High Velocity Bowling

Developer: SCEA
Publisher: SCEA
Release Date: Dec. 6, 2007
Systems: PS3 (PSN download)
ESRB Rating: E10+
Official Web Site

In a nutshell: Shoobidy-doo-wop Bowling

0:00 After yesterday's disappointing experience with Brunswick Pro Bowling, I thought I'd try Sony's answer to Wii Sports. Who will be best in the better bowling battle?

0:01 Apparently I need to download 30MB of update data to run this game, which I downloaded months ago. All righty then.

0:04 The download and install are finally done. Let's go bowling!

0:05 The game is THX certified. My TV is barely stereo. What a waste.

Read the full review over at Crispy Gamer

Brunswick Pro Bowling

Developer: Point of View
Publisher: Crave
Release Date: Aug. 28, 2007
Systems: Wii (reviewed), PS2, PSP
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web Site

In a nutshell: Brunswick Pro Bowling

0:01 0:00 Bowling was by far my favorite part of Wii Sports, so I'm looking forward to see what a game with a "Pro" license can do with the concept.

0:01 Right off, I'm doubled over by the Disc Channel's hilarious, bass-heavy R&B groove. This is possibly the least appropriate bowling music I've ever heard.

0:02 In the options menu, the music starts at 70 percent and the sound effects at 60 percent. Is this a concession to the cranky old people that are the game's target audience?

0:03 On to Career mode. The create-a-bowler has a perpetual frown and slumped shoulders. He looks like he'd rather be anywhere else. Bad sign.

0:05 Still playing around with the somewhat meager character creation options. "Facial-hair type 2" is a perfect Hitler mustache. I love it! There are a grand total of two body types: Athletic and Husky.

0:06 HuskyHilter is too long for the name field, so HskyHtlr will have to do. But we know what his real name is.

Read the full review over at Crispy Gamer

Geometry Wars Galaxies

Developer: Bizarre Creations
Publisher: Sierra
Release Date: Nov. 27, 2007
Systems: Nintendo DS (reviewed), Wii
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web Site

In a nutshell: A flawed pocket universe

0:00 The original Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved was the reason I bought an Xbox 360. Well, not the sole reason, but it probably put me over the top. Anyway, here's hoping the experience transfers well to the small screens.

0:01 Some nice techno music plays over a title screen with a picture of a spiral galaxy (appropriately enough). Retro Evolved is an option, so I try that out in order to get a feel for the controls with a game type I know.

0:02 Immediately, I notice things are slower-paced than the Xbox 360 version. I mean a lot slower. Not just the frame rate, but the enemies that used to quickly attack are now lackadaisically lurching towards me. Not a good sign.

0:05 150K points before my first death. Not only are the enemies slower, but they seem less prevalent than the original. Hypothesis: The DS is not powerful enough to handle too many enemies at once.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

WipEout Pulse

Developer: Sony Liverpool
Publisher: SCEA
Release Date: Feb. 12
Systems: PSP
ESRB Rating: E10+
Official Web Site

In a nutshell: Fast to the Future

0:00 I haven't played a badly-capitalized WipEout game since XL on the original PlayStation, so this should be a futuristic hover-racing blast from the past.

0:01 Stylistic, computer-styled menus flash by before some relatively standard hovercar porn video. "Welcome to WipEout Pulse," says a computerized voice.

0:04 I end up spending three minutes just sampling the 16 techno tracks in the options screen's Music Playlist. The soundtrack was big reason I got into WipEout originally, even though I don't listen to much techno in everyday life.

0:05 Time to dive into Campaign mode, "The definitive WipEout single-player experience." Definitive? Like there are so many others?

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

Jam Sessions

Developer: Plato
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: Sept. 11, 2007
Systems: Nintendo DS
ESRB Rating: E10+
Official Web Site

In a nutshell: Guitar for Dummies

0:01 I love rhythm games, and I've heard a lot about this one. I just worry that it'll be too undirected to actually be fun.

0:03 I mean to go into the tutorial, but before I know it I'm jamming out in the "free play" mode. I immediately figure out how to strum on the touch-screen and pick chords with the d-pad. I quickly compose a little two-chord ditty that sounds surprisingly good, if I do say so myself. I even record it for posterity.

0:04 I like how the touch-screen allows for strong and weak notes. There's much more opportunity for original expression than in Guitar Hero and such. Nice.

0:06 I finally make it to the tutorial. "Jam Sessions lets you play and sing in your own way without any experience playing the guitar." That much is already obvious.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer