Iron Man game rusts

`Iron Man'
I'm dying to see the "Iron Man" movie, but my wife insists I wait for her. And she's busy with work this week.

So as I waited to see Tony Stark on the big screen, I stuck in the new Sega video game that's based on the ultra-successful film.

I was let down, to be honest.

You take two levels to build and experiment with your armor and then you mainly fly around and blow things up.

The playing "world" is big, and you can interact with a lot of people and weapons, but I wanted more time against some famous Iron Man foes like Titanium Man -- and less time just zapping tanks with my repulsor rays.

It's cool that some of the stars from the movie (including Robert Downey Jr.) did voice work on the game, but the whole experience needed more bite to be good. And it didn't have it.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time
Nintendo, for Nintendo DS, $34.99
Rating: 2/4


I'm tired of Poke-mania. I'll admit it.

And the new game's plot -- waking up on a beach with no memory to discover you've been turned into, oh no, a Pokemon -- didn't really freshen things up for me.

Your mission: to find out what changed you into a virtual Poke. After answering some questions and choosing a) a Pokemon character to fit your personality and b) a Pokemon partner, you join an exploration guild and aid other Pokemon in trouble.

If you lose a battle, you can ask other players for help, which -- unlike in past games -- doesn't cost you money or items (unless they cannot rescue you). But for me, Mr. Tired Of All Things Poke, playing the game was like watching the 700th episode of a sitcom you don't like anymore.

The magic is gone.

More GTA fallout

Top-selling "Grand Theft Auto IV" continues to generate controversy. There've been protests from feminists, immigrant groups, New York City police and New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg.

Florida attorney Jack Thompson called "GTA IV" "the gravest assault upon children in this country since polio."

This week, Mothers Against Drunk Driving came out against the game, which enables players to drive while under the influence of alcohol. The organization wants the game to be rated "Adults Only" (I think it should be, too).

"Drunk driving is not a game, and it is not a joke," MADD said in a statement released last week. "Drunk driving is a choice, a violent crime, and it is also 100 percent preventable."

MADD is calling on publisher Take-Two Interactive and developer Rockstar Games to consider stopping distribution of the game "out of respect for the millions of victims/survivors of drunk driving." Of course, Take Two has no such plans.

"We have a great deal of respect for MADD's mission, but we believe the mature audience for `Grand Theft Auto IV' is more than sophisticated enough to understand the game's content," Rockstar Games said in a statement to The Associated Press. "For the same reason that you can't judge an entire film or television program by a single scene, you can't judge `Grand Theft Auto IV' by a small aspect of the game."

Minors & mature videogames?

“Grand Theft Auto IV,” released last week, has already made half a billion bucks, but a pair of bipartisan House members want to make buying the “Mature”-rated game a little more difficult -- at least for minors.

On Wednesday, Reps. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) and Jim Matheson (D-Utah) introduced the Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act to ensure that minors “can only access age-appropriate content without parental permission.”

“The images and themes in some video games are shocking and troublesome,” Terry said. “In some games, high scores are often earned by players who commit ‘virtual’ murder, assault and rape. Many young children are walking into stores and are able to buy or rent these games without their parents even knowing about it.”

Terry acknowledged that some retailers have tried to develop measures to prevent minors from renting or buying age-inappropriate materials, but felt more needed to be done.

The new bill would require ID checks for purchases of games rated M for Mature or AO for Adults Only. It would also make retailers post a ratings explanation in the store. Violators would face a $5,000 civil penalty.

The Parents Television Council, which advocates responsible entertainment, supports the bill.

"It’s high time a common-sense bill like the one introduced today be signed into law,” said PTC president Tim Winter. “Video game ratings supposedly exist to protect children from material that is created for adults, but there is no consequence for irresponsible retailers who repeatedly sell these games to children. The importance of this issue cannot be overstated.”

Several state legislatures have enacted similar laws, but each has been struck down by courts on First Amendment challenges.

Terry said he remains optimistic because, unlike the state laws, “This bill doesn’t involve itself in content or defining the standards for ‘Mature’ or ‘Adults Only,’” he told Daily Variety. “It simply requires the retailer to post what the industry has defined as ‘Mature’ and ‘Adults Only’ so that parents can know, and requires checking of identification.”

Violent thrill wears off fast

Viking: Battle for Asgard
Sega, for Xbox 360, $59.99 (also available for PlayStation 3)
Rating: 2.5/4

You play as a Viking warrior named Skarin, who has been charged with protecting Asgard from an army of demons that has been released by an evil goddess.

The game is incredibly deep. The amount of area you can explore is massive, and you can interact with almost anyone or anything.

The violence is fast and furious. (Think "300" on steroids.) You will fight dragons and have dragons come to your aid, literally torching the competition. You'll hack and slash hordes of demons.

Unfortunately, saving is a big chore, the storyline is fairly weak, and after a few hours of play, the game quickly starts to feel repetitive.

Once the thrill of slashing and hacking has worn off, there isn't much incentive to finish the game.

Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Sega, for PlayStation 3, $59.99 (also available for Xbox 360)
Rating: 3/4 stars

You play as a special agent named Ethan Thomas, who was so torn up after chasing crazed supernatural serial killers in the original version of this game (which I didn't play) that he's become an alcoholic.

Now a friend is missing, and to find him, he'll need to return to battling those crazy killers as he makes his way down a pretty scary and intense road to more supernatural adventures. Along the way, you'll face some moral choices -- like whether to kill a really, really bad person after beating him to a pulp (and if so, which weapon to do it with).

The plot is major-motion-picture good, and the graphics are great, too. I like the emphasis on hand-to-hand combat, which requires you to really master combinations. And almost anything can used as a weapon; you can even pick up a bowling ball.

As games designed for adults go, this is near-brilliant. But let's be clear: This game is only for adults.

News and notes

• Interesting interview by GameDaily with EA Sports head Peter Moore last week. Moore said the company will not make Madden '09 available for the PC.

"We've built sports games to take advantage of the plasma televisions, and the new high-def experiences that people are having in their homes," Moore told the Web site. "We've also built them to be very social. So whether it's playing online -- or equally likely, two or four of you in the room together -- the PC business has just ... waned."

• Nintendo President Satoru Iwata told several media outlets last week that his company isn't concerned that Microsoft may be considering a motion-sensing, Wiimote-type device for the Xbox 360. Iwata said the technology is hard to develop, and that Nintendo is focused on making great games, not what the competition is doing.

• Check out my four-star review of "Grand Theft Auto IV" -- which industry analysts predict will become the highest-grossing video game ever -- at http://langstonwertz.blogspot.com.

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

"Grand Theft 4" a hit -- but only for adults

“Grand Theft Auto IV” hits stores today and industry analysts predict it could be the most lucrative launch in entertainment history - nine million copies strong.

Microsoft and Bungee Studios' epic “Halo 3” did a record-breaking $300 million in first week sales late last year. Most analysts think “GTA IV” will hit somewhere just short of $400 million in week one.

The game is rated M for Mature and includes blood, violence, partial nudity, offensive language, strong sexual content and drug use.

It’s about a European named Niko Bellic who comes to Liberty City (a near-perfect stand-in for New York) to live with his cousin, Roman. Roman has gotten his cousin to move here with the promise of riches - only Roman lives in a dilapated apartment and has a crummy job at a car service.

The two chase the American Dream but quickly fall into debt - and into the underworld. Niko finds himself driving to do “odd jobs” for a crime boss.

Rockstar Games, which publishes “GTA,” has been careful to not release too much information about the game or to even trumpet its arrival, the way Microsoft did with merchandise tie-ins and a massive ad campaign for “Halo.”

“Rockstar wants to control the message all the time,” says Sam Kennedy, editorial director for the gaming site 1UP.com. “They want this to be seen and perceived exactly the way they want. That’s why - outside of the official trailers they released - people haven’t seen a lot of gameplay footage in advance of ‘GTA IV’ shipping. They want to build that hype.”

The game (4 stars out of 4) has been delayed two years and took nearly 1,000 people to produce. Rating it purely as a video game, it’s one of the best in the past five years. The playing field is an entire city, nearly produced to scale. You can interact with virtually everything you see.

I played the PS3 version for a few hours and then the Xbox 360 version for a few more. I enjoyed the PS3 because of the support for the motion controller, but the Xbox colors were a little better, particularly when playing on an HDTV capable of 1080p resolution.

The game is violent. You play from the perspective of a criminal. You steal cars. You run over people. You shoot people. You drive drunk. You can also buy a hamburger or a beer. You can fly a helicopter. You can play pool. You can date. There’s even a stand-up comedy routine stuck in there.

And there is plenty of simulated sex - in cars and in strip clubs. I had seen some videos of that portion of the gameplay over the weekend that prompted me to think that this game should be rated Adults Only. I haven’t changed that opinion after playing.

I think Rockstar has every right to publish this game and consenting adults, those 21 and over, have every right to play and enjoy. The game is made for adults.

There’s lots to enjoy. Store owners just have to be sure to check IDs. I’m not so sure this game should be displayed on the shelves alongside "Mario Kart," though. It probably should be the kind of thing you have to ask for.

But it is awfully good.

As you drive from mission to mission, hopefully using your GPS, you interact with city dwellers who talk and interact with you like you might expect in real life. Players must be mindful of how much damage your car sustains as you move along. That affects how it drives.

