Spore

 

  SPORE takes players on an epic journey from the origin and evolution of life through the development of civilization and eventually into the outer reaches of space. Create a creature, then control every dimension of its evolution from pond scum to galactic god. Experience multiple styles of gameplay as your creature advances through different stages of development. Fight for survival in the wild, develop a sprawling metropolis, trade and war against rival civilizations and explore the outer reaches of the galaxy. Every aspect of the universe from creatures to vehicles, buildings to plants, are created by the player and automatically shared with other players, providing a limitless number of worlds to explore and play. Create, control and explore your universe with SPORE.

  When Spore was announced several years ago, people were astounded by the concept. Since the initial announcement, people have been taking in every epicene of information until its final release date finally arrived. Now that all the release excitement is over people are starting to get a really good feel for this game. Players will learn two vital things, first is how expansive the game truly is, and how little gameplay depth it actually overall provides. While this is a huge negative it is truly outweighed by the positive.


  Unless players have been living under a cave for the past few years, they will know that Spore is all about evolving from a single cell organism into a space faring culture. How players choose to get from one stage to the next is truly up to them. For instance, early on players can become a carnivore which eventually leads to becoming a militaristic state; if they choose to take a more peaceful route they can become an herbivore and gamers will have more peaceful or subvert actions at their disposal. It is the choices in the beginning of the game that will have lasting influence on the rest of the game, and how other civilizations will treat the players.

  Players will enjoy their life in the ooze, because of how colorful and friendly it is. It is also amazing how much detail the developers put in this section of the game. Many players will agree that the eyes received a lot of animation attention, because they are always on the lookout for more food. It is also a treat to see them get scared, especially when a predator is about to get them. Eventually players will collect all the parts and be able to finally crawl onto land, and this is where the Creature stage of the game begins.


  The Creature stage can be best described as a third person action game. Players will take their creatures and try to become the top living organism by various ways. As players roam around the world, they will become hungry so it is important to feed them as often as possible because they could die from starvation. While walking around, players will eventually come upon other creatures, and it is here where they have a choice to either kill or ally with them. One major advantage in allying with them as it allows players to heal at their nest, and when players get the ability to create packs, they can use these creatures in their pack to help take out or ally with other creatures.

  As players progress they will be collecting parts to improve their creatures. Ever so often it is advisable to go back to their nest and mate to introduce the world with the next generation of their creatures. Once players mate, they are taken to the creature creator. In here players have many options available to them, such as giving them more health, better offensive/defensive abilities, ability to fly, jump, change colors, level up their current statistics, and even more. Players will also be able to change into an omnivore if their stats support it. Needless to say the majority of the game will be spent perfecting the looks and abilities of the player’s creatures. Eventually, depending on the gamers' style of play, they will be able to conquer the entire world, which sets up the next stage in the game: Tribal.


  The Tribal stage can best be described as a Real Time Strategy game. One character is promoted to the tribal leader (aka a hero that has special abilities) and the rest are workers. Depending on how the game has been played, players will have immediate access to a couple of the selected buildings: fishing, axes, spears, shamans, and more. The one sad thing about this stage is there is not a lot of customizable options here, the only thing players can do is add some clothes which will increase various stats such as food gathering, health, offensive capabilities, or singing.
From there players must build as many characters as they can, then command them to gather the one resource that means life and death: food. If players have the fishing hut unlocked they can tell their characters to pick fishing equipment and their rate of food gathering will increase. If players are feeling nice they can create a band and charm other tribes into becoming their allies. The other end of the spectrum is players can become war like and try to conquer the rest of the tribes. Each time an ally is made or an enemy is defeated players will get access to the technology they have such as more clothes and buildings. Depending on players game style they will eventually get past this level and get into the Civilization stage.

  Before players can really start getting their feet wet with the Civilization stage, they will be inside the design menu making their town center, houses, factories, entertainment buildings. After players make all the necessary buildings they will create a land based vehicle and even ships (if their city is next to a water source). Once players finish creating the necessary things, their main goal is to capture all the spice nodes (the only source of income in the game) and then try to take over all the other cities in the world through military, economic, or religious means.


