Is That a Ninja In Your Pants... 

Title: Tenchu: Shadow Assassins
Developer/Publisher: Acquire/Ubisoft
Platforms: Wii
Release Date: 02/03/09
Number of Players: 1

I'll admit readily that I am a ninja fan. I'm not saying I'm good at ninja games, but I love them for some reason. I think it is the sneaky stealthiness that I love, and the close-combat weapons. Sure, a BMG is great but nothing satisfies like dropping from the rafters and breaking a neck. You know what I mean? Ok, maybe you don't...but if you really are a ninja game fan, I'm sure you are curious about the Tenchu game from Acquire.

We Have Nothing to Fear but a Pissed Off Neked Chick. 

Title: F.E.A.R. Project Origin
Publisher/Developer: Warner Bros. Interactive/Monolith
Platform: PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Release Date: 02/10/2009
Number of Players: Single player campaign/ 16 player Multiplayer

As I set out to write this review (having stayed up till 4am to finish the game) I find myself still a bit torn. Did I like this game or not? Well, obviously that’s always a question in mind of a review writer, but I find myself unable to fully answer that question. I think it may be due, in part, to my expectations and, perhaps, my recollection of the previous title (yes, I am ignoring a certain titles which were NOT F.E.A.R.). The other part that may be interfering with my clear view of FEAR 2 is that I have been inundated with horror titles over the last year.

Snake? Snake?! Snaaaaake?! 

Title: Metal Gear Solid 4
Publisher/Developer: Konami/Kojima Productions
Platform: Playstation 3
Release Date: 06-12-2008
Number of Players: Single-Player (MGS4)/ 16 Online (MGO)

Looking back again at the goodies we received as gamers in 2008, I can’t look past Metal Gear Solid 4, no matter how much I try. I never did get around to writing a first review and for that I have shamed myself. Hopefully, I can rectify that today. Where to even begin on what has to be one of the grandest, most epic scale games I have ever had the grace of playing? 20 years of Metal Gear. I remember my 8-bit, glory days. In fact, I’d would say that some my earliest gaming memories entail Metal Gear. I am not sure I will be able to keep this review to my characteristically short review form (that was sarcasm). Every so often a game so huge, so massive, so ginormous comes about that there’s just no way getting around its grand details.

Sweeeeet Emulsion 

Title: Gears of War 2
Publisher/Developer: Microsoft Games/Epic Games
Platform: Xbox 360
Release Date: 11/07/2008
Number of Players: Single-player and Co-op Campaign/ 10 players Online

You already know how this will end… Yeah, the commercials for this bad-boy are still stuck in my head. Rightfully so, too, given that I am still playing the hell out of Gears 2 to this very date (yes, I am an achievement monger so working for “Seriously” and “Party Like It’s 1999” are some achievements that take a little time). As I look back on 2008 I am taking the time to re-review some games that have already been covered by some of our other writers. When it came to First Person Shooter sequels for 2008, two were high on my list. I will cover the second one in another article. Suffice it to say, Gears 2 was one of them. So what are Marcus and Dom up to theses days? Well, I will tell you that whatever they are up to, they are up to their necks in it.

Rock-n-Roll Dreams Come True. 

Title: Rock Band 2
Publisher/Developer: Harmonix/EA
Platforms: PS3, Wii, Xbox 360
Release Date: 09/14/2008
Number of players/Multiplayer: 1-4

Rock Band 2 is back and better than ever, especially for the Wii crowd, as it brings all of its familiar features back, plus a few more, as well as some more user-friendly functionality and more flexible character creation.

Like always with these games, the first thing to talk about is the instruments. Rock Band 2 implements some new gear, although they play like the previous. The drums now contain velocity-sensitive pads and a metal reinforced pedal. The entire drum set though is still designed the same as the first, so if you’re used to playing with the original drum set, then you’re right at home. Same goes for the guitar, which while it sports a new color scheme and firmer buttons, maintains its original design. The improvements made to these instruments aren’t too noticeable, but they are for the better, and all old RB instruments are compatible, so if you just want to pick up the disc only, then you’ll be fine doing so.

