Jackie Estacado gets two unexpected gifts on his 21st birthday as he discovers an ancient force called The Darkness.
The Darkness
Publisher: Take 2 Interactive
Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Reviewed on: Xbox 360
Rating: M – Mature 17+
Game type: First-person shooter
**** 1/2 (out of 5)
What’s the premise?
Mafia hit man Jackie Estacado gets two unexpected gifts on his 21st birthday as he discovers an ancient force called The Darkness, which gives him incredible powers after his Uncle Paulie tries to have him whacked. Jackie must use his assassin’s training and his newfound powers to carve a path (sometimes literally) through the underworld as he tries to stay alive.
This game is most similar to…?
Throw Hit man, Call Of Duty 3 and The Chronicles Of Riddick in a blender. Serve with a twist.
Can I let my kid/kid brother play it?
When the demonic eel-like Darkness creatures are finished biting the faces off your enemies, they like to stop and have a snack — on the dead men’s hearts! Need I say more?
One player or more?
There’s a multi-player mode where you go toe-to-toe as mafiosos or Darkness demons, but it pales in comparison to the actual game.
What’s missing?
A barf bucket to deal with the gratuitous amount of gore.
The (not-so) secret to success is…?
The name of the game is The Darkness, so pick off every light you see to increase the effectiveness of your demonic powers.
And in the end?
E-A-T-I-N-G H-E-A-R-T-S! The Darkness puts a really nasty, but extremely compelling, twist on the shooter genre.
If you’ve never played Resident Evil 4 before, you would be crazy to miss it again with Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition.
Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition
Publisher: Capcom
Platforms: Wii
Rating: M – Mature 17+
Game type: Third-person action/shooter
**** (out of 5)
What’s the premise?
The classic 2005 horror/action game gets its ultimate edition as gamers take control of U.S. government agent Leon S. Kennedy and use the Wii-mote to shoot, slash and run through nightmarish adventures in a rural European town in a search-and-rescue mission to save the president’s daughter.
This game is most similar to…?
Resident Evil 4 for GameCube or PlayStation 2 (but with more waving around of your arms).
Can I let my kid/kid brother play it?
Not unless you want to clean up the mess when they crap their pants.
One player or more?
You’re all alone (insert creepy music here).
What’s missing?
The graphics haven’t been improved up to Wii levels and thus seem a tad antiquated.
The (not-so) secret to success is…?
Don’t panic. There’s going to be lots of people trying to kill you and things popping out from the dark, but staying calm and aiming quickly will get you through.
And in the end?
If you’ve never played Resident Evil 4 before, you would be crazy to miss it again (especially since this one’s out at a discounted price). If you’ve played it before, you’ve never played it like this.
Brothers In Arms DS
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Nintendo DS
Rating: T – Teen
Game type: Third-person shooter
Rating: *** 1/2 (out of five)
What’s the premise?
Take up arms against the tyranny of the Axis as you relive some of the most famous campaigns of the Second World War in this quick-paced shooter for the DS.
This game is most similar to…?
Call Of Duty — but smaller and with way less impressive graphics.
Can I let my kid/kid brother play it?
War is hell and no place for kids.
One player or more?
There is a multi-card play mode that allows two to four gamers to play together.
What’s missing?
The gameplay is pretty impressive for cellphone port (which Brothers In Arms is), but the graphics are still pretty rough.
The (not-so) secret to success is…?
Be quick on the stylus. You’ll have to aim rapidly with your pointer in order to take out the bad guys before they get you.
And in the end?
If you’re looking for a little war action on your DS, Brothers In Arms will fit the bill nicely.
