“We start a revolution!”

Perhaps no greater tribute has ever been offered at the temple of an entire genre of music than Brütal Legend. This game idolizes the power and energy of heavy metal, creating an entire world with metal as its central mythology. The world of Brütal Legend is steeped heavy metal symbolism; with every scenic vista looking like it belongs on an album cover.

Brütal Legend is a game with a lot of star power. First, it bears the name of one of the most critically acclaimed video game developers: Tim Schafer. Schafer spent more than a decade at Lucas Arts working on games like Maniac Mansion, The Secret of Monkey Island and Grim Fandango before founding his own studio, Double Fine Entertainment, and creating games like Psychonauts. He has earned the reputation as being one of the funniest writers in the industry.

The game’s second big name is Jack Black, who voices Riggs, and whose enthusiasm for rock music evident in movies like School of Rock and Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny made him a perfect advocate. In addition, heavy metal icons like Ozzy Osborne, Lemmy Kilmister from Motörhead and Judas Priest’s Rob Halford lend their voices to some of the game’s main characters. In another stroke of genius, Schafer secured the diabolical voice of Tim Curry as the game’s main villain.

Brütal Legend is a third-person, open-world action game where you play as Roadie Eddie Riggs. Riggs laments what passes for music nowadays, asking a fellow roadie, “Do you ever feel like you were born in the wrong time, like you should have been born in a time when the music was better?”

Soon enough he finds himself magically transported via his cursed belt buckle to a land of Nordic fantasy where demons have enslaved humanity. Only the power of metal–and Eddie’s superior organizational roadie skills—can save them.

In this world, Eddie can melt his enemies’ faces with a scorching guitar riff and allies can be healed with the soothing vibrations of a bass note from a steel string made from a giant spider. Eddie’s guitar launches special attacks, and behaves in a way similar to Link’s ocarina in the Zelda franchise.

The story lampoons various aspects of music culture. Eddie’s first roadblock, General Lionwhyte gets around by using his massive hair to fly, and represents the glitz and glam of corporatized hair metal in the 1980s. Other enemies clearly mock the emo culture, as they don black clothing and mascara while saying things like, “you don’t understand my suffering.” These guys get their power by drinking from the “Sea of Black Tears.”

Eddie’s roadie skills particularly help in the massive “stage battles,” which are duplicated in multiplayer mode. Stage battles are a mix of third person action and real time strategy. Here Eddie sprouts wings and soars over the battlefield, setting rally points and commanding his troops. Two opposing stages vie over fan geysers, which supply resources needed to build more and more powerful troops to take out your opponent’s stage.

Some RPG elements are evident in that Eddie earns flame tributes by pleasing the gods, which he can give to the Guardian of Metal (Ozzy) in exchange for upgrades to his vehicle and weapons. Side quests are good ways to earn extra flame tributes. There are around a half dozen varieties, including ambush attacks, races, hunting wildlife and searching for collectibles.

If anything bad can be said about it is that it is too short. However, it could have just seemed that way because it was so much fun.

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Uncharted 2: Among Thieves follows in the footsteps of Tomb Raider as much as the films Indiana Jones and National Treasure. Moreover, while he is by far a better action hero than Nicholas Cage, he even borders on being as badass as Harrison Ford in his heyday. Even in the midst of innumerable odds and great danger Drake is light hearted and resourceful.

Drake is a witty, intelligent treasure hunter with a knack for getting into, and out of, trouble. This time he is racing a ruthless Russian warlord with a private army and eye for world domination to find the Cintamani Stone. The stone resides in Shambhala, perhaps better known as Shangri-La, and is described as the “Buddhist Holy Grail,” granting its owner unmatched power.

The journey takes Drake from Turkey to Borneo to Tibet as he tracks down the location of the mythic kingdom by following clues hidden in archeology. The set pieces are dynamic and action packed. In one Drake is bounding between vehicles in a caravan while ducking and returning enemy fire, while another has him fighting on the rooftops of a speeding train.

Scripted events add excitement and surprise, like when a tank comes bursting through a wall while Drake is trying to escape a Tibetan town, or when the rail he just grabbed while climbing a railcar suspended over a cliff breaks way. An epic orchestra soundtrack adds to the tenseness of these moments.

