Lord of the Rings, one of the most epic fantasy stories ever told is back in video game form.  There have been movies, books and video games showing the heroic journey of Frodo and the ring throughout the years, but who knows what happened on the side, of the heroes that were fighting to save Middle Earth and were not included in the tale.  Lord of the Rings: War in the North follows the paths of three heroes as the fight alongside each other to stop the massing of troops in the north.  Choose your race, as Elf, Dwarf, or Men, and battle either by yourself, or with a friend to create the ultimate team.  Kills creatures, gain skills, armor, and weapons, and eventually defeat Agandaur, Sauron’s brutal right hand man. 

                Fighting, something you do a lot of in this game is a mixture of ranged and melee attacks.  For awhile the combat is fun, and you can get a lot out of it, from gunning down your opponent with either long range magic attacks, or with you bow, or getting up close and personal, and dismembering a few limbs.  However as the game progresses the fighting gets repetitive and lacks originality.  Enemies come periodically and always in the same fashion.   A few charge in, and the rest try to pick you off with their bows.  And while that can get annoying on its own, who would have guessed, Orc sappers will come out of nowhere and blow you to kingdom come.  These bomb attacks are especially frustrating, due to the fact that they will drain you of more than half your health, and they don’t just come one at a time, you could be facing two to three of these at once.  Trolls are another creature that you will find yourself fighting a lot in this game.  Cool at first, you find there is no special way to kill them.  Your fighting style against them becomes run do a quick attack, and roll away.  Do this over and over and eventually the troll will die, but it took a good chunk of time out of your life.  A great change of pace is to call your Eagle (Beleram) just to clear a path for you, however, that to gets to be a dull event

                The armor and leveling up system is good, easy to use, and understand, and adds a lot to the game.  Armor will drop off of dead enemies, or in chests you find throughout the levels, you can also buy armor from merchants, either in cities, or in level they have a blue glowing light, that will act as a vendors shop.  Weapons and the armor look decent in the game, and allow you to change the appearance of your character, looking more badass as the game progresses; you can even, depending on the character you choose to play as, vary up the weapons you use.  Two handed swords or axes, duel wielding swords, or using sword and shield are the combinations.  However, this too has its flaws.  Nearly all the armor you find is pretty much worthless to you, except of course to sell, so the anticipatory “oh my god am I going to get new gear” feeling goes away rather fast.  Also, on the downside, is the fact that your armor takes damage fast.  You will find yourself in need of repair almost every level that you play.  While it is not expensive to do this, it is annoying, as it takes away from you attack power and defense.  Leveling up gives you a ,new and wide variety of aspects to improve upon.  IF you have decided to fight with two handed weapons, then you can put points in your talent tree that corresponds with two handed weapon mastery, and likewise for one handed weapons.  You also have a ranged attack talent tree, and another tree that is linked more with the Elf’s talents for using a staff, and magic ranged attacks.  Along with this, you can put points in your character stats page.  These talents will increase you strength, dexterity, will, and stamina.  All of these are important to making your character the best he/she can be. 

 Limbs and blood spewing about in the first ever M rated “Lord of the Rings” game is awesome, and adds an element to the game that you are not used to.  If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, as I am, you will just be having the time of your life, despite some of the let downs of this game.  Seeing characters from the books that were not in the movies, and going to places such as, Rivendell, Bree, and even the once great Dunedain city of Fornost add an aspect that make this game come alive.  When it comes to rating this game, I have to give it two different ratings.  One is for a game for people that would like an RPG, and think this looks cool, and one for the Lord of the Rings nerds (such as me).

Normal players: 7/10

Lord of the Rings Fanatics: 9/10

Dragons, spiders, and a beautiful world full of fantasy and adventure awaits you in Skyrim, the newest installment of the Elder Scrolls series.  Weapons, professions, magic are just a few of the many abilities in this game.   When asked about this game, “what is this game like” it’s hard to put into words.  I respond with, have you ever played Fallout?  It a game that is very similar to that, in being it is an almost endless world in which you can go anywhere, and do anything.  You can have endless hours of fun with this game, and it will never get old.  The idea of slaying dragons, and an abundance of other creatures, with swords or magic is one of the most appealing aspects to me in any game.   Upgrading your fighting skills, professions, and magical abilities allow you to specialize in areas, and make your character the best it can be.  Simply put this game, with all of its features is fantastic.

                First up we have character creation and talents.  As there have been in previous Elder Scroll games, when you are first creating you character you have a choice of ten different character models, as you have in the previous games.  Once you choose you race, you customize your characteristics, such as hair skin color, face, and even (depending on your race) horns.  Once this happens, and you are about to be executed, a dragon attacks and you are able to make your escape through the tunnels of the city.  As you grow you levels, you can choose to upgrade your magicka, health, or stamina.  Whichever one you choose helps you in different ways, and will shape your destiny in different ways.  When upgrading your particular talents, you can upgrade you skills with weapons, whether they be two handed weapons, or one handed.  Along with those you can put talents in enchanting, blacksmithing, alchemy, and many others.  With leveling comes perks and also difficulties.  Reaching higher levels allows you to gain achievements in which give you perks.  Along with this you can enter dungeons, there are easier dungeons for the lower levels, and likewise harder dungeons for the more experienced.  However on the downside as you grow levels, enemies become more difficult, and your quests become harder as well. 

                Characters are able to choose from an abundance of weapons and armor that can be found throughout the world.  With many weapons there are many combinations of weapons that you can equip.  Two handed weapons, sword and board, and duel wielding weapons are just some of the warrior type fighting combinations.  If you are magic, or a sneak class, you have magic equipped along with a weapon in the other hand.  You are also able to attack from range with a bow and arrow which allows you to put damage on an enemy before they reach you, or some casual hunting.  Armor comes to you from enemies as well.  As you grow levels, and defeat more powerful enemies you are able to strip search them and take their armor.  Another way to get armor is to level up your Blacksmithing.  As you level your Blacksmithing you are able to improve the armor you make.  The better armor you are able to equip, the more armor and defense you have, which in turn will help you defeat more powerful foes.  You are able to equip a variety of different armor.  Helmet, boots, gauntlets, and armor are the epuipable slots.  Armor covers chest, legs and shoulders, the other slots are head, feet and hands.  Players are also able to equip either light armor, or heavy armor.  Light armor includes, Hide, Studded, Leather, Elven, Glass, and Dragon.  Heavy armor includes, Iron Dwarven, Steel, Orcish, Ebony, Daedric, and Dragon.  Either way you choose to go with your armor and weapons, you character will still end up looking like a beast.

The world in this game looks fantastic.  The different climates add for a very distinct game.  As you are traveling the world you can’t help but take in the beautiful scenery that is all around you.  Exploring in a mountain it may begin to snow, running around in a field the sun is beating down on you, or perhaps it begins to rain.  Trees, grass, and the water in the ponds, and lakes are remarkably clear and are incredibly realistic.  Players are able to explore and endless world that is full of creatures, real and fictional, and every creature looks, and moves with realism.  In this world there are five major cities, four minor cities, and a number of villages that your character can explore and discover new secrets in. 

Elder Scrolls: Skyrim made by Bethesda Game Studios takes the Elder scrolls world, and series to a whole new level.  Players are able to explore, create train, and kill in a world that feels real.  Skyrim takes RPGs to a new level, and players will enjoy every second of it.

10/10

Call of Duty 3 is back, and with a vengeance.  I, and millions of other people love to get down and dirty with this game, and for good reason.  Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games have made a game that people want to play. From traveling all over the world, fighting many different enemies in many different cities in campaign, to battling with your friends online putting together strategies and being on the top of the leaderboards.  While the Campaign is not very original, and lacking in feel, Multiplayer more than makes up for it, with new features, new maps, and new gun system.  This team of developers has put together a game that is, without doubt the best in this series.

                Campaign, while fun is lacking in substance.  Call of Duty returns with its natural format, traveling all around the World and fighting in numerous locations, however everything seems too chaotic.  This game is a whirlwind of explosions, enemies, and gunfire.  Enemies, as they always appear to have to ending spawn number, and will charge recklessly and without any regard for their safety.  While this can alarm you, and add some excitement it is highly unrealistic, and can lead to some very frustrating and unnecessary deaths.  Story was also rather bland in this installment, not the point where you don’t enjoy it, but rather to where it follows a Call of Duty Formula, and does not stray from their original path.  While this game does some up the story of previous Modern Warfare games, it doesn’t have that satisfying its done feeling.  I felt it rather hard to get emotionally connected with many of the characters as I have in previous games.  It was hard to feel sorry for the death of one with the millions of other people dying as well.  However gun control and the ease of using them are very fluid and fun to use.  Despite the normal problems with the Call of Duty Campaign it is still good, and fun to play.

                Multiplayer makes up for every flaw that the Campaign has.  As the other installments of this game have had, Multiplayer throws you right into the middle of the action, in small enclosed maps.  Once again there is a fast leveling system, and as you level up you unlock weapons, and perks to use on Killstreaks.  Multiplayer comes with 16 maps full of frantic action.  Once again as you level you unlock various weapons, but now weapons have levels as well, which adds an interesting new aspect, and causes you to use guns you don’t prefer in order to get weapon proficiency.  Weapon Proficiency is perks for weapons, and allows you to add to you preferred, or even most hated guns.  Killstreaks are no longer Killstreaks they are now called strike packages.  They still basically work the same way, being unlocked by getting kills.  However now you can customize you package to support your playing style, whether you are a sniper, or a suicide sprinter.  Having a full team hopefully this will allow players to form their strategy to work with each other and make for a great fighting unit. 

                Game modes and features of this game add a whole new dynamic to how you strategize in Multiplayer.  Many of the original gametypes, such as TeamDeathmatch, and Free for All are all back, with new features, such as the kill confirmed.  Kill confirmed truly makes this game feel like a team effort.  When an enemy is killed they drop a dog tag, your team must collect the dog tag if they desire to get credit for the kills.  On the other side, teams can use dog tags in order to lure enemies into a trap. 

                Returning again is Spec Ops, and the game modes associated with that, along with new ones.  Most interesting are quick gametypes, of capturing perhaps a plane, or diffusing a bomb.  Most exciting to me is Survival Mode.  This works similarly to Nazi Zombies in previous games; however it is waves of enemies instead of Zombies.  This is fun gameplay that works very well with the Call of Duty series, and is a nice breather from constant battle online.

                All new is Call of Duty Elite.  This new feature is awesome!  When you access the feature it formats all of you data into nice concise pages that is extremely easy to comprehend.  Along with this is gives you reading of your past games, telling you where you were killed, how you were killed, and how killed you.  With the map readout, you can view all the maps with spawn points; this allows you to create a ongoing strategy.  Studying this feature allows will make very good in many different aspects of the game, and with the amount of information you can access from this Elite feature it will be hard not to be good.

                All in all Infinity Ward, and Sledgehammer Games have put out a great game.  Despite the flaws of this game you will experience features that fantastic and put all together make this game very addictive, with hours upon hours of gameplay.

9/10

I, like many other people in the world and I huge comic book nerd.  There is nothing better than when I comic book that you love has been turned into a video game, allowing you to play as your favorite superhero.  Unfortunately not many games have been able to truly capture the magnificence of the characters, and made the game play fun.  Rocksteady Studio’s Batman Arkham City is the exception.  This game got it right.  The story is entrancing, and the combat and features of the game are addictive.  Batman has many of the features that gamers look for, all bundled up into one game.  Great fighting, good story, and a detective mode make this game what it is.  Players could simply run around flying from rooftop to rooftop and have a great time.

                Batman Arkham City takes place month after the events of Arkham Asylum, and currently Dr Hugo Strange is running it.  Batman’s job is to figure out what is going on in this city.  In his investigations he runs into some of his long lost friends, including Penguin, Mr. Freeze, and the joker.  Helping our beloved Dark Knight, is Robin, who thankfully is worth something, and much cooler than he may be been portrayed in the Movie Batman and Robin.  He has a much more mysterious role, and comes off almost as a type of assassin in the way he appears and disappears.  Along with Robin there is Catwoman, and if you were one of the fortunate to pre-order the game, you have the ability to play as her.  While she doesn’t have a huge role in the game, her levels are fun and add a nice versatility to the game.

                Players of Arkham Asylum will be right at home with the combat system in this new installment.  The same combat system is back, attack with one button, counter with another, however many new moves, and counters have been added, including the ability to take out two enemies at once with a counter, or the ability to use all you gadgets in combat with ease due to a handy hotkey system.  Never have a felt more like Batman in a game, as a grapple from building to building, or swoop down to stealthily take out my opponent.  With the use of smoke pellets, or your grapple gun, you will feel so confident as you engage the enemy hopelessly outnumbered.  Unfortunatly, as good as the combat is, it has flaws.  While fighting one opponent, or two the fighting is very fluid, and graceful, but while fighting many opponents combat seems off.  Batman will just fly all over the place, sliding on the ground going from one side of the street, to the other.  It was was something that at first I didn’t even notice, but as I watched someone else play, and saw it happening it looked absolutely ridiculous.

                Arkham has taken many of the most famous villains in the Batman universe and rolled them all into one game.  While it is awesome to see all of these characters feuding with each other, as well as you, there was no true connection.  All of the villains in the game added a very exciting feature to the game, where are they going with the story?  Are the bad guys all forming an alliance against you?  Unfortunately how they had the villains spread through the game took from the original excitement that I felt.  Despite that little let down running into each villain one after another is very cool, as you see how they interact with each other, a brutal battle going on between Penguin, and The Joker.  Two Face, and Mr. Freeze being used by these villains.  Battling these villains isn’t a very difficult task to do, as the battles are very straight forward, and if you are having any trouble the batcomputer will immediately send you hints as to what you need to do.  While the boss battles may be straight forward and simple, the game makes up for it, in having done an excellent job in capturing the villain’s personality.  You truly feel like you are battling against these characters, as the Joker will send witty jokers your way, or say something sarcastic that seems like something the Joker would say. 

                Challenge room has returned in this game, and has been updated.  There are many combat zones in this game, as well as more if you pre-ordered the game.  Challenge room has come equipped with a combat mode, where you fight off waves of bad guys as they charge in at you, Predator challenges where you sneak by your enemies and eliminate the stealthily.  Doing each of these challenges lets you earn a possible three medals.  These are the basic gameplays, newest to Arkham City are the Riddler Challenges, these consist of three challenges, along with adaptations to how you play, such as a time limit, and low health.  These challenges are a good way to hone your skills.

                For anyone who enjoyed Batman Arkham Asylum, you will have a blast with this latest installment.    There are not many solidly made Superhero video games out there, but Batman is among the best.  Batman Arkham City is rated T, and available for every system and can be picked up at your local Gamestop, or other electronic store for $59.99.

9/10

                Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is simply put, fantastic.  It is almost impossible to put this game down from the moment you start it, to its finish.  The main cast has returned, with our hero Nathan Drake, and his mentor Victor “Sully” Sullivan.  While the plot may see similar as the previous two games, “there is a hidden city here, go find it” it is not.  There are similarities sure, but where Uncharted 3 comes out above the others, is in unpredictability.  This game reveals things that you as the player were just not expecting, and it leaves you dumbstruck, and always craving more.  While Naughty Dog has stayed true to some of its basic game play, such as climbing walls, and shooting bad guys, much has been changed, and in a good way.

                This game introduces a new way to do hand to hand fighting in this series, and they put you right into the middle of it right off the bat.  The opening scene has you on the edge of you seat, only to send you off into a bar fight.  This fighting system is simple, but very fun to use.  Nathan has to attacks, quicker, and a strong attack.  He can also grab an opponent and throw them off to the side, or into another foe.  Along with this, if Nathan is near a window he may throw the opponent out the window, or uses a beer bottle as a weapon in your brawl.  On the defensive side he has a counter attack.  When used properly it is very efficient, as well as very pleasing.  While the combat is fun, and addictive, it has some flaws that, while in a long fight with multiple opponents gets very annoying, and can make the fight seem somewhat tedious.  For example, if an enemy is attacking, and you attack at the same time, but the game said this was an opportunity to counter attack the move, you will always lose on the hit.  The counter attack also is not as responsive as I would like.  Attacks occur where you may feel as if you got the counter attack off perfectly, yet your foe slams his fist into your face anyway.  Overall, this combat system is masterful, and keeps you on your toes when fighting.

                A very interesting aspect of this game, which is different from all the others, is it focuses on the relationship between Drake, and Sully.  You go into the past, and get entranced in their story, as you see their meeting, and the beginning of this story being told.  While you have grown to love these characters, there witty banter back and forth, you become even more so attached to the characters (if that is even possible) in this game.  The relationship stays the same and is heartwarming.  Again throughout this game you find yourself drawn to the same aspects of the game that have drawn you in before, as I said before the Sully Drake, arguments, as well as the feeling between Drake, and Elena.  However what still draws me in, and can make me laugh, is the one liners from Drake as the game progresses.  It is a part of the game that no matter what will never get old.  Characters are what make up the heart and soul of this game.  You are attached to them as you are anyone else.  The trials they go through, when Drake is on his own in the game, you are right there with him, feeling what he is feeling, enduring the same struggles that he is struggling with.  This is what makes this game what it is and it is exactly what Naughty Dog was going for.

                While this campaign can arguably said is one of the best, you can see it going by fast, because you simply can’t put the controller down.  However once the campaign is over, you are done with the game.  There is still multiplayer to look forward to!  Multiplayer is back from being introduced in the second one, and better, with improved game types.  To start there are of course the basic Team Deathmatch, as well as Capture the flag.  In matches, you can earn medals, which move you closer to unlocking what is called your kickback.  This kickback, gives you in match bonuses for a short while.  Some of these include increased cash flow, as well as spawning a weapon right at your locations for your disposal.  Along with this Uncharted comes with “Boosters” which are bonuses which can be equipped to upgrade you character in multiplayer.  Some of the bonuses include, faster spawn time, increased movement speed, and letting you climb walls faster. 

                Uncharted has without doubt upped the level of gaming for every publisher.  Any gamer who is blessed to be able to play this game is in for a treat.  Naughty Dog has excelled in every aspect of this game.  Characters, plot, and action even the music in this game is above average in this game.  This game is Rated T, and is only available for the Playstation 3.

                9.5/10

                Many of the gamers who were ever blessed enough to play Battlefield 2, have been waiting for what seems like ever for this release.  There have been many some in between releases from battlefield 2 to Battlefield 3, such as battlefield bad company, and battlefield 2142.  However none of these have even come close to matching its original predecessor.  Battlefield 3 blasts back with stunning visuals, thanks to its engine known as Frostbite 2, adding to the campaign, and multiplayer’s intensity.  Building will be crumbling around you as you try to take cover from enemy fire, and what was once a wall, will soon become nothing but rubble, as enemy fire tears it apart.  This game is back, and with what seems like one goal.  Be the best.

                I don’t know about everyone else, but I buy this game primarily for the online aspect.  While the campaign is good, Battlefield truly thrives in its online game play.  It comes alive with many multiplayer game play options, everywhere from traditional team deathmatch, to Rush.  In games such as Rush, players have to capture bases, and do this with a limited number of attackers.  If your attackers run out, you lose.  However if you capture the bases you gain more men, and then you can advance through the map and capture the next set of bases.  This game play requires strategy and a unique strategy, in order to take down the defense and win.  This is very on common in war games; usually teams just rush the bases and hope to kill enough people to reach the goal.  Not in this, this game truly does require skill.  As in most games for multiplayer, you have set classes, and as you advance your levels, you unlock guns, and upgrades for those guns.  Levels in this game are not incredibly easy to come by.  Most games you play a certain number of games, you grow levels fast. Not in this game.  You have to be top of your game multiple times in a row in order to grow some levels.  Vehicles also offer a refreshing change of pace in these online battles.  Players are able to access many different vehicles, including tanks, jets, helicopters, and UAVs.  When seeing these vehicles, players have to band together and find a way to take them out, or else be picked apart. 

                Campaign in this game, at first is very captivating; it becomes less adventurous as one might hope.  A very attractive part of the Battlefield franchise, is the ability to operate vehicles, and have fun adventures in them.  While a great thing in multiplayer is how you can drive a helicopter straight into someone running around on the ground while you jump out and parachute to safety, you cannot do this in campaign.  While you are doing it, it will give you the ability to press the X button, (or another if you are playing on a different system then the Xbox 360).  While Battlefield 2 had a smoother approach to the campaign, and teaching how to use all of the different abilities, this campaign you get a feel that the creators are just trying to force all of these tactics that you must learn, quickly, and without any real tutorial.  Still, without these little setbacks, the campaign is a lot of fun.  From sneaking around avoiding enemy forces, to flying airplanes, in dogfights with other planes, you have multiple ways to have a fun unique experience with this game. 

                Battlefield is truly a man’s games.  A game that almost has not campers, with maps that are so large it is a travel to get from one end, to the other.  EA went above and beyond with this game, and have truly given the gamers exactly what they wanted with its release.  Battlefield is definitely a game worth buying.

