The Video Game Critic's
Xbox Reviews A-E

My expectations were astronomically low for this bargain-bin title, but I try not to let price tags ($4 in this case) sway my opinion. Aquaman is about as unimaginative and cookie-cutter as they come. You won't see our hero on the box cover, probably because he's not same clean-cut guy we grew up watching on Superfriends. No, this is an older Aquaman who looks more like a Greek god with his long beard and flowing blonde hair. Apparently he's the king of Atlantis, which is under attack by a force led by arch-villain (even worse than a regular villain!) Black Manta. Maybe I was spoiled by the spectacle of Atlantis on the Atari 2600 (Imagic, 1983), but this undersea kingdom seems downright boring! The buildings are mainly domes that all look the same! The water effects aren't bad, with objects appearing appropriately blurry in the distance. The sound of bubbles provide sparse audio for a game that's otherwise eerily quiet. The missions are pretty straightforward as you methodically beat up goons, disarm bombs (with a tape measure no less), and protect strategic locations. Enemies tend to congregate in groups, and when you get close enough, they'll float over to you one at a time to get their collective asses kicked. Once a thug comes within punching distance, just whale away on buttons until he vanishes. Rinse and repeat. I can tolerate a certain level of repetitiveness in my games, but Aquaman pushed me to the limit. There are dozens of fighting combos, but they all look exactly the same! Enemies sometimes apply a hold to Aquaman, and the sight of the two floating, intertwined bodies looks totally gay. You have the special ability to call upon sharks and dolphins for assistance, but they simply carry off the current foe. It's a crime the developers didn't use this opportunity to incorporate some gratuitous violence. It would have been worth at least a letter grade to see these goons get ripped to shreds! Aquaman's missions are mercifully brief, and an arrow always keeps you headed in the right direction. Breaking up the monotony are occasion submarine shooting stages which look like fun but play like crap. I was expecting the explosions to be a little less fiery, being underwater and all. In the final analysis, I can only recommend this game to die-hard Aquaman fans, but since there are none, I recommend this to nobody. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

Are you left feeling empty after a thrilling run of Artic Thunder? If so, you're not alone. This spectacular, fast-paced snow speeder game is also one of the most shallow I've ever come across. Its best trait by far would be its awe-inspiring tracks, set in the Himalayas, Chernobyl, Washington DC, the Swiss Alps, the Alaskan Pipeline, and even a haunted castle. With its over-the-top scenery, huge drops, and hidden paths, each track is like a high-speed theme park ride. You'll careen through the halls of the white house, splash through pools of toxic waste, and whiz past a giant Yeti monster in a cave. Unfortunately, the actual racing aspect feels like an afterthought. Invisible course boundaries force you back on track when you stray, and getting knocked off your vehicle by a competitor is only a minor setback as the game immediately puts you back on track at full speed. The other racers come and go so fast that there's little strategy involved in the vehicular combat. In the end, each victory rights hollow. The only real incentive is earning points toward opening new courses. My friend Jonathan and I gave the two-player split-screen "battle mode" a try, but it was a monumental bore. We could have played for days without actually hitting each other. The only points scored were for killing ourselves, which says a lot. Overall, Artic Thunder's exhilarating tracks will captivate arcade fans, but this racer offers little long-term value. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

This ill-advised title attempts to combine BMX biking with erotic strippers, and it's not exactly a match made in heaven. You have to question the state of mind of the Acclaim executive who said, "Yeah, this is a good idea." Languishing in bargain bins since its inception, BMX XXX may well be the worst video game ever conceived. This game is so tawdry that after reviewing it I had to take a shower. While not truly X-rated (more like an R rating), it pushes the boundaries of bad taste with its pimps, prostitutes, crude humor, nudity, and profanity. At its core, BMX XXX is a marginal dirt bike game with maze-like stages loaded with ramps and icons. In addition to performing Tony Hawk-style stunts, you'll need to gather certain items in a limited time, or locate hidden objects. The controls are abysmal. The A button is used to accelerate but releasing it "hops", so you end up hopping all over the place. The steering controls are responsive, but since the poorly designed stages are heavily constrained you often find yourself bouncing around like a pinball! Stage locations include the Bronx, Vegas, a Dam, and Area 51, but they're all terrible. The audio effects are truly obnoxious, both in terms of their volume and quality. Expect a lot of vagrants shouting obscenities like "get the [expletive] outta here!" The only thing XXX has anything going for it is its uptempo soundtrack, which even includes a track from Green Day. The juvenile humor is cringe-worthy, the graphics are riddled with glitches, and the whole package is sloppy in general. If you select a female rider, the characters still address you as if you were a guy. Clearing stages rewards you with short videos of topless dancers, and while the girls look good (duh!), the dark, grainy videos are not worth investing hours to unlock. If you want to know how bad BMX XXX is, keep in mind that parents didn't even bother to complain about it! That's saying something! © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

Despite its PC origins, Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance is a terrific Xbox game. If you've played Diablo (Playstation) or Record of the Lodoss War (Dreamcast), you'll feel right at home with this overhead hack-n-slash adventure. Dark Alliance is more action-oriented than your standard RPG, feeling more like Golden Axe than Final Fantasy. The puzzles tend to be of the simple lever-pulling variety, and most of the strategy involves choosing the appropriate weapons or spells for each new confrontation. The outstanding graphics should please Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) fans, complete with monsters taken straight from the D&D Monster Manual. The townships and dungeons are meticulously detailed and realistically lighted. Even clichéd environments like the sewers look terrific thanks to some of the best water effects I've ever seen. The characters are significantly larger than Diablo, allowing for a greater level of detail and control. The blood flies as you swing your sword, and each kill is satisfying because the bad guys don't continually regenerate like they do in some other games. Tiny kobolds flee in fear, skeletons shoot arrows from afar, huge gelatinous cubes slide around, ghosts walk through walls, and headless zombies wander aimlessly. There are loads of items to collect during your journey, and you're constantly upgrading your weapons and armor. While at first you'll want to pick up every item you find, eventually the weight limit kicks in, forcing you to be more selective. The well-designed control scheme gives you the ability to heal yourself on the fly, although switching weapons can be somewhat awkward. Interacting with characters conveys an interesting storyline, and the voice acting is not bad at all. Ominous music and crystal clear sound effects like creaking doors complete the immersive experience. There are ample save points and a two-player mode to boot. Some may find the action a little repetitive, but there's really not much to fault with this game. If you have a mind for adventure, you can't go wrong with Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

