What it lacks in content, it makes up for it in addictive fun.

Left 4 Dead is a game that defies what you think it should be: a short, mediocre shooter with a bunch of zombies. But, despite the simple concept of the game, it has this special "it" factor about it that makes it a great game, and an ultimate party game for you and a few friends.

Explaining what makes L4D so good, is rather difficult. It doesn't really offer anything innovative as far as shooter controls or concepts. There aren't a lot of weapons. There are not a lot of characters to choose from. The graphics are only OK. There are only 4 chapters to play through, and the campaign is not very long. So, from that list, you could wonder what it is about this game that is just so special.

Well, with everything the game lacks, it makes up for it in fun. And that fun comes from having 4 Live buddies (or system link friends) to share the experience with. Its obvious that this game is meant for co-op play. Teamwork is essential, and you have to work with your friends in order survive your last stand moments as your team waits for the evac vehicle to pick you up.

While 4 chapters doesn't seem like enough, the game makes every experience different from the last if you decide to replay. The majority of the time, the games AI director will be pretty random with boss placements and large horde attacks. Depending on how well you or your team are doing, the Director seems to scale things accordingly, making survival tougher or easier for you and your friends.

When a game relies so much on teamwork and cooperation, it can be be problematic depending on your circumstances. If you're playing with friends that you know will stick with you to the end, then all is fine. But playing with random strangers over live can be hit or miss at times. You may occasionally come across a group that's willing to work together, but there are also times that you will find people that like to Rambo their way through the game and do their own thing. This of course leaves you and/or your teammates at a disadvantage and makes it harder to clear through a chapter.

Also, be aware that you will also come across people without mics in online games, which of course makes it hard to communicate things properly. Of course, there is a way boot people who are less helpful or just annoying, and the game will let bots take over until someone else jumps in. Although the bots are helpful at times, they tend to have a mind of their own in crucial moments.

The single player is pretty much the same game as the online co-op. But if you have a Live connection, there really isn't much of a need to go through that unless you just want to play alone. Of course, doing so will take away half of the fun this game provides. On the other hand, for a change of pace, there is the online versus mode which allows you to play as the survivors, or as the infected. As the infected, your job is to wear down the survivor team and keep them from making out in one piece. Its a nice adittion to the game, and should offer some more funny moments between friends.

Overall, L4D is a game that has the potential somehow suck you in and keep you coming back for more. Its not full of content, and its not the longest game in the world. And there are people who will be turned off by paying 60 bucks for this type of game. However, if you have a gold subscription to Xbox Live, you owe to yourself to play this game with a group of friends, even if you have to rent it. You'll at least be able to get some enjoyment out of it, and should come away with a satisfying good time and great stories of how you survived.

Gears 2 is a huge upgrade over the original.

With a hit like the original Gears of War already cementing its place in gaming history, its sequel had a lot to do in order to live up to the expectation and hype that were surrounding the franchise. Gears of War exceeds these expectations and builds up an already great game by giving fans more of what they want, but better in every way possible.

Gears of War 2 takes what was good about Gears 1 and adds to the experience to make an overall better game. Although the Graphics in the first game were great for its time, Gears 2 puts that game to shame. The game looks smoother, and more colorful than the previous with its varied environments and better looking character models. This is no Gears 1.5.

The campaign is a bit longer than before, but not extremely long. It actually feels about right this time. And the story, while not breaking any new barriers, does its job well enough to get you from beginning to end.

The multiplayer is just as good, if not better than before. But the co-op Horde mode is a great new piece to the puzzle that you and some friends just have to try together. There is also the use of bots just in case you are going to go at it alone. The training modes that the game offers are also a nice touch for those gamers that are new to the Gears experience.

The game isn't perfect, and right now has some issues with the competitive online with matchmaking and such. There are also some of the same problems from the previous game that show up. But nothing that takes away from the experience. And some things will more than likely get patched really soon.

All in all, this is a game that 360 owners, and gamers in general should experience. Its not a perfect game (I'd give it a 4.5 if there was an option for it), but it is without a doubt one of the most fun games you'll play this holiday season. Don't come into this game looking for innovation or completely new ideas. Come in looking for a sequel that takes it up a notch and never backs down.

A good starting point for next gen Silent Hill games.

For the second time, a Silent Hill game has been handled by a group other than those of Team Silent. Depending on who you are, the fact the Double Helix, an American developer, created this game either caused you to be open-minded or worried. Although I can't speak for everyone, I feel that Double Helix has done a fine job in making this game as true to the Silent Hill name as possible, while also adding a few things here and there to keep the experience from being too stale.

The jump to this generation of gaming has done this game well. Although it won't be classified as one of the best looking games, it still has its moments. While some of the characters in the game leave much to be desired in the visual department, the monsters in the game look fantastic. Environments can be a bit hit or miss, but the game is so dark most of the time, that you really won't notice all that much. Speaking of environments, seeing the real world transition into the otherworld adds a nice touch to the atmosphere of the game. If there was only one good thing that the developers could have taken from the movie, then this was it.

