Video Game Reviews by Jeb Haught

DEVELOPER: 38 Studios
PUBLISHER: EA
SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360 (PS3)
PRICE: $59.99
ESRB RATING: Teen
REVIEW RATING: 4.0 stars (out of 5)

Great games inevitably spawn copycats, but that's not always a bad thing. When a new feature is incorporated into several similar games, it usually becomes a staple that helps define the genre. "Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning" has a familiar feel due to the abundance of RPG staples, and the awesome combat system makes it hard to put down!

When a deadly enemy known as the Tuatha attacks the kingdom of Amalur, only one hero can save the day. Too bad that hero (your character) was just killed in battle. Fortunately, some local gnomes have figured out the secret to resurrection, and guess who's the first human to be reanimated? Now it's up to players to fulfill their own destiny and return peace to Amalur.

"Reckoning" sports many modern RPG conveniences, including an open world; fast travel; socketed armor and weapons; color-coordinated gear; skill trees; crafting; and the freedom to map abilities to the controller. As a result, this enjoyable RPG seems more like a vast, single-player MMO.

However, unlike MMOs, "Reckoning" doesn't stifle players with limits and irreversible choices. For example, it's possible to invest skill points in whatever skills are available instead of being forced to select a class. This means that it's possible to be a warrior, mage, rogue or any combination, which is great because players can tailor game-play to their own style.

There's lots to see and do in Amalur, but the best aspect of this game is the awesome combat. It seamlessly combines action-based melee fighting with the ability to sling spells and arrows. I love how I can perform stealth attacks to initiate combat and then whack away at enemies with blades, dodge to the side and unleash arrows and/or spells, and then start hacking away again! Very few RPGs offer combat this fun and exciting!

Boring side-quests and a limited variety of enemies make "Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning" less than perfect, but it's still great fun to play.

'Jak and Daxter Collection'

DEVELOPER: Naughty Dog
PUBLISHER: Sony
SYSTEM: Sony PlayStation 3
PRICE: $39.99
ESRB RATING: Teen
REVIEW RATING: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

Naughty Dog is world-renowned for the excellent "Uncharted" trilogy, but the developers excelled at creating great platform games before the PS3 was introduced.

Anyone who missed out on the "Jak and Daxter" series can now experience their humorous hijinks in glorious HD by playing "Jak and Daxter Collection." Unfortunately, little else was added to the series.

"Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy" is the first game both in the series and on the disc. This title emphasizes navigation and perfectly timed leaps over combat and then adds item collection and outdated fetch quests. Despite being upgraded to HD, this game visually shows its age with its flat textures and occasional bad camera angles.

Comparing visuals and game play, "Jak II" is superior to its predecessor by leaps and bounds. It has a darker story line, introduces gunplay to the series and features a large open world to explore. This game focuses on combat more than platforming, which is evident in Jak's ability to transform into a darker, more powerful character during combat.

Without a doubt, "Jak 3" was — and still is — the best in the series. This is evident in the wide variety of game-play that switches between racing, hunting, platforming, arena shooting and arcade gaming. Surprisingly, all of these styles are fun to play and have tight controls! This game was way ahead of its time and shows hints of what was to come with the "Uncharted" series.

In addition to HD visuals that run at 60 fps, the 'Jak and Daxter Collection" also has support for 3-D TVs. With over 100 PS3 trophies as the only other upgrade to the series, it's hard to recommend this collection to anyone unless they either haven't played the series or they own a 3-D TV.

REVIEW SCORING SYSTEM

5 stars = Must-Have
4 stars = Very Good
3 stars = Above Average
2 stars = Bargain Bin
1 star = Don't Bother

RATINGS KEY

Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
E: Everyone
E10-plus: (Everyone 10 and older)
T: Teen (13 and older)
M: Mature (17 and older)

To find out more about Jeb Haught and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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