As an extremely hardened and jaded critic (mostly of film), it is sometimes difficult for me to suspend my disbelief (which is shrouded in sarcasm and cynicism as it is) for the proper duration of time in order to emerge myself into something as unrealistic as a video game — particularly a video game that is aimed at the kiddies (I had a hard enough time liking things that were aimed at kids when I was a kid to begin with). So, when I sit down to destroy cutesy animated roadside attractions as a Wind Warrior named Zephyr in a game like Tornado Outbreak, I really have to wonder if I should just “let loose” and “chill out.” Alas, it’s no use: this game does absolutely nothing for me....more

Russians have invaded U.S. soil, and the player is trapped in a plaza filled with three fast food corporate giant restaurants providing the only cover. This should be a highlight of Modern Warfare 2, with Russian paratroopers continuing to file in, jets constantly streaming overhead, shattering glass, smoke in the distance, and air raid sirens blaring. Instead, Modern Warfare 2 shows it's fallible, for a brief moment turning an intense, violent firefight into a chore. Forcing the player to run across a parking lot and up to a roof for an RPG is fine. Taking down enemy helicopters is a satisfying achievement, even in the steroid-driven Michael Bay-inspired action this series is known for. ...more

Never before has there been a more appropriately named game. Nostalgia is the latest release from Ignition Entertainment and comes from the development team of Matrix Software (who had their hand in the remakes of Final Fantasy III and IV).  Knowing that going in, it should be no wonder that Nostalgia is one of the best role-playing games on the Nintendo DS. That’s saying something considering the system has fan-favorites such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest available. But, just what makes Nostalgia so gosh-darned nostalgically good? Everything....more

Ever wonder what it would be like to join the cast of iCarly in their hijinks? iCarly on Wii allows you to be as creative as you want when it comes to set design, props, characters, design, and more. On May 13, 2009, Nickelodeon announced they had reached an agreement with Activision to produce an iCarly video game for the Nintendo game systems DS and Wii. On October 27 this video game became available to the public. This game is based on iCarly, an Emmy Award-nominated television series that premiered on September 8, 2007 on Nickelodeon. The premise of the show is that Carly (Cosgrove) and her best friends Sam (McCurdy) and Freddie (Kress) create their own web show called iCarly. The three try to stay out of trouble while making their web show funny and successful....more

Where The Wild Things Are is a fairly straightforward movie tie-in game. Containing some basic art influences from the film, as well as some general story themes, you control Max as he explores the island of the Wild Things, completing tasks and solving adventures, in an attempt to earn their trust and become king, as well as to save their world which is rapidly being destroyed. The game is a fairly straightforward action-RPG (a la Baldur's Gate or the Marvel Alliance franchises - although don't expect that same level of quality), with a lot of hacking and slashing, and some puzzle elements thrown in....more

There just doesn't seem to be anything that Forza Motorsport 3 doesn't do right. The game is set up in an intricate, unique way that allows even casual players to slowly turn into hardcore ones. The presentation is stunning, the online options and community features are unparalleled, and the sheer amount of content available is enough to last years. FM3 sets a bar that may not be touched for a very, very long time. ...more

What do Full Throttle, Psychonauts, and Grim Fandango have in common? They were all designed by Tim Schafer, critics liked them, and you didn't play them. Schafer's first next-gen game, Brutal Legend, will likely rack up as many accolades as his previous games but I'm still not convinced you're going to play it. To Brutal's credit, it has one thing that none of Schafer's other creations had: star power. Film actor and Tenacious D singer/guitarist Jack Black voices the lead character, Eddie Riggs. Eddie is a roadie who longs for the days when heavy metal was king. ...more

Dissidia is the gaming world’s ultimate amalgam. It not only takes characters from ten different entries within the Final Fantasy universe, but throws them into a game that’s a combination of both the RPG and fighting genres. While that mixture may seem a bit odd, Dissidia seems to have something for everyone, and the end result is a delicious Final Fantasy gumbo that’ll have fans of either genre battling it out for months to come. At its most basic, Dissidia is the classic tale of good versus evil....more

Every time I come home after a trip to a Disney theme park, I wish I could recapture some of the excitement, thrills, and fun of the rides, sights, and attractions in my everyday life. While I wait for a home version of some of the more popular roller coasters and simulators, Disney’s Toy Story Mania! for Nintendo’s Wii system will have to suffice. The game adequately replicates the Toy Story shooting gallery ride at Disneyland and Walt DisneyWorld, bringing all the characters and all the scenarios to your home television screen. Now, you don’t need to fly to California or Florida, stand in line, and hop on an amusement park cart to enjoy the game – you can do it from the comfort of your own family room sofa....more

Treasure World for Nintendo DS is an incredibly unique gaming idea. With this game, you and your DS go on a true treasure hunting experience, thus controlling the outcome and directions of the entire game from start to finish and everywhere in between. First you view a cutscene that shows the breakdown of the spaceship. In order for it to fly again, the ship requires refueling with stardust. This leads to the main objective of the game which is to collect stars. Stars are collected and cleaned by your Wishfinder, which is a little robot that you can dress-up and design as you wish....more