A few more games that I'm not playing anymore: Arkham City, No More Heroes and Mortal Kombat for the PS3 and The Sims Medieval for PC. I'm willing to sell the entire set to you, or each game individually. Just make me a decent offer on them.

They then thrust them into a meek storyline that does nothing to supplement the Golden Sun epic or answer the questions made at the end of The Lost Age, only gives you random, useless insights to the after-effects of Issac and his group’s end goal. Most of these are meaningless—what alchemy did to the land, how vibrant the earth has become—or long-winded recaps about what happened in the first two games.

Even before its release, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood was the victim of utter scrutinization. Many knew the premise, but most wondered if the ideas present weren’t more than fancy add-on content. Multi-player they said. You don’t need to make an entirely new game for that! Angry retort from the R.E. 5 fans I suppose. How so many could say such a thing about one of the most ingenious, incredible franchises is beyond me, especially after the sequel. It now seems that I...

I’m the type of person who easily forgives flaws. So long as a game has one incredible, striking element I can ignore shoddy camera angles, loose controls or bad graphics. It’s a requirement that shifts depending on which genre I’m playing. For survival horror, it simply has to do one thing: terrify me. Do that, and I’m willing to dismiss any mechanical issues you may have.

Once Knights starts, it’s a non-stop struggle that requires constant action in order to win. You don’t simply move your units into range before you can attack. For the most part, your soldiers remain stationary unless their attack leads them forward, while the enemies stalk the battlefield in a regimented pattern. The only freedom in movement you’re allowed is via the wisp, controlled by the analog stick. He can move anywhere on the field, to any corner of the screen, to execute your stra...

I’ve had my sights locked on Enslaved: Odyssey To The West ever since I heard about it. That was a year ago. Granted, it’s somewhat of a long time—especially for a brand new franchise—but given that it was developed by Ninja Theory, the masterminds behind Heavenly Sword, such a wait seemed trivial. And as the months went by, Enslaved received even more praise, including a very highlighted video at E3. I was even more excited for it. But I’m also a cynic, and between my momen...

It’s a title made up of little-known yet completely enthralling games that were put together extremely well, their mechanics scrutinized and the focused placed almost entirely on gameplay. If it were to be judged simply as a game, Sports Champions would rank incredibly high…

Of all the games I’ve played for the PS One, Hogs Of War was quite possibly the most entertaining. It didn’t have phenomenal graphics, a powerful story or a brilliant soundtrack. But it had charm, unique characters and hilarious one-liners for nearly every pig. I thought it would have been loved by many. Sadly, most called it a knock-off, claiming that Worms was the original version, and far superior in nearly every aspect. When it finally came to the Playstation network, I snagged...

There are a lot of things I could say about the originality, style and luster of Dead Or Alive: Paradise. That—as far as casual games go—this one stands out. It’s over-all factor is reminiscent of the original Xtreme Beach Volleyball , where you buy gifts for the lovely ladies of D.O.A., try to persuade them into teaming up, and battle—however briefly—on the courts against two other players.

Following a mammoth release like Final Fantasy XIII, it’s easy for other games—even under the same developer—to fall victim to overshadowing. The buzz isn’t as loud, the advertising not as aggressive and the company’s overall efforts committed to one and not the other. Nier was a perfect example. Rightly so, perhaps, given that it’s a new endeavor for Square but it’s still somewhat disappointing. Nier was a game I’d never seen a commercial for, never given the opportunity to...

I don’t like playing games that act like they hate me. Well, not me specifically but gamers in general.

I’ll be honest: I don’t like Mario. Never have. I believed the thought of a chubby super-powered plumber who jumped on the heads of his enemies was silly. And my distaste was marred even further by the fact that—barring a few exceptions—the structure never changed. Bowser was always the antagonist, Peach was always in peril and it was up to Mario to save her.

Split/Second is what I would call a beautiful tragedy. It starts out memorable, and initially blew me away—as I imagine it did with so many others. With its tight controls, a wide array of vehicles and expansive, twisting tracks, it has a lot of things hard-core racing fans seek. It didn’t make the mistake most do of simply mirroring aspects from popular franchises without adding anything new that will entice loyal followers to jump ship.

Tragedy makes simple people do strange things.

There is a darkness in every man. He can ignore it, he can embrace it. He can struggle all his life against it but the darkness is always there…waiting.

Every now and then, simplicity strikes a chord with me. Sometimes I want to throw myself into chaos, worry more about my own survival rather than the bigger picture. I want to destroy. I want to continue to destroy without being burdened by an intricate plot, emotional fifteen-minute cut-scenes or the grating, over-rated act of thinking.

I have many games from my past.

I had intentions when I chose Viking: Battle for Asgard. I was in a very clear, very violent mindset when I brought it home. Blind Guardian’s “Battlefield” was my hymn, I resisted the urge to let out a primal, growl of a war cry when I put it in my system, and I prepared myself for what I believed would be an all-out, soul-shattering war from beginning to end.

At first, I didn’t believe Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis had what it takes to be epic—or even great. In truth, “good” was all I really expected.

Often, the most powerful sacrifices are made by one, but benefit many.

Assassin’s Creed…