We just previewed Madden 10 and it seems like the team has been hard at work scrapping elements that haven’t worked for the series and creating new features in order to produce the most realistic feeling hard-nosed Sunday football game to date.  Let’s blitz through the top ten changes Madden 10 makes to famed Madden formula.

1.  Madden 10 lets players “Feel The Pressure” in the pocket and avoid It.  Since the beginning of time, Madden players have played passing offense the same way:  Running 20 yards or more into the backfield, away from the pocket, and firing a huge bomb to a downfield receiver.  They either complete that miracle pass or they’re sacked for an absurd loss.  Real NFL quarterbacks don’t do this, by the way, they stay protected in the pocket created by the offensive line.  The developers of Madden 10 found that when players were looking downfield for a receiver, the pocket didn’t feel safe because they couldn’t sense when the defense was rushing them, hence the running into the backfield.

One of Madden 10’s goals is to make the pocket feel safe again.  When looking downfield for a receiver to pass to, the controller will rumble when the quarterback is under pressure.  A quick flick of the right stick lets the quarterback execute an avoidance move to shrug away a potential sack and give the player an extra moment to complete a pass.  The avoidance moves will work better with elusive quaterbacks, like Big Ben, but even then they won’t work all the time.

Ben Roethlisberger, one of the larger quarterbacks, eluding a defender with an avoidance move.

2.  Quarterbacks have more guts.  Ok, that’s not a direct quote from Madden 10, but it’s the best way to describe the quarterback’s new ability to complete passes while being sacked.  Last year, Madden 09’s sack animation would overide the quarterback’s passing animation, causing him to tuck the ball instead of releasing it, resulting in some unfair feeling sacks.  “I pressed the throw button!”  Now the top part of a quarterbacks body can still make a pass even though he’s being sacked, which may result in a much needed completion, or a floating pass that could be easily intercepted.  Either way, if you want to make that risky play, now you can.

3.  Nine man gang tackles.  Madden 10’s mantra is “Fight For Every Yard.”  With Madden 10’s new Pro Tak feature you can bring the four on one ownage to some poor running back like the picture below.  The gang tackles generated by Pro Tak can also be used offensively.  If your running back gets some help from some big guys behind him, they may just push him right into the endzone, or help him break out of the tackle animation altogether.  Hopefully Pro Tak’s gang tackles can bring the more organic raw feeling of live football to the game.

3. Fight for the ball at the bottom of the pile.  Players will now experience the lawlessness of the game’s most gritty battle, the wrestling match at the bottom of the pile for the ball after a fumble.  Who knows what happens at the bottom of the pile?  Scratching, finger bending, biting?

Madden 10 handles this tooth and nail battle with an intense quicktime button pressing minigame.  Hit the right button as it flashes on the screen and you’ll tip the possession scale in your favor and probably end up with the ball once the ref’s pulls all the bodies off of the pile.

4. Holding the A button moves your defensive back into position for you to make big plays:  I’ve always had trouble playing defense in Madden, especially in the secondary.  Thankfully, the Madden 10 team found that many players also had the same trouble, and they’ve created Defensive Assist.  Holding down the A button will cause your defender to move into position and play defense, but it will not, however, make big plays like swats and interceptions for you.  It only gets you into position so you can make these big game changing plays yourself.

5. Many of last year’s Iterations have been scrapped, tweaked or downplayed.  The not so successful Madden IQ feature that was so prevalent last year is returning and you’ll still take the test at the beginning of the game, but the Madden 10 team asserts that the feature is going to be changed and be much more in the background.  Weapons, the new feature from a couple Madden’s ago have been completely scrapped and Rewind, Madden’s version of a “do over” is turned off at default.   Chris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond return, but between you and me and what the developers implied, Tom Hammond is going to be more interesting this time around.

7.  Photorealistic Depth of Field.  The reason why the screen shot above looks like it was pulled from the real Superbowl last February is that the Madden 10 engine accurately displays depth of field, blurring that which you’re not focused on.  Look at how the referee in the foreground and the sideline in the background are accurately out of focus.  One of Madden 10’s goals is to make games feel more like a televised broadcast and establishing depth of field is a great step into building that realistic look and feel from a real NFL game.

8.  Passes to the flat are no longer broken.  After catching a pass out to the flat, no longer will receivers fail to slow down and negotiate where the out of bounds line is. No longer will they sprint towards the sideline like Forrest Gump running home to Jenny.  This was a game breaker for many gamers who played Madden 09, so it’s exciting to see that the Madden 10 team is fixing this important play.

This ref should really have a “hit me” sign on his back, because that’s what we all want to do…

9.  You can knock over refs and run into the chain gang. Yep, you can knock those pin striped losers onto the ground during a play and doing so will never impede you or slow down your movement in any way.  That means a ref will never get in the way of pass or trip you up so you don’t make it into the end zone.   Also, Madden 10 wants to replicate the suspense of watching live football by having the chain gang run out and measure for the first down.  This may also increase the number of controller throwing moments.