  Also players will have to be aware of their city's needs; they will have to plan it in such a way as placing each item (house, entertainment, and factory) to keep the people happy as well as making sure they have the highest source of income. Once players complete this stage, they will be taken to the last and biggest stage: Space.


  Before players begin this stage they will have to create their own space vehicle. Players will be flying around trying to colonize worlds, make friends with other species, take on various missions, and do other stuff. Players have the ability to terraform the world by making it hotter, cooler, changing the atmosphere, and even making mountains and lakes. As players progress they can create a fleet which consist of their allies ships to help players in their endeavors. Eventually players will have to figure out the entire mystery of the game by visiting the center of the galaxy, but that will be left a secret for everyone to find out on their own. That is the basic flow of the entire game.

  The graphics for Spore are great; they are full of color and are especially cute. Even when players try to create a menacing looking creature it still comes out looking cute, especially when it is animated. Players will be blown away by how great the animation is. No matter what weird creations they come up with they will always animate correctly. Most enjoyable is in the Space stage when you can abduct different creatures and see their reaction while the abduction ray is beaming them up.

Available For: PC, Mac

                                                                                                 Game Rating:                    84.71%

Create

   The more players explore the game, solve level-based challenges, and customize their world, the more rewards will be unlocked. Creativity will be unleashed as players design environments with easy-to-use brushes and tools, including textures, props and animating objects that bring the scene to life. On the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, and MAC players can share any of their creations, solutions or challenges with the community through the console and also via the official Create website at www.create.ea.com. Friends can download and remix solutions and set challenges for other players to download and complete. Imaginations will run wild this holiday!

 Other than an ambiguous (and arguably misleading) name, Create is a puzzle game set on customizable, floating theme worlds (think "Garden," "Space," "Playground"). Using a DualShock 3 or a PlayStation Move (sans Navigation Controller), you'll place a wide variety of objects in each stage to complete various objectives.

   For example, in one puzzle you're tasked with getting a moon rover (object A) to a specific part of the map (the goal) by using a handful of permitted objects (magnets and ramps). By setting up magnets just above the moon rover's path and a ramp at the end of the line, the moon rover automatically starts moving forward, is lifted over a gap by the magnets, lands on the other side and jumps off the ramp into the goal. Success!

  Create's themed worlds are comprised of ten challenges apiece -- nine objective-based levels with limited access to objects and one "Scoretacular" mode where all unlocked objects are permitted and no limits are placed on the amount of objects on screen.

   Object interaction can be finicky, but the game is more or less mechanically sound. Create's realistic physics never took the blame for a frustrating puzzle -- it was always my fault.

   Unfortunately, the mechanical competence of Create is one of the few compliments I can award it.

   There are only a small handful of objectives in Create, so you're either "moving object A to the goal" or "moving object A to the goal while collecting stuff along the way," or "stopping object B from interacting with object A," with little variety thrown in along the way. Making matters worse, I was often given only two or three objects with which to complete my objective, making a potentially creative solution into a banal, linear choice. Rather than "create" anything, I found myself doing far more assembly.

  It's clear that EA Bright Light spent lots of time developing unique objects -- everything from cow-shaped balloons to riding lawnmowers is packed onto the disc. It's especially unfortunate, then, that most levels allow just two or three specific items for completing an objective. There's a large selection of tools, in theory, but Create far too often handicaps the player's ability to creatively solve its puzzles.You can employ a bit of creativity in the game's aforementioned floating worlds, which let you place props, change the background and surface colors/textures, and add objects -- that's about it. Experimenting on themed worlds can unlock more "creative sparks" (which, in turn, unlock more playable levels) but little else drove me to experiment creatively. I could build elaborate machines and personalize each world, but Create does nothing to incentivize such actions.

   Create is at its best when it grants unrestricted access to objects, both in the game's main "stage" and in individual "Scoretacular" levels. Even there, however, I found myself using the same objects over and over (attach balloons, set up lots of fans) to complete the goal (the goal here is to get object A to a particular part of the level while collecting jewels -- every single time). You could partially attribute that to a lack of personal creativity on my part, sure, but there's little in-game incentive to do much else. In fact, you're likely to turn up a lower score should you choose to solve the puzzle more flamboyantly.

