I was initially skeptical of the entire concept at first — having a healthy aversion to games with celebrity voice actors and studios with as much marketing influence as Electronic Arts.

Jack Black is his usual comical self, except for the moments he's weilding a giant axe and killing everything in sight.

However, when I heard that Tim Schafer, legendary game designer and writer of Lucasarts fame, was making the game in the image of the heavy metal tribute he’d dreamed of for years, my skepticism began to wear away.

After playing the first few minutes of the game, with its comically overblown world of heavy metal and scorching soundtrack, any cynicism melted away like the faces of my enemies after a rocking solo.

With games like the Monkey Island series, Grim Fandango and Psychonauts under his belt, it’s little wonder that Tim Schafer could work wonders with this decidedly unusual, if outlandish, concept.

The intro picks up from the perspective of the essential, but fairly-understated role of a roadie, Eddie Riggs, who’s job is basically to make someone else look good while on tour. Voiced by the iconic Jack Black, Eddie isn’t just any roadie, but the best in the business despite having to work for a band that is perhaps the worst example of ‘metal’ ever, undoubtedly a parody of how rock has taken a pop, mainstream turn recently. During an unfortunate accident at a concert, Eddie ends up traveling through time to another fantastical age that consists of almost nothing but savage beasts, demonic enslavers, rebellious humans and heavy metal references.

While seemingly a third-person action game that works by hacking and slashing everything else that isn’t on your side, Brutal Legend mixes the genre up with a number of elements from real-time strategy, along with bits of racing and shooting.

A great deal of time in the game is devoted to cruising around the vast world in which the game takes place. Environments from barren wastelands with giant stone monuments scattered about, to grim, eerie swamps and epicurean palaces present a variety of destinations to explore. Much of this time can be devoted to completing secondary missions, finding new upgrades and skills and raising ancient relics of the land for rewards, though the side-quests can get tedious after awhile.

A main component of the gameplay here is in the RTS elements for some of the main story quests, where Eddie leads an army of metal-loving followers into battle with opposing armies. There’s a complete upgrade tree and resources to gather in the form of ‘fan geysers’, where merchandise booths have to be built before contributing to the show.

The RTS portion of the game comes with a fairly steep learning curve despite how otherwise easy it is to learn new tricks in the game.

Once you figure out how to deploy your followers and vehicles upon the battlefield, you’re soon thrust into massive battles. This portion of the game can be played in multiplayer as well, adding to the challenge once you’re facing human opponents in a particularly brutal ‘Battle of the Bands’.

As the title suggests, the game is chock-full of references, parodies, jokes and illustrations devoted to heavy metal in most every variation one can think of. The setting technically takes place in an age that existed aeons ago where subwoofers and electric guitars were relics of ancient gods, demons reign over the land of man and kegs of beer are in ready supply. Spanning from the days of Judas Priest in the ’70s to Dragonforce of recent years, Brutal Legend incorporates music from an impressive collection of artists, some of whom have taken a direct role in the game itself.

Jack Black takes the leading role of Eddie Riggs here, though much like the character himself, he is quite humble and helpful despite an eagerness to rock out and destroy his enemies. Though much of the dialogue and lines could be done by nameless voice actors, Black does much to add to his lively charm to the character with his customary bursts of enthusiasm and awkward, clueless moments.

Joining the cast is a variety of other professional voice actors such as Jennifer Hale, Courtenay Taylor, Tim Curry, Lita Ford, and Ozzy Osbourne, who sounds quite intelligible for once and is quite entertaining to hear at work. While the lines are usually carried out in a manner like something out of a comic book or Conan the Barbarian story with much theatrical gusto, it often hits that line right between silly and serious. Even the nameless NPCs have some quotes that are worth remembering and the voice work across the board here is solid, especially when thrown in with the hilarious writing present in this game.

While I’m on the topic of sound and music, Brutal Legend is likely to inspire a whole new generation of heavy metal heads much in the way that Guitar Hero sparked the passions and interests of a younger audience. With over 100 hand-picked, classic songs in the soundtrack, the music is just as likely to please older, hardcore metal fans as it is to create new, aspiring metal heads. While heavy metal playing in the background of some other games can seem overbearing, such a track list fits perfectly in the hellish, bad-ass settings to be encountered.

