progress and ultimately determines which of the game’s endings you’ll see. All told you can expect to invest 10 or more hours into the campaign, assuming you don’t simply blitz through it.

The biggest addition to BioShock 2 is the multiplayer. Set during the Rapture Civil War, the multiplayer has some unique elements, such as hacking and setting traps, and it allows the use of plasmids and weapons. Much like the Call of Duty series you’ll unlock more powerful items as you progress. Things feel fairly balanced with the exception of the incinerate plasmid, which is so effective you’ll generally find everyone in a match using it. Things tend to run smoothly online, though you’ll see occasional lag and missing animations, usually doors that vanish rather than open.

BioShock 2 features seven modes with Rapture-themed takes on standbys like free-for-all, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag. There are currently 10 maps to choose from, which are rebuilt from locations seen in the original BioShock. That means fans of the original can check out places like Fort Frolic and Neptune’s Bounty before they fell into disrepair. There are even some storytelling elements to the multiplayer, which is a cool touch and helps differentiate it from other offerings.

Overall (4.5/5)

Part of what made the original so special was the uniqueness of its setting along with a truly memorable story — two areas BioShock 2 cannot match. However, BioShock 2 is still an excellent first-person shooter that presents a superior combat experience to its predecessor. It’s not to be missed.

Mike’s Take

If you saw any pre-release footage of BioShock 2, you probably thought, “That looks like the original BioShock.” That’s more or less true, though it’s not necessarily a bad thing. In many respects, it’s the ultimate case of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

The big difference between BioShock and BioShock 2 is that in the sequel, you actually play as a self-aware Big Daddy rather than a normal human. The problem is that these controls never fully immerse you in the world of being a Big Daddy. Your movements, even with the signature giant drill, all feel like someone painted a Big Daddy costume over a generic protagonist. Shooting, moving, using plasmids, much of this feels almost exactly the same, and even the plasmid selection is very familiar with a few new quirks put in there.

As a Big Daddy you come with Little Sisters, along with their quest for Adam. These side quests, while fruitful, tend to be repetitive and represent BioShock’s own form of RPG level grinding. I found myself looking at each area, counting the number of Sisters to be saved, and working to get that out of the way to maximize plasmid options before actually moving forward with the story. This is a player choice of course, but for me, the hunt for Adam wasn’t exactly fun or a grand part of the Rapture experience. Instead, it just felt like something that had to be done, and I’d rather get it all out of the way so I can progress the story without being interrupted.

Ah, yes, the story. It’s easy to say that Rapture was the first BioShock; without it, it would have been an above-average shooter with some magic elements. This integral part is as alive as ever, and the story brings a new element of decay to the world. This, along with some stellar set pieces that throw you (sometimes literally) into new areas, including outside of Rapture, pulls you into the underwater city. It’s very easy to lose hours looking for more audio recordings or exploring little bits of the city that feel like the theme park from hell.

And that, in the end, is what makes BioShock 2 a success. Rapture is so alive, so believable in its own insane way, that the combination of audio recordings, period art, and twisted cruelty overcome the lack of new game mechanics or innovations. What it does, it does well, and while this makes BioShock 2 feel more like an expansion pack with high production values, it’s a still a trip worth taking.

While most of my game collection is made up of various action and sports titles, I’ve long held a soft spot in my heart for the strategy role-playing game (SRPG) genre. This affection can easily be traced back to Final Fantasy Tactics for the original PlayStation, which still rates as one of my favourite games. However, neither Xbox Live Arcade nor PlayStation Network offers many alternatives of that variety, which made Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment a noteworthy release for SRPG fans. Given the lineage of the Vandal Hearts series, the question became whether or not the new release holds up as a worthwhile installment.

Controls (4.5/5)

With this being a turn-based strategy game, the controls are extremely simple. You select where you want your character to go with the left stick and press X to send him. The X button also brings up your action options, allowing you to do things like switch your weapon, use magic or attack. The shoulder buttons are used to rotate and zoom in/out on the map. Beyond that, all other face buttons are used for basic tasks like calling up your status or undoing previous commands.

Graphics/Sound (3/5)

To say that Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment favours an unusual melding of graphical styles would be an understatement. On the one hand you’re being presented with reasonably mature subject matter, featuring themes like war and betrayal. However, on the other hand, it’s all being presented with bizarre looking caricatures that would seem more natural appearing in a game aimed at children. Combine that some over the top bloodshed — we’re talking about Kill Bill-esque gushers of blood here — when blows are struck and it adds up to a very unusual mix.

I didn’t much care for the goofy looking characters, particularly Calvin, who could not be more of a stereotypical nerd with a purple bowl cut and round glasses. He looks absurd. The main character, Tobias, isn’t much better as he looks like a teenage prep-school reject. Not exactly the first person you’d pick to save the world. Thankfully, this goofiness is pretty well isolated to cut scenes and the static “head shots” on the status screen. The in-game graphics themselves look solid with interesting enemies, environments and spell effects.

The musical score is good, headlined by a cool song during the opening screens, and accompanies the action well throughout. Sound effects were more hit or miss. Most of the attack effects are good, but I definitely grew tired of some of the screams and whimpers of my foes during combat. The voice acting during cut scenes is serviceable, and there are also a few lines of dialogue spoken during combat.

Gameplay (3.75/5)

For anyone unfamiliar with SRPGs, the basic concept is that your faction faces off against a group of enemies in battles broken up into turns and rounds. In Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment each unit on the board is given one turn per round, and when the round ends things start all over again. The map is broken up into a grid with movement limited to a certain area. Each turn ends when the character attacks, casts a spell or simply defends their position. Those are the basics of the genre, and for better or worse it’s exactly what you’ll be doing throughout this game with little in the way of innovation.

In addition to familiar game mechanics, Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment is also rooted in some pretty recognizable storytelling. The game kicks off with you and your school chums in training, but things quickly get dangerous when armed thugs attack your town. You’re dispatched to get help and from there you’re on your way in what is a largely linear adventure that contains the requisite twists and even the obligatory romantic subplot. It’s not a bad or uninteresting tale, but it’s not breaking new ground, and the use of the aforementioned strange cut scene animations really works to take some of the gravity out of what should be more emotional situations.

Beyond the missions necessitated by the story there are eight optional battle maps waiting to be unlocked, and gamers can also backtrack to fight on previously visited areas. This allows for plenty of extra leveling up if you find yourself having trouble progressing through the main quest. All told you can expect to invest in the neighborhood of 10 hours to complete the game, which while on the short side for an SRPG is pretty solid value for the money (1,200 MS Points, $15). For added replay value the game also features more than one ending based on the choices you made throughout.

As for the gameplay itself, Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment utilizes a system whereby the skills that you use are the ones that automatically improve. For instance, if you’re consistently casting a “Heal” spell you’ll find that it becomes more and more effective. Conversely if you rarely shoot enemies with a bow the damage will be lower when you do finally dust off ranged attacks. It’s a good system and allows for customization without forcing players to manually advance skills.

While in combat you’ll find that elements in the environment can be used to attack foes, such as pushing boulders. Attacks from behind will cause additional damage, but as long as you’ve got a proper weapon equipped your character will counter — that means someone with a bow will fire back if they’re shot from long range but will not retaliate if stabbed. The game also allows for “team attacks,” where a teammate piggybacks on your attack to deal additional damage. The system doesn’t lay out specific rules for how to trigger these, however, so it seems inconsistent. However, it’s clear that proximity to each other and the target plays a role.

Overall (3.75/5)

A more traditional artistic style would’ve helped Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment considering the content of the game, but ultimately it’s easy to overlook given the strong gameplay. Fans of the genre should find plenty to like here, making this a solid addition to collections.

Back in late 2007, BioWare released Mass Effect, a shooter/RPG hybrid that was announced as the first chapter in a planned trilogy. The original was a revelation in many ways, giving legitimate weight to your decisions throughout the game while introducing a fantastic cast of characters and locales. Some technical issues and bland planet exploration dampened the enthusiasm of some, but it still earned nearly universal acclaim from reviewers and gamers alike.