Once Upon a Console... 

Title: Fable 2
Developer/Publisher: Lionhead/Microsoft
Platforms: XBOX 360
Release Date: 10/21/2008
Number of Players: 1, 2-player Co-Op w/Xbox Live!

Like the original Fable, you start as a child. I'm not really sure what age, 9 maybe. When you begin the game you can choose to be a girl or a boy. I find that a nice change and it is interesting that they put the extra effort in to actually make the game a bit different depending on what you choose. There isn't much time spent "growing up", the real gameplay starts when your character is a teenager/young adult. From then on your choices will very much affect gameplay and character appearance. Every choice you make really does make a difference (in certain places) and there is no way to undo it.

Title: The Witcher: Enhanced Edition
Publisher/Developer: Atari/CD Projekt RED STUDIO
Platforms: Windows PC
Release Date: 09/16/2008
Number of players/Multiplayer: Single-player

Now, normally I don’t review titles that have been out for over a year. However, there’s always the stray “expansion” to review. Oddly enough, I can’t place The Witcher: Enhanced Edition in either of those categories. I know we’re a bit late to the party when it comes to getting the review out, but quite frankly this is one of those rare-gem games that deserves a little extra special treatment from me. Certainly as you can tell by my opening I am going to have a lot of good to say about The Witcher in general. So let’s go ahead and dive into this review head first. Bear with me now; this is going to be a long one as I am effectively going to cover two games in one here.

These are people who have died, died!

Title: Left 4 Dead
Publisher/Developer: EA/Valve and Certain Affinity
Platforms: Windows PC, Xbox 360
Release Date: 11/18/2008
Number of players/Multiplayer: Single-player, 4 player Co-Op online, 4 player Versus online

Yup. that's right, it's time for me to review the newest dead-heads to the party. As if you couldn't have seen this one coming. If you've know my tastes slightly, you knew I was going to chew into this game's brains like a hungry zombie at a buffet.  Left 4 Dead hit us just a scant, few weeks back and there's are hordes of us already addicted. Why? Well if you are asking that question then, as much as I hate to tell people to leave the site, stop reading this and get the game for yourself. That is, of course, if you like first-person shooters and non-stop, heart-pounding, bloody action. This is going to be one of my longer reviews, but that is simply because I can see players still playing this game for a long, long time. It's amazing to me how deep the game is without actually having that much depth.

If You're Sackey and You Know It, Clap Your Hands!

Title: LittleBigPlanet
Publisher/Developer: SCEE/Media Molecule
Platforms: Playstation 3
Release Date: 10/27/2008
Number of players/Multiplayer: Single-player/4-player on PSN

Oh where to even begin with this review. Far too rarely is it that I find myself utterly and completely overwhelmed by a product for review that I just don’t know where to start. LittleBigPlanet has been one of the most anticipated game titles of 2008. The problem with anticipation always has been the waiting, hasn’t it? Well, the wait was over in October for North America… November for everyone else. Now that I’ve had nearly a month of getting to know LittleBigPlanet I feel comfortable reviewing it, even if I still don’t know where to start.

This Looks Like a Job for... Spider-Man?

Title: Spider-Man: Web of Shadows              
Publisher/Developer: Activision/Amaze Ent. (PSP/PS2), Griptonite Games (DS), Treyarch/Shaba Games (PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360)
Platforms: DS, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
Release Date: 10/21/2008
Number of players/Multiplayer: Single-Player

Super-heroes, they can dodge speeding bullets, jump over tall buildings, do the things bugs can, and be your worst nightmare. However, it seems that each and every super-hero ever created has the same weakness in the end: The Video Game. Far too often we, as gamers, find ourselves playing our favourite comic book super-hero only to be left with a bad taste in our mouth. This is doubly so the case when the game in question is based off a movie starring said super-hero. Thank the gaming gods this game is not based off a movie.