Stephane Petit-Clerc
The PSP is almost a year old and it seems like we haven't yet had our onslaught of original titles yet. Say what you will, the best games on the handheld at the moment are puzzle games (Lumines) and racers (Wipeout, Burnout, Ridge Racer, Need for Speed, Midnight Club). Read More.
Since 1980, Kenny Rogers has managed to star in five Gambler movies while the videogame industry has yet to produce one great oater epic. While there are so many things wrong with that first sentence, Neversoft has finally set aside its Tony Hawk series to make the definitive western videogame that anyone can enjoy. Read More.
I'm often asked why I like football so much. I always answer the same thing: math. Football is a game based on numbers and statistics. In hockey, a simple pass from Sakic to Tanguay will be considered inconsequential unless a goal is scored. This doesn't just stem from the fact that hundreds of passes are made in each hockey game, but also that so many games are played in each season. Read More.
When my editor called to tell me I'd be reviewing Cold War from DreamCatcher Interactive, for whatever reason, I expected an adventure game the likes of Syberia. When I had the game in my hands and saw the screenshots on the back, I realized that this was no adventure game in the traditional sense. Read More.
It should come as no surprise that the many films of Tim Burton are an acquired taste and generally cater to a niche audience. There is a certain visual style about them, as well as a recurring theme, that makes them instantly recognizable to anyone. Over the years, Burton has also amassed a group of people that he seems to continuously work with and who have helped establish the Burton Brand; namely actor Johnny Depp and composer Danny Elfman. Read More.
As with all new console releases, there is always a certain amount of content that must be addressed to please the masses. In the case of the PSP, the only soccer game released was 989 Sports' World Tour Soccer. As with 989's offering of Hockey, Basketball and Baseball, these were, for the most part, the same games that were released on the PS2 but with several modes missing. Read More.
When DOOM 3 was released for PC (and later for Xbox) it caused a giant rift among DOOM fans and FPS lovers in general. DOOM had always been about one man taking on wave after wave of monsters. It was action personified. But with DOOM 3, many expected the series to evolve beyond that by borrowing from Halo and Half-Life. Read More.
It should be a given that any developer willing to pay top dollar for a high profile game license (Film, TV, Comics) will do the source material justice, not to mention, will give rabid fans enough to sink their teeth into. Unfortunately, as we've all seen, this is rarely the case. Read More.
For the past three years now, Midway has tried to fill our nostalgic needs with its Arcade Treasures volumes. Whereas the first two entries featured a veritable smorgasbord of game types (everything from SpyHunter, Paperboy, Marble Madness and Smash TV to Gauntlet 2, NARC and the Mortal Kombats) volume 3 tries very hard to follow a theme; retro-racing classics. Read More.
I recently had the misfortune of reviewing NBA for the PSP. As my review stated, I found it lacking in many areas and just not fun at all to play. Now, a few weeks later, my editor hands me NBA 06 with a big smile and I'll be honest; I shuddered at the thought of having to play another NBA game for the PSP, especially one that I knew to be built off the same game I had just reviewed (and hated). Read More.
If there's one genre that the PSP is in no shortage of, it would definitely be racing games. From Burnout and Midnight Club to Ridge Racer, Need for Speed and Wipeout, there's something for everyone. In the heap of racing titles then, it would be easy for another title like GripShift to go unnoticed. Read More.
Once in a very great while, you find games that are so utterly captivating and spellbinding that the world around you just ceases to exist. A game that brings forth new ideas, new concepts or new gameplay mechanics that simply humble you with their greatness. These are quiet, personal moments etched in time that seem as real as watching Olympic dreams realized or the unfolding dramas of a breaking news report. Read More.
Okay, I confess: although I like to think of myself as wise and knowing in all things game-related, sometimes an incredible series passes me by and I miss out on it. Such was the case with Dynasty Warriors; I starting playing it because Seth on The O.C. was playing it and it looked fun. Read More.
Growing up, I had a love hate relationship with 989 Sports and its various franchises. While some years I loved ShootOut and GameDay and FaceOff, other years they just left me cold. As time went on, I would look more towards EA or Sega's alternatives. But after playing the amazing MLB on the PSP, I truly hoped that this was a turning point for 989 and I was eagerly awaiting NBA. Read More.
As much as sport titles, first person shooters, RPGs and adventure games are fun and satisfying to play, handhelds also need titles that simply provide quick-fix entertainment without heavy-handed stories, long texts to scroll through and 9 innings when 3 will do. Read More.
