Handheld Reviews

Zombies are invading your Nintendo DS once again and this time it is up to you to shoot them all down in the first Zombie Light Gun game for the handheld platform. However, instead of being armed with a light gun, you will utilize the almighty stylus to shoot every last Zombie out of your path. Despite the fun that one would associate with a Light Gun title on a handheld, Touch the Dead suffers a few fatal flaws that might ruin your gaming experience.

For some, High School was an awesome four year experience that people fondly look back upon. For others, those memories aren't exactly the most pleasant. No matter what your experience was during these four years, Konami has unleashed a way for you to go back and relive High School or turn it into an enjoyable experience. Brooktown High: Senior Year is a mix of The Sims with elements of a dating simulation. Keep reading to find out if Brooktown High gets a passing grade or fails its final exam.

Although Rockstar is well known for completely redefining the videogame industry with the release of the classic Grand Theft Auto III, the company is not a one trick pony. Even though they could continue to be a mass market success with only releasing titles in the GTA series, Rockstar has branched out and developed several other titles since the infamous PlayStation 2 title released. One of these games was The Warriors. This title originally came out in 2005 on both the PlayStation 2 and Xbox platforms. Now PSP owners can relive all the fun and excitement with a bargain price of $19.99.

In the spirit of a great Japanese Anime, the PSP is finally the home of a great new Action RPG that is cute, cuddly, and ready to drain your PSP of its batteries time and time again. As 2007 continues, Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure, proves yet again that in the handheld wars, Sony's PlayStation Portable is just beginning to come of age. In fact, with experiences like Gurumin, along with all the other great software released and coming later in 07, the DS may have a hard time keeping up with the 16X9 beauty known as PSP.

First shown to me at E3 2006, Lunar Knights was a Nintendo DS title shown very early in development. As a result, we were not allowed to film the gameplay and we could not interview the Konami PR representative about the game. As a result of this, I was extremely uninterested in the game. Things only became worse as I watched the painful visuals and uninspired gameplay presented before me. There was no way this title was going to be good. Fortunately for NIntendo DS owners, Konami, and Developer Kojima Productions, I was completely wrong with my initial assessment of Lunar Knights--as the final product is everything anyone could want out of a handheld game.

One of the most beloved Sony franchises didn't exist prior to the PlayStation 2. But that didn't stop Sony and Insomniac from teaming up to deliver on nearly yearly releases to the franchise. Each one was different and brought something unique to the table that made it just as fun as the title before it. With as much support this series has received from the press and gamers, the only question that I can think of is where is Ratchet and Clank for my PSP? Fear not software-starved PSP owner--it has finally arrived. While the wait has been long, a new Developer has taken reigns of the handheld version and delivers on an experience that will make you fall in love with gaming on your PSP.

When a game is called WTF, a certain “What the...” phrase comes to mind. That phrase is also a very good way to explain what WTF is all about. WTF: Work Time Fun is one of those titles from Japan that would have never seen the light of day in North America years ago. But now a large majority of gamers, outside of Japan, can now appreciate the wackiness that titles like WTF delivers.

A few years ago, I was pleasantly surprised with the release of X-Men Legends. Featuring some of the best X-Men characters, gamers were given a very enjoyable Action Role Playing Game. Developer Raven Software next decided to improve the gameplay and gave us X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse. This sequel fixed many of the issues that plagued the first game while still giving players a lengthy quest to satisfy the superhero hidden deep inside their subconscious. For their third Action RPG, Raven Software and Activision decided to branch out and include more characters within the Marvel Universe. The end result is Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and it is another very fun game that can be found on just about any console you own.

Taking place sometime after the first season of the television program, Avatar: The Last Airbender (the game) puts players in the role of the young man who is considered the reincarnation of the only one who can unite the factioned elements, bring peace to the world, and bake a nice cake. Okay, maybe I’m stretching it a little, but you get the idea. The show takes the “chosen one” theme, as well as the wandering soul and mysterious stranger type myths, blend them together with a healthy dose of mysticism and serves it up for kids – though a large number of adults seem to enjoy the program as well.

Don’t go in expecting a rehash of the PS2 game that precedes Killzone: Liberation. Firstly, the perspective has shifted, where instead of a first person shooter players are given a third person perspective (almost top-down, but not quite) of the battlefield. This completely alters the gameplay, but works for the PSP