A lot of the things that you expect from a Silent Hill game are here. Nurses, fog, strange people, bloody walls, and that edge of your seat feeling while playing the game. However, there are some things here that are different from previous games.

For one, no longer are you a helpless protagonist thats just trying to survive. Instead you are a trained military man that.....well, trying to survive. Due to his Background, it makes sense that the main character, Alex, is able to use weapons effectively and hold his own against his enemies. The light and heavy attack buttons, and the dodge button make him a very formidable opponent in a fight. Early on, this makes you feel completely unstoppable in combat, but as the game goes on, enemies become tougher and come in higher numbers. So, you still have to be careful and plan your attacks (or retreats) wisely. In any case, you at least don't have to worry about your weapons breaking on you in the middle of a fight.

The one real gripe that I have with this game is the lack of inverted camera options. For those of you that are used to having your Y axis inverted, then be prepared for some initial frustration as you try to get used to playing completely opposite of what you normally use. Its very possible that you will be fine after a few minutes or so, but I know that for myself, its taking a lot longer. Hopefully Konami will offer a patch to add inversion in, but in the meantime, you have been warned.

Overall, this game was a good start for bringing Silent Hill to this generation. It definitely feels like a Silent Hill game, despite some of the minor changes to the gameplay. Although its not perfect, I believe that this is a game that fans of the series will enjoy if they give it a chance.

Another welcome JRPG for the 360

Being a first timer for the Tales series of games, I had no idea what to expect from this game. What I did know is that for past games, the Tales series was highly regarded amongst hardcore gamers and generally good quality RPG games all around. So when it came down to it, I had to make a tough decision between this game and Infinite Undiscovery as to which RPG to get in such a close release schedule. Well, I chose the more sure thing in Tales of Vesperia, and I'm happy I made that choice.

First of all, the game has a nice, colorful cell-shaded anime look that definitely goes well for the game. Some people may be turned off to this and look for the more realistic of a Final Fantasy or Lost Odyssey, but like it or not, there is no denying the the game looks good. Fans of past games in the series and anime fans in general will be pleased with how the game has made the jump to this generation of consoles.

Although this is a traditional JRPG in a sense, there is no turn-baded combat to be found. All of the action takes place in real-time. You control one character, while the computer handles your party's actions. The game can come off as a bit of a button masher from first glance, but there is actually more to the battle system once you start to get the hang of of it and learn more about your team and enemies that you face.

For me, grinding always seemed like a necessary evil for RPGs. However, I found the battles to be so fun in this game, that I didn't mind spending that extra time running into random enemies on the overworld map just for kicks and extra experience.

Although I'm not even close to finishing this game, the story so far has been interesting. Its Standard RPG fare so far, but the delivery has been entertaining. You have your main character/characters and along the way you run into other characters that become party members. There's a lot of personality to this group of travelers and the end of every battle is always a treat when more often than not you'll hear a hilarious victory speech. The game is definitely a bit linear, as it tells you where to go next after each major section. However, there is nothing to say that you can't' go off path to do some grinding or exploring on your own.

All in all, I feel that this is definitely another quality JRPG for the 360, and its action focused battle system is a good change of pace for those turned of to the more traditional turn-based type of game. Add in the charming characters, a good story, and lengthy gameplay, and you have yourself one of the best JRPGs on this generation. I suggest any RPG loving 360 owners to give this game a look.

More of the same, but that's not a bad thing.

Not a whole lot to say about this game. If you're a fan, then you know what to expect, and you pretty much are getting what you asked for. This is definitely one of the better Strategy RPGs around, and fans of the wacky characters and humorous dialogue of the Disgea series will definitely be happy with this game.

You'll obviously spend a lot of hours on this game as you level up your characters to be as strong as the possibly can be to get through the game's quest. This is nothing new to fans of this genre, but newcomers coming in to see what it all about may find level grinding a chore. Nothing can be more off-putting than going into the next story sequence completely overmatched because your characters are too low level to move on. However, most people that get this kind of game know what is ahead, so this is the least of any problems.

Although graphics aren't everything, I can't help but feel a little let down on the visual side of this game. Of course, games of this type aren't expected to be graphics powerhouses, but it would have been nice to see a little more effort here. Sprites are okay to look at for the most part, but get very blurry during closeups. This wouldn't mean to much for me if it was on say the PSP or PS2. But when I'm playing this game on Blu-ray disc, on the same console that gives me games like Ratchet and Clank Future and Uncharted, is it too much to expect clean, hi-def game sprites?

Overall though, you get what you pay for. The game has a descent price, although it could easily have been 10 bucks cheaper. But there is a lot of gameplay to be had here if you're interested which makes it more than worth the price of the admission. Fans will definitely find a lot to love here. Newbies should research first and make an educated choice.