For a video game based on a movie, Batman Begins is pretty darned good. Some of its graphics are absolutely gorgeous. Who would have thought that docks, a staple backdrop in so many action games, could look so magnificent? I actually had to stop playing to enjoy the scenery a few times. The character animation is excellent, and controlling Batman is a breeze. Performing complex moves like climbing off of a vertical chain and onto a horizontal pipe is so easy that you'll think the game is reading your mind. The basic gameplay involves eavesdropping on thugs, freaking them out by triggering "accidents", and interrogating those you sneak up on. Keeping a low profile is advisable, since causing a ruckus results in thugs pouring out of the woodwork. The fighting action is simple and satisfying, with Batman performing a variety of stylish martial arts maneuvers on his foes. Despite its strong Metal Gear influence, Batman Begins never feels frustrating or tedious. The stages are very linear, and the game always keeps you headed in the right direction. At one point I even asked myself, "Am I playing this game, or is it playing me?" I decided it doesn’t really matter as long as I'm having a good time. This is one stealth game even a casual player can enjoy, although some hardcore gamers may object to the constant "handholding". Batman Begins is nicely paced, and I didn't even mind the early training level (those are usually so annoying). Spicing up the action are gadgets like an optic wire (to see through doors), lock-picking mini-games, and lengthy Burnout-style driving stages. Grenades and Batarangs are useful weapons, but these are only available at specific times, which can be frustrating. There are ample checkpoints, so you won't need to repeat the same areas too often. The storyline differs somewhat from the film but the cut scenes feature a generous helping of movie footage. An ominous orchestrated musical score adds dramatic flair, and it's reminiscent of Psycho at times. Despite being a bit shallow, Batman Begins has all the necessary ingredients of a good superhero game. Numerous unlockables include cast interviews, movie footage, alternate batman costumes, and mini-games. Fans of the Caped Crusader are in for a treat. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

I reviewed Battle Engine Aquila just after playing Mech Assault, and couldn't help but notice a lot of similarities. Both are mech shooters with similar control schemes, but in terms of looks, Aquila wins hands down. The visuals are more polished and well defined, and the shimmering water looks particularly good. You view the action from a first-person point of view, and there's much more emphasis on flying around. Unlike Mech Assault where you can only hover momentarily, in Battle Engine Aquila you'll spend half of the time in the air. Although flying is pretty easy, you have to be careful not to land in water because your mech can't swim. Unfortunately, the first person view sometimes makes it hard to determine if you're over water as you come in for a landing. Some missions take place almost completely over water, so you'll have to land on a ship to restore your energy, which can be tricky. Unlike Mech Assault which is basically a bunch of small skirmishes in confined areas, Aquila puts you in the middle of a huge war, with an expansive battleground loaded with other vehicles engaged in battle. To help tell the good guys from the bad, your allies are rendered in shades of blue, and the bad guys are all red. I enjoyed Battle Engine Aquila a lot, and found the two-player cooperative mode especially addicting. I don't think this game got a lot of attention when it was released, but it's very worthwhile. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

When was the last time you played a game of high-speed gunboat warfare? That's what I like about Blood Wake - there's nothing else like it. You're a modern-day pirate trying to sink everything in sight. There's a nice variety of realistically-modeled vessels to choose from like speedboats, catamaran, gunboats, and hydroplanes. Weapons include chain guns, torpedoes, mines, and rockets. An addictive story mode takes you on a series of exciting missions, most involving blowing ships out of the water and destroying structures on the shoreline. There are also some exciting four-player death matches and team modes included. The boats and the water are graphically impressive. Minutely detailed, the ships look properly aged and weathered. The shimmering water looks beautiful, and it varies in roughness. Enemy boats explode convincingly before slowing sinking into the depths. While the action is always silky smooth, slowdown does occur, especially if your ship goes airborne. The controls could have been better designed. Using the left "steering" joystick to thrust and reverse is awkward, and you often shift into reverse when trying to make a tight turn. Still, Blood Wake is quite satisfying overall, and fans of vehicular combat games will certainly approve. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

The first Bloodrayne sucked me in with its seductive heroine and occult theme, but with this sequel the formula is wearing thin. Rayne is a half-vampire redhead with knives attached to her arms who's trying to destroy her family bloodline. The action begins at a masquerade ball at a luxurious mansion, but later moves on to more urban settings including a meatpacking plant, sewers, and even a honky-tonk bar. Sporting a new haircut, Rayne has a few new moves up her sleeve, including the ability to grind rails, wield blood-powered guns, and use a harpoon to fling bad guys into fans, fireplaces, and trash compactors. A bizarre control scheme is used to swing from bars, but once you get used to it, it's pretty decent. You'll encounter some hideous monstrosities, but the bulk of your time is spent fighting a steady stream of generic thugs. At any time you can toggle between various play modes using the directional pad, including "aura vision" (reveal clues), "blood rage" (increased offense), and "dilated perception" (the obligatory slow-down mode). This dilated perception (aka "bullet-time") mode is not only a really tired concept, but it often belies the action on the screen as you see Rayne's blades pass harmlessly through the bodies of her enemies. It's similar to the light saber issue in Star Wars games - one swing really should finish off any foe. Bloodrayne 2 offers plenty of splattering blood, but it can be hard to tell who's doing the hurting during the mayhem. The environments are detailed and highly destructible, but they're often reused, which is lame. The audio is solid, and I especially like the Prodigy-style music that kicks in during major fight sequences. The difficulty level is about right but the checkpoint spacing is woefully uneven. At one point the game completely locked up on me - a cardinal sin for any console game. Bloodrayne 2 isn't the worst sequel I've played, but I don't think many gamers will be begging for a follow-up. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

As a long-time Bruce Lee fan, I was bitterly disappointed by Quest of the Dragon. This mind-numbing button mash-a-thon is poorly designed and just doesn't make much sense. You simply guide Bruce through different areas beating up one gang after another. First it gets repetitive, and then it gets boring, and finally it starts hurting your wrist! Quest of the Dragon might have been a fair game if the developers would have incorporated some interesting storylines or characters from Bruce Lee's movies. But all you get here is an incoherent plot and a parade of generic thugs! Dialogue like "Let's teach him a lesson!" doesn't help matters. In each stage, you methodically beat up each gang, collect coins, and purchase more moves between levels. The instruction manual is loaded with hundreds of moves, but in fact, little technique is required. This game is a button-masher's dream. Sure it's fun to watch Bruce go postal and dispatch dozens of thugs at first. The action is fast, but there are frequent "hiccups" in the framerate. The targeting system sucks, and you'll often find yourself facing some off-screen guy instead of the two thugs that are punching you on-screen. The game is strictly linear, although it's still hard to tell where to go next thanks to the awful camera system. The environments are not interactive at all - they just provide new scenery for the same monotonous fights. The graphics are below average. The characters aren't very detailed, and with the exception of the bosses, they all look the same. The scenery varies from a fishing village, to a restaurant, to the streets of Hong Kong, but it's nothing special. Even the lives/continue system is confusing. All in all, Quest is an uninspired game that won't hold your interest for long. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

