Wolverine is probably the most iconic alumni in Marvel’s vast gallery of mutant characters. He’s so popular that 20th Century Fox saw fit to tap him for his own film series spin-off after the original X-Men trilogy derailed into laughable obscurity in X-Men 3: The Last Stand. After an equally embarrassing film debut in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Hugh Jackman has returned to play the titular character Logan (aka “Wolverine”) in this summer’s mutant action romp The Wolverine.

Aside from Jackman’s reprisal of his role, The Wolverine sports a hugely unknown cast due to this film’s setting overseas in Japan. Japanese film stars Hiroyuki Sanada, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima, Hal Yamanouchi and Brian Tee add a far-eastern flair to the mix while Russian actress Svetlana Khodchenkova rounds out the cast of new faces. Famke Janssen has a cameo role in this film as well.

Taking place years after the events that transpired in the third X-Men film and borrowing a page from Logan’s comic book roots, The Wolverine tells 20th Century Fox’s abridged version of Logan’s well-chronicled history and ties to Japan after he is invited to the Land of the Rising Sun by an old acquaintance that can offer Logan an end to his eternal suffering. But like in any superhero film, things aren’t always what they seem. So when the Japanese mob tries to poke around in other people’s affairs you can bet that everyone’s favorite scrappy mutant bad ass with claws might have something to say about that.

The main positive The Wolverine had going for it was its cultural aspect. In the comic books, Wolverine learned many lessons about himself and life in general while in Japan that helped shape him to become a better man (or should I say “X-Man”?) and the film’s tone actually did a very good job of capturing that faithful mystique of the comic’s narrative.

The Wolverine isn’t without its fair share of action sequences either and nothing is more fun than watching Hugh Jackman, in probably his best shape ever, kick butt and take quite the punishment. Fortunately, The Wolverine definitely didn’t have the cartoonish feel that the first Wolverine film reeked of, but there were parts of the film where the pacing seemed to drag and you found yourself just waiting for a scene to end and the next action sequence to start up.

Having a relatively unknown cast in The Wolverine worked as a double-edged sword. On one hand it helps put the audience in Logan’s shoes as an outsider in a foreign land that has to interact with characters and their unfamiliar customs in a very traditional culture. On the other hand some of the Japanese actors just weren’t very believable in their roles. Perhaps it is the traditional style of Japanese acting that’s to blame? Tao Okamoto as Logan’s love interest “Mariko” was most bothersome. Besides a Famke Janssen cameo as Jean Grey, The Wolverine had such a weak cast that it actually made the film boring in those scenes where you were waiting for the next exciting thing to happen.

My biggest complaint had to deal with the highly advertised plot device of Logan losing his ability to heal. The Hollywood trademark of “stripping a superhero of his or her powers” comes into full swing just to show Logan’s vulnerabilities and quite frankly, I’m tired of seeing this plot tactic because it is so overused. We as the audience know that Wolverine won’t die. We’re watching a movie based on a Marvel comic book character — not an episode of Game of Thrones. We as the audience just aren’t going to fall for your storytelling ploy — so get creative!

Ultimately, The Wolverine was better than I thought it would be. But then again I did go into this film with pretty low expectations especially after how horrible the first Wolverine film turned out to be. Better and more polished than X-Men Origins: Wolverine, this actually tries to stay as faithful to the original source material as it can for a movie. So if you’re a Wolverine fan, an X-Men fan, a comic book fan, or an action movie fan then The Wolverine is at least worth checking out. And definitely stick around part of the way through the credits. A special tease for next summer’s X-Men: Days of Future Past is definitely worth any Marvel fan’s time and money alone.

Let it be said that with movies like The Dark Knight Rises and this summer’s Man of Steel, it is safe to say that the bar has been raised for the quality standard when it comes to superhero films. While I was at least entertained by what The Wolverine had to offer, it definitely hadn’t reached that standard. Perhaps Christopher Nolan should come over to the Marvel side of the filmworks to lend his magic touch? Wishful thinking, I know.

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If you would have told me back in 2001 that The Fast and the Furious would go on to become a ridiculously successful film franchise spanning over five movies and counting, I probably would have laughed in your face. But as time went on I can honestly say that I really didn’t see it coming, because The Fast and the Furious franchise snowballed into a feverish sleeper hit of a film franchise that even I enjoy watching — especially on the big screen.

With a huge ensemble cast starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, Sung Kang, Luke Evans and more, Fast & Furious 6 picks up after Dominic Toretto (Diesel) and his criminal gang of street racers finished their Rio de Janeiro heist in the last film.

