Critter Crunch Review: Another Reason To Support Indie Games

Thanks from a couple nudges from my fellow game journalists, I downloaded Cabybara's Critter Crunch off of the Playstation Network. It is almost a month later since downloading, and a significant month for gaming as well. For time capsule purposes I'll state the obvious. Infinity Ward's, Modern Warfare 2 is currently setting the world ablaze with yet another quality shooter. Electronic Arts has released some of the best reviewed games of the year these past couple of months [Dragon Age: Origins, FIFA 10, and Brutal Legend]. Even Gearbox's Borderlands and Naughty Dog's Uncharted 2 have been rocking the world of gaming. With all these elements in mind, it is not surprising that very few people have not heard of this puzzle-adventure game that is only available on the Playstation Network.

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Chris Rock's "Good Hair"

There is a much classier way to start a review of Chris Rock's comedic documentary, Good Hair. However, I will cut straight to the point [no pun intended]. If you want to know how black men and women's hair 'do that thing' it does. Or if you've ever asked your African-American co-workers, "So what do you put in your hair for it to do that?" Chris Rock answers the multi-billion dollar question in Good Hair.

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50 Cent: Blood On The Sand, "Polished Ignorance"

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The Vampire's Assistant: It's Not For Children And Some Grown-Ups

John C. Reilly can paint a fence and I would watch. There is something about this guy that carries movies which would be sub-par without his touch. Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant manages to combine the 80's horror-campiness of a One Bitten and the sophistication of a Near Dark. A good majority of the movie is spent with bloated expository scenes, the few actual "Cirque Du Freak" moments are executed incredibly well, but not well enough for this movie to be palatable to everyone. The Vampire's Assistant is a movie for tweens and adults, who are willing to give a pass to most of the boring characters and their subsequent dramatic scenes.

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A Wilco Show Review From A Guy Who Know's D*@k About Wilco

It probably goes without saying that I have never claimed to be a fan of Wilco. The day of their show at the Mershon Center, myself and my resident 'old school' Wilco-fan of a girlfriend, collectively forgot about the show. Guess it just goes to show you how much of a 'blip' on the radar a live Wilco show makes in our world.  With all this being said, this is where I say, "Wilco is one of the worst bands I have ever heard" or "How can anyone listen to this kind of crap?!" Although I am not a fan of 'this type' of music, I was intrigued for many reasons to go to a Wilco show. What kind of people go? What do people do at a Wilco show? What is the proper form of dress? Mind you, my only knowledge of shows of this caliber are of the funk and hiphop variety. Sure I have ventured to the occasional metal show, but nothing of this size and sophistication.

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Dirty Frank's Dogs: My Worst Restaurant Hot Dog Experience.

Earlier this year yet another Elizabeth Lessner restaurant opened around the CCAD area, here in Columbus. Much like Lessner's previously themed restaurant endeavors, Dirty Frank's Dogs has the vibe of a post-baseball game hang out.  If you are reading this, chances are you are a fan [much like I am] of Tip Top, Surly Girl, and Betty's.  The problem I had with my first visit to Dirty Frank's was their claim to fame...the hot dogs.  It was more dog than hot, but seeing as it was a couple days after the restaurant opened I gave it a pass. I recommended friends and my girlfriend's friends go to Dirty Frank's, I figured this is something a good local business supporter should do...even if they did not enjoy their first meal.

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WET [PS3]: All Style and No Control

WET's style of low-budget b-movie tongue and cheek cheesiness, unfortunately mimics its technical gameplay design. It's cool that Artificial Mind and Movement went back to the drawing boards after some development issues with Sierra and a luke-warm trailer reception in 2007. Personally, I have been in favor of publishers giving developers all the time they need to make the product they want to make [even though I know this is usually not the luxury most games suffer from].  After playing WET this weekend, I had a hard time believing, publisher Bethesda and developer Artificial Mind and Movement, were one hundred percent behind this game at the time of its release.  The voice acting, although star studded, is absolutely laughable. The setting is beautiful and visually appealing, but the 'cheap, Grindhouse-look' comes off as just plain cheap at times. I rented WET and I am debating if this game was worth the rental. The games challenges are not fun, much like the plot, you will fight with the poorly conceived controls only for the key events of the game to rely on quick time events.

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The Problem(s) I Have With Batman: Arkham Asylum

This Can Only End BadlyThis is not going to be one of those reviews which overly gushes praise for a game which is received it ten times over.  If you want that, I would suggest going to your local metacritic and having your score fetish satiated.  This review is more of a 'splitting of hairs' perspective. In case you did not know, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a great game.  If you are a fan of the comic and especially the animated series, then this piece of work made by Rocksteady, will more than likely exceed your expectations. However, for those reading this review months or years after Arkham Asylum's release, you are the consumer who may have slightly clearer vision.  Taking in the awesomeness of Batman: Arkham Asylum, let us discuss the issues in this well made, but slightly flawed masterpiece.

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Dante's Inferno: How Not To Promote A Game 101

I'm writing this assuming that Dante's Inferno is the perfect game. Why? With the marketing and promotional ills this game has suffered, one can only 'hope' that Dante's Inferno is absolutely immaculate.  Let this be known, I am all for 'thinking outside of the box' and making your product stand out [especially since there seems to be quite a few comparisons to a certain game associated with gods with possible war in it]. Dante's Inferno has managed to: stage a fake Christian protest at a major trade show, play the role of pimp by raffling off a date with a booth babe and most recently they have decided to send very real checks to well known [and maybe not so well known] gaming journalists.

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Review: Sorority Row, "Where Women Can't Break Glass"

The good thing about Sorority Row is that it captures the B-movie charm and nostalgia of the original, The House On Sorority Row. The bad would be that it captures everything wrong with the original piled on with today's typical slasher flick nuances.

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