As Microsoft's entry to the new "cooperative combat" genre, Brute Force puts you in charge of a four-man squad on a series of galactic missions. Each character possesses his/her own special abilities that are suited for specific situations. Tex is an all-around tough guy who can wield two weapons at once. Brutus is a talking reptilian beast with quickness and "heightened senses". Hawk's specialty is stealth, and her ability to become invisible and sneak up on unsuspecting enemies comes in handy. Flint is the sharpshooter of the group. Although the look of the game is similar to Halo, Brute Force is played from a third-person perspective. You can switch control between characters on the fly, and the other team members behave according to your orders. These orders include "move to", "fire at will", "cover me", and "stand ground". The system for issuing orders is confusing at first, but it's necessary to learn. A novice may be tempted to overlook the "team" aspect of the game, but a Rambo mentality won't get you far in most missions. Brute Force includes all the standard weapons you would expect, such as machine guns, rocket launchers, a sniper rifle, and various types of grenades. The scenery isn't noteworthy, but I like the variety of enemies, including marauding reptilian men, savage zombies, and teleporting wizards. Unlike SOCOM (PS2), which included a series of complex objectives with each mission, Brute Force only asks you to wipe out all of your enemies in each stage. The single-player mode is enjoyable enough, but the split-screen multiplayer mode is confusing, and my friends quickly grew impatient with it. If you really want to play multi-player, I'd advise trying the on-line options (I myself did not). Brute Force is a respectable action title. It's not one of my favorites, but at $20 it's a reasonable purchase. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

Much like the television show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is better than you might expect! The production values are top-shelf, with genuinely creepy environments, intuitive controls, and intelligent voice dialogue provided by the actors themselves (except for Sarah Michelle Gellar). The game offers a mix of exploration, puzzle-solving, and even sniping, but you'll spend most of your time showing monsters what the wrong end of a karate kick feels like. As a kung-fu hottie of the highest magnitude, Buffy beats down vampires, hellhounds, spiders, shambling zombies, and assorted other supernatural minions. The spiders look pretty gross, and the decomposed zombies keep coming back - even after losing a few limbs. The impressive fighting engine dishes out fluid and surprisingly elaborate attack combinations. Sometimes Buffy can dispose of a foe with a single, well-timed backhanded stab, and it's satisfying to watch a vampire disintegrate into dust. There's no shortage of weapons, including crossbows, flamethrowers, holy water, shovels, and even baseball bats. It's easy to throw enemies, and chances are, there's a sharp piece of wood sticking out somewhere closeby! Tossing vampires in front of moving trains is another enjoyable pastime. Certain locations are inspired by the show, including the high school and the Bronze nightclub. Realistic moonlight, fog, and flame effects convey an eerie atmosphere, and there are some genuinely frightening sights, like a contorted body crammed into a locker. Equally unnerving is the otherworldly music and disturbing sound effects like creaks, growls, and giggles. Locations like the mausoleum border on photo-realistic, but the cemetery feels too maze-like and the industrial areas are downright boring. Fortunately, none of the stages are particularly long. Another issue is the monotonous battles caused by too much monster respawning. She only killed like one or two in each show, yet she plows through them by the dozen here! Through it all Buffy tosses out some great lines like "You want a piece of me?! I'll give you the whole damned pie!" You go girl!! The characters are dead-ringers for the real actors, and their lips even match the dialogue. The controls are simple and responsive, although switching between weapons is a bit of a hassle. The fact that Buffy runs and climbs quickly allows the game to progress at a brisk pace. There's a nifty auto-save mechanism as well. All in all, this is a very well constructed game that I'm sure will become a collector's item, considering the show's cult status. Feel free to bump up the grade by one letter if you're a fan of the show! © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

When I started playing Chaos Bleeds, I was like, "Wait a minute, this doesn't even look as good as the first Buffy game!" It's true. The environments aren't nearly as detailed or dark, and indoor areas like the Magic Shop look far too spacious and clean. The characters appear more cartoonish and their faces look like dolls. In terms of gameplay, Chaos tries to copy the first game, even taking you to similar locations such as a graveyard, factory, and sewers. The same monsters are back, so expect plenty of those crawling torsos you stomped in the first game! So what's new here? Well, those bat-faced vampires look pretty ugly, and the giant spiders are extra-crispy this time around. There's also an appearance by that creepy ventriloquist dummy (*shudder*). Chaos Bleeds is playable, but it lacks the polish of the first game, and its stages vary drastically in terms of duration and difficulty. Switching weapons is a constant hassle, and I hate how you have to be unarmed in order to perform a throw or use an item. Vampires and zombies respawn continuously, artificially lengthening the game. Buffy has plenty of martial-arts moves, but too often she misses her target and continues out her string of moves at thin air. The repetitive fighting is tiresome, and the puzzles are unimaginative. When I had to locate a handle to close a steam value in a sewer, I asked myself "Didn't I do this in the last game? What's next, a fuse box puzzle?" Sure enough, there was a missing fuse right around the next corner! The camera angles are glitchy, and at one point I could not exit the first-person crossbow view (until I died). Several of the show's actors lent their voices, but not Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy) or Alyson Hannigan (Willow). Buffy's replacement is dead-on, but Willow's seems to be overacting. The dialogue lacks the wit and irony of the show, and comes off more like dialogue that's trying to sound like the show. A two-player mode is included, but these games are pathetic! Whether you're collecting bunnies or fighting zombies, random events cause both players to switch characters or worse yet - switch scores. Fans of the Buffster can bump up the grade by a letter, but only because of the fun unlockable videos which include outtakes and interviews with the cast. Note: An astute reader pointed out that this was a cross-platform game that was likely watered down by the PS2. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

Burnout 2 is one hell of a racer - arguably even better than Burnout 3! This "Director's Cut" plays just like the original GameCube version, but extra tracks and mild weather conditions have been incorporated. In addition, more vehicles are available from the get-go and you aren't required to take the "offensive driving" tutorial. In terms of gameplay, Burnout 2 is sensational. As you weave through traffic at high speeds and drift around corners, you'll experience an adrenaline rush few other video games can match. And unlike titles like Gran Turismo with their multitudes of license requirements, Burnout 2 provides a refreshing degree of instant gratification. The single-player mode offers a series of increasingly difficult races through scenic locations, and there are even a few police-chase stages to spice things up. My one complaint is that this mode is a little too easy, and it takes a while to build up to the real challenge. Burnout 2 also includes a fantastic "crash mode" which in of itself is worth the price of the game. As you and your friends take turns plowing into busy intersections, you'll want to strategically aim your collision to initiate the most destructive chain reactions. Burnout 2 is one of the most best arcade-style racers I've played in years. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

