Publisher: Midway
System: Windows XP/Vista (PS3)
Cost: $50
Review rating: 3 1/2 stars
Before modern military first-person shooters became so popular, hardcore gamers allied themselves with either the Quake or Unreal Tournament series. No one seemed to like both, and if they did, they certainly wouldn't admit it. Neither series became the definitive winner, but with the release of "Unreal Tournament 3," the new king of twitch-based shooters has just been crowned.
Rather than the usual "fight to the death" tournaments, a single player storyline has been added to give meaning to combat. However, the story is rather weak, and each "mission" is simply a single player version of a multiplayer mode with "bots" replacing human players. In essence, it's practice mode.
But that's OK because fans of the series know that Unreal Tournament is all about online multiplayer. There might be fewer modes to play in "UT3" than in past versions, but the new addition, called Warfare, is a blast. It forces players to work together to take over nodes and eventually destroy the enemy's power core. Battles are focused on nodes instead of random locations, which makes combat even more intense.
Intense, fast-paced "twitch-style" shooters aren't for everyone, but for those who like this style of game play, buying "UT3" is a no-brainer.
Publisher: Sega
System: Nintendo Wii
Cost: $30
ESRB rating: T
Review rating: 3 stars
Sega's popular Arcade title, "Ghost Squad" blasts its way onto the Nintendo Wii, adding new modes and four-player co-op action to the mix. While there isn't much of a storyline, the non-stop action is sure to keep you hooked until the end.
Whether you use the Wii-Zapper peripheral that houses both controllers in a pistol-shaped frame or stick with the standard controls, this action-packed title will definitely test your reflexes.
Throughout the adventure 25 different weapons are available, each sporting specific strengths and weaknesses. For example, using a shotgun works wonders on groups of enemies, but it will lead to unwanted friendly fire incidents when hostages are present.
Although players don't actually control which direction their character moves, they can choose between 'branches' in the story that lead to different scenarios. In addition, mid-level missions such as diffusing bombs and saving hostages help to break up the shooting action.
New to the home version is Ninja Mode and Paradise Mode, which replaces the regular terrorist enemies with novel foes like stealthy ninjas. However, the best addition is Party Mode, which lets up to four players take on the single-player missions at the same time. Believe me, no couch is large enough to handle four people simultaneously bouncing around and shooting enemies.
Plus, the low price of "Ghost Squad" will leave room in your wallet for more gifts this holiday season.
4 stars - Must have
3 stars - Pretty good
2 stars - So-so
1 star - Don't waste your time
Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
E: Everyone
T: Teen (13 and older)
E10-plus: (Everyone 10 and older)
M: Mature (17 and older)
