In this third installment of Ubisoft’s “Splinter Cell” spy-thriller franchise, you use unique gadgets and stealth to foil yet another terrorist plot as the series’ grizzled protagonist Sam Fisher. The graphics have leapt miles over Pandora tomorrow, making this one of the best looking games for current generation systems. Environments are more open, and there is less of a penalty for alarms. Environments include Asia, a lighthouse in South America, and a bank in Portugal. The multiplayer has recieved a facelift as well, offering a cool alternative to the Halos and Perfect Darks of online gaming. The co-op mode can almost stand on its own as a seperate game. Since the Splinter Cell series first arrived in 2003, many games have tried to copy its blend of political intrigue and stealth action, but none have come close. The only games that compare to Splinter Cell are Metal Gear and Thief, and those games are different enough as it is. If you don’t have Chaos Theory, grab it now while it’s cheap (The Xbox version is only $13 used at Gamestop), because Splinter Cell: Double Agent will be out very soon.

Sorry I’m late this week, but I was caught up in the holiday. I haven’t included many products strictly for Nintendo systems, so here goes one. This game isn’t a game in the traditional sense. It’s one of those products that takes advantage of the DS’s capabilities to provide something for casual gamers to get into.

Just like your muscles, your brain has to be trained each day. Nintendo co-opted a famous Japanese neurologist to design several puzzles aimed at training your brain. These tasks range from reading out loud to simple math calculations, each designed to get certain areas of your brain working. Also included are 100 puzzles in Sudoku, a simple numerical game that’s recently swept the world, appearing in many newspapers alongside the crossword puzzle. This is quickly becoming my new obsession.

Okay, so It’s no Fight Night, but this Boxing game brings home ROCKY BALBOA!  How ill is that?  You can even play as his opponents, including Apollo Creed, Tommy Guns, VIctor Drago, and Clubber Lang.  Not only that, but all the minor opponents from the movies have been included as well.  You can either choose to take Rocky to the top as in the movies, or you can take one of the other boxers and take him through the tournament mode.  My only beef is that Hulk Hogan’s character Thunderlips wasn’t playable, but oh well.  For those boxing fans looking for something other than Fight Night or fans of the movies, you can’t go wrong at all with this.

Definently something you would not expect to see on any Nintendo system any time soon, Manhunt was an attempt by Rockstar to go against the grain. It was vicious, gory, and brutal, and not comical like the GTA cash cow. Gamers either liked the game or hated it. You play as James Earl Cash, a man whose televised execution was faked just to secure his “participation” into the walking nightmare of Carcer City. Forced to participate in amateur snuff video with only the sadistic director as his ally, he must use stealth kills and deception to defend himself against 4 psychotic gangs, corrupt policemen, and “Piggsy.” Also of note is the instruction manual, which is made to look like an actual snuff order catalog.

In 2004, Midway released ‘The Suffering’ a refreshing take on the survival horror genre.  It was a lot more action focused than the Resident Evils and SIlent Hills, in which it was less about solving puzzless so much as it was about blowing away hideous creatures.  It was basically a combination of SIlent Hill and Max Pane.  Players took the role of Torque, a grim man scentenced to Death Row for the murder of his wife and children, but here was the twist – weather or not he actually committed the crimes depended on how you played the game, giving you one of three endings.  A year later, Midway followed it up with this sequel.  WHile it delivered more of the same action, it was moved to a different setting.  Players with an old save game can load up and get a different starting sequence based on how they finished teh game last time.  You fight against Blackmore and his henchmen, including dozens of new monsters, each based on real life horrors.  Once again your ending differs based on how you play the game.  Although this game’s big plot twist will seem familiar to anyone who has seen Fight club, Midway/surreal has crafted a brand of survival horror that can very well end up being America’s equivalent to Resident Evil.

1 was awesome. 2 was enjoyable, though instantly forgettable. I saw no reason not to give 3 a try!

I went into the theatre expecting a nice fun action movie and not much else. It totally delievered on that level. Living up to it’s successors Mission Impossible III is an actioned packed guaranteed good time (not an actual guarantee).

When it comes to fun explosions, car chases, people jumping from helicopters and stuff like that I’m not generally a sucker for it but in this case I was at the edge of my seat from begining to end. On top of that there’s just all sorts of fun spy stuff. Messing with cameras, costumes, scaling walls, skydiving, retinal scans and all sorts of craZy stuff. It’s like James Bond only not stupid, boring or British.

Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt, really steps it up in this movie. So much so that I’m confident in saying Ethan Hunt could kick that pansy Jack Bauer’s ass any day of the week. Not only does he run like only Tommy seem to (very reminiscent of Minority report at times) but he jumps around, gets all blown up, shoots people, beats people up, nails a hot chick and acts super cool all the way through it. Tom is phenomenal in this movie. He’s been a real craZy freak with the Katie thing and his cult but when it gets down to it there’s one thing that distinguishes him from the likes of John Travolta and Kirsty Alley and that’s the fact that he’s a good actor. Whether it be in acting like an mental patient or in his latest movie we can always count on Cruise to put everything he’s got into a performance and that enthusiam is never more appropriate than in a movie of this tone.

The rest of the cast is also solid. Ving Rhames’s character is a nice favourite to see back. Didn’t really see any repeats with the others but the newcomers were all solid. New spy guys Larry Fishburne and Billy Crudup were interesting and well played. His love interest was smokin’ hot! Above all else the performance which really blew my mind was Philip Seymour Hoffman as villain of the week. He just came off as so mean and totally in control of every situation. He’s come a long way since stealing a kiss from Marky Mark.

One beef I had with this flick, which I understand is a problem with Abrams in Alias and that I have seen briefly in Lost, is this super annoying flash forward scene he shoves at the starting of the movie. Watching this flick was like watching Payback after having been exposed to the all too revealing trailer. I’m seeing things develop and I know exactly where the story is supposed to go but now I’m just guessing at ways in which the story will lead me there. I much prefer to just learn the story as it goes along especially when the flash forward is quite late in the movie. This wasn’t like American Beauty where it was so vague that I forget it happens until it comes back. It was just too much.

That being said I still think this was a really solid movie. A great thrill ride for people who just like getting really into a fun action movie. If you like Mission Impossible 1, Alias, Felicity or Tom Cruise you really need to check this puppy out.

PS: Tom Cruise is not gay.

This is Sony’s answer to Ninja Gaiden. A hyperactive button masher with simple puzzles and upgradable weapons and abilities that’s hyper violent and relentless in it’s presentation. You play as Kratos, a really pissed off guy with two blades grafted to his arm. Your mission is to kill Aries, the god of war. Throughout the game you encounter many souped up versions of mythological greek figures such as the minotaur, hydra, and Medusa. Also of note are several action sequences which require you to keep your finger on the control pad not unlike Resident Evil 4. Following the sequence properly can lead to a really big payoff. For action fans with a PS2, this is a must buy for the system, especally since a sequel is coming early next year.

The Dead or Alive series has never been as deep as the Soulcaliburs or the Tekkens of the 3-d fighting wolrd, but it’s interactive environments, Tag team gameplay, and it’s ‘fan service’ has always bought it a unique flavor. Dead or alive ultimate is a double package of both DOA 1 (saturn version, never before released in the US) and DOA2 (with a new intro, costumes, and backgrounds) and throws it together with online play. THis two pack is perfect for Xbox owners looking to pass the time until they pick up DOA 4 on 360.