Majesco

You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who enjoys high concept games more than I do, but regardless of how fancy or sophisticated the idea is, there still needs to be a solid core of enjoyable play behind it. Psychonauts's premise hooked me from the start, and though I have great respect for what creator Tim Schafer has contributed to the world of videogames, I found the "mental spelunking" experience here to be lacking both in terms of plot and content.

Double Fine's Psychonauts combines psychology and parapsychology: we have personal experience with our own brains 24 hours a day, but a boy with psychic powers and a gateway into people's heads can still prove that the human mind is strange as all get out.

According to the ESRB, this game contains: Cartoon Violence, Crude Humor, Language

Game Description: For years, the Psychonauts have deployed their psychically-armed operatives all over the world, but now there is trouble brewing in their own boot camp. A deranged scientist is abducting camp cadets for their brains! One student, a mysterious and powerful new arrival named Raz, stands alone against the lunatic. Raz must develop and unleash an arsenal of paranormal powers, including his most powerful weapon of all—the ability to launch himself telepathically into the minds of others. Ultimately, he must enter the psyche of his worst enemy and destroy his dark plans at their source. Entering the mind of madman has its challenges, and Raz must struggle to preserve his sanity while he battles to save the day.

Shooters—what's not to like? Taking control of spaceships or airplanes (or sometimes just people flying in the sky) and blasting the hell out of everything that moves is just a good time. Unfortunately, the genre's releases have dwindled to the point that each new game that lands on a shelf is a cause to celebrate for those who appreciate the hyperkinetic reflex action. The first such game to hit the Nintendo DS, Nanostray, is a welcome arrival that mostly holds its own, though it doesn't break any new ground.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Fantasy Violence

Game Description: Slowly awakening from a blast to the side of your ship, your memory is jumbled and you can't remember what just happened or what you're doing in this sector. Instinctively, you check your console; a destination is still plugged in. You must take action; the enemy is starting to swarm. Nanostray is an intense, pulse-pounding 3D Shooter designed exclusively for the Nintendo DS. Supporting touch screen input, network play and dual screen support, Nanostray's arsenal of weapons, non-stop action and beautifully designed environments make this game one of the most exciting and innovative 3D shooters ever.

According to the ESRB, this game contains: Violence

Fans of Big Robots are in for a real treat if they happen to own the Xbox console. For some strange reason, Microsoft's black behemoth will be host to a virtual armada of mecha-themed games quite soon. With upcoming titles like Murakumo, Phantom Crash, Robotech: Battlecry and Steel Battalion (to name just a few) there won't be any shortage of missile-launching, jet-boosting, laser-sword-slicing fury. I'm really a bit mystified as to exactly why there will be so many on the Box as opposed to the other two consoles, but whatever the case, the invasion's first wave has just hit.