When it comes to action movie sequels, the best tend to take the original formula and twist it enough to keep the concept fresh. Whether it's Terminator 2, Aliens or The Dark Knight, great sequels build on the previous work, rather than treading over tired ground.

Gears of War 2 tries to be Aliens. It tries to be The Empire Strikes Back. In terms of plot, it certainly follows the Empire mold, taking a basic good vs. evil premise and heading down a darker, more winding path. And in terms of gameplay, it definitely goes the Aliens route, turning up the action and introducing plenty of new material.

Many reviews have called Gears of War 2 a perfect game. As a big fan of the original Gears, I'd love nothing more than to entirely agree. I will say that for the most part, I enjoyed the new campaign. And I wholeheartedly endorse the multiplayer component, which is simply an outstanding value that should justify a purchase for any established fan.

But to help the people on the fence, who may not have enjoyed the first game but are considering a purchase this time, I also have to be honest: from where I'm sitting, some of this new single-player material falls surprisingly flat. ... Read more

Fallout 3 is a PC game. Sure, it's an Xbox 360 game, too. And it's a PlayStation 3 game, I guess. It's also an RPG, technically.

But when you get at the heart of it, Fallout 3 feels like a game designed for the PC. It has the soul of a big-boxed, full-manual, five-CD game from 1998. It has all the complexity and addictiveness of a System Shock, or a Deus Ex--or, yes, a Fallout.

And when I say "game," I mean it in the most ambitious sense. It's the kind of title that rekindles that 90s spark of imagination, when the borders of gaming were less defined, and anything seemed possible. From the opening moment, it's the kind of work that has you thinking: "Goddamn--this is a real game."

Not just another collection of cutscenes and shooting galleries. Not just another roller-coaster ride with a slightly different track. Fallout 3 is a deep, interactive experience; a compelling blend of crafted art, inventive quests and open world freedom.

Less a ride and more a trip down a lazy, apocalyptic river, Fallout 3 has a strong current in its central quest line. But it's the option of abandoning the raft--and killing your raft-mates, and stealing their stuff, and selling it to a zombie trader for a quick buck--that makes it something gamers should not miss.

Above all else, this is a game to savor... Read more

It would be very easy to ignore a series like Galactic Civilizations II. I am living proof.

Consider that I am a huge fan of space, strategy, and PC space strategy games. In other words, I am a huge nerd. But sitting down to play Galactic Civilization II: Twilight of the Arnor, having never played a game in the series, I figured this old, low budget, turn-based title wouldn't interest me. I always thought of it like I do outdoor sports: I'm sure the game is fun, but it looks like way too much work, thank you.

Just a few turns, I figured, then back to Liberty City.

But those few turns gave way to a hundred. Then a thousand. Countless hours melted away before my eyes, replaced by burned-in images of battlecruisers, research trees, and galactic maps.

I woke up sometime in the future, on the other side of a time warp-hole, behind on my work and really, really in need of a bathroom. It was then that I knew I'd discovered the most addictive game since, well, that other Civilization series.... Read more

Ninja Gaiden II contains more "fuck yes" and "aw fuck" moments than any three action games put together. In the course of Ryu's journey, you'll be both bad ass and just plain bad. And sometimes, if only for a moment, you'll hate this game.

For every brilliant action sequence, there will be another marred by a bad camera angle. After every gorgeous level, there will be another set in a dull, dreary cave. Following every exciting fight, there will be another boring cutscene that defies all laws of human decency.

Some of this sounds terrible in description, but don't worry--these will be temporary feuds. The truth is, it's difficult to stay mad at something this beautiful. I mean, just look at this:

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Do you see that video? Doesn't that look awesome? Yeah, that was me. I did that. I didn't tap a button in time with the rhythm of a techno track, or wave a Wii controller in a disco move, or follow an on-screen prompt that triggered a scripted attack. Each slice and swing was an immediate result of my sometimes skillful, and frequently lucky, button presses.

With Ninja Gaiden II, what you see is what you get. ... Read more

Ready at Dawn's PSP entry in the God of War series to stores today. Having recently completed the title, I'm here to tell you that it's pretty fun, if a little familiar.

It looks like the PlayStation 2 editions. It plays like the PlayStation 2 editions. And considering that the PSP is, well, portable, that's a pretty impressive feat.

But at the same time, the handheld title's similarities to the PlayStation 2 editions create some problems, especially for series veterans. While it's nice to have God of War on the go, it's hard to shake the feeling that you've played it all before. Keep reading...