10. Some players stats have been dropped as much as 20 points! The Madden 10 team saw that the stats have been slowly creeping upwards over the years and that average players were only a few points different from the NFL’s future Hall of Famers.  This would effect teams as well.  Playing the Lions didn’t feel like playing the Lions, it felt like playing the Cowboys or any other good team.  In order to distinguish the average players from the superstars, many player’s ratings had to be lowered.  If you rate everybody as great, then no one is.  Maybe some game websites should adopt this mindset in for review scores.  You didn’t hear it here!

Madden looks like its ready for another monster year of sales and hopefully ready to deliver the most true to life football experience thus far.  Even more Madden 10 features are going to to be revealed at E3 so get your Troy Polumalu jersey ready and check back later!

I don’t really like Japanese RPGs. I think they show an amazing stubbornness towards evolution of the genre, with recycled story arcs and male characters that are more androgynous than a Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie.

I thought living in Japan might help me become more tolerant, but the inverse proved true and my disdain has only grown stronger. So, if I can’t stand Japanese RPGs then why did I put Cloud Strife’s sword into the Top 10?

Simply put, the sword is bigger than the little spiky-headed man holding it, and it aided in the firm ass kicking of one of videogame’s most evil characters, Sephiroth.

Mr. Strife must have done a lot of weight lifting back in Nibelheim. Not only does he carry a Buster Sword big enough to slay a rhinoceros with an oversized pituitary gland, but he can also wield it as if it were a fencing rapier forged of aluminum.

I first saw the sword back when the Playstation was still cutting edge hardware. Displayed nicely on the back of our hero on the jewel case, it quickly caught my eye and was the reason for my purchase of Final Fantasy VII. The quest to save Gaia was arguably the best written and fleshed out of the entire series, and the Buster Sword was just as much a character in this manga-like melodrama as Cloud himself.

The weapons in Final Fantasy VII were designed for each character, and although they could be powered up, they could not be interchanged. This led to each gun, sword and javelin to have a personality of its own and reflect that of its user. But it wasn’t just Materia and Limit Breaks that made Cloud’s sword so awe-inspiring – he also got his own movie to build on its riot rousing reputation.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children was released in Japan on September 14, 2005. The CGI swan song for the Final Fantasy VII universe showcased Cloud’s massive single-edged cleaver with a new sense of detail. Being able to split into various independent sections, the sword was now duel- wieldable, perfect for those boss battles in the ruins of Midgar. A big sword is pretty badass, but a big sword with extra functionality reaches a new echelon of malevolence.

So was Cloud compensating for something? Absolutely! Does it matter? Hell no. This weapon inspired me to take a chance and forget my contempt for JRPGs and embrace the “bigger is better” mantra. It lasted just long enough to enjoy a game with a killer story, great characters and excellent plot twists.

Too bad that little monkey thief in Final Fantasy IX sent me running for the exits again. Who’s up for a game of Oblivion?

Top Ten Most Badass Weapons List: 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1

The golden era of videogames is a hot topic among gamers, mainly because many game enthusiasts don't agree when the gaming utopia took place.

Some feel that it occurred in the mid to late 80s with the introduction and domination of the NES. Others found the 16-bit epoch to be their own personal Shangri-La. Younger gamers feel that this current “next-gen” period we find ourselves in, with its online capabilities and cutting-edge graphics, is the pinnacle of gaming paradise.

Everyone feels differently because everyone has a different collection games that define them and their age bracket. But when bringing up the topic of arcades and the era in which they thrived, there is little room for debate. The golden era took place in the 80s and the king of the cabinets was Namco.

Like many other videogame companies, Namco's early beginnings can be found in business completely unrelated to the gaming industry. Started in the 1950s, the company scraped up its capital by selling mechanical rocking horses and kiddy rides. Namco first started making videogames in 1974 after they snatched the Japanese division of Atari. A few early games followed, but they were all just a preamble to the bomb that would be dropped in 1980.

Apparently inspired by a pizza pie (sans one slice) by Toru Iwatani, Pac-Man would arguably become the most famous videogame in the world. Every respectable arcade would house a Pac-Man machine.

The game would become instantly recognizable to all who heard that opening jingle, felt its battle-worn joystick, and guided that simple little sphere to strategically munch those delicious dots in a quest to tame his paranormal enemies. Pac-Man would do a lot more than build a videogame fan base the world over. It would bring videogames into the mainstream.

Having a background in amusement parks, Namco focused on developing its arcade library, which was the main vehicle to carry a gaming fix to the consumers of the day. If you were to take a stroll through a gallery displaying these works of art you would see an assortment of masterpieces.

There is Galaga, the superior sequel to 1979's Galaxian that would have kids around the world risking alien abduction in order to get a chance at doubling their firepower. Pole Position was a hugely successful racing game for the company. Dig Dug and Xevious (the world's first vertical shooter) would both be released in the same year.

Namco had a lot of “firsts” in the gaming industry, many of which have become clichés within the community. King and Balloon was the first game to use synthesized voices. Rally X was the first game to include the ever-popular bonus round. Dragon Buster introduced the idea of a life bar, and Splatterhouse was the first game to be branded with a parental advisory warning.

Arcades are still Namco's territory. Like their amusement parks, they continue to make fantastic rides for people of all ages and preferences. Tekken, Soul Calibur, and Time Crisis continue to push the envelopes of their respected genres, and Ridge Racer continues its legacy on the PS3.

The transition to consoles came initially with ports of their coin-op successes, but original games like the Ace Combat series and the Xenosaga series offer a nice alternative to the frenzied action of your standard quarter cruncher.

Namco Cybertainment Inc. has become the largest arcade company in the world, with roughly 30,000 games in their inventory. Two years ago Namco merged with the toy manufacturing giant Bandai. They now stand as the 3rd largest videogame entity in Japan.

The merger will deliver Namco's classics to a whole slew of fresh-faced customers. By developing versions of their classics for operation on either cell phones or Xbox Live, they are guaranteeing the longevity of their product.

We will be seeing Namco for generations to come, mainly because their great videogames tap into a digital fountain of youth, preventing them from ever getting old.

Must Haves:
Pac-Man Championship Edition (Xbox Live),
Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (Xbox 360).

Have Nots:
Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles 2 (PS2)
Dead to Rights (Multi)

Top Ten Developer List: 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1

Here at Ripten, we’re nothing if not festive. As the weather turns cold and the pumpkins light up, we take a look at some games that are sure to scare the crap out of you this holiday season. Read on… if you dare! Muwahahaha!

Seriously though, we usually try to incorporate content for all types of people, even the faint of heart. But for you scaredy-cats, read no further. Just go back to watching the Discovery channel.

#10 – Bioshock
Get out the candy corn and your plasmids, it’s time for some Big Daddy ass-whoopin! Bioshock swept us off our feet this summer with stunning visuals and a unique blend of gameplay and narrative.

2k Games received overwhelming praise from gamers and critics alike. However, it was never acclaimed as a horror game, even though the narrow corridors of Rapture held more than one claustrophobic, bloody fright.

#9 – Hellgate London
There are few men I trust more than Flagship’s Mr. Bill Roper to deliver a stellar game. Hellgate promises to be nothing less. Featuring fast paced combat, randomized dungeon layouts, and of course, what every Halloween game needs– lots and lots of zombies!

From gloomy cathedrals to ancient ruins, London lends itself very well as a scary backdrop for players to adventure in. After playing the beta for days, we can’t wait to get our hands on the final version of the game. Equally scary as the demons that infest the streets of London is how fast you get addicted to this game.

You won’t want to stop the mayhem, because a rare item might be one kill away. Flagship really nailed the whole carrot on a stick mentality that all of us remember so fondly from Diablo.

#8 – F.E.A.R.
Throw in some supersmart AI, mix in a little bullet-time, and sprinkle in a dash of the supernatural and you get Monolith’s multiplatform shooter FEAR. What more could you ask for? Hell, even the little girl from The Ring is in this game!

Fans of F.E.A.R won’t have to wait long to get there next fix. The game came out on PS3 earlier this year with a new gameplay mode, and the standalone expansion FEAR: Perseus Mandate hits store shelves the 6th of November.

#7 – The Suffering
Enter Abbott State Penitentiary, where Torque has been convicted and sentenced to death for killing his wife and two children. Torque claims that he blacked out when the murder occurred, and has no recollection of what happened (with a name like Torque, it’s a wonder no one believed him).

When an earthquake rocks the Prison, all Hell breaks loose and it’s up to you to get out of there. The Suffering also implements a light/dark side mechanic, prompting you to make moral decisions, the sum of which will determine the ending of the game. The Suffering easily takes the crown as the best psychological horror game we’ve played.

#6 – System Shock 2
System Shock 2 stands in a genre of its own. Fusing FPS mechanics with deep RPG style character development, SS2 doesn’t ram cheap monster closet thrills down your throat. Instead, it gets inside your head just to mess with you.

You wake up in a deserted space ship, the Van Buren, only to find the rest of the crew horribly killed or turned into monsters. Your character uncovers audio logs and bits of the story along the way.

It’s the subtle nature of the terror slowly welling up inside you that makes this game such a success. It’s no wonder Ken Levine has gone on record stating that Bioshock is the spiritual successor to System Shock.

#5 – Doom 3
As far as horror premises go, this one takes the cake. You’re a Mars security guard doing a routine patrol when all of a sudden a portal to Hell opens and everyone around you turns into damn dirty zombies.

Widely known as the game that kicked off the next-gen era, Doom 3 made PC gamers everywhere empty their pockets to beef up their systems. Doom isn’t just pretty– few games can match its level of immersion. Playing it with the lights out at night is one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in gaming.

#4 – Alien vs. Predator 2
You can never have enough bug hunts! AvP2 is set on planet LV-426, the same dark, windy world where Aliens took place. Dynamic lighting and strong sound design set this game apart from the rest. You really get the sense that Aliens could be anywhere.

You can play the game through as any of the three species: Alien, Predator, or Human. We recommend you play through the Human campaign first, because the other species don’t seem to chat very often, leaving you hard-pressed to figure out what’s going on.

