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Columns > This Week In Games > #26: March 19th 2006
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by Michael Anderson
March 17, 2006
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Michael Anderson reports in every week to keep parents informed about what's recently arrived in stores!
Want to know what new games have arrived in stores in the past couple of weeks? I'll tell you – and let you know what the early reviews are saying. I'll call out games that kids will probably love – even if the reviewers aren't impressed. Remember to look at the bottom of the article for game release more than a month ago that are just getting reviewed. I'll also alert you to games with very strong adult themes, so you can be ready to discuss them with your kids if needed. Finally, because there are plenty of gems to be found, I'll look for bargains to highlight, and a game that is older but still available, works on current generation hardware and is definitely worth checking out ... if you can find it.
Featured Game of the Week:
Wipeout Pure (PSP, Rated E – GamerDad Review Score 4.5/5). While we are anticipating a week of major PSP releases, we can look back on one of the best games for the system, the launch title Wipeotu Pure. It is available for $39.99 from Amazon.com. The GamerDad review says that "graphically, the game is one of the best on the PSP. The soundtrack is packed with instrumental techno tracks, all of them licensed from some of the hottest acts in electronic music. Wipeout Pure is a great game. But Sony aren't stopping there, as downloadable content is being made available in the form of new tracks and new racecraft." Check out the GamerDad review here!
Dubious Distinction of the Week:
Another movie ‘bored' game ... Zathura – for the PS2, XBOX & GBA, RatedE-10 for Everyone 10+, Average Review Score ~50%. There are some games that meet the stereotype for movie tie-ins – mediocre game that is very short and does nothing to distinguish itself from other games available on the market. Zathura is such a game. The movie from last fall was quite good despite failing to gain much traction at the box office, but seems to be faring better on the DVD release. So it is worth a warning that if you are interested in this, just watch the movie instead!
Now for some recently released games on the major platforms. Games are grouped with consoles together, then handheld systems and finally PC games. Within each section, they are grouped by ESRB rating, from E to M.
Gaming Consoles (XBox360, PS2, Xbox, GameCube, and Multi-Platform)
- Ice Age 2 (PS2, XBOX, GameCube & PC, Rated E-10) – Early Buzz: better than the typical movie tie-in, this is fun for all ages.
- Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix (PS2 & XBOX, Rated E-10) – Early Buzz: brings in stuff from everywhere and makes it all better with excellent results.
- Driver: Parallel Lines (PS2 & XBOX, Rated M) – Early Buzz: the latest game in the series loses much of its' roots and ends up as a reasonably fun GTA clone
- The Outfit (XBOX360, Rated M) – Early Buzz: some good fun, especially in multiplayer, but overall this is underwhelming graphically and the single player gameplay gets old fast.
- Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2, Rated M) – Early Buzz: deals with almost all issues from previous games to become one of the best experiences for the PS2.
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Critical Hour (XBOX, Rated M) – Early Buzz:
Handheld Game Systems
- Mega Man Powered Up (PSP, Rated E) – Early Buzz: does an excellent job of bring a whole new style and experience wrapped around classic Mega Man gameplay.
- Ice Age 2 (DS & GBA, Rated E) – Early Buzz: classic ‘shovelware', this game is not well adapted for gamers of any particular age.
- Neopets: Petpet Adventure (PSP, Rated E) – Early Buzz: takes the Neopet concept and turns it into a fun if unspectacular action-role playing game.
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Ultimate Masters (GBA, Rated E)
- Daxter (PSP, Rated E-10) – Early Buzz: the first great platformer for the PSP is not hampered by camera flaws, offering a wonderful gaming experience.
- Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror (PSP, Rated M) – Early Buzz: nice mix of action and tactical shooter with a solid (if short) single player mode and very good multiplayer.
PC Games
- CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder (PC, Rated M)
- Onimusha 3: Demon Siege (PC, Rated M)
The Early Buzz for Next Week
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (XBOX360 & PC, Rated M) – the most anticipated game from the XBOX360 is finally ready to launch and is looking wonderful.
- Metroid Prime: Hunters (DS, Rated M) – with its' huge WiFi network established, Nintendo looks ready for a mega-success.
- Me and My Katamari (PSP, Rated E) – the quirky game does pretty well as it goes portable, but loses some of its' charm.
Bargain Basement:
- Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (GBA, Rated E – GamerDad Review Score 4.5/5). This game is one of the all-time classics for the GBA and is available at Amazon.com *online only*for $9.99! This is by far the best price available! The GamerDad review notes that "this is high quality portable gaming, the likes of which Nintendo has been lucky to have a boatload of on the Game Boy for years now." Check out the GamerDad review here!
Catch Me If You Can!:
SSX 3 (XBOX, Rated E – GamerDad Score 5/5). This is available at for $19.99. The GamerDad review says it "is just pure, beautiful shredding, on some of the most beautiful tracks they've come up with yet. So drop in and hit the slopes!" Check out the GamerDad review here!
Catching Up with Game Reviews:
- Curious George (PS2, XBox, GameCube & PC, Rated E) – Unfortunately, another terrible game based on a movie. The GamerDad review here notes "kids who love Curious George will love the idea of this game, but younger players will become frustrated by the level of difficulty in several activities. Older players are likely to scream through the game as it doesn't offer enough depth of content or variety to make it worthwhile."
- The Apprentice (PC, Rated E) – one of those truly awful gaming experiences that has you asking ‘what were they thinking?'
- Dora the Explorer: Journey to the Purple Planet (PS2 & GameCube, Rated EC) – solid fun for younger kids with a few minor annoyances such as the lack of autosave, but a good experience overall.
- EverQuest II: Kingdom of Sky (PC, Rated T) – geared mostly for high-level players, this expansion provides loads of quests and items, and raises the level cap to 70.
- Global Star Sudoku Fever (GBA, Rated E) – not enough play modes and a lackluster play experience sink this puzzler.
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Columns > This Week In Games > #26: March 19th 2006
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