Artwork by Anna Becker

“Do you enjoy going to horror movies? Silent Hill is a horror movie that you can play. You’re Harry Mason and you wake up after a car crash to find your daughter missing in the creepy town of Silent Hill. Find your daughter and watch out for the twisted creatures that pursue you,” says Tomm Hulett, lead producer of the horror-survival game Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. It is the seventh game in the Silent Hill series, and is a reimagining of the original Silent Hill.

For those of you who have never played Silent Hill (or even those who have, but still don’t understand it), I will try to stuff the series into as small a nutshell as possible. The first Silent Hill follows protagonist Harry Mason, whose daughter, Cheryl Mason, appears to have run off after a car crash on the way to Silent Hill; a town the two were traveling to after repeated requests from Cheryl, who has been having dreams about the town. Harry sees her disappearing in the fog several times throughout his journey, giving him hope she’s still alive. During the course of the game, Harry gains the camaraderie of Cybil Bennett, a cop, Lisa Garland, a nurse, and Michael Kauffman, a doctor. He also runs into Dahlia Gillespie, a religious fanatic who tells Harry several cryptic messages about his daughter, and a young girl, Alessa Gillespie, who looks somehow familiar to him. The ending is open to interpretation, but for the sense of continuing the story, we’ll say that at the end of the game, Harry is given back his daughter, but as a baby.

Silent Hill 2 (Restless Dreams, for the Xbox) follows the protagonist James Sunderland, who has been brought to Silent Hill by a letter from what he believes to be his dead wife, Mary. As he’s searching, he runs into a woman who looks identical to his late wife besides her hair and clothing, named Maria. She also acts completely different, but James confuses Maria for Mary several times throughout the game. A major theme in the game is atoning for sins; and other characters who appear in the game, such as Angela Orosco and Eddie Dombrowski, are being punished in a way that mirrors James’ punishment.

Silent Hill 3 takes place seventeen years after the first Silent Hill, and follows the teenage protagonist Heather Mason (the baby Harry got at the end of the first game). Her father moved them into hiding in Portland, dyed her hair blonde, and changed her name from Cheryl to Heather. As she walks through a mall on an errand for her father, she runs into detective Douglas Cartland, who she believes to be a stalker, and manages to get away from. Then she runs into a member of the Order (a religious group that Dahlia was a part of), Claudia Wolf, who tells Heather to “remember her true self.” Heather adventures through Silent Hill and runs into several other members of the order who all, in some way or another, try to kill her. For the first half of the game, Heather is just trying to get home, but after a tragic incident, Heather finds herself on her way to Silent Hill to find answers.

Silent Hill 4: The Room, follows protagonist Henry Townshend. Unlike other protagonists, Henry wasn’t brought into Silent Hill by any sin or greatly important reason, nor is he trying to find anyone. He was just pulled into Silent Hill because he chose to live in a certain apartment. He spends the game jumping from otherworld to otherworld, sometimes accompanied by his neighbor, Eileen Gavin, and dealing with a member of the Order, Walter Sullivan. This game was not originally meant to be a part of the series, but was made a Silent Hill game regardless, and had several references to other Silent Hill games incorporated, such as Toluca Lake and Frank Sunderland (the father of James from SH2).

Silent Hill: Origins is the fifth game, and a prequel to the series. It follows protagonist Travis Grady, a trucker who decides to take a shortcut through Silent Hill and wrecks his truck. Travis then sees a young girl who appears to be Alessa, and chases after her. He finds the girl nearly dead inside of a burning house, but passes out before he can get her out of the house. Before he is completely unconscious, he hears sirens. He wakes up on a bench and, remembering the girl, runs to the hospital and asks Dr. Kauffman what happened to the girl. Dr. Kaufmann responds that there have been no new patients admitted. Later in the hospital, Travis finds a mirror with a strange reflection and is transported through it to the otherworld. Travis also runs into other characters Harry encountered in the first game, such as Dahlia Gillespie and Lisa Garland.

Silent Hill: Homecoming, the sixth installment in the series, follows protagonist Alex Shepherd. After being discharged from the military, Alex returns home only to find that his father and younger brother, Joshua, have disappeared, and his mother is in a near catatonic state. Alex then begins the search for his younger brother. On his way, he is given a ride by Travis and later has to face off with Pyramid Head, a major monster from the second game (a.k.a. The Bogeyman). Another reference to the other Silent Hill games is when Alex finds a Robbie the Rabbit doll (a character from SH3), and gives it to his brother through a door of metal bars.

