The Video Game Critic's
Xbox 360 Reviews O-R

If slashing up zombies with bikini-clad hotties is wrong, then I don't want to be right! Bikini Samurai Squad has a wonderfully absurd premise, but the same low budget quality that makes it appealing is also its downfall. The main character is a chick decked out in some cowboy stripper garb (complete with stockings and heels), and her younger sister dons a schoolgirl outfit. The opening cinematic features a very provocative shower scene - something you won't be seeing in the Wii version! Together these girls kick zombie ass all over town with the help of their swords and martial arts abilities. As zombies emerge from the concrete, you'll employ fierce button combinations to slice them up into tasty morsels. A radar displays shows where they are congregating, and that's helpful because the camera is always pulled very close. The gore meter is through the roof, and it's especially satisfying to plow into a gang and watch the blood wash over the screen. Occasionally you'll transform into a marauding zombie yourself, making the action even more over-the-top (if that's at all possible). The stages include a graveyard, hospital, and parking garage. There's not much to see, and little of the environment is destructible. You'll run up against a lot of arbitrary barriers, causing the message "you can't go here right now" to display. What is this, 1997? The fighting action is mindless fun, but it is certainly monotonous. Sometimes zombies will continuously regenerate in an area, causing you to ask, "when is this going to end?" The bosses include a pair of hideous "poop" monsters - not to be confused with attractive poop monsters. While hacking up the beasts, the game's clipping problems are on full display as sloppy polygons appear and disappear all over the place. Onechanbara's controls aren't very intuitive, but I do prefer this game's button-tapping over waggling the controller in the Wii version. Unlockables includes alternate outfits and a police chick armed with an Uzi and shotgun. I like the premise, but it's hard to recommend something as monotonous as Onechanabara. It takes a certain breed of gamer to appreciate a quirky title like this. You know who you are. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

This compilation includes three complete first-person shooter games: Half Life 2 (and its two sequels), Portal, and Team Fortress 2. Half-Life 2 (HL2) was originally released for the PC in 2004, and with its two expansion packs, there's a metric ton of first-person shooting action here. You play the role of scientist Gordan Freeman who finds himself on the run from the law in a totalitarian society. As you traverse sewers and canals the game plays out like an action movie with pursuing helicopters, shoot-outs with police, and frequent explosions. HL2's graphics have held up well, with textured walls that look properly weathered and water effects that still look amazing. The sci-fi storyline is intriguing. Most adventures make heavy use of contrived cut-scenes, but HL2 conveys its narrative through in-game conversations, videos, and radio reports. One problem with playing an older FPS is the "been there done that" feeling you get. Semi-transparent walls sometimes restrict your movement, and it's easy to get "stuck" on edges of the scenery. Turrets let you mow down groups of baddies, and you can drive an airboat through waterways. Flammable red barrels are strategically placed. There's some tricky platform jumping (never fun in a FPS) and some absolutely heinous swimming areas. The sewers are loaded with irritating creatures that hang on the ceilings and lift you up with their tongues. The audio makes heavy use of surround sound, but it's kind of annoying when you turn away from a person and their voice becomes very muffled. The soundtrack features hypnotic futuristic beats that nicely match the relentless pacing of the game. Also included in this package is an interesting puzzle game called Portal, where you use a "portal gun" to escape each room. I had a hard time wrapping my brain around this, but my friends Scott and Steve latched onto each mind-bending challenge. It's kind of freaky how you can see yourself through a portal, and I love the female robotic voice with her deadpan sense of humor. "Touching the floor in this room will result in an unsatisfactory mark on your official testing record. Followed by death." Also included on the disk is the on-line-only Team Fortress 2. Now how much would you pay? My 360 isn't on-line, but my friends tell me this is a fun capture-the-flag shooter. Too bad they didn't include a split-screen version! As much as I appreciate the quality of these games, I could never play Orange Box for extended periods without feeling nauseous. I can't say why exactly, but I suspect it has to do with the fact that the games are so spatially-oriented, with a lot of vertical movements. Fortunately frequent save-points allowed me to play the game in short bursts. Hey, I can only grade Orange Box on my personal experiences, but FPS lovers should probably bump the grade up by one letter. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

