The Game Guy Show

(PS3; $59.99; Rated M for Blood/Gore/Intense Violence/Strong Language; www.killzone.com)

‘Killzone,’ which was supposed to be the PlayStation’s answer to the Xbox’s ‘Halo,’ put up a pretty good firefight when it was initially released, but it ultimately ran out of ammo and got taken down by critics and fans for being mediocre and easily-forgettable.

In an attempt to make things more memorable, Sony released “footage” of ‘Killzone 2′ when it made the announcement of the PS3.  Along with touting the incredible hardware of the system at E3 2005, Sony showed clips from upcoming games, including ‘Killzone 2′ that looked more amazing than anything anyone had seen in a video game.  The intensity of the firefights, the detail in the faces- it all seemed too good to be true.

And it was, because none of the footage on that reel came from an actual game.

Instead, Sony hired computer animators to make mock-ups of what Sony wanted the games to look like.  None of the footage shown was real, although Sony passed it off as being so.  Later, Sony would admit that the reel was “target rendered” and, although not actual game footage, showed what the PS3 was graphically capable of in terms of a video game.

That set expectations for ‘Killzone 2′ astronomically high, put enormous pressure on developer Guerrilla Games, and most assumed that the final product of ‘Killzone 2′ would fall far short of that “target render.”

Granted, ‘Killzone 2′ was delayed over and over again, and development has taken over four years, but ‘Killzone 2′ is finally released.  Can it compare to that notorious preview, or give the Xbox’s shooters “Halo” and “Gears of War” a run for its money?

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(Xbox 360, PS3; $59.99; Rated M for Blood/Drug References/Nudity/Intense Violence/Sexual Themes/Language; www.godfather2.ea.com)

I was surprised, as many were, when EA announced that it was releasing a sequel to its game based on Francis Ford Coppolla’s film of Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather.”  The source material for “The Godfather: The Game” was an interesting hook to try to draw fans of the open-world crime genre game from “Grand Theft Auto,” but the game itself was only moderately successful.  I expected (hoped?) that the franchise ideas of “The Godfather” as a video game would sleep with the fishes.

So when “The Godfather II” was released, I wasn’t expecting much- however, I was pleasantly surprised and thankful to be wrong.

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(PS3; $9.99; Rated E; thatgamecompany.com/games/flower)

A lot of talk happens in the industry about “games as art.” The industry as a whole wants games to be recognized as an art form, whereas detractors- like film-critic Roger Ebert- are outspoken that video games cannot be seen as art on par with film or literature.  Where the dissent in the “games as art” debate comes from confuses me; when experiencing a game such as “Flower,” such a dissent is down-right ludicrous.

“Flower” is a game, for certain; but it is not a game in the traditional sense: there is no enemy or opposition, there is no formal score to achieve, there is no “winning.” Players can complete the game, but like completing a book or a film, the sense of accomplishment is really only in completing it- not how it was completed or how well it was completed.

“Flower” is also a sensory experience.  Each “stage” is an environment where players begin as a single flower pedal caught in a breeze.  Controlling the breeze by using the PS3 controller’s motion sensor, players will fly through the environment looking for other flowers to pick up other pedals.  As more flowers appear and more pedals are collected, the landscape begins to fill with more color, sounds, and flowers.

This is where the “gameness” of “Flower” ends.  Players can either choose to obsessively collect every flower in the environment to make the pedal-filled breeze flow colorfully throughout the environment, fly through the environment to the end of the stage, or just stay in the environment and experience the world.

Choosing to “experience” “Flower” by “playing” “Flower” is the greatest treat- its images and sounds are relaxing while the flying through the environment is still engaging.  For the first time, I played a video game before heading to bed, and it soothed me.  “Flower” is a tranquil game.  Unquestionably, it is also an artistic experience.

A game for everyone? Well, like any work of art, it can be experienced by anyone but not appreciated by everyone.  “Flower” isn’t going to find favor with 13-17 year old boys who just want to use their PS3s to shoot aliens or cause virtual destruction; others outside that demographic may just not “get it.”

For those who want to appreciate how the medium of video games, and interactive entertainment in general, are an evolving art form- look no further.

“Flower” is both a game and not a game; an experience, but more than an experience; something that you play, and something you just control.  My existential approach to this review is now over.  I’m only too glad that this review was written, for fear that I would have been punched in the face for making “quotes” with my fingers too much if required to explain “Flower” verbally.

(Xbox 360, PS3; $59.99; Rated T for Alcohol References/Mild Suggestive Themes/Violence; www.streetfighter.com)

If there was ever a hotly-anticipated game that could potentially get old, lost gamers back into gaming and purchase a system, it’s “Street Fighter IV.”

Many men (and woman) my age dropped some serious coinage into a “Street Fighter II” cabinet back in the early 90’s when the franchise really became synonymous with arcades.  Many a Friday night were spent in the smokey, dimly lit corridors of “Pinball Pete’s” at the University of Michigan playing and watching others play this game and its many spin-offs.

I know.  Look, I didn’t have much of a social life at college, okay? Lay off.

There are those of us who stuck with gaming when it became more prevalent in the home than in the arcade, and those of us who went onto more mundane hobbies like golf or securities trading.  “SFIV” is for both of those people.

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(Xbox 360; $59.99; Rated T for Mild Blood/Mild Language/Violence; www.xbox.com)

The monumental success of Microsoft’s “Halo” franchise is arguably the single reason why the Xbox survived its first incarnation during the last-generation of console wars and the primary reason why Microsoft was able firmly entrench itself with the Xbox 360.

Simply, “Halo” is a system seller.

But re-treading old ground with first-person shooters based in the “Halo” universe will wear down the franchise’s appeal over time.  Despite the fun of playing Master Chief over and over again, without some new spin it’s just the same old thing.  Ensemble Studios, creators of the blockbuster “Age of Empires” franchise treads new ground by taking the “Halo” franchise away from the first-person perspective and gives players a bird’s eye view of the action through a real-time strategy game.

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($24.99; Ages 12 & up; 2-6 players; www.twilightcreationsinc.com/zombies)

Boy I love zombies.  I mean I really, really love zombies.  Not a real zombie, of course- no, that I wouldn’t think twice about putting a shotgun to its face and pulling the trigger.  But the idea of zombies- that I love.

Of course movies have taken virtually ever zombie scenario and rehashed it over and over again, which is what makes Twilight Games’ “Zombies!!!” so much fun- it’s a send-up of all of the wonderful zombie cliches we’ve come to know and love over the years- its like “Shaun of the Dead” in board game form.

And despite the many pieces to the game: map tiles, cards, dice, player pieces, life indicators, bullet indicators, and over 100 miniature plastic undead- it’s quite an easy game to play.

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($24.99; Ages 12 & Up; 3-5 players; www.hasbro.com/risk)

For some reason, at no point in my very geeky boyhood did I ever play “Risk.”  Despite hours of comic books and Dungeons & Dragons, and with no natural talent for any sport, I never played one of the most popular strategy games of all time.  How this happened is beyond me, as I had many close friends who used “Risk” as a gateway-game to get into even harder strategy titles like “Axis & Allies.” For me though, I led a Risk-free childhood.

In part I think it was because I knew that a game of “Risk” was tantamount to a week of summer vacation, which is quite a valuable commodity and shouldn’t be wasted on any one board game- regardless of whether that meant world domination.

My interest was piqued when I recently learned that Hasbro was revamping the original “Risk” in order for games to be played in under two hours- perfect for a game night.  Jumping on the chance to play with a few other friends who had also not been “at-Risk” as kids, five of us sat down to play.

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