The Resident Evil 5 demo that was released a few months back had me feeling a bit wary of what the final product would look/play like.  Now after quite a few playthroughs with the retail copy I’m happy to say that the control problems from the demo are not deal breaks after some time with the game.  The levels are set up so that they provide the player with the utmost excitement without ever letting the “tank-like” control scheme become too much of a hindrance.

Two To Tango

As with any activity. having someone to play with is where Resident Evil 5 truly shines.  While the single player game does allow you to play along side an AI partner having someone sit down on the couch with you or play with online is where the real fun starts.  Staying ahead of the zombies becomes a breeze when you have another human to play along side.  It can be quite satisfying to plan strategies with a partner when facing off against one of the game’s many larger-than-life enemies.

Plain ole’ Dumb Fun

I’m sure there are many die hard fans of the Resident Evil franchise that will love the small throw backs to the series’ prior installments but when it came to me it seemed more like a summer blockbuster action movie plot rather than anything to pay attention to.  While this may be a negative point to some, I feel it’s a perfectly acceptable video game equivalent to a popcorn flick plot that’s just meant as a backdrop for the action that’s happening on screen.

But Wait There’s More…

What really caught me off guard was the fact that there was such a robust end game that was unlocked once you completed the campaign the first time.  There’s money and XP to gather that is utlized to upgrade weapons and to purchase bonus items like costumes, unlimited ammo, and 3d figurines of all the characters in the game.  Along with those features you’re also able to play the Mercenaries mode which puts you and your AI or human controlled partner against waves of infected creatures.

Resident Evil 5 provides an experience that is well worth any of the frustration you may come across while attempting to learn the control scheme.  The variety in locales throughout the game provide a backdrop that keeps the stop and pop pace of the from getting to monotonous.  I’d recommend the game to anyone looking for an exciting experience that is a blast to share with friends.

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As soon as I fired up Peggle Nights I was transported back to the first time I got my hands on the original Peggle.  I had no idea what to expect when I picked up Peggle for the first time and was surprised when my eyes were treated to a cacophony of pastel colored animals all vying to “out-cute” the other.  There was so much about the aesthetic that would have ordinarily turned me off immediately but my love of gaming overruled my machismo laden first reaction and I powered through the first game like a champ.  The simple yet deep game grasped my attention and did not let go until I was privy to each and every one of the Peggle Master’s powers.

If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It

I am quite glad that Peggle Nights doesn’t mess around too much with what the original game provided when it came to gameplay.  The game is still played very much like a game of pachinko where your ball starts at the top of a level and falls down hitting pegs that eventually are removed from the level.  Your only real goal is to hit all of the orange pegs in the level to progress while racking up points on your way to doing so.  To spice things up a bit you’re also given the ability to use special powers that each of the Peggle Masters possess that can aid you in beating each of the levels.  These powers can range from a Super Guide ability that allows you to see how your ball will bounce when first shot to the eerily accurate Zen Ball power that maximizes any shot you make so you can rack up an even higher score.  The sequel has added the help of a new Peggle Master by the name of Marina who’s power  uses a hefty dose of electricity to help you shock the pegs into submission.

Deceptively Simple

After playing hours of the original and now a few more hours of the sequel I can appreciate the campyness of the Peggle Series and ahve come to view it as one of the integral part of the games.  Simply put, Peggle exudes pure fun out of every corner of the experience it provides.  You’re rewarded visually with little cues that let you know something “awesome” has happened when really all you did was click a single button in the direction you felt would hit the most pegs and hope for the best.  Out of this simplicity sprouts actual strategy that works its way into your shots before you realize it’s happening.  You haven’t experience real fun until you’ve had  “Ode To Joy” blaring from your speakers while a technicolor-ed array of random explosions, phrases, and point totalling that makes you feel like you’ve just solved the meaning of life rather than just shooting a ball at a couple of pegs.

Yes, I sound like I’ve drank some sinister brain washing kool-aid supplied by the folks at PopCap but anyone that’s played the game can attest to the fact that this game is addictive.  Hours can be sunk into just playing through the main story mode and infinitely more if you factor in the challenge modes or perfecting your scores in completed levels.  Both Peggle and Peggle Nights are great games that will immediately pull in anyone willing to give the game five minutes of their time.

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