Konami

CHICAGO – Games don’t get much weirder than “No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise.” This import of the Nintendo Wii hit that has now been repurposed for both the standard wireless controller and the Playstation Move is such a unique, bizarre game that it almost warrants playing it purely for the copious personality on display. It’s too bad that said personality can’t overcome frustrating gameplay and repetitive action but this is a modest success that could work for the right player.

CHICAGO – It’s almost as if someone got halfway through post-production on “Battle: Los Angeles,” the awful alien attack movie currently playing in theaters, and it suddenly dawned on them that they hadn’t hired anyone to create the video game tie-in. How else to explain this unusually brief, repetitive, and boring downloadable game, one that will be forgotten as soon as you get over the feeling you’ve been ripped off?

CHICAGO – Have you ever wanted to play a video game in which you get to cut into your own eye in slow, agonizing detail? Welcome to the world of “Saw II: Flesh and Blood,” one of the more unique puzzle games of the season.

Video Game Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – With “DJ Hero 2,” “Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock” and “Rock Band 3” likely to take over families and parties for the next few months, do we really need another music game? Especially one from Konami, a company that hasn’t exactly broken the mold when it comes to karaoke games? Luckily, “Def Jam Rapstar” delivers exactly what you should expect from it — nothing much more than stupid fun.

CHICAGO – Many beloved franchises of the previous generation have had difficulty making the jump to the Xbox 360 and PS3 and so there was reason for concern when Konami announced the first 3D “Castlevania” title for the Sony Playstation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360. Concern no more.

Video Game Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – “Castlevania: Harmony of Despair” (or “Castlevania HD” for those who like to be overly clever) is not unlike a remixed version of your favorite CD. The creators have taken already-existing elements including graphics, levels, and characters and increased the beats per minute to ridiculous levels in an attempt to turn something you loved before into something you’ll love again.

CHICAGO – “Ninety-Nine Nights II” is one of the most frustrating major releases in a long time due to the unfulfilled potential of the title and inconsistent gameplay that could easily force a player to throw their controller at the screen in dismay if they’re not too bored to do so. With unrefined controls, mediocre graphics, and forgettable storytelling, this is easily one of the biggest disappointments of the season.

Video Game Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Those of us that are wildly addicted to “Bejeweled Blitz” and played through “Puzzle Quest” like a gleeful toddler with a new toy were pretty psyched that the developers of the latter, spectacular Nintendo DS title were releasing a DLC game called “Puzzle Chronicles”. Once again, our puzzle-loving persona could meld with the kid inside us who misses the days when he played Dungeons and Dragons in his basement. Sadly, “Puzzle Chronicles” only barely delivers.

CHICAGO – The critical phrase that kept surfacing during my playing time of the mini-RPG “Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment” was “good for a downloadable game”. The game is flawed but its low purchase price might make it worth a look for fans of old-fashioned role-playing games but most modern gamers will be disappointed.

CHICAGO – I used to approach a new “Silent Hill” game with heightened anticipation but the franchise has been so lifeless for the last few years that I somewhat dreaded entering its world again in the alleged reimagining of “Silent Hill: Shattered Memories,” now available for the Nintendo Wii. Much to my surprise, Konami’s latest is an effective, atmospheric title with only a few flaws.