Staff reviews, page 176

Ms. Pac-Man review

Everything here is represented almost precisely the way you would expect. The center of the screen is taken up by a vertical bar that depicts the action in its original aspect ratio. The edges have artwork that adorned some original…

Jason Venter · January 15, 2007

Staff Wii HG exclusive

Disney's Chicken Little: Ace in Action review

Play is divided into four worlds that are split into an average of six stages. There are three flavors: platforming, aerial combat and ground demolition. Ace (the glamorous equivalent of Chicken Little) is the guy who goes on foot…

Jason Venter · January 12, 2007

Staff NES

Bionic Commando review

Level “6” proved to be arguably the game’s biggest challenge, as by this time, I was expected to have mastered the art of grappling. I had to hook myself from one tiny object to the next knowing that even the most miniscule of slip-ups…

Rob Hamilton · January 11, 2007

Staff DS HG exclusive

Cartoon Network Racing review

The game is designed well enough that it doesn’t have to dumb itself down to hide design deficiencies. The sluggish controls from the PlayStation 2 version are here replaced with responsive ones. The d-pad works great and when you need to…

Jason Venter · January 11, 2007

Staff PSP HG exclusive

Platypus review

Each world is divided into several stages. These typically are somewhere close to the length of a stage in any other shooter you might chare to mention, and there are typically around six of them strung one right after the next with only a…

Jason Venter · January 5, 2007

Staff PSP HG exclusive

Xiaolin Showdown review

If Konami's Xiaolin Showdown is any indication, then its namesake cartoon falls squarely into the "sappy dullard" heap. Aside from the villains, the characters completely lack any distinguishable personality; the big Texan monk and the…

Zigfried · January 4, 2007

Staff PC HG exclusive

Warhammer: Mark of Chaos review

That might lead you to believe that you spend a lot of time in micro-management screens, but you really don’t. While some of that is here by necessity, it’s kept more minimal than battle-hungry players might ever have hoped. You recruit…

Jason Venter · January 3, 2007

Staff PSP HG exclusive

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops review

Abandoning the idea of a Digital Graphic Novel, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops finds Konami attempting a true Metal Gear adventure for the PSP. The first familiar sign: a heavy reliance on third-person stealth. There’s also plenty of CQC…

Freelance Writer · January 1, 2007

Staff Wii HG exclusive

Metal Slug Anthology review

There are numerous options available, more than most people would ever expect. You’d think that one of them would be perfect for the average gamer who has been playing Metal Slug games for years. It turns out that none of them are, though…

Jason Venter · December 28, 2006

Staff Xbox 360 HG exclusive

Eragon review

Even before you take to the air to take part in clumsy dogfights that put you in a continuous loop of see-off-foes-munch-respawning-health-up-see-off-respawned-foes (repeat until your sanity cracks or your thrown pad cracks your TV), young…

Gary Hartley · December 27, 2006

Staff Xbox 360 HG exclusive

Superman Returns review

Superman Returns is a frustrating experience because the mechanics for a successful take on this mistreated franchise are all in place. It actually feels like you’re Superman because you’re the one hurrying across Metropolis to save people…

Freelance Writer · December 26, 2006

Staff Sega CD HG exclusive

Teddy Boy Blues review

Those crazy developers at Sega heard a catchy pop song by a cute Japanese idol singer... so they decided to make an arcade game based on it! Thus was born Teddy Boy Blues, a fun 50-level arcade game that probably inspired Bubble Bobble.

Zigfried · December 25, 2006

Staff PC HG exclusive

Sam & Max Episode 2 - Situation: Comedy review

Wherever they spew their spontaneous insanity, they do so comfortably in the knowledge that everything around them works. Sam's laid-back noir voice narrates proceedings with a smooth, practised hands while Max overwrites sense with…

Gary Hartley · December 23, 2006

Staff NES

Tiny Toon Adventures review

For example, the fourth one consisted of little more than a brief series of jumps while dodging some sort of dog that occasionally sprinted at my character. After I got my timing down, so I’d avoid the dog’s charges, I realized it only…

Rob Hamilton · December 22, 2006

Staff Wii HG exclusive

Elebits review

Elebits provides is one of the most truly convincing 3D atmospheres yet presented in a console game. Though the visuals are clearly inspired by animation and maybe 1950, they are endearing in their way and really suck you into the…

Jason Venter · December 21, 2006

Staff PSP HG exclusive

Pocket Racers review

Although I approached Pocket Racers with an open mind, I left with anything but. Aside from Satan (or in this case, a hooded facsimile), this is an ill-conceived, poorly-designed, "me-too" racer. This is not a game that deserves respect.

Zigfried · December 18, 2006

Staff Genesis

Phelios review

Artemis looks and acts much like your standard damsel in distress with her long blond hair and scant clothing barely covering her SWEET rack as she begs for Apollo to remember their time together and come save her. Well, while that was all…

Rob Hamilton · December 15, 2006

Staff PSP HG exclusive

Luxor: The Wrath of Set review

In Luxor, you are a warmongering scarab out to destroy all the other scarabs before they can push a bunch of multi-coloured balls into a nearby pyramid. I guess these balls are bombs or something, because if even one makes it into the…

Zigfried · December 13, 2006

Staff DS HG exclusive

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin review

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin is as rewarding an experience as the series is likely to ever provide. It’s huge, it’s fun and it’s devious in all the right amounts. I can think of only two flaws: nothing here feels overwhelmingly new…

Jason Venter · December 12, 2006

Staff Xbox 360 HG exclusive

Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 review

Although I could whine about DOAX2's more challenging (but still fair) version of volleyball, the marina race is far, far better than volleyball ever was. There are a lot of courses — more are unlocked after a first-place finish — and the…

Zigfried · December 11, 2006