In this disappointing sequel to the popular N64 first-person shooter, you assume the role of special agent Joanne Dark. Not only does this shapely redhead look damn good, but she also specializes in high-tech firearms. Perfect Dark Zero's single-player missions emphasize stealth, but I managed to do fine despite blowing my cover again and again. One cool feature is your ability to "take cover" behind obstacles, only exposing yourself when you return fire. Most weapons have some kind of zoom function, so it's usually a good idea to weed out foes from a distance. Enemy soldiers tend to wear body armor, and it's satisfying to blast their vests to pieces. It's far more efficient to aim for the head however. Although the game purports to have an "auto-aim" function, I generally found it difficult to get a bead on my targets. The single-player missions feature some interesting locations including a submerged laboratory and a high-tech club overlooked by towering, sculpted skyscrapers. Unfortunately, the missions themselves are a mess, and if not for white arrows directing me every which way, I'd never know where the heck I was supposed to go. These missions can also be played cooperatively with a friend, but that's even more confusing. Perfect Dark Zero fares far better with regards to multi-player action. In addition to playing on-line, you can challenge your friends to a spirited four-player split screen contest. Better yet, you can toss up to 16 (!) CPU-controlled "bots" into the mix. Even playing solo against the bots can be fun, although they tend to bunch up in certain areas. The graphics and audio are fair but not exceptional. Perfect Dark Zero is not a must-have game for 360 owners, but if you're in the mood to bust some caps, it serves its purpose. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

I loved the Wii version of Pinball Hall of Fame, and was expecting this 360 edition to offer a dramatic visual boost. That wasn't my experience however. Yes, the graphics are a little sharper, allowing you to better discern certain targets when the camera zooms in. The thing is, you spend 95% of the game viewing the action from the far end of the table, so the fine details are lost. I really wish there was a mechanism to freely explore each table, because I'm always fascinated by the artwork. The 360 controls aren't as tight as the Wii. The flippers are controlled with the triggers, but they have too much "give" to feel responsive. In addition, jostling the table by moving the left joystick is less intuitive than shaking the controller. Pinball Hall of Fame does have a definite edge when it comes to table selection, as it offers three additional tables from the late 90's. Medieval Madness is one of the most sought-after pinball tables by collectors, featuring a wicked sense of humor and some hilarious animations. Arabian Nights boasts exotic music and transparent ramps that make the ball look like it's floating. No Good Gophers is less compelling, but at least it offers a family-friendly theme. Other tables include Gorgar, Black Knight, Space Shuttle, Funhouse, Sorcerer, Taxi, Firepower, Jive Time, and Pinbot. Each of these has been reproduced in exquisite detail, and the physics is good, if not a bit floaty. The machines are presented in a virtual arcade environment that feels like something out of the 1980's. In addition to recording high scores, each game is fully configurable and offers a series of challenges. Pinball Hall of Fame is an excellent value. This is one of those disks that you toss in for a quick game, and end up playing for three hours. © Copyright 2010 The Video Game Critic.

Most games based on the Pirates franchise have been complete duds, so I was pleasantly surprised with the rich graphics, intuitive controls, and varied gameplay of At World's End. The awe-inspiring tutorial level is set on a stormy night in the towering sea fortress seen at the beginning of the second movie. You'll creep along soaring cliffs in the pouring rain, revealing some absolutely breathtaking views. Subsequent stages are less spectacular but still impressive, with exotic locations including the town of Tortuga, Port Royal, and the Davy Jone's haunted ship. Enemy pirates are rendered so meticulously that you can actually see the hair on their backs! This attention to detail extends to the fantastic water effects and tiny flies buzzing around lanterns. When the scenery is this rich, exploring your surroundings and hunting for items is a lot of fun. Villages are bustling with activity, but if you look closely you'll see townsfolk disappear as they approach doors - a bit of lazy programming there. You'll control a number of characters on your quest including Jack Sparrow, William Turner, and Elizabeth Swan. Not only are these dead-ringers for the real actors, but they mirror their subtle mannerisms as well. Intuitive controls make it easy to jump, climb, and battle multiple foes at a time. Spicing up the action are advanced techniques that let you toss buccaneers off platforms, roll exploding barrels, and perform well-timed counter attacks. At World's End is gangbusters for its first few stages, but then I hit a few bumps in the road. The occasional one-on-one swordfights slow the pace considerably and control poorly. Several stages require you to control two characters by switching between them on the fly, and this is a colossal pain in the ass. You'll be having a great time swashbuckling as Jack Sparrow, only to be informed that your mission failed because Will Turner (who you forgot about) just got his ass kicked in another part of the tavern! Other stages feature annoying bad guys that continuously respawn until you defeat one specific (and often elusive) foe. Flaws like that tempered my enthusiasm for World's End, but the game does do a lot of things right. The stages are short, and your progress is saved automatically and frequently. Most enemies don't require an inordinate number of hits to defeat. The game features its own unique storyline, although it does borrow elements from the films. Its rousing musical score is very cinematic, and the surround-sound effects are sensational. Should you get lost or confused, you can just press the select button to view your objectives or review the controls. At World's End falters at times, but it's still a respectable effort that stays true to the movies it's based upon. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

