Rockstar

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.

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.

Wild Metal for Sega Dreamcast, however, would definitely pique my dad's interest. There's nothing complicated here—it's a 3D shooter that puts you in the driver's seat of a futuristic battle tank and lets you blow a lot of stuff up. While the game comes up short in some crucial areas, its tight focus on convincing tank warfare is enough to get Wild Metal noticed.

I have a fondness for games where simple, focused gameplay takes precedence over other aspects of a game. It's a trademark of DMA where graphics, sound and even plot take a backseat to the gameplay. One of my favorite games is a DMA title that was released on the Super Nintendo called Uniracers. There was no premise or plot, instead the whole objective was to race against other unicycles while performing tricks (similar to Nintendos Excitebike), and I loved it.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Animated Violence

Game Description: In Wild Metal, it is up to you to save mankind as you shred across enemy alien landscapes in your attack tank. Choose from one of five models, based on your opponents strengths and weaknesses and the landscape you'll be encountering. Embark on 21 levels as you avoid landmines, sentries, and other hazards in your quest to recover valuable power cores. With an extensive cache of ammo and the ability to fire the turret in almost any position desirable, you're sure to do some serious damage in Wild Metal.

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

Before Carmageddon, Postal, or Kingpin shocked and mortified parents and congressman alike, a small title entitled Grand Theft Auto was released upon an unsuspecting public. Right off the bat, it doesn't take a genius to tell what the game is about; you play as bad guys who stole cars to do bad things with them. It quickly won the hearts of more than a few gamers, who reveled in this opportunity to be a common street thug out to do no good. This is not surprising, however, because to most, though they won't openly admit it, it was a dream come true.