Which brings us, finally, to Shattered Memories. The game opens with a shot of Michael Kauffman, now a psychiatrist, preparing for a patient. The game cuts to Harry (from the first Silent Hill, remember), crashing his car similarly to the first game. He once again finds that his daughter, Cheryl, is missing and sets out to find her. He then arrives at a bar where he runs into either Cybil or a barmaid, depending on the choices the player has made.

As opposed to other games in the series, the producers have decided to leave combat out of Shattered Memories. “We have noticed that a lot of recent survival horror games have started focusing far more on action than ‘survival.’ Really, they’re action games with ickier monsters,” said Hullet. “So we wanted to step back, clean the slate, and go back to the roots of what makes a ‘survival horror’ game. How would we scare the player?” However, Harry (the protagonist) can knock objects in the environment over in order to impede his opponents.

In previous Silent Hill games, the player would solve riddles while avoiding or fighting off monsters, but in Shattered Memories the “exploration” (puzzle-solving) part of the game is separate from the nightmarish otherworld, and the appearance of monsters is accompanied by the world distorting and becoming covered in ice.

It has been a major concern of hardcore Silent Hill fans that, because of the lack of combat and the fact that monsters are not found in the exploration part of the game, that Shattered Memories will not be as scary as previous games in the series. “We have had focus testers ask to stop playing because they are ‘too scared’ during exploration. The world of Silent Hill is not a nice place, so exploring it isn’t a walk in the park. Yes there are scares, but mainly it’s about suspense — the atmosphere of dread and not knowing when the nightmare is coming,” said Sam Barlow, the lead designer of Shattered Memories.

In the nightmare world, places that the player can go (doors they can enter, walls they can jump over, ledges they can crawl under, etc.) are highlighted by bright blue; but do not fear, Silent Hill fans! These indications do not necessarily tell the player the right way to go. Additionally, in the otherworld the player will be pursued by monsters called “Raw Shocks,” which may change form throughout the game to match the player’s worst fears. Because Harry cannot fight these monsters, their form of attack is tackling Harry and essentially freezing him to death. The player must shake off the monsters and run. As Cheryl says in the first nightmare sequence: “You can’t fight them, daddy! You have to run!”

My main concern with the game is the lack of variety in the monsters. There is only one kind of monster, and although they change throughout the game, all of the monsters change at once. Also, having played the other Silent Hill games, the fact that the flashlight is on a different joystick than the one that makes Harry move is pretty disorienting.

Despite that, Shattered Memories is the best Silent Hill game so far. The story is unique, even if it is a re-imagining, and the psychological aspect of the game is mind-blowing. Where the character looks, what the character does, and how the player answers in therapy sessions with Dr. Kauffman all influence major aspects of the game, which makes it very difficult to get a specific ending. The best improvement, however, is the phone. Because of the lack of weapons, ammo, health drinks and puzzle items, the inventory has been completely eliminated, and Harry’s phone has taken its place. There are no longer save points, you just use the phone. No more navigating to your inventory to look at memos, you just use the phone. I could sing its praises for days… but I won’t.

In comparison to other Silent Hill games, I give Shattered Memories five stars. The gameplay is very different, but much improved and the storyline is fresh despite being a re-imagining. In comparison to other video games, I have to give it four stars because the game is so short and because of the lack of variety of the monsters.

Overall rating: ★★★★★

Artwork by Mia Nogueira

As far as I can tell, DJ Hero meets the requirements for its “Hero” predecessors. It has a plastic, battery-eating controller, customizable characters and DJ decks, multiplayer (if you know someone else who has a turntable controller or a Guitar Hero Guitar), a weak story, and a good amount of fun.

Instead of making music with a bunch of instrument shaped plastic, players mix tracks with a slider, turntable, and a knob that adjusts bass and treble for a given track. It has a more genuine feel to it because it is more plausible to make music through a control panel and turntable than a small, guitar-shaped peripheral. Even though there are more than enough rhythm based games on the shelves, DJ Hero is different than the rest. Like Rock Band, DJ Hero is a good party game that is easy to get into, and makes the listeners bob their heads.

Being a DJ in real life requires a lot of skill and concentration. DJs have to follow the beat of two different songs, scratch records, and transition between the songs. In the hard levels, DJ Hero presents a challenge that is melodious as well as exciting.

The game has a variety of moves to perform, from adjusting a little slider to spinning the platter (going back to a certain point in the song). The songs are mixed together by pushing the buttons on the turntable and the slider works as a crossfader, switching between the two songs. The performances are neat and rewarding. As opposed to earning money or fans or even kudos, the stars that are earned in performances are what unlocks DJs, outfits, and turntable decks. Instead of beating the game on hard levels with three or four star performances, a player can unlock everything by getting five star performances at medium difficulty. This puts less emphasis on the player’s skills and makes it more fun. The songs are catchy, mixing classic songs with hip-hop or rap. Gary Newman’s Cars and Grandmaster Flash’s Here Comes My DJ is a catchy combo, like Spooky and Insane In The Brain.

With each new set list performed, songs and DJs are unlocked. Some set lists feature one DJ and their best mixes. To distract the player from the notes sliding down the ‘highway,’ there are flashing lights, shiny turntables, and dancing women. At times, I hesitated to push a button because I knew it would make the screen flash momentarily. Also, for some odd reason, the camera pans to the security guards. That strange camera movement was reminiscent of a performance in Beatles Rock Band, where a woman is beat by a cop for no reason. I’d guess these additions are to make the watchers of the game a little more entertained, but it just doesn’t make sense.

The beats of these mixes can move a crowd to nod or dance along with the music, but it doesn’t have the same appeal that makes eight people sing along to Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ when only one has the microphone. DJ Hero is sold as an individual game and controller, which makes the promise of multiplayer a littler harder to fulfill. There are some songs that accommodate a DJ turntable and a Guitar Hero guitar controller playing in unison, effectively disabling the ability of the DJ to spin the disc back to an earlier time. If they were catering to the in-the-same-room multiplayer crowd another turntable would make it easier, but more multiplayer songs would’ve helped, too. Online multiplayer is a little frustrating. These are competitions for points earned in each song based on completion and multiplayer. I’ve found myself losing by a matter of two or three percent less than my opponent. The guitar/DJ multiplayer is local only, so you can’t play with a friend online to earn more points or have fun.

DJ Hero is fun to play. I noticed myself moving along with the beat and sometimes the lyrics.

When it comes down to it, the feeling of playing rhythm games is present in DJ Hero and its competition, but it is still just a bunch of plastic and wires. Rhythm games are like cheap substitutes for actually being able to play an instrument. They have cheaper equipment, tether the players to a screen and console, and lack the ability to make any music. As far as cheap thrills go, DJ Hero is a lot of fun. Real DJs, flashy turntables, and detailed visuals enhance the feeling of spinning some vinyl to a catchy song. With mediocre multiplayer, a passable online experience, and the fun of mixing music, I recommend playing DJ Hero to enjoy the single-player fun that Guitar Hero II had, and for those catchy beats.     ★★★☆☆

     What is it about the game that people love? We all remember Dance Dance Revolution. Recall the kid that you saw in the arcade, stomping his feet to the rhythm of a song. For some reason, dancing just didn’t seem as “cool” as playing the guitar.

     So what’s next for us rockers who have eagerly anticipated the release of the Guitar Hero’s next game? How do drums, two guitars, and a microphone sound? That’s right, the new installment of Guitar Hero will take on the complete band format.

     The new guitar is similar to its predecessor, only slightly bigger and heavier; it gives it the look and feel of a real guitar. A new feature of the guitar is the touch sensitive slider area located below the five regular buttons. For special solo guitar areas, the users will be able to slide their fingers back and forth and tap the corresponding buttons, adding a new and exciting element to the guitar and bass area of the game.

     As for the drums, many were critical of the drum paraphernalia that came with the Rock Band game. They didn’t seem realistic, with a lack of cymbals, and being much louder than the other instruments. All that could be heard during game play was the sound of the drummer beating the rubber pads.

     Guitar Hero has heard the complaints and redesigned the drum kit, working with drumming legends such as Travis Barker, former drummer of Blink-182. The drum kit has three lower drums, serving as the snare and tom toms, then two raised pads, acting as the two cymbals. There is also a foot pedal for the bass drum.

     The final element of game play is the microphone. Consider it a karaoke version of the songs, but the player is judged on his or her performance. The difficulty level can be changed with the microphone, requiring more accurate pitch and tone to from the vocalist.

     Most people are familiar with the four difficulty settings in all of the Guitar Hero games: Easy, Medium, Hard, and Expert. But for some players out there, the easy setting still just seems a little too hard. Now for those who need a little help getting started, (like some technology-impaired adults) the game has a new “beginner” mode. This will consist of keeping rhythm and only hitting one note, allowing for an easy introduction to the game.

