ShareThis"Condemned 2: Bloodshot"Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360Genre: ActionPublisher: SegaESRB Rating: M, for MatureGrade: 4 stars out of 5There is really no argument that "Condemned 2" is one of the most grisly games to be released in recent years.That said, let's also say that "Bloodshot" is a great game and, more importantly, vastly superior to the original. The first "Condemned" got tedious and made fighting and evidence-collecting almost completely un-enjoyable. Now this is all updated with a story and mood that are stellar. This ranks among the most intense gaming experiences since the original "Resident Evil" game was released.Everything in "Bloodshot" is about shock value.Rarely do you get to enjoy the decision of whether to use a baseball bat or locker door to bludgeon a psychopathic bad guy. The gunplay is available, but as with the previous "Condemned," it's neither effective nor reliable."The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return"Platform: WiiGenre: ShooterPublisher: SegaESRB Rating: M, for MatureGrade: 2.5 starsOne of the few games to properly utilize the Wii Zapper, this shooter has much more potential than others.Anyone who has played the arcade version of "The House of the Dead 2" will feel some Deja vu because this is basically the exact same game. There are new bonus modes and other gimmicks thrown in for good measure, but it won't be enough to wow you.Part 3 is an entirely different beast altogether, taking place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. You'll definitely get a different game-play experience here, which is a nice shift in tone, but, again, the game is seriously short and doesn't seem to justify the $30 price.This game should be rented, for sure, but avoid buying it unless you have a constant hankering to replay it."FlatOut: Head On"Platform: PSPGenre: DrivingPublisher: Empire InteractiveESRB Rating: T, for TeenGrade: 3.5 starsThose familiar with the "FlatOut" franchise will love the frenetic pace "Head On" provides. It's all about quick race challenges and multi-car destruction. Perhaps the best mode in this game is the stunt mode. Here you get to build up speed and purposefully eject the driver through the windshield, hurtling him into some form of a target (bowling pins, a big bull's eye, etc.).Play this with friends and there's instant hilarity.The controls are a tad wonky at times, but the visuals and overall style of play make this an excellent PSP title for gamers looking for a fun, car-destroying diversion.(E-mail Chris Campbell at game_on_games(at)mac.com)
Looking at 'Condemned 2,' 'House of the Dead' and more
Submitted by SHNS on Wed, 04/09/2008 - 09:25
Paying taxes unites us. It also divides us. People can pay five and even six times more in state and local taxes than other folks in similar circumstances making similar incomes.
Who's got your number?
In one of the fastest-growing forms of identity theft, crooks are stealing tax refunds by swiping personal information and using it to trick the Internal Revenue Service.
