All PC and Console Game Reviews

Crash of the Titans is a 3D platformer/beat-em-up in which you control Crash Bandicoot. Based on the demo, I wasn't really sure what to expect, but didn't I certainly didn't expect to like it. Luckily, that's hardly ever been a reason for me to not buy a game. So, despite my misgivings, I picked it up, and I really like it. Up to a point.

That point is about three and a half hours into the game, depending on how fast you go, where the difficulty level begins to increase at an exponential rate. This may be less of an issue for people that don't suck at video games.

Clive Barker's Jericho is an FPS horror game which somehow manages to be trite, derivative and not at all scary. Even with headphones. In the dark. I was annoyed, pissed and frustrated, sure. But not once was I scared. Not even a little. And I'm a pretty jumpy guy when it comes to horror games. I had to quit playing Silent Hill because it scared the living crap out of me. The sound of radio static terrifies me to this day. Same for Doom 3. Granted Doom 3 wasn't a very good game, but at least it was scary.

But this? This isn't scary, this is crap. Sorry Clive.

While I was looking forward to the release of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, I wasn't exactly paying attention to the release date. So, imagine my surprise when I discovered a copy at my local Target (I have made note, I believe, of the lack of proper game stores here in Helena, MT?). So, I picked it up yesterday on my lunch break, and as soon as my day job was done with, I rocked out until I completed career mode in one sitting.

I do not recommend finishing an entire career in one sitting. Especially when you haven't played in a while. Your hands will thank you for such kindness.

Tony Hawk's Proving Ground is the latest installment of the venerable Tony Hawk skateboarding series. Those familiar with the series will feel right at home, but noobs, not so much, which is to say: not at all. Proving Ground comes with some new features: a new set of "lifestyle" paths, rigging, and couple of new move types. I understand that it can be "beat" in under eight hours, but I couldn't be bothered to do so.

While Tony Hawk's Proving Ground adds some new features to the mix, when it comes right down to it, I'd just rather play Skate.

Skate is EA Games' first foray into the skateboarding market dominated by Tony Hawk. It looks like they realized that to have any chance of success, Skate has to be very different from the Tony Hawk series. And very different, it is. The Tony Hawk series has always struck me as being somewhat...arcadey, with both the controls and the physics designed to allow for stupidly impossible (if fun) stunts, whereas Skate comes off as more of a skateboarding simulator.

And this difference is the source both of Skate's successes as well as its shortcomings.

Beautiful Katamari is game in which you play the Prince of the Cosmos. As the Prince, you must endeavor to (once again) clean up the mess your father, the King of the Cosmos, has created. As per usual, he has destroyed all the stars and planets except Earth. You must go to Earth and use your sticky Katamari to roll up all kinds of things so that new stars and planets may be created to replace those that your father has idiotically destroyed.

While the addition of a Katamari game to the 360 line up is gratifying, the game has some frustrating flaws. Plus, the King of the Cosmos is a big jerk.

Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction is the fifth installment of the Ratchet and Clank series, but I have a confession to make: I've never played any of the others. I may have to pick them up, because this game is freaking awesome. It's a platform/shooter in which you (mostly) play Ratchet, the last of the Lombaxes (a furry race with long ears somewhere between a fox and a cat). Sometimes you get to play his sidekick, Clank, as well.

I never would have expected such a goofy looking franchise to produce the game that finally makes me really glad that I own a PS3. But it did, and I am.

Pokemon Ranger is an action RPG with the emphasis on the action. Where the focus in other Pokemon games is typically on the capture and collection of Pokemon, here the focus is on preserving the balance of Pokemon in the wild. There's also a great deal more action as the Pokemon capture process here is a real time test of skill instead of a tactical fight as in other games.

On the whole, it's pretty fun, but you there is some risk that you're going to scratch up your DS if you get too excited.

Exit is a newly downloadable XBLA title which appears to be a direct port of the PSP game of the same name. In my original review for Exit, I said that it was neat and original, but frustrating. I think the real problem is that I suck at playing games on the PSP. On the 360, I totally love this game. And here's the thing: near as I can tell, it is functionally identical to the PSP version, except that I can now play it with a man-sized controller on a man sized TV.

With a total of 220 levels of escapolgist fun, Exit for the 360 is a steal at 800 points. Even if you don't already have any "Microsoft Points", and need to buy a full 1000, that's still only $12.50 which is cheaper than a used copy of the PSP version.

Folklore is a fantasy RPG which takes place in approximately modern times. I know that it's "modern" because there are telephones and magazines. I know that it is fantasy because there are fairies. The things which differentiates this game is the manner of combat: in the netherworld you capture the "ids" of bad fairies. These "ids" then do battle for you.

Thing is, as nice looking and interesting as it is, it's also horribly frustrating which makes it a pretty hard game to recommend. This is turning out to be a pretty common theme on the PS3. Sony needs to get its act together.