A hybrid rhythm-based, real-time tactical title, Patapon (PSP) is an odd beast. Aaron Linde takes a look at this bizarre mish-mash of a game, and comes away with a rather sadistic looking grin on his face. Check out his full review.

When you think about it, there's something vaguely sinister about a game like Patapon; a game in which you, as god of a humble people, lead your followers on a crusade back to their stolen homeland. Your people are small, spherical imps, and instead of whispering dogma into the ears of the mad, you simply pound your drums. But beneath this bizarre tableau of tribal warfare, rhythm and action lies one of the most compelling, addictive games released on the PSP to date. Read more..

Like spaceships? Like lots of spaceships? Wondering what the hell this game is about, and whether the hype is justified? Hopefully this review will help a little.

I'm going to knock this game around a bit, but it will be a fatherly sort of beating, tough love with well-meaning intentions underneath the gruff, abusive exterior. Because I really do love Sins. It's a well-rounded, mostly-polished hardcore space strategy game for the PC. How often do you see that on a store shelf anymore? If the concept at all piques your interest, you will likely not regret a buy.
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This week, Capcom is bringing Devil May Cry 4 to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with a PC release due out a little further down the line. There's been a lot of hype for this game for quite a while, and though it doesn't reinvent the action genre, the good news is that it's a whole lot of fun.

In other words, it's pretty much everything you'd want in an action game. That's not to say Devil May Cry 4 is perfect--it certainly has its flaws--but it is fun, it is enjoyable, and it is one of the best action titles currently available on either PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360.
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Open worlds are everywhere in games these days--Electronic Arts in particular does seem dedicated to introducing them throughout many of its franchises--and now they're here in Burnout as well with Criterion's Burnout Paradise (PS3, X360), which releases on Tuesday.

It is an ambitious step forward for the series, one that ends up having both advantages and drawbacks. Read about both in my full review.

What is less great is crashing into a wall a matter of seconds before the end of a race, then not being able to retry the race without driving all the way back across the city to its starting point. Paradise City is quite large, which is one of the game's marketing bullet points but also has the side effect of making it a big pain in the ass to easily get to where you want to go. In the quest to eliminate loading times, Criterion has removed any kind of fast travel or shortcut system--if you want to get somewhere, you have to drive there. I applaud their principle, but am nonetheless frustrated often. Read more...

Draglade, the latest Atlus-published Nintendo DS title, heads to stores today. Utilizing a combat system known as "grapping," the game is said to combine rhythm and fighting into one harmonious whole. While it turns out that rhythm doesn't have much of a role in the fights, I was still kept quite entertained.

Draglade is a rather competent 2D brawler at heart, and the story mode provides a nice mix of character customization, one-on-one duels, and sidescrolling beat' em up segments. There's support for local wireless co-op, just in case someone in your immediate vicinity happens to have a DS and a copy of the game. You can even hop online and fight against other players.

It is not, as the back of the box suggests, a rhythm-based fighting game.
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For your last bit of pre-Thanksgiving content, Chris Remo shot his way through the console version of Namco Bandai's newest light-gun shooter, Time Crisis 4. How does this GunCon3-packed game fare on the PS3? Read on to find out.

Continues are precious in this game because, thanks to the IR-based aiming and lack of a reticule, regardless of how well you know a particular encounter, you are almost guaranteed to lose lives when you pop out of cover, see an axe hurling at your face, and lack the ability to sharpshoot it out of the air because the absence of a reticule means you haven't gotten your bearings yet.

Naughty Dog's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune marks the first PlayStation 3 exclusive title from the studio known for Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter. It's undeniably pretty, but how did the actual gameplay turn out? Scope out my full review to find out.

There are certain fights that demand countless attempts, as the massacre of all the enemies in an area triggers another wave or two. There is very little satisfaction in carefully picking off ten heavily-armed pirates only to fall victim to the grenade-launching bastard that rushes in, and my curse-laden exclamations and the frustration I felt at such points were identical to those I experienced during Gears of War.
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BioWare's next RPG franchise is finally here, after years of beautiful screenshots and tantalizing videos. Does it live up to the hype? I chime in with my take.

But right from the opening scenes, Mass Effect quickly distinguishes itself as a wholly new experience. Simply put, a video game has never been this cinematically engaging. Just gazing at a simple grain-filtered shot of a planet--complete with lens-flared sunlight, Star Warsian framing, and a disparate synth-heavy sci-fi score by Richard Jacques--can be an exciting moment. Even the most insignificant environment or character is rendered and shot in a compelling light--or shadow, as the case may be. Rarely does the polish fade. From back to front, Mass Effect is one of the first games to truly approach an actual cinematic quality. Read more...

