Game Day: Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a worldbeater
Leave it to the inventors of the platform game to turn it on its ear.
In Super Mario Galaxy 2, the world’s favorite little red-hatted plumber once again has to rescue his Princess Peach. But here, as in the title’s groundbreaking 2007 predecessor, Mario isn’t just going side to side. Or even just in 3-D. Instead, he has to explore a myriad of small worlds — some spherical, some burger-shaped — and battle bad guys on nearly every surface. The gravity-defying gameplay can get a little dizzying at times, but for the most part it is a mind-blowing trip.
If anyone knows how to create an amazing platform world, it is the makers of Mario, after all.
The action is bright and colorful and the music is whimsical and fun, as is standard on any Super Mario adventure. The addition of the little dinosaur Yoshi to partner up with creates some fun new ways to explore and solve the puzzles.
And for what is the first time we can remember, Mario actually takes off his trademark hat! Who knew he had wavy hair under there?
Grade: A (awesome, even if it isn’t a whole lot different from last time).
Details: Nintendo Wii platform; $49.99; rated: Everyone (mild cartoon violence).
Racer without drive
If blockbuster director Michael Bay ever designed a racing game, it would be just like Split/Second: The seemingly endless explosions and plentiful eye candy far outweigh any kind of human connection or real emotions.
The cars in Split/Second all look great and the tracks are pretty spectacular in their own right, but because of the lack of a human face, or even something other than a single narrator’s voice (yes, even the music is instrumental), the game feels cold and empty.
If explosions are your thing, you’ll love it. If you want something that will resonate, look elsewhere.
Grade: B- (Michael Bay-tacular!).
Details: Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms; $59.99; rated: Everyone 10+ (violence).
Big, bad West
With its outstanding pedigree — it comes from the makers of the Grand Theft Auto series, in case you hadn’t heard — Red Dead Redemption‘s Old West setting and fresh take on the open sandbox genre should be something great. Instead, it’s the wide openness of the environment that kills the pacing and makes Red Dead hard to enjoy.
As in the traditional Old West, towns here are few and far between. That means endless amounts of time riding a horse back and forth over the same dusty-looking trails. And the law is a lot more strict here than it was in Liberty City; mess up and get on the wrong horse, and here comes an angry posse after you. Though the missions are interesting, the cut screens are so boringly acted and directed that it’s hard to care what you are supposed to do.
The technical execution is definitely there; too bad the excitement isn’t.
Grade: C+ (games can not survive on pedigree alone).
Details: Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms; $59.99; rated: Mature (blood, intense violence, nudity, strong language, strong sexual themes, use of drugs).
Planet’s lost excitement
The only thing Lost Planet 2 has in common with its amazing predecessor is its title and the giant bug-like creatures that have to be shot. What was an amazing franchise with a gripping story about being trapped on a snowy planet has now been re-imagined as a generic squad-based shooter with a confusing plot and even more confusing menu screens.
The giant battles at the end of each level — the ones requiring you to “kill big,” as the box says — are more monotonous than epic. (How many times is this turtle thing going to magically respawn fresh legs?) Sure, the graphics are great, and the use of fancy mechanized suits like the ones in “Avatar” is fun, but you can generally find elements like those in other games that make a whole lot more sense and pack in more actual excitement (as the first Lost Planet did).
Grade: C (the franchise has gone from contender to pretender).
Details: Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms; $59.99; rated: Teen (animated blood, language, suggestive themes, violence).
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