It’s hard to believe that it was over six years ago that I and some ex-TV-Squaders started CliqueClack. We had some pretty high hopes at the time, that we could go out on our own and show AOL what it really meant to be writer-fans of television. It was an incredibly ambitious goal that we never came close to, but we quickly learned that that didn’t matter to us. What did matter was that we had an outlet to write what we wanted, when we wanted, for people who continued to engage in discussion with us.

It’s pained me all these years to never have earned enough with ads and Amazon referrals to pay our writers regularly. We’ve certainly lost some great folks because of it, and I don’t blame them at all. Some have gone on to continue writing for paying gigs, full-time, and that’s been awesome. With the declining frequency of posts comes declining traffic, which results in declining ad revenue … you get the picture. Maybe that’s a bit TMI, but I thought being up-front about where we were at was something I owed you.

This will likely be the final post here at CliqueClack, but there is a silver lining.

For quite some time now, Chuck Duncan and Ivey West had been heading up editing duties for the site. Chuck, I know, very much wants to continue writing. I didn’t want to simply hand over CliqueClack to someone else, though, partly because I’m just not ready to give it away and, primarily, I thought it made more sense to let Chuck have something that was truly his own. That’s just what he’s done.

Friday, April 3, Chuck launches his own site, Hotchka.com, to continue where CliqueClack left off. You’ll see some new and familiar faces there, writing about movies, TV, pop culture, and anything else Chuck might want to throw into the mix. He and his partner, Carl, have already done a fantastic job putting the site together, and I think you’re really going to dig it.

• Check out the site at www.hotchka.com.
• Follow them on Twitter @hotchka
• Facebook
• Google+
• Tumblr
• YouTube

As for CliqueClack, my plan is to keep all of our 11,000+ posts around for as long as I’m possibly able, even if they are thrown in straight HTML and image files in a searchable archive somewhere. I think it’s criminal when sites decide to completely wipe away all traces of past content when they shutter, and dammit I’m going to do my best to make sure that never happens here.

Thank you so much to the writers and, of course, to all of you readers who’ve stuck with us all these years.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen movies based on toys and games, most notably the Transformers series and Battleship. There are movies in the works based on the classic board games Monopoly and Candyland as well. Just in time for Halloween, the newest game-to-movie production debuts as Ouija comes to the big screen.

Depending on your personal beliefs, the Ouija board is either just a game or a tool of the Devil used to open a portal to a demonic world. The movie capitalizes on these beliefs that playing with a Ouija board will only lead to bad things.

In Ouija, we meet two best friends as children playing with a Ouija board. As teenagers, one of the girls, Debbie, disobeys the cardinal rule of not playing with the board alone. Next thing you know, Debbie hangs herself but no one can believe that she actually killed herself. Her friend Laine (Bates Motel‘s Olivia Cooke) thinks the only way to get closure is to gather Debbie’s closest friends and contact her with the Ouija board. Contact is made, but is it Debbie or something pretending to be Debbie?

After a few years of what became known as the “torture porn” genre of horror movies, filmmakers like James Wan (who contributed to that genre with the Saw series) have taken a new-ish approach to horror, giving us more old school haunted house movies with films like Insidious, The Conjuring and Annabelle which rely more on physical effects and frightening images to make you jump.

Ouija, thankfully, follows that template with actors portraying the spirits and a minimum of CGI effects, used sparingly and only when something can not be accomplished on set. And while the movie may not be the most original thing out there, borrowing from everything from the Final Destination films to Insidious (right down to casting Lin Shaye in a pivotal role), it does deliver a few good jumps without over-doing it with the stupidly loud music cues.

What Ouija lacks in originality, it makes up with a solid cast and some high quality production value. The movie has an obviously lower budget than previous Hasbro movies, but it looks awesome and the spirits are effectively creepy. The story is told pretty economically with little padding and even manages to throw a twist at us when we think everything has been resolved.

Ouija may be more fun than frightening, but for a quick Halloween date night scare it does the job.

There is a long and storied history of video games being made into successful feature films. First, there was Super Mario Bros. … oh wait, not that one. Street Fighter? Not so much. Wing Commander, Mortal Kombat, Doom and Bloodrayne all disappointed. The Lara Croft duology did pretty well, but the name “Angelina Jolie” on the posters probably gets most of the credit for that. No, the only property that’s performed well has been the Resident Evil series. The latest adaptation to hit the big screen, Need for Speed hopes to become the next exception and avoid falling prey to the rule.

