Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D (3DS)

If you thought a fighting game in which you play as mighty dinosaurs couldn't possibly be a tedious slog, brace yourself for bad news. Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D is a tedious slog padded out with recycled content. The fights are repetitive and unchallenging, linked by short jogs down corridors of jungle or rock. The visuals, at least, are appealing, enlivened by stereoscopic depth, and there's modest fun to be had in naming and customizing your chosen dinosaur, if a purple T. rex with stars on it gives you a giggle. But you won't be pitting Barney against your friend's creations; this is a multiplayer-free affair, with only item trading to show for the 3DS's wireless connectivity.

Clever girl.

Set in an age when dinosaurs not only ruled the Earth, but also when Cretaceous and Jurassic creatures mingled and did battle (sorry, paleontologists), Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D has you pick a dinosaur from four types: predator, hunter, charger, or defender, then run it through a series of linear, walled-in levels, punctuated with fights against other terrible lizards. These guys are the henchmen of the evil Arkosaurus, toward whose destruction you are working. The fights aren't random battles but a clearly signposted sequence of brawls; while you stomp along on the top screen, there is a track along the lower screen with markers to indicate exactly when you'll encounter your next dino rumble.
Within each level, bouts occur against a single class of dinosaur, amounting to similar fights against similar foes. In these, you have few offensive options (an attack, a push) and fewer defensive ones (dodge). The closest thing to a combo is a multi-hit frenzy assault, in which you dodge your enemy's one attack and then hammer a button while he is confused by how you managed to dodge his one attack. He shouldn't be confused because his one attack--two, in the toughest cases--is telegraphed by his whole enormous dinosaur body flashing bright red. Sometimes, he'll flash bright blue--not to signal an attack, just for fun--and then you can thump him to gain dino strike power which, when activated, delivers an automatic flurry of blows. The end-of-level fights are only the most challenging because you might have to dodge left or right to avoid getting bashed.
Then, once you've ploughed through the campaign and your chosen dinosaur has become a champion, you can pick another dinosaur with which to repeat the process. You must do so four times in total, with one dinosaur from each class, because you need four champions to take on Arkosaurus. That's four near-identical grinds through a near-identical series of levels (jungle, canyon, volcano) before you can hit the endgame and take on the boss. The only significant difference in your second, third and fourth runs is the ability to summon the previous champion to temporarily take your place in a battle. It is small comfort that by the end of the fourth time around, you will have unlocked a lot of "fun facts" and funky alternative colors, as well as markings for your champion. These are earned by collecting bones, which are in turn acquired by breaking branches and smashing rocks in your path.

Rayman 3D (3DS)

If you've ever wondered what the 3D platformers of the late 1990s would look like with contemporary stereoscopic technology, then you need look no further than Rayman 3D. Unfortunately, a snazzy handling of this new technology is the only surprise it provides, and veteran players might balk at the realization that this 3DS launch title is essentially yet another clone of 1999's Rayman 2: The Great Escape for the Dreamcast. But, of course, that's not necessarily a bad thing considering the game's rightfully enduring popularity, and Ubisoft handles the port much more successfully than it did 2005's release for the original DS. Aside from occasional screen tears, some camera issues, and minor complications with its 3D effects, Rayman 3D ends up yielding an entertaining experience.

Get used to those yellow balls. You need to collect all 1,000 of them to get the most out of the game.

For the uninitiated, this is the story of a limbless champion on a quest to save a colorful world known as the Glade of Dreams from Admiral Razorbeard and his dastardly horde of robot pirates. Razorbeard, being a somewhat disagreeable fellow, smashed the mystical Heart of the World into a thousand pieces that now lie scattered throughout the world in the form of glowing yellow "lums." Now, armed only with balls of energy that fly from his floating hands, Rayman sets out to gather all 1,000 lums as he battles his way through mountains, forests, and dangerous pirate ships, all while freeing captives and recovering four masks that will rouse the great spirit Polokus and liberate the world. Not only does this make for an entertaining if lightweight story, but it also means that there's plenty of material for completionists, particularly since you can revisit every level after you've finished it. Only a few of the 19 levels require you to collect a fixed number of lums to progress to the next, but each one offers the chance of playing an additional compact bonus stage if you collect every lum and free every captive found throughout the level. If you decide to hunt down every last lum and unlockable bonus area, you could easily get more than 14 hours' worth of gameplay. Even if you don't, you're still looking at a respectable 10 hours or so in the Glade of Dreams.
Rayman 3D doesn't make much use of the touch screen. You use it to catalog the quest-related objects you've obtained, but your movements rely entirely on the 3DS's circle pad. This allows for a fluid experience that closely mimics the feel of playing the original console versions, especially when combined with the ability to look in any direction by holding down the right shoulder button. And the gameplay remains refreshingly diversified. Jump up, and Rayman's ears turn into helicopter-style rotor blades that let you coast down to your target. Pick up a powder keg, and you can use it as a bomb. Fire your energy bolts at a purple ring, and you make a rope that lets you swing like Tarzan to your objectives. Couple these varied abilities with unexpected changes to play styles throughout most levels, and you find yourself constantly looking forward to the next surprising twist. At one point, for example, Rayman water-skis behind a gigantic water snake across a treacherous swamp; on another occasion, he tames a rocket like a wild bronco and rides it at breakneck speeds down narrow corridors. No mechanic is ever used for too long, ensuring that you are entertained by Rayman's vibrant adventure from start to finish.

PlayStation Move Heroes (PlayStation 3)

The concept seems to be lifted from the dreams of everyone who loved platforming during the PlayStation 2 days. Three of Sony's biggest mascots--Ratchet, Jak, and Sly--team up in PlayStation Move Heroes to thwart a band of malevolent aliens. Robots programmed to tear you to shreds close in on all sides, and you make smart use of whips, wrenches, and pistols to blow them to smithereens. If you catch a glimpse of Ratchet gunning down foes in Metropolis or Sly sneaking around with his trusty crook on the streets of Paris, you may even think this is the dream-team collaborative effort you've been waiting for. However, after only a few minutes of messing around with this Move-enabled minigame collection, it's clear that this is much closer to a nightmare. Similar-looking environments and repetitive objectives make it seem as if you're doomed to a Sisyphean fate, while unresponsive melee controls enervate your enthusiasm. Shining flashes of predictable entertainment intermittently pierce through the dull gray sky, but PlayStation Move Heroes is predominantly a boring endeavor unworthy of its fantastic starring cast.
6306985Clank gets trigger happy.None
The greatest threat to the known universe is a group of aliens who have too much time on their hands. Ratchet, Jak, and Sly, along with their respective sidekicks, Clank, Daxter, and Bentley, were enjoying their days on their own worlds, when an eerie vortex appeared above their heads, whisking them to a desolate and strange land. The weirdest part of this sinister plan is that pieces of their homeworlds were carried over as well, presumably so that these extraordinary heroes didn't become homesick. It might seem nice to explore the streets of Metropolis, Haven City, and Paris once more, but everything has a muted color scheme that makes these beloved places blend together. The lack of visual variety puts a damper on your adventures from the get-go, though the few story segments do an adequate job of lightening the mood. The good-humored ribbing these franchises are known for is on display, and it's fun to see what mischievous deed Daxter is up to or how the resourceful Clank is going to save everyone from this predicament.
The action is broken up into five distinct parts. Melee, whip-wielding, and shooting make up the combat portions, whereas bowling and disc throwing are akin to intergalactic sporting events. No matter which activity you choose, your goal is to collect a set number of items or destroy the advancing robot army. The action segments are set in small-scale arenas that are unfortunately beset by a number of issues that drain much of the fun. Your locomotion is downright insulting for such prestigious platforming stars. You're free to run around the areas as you wish, but the jumping ability these characters are known for has been unceremoniously removed. It feels strange to gun down enemies as Ratchet without being able to initiate his patented leaping strafes, and your lack of agility becomes a serious problem when you're surrounded by attackers with no way to quickly move away. The melee and whip controls are also maddeningly inconsistent. You need to shake the controller to strike down attackers at close range, and it's troubling how often this simple action doesn't register. The only combat fun comes from the shooting sections. Hunting down evil robots is enjoyable, though don't expect your dumb adversaries to put up much of a fight.

WWE All Stars (Xbox 360)

gSpend a few minutes watching any WWE broadcast, and it becomes clear that over-the-top spectacle is what it's all about. Professional wrestling's relentless quest to be larger than life makes it well suited for the creative freedom of video games, yet it has been years since any wrestling game really took this idea and ran with it. Now WWE All Stars has entered the arena and amplified the high-flying, hard-hitting action to an arcade pitch. Cartoonishly muscular character models and gravity-defying maneuvers help the game pack a great punch, and simple controls make it easy to perform high-impact moves. The fighting system is not without its drawbacks, however. The crucial reversal timing is tough to master, and the exaggerated physics result in some wonky and unpredictable moments. These issues can cause some frustration, but the satisfaction of executing a timely counterattack or a powerful choke slam is undeniable. WWE All Stars captures the excitement and spectacle of the actual WWE better than any game in recent memory.
6306692None And here you thought snakes and rocks went together like peas in a pod.
Stepping into the ring and dealing out punishment is straightforward, thanks to the relatively simple moveset. You can string quick and heavy strikes together to land combos, and enter light or strong grapples to throw your opponent around. Depending on what class your chosen wrestler is, you can perform rope-spring attacks or powerful charged strikes, and every wrestler can run around the ring and climb the turnbuckle to mix things up. As you pummel your opponent, you fill up an energy meter that allows you to perform signature moves and finishers. These electrifying attacks are the standard-bearers for WWE All Stars; they are the embodiment of the exaggerated energy that fuels the game. When you execute one of these moves, your character's movements are highlighted by flowing ribbons of color as the background becomes black and white. Time slows down as your move develops and then speeds up to deliver the punishing impact in real time with a thunderous crash. These audio and visual effects amplify the drama that the WWE pros try to achieve on a regular basis, pumping it up to an immensely gratifying level.
With all these powerful attacks flying around, being able to defend yourself is important. Blocking is effective, but the key element to a strong defense is reversals. Whether you are being struck or grappled, there's almost always a moment when you can tap the appropriate reversal button to turn the tables. Sometimes, your opponent gets a chance to reverse your reversal, but no matter who ends up powerbombing whom, it is crucial to get the hang of countering attacks. The timing is very tricky, however, and tapping the button multiple times all but ensures your attempt will fail, so you have to nail it. This finicky precision is frustrating, and there's no tutorial to help you get the hang of it. Timing is also crucial in determining whose strike or grapple takes priority, but some moves can preempt others. WWE All Stars leaves it up to you to learn the ins and outs of its fighting system, and though the basics are easy to grasp, you have to figure out important elements like timing and move priority for yourself.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley is fixin' to score a knockout.

Madden NFL Football (3DS)

Madden NFL Football is a woefully incomplete game. The list of features not included in this 3DS launch game is almost longer than what's on the cart, which makes this game practically worthless for casual and hardcore football fans alike. The most glaring omission is multiplayer; there's absolutely no way to challenge a friend to a match. The Madden franchise is built on competition, showing off your virtual might and letting the trash-talking fly. Stripping out that key element demeans your actions. What good is showing off if no one is watching? But even if you fancy yourself a single-player footballer, this game still won't leave you satisfied. There's no Franchise mode included, the Season mode is devoid of context, and the only statistics that have been kept are for wins and losses. Once you do hoist the Lombardi Trophy, you're merely greeted with a perfunctory congratulations screen and the option to start the season over from the beginning, following the same schedule. The on-the-field action is adequate, but it hardly matters. There's little reason to play this disgraceful attempt at America's most popular sport.

It's nice to see Roethlisberger is keeping himself busy in the off season.

Like other versions of Madden, you have the option to take to the practice field to get a handle of the basics, though even newcomers should be able to jump into a game with nary a hiccup. The responsive controls are easy to come to grips with, and the smooth circle pad makes juking away from foes a breeze. In fact, it might be a little too easy to evade your opponents. The artificial intelligence on the default setting is laughable, which means you spend more time perfecting your end zone trot than devising come-from-behind strategies. The special teams are particularly awful. Returning kickoffs for touchdowns becomes so commonplace that it's actually rather boring. And the opposing coach is so confident in his kicker that he'll frequently send him out for 60-yard attempts, which invariably land 10 yards away from their target. Swing passes go for long gains all too often, and there are wide receivers open down the field every other snap. Matches become more competitive once you ratchet up the difficulty, but the propensity for big plays never abates.
Once you've gotten the hang of things, it's time to graduate beyond one-and-done games. Sadly, there's no Franchise mode included, which is the main draw in most Madden games. Usually, you can build your team from pretender to contender by drafting well, signing the right free agents, and pulling off blockbuster trades. The joy of running a team for multiple seasons gives you a taste of being a real-life general manager, but you won't find any of that long-term dedication in Madden NFL Football. Instead, you have to settle for a cursory season mode. Here, you choose your favorite team and take part in the 2010 NFL season. There's no draft, no preseason, and no way to make trades, which is a very poor representation of the real thing. The game doesn't keep track of your individual or team statistics (aside from win/loss record), and there aren't any season awards, such as Most Valuable Player or Rookie of the Year. If you do make it to the Super Bowl, you aren't even treated to an elaborate celebration for your accomplishments. There's no pregame hype to get you excited about reaching the big game, the announcers don't make reference to the Super Bowl, and there's no victory celebration at the end.

