Double Agent is the fourth entry in the Splinter Cell series and the first to hit the new generation consoles. Ubisoft Shanghai has taken some bold new steps with the formula, not the least of which is having series protagonist Sam Fisher juggle his loyalties to both Third Echelon and the terrorist organization which he is tasked to infiltrate. While there are some missteps in this new direction, Double Agent still manages to bring the series into the next generation with style.

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Koei and W-force’s Musou games (known over here as Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors) are Japan’s equivalent to our sports franchises, except for the fact that they have educational value added to them. They featured anime-styled versions of historical figures and battles throughout the Warring States and Three Kingdoms eras. The games get periodic releases with a roster update, slight graphical updates, and some new features added. They also get a bad rap for their repetition and simplistic playing mechanics. While some of the criticism is deserved, the series does a excellent job of catering to it’s small-but-devoted fanbase, and this entry is no exception.
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In 1994, MGM released the Roland Emmerich-directed film Stargate. It told the tale of a portal which led to an alternate world which was not unlike ancient Egypt, but with futuristic technologies. Although it received a lukewarm reaction from critics, the public enjoyed it enough for it to eventually become a franchise, complete with comic books, TV spin-offs, an animated cartoon, novels, made-for-dvd movies, and a few video games. One of these video games was a decent if by-the-numbers 16-bit title from Acclaim. It wasn’t anything mind-blowing, but you could do a lot worse for a Super Nintendo movie tie-in.
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While this might not have been the most original open-world crime game, it was one of the best and most unique. When it was released, Grand Theft Auto 4 was more than a year away from release. Volition’s (The Punisher, Red Faction) game helped to make the wait much more bearable, and it even improved some of Grand Theft Auto’s game mechanics. With a sequel on deck for later this year, GTA IV less than a week away from release, and even Mercenaries 2 arriving this fall, now is a perfect time to visit Stillwater, if for no other reason than to get yourself ready for the open-world goodness arriving throughout the next several months.
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I wish I knew how to begin this review. I usually enter with some common thing a reader can relate to, then go into my opening statements and opinions about the anime I’m reviewing. However I can’t seem to come up with anything meaningful this time around to properly describe exactly what the anime “Papuwa” is, except this:

Crack.

Pure awesome and silly crack.

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2005’s God of War set a new standard for action gaming. It bought Greek mythology to video games, included some clever play mechanics, and it was embraced by fans and critics alike. Last spring, Sony released a sequel which raised the standard which was set by the previous game. Players once again take control of Kratos as he sets out to take revenge on the gods who betrayed him. Kratos must travel to meet the Sisters of Fate and gain the power to alter his destiny. It won’t be easy, as you’ll run into gorgons, harpies, sirens, and other mythological monsters. You’ll also run into (and kill) famous mythological figures such as Perseus and Theseus. As in the first game, you’ll gain several upgradable weapons and magic spells. As you increase their levels, you’ll gain new abilities which you can use to destroy your opponents. The timed-button-press minigames also make a return, making sure that you keep your hands on the controller at all times, even during cinema sequences. The game is a bit shorter than the first one, but a host of unlockables will keep players busy for a very long time, at least until the next installment of the series arrives on PS3. For more Kratos fun, check out God of War: Chains of Olympus on PSP.

I wanna see a show of hands people, and be honest. How many of you would have bought this game if not for the Halo 3 beta invite enclosed within? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller? Bueller? That’s a crying shame too, because while this game may not be Oblivion, or even Saint’s Row, this is one of the finest open-world games available on the Xbox 360. For good reason too, as David Jones, the original creator of Grand Theft Auto and Lemmings is the brains behind this package. Crackdown features a unique spin on sandbox gameplay, and its playing style encourages players to have as much fun as possible with it. Throwing in the Halo 3 beta invite wasn’t a bad idea either.
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I hadn’t intended to write a review for this particular DVD, and in fact hadn’t originally sought to watch it at all. However as fate would have it, I was given the opportunity to view this exotically eye-catching anime through a sheer twist of fate, and boredom of myself and a friend.

I had no idea what to expect going into the anime, except that I’d seen commercials for the DVD release on the Sci-Fi channel whilst in-between my bouts of Ani-Monday. (which is, I can only guess, a newer version of the older Saturday Anime the channel used to show) The visuals represented by said commercial were, to say the least, incredibly pretty and were enough to pique my interests. A few weeks later, I manage to get my hands on a friend’s rental copy of the 2-disc feature, and plopped down.
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