Oh sure - everyone's jumping on the Burnout bandwagon now, but I've been a fan of the series since the first edition. That said, I think this third installment is somewhat overrated. Although originally published by Acclaim, the Burnout franchise is now in the hands of gaming's "evil empire", Electronic Arts. EA certainly added plenty of features, but I think they may have gone off the deep end. In general, Burnout 3's races are chaotic and there's too much of everything. Even basic maneuvers net you crazy points and cause gaudy graphics to flash across the screen. It's too easy to take out other cars - simply rubbing against them can send them tumbling end-over-end. Points are awarded for everything - even crashing! Since the series is known for its high-impact wrecks, EA incorporated a new mechanism that lets you "guide" your crash into other cars while in slow motion. That's fun for about five minutes, but I prefer to get back into the race immediately. Winning any race in the single-player mode awards you with a laundry list of new items and unlocked stages. It's really too much to keep track of, and the sense of reward is diminished as a result. There's also an excessive amount of turbo available, so you can use it for practically an entire race! Burnout 3's "crash mode" now includes a two-player split-screen contest, but it's less fun than I expected. You can't tell what the hell's going on, and players' scores are inexplicably "switched" on occasion for no good reason. EA has also incorporated a few of their "signature" features, like the annoyingly hip DJ "Striker" and plenty of grinding guitar music. I've been pretty critical so far, but there's no denying Burnout 3's relentless, arcade-style gameplay. The sense of speed is palpable as you grind guardrails and weave through traffic. I love the "whooshing" sound effect when you narrowly avoid a collision. The "watch-only" tutorial is great, and the game's replay value is above reproach. An impressive number of tracks from around the globe are included, and the scenery looks terrific. Overall, Burnout 3 is certainly a solid title, but in some ways it's too much of a good thing. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

As a jet ski racing fan, I'm surprised Carve never crossed my radar until I spotted it in an FYE bargain bin. Sadly, the game reeks of mediocrity. The scenery is attractive but lacks the "wow" factor of games like Hydro Thunder. Locations include city canals, shipwrecks, icy waters, and best of all - tropical resorts. The "lost jungle" is incredibly lame, but the moon-lit night tracks are quite appealing. Carve also features impressive weather effects including rain drops that form little circles on the undulating waves. You view your jet skier from behind, which would be ideal if not for the constant beading of water on the camera lens (from spraying water). I'm sure some programmer was really proud of that effect, but it makes it hard to see! Another eyesore are the oversized "targeting icons" on each buoy which indicate if you need to pass on the right or left. Yes, they keep you headed in the right direction, but man, those big ugly things really clutter up the screen! Carve also suffers from an overemphasis on tricks. Does every game need to be like Tony Hawk? There are more than a dozen tricks ranging from barrel rolls to handstands to submarines. Doing tricks results in speed bursts, but screwing one up can ruin your entire run! Worse yet, sometimes a speed burst will send you plowing directly into a wall! I'd prefer to avoid the tricks altogether, but you're forced to master them if you hope to win the advanced tournaments and unlock everything. A two-player split-screen mode is available, but it just magnifies these issues. The alternative soundtrack is fair, except for one tune that sounds like it's whispering "you're stupid" over and over again. Not exactly the confidence booster I was looking for! Carve isn't a bad game but let's face it - there's far better jet-ski action to be had. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

It's like beating a dead horse to say Castlevania has never been very good in 3D. Still, Konami keeps plugging away, hoping one day they'll make a 3D version that comes close to capturing the magic of the popular 2D titles. With Curse of Darkness, you have to wonder how hard they're trying. Darkness basically mimics the lackluster gameplay of Lament of Innocence (Playstation 2, 2003), but incorporates more "stuff". The melodramatic, overwrought introduction reveals that upon his death three years before, Dracula unleashed a terrible curse upon the land. You just can't win with this guy! I wasn't too impressed by the androgynous characters and embarrassing prose sprinkled with pretentious words like "thence". The game takes itself far too seriously, with verbose, drawn-out cut-scenes that bored me to tears. The equally uninspired gameplay consists of running down long halls while hacking at monsters that materialize out of thin air. The hallways and rooms tend to be wide-open, probably in an effort to ease camera issues. The camera control could be better, but it's about average for this type of game. Harder to justify is how you can't see very far into the distance - it's like every hallway is shrouded in fog! The gothic scenery is elegant enough, but each section of the castle has a bunch of rooms that look exactly the same, making it easy to get disoriented. Gaudy arrows attempt to keep you moving in the right direction, but their 3D, rotating appearance makes them tough to discern at certain angles. You almost wish they had just labeled the doors "in" and "out". Minions you'll encounter are standard Castlevania fare, including werewolves, skeletons, ghosts, cyclops, and mermen. They look good, but I hate how they spawn arbitrarily, and then respawn when you return to old areas. The controls are crisp and responsive, allowing you to strike down multiple enemies with ease. One notable new feature is your "fairy" sidekick who "evolves" throughout the game. Castlevania's lush orchestrated musical score is well done, but even that gets old after a whole. Curse of Darkness is a step up from Lament, but it's still generic and uninspired. The Castlevania formula just doesn't "work" well in 3D. If you're looking for some real occult fun, try the Devil May Cry series instead. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

This vehicle combat game uses the trendy new "cell shaded" polygon graphics, which look like 3D versions of those old Warner Bros cartoons. I have to be honest: the animation is truly amazing to behold. It's a nice change of pace for those who cut their teeth on Twisted Metal. The music and sound effects are also interesting. It's hard for me to determine why this game doesn't work as well as it should. I think the bottom line is that it's just too chaotic. Despite the excellent framerate and zany animations, it's really hard to tell what the heck's going on in the heat of battle. The battlefield can get pretty muddled, especially in the split screen mode. There are no damage meters - one solid hit blows you up. As a result, you are constantly being destroyed, often before you can even get your bearings. Short-range weapons like the axe, hammer, buzz saw, baseball bat, chainsaw, and boxing gloves are great fun, but long-range weapons are a drag. Cheap hits from mortars and crossbows come from out of nowhere. And with vehicles whizzing all over the place, it's really impossible to aim from any kind of distance. Just head towards a group of vehicles and start firing away. Cel Damage is hard, but I was able to unlock a lot of goodies when playing the four-player split screen mode. Although the game looks better in the single-player mode, it plays better on the split screen. Go figure! I do like the "smack" point system, which earns you points based on how much damage you do. Cel Damage is not a great game, but it shows some potential. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

