Reviews by Benjamin Woodhouse
111 reviews · showing 1–20
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Staff DS HG exclusive
Naruto Shippuden: Shinobi Rumble review
In practice, Shinobi Rumble doesn't deliver superior single-player combat. The fighting mechanics are technically simple, the computer's strategies are equally unsophisticated, and the story mode is simple shorthand. If you're going at…
Benjamin Woodhouse · May 24, 2011
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Staff Wii HG exclusive
Madden NFL 11 review
All of these choices reinforce your self-image, plus they present more challenges than simply winning games and piling up stats. There are many ways in which the Wii version of Madden can't ever compete with its HD counterparts, but these…
Benjamin Woodhouse · August 16, 2010
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Staff Wii HG exclusive
Trauma Team review
Know this: saving lives will never feel the same. Previous games in the Trauma Center series focused solely on the quick thinking and precision reflexes required to perform miraculous surgeries. For better and worse, those days are over…
Benjamin Woodhouse · May 17, 2010
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Staff Xbox 360 HG exclusive
0-D Beat Drop review
0-D Beat Drop sets itself up as a fusion of rhythm and puzzle games, but the way it handles music doesn't fundamentally change the structure of its source material. No matter how many modes it throws at you, this is still an easier remix…
Benjamin Woodhouse · April 25, 2010
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Staff DS HG exclusive
World Cup Of Pool review
Unfortunately, the inclusion of sixty stellar pros boils down to displaying a still photo before each match, because the computer certainly doesn't play like any of those big names. It fails to execute smart safeties. It will ignore…
Benjamin Woodhouse · March 31, 2010
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Staff PlayStation 3 HG exclusive
Fret Nice review
This exhausting ingenuity may be the most memorable piece of Fret Nice, but it doesn't make the game alone. It gets help from colorful landscapes that beg for exploration. Neither, though, is the gimmick what breaks it. That's left to…
Benjamin Woodhouse · March 28, 2010
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Staff PC HG exclusive
Chronicles of Mystery: The Tree of Life review
The Tree of Life lays the groundwork for an interesting revelation, keeps you busy with roundabout nonsense, and then glosses over the juiciest part. When the time comes to reveal true identities and lay motivations bare, the conspirators…
Benjamin Woodhouse · March 23, 2010
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Staff Wii HG exclusive
The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces review
For anyone who has viewed the movie, the mere existence of the game may seem puzzling. There, the grand war was merely a backdrop, a meaningless cycle that only highlighted the Kildren's wasted existence. Nevertheless, Project Aces has…
Benjamin Woodhouse · February 8, 2010
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Staff Xbox 360 HG exclusive
Polar Panic review
With his home destroyed and family captured, this Ursus maritimus snuffs out Globoco, one life at a time. Sounds like the setup for a gruesome action adventure, but Polar Panic is actually an adorable puzzler. Murder may be the main goal…
Benjamin Woodhouse · February 3, 2010
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Staff Xbox 360 HG exclusive
Bakugan: Battle Brawlers review
Bakugan: Battle Brawlers manages to accomplish more than expected from a licensed product. It injects life into the game by taking normally mundane aspects, like throwing the Bakugan, and making them a focal point. By daring to reshuffle…
Benjamin Woodhouse · January 23, 2010
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Staff DS HG exclusive
The Quest Trio: Jewels, Cards and Tiles review
The puzzles themselves are the driving force behind The Quest Trio. All feature minor variations from the expected, and they roll out dozens of configurations to keep you busy. Just when you think you've figured out the system, a new…
Benjamin Woodhouse · January 8, 2010
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Staff Wii HG exclusive
Shimano Xtreme Fishing review
There's blood in the water. When your sharp shots puncture a fish's scales, a satisfying red cloud disperses around your unfortunate target. Your high-powered harpoon will make short work of anything that moves.
Benjamin Woodhouse · January 7, 2010
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Staff Wii HG exclusive
Bakugan Battle Brawlers review
Entrenched fans should approach Bakugan: Battle Brawlers with all these changes firmly in mind. This isn't a rote recreation of the live game they've come to love, and it's missing that game's more evolved mechanisms. But they should also…
Benjamin Woodhouse · December 20, 2009
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Staff DS HG exclusive
Chronicles of Mystery: Curse of the Ancient Temple review
An undeveloped plot is this title's catastrophic failing. A casual game like this, without providing much challenge or variety in its gameplay, has to tell a compelling story. Curse of the Ancient Temple builds layers of intrigue and…
Benjamin Woodhouse · December 7, 2009
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Staff DS HG exclusive
Bleach: The 3rd Phantom review
The 3rd Phantom generates its joy by including a wide range of characters, showing them in positions you've never seen, and ultimately letting you focus solely on your favorites. In that regard, this otherwise mediocre game is a resounding…
Benjamin Woodhouse · December 1, 2009
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Staff Wii HG exclusive
Naruto Shippuden: Clash of Ninja Revolution III review
If there's one thing that may never change about this established series, it's the basic fighting mechanics. And they don't need any adjustment. Clash of Ninja is a two-button fighter with the rare ability to cater to both novices and…
Benjamin Woodhouse · November 23, 2009
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Staff DS HG exclusive
Naruto: Ninja Destiny review
A quick character like Neji can blitz his light attacks, scraping his opponent off the ground by chaining together the same rudimentary combo over and over. However, a similar approach for Sakura results in weak, worthless slaps. Only by…
Benjamin Woodhouse · November 9, 2009
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Staff DS HG exclusive
The Hardy Boys: Treasure on the Tracks review
Don't think the Hardy Boys are completely left out, though. They get to play the toe-tapping sequence later. Repetition is a theme of this entire graphic adventure; the same puzzles keep popping up over and over. What's clever the first…
Benjamin Woodhouse · November 1, 2009
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Staff DS HG exclusive
Naruto Shippuden: Ninja Destiny 2 review
There's a nice amount of variety and nuance for those who seek it out, and an accessible button-masher for everyone else. Ninja Destiny 2 does just enough to put it at the top of the Naruto DS mountain for now, though the franchise…
Benjamin Woodhouse · October 19, 2009
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Staff DS HG exclusive
Rockin' Pretty review
Rhythm games are defined by their music and mechanics. Rockin' Pretty misses on the first count by featuring instrumental-only pop tunes. Without vocals, the whole experience should have been be very forgettable. That is, if RP hadn't…
Benjamin Woodhouse · October 19, 2009