Michael Jackson The Experience (Xbox 360)

Michael Jackson's unique vocal talents and performance style have made him one of pop's most enduring icons. The dance routines of such songs as "Thriller," "Beat It," and "Billie Jean" are ingrained in popular culture, but thanks to their complexity, few have the skills to replicate them. Michael Jackson: The Experience gives you the opportunity to try your hand at some of his most famous routines, sing his songs, and battle it out with friends. Its Kinect credentials make it easy to pick up and play, with a variety of difficulty levels and an inability to fail out of songs, which ensures that even dancers with two left feet are given a sporting chance. A vast set of instructional videos give more determined dancers the opportunity to perfect routines, though the lack of detailed visual feedback on your movements--offered by the likes of Dance Central--and significant input lag cause a dissatisfying disconnect between your motions and the ones you see onscreen.
6308332Thriller has one of the better-looking backdrops.
The input lag stems from the game's unique approach to dancing. Rather than just monitor your movements, the Kinect camera places your image onscreen beside a group of virtual dancers, whom you try to replicate. It's an interesting effect, putting you in the middle of the action on stage and making you feel like a superstar performer. However, while your movements are tracked accurately for scoring purposes, your virtual self's movements are not. There's a significant delay between performing a move and seeing your onscreen self replicate it, which is incredibly distracting and makes keeping time difficult--not to mention that the way your movements don't sync with those of the background dancers makes you look like a terrible dancer. Each of your movements is rated as bad, OK, good, or perfect, depending on your performance. Five stars in the corner of the screen fill up as you rack up points, with an overall score appearing underneath. If you perform several good or perfect moves in a row, you increase your multiplier. If you're especially good, you get the chance to activate King Power by raising your fist above your head when a crown appears, giving you bonus points.
Points give you little more than bragging rights among your friends, though, because no matter how few you get, it's impossible to fail out of a song. While this makes the game much more accessible, it removes some of the challenge. There's no incentive to strive for higher scores; no bonus content to unlock, and no leaderboards to see how you measure up against other players. What is challenging is the choreography itself. Most routines are based on those in Michael's music videos, with a few original creations inspired by his dancing thrown in too. Signature moves, such as high kicks, toe stands, and moonwalks all make an appearance, and they are extremely tricky to replicate if you're not blessed with Michael's skills. A set of static pictures on the bottom right of the screen highlight upcoming moves, but they're difficult to follow while looking at the virtual dancers. You can vary the complexity of routines, though, by choosing from one of three difficulty levels.
Master Performance is the most difficult level of the three, with complex routines to follow and a full singing part. Lyrics are displayed at the bottom of the screen while you're performing, and you're given a rating based on your pitch and rhythm. Unfortunately, like dancing, there's a lack of visual feedback for your performance, so you won't find a pitch bar like you do in Rock Band or Guitar Hero. If you drop the difficulty down to Performance level, the singing part is reduced to certain sections of the song, while dancing parts remain the same. The easiest difficultly is Dance, which drops the singing altogether and leaves a gap between each movement, giving you time to readjust before the next toe stand or booty shake. If you're finding it all a bit much, there's a Practice mode where you can choose a particular section of a song to perform repeatedly. Unfortunately, you can't slow down the music during practice, which is a missed opportunity to make things easier.

The Superman is a classic MJ move.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters (Wii)

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters remains the top golf sim for virtual swingers. Even though the series embraces the Move motion controller in its PlayStation 3 edition this year, superior controls in the Wii version of the game still make it the best way to play video game golf. This year's sequel builds on the outstanding Wii remote controls from the last two years, which show the MotionPlus attachment at its best, making for lifelike drives for show and putts for dough. The new game also refashions everything around trying to earn an illustrious green jacket at the famous Masters tournament, which lends the proceedings a gravitas that golf fans can't help but appreciate.

Set to tee off thanks to mostly great caddie advice on your shots.

