Red Steel
Ubisoft
Nintendo Wii
Nintendo systems are not known for first-person shooters, and this ambitious attempt won't change that.
The problem here is not the game but the control scheme. Those accustomed to the standard FPS controls on an Xbox or PlayStation will be boggled by Red Steel. To turn, players must point the Wii remote to the left or right with one hand, while manipulating forward, backward and sideways movement with the analog stick on the nunchaku controller in the other hand. Even when mastered, the method of turning feels awkward and slow. And what if you want to turn left while aiming to the right? You can't do it.
When hiding in corners, the controller wigged out more than once, sending the on-screen character into a spin that could only be escaped by dying. Those who endure the clunky controls take part in a run-of-the-mill tale.
Players assume the role of a bodyguard who has fallen in love with the woman they are paid to protect. Turns out her dad is involved with the Japanese mafia. Guns start blazing on the very day you are to meet him and ask for his daughter's hand. Along the way, players are introduced to various ninja arts, including fighting with a katana. Why use a sword when you have an uzi available? That's never explained, but the sword must be used at certain points when a gun would be far more effective.
One of the few things this game does well is the sniper's rifle. The Wii's "point-and-shoot" control scheme really comes in handy when matched with a scope. Visually, the also game disappoints, even when compared to some earlier GameCube titles.
Fight Night Round 3
Electronic Arts
PlayStation 3
Only a madman — or a Play- Station 3 owner — would dare climb into the ring with a professional boxer. Unlike in earlier versions of Fight Night Round 3, players can do just that, go toe-to-toe with legends such as Muhammad Ali, Oscar De La Hoya and Joe Frazier from a first-person perspective.
Other consoles use the traditional third-person perspective but can't compete when it comes to conveying the pain of catching an uppercut to the jaw. The game looks great, though not noticeably better than the Xbox 360 version. Fighter animations, arenas and the boxers themselves look convincing. Slow-motion replays of knockouts also are simply amazing. Punching is handled by the right analog stick. Flick it in a single direction to jab, or flick it and rotate for a variety of bigger hits, such as the classic haymaker.
It's intuitive control scheme makes it fun to unload devastating combos. A quick play mode allows boxers to jump right into the ring and relive some classic matchups, such as 1974's Rumble in the Jungle, when Muhammad Ali bested George Foreman.
Career mode is more rewarding, you can create a custom boxer in classes ranging from featherweight to heavyweight. Skills can be improved through winning bouts. Win enough amateur bouts, and you'll go pro and eventually challenge the title holder. But the road to glory is a painful one. The game is challenging at advanced stages. It even adapts to playing styles, making it difficult to get by with the same strategy.
F.E.A.R
Vivendi Universal Games
Xbox 360
Imagine starring in a horror movie. Now imagine being the last person alive in that film and having access to a stockpile of weapons. Welcome to F.E.A.R., aka First Encounter Assault Recon, a group of soldiers assigned to look into the paranormal. But the group does not last long. The latest bad guy, a cannibal with trippy psychic powers, chows down on most everyone else.
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