Yeah, I know, you can't expect much from a $3.99 game you get at Burger King. Pocket Bike Racer plays like a third-rate Mario Kart knock-off, which of course, it is. The courses are set in everyday places like a suburban neighborhood, a construction site, a Burger King parking lot, and a farm where huge Whoppers grow from out from the ground. As you cruise around the lengthy courses, you can power-slide around corners, turbo-boost through straight-aways, and unleash weapons on opponents. The characters are entertaining enough, including a bulky hamburger called Whopper Jr., a "subservient chicken", a hot babe named Brooke Burke, and the King himself. There's really nothing wrong with the graphics. The King's flapping cape looks nice, and the puddles in the parking lot look remarkably realistic. The gameplay is the problem. Memorizing the tracks is everything in this game, and novice players will find themselves veering off the course at every turn. The turbo is hard to control, and much like the humorous commercials, King often finds himself plowing into walls. During one race, a friend advised me to check out Brooke Burke's ass, causing me to crash directly into a wall and become permanently stuck. Looking back, it wasn't a bad tactic. Pocket Bike's weapons are unimaginative at best, and irritating at worst. There's the "homing bottle rocket", firecrackers (mines), a "disruptor" that screws with the controls, and a blinding "flash bomb" that makes it look like the game is broken. The races are far too long, and tend to wear out their welcome after a lap or two. The menu music has a fun, whimsical tone, but the races are dominated by generic, grinding guitar riffs (ugh). There are tournaments to play solo and split-screen modes to accommodate up to four players. Since one friend thought the inclusion of mega-babe Brooke Burke was worth a letter grade, I'm bumping this one up to a "D-". NOTE: This game also plays on a regular Xbox, with slightly degraded graphic quality. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

You'd think a "realistic" racing franchise like Project Gotham would be ideal for showing off the Xbox 360's graphic prowess, but initially my friends and I were not impressed. Yes, the cars look shiny and the scenery is nice, but judging from the standard behind-the-car point of view, it would be easy to mistake this for a regular Xbox title. Over time however, I did come to appreciate Gotham Racing 3 for its realism, and the fact that you can select from an assortment of quality automobiles right off the bat. The career mode stages are divided into conventional races and specific "challenges", each with a selectable skill level. These challenges include crossing a checkpoint at a certain speed, passing a number of opponents within a set time, or tediously weaving through cones (ugh). The track locations are realistic, set in New York, Tokyo, London, and Las Vegas. Being skilled in the previous two Gotham Racers, I thought I could dive right into this, but came to realize the controls feel a lot different. Specifically, the cars have a truer sense of weight and momentum, forcing you to rely on the brake and initiate power slides earlier. Even when you become accustomed to it, you'll still find yourself fishtailing and banging into guardrails. The cars model damage slightly, and but cannot be "tricked up" in any way. The VGC loves eye candy, and colorful locations like Las Vegas and Tokyo didn't let me down. While the degree of detail in the surroundings is not readily apparent while racing, using the right thumbstick to look out the side window reveals layer upon layer of rich, realistic scenery. Fortunately, the tracks tend to have long straight-aways that allow you to peek without smashing into a wall. You also have the option of racing at night, and the cities light up beautifully. On the downside, I noticed some unsightly alias effects in the distance, and the tree leaves look awfully chunky. The polygon spectators look rough up close, but at least they're an improvement over the cardboard cutouts we've seen in past racers. If this new generation of racers has progressed in any way, it's the elimination of that annoying pop-up (also known as "draw-in"). In Gotham 3, you can see buildings looming from a mile away, and they scale in very smoothly. One issue that has not been fixed by this generation is load times - they're back and longer than ever! Gotham 3's music is about average, but the sound of other cars creeping up from behind is amazing. A four-player split screen mode is available, but switching between user profiles is a complete fiasco. You actually need to backtrack all the way to the top menu to switch profiles, which is insane when you have to navigate about eight screens just to start a freakin' race! Still, if you're in the market for a racer with real cars and actual locations, PG3 is a quality title. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