Sorry folks, that’s not going to happen.

At least most of the previous adaptations were based on franchises with stories. I’m not that familiar with the Need for Speed games, but a quick search of the Wikipedia page confirmed that the few installments that had stories certainly didn’t emphasize them. The movie, thus had nothing to pull from – nor was it tied to a lackluster, half-assed story. With a clean slate like that, one would hope that writer John Gatins could find an interesting way to incorporate the world of illegal car racing into a compelling story. Sadly, it looks like the Fast and Furious have used up all the good ideas.

Of Need for Speed’s myriad problems, the biggest one is structure and pace. It was 41 minutes in before audiences finally learned what the film was actually about. That first act was really a prologue that shouldn’t have lasted longer than 10 minutes. Once the story gets to that point, we finally learn what Tobey Marshall (Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul) wants to accomplish before the credits roll (though to be honest, only one of the results of winning the race – because you had to know it was going to be winning a race – actually comes to fruition). The middle of the film basically becomes a Cannonball Run remake, and the ending really comes out of nowhere.

Even the race sequences, the one thing the film should absolutely nail, are wildly inconsistent. The first (one of two in the wholly unnecessary “first act”) was tough to follow and you could see the end of the second race coming miles away. The final race? The stakes of that race are never all that defined. If it wasn’t for a last-minute plot contrivance, the result caused more problems than it resolved. The effects were all over the place; the stunt worked looked primarily practical (a refreshing change), but the explosions were poorly rendered CGI.

Need for Speed wasn’t all bad. Michael Keaton tiptoes on the “over-the-top” line as the eccentric race organizer. Romi Malek stood out of the crowd of sidekicks, and Imogen Poots was … there. Normally, when screening a movie where I’ve tripped over the expectations walking in the door, I end up enjoying the film more than I should. Sadly, Need for Speed was everything I expected it to be.

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I don’t usually review video games, although I’ve certainly played more than my share. Probably it’s because, in the scale of entertainment, video games rank lower priority-wise from movies, television, and books in terms of what I choose to spend my time on first. When I was a kid, I played all the time — in those days, my first video game system was the Nintendo Entertainment System — the NES — and I played the hell out of Super Mario Bros and Final Fantasy. I didn’t have that many games, so replay value was pretty crucial. But sometimes I was able to borrow a friend’s game, and sometimes one of those games would really stick with you. One of those games was DuckTales.

DuckTales the video game was from Capcom (a video game company also known for the Street Fighter and Mega Man games) and based on the late ’80s/early ’90s Disney cartoon show of the same name. I also watched that show quite a lot, which was loosely based on older Uncle Scrooge comics by Carl Barks, and it was awesome. It was a perfect timeless adventure cartoon that still holds up today. It was so successful that Disney was able to produce a lot of other animated shows. As for the game, it wasn’t easy, but then again most of those older Nintendo games were meant to be challenging … giving you that crucial bang for your buck, as they say. And to be honest, it’s far more satisfying to beat a hard game than it is to beat a simple one; can’t beat that adrenaline rush. The NES game was fun and addictive, with a decent  — for a video game adaptation — connection to the show about Scrooge pogo-jumping on his cane (an ingenious gimmick) through five unique stages to find legendary treasure. And that music. Some of the greatest video game music of all time, with a particular emphasis on the Moon theme, which is bizarre, haunting, and beautiful (listen to the original). So you might say this remake has a lot to live up to. But does it deliver?

According to the developers, it was meant to be a pretty straightforward adaptation, but then Disney said, “say, would you like to use the voice actors from the show?” Gee, I wonder? So the game is now like a mini-episode of the DuckTales show, with all the voice actors that are still alive reprising their roles, including Alan Young (who is NINETY THREE) back for Scrooge and June Foray (who is NINETY-FIVE … damn) back for villainess Magica De Spell. It’s not quite the same, but it’s pretty damn close. And it’s a delight watching Scrooge, Launchpad, and his nephews (with more than a few cameos) going through the classic levels of the Amazon, Himalayas, African Mines, Transylvania, and the Moon. The game has a few difficulty levels, the hardest of which can only be unlocked after beating the game. For those newcomers, the Easy mode will be challenging but doable, while the old-school veterans will find Hard mode more their speed (I blasted through Easy mode in an hour, but Hard mode still kills me more than a few times).

