Video Game Reviews by Jeb Haught

DEVELOPER: Visceral Games

PUBLISHER: EA Games

SYSTEM: Nintendo Wii

PRICE: $49.99

ESRB RATING: Mature

REVIEW RATING: 4 stars (out of 5)

Halloween is the one night each year when people aren't questioned about indulging in the macabre, but "Dead Space Extraction" lets gamers do so year- round. This scary "rail shooter" forces players through claustrophobic environs and sends monstrous Necromorph creatures scurrying at them from all directions.

Set before the storyline of "Dead Space," this prequel follows the events that led to the infection of the inhabitants on the USG Ishimura. Since the infection originated on the Aegis VII mining colony located on the planet below, players take control of colony members as they fight off a deadly invasion of mutated comrades.

"Dead Space Extraction" is a "rail shooter," which means players control everything but the direction their character walks. Normally, these types of games are very limited, but this title offers much more than simply blasting everything that moves. Some examples of this include: solving puzzles during combat, searching for weapon upgrades and navigating zero-G environments.

Fortunately, the star of this scary story is the combat, which the developers have dubbed "strategic dismemberment." You see, Necromorphs don't have the same vulnerabilities they did as humans, so surgically removing their limbs with gunfire is the most efficient way to dispatch them. If that isn't ghastly enough, special Necromorphs can reanimate mutated humans if they still have a few limbs. To avoid this unpleasant surprise, make sure to remove all limbs from both live and dead enemies. Yuck!

Each weapon has an alternate fire mode that comes in handy during combat. To use alt-fire, just twist the Wiimote sideways and fire away! In addition, activating Kinesis lets players pick up and toss items at enemies using only mental power. This move works great against Necromorphs with exploding arms. Simply sever the arm with a beam weapon, and then use Kinesis to pick it up and toss it back at them. Disarming enemies has never been so much fun!

"Dead Space Extraction" allows two players to team up for intense co-op action, which is not only great fun but also makes boss fights easier.

I can't think of a better way to spend Halloween than dismembering Necromorphs with a pal.

'Cursed Mountain' Proves that Blood is Thicker than Frozen Water

DEVELOPER: Deep Silver

PUBLISHER: Deep Silver

SYSTEM: Nintendo Wii

PRICE: $49.99

ESRB RATING: Mature

REVIEW RATING: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

"Cursed Mountain" is not your typical survival horror game. It doesn't contain zombies, claustrophobic environments or guns of any sort. What it does feature, however, is a very unique storyline in an unusual setting that makes great use of the Wiimote's abilities.

The story takes place in the late 1980s as the skilled mountaineer Eric Simmons fearlessly ascends the Himalayan Mountains in search of his lost brother. Frank was on the hunt for an ancient artifact that is supposed to be imbued with wisdom powerful enough to alter modern civilization. Players take on the role of Eric as he battles ghosts and the environment to find his brother.

During his adventure, Eric encounters ghostly versions of local villagers, monks and other mountaineers who have all been cursed to remain in the shadow world known as Bardo. His only weapon at the start is a magical pickaxe, but he eventually acquires several mystical blades and also gains the ability to fire magic out of his pickaxe.

Several "gestures" are used with the more advanced weapons to attack and finish off enemies, but the controller doesn't always register each motion properly. This leads to the need to repeat gestures just to get them to function properly, which can easily lead to Eric's demise during combat. When they do work, however, the experience is fun and rewarding.

Trudging through the unique setting is a visual treat as players alternate between climbing the mountain and exploring towns and temples. This is definitely one of the better looking games on the Wii, especially the expansive outdoor environments. Oddly enough, the visuals sometimes hinder game play, especially during heavy snowstorms.

"Cursed Mountain" is a refreshing and fun game that can only be experienced on the Wii. That is, if you're brave enough.

REVIEW SCORING SYSTEM

5 stars = Must Have

4 stars = Pretty 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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