  Between the uninspired puzzles and numbing repetition, it's especially difficult to recommend Create. As a puzzle game, it's shallow and monotonous; as a creative sandbox, it's extremely light on stuff to do. Since there are so many, many games to spend your time with this winter, the only thing you really need to create is an excuse to avoid this dud.


Available For: PS3, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC

                                                                                                      Game Rating:
                   57.50%

Portal 2

  Portal 2 is the sequel to the title named "Game of the Year" 2007 by over 30 publications around the world. Portal 2 promises to break new ground in next generation gaming by expanding the award-winning recipe of innovative gameplay, immersive story, and creative inclusion of music while also introducing multiplayer co-op game modes.

  Back in 2007, Valve Corporation released a little game known as Portal in their video game compilation The Orange Box. One of the newer titles, Portal was also short, clocking in at a measly three hours to completion. A multiplayer mode wasn't included, and the visuals left a lot to be desired, with the action taking place in stark gray rooms and rusty old warehouses.

  However, Portal went on to become Valve’s biggest cultural hit, no small thanks to the unique gameplay. Players controlled the almost unseen test subject Chell through orange and blue portals with a portal gun. These portals allowed players to travel instantly from point to point in increasingly confusing and puzzling test chambers. Portal, coupled with the character of GLaDOS, became one of the most notable successes of that year.

  Here we are today with Portal 2. So not to give away too much of the storyline, just know that the gameplay is as tricky and exhilarating as before. Sending Chell soaring through the air in an expertly calculated jump while passing between different portals never gets old. For fans of the original, the controls are as tight as ever. Three new gels are introduced: the bouncy-blue Propulsion Gel, the orange speed enhancing Repulsion Gel, and the white Conversion Gel that lets players place portals on previously unusable surfaces.

  Finally, Hard-Light Bridges allow players to traverse great distances by guiding the bridge across stages. Aerial Faith plates launch Chell (and any objects placed upon them) on preordained paths. Weighted Cubes and balls make a return (a necessary one for puzzles) and require some out-of-the-box thinking. Finally, the Excursion Funnel tractor beam can be used to move items and players in a unique way.

  Characters are where Portal 2 shines the most. The puzzles are amazingly fun, but due to the writing, players have an addictive and compelling reason to keep moving forward. In the first Portal, evil computer AI GLaDOS played the role of guide and antagonist to Chell, making her the much brighter star of the franchise. GLaDOS is back, and the player’s interaction with her is absolutely amazing to watch. She is as vindictive and bitchy as ever, coating pure unadulterated hatred with a veneer of cool science. For fans of GLaDOS, her return from her unfortunate death in the previous Portal is fabulous, and her literal transformation within the game will shock, wow, and humor even jaded gamers tired of cake quotes (and there are no more of those).

  However, unlike the original Portal, Portal 2 is a veritable hodgepodge of personalities. Wheatley, the cute but stupid personality core that looks like an eyeball, guides Chell through the early portions of the game. There’s the generic “scientist” who helps Chell past the ruins of Aperture Science (which is her fault, of course). Later on, Cave Johnson steers Chell through some of the original pre-GLaDOS test chambers, chronicling the history of the company through voice-over and snark. Chell is always guided as she explores these areas, and Valve has succeeded wonderfully at telling the story of Aperture Science, the history of GLaDOS, even hinting a bit at Chell herself through visual cues and expertly written implications.

  Much of the overt world isn't addressed directly, but merely implied. Players can read about the science center’s location (Michigan) from small trophies in the Aperture laboratories, for example, so exploration and a note of detail are very rewarding. Players can listen to stories from the voice-over guides or sneak around in the old “Rat Man” lairs with scribblings on the walls. Chell herself isn’t exactly deep like the others, but she has become a figure of sorts for those who somehow once survived Aperture Science, as the new artwork around the game indicates.