There are two new levels added to the game, a tutorial level and a final boss level, both of which feel just like the rest. The controls are solid, even tweaked to be a bit easier if needed, and a few little mini quests are put in to give a bit more for the great price of only $14.99. So the graphics look clean and dynamic, the voice acting is perfect, and the story is fun and full of great nostalgia. A lot of things I don’t want to spoil.

But what about that music, the thing people would be furious about if screwed up? Well, I’m pleased to say that they did it — composed by mega-talented Jake Kaufman — the stages are perfect remixes that still manage to capture the spirit of the original. And as for the legendary Moon theme, although I still do prefer the original, the new theme is fantastic and endlessly replayable.

Plus there a quite a few unlockables and secrets that I don’t want to give away, because I was pretty gleeful when I found them. If you ever played the original games or watched the show, you need to buy this game. The only possible complaint I have is that once you’ve played through it once and want to play it again, you have to keep skipping the cutscenes (not exactly a hardship, more an annoyance). But really, when a game makes me this happy, I just want to tell people about it. The nostalgia hit me pretty hard on this one, but it’s still a very fun game even if you don’t really know the original material. Sometimes it’s the little things that make you happy, or in the case of this game, a whole bunch of little things.

DuckTales: Remastered is now available for purchase on PC, Wii-U,  PSN, and XBox Live .

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As a loyal and faithful fan of Star Trek — the original series especially — I was overjoyed when J.J. Abrams infused his visionary magic with the Trek lore and breathed new life into the fading franchise. With all the new excitement and energy surrounding the hip and updated Star Trek, it was only a matter of time before another attempt at making a Star Trek game hit the store shelves. Star Trek: The Video Game was that game.

Star Trek: The Video Game takes place between the 2009 film Star Trek and this year’s release of Star Trek Into Darkness. Captain Kirk, Commander Spock and the rest of the famed crew of the USS Enterprise are challenged with making first contact with the Gorn, an aggressive race of lizard men hell-bent on conquering worlds and civilizations that don’t belong to them. To make a long story short, it’s up to Kirk and his crew to put the kibosh on this scaly invasion. Players take control of Kirk and Spock and battle their way through this game in a fast-paced third-person action adventure.

The premise sounds awesome doesn’t it? Too bad the game wasn’t!

Star Trek: The Video Game is a tough pill to swallow mostly due to its gameplay. “Schizophrenic” comes to mind when I think of adjectives to best describe the approach to immersing yourself into the game. You could tell the developers really had their hearts in the right place when they took this project on because the atmosphere they created definitely felt like it fit with the new universe that Abrams had created back in 2009. But from there everything is pretty downhill when it comes to getting deeper into this game.

The game suffers from a chronic case of “trying to do too much” and ultimately that leads to lackluster game performance across the board. Essentially, this game is a third-person action shooter, but then it’s also a platformer, and a flying, diving and starship simulator as well! There was actually a point midway through the game where I had no idea what to do next because there was a huge running jump I had to make in order to cross a deep chasm. Nowhere prior to that point in the game had running jumps been integral to my advancement in the game. So for the developers to automatically assume I’m supposed to know I have to do that in-game, well … then that’s just bad game design.

There was another instance where I was thrust into full control of the USS Enterprise for the first time and was automatically supposed to know how to fend off a full on Gorn ship assault. After a lot of trial, errors and continues I was able to get past that part of the game and never looked back. Did I mention there is swimming in this third-person action shooter? Really? In a Star Trek game? Honestly, the added gameplay experiences definitely didn’t make the game any better. So why add them? Had the developers sat down and focused on making a small handful of gameplay mechanics 100% solid, this game would’ve been a lot more fun to enjoy instead of a chore.

Graphically this game looks atrocious. The graphics and textures look incredibly outdated by at least four or five years and the animations are pretty terrible. There were many times where I groaned during the sequences where either Spock or Kirk would help pry and hold a door open for the other, only to have the 3D character models clip through and into each other when they squeeze past the narrow opening. And remember how I told you there was a whole section of the game where you had to swim under water? This game was so graphically challenged that whenever you’re in water the underwater shadows rendered by both Kirk and Spock are just black squares! It was embarrassing to look at. Embarrassing enough to not pick up and play the game until at least a week later.

