Fans of Kingdom hearts will be glad to know that the second in the best selling game series has been released.  In Kingdom Hearts II, Disney elements are combined with Final Fantasy elements to make a truly excellent game!

The story starts one year after the events of the first Kingdom Hearts in a place called Twilight Town.  You follow the actions of a young and troubled boy named Roxas.  Sora, Donald, Goofy, and more characters return.  This includes appearances by many Final Fantasy characters, along with many Disney characters that were not in the previous game.  Visit old and new locations from Disney movies including:  Mulan, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Beauty and the Beast.  Sora must look for clues as to who the Heartless are and what is behind Organization XIII.  The plot is very well written and will leave you guessing until the end… when all is finally revealed.

Kingdom Hearts II has adapted many changes.  One is an all new combat system that is probably one of the most thrilling of any game.  There are new summons, limit breaks, new combos, co-op attacks, and the ability to perform devastating attacks with the right timing of button pushes.  And yes, Donald still has hilarious tantrums and Goofy is just as dumb as ever.

Some other changes are that the new transportation system allows you to ride among famous Disney theme park attractions.  The camera system has also been redone.  The last change, Sora can now use the “Drive” ability, but you will have to play to see what that is.

The voice acting is very well done.  The musical score is also excellent, but you should expect that from anything made by Square Enix!  The character models are also very nice to look at.  The Disney characters look like they came right out of the cartoon!

The only downfall to the game is that some parts are repetitive and repeated from the last game.  One instance is that of boss fights with the same enemies.  But other than that, it is a great game and highly amusing.

Kingdom Hearts 2 is available on Playstation 2.  It has an ESRB rating of E-10.  This means it is suitable for anyone age 10 and older.  This is because the game features blood, use of alcohol, and violence.  A strategy guide is available for you cheaters out there!

Racing simulation games have come along quite well recently.  The graphics have improved. The authentic looks of the vehicles are great.  But most of these simulators are for cars.  For those of you who like the bikes, get ready for Tourist Trophy:  Real Riding Simulator.  Tourist Trophy was made by the same creators that made the ever so popular Gran Turismo series.

In Tourist Trophy, you get to play various different game modes throughout 35 different international courses.  These courses are either closed circuit or city tracks.  Some tracks you may even remember from Gran Turismo such as:  New York City, Suzuka, Tsukuba, Laguna Seca, and more!  Take on these tracks with your choice of over 100 different licensed motorcycles.  These include:  BMW, Triumph, Kawasaki, Ducati, Honda, Motorrad, and more.

There are various modes of play.  In challenge mode, you play a career type mode.  You start out trying to get your license.  You go through various tests and challenges that test your speed and skill throughout various conditions.  Once you accomplish that, you can then select various engine classes, along with the courses you wish to race.  You then get your garage access so that you can use the credits you accumulate from winning races to upgrade your bike and accessories.  The look of your rider and bike is fully customizable!

There is also an arcade mode for those of you who wish for a quick race or a split screen 2 player race against your friends.  Photo mode allows you to take pictures of your bike from the challenge mode.

Enough about that.  Now how are the controls?  The controls take a bit to master.  You need to learn when to lean, when to brake or accelerate (especially during turns), and how to follow the line.  Once you figure this out, you will see how fluid and graceful the movement of your bike and rider really are.  The way the game was made makes these motions look just beautiful.  This coincides with the gorgeous graphics!  The soundtrack is also pretty good.

Tourist Trophy is available on Playstation 2.  It has an ESRB rating of E for everyone.  This means that the game is suitable for even children to play.  A strategy guide is available for those of you who would like a bit of help.

Fans of Kingdom hearts will be glad to know that the second in the best selling game series has been released.  In Kingdom Hearts II, Disney elements are combined with Final Fantasy elements to make a truly excellent game!

The story starts one year after the events of the first Kingdom Hearts in a place called Twilight Town.  You follow the actions of a young and troubled boy named Roxas.  Sora, Donald, Goofy, and more characters return.  This includes appearances by many Final Fantasy characters, along with many Disney characters that were not in the previous game.  Visit old and new locations from Disney movies including:  Mulan, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Beauty and the Beast.  Sora must look for clues as to who the Heartless are and what is behind Organization XIII.  The plot is very well written and will leave you guessing until the end… when all is finally revealed.

Kingdom Hearts II has adapted many changes.  One is an all new combat system that is probably one of the most thrilling of any game.  There are new summons, limit breaks, new combos, co-op attacks, and the ability to perform devastating attacks with the right timing of button pushes.  And yes, Donald still has hilarious tantrums and Goofy is just as dumb as ever.

Some other changes are that the new transportation system allows you to ride among famous Disney theme park attractions.  The camera system has also been redone.  The last change, Sora can now use the “Drive” ability, but you will have to play to see what that is.

The voice acting is very well done.  The musical score is also excellent, but you should expect that from anything made by Square Enix!  The character models are also very nice to look at.  The Disney characters look like they came right out of the cartoon!

The only downfall to the game is that some parts are repetitive and repeated from the last game.  One instance is that of boss fights with the same enemies.  But other than that, it is a great game and highly amusing.

Kingdom Hearts 2 is available on Playstation 2.  It has an ESRB rating of E-10.  This means it is suitable for anyone age 10 and older.  This is because the game features blood, use of alcohol, and violence.  A strategy guide is available for you cheaters out there!

Are you interested in flying in some famous dogfights and battles from  WWII?  How would you like to be an ace fighter pilot squadron leader that barks out orders to your fellow wingman?  If so, then get ready for Blazing Angels:  Squadrons of WWII.

In Blazing Angels:  Squadrons of WWII, you get to fly over 40 authentic and realistic looking aircraft from WWII.  These aircraft look just as they did back in those days from the inside of the cockpit to the paint designs on the outside!  Some of these legendary airplanes are:  Luftwaffe’s Messerschmitt, Japanese Zero, Spitfire of Britain, B-17 Flying Fortress, P-51 Mustang, P-38 Lightning, and more.

You are playing as the squadron leader.  You begin as an inexperienced rookie.  As you participate in over 20 missions, your heroism and leadership abilities rise.  This increases the abilities and skills of your squadron.  Your squadron consists of several AI controlled wingmen that will listen and obey your commands.

Battles take place across huge maps.  Your squadron has the ability to fly many different formations and each has its own perks and abilities.  These battles take place over real WWII battle locations such as:  Germany, England, France, Philippines, Japan, Morocco, North Africa, and more!

The graphics are just gorgeous in this game.  The lighting and shadow effects are spectacular.  If you look into the sun while flying, you go temporarily blind!  You can sneak up and attack enemies by hiding in the clouds, or have a hard time finding them due to black smoke rising from recent bombings!

Blazing Angels does have some flaws, however.  If you were looking for a history lesson, you will not find it in this game.  In fact, there is not much of a story.  The missions do tend to get repetitive.  Also, the mindless banter and chatter that spews across your radio from your wingmen is annoying and repetitive as well.  You would think that the creators would have put more time into these things as they did with the stunning graphics.

Aside from that, the controls are very easy to figure out.  If you hold down the left trigger, your pilot will automatically lock on and follow the target.  Also, you can fix your plane if it gets shot and turned into a flaming ball of death.  All you do is fly a bit away from the dogfight and enter in a random sequence of buttons that appears on your screen.  Other than the 20 campaign missions, you can also play a co-op mode and death match mode.

Blazing Angels is available on XBOX 360, XBOX, and PC.  It has an ESRB rating of T for teen.  This is because the game features language and violence.

Tomb Raider fans have long been waiting for the return of the sexy Lara Croft.  She finally makes her return in the highly anticipated newest edition to the game saga, Tomb Raider:  Legend. 

Some of you may be wondering if this game is worth your time.  Some of the previous Tomb Raider games were not very fun or impressive.  In fact they were down right terrible.  But Tomb Raider:  Legend is absolutely awesome and quite possibly the best in the saga.

Take your adventurer, Lara Croft with her guns at her hips to various exotic and modern locations.  Yes, you still raid ancient tombs, evade traps, solve puzzles, and explore dangerous locations.  But this time it is much more fun.  Lara has a whole menagerie of brand new weapons, communication devices, and tools at her disposal.  I personally like the grappling hook.  I found myself using it many times to swing over a dangerous pit, or to grab at something I just couldn’t reach.  If a baddie approached, I would engage him in a quick and impressive gun battle.  There were also a few vehicle chases.

A huge improvement to the game is the controls.  The controls of Tomb Raider: Legend are much more fluid and extremely flawless compared to previous editions of the game.  No longer does Lara feel clumsy and awkward.  Movement is just beautiful. 

Speaking of beauty, the environments are just breath taking.  In fact, I had to sit back and blink a couple of times.  All of the environments are living and breathing.  Whether if you are a top a building, trudging along a snow capped mountain, or sneaking around an ancient tomb you will feel as if you are really there.  Not to mention the fact that much of the game’s environment is usable and must be used to your advantage in order for you to proceed.  Many of the games’ puzzles are solved by using the things around you.  Pay attention!