In the art and graphics department, Brutal Legend has plenty going on as well. From the vast landscapes with monuments and ruins of epic proportions to the comically-rendered, but detailed character designs, there are many things that just jump out at the player. The art style of the entire game is based around what you’d find on a particularly kicking heavy metal album cover, though the pokes at goth/emo, glam and hair metal are more than obvious. There are scantily-clad Amazons dressed like KISS fanatics, a glam general with hair so huge and feathery that he literally flies around with it and demons made out of nothing but a jumble of eyes, mouths and metal, just to name a few examples. The gore is bountiful, accompanying the copious amounts of dismemberment mayhem, though the game does come with an option to turn off gore and profanity. While having this option is nifty, there’s very little reason why you’d play this game around children anyway.

A full playthrough on normal difficulty takes just about 10 hours, though this is assuming that you don’t play the side quests or search for the numerous secrets, unlockables and landmarks.

In playing Brutal Legend, it’s almost a guaranteed that you’ll be banging your head to a metal tune as you cruise around in a fiery, roaring hot rod whether you’re a metal fan or not. It’s a genre-bending experience at any rate, with elements of action, RTS and racing involved, most of which it does well in spite of a learning curve in some instances.

Coupled with smart, sharp writing, a talented voice cast and so much metal that you’ll headbang in your sleep, and Brutal Legend could easily be one of the best games this year.

** Officials game website

It was October 2004, and the new NBA Live 2005 was out. When I went to buy the game at the local EB Games, I noticed another title: NBA 2K5. As if Ben Wallace’s big afro wasn’t enough to draw attention to the game, the price tag sealed the deal: $19.99.

Unlike recent years, the best NBA game is not a slam dunk for either NBA 2K10 or EA's NBA Live 10.

I, along with nearly every other basketball fan that October, figured what the hell, twenty bucks for a new game? And that was that—the legacy of 2K basketball had begun.

2K had been around for 10 years, but never competed with Electronic Arts’ Live series. In 2005, though, the trend shifted towards 2K basketball and it’s been that way ever since. EA Sports didn’t produce a winning title again—not until this year. Both NBA 2K10 and NBA Live 10 are fantastic games in their own respect; the choice will come down to which style of play you enjoy more, simulation or arcade.

If you’re a simulation fan, then 2K10 is the way to go. Since 2K uses the ever-popular shot stick, you’re given complete control over every shot your player takes. The flow of the game is much more team oriented, as passing and ally oops are smoother than ever. Each player will play to their skill level – that is, Shaq isn’t going to even attempt the same stutter step that Jason Kidd does because it’s way beyond his skill level. Similarly, Jason Kidd isn’t going to pull off the same sick drop step that Shaq can when he’s posted up.

If that doesn’t sound sexy enough for you, then Live is the way to go. Instead of the shot stick, Live implements the Freestyle stick which allows the players to do sick dribbles and spins to shake their opponents. Every character is capable of the same moves, so in Live Shaq will attempt to spin if you press forward on the Freestyle stick, but it won’t look like Kidd’s as Shaq will most likely lose the ball out of bounds. The Freestyle stick can also be used for passing when holding down the L2 button, and this is really the only way you should pass in the game as it’s much crisper passing than the standard pressing the X button. In Live, you’ll pull off moves that would never work on an NBA court, but it’s fun nonetheless.

Still torn? Don’t worry, not everyone cares too much about the game play. Most of the time people just want the game that’ll give you the most features … fortunately, both games offer a ton.

First off, NBA 2K10 offers the best feature of both games, which is My Player mode. In this, you create a character for a specific position with a specific play type, such as athletic, shooter, defensive, etc. Then, you’re placed on an NBA summer league team and basically left to fend for yourself. Every game, your character will start off with a teammate grade of C, and it’s up to you to improve on that through every aspect of the game.

When I say every aspect, I mean every aspect. You’ll get points for something such as a rebound or a good pass, but you also get points for filling lanes correctly on a fast break. Similarly, you’ll lose points for a bad pass or a turnover, but also for being in the wrong place on offense or not setting your character up for a chance to box out and get the rebound. This isn’t a game mode that allows you to coast along and enjoy yourself; My Player mode is only fun and successful if you pay attention to the tiniest details of your character’s game.

Of course, the idea of playing with just one character all game turns some people off as they’d rather just simulate a season. Well, how about a Dynamic Season? In NBA Live 10 (as long as you have an Internet connection) you can take part in a season that mirrors the real NBA season. The only difference is the standings and results will change for whatever games you decide to play. For instance, if you’re a Clippers fan chances are they won’t make the playoffs this season, but you really want to change that. So, in Dynamic Season, everything that actually happens in the league will happen in your season, save the fact that all the Clippers games will have the results from the games that you play, not the real life results. This way, you’ll be able to take on real teams based on how they’re performing while still playing with your favorite team. This is a feature everyone should try, as it will only evolve from here on out.

One other feature that NBA Live 10 offers that’s unique is the FIBA tournament feature. FIBA is the international basketball league and uses the rules that are used in the Olympics, such as the widened paint and no goaltending. Start a tournament as the United States or your favorite country and take on all comers to be the best in the world.

NBA 2K10 didn’t just improve on game play though; 2K sports developers realized how awful the voice overs were in years before, so they decided to do something game changing. Instead of hearing the same thing over and over, the 2K announcers will preview upcoming games, recount last night’s games and show you league leaders in scoring, assists, team shooting percentage and conference standings. You’ll have a choice between what information it gives you, though: information on your in-game season, or information on the real NBA season as long as you have a Live account.

Overall, there isn’t a clear cut answer to which is the best NBA game this season. It comes down to game style and features, and each game offers great variations on both. Pick a game and get the season started!

** Official site for NBA 2K10
** Official site for NBA Live 10

If you can’t wait for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Sega gives you an Olympic fix, and then some.

Dr. Eggman and Bowser are up to their usual tricks again, but Mario and Sonic can stop them between Winter Olympic events. (The game's text is in English or French)

Following the success of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Nintendo is again teaming up the duo (along with all of their friends), this time to compete in both classic and twisted versions of Winter Olympic events. Because no Mario game would be complete without a villainous escapade, in between events our two heroes also have to stop a sinister plot by Bowser and Dr. Eggman, who are trying to put an end to this year’s Winter Olympics.

Players have so many options to choose from it can be almost dizzying. All the traditional Olympic events, from skiing, to ice skating, to snowboarding are represented.

There are also Dream Events, which put a spin on the games. Added elements like speed ramps and item boxes (just as in Mario Kart) give players a temporary boost or a way to attack the other competitors. Mario & Sonic Olympic Winter Games also has a few party games that integrate Olympic events with classic games like Bingo and spin the wheel.

Before each game you get to choose your character. Choose wisely because each one has its own set of skills. Daisy, Sonic and Yoshi are fast; Wario, Bowser, and Donkey Kong pack a lot of stamina and speed; and Peach and Waluigi have great techniques. Pick your character based on the skills you think the event requires.

If you’re a DS newbie, don’t worry. Each game launches with a coaching session that includes basic instructions on how to play, plus a few advanced tips. You can also practice before each event. None of these games are particularly difficult, and the characters are easy to manipulate with your stylus, touch pad, and buttons. In Alpine Skiing, you use your stylus to guide your character down the slopes and around several flags as fast as possible. In skating, you use the L and R buttons on the back of the DS to move your player around the rink.

As you win events, you unlock more games to play. You can even battle against yourself by saving your ghost data.

Winning games is great, but your ultimate goal in the game is to defeat Bowser and Mr. Eggman, who have melted all the snow in the world and kidnapped the snow spirits. To stop them, you’ll have to go on several missions. The Games must go on, and it’s up to you to make sure they do.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games has a lot going for it. The graphics are rich and detailed. There are tons of different game play options. If you get tired of competing in events, you can work on defeating the bad guy in the many missions woven throughout the game. If you wanted to, you could easily spend the better part of a weekend at the Mario & Sonic Olympics and never run out of things to do.

Also available on the Wii.

–Jake Watson contributed to this review

** Official game website

If you were the kind of kid who loved building monsters and then crashing them into one another, this is the game for you. In Spore Hero Arena you get to build, take apart, and rebuild your own three-dimensional moving creatures, then battle with them.

Creating a new critter out of spare parts is most of the fun in Spore Hero Arena.

The story begins when a meteor hits your ship and causes you to crash land on a strange planet. There you meet Master Yeedo, who tells you how all the arena champions have become corrupted by championship medals that bring out evil powers in whoever possesses them. As the only uncorrupted one in the bunch (thanks to a blue meteorite chip you’ve found), it’s your job to win back all the medals, become the ultimate Spore Hero, and save the galaxy.

To become a hero, you need to be powerful, and that requires having all the right parts. The game lets you choose from 150 different parts and powers in the Creature Creator, plus you can collect parts along the way from Spore creatures that have bitten the dust. You have to think very carefully about the parts you choose, because you not only build your creature—you also have to fight with it.

Once you’ve got your wannabe hero assembled, you can fly your ship around the galaxy visiting other planets. There you’ll challenge enemy creatures in battle. During those battles you’ll have a variety of Bio-Power attacks to choose from. In between battles you can return to your ship and evolve your creature, customizing it with the new parts you’ve found.

If you get lonely playing on your own, head over to the VR deck on your ship and get a friend or three in on the action. Four people can play wirelessly; two by Wi-Fi. You can even share your spore creations with your friends.

Spore Hero undoubtedly has its assets, particularly the endless creativity provided by the 3D Creature Creator. On the flip side, the game’s biggest problem is redundancy. There are only so many planets you can visit, so many items you can pick up, and so many enemies you can hit and punch before you’ll be longing for a vacation from Spore.

** Official game website

–Jake Watson contributed to this review

In a time long since past, if a gamer wanted a challenge, they’d journey to a place known as an arcade.

Even the PS2 version of The Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection (shown here), is impressive in all its retro glory.

In that era, pinball machines were the test that only the most masterful gamers could pass. For a quarter, the gauntlet could be thrown down, only the skill level of the player would determine how long he would play.

Crave Entertainment brings that challenge into your living room with Pinball Hall of Fame: the Williams Collection.

Much like the classic tables that inspired the game, the beauty in Pinball Hall of Fame can be found in its spot-on reproduction of 13 pinball greats, including Black Knight, Whirlwind, Taxi, Arabian Nights, Sorcerer and Space Shuttle.

The control scheme only uses four buttons for actual game play. The R1 and L1 triggers act as the right and left flippers. The right analog stick is used to launch the ball. Real pinball wizards can nudge the table by flicking the left analog stick. Too many nudges will cause the game to “Tilt.”

Graphically speaking, Pinball Hall of Fame exceeds what one would expect a pinball game to look like, even on a next-gen system.

From the rubber laced flippers to the sheen emanating off of the ball, every feature has been recreated in HD to create retro viewing pleasure.

Every table comes equipped with it’s signature bells and whistles. Arabian Nights’ music and effects are particularly good, evoking a Middle Eastern vibe that matches the board’s rotating genie lamp perfectly.

On every table, lights races up and down the board, bumpers kick the ball convincingly and vintage scoreboard animations show off the original machines’ low-res graphics. Even the lobby used to virtually cruise the arcade and select a pinball machine is off the charts with detail.

The gameplay delivers as only a simplistic game with retro roots can. Three different game modes and 13 legendary Williams tables is an equation for unlimited replayability.

Novices will want to take advantage of the practice mode, while more daring gamers will be comfortable in either the Tournament or Williams Challenge modes. Of the three options, Williams Challenge mode offers the most endearing challenge. In it players must achieve the prerequisite “target score” before they are allowed to move on to the next table. Players can unlock other tables and hidden gems by using tokens earned in the practice arena.

For players looking to take a trip down memory lane or anyone that wants to spend some honing their hand-eye coordination in the midst of addictive challenge and beautifully rendered realistic backgrounds, Pinball Hall of Fame: the Williams Collection is the game for you. No quarters required.

Available on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and PSP.

** Official game website

While the plot line of ‘alien monsters in space’ seems cliché, gamers were treated in 2008 to a reinvigorating tale of claustrophobia, gore and horror by way of Visceral Games’ (or EA Redwood Shores) hit Dead Space, playable on the PS3 and Xbox 360.

This ain't Mario! Dead Space: Extraction brings horror and gore to the Wii in one of the best shooters you can buy for the family-friendly system.

Dead Space is a horror game after fit in the formula perfectly with a lone engineer fighting off hordes of quasi-undead mutants aboard a giant mining space vessel.

Frightening and engaging as that story was, Visceral Games’ newest title Dead Space: Extraction brings that terror and intensity to the generally family-friendly Wii with an imperfect, yet ultimately entertaining result.

Serving as a prologue to the original game, Extraction picks up well before the first game on the planet surface of Aegis VII rather than the spaceship USG Ishimura.

Things go very wrong very quickly for the unfortunate colonists and crew members, and while players should know at least a good bit of the story beforehand to get the full experience out of Extraction, there’s more than enough material to be found within the game and bonus content to get the gist of what happened.

Divided into chapters, the player takes the perspective of a multitude of characters throughout the game, often branching off into mini-stories that then loop back into the main plot.

While the plot isn’t too noteworthy and the voice acting can get slightly silly at times, it’s interesting to see how the game plays out from different (and often fatal) perspectives in stark contrast to the silent Issac Clarke from the original game.

The characters run the range of cliches for the most part, with a tough, but sensitive cop, his hard-ass partner, the love interest and a bumbling, privileged executive, but they’ve got their good moments and they’re believable enough.

The plot gets more fleshed out with the return of audio and text logs that can be found throughout the adventure, with the former being particularly interesting since the audio plays through the Wiimote speakers, sounding like someone’s last, desperate words on record.

While Extraction is a purely on-rails shooter, it’s hard to complain about it when it’s been done so well here. Movement is limited to branching paths that the player arrives at occasionally to take alternate routes, and moments where the player can look freely around the screen to perform actions or snatch up items. While jarring at first, the shake and movement of the camera with the character’s perspective certainly adds to the immersive qualities of the game, liable to drive some players into a panic when a mutated abomination clings to the screen.

Combat is fairly straight-forward, with controls available for both the Wiimote with or without a nunchuk, along with the Wii Zapper.

In addition to the simple Rivet Gun that shoots slowly, but packs a punch and unlimited ammo, players can expect to see all the weapons from the first game making a return here with a few new additions, like a gun that shoots electricity and a rapid-firing pistol. While most of these weapons are actually engineering tools being used in an undoubtedly hazardous manner, shooting them from the first-person perspective is a blast and the alternative firing modes add even more fun.

Tack on the stasis projectile to slow enemies down, which recharges over time, and the formula easily makes for one of the best on-rails shooters in recent history, especially on the Wii. The kinesis module, which demonstrated the physics engine in the original game so well, has been dumbed down a good deal so that players can only pick up items, slow-moving projectiles and certain objects, but it makes trying to grab all the ammunition, weapon upgrades and log files a mini-game in itself.

As in the last game, all the enemies are fleshy, bestial monsters known as Necromorphs that are actually the mutated, reanimated corpses of humans. While the concept of ’strategic dismemberment’ in the first game was fun enough, Extraction’s controls were built perfectly for the gory task. There aren’t many new monsters here however and the few boss battles seemed somewhat lackluster compared to the first game, but there’s more than enough creeps to shake your Wiimote at here.

Despite the Wii’s limited graphic capabilities, Extraction still manages to put on a visual show. The textures are quite detailed and the lighting is a key factor in the gameplay, especially in the darker areas where the player has to use a ‘Glow-worm’ by shaking the Wiimote, and effects such as the weapon discharges and movement in and out of vacuum are wonderful.

From the barren, hostile planet surface to the often claustrophobic, blood-splattered corridors on the USG Ishimura, the levels are sprawling and vast with very little to backtrack on. Some glitches are still visible however, as sometimes enemies will appear and disappear suddenly and there are some clipping issues. Music is minimal here aside from a few subtle, eerie pieces to set the mood, though the audio works wonderfully still as distant (or not-so-distant) growls, groans of strained metal and insidious whispers work to keep players paranoid on what’s around the corner.

A full playthrough clocks in around seven to eight hours on the default difficulty, and it tends to go even faster when you have a second player. Another player can hop on in at anytime during gameplay for a co-op option that detracts from the story, but is fun and eases up the tension at least. While the multiple routes to take may add to the replayability factor, there’s not much else besides harder difficulty modes and a challenge mode that pits players against hordes of enemie. Beyond that, the bonus features are somewhat lacking, as players get to watch the animated comic book and that’s pretty much it.

Despite how different it is from the original game and the few flaws, Extraction works wonderfully within the Dead Space series and is certainly a top contender among recent on-rail shooter games to be found. While things often get tense for the player, without being quite as scary as the first game, Extraction puts action and gameplay at the forefront while trying hard to tell a intriguing storyline, succeeding there for the most part.

For Wii players craving more mature pickings or shooters and fans of the Dead Space series, this game is a must-buy. Dead Space Extraction puts players face-to-face with the horrors of the series and does wonders to keep them there.

My childhood marked the beginning of the graphic revolution for video games. My first system was a Sega Genesis, my first game was Sonic the Hedgehog.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade is nice to look at, but there's little challenge in what quickly becomes a button masher.

Those games were beautiful in all of their 2D glory, and I sat enthralled while my parents watched, thinking to themselves, “How could this have evolved from Pong?”

But no one could have expected such a presentation of a 2D game as Muramasa: The Demon Blade gives you. This game is by far the most gorgeous game on the Nintendo Wii, and gives you a great mix of old school 2D gameplay with a mix of RPG style. Unfortunately, the presentation is where the fun starts … and stops.

At the beginning of the game, you’re presented with two paths which you can take. You can play as Momohime, a princess possessed by a demon, or as Kisuko, a ninja who can’t remember anything about his past. Their backgrounds are certainly intriguing, but because of the quality of gameplay you may never know how their stories end.

With a name like The Demon Blade, it’s obvious that the ninja’s swords play a heavy role in the game. In fact, they’re what lead you through the game, as certain blades are necessary to progress to new areas of the map. You can hold as many blades as you want, but only three at a time can be equipped. When presented with an enemy battle the action is pretty constant, so the blades can break easily. They fix themselves while they’re sheathed, so it’s really just a ploy to get you to use all of the blades.

Why is it a ploy and not another function of the game? Because switching blades is unnecessary in such an easy game. Muramasa, for all of it’s promise, is nothing more than a hack and slash button masher. The controls are simple: hit A to slash. That’s it. You can move the joy stick different directions to do other moves, but there’s no need. Hitting A repeatedly until your button sticks (as mine did multiple times) is all that’s needed to beat this game.

Here’s a great example: before the first boss battle encountered by Momohime, a prompt on the screen warns the player to save because the upcoming boss is hard. No, it’s not. It takes a while for you to beat the blue, one-eyed monster, but nothing more than mashing the A button is necessary. The boss can’t even attack 90 percent of the time when Momohime is up against him, slashing away. It’s cheap, it’s lame, but it’s an easy way to beat the game.

One cool aspect of the game is that even though it’s a 2D side scroller, a lot of the game is played climbing trees and retrieving various items. Sometimes there’s a healing item high in the trees, other times there’s just the entrance to the next area of the map. Either way, it adds a little to a game which could use some more content.

It’s truly a shame that such wonderful aesthetics are ruined by pedestrian gameplay. Had Muramasa: The Demon Blade’s programmers made the game more difficult by making it necessary to do a few combos here and there, the game would be exponentially better. Instead, I was able to pull off a 100+ hit combo just from mashing A and moving the joy stick left to right a few times. I played this game much longer than I have played other bad games, but it’s impossible to rate it anything better than mediocre. The only reason I’ve rated it as high as I have is because of the beautiful settings and two characters with two stories, which increases the replay value.

** Official game website

Master Chief is no longer with us. But the Covenant, a race of bloodthirsty aliens, has made it to Earth and is slaughtering humanity.

Halo 3: ODST puts players in the shoes of several Orbital Drop Shock Troops. While lacking the pure firepower of Master Chief, they have more than one trick up their sleeve for the Covenant.

The world needs a nameless, faceless hero to carry on the fight, and that’s exactly what you get in ODST. Instead of playing as supersoldier Master Chief, you assume the role of “The Rookie,” a member of the ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Troops).

While not a legendary Spartan, the ODST boys still have plenty of firepower, though their weapons are different and the armor works differently. There is no shield or sword, you can’t dual-wield guns and The Rookie can’t jump nearly as high as a Spartan.

And, unlike Master Chief, The Rookie has to be a little more methodical about his approach to combat. Instead of running and gunning through entire levels, The Rookie has to stop and pop — kill an enemy or two and seek cover — which stops the health bar from going down permanently. If you receive more damage than the armor can take in one blast (such as from a hand grenade or from being caught in the crossfire of several enemies) you get dinged up and have to find a health pack to restore full health. There are plenty of health packs, probably too many for those looking for a challenge.

Dying should be pretty rare for anyone that has played a first-person shooter. On Heroic level I didn’t die once in the first five missions. If you do manage to flub up, the game has a nice automatic checkpoint system that saves your progress.

The weapons are not what Halo fans are used to — but operate much the same. The shock troops have a special machine gun, and it gets the job done. The shotgun seems to have lost a little of its stopping power, and you’ll miss the brutal efficiency of the Energy Sword, which seems to be missing.

Like Halo, you’ll have to get adept at dropping weapons that have run out of ammo and use whatever is available. In my experience, all the weapons are perfectly useful, and there’s usually one of whatever you need handy. I managed to kill many of the nastiest creatures with the puniest weapons … the Covenant Needler with its homing ammo is great. And few things are a fun as slapping a sticky grenade on a boss enemy’s back and sending him flying.

The ODST can carry more grenades, up to 4 of each type. You can do a lot of damage with that kind of ordinance.

They also have a cool new visor that outlines friends and enemies in a …. halo. The effect is especially useful in dark areas, such as inside buildings. But, it shows enemies at very far distances. If you carry a sniper rifle and use the visor, you can kill enemies before they have a chance to react. Similarly, you can check the map and see enemy locations and either avoid or ambush them.

Avoid enemies? How is that possible? Unlike other Halo games, which required the player take a specific path, ODST gives players the freedom to roam the city of New Mombasa, Kenya, where the story takes place. If you are roaming the streets trying to get to your next mission objective, it is pretty easy to find a hiding spot and wait for enemies to pass.

Once a mission begins, there’s less freedom, though some maps do allow players to make strategic decisions on which targets to take out first.

The story is nicely done, and starts off with a bang. The ODST is dropping into New Mombasa, but the wild ride from space goes awry when a spaceship jumps into hyperspace as they plummet to Earth. The crew is scattered and The Rookie must find his lost squadmates. Interestingly, as The Rookie finds the scattered helmets and other items of his pals, he gets to relive their battles with the Covenant. It is a great storytelling trick, and puts the player in the combat boot of the various squad members. Unfortunately, they don’t have special skills or abilities. All the ODST fight alike, it seems.

The missions themselves are good too. Things start slow, but soon players can drive jeeps (Warthogs) and other vehicles, such as the supercool Covenant Ghost, which is a lightly armed but highly effective hovercraft. I never managed to hijack the much larger Wraith, but you get to drive a Scorpion tank.

The events of ODST take place before Master Chief’s memorable swan song. ODST began life as planned downloadable content for Halo 3, but at some point Microsoft deemed it large enough to become a standalone game in its own right.

Is it worth a full $60? Sure. The 8-hour campaign is as long as many other full-priced games and it’s better than most. And it features a sweet co-op mode that lets a buddy battle alongside you in campaign mode.

Microsoft even throws in an extra disc that contains all 24 Halo 3 multiplayer maps. A new mode called Firefight lives up to the name by placing the player and up to three more buddies on a map along with waves upon wave of enemies. The trick is to see how long you can survive. It is quite the adrenaline rush and definitely gives the last man standing bragging rights.

Also included is an invite to participate in the online beta for Halo: Reach (aka Halo 4).

The Halo franchise has been a great one. ODST is a little different, and some may argue the campaign is too short, but it is great fun while it lasts. And the co-op and multiplayer modes give the title plenty of shelf life.

Don’t think, from the title, that Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story is going to share some sob story of how Bowser’s childhood turned him into the dastardly dragon-turtle he is today. When it says, “inside story,” this new Nintendo release means it—literally.

Mario and Luigi must work together to survive turn-based battles inside Bowser's anatomy.

Bowser has swallowed Mario and Luigi, and now it’s your job to get rid of the awful Fawful and save Mushroom Kingdom from somewhere inside the Koopa King’s digestive tract. Meanwhile, you’ve also got to help Mario and Luigi escape from their arch nemesis’s innards.

In parts of the game Bowser swallows foes and you battle them right inside him. You also play as Bowser and battle bosses on the outside.

As Mario and Luigi, you can get Bowser to unwittingly help you in your quest. For example, when there are bones in the way, you tell him to drink water and the bones float up like buoys. Collect attack pieces as you go and get new special items, like green shells, that you can use in battle.

Players control Mario and Luigi at the same time and are required to use teamwork. For example, the brothers can kick a shell back and forth to obliterate their foes. Getting the timing down is important, as it allows the brothers to dish out more damage in the turn-based battles.

Some foes have resistances, so Mario and Luigi have to use an attack that makes sense. Some creatures are impervious to the now-familiar “jump on their head” attack, for instance.

Bowser’s Inside Story is a new variation on a now familiar theme. For diehards and newbies alike, it’s pure Mario and Luigi fun, with better graphics and a cooler storyline than in previous incarnations. Bowser’s Inside Story uses both DS screens more effectively than in games past. Instead of all the action taking place on one screen, like in earlier Mario games, there is something going on in both screens.

