If you've got a low tolerance for syrupy-cute anime nonsense, Arcana Heart probably isn't for you. A 2D fighter with an all-girl cast, it piles on the saccharine with high-pitched voices, exaggerated posing and lots of overcute everything everywhere. What's more, its 11 fighters have all been tailored to fit some weird Japanese fetish archetype; there's the athletic schoolgirl, the mopey schoolgirl, the bumbling witch with big glasses, the
Most FPS titles have you running around while shooting at everything else that's running around. But Area 51 - in its opening stages at least - is more tense than that: you've got to stand still while hell breaks loose around you.
Sweeping through a ruined and still-burning underground science complex, Area 51 begins by throwing more enemies at you than most games manage per level, and it's your job to hold your ground without being overrun by them.
It's a rush, that's for sure. Moody looks
Against odds longer than those of the Arizona Cardinals winning a Super Bowl, Arena Football has somehow survived despite a hyper-crowded sports and entertainment landscape. In fact, its more popular than ever, as proven by a big fat television contract (now called by ESPNs popular Mike and Mike in the Morning crew) and Electronic Arts exclusive AFL video game license. While still a blip on the radar in the grand scheme of things, its frenetic pace and over-the-top style has earned a spot in
Gameplay-wise, most Armored Core games have been only thinly distinguishable from sequel to sequel. You're a mercenary with a great big mech, which you can customize to your heart's content. Last Raven does bring a few more sandwiches to the picnic, but it's really just another small upgrade in a series that runs short on big ideas.
Since the developers know that their fans are hardcore as hardcore gets, metalheads are unceremoniously dumped in the deep end with no tutorial. You do get two
Art of Fighting is one of those odd series that helped to define a genre, yet somehow never managed to become even remotely popular itself. Its kind of the old-school, 2D fighting game equivalent of former Jessica Simpson hubby Nick Lacheys boy band, 98 Degrees. Only more influential, as if Nick had then taught the far more successful Justin Timberlake how to sing or how to have lots of sex with gorgeous-but-superdumb pop divas back when they were sane enough to be
It seems Astro Boy returns every decade or so, and now American film makers have retooled the iconic character for another reboot. Albeit low budget looking and feeling, High Voltage Software put more life into Astro Boy: The Video Game than we’d expect from a movie tie-in. Bright, sleek and silver, Metro City sets the stage for Astro Boy’s adventure against an evil robot-wielding president.
Okay, so we've got the unlikely, underage hero who's been chosen by a talking sword to save the world. Your character, the half knight, half matter-manipulating alchemist Felt, is then off to another realm that's oppressed by a corrupt empire, and gets caught up in a growing rebellion. A larger plan is revealed, and Felt's group of fellow travelers turns out to be more important than it seems.
Hmm ... sounds a lot like every traditional, turn-based RPG we've ever played. From its "gotta save
Two years ago, the release of the first Atelier Iris release was a breath of fresh air, introducing players to an airy RPG romp and an unfamiliar game style. A year after that, we got Atelier Iris 2, and a year after that, we get Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm. The returns are diminishing. While Atelier Iris 3 has some interesting gameplay systems, they're hardly worth putting up with the rest of the game
Attention all dirt-junkies: the wait is over. Sony and Climax have finally unleashed the latest game in their ATV series, ATV Offroad Fury 4, and while the series seems to be slowly exhausting itself (seriously, how many times can you milk such a concept?) this newest entry into the series provides enough content to please diehards and newbies alike.
In addition to loading the game with several gameplay options, such as single event races, championship races, and a new career mode, the dirt
Avatar: The Last Airbender, an anime-styled cartoon on Nickelodeon, has gained quite a respectable following for a show that was originally targeted at younger viewers.
In a mythical world of four quarrelling nations (Air, Earth, Water, and Fire), the Avatar named Aang is the only one who can bring peace and stability through harnessing all four elemental powers. The show combines an entertaining mix of humor, drama, and likable characters that has drawn in a wide demographic of viewers.