What you notice when firing up Tiger Woods 12 for the first time is how much the game has been reskinned to take advantage of its Masters theme. This isn't so much a Tiger and PGA game as it is a Masters game, since golf's biggest star and its biggest professional organization take a backseat to the annual tournament hosted by Augusta National Golf Club. The opening cinematic is all about the Masters. The menu screens are loaded with photos of Augusta National. The game opens with a playable intro that walks you through the final shots of Tiger Woods winning a green jacket. And, most importantly, the career mode has been renamed Road to the Masters, with the focus switched from simply progressing from the amateur ranks to the PGA Tour, to doing all of the above plus earning an invitation to this prestigious tournament. As a result, career play is more focused, with a concrete goal behind all of your efforts. Just as the Madden games wrap with a Super Bowl every season and NHL hockey games close with the Stanley Cup final, now you have a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
There are other Masters-related frills, too. Along with being able to play Augusta National in one-off rounds, you visit its hallowed links in two other modes. Neither is wildly innovative, but each serves to further place the tournament at the heart of the game and offer tough diversions from single matches and developing a pro career. Masters Moments is a series of nine challenges where you step into the shoes of pros from tourneys past and try to come close to their achievements. These range from back in 1935 all the way to 2010 and include a wide selection of memorable moments such as Jack Nicklaus' eagle and two birdies in 1986, an Arnold Palmer eagle in 1958, and Tiger Woods' incredible seven birdies in a row in 2005. Each challenge can be beaten by getting close to the pro's achievement or mastered by matching or bettering it. This can be extremely hard in spots, because you're called upon to make a couple of unbelievable approach shots to within a few feet from the pin and do things like finish a run of seven grueling holes at four under par. Tiger at the Masters is the other main Masters-related game. It sees you playing as the great one during each of his four Masters victories, with the goal of keeping pace with every round. Fall behind by a single stroke on even one round, and it's back to the drawing board.

The holes of Amen Corner. So beautiful. So deadly.

Even with the glitz of the Masters, controls are the standout feature of the Wii version of Tiger Woods 12. As in both last year's game and its predecessor, the Wii MotionPlus-enhanced swing mechanics are stellar. Control sensitivity is spot on. Angle the remote even slightly, and the club face moves with it, letting you manually hit fades and draws with relative ease (or slice, with relative annoyance at your incompetence). Drives have real weight to them so that you often find yourself standing back and admiring the ball in flight. Approach shots allow you to feel them out for distance, letting you put a little touch on the ball just as you would in real life. Putting is also dead-on, with just the right amount of effort required whether you're tapping one in or launching lengthy lag putts across the carpet.
With all that said, Wii swinging in Tiger Woods 12 is pretty much the same as it was in Tiger Woods 11. It does feel more lifelike than the similar PS3 Move controls, however. Here, your shots feel realistic no matter where you are on a hole. With the PS3 Move, approach shots are tough to address when you need to play with distance, and putts typically require a great deal of effort, more akin to rowing a canoe against a current than swinging a putter against a little white ball. The Move controls feel a lot like the Wii remote controls did three years ago, before the release of the MotionPlus add-on. So the PS3 has a way to go before catching up to the Wii, at least when it comes to the accuracy of the motion-tracking controls.

IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover (PC)

When a once-popular genre goes underrepresented for so long, it's tempting to give any new entry the benefit of the doubt. That's especially true when that new product comes from a developer known for its dedication to the subject matter. IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover is one such game, and Maddox Games is one such developer. What to make, then, of this unfinished fiasco, especially when its target audience has so few modern options? Like previous IL-2 installments, this World War II combat flight simulator will benefit from a passionate community and the included modification tools. But that's no excuse for the clearly broken state it was released in. The technical issues are a real shame, for underneath them is a solid and complex simulation that deserved a worthy package to showcase it. In time, Cliffs of Dover might soar. But for now, all but the most patient simmers should leave this damaged aircraft in the hangar for further maintenance.
6308880The sun is hardly the most troubling obstacle you face in this disappointing package.None
That something is wrong with Cliffs of Dover is clear from the moment you boot it up and the grating, synthesized fanfare struggles to play, sometimes going silent, other times starting only when you click on various menu options. Once you're in the cockpit, your initial fears won't be unfounded: Cliffs of Dover struggles to maintain a smooth frame rate on machines exceeding the recommended specifications. You can fiddle with the in-game settings, but doing so doesn't always have the drastic effect you might expect, and it might cause unforeseen side effects that should have been noticed and fixed. For example, if you play the tutorial missions on low settings, you can't see the yellow rings you're supposed to fly through. The sudden jitters, drops into single-digit frame rates, and overall choppiness aren't just annoyances: they make the game unenjoyable, at times bordering on unplayable.
Of course, many outstanding PC games have required beefy rigs to get the most out of them, but you generally expect technical struggles to come with an obvious benefit: gorgeous visuals. IL-2's cockpits look phenomenal, and the waters of the English Channel undulate authentically underneath your roaring Spitfire. Most everything else looks just so-so, from canned explosions, to low-fidelity ground textures, to bland buildings. The older Wings of Prey was not a proper simulation, but it set a high bar for flight game graphics using the IL-2 Sturmovik graphics engine, ironically enough. Cliffs of Dover is nowhere near that level of beauty, which makes the chugging even harder to stomach. It's easy to admire how shadows roam across the cockpit if you manage to run the game at higher settings and the way bullets shatter your windshield and leave holes in your wings. (This series' damage modeling has always been terrific.) But it all seems so meaningless when you fly above a relatively bland-looking London or a garish green-yellow countryside, only for the game to turn into a slide show.