This game was strong enough to warrant an expansion pack called Primal Hunt which received mixed reviews. As a huge fan of the Aliens movies, AvP2 is one of my personal favorite games of all time.

#3 – Dementium: The Ward
It’s just you, some monsters, and a bonesaw. Even though the DS is not exactly known for its survival horror games, this first-person shooter sets a new standard for handheld dark and scary. There are creepy puzzles with the clues written in blood, skittering bugs that make a freaky chirping sound, and some massively mean bosses out to get you.

Releasing on Halloween, Dementium is a solid offering that tries to cram as much Silent Hill suspense and Doom 3 action into two little screens. Can you hear your heartbeat racing yet?

#2 – Resident Evil (Gamecube)
Resident Evil — Simply put, Resident Evil is the definition of the survival horror genre. Some may argue the original Playstation release of this game should get the recognition, however, which disc would you rather pop in?

We applaud the uniqueness and the effort that the original PSX game put forth. That said, the gorgeous visuals and enhanced gameplay in the Gamecube version make for a far better experience. In addition to the visuals, the enhanced version also features 10 different endings, as well as several new puzzles and plot twists.

RE4 might be a better action game, but RE1 is where the scares are. This is a must-own title for any fan of the horror genre.

#1 – Silent Hill 1 and 2

OK, so we cheated. Two games in the number one slot. But they’re so closely connected that they might as well be some kind of freaky conjoined Jack-O-Lantern.

Silent Hill is as simple a name as one can give to a small American town. Just a simple, sleepy town with the occasional zombie nurse, skinless attack dog, and pyramid-headed monster.

In these games, silence lurks around every corner with a washed-out white color palette. Silent Hill 1 has you playing as a concerned father seeking his lost child, while the sequel is about a distraught husband seeking his dead wife. Both times you make a slow descent into madness as the town seeks to swallow you up.

Silent Hill 2 is the superior game, having improved upon the original in every way. It implemented very original characters while still staying true to the unique vibe of being alone in a desolate and horrifying environment. Gameplay is more focused on exploration and narrative than action.

There is something to be said about the way these games get under your skin. You can’t really pin it down– perhaps it’s the game’s stronger emphasis on character-related drama. In addition to the freaky environments, the story really adds a second layer of horror that few games can match.

When thinking about horror games, the Silent Hill series immediately pops into my head, with SH2 as my all time favorite. When I think about it the answer is simple: subtlety.

Games usually can’t afford to incorporate the same levels of subtlety seen in film and books. From the broken wheelchairs to the plates of food still on the tables, you really get a sense that something terrible happened here, and it happened quickly. The game never directly tells you what happened to the town, which really lets your imagination take over.

So put the disc in, switch the lights off, turn the volume up and get ready for some of the most intense scares gaming has to offer. Just don’t freak out too much when the trick-or-treaters ring the doorbell. Have a happy Halloween!

P.S. If scary stuff isn’t for you then please, be our guest and have a gander at this relaxing nature video…

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To think of LucasArts (formerly Lucasfilm Games) is to think of George Lucas, the man who created it all. The pompadour sporting and flannel wearing visionary gave us Star Wars and Indiana Jones, for which he should be canonized. Some would be happy evolving just one form of media, but it appears that forever changing the face of cinema and inventing the Wookie wasn’t enough for Mr. Lucas. He still had to revitalize another form of entertainment– video games.

In 1982 the video game industry was on a precipice after some very tumultuous years. By the end of 1983, the video game crash was in full swing. Angry gamers were becoming frustrated by aging consoles and yearned for a breath of fresh air. It may not have been the best time to form a new software company, but many of Lucas’s undertakings were never considered financially viable by economic groupthink.

The company began by making low-key action games for the Atari 5200, but would soon find success with adventure games. The adventure genre was a huge market in the late 80’s and early 90’s, and LucasArts became one of the forerunners in developing memorable titles. They got their feet wet with the 1987 classic Maniac Mansion, a hilarious adventure that played off America’s love of B-grade horror films.

Maniac Mansion was the first game to utilize the SCUMM scripting language that would go on to create the company’s most memorable entries over the next 10 years. It also introduced something that would become a staple of LucasArts’ adventure games – humor. Games like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Day of the Tentacle, Sam & Max and the beloved Monkey Island series would set the bar for the funniest and best 2D adventure games of the day. But LucasArts didn’t stop there.

George wasn’t going to let his lucrative franchises in the film industry go unused in this newly discovered market, and Star Wars became the basis of dozens of games for the developer. These games sent fans of the series running to their nearest software retailers faster than Han Solo making the Kessel Run. LucasArts used the Star Wars name to contribute to the flight-sim (X-wing Series), first person shooter (Dark Forces and Jedi Knight Series), role playing (Knights of the Old Republic Series by BioWare) and MMO genres (Star Wars Galaxies). If it was a genre, it had a LucasArts game.

LucasArts continues to make its mark in the gaming world today, with a level of quality that has remained consistent over the majority of the last two decades. While adventure games don’t tend to be a popular commodity and some licenses have failed to make a smooth jump to 3D (I’m looking at you, Dr. Jones), Lucasarts still offers plenty of promise for the future. From the recent collaboration with Industrial Light and Magic and the huge budget that pact provides, we can only hope that Lucasarts will continue to rocket the gaming community to a galaxy far, far away.

Must Haves:
Grim Fandango (PC),
The Monkey Island Series (PC),
Star Wars: X-wing (PC)

Have Nots:
Star Wars Obi-Wan (XBOX),
The Dig (PC)

Top Ten Developer List: 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1

Some developers draw inspiration from a particular genre. Electronic Arts built up some of the most successful franchises in the sports world, Id Software concentrated mainly on first person shooters like DOOM and Wolfenstein, and Lucasarts grew its fan base by creating excellent adventure games. Square Enix falls into this category as well. Their area of expertise is the RPG.

As many already know, Square and Enix started their relationship under very different circumstances than today. They were originally rivals in Japan, vying for the attention of RPG consumers in a very competitive market.

Enix made its big splash with the Dragon Quest series (known as Dragon Warrior to Western audiences). The NES game would introduce many characters, weapons, and plot lines that still appear in the series today. It turned out to be hugely successful for Enix and gave them a foothold in the Japanese role-playing game market.

What’s interesting is that Enix didn’t actually develop these games themselves. The creation process of the first five Dragon Quest games was handled by a company known as Chunsoft. Enix would merely act as publisher and maintain the copyrights.

Square, on the other hand, was a publisher. During the company’s toddler years there was the danger of having to declare bankruptcy due to some unsuccessful early releases. This impending doom led Hironobu Sakaguchi to name their last entry into the gaming industry Final Fantasy, a name that was selected to signify the company’s inevitable demise. However, the game proved to be successful, and Square was saved from the chopping block.

Many consider Final Fantasy to be the pinnacle of any role-playing series available. Fans of the FF releases could debate for hours which game has the best story line, most useless power-up, or most annoying character. Final Fantasy is one of the most loved franchises in the history of videogames and it continues to grow to this day.

Genre lines have been crossed, movies have been made, and figurines have been manufactured. Final Fantasy has gone from a last attempt at success to a household name. And through the years, the talented people at Square have been there to steer their ship into areas of new discovery.

Games like Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, Front Mission and Kingdom Hearts pushed role-playing genre into new territory, while Final Fantasy kept sailing on with new plot situations, battle systems, and characters. But that’s not to say that Square always had to stay within the RPG genre. The company had great success with the car racing classic Rad Racer on the Nintendo Entertainment System. They also made a nice addition to the survival horror genre with the Parasite Eve games on the Sony Playstation. But for the most part, Square has continued to create what comes naturally to them– RPGs.

On April Fools Day in 2003, Square and Enix made one of the biggest mergers in video game history. The two rivals would shake hands (or bow, actually) and continue their monopolizing of the JRPG market as an unstoppable duo. The absorption of Square by Enix would bring together two of the most influential companies in gaming history, and fuse two of the most well-loved and respected catalogs by any company found in Japan or abroad.

What the future holds is yet to be seen. But if the past is any judge, these fantasies aren’t showing any signs of finality.

Must Haves:
Final Fantasy III (SNES),
Final Fantasy VII (PS),
Secret of Mana (SNES),
Dragon Quest IV (NES)

Have Nots:
Chocobo Racing (PS)

Top Ten Developer List: 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1

I handle my lists a little differently than many websites/magazines. I call the lists “THE X LIST”, X as in Ten, giving you a list comprised of nine hits (with Spidey as the main character or at least a featured player), and One ENORMOUS miss.

Even though Spidey may be a hero in the funny-pages and in our hearts, only a handful of his games have become full-on classics. However, if you attended high-school during the 90’s, much of this list will have a special place in your web-entangled hearts.

Now, for your viewing pleasure, in celebration of Activision’s Friend or Foe, is Spider-Man’s nine greatest video gaming hits, and unfortunately, his one biggest miss!

9. The Amazing Spider-Man (Released: 1991, Nintendo Gameboy, LJN)
There may be better games than this on the original Gameboy… or any system for that matter, but this was the first REAL Spider-Man game that began the pure onslaught of Marvel Entertainment-related simulators that would follow over the next 16 years. Gameboy was the hip, cool toy during that era and this was the game to have! Not only was this the first to feature all Spidey’s powers and popular villains, it also played the theme-song from the 1960’s animated series in stunning stereo sound! All in glorious green and green-er graphics!

8. Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage (1994, SNES/Genesis, Acclaim)
During the mid-90’s Acclaim was EA. They were releasing one licensed hit after another, gobbling up smaller companies (like Spidey’s LJN) in their path. Marvel was attempting to promote the bastard child of Venom, Carnage. Grooming Carnage as the next big villain/franchise event of comic books. Thus, Acclaim released Maximum Carnage (the game) towards the end of the comic-crossover event. A better than average side-scrolling Final Fight wannabe where you could play as Spider-Man or Venom. An unusual marketing scheme, Carnage fans who placed a deposit received an audio-tape music single by the band Green Jelly… god we were stupid.