Gameplay consists of cover-based shooting and tomb-raiding puzzles and platforming. Drake is often forced to improvise with the weapons of downed foes, but usually has an option to stealthily dispatch enemies before being detected.

Combat generally works well, although the cover system can be a bit rough when it does not snap to the surface you intended. Drake can only carry two weapons at a time, but this encourages experimentation.

Uncharted 2 is one of the most beautiful games ever made. Its detailed environments range from lush tropics, dark temples, forgotten ruins and icy caverns. Each setting is visually distinct from the ones preceding it, ensuring constant visual stimulation and a sense of progress.

Realistic lighting and shadows work to enliven the environment. The tone of the sun’s light is different depending on the setting, harsh in the tropics while soft and muted in the overcast mountains.

If the environments are gorgeous, the character models are even better. Many games suffer from a condition known as the “uncanny valley.” This hypothesis holds that there is a point when a robot or 3D rendering of a human looks so much like the real thing that the little differences, like waxy stares and robotic movements, elicit revulsion instead of compassion.

Some great games have found themselves dangerously close to this “uncanny valley” despite their dedication to realism. Mass Effect and Fallout 3 might be counted among those offenders.

But Uncharted 2 never comes close to the dreaded valley. Nuanced facial animations in cinematic cut scenes accurately convey emotion through subtle movements in muscles under the skin.

Combine that with some of the best voice acting in video game history and you have believable, empathetic characters.

So many games have characters who sound like they are reading their lines off cards; even many with big-name actors voicing characters. Nolan North, veteran voice for dozens of video game characters, does a great job injecting humor and personality into hero Nathan Drake.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is finely polished, well-tuned action adventure game with a story that can compete with anything Hollywood has to offer in the genre. The story does include from some clichés that often plague this genre—including double crosses, deathbed confessions and being forced to help your nemesis toward his goals–but does not suffer for it.

Even though Uncharted 2 includes a robust co-op and competitive multiplayer mode, the single-player experience is the star of the show and reason enough to purchase this game.

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WET is evocative of the work of Quentin Tarantino, specifically Kill Bill. The story, penned by 24 writer Duppy Demitrius, is thick with stylized violence, adrenaline-pumping action sequences and over-the-top characters. It is presented like a drive in b-movie, with a grainy, vintage film overlay and 70s-inspired soundtrack perfectly in tune with the game’s tone. Retro movie advertisements for refreshments break up scenes, and death screens consists of film melting in a projector.

The name suggests fluidity, and Rubi certainly delivers. She is able to shoot in any direction while jumping, sliding or running on walls. These acrobatic moves can be strung together, and are necessary if you wish to survive because they slow down time and allow Rubi to shoot at two different enemies simultaneously. They also rack up points that can be spent to upgrade Rubi’s weapons and skills.

WET is an exciting, fun game. A car chase scene that has Rubi jumping from car to car on a freeway is as exhilarating as anything put out by Hollywood. A second scene that has Rubi freefalling amidst the debris of a plane while shooting at enemies and trying to get to a parachute is simply thrilling. Other action movie cliché’s, such as never needing to reload weapons, are intact as well.

For the first several hours it is nearly impossible to set the controller down. But at some point the signature action sequences become too chaotic and repetitive. Rubi’s moves are easy to master, but don’t offer much depth.

The developers must have noticed the repetitiveness and added “rage” scenes where Rubi goes beserk, the screen turns red and enemies appear as silhouettes. They break up the style a bit, but only aesthetically.

Occasional platforming sections that serve to demonstrate just how clunky and arbitrary the controls are, and break the game’s strived-for fluidity. Other recent third-person games–such as Prince of Persia and inFamous–do a better job of having a character fluidly moving about an environment.

WET is an exciting action title that doesn’t take itself to seriously. The slow motion, lead chucking action sequences against innumerable enemies are initially endearing, but the style and presentation are the showstoppers with this game.