Now retired and living abroad with the millions he and his team got away with, Toretto is confronted by a ghost from his past when Diplomatic Security Services agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) presents him with information that his long-believed dead girlfriend Letty (Rodriguez) is still alive and working jobs for a known mercenary and terrorist named Owen Shaw (Evans). Hobbs offers to clear Toretto and his gang of their criminal records in exchange for joining forces to take down Shaw. The movie only gets more entertaining from there.

Probably the best thing about this movie is that it is a great action movie with an uncanny sense of pacing. Fast & Furious 6 is very reminiscent of a roller coaster ride, the pacing picks up with high octane action sequences and chases and just as you’ve gotten your fill, the film will slow down just long enough for you to catch your breath and digest just enough of the plot before the action picks up again. With such a large cast and so many things that are going on at the same time this movie was pieced together brilliantly.

The acting wasn’t anything to write home about, but for a summer action flick it gets the job done, just as it had in the last five films. I’ve never been a Paul Walker fan since I saw a scene of him in Timeline where he couldn’t even iron a shirt convincingly, and he was able to do his role without distracting me from the film’s story. Tyrese Gibson’s character helps move the film along with his comedic relief and the way he bounces off Chris Bridges’ character, and the duality between Johnson’s and Diesel’s characters made for a great onscreen dynamic as well. Ever since Fast Five I was waiting for a full-on team-up between Toretto’s gang and agent Hobbs. This film doesn’t disappoint.

Fast & Furious 6 boasts great cinematography which just adds to the film’s pros. Then again, when shot in exotic locales such as the Canary Islands or vibrant cities like Tokyo and London it’s no surprise. And when you add colorful cars into mix topped off with slow-motion butt shots of scantily clad women walking by, it’s pretty much the best cinematography you can expect from a car culture film.

If you have to ask if there are any glaring downsides about the film my answer would be “not necessarily.” Fast & Furious 6 does suffer from your typical popcorn action movie tropes. The characters are one-dimensional for the most part but don’t drag down the story with their cookie-cutter roles. And thanks to the film’s genius-level of pacing there’s enough balance between fast and furious action and just enough drama and comedy to keep you entertained for the long haul.

Fast & Furious 6 is the best film in the series to date and I look forward to the next one. Watch this movie with a packed crowd and you will get sucked into the true experience of why summer action films are made: to entertain our socks off!

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You pretty much had to have been living under a rock for the last few years to not have heard about The Hangover movies and the epic drunken adventures and hijinks the “Wolfpack” have been on after wild nights of partying and drinking. With The Hangover Part III being billed as the third and final film in the series it had the difficult task of being fresh and unique enough to set itself apart from the first two films, while still keeping consistent with a level of crazy humor.

With no bachelor parties or weddings of any sort to set up this film, The Hangover Part III veers off the series’ traditional path of the previous Hangover movies when Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Doug (Justin Bartha) hit the open road on a trip put together to help their disturbed and unfiltered friend Alan (Zach Galifianakis) after a family crisis. The Wolfpack, being as disaster-prone as they are, eventually cross paths with a crime boss named Marshall (John Goodman) who forces the pack to track down the untamed Chinese criminal Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong) after he escapes from a Thai prison.

While The Hangover Part III’s principal cast has already been established by the previous two films there are still some nice additions to the film’s cast. John Goodman, while flat and nothing spectacular, still manages to pull off a convincing enough antagonist to get the fires burning beneath the Wolfpack’s paws and get them scrambling on their way into trouble. Mike Epps’ and Heather Graham’s characters also return for this film in small roles, and even the same kid who played as the baby in the first film reprises his role as “Carlos” for one of the funnier exchanges in the film. Melissa McCarthy’s role, although small and a little bit surprising, seemed to fit nicely with the film and her comedy played exceptionally well off of Galifianakis.

The real stand-out workhorse and vital cog of this film is the tandem comedy duo created by Ken Jeong and Zack Galifianakis, who literally carry this film on their backs from beginning to end. They are just that funny. Jeong has a much more expanded role in this film that suits the hare-brained and irreverent plot advancements perfectly. Right from the film’s get-go, The Hangover Part III hits the gas on the crazy comedy and never lets up. It almost felt as if Galifianakis and Jeong were given a blank check to bring the most out of their eccentric characters and they actually delivered.

The most obvious detail worth noting is that The Hangover Part III took the liberty of differentiating itself from the first two films by having the story not revolve around a “blackout” event as a catalyst for the Wolfpack’s crazy adventure. There’s still the element of the team working together to achieve a common goal against a strict deadline but this time around the adventure has a new paint job and sports a different flavor than the other films — but it works.

