Following what seems to be a growing (and positive) trend for the videos games that have been released recently, the graphics in Mass Effect 2, an action role-playing video game, are simply stupendous. An intriguing balance of shadows and lights in Mass Effect 2 add a very sinister undertone to the gameplay. Gamespot.com remarks that it has, “Fantastic art design with a strong sense of identity.”

Mass Effect 2 has earned an extremely high critic score of 9.6/10, which represents the average of 54 professional critics. The user rating is also quite lofty, at a solid 9.4/10. You can compare these ratings to Call of Duty 4’s critic rating of 9.2 and user rating of 9.1. Both received a GameSpot score of 9.0.

The release of Mass Effect 2 actually had been announced for the year 2009, but it ended up hitting stores on January 26th of this year. Gamers probably should be happy about this last release because it means that the developers, BioWare, took the time to work out some extra kinks. It’s likely to stay near the top of the bestseller’s list for video games this year. In its first week it sold many more copies than its predecessor. Time Magazine actually featured Mass Effect 2 during the week of January 22’s “The Short List of Things to Do.” In a quick review they remarked, ” … it’s the Avatar of video games — except it’s better written.”

Mass Effect 2 has been rated M for mature. At most stores, it currently costs the typical $60 that most new releases seem to be going for. While I can’t help feeling like $60 is pricey for any video game, there’s no doubt that this is the best quality video game that you will be able to find for this type of money. If you’ve been looking for an action-packed, role-playing game with original characters and awesome graphics, you’ll find it all in Mass Effect 2.

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You’re living in a large city, and you start out working in someone else’s boutique. Grace manages Strata, one of the city’s best boutiques, and she works as your mentor throughout the game. Renee is your co-worker, and while she is helpful, she is competition. Dominic is a businessman who helps you launch and run your own shop. Godfrey is his assistant and sometimes the middleman as you have to go through him to get to Dominic. Rococo is a fashion expert who runs the fashion shows that you will compete in to win prizes and prestige. You will meet other characters in the game that while they are not that significant at helping you, they are sometimes important. Remember always to pay close attention to the key figures above as they really help you throughout the game.

The aim of the game is running a shop and selecting a certain item to keep the customers happy. You will get a lot of customers, each of whom has her own distinct personality and style. Pay attention to each customer’s stats and what they are wearing as it will help you assist them in the game. Most of the time it’s easy to help them select their item du jour (dresses, sweater, pants, etc.), but sometimes it’s not. With each customer you get three chances to select an item that she likes. If in the end, you cannot please her, rest assured that she is pleasant and probably will come back again. The key to success in this game is to frequently stock your shop with a variety of clothes and accessories from various brands. Go frequently to the Buyer’s Center to stock up on a fresh variety of clothes for everyone. Mind your budget, and don’t go over the limit.

Are you ready for Style Savvy?

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“DJ Hero? Will it teach me how to be a real DJ?” Just about as much as guitar hero taught you how to play a real guitar. (It didn’t.)

“But is it fun?” Absolutely.

Like any good rhythm game, DJ Hero truly draws a player into the music. It offers several difficulty levels that allows players to satisfy their own thirst for a challenge. There are three buttons on the spin platter than you tap when the notes come across the bar at the bottom of the screen like Guitar Hero. Holding a button down and moving the platter back and forth “scratches” the record so that you make that “wikka wikka” sound everyone makes when they pretend to DJ. In harder levels you will have to perform cross fades, and the scratches will have to be made in a certain direction. Things can get quite crazy, but again, that aspect of the game is in your control.

Unfortunately, the tracks for DJ Hero are pre-mixed. While you won’t hear any of the tracks outside of the game (they were created by real DJs specifically for this game), aside from some minor sound effects, you won’t be mixing your own tracks either. This might be disappointing to some who were expecting to unleash a bit of turntable-creativity with this game, but let’s consider the fact that you’ll be spinning a plastic turntable. Could you really be making serious mixes with this equipment? We all should have known that this would not be an option, especially in this game’s debut. How else are they going to get us to spend more money later?

The biggest drawback for DJ Hero is simply its cost. A player could buy two full-price games for the cost of DJ Hero; it currently sells for around $90 to $100. In other words, DJ Hero is a ton of fun, but only if you have the money for it.

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We now have Sony PlayStations that can see Weather Channel updates, tune into BBC shows, and even stream Netflix movies and shows. Video game consoles no longer are focusing on being the best gaming device, but they are focusing on the “video” part of the term “video game console.” Already the 20 million monthly members of Xbox Live can surf Facebook, browse for online movies and television show episodes. And yes, Xbox customers also can watch Netflix if they pay for the service.

Microsoft has decided to go all out. For instance, they apparently have held in-depth talks about an ESPN programming deal with the Walt Disney Company. What they are planning on doing is making it a per-subscriber fee in which ESPN would provide live streams of sporting events. Are you familiar with the high-speed Internet service called ESPN 360? Well, Microsoft and ESPN are hoping to do something along the same lines as that service.  Microsoft wants their subscription gaming service, Xbox Live, to be thought of as a cable channel rather than just a gaming service. They even produced shows for its users! You may have heard of it; it is called “1 vs. 100,” an interactive version of a game show that was on NBC. They now are in the process of making the second season of the show.

Video game consoles have become a method to play video games, a web search tool, DVD players, and more. Many are meant to go online and to connect your living room to another living room. According to the consulting firm Deloitte, nearly 60 percent of American homes have at least one console now; it is no wonder why companies like Microsoft are trying to turn their consoles into the end-all-be-all device!

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Just like its predecessor, Assassin’s Creed II is a third-person action-adventure game. The new character is named Ezio. As a player continues through the game, the narrative evolves and Ezio becomes a fully-developed protagonist. Many find Ezio much more appealing than the original’s character Altair.

Most players agree, Assassin’s Creed II is by far bigger and better than the original. Some even go as far as to describe the new game as “beautiful”. Players are allowed to explore the environment. This time the environment is the 15th century Italian Renaissance. In an open gameplay, players are able to explore the colorful, exciting, and most famous cities of Italy: Florence, Venice, Rome, and other renowned destinations. The images are wonderfully realized.

Other improvements in the game include a greater number of missions, weapons, and stealth techniques. This variety makes the replay value of Assassin’s Creed II even better than before. Another change that many players appreciate is the ability for the character to swim, which was not the case in the first Assassin’s Creed. One of Ezio’s greatest new additions is his twin hidden blades, which enable a player to make two assassinations at the same time. I’ve heard from some avid players that such kills are quite satisfying. For anyone who prefers to stick to one kill at a time, there are multiple options that range from low-profile surprise attacks to high-profile frontal assaults.

Assassin’s Creed II is a welcomed sequel, several cuts above the original in both quality and replay value.

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1- Put Google To Good Use: Do you have a specific video game in mind? Type up the exact name of the product you’re looking for into the Google Product Search (under Shopping), then scan down to find that product and click on the button that says “Compare Prices” not only to get a list of all the online retail shops that sell this product but also to find out the prices and shipping costs at each store. Even better, shop Amazon. Again, you’ll want to type in the exact product into search and voila! You’ll find a list of products, the sellers who sell them, and the prices of each!

2- Trade In Your Old Games For New Games: Many places, such as GameStop will let you simply trade in your old games that you no longer enjoy for credits that can be used like cash for newer games or consoles. Remember to trade in games that are still in good condition for full credit. You can find out more on GameStop.com. You also can trade in your games at Best Buy or Toys R Us.

3- Search For Free Online Game: Many of the games you can buy are the same games you can play online for free! Unfortunately, many of these are trial games that you can download to play for a week, but after that week or so is up, you’ll have to pay full price to access them again. Luckily there are many sites that will allow you to join for free and play to your heart’s content, like MiniClip.com or even AddictingGames.com.

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So, what is the name of the game to which I recently became addicted? Basketball. That’s it, no extra puns or clever subtitle, plain and simple Basketball. Essentially, a player is given two minutes to score as many points as he or she can. Where a player places his or her cursor determines the arc of the ball. The trouble is that the dotted “guide” line that indicates the path of the ball only shows a player the first half of the ball’s flight. The second part is up for the player to make his or her best guess.