Fast forward a little over two years, and the long-awaited Mass Effect 2 has been unleashed. The sequel picks up where the original left off in telling a compelling tale while once again putting all of the game’s key decisions in your hands. BioWare has also done a tremendous job of addressing the criticisms leveled at the first title, creating a surefire contender for Game of the Year and arguably one of the greatest experiences in gaming history.

Controls (4.75/5)

If you stripped away all the cinematic elements of Mass Effect 2 what you’d be left with is a solid shooter, and therefore fans of that genre will find the controls familiar. You’ll always have a targeting reticule as long as your gun is drawn, but by holding down the left trigger you’ll zoom for more accurate aiming. Firing is handled with the right trigger. Tapping X will reload your gun, and if you hold X down you’ll switch to your previous weapon. You can also melee (B) your enemies if they get too close.

Mass Effect 2 definitely takes some cues from the Gears of War series with the vast majority of your firefights taking place behind cover. Pressing “A” near anything your character can hide behind will send them into cover — you can then leave by either pressing B or moving the left stick away. You also have the option of climbing over your cover by hitting “A” again. This is actually the only notable sticking point with the controls as there are times you will sprint (also mapped to the “A” button) into cover and instead of nestling behind it you may find yourself vaulting over it into oncoming fire. It doesn’t happen too often, but it can be annoying, especially during intense battles.

Stepping away from traditional shooters, you’ll also find you have powers that can be accessed for both you and your two squad mates by holding down the right bumper. This includes unleashing biotic powers (such as pulling an enemy from cover), equipping different types of ammo and more. You have the ability to map three of your powers to hot keys (Y, LB, RB), allowing gamers to utilize their most frequently used skills without using the power wheel by tapping the assigned button. Switching guns is done by holding down the left bumper, and the d-pad can be used to issue basic commands to your team such as to follow you or move to a specific location.

Graphics/Sound (4.75/5)

While there are certainly games out there with better graphics, Mass Effect 2 does a tremendous job when it comes to the detail and polish that help create a unique universe which is both incredibly deep and diverse. You’ll visit numerous planets during your quest, some civilized and others not so much, but they all feel as though they’re being inhabited. Machines show decay, some species live in squalor amid crime and corruption while others dwell on beautifully maintained worlds. However, even with the stark differences from one environment to the next the technology creates a common thread — the computer systems, weaponry, armor and Omni tools are exquisitely detailed in making all the diverse locales feel like they’re part of one universe. A byproduct of creating that level of familiarity across numerous planets is that it makes the encounters with truly alien technology feel that much more foreign.

The aliens themselves all look excellent with distinct personalities. Salarians are intelligent, Asari are sensual creatures that live unusually long lives, and the Krogan are hulking warriors that respect strength and embrace combat. Beyond the races seen in the original, the sequel also introduces some new, largely adversarial extra terrestrials, including the game’s primary protagonist, the Collectors. As usual, all of the additions are given their own history and culture, which helps in explaining their role within the world of Mass Effect.

However, although BioWare’s fantastically designed and implemented alien races look amazing, their human counterparts can be hit or miss. The two areas you’ll notice most are their hair and teeth, neither of which look particularly natural, especially on the peripheral characters you meet during your journey. The main character, Commander Sheppard, also has an unusual looking run as he moves through levels and his sprint, while better than the original, is also a bit off. Still, this amounts to little more than nitpicking given the game’s overall visual aesthetic.

A few months back I wrote in the Episodes From Liberty City review that when it came to voice acting there was Mass Effect, the Grand Theft Auto series and everyone else. Well, after hearing the voice work in Mass Effect 2 I feel compelled to amend that and say that BioWare has created the best, most compelling dialogue I’ve ever heard in a video game — leaving even Rockstar in the rear view mirror. The words come so naturally that you’ll find yourself nodding your head even as completely abstract concepts are seemingly explained with ease. It’s an absolutely incredible feat.

BioWare spared no expense in snaring some big names to voice key supporting roles, including veteran actor Martin Sheen, Carrie-Anne Moss, Tricia Helfer and Seth Green. There is simply a staggering amount of dialogue to be found here, especially when you consider that nearly every conversation in the game offers you multiple responses at several different points. Great writing and excellent delivery combine to create compelling characters, which is so vital because at its heart Mass Effect 2 is a character-driven tale. I simply can’t say enough about the job that was done here.

Going beyond the spoken dialogue, gamers are also in for a treat courtesy of an excellent score that really builds tension throughout the adventure. Combine that with great sound effects that cover everything large (explosions and gunfire) and small (ambient noise) and you’ve got a phenomenal all-around audio effort.

Gameplay (5/5)

Those that played through the first one will have the option of importing their character, which brings with it all the choices you made and creates a unique experience others that made alternate decisions won’t see. Those that are new can start from scratch and will be given the option to select the status of certain characters from the first game along with the state of the universe’s governing body. Once you’ve imported your character or made your choices (including the ability to select six different combat classes for Sheppard) the game begins. Mass Effect 2 picks up two years after the original, and to say it opens with a bang would be an understatement.

Without giving away any plot details let’s just say BioWare creates a good reason for your character to “start over” in terms of abilities. After being brought up to speed by your new allies you’re charged with the unenviable task of saving humanity (if not the entire galaxy) once again. Humans have been disappearing from colonies, and it’s up to you to determine why and then stop it. You’re presented with a ship and two team members to start off with, but from there you’ll need to traverse numerous worlds in an effort to recruit additional allies to aid you on your suicidal mission.

Not surprisingly, few are willing to give their help unconditionally, which means in most cases they’ll need your assistance before offering theirs. As part of this recruiting effort you’ll encounter numerous different species, all with their own motivations for aiding or opposing you. While nearly all of the action in this game boils down to moving from one bit of cover to another and blasting enemies, Mass Effect 2 presents so many interesting scenarios that things never feel bogged down. Plus, the inclusion of biotic and tech abilities (think of Force powers from the Star Wars universe) add another layer of strategy and gives gamers multiple ways to fight battles.

As you talk with your unlikely assemblage of bad asses, you’ll find they each have a story to tell. Past events and deeds haunt some of them and define others. Through these conversations you’ll unlock a series of loyalty missions, which you can choose to complete or not. Of course, by doing them you will strengthen your team along with adding an ability to each of their repertoires. As enjoyable as the main story is, a strong case can be made that the loyalty missions are the game’s high point.

It’s during these quests that your squad becomes even more defined. Their frailties and strengths are brought to the forefront, and it’s an absolutely fascinating ride. One story has you trying to help a hardened assassin reunite with his estranged son, who is on his way down the same path. Another has you defending a team member that has been accused of treason. Ultimately many of these loyalty quests revolve around family issues, but despite the common thread they’re all unique to the character and never feel recycled or familiar.

Exploration also plays a fairly large role in Mass Effect 2, as you’ll open up side missions via emails you receive or conversations you have on one of the primary worlds. You can also scan any of the dozens of planets in the Milky Way, some of which contain their own side quests. Scanning those planets is also the primary way to acquire the elements needed to research upgrades for your squad and ship. It can become a little tiresome to manually scan each one, but those that are patient are rewarded with enough materials to max out their various weapons and armor.

All told, I spent over 45 hours before beating the game, but additional content is already available via the Cerberus Network, which is included with the purchase of a new game. Additional free downloadable content is also already on tap, which is great news after the pledged support for the original fell well short of expectations.

However, it’s more than just the promise of more content that gives Mass Effect 2 its replay value. Instead it’s the amount of choices that BioWare puts at your fingertips throughout the adventure that can and will dramatically alter your individual experience with the game. Just as a small sample size I played through the final mission a couple times and watched drastically different outcomes. Plus, the fact that all these decisions will carry over to the already announced Mass Effect 3 lends them even more weight.