I marveled at how detailed the streetscapes were. The people on the streets have plenty to say, too. (In my experience, I didn’t hear the same reaction twice.)

I enjoyed the interaction a little more than the combat. Shooting was easy. Fighting was not so easy. But there are plenty of bonus games to keep your attention, plus some multiplayer modes.

This is the best game of the year, and it’ll sell like it, too.

“The addressable market at launch is about 24 million consoles,” says Michael Pachter, video game analyst at Wedbush Morgan. “So how many will sell in the first week or month or few months? Nine million. That’s the number. That’s about a 35 percent attach rate. By year’s end, it’ll be somewhere between 11 and 13 million because more consoles will be sold before the holidays.”

The Associated Press contributed.
Langston Wertz Jr.: 704-358-5133; lwertz@charlotteobserver.com

Grand Theft Auto 4 should be rated X

The last installment in the hugely popular "Grand Theft Auto" video-game series needed a re-release because of an "accidental" piece of code inserted into the game. That code allowed players to have some pretty graphic sexual encounters with digital female characters.

The game was quickly slapped with an Adults Only rating, prompting Rockstar Games to take the code out and release the game again with a more consumer-friendly Mature rating.

Tuesday, "Grand Theft Auto IV" debuts in stores, and it needs an Adults Only rating, too.

I wrote a column in Monday's editions over the controversy this game is sure to cause.

That was before I saw some of the detailed clips that began hitting various game sites Monday -- all with an age verification screen warning beforehand.

The new game, among other things, allows players to choose one of three prostitutes for various forms of sex in a car. It graphically displays simulated group sex in a strip club. The images are about in line with something you might see after midnight on certain movie channels.

The question is: Why is this in a video game?

I haven't played "GTA IV" yet, but I was simply shocked by the clips I saw. It's as if Rockstar Games is sticking its finger up at the establishment that wants this game shut down. Violence, as usual, is plentiful, too. The game is obviously marketed towards adults and I hope retailers only sell it to those over 18.

I realize controversy helps make games sales, but I think the company has stepped over the line with this one.

Read Langston's review of the game by clicking here

Grand Theft Auto buzz, controversy, well under way

Tuesday will be one of the biggest days of the year for gamers -- and one of the most controversial.

Rockstar Games will release "Grand Theft Auto IV," the latest in a series that has sparked sales of more than 35 million units and been the focus of social outcries about the dangers that video games can pose for children.

Former presidential candidate Joe Lieberman has called the "GTA" series "horrendous." But Henry Jenkins, a respected professor at MIT, likes how the game explores the notion of choice and consequence.

In the "GTA" games, you generally play as a low-life thug working your way up in the criminal underworld. The way you do it -- by shooting police officers and dealing with hookers, drug dealers and pimps, in very graphic ways -- is what attracts the controversy.

And controversy attracts curiosity. That means too many kids are playing a game they shouldn't.

"Well, you know how the saying goes, `There's no such thing as bad publicity,' " said Libe Goad, editor-in-chief of the GameDaily Web site. "I can only suspect that the more people read about the thing called `Grand Theft Auto,' the more they want to find out what it is."

A digital `Scarface'

In "GTA IV," the lead character comes from Europe to live with his cousin and quickly finds himself in the criminal underworld. It's like a digital "Scarface," with you in the Tony Montana role.The latest game is reportedly a huge leap over previous installments.

The level of realism has been ramped up; Rockstar North producer Leslie Benzies told ign.com in a recent interview that it took nearly 1,000 people and 3 1/2 years to develop this title, which takes place in Manhattan-esque Liberty City.

And it's the realism that disturbs critics.

"This brutally violent video game must be kept out of the hands of children," said Tim Winter, president of the Parents Television Council.

Winter is especially concerned because a previous "GTA" title secretly included a mini-game that allowed players to have a graphic sexual encounter (the game briefly earned an Adults-Only rating before Rockstar re-released it).

He would also like to see "GTA IV" not displayed publicly in stores, and for retailers to check IDs.

"Legally, stores cannot sell children pornographic magazines or handguns -- but they can legally sell video games to children that contain pornographic content or that teach children how to kill," Winter said. "This is wrong.' "

My take

I've played the previous three "GTA" games and have found them all well done and well thought out.

I'm 41, and I don't see anything in these games that I haven't seen in critically acclaimed movies such as "The Departed" or "No Country for Old Men." The difference, of course, is you're not watching someone get killed. You are the killer.

Let's be clear: No one under 18 -- and probably no one under 21 -- should play this game or even see it played. But Rockstar's commercial, showing strippers on a pole and crooks driving fast cars, will be effective at luring teens as well as older male customers.

" `Grand Theft Auto' was one of the first games that was specifically designed with older gamers in mind," said Game Daily's Goad. "It took the same stuff we were seeing in TV and movies and put it into a video game. It's not sci-fi, it doesn't involve magic -- it's set in a `reality' that people can relate to."

And we can expect plenty more "Grand Theft" titles in our future.

"I can definitely imagine the `GTA' franchise lasting for years to come," Goad said. "Rockstar would have to have a death wish financially to stop making `GTA.' "

NCAA '09 trailer looks good

NCAA Football 09 looks very much improved, from graphics to features. Playing a game with mascots would be wild. I hope Madden shows similar improvement, particularly with pre and post game presentation.

What do you all think?

Kobe Bryant shouldn't have jumped over that car

On a recent day off, the best player in the NBA decided to jump over a sports car coming at him fast enough to end his life -- much less his career.

Kobe Bryant filmed a spot that hit the internet last week. It begins with him fiddling with a camera and setting up his jump, all while teammate Ronnny Turiaf is begging him not to try it. Turiaf pleads with Bryant that the playoffs are coming up and his team needs him.

"I got this, I got this!" Bryant replies after holding up a new lightweight signature sneaker and spinning it around so we get a good look at the Nike logo. "Do you trust your boy? Just sit back and enjoy the show."

After that, Bryant calls for the silver Aston Martin convertible to come flying at him. He squats down, picking his feet up and down in quick steps. Then Bryant appears to leap over the car. You can even see where the car's shadow crosses over his.

It's very, very convincing.

And when he lands, a mad celebration ensues, with chest bumps and hand slaps and Bryant reminding viewers to, you know, not try this at home.

The clip was filmed March 31, one day after the Lakers beat Washington 126-120 and two days before they beat Portland 104-91. It got more than 100,000 views on YouTube within 24 hours of launching.

But here's the problem.

People will try things they see on TV or the internet, particularly when it's done by a guy like Bryant, who is idolized by millions. Kids across the country have been severely injured trying to imitate some of the stunts seen on YouTube done by teens who jump off the sides of buildings and call themselves "Real Life Spidermen" or street acrobats.

R&B singer R. Kelly has a new look these days. He's painted his braided hair bright gold. It's not the best of looks, but just today I saw three guys at Wal-Mart with the same style.

I can only hope no foolish young person is planning to "just be like Kobe" and have his buddy come flying at him in a silver Corolla tomorrow.

Of course, Bryant's stunt wasn't real, but the digitally enhanced spot doesn't come with any disclaimers. Thankfully, Nike doesn't plan to put this "ad" on TV.

Nike rep Kejuan Wilkins told me Monday that "it is something we worked with Kobe on. It's created to live on the web, more of a viral campaign," he said.

Wilkins said the NBA All-Star was never in danger during filming. I never really thought so, but I just question why he decided to make this "ad" in the first place.

This season, Bryant has done a lot of things right. He's averaging 28.4 points per game, good for second in the NBA, plus 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists. His team has the best record in the Western Conference. I can see the Lakers reaching their first NBA final this season since Shaquille O'Neal left four years ago.

This is the year Kobe deserves to win his first league MVP. Making this film, however, was a very bad decision.

After a recent game, Kobe was asked about it by a local LA TV station. He responded with a big grin, apparently happy -- and awfully naïve -- about what he'd done.

"It's Hollywood baby," Bryant finally said. "What do you expect out here? If Rambo can take on a whole army, I can jump over an Aston Martin."

Yes, Kobe, you can jump over an Aston Martin, but the problem is some of your fans might think they can, too.

