The specific balance between platforming action and RPG convention that Intelligent Systems struck with Super Paper Mario earlier this year was revelatory, and it made for one of those genuinely unique game experiences. As good as it was, there was a certain contingency that lamented the change of pace from the first two Paper Mario […]

The Nintendo DS rendition of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is a prime example of why video games based on movies tend to get a bad rap. This collection of side-scrolling levels, shoot-’em-up stages, and boss battles gives the distinct impression that the developer just quickly threw some levels together then shoehorned the […]

For fans of golf video games, the words “Hot Shots” conjure up images of goofy, cartoonlike characters playing fast-paced golf on fictional courses in far-off places. The Hot Shots Golf series has been tremendously popular since its debut on the PlayStation, and now, with Hot Shots Tennis, developer Clap Hanz is hoping that the “Hot […]

The PlayStation 2 may have reached its twilight years, but there is no shortage of great games being released for it. Enter Persona 3, the latest in the Shin Megami Tensei series to reach American shores. Luckily, you won’t need any previous experience with the Persona franchise to appreciate its uniquely dark sensibilities, though series […]

In the genre of shoot-’em-ups, which includes games like Gradius and R-Type, there exists a subgenre that many people refer to as “cute-’em-ups.” Structurally speaking, a cute-’em-up is like any other side-scrolling shooter. However, whereas traditional shooters tend to depict futuristic spaceships engaging in battle with serious alien creatures, a cute-’em-up usually features a goofy […]