Rogue Galaxy - hands-on

You'll be able to run and jump more or less freely through the environment while fighting Rogue Galaxy 's giant apes, killer robots and other alien weirdies, which comes in handy for the few enemies that require some strategy. Airborne enemies can be downed with jumping slash combos or ranged attacks (think rapid-fire pistols), while some baddies actually need to be jumped on or shot with a special gun before you can hurt them at all. There's also an unlockable move for each character called Burning Strike, which enables players to unleash a super-powerful combo by hitting buttons on cue a la God of War.

Still, most battles are won by just hammering on goons until they die. It's repetitive as hell, but so far it's been so fun and rewarding that we haven't cared, and having allies along for the ride makes it even more enjoyable. Jaster will usually be followed by two buddies at a time, and in or out of combat, you'll be able to switch between characters on the fly to take advantage of their unique abilities. The two you don't control act independently, although you can give them simple group orders in battle, and they'll usually ask you for guidance when they want to use a special item or ability.

Mikel Reparaz
After graduating from college in 2000 with a BA in journalism, I worked for five years as a copy editor, page designer and videogame-review columnist at a couple of mid-sized newspapers you've never heard of. My column eventually got me a freelancing gig with GMR magazine, which folded a few months later. I was hired on full-time by GamesRadar in late 2005, and have since been paid actual money to write silly articles about lovable blobs.