Video Game Review

CHICAGO – Activision has been accused of milking the music game genre to the point of absolute exhaustion and with “Guitar Hero: Van Halen,” “Band Hero,” and “Guitar Hero 5” crowding store shelves this holiday season, it’s difficult to disagree. And yet “DJ Hero” somehow finds a way to rejuvenate a genre on the ropes, bringing a new approach to the music game that is remarkably addictive. Put away the drums and the mic (but leave the guitar out) and jump into the world of “DJ Hero”.

CHICAGO – Have you ever liked a movie so much that you’re willing to play through a sub-par video game tie-in just to spend more time in its universe? As I played through the adaptation of “Where the Wild Things Are” in only two marathon sittings, I realized that the reason I couldn’t turn it off had a lot more to do with Spike Jonze’s incredible film and really nothing to do with this inferior game.

CHICAGO – Timed to coincide with the 70th Anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz” and its accompanying Blu-Ray collector’s set, the world created by Frank L. Baum is getting its own Nintendo DS role-playing game. Sort of. “Beyond the Yellow Brick Road” uses elements of both what we know and love about Oz and what gamers enjoy about RPGs to make an odd hybrid that could appeal to both genre newcomers and diehard fans.

CHICAGO – It’s the same story every year. 2K Sports and Electronic Arts release their basketball video games at the same time and it’s impossible not to contrast and compare. This critic was looking forward to writing something like a scorecard, choosing which title wins in different fields like graphics, gameplay, presentation, etc.

CHICAGO – In our latest extra-special edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Video Games, we have one PlayStation 3 video game up for grabs to the new video game “Brutal Legend” with Jack Black! This video game retails for $60!

Video Game Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Can a game be clever and beautiful to look at but not be fun? EA’s highly anticipated “Brutal Legend” tests this theory with some amazing design, a unique concept, and very funny storytelling, but with actual gameplay that can be remarkably frustrating. To paraphrase something a friend recently said about something else that seems appropriate here, I liked everything about “Brutal Legend” except actually playing it.

CHICAGO – The concept of Ubisoft’s “Heroes Over Europe” immediately intrigued this player, one who has grown a bit weary of the onslaught of sports and shooter titles this season. Maybe this game would offer a unique alternative, recreating the experience of WWII over London, Berlin, the French Alps, and more. Sadly, far too many gameplay issues keep this plane grounded.

CHICAGO – When most of us first heard about “Dead Space Extraction,” we had a cautious reaction. There have been several successful franchises that attempt to release a semi-sequel on another console and the results usually do nothing more than tarnish the original title. Such is not the case with “Extraction,” a game that plays just as it should, an expansion of the “Dead Space” universe more than a precise continuation. It’s one of the best Wii games of the year.

CHICAGO – Perhaps the biggest praise I can pay EA Sports’ excellent “NHL 10” is this - despite being a sports nut in general, I’m not much of a hockey fan and yet I found this trip to the ice completely entertaining, challenging, and in-depth. The best sports games not only preach to the choir by satisfying people who are already fans of the actual game but also can bring in people who don’t own a hockey jersey. “NHL 10” could actually increase the popularity of the sport.

CHICAGO – Not being a huge fan of car racing games, I was stunned at how addictive and engrossing I found EA’s excellent “Need For Speed: Shift”. A complete left turn from last year’s failure “Undercover,” “Shift” represents the beginning of a new line of games for the “NFS” franchise, one that focuses on authentic racing over its ancestors more arcade style. The only problem for driving fans may be that it’s unclear where the “Shift” line can go from here.