Video Game Reviews by Jeb Haught

DEVELOPER: Visceral Games

PUBLISHER: EA Games

SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360 (PS3)

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Mature

REVIEW RATING: 2.5 stars (out of 5)

Just like WWII games during the last generation of consoles, modern military combat games have become a dime a dirty dozen. Faceless terrorists and drug cartels are the new Nazis, and Third World countries have replaced Europe as the main fighting ground. Sadly, "Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel" strictly adheres to this formula, which makes it very forgettable.

Players assume the role of operatives Alpha and Bravo as they travel to Mexico to rescue a political prisoner from, you guessed it, an evil drug cartel. Unlike previous games in the series, there's no comedic bro-mance between these new recruits. Instead, it's all about creating intense violence, with occasional moronic one-liners that make my ears numb.

Game play takes on the usual gambit of rescuing hostages, escorting VIPs and blowing away countless "bad guys." While it is enjoyable at first due to the beautifully destructible environments, the constant combat eventually devolves into little more than moving from cover to cover literally blowing enemies to bits. This bloody carnage is both unnecessarily gruesome and boring at the same time.

The fact that enemies act as though they have never seen combat doesn't help matters. Neither does the finicky cover system that requires holding down the same button to take cover that's used to move. On top of that, the "elite fighting machines" that players control are anything but agile, so they just run, shoot and take cover.

At least the new "Overkill" mode makes things slightly more enjoyable. Activating this bonus not only turns Alpha and Bravo invincible, but also makes their bullets more deadly. Fortunately, this extremely powerful power-up can only be used once in a while.

"Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel" is a serviceable shooter, but no one will remember it for long.

'Battleblock Theater'

DEVELOPER: The Behemoth

PUBLISHER: The Behemoth

SYSTEM: Microsoft XBLA

PRICE: $15 Download

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 4.5 stars (out of 5)

Sometimes it's refreshing to play a game crafted by an indie developer that doesn't have to answer to a board of directors.

Sure it may not feature top-notch visuals or Hollywood voice acting, but it also doesn't have to adhere to safe formulas that ensure cash returns. "Battleblock Theater" is a prime example of an outrageous game that's as wildly humorous as it is fun to play.

What would you do if you were enjoying a boat ride with your bestest friend in the world one minute and then found yourself shipwrecked on an island ruled by cats the next? After saying "what the hell?" to yourself and exclaiming, "I love Hello Kitty!" out loud, you'd set off to find your friend, that's what!

These aren't ordinary felines, however, but technologically advanced sadistic animals with a penchant for sending unwary travelers to their doom! Now it's up to players to don the head of their choice (you read that right) and jump through laser beams, buzzsaws and whatever else comes their way in order to save their friend and escape the madness.

High-quality platform games are about as common as a tidy litter box, but "Battleblock Theater" is a wonderful exception. This gem of a game features tight controls and challenging jumping puzzles, which are a must for the genre. It also keeps throwing new game play mechanics at players and features a multitude of hidden secrets to uncover.

Surprisingly, this platformer also offers a bevy of frantic multiplayer modes that are guaranteed to make players laugh out loud! I also love fiddling with the level editor to see if I can top the developers' mad creations.

"Battleblock Theater" may sport simplistic visuals, but the addictive game play will keep players entertained until the cats come home.

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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