DEVELOPER: Volition

PUBLISHER: THQ

SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360 (PC, PS3)

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Mature

REVIEW RATING: 4 stars (out of 5)

I remember spending countless hours playing "Red Faction" multiplayer matches against my roommate. At the time, it was the only game that offered destructible environments, and we simply couldn't create enough concrete-carnage! Now "Red Faction: Armageddon" has been unleashed, and the art of creating destruction has reached new heights.

This sequel is set 50 years after the events of "Red Faction: Guerrilla." Now the Red Faction is in control of Mars, and a rival faction intends to gain control. When the Terraformer is destroyed, the surface no longer becomes habitable and humans are forced underground. Now the new hero, Darius Mason, must put his demolitions training to the ultimate test as he faces off against deadly humans and even deadlier aliens.

Navigating through the subterranean depths of Mars is pretty straightforward now that the series has gone back to its linear roots. This is a mixed blessing, since I enjoyed the open-world nature of the last game, but "RF: Armageddon" looks so much better! There is also more destruction available to the player now, but the level design is somewhat lacking.

This would be an average shooter if not for the awesome weapons, new Nanoforge abilities, and the incredible destruction they cause. With the new magnet gun, players can tether objects together and watch as they attract each other with tremendous force. This awesome weapon can be used in many ways, like smashing enemies together, yanking them up to the ceiling, and more.

With the Nanoforge attached to his arm, Darius can create a shockwave, a protective shell, overcharge his weapons and use reconstruction (my favorite). Imagine being chased by enemies, blowing a hole in a building, rushing in, and then reconstructing the wall you just blew to pieces. How about blowing up a bridge with enemies on it and then reconstructing it so you can safely pass?

Add fun multiplayer modes to the destructive mix, and "Red Faction: Armageddon" takes destruction to a whole new level!

'Dungeons and Dragons: Daggerdale'

DEVELOPER: Bedlam

PUBLISHER: Atari

SYSTEM: Xbox Live/PSN/PC Download

PRICE: $15.00

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 2 stars (out of 5)

When I heard there was a new action RPG set in the Dungeons and Dragons universe, I dusted off my wizard cap and stocked up on energy drinks. "Get ready for many sleepless nights," I thought to myself. Unfortunately, it only took a few minutes of game play to discover that this dungeon crawler is full of bugs, and I'm not talking about the creepy crawly kind.

For a game set in such a rich and diverse realm, "D&D: Daggerdale" has a surprisingly unimaginative storyline. When an evil Zhentarim cleric named Rezlus attempts to bring the power of the Black Lord Bane into Daggerdale, it's up to the player to stop his nefarious plan. With a plot this predictable, I'm surprised there's no damsel in distress that needs saving.

I enjoy the variety that comes with having four different classes to choose from and the ability to customize their abilities, armor and weapons. This can create very different styles of play. For example, my rogue can stab enemies up close and hit them from afar with arrows. Add a certain ability, and the rogue can perform sneak attacks with both melee and distance weapons. Equip a bow with fire attributes, and long distance sneak attacks can now inflict fire damage.

What I don't enjoy, however, is only being able to pick up one quest at a time and backtracking to the same place for several follow-up quests. It's also not much fun to fight overwhelming odds all the time simply because the developers didn't program enemies with A.I.

Worse still, players endure countless small bugs as well as occasional game-breaking bugs that actually force them to restart the game. In both single player and coop, my fighter character stopped being able to move for no reason. All the other buttons worked fine, but nothing could get him to move.

It's too bad, because "D&D: Daggerdale" would be a fun game if it had received stringent testing.

REVIEW SCORING SYSTEM

5 stars = Must Have

4 stars = Very Good

3 stars = Above Average

2 stars = Bargain Bin

1 star = Don't Bother

RATINGS KEY

Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)

E: Everyone

E10-plus: (Everyone 10 and older)

T: Teen (13 and older)

M: Mature (17 and older)

To find out more about Jeb Haught and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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