Another week, another Call of Duty: Black Ops Map Pack. At least, that’s what it feels like. Following Escalation comes the Annihilation Map Pack, coupled with yet another zombie adventure. It’s hard to continue hyping myself up for these releases when they’re leaked, dated, and released within days of each other. But I soldiered my way through the latest collection via Xbox Live for you, dear readers. Is it worth your hard-earned cash, time, and investment? In a nutshell, no. I can only take so many irresponsibly-placed sniper’s nests, uninspired rehashes, and mundane environments. And Annihilation ‘packs’ all of these into one tidy package.
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Review: F.E.A.R. 3
F.E.A.R. 3 is an interesting beast. While the previous games in the series focused on explosive firefights and spine-chilling interludes, the focus has shifted to frenetic, point-scoring battle royales where the player, as protagonist Point Man, plows through each stage ripping through enemies all in the name of completing challenges combined with an explosive yet modest campaign, winning co-op, and vicious array of weapons. F.E.A.R. 3 is a pleasant, bloody surprise.
Review: Dexter: The Game
Imagine your favorite TV show. Now squeeze everything you like about it into a neat little package suitable for a mobile device. Did you remember to include the stunning cast? What about the hilarious one-liners? Did you manage to get some high-key developers on board? As you can imagine, taking a hit television series and turning it into a viable video game requires quite a bit of planning, just like what’s required of lovable-but-incapable-of-loving Dexter Morgan. The smash hit Showtime series “Dexter” has been graced with its very own iPhone game, and from where I’m standing, it packs quite the punch. Admirably, Dexter the Game manages to fit all the atmosphere of the show into a handy adventure that you can take on-the-go. Who said major platforms should have all the fun?
Review: Obscure: The Aftermath
As horror enthusiasts are probably aware, the Obscure franchise as a rule is approached with trepidation. And for good reason. It’s not exactly the creme de la creme of the land of Pyramid Head and cursed tattoos. While the original game stood on its own as an intriguing thriller, its Wii sequel tended to disappoint, as migrations to the Wii tend to do. It stands on wobbly legs as a survival horror title, stumbling more than once as it struggles to be recognized as a viable spectacle of the macabre. Now that it’s on the PSP, this is one port you may be wise to pass up, especially if you have a strong aversion to pitiful, Americanized attempts at college horror films. Because that’s what Obscure: The Aftermath is trying to be, and that’s a nightmare in itself.
Review: Tekken 6
Tekken has long been a viable alternative to those who have strayed from the Street Fighter, Soulcalibur, or Mortal Kombat camps. Ever the dark horse of the genre, it’s been around long enough to avoid the typical pitfalls that riddle efforts considered unsuccessful by the community. With the advent of Tekken 6, that lucky streak seems to have been cut short. While the core gameplay is slick and enjoyable brawler, the pithy Scenario mode and overall presentation mire this flashy fighter in a mess of broken gameplay, dated graphics, and disappointing online play. While it may be enjoying great success in the arcades, I can’t quite recommend it as a console port.
