By Doug Elfman
Just because I don't want to play a certain video game very much, doesn't mean I hate it.
To the contrary, two new video games are quite good, objectively speaking (they're entertaining and impressive), but simply aren't my cup of coffee.
First, "Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time" is a big, beautiful game where you travel the universe as Ratchet (a little squirrel-looking guy called a lombax) and his little buddy Clank (a tiny robot).
As in previous "Ratchet & Clank" games, this cartoonish, sci-fi fantasy calls on you to save the universe by shooting, punching and blowing up evil robots, as you run from room to room in spectacularly imagined space stations, teeming with, -- for starters, -- robot villains equipped with chainsaw arms.
This is a creative, long and lovely looking game. If you play on the high-definition PS3 and a high-definition TV, the fast-moving visuals fill your sumptuous screen with vibrant atmosphere and battle explosions.
Here's why I won't obsess over "A Crack in Time": The action is a little too traditional.
A) To make your way through rooms, you jump from platform to platform. B) You must collect nuts and bolts constantly from the ground; the nuts and bolts are your form of currency to upgrade weapons. C) You break a lot of wooden crates to get extra nuts and bolts.
I understand many gamers enjoy this traditional type of platform game. I was one of those gamers in 1991, when "Sonic the Hedgehog" came out; 1991 was a long time ago.
I must point out I have even enjoyed hours of fun playing "A Crack" and listening to its funny dialogue. But it's not my bag; I will put it aside soon. If you, though, love platformers, or have kids, I highly recommend it.
Second, "Borderlands" is a very stylized and crafty game featuring a flat-animated style set on a craven desert planet where scads of bad humans shoot at you, while ground animals bite at you.
This game is smart. "Borderlands" lets you piece together assortments of weapons to custom-create guns to your liking. And the game figures out what kinds of challenging villains to place in front of your path, depending on how you've played so far.
Here's why "Borderlands" won't keep me gaming much longer, though. If I play by myself, the game feels lonely and empty, because I essentially just run back and forth from the same map points in a sprawling desert landscape.
Online, I can play "Borderlands" in less-lonely cooperative mode, to join other real gamers to move through the game's levels. But I'm still running back and forth between the same old mission points. That seems a bit repetitive.
On the other hand, if you're looking for an unusually creative sci-fi shooter, you might like "Borderlands." I feel good saying that because, after all, different strokes for different folks, there's no accounting for taste, and all those clichés.
The hit list
Here are the Top 10 best-selling video games, according to retailer Game Crazy. Games are listed by title, company, gaming system, and rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board. Most games are priced $60 for Xbox 360 and PS3; $50 for Wii; $40 for PSP; $30 for PS2 and DS:
1. "Borderlands" (Take Two) for Xbox 360; also available for PS3 and PC; rated "M" (blood, gore, intense violence, mature humor and strong language).
2. "FIFA Soccer '10" (EA) for Xbox 360; also available for Wii, PS3, DS, PS2, PSP and DS; rated "E."
3. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010" (THQ) for Xbox 360; also available for Wii, PS3, DS, PS2, PSP and DS; rated "T" (blood, language, sexual themes, violence).
4. "FIFA Soccer '10" for PS3.
5. "Borderlands" for PS3.
6. "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves" (Sony) for PS3; rated "T" (blood, language, suggestive themes, violence).
7. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010" for PS3.
8. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010" for PS2.
9. "FIFA Soccer '10" for PS2.
10. "Halo 3: ODST" (Microsoft) for Xbox 360; rated "M" (blood, language, violence).
Pay now, return later
Here are the Top 10 best-renting video games, according to Game Crazy/Hollywood Video. Games are listed by title, company, gaming system, and rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board. Most games are priced $60 for Xbox 360 and PS3; $50 for Wii; $40 for PSP; and $30 for PS2 and DS:
1. "Borderlands" (Take Two) for Xbox 360; also available for PS3 and PC; rated "M" (blood, gore, intense violence, mature humor and strong language).
2. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010" (THQ) for Xbox 360; also available for Wii, PS3, PS2, PSP and DS; rated "T" (blood, language, sexual themes, violence).
3. "Borderlands" for PS3.
4. "Brutal Legend" (EA) for Xbox 360; also available for PS3; rated "M" (blood, gore, intense violence, partial nudity, strong language, suggestive themes).
5. "Halo 3: ODST" (Microsoft) for Xbox 360; rated "M" (blood, language, violence).
6. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010" for PS3.
7. "Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising" (Codemasters) for Xbox 360; also available for PS3; rated "M" (blood, gore, strong language, violence).
8. "Madden NFL '10" (EA) for Xbox 360; also available for Wii, PS3, PS2 and PSP; rated "E."
9. "Batman: Arkham Asylum" (Eidos) for Xbox 360; also available for PS3; rated "T" (alcohol and tobacco reference, blood, mild language, suggestive themes, violence).
10. "NBA 2K10" (Take Two) for Xbox 360; also available for PS3, Wii; rated "E."
Now In Stores
"Dragon Age: Origins" (EA) is for you "Dungeons & Dragons" lot. It's a role-playing game set in ye olden fantasy land of dragons and swords and such. The game makers like to say it's the spiritual successor to "Baldur's Gate."
"Origins" is looking like a 60-hour adventure packed with preloaded cinema-type scenes, where people say things like, "Duncan, are your men ready for battle?" "They are, your majesty." And: "There have been no signs of any dragons in the wilds."
The plot? It's such a traditional fantasy, I'll just quote an executive producer, who said in a video run-through of the game: It takes place among "ancient ruins," where armies will "make their final stands against the Blight. You are a new Grey Warden recruit. And as a member of this ancient order, you are sworn to protect the people of (some mystical land) against the Blight -- the Arch Demon and the Dark Spawn Horde."
OK, then. So like any role playing game, you watch a bunch of cinema scenes. Then you run around talking to villagers and such, choosing your dialogue from a few lines that pop up on the screen. You can pick dialogue and actions that make you bad, or good. This is a "karma" game with repercussions and rewards.
When you finally battle, you pause the game to choose a certain attack move, then you see your attack move carried out. You have "hit" points and the like. You upgrade your weaponry, magic and shields, and so on.
There's much more to the game. But that's a good starter description to let you know this is another role player that owes its game play to "D and D," and its style to movies like "Dragonquest" and "Lord of the Rings" (but grungier and truer to fantasy novels than to fantasy movies).
The Nov. 3 release retails for $60 for Xbox 360 and PS 3; $50 for PC. It's rated "M" for blood, intense violence, language, partial nudity and sexual content.
"Pro Evolution Soccer 2010" (Konami) is the annually updated soccer outing. This year's changes:You get a new analogue-stick option to play soccer with the two thumsticks more; you can instantly change plays and strategies on the field; and players look more realistic.
The Nov. 3 release retails for $60 for Xbox 360 and PS 3; $50 for Wii; $30 for PS 2 and PSP. It's rated "E" for mild lyrics.
"DDR Hottest Party" (Konami) proves that, yes, "Dance Dance Revolution" is still pumping out new games, and yes, they still sell.
This one's for the Wii, so you can use the Wii remotes to keep your hands moving to instructions, while dancing to the modes of free play, groove circuit and workout.
Among the songs: "Disco Inferno," "99 Red Balloons," "Rhythm is a Dancer" and "Clocks." The Nov. 3 release retails for $20 for Wii. It's rated "E 10+" for mild lyrics.
"Need for Speed: Nitro" (EA) brings to the Wii and the DS a racing game that is nothing like a driving simulator.
In "Nitro," you drive super Audis and other super cars so fast, the images greatly blur around the edges of the TV screen, giving you that "wow, I'm flying" feeling.
The tracks are environmental - city streets, bridges, tunnels, shipyards and so on.
The Nov. 3 release retails for $50 for Wii; $30 for DS. It's rated "E 10+" for mild lyrics and mild violence.
