By Matt Miller
‘Just Cause 2’ (M)
A thrill ride
****
Eidos
Xbox 360
You shoot a grappling hook at a helicopter flying roughly half a mile overhead. After quickly reeling yourself in, you throw out the pilot (who doesn’t have a parachute) and take control. You gun down two or three small targets before crashing your newly hijacked aircraft into a third. As your enemies are engulfed in a cloud of fire and smoke, you parachute down and land on the back of a moving car. You get inside long enough to eject the driver, but then return to the vehicle’s roof to more easily shoot a nearby guy on a motorcycle. Then you hop to the motorcycle and ride off into the sunset. That’s your average sequence from “Just Cause 2,” a game that lets you indulge in your most ludicrous action movie fantasies.
Even more impressive than the way, way over-the-top action is the tremendous scope of the game. The country of Panau is one giant sandbox full of toys. Between the many cars, boats and aircraft, you have countless modes of transportation, and they can transport you to virtually anyplace you see. If you’re standing on the beach and you see a snowcapped mountain in the distance, you can head directly for the highest peak, and eventually you’ll get there. The gunplay isn’t superb, and some of the vehicular physics are a bit loose and frustrating, but this is easily made up for by the sheer tonnage of stuff to do (and blow up). It could take a lifetime to complete 100 percent of this game, and even if you did, you could come up with crazier stunts to accomplish each mission and do it all over again.
‘Warioware D.I.Y.’ (E)
****
Nintendo
Nintendo DS
Every “WarioWare” title offers an assortment of bizarre and addictive microgames, but this time, you’re going to have to work for them. Wario’s put together plenty of games for you over the years, and now it’s time to return the favor. “D.I.Y.” stands for Do It Yourself, and by making games for Wario, you’ll inadvertently score an education in simple game design. With these somewhat limited but easy-to-use tools, you can create original five-second games to play or trade with your friends online.
‘Dead or Alive Paradise’ (M)
½*
Tecmo
PlayStation Portable
If you’ve never liked video games because you felt they didn’t have enough sleazy voyeurism in them, then this game was made for you. The vapid bimbos from the “DOA” fighting games have gathered on a beach to trade gifts and model skimpy bathing suits for your creepy pleasure. There’s little else to do in this insult to both women and gamers. Even the volleyball mini-game is only there for the benefit of bouncing, pixilated breasts.
‘Shin Megami Tensei; Strange Journey’ (M)
**
Atlus USA
Nintendo DS
Demons are setting up camp in the South Pole, and you’re the last line of defense against mankind’s extinction. Of course, since this is a “Megami Tensei” title, you’ll be winning a few demons over to your side and fusing their various abilities to find the best tactical advantage. It’s not as innovative as “Devil Survivor,” and the heavy-handed story of technology vs. nature lacks the finesse of “Persona 4,” but longtime fans of the series will still find plenty to like.
