Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem ! 1/2
Sierra/Rebellion/PSP/$40
In Requiem, players step into the combat boots of a large, cloaked Predator who seeks to eliminate the Aliens unleashed by a crashed Predator ship on Earth. After the first level, the game branches into three paths (each takes about two hours to complete), each culminating at the final level, set in a hospital that serves as the Aliens’ nest. Although you have access to six Predator weapons (including wrist knives, shoulder cannons and throwing discs), an invisible cloak and three types of vision, you can beat the game without using anything other than standard shoulder cannons. The game should have included levels that required the other weapons. The game doesn’t look bad, but it doesn’t push the PSP’s processing power, either.
Beowulf: The Game !
Ubisoft/Xbox 360, PlayStation 3/$59.99
Beowulf overlaps with the film’s story but explores the 30-year period glossed over in the original poem and in the film’s screenplay. This game shows signs of being rushed to release, and game play was sacrificed, making it more taxing than fun. The heart of the game is old-fashioned, repetitive button-mashing. Beowulf and his army of thanes (which grows as you become more powerful) hack, slash and rip apart soldiers, monsters and trolls during the game’s eight hours of story. The blood flows freely, but there’s little depth and no replay value. Shoddy artificial intelligence makes Beowulf challenging, but not in a good way: Your army dies for stupid reasons. If you don’t revive soldiers in time, the game is over. Should Beowulf’s right-hand man, Wiglaf, die, it’s game over.
The Golden Compass !
Sega/Shiny Entertainment/Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 $59.99/Wii /$49.99/PS2, PSP $439.99/DS $29.99
The Golden Compass’ slow and grueling tutorial stretches to more than two hours. Gamers can’t play for more than short bursts of time before the game details more instructions. Since the game is aimed at children, it shouldn’t take this much effort to explain how to play. In fact, once you get past the forced tutorial, game play is rudimentary and boring. The high point is engaging in button-mashing combat when you play polar bear Iorek, who pummels enemies with little effort. On any console, the game looks as horrible as it plays; the frigid landscapes are barren of any graphical wonder.