Any fans of the original that haven’t already picked up the sequel may find it a bit lean on the role-playing aspects found in the first, including grinding for experience and sorting through a nearly endless array of weapon drops. I can honestly say, though, that while I did miss some of those elements, the streamlined gameplay of Mass Effect 2 eventually won me over.

Overall (5/5)

Ultimately Mass Effect 2’s greatest achievement is how it makes itself a very personal experience. Seeing the Sheppard I created in the original carry forward with the same look (albeit with some new scars) with all the choices I made rippling through the sequel truly made me feel like I was playing something unique to me. It’s a beautiful cinematic experience that breaks new ground for the industry and is the kind of game that should cause console gamers that don’t own an Xbox 360 to pick one up. It’s easily one of the best games I’ve ever played, and I can’t wait for the final installment.

Before console gaming became commonplace, video arcades were filled with games that were basically designed to do one thing: make you spend quarter after quarter to keep playing. From those humble beginnings spawned unmerciful side-scrolling shooters like Contra and Metal Slug, both of which can clearly be considered forerunners to the recently released Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond. The run-and-gun title is dripping with self-deprecating humor, nods to classic gaming franchises and a ton of nearly non-stop action, but it’s not without its drawbacks.

Controls (3.5/5)

In an effort to mimic old school shooters you’ll find that both moving and aiming are controlled via the left stick while the right stick is unused. This works perfectly well when your enemies are in front or behind you, but when the screen is filling up with additional foes above, below and in the background as well, you’ll quickly find this decision may not have been a wise one. This is because to shoot at a target above you and to the right you’ll need to move the left stick in that direction, causing you to run forward while shooting — thereby making you less accurate. You can hold down either of the bumpers to simply aim your gun, but in that case you become a stationary target.

Another odd decision was designating a face button (X) as your primary shooting/melee attack. The right trigger, usually reserved for gun fire, instead tosses grenades while the left trigger allows you to fire into the background a la Shadow Complex. There is some platforming to be found as well, which you’ll need to navigate by pressing “A” to jump. Rack up enough kills and you’ll fill your “Hazard Meter.” Once full you can trigger “Hazard Time,” wherein you’re essentially invulnerable, by hitting “Y.”

The learning curve isn’t very steep here, but I can’t help but feel that things could’ve gone a lot more smoothly if aiming had been handled via the right stick. Too often I felt I was being forced to choose between accuracy and maneuverability, which is a tough tradeoff in a game that can be pretty unforgiving, particularly on the higher difficulty settings.

Graphics/Sound (4/5)

While Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond makes repeated jokes about its low budget nature, the visuals here are anything but. The developers clearly relished in the opportunity to make a game that looked to spoof so many other games and movies. You’ll see plenty of clever nods to games like Super Mario Bros., BioShock, Mirror’s Edge and even Elevator Action. There’s simply a ton of effort and detail work that went into the level design, which really pays off in spades.

The characters, enemies and bosses all look good. However, when it comes to the character models it’s really all about the death animations. The game makes heavy use of the rag doll effect, causing defeated enemies to slump to the ground amid copious amounts of bloodshed. Given the sheer number of foes you’ll be facing it was very important for things to remain fresh when it came to dispatching them, and the game does an excellent job in that department.

Another victim of the game’s supposed shoestring budget is an almost complete lack of voice acting. The game’s story advances via text boxes with the only actual spoken dialogue coming in the form of some fairly witty one-liners from Matt Hazard himself. Those one-liners actually came up a bit too often for my liking, however, dulling the humour. The sound effects and background music are fine, though the game does little to distinguish itself in either area.

Gameplay (4/5)

The game casts you in the role of Matt Hazard, who was the star of numerous fictional titles over the years. Now, one of your old nemeses, General Neutronov, has traveled through time and captured the 8-bit pixilated version of you and is planning to destroy him, meaning you’ll never exist to star in those other games. To rescue yourself you’ll need to warp into various games (they’re also fictional) in an effort to defeat the dastardly villain. Along the way you’ll be treated to numerous spoofs of real games, not to mention some sweet movie references — after all, what’s a time traveling plot without a DeLorean?

While the premise — kill everything that moves — remains constant from one level to the next, the environments vary greatly. Beyond waves of ever changing adversaries, you’ll also do some light platforming and face several old school boss fights. The screen can get pretty busy at times, particularly during sequences when you’ve got to destroy everything to advance, but slowdown is non-existent. It’s ultimately a testament to the variety of enemies and environments that the game continues to feel fresh for the duration despite a very simplistic formula.

Things move along at a brisk pace, though some may find the game’s brevity to be a negative as it spans only eight chapters and can be finished in a couple of hours. Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond does support local co-op, but surprisingly there’s no online multiplayer to be found. That means the only way to measure your skills with other gamers is via the leaderboard.

Although the overall experience is strong, there are some annoying items that will come up as you play through the game. Unquestionably the most annoying is if you die in the wrong position you may find yourself getting spawned into one or more additional deaths because the game drops you into water or some other instant death location in the environment. The game also locks as you move forward, meaning you can’t backtrack. This can be frustrating if you’re trying to nab a power up or collectable.

For those looking to squeeze more replay value out of this fairly modest package, each level does contain three hidden cartridge pieces for previous Hazard games. Find all three and you’ll be able to see the box art from the main menu and get a little back story for each title. There are also coins to be found, which allow you to play Ragdoll Pachinko after levels for additional bonus points. Three difficulty levels are present, though the hardest (accurately entitled “Fuck This Shit”) is for masochists only. You’ll also unlock a mini-game after completing the story based on the lunar landing level.

Overall (4/5)

With challenging gameplay that borders on seemingly impossible on the highest difficulty, Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond won’t be for everyone. The lack of online co-op is unfortunate, and the game comes in on the short side considering the price tag ($15). That being said, I’ve had fun every time I’ve fired it up, and it’s a great ride for those gamers that were weaned on Contra and the like.

One of my earliest video game memories as a child is of my father playing a standup arcade game called Pengo, wherein a little penguin pushed blocks of ice to destroy its nemeses, the Sno-Bees. By the time I reached gaming age, Pengo was nowhere to be seen, but I was still intrigued when I heard about Valcon Games’ Polar Panic, which was drawing comparisons to Pengo. Having played the game, I can say that while similarities exist, Polar Panic brings considerably more variety to the table. 

Controls (3/5)

The controls for Polar Panic couldn’t be easier as you simply use either the left stick or d-pad to guide your bear through the levels. Beyond that, only one button (X) is actually used during gameplay, which allows you to push blocks of ice or destroy snow. Even someone with zero gaming experience should grasp this game in a matter of minutes.

Unfortunately, maneuvering your bear around the mazes isn’t responsive enough. The game does not allow diagonal movement, instead limiting you to up/down and left/right which — combined with the slightly unrefined controls — leads to far too many instances of getting caught on a corner. Also adding to the frustration is that the trappers’ attacks never really seem to make contact and instead register as hits before reaching you, which reduces your ability to rely on reflexes for quick escapes.

Graphics/Sound (3/5)

Polar Panic features an artistic style that definitely looks geared towards a younger audience, and when I say younger I mean pre-teen. Your hero, Polar, is an unassuming looking bear with minimal personality. The game’s villain, Mr. Big, looks kind of like an evil version of the guy from the cover of Monopoly, unfortunately sans monocle. There’s a decent assortment of trappers, and while none of them really stand out, you shouldn’t have trouble differentiating the ones that carry clubs from the ones walking around with flamethrowers — a critical bit of info to have when devising your strategy.

The backgrounds can make things more difficult than they need to be at times, as I had some trouble identifying obstacles or switches that I needed to hit to advance. There isn’t a lot of variety from one stage to the next, either, which hurts given there are north of 100 levels.

A very pleasant score accompanies the action, and it serves as the game’s high point in terms of the audio/video presentation. Sound effects are fairly sparse with some occasional growls from Polar, laughter from the evil trappers and weapons firing.

