Mortal Kombat Review

A few years ago when Midway Games dissolved, NetherRealm Studios rose from the ashes to ensure the continued production of Mortal Kombat games. With Warner Brothers Games now running the show, Ed Boon and NetherRealm Studios made the decision to reboot the series, an act which is becoming more common these days in long running franchises. Bringing the series back to its roots, this new Mortal Kombat game aims to strip the series of some of the more ridiculous concepts (animalities?) and develop a solid 2D fighting game, while still retaining the staples that make Mortal Kombat so unique.

L.A. Noire Review

L.A. Noire is the newest game published by Rockstar and developed by a new studio, Team Bondi. Modeled after the film genre of the same name, this crime drama takes place in post war 1940s Los Angeles. Focusing entirely on story, this semi-open world game plays more like an adventure game or puzzle game than the Grand Theft Auto games Rockstar is famous for. With the addition of a brand new facial mapping technology, L.A. Noire creates faces more realistic and lifelike than has ever been seen in a game to date.

Portal 2 Review

Portal 2 is the long awaited sequel to Valve’s hit puzzle game, Portal. With a bigger budget, more story, and the promise of a longer game, Portal 2 aims to top what some consider to be one of the greatest games of all time. Adding new elements to puzzles, as well as co-op gameplay, Valve aims to not only meet the bar it set with Portal, but raise it to a new level.

Crysis 2 Review

Crysis 2 is first person shooter set in the near future with a focus on graphics and high tech abilities. Set in New York City, Crysis 2 puts players in the role of Alcatraz, a marine sent in with his squad to extract a scientist with vital information on an occurring alien invasion. When things go wrong, Alcatraz finds himself in possession of a high tech nanosuit, and a new mission: To save New York City.

Plants vs. Zombies Review

Another in the widely popular tower defense genre, Plants vs. Zombies pits a wide array of unique and interesting plants against an equally interesting zombie horde. Defend your house from wave after wave by collecting solar energy to plant rows of defenses to fight off the zombie invasion.

Pac-Man Championship Edition DX

The outcome if Mrs. Pac-Man had a love affair with Geometry Wars. The neon graphics and hip, upbeat techno-ish music paired with its super fast gameplay immediately announces that this isn’t the Pac-Man we all grew up with.



Focusing on quick pacing and high scores, Pac-Man Championship Edition DX turns the classic gameplay on its ear. Instead of focusing on a single maze, the layout changes as Pac-Man continues to eat more pellets. Not only that, but you can now “collect” ghosts that will follow you constantly like a train behind you. Choose your timing right to eat the power pellet, turn around, and eat them all for higher scores.

This game is a real blast, and is great at tracking scores and displaying rankings on practically every screen you see. It’s a real must buy for fans of Pan-Man, and competitive score earning games.

Dragon Age Origins: Awakening Review

Dragon Age: Origins Awakening is the expansion content for the RPG Dragon Age: Origins. Why they didn't just call it Dragon Age: Awakening is beyond me. Anyway, Awakening picks up where the main game ends, continuing the journey of your Grey Warden. Moving to a new region of Fareldin, the game puts your Grey Warden in the role of an Arl, governing the land as a military Grey Warden ruler. Meanwhile, the Darkspawn are still at large, and a new threat looms on the horizon.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light Review

Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light is an X-Box Live Arcade title recently released as Microsoft's Summer of Arcade promotion. I want to make it clear that this is not a Tomb Raider game. At least, not in a sense of gameplay. Yes, you do play as Lara Croft, and you do raid tombs, but I would call The Guardian of Light an action puzzle game, far removed from its gameplay roots.

Heavy Rain Review

I recently played my first game of Heavy Rain, start to finish in one day. The game, while short, was an amazing experience. The graphics were some of the best I've seen, the sound was fantastic, and the voice acting, while spotty at times, was also really well done.

Game Review: Marvel vs Capcom 2

Marvel vs Capcom 2 is the X-Box Live Arcade and Playstation Network re-release of the classic arcade and Sega Dreamcast fighter. Putting a new twist on fighting games with 3 versus 3 combat, character assists, and tons of characters to choose from, Capcom is bringing back their old school 2-D fighting game with a coat of fresh paint. The re-release has new HD graphics, with texture smoothers to improve or change the classic character sprites, in addition to new re-rendered 3-D backgrounds. Capcom threw in some online play for good measure. Does this re-release of Marvel vs Capcom 2 take you for a ride, or is this another fighter that can’t stand the test of time?

Game Review: The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is the X-Bo x Live Arcade re-release of the original 1990 PC classic. The story and gameplay is kept the same, adding full voice acting and updated graphics. LucasArts hopes that this classic adventure game can withstand the test of time with a shiny new presentation upgrade. Did LucasArts dig up a classic treasure with The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, or was the upgrade as useless as a rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle?