I’ve started this column a few times already, and I realized something: it’s very hard to be motivated to talk about games you like. It’s like reviewing movies or books or music…you know you like them, but sometimes, you can’t really express why. It’s much easier to tear apart something you DISlike rather than talk up the stuff you enjoy. Yes, the life of a reviewer is hard…but we manage to strive on, even vigilant that we will bring the good news of…stuff…and…things.

Anyway, lately, I’ve been playing a hell of a lot of Xbox Live…and here’s what you should be playing too:

BIONIC COMMANDO: REARMED – Seriously, if you weren’t a fan of this back in the day, you just weren’t old school. Playing it now will give you an awesome sense of nostalgia, and if you’ve never played it before, don’t let its lack of a jump button deter you. This game takes skill to use the bionic arm to traverse the playing field, and also to thwart your enemy attackers. Play it, live it, love it.

One Gamer’s Opinion:

1942: JOINT STRIKE – Old school shooting at its finest, remade with co-op in mind. WWII bi-planes with serious firepower, power-ups and mad amounts of enemies on screen make it fast, furious, frenetic and fucking fun. Too many f-words to count, but seriously addictive, and ALWAYS awesome with two players to help dish out the damage.

One Gamer’s Opinion:

WOLF ON THE BATTLEFIELD: COMMANDOS 3 – Another old school top-down shooter, this time the right analog is your fire button; just aim and go (a la GEOMETRY WARS, but more violent) and rack up the multipliers. These three games have shown that Capcom is playing attention to their old fan-base and really giving retro gamers something familiar and fun on the new consoles. Plus, WOTB includes the beta for the far-to-long-of-a-title SUPER STREET FIGHTER II HYPER TURBO REMIX, which alone is worth the price of admission. Online is smooth (ish) and the graphics get a serious upgrade…super sweet.

One Gamer’s Opinion:

ACES OF THE GALAXY – More of a new style old shooter…a new title that evokes the shmups of yesteryear. Flashy graphics and sound with a slightly on rails ship blasting through space with alternate paths, warp routes and thousands of ships flying at you at super speed. The “behind the ship” view takes some getting used to, but it’s good fun, and another worth playing with a friend.

One Gamer’s Opinion:

Now admittedly, I haven’t gotten the three most talked about games of the month (GEOMETRY WARS EVOLVED 2, BRAID and GALAGA LEGIONS…plus CASTLE CRASHERS due this Wednesday) but these are the titles I’ve been playing the most, so I figured you should know about them, since they weren’t as high on the radar as the titles I mention in this paragraph are.

A few weeks ago, we also saw the release of SOULCALIBUR IV on Xbox 360 and PS3. For those that didn’t quite enjoy the series last entry, the new title is a return to form, as characters are better balanced, and there’s a greater sense of rhythm and skill to each one’s fighting abilities. Sure there are the few cheap characters (Yoda on 360 can’t be grappled, Vader on PS3 is huge but slow, and The Apprentice is just a cheap fighter…as is boss Algol) but overall the game is more akin to the TEKKEN series than ever before…and that’s a good thing. Button mashing still reigns supreme, but there are benefits once again to actually learning the moves, as counters and parries will save your ass in a handshake. The character creator is also excellent, as numerous copyright infringements can be made to your hearts and battles delight. PS3 eeks out the 360 on control, as it just has the better d-pad, but the analog stick is no slouch…but if you’re a fighting purist, you wouldn’t be caught dead using that, but rather a full on arcade stick…and that’s the way it should be anyway.

One Gamer’s Opinion:

These next couple of weeks are all leading up t the big holiday gaming season, and with it, some of the best A list titles of the year. STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED just dropped a demo that plays like PSI-OPS with Light sabers. FABLE II has a pre-order incentive that allows you a free download of its FABLE II PUB GAMES, a set of three gambling games that allow you to build up your bankroll before the title’s official release. FALLOUT 3 and DEAD SPACE have been showing awesome trailers, GEARS OF WAR 2 is set to light up the online multiplayer again, and LEGO BATMAN is ready to win over the little and big kids as well. The biggest game on my radar? LEFT 4 DEAD, a zombie co-op FPS. Be still my still beating heart.

THE GAME ON! RATING SYSTEM

Ratings From Greatest to Least:

Kick Ass, Right On, Okay, Eh, and Stinker (aka CRAPTACULAR)

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