Lights, Camera and ACTION!
Video games have come a long way since the days of Pong and Pac-Man. While those could be hugely addictive, they didn't really need much in the way of a cinematic experience. But the latest generation of action-adventure games offers gameplay that is very much like taking part in interactive movies. These include numerous plot twists, a compelling and in-depth story line, soundtracks that often rival the biggest Hollywood blockbusters, and of course heroes that are larger than life. And instead of just watching the story, these game let you take part in the action, and are of course presented in glorious high-definition that offers a truly immersing experience.
Just in time for the holiday shopping season we've compiled the best of the action-adventure games to play, so consider this our magnificent seven! Time to power up, lock and load and get in the game.
Assassin's Creed II (Ubisoft, Microsoft Xbox 360/Sony PlayStation 3)
ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board): M (Mature)
Imagine if you had an ancestor who was an assassin in 15th century Italy and you needed to learn his ways to become an assassin in the modern day to fight a growing threat that could change the course of history? Well, in this game - the follow-up to the original Assassin's Creed - you are just such an individual, and through a Matrix-esque computer program you're able to experience the life of your ancestor in the Renaissance, and take part in a series of missions in a glorious rendered in-game world that recreates Venice, Florence and the Tuscan countryside.
The third person gameplay lets you explore an even more open world than the previous title, allowing you to accomplish goals at your own pace and more importantly giving you greater options. This is still a very linear-based game, but given that your character is essentially experiencing a virtual reality, we can't complain too much. Besides, this is easily one of the prettiest games we've seen in a long time, while the music by Jesper Kyd, who relied on a 30-piece string ensemble and 13-person choir to set the mood, just further enhances the gameplay. This is perfect for anyone who wants to be a true Renaissance man - make that Renaissance assassin.
Assassin's Creed II is available at Amazon.com:
Brütal Legend (Electronic Arts, Xbox 360/PlayStation3)
ESRB: M
Imagine being a nobody in the real world - say someone like many of the characters played by Jack Black - and imagine suddenly being transported to a fantasy world that is seemingly inspired by the artwork of heavy metal album covers and music. It sounds like something out of the graphic novel Heavy Metal actually, and we mean that as the ultimate compliment! The gameplay isn't bad either, where you play roadie Eddie Riggs, who is voiced by and modeled after Jack Black of course, and after being accidentally transported to this world, must save the day as only a rock and roll roadie could, using his battle axe or Flying V guitar to tap into the magical powers of the realm!
This one is truly for adults - after all we did say it was like something out of the very graphic Heavy Metal. Fittingly much of the heavy metal music soundtrack will more likely appeal to the "older crowd," while the dialog is a bit harsh at times, but what would you expect when the voice cast includes rockers Lemmy Kilmister, Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Halford and Lita Ford as well as actor Tim Curry? Graphically this one goes for the graphic novel look over true realism, but that's really part of the appeal. Think of this one as a cartoon game for grown-ups. And it deserves to be played on a big TV with the volume turned to 11!
Brütal Legend is available at Amazon.com:
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Activision, Xbox 360/PS3/PC)
ESRB: M
Forget about those commercials that say there is an "army of one," because in the real world you need to have someone watch your back. And in this latest installment of the popular Call of Duty series, which again brings the action to the modern day, you don't even play a single character throughout the campaign, but instead change roles to reflect the specific mission, thus making this one feel even more ultra real.
The game offers settings in some very exotic locations, including Afghanistan, Rio de Janeiro, Serbia and for good measure in our backyard in Washington, DC. The HUD - or head's up display - is made to be rather simple, thus further making it seem like real life than just another video game, and each of the linear based missions give a few alternative paths, so there is the added re-playability with this one. This may also be the best looking of the modern first-person shooter games to date, and thanks to a new graphical engine allows for some of the largest maps we've encountered in a shooter. Likewise, computer controlled opponents also act more realistically, responding to your movement, rather than just randomly spawning.
Best of all, in addition to the single-player game, Modern Warfare 2 further offers a two-player cooperative mode, because taking down the bad guys is always more fun with a friend. And when you've completed the campaign, this one offers the same online multiplayer game that lets you lock and load with up to 16 players on the consoles and 18 players on the PC. War is never fun, but its hard not enjoy Modern Warfare 2.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is available at Amazon.com:
Dragon Age: Origins (Electronic Arts, Xbox 360/PS3/PC)
ESRB: M
Put The Lord of the Rings DVDs down! Instead of watching Peter Jackson's long in the tooth story again, give this original role-playing adventure a try instead. This "dark heroic fantasy" game, as the creators at BioWare studios have described it, allows players to begin a journey from one of six "origin" stories, where players can determine their background and type of character they'll play. From here you'll take part in an adventure that can be very different with repeated plays, based partially on the character you choose and more importantly in how you interact with the computer-controlled non-player characters, who are voiced by the likes of Claudia Black (FarScape) and Steve Valentine (Crossing Jordan).
