Video Game Reviews by Jeb Haught

DEVELOPER: Drinkbox Studios

PUBLISHER: Drinkbox Studios

SYSTEM: Sony PS Vita (PS3)

PRICE: $14.99 download

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 4.0 stars (out of 5)

I rarely find Mexican humor to be laughable, which makes watching TV channels like Telemundo quite painful. Even the movies "Nacho Libre" and "Casa de me Padre" made me groan more than smile. However, the hilarious video game titled "Guacamelee!" piles on extra cheese for a tasty result.

In a world where phrases like "in a world ... " are still taken seriously, an average Jose named Juan performs menial tasks for a living. His life is turned upside down when El Presidente's daughter is kidnapped, and Juan is killed trying to save her. Fortunately, Juan is raised from the dead and transformed into a mighty Luchadore, complete with a magical mask and ultra-broad shoulders!

Although Juan is limited to jumping and one type of punching attack at the beginning of this action platformer, he soon learns a fiesta of spicy new moves. Eventually, he can pull off powerful attacks like the pile driver, rooster uppercut and suplex as well as the ability to toss enemies into each other. This makes it extremely fun to build up powerful combos and smash through enemies.

I also like how new platforming moves, like running on walls, are required to traverse certain areas. As a result, it's tempting to return to previous areas to explore them for worthwhile rewards. My favorite platforming move, simply because it's so silly, has to be transforming into a non-threatening chicken to strut through tunnels.

Also cool is the ability to travel between the Land of the Living and the Land of the Dead. At first this can only be achieved by using special portals, but eventually players can do it at will. Not only is it visually compelling to travel between worlds, but some areas later in the game make it a requirement.

"Guacamelee!" may be ridiculous, but how can you not love a game filled with luchadores, sugar skulls, drunken enemies and chickens?

'Shootmania Storm'

DEVELOPER: Nadeo

PUBLISHER: UbiSoft

SYSTEM: Windows 8/7/Vista

PRICE: $19.99 Steam download

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 4.0 stars (out of 5)

Modern shooters can be very fun but most are overwhelmingly intricate.

Sometimes I long for the old-school days when heavily modified weapons, kill-streaks, and invulnerable helicopters with mini-guns don't exist. It's times like these that I'm thankful for First Person Shooters like "Shootmania Storm."

Stressing skill over everything else, this hyper-fast, twitch-based shooter is like a cross between "Tribes" and "Quake." Players begin each match with a basic gun that fires a slow-moving energy ball. There's no need to worry about ammo because it recharges itself after four shots, but players cannot fire while recharging. It's also possible to find different weapons like sniper rifles and rail-guns throughout each map.

It's necessary to learn to lead enemies in order to hit them since players use the basic weapon most of the time. Predicting where players move can be very challenging, and low-gravity jumps don't make it any easier. It's even more difficult when players use special platforms and objects to catapult them forwards or upwards at super-fast speeds!

Most levels are wide-open and provide plenty of room for moving around and blasting enemies. But if you don't like how one is set up, simply alter it! That's right, it's possible to change the map rules concerning everything from weapon placement to lighting to the ability to jump. In addition, players can use the built-in level editor to create maps from scratch!

Although the energy weapon effect is pretty cool to see, the overall visuals are rather mediocre. In addition, anyone used to modern shooters may get weary of the repetitive game play and lack of character advancement.

Regardless, "Shootmania Storm" fills the void for players who long for fast-paced, skill-based shooters.

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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