This fourth entry in the Project Gotham series makes a few refinements to the basic formula, but the frachise is quickly becoming stale. Two new features are the ability to ride motorcycles and a new calendar-based career mode. Project Gotham 4 (PGR4) is an incredibly sharp-looking game with some amazing city skylines. The neon-lit Asian cities are an eyeful and the Vegas tracks are quirky, but the dreary tracks of St. Petersburg seem somewhat depressing. I enjoy the varying weather conditions, but where's the thunder to go with the lightning? The career mode has a lot of special events like weaving around pylons, passing a number of cars, time trials, and one-on-one challenges. The 360 controller triggers really come in handy for the pylon challenges, giving you a fine degree of control over your speed. The diverse events may sound interesting, but personally I'd prefer if the game stuck to basic, old-fashioned street racing. The "kudos" system is back, allowing you to earn points for executing special moves like power slides, slipstreaming, jumps, and burn-outs. PGR4 is more forgiving that previous Gothams, so a slight rub against a guardrail will not drain all of your kudos. New bonus "stars" are awarded for chaining together consecutive stunts. You rack up kudos whether you win or lose, which are used to upgrade and buy vehicles. PGR4 includes an arcade mode with a two-player split-screen, but the initial selection of cars is awful. In general, the handling in this game is extremely difficult. You'll use your normal brake and hand brake extensively - and sometimes even both at once! It doesn't help that the tracks are exceptionally narrow. There's a lot of loading in PGR4, and the eclectic music can be irritating at times. Project Gotham Racing 4 is a lot of game for the money, but it really could use an injection of excitement. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

I really dig the reckless, half-way-out-of-control quality of off-road racing games, and Pure did not disappoint me. This ATV racer may not have the "wow" factor of Motor Storm (Playstation 3, 2007), but it's arguably more playable. The graphics didn't knock my socks off, but Pure certainly isn't a bad-looking game with its smooth rolling hills and amazing aerial views. Unlike Motor Storm, there's a nice variety of track locations including scenic national parks, European ruins, and tropical islands. The racing action is very engaging thanks to controls that feel realistic but are actually very forgiving and make it easy to stay on the course. Pure places a heavy emphasis on tricks, and in the "freestyle" mode you'll need to perform them almost continuously. I'm sure many of you are cringing with thoughts of memorizing complex button sequences, but thankfully that's not the case with Pure. When you catch air, you simply move the thumbstick in any direction while pressing A (easy trick), B (medium), or Y (difficult). You sometimes have time to perfect several tricks in succession, but leave yourself a little extra time to nail the landing! The camera follows you from behind, and your driver often looks back and comments on your driving skills, causing me to exclaim, "Dude! Keep your eyes on the road!" The courses are reasonable in length, and the shorter "sprint" tracks offer a nice change of pace. No matter what the outcome of a race, it seems like you're constantly showered with new events and parts for your ATV. If there's one aspect of Pure I didn't care for, it's the ATV customization system. While it allows you to tweak every tiny part, it's very tedious and hardly worth the effort (use the "auto-build" option instead). I enjoyed working my way through the single-player World Tour mode, but my friends lamented the lack of a split-screen mode. Chaotic racers like this are tailor-made for head-to-head action, and that on-line multiplayer is not going to cut it. Then again, the tracks would have been hard to follow on the split-screen, considering how they tend to branch so much. Pure is not a showcase title like Motor Storm, but it's definitely worthwhile on the strength of its satisfying single-player experience. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

