By Matthew Scott Hunter
‘Borderlands’ (M)
‘Borderlands’ guns down the competition
****
2K Games
Xbox 360
First-person shooter fans, eat your hearts out. “Borderlands” is the most frantic run-and-gun-fest since…well, nothing really compares to “Borderlands” when it comes to FPS nuttiness. You’ve got more weapons to collect than you can count, a robust upgrade system, and yet, the action never slows down. Thanks to some truly amazing enemy A.I., the single-player campaign feels as random and haphazard as most multiplayer battles in other games, and when you play co-op (split-screen with a friend or with three other players online) there’s no limit to how wild and panicky the gameplay can become.
The art style lends itself well to the insanity. It’s borderland (pun intended) cartoonish, but not quite. Graphics are detailed and realistic, except every 3D object has 2D matte lines to give the impression of cel-shaded characters and environments. The result is a sort of surreal epic of cartoon carnage. You can select one of four characters with unique abilities, and those abilities are enticing enough to make you want to mix them with the endless plethora of firearms you’ll collect. The story is derivative and, ultimately, a bit disappointing, but the characters are vivid and extremely entertaining — especially when embodied by your friends, rampaging for the next kill.
‘Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars’ (M)
****1/2
Rockstar Games
PlayStation Portable
Seven months ago, Nintendo fans finally got a taste of the most controversial franchise in interactive entertainment. To work on the DS, “Chinatown Wars” had to adopt a top-down view and incorporate a few touchscreen mini-games, but it still felt 100% like “Grand Theft Auto.” Now the game has been ported to PSP, and Liberty City looks better than ever. Plus, the controls are smoother and additional missions make this worth playing even if you’ve already done the DS version. So, basically, failing to play this game would be a far greater crime than anything perpetrated by the seedy denizens of “Chinatown Wars.”
‘Space Invaders Extreme 2’ (E)
**1/2
Square Enix
Nintendo DS
The good news is that this is not the same “Space Invaders” you played in the ‘70s. The bad news is that this IS the same “Space Invaders” you played last year. Aside from the numeral on the menu screen, this sequel does nothing to differentiate itself from the first “Space Invaders Extreme.” The well-worn left-right-shoot control scheme is still simple but effective, and the psychedelic graphics are cooler than the black backdrop of the arcade classic. These changes in last year’s game were enough to make “Space Invaders Extreme” feel fresh. But if you’ve already played that game, then you’ve already played this
‘MySims Agents’ (E)
***1/2
Electronic Arts
Wii
With the “MySims” series, Electonic Arts has been dumbing down the complex social interactions of the “Sims” franchise for a younger Wii audience, and since social intricacies are what’s best about “The Sims,” the “MySims” games have been awful. Rather than attempting to be a watered-down “Sims,” “Agents” dispenses with most of the socializing in favor of giving you some light, family-friendly detective work. Aside from the cutesy art style, this doesn’t feel like a “MySims” game at all, and that’s a good thing.
