Atlus

With the unconventional design of the DS, Nintendo suggested that developers would step in and use its technological opportunities to create innovative games and new play experiences. Up to this point, I would say that this prophecy has gone largely unfulfilled. There have been some neat games to be sure, but in my opinion, very few of them have really capitalized on the things that separate the DS from the competition until Trauma Center: Under the Knife came along.

Game Description: Trauma Center: Under the Knife gives you the chance to play doctor. It's just another day in the O.R. until a mysterious outbreak sweeps the area. As the problems get more complex, it's up to you to wield your scalpel and test your medical skills under the most difficult conditions. Patients' lives are in your hands.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Sexual Themes

Looking for a traditional turn-based role-playing game (RPG) that doesn't feature elves, dragons, and the days of yore? Then I've got the game for you. Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga (DDS) is the latest game from the much-loved (yet almost tragically ignored by American gamers) MegaTen universe. Renowned for their modern settings, philosophical and ideological story elements, use of demons, and unrelenting difficulty these games are revered by hardcore RPG fans. DDS is the latest offshoot in a gaming world that already features the Persona titles, Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, DemiKids, and a slew of other games, and much like its brethren, it's a refreshing change of pace for a genre that seems to be mired in stale ideas and clichéd stories.

Game Description: Junkyard, a town of endless rain... With his four companions, Serf, the main character and a member of a tribe called Embryon, sets out for Nirvana, a land that can only be reached by the champions of Junkyard. They devote themselves to fighting against the never-ending resistance mustered by other tribes. In the midst of chaos, a mysterious object, the Pod, suddenly appears. Countless spheres of light are emitted by the Pod and infect Serf and his comrades, awakening their demonic power.

Game Description: Set in post-apocalyptic Tokyo, the entire population of the world has been annihilated by a global catastrophe called the conception. Now, the fate of the entire world lies on the shoulders of a young man turned demon, who must battle his way through opposing demonic forces to bring balance to the world to come or possibly become the harbinger of its destruction. Set in post-apocalyptic Tokyo, the entire population of the world has been annihilated by a global catastrophe called the conception. Now, the fate of the entire world lies on the shoulders of a young man turned demon, who must battle his way through opposing demonic forces to bring balance to the world to come or possibly become the harbinger of its destruction.

According to the ESRB, this game contains: Blood, Intense Violence, Language, Sexual Themes

Highly regarded in Japan, the Megami Tensei series (sometimes referred to as MegaTen) is one of that country's most popular and long-running role-playing game (RPG) franchises. Despite spanning approximately seventeen years and over fifty titles, its religious imagery and moral questions are practically unknown on domestic shores with the exception of two overlooked PlayStation discs, Persona: Revelations and the amazing Persona 2: Eternal Punishment. Now, with the release of Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, American players can sample a bit more of what they've been missing. It's delicious, but an acquired taste.

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment is definitely an RPG in every sense of the word, but changes the formula enough to become a breath of fresh air instead of a double dose of valium. The bare-bones gist of the story is that you play the role of magazine reporter Maya Amano, who is tracking down a serial killer terrorizing metropolitan Sumaru City.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Animated Blood, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes