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entertaining u newspaper: your weekly guide to entertainment
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video game reviews
by norm stovall    normstovall@gmail.com

     


Spider-Man 3
PS3, Xbox 360

Normally, you can expect a movie-licensed game to be bad. Almost all of them are. Pirates of the Caribbean, Total Recall, Street Fighter: the Movie, Back to the Future-they were all bad. So when the Spiderman 2 movie game came out, it was kind of a shock, because it broke the rule. It was really fun to play. Well, now that Spider-Man 3 is on store shelves, you’d logically expect it to be just as great as the last game. Same developer, same characters, same storyline. It has to be at least as good as the last one, right? Unfortunately, no. If you are expecting to be wowed by the souped-up graphics the next-gen systems are capable of, you may be disappointed. The characters are meant to look more detailed, but they really just look bumpy and weird. In the gameplay department, Spidey can do all of his signature moves from the former game, with added gameplay elements in the form of contextual button presses, played off with cinematic effects. It certainly is more dramatic, but ultimately doesn’t add a whole lot to the game. Overall, the game is best suited to Spider-Man fans only. To anyone else, I’d recommend Spiderman 2, which is probably in a bargain bin at a game store near you.



new console downloads


Xbox 360
Double Dragon
This arcade brawler was the OG beat-em-up. Lovingly referred to by my friends and me as “Elbow Dragon”, this title goes for 400 points on Xbox Live Arcade. With plenty of Achievements to unlock, along with new and classic visual modes, this one is worth the price to any fan of the scrolling beat-em-up genre. (Protip: Use the elbow.)


Catan
Catan is the Xbox Live version of the popular strategy board game Settlers of Catan. In Catan, you are provided a playing field with hexagonal spaces which you are to take control of. By rolling dice, trading resource cards and working with other players, this game provides plenty of civilized, enjoyable gameplay, both online and off. This title goes for 800 points on Xbox Live Arcade.


Other Notable Xbox Live Arcade Downloads:
Centipede/Millipede – 400 Points Solitro Solitaire - (Check Live Arcade for Pricing)


Playstation 3
Super Rub-a-Dub
Super Rub-a-Dub is one of those tech demos that happened to be turned into a game. The premise is interesting, but the gameplay itself doesn’t exactly hold water, if you know what I mean. The graphics are great, and while tilting the Sixaxis controller to move your little duckie around the maze-like playing field, the water is pretty dang impressive to look at. If the idea of a bathtub-based rubber duckie game piques your interest, download this from the Playstation network. At $4.99, it won’t kill you.


Coming Soon:
Calling All Cars – This often-delayed title was delayed once again, so expect a full review as soon as it becomes available for download.

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