7. Spider-Man (2000, PSOne/Dreamcast/N64, Activision)
Before the movies and merchandising madness that followed the films, Spidey still had to prove himself as a profitable (and fun) theme in the entertainment world. Along came Activision and Neversoft (hot off the the success of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater) with a game that gave fans what we always desired… thwipping and swinging on webs through NYC, clinging to ceilings, and thwarting the attempts of bank-robbers in a real 3-D world! Any game that features a Doc Ock /Carnage-symbiote and Stan ‘The Man’ Lee narrating is a geek-feast.

6. Marvel Super Heroes (1995, Arcades, Capcom)
First came X-Men: Children of the Atom. When Capcom realized the Street Fighter engine could milk the 2D quarter-dumping arcade geeks better with a Marvel license, and thus came a ton of cross-overs, and amalgamations. X-Men Vs. Street Fighter. Marvel Vs. Capcom. Marvel Vs. The Lochness Monster. The Capcom That Ate Chicago. With more sequels, the difficulty was continuously turned up a notch, thus alienating those who fell in love with the simplicity, grace, gorgeous 2-D sprites and fun-factor of the original classic. Released a year later on the PSOne, prepare to drop $50 on a used eBay copy. I should know, mine just arrived. Thank you PS3 backwards compatibility!

5. Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems (1995, SNES, Capcom)
Despite ignoring their own abilities to bring amazing Arcade-ports to the SNES (Street Fighter Alpha 2, etc.) Capcom created a whole other (and very enjoyable, at that) Marvel game for the 16-bit home console. This side-scrolling 2-D adventure game was based more directly on the ‘War of the Gems’ comic book series. Featuring Spidey, Cap. America, Wolverine, Hulk and Iron Man (not to mention evil-clones of the Silver Surfer, Daredevil and Sasquatch). Popular due to (once again) a distinct Capcom art-style/graphics, and fun play mechanics established in X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse the year before.

4. Spider-Man (2002, PS2/Xbox/Gamecube, Activision)
Based on the Sam Raimi masterpiece… wait, that’s Evil Dead 2. Based on the Sam Raimi comic book masterpiece… oh wait, that’s Dark Man. Ok, based on the FIRST Raimi-Marvel collaboration, Spider-Man is loosely designed around the PSOne hit, but with vastly improved graphics and control. While the N64 had Stan Lee’s voiceover, the Gamecube featured Bruce Campbell leading the player around by the ear. Which is the geekier fan service? You decide.

Groovy.

3. The Amazing Spider-Man (1991, Arcade, Sega)
Memories. Pressed between the pages of my arcade-loving mind… More Side-scrolling-punch/kick/jump affairs spun directly from the success of Konami’s 1990’s multiplayer, highly-addictive hits (The Simpsons, TMNT, X-Men w. 6-players).

Sega had similar success with the classic Golden-Axe. Spidey pushed limits with not only beautiful animation, but a new graphic trick that zoomed the camera in and out changing the action from a Street’s of Rage-type standard to quasi-Mario/16-bit era platforming levels where our hero and his Amazing Friends would take on gigantic bosses (like a mutated Venom). Featuring one of the best line-ups of Spidey-Haters ever. Venom, The Kingpin, Doc Ock, Electro, Lizard, Scorpion, Green Goblin, Hobgoblin, and Fantastic Four nemesis, Dr. Doom. However (Black Cat, Namor, and Hawkeye are quite lame compared to the Amazing-one, causing a fevered race by buddies towards the machine for the Player One slot.

2. Spider-Man 2 (2005, PSP, Activision)
While the Playstation 2 movie version was the first GTA-open world Spider-Man game, the PSP launch title was more directly based on the story of the film, and showed us great potential for the pocket-powerhouse. While the big-console-brother broke new ground for super-hero freedom of control and web-powers, it also had frustrating boss fights and in-door areas that spun the camera with dizzying side-affects. The PSP game continued the legacy of the PSOne original, which was perfect for the new system.

1. Ultimate Spider-Man (2005, Xbox/PS2/Gamecube, Activision)
I fear Activision may have sealed their fate with Ultimate Spider-Man, since it is the finest simulator to date and will be a challenge for developer Treyarch to top if they decide to continue the legacy. Based on the comic book series of the same name, USM perfected the New York City (and Aunt May’s neighborhood of Queens) open world playground established in the Spider-Man 2 console games. Which is the reason why SM2 is not on the list, despite being a very competent game in it’s own right. Cell-shading separated Ultimate even more from it’s movie-tie-in’s.