I've always craved 2D shooters, but in recent years these have been relegated to Japanese imports or download-only games. Well, thanks to Raiden Fighters Aces, the happy days are back again! This disk offers top-notch old-school shooting action - on a real Xbox 360 disk! The first Raiden, released way back in 1990, offered sweet vertical-scrolling mayhem with satisfying explosions. This arcade compilation delivers the same type of thrills, but with enhanced graphics and a myriad of options. There are actually three games included (Raiden Fighters, Raider Fighters 2, and Raiden Fighters Jet), but they are all extremely similar, mainly offering different stages and aircraft options. You have a wide selection of fighter jets to choose from, each with unique handling and firepower characteristics. The stages are fairly conventional as you blast through well-fortified military bases in desert, harbor, forest, and snow-covered locations. You'll destroy bombers, tanks, jets, and ships of all sizes. The graphics are old-school all the way, looking like something you'd see on the Saturn - only higher in resolution. The action is non-stop but the difficulty is reasonable. Sure you'll need to "thread the needle" at times, but missile barrages rarely feel overwhelming. It speaks volumes that none of my friends blamed the game when they lost a ship. The high score is displayed on the top of the screen, and a rapid-fire button saves your thumb from pain. If there's a flaw with Raiden, it's the fact that it only consumes the middle third of the screen (typical of an arcade port). You'll hardly notice once you become immersed in the action, but to be honest, it's hard to give a game an A when it uses such a small portion of the screen! It's odd considering you can scroll the screen sideways a bit by "pushing" against either side. High scores are recorded along with initials (locally or on-line) and you can view your top scores on a ranking screen. It's also possible to record your complete play session, also known as a "gameclip." Raiden's menu interface can be a little confusing. You'll need to configure at least two continues to enable two-player action, and apparently high scores are not saved in this mode. After each game there are too many prompts about saving your gameclip. Enabling your profile is confusing as well. But these gripes are small potatoes compared to what this bargain-priced package has to offer shooter fans and old-school gamers. Buy Raiden Fighters Aces now and you won't regret it! © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

Raiden Flying Aces (Xbox 360, 2009) was a terrific compilation, but I figured it was just a warm-up for Raiden IV. As it turns out, Raiden IV is not much different! The scenery looks more organic and the explosions have a bit more bass, but it's still basically the same game. As a vertical shooter ported from the arcade, Raiden IV is played on a narrow strip that only consumes about one-third of a high-definition screen. A special Xbox 360 mode is included, but instead of taking advantage of the additional real estate, it only offers extra stages. The eye candy is substantial, and I loved soaring over city skylines at night and cascading waterfalls by day. Unfortunately, when things get crazy (which is most of the time), the lush backgrounds get totally lost in the chaos. Your firepower is fierce, and it only takes a minute or two to build it up to insane proportions. Colored icons let you switch between three types of weapons, but I prefer the red "spray" variety. The blue laser is too narrow, and the purple "snake" weapon tends to clutter up the screen, which is already bombarding my senses with activity. Its gameplay is old-school all the way, but Raiden IV veers a little too much into "extreme" territory. In the midst of the chaos you'll find yourself using bombs almost exclusively for defensive purposes. The flood of enemy projectiles is overwhelming, but at least the collision detection is forgiving. In fact, I have no idea how I managed to weasel my way out of so many impossible situations. Bosses are the typical oversized robots with parts that detach and reform. They tend to overstay their welcome, but upon their demise you're treated to some sweet ring explosions and blur effects. The game offers limited continues, a high score screen, and a coop mode. You can begin play on any stage that you've reached in previous sessions. Raiden IV doesn't offer much new in the realm of 2D shooters, but it's sure to please shooter fans looking to take their game to the next level. © Copyright 2010 The Video Game Critic.