     Another feature that World Tour offers and is not found in the Rock Band 2 game is the studio mixer mode. This will allow players to create and mix their own custom songs, using a given amount of sound loops and various enhancers. The tracks will be up to three minutes long, and once completed, can be shared with other players through the online capabilities.

     Speaking of online capabilities, the game will continue to offer head to head play via the Internet. New this year is the ability to compete with another band of up to four players online. So get all your friends together, claim your instrument, and prepare for the battle of the bands. If you don’t have four friends willing to rock, you can also join a band online.

     The new game, Guitar Hero World Tour, is out now and ready for your rocking pleasure. Go to your local electronic store or order the game online for a hefty price of $189.99. With 86 total songs and continually available downloadable tracks, the possibilities are endless. Rock out by yourself or grab some friends and compete to be the best awesomely fake band in the world.

Each week a different member of the Living and Arts staff will present a new review of anything ranging from the latest chart topping blockbusters to obscure potato chip flavors; always insightful and always through an honest perspective, the WRR gives a critical picture into today’s content rich world.    

    Resident evil has taken on many forms over the years, but none are even similar to the newest installment Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.

    The rail shooter is a common arcade style of first-person game, where the player has little or no control over movement and is instead lead through the game (as if on rails) while attacking an assortment of enemies. The future of this genre can be found in Capcom’s newest game Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. This title is a summarized version of the Resident Evil game series including the most important scenes from Resident Evil 0, and Resident Evil 1-3 as well as an all-new campaign Umbrella’s End.

     The game follows the rise and fall of the international pharmaceutical company, Umbrella. The company is actually a front for the true purpose of the organization: developing biological weapons of war constructed via mutated humans, or even the living dead, as well as an assortment of animals all injected with different strains of the Tyrant Virus, or T-virus.

     The most common recurring character is Albert Wesker, a high-ranking employee of The Umbrella Corporation disguised as a member of S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics and Rescue Service, a fictional police force secretly funded by Umbrella, and stationed in Raccoon City).  Wesker takes center-stage as the primary antagonist and narrator of Umbrella Chronicles.  The game shows the other, darker side of the Resident Evil series (yes… a darker side of a game with evil in the title).

     The Wii displays its viability as a dynamic system in Umbrella Chronicles, and makes the players feel like they have walked into an arcade. The controls are tight and responsive, and the Wii-mote syncs up very well with tube televisions. But when I took this game to my big-screen I noticed a small amount of lag time with the game reaction, a minor inconvenience for such an excellent game, and if the player’s big-screen T.V. has progressive scan (a format that uses fewer pixels and a faster frame rate to project an image) this is not a problem.

     In addition, the co-op is incredible. The pressure of the game is significantly diminished when the player has a buddy around to attack the zombie mauling the player’s side of the screen. However, the targeting reticule for player two looks very similar to player one’s, so sometimes friends will get their cross hairs confused. In addition, both players share a health bar, so if the friend in question isn’t too good at games the other person will need to pick up the slack. Regrettably, only 12/22 of the game’s missions are co-op enabled; regardless it’s an awesome two-player game.

     The graphics are exceptional, as is the music. In conjunction with surreal lighting and other factors they add immensely to the horror element of the game. At some points the players actually feel like they’re trapped in a life or death scenario surrounded by zombies on all sides. This game, much like the Resident Evil movies, was made for people who have played the games; however, the game is built so that even those who have just seen the movies, can enjoy the story and game-play. This game is a must have for a Resident Evil fan.

by Manuel Perez

    The 3D perspective in videogames has always been one of difficulties and problems; titles being ruined at times from poor point-of-view, easily lost sense of direction, and loss of depth perception for the player. Imagine, a game that was built from the ground up with the sole purpose to avoid these flaws.

     Seven years ago, Nintendo released a transitional title for its popular Super Mario series that placed the normally two-dimensional tube traveling Italian on a third plane. The title was formally called Super Mario 64, but was named a masterpiece by gamers and critics across the board. Its claim to fame was not that it was the first 3D game, though, but rather that it was the first game to do the genre WELL and it still takes a top-spot on any list of the best games in history. Super Mario Galaxy is the follow-up to Super Mario 64, and it brings with it the same level of ingenuity and innovation as its predecessor.

