Video Game Reviews from Creators Syndicate

'Hot Shots Golf World Invitational' is Vital to Vita for 02/17/2012

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: Clap Hanz
PUBLISHER: Sony
SYSTEM: PS Vita
PRICE: $39.99
ESRB RATING: Everyone
REVIEW RATING: 4.0 stars (out of 5)

I don't play golf in real life, but I love smacking golf balls around in cyberspace. That's why I'm thrilled to play the whimsical "Hot Shots Golf World Invitational" on Sony's impressive new handheld gaming system. It's not ...

Updated: Fri Feb 17, 2012

Awesome Combat Highlights 'Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning' for 02/10/2012

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

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: Rec ...

Updated: Fri Feb 10, 2012

'Final Fantasy XIII-2' Is a Solid Sequel for 02/03/2012

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: Square Enix
PUBLISHER: Square Enix
SYSTEM: Sony PlayStation 3 (Xbox 360)
PRICE: $59.99
ESRB RATING: Teen
REVIEW RATING: 4.0 stars (out of 5)

"Final Fantasy" games are known for presenting iconic Japanese characters that explore vast, surrealistic vistas while making new friends and battling nasty enemies. Unfortunately, "Final Fanta ...

Updated: Fri Feb 03, 2012

'Oil Rush' Is a Surprise Hit for 01/27/2012

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: Unigine Corp.
PUBLISHER: Unigine Corp.
SYSTEM: Windows 7/Vista/XP
PRICE: $19.99
ESRB RATING: Teen
REVIEW RATING: 4.0 stars (out of 5)

Great games usually have extensive marketing, so why didn't I hear of real-time strategy/tower-defense hybrid "Oil Rush" before its release? Probably because the developers invested their limited resources ...

Updated: Fri Jan 27, 2012

Explore a Familiar Universe in 'Star Wars: The Old Republic' for 01/20/2012

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: BioWare
PUBLISHER: EA
SYSTEM: Windows 7/Vista/XP
PRICE: $59.99 + monthly fee
ESRB RATING: Teen
REVIEW RATING: 4.0 stars (out of 5)

"World of Warcraft" has reigned as the undisputed king of MMO games for years, so it isn't surprising that the only real contender is basically a "WoW" clone with lasers and light-sabers. As ...

Updated: Fri Jan 20, 2012

'Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath' Is a Fantastic Remake for 01/13/2012

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: Just Add Water

PUBLISHER: Just Add Water

SYSTEM: Sony PSN download

PRICE: $14.99

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 4.5 stars (out of 5)

With the HD remake of EA's Wild West-inspired action title, "Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath," the popular but quirky series has not only changed publishers, but it's also taken on a completely ne ...

Updated: Fri Jan 13, 2012

Relive World War II With 'Heroes in the Sky' for 01/06/2012

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: GameUS
PUBLISHER: GamesCampus
SYSTEM: Windows 7/Vista/XP
PRICE: Free download plus micro-transactions
ESRB RATING: Teen
REVIEW RATING: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

GamesCampus invites budding pilots to fly the unfriendly skies over Europe and the Pacific Ocean in the action-packed flying game, "Heroes in the Sky." This unusual massively multipla ...

Updated: Fri Jan 06, 2012

Guide a Heroic Trio Through 'Trine 2' for 12/30/2011

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: Frozenbyte

PUBLISHER: Atlus

SYSTEM: Microsoft XBL download (PC, PSN)

PRICE: $15.00

ESRB RATING: E10+

REVIEW RATING: 4.5 stars (out of 5)

"Trine" was a surprise hit in 2009 due to its unique blend of various genres that offered addictive 2-D game play set against stunning 3-D backgrounds. Thankfully, the sequel features an e ...

Updated: Fri Dec 30, 2011

'Mercury Hg' Provides Elemental Enjoyment for 12/23/2011

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: UTV Ignition Games

PUBLISHER: UTV Ignition Games

SYSTEM: MSN download (PSN)

PRICE: $5

ESRB RATING: Everyone

REVIEW RATING: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

UTV Ignition Games sets out to prove that science can be fun with their download-only, physics-based puzzle game, "Mercury Hg." Although the basic game-play premise is simplistic, th ...

Updated: Fri Dec 23, 2011

'Rayman Origins' Perfects 2-D Platforming for 12/16/2011

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: Ubisoft

PUBLISHER: Ubisoft

SYSTEM: Sony PlayStation 3 (Xbox 360, Wii)

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: E10+

REVIEW RATING: 4.5 stars (out of 5)

Mario has ruled the platforming genre of video games ever since the Super NES was introduced, but he eventually moved on to more complicated 3-D adventures. With the release of "Rayman Or ...