Is there anything good about this game? Okay, probably just one good thing. The sound. The original cast from the movies lent their voicework to the game which did make it a little bit better. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto and their banter as Kirk and Spock was probably the ONLY thing that kept me going through this game. The sound effects and explosions are pretty satisfying as well. So despite the crapfest the game had snowballed into at least it sounded great!

There is little to no replay value to this game, simply because once you play through it once somebody would have to pay you to play through it again. The game features a cooperative mode where you could play with a friend and take the fight to Gorn as both Kirk and Spock. I prefer playing it online with a friend for two reasons. 1) You don’t have to play teamed up with the horrible AI partner that gets lost most of the time and doesn’t help you in a shoot out, and 2) you both could make fun of the game together.

Ultimately, if you couldn’t tell I was supremely let down by this game. Right out of the gates this game could have probably been rated a solid 7.0 at best. But the deeper I got into it, this Star Trek fan couldn’t stomach the ugly truth that this game just wasn’t worth my time and energy. This game isn’t worth the $60 price tag. If you’re a fan and a masochist I think you could at least rent it. Other than that, stay away. Play Gears of War or Mass Effect 3 instead.

Chuck’s note: I played a bit of the game in the 3D mode and found that to be wanting as well. There was occasional depth added to some of the environments, but nothing jumps off the screen at you and there were several occurrences of distortion during some of the faster motion that was unpleasant to the eye and my equilibrium. I love me some 3D, but this was nothing more than a bad conversion.

OVERALL: 4.5 out of 10

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Earlier this month, news had dropped that a top video game retailer in Europe had cut Nintendo’s Wii U prices by £100, which roughly equated to $130 USD. Since then other European retailers have cut the price to help stimulate the Wii U’s lackluster overseas sales. Price drops are a common occurrence in a video game console’s lifespan, but four months after a console’s release? Not so much — especially when the price drop was initiated by the retailers … not the console manufacturers.

Before I go any further I will state that as a video game fan I don’t pledge any allegiance to a particular brand of video game console or company. Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are all wonderful companies and I like what they have to offer. If I had it my way I’d own everything they put out that suited my tastes but today’s economy is telling me to keep pinching my pennies. So until I win the lottery I will continue to observe the gaming industry as it shifts into the next generation of home entertainment. I just worry that Nintendo doesn’t stand much of a chance.

If retailers cutting the Wii U’s price just to get the consoles off their shelves wasn’t enough, to add further insult to injury it was announced at last week’s Game Developer’s Conference (GDC) that the new Unreal Engine 4 and Frostbite 3 game engine technology will not be made available for Nintendo’s Wii U. The whole point of there being a new console release is to push the current standard of gaming to the next level. I hate to say it but this is definitive proof that the Wii U will not be able to deliver. Why should I buy a console that’s on par with the current standard of video game technology while the PS4 and the next Xbox will support future technology?

Part of Nintendo’s problem has been their Achilles heel — their lack of strong third party support. It doesn’t make sense to for a gamer in today’s economy to drop the cash on a console that doesn’t have a steady stream of games coming out for it. Nintendo’s famously cliché “quality over quantity” rhetoric just won’t work anymore to their defense because gamers will simply gravitate to what’s hot. Games sell consoles. And if a gamer has to wait six months to a year for a decent title to come out, you’re going to have some very unhappy and fed up gamers. And we can only be won over by a Mario or Zelda game so many times before it gets old.

I’ve been told by my Nintendo loyalist colleagues to wait for this summer’s Entertainment Electronics Expo (E3) to see what games Nintendo will announce that will “blow us all away.” But as much as I’d like to see Nintendo offer something new I fear it will only be overshadowed by the PlayStation 4 (we still have yet to see what it even looks like!) and the inevitable announcement of Microsoft’s next Xbox console. I hate to say it but I think the Wii U won’t fare well at this year’s E3. Or this next-generation console battle as well. All of the evidence points to a foreseeable flop.

I remember when Sega’s Dreamcast console flopped so badly they opted out of the console market altogether and instead turned to creating third party gaming content. Is this in Nintendo’s future? Probably not. I don’t see them giving up that easily. But I do see them being wise enough to know that video game consoles just aren’t their bag anymore; it’s handheld consoles.

I think it would be wiser for Nintendo to pull out of the console competition and put their resources into developing their handheld gaming market, where Nintendo’s biggest strength has always been. Imagine a series of gaming tablets designed by Nintendo. I’d get one! Where there is Pokémon, there is a way!