Some other perks to Tomb Raider:  Legend is that there are numerous secrets and unlockables.  If you thought Lara was sexy in her usual outfit, wait until you see the others…

Tomb Raider:  Legend is available on Playstation 2, XBOX, and XBOX 360.  It has an ESRB rating of T for teen.  This is because the game features violence, suggestive themes, language, and blood.  For you cheaters out there, a strategy guide is available.

Good RPG (role playing games) are sometimes hard to find.  But many times, if the RPG is in several series, odds are that it is quite popular.  One of the lesser known but good RPG series is that of Grandia.  Recently, Grandia III was released.  If you enjoyed the first 2 in the series, you are sure to love this one.

Grandia III begins in a peaceful and quiet village.  The lead character, Yuki, is inspired by the long forgotten: Sky Captain Schmidt, to build and fly his own airplane.  Sky Captain Schmidt once flew further and faster than anyone and Yuki wishes to beat him.  One day, Yuki attempts to fly his newly built airplane with his mother, Miranda.  (Miranda looks like she could be his sister).  He soon crosses paths with a young lady named Alfina and her not so nice brother, Emelious.  Alfina is a Communicator.  Communicators can talk to ancient creatures.

Grandia III features a semi real time combat system. You are able to combine all of your player’s abilities to perform devastating attacks and even aerial finishing moves.  You also have the ability to perform sneak attacks that will that stun and delay your enemies.  This is nice when you need to heal up or revive a fallen ally.  You can also perform chain attacks that are visually impressive to watch. Magic can also be used in battle based on the four elements:  fire, earth, water, and wind.

A new feature not offered in previous editions of Grandia is the Strategic Advise System.  This system allows the AI characters to make suggestions to you during battle.  These suggestions can aid you at defeating enemies, finding enemy weaknesses, and more.

There are of course flaws.  One flaw is that you have no control over where the characters go in the battlefield.  Some of the moves and attacks you perform can only affect certain areas of the battlefield.  This can be very annoying when a character decides to run to one side of the battlefield and you want them on the other.  Darn AI!

Grandia III has a very linear progression which gets boring at times.  The music is also a bit cheesy. But don’t let that get you down because the story is gripping and quite compelling.  The dramatic cut scenes and expansive environments are absolutely beautiful.  Lastly, the voice acting is also quite good, which is rare in many games. 

Grandia III was developed by Square Enix, who are well know for great RPG’s.  It is available on Playstation 2.  Grandia III has an ESRB rating of T for Teen.  This is because it features fantasy violence, mild language, and the use of alcohol.  Sorry, no children can buy it!  For those of you who like to cheat, you can get your hands on the official strategy guide.

The 108 stars of destiny are back!  Fans of the Suikoden Saga get ready for number 5!  Suikoden V offers many of the saga’s common themes, along with some new, but much welcomed changes.

The story begins in the land of Farlena.  Because of civil unrest, the Queen of Farlena is forced to use the Sun Rune… but at a terrible price.  The story unfolds as a silent hero rises.  Typical of Suikoden.

The story of Suikoden V has to be one of the best things going for it…once you get to it.  The beginning of the game is its biggest downfall.  About 7 hours drag on as the plot slowly unfolds through tons of dialogue and cut scenes.  You get to explore and watch characters develop, but with few battles.  But after this initial boredom, Suikoden V explodes with a gripping story and fast paced game play.  You won’t want to put your controller down or take your eyes off the screen!  The story is the longest ever in all of the Suikoden games and it offers multiple endings!

Suikoden V has many similarities as the previous editions.  You still recruit the 108 stars of destiny by exploring the vast world and various enormous towns.  Some off the recruits are from previous editions of the saga, while others are new.  50 of the characters are playable in battle while all 108 are available to aid you during the massive area map wars that take place against other armies!  These military battles are one of the best parts of the Suikoden saga, along with the duals, and the ability to customize and build your headquarters.

Some changes include the new 20 battle formations.  There is also a new skill system and a change in the ways you upgrade and customize you weapons.  Hundreds of items are available.  Many are old favorites and many are soon to be new favorites!

The controls and battle system is very similar to the previous editions of the game, so for those of you who have played them before, you will have no trouble at all.  The character models are quite good.  Each of the 108 stars of destiny has a look of their own.  The landscapes are just beautiful to look at and the lighting effects are done quite well.  The soundtrack can be a bit annoying, however.  It tends to get a bit repetitive.

Suikoden V is available only on Playstation 2.  It has an ESRB rating of T for teen.  This is because the game features partial nudity, violence, mild language, and the use of alcohol.  But it’s nothing worse than what you may see on cable television.  A strategy guide is available for those of you who can’t seem to find all 108 stars of destiny.

