Video Game Review

Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – May 2010 has seen a trio of racing games that might blur together for casual players but that all come with their own unique identities. Sony’s “ModNation Racers” (which we will review later this week) is about the customizable experience and plays closer to something like “Super Mario Kart” meets “Little Big Planet”. Disney’s “Split/Second” is a car chase scene from a Michael Bay movie brought to life. The most traditional and arguably most addictive is Activision’s “Blur,” a thrill ride that moves at such a high rate of speed that decisions need to made in the blink of an eye.

Video Game Rating: 5.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Rarely has a game lived up to the advance hype as completely as “Red Dead Redemption,” the very unique title that will be influential in so many ways that they’re almost hard to count. There have been titles that pushed the gaming world forward in terms of single-player campaigns or multi-player experiences or gameplay or graphics, but “Red Dead Redemption” is a masterpiece on every discernable level. It’s doubtful you’ll play anything better all year.

CHICAGO – One might assume that the disappointing Jake Gyllenhaal summer action flick “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” would have a movie tie-in game that’s equally frustrating but Ubisoft’s “Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands” is actually unrelated to the film other than being a part of the franchise that inspired it. No, you won’t be able to play Alfred Molina’s ostrich races, although you may wish you could.

CHICAGO – 2K Sports announced today that the legendary Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan would grace the cover of “NBA 2K11,” to hit stores on October 5th, 2010. Just as the current season is ending with a potentially historic finals game between the longtime rivals Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, 2K Sports looks to the past of the popular sport for the next installment of their hit franchise.

CHICAGO – As the video marketplace gets more and more crowded, it becomes even harder for some titles to stand above the competition, especially in the incredibly crowded month of May 2010. It takes confidence to challenge highly anticipated titles like “Red Dead Redemption,” “Alan Wake,” “Super Mario Galaxy 2,” and “ModNation Racers” for gamer dollars.

CHICAGO – Have you ever wondered what it would be like to play an over-the-top car chase like the centerpiece of a Jerry Bruckheimer production like “Bad Boys II”? Dodging explosions, other vehicles, and your own tendency to swerve left when you should swerve right? Welcome to the world of “Split/Second,” a variation on the “Death Race” concept in that it’s often the last man standing named the winner.

CHICAGO – With echoes of the literature of Stephen King, “The Twilight Zone,” “Twin Peaks,” and “Lost,” the Xbox-exclusive “Alan Wake” is a daring, ambitious title that demands your attention. Why? Because while it’s an imperfect title on a gameplay level and I wish I could have tweaked the storytelling a bit, games that try to break the mold and present something this unique deserve an audience.

CHICAGO – After watching a large number of their soldiers pick up their gear and trudge off to the amazing multiplayer of “Battlefield: Bad Company 2,” Activision and Infinity Ward have made some recent moves designed to bring video game warriors back to the beloved “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2”. Xbox 360 players got the “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package” first but it’s now available on the PS3 with word of a “Resurgence Pack” hot on its heels.

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Carnival

CHICAGO – This 5-image slideshow contains the official press images of the five new maps soon-to-be available for “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” in the DLC entitled “Resurgence Pack”. The add-on will be available on the XBLA on June 3rd, 2010.

Video Game Rating: 2.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Namco Bandai’s latest punch-and-shoot game, “Dead to Rights: Retribution,” has moments of visceral enjoyment but they become fewer and farther between as the structural flaws and awful combat system make the title nearly impossible to enjoy. As poorly designed games get more difficult, their drawbacks go from annoying to aggravating with deaths caused more by game design than player control. “Dead to Rights: Retribution” is such a game.