Checking out 'Quantum of Solace,' 'Lightsaber Duels' and more

"James Bond: Quantum of Solace"Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PC, PS2, DSGenre: ActionPublisher: ActivisionESRB Rating: T, for TeenGrade: 3 stars (out of 5)Longtime readers probably know that I hesitate reviewing movie-themed games. Most of the time they are bland, thinly veiled marketing ploys just itching to squeeze another $60 out of the consumer. And in today's economy, no one wants to drop that kind of cash on a lackluster tschotke."Quantum of Solace" does not do the James Bond brand justice through its single-player campaign. Yes, you do get some exciting shootouts in Bond-type locales. Yes, there is a high rate of satisfaction from sneaking around and plucking off the baddies with your silencer pistol. But the campaign is extremely brief and the momentum you've spent a few hours building up to is left dangling.Where "Solace" really shines is the multiplayer. Harking back to the great days of N64 multiplayer modes, "Solace" has a slew of them unique to Bond lore (man with the golden gun, for example) and will have you dipping back in to play one more round more often than you think.You would not be a fool for picking up "Quantum of Solace," but unless you are a huge multiplayer fan, you may want to rent this before committing the cash."MotorStorm: Pacific Rift"Platform: PlayStation 3Genre: RacingPublisher: SonyESRB Rating: T, for TeenGrade: 3.5 starsThe first "MotorStorm" game showed promise. It lacked content, and while it did some things well, it didn't do enough to make it a standout title when the PS3 was first released. Now that time has elapsed, Sony has gotten its hands dirty, creating new tracks and expanding the host of gameplay modes, making "Pacific Rift" a hearty sequel.Some might just call this a racing game, but what takes "MotorStorm" up a notch is the beauty of the terrain. Racing against all manner of vehicles (ATVs, monster trucks, dirt bikes, etc.) all in one race is a thrill.Nearly every other major racing game always has you going against similar types of vehicles, but here, size, speed and muscle can mean the difference between winning and getting chucked over a cliff."Pacific Rim" has twice as many courses as the original. The graphics have taken a nice step forward, most recognizably in the new courses that can be truly thrilling to race on. More expansive multiplayer and online game modes complete the package, giving players tons of replay value and options.Most sequels either keep things the same or take a step back, but "MotorStorm" was so thin it was easy to improve. Thankfully, Sony went a long way in beefing up the franchise, which looks to be its marquee racing series of the future."Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels"Platforms: Wii, DSGenre: ActionPublisher: LucasArtsESRB Rating: T, for TeenGrade: 3 starsEven putting the power of the almighty lightsaber in your hands fails to quell the simple fact that no developer has adequately delivered a stunning swordfighting game on the Wii. This is certainly not a terrible game -- and, in fact, is quite enjoyable. But when you pair up two brands with such a history of innovation -- Nintendo and "Star Wars" -- perhaps the bar of expectations gets set staggeringly high.Taking place between Episode II and III in the "Star Wars" pantheon, the game is closely tied to the animated feature film that was recently released. Galactic turmoil is rampant, and so it's up to Anakin and Obi Wan to battle it out against the forces of the Empire. Beautifully rendered cutscenes (both original and from the film) help drive the narrative, and they set up each fight perfectly.Parrying, blocking and thrusting with the Wii remote, both in this game and others, just hasn't reached a technically proficient moment so far. While the results look OK onscreen, the actions you are making still are not fluid enough. And instead of button-mashing, you are just wagging the controllers uncontrollably, hoping something works.In the end, it's just not the experience you'd expect, considering that it's a "Star Wars" game and based on lightsaber duels. You want to experience the power and grace of wielding a lightsaber, but you're left with waving plastic in thin air.(E-mail Chris Campbell at game_on_games(at)mac.com)