A CHARIOT RACING game for the Xbox? That's right, but what's even more surprising is just how GOOD this thing is. Circus Maximus is a brilliantly executed racing/combat game with innovative controls, and high-quality production values. The object is not only to race other chariot teams, but to beat them down as well. Each chariot contains two warriors: a driver upfront and a weapon-wielding combatant in the back. An ingenious control scheme gives you complete control of your vehicle while unleashing deadly attacks against your foes. There are a lot of buttons involved, but the controls are fairly intuitive. For example, the triggers pull the reins, and pulling on both slows you down. Although each warrior has four vicious attacks, there's really not much blood. Fighting is fun, but running other chariots over cliffs or into walls is just as satisfying. The nasty spills look fantastic! Another interesting feature is the fact that your chariot can tip over when riding around tight corners or over rough terrain. You sometimes need to lean your warrior to one side in order to maintain balance. The races seem to be kept artificially close, but this helps maintain the level of excitement. The tracks range from beautiful medieval countrysides to Roman Coliseums, complete with shortcuts, power-ups, and hidden areas. Locations like Greece, Rome, Britain, and Cyprus provide ancient landscapes full of statues, temples, and castles. While the scenery is somewhat lacking in detail, it is never boring. The audio is incredible, with amazing voice samples, subtle natural sounds, and dramatic music that always kicks in at the right time. The sound effects of the horses and wooden wheels really got my attention. The single-player mode lets you earn "dineri" currency by competing in a series of races. The more you earn, the more characters and tracks you open. I especially like how you can watch your dineri rack up as you compete. The four-player mode is especially fun because one player can drive while the other battles it out. Too bad there are no computer opponents in the split-screen mode. Circus Maximus is a triumph of originality, stunning visuals, and fun arcade gameplay. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

Given a slick XBox makeover, Wrath of Cortex is definitely a step up from the PS2 original. The graphics have been totally redone and look significantly more polished and slightly more detailed than the PS2 version. You'll even notice some fuzzy fur on Crash during close shots. Best of all, the horrendous loading times are gone - the Xbox only needs a few seconds to load each stage. The gameplay however has remained unchanged, which means you'll still need to deal with lousy jumping controls and unforgiving collision detection. It's especially bad when you're trying to jump on a slow-moving animal (which you could have just as easily run around) but find yourself continually getting turned into a ghost. And the jump and spin gameplay is really starting to get stale. Fortunately there some outstanding driving/flying stages that come to the rescue and provide some much needed variety. The best of these special stages has Crash in a ball (a la Super Monkey Ball) rolling down ramps and through bamboo gutters. This wild ride is nearly worth the price of admission, and the mine cart stage is also very exciting. Too bad the regular stages are so lackluster, or this could have been the definitive Bandicoot game. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

Nitro retains the same basic gameplay as its popular predecessor Crash Team Racing (CTR) on the Playstation, but what happened to all the fun?! Like the last Crash offering, Wrath of Cortex, new developers have managed to capture the look of the original game but failed to replicate the exciting, addictive action. The graphics look nice, but the new "features" stink, and the racing is incomprehensibly slow and laborious. There are really no innovations over the original CTR, and some of the tracks look almost exactly the same! The first few courses take their cue from the inviting jungle environments of the classic Crash Games, but some of the later tracks go off the deep end and will have you wondering which way is up. The control scheme is somewhat awkward, using the X button to accelerate and the O button to use items. The problem is, you never want to let off the accelerator. You need all the speed you can get, because the karts move incredibly SLOW. My thumb was aching from mashing the acceleration button, trying to achieve some degree of velocity. Even with the generous number of speed boosts, there's no sensation of speed, and in some areas you feel like you're crawling along. There are some new "moves", but none that enhance the lackluster gameplay. One new (and unwanted) feature lets you gain power boosts by timing your power slides just right. Nitro also integrates a new "team" aspect, although there's really no cooperation between characters. Instead, the racers are separated into "good" and "bad" guys, and when your team meter is full, racers on "your side" get unlimited items for a few seconds. That's not as great as it sounds because most items are lame mine-type weapons that you just lay behind you. There's only one missile weapon, which is pretty ineffective, and the shields do little more than inhibit your view! Another problem is the "portal" areas used to choose your next race in the single-player mode. These areas are large and confusing, and it's a serious pain to locate the next unlocked course. And don't forget to save regularly, because Nitro does NOT save automatically. Worse yet, your progress and the "unlockables" are saved separately. I was thinking Nitro might be a worthy challenger to Mario Kart Double Dash, but it's not even in the same league. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

When the first Crazy Taxi came out for the Dreamcast in 2000, it was the hottest thing going. The mind-blowing graphics, reckless driving, and pulsating audio soundtrack created a wild arcade experience like no other. The sequel introduced the "crazy jump" move and the ability to pick up multiple passengers. Crazy Taxi 3 contains the tracks from the first two games (the "Little Apple" is now set at night) as well as a brand new Las Vegas-inspired city. While the Vegas scenery is certainly an eyeful, the game itself is really nothing new, and the graphics aren't any better than the Dreamcast games. As a matter of fact, I noticed some problems with collision detection, clipping (objects penetrating each other), and even - gasp - slowdown. On the powerful XBox? How could this be? In addition, the load times are unforgivably long. There are a few new background tunes along with the standard Offspring songs (which I was sick of two games ago.) High Roller still provides all the zany mayhem and carnage that is Crazy Taxi, but veterans won't find much to get excited about. Where's the innovation? A two-player mode would have been nice. The Crazy-X mode (formerly known as Crazy Box mode) is a series of challenges that force you to employ special moves like dashes and slides. The clunky XBox controller makes executing special moves harder than they should be. While many Crazy-X challenges are pretty lame (pop balloons, jump through hoops), a few are undeniably fun. I especially enjoyed the one where you need to move down the football field with dozens of cars plowing into you! If you've never played Crazy Taxi before, bump up the grade up to a 'B'. For the rest of us, this taxi is running out of gas. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