Ultimately, The Hangover Part III put together a fun ride with just enough laughs and subtle twists to keep you entertained and rolling in your seats until the film’s end. This film probably wouldn’t sit too well with those who don’t enjoy wild and off-the-wall comedies, but to any and all of those who enjoyed either of the previous films, The Hangover Part III is without a doubt a must-see — especially with a crowd. Just be sure to stick around through part of the credits for a great post-credits sequence that you do not want to miss!

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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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Michael Bay is pretty much the quintessential director when it comes to action films. His name and his films are synonymous with fast cars, scantily clad exotic women, raunchy humor, slow motion shots and explosions. Lots and lots of explosions. So it was to my surprise when I heard Bay was tapped to helm and direct Pain & Gain, a movie based on the Sun Gym Gang’s kidnapping, extortion and murder spree that took place in Miami during the mid-nineties – a far cry from the Transformers film trilogy he just completed.

Thinking that Bay’s movie-making values and philosophy had reached a level of maturity after learning about the subject matter of his post-Transformers film I went into Pain & Gain expecting Bay to show me something new. Something fresh. Something I hadn’t seen from him before.

Well … let’s just say some things change and some things stay the same. Here’s the breakdown.

Without spoiling too much of the plot Pain & Gain stars Mark Wahlberg and Anthony Mackie as Daniel Lugo and Adrian Doorbal respectively, two body builders who work at Sun Gym in Miami. Lugo helps turn things around at the gym to compete against the rival Gold’s Gym but still finds himself stuck and in a rut and wanting more out of life. After crossing paths with very wealthy and belittling client Victor Kershaw (brilliantly played by Tony Shalhoub), Lugo hatches a scheme to kidnap, torture and extort him for his fortune. New Sun Gym recruit Paul Doyle (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) is brought into the fold to round out the scheme and the rest is history and for you to find out.

Pain & Gain sports a well-balanced cast that actually worked surprisingly well together on screen. I’m usually apprehensive about Mark Wahlberg who usually acts in one of two modes, either overly over-the-top and dramatic or overly over-the-top moronic, with little wiggle room for go-between. In this film however he was able to play a pumped up meat-head without a problem.

I will have to say however that The Rock’s performance in this film is probably what saved it for me. It was so different to see Johnson take on a role where he was a softy ex-con with a heart of gold. His comedic timing was great and he was ultimately the glue that held the film together in my opinion – which is probably why they marketed it so heavily with Johnson all over the posters even though his character doesn’t even show up until a third of the way through the film. Ed Harris’ and Rebel Wilson’s characters also stand out among the film’s cast and round out the rest of the key players in the film’s story.

Now I liked quite a bit about this film. But liking Pain & Gain for some of the reasons that you may find yourself liking it for is a double-edged sword – and therein lies where the moral dilemma comes in. But first I’ll start by mentioning what I liked about the movie.

One of the aspects of Pain & Gain that I found very satisfying was the point-of-view changes that were thrown into the film to tell a character’s side of the story and give the audience a look inside their world from their perspective. Side-stepping from the story briefly to look into the minds of the characters was jarring at first but you got used to it rather quickly and the clever usage of voice over, the believable acting and text layover effects really sold it.

Michael Bay also did a sly job of still making this film a typical Michael Bay movie which I found to be quite surprising given the nature of the film’s subject matter. The raunchy humor was still ever present along with the scantily clad exotic women, fast cars, slow motion effects and of course … an explosion. Coupled with the cast’s superb acting chemistry and The Rock’s stand-out performance, Bay was surprisingly able to deliver a crime-thrilling action-comedy that really brings it home. Yes, I said comedy.

Now here’s that moral question I kept referring to and what I didn’t like about the film. I went into this movie knowing it was based on true events involving kidnapping, torture and even a murder or two thrown in for good measure. I wasn’t sure that the tone Bay took with this film was the right one. Because Pain & Gain basically made out the Sun Gym Gang’s exploits out to be a joke. I was entertained and I laughed at things that I probably shouldn’t have been laughing about. Should I have enjoyed the hilarity and antics Bay portrayed onscreen? Even though people’s lives were affected by the actual events? Had this movie been purely fiction I wouldn’t have had this moral question looming over my head after seeing the film.

I recall probably the most signature moment in the film where the movie reached a point where the insanity of Pain & Gain actually had to be summed up with a subtitle that flashed onto the screen that read “This is still based on a true story.” And me along with the rest of the audience laughed. Pain & Gain was funny. But in actuality it probably was handled insensitively.

If you can look beyond the fact of the rather insensitive and tactless approach to portraying the subject matter, Pain & Gain can actually be an entertaining film. If you’re a fan of Michael Bay this film won’t disappoint, nor will it let you down if you’re a fan of Mark Wahlberg and especially The Rock. My only request is that you at least be mindful of the serious nature of this movie’s truthful origins.

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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.