    In this installment, Mario’s brooding arch-nemesis, Bowser, has kidnapped the eternally helpless Princess Peach into the dark recesses of space, thrusting Mario into hot pursuit. He now needs to collect the energy of the lost power stars with the help of the squishy and baby-looking Lumas and their mother, space Peach Rosalina, to reach and save her. This time, though, the wide and sprawling levels of previous games have been replaced with clusters of spherical and floating planetoids that must be explored to find the hidden star. These mini-worlds can be circum-navigated and views when atop them can quickly switch to upside down vistas and gravity-swiveling situations.

Gameplay and control of Mario stay largely the same in Galaxy coming from previous installments: Sunshine and 64. Players still search for a hidden star somewhere in the level whilst jumping several times to do such. This time, though, several changes have been made to the already winning formula. Aside from Mario’s usual buffet of leaps (long jumps, back flips etc.), his melee attacks have all been combined into the all-purpose “spin attack”. This move, executed via shaking either Remote or Nunchuck, causes Mario to swing his fists around in a circle damaging enemies, kicking objects, flinging from planet to planet, and dozens of other secret interactions.

The more noticeable weapon to the armory is the inclusion of Star Bits. This “second currency” can be found literally under rocks. Gaining 50 of the abundant candy-looking things equal an extra life for the player, but more importantly, can be used as pseudo-bullets. Using the Wii Remote’s pointer-like technology, Bits can be gathered by simply aiming at them, then be shooting them at enemies to stun them, halving Mario’s dirty work.

This job can be taken over by a second player, utilizing another remote in the all-new Co-Star mode. This casual co-op has the player assisting (or hampering) Mario’s progress by collecting the numerous Bits, holding enemies in place, deflecting projectiles, or even helping the plumber reach new heights with a super jump. The mode is either a hit-or-miss with various people, but when a willing person decides to give a hand the game gets a much-needed social dimension that diverges from solitary titles such The Legend of Zelda, Bioshock, or even The Sims.

    The one thing about the game that some gamers will notice in a more subtle way, while others will point out attentively, is the games departure into linearity. Linearity – the format wherein going from point A to point B is crucial, such as in Chutes and Ladders, or non-linearity, which is the format wherein options and different paths are widely available, such as in Chess – in Galaxy means the level set-up. Most levels will be a simple path to a power star with obstacles on every turn; basically, planet hopping to a finish line, with an occasional fork-in-the-road, or a large area to explore now-and-then. This is by no means a bad thing. This can be taken either as a horrific contortion of the sandbox-esque, 3D Mario series (which will be said by the more negative toned players), or as an ingenious backtrack to previous reach-the-flag 2D Mario game. Choosing which level to partake in is always open to decisions. Usually at least 10 assorted stars are always available to be chased after, and even then, there are always secret stars hidden for the avid explorer to be rewarded with if they do so choose to leave the path. Linearity is not necessarily a wrong thing if the trip from A to B is the most hilarious journey since the one to the bank.

One of the highlights to the Mario series has always been the inclusion of its trademark power-ups – abilities and transformations that allow Mario to do a multitude of things he couldn’t do alone. Such beloved empowerments as the Tanooki Suit and Metal Cap of yesteryear now unfortunately fall into the shadow of much shinier, and frankly, more adorable ones. Bee Mario eats Frog Suits for breakfast. By picking up a brown and yellow striped mushroom, our plumber donnes a bee suite (stinger and all), teeny wings, and pair of antennae and is granted the ability to buzz around for a limited time; landing on flowers, and climbing honeycombs. Winning the Cutest-Thing-Ever award is now a breeze for the portly plumber. Along with the Bee power-up comes a number of others, such as the traditional Rainbow Star, that temporarily renders him invincible, the Fire Flower which gives Mario fireballs to lob around, and a few more that need unlocking to be made accessible.

The game also sports some major updates for the title by utilizing the exclusive motion-detecting tech in the Wii Remote. Aside from the usual fare of intergalactic platforming, the planetoids offer the player some new challenges such as rolling Mario atop a sphere to a goal a’la Monkey Ball, or racing on a manta ray in a sunny, suspended water slide by twisting the remote around. The title’s trump card is its smartly distributed use of variety, wherein truly divergent mechanics are isolated to certain locations and can be skipped entirely if they don’t fit the player’s taste.

Boss Battles are also one of the more noteworthy parts of the game – these take place when Mario is pinned against some obtrusive, usually 10-times-his-size monster, hoarding a power star. All fights are epic, if not adrenaline rushing. One in particular, a rocky and aggressive spirit called the Bouldergeist, can be considered one of the most memorable playthroughs in my gaming history.