Yes, Nintendo is in trouble. But only in terms of where it stands in this next iteration of the console war. Nintendo has been around since the beginning and I don’t ever see them going away completely. But I do think they seriously need to rethink their strategy.

What are your thoughts?

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As a loyal Tomb Raider fan and follower since day one back in 1996 I can honestly say that while the series has had its highs, there was sadly more than a fair share of lows. Why? Well, that’s because after years of advancement and breakthroughs in gaming technology the Tomb Raider franchise has had a hard time adapting its rather primitive and archaic gameplay formula to the modern conventions of today’s mainstream video games. The Tomb Raider games were simply stuck in the past while the gaming industry kept evolving around it.

The series’ development team addressed the issue of a waning interest in all things “Tomb Raider” when they decided to wipe their slate clean and start over again with a completely new “reboot” of their video game. It was a desperate move, but a bold one. And it paid off.

So without going into a verbose and elaborate sentence that sums up this game and how spectacular it is, let me just throw it out there now that Tomb Raider is a smash hit. Here’s why.

Lara Croft is back, but this time around she is a perky college grad who is on an archaeological expedition that’s filming a documentary regarding ancient Japanese culture. The game begins right away when the salvage vessel Lara and the film crew were navigating the seas with traverses into the Far East’s version of the Bermuda Triangle and wind up shipwrecked on a mysterious and uncharted island off the coast of Japan.

Tension ramps up rather quickly when Lara and company find out that they aren’t alone on the island. They soon discover the island’s savage natives are actually a cult-like coalition of men who have been marooned on the island themselves who don’t take kindly to newcomers – especially badass women like Lara Croft. Without spoiling too much I will just say that adventure ensues and within Lara “a survivor is born.”

Tomb Raider is a beautiful looking game. No seriously, I’m not kidding. Crystal Dynamics really outdid themselves with their new “Crystal Engine” which they used to build the game upon. The game brandishes magnificent fire, lighting and explosion effects and sports majestic vistas of the island. The game’s frame rate never hiccuped or bogged down when many things were happening on screen at once either. One segment of the game that really impressed me with its graphical power was when I was ascending a mountain during a brutally violent wind and lightning storm all while bad guys are shooting at me. It. Was. COOL! And the game ran it smoothly.

Now the gameplay is where Tomb Raider truly flexes its might and distinguishes itself from the rest of the Tomb Raider titles. Aside from being the first Tomb Raider game to be rated M for Mature audiences due to the violence and some of the language, Crystal Dynamics’ major overhaul of Tomb Raider’s gameplay centered on the game’s approach to action and exploration. The older Tomb Raider games felt like clunky, boring and solitary experiences with brief glimmers of excitement thrown in just to keep our interest, whereas the new Tomb Raider flips the script and keeps the tension and energy flow of the game constantly on the up and up.

Also unlike previous games where Lara travels to various locales around the world this game takes place entirely on the mysterious island. This lends to there being a lot more depth to the game’s environments and also gives the player the option to backtrack all the way to earlier parts of the game in order to explore areas that you previously didn’t have access to. Scattered throughout the island are several campsites where you can take a breather and use experience points to learn new abilities and use scavenged salvage to upgrade your weapons. The leveling and upgrade system incorporated into the game along with being able to travel back to previous areas is a first in the Tomb Raider franchise.

The game handles very well in terms of its controls. If I had to draw any comparisons, Tomb Raider actually feels like a mix of the newer Resident Evil games with a dash of Gears of War style gameplay (minus the clunky-ness). There weren’t any camera issues (the original Kryptonite to a Tomb Raider game) and jumping and climbing have been simplified in this game and made more fluid. However, the combat has been the biggest overall improvement to Tomb Raider by far. A manual aiming system has finally replaced the terribly outdated lock-on targeting system and I couldn’t be happier. In the past I loathed fighting enemies in Tomb Raider games due to the monotonous combat design, but in this game? Hell, I look forward to the next fight! Lara sports weapons like the surprisingly fun and efficient bow and arrow, rifle, shotgun and handgun. By picking up salvage these weapons can be upgraded to do anything from carry more ammo, do more damage or fire specialized ammunition.

The biggest thing that could be held against any single player game is its replayability. Is Tomb Raider worth the money? I think so. For starters the game isn’t short and turned out to be a lot longer than I originally anticipated by offering about 15+ hours of gameplay. You could even spend more time in the game finding hidden items and artifacts as well as searching for all of the tombs that are hidden in the game.