Gameplay (3.75/5)

While Polar Panic fails to impress in the more superficial areas, it thankfully saves its best effort for where it matters the most…gameplay. The game comes with three modes: story, puzzle and survival. The story mode tells a tale of an evil corporation that bear-naps Polar’s family, causing our heroic carnivore to strike out in an effort to save his relatives and get revenge in the process. It’s very basic and unfolds during some text screens between chapters.

It’s only real purpose is to propel Polar into the next set of obstacles for him to clear. You’ll battle through 10 chapters in all, each of which contains five levels. After every other level there is also a boss fight, making for a total of 55 levels. They start out easy, but the challenge gets amped up as you move along even on the easiest of the three difficulty settings. The further you progress, the larger the maps will get, and the more enemies will fill them. You’ll also see more and more powerful enemies, starting with basic trappers that can only use a melee attack with their club all the way on to hunters tossing dynamite at Polar. The game also introduces different types of blocks to mix things up a bit, though you’ll still be primarily pushing blocks of ice throughout.

You’ll need to defeat all the trappers to advance, and each level has a time limit. There are also bonus objectives, such as rescuing other polar bears or destroying snowmen. At the end of each level your score will be tallied based on time remaining, bonuses collected and multipliers (you earn extra points for crushing more than one enemy at a time) with your performance earning a letter grade. Once you’ve finished a chapter you can go back and replay individual levels to improve your score.

Puzzle mode removes the enemies and makes it all about your ability to guide Polar to the exit. In some ways this presents more of a challenge than the story mode because one wrong move can render a puzzle unsolvable and force you to restart. Many of the later puzzles take a keen eye and patience to complete, and once you do solve them you’re encouraged to try again to reduce the number of moves you made while improving on your time. Both items are scored individually with your overall performance being posted on an online leaderboard. It undeniably makes for the most cerebral challenge found in Polar Panic.

For those that prefer less thinking and more thumping, survival mode pits you (and up to three friends) against never ending waves of trappers. It’s fast paced and easily accessible to everyone, making it the most family-friendly mode. Between the three game types you should find enough replay value to invest a good number of hours attempting to top your previous bests.

Overall (3.75/5)

Anyone glancing at the graphics and writing this off as a kid’s game is making a mistake, as Polar Panic actually ranks as a fairly challenging puzzler. The shortcomings in location variety and collision detection knock it down a peg, but there’s still significant value to be found for those that embrace the genre.

There’s no doubt that Tekken has come a long way since its clunky 3D polygon fighters first debuted on the PSone. After numerous official sequels and an off-shoot Tag Tournament game, gamers know what to expect with Tekken; the trick with each new title is for Namco to add improvements while keeping the essential controls and timing the same. This is where Tekken 6 succeeds. It’s still an acquired taste, but with so many modes and characters to choose from, the game is more robust — and accessible — than ever before.

Controls (4.5/5)

Namco’s motto must have been “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” during Tekken 6 development. If you’ve played the game before, then you know the controls, and that much hasn’t changed. Each face button corresponds to a limb (left and right arms, left and right legs), and the trigger buttons are programmable to combinations suited to your character (e.g., L1 can be right arm/left arm). Movement within the fighting plane is handled by the directional pad, not the analog stick, and true arcade-style fighters can purchase an additional joystick to get a sense of authenticity to their controls.

Crisp and reliable, the basics of Tekken are as solid as ever, though they take getting used to if you’re accustomed to Street Fighter-style buttons. The responsiveness of directional movement depends solely on the character you pick. Some characters move briskly and are based on fast-strike moves while others use more power-based attacks, and movements are adjusted as such. This balance (42 characters — the deepest Tekken roster ever) gives players the freedom to experiment with different styles and speeds, thus providing nearly endless replayability.

Because the controls are so responsive, precise combos can be pulled off with enough practice, and that’s where one of Tekken’s strongest attributes come through. In its customizable practice mode, players can pull up a command list and practice each character’s moves to perfection, either against a static dummy or one that plays like a CPU-controlled opponent. Every character has more than 100 moves or combos, and the trick comes down to the exact timing required to pull off combos. Timing, in fact, has a great deal to do with defense too, as well-timed button or pad presses can get your character out of a jam while falling or when your opponent attempts a hold.

For beginners, the learning curve may be steep, though the very helpful practice mode is willing to hold your hand until you get up to speed. It’s best to stick with one character until you’re comfortable with the general game timing and control scheme; after a few hours, you should have seen enough of the roster that you can select the fighter you want to perfect.

The only area where controls can drag down is when playing online on a lag-plagued connection. Since Tekken requires precise movements, don’t bother playing online unless you know your connection is consistent.

Graphics/Sound (3.5/5)

While Tekken’s graphics improve each generation, there’s no comparison to this generation’s leaders such as Metal Gear Solid 4 or Uncharted 2. The models simply aren’t detailed enough, though backgrounds are greatly improved over Tekken 5. Namco has added better lighting effects and background animations (such as helicopters zooming over the fighting arena), along with interactive arena objects (watch the sheep fly when you fight on a Scandinavian hillside). The fight animations are as smooth as ever, especially during the slow-motion replays following rounds. Thanks to the processing power of this generation’s consoles, additional animated details — flowing cloaks, hair movements, and yes, breast jiggling on female characters — have made it into the game.

The game’s audio is essentially the same as previous versions: fight sounds, an announcer, and generic music designed to go along with each arena’s theme. Each character has voiceover, though the lines are so sparse that it doesn’t matter if the delivery is actually good or bad. Character voices are recorded in their native language, so a lot of the post-match smack-talking is done by reading subtitles.

Gameplay (5/5)

For fight fans, Tekken 6 just might be the perfect combination of roster, styles, and gameplay modes. You can pick one of 40 unique characters to play and starting with offline modes, here are the other modes:

• Arcade mode: A replica of the Tekken 6 arcade game
• Ghost mode: A never ending series of battles where “ghosts” (character difficulty based on downloaded stats from online users) of various levels challenge you
• Practice mode: An in-depth way to perfect your moves, including fighting against any opponent (static or active) in any arena
• Campaign mode: A story-driven side-scrolling beat-em-up

Tekken 6 keeps your statistics, and each win earns you credits for purchasing character customizations (such as Halo-esque armor for Bryan Fury) along with a gradually improving battle rank. Your battle rank starts fresh with each character you play, and there’s a cap on how high you can go playing solely offline.

Playing against the computer may be great for practice, but Tekken 6 truly shines when it creates a virtual arcade for an unlimited amount of unique opponents. The game’s online mode offers two ways to play: ranked matches (for the international Tekken leaderboard) and quick matches (wins and losses don’t affect record). You can also set up custom games and invitations to play against your cross-country college buddies or members of your gaming clan.

With many characters re-appearing after previous games, it’s natural that their move set offers some familiarity. However, Tekken 6 has put in just enough variation that move sets feel like a natural growth or offset of previous games, not exact copies. Old moves are timed differently to create new chain or combo possibilities, and even old standbys like Jin Kazama have new tricks up their sleeve. As for the eight new characters, they fully round out the roster with unique fighting styles to truly give something for everyone.

Because Tekken’s character list and move sets are so diverse, nearly every player has his or her individual style. Thus, even though you may play against Paul Phoenix twice in a row in Tekken 6’s online space, you’re bound to have an entirely different match thanks to the variations in fighting style and skill level. The characters may even look different, as everything from hair to footwear to belt accessories can be customized via purchases with game-earned credits. However, none of the weapon accessories (swords, guns, even a giant fan) affect the game, so there’s no chance that Tekken turns into Soulcalibur.

Your online competition is quite diverse, as Tekken 6 lets you prioritize how matches are made (skill level, location, connection quality), though you might not get your preference depending on who’s currently online. There’s nothing quite as disheartening as taking your measly 2-5 record up against someone with the rank of Marauder and over 1,000 matches played.

Overall (4.5/5)

While not a giant leap in graphics, Tekken 6 offers the most diverse roster of fighters to date in the series. An in-depth training mode, robust offline mode, and endless online matches make it a fight fan’s dream. With 42 possible characters to learn or play against, the combinations are limitless; tack on online mode against human opponents from all over the world and you’ve got a reason to keep coming back until Tekken 7. If you’ve moved away from the series for a few versions or always hesitated to try it, Tekken 6 is worth it for any fight fan.

When I was standing in line at my local Walmart at 3 a.m. on Black Friday to purchase a Playstation 3, I had grand visions of all the PS exclusive titles I’d now have access to. Big name games like Uncharted 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots sustained me during the seemingly endless wait. But lo and behold, it would be a little title called Fat Princess that would serve as my first taste of those wonderful PS3 exclusives. A charming game oozing with humour, Fat Princess is an absolute blast.

Controls (4/5)

Things are very straight forward when it comes to controlling your character in Fat Princess as you’ll only be using one button for the most common tasks. Pressing the square initiates your primary action, which can be things like swinging your sword or chopping down a tree, while keeping it held down unleashes a more powerful version of the move. You lock onto your target by pressing L1.

Beyond that, the X button causes you to jump, circle puts on hats (which change your character to one of five different classes) and triangle toggles between primary and secondary functions once the character classes have been upgraded. For example, an upgraded warrior can switch between his basic load out (sword and shield) and his advanced version (spear), which is more powerful offensively.

Each class has different moves, but they’re all incredibly simple to pull off. In fact, things may be a bit too simplistic as combat is generally little more than mashing the attack button. It would’ve been cool to see some combos, jumping attacks or something to mix things up a bit. It also gets a little tiresome to constantly be holding down the L1 button. Still, the overall scheme is solid.

Graphics/Sound (4.5/5)

The artistic style in Fat Princess immediately had me thinking of a combination between Castle Crashers and the cartoon Happy Tree Friends. It’s a fantastic mix of ultra cutesy backgrounds and character models combined with blood spurting violence. The environments are very lush and colourful, and the game allows quite a bit of customization when it comes to your little character — cleverly listed in the options menu under the heading “Get Fabulous.” Skin tone, hair cut, facial hair and more can be altered with additional choices being unlocked as you progress.

There are eight maps total, all of which are lovingly created with unique features such as waterfalls and molten lava, along with a gladiatorial arena where you fight waves of enemies. Gamers can even take it to the pitch for the most violent game of soccer you’ve ever seen. The animations are great, and the bloody eviscerations never get old.

While Fat Princess doesn’t contain a ton of variety of the audio front, it gets a lot of mileage from what’s included. From the basic medieval menu music to Sir Mix-A-Lot belting out “Baby Got Back” during the credits — at which point you get to hack the game’s designers to death — the songs do a strong job of keeping the tone light. The sound effects are solid, and the British narrator is excellent whether reading the fairy tale of the Fat Princess or providing updates during the multiplayer.

Gameplay (4/5)

On one hand, Fat Princess is amazingly simplistic. On the other, it’s a deceptively deep strategic game that requires a lot of teamwork to be played successfully. The game does feature something of a single-player campaign (hilariously entitled “Play with Yourself”) as you progress through the fairy tale story of the Fat Princess. However, in reality, it’s little more than a glorified tutorial as you’re introduced to the different maps and game types. It’s still worth playing through if for no other reason than to unlock every chapter of the story, but undoubtedly the meat and potatoes (or cake as it were) of this package is found in the online multiplayer.

Fat Princess impressively supports up to 32 players and will fill in for any missing gamers with computer controlled bots. The A.I. won’t embarrass itself, but it’s no match for able human competitors, which makes the uneven distribution between the teams a point of contention. At times you’ll find yourself in a game with say 24 humans and eight bots, but instead of splitting it down the middle one team may have 14 humans and the other has 10. In those instances you can pretty much guess which side is going to come out on top. Also working against the online experience is some occasional slowdown, which while not debilitating, can be frustrating.

The bigger issue is one that must be placed squarely on those playing the game, which is the number of times things devolve into just running around and killing. Sure, it can be fun for a while, but Fat Princess is all about teamwork, and if your team isn’t communicating it’s simply not as enjoyable. On the flip side, if you’re in a game with others that embrace communication and working together this can be one of the best online experiences out there.

Each game consists of two 16-player teams going head to head in one of four match types: Rescue the Princess, Team Deathmatch, Invasion and Capture the Princess. Within that, each player is given five different character classes to choose from. There are offensive classes, support classes and even workers. Each class has a specific job to do and the classes are balanced to the point that each one has value, which is essential as otherwise you’d see 16 warriors running around and no priests.

The five classes also allow for vastly different experiences from one game to the next as you could choose to play as a worker one time, upgrading your facilities and destroying the other team’s, and then go as a ranger the next, unleashing ranged attacks. Switching classes is as easy as putting on a hat, and while there are always hat machines for all five classes in your home castle you can also pick up the hats of fallen allies or foes on the battlefield to switch on the fly.

There’s always a ton going on, making for an enjoyably chaotic experience. Packs of players will make a run at rescuing the princess, only to find your enemy has been feeding her cursed cake and making her double in size. Now she’ll be heavier and therefore it’ll take longer to drag her back across the map, which means you’re going to need a larger escort. So you call out to your teammates and several warriors pile into the catapult, launching themselves to your aid. It’s quite a sight to see when both teams are coordinated and it gives Fat Princess a ton of replay value.

Overall (4.25/5)

Ultimately, Fat Princess is all about cooperation, meaning to get the most out of this title you’ll need to embrace your fellow gamers and work together to accomplish the missions. Assuming you can do that, this is a great game that has a lot more strategy going on than one might expect.

While the NFL and Major League Baseball may reign supreme in the United States, much of the rest of the planet eats, sleeps and breathes soccer. With the World Cup in South Africa just a matter of months away, I thought I’d test drive Konami’s latest footy title, Pro Evolution Soccer 2010. Known for years as Winning Eleven, this series has long been lauded for its strong gameplay and realistic approach to recreating the action on the pitch. With more licensed teams and improved graphics, Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 looks to be hitting its stride on the current generation of systems.

Controls (3.5/5)

There’s no question PES 2010 puts a ton of different moves at your disposal, but being able to easily execute them is another matter entirely. Much like the NBA 2k series, players will discover the basics are readily accessible and easy to grasp while more advanced techniques remain best suited for hardcore gamers and series veterans. To that end you’ll find four full pages of controls listed in the instruction manual in a font size usually reserved for the fine print of a coupon.

As noted, however, the fundamentals will take you a long way and can be learned quickly. You move with the left stick (now in a full 360 degrees) and can employ three separate types of passes: short (A), long/cross (B) and through (Y). Moving the right stick also allows you to pass in a specific direction manually rather than to a teammate. Shooting is handled with the X button, which when held down fills up a meter — the fuller it is the harder you shoot, though you sacrifice accuracy. Finding the proper balance between getting enough on the shot to get it past the keeper and not so much that you send it six rows deep ranks as one of the game’s constant challenges.

Defensively, things are even simpler as you apply pressure on the ball by holding down A or go for a sliding tackle with B. If you’re off ball you can tell the computer to challenge the dribbler by simply holding down X. You can also dash with the right bumper and switch players with the left. In Become a Legend mode, holding down the left bumper will put the CPU in charge of your player for those that aren’t sure where to position themselves on the pitch.

Things can feel a little overwhelming early on, and even after dozens of games I still don’t feel like I’m competent enough with the controls to do everything I’d like to. So while nothing feels unresponsive, beginners should still expect a fairly steep learning curve beyond the basics.

Graphics/Sound (3.75/5)

From a pure graphical standpoint, PES 2010 can look absolutely beautiful. The stadiums give a great sense of scale, making the players appear like virtual ants in such a grand setting. The visuals hold up nicely during replays and close-ups of the players as well, displaying plenty of detail. Uniforms are colourful and the pitch itself looks simultaneously well manicured and heavily used. However, the real star of the presentation is the lighting. Depending on what time of day a match is played you can be treated to some nearly photo realistic effects in that area.

