Online/Multiplayer

Usually we identify good videogames by the time that we spend with them. After all, if we spend loads of time playing a game, then it follows that the game is quality, right? Right? I'm not so sure. Even if a game compels us to play it, that doesn't necessarily means that the game is compelling. Spending hours reading Harlequin romances or watching old Transformers episodes is hardly an indication that the media involved is noteworthy. The human mind is easily entrapped.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Blood, Violence

TimeSplitters 2 is one of those games that sounds good on paper—it's about time travel, so every level will be set in a different era!—but in actual practice the concept proves to be somewhat of a disappointment.

The tough question to answer is whether these ported titles are a "good" or "bad" thing. Pretty much all of these titles are still good games in the sense that what made them enjoyable at first remains enjoyable at a later date. But does the production of these games preclude production of new games and the possibility of creating new paradigms in games based in 2-dimensional graphics?

Thom and I are basically on the same wavelength about MechAssault, though I daresay I squeezed a little more enjoyment out of it than he did.

Game Description: Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is a retelling of the venerable series' first game with a quest for up to four players—all on one cartridge. The game is a mix of action and puzzles where Link must travel between the Light and Dark worlds to rescue Princess Zelda. In the multiplayer game, Four Swords, between two to four players take on the roles of young adventurers who answer a challenge from the Triforce. They must brave the dangers of multiple dungeons in a quest to find the Master Sword. Their strength will be tested by fierce monsters, their wisdom tested by complex puzzles, and their courage tested by having to cooperate with each other to overcome obstacles.

I tend to enjoy games with a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, but most don't pull it off very well. Oh sure, lots of games try. Very few games nowadays, in fact, seem unaware of their over-the-top, ridiculous natures. But most don't seem to understand how delicate the balance is between having an ironic or humorous edge and simply allowing the sheer excess of a game overwhelm it to the point of monotony.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Violence

Beyond this mocking, intentionally cheap and campy experience is a concise (though admittedly incomplete) cross-section of some of both the classic and the forgotten moments in Nintendo's videogame history, and a throwback to those beloved twitch-games of yore.

Game Description: You are a 40-foot tall walking tank known as a BattleMech. MechAssault is a 3rd-person action or shooter, where the environments are your weapons. Choose from a dozen Mechs ranging from quick 30- tonners to huge 100-ton monsters. Customize your Mech and annihilate your opponents. 20 single-player missions keep you hooked and multiplayer mode gives you a fantastic online experience.