GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

By B. Love

DJ HERO 2 (Activision)
Systems: PS3, Wii, X360
This sequel to last year’s hip-hop twist on the Guitar Hero franchise ups the ante with an even better soundtrack, including hot hits from Deadmau5, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and more. New features include Freestyle sections (allowing players to cut, scratch and cross-fade their hearts out), a DJ Battle multiplayer mode, and an Empire story mode in which you mix your way to becoming a music mogul.

FABLE III (Microsoft)
System: X360
Picking up 5 decades after Fable II left off, this eagerly awaited sequel should appeal to fans of the franchise and attract new gamers with its impressive upgrades. Tracking a hero’s journey from revolutionary to ruler, Fable III features more diverse activities, better graphics, more challenging combat, a much bigger world to explore, and an epic storyline that provides hours of immersive play.

ENSLAVED: ODYSSEY TO THE WEST (Namco)
Systems: PS3, X360
A post-apocalyptic re-telling of the ancient Chinese novel “Journey To The West” set 150 years in the future, this action-adventure follows athletic hero Monkey (voiced by Andy Serkis, who also co-directed) and tech-savvy hottie Trip as they escape from a slave and make the dangerous journey home. The stunning cinematic visuals make it a wonder to behold, but it’s the engaging story (co-written by 28 Days Later scribe Alex Garland) and exhilarating game play that will keep you coming back for more.

FRONT MISSION EVOLVED (Square Enix)
Systems: PC, PS3, X360
The first 3rd-person game in the Front Mission series casts players as Dylan Ramsey, commanding a bipedal tank called a Wanzer to fight foes in a cold war set in 2171. These 25 ft tall war machines are fully customizable with up to four weapons at once, causing rampant destruction in intense battles that span the globe. Try the all-new multiplayer mode and kick your friends’ robo-butts online.

MMA (EA Sports)
Systems: PS3, X360
Writing may seem like a fairly sedate job, but there are days when the stress of deadlines is enough to make you want to strangle somebody. Those days are perfect for EA Sports’ latest, which allows players to suit up as legends such as Randy Coutoure or Rickson Gracie and punch, kick, wrestle and choke their way to the top. You can also create your own fighter, go online, host your own fight card and battle in front of spectators with live play-by-play.

SUPER SCRIBBLENAUTS (Warner)
Systems: Nintendo DS
Arguably among the most inventive games ever, Scribblenauts challenged players to use their thinking caps to solve myriad puzzling situations. The follow-up is even better, offering over 120 more in-depth levels, tens of thousands of recognizable words/objects, a new Adjective System for object modification, and a create-your-own-level layout with easy-to-use templates. The rare game that appeals equally to kids and adults, Super Scribblenauts fixes the control issues and delivers one of the year’s most creative titles.

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