While the player models look good, there are things associated with their movement that is decidedly off. Dribbling and sprinting seem to be the two most obvious examples as whatever motion capture is being used just doesn’t quite click. It’s more apparent during the replays when the camera zooms in with things not looking as smooth and lifelike as they should.

The audio is generally strong, particularly with the sounds of the crowd in the stadium. They react appropriately to where you’re playing and what’s happening in the game. One of my favourite moments came when my created player was removed after scoring a goal to put his team up 3-0 on the road and was booed lustily when he left the game. However, my feelings remain mixed on the commentary by Jon Champion and Mark Lawrenson. Champion does most of the heavy lifting with Lawrenson chiming in following stoppages, and while his voice and tone match the action he can get repetitive in a hurry. A respectable soundtrack rounds out the audio package.

Gameplay (4/5)

Like so many other current sports titles, Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 is built around two primary single-player modes: Master League (your basic franchise mode) and Become a Legend (create a player from scratch and play as only him for a full career).

I’ve become attached to taking control of a single player and guiding them through their career ever since NHL ‘09, and PES 2010 starts you off as a 17-year-old looking to sign with a club. You pick a league you want to compete in and then play in what’s essentially a tryout match. After the match is over you’ll be given offers to sign with clubs. From there the mode quickly becomes a grind.

I signed a contract in the English Premier League with the fictional West Midlands Village (Aston Villa) and was relegated to intra-squad matches. I worked my way up to the bench and eventually the starting lineup, but outside of an end of game rating and defensive grade there was zero feedback on what areas I was strong in or where I needed to improve. Even though the coach grading in EA’s NHL series and feedback system in NBA 2k10 aren’t always fair, at least you’ve got sense of why you’re being criticized or praised. Here you just kind of move from one match to the next and do your thing.

Become a Legend is by no means devoid of fun, especially considering the majority of the time is spent playing in-game soccer, which is PES 2010’s strongest selling point. Plus, you can switch teams and/or leagues, compete in other countries, play for national clubs and more as your career advances. Still, I feel like a little added depth would’ve gone a long way to creating a mode which would be easier to become immersed within.

Soccer aficionados should embrace the Master League, which puts you in control of any team you choose. I took the easy way out and chose to lead the star-studded Manchester United club, which is one of only two fully licensed teams in the English Premier League and features easily recognizable names that even casual fans will know, such as Wayne Rooney, Edwin van der Sar and Michael Owen. The amount of info at your disposal can be a bit overwhelming for those that aren’t well versed in soccer, especially given the mix of real/fake players combined with the sheer number of leagues and players in the game.

As Man U I operated with a massive budget and wealthy sponsors, but the rules showed the possibility of going bankrupt for less well funded clubs, which would restrict your ability to sign talent. Keeping an eye on the bottom line really adds some depth as you’re constantly drawing revenue from sponsorships, ticket sales and merchandising. You’ll also have access to training and strategy for your team along with the ability to summon players from your youth club, loan/borrow talent on the transfer market, sign coaches, trainers and much more.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 does a really strong job of making the schedule feel full with standard league games, national tournaments and the fully licensed (and ultra slick looking) UEFA Champions League. Your players need to be given games off, which leads to frequent shuffling of the lineups and even then many of them will depart to play for their home country only to return fatigued. There’s always plenty going on and it really does make you feel like you’re overseeing a lot of things.

The actual in-game action on the pitch moves along briskly, and you’ll need to do a nice job moving the ball and executing your set pieces if you want to score goals on the higher difficulty settings. The goaltender A.I. can be a little hit or miss as I’ve seen times where a goalie will just watch a ball go right past him without even reacting. Overall, however, the players move to cut you off and free runs at the netminder are few and far between. That difficultly level makes scoring goals eminently satisfying while also making those balls that bound off the crossbar all the more agonizing.

A handful of forays into the online realm of PES 2010 were surprisingly solid given some of the problems I’ve encountered in other games when playing against the good people that don’t reside in North America. The lobbies are easy to navigate and the community is large enough that you shouldn’t have trouble finding a match. Also worth mentioning is a robust editing system that allows you to edit names, uniforms and just about anything else you can think of. This allows dedicated fans to get around the lack of full licensing.

Overall (4/5)

Even with some underdeveloped modes and unlicensed players/teams, Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 comes through where it matters most, on the pitch itself. The game is fast paced without having an arcade feel and is quite simply a lot of fun to play.

Coming off the phenomenal Madden NFL 10, EA Tiburon decided to put its NFL license to different use and unleash Madden NFL Arcade on the Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network. It strips away most of the intricacies of real football, instead opting for short, fast-paced games that are accessible to players of all ability levels. While those expecting an updated version of EA’s now defunct NFL Street series may be disappointed, Madden NFL Arcade offers some enjoyment of its own.

Controls (4/5)

If you’re familiar at all with the Madden franchise you’ll immediately feel at home with the “standard” control setting. Even someone like me, who is brand new to the PS3 and had logged a ton of hours on the Xbox 360 versions, had no trouble making the transition. This is definitely the preferred setting as it gives you access to all the usual moves and maps them to the traditional locales.

The game also comes with an “arcade” setting, which attempts to simplify the controls by omitting some less essential functions — such as pump faking, hurdling and diving — and remapping others. It felt counterintuitive to me, but then again I’m a grizzled veteran of the series and not the casual gamer they were aiming for with the streamlined setup. Madden NFL Arcade even displays hints for what buttons to press during gameplay, although that can be turned off from the options menu.

As far as executing the moves I felt there was a slight delay between when I jabbed the right stick for a juke and when it took place. For better or worse that split second seems to make it more about anticipating than reacting, so for me it took a little while to get the timing down. Also of minor annoyance is that the game’s default controller setting is “arcade,” meaning you’ll need to change it before playing each time you load up the game since it won’t save your preference.

Graphics/Sound (3.5/5)

Visually, the player models in Madden NFL Arcade are ripped from the Wii version of Madden NFL 10 and may have some detractors because of their cartoony nature. Given that this is an arcade title and EA was clearly attempting to differentiate it from the retail game I don’t have a problem with it at all. In fact, it reminds of Nintendo’s classic 8-bit effort Ice Hockey, where the teams were made up of fat guy, skinny guy and medium-sized guy.

Beyond the disproportionate body parts with hulking linemen and incredibly lanky receivers, the graphics are vibrant. The uniforms look good, as do the stadiums and firework celebrations. Player animations are generally smooth and realistic, though it seems like the ability to tackle effectively has been decreased. However, to me that amount of realism is actually a bit disappointing as the over-the-top moments are few and far between (sorry NFL Blitz fans, no post-whistle leg drops).

Minimalism is the word of the day when it comes to the audio presentation. The grunts and cheers during the games are solid, though there’s nary a word of trash talking going on. A couple songs pop up here and there to go along with some sound effects associated with the game changers, but ultimately things stay pretty hushed.

Gameplay (3.5/5)

Electronic Arts shoots for a simple, pick-up-and-play experience with Madden NFL Arcade, and there’s no denying it hits the mark. The game has cut the field length to 60 yards, eliminated first downs and kickers (you have four downs to score), reduced the number of players on the field from 22 to 10 and made it so the first team to reach 30 points wins. In addition, each snap presents only four play types to choose from (run, short/medium/long pass on offense and blitz, short/medium/long coverage on defense) and there are no pre-snap adjustments outside of flipping the play. This level of simplicity can be both good and bad. On the upside, it helps to level the playing field for gamers of nearly every skill level, but on the downside what’s left makes for a very similar experience from one game to the next.

The trimmed down playbook is a big reason for the ongoing sense of déjà vu. On defense you’re only given four plays, and they’re all quite similar. The down lineman always rushes and the safety always plays zone. Your corners play man-to-man except on the “deep cover” call. That leaves your linebacker as the only guy really mixing it up as he can rush the passer, play shallow/medium zone or man-to-man with the back. Unfortunately, if you’re not controlling that linebacker expect him to lose the running back on flat routes all day long.

On offense there’s not much variety either, with your playbook consisting of a dozen or so plays chosen at random after making your choice of short/medium/deep throws (there’s just one running play). There are no trick plays whatsoever, and you’ll likely find yourself dumping off to the back a lot since the safety is always over the top making it 3-on-2 against your receivers at all times. Your wideouts will also regularly sit down in their routes around 10-20 yards downfield, which can be a problem when you’ve only got four plays to score. It would’ve been nice to see a little more variety in play calls as well as with receivers continuing to look for open space when the quarterback scrambles.

While the basic plays of Madden NFL Arcade are limited, the addition of game changers does a good job of capturing the arcade feel and bringing a level of strategy to things. There are a dozen in all, though some will come up much more often than others. Several of them are effective (Frostbite, It’s Alive, Fumbilitis) while others are kind of useless (Triple Threat, Flying Blind). The one that everyone talks about, though, is “Flip Flop,” which allows you to switch scores with your opponent. I recognize the appeal of making it so no one is ever truly out of a game, but I also understand a lot of the venom I’ve seen in forums about it as it essentially punishes you for winning. I’ve only encountered it twice in 30-plus games so it doesn’t seem to come up very often.

The game action is fun despite the simplicity, though it suffers from a dearth of options, allowing you to play a single game versus the computer, local multiplayer or online. That’s it. There’s no progressive season mode or even a challenge ladder. Although the PS3 online community doesn’t appear huge for this game (I only once saw a person in a lobby) I never had trouble finding a quick match. Things usually ran smoothly with no detectable lag; however a couple contests against players with sub par Internet connections resulted in brief hiccups in the gameplay. Things never jumped around the screen, but it would stop for a moment before resuming.

Those that play online will notice an inordinate number of people playing as the Titans or Eagles. This is because Vince Young and Donovan McNabb are excellent scramblers, and if you choose to go through with the match odds are you’ll be seeing a ton of your opponent running with the QB. It’s a cheap exploit, and I’d recommend backing out of games if your would-be opponent selects one of those two clubs. Assuming you can find a legitimate game, things are pretty fun, and there is almost always an ebb and flow to keep things exciting. Offline multiplayer is also enjoyable, allowing for one-on-one or two-on-two matches with you and your friends. Unfortunately, the option to team up is not available online.

Overall (3.75/5)

There’s no doubt Madden NFL Arcade still has some kinks to iron out, most notably expanding the single player options, but it’s a fun game to play that doesn’t require a lengthy time commitment. Those that enjoy playing with friends and/or online should get enough out of this to justify the $15 (1,200 MS points) it’ll set you back.

While Call of Duty as a whole ranks as one of the defining series on the current generation of consoles, developer Infinity Ward actually launched its initial offering exclusively on PCs back in 2003, and until recently it had remained there. However, with the release of Modern Warfare 2 came a ported version of the original now entitled Call of Duty Classic. It was initially available only to those who purchased the Prestige and Hardened editions of Modern Warfare 2, but it has now been made accessible to everyone via Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.

Controls (3.5/5)

Being asked to transition the control scheme from the PC to consoles may not sound like a daunting task for a first-person shooter, but clearly some compromises had to be made, and those that have been playing the Call of Duty series in recent years will find a somewhat less user friendly experience. Thankfully the basics, such as aiming down the sights and firing, remain unchanged with both sticks and triggers performing the same tasks.

Where things start feeling foreign is with the bumpers. In Call of Duty Classic you’ll use them to cycle through your four weapon choices (two rifles, a pistol and a grenade) rather than tossing primary and secondary grenades. This negates your ability to quickly toss grenades while keeping your gun handy and makes it much less of a defensive alternative. Also different is the ability to lean left or right by pressing the d-pad. It definitely felt unnatural to hold down the left trigger to look down the sights and then lean out while still being ready to fire.

You can still melee by clicking down on the right trigger, though it doesn’t seem as accurate or effective. However, the ability to sprint is not included, which made me feel slow and exposed when I tried to move between cover. I also felt the tank controls were really clunky. Even with some changes anyone with first-person shooter experience should adjust quickly.

Graphics/Sound (3.5/5)

Yes, Call of Duty Classic is ported from a six-year-old PC game, but given the speed of technological advances in the world of gaming, graphics age in dog years. It isn’t an ugly game per se and you’ll actually see several different areas during the game’s missions. However, you’ll notice most environments are fairly sparse and the player models have some rather unnatural looking animations, particularly when running.

Now while I won’t hold outdated graphics against a game, there are two visual issues that may affect your ability to play successfully at times. First, some of the nighttime missions are incredibly dark no matter what you do with the brightness setting of your television. When your enemies are close it’s not too bad, but when you’re trying to pick off Nazis at a distance it becomes an issue. The other item comes up when firing the mounted machine gun as the burst from the gun takes up so much of the screen you really can’t see what you’re shooting at if you use sustained fire. Even with short bursts it can still be tough to keep track of advancing foes.

On the audio side of the ledger you’ll find a solid effort, though it won’t come close to matching some of the immersive experiences found in more recent titles. The sound effects are good and because there are no blips to indicate where shots were fired you’ll actually need to listen for things like footsteps and dialogue to tip off where the enemies are. There are a couple known actors voicing characters in the game, most notably Jason Statham as Sergeant Waters, and their work along with some nice accompanying music help elevate the overall experience.

Gameplay (3.75/5)

Even though the Call of Duty series has grown immensely in terms of production values and popularity over the years, fans will easily spot the basic gameplay elements that have defined the series, albeit on a smaller scale. As usual, you’ll be asked to advance on entrenched adversaries and mow them down with extreme prejudice. It’s a tried and true formula, and despite the enemy A.I. not being up to par with current titles, it’s still cool to see some of Infinity Ward’s groundwork with the series. In fact, one element I actually preferred was the use of the health meter, which makes you weigh your decisions to step into the open more carefully since you don’t automatically heal by simply ducking into cover.

Call of Duty Classic sets you on three separate paths during World War II, allowing you to battle oodles of Nazis as a member of the American, British and Soviet armies. The game consists of more than 20 missions, though none of them are particularly long. Among that group there are definitely some standouts and clunkers with the usual smattering of vehicle-based assignments mixed in. You’ll also be presented with a coherent storyline that ties the missions together while developing characters. To that end, fans of Infinity Ward’s two Modern Warfare titles will see a familiar face along the way.

Most of my beefs with the game have already been noted with the graphical issues, though there are a couple other items worth noting. The biggest is that the game just feels like it’s moving in slow motion at times — an issue that’s exacerbated when you’re trying to cover ground on the battlefield without the benefit of sprinting. I also found myself wandering around trying to find my objective. The worst was on the boat level where I didn’t realize I was supposed to shoot some machinery with my gun and spent 10-to-15 minutes trying to find where to plant the C4. Lastly, there’s no manual save and checkpoints don’t pop up consistently, leading to the maddening scenario of having to replay a large chunk of a level only to see a checkpoint save where it didn’t before.

In addition to a several-hour campaign, Call of Duty Classic is also packed with a full multiplayer. It comes with six basic modes and everyone starts over after each game so there’s no progression involved. The big issue with multiplayer is that it only supports eight players, which leaves the bigger maps feeling sparsely populated. I actually enjoyed the nostalgic gameplay elements, though I wonder how active of a community it will have.

Overall (3.75/5)

I’m sure the outdated graphics alone will dissuade some from purchasing Call of Duty Classic, and the price tag ($15, 1,200 MS Points) does feel a bit hefty for a ported game. However, the overall experience is fun and long-time fans of the series should enjoy playing the game that started the phenomenon.

There was a time that I actually preferred the NCAA Football series to Madden, but that ship sailed some time ago and I’ve exclusively played pro sports titles since moving to the current generation of consoles. That changed with the arrival of NCAA Basketball 10, EA Sports’ latest foray into the world of collegiate hoops. Is it enough to renew my enthusiasm for the amateur sports world, or am I heading back to my beloved overpaid virtual athletes as soon as I’m done typing this? We’ll see.

