Release Archives: WEEK OF MAY 10, 20055.10.2005 Cold Winter Dev. Swordfish Studios Pub. Vivendi Universal MSRP: $49.99 Systems: PS2 What have Swordfish studios developed previous to the British-spy centered first peron shooter Cold Winter? Why, everyone favorite smash-hit, World Championship Rugby! Seriously though, it's not as bad as you might think. There are some fun physics here and there, allowing you to pull off such classics as "throw the box at the baddie" and "kick his body around once he's down", and some fun weapons and gadgets to mess around with. It would have been significantly more impressive two years ago (when they started to hype the game), but it's still a decent rental now. Donkey Konga 2 Dev. Nintendo Pub. Nintendo MSRP: $49.99 (w/ bongos), $34.99 (w/o bongos) Systems: GC What's worse than the tracklist of the new Donkey Konga game? A kick in the teeth? Any other rhythm game, ever? Shockingly, neither. It's about as bad as it gets, and it's a damn shame, because banging and clapping your hands like a brain moron is pure joy otherwise. I mean, if you're a fan of both Avril Lavigne, Good Charlotte AND La Bamba, and still have opposable thumbs to play video games with, props to you, this is probably worth your well begged-for or inherited pity money. All others should probably spend their Gamecube budget elsewhere (like on Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat, which is such a superior bongo game it's hardly funny). Haunting Ground Dev. Capcom Pub. Capcom MSRP: $39.99 Systems: PS2 Damn inconsistent Capcom. First off, their Production Studio #4 goes and makes Viewtiful Joe, P.N. 03, Under the Skin, and Resident Evil 4 (in that order), then Production Studio #1 makes Monster Hunter, Devil May Cry 3 and now Haunting Ground. If you're wondering, this is one of the bad ones. Not awful, but unoriginal enough to make you shed a tear or two. Well, not so much unoriginal as a combination of other bad games. Clock Tower 3 meets Dead to Rights, anyone? If you couldn't figure it out by that combparison (man, do I make up great words ot what?), you're constantly pursued by a rather ugly hunchback called Debilitas, while being assisted by your faithful German Sherpard (Dogbilitas?). The graphics ain't bad, and the gameplay ain't awful, but why would I play this when Resident Evil 4, Silent Hill, and even Obscure are available? - Nick |
