2010 gaming breaks records, partnerships
Assuming gamers could be distracted from the release of high-profile titles such as "Halo: Reach" and "Call of Duty: Black Ops," there were plenty of memorable moments occurring behind the scenes in the video-game industry this year. Here are 10.
A star player starting to show flaws
In the NHL’s current salary cap era, building a Cup contender requires more diligence than simply poaching big-ticket free agents in the offseason and drafting a blue-chip blue liner.
‘Mafia II’ needs more muscle
To avid fans of the sandbox-style gameplay of titles like “Grand Theft Auto IV,” playing “Mafia II” is like biting into a seemingly delicious slice of cheesecake only to discover it was made using a low-fat recipe.
‘Lara Croft’ reaps the reward of risk
Full disclosure: I love Lara Croft. It’s no secret but worth putting out there all the same.
‘Limbo’ is dark
If you’re not afraid of the dark, “Limbo” could change that.
‘Dragon Quest IX’
New edition of classic game is limited by the scope of its changes
Taken in the context of the series, “Dragon Quest IX” is a strange game.
EA scores with 'NCAA Football 11'
They say success on the football field starts with the running game. With all the crazy multireceiver and option formations in college football these days, this isn't necessarily as true, but it's a philosophy that "NCAA Football 11" uses to great effect. The new locomotion running engine gives the game a powerful foundation, and it drives the franchise forward by offering a fluid experience every time you touch the ball. It's one of the key components that takes this series to the next level.
Three racers for the video road
Arcade-style racing games like these three don't have the level of technical sophistication a simulation like "Forza" or "Gran Turismo" would have.
Down a rabbit hole with recognizable lining
“Singularity” is a thrilling, provocative, yet oddly familiar journey through the fabric of time. In this alternate take on historical events, Joseph Stalin’s role in the Cold War is heightened when Russian scientists discover a new element on the island of Katorga-12. This element holds untold power, and even though it’s unstable, Stalin accelerates the experiments. Death, contamination, and unexplainable phenomena are all Russia has to show for its efforts. Katorga-12 is quarantined and forgotten. History stays the course until you arrive on the island in 2010.
'Tiger Woods' gets a tune-up
It takes a special kind of thread to maneuver a needle as well-established as "Tiger Woods PGA Tour." It's doubly difficult to please everybody in doing so. But in making changes that benefit those who want a more accessible golf experience and those who want a game that makes that first group cry, that's precisely what "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11" does.
Racing games reward mayhem
Judging from the NASCAR fans in my family, there's some truth to the old gag that they really watch auto racing for the crashes.
The numbers
Game Informer Magazine ranks the Top 10 PC games from June.
New, darker powers in 'Chaos Rising' 'Warhammer' expansion
"Chaos Rising," the new expansion to "Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II," builds on the blend of real-time strategy and role-playing elements introduced in the original game.
'Toy Story 3' builds a virtual playground
When I was a kid, they didn't make video games based on movies. But if you wanted to relive, say, "Star Wars," you could buy the action figures. If you didn't have all the dolls, you could recruit substitutes: GI Joe could fill in for Darth Vader, Barbie could understudy Princess Leia, and you could make C-3PO and R2-D2 out of Legos.
New soccer games top old
Soccer is kind of an odd duck for gaming. How best should a game developer spice up a sport in which the final score is often 1-0? How do you inject gaming action into a sport where the scoreboard stands, mostly, unchanged?
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