As a thinking-man's FPS (first-person shooter), Rainbow Six Vegas forces you to take a stealthy, tactical approach. If you're the run-and-gun type (like me), you'd better check yourself before you wreck yourself. The action begins in a dusty Mexican town, probably to set up a back-story or some garbage like that. The intense gameplay accentuates realism, so it's possible to die from a single shot. The lifelike environments feature multiple routes and plenty of sniping opportunities. The audio is superb, especially with regard to distant music and muffled conversations. Since this game is hard as balls, I recruited my good friend (and FPS expert) Scott to help me out. As he methodically eliminated enemy soldiers, I observed him yelling stuff at the TV like "We need to flush out these maggots!" and "Eat it mother [expletive]!" He would later explain that using this type of language was an integral part of the FPS experience. I also took note of how he utilized his two squad members. They're supposed to be your best friends in the whole wide world, yet Scott sent them into harms' way at every opportunity. Apprently it's an effective way to draw out the enemy! Rainbow Six Vegas incorporates a myriad of stealth techniques including using a silencer, tossing smoke grenades, rappelling down walls, or employing a "snake cam" to spy on the next room. When pinned in a corner, you'd be wise to lay low - until you hear them reloading! After completing a stage, we were yelling "Vegas baby!" only to wind up in some abandoned factory or rail yard (ugh!). Considering the hours it takes to reach Vegas, the title seems a bit misleading. When we did finally reach Vegas it was a bit anticlimactic thanks to the less-than-spectacular scenery. But what really hurts the game is its lack of checkpoints, forcing you to frequently replay some painfully long stretches. The user interface is an utter travesty, and configuring a split-screen game is absolutely excruciating. The single-player mode is playable enough - if you're up for the challenge. I like how an objective marker always points the way, and displays the distance to your target in meters. The AI is pretty mediocre though, and when you shoot an enemy, it's not uncommon for another to immediately assume the same exact position. Sometimes you'll pick off three or four guys in a row by firing in the same spot! You can't skip the cut-scenes, and the "low ammo" message is misleading (you just need to reload). FPS fans who value challenge and realism can bump up the grade by a letter, but I found Rainbow Six Vegas a tough pill to swallow. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

This chapter of the Resident Evil survivor horror saga ditches the dark, gothic scenery of Europe for sunny African locations. The opening chapter takes place in a war-torn urban area with burnt-out buildings and rat-infested shantytowns. Weren't these locations beaten to death in recent games like Metal Gear 4, Call of Duty 4, and every other first-person shooter released in the past two years? Maybe, but when a mob of zombies converges and you're trying to survive long enough for helicopter support to arrive, it's really intense! Resident Evil 5 (RE5) stars Chris Redfield and an exotic babe named Sheva. RE5 is designed for two-player coop, either online or via split-screen. The CPU does a decent job of playing the role of the second character, but the game is more satisfying with a human partner. Besides being able to cover each other and exchange items, you can resuscitate your partner when he's dying. Occasionally you'll become separated, and it's quite a relief when you meet up again. Reunited and it feels so good. Reunited 'cause we understood. In the pitch-dark cave stage, one player lights the way with a lantern as the other blasts zombies. In the swamp area, one player drives a boat as the other picks off monsters on shore. In addition to zombies of all racial backgrounds, you'll face ghouls on motorbikes, masked men with chainsaws, and executioners armed with oversized axes. Impressive bosses include a giant vampire bat, a sea serpent, and a troll reminiscent of the one in RE4. Be sure to keep an eye out for those exploding red barrels - it's one cliche that keeps on giving! RE5's controls are excellent, and you can hold plenty of items. The action does not pause when you access your inventory, and this really adds to the tension. In case you don't stumble upon a critical weapon (like a shotgun) in your travels, you can always purchase and upgrade weapons between chapters. I love RE5's brisk pacing, entertaining cut-scenes, and brief load times. A friend can join in your adventure at any time. The dialogue is nothing to write home about, with Chris constantly bristling about how he "needs to get some answers!" When playing split-screen on a wide-screen display, the two screens are cropped, leaving a lot of empty black space. Couldn't they have at least put the maps in there? Some critics may lament how RE5 lacks the "creepy" factor of past RE games, and seems more like an action movie. Personally, I think the series benefits from the change of pace. Less easy to forgive are the final few stages which come off as generic and occasionally boring. Even so, RE5 is an action-packed thrill ride you'll to want see to through to the end. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