All the art in the game is based on the illustrations of Ultimate-comic’s 100-issue strong Mark Bagley, and look phenomenal. If you play this game on an HDMI-enabled Xbox 360, it looks absolutely flawless and stands proudly along side newer, next-gen titles. The animation for the main characters is outstanding, which includes Venom on secondary quests. While Peter has all his usual repertoire (but with flawless controls), Eddie Brock isn’t an afterthought. In fact, his levels (even though in slightly less open streets) are outstanding with different moves and controls than Web-Head. Venom is more of a Hulk-like monster, who can jump completely over buildings, pick up and throw vehicles, latch onto civilians to suck their energy, etc. Almost all of the levels are outdoors, thus avoiding the horrid claustrophobic camera angles of past 3D adventures.

The only drawback is the slight repetition of a few Spider-Man 2 ideas (races) and that some of the Ultimate-villain designs may not be as recognizable to casual fans (the Green Goblin is an actual goblin-type mutant in the Ultimate-Universe, as opposed to the Rubber suit of the classic comic or Armored incarnation of the film). This game is readily available second-hand for about $10, and is compatible with all current-gen hardware, so there’s no excuse. Find Ultimate Spider-Man, go for a swing around town, and cross your fingers that Activision makes an even more impressive sequel for the PS3 before a fourth movie ruins the franchise.

And now for the worst…
This Dog Bites: Finding a Spidey-stinker wasn’t difficult, but there’s a difference between the worst game, and the most disappointing. Disappointment, in my opinion, is even more painful.

On that note, Spider-man 3 (the game) really brings the pain. The game misses the target on almost all levels—somehow, the controls aren’t as responsive as Spider-Man 2 or USM, which makes no sense since the assets are already in place from the previous games. The story is even more convoluted than the film’s.

Then there’s the interactive cinema sequences, which scream “We are too lazy to make a fighting engine as good as the original movie-game.” Rumour has circulated that too many cooks in the kitchen (Sony, Sam Raimi, Tobey McGuire, Marvel) screaming their input over each other may have been the explanation for this dud. Game politics are fun to read, but shouldn’t be rewarded with hard-earned cash.

The movie may be forgivable on some levels, what with Cayenne-spicy Gwen Stacy, the evil (but under utilized) Venom/Sandman 1-2 punch. This game, is exceedingly boring. I would rather sit through another Aunt May speech. “Blah blah blah Uncle Ben is dead blah blah marriage blah blah be Mary Jane’s little bi-otch”. AVOID.

The rules are simple. It must come out between May 22 and July 31 and while it can be a port from a last generation game, it can’t be a port from this generation. Example: XBOX 360 to the PS3 does not count, but XBOX to XBOX 360 counts.” Now without further ado, let’s get to the list!

10.) Mario Party 8, (May 29, 2007. For: Wii) Rated E
I’ve stopped using the earth’s orbit around the sun to judge a year. I now use Nintendo bringing out a Mario party to know another year has come and gone. Nintendo’s eighth installment is promising to rejuvenate their milking of the franchise, and we mean that in the nicest way possible.

By using the Wii’s controller you’ll have the character that your control yell at you when it’s your turn and you’ll be swinging your arms and jump up and down through 65 mini games. Though it probably won’t be a very deep title, get a few of your buddies, better known as the homeless people you pay to be your friends, together and this game has good time written all over it.

9.) The BIGS (June 25, 2007. For: PS3, Xbox360, Wii, PSP) Rated E
To quote David Cone, “Chicks dig the long ball”, and it’s true, everybody that watches baseball loves homeruns. Throw in 98mph fastballs and unbelievable diving catches and you have The BIGS. Sure, It’s way over the top baseball much like MLB slugfest or NFL Blitz was to football made by Midway a few years back, but unlike Midway, 2K Sports is the developer and has a proven track record for sports titles.

This marks 2K Sports first attempt at creating an arcade style sports game so there are some question marks. They are going to try to put a “superstar” type mode were you create a player and strive to make him a great. No word yet as to whether or not you can take steroids to “upgrade.”

8.) Manhunt 2 (July 10, 2007. For: Wii, PS3, PSP) Rated M
The first Manhunt was known for its chilling graphic kills, which inevitably caused Jack Thompson (lawyer in the news protesting violent games) to bite through his teeth. The sequel will be known for its, well … chilling graphic kills and probably cause Mr. Thompson to bite through his gums.

Three execution kills (hasty, violent, and gruesome) are featured in the game this time around, however for the first time the game will include “environment kills” such as a face smashing a poor souls face into a fuse box, or using a phone wire to choke your enemy … now that’s taking the slogan “reach out and touch someone” to the next level. If that isn’t enough Manhunt 2 also gives gamers the option to use guns to kill people execution style. With the game set to debut on the Wii, stabbing your enemy will never feel more real … we hope.

7.) Ninja Gaiden Sigma (June 26, 2007. For: PS3) Rated M
Okay, Okay, I know this a remake of an older game again from last generation. But Ninja Gaiden was not only one of the best games to come out for the Xbox, but it was hands down one of the best games that came out on a last generation console period.

Sigma is pretty much the same game as Ninja Gaiden Black with the addition of some new weapons and a few other “extra features”, but the big difference will be that this time around the game will be running in 1080p at 60fps. This is a graphic whores dream come true!

