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.

(more…)

Verdict: Glad I only spent $25.

In a Nutshell: Lazy gameplay design choices and overuse of clichéd mechanics nearly ruin an interesting story and some amazing scenery.

(from the game’s website)

A 400-year-old clue in the coffin of Sir Francis Drake sets a modern day fortune hunter, Nathan Drake, on an expedition for the fabled treasure of El Dorado, leading to the discovery of a forgotten island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

The search turns deadly when he and his party become stranded on the island and hunted by modern-day pirates. Outnumbered and outgunned, he must fight to survive as he begins to unravel the terrible secrets hidden on the island.

(more…)

Verdict: Groovy!

In a Nutshell: Jump, hop, and splat to the groovy beat as you bring a glorious array of color to a series of drab gray cityscapes.

(from the game’s website)

“A mischievous and unlikely hero, only de Blob can flip, bounce, and smash his way past the all-powerful I.N.K.T. Corporation to launch a revolution and save Chroma City from a future without color. Battle against massive tank battalions, speedy I.N.K.T. racers and elite Inky soldiers on your quest to free the citizens of Chroma City.”

(more…)

Verdict: adorable

In a Nutshell: The Maw is a third-person perspective action game about an alien and his side-kick who eats everything possible.

(from the game’s website)

“The pinnacle of alien evolution, Maw is a cowardly fat blob concerned mostly with snacking and lounging. He can, however, absorb the traits of anything he eats, is virtually indestructible, and can grow to unlimited size. If he wasn’t a danger to all life in the universe, he’d make the perfect pet. In this action/adventure game, he’s the best friend of our hero Frank, and only by working together can Maw eat their way to freedom. The Maw was honored with the Audience Choice Award in the 2008 PAX-10 showcase of independent games, and is a finalist at this year’s Independent Games Festival for Technical Excellence.”

(more…)

Verdict: My brain hurts—in a good way.

In a Nutshell: Third-person adventure/action game with a strong emphasis on puzzle-solving. Explore the vast world of Hyrule, go on quests, and watch the storyline unfold.

(from the game’s website)

“When an evil darkness enshrouds the land of Hyrule, a young farm boy named Link must awaken the hero – and the animal – within. When Link travels to the Twilight Realm, he transforms into a wolf and must scour the land with the help of a mysterious girl named Midna.”

(more…)

Verdict: So much to explore!

In a Nutshell: In this third-person action/adventure game exploration is the name of the game. With a huge level of interactivity with the environment, the game can at times be quite engrossing.

(from the game’s website)

“The Third Crusade is tearing the Holy Land apart. You are an elite Assassin sent to stop the hostilities by suppressing the powers on both the Crusader and Saracen sides. But as you carry out your missions, a conspiracy begins to unfold. You find yourself tangled up in a conflict that threatens not only the Holy Land, but the entire world.”

(more…)