Microsoft has come through with another high-quality title with gorgeous visuals, easy controls, and an arcade sensibility. Taking place in a retro-futuristic world where blimps and planes rule, Crimson Skies is basically a series of dogfights loosely held together by a storyline. You view the action from just behind your plane, and unlike most flying games, the controls are wonderfully easy to grasp. You'll collect new planes as you progress, and they are all innovatively designed and outfitted with unique weapons. In addition to flying planes, you'll also have many opportunities to man mounted cannons. This is an absolute blast! The cannons have a remarkable zoom function, and in a nice bit of realism, you'll need to "lead your shots" to hit long-range targets. The attractive graphics feature beautiful scenery, gigantic blimps, and satisfying explosions. The rippling water effects look magnificent, and the skies are swept with beautiful color. Thunderstorms make nice backdrops in some stages, and watching those huge blimps crash and burn is quite a sight. In order to maximize the fun, a lot of realism was sacrificed in Crimson Skies. You only take minimal damage from bumping into things, and your plane still handles quite well even when badly damaged. Landing is usually a challenge in games like this, but here it's almost automatic - you just approach a landing strip and press X. Your enemies are always easy to see thanks to some red brackets, and shooting them down never gets old. When you die, the game picks up right near where you left off. Crimson Skies is easy to play and loaded with personality and subtle humor. Even the graphic quality of the computer-generated scenes is amazing, particularly the facial expressions. There's even a kick-ass split-screen multiplayer mode thrown in for good measure. There's not much bad you can say about Crimson Skies, and it's madly addictive to boot. I don't think I will ever stop playing this game. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

Although Darkwatch boasts a western theme, this first-person shooter appealed to me more for its winter scenery and occult content. You play the part of Jericho, an outlaw who's slowly becoming a vampire after being attacked by a bloodsucker during a train robbery. Your goal is to hunt down the head vampire Lazarus, but first you'll need to blast hundreds of his skeletal minions back to hell. Darkwatch's graphics look terrific, especially in high definition. The action is fast and fluid, and the degree of detail in the scenery is commendable. One of the early stages takes place in a graveyard outside of a church, and it looks magnificent under the eerie moonlight. As you journey through trains, graveyards, mineshafts, and snow-covered forts, you'll blast rampaging skeletal warriors, undead cowboy sharpshooters, and levitating barmaids with glowing red eyes and hoop skirts. These chicks look especially creepy as they swoop down from above and unleash bloodcurdling screams. Darkwatch is brimming with style, which compensates for its by-the-numbers gameplay. The weapon selection is pretty standard, but at least the crossbow is unique, firing exploding arrows! I love how the skeletal creeps panic when they realize they have one of these things embedded in their chest. You can blast off the limbs of approaching creatures, and it's especially satisfying to detonate the explosive barrels they like to carry around. Throughout the game you'll toss dynamite, man turrets, and drive a jeep mounted with twin gatling guns. During horseback stages you can turn 360-degrees to attack demonic horsemen. At certain points in the game you're prompted to make a moral decision, and this affects what powers you'll acqure and what enemies you'll face. Another neat feature is your "blood vision", which highlights enemies and items of interest. This is initiated by pushing in the right thumbstick, and I often triggered it accidentally during the more frenetic parts of the game. Darkwatch is generally entertaining, but some stages are better than others. You can get lost in the pitch-black mineshafts, and the aptly named "torture maze" truly lives up to its name. The four-player split screen game is a nice bonus, but for some reason the two-player split screen doesn't include a scanner, and that stinks when you consider how huge these battlefields are. At its core, Darkwatch may be just another first-person shooter, but it has a certain polish and style few can match. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

I must confess that I underrated this game the first time around. Dead or Alive 3 is easy to dismiss as pure eye candy, but in retrospect its gameplay is outstanding. This game looks astounding on my high definition television. The character animation is silky smooth, and the fights unfold like well-choreographed martial arts flicks. The controls are precise and success depends on a balanced combination of offensive barrages, defensive maneuvers, and pure luck. Juggling moves are the order of the day, allowing you to deliver several extra licks after tossing your opponent into the air. It's a bit shallow, but fun as long as you're not on the receiving end. Despite the rich visuals, the game has practically zero load times. Each character sports a distinctive fighting style, and while most are male, it's the beautiful females that steal the show (they kick high). Perhaps even more eye-catching than the babes are the scenic, multi-tiered stages. These locations are so phenomenal that you'll want to pause just to look around. Many feature uneven terrain, along with surfaces covered with water puddles, ice, or powdery snow. You'll battle in lush autumn woods, a sunny tropical beach, a high-tech aquarium, and a snow-encrusted forest. The skyline in the glass building stage is absolutely stunning. Interactive environments allow you to pin your opponent against a wall or tree, or toss them through walls and windows. When a fighter is thrown off an elevated platform, the other character leaps down to rejoin the battle, and it's as exhilarating as it is ridiculous. The slick user interface offers options galore, including story, tag-team, and practice modes. Dead or Alive 3 has long been the premier fighter for the Xbox console, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

For those who find this game's title somewhat perplexing, it's actually an offshoot of the Dead or Alive (DOA) fighting game series featuring some sexy, well-rounded babes. Based on graphics alone, DOA Volleyball deserves an A+. My friends were absolutely mesmerized by the curvaceous ladies in this game, and the opening video alone was enough to make our jaws hit the floor. Yes, DOA Volleyball really plays up the cheesecake angle, with plenty of cut scenes showing the players "warming up" in various positions. Likewise the tropical island scenery is also pleasing to the eye, with sunny beaches, private coves, and lush jungles. The volleyball action seems almost secondary, but it's still pretty good, and DOA Volleyball somehow manages to forgo all the meters we saw in Beach Spikers for the Gamecube. All you see here are the girls in action, and while it's fun to watch, the swinging camera does make it hard to position your players. Still, the fluid animation and realistic physics make up for some of that. The game is fun and easy to play, with only two buttons used. It takes practice to time your hits effectively, and the volleys tend to go on for too long. Outstanding background music features bouncy, catchy pop tunes that fit the beach environment perfectly. But what's the deal with the voices? The players sound like little Japanese girls, and it's annoying. The one-player mode is not what you would expect. It's played in virtual "days", and before you can play volleyball you'll need to win over a partner by buying her an appropriate gift. You earn money for gifts by gambling in the casino at night, which offers several betting games that are fun in their own right. While maintaining relationships, shopping, and receiving gifts is certainly an original concept, it wasn't what I had in mind when I bought the game, and it didn't hold my interest. The two-player mode is better, but for some reason both players can't be on the same team! What's up with that? And where's the four player mode? Are they saving it for a sequel? © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