When the Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind game came out for the PC, consumers were delighted. As the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion title was announced, consumers could hardly hold their applause. Much like the Morrowind game, Oblivion takes on another world. The game throws you into an enormous world to explore, complete with missions, quests, items, and literally thousands upon thousands of other activities for you to spend your precious time on.

With enriched graphics and literally one of the largest game environments ever created, the game throws you into the shoes of an abandoned unknown character. You get to choose from a dozen different types of characters, all complete with different looks and abilities. From there on half the fun is choosing your unique abilities you will be using throughout the rest of your adventure. Once your character is set you are thrown to explore the world as you please. You may start right through the main quest, or never even touch it and become a farmer or entrepreneur. The choice is up to you.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion throws over 400 hours (yes, you read that correctly) of game play at you with improved graphics, physics and story line from the previous cousin Morrowind. Whether you have been with the Elder Scrolls series from the beginning or just starting off, come late March you will be hooked on one of the best RPGs to ever come out on the PC.

If you don’t know what MMORPG stands for, don’t worry-you’re not alone. MMORPG stands for massive multiplayer online role playing game…and now you can see just why MMORPG is shortened! It sounds fascinating and it is, players play in a constantly evolving virtual world online simultaneously with other online gamers.

What can be so exciting about a MMORPG? Lots!

The Internet age has brought us so much that’s available instantaneously right in our fingertips, MMORPG’s aren’t like Nintendo’s or even PlayStation’s because there is far much more interactive things going on. When a player plays one of the traditional forms of gaming like the Nintendo and etc., it’s not the same because you’re only limited to your environment and you can’t tell anyone if no one is home plus who cares if you beat a machine?

MMORPG’s are played head to head against real people, real competitors and relationships are formed via Internet to talk about it or players can write user reviews about the games they’ve played. The bottom line is, it’s fun!

MMORPG’s have showed the gaming industry what players want. Will MMORPG’s be the future of gaming, will other forms of gaming be obsolete or will we see a birth of something even better than MMORPG’s? Keep an eye out because the sky is the limit with gaming and I think the companies are just starting to explore their real possibilities, MMORPG could simply be the beginning!

Any fan of the RPG genre (role playing game) knows that captivating characters and a catchy story line are some of the most important factors that make a good RPG.  That is why all of you RPG lovers should take a crack at Radiata stories.  Radiata Stories has an intriguing story line that will leave you laughing right at the beginning.  In fact, I have almost wet my pants laughing at the quirky comments and events that take place throughout the game!

You begin as a young hero who oddly enough is named Jack Russell.  Jack has a smart mouth that often gets him into trouble. He dreams of joining the legendary Radiata Knights.  Unfortunately, he is not very good and is only allowed into the Radiata Knights because his father was once a member.  The story then moves on to a much bigger picture, that you will just have to see for yourself. The main storyline does take a bit to get to, but once it does, you will be pleasantly surprised.

This game has a huge list of 177 playable characters.  If you ever played Suikoden, you will find that this game is quite similar… except that it Suikoden only has 108 playable characters.  Each character has its own schedule that changes throughout the day.  An example:  a shopkeeper may be open from noon to 4 pm.  Then he goes to the church to pray from 4 to 6.  Next he’s off to the bar for a drink, later to return home.  Then he’s off to the shop again!

Interaction with the world is quite amusing as time never stops.  You can kick almost any object, including people!  This can often lead Jack into getting beat up!  It is quite amusing.  Kicking objects also helps you find items…but that is not as fun as kicking people!  This game is free style.  You can go any where and do anything at random.  This does make it difficult to figure out the objective and to progress throughout the story.  But the free style does allow you a broader sense of playability that doesn’t let you get bored.  If you want a game that moves along quickly, then this is not the game for you.

The replay value of this game is quite high.  Once you beat the game, you can play again to get some characters you may have missed.  You also get to play with the skills and money you already have.  The best benefit is that there are two completely different endings.  The ending you get depends on what path you take during the game.  You have to play twice to see the two endings.  Who wouldn’t?  Kicking people and objects never gets old!

This game has an ESRB rating of “teen”.  So sorry kids…you can’t buy it without mommy and daddies help.  It has a teen rating because of violence, language, suggestive themes, and use of drugs and alcohol.  It is available on Playstation 2.

Radiata Stories is probably one of the most comical RPG’s I have played in a long time.  I must say that I was highly entertained throughout the entire game.  I honestly wasn’t expecting so much from it.  Overall, I give it a 9 out of 10.