Guest Review: Afrika (PS3)
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Posted on November 4th, 2009 by
Afrika is a wildlife photography game on the PlayStation 3. Featuring lush, realistic graphics and animation, Afrika has more than 70 African animals to discover over 100 photography missions. We’re going to do something a little different with this review, though. I actually didn’t write the meat of this review. A co-worker and good friend of mine enjoys playing PS3 games with his son, James Kessler, so I decided to have 9-year-old James review it (plus I don’t have a PS3). So read on for his take on the game:
Track IR – Head in the Clouds
Posted on November 3rd, 2009 by
Some who’ve followed my career believe that I’m a sucker for gimmicks. That I like doo-dads, gadgets and most of all, weird controllers. I’m the type of guy who when he heard about the Wii, he almost fainted. But the main reason I love them is that I see video games as fantasy play. Doing virtually what you can’t in real life. Controllers enhance that immeasurably. more…
Game Review: Tales of Monkey Island: Episode 4: The Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood (PC, WiiWare)
Posted on November 2nd, 2009 by
When we last left Guybrush Threepwood: Mighty Pirate™, he had narrowly escaped the jaws of a giant manatee, only to be double crossed by the lady pirate hunter who teamed up with him in the first place. Now, back at the island where he started from, Guybrush faces a court trial not by law-abiding citizens, but fellow pirates with false accusations! Now Guybrush must do a bit of Phoenix Wright courtroom drama—pirate style, so he can continue his quest to rescue his wife and rid the Caribbean of the Pox of LeChuck!
Game Review: Forza Motorsport 3 (Xbox 360)
Posted on October 30th, 2009 by
When racing enthusiasts think of the most intricate and detailed driving simulators, the Forza Motorsport series of video games comes to mind. Hardcore gearheads and tuners are all excited about the new Forza 3 game, and for good reason. But what about casual and younger, less experienced gamers? What makes Forza 3 so great is that it doesn’t leave them in the dust either. Don’t worry, hardcore Forza fans, the developers didn’t ‘dumb down’ the game at all. This review is going to be a bit different because we’re going to look at all the great new features that make Forza 3 fun for the whole family!
Abbey Road
Posted on October 28th, 2009 by
Her Majesty came in through the bathroom window, carrying that weight (she’s so heavy!) and in need of golden slumbers. Her name was Polythene Pam (she was good looking but looked like a man) and perhaps she was tired because of Maxwell’s Silver Hammer coming down on her head (bang bang) because he and mean Mr. Mustard wouldn’t give her her money. She’s only sleeping (sorry, that comes from another album) but here comes the Sun King – without whom, she’d never make it alone. Okay, that’s everything from Abbey Road’s famous medley which is not only downloadable as individual songs, but also as the entire B-side marathon. As a kid – as mentioned in my recent Beatles article for iVillage.com and in that Washington Post interview – Abbey Road meant a lot to me. How fun to share that with my own kids!
Rise of Flight … Over Flanders Field
Posted on October 26th, 2009 by
My kids (Maggie 9, Henry 6) suddenly began asking me about World War I aviation. Did they find my picture books? See the covers of a few of my books? Last time they were in my office, did they see my models? (Spad, Fokker DR1, Sopwith Camel, Nieuport.) Finally I remembered to ask – “We saw it on the Peanuts Halloween Special” they answered. Here’s the WWI Flying Ace slapping his forehead.
Game Review: Shimano Xtreme Fishing (Wii)
Posted on October 26th, 2009 by
While there is a glut of fishing games on the Wii, one nice thing about them is that each one offers a different experience. If you want a more realistic, laid back fishing game for casual players, you can get hooked on Reel Fishing: Angler’s Dream. If you or your kids want a more cartoony, arcadey Mario Kart styled fishing game, you can reel in Rapala We Fish. But what about the teen and up crowd who are into extreme sports and new ways to fish, like Bowfishing? Well, now those types of armchair anglers are covered with Shimano Xtreme Fishing.
Game Review: Bakugan: Battle Brawlers (Wii, DS, 360, PS2, PS3)
Posted on October 23rd, 2009 by
As they say in the business, Bakugan is ‘hot’ right now. More than 55 million Bakugan toys were sold in 2008, meaning that every four seconds; one Bakugan toy is bought in the US. Just like any other popular playthings, Bakugan has its own cartoon show as well. Right now, Bakugan toys are in McDonald’s Happy Meals and it’s the top game for boys ages 6 to 12. So what IS Bakugan, anyway? Well, it’s like a cross between a collectible trading card game such as Yu-Gi-Oh or Pokemon, mixed with the classic playground game of…marbles?!? Yup, marbles! Marbles that turn into…monsters! No wonder why it’s so popular with the kids. And now you can enjoy the fun of Bakugan with the recent release of the video game for all major consoles (Wii and DS versions reviewed here).
Game Review: Half-Minute Hero (PSP)
Posted on October 21st, 2009 by
Some of you gamers around my age can probably relate to what I’m about to say. Back when I was in high school, I was totally enamored with 16-bit RPGs like Final Fantasy 4, FF6, and Chrono Trigger. And since I had few responsibilities outside of school, I had lots of free time to enjoy these lengthy, time-consuming adventures. Fast forward to the present. Today’s 3-D RPGs are all overblown, long-winded, and take up WAY too much time. And now that I’ve got a job and other life commitments, I don’t have as much time to play the RPGs I once loved. What’s a gamer to do? I needed a hero. A Half-Minute Hero. It’s a PSP RPG that you play in 30 second increments! Yes, really, it’s true! Intrigued? Read on to find out how it works:
Game Review: Animal Kingdom: Wildlife Expedition (Wii)
Posted on October 19th, 2009 by
It’s your first day as an animal wildlife photographer and it’s up to you to explore the wilderness of Animal Island (think savannahs and jungles of Africa). Become familiar with the wild animals on the island so you can take good photos of them. Now you can enjoy the thrill of a wildlife photo safari right in your room with Animal Kingdom: Wildlife Expedition for Nintendo Wii.