In recent years, remakes of classic early-80's arcade games have proliferated rapidly. Although their snazzy 3D visuals are a huge step up in terms of graphics, the gameplay usually languishes in mediocrity. Defender is a typical example. While it's great to view, the frenzied, relentless gameplay of the original game is nowhere to be found. The graphics are not at fault. The awesome interplanetary skylines are splashed with color, the explosions are remarkable, and the smooth framerate makes it a pleasure to fly around. You view the action from just behind your ship, just like Rogue Leader (Gamecube). Also like Rogue Leader, your missions usually involve protecting, escorting, or evacuating people. You can also pick up and place cannons strategically to help your cause. It's a shame that Midway took this hackneying "mission" approach instead of trying to use the gameplay of the original Defender. This game isn't very fun. A fundamental flaw is the difficulty in shooting anything - the crosshairs are way too sensitive, and aiming is frustrating. Actually, this new Defender bears little resemblance to the original. Only a fleeting sound effect here and there will remind you that you're playing Defender. I did enjoy the "Historical Perspective" documentary included on this DVD, but a better bonus would have been the inclusion of the original Defender. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

Having thoroughly enjoyed the first two Dino Crisis games, I was anxious to "complete the trilogy" of this exciting action/adventure series. Dino Crisis 3 took me a bit by surprise, because it's a radical departure from the first two games. Instead of Jurassic Park-inspired storylines, this takes place in the year 2548 on an abandoned space freighter crawling with genetically mutated dinosaurs. The fresh premise allows for some intriguing possibilities, and the developers took advantage of this to come up with some terrifying creations like you've never seen before. The production values for Dino Crisis 3 are excellent, with smooth, lifelike graphics, and a lavishly orchestrated musical score. The opening cut-scenes are positively jaw dropping, and had me convinced that I was about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. But despite such a promising start, Dino Crisis 3 turned out to be a confusing mess. Let's start with the horrendous camera scheme that you have absolutely no control over. Not only does it often give you the worst possible angle, but when you move it swings randomly, which is completely disorienting. You can't even see where you're going half the time! Adding to the confusion is the fact that the large, wide-open rooms all tend to look the same. Dinosaurs regenerate constantly, and literally appear out of thin air. Add in a bunch of uninteresting key puzzles and the need to constantly backtrack, and it soon becomes apparent why this game sucks so much. On the bright side, auto-targeting helps you pick off targets, and you can employ floating robots to fight alongside of you. But overall Dino Crisis 3 is a major disappointment, and it's probably not worth your time. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

I've been anxiously awaiting Doom 3 since it was released for the PC last summer (2004). I even purchased the Xbox "special edition" which contains Doom I and II. If only its tin gray box didn't look so butt ugly. And while I'm on that subject, there's something fishy about the fact that the "extras" are included on the same disk as the game. If they don't require an extra disk, why not let everyone have them? Oh, because then they couldn't charge an extra ten bucks! Anyway, Doom 3's claustrophobically dark environments offer an experience that's like nothing else I've played. You can use a weapon or a flashlight - but not both at the same time. This "feature" has been subject to much controversy, and I still can't decide if it's idiotic or brilliant. Obviously it would be easier to use both at once, but it could be argued that this limitation heightens the tension and encourages a more careful, deliberate approach. The game is set in an industrial complex on Mars where all hell breaks loose - literally - as demons begin spawning from portals. Is the game scary? Hells' yes! When the lights go out suddenly and you hear a loud crash, you can't help but jump out of your seat. Weird noises that emanate from rooms ahead will make you think twice before entering. Besides the hideous monsters, eerie sights include corpses that suddenly levitate and float out of the room. Doom 3's controls are crisp and responsive to the highest degree, and I love how the D-pad is used to quickly switch weapons. The weapons themselves are similar to those in past Dooms (chain gun, shotgun, plasma gun, B.F.G.) but their reload times are considerably longer. Doom 3 offers a few "find the key" and interactive puzzles, but for the most part it's either "kill or be killed". One element I'm not crazy about are the "PDAs" you collect from dead soldiers, containing both emails and voice clips. It's tedious to examine their contents, but sometimes necessary to uncover critical clues like lock combinations. Doom 3's graphics are as good as I've seen in a first-person shooter - even better than Halo 2. I couldn't help but notice some slight pixilation when you're right "up on" the scenery, but the texture mapping and lighting is fantastic. The environments are detailed to an almost photo realistic degree, but there's not much variety. You'll spend most of your time wandering the dark, narrow hallways of industrial facilities with steam pipes and control panels all over the place. The human characters look good but not remarkable, and their pale skin makes them look like zombies even before they're dead. The surround sound is impressive; the crystal clear moans and footsteps build a sense of paranoia (are those footsteps mine?) There's no auto-save feature, but you can initiate a save at any point, and there's even a handy "quick save" button. My biggest disappointment came when I attempted to play the much-ballyhooed two-player cooperative mode with a friend. Sadly, there's no split screen version, so you'll need two copies of the game. Otherwise, I really enjoy playing Doom 3. It may lack the variety and long-time play value of Halo, but you can't question Doom 3's sheer intensity and top-notch production values. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

I was a huge fan of the original Dragon's Lair "laser disc" arcade game in the early 80's. Although never any good at it, just watching that awesome animation was enough to keep me riveted. And with Dragon's Lair 3D (DL3D), I can freely explore that world of fascinating castle rooms, mysterious knights, and magical traps. At its best, DL3D does a superb job of capturing the look and feel of the original game. At its worst, it feels like a Tomb Raider knock-off. The graphics are rendered with detailed backgrounds and cell-shaded characters. I was only disappointed with the "death" screen". In the original game, Dirk would gradually decay into a heap of bones, and it looked incredible. The new sequence looks plain and downright cheesy in comparison. The sound effects and music are absolutely first-rate, providing an intense, foreboding ambiance. In the age-old storyline, Dirk needs to save Princess Daphne from an evil Wizard named Mordroc. Have you checked out Daphne? She is a certified hottie! Most of the rooms are short puzzles inspired from the original game, but a few require extensive platform jumping and switch pulling which can border on tedious. While the DL3D gameplay is certainly exciting, it can also be very frustrating. You have to sheath your sword before you grab ledges or ropes. Some of the key switches and escape routes are barely visible, and there are numerous bottomless pits - the bane of my existence. The fighting aspect is clumsy and doesn't require much technique. The camera is a big issue too. The developers leave it to you to position it correctly, so you're constantly swinging it around frantically. You can save at any time, but even if you forget to save and die, the game thankfully restores you close to where you left off. Like most platform games, you acquire new items and abilities as you progress. Dragon's Lair is pretty good. Even with all my complaints I could play for hours on end. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