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

Wii charge station a must

Nyko Charge Station for Wii
Rating: 4 stars out of 4
Sometimes some of the best innovations are the simplest.
Nyko’s Charge Station for the Nintendo Wii is a near must-have accessory if you have a heavy user in the home (or if you are the heavy user in your home).
The unit comes with rechargeable batteries and a battery cover with a rubberized grip, which helps you hold the Wii-mote better. That’s a good thing considering some Wii fans have damaged property when the Wii slides out of their hand while they’re waving it around playing.
All you do, basically, is replace your batteries with these rechargeable and put on the new cover. No more trips to Wal-Mart at midnight (am I telling on myself?) to get batteries to finish a marathon session of whatever game it is you’re playing).
It’ll take you about two hours to charge one Wii-mote and four hours to do two, and you can charge two at once.
Buzz Junior RoboJam
Company: Sony
System: PlayStation 2
Rating: 3 stars out of 4
Built for the PlayStation2, this is a great family game, aimed at kids, where you control up to four cute robots who all want to be Robot Of The Month.
You dodge rockets. You’re a crash test dummy. The best thing is the Buzz Buzzers – which you must buy separately; four for $40 – but have big colorful buttons, perfect for small hands and help make this game super easy. You just press the big colorful buttons on the controller and play. This is pure fun to play and never gets boring. One of the best family games of the year.
Buzz The Hollywood Quiz
Company: Sony
System: PlayStation 2
Rating: 3.5 out of 4
This game is rated T for teen because of drug references and mild language. Using the buzz buzzers you play “Jeopardy”-style against up to eight players. The game has movie clips, celebrity photos and more than 5,000 trivia questions.
The game essentially puts you into a huge quiz show hosted by Buzz, a slick-talking, glasses-wearing, spiked-blond hair-having guy who tosses questions at you.
There are versions of the game where you can throw pies into your opponent’s face if you get the answer correct first. Another game, Fastest Finger, gives you more points for answering questions faster.
This is great for parties and for husbands and wives, too. I’d addicted.
The Club
Company: Sega
System: PC
Rating: 2.5 out of 4
Rated M for mature, you play as one of eight trained assassins fighting each other. You can play online and the game comes with one month of online access free.
The Club looks great and sound great, so long as you computer’s graphics and sound cards are up to it. But this type of game has been done so much and in some many different ways, there’s no new ground to break here.
There are 48 single player levels and all kind of weaponry to use, but I’m guessing most fans of this genre are going to pick up the fifth or sixth releases in their favorite series instead of starting all over again.
Langston Wertz Jr: 704-358-5133; lwertz@charlotteobserver.com

Sony wins baseball title

MLB 08 The Show

Sony, for the PS3, $59.99

Rating:

Major League Baseball 2K8

2K Sports, for the Xbox 360, $59.99

Rating:

Baseball season has begun, so of course, updates of the two big MLB video games are in stores.

I got a chance to try out Sony's "MLB 08 The Show" and 2KSports' "Major League Baseball 2K8."

First, a look at Sony's entry.

"MLB 08" (also available for the PSP and PS2) has amazing graphics on the PS3. My son, Trey, was playing recently, and when I walked in, I honestly mistook it for a real game on TV.

But the game offers so much more than just good looks.

There's an up-to-the-minute ticker that keeps you updated with real-world MLB games, down to baserunners, strikes and outs. You can send e-mail to other players online. You can create a player and play a game from his perspective, driving him up the ranks from minor-league baller to major-league millionaire.

In terms of gameplay, "MLB 08" is very solid. It focuses -- as baseball games should -- on the interaction between the pitcher and the batter. A click of a button pulls up nearly every imaginable pitching stat. Another click reveals hitting stats, down to whether or not your guy is confident enough to swing for the big extra-base hit you need.

I found baserunning and fielding to be easy to figure out, and the announcers and sound effects were solid and added to the realistic feel. This is the best version of this game I've ever tried. By far.

"Major League Baseball 2K8," for Xbox 360, didn't look as sharp or as stunning as "MLB 08." My 8-year-old son also felt it was too complicated to play, which is why I rated it lower.

My biggest problem was with the pitching. It's too precise. If you miss your mark by a fraction, you're throwing ball four -- or a two-out, bases-loaded home run. Hitting, baserunning and fielding, meanwhile, seemed to rely too much on using the right analog stick.

But "2K8" is a very deep game. The wealth of control and customization is staggering. There's a 90-team minor-league mode, for example, and its presentation is even closer to a TV broadcast than "MLB 08's."

"2K8" could have been great, but it needs some tweaking and a little dumbing down, I think, to really appeal to the masses.

Naruto Ultimate Ninja 3

Bandai Namco Games, for the PS2, $39.99

Rating:

There's nothing like a good side-scrolling fighter game.

In this latest installment for the franchise, you choose from more than 40 characters (with Japanese or English voices) and can fight through 20 stages.

The graphics aren't great, but that doesn't matter so much here: You simply bang away on the controller, learn combos through trial and error, and try to work your way to the boss ninjas.

After playing those baseball games, it was nice to pop in a non-sports game, sit back, and go at it without constantly hitting the pause button to check out the instructions.

Are you ready for rumble?

Sony's just-released Dual Shock Controller incorporates the highly anticipated rumble feature (which should've been included with the original PS3 controller). It costs $54.99.

The upcoming "Gran Turismo 5 Prologue" will make use of the force-feedback, and Sony says 30 PS3 titles -- including "MLB 08" -- will use it as well. Activating the feature on certain games may require a software update. A complete list of titles that will incorporate "the rumble" is at http://us.playstation.com.

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

PlayStation 3 builds momentum

After a slow start, the PlayStation 3 is finally starting to show some promise.

In my mind, it's always been the best of the current-gen video-game consoles. Now sales are picking up, software production is ramping up, and Sony is ready to begin a major push for its machine this spring and summer.

Last week, Sony announced an online upgrade for PS3, called Profile 2.0 or BD-Live. It will give PS3 users access to downloadable video content, ringtones and games. The software update will also allow photo and music playlists to be copied onto PSP units.

"With Blu-Ray established as the high-definition optical disc standard, more consumers are ready to jump in and take advantage of everything the format offers," Sony Computer Entertainment vice president Scott Steinbert said.

The new upgrade will require a high-speed Internet connection and at least 1 gigabyte of local storage, available on some PS3 models' internal hard drives.

On April 8, Sony will release two BD-Live enabled titles on the network: "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" and "The 6th Day." Both titles, the company said, will include content not available on the current Blu-Ray disc versions.

Other features coming with the new update:

• "Resume Play" will allow the PS3 system to start playing some Blu-Ray discs and/or DVDs at the point they were stopped, even if the disc has been removed from the unit.

• "Audio Output Device" will be a new remote play setting, allowing the PSP to serve as a remote control for music played through the PS3 console.

• The PS3's Internet browser's view speed is improved, even allowing video files directly linked from a Web page to be streamed (hello, YouTube!).

• DivX and WMV files larger than 2 gigs will be playable, and "mosquito noise reduction" will be added as a setting for improved movie playback.

REVIEW: Lost: Via Domus

I'm a big fan of the ABC television series and had high hopes for the game, in which you play an amnesiac professional photographer who is one of the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815.

The storyline and the enemies will be familiar to anyone who has watched the first two seasons. The goal is to piece together the mystery by interacting with other survivors. Flashback scenes, like those in the show, help some.

I think "Lost" fans will love interacting with The Others and seeing what kooky nicknames Sawyer has for them.

But the characters didn't look enough like the ones I see on TV, and the minigames were too repetitive. On top of all that, the whole thing is over too fast. Good rental, questionable buy.

REVIEW: Left Brain, Right Brain

In this latest Nintendo DS puzzler, you play 15 mini-games all based on speed and accuracy that challenge you to use both sides of your brain. There are games that make you use your strong hand and weak hand, and games based on speed and accuracy.

You can challenge friends or practice over five difficulty levels. And I couldn't get mad when my son wouldn't put this down. He says, "Dad, I'm learning to use my left hand better. That's why I'm still playing."

New Turok not exactly what I remember

`Turok' battles soldiers, huge insects and dinosaurs
PS3 and online versions give you nonstop action in an alien jungle
LANGSTON WERTZ JR.

I used to love the original "Turok: Dinosaur Hunter," so I was tickled to try the new "Turok" (Rated M for Mature) on PlayStation 3.

I wasn't disappointed.

You play as Joseph Turok, and you're part of an elite special-forces unit on some strange planet. (OK, I know you've heard this story line before.)

Your mission is to take down your former boss, Roland Kane, who is holed up on a genetically altered planet.

Your ship is shot down and you land in a jungle crawling with Kane's soldiers, as well as huge insects and dinosaurs. Your mission? Stay alive and capture Kane.

Basically, this is nonstop action that actually had me sweating a little. A good soundtrack helps with that.

I liked how you sometimes need to use stealth to kill an enemy with a bow and knife so you wouldn't alert large groups of other enemies in the area, and how you can "train" dinos to attack other human enemies (which can sometimes backfire disastrously, however).

Graphically, this one looked pretty good. I was shocked at how real it looked the first time a dino started literally eating my guy, as I struggled to get him free.

You can play "Turok" online with up to 16 players in a variety of modes. Also, when the game hits stores this week, look for the PS3 version to be patched to provide rumble control and enable 1080i support. A patch for the 360 version will also be available.

Rating:

Review: `Cooking Mama 2: Dinner With Friends'

In this fun little E-rated game for Nintendo DS, your goal is to digitally create good food for nine judges.Using more than 250 ingredients, you try to cook things like shark fin soup and meatloaf in an effort to earn a gold, silver or bronze medal based on your final product.

In some game modes, Mama shows up to help you avoid mistakes. (I made a lot.) In others, you're on your own. You can also play online with up to three friends.

This game was a nice diversion.

Rating:

Review: `Boogie'

Music games are all the rage now, and here's another for PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS. (It was released for the Wii last August.)

"Boogie" (rated E for Everyone) features familiar hits from artists like Kool & The Gang, Michael Jackson and Britney Spears. The good news, for parents, is that it encourages kids of all ages to get up off the couch and move.

Basically, what you do is dance and sing along and let the game record your voice as you make music videos.

We need more fun-for-the-whole-family games like this.

Rating:

New color for popular DS

The next-generation video-game consoles -- PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii -- seem to get the lion's share of publicity these days. But nothing sells like Nintendo's hand-held unit, the DS.

On Sunday, Nintendo will be releasing a new Cobalt/Black version of the portable. This is the seventh color available for the DS and joins Polar White, Coral Pink, Onyx, Crimson/Black and the limited-edition Gold and Metallic Rose.

I'm sure it'll sell.

In 2007, the DS was the best-selling video game system in the United States, where more than 8.5 million gamers bought a unit. Since it launched in November 2004, Nintendo DS has sold more than 17.6 million in the United States.

Cool skating game for girls

Game offers more than skating
LANGSTON WERTZ JR.

In "American Girl: Mia Goes For Great," the title character is a precocious 10-year-old who dreams of becoming a star figure skater.

She's grown up playing ice hockey on a pond behind her home with her three brothers. Everyone tells her she could be a hockey star, but Mia decides to pursue her dream.

The game, available for Windows PC from THQ, takes you through some life lessons about losing with grace, being a good sport and believing in yourself.

The game is aimed at girls and their mothers, but I think younger boys would enjoy it as well.

Using a Program Building tool, you help Mia pick out her costumes, create her skating program and practice tough moves. There is a library with hints and tips, plus a few strategy-based mini-games.

Ultimately, the basic lessons taught here -- and the joy of finally getting past the Lucerne Winter Show and onto the regionals -- more than got my 41-year-old attention.

This is a very well done game.

Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars.

EA Sports Keeps NFL License

Electronic Arts will continue to produce exclusive NFL video games through the 2012 season after it extended its contracts with the league and the Players Association.Some fans will love it. Others who wanted 2KSports back into the official NFL game will hate it.

EA will retain its rights to use NFL teams, stadiums and players in its games, the company said last week. The agreements provide EA access to NFL Films and the NFL Network to use in games.

EA produces the Madden NFL line of games.

News and notes

• Activision will release "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith" in June. The game will allow players to virtually become the famous rock band, tracing the band's career from their first concert on. Xbox Live has a free download of Aerosmith's "Dream On" today.

"Having a game built around Aerosmith has been a huge honor and really a great experience for us," says band member Joe Perry. "We've put a lot of ideas into the game so that fans can have fun interacting with our music, getting inside our body of work and learning about the band's history."

• iSuppli, a technology research and advisory company, predicts the global installed base for the Nintendo Wii will rise to 30.2 million units in 2008, up from 18 million in 2007.

That will put the Wii ahead of the Xbox 360's total of 25.7 million units in 2008.

• Nintendo of America has asked the U.S. Trade Representative to encourage specific governments around the world to take a more aggressive stance to combat piracy of Nintendo video games and systems.

China is the primary source of manufacturing pirated Nintendo DS and Wii games, and Korea has emerged as the leader in distributing illegal game files on the Internet. Despite aggressive anti-piracy actions taken by Nintendo, Brazil and Mexico remain saturated with counterfeit Nintendo software.

• Video-game player sales fell 6 percent on a weekly basis last month in the U.S., but software sales were up 18 percent weekly, according to industry specialist the NPD Group.

Nintendo Wii was the top-selling console and PlayStation 3 outsold Xbox 360 for the first time, with consumers buying 269,000 consoles, compared with 230,000 Microsoft machines.

No more HD-DVD? Win for consumers

Toshiba's giving up of HD-DVD a clear win for consumers
Blu-Ray picture quality is already included in PlayStation 3 console
LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
AP
A Best Buy salesman shows copies of Warner Bros' film "300" in both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD formats at the Best Buy store in Burbank, Calif. Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008.

The biggest news to hit the video game industry last week really didn't have much to do with gaming.

Toshiba announced it is going to abandon HD-DVD, ceding the format war over next-generation players to Blu-Ray.

It's great news for most consumers, who can now upgrade to high-definition home video without having to worry about whether their new player will be a doorstop by Christmas. But it's also a big win for Sony's PlayStation 3 console.

Sony includes Blu-Ray compatibility in each PS3 console it sold. That was responsible for the initially high retail costs of the PS3 ($499 and $599, although the price point has since dropped to $399), but also for helping to create an instant installed base for Sony's new DVD technology.

With HD-DVD out, the PS3 -- for the moment -- has a big edge over the Xbox 360, which currently plays high-definition movies if you have the now-obsolete add-on HD-DVD drive.

But the 360 can rally back. Microsoft no doubt will continue to expand high-definition content distribution via the Xbox Live online network. And the company announced last week that Xbox Live is releasing software that will allow gamers to create their own games, and then share them over Xbox Live. Hopefully, it'll lead to the creation of a few innovative, mainstream hits.

Review: Need for Speed ProStreet

Street racing is back in this Electronic Arts game for Xbox 360 and PS3.You can compete in any of four game modes: drag, drift, grip and speed. I couldn't master all four because each requires different techniques, and I'm just a pedal-to-the-metal guy when it comes to racing games. You also can build your car, upload it to the Internet, and race against friends.

The graphics on both systems are startling -- particularly the damage effects. That damage can affect the cars and the drivers realistically, as can the smoke, flying dirt and dust clouds.

I liked the 360 version better because of the rumbling controller, but it's a cool little game on either system.

Rating:

Review: Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action

Microsoft Game Studios' movie trivia game for Xbox 360 comes with four special wireless "Big Button Pads," which you and up to three friends use to buzz in "Jeopardy!"-style.

The challenges -- like trying to guess the names of films based on children's drawings or a list of actors and actresses in the cast -- are awfully fun to take on with a group. I brought this out during a party over the holidays, and it was the hit of the night.

Toyota Prius a gas guzzler against a BMW?

With gas rising well over $3 per gallon, I bet you've looked twice at that Toyota Prius hybrid that gets nearly 50 miles per gallon. It's becoming so beloved, and so economical that five states are allowing Prius drivers to roll in high occupancy lanes all by their lonesomes: Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Florida and Arizona.

But a new Sunday Times of London article indicates the Prius may get a run for its gas sipping money from a rather large BMW sedan, the 520d.

Two test drivers drove a 545-mile trek from London to Geneva in the Toyota and the Bimmer. The gas-powered Prius got 40.1 miles per galloon. The diesel-powered BMV got 41.9. And the test even included more in-city driving than usual to try to give the hybrid a chance to recharge its batteries in stop-and-go traffic.

The idea for the test came after two Times writers heard from readers who weren't getting the claimed mileage from their Priuses.

"If our readers are right and the official figure is wrong it has important implications, not least of which is that people driving frugal diesels are getting a raw deal," the paper said, since hybrids get some tax and roadway access benefits in Europe like here in the States.

-----------------------------------------
Langston Wertz Jr.
lwertz@charlotteobserver.com

Blu-Ray wins....and so do we

The biggest news to hit the video game industry last week really didn't have much to do with gaming.

Toshiba announced it is going to abandon HD-DVD, ceding the format war over next-generation players to Blu-Ray.

It's great news for most consumers, who can now upgrade to high-definition home video without having to worry about whether their new player will be a doorstop by Christmas. But it's also a big win for Sony's PlayStation 3 console.

Sony includes Blu-Ray compatibility in each PS3 console it sold. That was responsible for the initially high retail costs of the PS3 ($499 and $599, although the price point has since dropped to $399), but also for helping to create an instant installed base for Sony's new DVD technology.

With HD-DVD out, the PS3 -- for the moment -- has a big edge over the Xbox 360, which currently plays high-definition movies if you have the now-obsolete add-on HD-DVD drive.

But the 360 can rally back. Microsoft no doubt will continue to expand high-definition content distribution via the Xbox Live online network. And the company announced last week that Xbox Live is releasing software that will allow gamers to create their own games, and then share them over Xbox Live. Hopefully, it'll lead to the creation of a few innovative, mainstream hits.

Review: Need for Speed ProStreet

Street racing is back in this Electronic Arts game for Xbox 360 and PS3.You can compete in any of four game modes: drag, drift, grip and speed. I couldn't master all four because each requires different techniques, and I'm just a pedal-to-the-metal guy when it comes to racing games. You also can build your car, upload it to the Internet, and race against friends.

The graphics on both systems are startling -- particularly the damage effects. That damage can affect the cars and the drivers realistically, as can the smoke, flying dirt and dust clouds.

I liked the 360 version better because of the rumbling controller, but it's a cool little game on either system.

Rating:

Review: Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action

Microsoft Game Studios' movie trivia game for Xbox 360 comes with four special wireless "Big Button Pads," which you and up to three friends use to buzz in "Jeopardy!"-style.

The challenges -- like trying to guess the names of films based on children's drawings or a list of actors and actresses in the cast -- are awfully fun to take on with a group. I brought this out during a party over the holidays, and it was the hit of the night.

New "Blow" energy drink looks like cocaine

Parents, don't let your kids grow up to be "Blow' drinkers.

There's this new energy drink available on the net that looks and handles like a brick of cocaine and it's called "Blow," slang for cocaine. It is white powder that comes in a vial and you pour it into your favorite drink and get a big burst of caffeine (as if most folks really need the equivalent of three cups of coffee in something).

And here's the thing. When you order "Blow," it comes with a credit card and a mirror -- as though you were going to use it like the real drug it's named after.

A new PlayStation 3 with Dual Shock on the way?

According to industry gossip site Ars Technica, Sony is going to do away with the current 80 gig PlayStation 3 and release one with a larger hard drive and the new Dual Shock 3 controller.

The current PS3 has a wireless controller with no vibration feature, something many gamers miss.

I think that wouldn't be a bad move, so long as Sony doesn't blast the price back up and keeps the current cheaper 40 gig model.

2007 was a big year for gaming; '08 even better?

Sales of video games, consoles soared in '07
Microsoft takes big lead over Sony, which plans several new releases
LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
Last year was a very good one for the video game industry.

According to a report released last week by industry trackers the NPD Group, U.S. game and console sales hit nearly $18 billion. That was 43 percent higher than in 2006.

Hardware sales were up 54 percent. Console software sales were up 39 percent.

And those sales figures don't include PC games or online sales.

Nintendo's Wii console was the big winner with 6.3 million sold. Microsoft sold 4.6 million Xbox 360s despite a billion-dollar hardware failure controversy, and Sony, once the dominant player in the industry, moved 2.6 million PlayStation3 units.

The Wii sells for $250. The Xbox goes between $280 and $450 and the PS3 is $499.

"What these numbers tell me is that the closer you get to the magic $200 price point, the better your sales," said analyst Rob Enderle of consulting company the Enderle Group.

According to the NPD Group, Sony has sold 3.25 million since its November 2006 launch compared with 7.4 million Wiis, which Nintendo launched about the same time.

Microsoft released the Xbox in November 2005, a full year ahead of its rivals, and it has sold 9.15 million in its life span.

"Microsoft has a pretty serious lead over Sony," said analyst Van Baker at research company Gartner. "It's unclear whether Sony can catch up. By the end of this year, the game will largely be over. This is a critical year for Sony."

In 2008, Sony plans some releases that could generate "Halo"-level buzz: the final episode of the best-selling "Metal Gear Solid" series, new installments of "Kill Zone" and "Devil May Cry" games and "Little Big Planet," a new franchise that is getting early critical praise.

In November, Sony's PS3 had the greatest month-to-month increase in November unit sales of all the next gen systems at 70 percent. With software sales apparently about to ramp up, Sony still has time to get back in the race.

But it is an uphill battle. Microsoft has a better online experience, and recent deals to include network and movie programming via Xbox Live could make the 360 unit more attractive to potential buyers looking for a difference between Microsoft and Sony's offerings.

And Microsoft's "Halo 3" sold 4.8 million copies in 2007, despite being released in September. Microsoft gained a lot of momentum from that exclusive title. In 2008, as Sony makes a push to get back into the game, Microsoft needs to find another software title, like Halo, to help boost sales.

A few other notes:

• Xbox 360 had three games in top 10 of sales: No. 1 "Halo 3" (4.82 million); No. 3 "Call of Duty 4" (3.04); and No. 9 "Assassin's Creed" (1.87).

Sony had three PS2 games in the top 10, but no PS3 or PSP titles.

"Guitar Hero III" was fourth (2.72), "Madden 08" was seventh (1.9) and "Guitar Hero II" was eighth (1.89).

• "Guitar Hero" games did more than $820 million in U.S. sales, a single-year record for a game franchise.

• Nintendo had the No. 2 game ("Wii Play," 4.12 million); No. 5 game (Wii's "Super Mario Galaxy," 2.52); No. 6 (DS "Pokemon Diamond," 2.48); and No. 10 (Wii's "Mario Party 8," 1.82)

-- The Associated Press contributed.

NCAA game simulations are must-have software

New games show real court sense
College Hoops and March Madness have authentic feel to them
LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
EA Sports 'NCAA '08 March Madness'With college basketball in full swing (and with the big Duke-North Carolina game coming up Feb. 6), I've been playing a lot of NCAA hoops video games.

Last month, I tested 2K Sports' College Hoops 2K8 and rated it an A. As I played EA Sports' NCAA '08 March Madness over the holidays and the past few weeks, it was hard to not compare the two.

Both games really get the look and sound of college ball.

In NCAA '08's case, the arenas, player models and uniforms have been re-drawn to look more realistic. EA Sports also utilizes the best announcer in college basketball, Dick Vitale; the commentary from Vitale, play-by-play man Brad Nessler and sideline reporter Erin Andrews lend credibility to the proceedings.

NCAA '08 has emphasized the big men this year with something called "Dynamic Post Control," giving players more control over post play. The big men have more tons of moves, although there are too many guys who come off like the second coming of Kevin McHale. I'd like to see average players have abilities more commensurate with their real-life counterparts.

But that's a small quibble.

The game has more than 70 classic teams, like the 1982, 1993 and 2005 Tar Heels teams, the '92 and '94 Duke teams, and even the N.C. State squad from 1983. You can pair them up and go at it.

I also liked having custom playbooks in NCAA '08 for every team, plus a new "Lockdown Stick" feature that allows you to play tough defense. But again, this could be more realistic, as I found some benchwarmers able to lock down other team's No. 1 options.

In NCAA, you'll notice players reacting differently to crowds at home and on the road. Your stud freshman might get 15 points per game at home but struggle in a tight road game. All this adds to the realism.

There's also a new feature called "Impact Moment," where you can direct your player to interact with his team, the other team, the crowd or the cheerleaders. You can use it only when your team's intensity meter is full. It can change the direction of the game -- for good and bad.

A deeper dynasty mode allows you to take over a team and run it from top to bottom over many years. That extends this game's shelf life immeasurably. You can also take control of simulated games at any point, play the high school McDonald's All-America game, or play in an online league with up to 32 players.

In the end, picking between 2K8 and NCAA '08 is a tough call. I think player movement is a little smoother in 2K8, while graphics and details are a little better in the EA Sports version. I rate them both an A and suggest you rent them first or try them in the stores before making a decision.

I don't think you'll go wrong either way.

Watch `Madden' on Gameplay

• DISH Network subscribers can watch the 2007 EA Sports Madden Challenge on Gameplay HD, a full-time gaming channel, beginning Feb. 2.

The 1 p.m. broadcast will introduce contestants; subsequent episodes will also air 1 p.m. Saturdays.

Technology makes golf easier for beginners

Golf gains thousands of new players each year.

But it loses just as many. The reason is simple: the game is hard. And frustrating.

Good news for newbies. Golf technology is on the way to make the game easier. Cobra Golf's new LV4 driver uses an extra large clubface to inspire confidence and technology is built into the clubface so golfers get good distance no matter what part of that face they hit the ball with.

Very few high handicappers hit a driver -- or any club -- in the center, where most have been designed to play best from. The result is low shots, shots that fly far right of the target, or shots that simply hit the ground quickly and roll to a stop about 30 yards in front of you.

Callaway Golf and TaylorMade have new drivers out where golfers can actually remove the shafts with what amounts to a screwdriver. This allows the golfer to use a really soft shaft to help hit the ball high or a stiffer one to keep it low, or something in between.

The beginning golfer could swap shafts out as he gets better, using an extra light, extra soft stick to hit it out there a little bit, and tailor it to his game as he (hopefully gets lessons) and improves.

Ball technology is also improving. TaylorMade's new line helps encourage off-center hits to fly further. Titleist has a line of balls designed to roll more and another in the same family designed to fly higher.

You can read more about golf equipment in my golf gear column by clicking here.

You can read the latest installment here.

Soulja boy not as fun and wholesome as you think

If you're a parent of young kids, like me, chances are your kids have come home singing the catchy "Crank That" song by 17-year-old Atlanta rapper Soulja Boy, who is scheduled to be in town this weekend. Soulja Boy self-published "Crank That," which later ended up at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 100 charts.

Soulja Boy's got a dance that goes with the song that entire teams and cheerleaders are doing on college and high school sidelines.

I guess I'm getting older because I couldn't figure out what Soulja Boy was saying in the song. I kept thinking it was "Soulja Boy ol'-N-E-oh" or something. At least that's what I heard my kids saying.

So when I checked out the lyrics I was surprised that "Crank That" was really a song about Soulja being sexually frustrated with a date. Keeping it as clean as possible, he talks about doing something called "Superman," which is basically performing a retaliatory solo sexual act on the date while she is sleeping.

And the nonsensical lyrics I thought I heard are repeated bluntly over and over again throughout the song. The version of this song too dirty to play on radio is even worse.

I get that rappers rap about what's going on in their lives and 'hoods. That's fine. I get that sex is part of life, but the way Soulja is being promoted as a wholesome figure with a fun dance -- particularly how young kids are picking it up -- bothers me.

I'm going to put the brakes on my kids singing and listening to Soulja Boy. Just thought you all might want to know what your kids are really singing about.

"Circuit-based" contact lens = superhuman vision?

Engineers at the University of Washington have created a flexible, biologically safe contact lens with an imprinted electronic circuit and lights.

They showed off their latest invention at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' international conference in Livermore, Calif.

How could it change your life? Imagine tossing your flat screen and looking at truly hi-def TV in your eyes or playing a videogame that way. You could surf the internet, without a laptop, virtually anywhere.

The prototype device contains an electric circuit as well as red light-emitting diodes for a display, though it does not yet light up. The researchers tested the lenses on rabbits for up to 20 minutes and the animals showed no adverse effects.

The prototype does not correct the wearer's vision, but the technique could be used on a corrective lens, and all the gadgetry won't obstruct a person's view.

And researchers say a basic version of this technology could be ready fairly quickly.

New Honda Pilot full of techno-gadgets

For years, Honda's Pilot SUV has been a staple of Americana. It has earned Car and Driver Magazine's prestigious "5 Best Truck" award six straight years, from 2002-07. It's big, with room for eight and wasn't too terrible on gas. Monday, Honda unveiled a prototype for the newly redesigned Pilot that debuts late this spring at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The prototype is boxier than the old Pilot and brings to mind several U.S. SUVs. Honda claims the new version has more interior room and some gas-saving gadgetry.

Honda claims a 6-foot man can comfortably park himself in the third room thanks to a redesigned platform. All 2009 Pilots will feature Honda-exclusive Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure and the most extensive use of high-strength steel in any Honda product to date.

The ACE body structure enhances frontal collision compatibility with vehicles of different sizes and bumper heights. A pedestrian injury mitigation design in the front of the vehicle is designed to help absorb energy in the event of a collision.

The Pilot's V^ entine will operate in a six-cylinder mode for power and four and three-cylinder modes during cruising to improve gas efficiency.

The interior is very futuristic with XM radio and iPod ports, satellite based navigation and Honda has also moved the gearshift to sit next to the radio controls on the dash, away from the steering wheel.

50 Cent, Mary J Blige in steroid controversy & Michael Jackson's new single

Came back to work today with my inbox full of emails.

Seems the New York Times released a story today saying that several prominent celebrities, including singer Mary J. Blige, rapper 50 Cent and movie producer Tyler Perry are among thousands of people whose names are turning up in an investigation into obtaining steroids or human growth hormones, an Albany newspaper reported on Sunday.

The Times said the Albany Times Union broke the story while reporting on an investigation conducted by the Albany County district attorney, P. David Soares.

A Blige spokesperson told the Times that Blige has never taken any performance-enhancing illegal steroids or any anti-aging steroids. HGH is sometimes used as an anti-aging drug. I'd hold off on making any judgments here, guys. Let's let this play out.....

Also making the rounds is a new single by Michael Jackson called "Don't You Walk Away." It's a slow club-burner with a nice midtempo beat. I think Jackson will have a hit with this one. It was distributed to several club DJs in the last few weeks. A reader sent me a link to a download of the song. No idea when it might be released.

Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD...does it even matter?

There's a big battle going on between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD to see which format consumers will use to view HDTV movies in the future.

Blu-Ray now has more than twice as many major studios behind it and has a clear advantage. Sony, which lost VHS vs Beta in the '80s, looks like it is going to win a rematch.

Blu-Ray is Sony's baby.

But does it really matter which one wins?

In a recent USA Today interview, Microsoft head man Billy Gates believes that direct downloads over broadband are the future. His company's Xbox Live recently signed an agreement with ABC to allow customers to download ABC programming one day after it airs.

Netflix has plans to create a set-top box to allow customers to download movies over the internet instead of renting them in a store or via mail.

New Flash technology now emerging will allow people to store these HDTV films on a tiny high capacity hard drive, like the thumb drives some people wear around their necks now like necklaces. Some of the newer TV sets are already being made with USB ports in them.

You could, I'd imagine one day, download "Rambo 27" off the internet in high def onto your flash drive, walk over to the TV, plug in the drive and go. And, of course, these drives being smaller than HD-DVDs or Blu-Ray discs -- and with the ability, potentially, to house multiple movies on one drive -- could kill whichever disc format ultimately wins.

Gates seems to see it that way. He told USA Today he believes direct download over broadband, "over time will be the dominant way that people get their movies."

Positive "Feedback" should zoom Jackson back up the charts

Earlier today, I posted a little commentary and two videos of Britney Spears latest song.

Apparently a lot of you out there are music fans. I've gotten tons of requests to post Janet Jackson's new music video, "Feedback," from her upcoming "Discipline" CD. The song has received critical acclaim and the video I'm sure will receive that as well. I haven't seen anything like it, and there's a little tribute to her brothers' pyrotechnical "Victory Tour" in there.

The video has Janet dancing in space and on planets. Gotta admit it's kind of catchy.

The video looks expensive and is different than anything in current rotation on VH-1, BET or MTV, and I'd say the single is one of the better songs to come out in the past 12 months. Janet's music, of course, hasn't been much of an issue, since she got away from her "Dream Street" sound of the early '80s and released "Control."

Each of her albums after that then have been solid.

Since the infamous Super Bowl incident, Janet has struggled to get heard the same way she used to. Whether or not "Feedback" will get her into rotation on MTV or heavy play on major radio airwaves is still a question.

The quality of this single and the wonderment of this video -- which got the internet abuzz the way Michael Jackson videos that postponed prime-time programming got folks talking in the late '80s -- is certainly not.

So here you go:

Britney's new video sad commentary on her life

Britney Spears' new video was originally controversial because some people believe her figure was digitally altered to look slimmer.

Britney's body is fine. It was fine at MTV's Music Awards. Too many of these starlets (see: Alba, Jessica) are told they need to be extra-thin and then begin to look too much like pre-preggo Nicole Richie instead of more like a healthy full-figured Britney.

Her new video, Piece Of Me, though ultimately is a sad commentary on her life. In it, she talks about how everybody wants a piece of her, and it's been that way since she became the it girl at 17.

Here's hoping Britney gets a break and gets her life back together.

Here is the official video:



Here is the remix video:

Next up: "Desperate Housewives" on Xbox Live

Coming to an XBox 360 near you, "Desperate Housewives" downloads.

At the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft head man Billy Gates and Microsoft President of the Entertainment & Devices Division Robbie Bach announced partnerships with Disney-ABC Television Group, NBC Universal and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

As part of that agreement, Xbox Live subscribers will be able to download hit ABC programming like "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy" directly to their Xbox 360 in high definition.

That service should be available later this month. It is essentially like a video-on-demand service from cable TV, and I'd expect Gates to try to continue this digital download push with other networks. It's a wise move that will help set up Xbox 360 as the center of the home entertainment network and gives it a boost over competition from Nintendo's Wii and Sony's PlayStation 3.

ABC content from ABC Family, ABC News, Disney Channel and Toon Disney will also be available. In all, more than 500 hours of content, in standard definition and high definition, will be available at launch. Viewers can download episodes the day after they air on TV.

-- Under the agreement with MGM, Xbox 360 will offer MGM’s movie library on demand, including “Rocky,” “Terminator,” “Legally Blonde,” “Silence of the Lambs” and “Barbershop.” United Artists, an MGM sister company, will also make select films available on demand.

New driving games heat up virtual track

Few video games can provide the pure thrill of road racing.

THQ's "MX vs. ATV" (available for most gaming systems) pretty much succeeds.

About my only complaint was the sound of the thing -- the engines were too car-like.

This was my first go-round with this series, which has won acclaim for its "Rhythm Racing" physics engine. I can say it's smart.

When you're trying to jump over things, you can't take a heavy vehicle over an area only a small motorbike would cross.

Driving and turning, the little things, seemed real. The vehicles seemed very real.

I didn't get the feeling that I get from many racing games, after about five minutes, that I'm moving an object across a screen from the right to the left and back again. I was engaged with this one, which allows you to take real-life riders from the MX and ATV circuits and go head-to-head.

The terrain looks good and the tricks you can pull off are pretty fun, too, but for me, this game came down to the racing and the driving.

Grade: B; rated E for everyone.

Review: Indianapolis 500 Legends

I put this one into the Wii and instantly I was thrown back to the '60s, one of the most revolutionary Indy 500 eras ever.You play as one of 15 famous drivers. The cars made me nostalgic; there are 34 to choose from. Tom Carnegie, who has called the Indy 500 for 61 years, handles play-by-play.

The attention to detail was dramatic, as was the racing itself. You get 33 cars on the track at one time. I got to race as old favorite A.J. Foyt in a 500-lap race. You can even pick which year you want to race in, from 1961 to 1971. You can choose "mission mode" and race in real-life situations that came up in past Indy 500s.

This is one of the best in this genre of the past two years.

Grade: A; rated E for everyone.

Review: Game Show

A cool online sports trivia game that I've enjoyed watching as much as playing. It's easy to join in. Sign up at eagameshow.com and find out when the next game goes live.

You create a logo for yourself and play and unlock tokens to access equipment to create more personalized logos. (It's cooler to do than read about.)

There are leader boards where you can see how well you're doing against players nationally and regionally, answering the sports trivia questions. There are also raffles where you can use your tokens to win prizes.

Grade: B.

Review: Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice

I think the PSP is the best handheld game mainly because it comes the closest to re-creating the console and TV experience in the family living room.That allows you to play a complex fight game like this and not be left with crude action or crude graphics.

You're part of Capital City's special police force, the Pursuit Force, and you're trying to rid your city of crime, mainly five notorious gangs, including three new ones.

These gang bangers will have you chasing them over land, air and sea in 50 criminal cases covering seven district environments. I counted 12 vehicles to use. Sony claims 20 hours of game play. I wouldn't doubt it.

It'll take you awhile, even with 30 weapons, to clean up your city. Each gang has its own stronghold and one of them is a rogue police group.

Grade: B; rated T for teen.

Warner Bros deals HD-DVD a big blow

The war for the next generation DVD may be nearing an end.

Warner Bros will be Blu-Ray exclusively beginning in May 2008. Currently, the studio releases high defintion movies on Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. Those two formats -- Sony behind Blu-Ray and Toshiba behind HD-DVD -- are in a VHS vs. Betamax fight for the living room.

Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Barry Meyer said his company's Blu-Ray switch is a "strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want."

Meyer also said one format must win soon.

"Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down hardware prices," said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner Inc., the parent company of Warner Bros. Entertainment. "Today's decision by Warner Bros. to distribute in a single format comes at the right time and is the best decision both for consumers and Time Warner."

Currently Universal and Paramount are the two studios that are HD-DVD exclusive. Warner, Sony, 20th Century Fox, New Line, LionsGate, MGM, Fox Searchlight, Miramax, Warner and Buena Vista are now behind Blu-Ray.

Spend more $ at Blockbuster

If you have Blockbuster's DVD-by-mail service, you may have noticed an increase in your bill.

Last month, the company -- which has been losing money on online movie orders -- raised prices for new customers and some existing ones.

Highest price hikes? Up to 40 percent. The hikes were from $2 to $10and leaves Blockbuster offering plans ranging from $3.99 to $34.99 monthly. Some of the more expensive plans also allow customers to pick up movies in stores.

Blockbuster declined to comment when asked by the Associated Press as to how many of its 3.1 million online subscribers are facing rate increases.

Blockbuster lost half a million online customers in the July-September quarter. Chief Executive James W. Keyes said last month that many of those subscribers were costing his company more than they were worth.

As Blockbuster shed customers, rival Netflix cut costs and added more than a quarter million new subscribers, giving it more than seven million total.

Netflix pioneered the online ordering and mail delivery of rental movies in 1999. Blockbuster followed in 2004, and cut into Netflix's lead during late 2006 and early 2007.

Blockbuster offers several plans for subscribers who order movies online and receive them in the mail. The most popular plan lets customers keep three DVDs at any time and exchange up to five DVDs per month at a local Blockbuster store for a free rental.

That plan rose from $17.99 to $19.99 per month for new customers and some existing ones on Dec. 27, the AP reported.

The top-of-the-line plan, in which customers can keep three DVDs out and get unlimited free in-store exchanges, went from $24.99 to $34.99 per month, a 40 percent increase.

A basic plan that lets subscribers keep one DVD but doesn't entitle them to free in-store exchanges will drop from $4.99 to $3.99 per month.

Netflix plans range from $4.99 to $23.99 per month.

Best games of '07

On the final day of 2007, let's look back at the best games of the year.

1. "Bioshock": It's got a dazzling story, set underwater and involving a social experiment that has gone terribly wrong.

It's a first-person shooter, but it calls on the player to make moral choices. It's a lot different than most of today's bang-bang games, which typically have little consequence -- beyond how many pieces you can blow the bad guy into.

2. "Halo 3": The most hyped game of the year marked the end of a trilogy of great games.

Its opening-week grosses rivaled that of blockbuster films and made a fictional video game character (Master Chief) into a household name for the first time since Lara Croft of the "Tomb Raider" series. Some critics didn't think the third edition did enough to satisfy. I thought it was brilliant.

3. "Rock Band": This next evolution of "Guitar Hero" includes lead and bass guitars, drums, a microphone and a varied catalog of songs to perform. Get some buddies, add another guitar and a few singers, and check out the best multiplayer game of the year.

I'd like to see future "Rock Band" titles include other genres of music, like country and R&B, even rap.

4. "The Orange Box": You get five PC games in one, each painting a pretty bleak and descriptive picture of Earth after it has been devastated by aliens. It was too much quality gaming in one box to leave off this list. And call it the PC title of the year.

5. "Super Mario Galaxy": Yes, it's simple to play. Yes, the storyline is a retread (Mario saves the world). But bouncing around the galaxy with everybody's favorite plumber is still fun. And Nintendo managed to make him feel fresh again by changing his environment.

6. "Madden 08": A huge improvement over recent years.

Better news is that EA Sports promises to concentrate on atmosphere next year, to make the experience feel more realistic. Hopefully, that includes bringing back John Madden and Al Michaels to handle play-by-play and some pre- and post-game shows.

7. "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare": A great shooter in a year of good ones. You play as a U.S. Marine and a British S.A.S, fighting in real locations around the world. Everything looks authentic.

8. "Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass": The best handheld game of the year showed up on the Nintendo DS. How in the world did Nintendo put this much "game" in a handheld? Lead character Link battles pirates at sea and land, searching for hidden treasure.

9. "Mass Effect": You're the only human agent in a galaxy-wide police force that doesn't trust humans. You're also fighting a threat that could destroy life as you know it. Full of "Star Trek"-like moral choices and exploration. Beautifully drawn, too.

10. "College Hoops 2K8": This is college basketball done about as well as I've seen. This was the best-looking sports game of the year, with realistic sound effects and lifelike players and coaches.

System of the year

Microsoft Xbox 360: Although it was threatened by Nintendo Wii and a faster-charging PS3 -- which is finally getting the software it needs -- Bill Gates' favorite box persevered.A lot of this had to do with the release of several great exclusive games (like "Halo 3"). And it helps having the best online experience for a console, by far.

Duds of the year

"Beowulf"; "Tenchu Z"; "Transformers: The Game"; "Star Trek: Conquest"; "Vampire Rain."

PBS-HD coming to DirecTV

DirecTV will soon add public television station signals across the country in high definition, the company said today.

DirecTV, the nation's HD leader with 87 national high-def channels, has a carriage agreement with the Association of Public Television Stations and the Public Broadcasting Service. DirecTV viewers will have access to other Public Television content as well.

DirecTV currently offers local HD programming in 68 markets, representing more than 72 percent of U.S. TV households. Charlotte is one of those markets, though viewers here cannot get the local CW affiliate, WJZY, Channel 46, and Channel 55 in HD without an off-air antenna.

Los Angeles recently added two new HD stations and DirecTV began carrying them this week, marking the fourth area nationally where it carried all six major commercial network affiliates.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with APTS and PBS to offer our customers award-winning HD programming from local Public Television stations across the country," said DirecTV president Chase Carey. "This agreement is the result of a cooperative effort that will utilize innovative technology to deliver the highest quality local content to DIRECTV viewers."

APTS President & CEO John Lawson said: "This is a forward-looking, innovative agreement for the digital age. It means the great HD programming from PBS and local Public Television stations will be available to DIRECTV customers in every market where DIRECTV carries any local HD. We will also work together to make available a vast library of on demand content from local Public Television stations across the country. This is a great day for public service media in America."

Your official HDTV buying guide.....with video

If you're about to go out and buy the family that 50-inch flat screen you've been eyeing, I say congratulations. You'll love your new HDTV.

But wait. There is lots of confusing lingo out there. Do you want Plasma, LCD or DLP? What about all those numbers you hear about: 720P or 1080i or 1080P? And how much to spend? You'll see some $1,000 50-inch sets and other 50-inch sets that cost upwards of $6,000.

In HDTVs, as with most anything else, you get what you pay for. That $1,000 Costco model is not going to look as good as the Pioneer Elite you get from a high end store (with the high end price). But unless you have that super high end model in your home or are a real videophile, you're probably not going to know the difference. So don't get caught up in side-to-side comparisons at Best Buy between the one you want and the one you should buy. The one you want does look better. At home, you'll only have one and it will blow you away. Now, if you're upgrading to a new HDTV and coming out of an older one, your equation certainly changes.

My guess is everyone knows where they fall there.

For most newbies, though, upgrading to HD will be a quantum leap over that's 27-inch 250-pound behemoth sitting on that 10-year old stand (with the glass casing cracked or missing).

Here's a few easy basics. Choose the progressive TVs (1080P or 720P) over interlaced ones (1080i). They look better. If you're buying 40 inches or larger, buy plasma, they look better. If you have an extra bright room, consider LCD.

DLP sets are cheaper but are bulkier. You cannot hang them on the wall and they don't look as good as plasma or LCD.

Last, people will tell you there's no difference between 1080P and 720P, at least at longer distances. Yes and no. The 1080P set costs more and can render full resolution HD from videogame and HD-DVD and Blu-Ray sources. And while your eye cannot see a huge resolution difference from 8 feet between competing 720P and 1080P models, the newer 1080Ps can render more colors, better blacks and simply look better.

And now to the video. Get your notebooks ready.

Here's the HD trailer for Batman, the Dark Knight

Here is the high definition trailer for the new Batman movie, due summer 2008. Looks pretty good.

What do you think?

(Thanks to reader Joe C. of Weddington for the link).

NFL Sunday Ticket special promotion

OK football fans, you can get a pretty cool deal right now.

If you sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket for the last few weeks of this season, you'll also get the entire 2008 season for $269.

Sunday Ticket allows customers to see out-of-market NFL games weekly. Most games are also available in HDTV, for those with HDTV channels and packages through DirecTV's satellite service. To get the HD games, customers need to subscribe to a special $99 package that is an addition to the regular Sunday Ticket sub.

New `America's Army' has look, feel of real warfare

There are so many tactical shooters on the market right now that I wasn't very excited when another showed up for me to review this week.

But "America's Army: True Soldiers" (Rated T for Teen) -- which was co-developed with the U.S. Army -- saved me from being burned out.

This Xbox 360 game is brought to you by publisher Ubisoft and developer Red Storm Entertainment. Red Storm is best known for its work on Tom Clancy's "Ghost Recon" and "Rainbow Six" franchises, and I think it has another hit on its hands.