There’s enough variety of elements here, from puzzles to mini-games to epic battles, to keep players happy. The game also incorporates several different play modes. Players tap the touch screen with the stylus to shoot fireballs, or blow into the built-in microphone and Bowser breathes fire. In one epic battle, you can even turn the whole game on its side.

If there’s one thing we can say about Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story—this is one game that’s definitely got guts.

–Jake Watson contributed to this review

Recently, the annual batch of hockey games was released. As, as usual, the competition is tight. This year, NHL 2K10 skates away a winner.

NHL 2K10 excels at presentation. And the addition of outdoor venues make it easy to fire up your own Winter Classic.

NHL 2K10 is all about presentation. Want to see a goal again from another angle? Don’t worry, you’ll get not one but three options to see detailed replays of the shot after each goal. After each period make sure to check out the highlights presented next to the stats for the game so you know directly where you stand. The announcers are engaging and non-repetitive, the camera is low to the ice but still shows everything and the natural, unique feel that each arena encompasses creates a fun experience each time a new game begins.

Beauty, though, is only skin deep, and no matter how pretty a game comes off it doesn’t make it a good game. But NHL 2K10 shines with it’s many unique play options. Aside from the typical quick play, online and franchise modes, there are two modes that won’t get old quickly.

The first mode is called Mini Rink. Pick two offensive players and a goalie for each team and play on ice which has been cut in half for a hard hitting, slap shot buzzing game. The rink is so small that players are constantly running into the opposing team, causing non-stop turnovers and scoring opportunities for everyone. Mini Rink is perfect for the player that wishes to show off their aggressive offensive prowess.

The second mode is called Pond Hockey, which is a no rules, four-on-four outdoor hockey game on a generic pond. Pick any four players and any goalie to make up your team and hook, slash and cherry pick your way to victory. 2K made your team aware that there’s no rules, as they’ll storm past all defenders and wait in your offensive zone, which would normally be offsides.

Maybe you want a little control to your outside game though. Maybe you want to play with standard teams in some good, old fashioned five-on-five hockey with all rules.

Maybe you want to do all this in a football or baseball stadium?

That’s right, you know where I’m going with this—an option that’s been missing for the past two years.

NHL 2K10 includes Winter Classic mode, although you wouldn’t know it if you didn’t do some poking around.

In order to play in Buffalo or Chicago outdoors, go to the Quick Play mode and choose teams. Then, access the options menu and scroll through the various venues. At the beginning of the list is Ralph Wilson Stadium, home to the Buffalo Bills, as well as Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs. This mode adds a twist to the run of the mill Quick Play mode, especially because any team can play at these venues—not just the one’s who participated in real life. The only issue with this mode is, as mentioned before, its accessibility.

2KSports should have put a Winter Classic option in the Game Modes section, as this would be quite the popular option.

One of the neatest aspects of 2KSports is all the little things they do. They don’t just create a video game, they put work into it and create an all around fun experience.

Take their love of mini games for example. Next time you and a friend go head-to-head in a game, examine the screen during intermission. In the bottom, right-hand corner is a message that leads to some serious fun: Ride the Zamboni. The first to clean 50 percent of the ice wins. Of course, this eventually turns into bumper cars on ice with the focus lost on cleaning the ice, but the game can end with the simple click of a button and you’re back to the game. Ride the Zamboni is just a small aspect of the game but really adds a lot.

Of course, no game is perfect, and NHL 2K10 has it’s share of faults. For starters, the menu system is downright annoying. The menu is in 3×3 rows, and in order to select the option in the bottom right corner you have to hold the joystick down and left, then select it. Maybe it’s nitpicking, but it took a while to get used to, and frankly I still forget sometimes.

Another issue concerns the default difficulty setting. This setting is perfect for those getting used to the game, but scoring is way too easy. Shooting is one of the first things mastered in a new game since it’s the action used the most. It’s the little things like poke checking and deking that require practice, but the goalies are so terrible on the default setting that it’s not fun after a while. A deke isn’t even necessary to fool the goalie, simply moving from one side to the next will typically freeze him for a shot at the open net.

Little annoyances aside, NHL 2K10 is a complete game. Whether you buy hockey games for the franchise mode, the online play, multiplayer with friends or just a quick game every now and then, 2K10 delivers a satisfying experience every time.