Fun Rating: Really Fun

In a Nutshell: Wake up on an island, punch trees.

Developer: Markus Persson

Website: http://www.minecraft.net/

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Verdict: Running around stabbing dudes is funner than ever!

In a Nutshell: Top-notch third-person exploration and stealth, wrapped up in an interesting story with a ton of varied side missions to keep you busy for hours on end.

(from the game’s website)

Assassin’s Creed 2 is an epic story of family, vengeance and conspiracy set in the pristine, yet brutal, backdrop of a Renaissance Italy. Ezio befriends Leonardo da Vinci, takes on Florence’s most powerful families and ventures throughout the canals of Venice where he learns to become a master assassin.

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Verdict: absolutely brilliant

In a Nutshell: This is one of the best side-scrolling platformers I’ve seen.

(from the game’s website)

“Trine is a physics-based action game where three characters allow clever solutions to challenges created by hazardous puzzles and threatening enemies. The gameplay is based on fully interactive physics – each character’s different abilities and tactics can be used to invent new ways to overcome obstacles and save the kingdom!”

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Verdict: Really Fun!

In a Nutshell: A rich and surprising 2D action side-scroller

(from the game’s website)

“In Shadow Complex, gameplay is centered on exploration and fast-paced combat as you gather game-altering power-ups and an arsenal of futuristic weapons to overcome obstacles, thwart legions of enemies, and delve into a mysterious open game world. The original single-player adventure is set in a compelling universe based upon the best-selling novel, Empire, by Orson Scott Card.”

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Verdict: Great game!

In a Nutshell: Sequel to the original MUA – the heroes’ Civil War gets more complicated when a new threat emerges!

(from the game’s website)

“The Marvel Universe is being torn apart. You and your tema of marvel Super Heroes help Nick Fury launch a secret preemptive strike against Latveria and Lucia Von Bardas only to have to thwart her retaliatory attack on New York City.

Coupled with oter Super Hero incidents, public sentiment turns against Super Heroes. The Superhuman Registration Act becomes law and Super Heroes must register as weapons of mass destruction and become licensed government agents with the United States government.

Lines are drawn as Iron Man leads the Pro-Registration side while Captain America leads the Anti-Registration side. You must pick a side and fight to determine the fate of the Marvel Universe and humankind.”

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Verdict: delightful

In a Nutshell: This is a point-and-click adventure about a robot trying to save his girl and the leader of the city and was one of the 2009 PAX 10.

(from the game’s website)

“Machinarium is an independent puzzle / adventure game developed by the makers of popular web-games Samorost and Samorost2. A little robot who’s been thrown out to the scrap yard behind the city must return and confront the Black Cap Brotherhood and save his robot-girl friend. The game takes place in a strange rusty metallic city populated only by robots. The story is about a little robot who has been unjustly thrown out to the scrapyard behind the city. In the game he returns to the town where he meets the bad guys from Black Cap Brotherhood – they are just preparing a bomb attack on the central tower where the town ruler has residence in. Of course our hero must stop them and also rescue his friend robot-girl.”

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Verdict: soooo relaxing

In a Nutshell: Physics game about cell-like creatures and was one of the 2009 PAX 10.

(from the game’s website)

“Enter the ambient world of Osmos: elegant, physics-based gameplay, dreamlike visuals, and a minimalist, electronic soundtrack.

Your objective is to grow by absorbing other motes. Propel yourself by ejecting matter behind you. But be wise: ejecting matter also shrinks you. Relax… good things come to those who wait.

Progress from serenely ambient levels into varied and more challenging worlds. Confront attractors, repulsors and intelligent motes with similar abilities and goals as you.”

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Verdict: Rich!

In a Nutshell: This is an update to the classic platform puzzler of racing to collect all the gold before the baddies catch you.

(from the game’s XBLA page)

“It’s an all-new Lode Runner gold mine — 3-D graphics, frenzied 2-D action, lodes of modes, 220 levels, multiplayer options, puzzles, a level editor and more! Run, climb, blast blocks, outsmart enemies and grab the gold on your own or with a partner. It’s classic action with “lodes” of new twists.”

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Verdict: A delightfully new puzzler experience.

In a Nutshell: George Washington riding a pegasus over a UFO occupied by a ninja. Scribblenauts.

(from the game’s website)

The goal is simple — help our hero Maxwell reach the starite by solving each challenge — but the mission before you can range from straightforward to downright tricky! To catch the Starite, write any object you can think of and watch as it comes to live. Try another word and watch as a completely different scenario unfolds right before your eyes. How you play and whatever object you put into use is completely up to you!

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Verdict: my new favorite RTS

In a Nutshell: This is an upgrade/expansion to a very large space RTS.

(from the game’s website)

“In Sins of a Solar Empire, you are the leader of a civilization embroiled in a galactic war, fighting for the survival of your entire race against relentless foes.  Your success will depend entirely on your ability to manage your empire and command your vast fleets of starships to victory.  Sins of a Solar Empire is a “RT4X” game, blending the epic strategy and empire management of the 4x genre with the fast-paced and tactical elements of a real-time strategy title.  “

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