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Wolfenstein 3D blazed the trail for id Software’s 1993 release of Doom, which took the gaming world by storm and cemented the genre’s place as a pillar of video game design. While the latest reimagining of the franchise is nowhere near as revolutionary as the original, it sticks close to the proven formula and delivers a fun, adrenaline-filled Nazi extermination experience.

Wolfenstein carries the franchise banner well. The player fills the shoes of OSA agent BJ Blazkowicz as he investigates Nazi occult research activity in the besieged town of Isenstadt during the height of World War II. But the first time you encounter an invisible blade-wielding Nazi assassin you will realize this is not your typical WWII shooter.

Along the way, he finds allies in the Kreisau Circle resistance movement and the secret Golden Dawn society as he battles Nazis in the streets and sewers of Isenstadt. The Kreisau Circle is fighting to liberate Isenstadt from Nazi control. The Nazis are investigating a mysterious energy called the Black Sun through occult archeological sites. The Golden Dawn is a secret society tasked with protecting humanity from the corrupting influence of the Black Sun. The story is uninspired, and the characters are forgettable. However, the marriage of Nazism and the occult provides a dramatic contrast to typical World War II shooters, which makes Wolfenstein, stand out in a saturated market.

Wolfenstein is not a strategic shooter, requiring the player to duck excessively behind cover and conserve ammunition, but is more in the “run and gun” school where you charge most enemies without much fear. There is also no need to search for health packs, as Blazkowicz regenerates health after taking cover for a moment.

Early in the game Blazkowicz attains a Thule medallion that grants him the ability to enter the “Veil.” The Veil is an overlay that casts the screen in a greenish tint that allows you to find hidden doors and ladders, and makes enemies, hazards and collectibles easier to see.

While in the Veil, Blazkowicz has access to super powers, including the ability to slow time, increased speed, a protective shield and increased attack power to the point where he can snipe enemies behind concrete walls. You initiate these powers with the directional pad, which seamlessly enhances combat.

Instead of a linear mission structure, the developers divided Isenstadt into three common areas from where the player can access the missions and even go back and replay missions to sniff out hidden items. The levels are still relatively linear, although the player has some choice in whether to tackle a Golden Dawn or Kreisau Circle mission first, or to take on a side mission.

Between levels, Blazkowicz has to shoot his way through the streets of Isenstadt to an allies’ safe house where he can accept another mission, or to the Black Market to purchase weapon upgrades. As you complete more missions, the enemies that populate Isenstadt become more advanced and aggressive, reminiscent of last year’s Prince of Persia.

A compass at the top of the screen that points to the next objective guides the player through the game. A map of the common area is accessible from the objectives menu, but it is impractical and of marginal utility because the path finding with the compass works so well.

Wolfenstein borrows heavily from some aspects of two-year old Bioshock. The story is somewhat narrated through collectibles dispersed throughout every level much like Bioshock. These pieces of “Intel” can communicate tactics on taking out Nazi defenses, unlock weapon upgrades or simply add flavor.

Additionally, Blazkowicz’s Veil powers are reminiscent of Bioshock’s genetic plasmid enhancements. However, where Bioshock waxed philosophical on economics and free will in a setting with personality, Wolfenstein simply tasks the player with killing Nazis in a drab, war-torn eastern European city.

Cut scenes are the other primary narrative device used in Wolfenstein. While the opening cinematic is jaw dropping, the quality of subsequent cut scenes never manages to top it.

Enhancing your favorite weapons at the black market is a necessity. Upgraded weapons are substantially more powerful than originals. In between headshots, Blazkowicz loots the occupied city for Nazi gold to trade to trade for upgrades. There is a limited amount of money in the game, and it is not enough to purchase every improvement, meaning players could have vastly different characters as they play through depending on their style and favorite weapon.

In addition to the single-player game, Wolfenstein offers a robust multiplayer mode. The multiplayer is class-based, meaning you will have to select between an engineer, medic or soldier, each adding to the team dynamic in a different way. Soldiers, of course, are combat specialists, while engineers handle explosives and medics can disperse first-aid pack to teammates.

Borrowing from the Call of Duty model, every action in multiplayer earns money, which you can spend on upgrading your weapons and abilities in multiplayer. While Call of Duty does not stand a chance at being knocked off its multiplayer throne by Wolfenstein, upgrading and tailoring your character is addicting while the extra dimension of Veil powers creates a distinct multiplayer experience.

The developers at id Software, Raven Software and Endrant Studios, who all collaborated on the project, successfully blended old-school shooter action with several more recent conventions in the genre to create a modern game that remembers its roots.

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Alex Mercer is Prototype’s protagonist. In the beginning of the game, he awakens in a morgue, about to undergo an autopsy. He flees, only to be riddled with bullets and escape again by jumping 20 feet over a fence. Mercer must discover why he has these newfound abilities by piecing together his forgotten past.

He discovers his city falling apart. A mysterious plague has infected the populace, turning citizens into zombiesque monsters connected to a hive mind. Bioresearch firm GENTEK is somehow involved, and a covert biowarfare military unit called Blackwatch is determined to stop the diseases’ spread even if it means killing everyone in Manhattan.

The story unfolds through cinematic cut scenes and a puzzle of memories called the Web of Intrigue. Much of the story is narrated by Mercer to a mysterious third party on the 18^th day of the infection, with the player taking control of the past.

Amnesiatic protagonists are cliché in the gaming world, but Mercer’s method of remembering his past forgives this sin. The way Mercer unlocks memories is grotesque. He literally extends his tentacles into an individual, rips them apart and consumes them to display a short cut scene. There are 131 people walking around the game world with a piece of the conspiracy in their that can help unlock the story’s mysteries.

Consuming a pedestrian or enemy is also how Mercer replenishes health, learns some skills and assumes their form. Mercer is a shape shifter, which adds a stealth element to this action-heavy title. He can blend into the crowd to lose enemies, or disguise himself as a soldier to gain access to a military base.

The stealth mechanic requires a major suspension of belief, but a necessary one to maintain the fast-paced action. For example, the military know they are looking for a shape-shifting superhuman, yet if they see you disguised as a random pedestrian or fellow soldier jump 30 feet in the air, glide and then run up the side of a skyscraper they don’t bat an eye.

Getting around the city is delightfully liberating. Mercer has super speed, can run up the side of buildings, jump three stories and glide on the air. This is particularly helpful when being pursued by angry Marines in helicopters, making it effortless to travel the New York rooftops.

Prototype is a brutal game, and Mercer is no hero. He does not care how many civilians are killed on his path to vengeance. In fact, the game rewards players for killing in the form of evolution points. This creates a disconnect between the Mercer you want to root for in the cut scenes, and the homicidal maniac you play in the game. This detachment is even more pronounced than in other games with this problem, such as Grand Theft Auto.

Evolution points are spent to upgrade Mercer’s abilities, and are earned liberally. Improvements include new attacks, new ways to view the world, new ways to get around and protective powers like armor. Although Mercer can pick up and use enemy weapons, his shape-shifting abilities provide a much more interesting method of dispatching foes. He can grow Wolverine-style claws from his hands, turn his fists into giant hammers or morph his entire arm into a blade or into whip like tendrils. His attacks are devastating, often hewing an opponent in two. That this is not a game for children doesn’t even need to be said at this point.

Melee battles are messy and chaotic. It is a good thing Mercer can take a lot of damage, because Prototype throws waves of enemies at you. The camera can sometimes be an additional foe, providing horrible views particularly when you fight too close to a wall.

If Mercer didn’t have enough ways to create havoc, he can also commandeer enemy tanks and helicopters. Jumping on the back of a helicopter, making your way to the door and consuming the pilot is one of the most rewarding experiences in the game.

The main story has more than 30 missions, and with tons of side missions this game could keep you occupied for a couple dozen hours, longer yet if you attempt to find all the hidden content and memories. The story missions have a great balance, straddling that fine line between challenging and frustrating. The side missions are mostly the standard combat and time trial fare, but a lack of innovation here does not impede their enjoyment.

What the graphics lack in detail they make up for in scale. Dozens of vehicles and seemingly hundreds of people can be on the screen at a time. Vehicles realistically swerve, skid and crash when approaching street battles. Citizens hysterically run away from you and the infected monsters. The combined effect presents a city gripped in fear at the violence playing out on its streets.

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