Remember old-school Contra? Tough-as-nails, never-stop-shooting, dodging-hails-of-bullets, 80s-action-movie sidescrolling action? It's finally back, making its way to Nintendo DS as WayForward's Contra 4, and it is absolutely hard as hell. Check out my full review.

But enough about the pain side of this masochistic endeavor. What about the pleasure? If you're the type of hard-bitten gamer who has read this review thus far and, rather than being scared away, has responded by growling "Fuck yeah" through clenched teeth while a demented gleam sparkles in your eye, you know the sense of achievement that comes with conquering a game like this.

This is the kind of achievement born of an earlier age--the kind of achievement that distinguishes you as a certified gaming badass, not the kind of achievement that says you collected a hundred dolls and gives you fifty points on the internet. Read more...

As part of this week's star-studded lineup, Nintendo's Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) has slingshotted its way into many of our homes and hearts. But is it really all it could have been? Does it honestly make up for the abomination that was Super Mario Sunshine? Chris Remo has the answers.

The game continues to stay utterly fresh, surprising, and inventive despite its fundamentals becoming expected. In another game, such a masterful grasp on this kind of platforming that is so in tune with both its roots and with the cutting edge would be plenty, but on top of that Galaxy keeps throwing more and more at you with every level.
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Io Interactive's heist-themed squad shooter Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (PC, PS3, X360) has arrived. I played through the Xbox 360 version of the game and came out clean with all the details. Is it worth your time? Read on to find out.

The game's chapters are broken up into scenes like a movie, with each segment labeled after choice tidbits of talk between the two. With titles like "Stealing your own shit" and "The old fucker took it," you can imagine what the fuck-filled dialogue is like...

After years and years of tech demos and presentations, Crytek's behemoth of a Far Cry followup arrives in stores today. Was Crysis worth the wait? Is the PC-exclusive shooter really good enough to warrant those system upgrades you've been putting off? After reading Chris Remo's informative review, I think you'll know the answer.

Once, I was holed up in a small wooden HQ building, sitting in the window and alternating picking off enemies--scanning while cloacked, squeezing off a headshot, then ducking out of sight while my shield recharged, feeling very pleased with my stealthy self. I swear to you, when an enemy grenade rolled up and blew away half the building, leaving me exposed to a group of now very pissed off North Koreans, I nearly shit my pants out of sheer surprise and shock.
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Epic's best hits the PC today, exactly 364 days after its "exclusive" release on the Xbox 360. The result is a fantastic port of an excellent game, with a healthy dose of new content added to both its single and multiplayer components. And while it's definitely worth picking up, it's not quite perfect. Read on for our take.

This subscribers-only restriction to online matchmaking is somewhat understandable when you consider that the same service on the Xbox 360 also requires a Gold account. However, those not shelling out for a monthly subscription on the PC will have only a basic list of matches to choose from, a list which glaringly lacks a column for displaying your ping to each game. And though a Live Gold account is easily justifiable on the Xbox 360--required in order to play multiplayer at all--the same can't be said for PC-only gamers. Because the only major incentive to a GFW Live Gold account is matchmaking, this seriously reduces the value of the service in comparison to Xbox Live, forcing Gears-hungry consumers into a conundrum. Read more...

Flagship's riff on Diablo is finally out. Is it a well-rounded evolution of that formula, or a devolution that needs a few more months? Check out our full review to find out.

Luckily for Flagship, when it comes to persistent online games--which Hellgate qualifies as, despite also containing a separate offline mode--"patch" isn't always a dirty word. Bug fixes, interface overhauls, system tweaks, and content expansions could be the shot to the heart it needs in order to live up to its potential. Down the road, the company's first major effort could very well turn into the flagship title it was meant to be. But it will be one rocky road in the meantime. Read more...

We played some more of CD Projekt's The Witcher, and our opinion hasn't changed--it's still one of the best PC RPGs to hit stores in some time. Find out how a few nagging technical problems might keep you from fully enjoying the experience, and why you should still buy it, by clicking through to our full review.

Speaking of experiences, maybe the most buzz surrounding The Witcher is due to the "censoring" of nudity in the North American release. However, before we talk sex, let's clear something up: these changes are not the result of some ominous board of old men out to ruin your hedonistic pursuits--at least not directly. CD Projekt's decision to remove bare breasts from the game is no more an act of censorship than when I "censor" McDonalds from my diet to avoid a burning gut. Read more...