  Regarding the co-op campaign, the game is equally as much fun with an extra player as it is working through puzzles alone. Literally handing each other objects is a new, if simple, element in the game, but one that works well. A second set of portals makes for interesting new puzzles, with some of the later ones truly teasing the brain. Communication is key for co-op, so Valve has installed indicators that players can use to tag various areas of the map with different commands. Unfortunately, since I reviewed the game on Xbox 360, I didn’t have access to many other players for online play, but the common accessibility of headsets on the 360 is very helpful for this game.

  PS3 users will probably benefit most, though. Valve has worked out a special offer with Sony to let players purchase the PS3 version of the game and unlock the PC/Mac version for free. Even better, Portal 2 is cross-platform for PC/Mac and PS3 users, placing this game in one of the most unique situations ever seen. Seriously, the PS3 is the best version solely because you get a free copy of the true definitive version: the PS/Mac SKU.

  The game has a few minor problems. The 360 version, at the least, has some loading issues (loading … between … every … single … puzzle). And once players beat the campaigns, there is very little to come back to. A plethora of Easter eggs, achievements/trophies, and the compelling developer commentary helps offset this lack of content. Thankfully, the campaigns are substantial, at 8 to 10 hours for single-player, and 5 to 7 hours for the co-op mode, so gamers have plenty to see and do before the downloadable content packs arrive.

  Portal 2 is pure genius. With gameplay growing ever more addictive and new characters always threatening to steal the spotlight, Portal 2 is one of the best games of 2011. A perfect and true sequel to the 2007 hit, Portal 2 provides everything that a fantastically designed sequel needs. The graphics and style are noticeably better, the writing is top-notch, the gameplay is as enthralling as before, the developer commentary keep players entertained, and the rest is tied nicely together with beloved characters. With “still alive” quotes and cake references kept to a minimum, Portal 2 steps the franchise out from the small tech demo with a neat story and into a work Valve can proudly place next to its Half-Life franchise.

Available For: PC, Xbox 360, PS3

                                                                                                      Game Rating:
                   95.31%

The Sims 3

  The Sims 3 allows you to immerse your unique Sims in an open living neighborhood right outside their door. The initial feature-set unveiled includes the new seamless, open neighborhood, new Create-A-Sim, new realistic personalities(every Sim is a unique person, with a distinct personality) and new unlimited customization, You can customize everything!

  If you're reading this, there's a very good chance that you've heard about The Sims. It's been difficult to escape the popular franchise's web, what with two full games and a seemingly endless stream of expansions. The first thing you may be asking, then, is whether The Sims 3 is worth playing, or if it's just more of the same. Well, it most certainly is worth it, and yes, in some ways it is more of the same. But in this case, that's a very good thing. For anyone who's played The Sims or its first sequel, this familiarity will let them ease into it, feeling like a welcomed guest rather than an outsider. But this doesn't make The Sims 3 a simple rehash of what's come before. Instead, returning elements have been energized and extended by a number of terrific improvements, such as expanded customization tools, additional tools for interaction with other sims (and other players), and more tangible goals and rewards. Most importantly, the free-to-explore town makes you feel like part of an entire virtual society--a feature approximated but never fully realized in the previous games. By blending together the old and the new, developer Maxis has created the best, most charming game yet in the series.

The effect of the open town has a profound influence on the community aspects of The Sims 3. You can call other sims and invite them over using your handy cell phone, but if you're feeling adventurous, just head directly to another sim's house and introduce yourself. Or travel to one of the many public venues: the beach, the park, even the graveyard. In these places, you will have a chance to interact with other sims, and there may even be surprises in store if you happen to be in the right place at the right time. For example, you might be able to join a picnic in progress, or a midnight visit to the cemetery may introduce you to some new see-through pals. The game also provides spontaneous opportunities for your sims to socialize. Other sims will call you on the phone; if you're growing a garden, they may ask you to bring some veggies over in exchange for a few simoleans; or perhaps they'll ask you to repair a broken appliance for them. Either way, these tasks send you out on the town where you'll run into other sims, which gives you a sense of being part of a society that exists outside of your realm of influence.
Those social opportunities often result from the traits that you assign your sims during creation. These social traits are another new feature, and they influence how your sims will behave in certain situations, the careers that they will most likely excel in, the conversation options available, and many other aspects of daily sim life. You can select up to five traits for your sim, and there are a lot to choose from. So if you'd like to re-create your insane, neurotic, kleptomaniac aunt within the game, then you can do that, and those traits in turn will influence various aspects of her virtual life. For example, a sim with the neurotic trait can increase his or her happiness level by compulsively checking the sink and stove, but will also be prone to random freak-outs during moments of stress. Not only will a sim with the neat trait automatically clean almost everything, but his or her fun levels will actually rise in the process.

   Of course, when you create a sim, you're choosing more than just personality traits. The physical customization options are far more extensive than before. Sliders let you determine skin color and tweak various facial features, color wheels let you settle on exact clothing hues, and there are a number of accessories, hair styles, and so on to choose from. Although it would be nice to have had even more options in some cases (for example, men's available hair styles seem limited), there's a good chance that you can still create a sim that resembles your kleptomaniac aunt. There's also a good chance that you can outfit her in that crazy polka-dot dress she wears, thanks to the Create a Style feature, which lets you choose from a huge number of patterns (even those used for non-clothing items such as masonry and linoleum) and tweak their colors as you see fit. If you want to put your klepto sim in a beautiful, subtle ball gown, then by all means, go for it. On the other hand, if she prefers swimsuits made of bricks, well, no one's going to judge (except maybe the aunt she's based on).

The Sims 3 balances its rewards well, not just within aspirations, but within career and financial progression as well. Like real people, your sims will always want better stuff, a nicer house, and a prettier yard. You'll start with meager means, but as you progress down your chosen career track, you'll earn more money and work less, giving you more time for the fun stuff. Like before, you won't actually guide your sim through the workday, but you will be able to select something to focus on during the day, such as getting to know your coworkers or pursuing independent research. Doing so earns extra benefits; for example, studying music theory will increase your logic skill, letting you kill two birds (a paycheck and an improved skill) with one stone. You'll also be presented with all sorts of choices along the way. Read a particular book or deliver some documents to city hall to improve your standing with the boss, and you might earn a raise. You might even get an opportunity to change career tracks completely (perhaps the military has had an eye on your scientist). As it happens, these kinds of possibilities aren't just related to your job. Perhaps the local school is having a bake sale; you might be invited to whip up some cookies. Thankfully, managing your basic needs--hunger, bladder, and so on--takes less effort than before, giving you more chances to take advantage of these occasions.



  One of the reasons for the franchise's success is how easy the games are to run on a variety of computers, and The Sims 3 is no exception; it's very scalable, so chances are that if you have a relatively modern PC, you'll probably be able to run the game. The visuals are colorful and crisp, and a noticeable step up from The Sims 2. Sim movements continue to be the highlight of the presentation, and zooming in close is always a fun treat, especially when your sims are engaging in a particularly animated exchange, such as telling a joke. Buildings like the theater and city hall look attractive, and the soft sway of trees and bushes makes the town look pleasantly suburban. Nevertheless, the game's performance does continue some unfortunate trends of Sims games past. Performance is a bit sluggish when you scroll across the town or follow your sim as he or she travels. And though the pathfinding has improved, sims sometimes still have difficulties getting from point A to point B without going through some odd animations or complaining that there's someone in the way. Unsurprisingly, the game sounds absolutely charming. The jaunty tunes that accompany the Build and Buy modes and the tunes that play when you turn on the radio are terrific, perhaps the best in the series. Some sound effects are recycled, but The Sims 3 doesn't feel cheapened as a result; it strikes a chord of familiarity that works to the game's benefit.

  So what is it that makes The Sims 3 even more addictive than its predecessors? It's partially due to the deft handling of rewards; it doles out new social options, new aspirations, and the possibility of better furniture and wood flooring at a slow but even pace, which keeps you tied to your computer for hours at a time. It offers the element of surprise, showing off its abundant charms through funny social interactions that make you want to be part of the improved virtual community. Although it could have offered even more right out of the box, there's still an awful lot of content here, and it's bound to put a smile on almost anyone's face.

Available For: PC, Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS

                                                                                                   Game Rating:
                  86.65%

Disney Universe

    
  In Disney Universe, players can select from more than 40 classic and contemporary Disney character costumes, including Alice ("Alice in Wonderland"), Mike ("Monsters, Inc."), TRON ("TRON: Legacy") and Stitch ("Lilo & Stitch") to explore six different worlds inspired by legendary Disney and Disney Pixar films. Each world will allow players to experience objectives and missions that follow Disney and Disney Pixar movie storylines. Players will select a character-based costume, with each costume offering a specific tool that changes and grows in power as players adventure through the game. Disney Universe offers frenetic gameplay, multiplayer with up to three friends and slapstick humor that will appeal to players of all ages.

Don't judge a game by it's cover.  When looking at Disney Universe, it's easy to write it off as a game "just for kids."  Despite the light-hearted nature of the game and the Disney backdrop, there is actually more to the game than meets the eye.  Yes, Disney Universe can be considered a child's game, and yes, the gameplay is fairly simplistic, but you would you say the LEGO games are just for kids?  No sir, you wouldn't.  On the contrary, they are charming, interactive games that take our most beloved franchises and make it so anyone with thumbs can understand, play, and enjoy.  Disney Universe is no different, except for the fact that it places us in the universes of some of our favorite
 Disney classics, along with some of the modern ones.

  The concept of Disney Universe is as simple as it comes.  You suit up in the character costume of your choice and play as your favorite Disney characters as you explore and battle in the worlds of Monsters Inc., Pirates of the Caribbean, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Aladdin, The Lion King, and my personal favorite, Wall-E.  It's about time some Pixar films got some love from Disney.

  Guiding you on these adventures while providing power-ups and bonuses is VIC, short for Virtual Information Cube.  VIC takes the form of a blue cube that floats around the world, and when picked up, provides the player with a special ability for a short time.  These abilities include 1-hit boxing gloves, a ray gun, or a stun gun.  Of course, there is also VIC's counter-productive evil alter-ego, Hex.  Hex is the game's villain, and is the reason these worlds are now filled with danger.  Hex provides negative power-ups, called Curses, aimed at hindering a players progression.  These curses take the form of a red "Hex" cube and chase you around the arena for a limited time.  If they touch you, you are afflicted with a negative effect for a short time, like turning into a chicken or having your head transformed into a ticking time bomb.

   What sets Disney Universe apart from other Disney games is that it is the first game to ever bring together characters and universes from multiple Disney films into one game.  It allows you to play a "character" from one film in the world of another.  The way they get around this is with the use of character costumes, rather than the actual character.  For instance, instead of actually being Aladdin, you are a creature wearing Aladdin's costume.

  
  In all, there are 45 costumes (easily expandible with DLC) in which players can choose from, ranging from the roach in Wall-E to the "Fab Five" (That's Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto for all you youngsters out there).  Granted, the majority of the costumes are locked at first.  As you play thorugh the game, you'll unlock new costumes for each of the game's worlds.  Once you unlock that costume, you have to buy it in the Costume Shop with coins, which are collected throughout the level by breaking boxes and defeating enemies.  Each costume has a special tool (weapon) which is upgraded by collecting hidden stars.

  The game is all about collectibles. Between fighting possessed robots and putting together pieces of the puzzle, you can hunt collectibles.  There are stars, coins, rewards, animals, and world collectibles.  Stars are collected to upgrade your tools for more powerful hits.  They also have an additional purpose in the multiplayer games, which I will get to later.  Coins are collected by defeating enemies, breaking boxes, and destroying the environment.  Coins are used to purchase items from the Costume Shop and Online Shop.  They are also uses to unlock new worlds.  If that weren't enough to keep you busy, there are world collectibles, or bonus items for each Disney world.  Finding all of the bonus items in a level unlocks new Disney art, characters, and music.  As easy as it is completing the levels, it's pretty difficult to find all of the bonuses.  Though you don't technically "collect' animals, you can find them throughout the different levels and ride them around.  It's pointless, but fun.  Lastly, there are rewards.  Defeating challenges unlocks rewards in the form of new tools, power-ups, and new unlocked items.  Some can be used right away, others have to be purchased in the shops with coins.  Though simplistic in design, it's quite time consuming and fun for those who enjoy playing scavenger.

   What makes Disney Universe multiplayer so fun is the friendly competition.  In multiplayer games, stars are counted toward part of your overall score.  Similarly, you are ranked by the number of coins you have.  The coins score is combined with your stars score, in addition with other scores to determine the overall winner.  Remember, it's a Disney game, so it's hard to get too upset.  It's kind of like Mario Party.  There's a competition, but it doesn't really mean anything, and the only important thing is that you're all having fun living out your Disney adventures in the films you grew up watching.

   To put it simply, Disney Universe is a fun play.  It's definitely not the most innovative of games, but it plays as intended.  It takes the LEGO approach in the sense that, at it's core, it's easy to get the hang of, but despite it's simplistic design, there's actually much more to do than meets the eye.  It's a fun, time consuming game that's enjoyable solo or with a group of friends.  Take into account it's lower-than-average $49.99 price point and you've got yourself a pretty purchase.  Disney Interactive should not only be commended for a good game, but for the fact that they managed to do what no other company has ever done before, bring characters from one Disney movie into the universe of another.  You don't have to be a Disney fanatic to appreciate what they did with Disney Universe.

Available For: PC, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii

                                                                                                       Game Rating:
                   78.00%

Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure

   Skylanders Spyro's Adventure is an Action-Adventure game spin-off from the Spyro series designed for younger players that unlocks a whole new game universe while incorporating a unique gameplay mechanic utilizing more than 30 physical action figures that synch with consoles creating in-game character representations. The first release in the Skylander series, Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Starter Pack contains three action figures, an exclusive game peripheral as well as other items. Action figures are compatible with all versions of the game. The game features co-op and competitive multiplayer, mini-games and more.

  When dealing with peripherals, gamers' living rooms are usually cluttered with various plastic instruments, wii-remote attachments, or other add-ons that seemingly take our gaming experience to the next level. Developer Toys for Bob takes this immersion one step further with Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, where the boundaries between toys and video games are basically nonexistant.

  To kick things off, this isn't your typical Spyro game, in fact, you can opt to not play as Spyro during the entire story. Confused? See in this game, Spyro is just one of the many Skylanders (32 to be exact), creatures that act as the protectors of ancient lands called Skylands. If trouble were to ever arise, beings called the Portal Masters would summon these Skylanders to fight for them and keep the peace. This is where you come in. The Portal Masters are no more; the last one was turned into a floating spirit head.  Also, all of the Skylanders were turned into miniature, plastic versions of themselves and were transported to Earth (conveniently to nearest retail chains near you). With the included USB powered Portal of Power and Skylanders figures, you're able to restore peace to Skylands once more.

  The game plays much like Gauntlet. You choose a character and tear through over a dozen chapters as you level up, gain new abilities, and acquire new gear, except with a more kid friendly undertone. Every Skylander starts off fairly weak, but as you go through the game and level them up, they become quite the force to be reckoned with. Besides just blasting away everything in sight, the game encourages exploration, as there are always a few areas hidden away in each level that contain extremely useful items, such as chests with treasure that can be used to upgrade abilities, stat boosting hats, or each character's signature skill. The key to acquiring some of these are elements.

   Each Skylander has an association with one of the eight elements. Each level houses a few elemental doors which can only be accessed by a Skylander of that same element. A quick switch to Spyro will grant you access to any magic doors, while Trigger Happy will unlock tech doors and so on. The system is only flawed by the fact that you're essentially required to go and buy at least one Skylander of each element (excluding the ones that come packaged with the game) to be able to access every single door.

   Many of the Skylanders do play differently. Sure the game is made up of two attack buttons with an upgradeable third one, but I appreciated that the characters all not only looked different, but possessed varied abilities. Spyro comes with his signature fireball and charge attack, Gill Grunt blasts his enemies away with a powerful harpoon attack or a steady water jet stream, and Trigger Happy is a nimble little guy with two fast shooting revolvers and a golden safe that he chucks at enemies (these all come with the game).

  For a game that's primarily aimed at kids, there is quite a lot of content to be found here. Besides the fairly lengthy Story mode, which can also be replayed again to finish all of the side goals, such as completing a level under a certain time or finding all of the hidden chests, there is also a multiplayer mode which pits you and a friend in arena style combat. Not to mention, leveling up all the various characters will take some time as well.

  The best part is that you're not required to purchase any of the additional characters. Sure, you won't unlock every single elemental door, and you are limiting yourself to only three playable characters, but the game is still absolutely beatable, and you have full access to all the achievements, as well. On the flipside, there are some added benefits to owning these little guys. Each time you register one in your game, you get another added bonus to your characters, such as 110% Experience Point gain.

  You're getting the same content on each system as far as Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii goes, except you're obviously getting a much better resolution and textures with the two former systems. That said, the game still doesn't look that stellar on either of the hi-def systems, and looks more like it was a port from the Wii, which is a bit disappointing.
Though the game itself isn't very groundbreaking in terms of gameplay, the tech behind it surely is. It's a fun dungeon crawler that's even better when you have a friend along for the journey. The game never forces you to buy any additional characters, and is just as enjoyable with the starting ones. That said, the additional characters are a blast to play as, and shouldn't be dismissed purely on the basis that they must be bought at a retailer.

For: iPhone, PC, XBOX 360, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Playstation 3

                                                                                                 Game Rating:
                  93.00%

MySims

  Explore a whole new world with MySims--it's your world to transform. Move to a town that has been struggling lately. With a little creativity and some help from the locals, you can make this place thrive. Improve the town to attract new characters, from the Italian chef and florist to the kickboxing instructor and DJ. Discover what the residents want and need, so that you can help them enjoy life in their town.

  

  MySims is about micro-managing, but instead of creating a character and then getting a job and living a life vicariously through that character, you create a character and embark into a fantasy world that is falling apart. Your goal is to rebuild it … sometimes literally and sometimes just in terms of relationships.

In MySims, the world is a fantasy kingdom that has fallen into a state of disrepair. There were builders, who created everything from houses to environmental elements and furniture. The last builder disappeared and since that time Sims have moved away. The central town is sparsely populated and the mayor needs something, or someone, that will help bring the people back. That’s where you come in – you are a new builder. Your job is to build a house, a workshop, gather Essences to use in creating attributes for the items you build, and then build the buildings and furnishings that will take the town from a sparse population to a robust, thriving community.

The game is rather linear in the design of the missions, but players are free to build items when they wish and to have some fun with bypassing the ghost blueprint and get creative in the design of the item being built.

The game begins with the player creating a character and then arriving in the town to start the renovations. Of course you have to meet with the mayor and that will embark players on a tutorial of the game’s mechanics. Building houses and businesses evolve around a building plot where you can drop shapes from a decent selection of building components, and then one-touch paint them. To start with, you will need blueprints to get the basic ideas down, but as you progress, you can use the basic building blocks to create your own furniture and accessories.

  Don’t worry if you get a little lost the first few spins around the town. There is a map and you can click on a location to bring up in-game navigation.

And then there are the Essences, which initially come into play as you enter the painting mode. Later, you can use them to build (like the red apples you initially collect) to make items appeal to Sims more.

If you are starting to think this sounds a little familiar, you are right. MySims launched on the Wii and Nintendo DS in September of 2007. The major difference between those titles and the PC version is, of course, the game controls and the amount of content available on the PC. The PC version has much more in terms of characters and things to create. 

 

  The controls for the PC version are simple enough to understand. You can use the WASD to move, but the camera is rotated with the Q and E buttons. When you are in build mode, you rotate objects with keys in the same key framework. 

  The game also sports a multiplayer element with players able to visit a shared garden space by using the train station. You can interact with others, trade items and build a small social network. 

For: Nintendo DS, Wii, PC.
 

Also available: MySims Skyheroes, MySims Agents and MySims Agents.
           Game Rating:                    
 73.36%