Ghost Recon is cool futuristic thriller

Defend U.S. border in futuristic `Ghost Recon'
Credible story line helps make this war game fun to play
LANGSTON WERTZ JR.

Defend U.S. border in futuristic `Ghost Recon'

Credible story line helps make this war game fun to play There are no video games that look better and more realistic than fighter games.

That's certainly the case with Ubisoft's "Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2" (; rated T for Teen).

The game is set in 2014. You're a soldier sent out to handle a threat to the recently completed border wall along the United States-Mexico border.

You lead a team called the Ghosts and you have three days to stop enemy fighters from invading U.S. soil. Problem is the wall goes for 1,900 miles. That's a lot of ground to cover.

Playing the game is simply breathtaking. The environments -- which include a look at El Paso, Texas, seven years into the future -- are very realistic.

What I liked most about this game was the very believable story line.

I tried the PlayStation 3 and PSP versions, though the game is also available for Xbox 360 and PC.

The PSP graphics, as you would expect, do not compare to the next-gen version, but the portable version maintained many of the same features and -- bonus! -- it's got its own story line.

On the handheld game, you're up against 400 bad guys who are smuggling weapons to Mexico -- playing GRAW 2 in the barber shop and on the deck in the backyard was very cool.

But I had more trouble turning off the PS3 version. It makes use of the motion-detection system in the PS3 controller, and the artificial intelligence of the enemy has been ramped up.

Enemies will go on top of buildings to pick you off or try to surround you. It's much more intuitive than many war games I've played, but your teammates' AI has been improved as well. You'll get specific commands from them to help you determine where the enemy is -- or might be.

Review: Boogie

Electronic Arts' new Nintendo Wii title (, rated E for Everyone) very nearly worked.It's aimed at being a karaoke game for the Wii, but falls just a little short of the mark.

The game comes with a microphone to attach to your Wii for use in the game, where you dance and sing and make "Boogie" videos you can share with friends.

First off, there's not really much dancing. You basically point your Wii-mote in four different directions and shake it (the upcoming Wii balance board, a unique floormat that enhances gameplay a la Dance Dance Revolution's accessory, would make this game much better).

There's a story mode here involving five characters, but it didn't hold my interest long. You can unlock some clothes and songs, but that's about it.

In the music video creation area, you can make a clip with you in it and add some special effects. Some of these are turning up on YouTube already.

I wish the game included more current songs and the dancing tools could be a little better, but this is a game that has promise. "Boogie 2" could be great, with a little tweaking.

Review: Mega Man StarForce

Capcom knows this Nintendo DS game will sell. The Mega Man series has sold more than 27 million units worldwide.

There are a few new heroes introduced, and you can trade attack sequences easier with friends.

You play as a young boy named Geo Stellar who walks around the real world. But when he puts on a special pair of glasses and merges with some special energy (work with me here), you become Mega Man and zoom to the alternate world.

In the alternate universe, you battle strange energy forces, usually seen from a viewpoint behind Mega Man's back.

You'll need to explore both worlds to move ahead in the game, and I'm told there are 40 hours of gameplay here. I didn't get that far, but fans of the series won't be disappointed (, rated E for Everyone).

By the way, there are three different versions of the game: Dragon, Leo and Pegasus. The key difference is the transformation Mega Man undergoes along the way.



Langston Wertz Jr: 704-358-5133; lwertz@charlotteobserver.com