I'm been a huge fan of the Ridge Racer (RR) series since its debut on the Playstation One in 1995. After a few terrific sequels, the franchise stagnated after the disappointing RR5 (Playstation 2, 2000). Thankfully, this sixth edition has the series back in good form. Realism be damned, Ridge Racer 6 features bright, clean, scenic locations and the most responsive, forgiving controls you'll ever encounter in a racer. As long-time fans would expect, there's an abundance of eye candy in the surfside resorts, winding country roads, majestic bridges, and soaring downtown skyscrapers. Certain locations look similar to those in previous RR games, but the degree of detail is far beyond anything seen in those. The racing action is as tight as ever, incorporating a new "nitrous oxide" meter that fills as you drift around each corner. The nitrous element fits Ridge Racer's arcade style nicely, and it's satisfying to whiz past opponents on your way to the finish. The controls feel second nature - just tap on the brake and you'll kick into a long slide that can be controlled all the way through. Since you're racing against 13 other cars, there's plenty of passing and jockeying for position involved. Cars are not customizable and don't model damage, but gameplay is king, and Ridge Racer 6 has it in spades. The madly-addictive single player mode features a huge, branching tree of racing challenges, with bonus cars awarded after every few contests. The split-screen mode lets you compete against a buddy head-to-head, but there are no CPU racers, which is disappointing. The diverse soundtrack is a mixed bag. While I enjoyed the laid-back jazz numbers, the bouncy techno tunes with high-pitched voice samples got on my nerves. The commentator is somewhat annoying, providing shallow remarks along the lines of "Get ready for some crazy nitrous! Booya!!" Namco fans will notice plenty of fun references to classic Namco games, with names like "Asteroth", "Grobda", and "Toy Pop" painted on the sides of cars. You even get to play a round of Pac-Man during the initial load. My main issue with Ridge Racer 6 lies with the convoluted user interface and its excessive number of menus and prompts. Between races in the single player mode, I had to wade through 10 screens, 14 prompts, and 4 load screens! Still, with its unrivaled playability and unapologetic arcade style, Ridge Racer 6 is my favorite of the initial crop of 360 racers. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

I was an early adopter of Guitar Hero, but by the time Rock Band rolled around my interest in music games was beginning to wane. After purchasing The Beatles Rock Band and getting a full set of instruments however, I picked up Rock Band 2 (RB5) to see what I had missed. If you're used to Guitar Hero, the biggest difference is that the notes are square instead of round. RB5 offers a diverse track list and a user-friendly interface that allows up to four players to jump in and out of the fray. A slick auto-calibrate feature fixes the lag problems introduced by some HD TVs. Rock Band 2 is an excellent party game. The soundtrack includes old 80's stand-bys like Eye of the Tiger (Survivor), Hungry Like the Wolf (Duran Duran), Livin' on a Prayer (Bon Jovi), and White Wedding (Billy Idol). The 90's are represented by Drain You (Nirvana), Everlong (Foo Fighters), and Today (Smashing Pumpkins). Man in the Box (Alice in Chains) has got to be one of the most kick-ass songs ever to appear in a game like this. Also included are some upbeat modern numbers like My Own Worst Enemy (Lit) and That's What You Get (Paramore). Not all the songs are gems, and the entries by Rush (The Trees) and AC/DC (Let There Be Rock) come off a little flat. Many songs are extended versions, which sucks when you're working through a mediocre tune. The songs vary in difficulty depending upon the instrument, but a handy chart indicates the relative difficulty for each song. Are the drums as fun as you'd imagine they would be? Hell yeah! Playing bass guitar can be a little monotonous unless you're playing with a full band, and I'd recommend a few drinks before attempting the vocals. The heart of the game is the Tour mode which lets you play various gigs to unlock new songs and venues. Its branching system gives you plenty of options, but you're forced to complete too many multi-song "set lists". There's also a hell of a lot of loading screens in this game. The graphics are largely an afterthought, but seeing a scraggly, bearded dude sing "You Oughta Know" (with a woman's voice no less) was disturbing. The appeal of music games may be waning, but Rock Band 2 is still guaranteed to rock the house. © Copyright 2010 The Video Game Critic.