It's the little room in the front of the plane where the pilots sit, but that's not important right now.

That aforementioned damage model isn't just cosmetic: enemy bullets can puncture vital mechanisms (or if you have bombs at the ready, do something more immediately dramatic), though they are hardly the only factor in how your aircraft handles. Make no mistake: this is the real deal. If you are a dedicated simmer, you will appreciate the attention to detail in the way airplanes feel in the air and react to your actions. Crank up the realism options, and just getting off the ground is as daunting and rewarding as you might expect. A full takeoff procedure is emulated here on these settings, so you need to consider fuel mixture, open radiators, turn on magnetos, adjust prop pitch, and so on. Once you're in the air, vibration might indicate bad pitch, and failure to manage your systems can result in leaks and blown gaskets. (Having your windshield splattered with black goo is always a terrifying sign.) Sim fans will adore this kind of detail, though even they will note some obvious bugs and flaws. For example, you can pull up a menu for communicating to your wingmen, but the options don't actually work. Thus, you may come in for a successful landing, and then have your wingmen crash into you.
If you are new to flight sims, Cliffs of Dover lets you tailor your experience, though you have to jump through a lot of hoops regardless. The useless tutorial missions gloss over too much basic information to make them helpful for new pilots, so neophytes will need to study the manual and adjust controls in the in-game menus before feeling comfortable in the sky. (You absolutely need a joystick to get the most out of this game.) Fortunately for those folks, you can tweak realism settings in any number of ways, so if you are frightened by the prospects of full takeoff and landing procedures, you can avoid those steps altogether. Or better yet, choose the option that lets you start your engine(s) with a single keystroke. You might also engage the autopilot on long stretches and crank up the game speed, turn on the eyesore icons that identify friendlies and enemies, and even turn off stalls and spins. You couldn't call IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover friendly, exactly, but after the initial curve, there are plenty of ways to tailor the experience to your skill level.

NASCAR 2011: The Game (PlayStation 3)

Naysayers dismiss driving in a NASCAR game as simply "turning left," but series enthusiasts know that there's more to it than that. Driving with 42 others in a NASCAR race demands focus and precision, and when it's running on all cylinders, NASCAR 2011: The Game does a good job of simulating that tension. One tiny rub can be disastrous, so you must push ahead carefully, drafting behind drivers in front of you while being mindful of those that would take advantage of an opening. Alas, not all is well on these tracks. Online play is the most troubled aspect: leaderboards are hilariously broken, and the racing itself isn't far behind. Elsewhere, caution flags are slow to wave or simply never come. These and other flaws frequently hinder the game's authenticity, though that doesn't mean you won't have some fun, particularly if you stick to short races and avoid grueling multi-hour marathons. Just be prepared to encounter a number of fits and starts on your way to NASCAR glory.
6306976The proximity radar comes in handy in the in-car view.None
Career mode offers the most mileage, dropping you in the shoes of a known NASCAR driver or one of your own making, and putting you through the paces, from Daytona to Homestead-Miami. Fans should note that as of this writing, the game is based on the 2010 schedule, so sponsors, car designs, the point system, and so on aren't necessarily current. An update is scheduled to bring these aspects of the game up to date, though that might be cold comfort to those expecting the 2011 season to be represented right out of the box. In any case, you take to the circuits one at a time and make your way through a 36-race season, including the road course races on Watkins-Glen International and Infineon Raceway. The mode is functional, but it's also dry and straightforward--no substitute for the impressive and extensive Fight to the Top modes in older NASCAR games. Even victory celebrations are subdued. Your driver dances about and breaks out the champagne while surrounded by fist-pumping fans, but this canned display gets old, and the roar of the crowd sounds more like a mild sigh.
Once qualification begins, NASCAR 2011's presentation picks up. You could nitpick the blurry crowd textures, but tracks and vehicles look good, and you aren't likely to notice the idiosyncrasies once the game is in motion. Light shines brightly off your hood, the rear-view mirror displays proper reflections, and the asphalt shows authentic-looking skid marks. Just the right amount of motion blur imbues a proper sense of speed, and as long as you're focused on the road and on the cars (as you should be), you probably won't notice cookie-cutter palm trees and such. Crashes are another matter. Fenders get dented and hoods fly off, but collisions that seem as if they should cause spectacular damage don't necessarily bring dramatic results. More consistent is the way NASCAR 2011 re-creates the roar and buzz of vehicles on the track, which is enough to instill excitement, but is never overwhelming. Doug Rice and Mark Garrow enthusiastically introduce each race, though your spotter is the only voice you hear behind the wheel. He's good company to have, even if his advice ("Clear on the inside") often comes too late. You may also tire of his limited number of lines; judging from his comments, NASCAR spotters drop an inordinate number of hot dogs on fans.

You start eliminator events at the rear of the pack.

Outside of the career mode, you can take any car to any track for a one-off race, or compete in eliminator events in which you set the number of challengers. These modes hold no surprises, so it's up to NASCAR 2011's invitational events to provide some diversity, and they do a decent job of it. You unlock these as you progress through your career, and they come in a few varieties. Perhaps the most interesting are legends challenges, in which you must draft other drivers to unlock collectible coins. A satisfying whoosh and slight controller rumble make it enjoyable to draft, so an event focused on this mechanic is a good addition. Time trials, elimination events, and two-part gauntlet races round out the invitationals, some of which require particular skill. (It isn't easy to earn a gold medal on Infineon.) They also earn you extra NASCAR experience points (NXP), which unlock paint schemes and other rewards.
Behind the wheel, NASCAR 2011 makes a good first impression, and the driving model is smooth and consistent enough that it feels good to take to the track. NASCAR newcomers should be able to jump right in, and there are a number of driving assists to help them get used to the demands of circuit races. Such assists (braking, steering, wheel-spinning, and more) can be tweaked to various degrees, and you can feel their effects on the track when adjusting these settings. If you really want to get into the nitty-gritty, you can customize individual tire pressure, brake bias, differential ratio, and so on. If you don't know your camber angle from your caster angle, you can simply choose a preset designed for the course at hand. Neophytes may also appreciate the proximity radar at the bottom of the screen, which shows you any vehicles in the immediate vicinity.

Some courses are available in daytime and nighttime versions.

Regardless, the driving hits the right notes, rewarding you when sticking close to a proper racing line and requiring you to draft and pick up speed so that you might slingshot ahead. The game assigns you a rival in each race, and beating him (or her) gives you a little extra incentive to drive well, though this is a far cry from NASCAR Thunder 2004's involved rivalry/alliance system. In NASCAR 2011, the track is your greatest rival; scraping the wall might throw you out of your rhythm, while a misconceived attempt to slide into an opening might lead to disaster. Assuming you're racing more than a few laps and have turned on tire wear and damage, you also need to pay mind to your fuel gauge and vehicle condition. This affects your efficacy on the course, and in long races, you need to make a pit stop when necessary to replace tires and fuel up.

SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs (PlayStation 3)

Though it has a long history of bringing tactical third-person shooter action to Sony systems, the SOCOM series' debut on the PlayStation 3 failed to fully capture the excitement of its predecessors. Yet while SOCOM: Confrontation disappointed, SOCOM 4 delivers. The substantial campaign makes good use of setting and characters to create an engaging tour of duty in which squad tactics play a nicely balanced role. The online cooperative mode lets up to five players band together for stand-alone missions that can offer a serious challenge and engender a good sense of camaraderie. Those looking for competition will find plenty to like in the online multiplayer, where up to 32 players compete on large, well-designed maps in a variety of game types, including tense variants with the classic SOCOM rules that disallow respawning in the middle of a match. Both single- and multiplayer do have some issues, including imperfect stealth action, visual oddities, and intermittent network problems. Fortunately, these limitations don't spoil the fun, and SOCOM 4 makes it exciting to experience what each mode has to offer.
6307532NoneThe squishy impact noise means you just scored a headshot. Nice work.
The campaign plays out in Southeast Asia and centers on the Strait of Malacca, a major shipping channel. You and your two Marine squadmates fight your way through the tropical countryside and into larger towns as you hunt a militant revolutionary leader who is planning to cripple the vital waterway. Early in the campaign, you link up with two Korean NATO soldiers who join your team, forming a second two-person squad. The story is fairly standard, following a typical narrative where not everything is as it seems, and offers few intriguing twists. Your team is made up of three unremarkable characters and two main protagonists who generate most of the story's appeal. The first is the American Ops Commander: the story behind his single-minded focus on the mission is an interesting facet, and you're not always sure whether you want to be on his side. The second is First Lieutenant Park Yoon-Hee, aka Forty Five: a confident and capable ally who mirrors the hard-nosed stubbornness of her male peers without losing her female identity. During intense conflicts, she isn't afraid to let the expletives fly, and her sparing use of four-letter words adds immediacy to these exchanges without turning her into another foul-mouthed stereotype. She's charismatic and expressive, offering a grounded portrayal of a female officer that stands in sharp contrast to those in comparable games. In both cutscenes and gameplay, she stands out while fitting right in (down to the occasional cliche one-liner), and this authenticity livens up the otherwise generic plot.
These two characters also reflect the two different styles of play that you encounter in the campaign. As the Ops Comm, you can command both two-person squads as you make your way through each level. Your allies do a decent job of following you, taking cover when under fire, and shooting enemies. They do commit blunders, like walking in front of you or taking cover on the wrong side of an object, and while this can sometimes mess up your stealth plans, these navigation issues aren't a big impediment. Still, your squads aren't truly effective unless you are issuing orders. Sending them to cover positions can help you ambush an incoming patrol or quietly surround an encampment, and ordering them to advance in the heat of combat can help put your enemies on their heels. Orders are easily issued with the directional pad and are limited to "move there" and "shoot that guy." You can also create a plan of attack by queuing up orders, or scrap any orders you've given by telling your squads to fall in, bringing them into a loose group around your position.
Though you can get away with just having allies in tow during some sections, your enemies don't make it easy. They are great shots and advance aggressively when they feel they have the advantage. You have to pull your weight when it comes to fending them off, using a variety of assault rifles, shotguns, machine guns, submachine guns, and sniper rifles, as well as a few different types of grenades. Though your arsenal lacks the auditory impact of many other modern shooters, it gets the job done quite well. Furthermore, you level up your guns as you use them in any game mode (cooperative and competitive included), unlocking better sights, suppressors, and underbarrel attachments. Yet despite your battlefield skill, you aren't deadly enough to go it alone. You might be able to get away with some cavalier tactics in the early going, but it isn't long before leaving yourself exposed to enemy fire will send you back to a checkpoint in a hurry. These squad-based missions strike a good balance--they spur you to issue squad orders but don't require you to micromanage. Incorporating your team into your attack plan is empowering, and it's very satisfying to fight your way through the tough skirmishes and ambushes.

Forty Five does not appreciate your chauvinistic remarks.

The other style of campaign mission casts you as Forty Five. In these stealth missions, you must silently infiltrate and navigate enemy strongholds to gain intel and plant explosives. With two silenced weapons and the ability to stealth kill from behind, Forty Five must kill her enemies quietly or evade them silently. If one enemy raises the alarm, you fail the mission. Slinking through shadows and shrubbery provides some enjoyably tense moments, and finishing a mission cleanly is a satisfying feat. Unfortunately, there are some problems with the stealth action, including odd lighting that will occasionally show Forty Five in a virtual spotlight even though her stealth meter is pegged on "hidden." Getting a feel for exactly how silenced your silenced weapons are can also be tricky, and your ability to throw a shell casing and distract an enemy doesn't always work out the way it should. These issues can result in unwanted do-overs, but these sections are a nice change of pace, and the way they fit into the rest of the campaign is clever. After Forty Five infiltrates an area by night, you return during the daytime as the Ops Comm with a full fireteam. As you chart a new course through the environment, you recognize things from the night before, but the experience is refreshingly different. This gives the campaign a nice sense of continuity that helps build momentum throughout the eight or so hours it'll take you to complete it.