PS3

CHICAGO – How do you judge a game like “Guitar Hero: Smash Hits”? Like a greatest hits collection for a respected artist, the actual content of the title is sure to give fans what they’re looking for with hours of entertainment. Only when you look deeper at the decisions made in the production of the game and the delivery of its content does “Smash Hits” begin to frustrate.

CHICAGO – Just as John Madden has become synonymous with video game football, when a gamer thinks of playing a round of golf without a 5 iron, he thinks of EA Sports’ beloved “Tiger Woods PGA Tour” franchise.

CHICAGO – Activision’s action game “Prototype” blends elements of several previous superhero icons into one massive superpowered experience that has a few visceral thrills and concepts that make it worth a look but some gameplay and storytelling issues that hold it back from true greatness.

CHICAGO – It turns out the revolution will be televised and you’ll be able to blow a lot of stuff up during it. THQ’s clever and incredibly deep “Red Faction Guerilla” is one of the most intense and exhaustive experiences of the season.

CHICAGO – Sony’s highly anticipated “Infamous” is a thrill ride of a game, a wonderful examination of heroism and villainy with perfectly designed gameplay, gorgeous graphics, and immense replayability. The bar had been set pretty high by months of anticipation for this title and expectation often leads to disappointment. Not with “Infamous”.

CHICAGO – Pixar movie tie-ins can be hard to review simply due to the strength of their source material. Pete Docter’s “Up” is the most critically acclaimed and brilliantly written films of the year. How can a game possibly match “Up”?

Video Game Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – The first hour of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is a total blast, a great blend of above-average graphics, interesting story elements, and clever fighting moves that hint at an enjoyable gaming experience to come. The hint is never quite fulfilled, as “Wolverine” becomes as repetitive and frustrating as the blockbuster film that inspired it.

CHICAGO – To celebrate tomorrow’s release of the video game based on the first big movie of the season, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” Activision presents what they call the “Final Reveal” trailer for the highly anticipated tie-in game. Check it out for yourself and don’t miss “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” in theaters tomorrow, May 1st, 2009. The Gavin Hood-directed film stars Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Lynn Collins, Ryan Reynolds, and Dominic Monaghan.

Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Vin Diesel should stick to making video games. After headlining last month’s “Wheelman” and this month’s “The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena,” I have to admit that I like the actor more as a video game hero than I do as a movie star. “Athena” gives fans the most bang for their buck of anything the actor has been involved with in years.

Video Game Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Even part-time game players have a movie tie-in horror story to share. Show me one blockbuster that produced a quality video game companion and I’ll show you ten that failed to do so. So no one’s more surprised than this writer at how enjoyable Activision’s “Monsters vs. Aliens” is from start and nearly to finish.