'No More Heroes' is bizarre, absurd...and a blast

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"No More Heroes"Platform: WiiGenre: ActionPublisher: UbisoftESRB Rating: M for MatureGrade: 5 stars out of 5The Wii has fewer than 10 games in the Mature category, so your options are limited. But a game like "No More Heroes" makes you realize that quality far outpaces quantity.From the makers of the groundbreaking and visually engaging "Killer7" comes a similarly bizarre story about a young man who buys a light saber-wannabe online and gets wrapped up in a story that is beyond eccentric -- but absolutely hilarious and brutal all at once. The plot is too convoluted to explain, but the action and game play are easy to grasp and set the right tone.Using a solid mix of button-mashing and Wii-sensitive controls, you will spend a lot of your time making a bloodbath of the city you're in. If you loved the pivotal scene in "Kill Bill Vol. 1," get ready to gleefully recreate it throughout this game.From stylized graphic design to relentless action that is capped off by boss battles that are unique and entertaining, this game can easily be placed in the top echelon of Wii games. Lose yourself in its absurdity and have a blast."Advance Wars: Days of Ruin"Platform: DSGenre: StrategyPublisher: NintendoESRB Rating: E for EveryoneGrade: 3.5 stars out of 5It's fascinating to see a franchise mature over time, and Advance Wars pumps out a new title every two years. But with "Days of Ruin," there is a markedly new tone, a shift to the darker side as the story and visuals depict a bleaker environment than the colorful and playful approach of previous versions.This turn-based strategy series has been a staple in strategy genre for the Game Boy/DS arsenal since 2001, and a main factor is its accessibility. Just about anyone can dive right in and play, whether you have strategy experience or not."Days of Ruin" is a tad more complicated because the difficulty level is much higher, so this time some may feel overwhelmed. Moving units around and engaging in battles will feel familiar, while adapting to the new environments and new weaponry might be a bit more cumbersome than usual.One of the best features is the multiplayer, where you can battle online and also access tons of maps (a map editor is even available, to share custom maps). In addition to the single-player campaign, this is one of the deepest DS games on the market.Fans will get a shock with this more mature edition of the Advance Wars saga, but it's definitely not a game to miss.Atari Classics EvolvedPlatform: PSPGenre: CompilationPublisher: AtariESRB Rating: E for EveryoneGrade: 1.5 star out of 5Around the country local pubs are installing classic arcade games for a bit of nostalgia. It's fun to randomly challenge a friend to an old game of Centipede or Missile Command, and it's even better to play these on the old game cabinets that only accept quarters and remind you of full-scale arcades of the '80s.That nostalgia becomes even more pronounced when you attempt these games on the PSP in "Atari Classics Evolved." This compilation isn't completely terrible, but it has its faults that make it difficult to wholly enjoy.The game includes updated versions of classics, like new takes on "Asteroids" and "Pong." But the visuals are so overdone that they make the game play hard to follow, and the control scheme just doesn't fit well, especially because the PSP's analog stick is just impossible to control.Lastly, you can unlock all the Atari 2600 titles, but it's a huge tease, because to do so you have to complete four tasks on each game. That is nearly impossible, no matter what your skill level is. Even for its budget $20 price, you'd be better off dumping your quarters into the original games.(Contact Chris Campbell at game_on_games(at)mac.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)