Oh, and the game play is not only addicting, it’s one of the most challenging ever made. So sharpen your blade, turn out the lights, and start practicing your stealth attack maneuvers on your sister’s stuffed animal collection…you are going to need it.

6.) Resident Evil 4 (June 19, 2007. For: Wii) Rated M
When Resident Evil 4 came out for the Gamecube two years ago it was greeted with rave reviews. So much so that Capcom decided to re-release it on the Wii. The game is pretty much a port of the Gamecube version with the added advantages of the Wii controller.

The red laser that graced Leon’s gun will be replaced by a curser that blinks red when pointed at an enemy and green when it’s not. You will have to point the Wiimote towards the screen, much like a light gun game, and shoot with the Z button.

If you have played previous releases of the game and enjoyed obliterating zombie after zombie (as did I) then prepare yourself for a freakishly good time. If you haven’t played any of the RE titles and own a Wii get up off your mound of flesh and pick this gem up when it hits the shelves.

5.) NCAA Football 2008 (July, 17 2007. For: PS3, Xbox 360, PS2, Xbox) Rated E
The appetizer for Madden, otherwise known as NCAA Football, options its way on to store shelves June 27. Last year’s NCAA got decent reviews but still didn’t meet the expectations of next gen gamers. It seems as though EA might have put their jockstraps back on and are finally preparing themselves “for some football”.

For starters, EA has given the game a new game play engine and new animation system that will allow for gang tackling and more importantly better control. Last year’s football title ran at only 30fps, but this year NCAA will run a blistering 60 fps. We believe this is in large part due to the developer’s decision to dumb down the textures in the game. While you may not be able to see every hole in a player’s mesh jersey as he dives into the end zone, the upside is that from we have seen, the major slowdown issues have been eliminated.

Another feature making its next gen debut will be “Campus Legend Mode”. You can go in and create your high school and start off as a high school player in the state championship playoffs. Depending on how well you do you’ll have colleges try to recruit you. Where you sign is up to you. Unfortunately, just like your real high school days, dating the head cheerleader will not be an option.

4.) Shadowrun (May, 29 2007. For: Xbox 360) Rated M
Shocking news to report here, Microsoft saw something good and bought it. This time it was the developer FASA Interactive, creators of this innovative FPS title. Before you jump into battle you select from five different races; Human, Elf, Troll, Gnome, and Dwarf each with their own unique powers and abilities. This feature alone adds a level of depth in terms of online play which is very promising. For instance, Humans can equip more guns, while the dwarves suck essence.

Speaking of online play this game boasts a very significant first; it will be the first game ever to allow PC to console play. This could prove to be extremely frustrating for console players’ considering many gamers believe it is easier and faster to play with a mouse and keyboard. Microsoft says this won’t be an issue … you be the judge.

3.) Guitar Hero Encore Rocks The 80’s (July 17, 2007. For: PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii) Rated: RP
Anyone that lived through the 80’s knows that it was the most confusing time in American history, hot colors, a Cold war, and fear … the fear of being attacked by Russia at any moment.

So what did we do? Party! Oh yeah, we partied with mullets blasting, maybe some of the worst hair dos and music known to man, an era that was so bad it was fantastic! That’s where Guitar Hero wants to go, with songs like “I ran” by the Flock of Seagulls, or “I Wanna Rock” by Twisted Sister.

You’ll either remember the 80’s or live through them for the first time. I for one can feel the hair on my head taking the shape of a mullet already. Grow it out, wear it proud, and most importantly Rock on!

2.) Forza Motorsport 2 (May 29, 2007. For: Xbox 360) Rated: E
Racing sim Forza Motorsport was one of the most surprising hits of last generation gaming, competing with the likes of Grand Turismo and Project Gothem. Not Only does sequel looks amazing with 220,000 polygons per car running at 60fps, but the level of crash detail could be the best of any game to date.

When you hit a wall or car you might see your bumper, door, or even a mirror fall off and it will stay there for the rest of the race causing debris to be a driving hazarded. FM2 has an astonishing 300 cars to choose from, which along with everything else the title has to offer, might be just enough to cross the finish line in first place as the best racing sim of this generation.

1.) The Darkness (June 25, 2007. For PS3, Xbox 360) Rated: M
Based on the comic book character that hit stores in 1996 created by famed illustrator Marc Silvestri and produced by Top Cow Productions, The Darkness makes its video game debut this summer and packs enough of supernatural power to make it one of the most original first person shooters ever.

You start off as a mafia hitman by the name of Jackie Estacado who, on the eve of his 21st birthday, becomes possessed by a power known as “The Darkness”. He can’t legally drink yet but I hear his supernatural entity makes a mean martini. In all seriousness though, the game, much like the comic, immerses you in a world full of ghastly beasts and has all the suspense of a modern day crime drama with a backdrop straight out of a science fiction film.

The feature list includes both first and third person views, non-linear progression, and not one but two highly interactive and destructible environments. Make your way from the rooftops of New York City into the parallel reality crawling with darkness that is The Otherworld this June.

The Darkness might not only be the best game of the summer, it could potentially be one of the best games of the year.

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