Just because I don't want to play a certain video game very much, doesn't mean I hate it.
To the contrary, two new video games are quite good, objectively speaking (they're entertaining and impressive), but simply aren't my cup of coffee.
First, "Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time" is a big, beautiful game where you travel the universe as Ratchet (a little squirrel-looking guy called a lombax) and his little buddy Clank (a tiny robot).
As in previous "Ratchet & Clank" games, this cartoonish, sci-fi fantasy calls on you to save the universe by shooting, punching and blowing up evil robots, as you run from room to room in spectacularly imagined space stations, teeming with, -- for starters, -- robot villains equipped with chainsaw arms.
This is a creative, long and lovely looking game. If you play on the high-definition PS3 and a high-definition TV, the fast-moving visuals fill your sumptuous screen with vibrant atmosphere and battle explosions.
Here's why I won't obsess over "A Crack in Time": The action is a little too traditional.
A) To make your way through rooms, you jump from platform to platform. B) You must collect nuts and bolts constantly from the ground; the nuts and bolts are your form of currency to upgrade weapons. C) You break a lot of wooden crates to get extra nuts and bolts.
I understand many gamers enjoy this traditional type of platform game. I was one of those gamers in 1991, when "Sonic the Hedgehog" came out; 1991 was a long time ago.
I must point out I have even enjoyed hours of fun playing "A Crack" and listening to its funny dialogue. But it's not my bag; I will put it aside soon. If you, though, love platformers, or have kids, I highly recommend it.
Second, "Borderlands" is a very stylized and crafty game featuring a flat-animated style set on a craven desert planet where scads of bad humans shoot at you, while ground animals bite at you.
This game is smart. "Borderlands" lets you piece together assortments of weapons to custom-create guns to your liking. And the game figures out what kinds of challenging villains to place in front of your path, depending on how you've played so far.
Here's why "Borderlands" won't keep me gaming much longer, though. If I play by myself, the game feels lonely and empty, because I essentially just run back and forth from the same map points in a sprawling desert landscape.
Online, I can play "Borderlands" in less-lonely cooperative mode, to join other real gamers to move through the game's levels. But I'm still running back and forth between the same old mission points. That seems a bit repetitive.
On the other hand, if you're looking for an unusually creative sci-fi shooter, you might like "Borderlands." I feel good saying that because, after all, different strokes for different folks, there's no accounting for taste, and all those clichés.
The hit list
Here are the Top 10 best-selling video games, according to retailer Game Crazy. Games are listed by title, company, gaming system, and rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board. Most games are priced $60 for Xbox 360 and PS3; $50 for Wii; $40 for PSP; $30 for PS2 and DS:
1. "Borderlands" (Take Two) for Xbox 360; also available for PS3 and PC; rated "M" (blood, gore, intense violence, mature humor and strong language).
2. "FIFA Soccer '10" (EA) for Xbox 360; also available for Wii, PS3, DS, PS2, PSP and DS; rated "E."
3. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010" (THQ) for Xbox 360; also available for Wii, PS3, DS, PS2, PSP and DS; rated "T" (blood, language, sexual themes, violence).
4. "FIFA Soccer '10" for PS3.
5. "Borderlands" for PS3.
6. "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves" (Sony) for PS3; rated "T" (blood, language, suggestive themes, violence).
7. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010" for PS3.
8. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010" for PS2.
9. "FIFA Soccer '10" for PS2.
10. "Halo 3: ODST" (Microsoft) for Xbox 360; rated "M" (blood, language, violence).
Pay now, return later
Here are the Top 10 best-renting video games, according to Game Crazy/Hollywood Video. Games are listed by title, company, gaming system, and rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board. Most games are priced $60 for Xbox 360 and PS3; $50 for Wii; $40 for PSP; and $30 for PS2 and DS:
1. "Borderlands" (Take Two) for Xbox 360; also available for PS3 and PC; rated "M" (blood, gore, intense violence, mature humor and strong language).
2. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010" (THQ) for Xbox 360; also available for Wii, PS3, PS2, PSP and DS; rated "T" (blood, language, sexual themes, violence).
3. "Borderlands" for PS3.
4. "Brutal Legend" (EA) for Xbox 360; also available for PS3; rated "M" (blood, gore, intense violence, partial nudity, strong language, suggestive themes).
5. "Halo 3: ODST" (Microsoft) for Xbox 360; rated "M" (blood, language, violence).
6. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010" for PS3.
7. "Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising" (Codemasters) for Xbox 360; also available for PS3; rated "M" (blood, gore, strong language, violence).
8. "Madden NFL '10" (EA) for Xbox 360; also available for Wii, PS3, PS2 and PSP; rated "E."
9. "Batman: Arkham Asylum" (Eidos) for Xbox 360; also available for PS3; rated "T" (alcohol and tobacco reference, blood, mild language, suggestive themes, violence).
10. "NBA 2K10" (Take Two) for Xbox 360; also available for PS3, Wii; rated "E."
Now In Stores
"Dragon Age: Origins" (EA) is for you "Dungeons & Dragons" lot. It's a role-playing game set in ye olden fantasy land of dragons and swords and such. The game makers like to say it's the spiritual successor to "Baldur's Gate."
"Origins" is looking like a 60-hour adventure packed with preloaded cinema-type scenes, where people say things like, "Duncan, are your men ready for battle?" "They are, your majesty." And: "There have been no signs of any dragons in the wilds."
The plot? It's such a traditional fantasy, I'll just quote an executive producer, who said in a video run-through of the game: It takes place among "ancient ruins," where armies will "make their final stands against the Blight. You are a new Grey Warden recruit. And as a member of this ancient order, you are sworn to protect the people of (some mystical land) against the Blight -- the Arch Demon and the Dark Spawn Horde."
OK, then. So like any role playing game, you watch a bunch of cinema scenes. Then you run around talking to villagers and such, choosing your dialogue from a few lines that pop up on the screen. You can pick dialogue and actions that make you bad, or good. This is a "karma" game with repercussions and rewards.
When you finally battle, you pause the game to choose a certain attack move, then you see your attack move carried out. You have "hit" points and the like. You upgrade your weaponry, magic and shields, and so on.
There's much more to the game. But that's a good starter description to let you know this is another role player that owes its game play to "D and D," and its style to movies like "Dragonquest" and "Lord of the Rings" (but grungier and truer to fantasy novels than to fantasy movies).
The Nov. 3 release retails for $60 for Xbox 360 and PS 3; $50 for PC. It's rated "M" for blood, intense violence, language, partial nudity and sexual content.
"Pro Evolution Soccer 2010" (Konami) is the annually updated soccer outing. This year's changes:You get a new analogue-stick option to play soccer with the two thumsticks more; you can instantly change plays and strategies on the field; and players look more realistic.
The Nov. 3 release retails for $60 for Xbox 360 and PS 3; $50 for Wii; $30 for PS 2 and PSP. It's rated "E" for mild lyrics.
"DDR Hottest Party" (Konami) proves that, yes, "Dance Dance Revolution" is still pumping out new games, and yes, they still sell.
This one's for the Wii, so you can use the Wii remotes to keep your hands moving to instructions, while dancing to the modes of free play, groove circuit and workout.
Among the songs: "Disco Inferno," "99 Red Balloons," "Rhythm is a Dancer" and "Clocks." The Nov. 3 release retails for $20 for Wii. It's rated "E 10+" for mild lyrics.
"Need for Speed: Nitro" (EA) brings to the Wii and the DS a racing game that is nothing like a driving simulator.
In "Nitro," you drive super Audis and other super cars so fast, the images greatly blur around the edges of the TV screen, giving you that "wow, I'm flying" feeling.
The tracks are environmental - city streets, bridges, tunnels, shipyards and so on.
The Nov. 3 release retails for $50 for Wii; $30 for DS. It's rated "E 10+" for mild lyrics and mild violence.
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