Game cover man Tommy Rieman, a sergeant who won a Purple Heart for his service in Iraq, worked with Red Storm to create a high level of authenticity in "True Soldiers' " real-world scenarios.

Essentially, this game offers a pretty good taste of what joining the Army might be like. Graphics are spot-on, and the action is fast. In the single-player mode, you can go from basic training to fighting the war on terror -- and it takes real skill to move up to rifleman or sniper.

But what's coolest about this game is that when you and your soldier are good and ready, you can take that specific character onto Xbox Live. Also, online players can reward you with points for honorable actions that help you move up the Army ranks. (As with most war games, "True Soldiers" is more fun with multiple players.)

One other thing worth noting: Parents can tailor settings to make the game appropriate for a range of ages.

Grade: B-plus.

Review: Cardo S-800 Bluetooth headset

The latest trend in Bluetooth wireless headsets is models that are small enough to fit snugly without needing to actually wrap around your ear.The S-800 will do that, but I found it more comfortable with the ear loop attached. The headset dampens outside noise very well, so the experience is perfectly fine when talking to friends via cell-phone -- or the PS3's gaming network (the S-800 pairs easily with the console).

The unit comes with a standard AC adapter and a USB cable to charge from a computer, which is a nice touch. It weighs less than half an ounce. It'll swap easily between two mobile phones and the PS3. You can also auto-answer calls, switch to a conference-call mode, or dial the last number called by using buttons on the headset (so you don't have to touch your phone).

My favorite feature is a headset location buzzer that you can activate from your paired phone when you lose the thing -- and I briefly lost the thing. Retail is $90, but it can be found for less than $50 online.

Grade: A.

Review: Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3

Rated T for Teen, this sequel to last year's hit fighting game is all about more fighting and fast thumb-twitching.

There are more than 150 heroes and villains to fight with. There are 20 levels. You can also re-create some of the battles from the TV show.

I tried the Wii version, and this year, it has online capability (though I had trouble getting a game -- a problem I never have via Xbox's or Sony's online systems).

This title brings back the fun of those side-scrolling fighters we loved so much on Sega Genesis and Dreamcast. Nothing exceptional, but still thoroughly enjoyable.

Grade: B.

College Hoops 2K8 rocks, baby

It's college basketball season. Time for late-night West Coast games, buzzer-beaters, Billy Packer and Dick Vitale.

It's also time for college basketball video game simulations. And after an impressive season of NBA games, I was curious to see what we'd get with the college versions.

The first one I've tried this year is 2K Sports' "College Hoops 2K8" (rated E for Everyone), which is the follow-up to the top seller in this category last year. I tried the Xbox 360 version, but it's also available for PS2 and PS3.

I tried it out in my friend's basement, where he's got a 58-inch 1080p Panasonic plasma HDTV (the best TV reasonable money can buy) and a state-of-the-art sound system with seven speakers.

The graphics just keep getting better and the frame rate is excellent. This game, like many of the recent sports titles, can really fool you into thinking you're watching a real game. Part of that was the TV. Part of it was the attention to detail utilized by 2K Sports, which has completely redesigned its game arenas to make them look deeper, bigger and more realistic.

It also sounded great in Dolby Digital, from the pep bands and announcers right down to the sneaker squeaks.

The thing that most impressed me was the gameplay. The players move like the real thing, and don't slide around. If you ask the controller to turn left, you turn left -- sharply, without any oversteer. And home-team advantage really plays a role: You get it going, and the crowd can get loud.

The hard rap soundtrack may bother a few gamers, but that's about the only thing I could find wrong at first blush. It gives you nearly everything you can ask for.

Grade: A.

Review: `The Golden Compass'

Sega has released this for all game console platforms and PCs. The game (rated E for Everyone) is based on the new movie of the same name.

You play as Lyra, a young girl out to rescue her uncle and her kidnapped best friend. Lyra takes off on her mission with her pet, Pan, and a huge polar bear, Iorek -- plus a golden compass, a truth-telling device that gives you crucial information and unlocks bonus content.

There are 11 universes to explore, and this game is awful deep. It plays, to me, as a slightly more mature Mario game that should enthrall younger and older gamers alike.

Grade: B.

Janet Jackson uses 'net "gadgets" to drop hot new single

Eschewing a direct to radio release of her new song, "Feedback," pop icon Janet Jackson has released her track directly to the internet. It's expected to hit radio this weekend.



After disappointing sales of her previous two albums, "Damita Jo" and "20 Y.O." Jackson is making sure to come out with a stronger first single, in terms of radio appeal. Her previous two albums met critical success but did not receive a lot of radio support or Virgin record label support, as she still suffered from backlash from her infamous Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction. Her videos got very little play on MTV.



Janet is now with Island Records and the new single, Feedback, is a classic club banger with a memorable chorus. It may be just the thing to get her old audience back. It's loud. It's catchy. It's very, um, Janet.



Her last two albums were very very good and perhaps after some folks get a taste of this new single, which will be followed by a world tour in the spring, it may whet their appetite for Jackson's new album, due in February. While they wait, they can check out the past two CDs which most people didn't get a chance to hear.

Click here to hear "Feedback."

Beyonce', DirecTV and MSG-HD

A lot of folks are emailing me asking if DirecTV's new HD upgrade commercial with Beyonce' is any good, or is cheesy, or unnecessary.

I think it hits the mark. Guys are your primary target for this, and not too many guys are going to turn away from this spot or DVR past it. It gets the message across well.

DirecTV is fast approaching 90 HD channels now, and the quality is still remaining high. This week, the satcaster added MSG-HD and Fox Sports NY-HD, both full-time (NY Knick fans rejoice!).

Right now, cable is a distant, distant third and DISH is getting further and further behind in second place while it waits to launch new satellites early next year that will allow it to upgrade its offerings.

Shirtless and red eyed, actor Gary Coleman auctions his GameCube

I'm not sure what to make of this, but a reader sent me an ebay auction link where actor Gary Coleman, famous for his line "What'cha talkin' 'bout Willis" in the hit "Diff'rent Strokes" sitcom, is selling his Nintendo GameCube, topless and red-eyed.

Coleman looks like he needs to go join that group of celebrities trying to kick the drug habit on reality TV.

The auction's initial bid is $165 for a signed GameCube with several games.

Viva Pinata for Windows is smart move

Microsoft Game Studios has done a smart thing this holiday season.

It's ported over the popular "Viva Piñata" from the Xbox 360 to Windows XP and Windows Vista-enabled PCs.

The game, which I enjoyed on the 360 and PC, challenges players to start as a character from the popular Saturday morning cartoon. You then create a world of your own that you use to attract up to 60 piñata species.

Once you have a few "inhabitants," you can personalize your community. Piñatas can get their own name and a tag put on their home turf within your world. You can also customize with costumes and accessories.

I know it may sound simple and boring, but you find yourself constantly tweaking your world and your inhabitants -- and the more inviting your environment, the more elaborate the animals you attract will be. Then, when you do attract newcomers, you have to work to keep them happy.

It's like being a landlord, of sorts, and of course there are some rather evil characters in the game that do their best to make your life difficult.

This is simple, fun and rather addictive.

Grade: B.

Review: `Ghost Squad'

This was a big hit in the arcades in 2004. Now it's available from Sega for the Nintendo Wii. The game supports the new Wii Zapper accessory, and using it here you can easily target on-screen enemies. The game is designed for up to four players and has three mission areas, 25 weapons and 14 uniforms.You play as a member of the Ghost Squad, a Special Forces unit secretly established by the United Nations to combat terrorism. In this game, you have some real-life type missions: releasing hostages, stopping bombs and rescuing the U.S. president.

The game's missions are divided into levels. In each level, you can take different routes, each with differing degrees of difficulty. And the further you advance in a level, the tougher your competition gets. Enemies attack from everywhere. Graphics are good, and the action's fast.

I'm not big on recommending gun games to kids, but for older teens and adults, this one's pretty intense.

Grade: B.

Review: `Masters of Illusion'

I didn't think much of this game until my 7-year-old, Trey, kept playing it on his Nintendo DS. I figured it had to be pretty good.

I tried it and saw that early on the game teaches you to do some simple card tricks and has step-by-step tutorials for 20 different tricks.

You can take the game with you. It acts as an assistant for some of your stunts, and it comes with a magic deck of cards.

Kids learn these tricks quickly, and even I was having fun trying to fool the wife.

Trey thinks it's great. I can't argue.

Grade: A.

Review: `Medal of Honor Airborne'

Electronic Arts claims this multi-platform title is the only first-person shooter that lets players airdrop into combat and land anywhere in an open battlefield.

To me, it just felt like "been there, done that."

The game is well done and beautifully drawn. You're part of a team in World War II tackling some historically true missions. Enemies will advance or retreat depending on how well you do; so will your allies.

The combination of impressive visuals and outstanding AI makes it fun to watch the computer-controlled guys take cover, jump into a building through a window, or leap over a wall.

Kill shots produce real results, and guys will now actually run from grenades instead of just waiting for it to blow up in their faces. (So hold it a little bit, or "cook" it and then toss. Much better results.)

Another hot feature: As you improve your skill with a particular weapon, you gain access to upgrades within that weapon, making it more powerful.

I feel like I've played too many games like this lately. But, then, I can't really say anything was lacking.

Grade: B.

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