9.5/10

All the Best teams, from all the best Nations are back in this year’s release of Fifa Soccer 12.  This highly anticipated game excels at giving the fans exactly what they want, and so much more.  Fifa has taken all of its best aspects of previous games, and transformed them into such remarkable game play; it’s hard to imagine you could have possibly ever played any other way.  With Drastic improvements to ball control, as well as a defensive system that will leave your opponents on the floor crying in frustration, players have a lot to look forward to.

                First off is dribbling; probably the most anticipated improvement to this game.  Precision dribbling, as it’s called might seem a small or even insignificant improvement to the unfamiliar, or the gamers that just don’t know anything about the game, but to anyone who knows, they are in heaven.  This tactic allows you to control the ball in extremely close quarters, which allows for innumerable ways to control the ball; fake out opponents and just have fun doing fancy moves.  While of course not every player in the game, when using precision dribbling, is going to be amazing at it, with the right players using this can be just want you need to get that extra second before unleashing a shot on goal.   

                Defensive strategy has been changed drastically, and some might say in a bad way, others in the best way possible (for now).  For this style of defense to be used correctly, the player cannot just send men after the ball trying to get a nice slide tackle in, or just straight up stealing the ball from the player.  In this you play a much more strategically advanced system, containing the ball waiting for the player to make a mistake, or stealthily have them move the ball into a defensive trap.  Tackling has been made, as it should be, a last resort.  A reckless slide at a player will leave you vulnerable and out of place, and allows the opposition to take advantage of the man down situation.  So while as exhilarating as it may be to get that amazing slide tackle take away, don’t do it.  While admittedly this part of the game does have you sticking a defender, and staying with him, as those around you possibly lose there’s it adds much more realism to the game, and because of it allows the offensive team to get much more creative in order to beat your new defense.  While this system might be to frustrating to get used to, or the player is just stubborn you are able to switch back to last year’s system, though once you get used to the new system, it is a joy to use.

                The Player Impact engine is a feature that has been worked on for 2 years now, and unfortunately they have not quite gotten it right.  This Feature features realistic collision player to player.  The collision are very good, with players bouncing off of other players in very realistic fashion, however, there are awkward moments where players will just get tangled up in very improbably ways, however this is not a common occurrence.  Another downside to this feature is, the refs are not finely attuned yet to be able to always make the right call on whether or not it’s a foul and in my experience; they got it wrong many times, changing tides of games. 

                While these big changes to the large portions of the game are great, we must not forget about the little guys.  Gamers who enjoy spending their time in the dugout, your sense of the game has been improved greatly as well.  It has been said “it is much more like the real thing”.  Because of this the manager must now pay very close attention to the statistics, in order to have the best team possible. The players truly get a sense of the pressures of being a manager, as you often will feel the pressure of the approaching deadlines.  Drafting has been improved as well, as you now have a scouting, and youth academy to scout from.  Some people complain that the progress of the game is to slow, but in my opinion, that’s soccer.  It is a slower game, and it’s more realistic.  Player logic has been improved allowing them to play better and smarter. 

                A great feature, that has been in the game since 09, and always a big hit is, ultimate team.  This game feature is a tremendous amount of fun, and allows you to build your team in many different ways. You start off with a rather pitiful bunch of players, and money, in which to buy sell and trade for new and better players. 

                Fifa is one of those games that come around once in awhile, where you are stunned by its quality.  This year is one of those years.  It is a tremendous value and can be played for hours upon hours.  It is perfect for those millions of people that love soccer, but can’t stand to watch it on the television.

9.5/10

                Grown, toothless men fighting over a little rubber puck.  Yes, that means that NHL is back in buisness with its latest installment.  NHL is one of my favorite sports franchises to buy and play.  Unfortunalty for this title it always seems to be on or off, and this year was one of its off years.  Anywhere from players, to ablilities to the computers tendencies, everything just seemed off in t his years game.

                NHL does however prevail in adding little touches that add some tecture to the game.  Little things, such as a helmet flying off after a hit, broken sticks.  Players on the benches are now actually players and will sub in and out in good fashion.  The goalies persona is also improved greatly in this game.  Goalies have a much bigger role in this game, and they are a player you do not want to mess with. Yes that means, goaly fights have finally arrived to NHL.  Goalies will now throw down with opposing players after getting run into in the crease. 