Okay, so what makes this game so great? Well, while you are playing, so are thousands of other people. You earn points for making a basket (more points for farther distance, and a doubled amount of points if the ball doesn’t first bounce off the rim or the backboard), and each time you do, you see your rank shift among those of all the other players. If you swish the first basket, you start off tied in first place, but the live rankings quickly change from that point. At the end of the game you get a chance to see the exact percentile you fall under. If you are in the top 10 (which my friend has managed to do several times, though I don’t seem to have the same skills), your name is posted for a few seconds of glory.

With this game being so great, without any ads or pop-ups to detriment the experience, I find it hard not to recommend Basketball from onlinegames.com.

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So, I thought I’d tell you about my successful match and add some helpful tips.

The match took place on the map “Invasion”, and it was a domination game.  I began the match equipping the FN SCAR with a red dot sight and a “thumper” grenade launcher.  I had frag and stun grenades equipped.  (I can’t, for the life of me, remember what my perks were.)  I started out by sprinting to the second floor of a building but got sniped almost instantly.  When I re-spawned, I sneaked behind the enemy lines and killed a sniper.  Using his perch, I took out two other members of the hostile team, as they were advancing up the street.  I called in a drone and moved on.  Luckily, I left the building at the right time, putting me right behind a hostile.  I shot him and called in a airdrop supply kit, which turned out to be a Pavelow gunship.  The gunship racked in 16 kills, making me the highest scoring player on my team.  Then, using my shield class, with my friend covering over my back with a MG4, I got two melee kills, ending the game.

I also promised some tips, didn’t I?  Here they are:

• Fight with friends.  Almost every time I play online, I am playing with a friend or two.  We usually fight in ground war because you can use party chat there.  Playing with a friend allows you to cover each other and fight tactically.
• Pick a weapon, and stick with it.  In my opinion, it’s best to pick one gun you are great with and use it a lot.  Worry about getting mods for it, not what is the next gun.  This allows you to have mastered specific weapons, which is a real value.  One of my friends, a level 45, still uses the M4 as his go-to gun.
• Suicide bomber.  If you have the Javelin and want to get major kills, do this:

1. Equip your Javelin.  Make sure you have Semtex grenades equipped.
2. Tap Y so the Javelin comes up.
3. Hold down RB. DON’T LET GO!
4. Press and release Y.  Don’t let go of RB.
5. Run towards a group of the enemy.  Don’t let go of RB.
6. When you get shot, you will explode in a massive explosion, killing anyone within, say, 200 meters. This is very useful for uprooting entrenched enemies and flags on Domination.

In my opinion (and almost everyone else) , Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is one of, if not, the best FPS game ever.  Just remember my tips and you should succeed!  Happy gaming!

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The major new feature in this New Super Mario Bros. Wii is its multi-player mode. It is the first game since Mario Bros. (published over two decades ago) to allow simultaneous play. The characters are Mario, Luigi, Blue Toad, and Yellow Toad. You can choose to tackle levels together, which can prove difficult and chaotic with players bouncing off each other, or you can play Coin Battle, which has players compete to finish each level with the most coins. The consensus from most reviews is that the multi-player mode is quite enjoyable and calls for plenty of fun, as long as you don’t take it too seriously. It also can help experienced players teach newcomers by taking the lead in a level and showing a new player how it is done.

Another new feature, which is especially helpful for beginners, is the Super Guide that kicks in after eight lives. A computer-controlled Luigi will guide a player through the level, so the player can know exactly how it can be accomplished. That doesn’t mean the game is without difficulty. Most experienced players agree that this is possibly the most difficult game in the series to accomplish. With the new Wii controls, this game require quick reflexes and precise moves to successfully get Mario through the levels. Nintendo didn’t sacrifice any of its greatest aspects to bring this game to users on the Wii.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii currently sells at $49.99 at most stores. This game seems to be well worth its cost, fun for new and old players alike. It can be played over and over again. If you are a Wii owner and are looking for a new, fun family game, this is it.

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