Controls (4/5)

NCAA Basketball 10 does a lot of things right with its controls, making for a game that’s immediately accessible and yet still has enough depth that you’ll improve as you play. All your shooting will be handled with the X button, while passing can be done by pressing A (at which point you’ll dish the rock to the teammate you’re facing) or holding down the left trigger and choosing the face button that appears over the players’ heads. One of the cool things on that front is that if you keep the left trigger depressed you can take control of whichever player you select, allowing you to run them to open spots and then passing the ball by releasing the trigger. It works great and really elevates the gameplay. You can also call for picks (B) and attempt alley oops (right bumper).

The best addition is the motion offense, which is initiated with a tap of the left bumper. Once activated, your A.I. teammates will start moving, setting picks and posting up off the ball. As they do so the face buttons over their heads turn from gray to colour to indicate they’re open to receive the pass. Be warned that turnovers do still happen so don’t rely exclusively on the button indicator. If a player looks covered don’t throw the ball. This feature adds a lot of realism and helps differentiate NCAA Basketball 10 from the pro offerings out there. I’m also pleased to say that I ran a ton of motion offense and never felt like I could just dial up a specific play that couldn’t be stopped.

For those that prefer to run isolation or penetrate and kick, EA has you covered there as well with multiple offensive sets that can be called by holding down the left bumper. You’re supplied with turbo (right trigger) and a collection of spin moves and crossovers mapped to the right stick to help you break down your defender. However, as well as perimeter play is handled, post offense feels pretty lean and affords only a handful of moves at your disposal.

Defensively, things don’t hold up quite as well. Your player assumes a defensive stance on his own and with practice you’ll be able to keep people in front of you. Those that don’t want to be bothered with trying to lock down their opponent on their own can hold down the right bumper to activate the defensive assist, which functions fairly well as a passive alternative. Assuming you elect to control your own player you can try to steal or deflect a pass with the X button, switch players (A), execute a double team (B) and block/rebound (Y) as well. The right stick also comes into play on defense as you can raise your hands by pushing the stick up and attempt to draw a charge by pushing it down. For whatever reason, you cannot keep your hands elevated and move.

While those moves function well for the most part, things once again bog down when the ball gets down low both in regards to post defense and rebounding. Unlike the 2k series where you can engage players with their back to the basket or box out, NCAA Basketball 10 makes it too difficult to maintain steady body contact and therefore you’ll give up too many offensive rebounds. I found it best to let the CPU handle things down low and bring a guard down to help out on the glass. With so many areas controlling so well, the shortcomings on the low block are exacerbated, but they’re not close to enough to dissuade you from playing.

Graphics/Sound (3.75/5)

Unquestionably, the biggest graphical selling point of NCAA Basketball 10 is the fantastic job that’s been done in terms of recreating a television viewing experience. The game features not only all the authentic overlays and graphics from ESPN’s college basketball telecasts, but CBS Sports’ as well. It’s incredibly cool to have that variety especially during the NCAA Tournament, which has been shown on CBS for decades, as it adds a level of authenticity. Everything looks spot on throughout each game from the starting lineups to keys to the game to highlight packages. This opens up so many possibilities for future titles I’m already salivating at the potential of seeing other pro titles getting the same treatment.

The player models look decent, but given the number of teams and players, you’ll see plenty of clones throughout the game both in terms of body type and faces. Animations look really strong for the most part with guys reacting naturally to collisions, swatting shots and diving for loose balls. You’ll see the occasional out of place animation, such as someone falling for no apparent reason following a shot, but they’re few and far between. The uniforms themselves are vibrant and the new cloth animations make the player movement look more realistic. Also worth noting are the beautifully rendered arenas, which come complete with dynamic fan and bench reactions.

While most of the graphical work is spot on, the audio presentation fails to match. I do applaud EA for including two distinct broadcast crews with Brad Nessler, Dick Vitale and Erin Andrews handling the ESPN games while Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery draw the duties on CBS. However, you’ll find the dialogue quickly repeats, particularly on the CBS side, and they rarely match the emotion of the fans or players on the court. For instance, I buried a go-ahead three late in a Sweet Sixteen contest and the Johnson/Raftery combination barely batted an eye. It’s strange, considering Johnson does as good a job as anyone in the business at adding excitement to a broadcast, but for whatever reason it simply doesn’t come across here. The sound effects and crowd noise is well done while the soundtrack consists of collegiate fight songs.

Gameplay (4/5)

The in-game action in NCAA Basketball 10 plays out at a good pace, with players moving fast enough to keep things exciting without going so fast that it gets an arcade feel. The A.I. is generally good, though there are some hiccups in that department. Players will drift out of bounds and still call for passes or move into the backcourt, which shouldn’t happen. Defensively, you’ll see instances where players look confused as to which zone to occupy. This leads to things like your 2-3 Zone becoming a 3-2 and guys in the post being left unchecked. I’d also like to see interior defenders do a better job of collapsing the lane when the perimeter defense breaks down rather than doing matador impressions as the opponent attacks the basket for an easy layup. All those issues are fairly minor, but it’d be nice to see some of those things get cleaned up.

In terms of modes, you’ll have the option to play a quick game, enter a handful of authentic tournaments (like the Maui Classic), skip ahead to the big dance or compete in dynasty mode. Obviously, the dynasty mode serves as the primary single-player option, allowing you to take over at the helm of a program and steer it for up to 30 seasons. Along the way you’ll get to do things like recruit players, build new additions to your school’s facilities and customize your non-conference schedule. Perform well and you’ll be rewarded with more scholarships and an increased budget. Become the basketball version of Charlie Weis and things won’t be so rosy.

Recruiting players is the most important aspect of the dynasty mode, and it’s handled fairly well. You’re given a certain number of recruiting points and scholarships to offer high school seniors to begin with and it’s up to you to distribute them. E-mailing an athlete will only cost one point, but dispatching your head coach to meet with him personally costs considerably more. It becomes a balancing act, though I felt players were pretty quick to commit to my program even though I was at mid-major Creighton. It certainly seemed to be a far cry from the days when five-star recruits wouldn’t even look my way in the NCAA Football days when I was running the Akron Zips.

One of the cool aspects of dynasty mode is that the game reshuffles the “toughest places to play” (a list of 20 arenas where it’s more difficult to succeed, complete with shaking cameras during the on court action) after each year, meaning sustained success at home could earn you a spot on the list. The game accurately calculates RPI and has both Top 25 polls, though I found those rankings to favour the major schools too much. I guided Creighton to a 34-0 season that included wins over ranked teams Kansas (No. 1), West Virginia (No. 7) and Butler (No. 20), yet never climbed past the 17th spot. And when the tournament arrived, complete with a little selection show, my Blue Jays were given a No. 4 seed.

Unfortunately, I did encounter one serious issue during dynasty mode, and that was my game freezing up during games on several occasions. Thankfully, most of the time it happened during the pre-game breakdown, though I did have two games freeze in the second half as I was winning. Not cool. I tried downloading my game to the hard drive, but it made no difference. A scan of the forums showed I’m not alone and that the issue existed on both the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. Hopefully a patch will be forthcoming from EA Sports to fix that issue.

Online play is also supported via Xbox Live with the usual lobbies and quick play options. It’s not a deep community like the Madden or NHL series, but you shouldn’t have trouble finding a match and the performance is generally lag free. There’s also the ability to download dynamic updates from EA every Monday throughout the season to update rankings, RPI and statistics. Early returns are positive, though the updates seem to overwrite any roster changes you’ve made. I had downloaded a file through the EA Locker that contained all the real names of the players, however upon getting the update, the players reverted back to being listed by their position and jersey number.

Overall (4/5)

Despite still having some kinks to iron out, most glaring the freezing problem, NCAA Basketball 10 boasts tremendous presentation values and the motion offense really serves to recreate the feel of college hoops, making for a fun experience.