SEGA
The real Olympics are just around the corner, but if winter sports are your bag you don't have to wait to get in on the action. Vancouver 2010 has 14 playable events that you can attack individually or through customized playlists. The graphics are solid, and you can switch to a cool first-person view that adds a nice touch of realism. Unfortunately, the game fails to capture the true excitement of the Olympic spirit -- a sense of meaningfully competing for your chosen country and the glory when you medal.<br>Score: 7/10
Bioware/EA
Mass Effect 2 is an epic sci-fi game that combines intense action with RPG elements to form an engrossing and sprawling experience. To start the game you pick a character class with unique abilities and set out to complete missions following a main story arc. The game uses a slick conversation wheel to speed you through conversations, but it also provides ample chances to make decisions that ultimately personalize the game experience. The action set pieces and squad combat are handled very well. You'll be exploring the Mass Effect universe for countless hours and loving every minute of it.<br>Rating: 10/10
Capcom
Most of you have probably never heard of the characters of Tatsunoko -- it's like a Japanese version of the Hannah Barbara animation company -- but that hardly matters. The game has a very easy combat system that basically uses three buttons on the Wii controller, so beginners will be able to jump in right away and pull off 18-hit combos. Advanced players will still appreciate the depth, and can certainly find worthy competition online. The array of playable characters is impressive, though you're not likely to recognize many of them. The graphics look great and the fighting action is very smooth. This joins Super Smash Melee as one of the must-own fighting games for the Wii.<br>Rating 9/10
EA
Army of Two is the second game in a franchise that drops you and your partner into some intense combat. The game takes place in Shanghai and is powered by a B-movie plot that does a good job setting the stage for the action. You can play the game solo or co-op on the same console, and online co-op (the best way to go). The AI is pretty good so you'll able to appreciate the tactical nature of the game, which is essentially rooted in clearing out waves of enemies and rescuing hostages. The game features a solid array of customization for armor and appearance, as well as options to tweak a wide array of weapons. Multiplayer game types online add a lot of replay value.<br>Rating: 8/10
The fine folks at Guinness have teamed up with our uber nerd friends at Twin Galaxies to publish the second edition of the Gamer's record book. The book is loaded with interesting record categories and a nice array of historical information that cover nearly every gaming genre and gaming system. At the back of the book is a listing of the high score leaderboard records for the games' Galaxies tracks. We're still waiting for Steve Wiebe to take down the Donkey Kong record...<br>Rating 9/10
In order to pump interest in its annual baseball franchise, 2K Sports is offering a $1 million prize to the first person that can throw a perfect game in the upcoming title MLB 2K10. The window to complete the challenge is March 2 (the release date for the game) through May 1, 2010. The perfect game must take place in a specific game mode that will release with the game. The rules also stipulate that you have a video recording of your game in its entirety. The results will be verified by the good people at Twin Galaxies. We're pretty sure many will try and all will fail, but it's surely a sweet carrot in front of the donkey.
