Video Games for Grownups: Summer 2009

Check out the newest great, and not-so-great, titles for gamers of all ages.

By: Damon Brown | Source: AARP.org | 2009-05-20

Summertime is usually light on gaming delights, but 2009 is bringing in heavy hitters that will keep your interest. Check out these new games for your favorite home, PC, and portable systems.

Why should you get it? To play classic board games on your TV.
From Scrabble to Connect Four, Hasbro has brought its board-game classics to the Xbox 360. Family Night isn’t officially one title–each board game costs $10–but a hub where you can play all the games purchased. Scrabble requires another player for a traditional game (the solo game isn’t that great), but the remaining games of Yahtzee, Connect Four, and Battleship are fun with or without a friend. Hook up your Internet connection and you can play with friends or even strangers across the globe. This game is also available on the Nintendo Wii.

Why should you get it? To play an adorable alien.
The Maw is a cute, quirky adventure. The game is spent training a pet with an unusual talent: It gobbles enemies to take on their skills. For the Maw, the skills could be breathing fire, flying, or other traits to help you explore increasingly expansive planets. The controls take a bit of getting used to, but the real challenge comes from knowing when to transform your pet. Kids will enjoy the playful cartoon visuals, while any adventurer will appreciate the varied challenges. Don’t look for it in stores; it is available exclusively through the Xbox Live online service.

Why should you get it? To hit the slopes.
It is hard to find a realistic snowboarding game, but Stoked comes very close to the real thing. Create your snowboarder, and take on one of several real-life mountains around the world. The controls are fine, but the learning curve is definitely high–tricky tricks and fast action are par for the course. Once you get the hang of it, however, the game really opens up. The weather system is based on real life, and fun, competitive races are possible with others online.

Why should you get it? To trade movie trivia with friends.
Scene It brings back the old-school fun made popular by Trivial Pursuit and other games. You and up to three of your friends guess movie-related questions about actors, music, plot lines, and other trivia. The mix of video clips, still shots, and text varies the experience, but in the end, Scene It is meant to be played in short, half-hour intervals. The deluxe version, reviewed here, comes with four Jeopardy-style triggers to buzz in your answer.

Why should you get it? To play a mellow matching game on the Wii.
The Wii controls make for fun puzzle-gaming, and while the matching game Jewel Master: Cradle of Rome isn’t bad, the bland visuals and generic game-play keep it from soaring. The idea is innovative enough: Match like icons for lumber, weapons, and water to build up your empire. Less innovative are the eye-sore graphics, filler sound, and sparse design. It’s a good, cheap choice if you need a Wii puzzler, but if you have other systems, check out D3 Publishing’s more distinguished Puzzle Quest series. Jewel Master is also on the Nintendo DS.

Why should you get it? To do a scavenger hunt.
Cate West isn’t that complex of a game–search the screen for objects hidden within the picture and click on them using the Wii joystick. Thirty bucks is a little steep for the experience. That said, there is a certain quiet rhythm to searching, especially compared to the average rock-‘em, sock-‘em video game. Cate West’s unraveling storyline won’t keep you playing, but the hide-and-seek game-play just might. There is also a multiplayer mode, so kids, grandkids, and friends can join in the fun.

Why should you get it? To kick some alien butt.
The first big hit on the PlayStation 3, the original Resistance, meshed traditional, first-person shooting with crazy alien combat. The long-awaited sequel doesn’t fall far from the tree: Expect big military weapons, genuine scares, and intense battles. Though shooters are a dime a dozen, Resistance 2 manages to create a good sense of atmosphere, particularly with enemies looming several stories high, as they do in Hollywood action movies. Hop online to play with other folks, but the solo campaign is just as fulfilling.

Why should you get it? To have a truly unique experience.
Flower is a wonderful, one-of-a-kind experience. Using the wind, you push a flower petal through the fields to collect other petals until, by game’s end, you are moving a whole army of flower power. There are no enemies per se, as the goal is to help other flowers bloom while avoiding dangerous traps. The countryside–and later, cityscapes–are breathtaking to fly through, and the soothing music makes playing Flower a Zen-like experience. Not in stores, Flower is available for download through the PlayStation 3 online store.

Why should you get it? To take out zombies!
Inspired by “Night of the Living Dead,” Resident Evil has always been about stopping flesh-crawling, brain-munching zombies. Scary stuff, indeed. The latest game actually isn’t bad, but the confusing controls–and the addition of a computer-controlled partner–make RE5 more complicated than it should be. For fun, zombie-blasting scares, try the older Resident Evil 4, which you can pick up on the cheap. Also available on the Xbox 360.

Why should you get it? To test your acrobatics.
Most games are either shooting or thinking, but Mirror’s Edge is all about running. Set in a distant future, Mirror’s Edge has an acrobatic spy out to stop a diabolical organization. You see everything from her viewpoint–jump across skyscrapers, slide down dangerous slopes, and take out aggressive snipers. The visuals are breathtaking, while the controls–unique to this game–may be a bit too hard-core for casual players. Also available on the Xbox 360 and on PlayStation 3.

Why should you get it? To play a puzzle game with a twist.
Matching-icon games are pretty common nowadays. Puzzle Quest: Galactic takes the usual premise and adds hearty puzzles and an outer-space adventure to the mix. Match like-colored icons to power up your ship, defeat alien warlords, and open up new territory to explore. The game also has a basic puzzle mode for those not interested in Star Trek-level high jinks. Also available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo DS.

Why should you get it? To play a challenging arcade game.
The arcades of yesteryear are quickly disappearing, but Hammerin’ Hero brings the old-school action aesthetic to the Sony PSP. Smacking enemies down with a playful cartoon hammer is addictive, but the game will test your dexterity—and your patience—with tough battles, tricky jumps, and advanced puzzle-solving. There are plenty of options, including three different difficulty levels, but easygoing gamers need not apply to this tough-yet-charming title.

Why should you get it? To teach yourself (and your grandkids) how to cook.
Cooking “games” are becoming more popular on the portable systems, but this latest edition, from Nintendo itself, has some advantages. First, expect more than 200 recipes from around the world—organized by name, ingredients available, country, and so on. However, the biggest strength is the voice-recognition: Talk into the Nintendo DS while you’re cooking, and it will tell you the next step in the instructions. Great for hands-free culinary nights for you and the kids.

Why should you get it? To play the classic card game.
UNO has been a summer-camp staple for years, and the iPod Touch/iPhone version captures the crazy, ruthless fun. The goal is to be the first to discard your hand by matching colors and numbers. Play it right and your opponents will be collecting cards while you are disposing of yours. The multiplayer is good, while the computer opponents—in three different difficulty levels—are smart and cunning. The tournament mode brings 15 continuous rounds, making the video version of UNO as road-trip friendly as the original card game.

Why should you get it? To go on a bloody good adventure.
Like a “Dirty Dozen”-style movie, Wolfenstein 3–D Classic pits you against a castle full of ruthless soldiers, booby traps, and other unsavory dangers. Rubbing your finger on the screen will turn the hero, while tapping it will fire his weapons, including guns and missiles. Violent and fast-paced, this game isn’t for kids (or the weak of heart). It captures all the excitement of the original PC hit and delivers more than two dozen levels.