Video Game Reviews by Jeb Haught

DEVELOPER: Capcom

PUBLISHER: Capcom

SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360 (PS3)

PRICE: $39.99

ESRB RATING: Mature

REVIEW RATING: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

Last year, Capcom released an enjoyable and challenging Western-style action RPG called "Dragon's Dogma." Now an expansion titled "Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen" has been released that also includes the original game. Players who are new to the series as well as seasoned veteran can expect a difficult challenge in this dark and scaly fantasy realm.

Warriors have been called heartless since the dawn of time, but the hero of this game has literally had his heart ripped out by a ferocious dragon! After defeating the evil threat in the original game, players are now tasked with venturing below ground into the dismal dungeon known as Bitterback Isle to defeat over 25 new types of enemies and discover new treasures.

The unusual Pawn system, which gives players access to computer-controlled party members, returns in this expansion. Up to three Pawns can accompany the player's hero, and they are fully customizable. It's amusing and sometimes helpful to hear Pawns offer player advice on fighting tough bosses, but they can be very repetitive and sometimes don't follow their own advice.

Thankfully, the combat found in this title is both intuitive and unpredictable. There are few, if any, enemies that are easy to defeat, and players always have to be aware of new enemies entering battle. This can dramatically change the course of combat and make average fights very difficult.

Speaking of which, the final areas of this game are extremely challenging and don't seem to ... err ... scale properly with previous areas. It doesn't help that Pawns can act helpful one moment and detrimental the next. Add a constant slew of immobilizing or poisonous afflictions caused by enemies, and the result may very well be a broken TV screen.

"Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen" has it's fair share of flaws, but persistent players will be rewarded with the knowledge that they're a virtual dragon-slayer.

'Evoland'

DEVELOPER: Shiro Games

PUBLISHER: Shiro Games

SYSTEM: Windows PC

PRICE: $10

ESRB RATING: E

REVIEW RATING: 2.5 stars (out of 5)

Nostalgia can be as enjoyable as it is deceitful.

I have fond memories of several games I played years ago, but playing them now is a painful experience. Apparently, some things are best left in the past, and the PC game called "Evoland" proves that point to the extreme.

Rather than create a storyline beyond "save the town and destroy the supreme bad guy," the developers have turned the journey into the story. "Evoland" basically showcases the evolution of action games with amusing references to gaming features that have either become completely outdated or integral to modern titles. Sadly, an intriguing story was not one of those concepts.

Players begin their outdated adventure by controlling a two-dimensional hero in a monochrome world who can only move to the right. By discovering chests, he soon unlocks the ability to move left as well as unlocking background music and basic combat. Eventually he unlocks high-texture visuals, a mini-map and even three-dimensional game play.

Most players will love how "Evoland" pays homage to familiar games like "Zelda," "Final Fantasy" and "Diablo." I admit that it's cool to unlock a traveling companion that fights with the hero as well as the ability to summon a monster. One area that is particularly enjoyable is when I got to switch between 2D and 3D visuals by whacking crystals, but that feature came and went too quickly.

Even the turn-based combat is fun, at first. It's just too bad that random battles every few steps ruins this feature. Sure it resembles the random battles of past games, but some features are more annoying than they are fun. Similarly, it's cool to gain the ability to increase my character's level, but it would be nice to see how many experience points are required. Another oversight is the lack of a sprint feature in the evolution process.

"Evoland" is an interesting concept that should focus more on enjoyable game play than simply invoking nostalgia.

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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