Updated: Fri Dec 16, 2011

Zip Through Constantinople in 'Assassin's Creed: Revelations' for 12/09/2011

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: Ubisoft

PUBLISHER: Ubisoft

SYSTEM: Sony PlayStation 3 (Xbox 360, PC)

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Mature

REVIEW RATING: 4.0 stars (out of 5)

Ubisoft's "Assassin's Creed" series has managed to impress fans of both stealth and action ever since its inception. While most third-person games excel at one or the other, this series ...

Updated: Fri Dec 09, 2011

Children Will Love Playing 'Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure' for 12/02/2011

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: Activision

PUBLISHER: Activision

SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360 (PC, PS3, Wii)

PRICE: $69.99 (Starter Pack)

ESRB RATING: Everyone

REVIEW RATING: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

It's been said that video games make imaginary characters come to life, but Activision takes this idea one step further with "Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure." This u ...

Updated: Fri Dec 02, 2011

'Need for Speed: The Run' Could Use More Racing and Less Running for 11/25/2011

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: Black Box Studios

PUBLISHER: EA

SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

Electronic Arts' "Need for Speed" racing series has been all over the road ever since the publishing giant decided to release a new installment each year. As a result, different developers have taken ...

Updated: Fri Nov 25, 2011

'Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception' Plays Like an Interactive Movie for 11/18/2011

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: Naughty Dog

PUBLISHER: Sony

SYSTEM: Sony PlayStation 3

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 4.0 stars (out of 5)

Developers Naughty Dog certainly broke away from their "Crash Bandicoot" mold when they created "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune," and it turned out to be a very successful formula. However, that w ...

Updated: Fri Nov 18, 2011

'The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim' Is Truly Breathtaking for 11/11/2011

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

DEVELOPER: Bethesda

PUBLISHER: Bethesda

SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360 (PS3)

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Mature

REVIEW RATING: 5.0 stars (out of 5)

In our modern society, where most people expect immediate gratification, role-playing games aren't what they used to be. Sure, the old-school RPG formula could use some streamlining, but not to the point w ...

Updated: Fri Nov 11, 2011

Discover New Lore in 'Lord of the Rings: War in the North' for 11/04/2011

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0700

DEVELOPER: Snowblind Studios

PUBLISHER: Warner Bros.

SYSTEM: Sony PlayStation 3 (PC, Xbox 360)

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Mature

REVIEW RATING: 3.0 stars (out of 5)

Most people love to become enveloped in Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy, but the same can't be said for most "LOTR" games. Even though they accur ...

Updated: Fri Nov 04, 2011

'Battlefield 3' Unleashes Killer Modern Warfare for 10/28/2011

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

DEVELOPER: DICE

PUBLISHER: EA

SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360 (PC, PS3)

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Mature

REVIEW RATING: 4 stars (out of 5)

Ever since "Battlefield 2" was released to much fanfare back in 2005, several installments of the series have come and gone. These were merely diversions, however, because after six years, the time has ...

Updated: Fri Oct 28, 2011

Gaming Doesn't Get Any Better Than 'Batman: Arkham City' for 10/21/2011

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

DEVELOPER: Rocksteady Studios

PUBLISHER: Warner Bros.

SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360 (PC, PS3)

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 5.0 stars (out of 5)

As a professional nitpicker, it's my job to look past the glossy exterior of video games in order to evaluate each title in its entirety. Part of this process includes veering off the inte ...

Updated: Fri Oct 21, 2011

'Spider-Man: Edge of Time' Proves Two Isn't Always Better Than One for 10/14/2011

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

DEVELOPER: Beenox

PUBLISHER: Activision

SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360 (PS3, Wii)

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 3.0 stars (out of 5)

Spider-Man used to star in a popular video game series, but like most insects, he quickly wore out his welcome. "Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions" reinvented the series by letting players co ...

Updated: Fri Oct 14, 2011

Embracing 'Rage' Is Nothing to be Ashamed of for 10/07/2011

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

DEVELOPER: id Software

PUBLISHER: Bethesda Softworks

SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360 (PC, PS3)

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Mature

REVIEW RATING: 4.5 stars (out of 5)

First-person shooter fans know that any game made by John Carmack and the id Software crew is sure to be top-notch. Their refusal to compromise high quality just to rush a title to store ...

Updated: Fri Oct 07, 2011