Tomb Raider also comes bundled with a multiplayer component that offers several different gameplay modes to satiate your need to play Tomb Raider competitively. The only downside to the multiplayer is that it was outsourced to a different developer while Crystal Dynamics focused solely on the single-player campaign … and the difference in compassion for the project shows. I just wasn’t too impressed with the multiplayer to be honest.

So you might be wondering if there are any glaring flaws in this game — as I’ve given Tomb Raider nothing but praise. To be honest, the only real blemish on this game is the tacked on multiplayer mode that just didn’t feel as captivating as what it could have been. But other than that? I’m just disappointed that the game had to end. And that it’ll most likely be a couple years before we see Lara’s next adventure which is bound to happen, especially with the game selling so well after having only been out for a couple days.

I’m not a betting man but my guess is a “Tomb Raider 2” release for 2016. Right around Tomb Raider’s 20th anniversary. Now that would be awesome. Just like this game.

Hurry up and pick up Tomb Raider! You can find this gem for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

FINAL VERDICT: 9.5 out of 10 (blame the multiplayer for keeping this game from being perfect)

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In recent years there has been a modest renaissance in the old school side-scrolling video game genre. Today’s modern side-scrollers harken back memories of the original Super Mario Bros. or Sonic the Hedgehog but can now can sport impressive high definition 3D graphics and push the technical specs of the hardware to limits a Nintendo Entertainment System or Sega Genesis could never dream of — all while delivering the usual pomp and circumstance side-scrollers are known and loved for.

Double Fine Studios, the developers behind Psychonauts and the equally eccentric Brutal Legend, managed to capture that same nostalgic blend of magic that made the classic side-scrollers great and put it in their newest side-scrolling platforming-adventure title The Cave.

Much like the games of our past, there isn’t a complex story for players to get wrapped up in with The Cave. The premise is quite simple actually and revolves around a magical talking cave that plays host to a series of labyrinths and puzzles for the players to navigate. And yes folks, this game is about a cave that actually talks to you while you navigate its innards and it’s pretty funny to tell you the truth. Right from the get-go players have the choice between a cast of seven different characters, each with their own unique special abilities. The motley crew of individuals all have been drawn to the cave to “learn something about themselves and who they might become.”

Players have to choose three of the seven characters to round out their adventure party and venture into the cave in a tour-like fashion, all while solving puzzles, outwitting dragons and completing character-specific quest story lines along the way. You can choose to play as the cowardly Knight whose main objective is to obtain the fabled sword Excalibur, the oafish Hillbilly who longs for the reciprocated love of his Dream Gal, or the Time Traveler who seeks to right the wrongs of the past — either way, the combinations of your cave-dwelling “Dream Team” are aplenty.

There were instances in the game where certain characters and their stories panned out to be a lot easier than others, leaving the player completely stumped with little to no help at all in how to progress in the game. Part of The Cave’s charm is that it challenges you to think rather than shoot and kill … which is something most games don’t do anymore.

Probably one of the most unique features in The Cave is that players can swap between taking control of the characters on the fly in order to solve puzzle sequences. One of the most memorable experiences was when you had control of a time machine and were required to alter items in the past and present in order to get desired outcomes in the future — a brilliantly designed portion of the game that I promise not to spoil. Another great feature the game supports is local cooperative multiplayer up to three players, so you and two friends can explore the cave and its witticisms together.

The Cave leaves no stone unturned when it comes to its impressive visuals. Graphically, the game wields beautifully rendered 3D high definition environments that you explore on a 2D plane. The colors are rich and vibrant and the game’s cartoonish art design are very reminiscent of the games of yesteryear that kick-started video gaming’s foray into the mainstream. The only minor flaw worth noting in The Cave is that there were certain instances in the game where the frame rate took a slight dip, but it wasn’t game-breaking or handicapped your gameplay experience.

The Cave offers a healthy amount of replayability. A single playthrough on average will take you about five to six hours to complete … but that’s only with a set of three characters. You will have to play through the game a total of three times just to get the full story for all of the characters — but that’s not all: if you beat the game a second time with each character you get rewarded with that character’s “true” ending.