The audio background in Galaxy is also nothing short of amazing. Tracks range from classical versions of songs that would normally be found playing at a carousel, and fully orchestrated scores that form a cross between a Star Wars film and a trip to an amusement park, to remixed retro favorites from the past 10+ years of Mario games. Each level contains its own individual music, and each fits it to a T. The ghost level is spooky, the battlefield is epic, the island beaches are bright; the soundtrack to this game is awe inspiring and is almost reason enough to warrant a purchase.
     
    If there is one perk to owning a High-Definition TV it is to see the full glory that is Super Mario Galaxy. The game is gorgeous. Planet views are breathtaking, particles and glitter effects are impressive, even Mario with his updated 2007 pudgy physique is eye-catching. Now, there will forever be those who will put-down the Wii for its low visual output (the console rated the lowest in computing power against competing machines the Playstation 3 and XBOX 360, so low that it is considered by some to be last generation) and to those naysayers I AGREE – to an extent. Past games for the system have looked like blocky, pixilated messes rushed through development to cash-in on the Wii’s popularity amongst the casual crowd. These titles will lastingly be stains on the system and will be fuel for anyone seeking to nitpick. But, as a shining example and as evidence as what the Wii can be capable of, is Super Mario Galaxy. Nintendo once stated that a good game is not entirely ranked by its visuals, but by its gameplay. This of course does not mean every fun title is going to look like some rejected PONG game, or that every polished game is a stick-in-the-mud; it just goes to say that a game need not be positively beauteous to be fun, but it helps, and Galaxy is eternal proof of that.

    When reviewing a game, I would usually reserve the following as a place to put the title’s more negative aspects. Thing is, problems in Galaxy are so few and far between that any attention to such things would be deemed as nitpicking. No matter though! Nitpicker I shall be called, and nitpicking I shall do! To begin, the camera is funky at times. When playing, once or twice the view of Mario was in an obstructed place, forcing me to realign the camera to get a clear look. That was slightly inconvenient. Another problem is with the manual. In the flimsy little book most games are packaged with ALL the power-ups. Luckily, I had the foresight to avoid reading into it until I was far into the game, but I was sad to discover some of the game’s most interesting surprises are shown right on page nine with no warning.
My last jab has to do with one of the power-ups themselves, but as to avoid the oh-so-terrible SPOILARS (sic) I will be incredibly vague. First encountered in the toy-themed galaxy, this empowerment gives Mario a unique way of movement that allows him to reach new places. The new movement is at first difficult to control and does require a good sense of timing. The power-up later kills Dumbledore and turns out to be Luke’s father while being a dream all along.

    Mario has come a long way since the days of the first Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-DUH. And even now, with his starring role in what many are already calling the Best. Game. Ever. The modest pipe cleaner shows no sign of stopping. The standard from which all games will be stacked against has just been raised, and all past games now seem damp and lackluster. Ocarina of What? Master Who? Mario laughs. He laughs hard. He laughs knowingly. But not for long, princesses still need saving.

by Sinjin Jones

    2 a.m. Doritos at left. Redbull at right. Team Slayer on Valhalla. One win until rank Lieutenant 2nd Grade. One minute remaining. My Team: 45, Red Team: 43.
    “Hey, someone get in the Warthog,” a teammate shouts through the mic.
    I climb into the passenger seat and one of my blue brethren mounts the turret. We drive off, his lack of driving skills forcing a zigzag, toward the river. Off of the right flank I vaguely catch glimpse of a small red figure moving on top of a nearby ledge. I turn instinctively to see what it is and an aimed rocket launcher glares back at me.
    “Bad idea.”
    The sound of metal displacing air followed by an explosion. My tattered, joint-less MJOLNIR suit flies through the air and lands facedown in the water and begins to glide easily along it. The screen fades to black.

    None of the Halo series has failed to impress and the third installment is no different. New weapons, new maps, and a new and enhanced story provide for an epitomizing final chapter.
    The Halo series chronicles Master Chief, a cybernetically enhanced super-soldier in the year 2552 and his computer companion, the artificial intelligence system, Cortana. A race of aliens known as the Covenant have been systematically eliminating UNSC (United Nations Space Command) outposts and it falls to Master Chief to lead the retaliation. The Covenant have, at their disposal, a series of seven interstellar rings known as Halos which hinder the Flood, a race of parasitic creatures.
    The campaign of the third installment picks up with Master Chief falling to the Earth. Sergeant Major Avery Johnson, a familiar character, along with Arbiter, come upon his disabled body while making their way to the UNSC outpost. The story follows Master Chief as he completes the final chapter in Earth’s attempt to defeat The Covenant as they invade Earth. The co-op feature in the campaign has been expanded to include up to four players cooperating to defend Earth at a time (online friends count too!) and the arsenal of new weapons, including the Gravity Hammer, the Spike Grenade, and the Spartan Laser, add to the depth and excitement.
    The pride and glory of Halo 3, however, is undoubtedly the multi-player function. Following the trends of its predecessors, the system has been enhanced to near perfection. The online Matchmaking system, in charge of allowing players to be matched via skill level (based on both the number of games you have played and the number of times you have won) is much more refined and the long wait times of Halo 2 are all but vaporized. A stream of new Custom Game types (such as a VIP game, forcing a team to guard one of their players who may brandish only a pistol) have been added, and the idea of user-created custom games has been expanded while core game play remains "Halo". Those familiar with the series will notice new "equipment" in the form of deployable items such a bubble shield, which forms a geometric shield that cannot be shot into or out of. These add more variety and tactics without disturbing the classic balance of intensity and skill known well to Halo fans.
    Overall, the game has proven to be what it promised: a final and perfected version of one of the most beloved first-person shooter (FPS) series of all time. With $170 million in sales in the first 24 hours, Halo 3 looks to be the must-have title for FPS enthusiasts. Bottom-line, fans of the Halo series will gawk at this final installment and newcomers will be entertained if not enthralled.

3…

2…

1…

    I am back among my teammates.
45-46
    “That was a good idea,” I say to the mic as I swap my Assault Rifle for a Battle Rifle and add a Brute Shot to my arsenal.
46-47
    I spot a sniper rifle at the top of my base and scramble to take control. On the top of a hill, in the distance, I spot a red trooper busily making his way across the field. I take aim. Zoom to 10x. He stops a moment to switch his weapon. Mistake. A bullet whizzes from my rifle and his body falls to the ground.
48-49
    I frantically look around attempting to find someone to demolish. I need this win.
49-49
    Two people on a small, two person Mongoose driving across the hill, one standing on the back, present the perfect opportunity. I am…slowly…a moving target is more difficult…steady…steady…

My Team: 49 Red Team: 50

GAME OVER

2:05 a.m. No Doritos. Amp empty. Angry. Time for homework.

by Spencer Snell

    These days a large percentage of young people play video games; many significantly more than others. Something noticeable to me about those who are frequent players (four or more hours per day) is that they tend to have expansive vocabularies and the ability to solve complex problems with a cool head and significantly quicker reflexes than the non-gamer population. It is my opinion that gamers who treat their hobby as a learning experience can significantly better themselves and have fun doing it.
    I think the reason gamers can achieve more dynamic mental acuity and quicker reflexes is because the games they play have them interacting on a more subconscious level. Ever since the days of the Atari and Nintendo Entertainment Systems in the early seventies, gamers have been learning complex skills without even knowing it.

