There’s a stigma in the gaming industry that a realistic simulation game has to be boring. Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is here to challenge that notion. What it lacks in high intensity run and gun Call of Duty style gameplay, it makes up for in its tense, cinematic and fun experiences. If you’ve got the patience to approach the game’s 11 missions as the developers intended – you’ll find much to like here, but if you’d rather shoot first and ask questions later, you’re in for one frustrating bug filled experience.

Dragon Rising takes place on the Russian occupied fictional island of Skira. After a previously hidden gas and oil line is discovered on the island, a battle between the Russians and the Chinese sends the island into turmoil. It isn’t long before the Russians make a call to their allies located over in the States for backup. From here you can guess your chore; and it’s one of the most rewarding you’ll play in quite some time. 

Hit the jump for the full review

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Okay, I know you’ve all been waiting for our review for The Beatles: Rock Band. And the reason it took so long was I had to get Joe off his ass to do a joint review with me. See, Rock Band has always been one of them “Mult-eye-player” games which work well with more than one person. So me and Joe reviewed it together! Here is a transcript of the review.

Joe: So... The Monkees...

Dylan: Yes. The Monkees: Rock Band.

Joe: Erhm... the other guys

Dylan: Right. I feel like I wanna say "Sorry Guitar Hero. Rock Band wins." I wanted to title the review with that.

Joe: Buuuuuuuut Guitar Hero has actually been beating Beatles in sales. Even if Kurt Cobain is singing Flava Flav songs in the game.

Dylan: That's respectful, huh. Well that whole sales thing may be true - But it's only 'cause Harmonix made the Guitar Hero name so well known.

Joe: Yeah, Courtney Love pretty much freaked out..its interesting. But I digress... Beatles Rock Band -- the setlist...your thoughts

Dylan: Are we rolling? Is this going in the article?

Joe: Yep.

 

More after the jump, folks!

 Racing games are a tricky bunch. Get too arcade-ish and purists start to complain, but get too sim-heavy and you risk alienating a huge group of casual gamers. Need for Speed: Shift attempts to find a happy medium between these two worlds, and while it is a valiant effort – the game never really manages to get either right.  What results is a fun yet unfinished feeling racing that somehow manages to alienate both groups of racing fans.

The Need For Speed series has been going through a bit of an identity crisis over the last few years – and this time the franchise is trying their luck at the semi-pro, legit racing world – again. Gone are the tales of underground street-racing douche bags with rides that cost more than they should be able to afford for licensed cars, tracks and events. The new formula seems to stall out before it even gets going though as Shift relies too heavily still on the earlier game’s control schemes. You’ll be rewarded for driving dangerously and drifting around corners but at the same time – you’re supposed to have the mindset that you’re supposed to play smart – braking early around corners and strategizing ala Gran Tourismo and Forza. Wait…What?

Hit the jump for the full review

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 Let me preface this review by saying that I have never been hunting, nor do I really have a desire to do so, but with that being said -- I totally shot a mountain lion in the face today.

I'll repeat that, I shot. A mountain Lion. In the face.

 

What's even more amazing is that I actually really enjoyed my time with Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010, it's a challenging, if not fundamentally flawed shooter.

read on for the entire review.

Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010 screens on GamePro.com

 Gee, a game that combines elements from Halo with games likeTeam fortress 2 and Battlefield sure sounds great doesn't it? In reality --  ehh, not so much.

Section 8 is your average space-military themed FPS that we've seen so many times before, the only difference is that this one tries to mix components from a number of successful franchises in hopes of creating a new experience but really it only manages to step on its own heels. There are some that may enjoy Section 8 - but only if they've been stuck under a rock and haven't played the source material.

 

Hit the jump for the full review

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  Since his 1939 debut, Batman has always been about one man’s struggle with his own demons. You’ve got Bruce Wayne; Gotham’s most well-known millionaire, philanthropist and playboy by day trying to maintain a sense of normalcy while patrolling the streets as a masked vigilante at night. How does one man balance both lives?

You can look at Batman: Arkham Asylum in a much similar way. On the one hand, it’s your classic beat-‘em-up with a glossy coat of paint – but on the other it’s a superhero opus that hits all the right notes at the right times, perfecting the character and his world in a way that many have failed miserably at. Of course, Arkham has its flaws and when they show, they show hard, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s the greatest superhero game ever.

 

Hit the jump for the full review

Batman: Arkham Asylum screens on GamePro.com

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 Let’s get this out of the way -- Wolfenstein is a decent first person shooter.

But in this generation of breathtaking visuals, revolutionary concepts and advancing technologies, just how far does decent get you?  Wolfenstein does a lot of good, but it just doesn’t do anything great or new, and with so many superior first-person shooters available, it’s hard to recommend.

Of course, gamers who have been around for a while know that Wolfenstein is no newcomer to the video game world. Castle Wolfenstein; the series’ first entry was released way back in 1981 and is considered to be one of the founding fathers of the FPS genre. This new Wolfenstein is a direct sequel to 2001’s Return to Castle Wolfenstein (got all that?) and follows franchise hero B.J. Blazkowicz as he fights alongside The Allies to stop Hitler and The SS from obtaining an occult force known as The Black Sun.  

Hit the jump for the full review

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On Tuesday X-box Live received a dashboard update to help polish some of the features already included in the roughly fifty dollar a year service.  If you thought the avatar was a neat idea that lacked substance in terms of materials to deck he/she out in, you’re cry has been answered.  The Avatar Marketplace, a service that Microsoft hopes will reel in those who don’t care about what outfit their avatar has on, is a welcome addition to the bland variety already offered for the little guys. 

With multiple menus to browse through, themed content for games like Gears of War 2 and Fable 2 and Halo 3 seemed like the most popular choices.  Besides game content, the lifestyle collection grants options ranging from Adidas clothing to Quicksilver clothing which offers a more realistic approach to virtual representation.  Content is uploaded to the Avatar Marketplace every Thursday, and gamers with the money to spare can shell out tiny amounts for doodads like a remote control warthog the Avatar drives around or a lightsaber to wield around on X-box live.
  

  Hit the jump for the full review

Xbox Live Arcade screens on GamePro.com

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To be honest --   GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It still is however really, really bad.

 As if you needed someone to tell you, the video game adaptation of this summer’s GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra won’t be winning any awards. Complete with a shoddy camera system, unbalanced action and tedious gameplay, Rise of the Cobra isn’t your typical crappy movie tie-in, its worse.

Hit the jump for the full, hate-filled review

 

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 Cliffy B recently said in an interview that "Road to Ruin" -- the single player component of the recently released "Dark Corners" DLC was "a test to see if people dig it." 

Let's hope they did.

Though some of the content isn't as fleshed out as it could be and runs a bit on the short side -- Road to Ruin expands the Gears universe and is a must play for any fan of the series. Oh and just a freindly heads up, there's a few minor spoliers ahead.

Hit the jump for the full review