All in all, I highly recommend playing The Cave with a friend or two because the added gameplay experience alone that is achieved through the cooperative multiplayer is worth the price of admission — and at only $15 The Cave is a steal. The Cave is available for digital download on the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

FINAL SCORE: 9 out of 10

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Single-player video games have it rough. After the initial play-through of a single-player game there isn’t much left for players to do with the game — a common issue with most, if not every, single-player game.

Tomb Raider fans should be happy to learn that, earlier this month, Crystal Dynamics announced that a multiplayer component will be included within the game, in addition to the standard single-player campaign, giving gamers a bigger bang for their buck and extend the longevity of their play time.

Tomb Raider’s multiplayer has been developed separately by Deus Ex Human: Revolution developers Eidos Montreal and includes competitive game modes where players take control of teams consisting of Lara’s shipwrecked shipmates and the the island’s deadly and savage inhabitants. Players will be able to gain experience over time to increase their performance stats and purchase new characters to play with their own specific weapon loadouts.

“Team Deathmatch” mode will traditionally pit the Survivor and Scavenger teams against each other in a best of three matches where players alternate between playing as the opposing teams after each round.

Another multiplayer game mode called “Rescue” is where the Survivors are tasked with delivering medical supplies to various locations scattered throughout the map while the Scavengers press on to gun them down. The winner is determined by whether or not the Survivors deliver all of their packages before the Scavengers reach 25 kills.

Finally, there is the “Cry for Help” game mode, which isn’t directly as competitive as the other game modes, and the focus of the matches is based on exploration and discovery. While the developers’ description of the game mode was very limited, it appears that Cry for Help will play very much like a scavenger hunt.

To keep things interesting, the environment will also play a large role in Tomb Raider’s multiplayer. Booby traps are laden throughout the maps and even the weather can play a pivotal role in turning the tide of battle. In video gameplay demonstrations of Tomb Raider’s multiplayer, a huge sandstorm had developed amidst a deathmatch and blinded a team of pursuing attackers, putting them at a severe disadvantage and ultimately costing them the match. Parts of the environment are also destructible, so you can take out a key bridge to funnel your enemies into a kill zone and gain an upper hand.

Last year, Mass Effect 3 surprised the world with its hugely successful multiplayer mode that was included with the legendary single-player title, and it seems that other game developers are beginning to follow suit with multiplayer modes being added to the upcoming God of War: Ascension and Dead Space 3.

The multiplayer addition to Tomb Raider even has some gamers reconsidering their initial stance on the game, now knowing that it boasts multiplayer capability. Tomb Raider looks like a well-rounded and solid gaming experience that promises to be a sure buy.

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As a devout Star Trek fan and avid gamer it is a sad fact to admit that for as popular as Gene Roddenberry’s ground-breaking science-fiction series has grown to become over the years, that the slew of Star Trek inspired video games released over the years have missed their mark more often than not in the eyes and hearts of fans and critics alike. Just when things were beginning to look gloomy for the Trek franchise’s future, director J.J. Abrams revitalized the seemingly non-ending drought of lackluster Trek installments with his 2009 reboot, Star Trek. Fortunately, for gamers that means a revitalized series of Star Trek games are headed our way.

Star Trek: The Video Game is a third-person action/adventure game where players will be able to take control of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock in a co-op adventure that is set to take place after the 2009 film and will bridge the gap with events that lead up to the theatrical release of the sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness, due out in May. Teamwork is a big factor in Star Trek: The Video Game and its cooperative gameplay will enable you to partner up with a friend online to engage your enemies and boldly go where no one has gone before.

The new and original story is being penned by Marianne Krawczyk who’s most notable for her writing of PlayStation’s immensely popular God of War series. By creating an original story that doesn’t have to follow the upcoming film, the developers will have more freedom to create a solid game rather than be bogged down with the limitations of creating a “carbon copy” video game adaptation of the forthcoming film — a virtual death sentence in a licensed video game’s success.

Preorders for Star Trek: The Video Game are now available and fans who place them prior to the title’s launch will get access to an exclusive “Elite Officer Pack” which includes Stealth, Brawler, Kelvin, Academy and Kobayashi Maru Packs, all of which contain unique outfits and weapons you can utilize in the game.

The game’s cooperative gameplay and impressive visuals are sure to put the previous Trek games to shame as well as some contemporary third-person shooters, so if you’re a fan or not, this title may be worth checking out. Star Trek: The Video Game will hit shelves on April 23rd, 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and via digital download for both the PC and PlayStation 3.