    Action games hone reflexes and increase response times and eye/hand coordination by putting the player in tense situations with only a few escape routes, often under intense time constraints. Police, airline/military pilots, and other government/private industries use video simulations to train and improve their employees’ reflexes.
    Some video games force people to think and, although they are having fun, they can also be expanding their vocabularies at a healthy rate if they are participating in a role-playing game; in the best of which the dialogue is intense and the character development rivals that found in novels. Role-playing games allow players to analyze situations and guess their outcome based on character history.
    The complicated narratives in role-playing games promote reading comprehension. In fact, an advanced level of critical reading is often achieved and can be carried over into daily life. Comprehending complex written scenarios sometimes requires the reader look up words in the dictionary or ask a friend/family member the word’s meaning, thus creating a learning experience.
    People who frequently play video games are often looked down upon as nerds or slackers. Is it because we further ourselves through a venue that differs from some teachers’ droning tones or a textbook’s slow and often soul-numbing presentation?
    Video games are a fun way to learn, and I believe that if we can occasionally make learning a game as opposed to the usual lectures, kids will listen. A prime example of this is the real-time strategy game Age Of Mythology (AOM). AOM is a very fun game that incorporates accurately depicted mythology, and employs economic/army/tactical micromanagement.  In addition to the use of the mechanics, the game features an encyclopedia of the myths, heroes, and many other structures, as well as other mythological references. Obviously, gaming can involve a great deal of reading.
    Unfortunately, with all this good there is some bad in video games. Action games have been known to promote antisocial behavior in people who are not capable of handling certain content in the more violent games. But there are some theorist who postulate that some people with unstable personalities may benefit from video games in a positive way, by satisfying their anger on a sequence of binary operations rather than on people made of flesh, blood, and bone.
    Self-improvement through video games has become a reality. Graduating from the old days of jump on the turtle, games like Brain Age for the Nintendo DS helps keep the mind sharp with quick and simple brain training that’s encouraged through mild behavior modification from Dr. Kawashima (a character actually based on the results of Japanese Professor Ryuta Kawashima’s research on brain activity).  The theory is that by training your brain daily you can keep your mind sharp. Another simple puzzle game that has endured nearly 30 years and 39 variations (official and unofficial) is the classic puzzler Tetris.
    The next generation video gaming consoles have also brought a new world of physical fitness to the casual gamer. Playing on the Nintendo Wii can get players to lose notable weight via games like Wii Sports, and Rayman Raving Rabbids that actually force exercise on the player through insanely fast-paced mini-games.
    By treating games as exercise programs, I’ve personally lost over 20 pounds, and apparently I’m not the only one; I found another great example of Wii weight loss on Engadget.com where, according to the website, a 25-year-old man, Mickey De Lorenzo of Philadelphia, devoted 30 minutes per day to Wii Sports and monitored his weight, BMI, calories burned per session, body fat percentage, heart rate, and physical soreness. Mickey started out at 182 pounds, and after a month and a half of Wii workouts, whittled his weight down to 172 pounds.
    Games can open up many worlds for us, be they adventures in wild new and strange environments, fitness for the jock in all of us, or improving our minds. The way we play can influence our bodies and minds, so it’s okay to stay inside once and a while and pick up a controller. Just remember to take all things in moderation.

by Manny Perez

    Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is what many consider the first of three games to pioneer the Wii’s various talents in a first-class, $50 package by Nintendo (the other two being Super Mario Galaxy in November and Super Smash Bros. Brawl in December), but does Samus’s latest live up to the hype? The TJ Journal puts it to the test.

    The story centers around Samus Aran (once again) helping the Galactic Federation foil the dastardly deeds of the notorious Space Pirates; this time, with the help of some fellow bounty hunters and the deadly substance Phazon. The other hunters really do add another layer to the plot, even if it does bring up the feeling she’s a  member of the Justice League. But just because Master Chief doesn’t have any friends, doesn’t mean Samus can’t.

    The art direction in this game is truly outstanding and does more than make up for the Wii’s visual shortcomings. Detail has always been one of Retro Studio’s stronger points; in some of the darker parts of the game, Samus’s own blue eyes can be seen reflected on the visor.

    Not all is well and good, though: the HUD can sometimes seem constricting and the darker areas can make things hard to see. But once again Nintendo shines through. The HUD can be manipulated to be opaque and slide away during combat, and the murky environment becomes much more bearable with a handy brightness control. Though the visuals can never be compared fairly to an Xbox 360 game, even Halo, with its elaborate environments and vivid enemies, envies Corruptions style.

    Without a doubt, and without a single moment of hesitation, I can declare that Corruption’s controls put all other first-person shooters before it to shame. The ease of use is so simple, yet so ingenious, it seems almost impossible that the FPS can control this well. The gesture movements necessary to directly interact with objects are also spot-on and ideal for the Wii Remote. And with the exception of the odd button mapping, wherein B is to jump and A is to shoot (and even that seems form fitting after awhile of play), everything deserves a perfect score.

    Corruption’s soundtrack is also extremely impressive. The slow murmurs and light thunder claps that make up Samus’s world all combine to create the feeling of loneliness and despair that is the signature of the series. The voice acting is particularly  noteworthy and fits each character to a T. Even Nintendo, with its usual Maud Flanders approach to video games, loosened up for this one. They caught me off guard and I almost gasped when one of the commanders said, "Damn!"

    Metroid has always had a place in many a gamer’s hearts. From the first 2D side-scroller in 1986 on the NES, to the previous Prime, Echoes, on the GameCube, the Metroid series has launched a little less than a dozen games of almost absurd quality. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption capitalizes on all of the previous installments, and by pure Nintendo innovation has actually improved on these. Brilliant controls, beaming style, an epic storyline and a heroine who just won’t quit, all blend together to create a modern classic in gaming.