The first time you see the main title screen of Kirby’s Epic Yarn, depending on who you are, you should have one of two distinct reactions. The chainsaw wielding, zombie bashing, alien crushing, headshoting crowd will take one look at it and promptly throw up, take the Wii to their backyard, pee on it, then burn it with napalm just so they can wash themselves of the saccharine cuteness they’ve just witness. The rest will either be ambivalent about it or go “Aaaawwww.” Either way, that crowd will actually start playing and discover something wondrous.
Metroid: Other M Review
The dramatic final battle of that SNES masterpiece, Super Metroid, remains seared in my memory as one of the most emotional climaxes in video game history, all without a single word of dialogue spoken. As a fan service, the opening cinematic of Metroid: Other M faithfully recreates in full CG glory that confrontation with Mother Brain and the “Baby” Metroid’s sacrifice to save the series’ heroine, Samus Aran. This time there is a bit of dialogue. I think there is something to be said for certain things are better left to the imagination.
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Super Mario Galaxy 2 Review
When Nintendo makes a mainline, non-sports related Mario title, one thing has almost always been a certainty. It’s not a sequel. At least not in the classical, “more of the same, but more awesome” sense. When Nintendo announced Super Mario Galaxy 2, many feared that Nintendo has finally fallen into the sequel trap. Thankfully, that’s not entirely the case.
Trauma Team Review
Trauma Team is the fifth game in the Trauma Center series. This was my first foray into the medical puzzle/simulation genre. Because of the fun I had saving lives instead of the usual killing I do in video games, it won’t be my last.
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RED STEEL 2 Review
Red Steel 2 is a complete overhaul of its disappointing predecessor. Presented in smoothly animated, vibrant cel-shaded graphics, it ditches the Yakuza setting for some alternate Old West inhabited by ronin, biker gangs, and near future sci-fi technology. The nameless protagonist is modeled after Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name archetype popularized in spaghetti westerns, just a lot more ninja-like.
NO MORE HEROES 2: DESPERATE STRUGGLE Review
Truth in advertising: A Desperate Struggle
Let’s face it: the Wii has the reputation for being the home for triple-A first party titles as well as innumerable casual games and mini-game collections. But there are Wii games that appeal to the hardcore audience; the two that immediately come to mind are the criminally overlooked Madworld and the original No More Heroes.
RESIDENT EVIL: DARKSIDE CHRONICLES Review
Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles is an on-rails light gun shooter and follow up to 2007’s Umbrella Chronicles. Where Umbrella Chronicles delved into the stories of Resident Evil: Zero, the original RE, and RE 3: Nemesis, Darkside Chronicles retells the stories from RE 2, and RE: Code Veronica. There is also an added chapter that ties them together, Operation Javier. All three chapters are narrated by series regular Leon Kennedy.
SILENT HILL: SHATTERED MEMORIES Review
The very first Silent Hill was the most frightening video game I’ve ever played, and it stands as one of the scariest forms of entertainment that I’ve ever experienced. It didn’t shock you with jump-out-of-your-seat moments; instead it pulled you into its fog choked streets into a twisted, yet artful, psychological nightmare. When Konami announced this “reimagining” of the original Silent Hill, I was excited and eager to once again enter into its bone chilling embrace.
METROID PRIME TRILOGY Review
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For eight long years, it was torture. After the finely crafted masterpiece that was Super Metroid, I and many other fans of the series waited, expecting to see Samus’ return on the N64. Other than a teasing appearance as a playable character in Super Smash Bros, the N64 was devoid of the armored bounty hunter and a her new adventures, and we felt cheated. I mean, there were already two Zelda games, but no new Metroid?
Spider-Man Web of Shadows
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“With great power comes great responsibility”. Seems Activision had forgotten one of, if not the, main tenants in the Spider-Man universe, because ever since finishing work on Spider-Man 2: The Video Game they’ve failed to put up a Spider-Man game to the high standard they themselves set. With Web of Shadows it appears they may be back on the right track, however the game makes one terrible first impression.















