ShareThis"X-Men Origins: Wolverine"
Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, PS2, PSP, DS
Genre: Action
Publisher: Activision
ESRB Rating: M, for Mature
Grade: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
Wolverine was never my favorite X-Men character. I was one of those crazy kids who tried to go against the grain and find another character to enjoy while all my childhood friends raved over That Guy With The Claws.
No matter your opinion of the feature film this game is based upon, I can confidently say that the video game of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" is what comic-book fans would have liked the film to be. Instead of the PG-13 romp with all the romantic side plots and silly acting, the video game is dark, dark and darker. And along for the ride is a ton of claw-slashing gore.
The game offers the kind of action fans are accustomed to from the comics. Players can eviscerate opponents at will and the blood flies -- along with heads, arms and so on. The action is satisfying even if the game possesses more than a few glitches.
The controls are easy to grasp, and you will mash buttons for a long while before you have to get smart and use more strategy to defeat harder enemies. The game's finishing moves are the stuff you'd expect from horror-genre games.
The level design is fairly nondescript -- it could have easily been taken from another game, but who cares? -- while the boss battles are sometimes underwhelming and disappointing. And don't get me started on when my franchise favorite, Gambit, gets randomly thrown into the game and I had to wail on him. Sad times.
"Wolverine's" a short game, so it may not be worth the full asking price. Without any online or multiplayer modes, renting it and blazing through it claws-a-glimmering might the most practical route.
While "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" may be too much for younger gamers and it's far from perfect, it's actually one of the better movie-to-game ports, if only because it plays and looks like what the movie should have been.
"Excitebots: Trick Racing"
Platform: Wii
Genre: Racing
Publisher: Nintendo
ESRB Rating: E, for Everyone
Grade: 4 stars
Now that "MarioKart" is starting to become old hat in the Wii world, it's appropriate that Nintendo has decided to fill the racing gap with a hyper-styled game like "Excitebots." If you played the forerunner, "Excite Truck," the gaming style here will feel familiar. If not, get ready for an overload of the senses.
There is always a lot going on when playing "Excitebots." You have to win the race, but more than that you have to collect the most stars on each track. Yes, that means it is possible to come in second (or third or worse) and still win because star count is the determining factor.
And there is a reason the game's title says trick racing. Beyond being just a race, the game bombards you with side tasks and mini-games to help you rack up a high star count. Smashing into bowling pins, playing a tambourine, kicking a soccer ball into a goal, bashing your opponents with a hammer -- it's all part of the hectic fun.
The characters you race are diverse little animal robots that transform into flying/running/speed-demon maniacs. Upgrading them (or unlocking new ones) using your stars is easy and gives the game depth. Players can race online, where up to six contestants can heave toward the finish line, and the frame rate remains strong despite the chaotic happenings onscreen.
Wii owners young and old should have a hard time tiring of this game, which makes it easy for me to recommend that you buy it.
(E-mail Chris Campbell at game_on_games(at)mac.com)
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