CHICAGO – If you’ve never seen the farcical ensemble theater chestnut “Noises Off,” you will see no better version than on the Steppenwolf Theatre stage, now at their northside Chicago venue through November 3rd. For tickets and details for this riotous theater experience, click NOISES OFF.
Video Game Review
Video Game Review: ‘Heroes Over Europe’ Frustrates More Than Flies
Submitted by BrianTT on October 13, 2009 - 11:21pmCHICAGO – The concept of Ubisoft’s “Heroes Over Europe” immediately intrigued this player, one who has grown a bit weary of the onslaught of sports and shooter titles this season. Maybe this game would offer a unique alternative, recreating the experience of WWII over London, Berlin, the French Alps, and more. Sadly, far too many gameplay issues keep this plane grounded.
Video Game Review: ‘Dead Space Extraction’ a Rare, Riveting Wii Shooter
Submitted by BrianTT on October 13, 2009 - 11:14pmCHICAGO – When most of us first heard about “Dead Space Extraction,” we had a cautious reaction. There have been several successful franchises that attempt to release a semi-sequel on another console and the results usually do nothing more than tarnish the original title. Such is not the case with “Extraction,” a game that plays just as it should, an expansion of the “Dead Space” universe more than a precise continuation. It’s one of the best Wii games of the year.
Video Game Review: Pound the Boards With Excellent ‘NHL 10’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 8, 2009 - 11:56amCHICAGO – Perhaps the biggest praise I can pay EA Sports’ excellent “NHL 10” is this - despite being a sports nut in general, I’m not much of a hockey fan and yet I found this trip to the ice completely entertaining, challenging, and in-depth. The best sports games not only preach to the choir by satisfying people who are already fans of the actual game but also can bring in people who don’t own a hockey jersey. “NHL 10” could actually increase the popularity of the sport.
Video Game Review: Get Behind the Wheel With ‘Need For Speed: Shift’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 4, 2009 - 7:51pmCHICAGO – Not being a huge fan of car racing games, I was stunned at how addictive and engrossing I found EA’s excellent “Need For Speed: Shift”. A complete left turn from last year’s failure “Undercover,” “Shift” represents the beginning of a new line of games for the “NFS” franchise, one that focuses on authentic racing over its ancestors more arcade style. The only problem for driving fans may be that it’s unclear where the “Shift” line can go from here.
Video Game Review: Adaptation of ‘Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs’ Tastes Rancid
Submitted by BrianTT on September 29, 2009 - 1:24pmCHICAGO – Even with the long history of awful video game adaptation of hit films, shouldn’t “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” be a slam dunk? The clever family comedy plays like a video game already with a very fun story that should be easy to turn into something playable with a controller. But the video game version of “Cloudy” has already his stores well past its expiration date.
Video Game Review: Ultra-Violent ‘Wet’ Provides Jolt That Wears Off With Repetition
Submitted by BrianTT on September 25, 2009 - 5:05pmCHICAGO – Bethesda Softworks’ “Wet” is a sloppy wet kiss to the cinema of the grindhouse as filtered through Quentin Tarantino’s love affair with it. The game plays not so much as an ode to B-movie thrills but to the way that QT interprets them. Clearly (and admittedly) inspired by “Kill Bill,” “Wet” is an often-fun but also often-frustrating shooter with style to spare but not as much substance as one would hope.
Video Game Review: ‘F.E.A.R. 2: Reborn’ a Missed Opportunity With Weak Expansion
Submitted by BrianTT on September 23, 2009 - 6:21pmCHICAGO – When “F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin” was released earlier this year, it took me awhile to get into the rhythm of the game and to realize what worked about the title.
Video Game Review: ‘Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny’ Beautiful But Odd Game
Submitted by BrianTT on September 22, 2009 - 10:52amCHICAGO – What do you want out of a fighting game? Aren’t they designed around the social experience of picking up a controller and kicking your friend’s ass? Fighting titles even the playing field, allowing the wimpy kid to kick the football player’s ass with the right mix of animated moves. They are the ultimate revenge of the nerds.
Video Game Review: ‘Cursed Mountain’ Brings Survival Horror to the Wii
Submitted by BrianTT on September 15, 2009 - 5:03pmCHICAGO – The Nintendo Wii has never really been a system designed for atmosphere. It’s a party console, a machine built around social experiences that usually involve making fun of how silly your relative looks waving a controller around the room like he’s actually holding a tennis racket.
Video Game Review: ‘Guitar Hero 5’ Places Emphasis on Quantity Over Quality
Submitted by BrianTT on September 15, 2009 - 4:51pmCHICAGO – Perhaps you’ve seen the clever commercials for “Guitar Hero 5,” in which a dozen or so hot women dance around with plastic guitars and Hugh Hefner extols the virtues of “variety”? There has arguably never been more truth in advertising. Like a roomful of Playboy Playmates, “Guitar Hero 5” gives fans all the variety they could ask for, but truly falling in love with any individual part of the title is a little more difficult.