Adventure/Explore

According to the ESRB, this game contains: Animated Blood & Gore, Animated Violence, Suggestive Themes

While I wouldn't go so far as to say that Fear Effect 2 is the digital entertainment equivalent of a cutting-edge novel or soul-searching film, it certainly pushes the envelope of games by going boldly where almost no console titles have gone before in terms of what qualities they are expected to contain, and it manages to do it with panache.

Game Description: Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix is the prequel to the critically acclaimed hit Fear Effect on the PlayStation game console. In this chapter, we delve into the colorful histories of the original cast of three mercenaries as well as the extraordinary circumstances that brought them together. Their adventure will take us to the chaotic alternate reality of Hong Kong, Hells Kitchen in New York City, the formidable Walled City of Xi—an, the lost tomb of the First Emperor of China and finally into the legendary mountain-island of the immortals—Penglai Shan. A variety of melee and range weapons, such as brass knuckles, pistols, and heavy assault weapons, will help you take out increasingly combative henchmen. The game allows you to play as any one member of the team: cover-girl assassins Hana Tsu-Vachel or Rain Qin, master operative Royce Glas, or greedy killer Jakob "Deke" Decourt. The game's variable ending changes with the disposition of certain in-game events, and other hidden features promise added replayability.

Right from the start, I sensed something was wrong. I think in any game, if you find yourself dead within the first five minutes of playing, that's a bad sign. That's exactly what happened to me in Oni.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Animated Violence

Game Description: Set in the year 2032, Oni is the story of Konoko, an elite agent of the Tech Crimes Task Force who is on a quest to infiltrate and destroy a ruthless crime syndicate. The game puts the player in a world that can be imagined as a blend of action thrillers, such as La Femme Nikita, and classic anime, such as Ghost in the Shell. As the game progresses, Konoko wrestles with the terrible secrets of the underworld, confronts the frailty of her own identity, and discovers that she can trust no one.

Chi does a good job of covering most of the game's flaws, but I disagree about the curse of being a game critic. To me, the worst part of being a critic is actually having to play games like Oni.

Among the many NES classics we've all played and forgotten about, Blaster Master is one that still manages to amaze today. I remember marveling at the game's remarkable special effects when it came out 12 years ago, and even as I play it now, I'm astonished at how cool the shots and explosions look.

Game Description:  Banjo and Kazooie, that bear and bird platforming pair from their beloved, eponymous game, are back in Banjo-Tooie. Their second adventure will take them through eight new worlds, full of hulking bosses, minigames, and the series' trademark goofy gameplay. There are plenty of new moves to learn, but this time Banjo and Kazooie can work some missions independently, utilizing special skills. Banjo-Tooie features a multiplayer element to some of the minigames, in some cases supporting four players!

With Rare's first 3D attempt at the genre on the Nintendo 64, that was exactly the case. Banjo-Kazooie was released to huge fanfare as Rare successfully produced a game that not only did everything the groundbreaking Super Mario 64 did, but did it better. Heaven achieved.