As a teenager my friends and I loved playing the Dungeons and Dragons board game. Actually, come to think about it, we spent more time perusing those awesome hardback books (Monster Manual, Dungeon Masters Guide) than actually playing the game. What made D&D so fascinating was its extreme attention to detail, with literally thousands of meticulously described magic items and hundreds of fully conceived monsters. Dungeons and Dragons Heroes tries to incorporate the richness of the board game, but it plays like a second-rate Baldur's Gate. As you explore caves, castles, and swamps, you'll collect treasure, flip switches, and hack up hordes of monsters. Your ability to perform special moves and throw projectiles like acid flasks adds some much needed variety. Does it get repetitive? Hell yeah! Especially when it takes five minutes to destroy a squid-headed Mind Flayer, and then you walk into the next room and there are five more! Still, the controls include a terrific guard move and I love how you can hack up dozens of creatures at a time with no graphical slowdown. When surrounded, each swing of your sword can strike several enemies, with blood and hit points splattering all over the place. Hero's medieval graphics are superbly crafted, but some of the dungeon scenery can get repetitive. Fortunately, a handy on-screen map will keep you on track. There are some minor annoyances, like the excessive number of "trapped" chest, and how you can pick up a huge pile of gold, only to discover it's just "3 GP". C'mon! The sound effects are outstanding, particularly if you have surround sound. I only wish the characters spoke with English accents - American accents sound odd in a game like this. Dungeons and Dragons Heroes has only one major flaw, but it's a killer. The camera control is left completely to the player! And while the right joystick makes it easy to swing and zoom the camera, the fact that you have to wrestle with it constantly is deplorable. Making adjustments while exploring is one thing, but when you're battling a half-dozen trolls and inadvertently move behind a wall, there's no time to mess with the camera angle. The disk states that the game is "best played together", but I beg to differ. With multiple characters, the camera pulls far back, making it hard to see what's going on in the dark scenery. If not for the camera issues, this might have been a winner, but as it is, Heroes falls into the average category. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

Could Konami come up with the longer, more unimaginative name? ESPN Winter Games Snowboarding 2002 really doesn't have much to offer, but for only $9.99 (at Best Buy), I couldn't resist. The truth is, snowboarding games are a dime a dozen, and there's nothing here to make this one stand out. This game needs an edge, badly. The graphics are average and the control scheme is borrowed almost completely from SSX (PS2). The game fails to convey much sense of speed or excitement. The grinds are done on roller coaster-like rails, but the fact that you don't need to maintain your balance (just hold a button) greatly reduces the challenge. The graphics are smoothly animated but plain, and your large snowboarder often blocks your view of upcoming ramps and obstacles. A career mode lets you create, outfit, and live a day-by-day schedule as a snowboarder. Unfortunately, the many layers of menus become tedious to wade through after a while. The rock soundtrack (Offspring, 311) is decent, but sounds the same as every other "extreme" game. For novice snowboarders, this game will suffice, but veteran gamers will want more. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

So this is the game so many critics and gamers have been complaining about? This is the same game that's been written off in newsgroups as a bug-ridden, poorly designed waste of a license? Well, I hate the ruin the party, but I actually like Enter the Matrix! Not only is its gameplay fast and exciting, but it captures the essence of the films perfectly. You assume the role of one of two characters: a black woman named Niobi or an Asian guy named Ghost. Most missions involve sneaking around buildings, shooting it out with police, and engaging in hand-to-hand combat. The left trigger kicks in the "focus" mode (the equivalent of "bullet time" in Max Payne), slowing everything down so you can perform incredible stunts like dodging bullets. Performing hand-to-hand combat in focus mode is even more remarkable. The fluid manner in which Niobi grabs, disarms, and flips a cop in one smooth motion is a sight to behold. It really isn't hard to pull off some mind-blowing attacks, many of which you'll recognize from the films. The controls are well designed, with the possible exception of the "shoot" button that's mapped to the somewhat awkward "black" button. I like how your character ducks automatically - it's great for running under low pipes. Enter the Matrix features a lot of dark, boring environments and stoic acting, but at least they're consistent with the films. There are ample police and soldiers to shoot up, but if you encounter an agent (you know, one of those Republican guys wearing a tie), you're better off running, since they can't be defeated. The stages tend to be brief with ample save opportunities, and a handy arrow at the top of the screen keeps you heading in the right direction. Respectable driving stages are interspersed to break up the run-and-gun monotony. One of the major failings of Enter the Matrix has to be its uneven visuals. You'll see a near-photographic brick wall next to a cheesy-looking waterfall of white lines. Niobi's flowing, shiny coat looks remarkable, but car tires and power buttons are shaped like octagons instead of circles! It looks pretty heinous. I also don't like how when you fire a weapon, your bullets don't appear to be going in the right direction, even when you're locked onto a target. The collision detection is hit-and-miss (pun intended), but the occasional lapses don't adversely affect the gameplay. It's been reported that Enter the Matrix is susceptible to locking up, but I haven't experienced any of that. I can't forget to mention the much ballyhooed extra Matrix footage filmed exclusively for this game. I'm not a big fan of the trilogy, but these scenes are a real treat for fans. Unfortunately, the video is not DVD quality and looks somewhat grainy. Enter the Matrix definitely has its share of issues, but I still had a good time playing it. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

I wasn't expecting much for $20, but being a long-time Evil Dead fanatic, I was hoping that Fistful of Boomstick would at least be respectable. I figured I could tolerate some mediocre gameplay as long as it retained that classic over-the-top horror formula I've always loved. Well, you have to be careful what you ask for, because this is certainly mediocre, and I don't think I like it so much. Wandering through town blasting ghouls with your shotgun and dismembering them with a chainsaw is entertaining for a while, but the fun doesn't last. The graphics are below average, with plain-looking, uninteresting scenery. The character models are blocky, although the gratuitous splattering blood and flying limbs do compensate for this somewhat. Our hero Ash is voiced by Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell, who sounds like he's having a swell time. His funny wisecracks include gems like "Yes, you may have another", "Thank you for shopping at ass-whippings R Us," and "I bet you're for gun control now, huh?" The monsters do seem to possess the classic Evil Dead mannerisms, but they look pretty rough for an Xbox game. The stages contain a series puzzles that often defy logic, and you'll find yourself running in circles. Battling zombies in the streets hardly feels like an Evil Dead movie, and it's frustrating not being able enter most buildings. In addition to fighting, you'll also talk to people and collect keys to open new areas. Spells gradually become available, but trying to execute a spell in the heat of battle is hazardous to your health. In later stages medical kits are in short supply and the zombies swarm you from all directions. Fistful of Boomstick was an ill-conceived project, and even Evil Dead fans will find it hard to justify shelling out $20 for it. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.