                On the down side of these little teaks are player habits.  These abilities can get extremely frustrating for the player.  Players that have good slap shots, or one timers, will score almost everytime if they are set up correctly.  While the A.I. defense has been stepped up in abilities, thye are still lacing in some fundamental  abilties, such as being able to stop a simple rap around.  On the bright side for the defense however is there anticipation.  The computer will no longer go to where the puck is, but rather where it is going to be.  Along wiith this, they are extrmely tough in front of the net, causing trash rebound goals to be extrmely difficult to come by.  While the game is extrmely realistic in some aspects, it is not so in others.  A.I. players don’t screw up.  This is extremely frustrating people always mess up, and them scrwing up can be a huge turning point in the game.  However don’t expect many icing, offsides or penalties coming from your opposing coputer team.

                Despite these numerous let downs in this years edition, NHL does shine in its game modes.  While I am still a fan of the classic season of picking a team and playing through the season game by game, and making contract decisions, there are many more options fo ryou to do this year.  Be a Pro of course is back, as well as a new edition be a Legend.  In this new mode you  can play as one of the legends of the game, put him on a team and play through the season as this player.  This adds many gameplay hours to the game for someone who is into those sorts of features.  The idea of creating a young teenager to play in the juniors, to one day become a pro is a very exciting concept to someone anyone, especially someone who has always dreamed of playing professional hockey.

                While this game has a lot of new features andabilities, I was rather let down by it.  The game felt sloppy in my hands, and while I can imagine having fun fooling around with friends with  it, it is not a game that I would be playing continuously.  NHL is off and on year by year, with the changes they did this year, I am sure next years will blow this model out of the water.

6/10

                Blood, guts, and lots of violence!  Epic Games is back with its 3^rd Installment of the Gears of War Franchise.  This installment tries its best to stay true to the violence and history of the franchise, and succeeds.  Don’t; however expect anything spectacular out of the story from this gritty third person shooter.  While the Action is awesome, with a lot of bloods and limb cutting weapons, the story is still nothing spectacular.

                You resume the story with Delta Squad member of the COG as they fight for their survival against the mighty locust.  While you may have gotten attached to the many of the characters, as I have, I still couldn’t help but chuckle at some of the corniness that comes with this story.  There is no deep story plot, or some amazing twist that will come out of Gears.  What you see is what you get in this game, the Locust are attacking, and you must kill or be killed.  The main characters of course are back in this game, as you follow Marcus, the now bearded Dom, Baird, Cole, and of course, there couldn’t be a Gears without Carmine.  Along with these familiar faces there are some new ones added to the mix, Anya Stroud, Samantha "Sam" Byrne and Jayson "Jace" Strattonplus.  These new faces add a good relief to the constant Cole train, and Baird victory yells.  Playing this game just feels great, as everything in the campaign, and multiplayer has been finely tuned.  Along with the new faces, there comes new guns, and many new ways in which to kill the enemies.   Everyone was familiar with the vast amount of killing blows that were in Gears 2, you could do anything from chain sawing and enemy to bits, to kicking him to the ground and giving him a nice curb stomp.  In this game however they have added a number of new ones that continue you desire for Locust blood.

                Multiplayer has been improved greatly from its predecessor.  Horde 2.0 is simply put, awesome.  While the original was a blast, it got dull, find a room, hold up in there, and fight of waves after waves.  While fun when playing with friends it gets tiresome.  Epic games has introduces a new cash flow into gears which helps you manage how you are going to defend the level from the incoming hordes.  You can now buy defense systems that will help in the defense against the waves.  Along with this, there is now a boss at the end of a series of waves.  With the ability to now mix-up how you defend and have more variety in your defenses, it adds to more fun and playability.

                Beast Mode is a great change of pace, as the players get to play as the Locust, and try and kill the heroes of the story that you have all come to love.  In this game play mode you kill much as it is through the entire game, the difference is as you kill you gain tokens.  By getting these tokens you can then buy stronger creatures to play as, and have more power to destroy your enemies.

                Along with these there are many other types of gameplay modes that will keep you occupied for hours.  Fight alongside your friends in team death match which has a great death/respawn system of 20 lives, which literally has you fighting to the final man.  And if you get tired of the insane killing, go for capture the leader.

                Gears of War 3 is the final installment of the trilogy, and Epic games improved their product with each new game.  Gears of War is the ultimate third person shooter, with a multiplayer pack that will match any game in uniqueness and re-play value. 

                Gears of War is exclusively for the X-box 360, and can be picked up at any video game retail store for $59.99 or used for $54.99.

8/10