Unlike other role-playing games where it is just hack and slash, and repeat, this one has a heavy emphasis on character development, making it easier to be attached to the various members of your party. And should you complete the main story, or do so several times as this one does have some good re-playability, there are now downloadable content, with the promise of more to come. Because what good would a fantasy world be if there weren't new threats to face and more evil monsters and villains to defeat?
Dragon Age: Origins is available at Amazon.com:
God of War Collection (Sony Computer Entertainment, PS3)
ESRB: M
It isn't easy being a god, especially not when you consider the horrors you've seen prior to achieving the divine. Originally released for the PlayStation 2, Sony's tale of conquest, destiny and vengeance has been repackaged and remastered for the PlayStation 3, complete with a graphical enhancement that brings this adventure game to glorious 720p, with anti-aliased visuals that run at 60 frames per second. The result is something akin to a travelogue back to the Classical Age, where you'll play as Kratos, former captain of Spartan army, and begin on a journey worthy of Homer (and we don't mean of the Simpsonian variety).
This collection includes both the original God of War, as well as the follow-up where you'll have new powers to use in battle, and will need every one of them. Not only will you have to travel to the islands of the Fates, and retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Titans, but there will be hellish journey in store as you try to escape from Hades itself. Like we said, it isn't easy be a god, but this game features visuals and sound that make the gameplay practically heavenly.
God of War Collection is available at Amazon.com:
Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve, Xbox 360/PC)
ESRB: M
"Zombie, zombie," you know that song by Irish pop band The Cranberries... well, it has nothing to do with this game. But that doesn't mean that there aren't hordes of zombies and other walking undead in this survival horror game that is set after the H1N1 apocalyptic pandemic. And OK, I made up the part about H1N1, but this is still the best zombie game out there. Instead of the creepy, sneaking around corners such as in the Resident Evil series, this one is really about taking back the night, and making it to safety while putting down as many of the infected as possible.
The gameplay in this sequel once again revolves around the artificial intelligence engine known as the "Director" that actually monitors the players' performance and alters the scenario to provide a much more dynamic experience. This means that each time you play through the cinematically inspired missions the location and number of infected you face will change, thus making the very linear styled game feel a bit less like a single path. More importantly, Left 4 Dead 2 even includes new cutscenes to tie the game's five campaigns together and offer a movie style theme to connect these as mini-stories.
With much of the game set at night, you can expect a nice use of shadows and dynamic lighting to further create a sense of foreboding, and this increases as you travel from Savannah to New Orleans, making stops at the usual horror movie locations, including a shopping mall and amusement park. The four-player co-op game (which you can play online), also offers a "realism" mode, that basically removes the video game style elements, such as being able to see a silhouette of friendly players should they be in another room. This mode is available on difficulty settings as well, so you can still play it easy and face less dangerous zombies, but still make it hard enough to give you nightmares!
Left 4 Dead 2 is available at Amazon.com:
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Sony Computer Entertainment, PS3)
ESRB: Teen
Fame? Overrated. Fortune? Now you're talking. Of course video game (and for that matter many movie) heroes are a dime a dozen. While original Tomb Raider Lara Croft made a name for herself with her two pistols and tight shorts, most of the recent games lacked anything worth raiding. But a new hero is on the block, Nathan "Nate" Drake, who was introduced in Sony's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. After finding the golden city of El Dorado, he's now about to uncover a new mystery, namely finding the lost treasure fleet of Marco Polo, and by treasure we don't mean finding those noodles he was bringing back from China. This time around the dashing explorer hopes to recover the legendary Cintamani Stone, a raw sapphire of Buddhist mythology. With many thieves on the trail of the stone, they won't exactly be romancing it. But at least there is some honor as the title suggests. Of course, would the game be as exciting any other way?
This time around the game begins with our hero literally hanging on for dear life. Through a series of flashbacks, you'll get to play through the adventure and along the way, meet a rogue's gallery of shady characters, romance the girl and get shot at over and over. The result is a good-looking game, which is presented in 720p for the PS3. And while this third-person action adventure is fairly linear, there are plenty of twists and turns to keep it fresh, because as you travail destructive environments and plot your way through derelict building, the path to success can be a quiet one of stealth, or totally bombastic as the bullets fly. This makes it fun, even in repeated plays. Enough so that we hope to see more of Mr. Drake in the future.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is available at Amazon.com
