Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Survival Horror
ESRB rating: Mature
Release date: Available now

It’s been 11 years since the T-virus outbreak destroyed Raccoon City, and once again Chris Redfield finds himself caught in the throes of a biotech nightmare. The Resident Evil franchise has been held in high regard by fans of the survival horror genre, but it has taken some heat for hit-or-miss quality in previous releases (e.g. Code Veronica, Outbreak File #2). Does this fifth installment offer redemption for the franchise’s past sins? Is the Gold Edition worth the weightier price tag?

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Publisher: Bulkypix
Developer: Bulkypix
Genre: Puzzle
iTunes Rating: 4+
Release date: Available now

Aqua Panic won’t compensate for Christmas presents that were full of fail. It cannot bring back the promise of hope that each New Year brought you, before life grabbed you by the throat and body slammed you into the ground of reality. But fear not! Take courage! Mail back that ghastly sweater your Grandparents sent you with a note that reads “I don’t need an ugly sweater to keep me warm, I have the warm glow of awesomeness that is Aqua Panic Deluxe.” Is Aqua Panic by Bulkypix the remedy to your post-Holiday blues? You’ll have to continue reading to find out!

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Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Developer: Namco Bandai Games
Genre: Action
ESRB rating: Mature
Release date: Available now

Splatterhouse, a 22-year-old franchise, has a new multi-platform release published by Namco Bandai Games. Any franchise this old is bound to have a high level of expectations surrounding anything released under its name, and based on some of the reviews I’ve read, Splatterhouse is no exception. Most feedback seems to be under the “like it” or “hate it” categories, so before you spend your hard-earned cash, read the only review that matters: mine.

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Publisher: Bulkypix
Developer: Revo Solutions
Genre: Action
Compatibility: Not available
iTunes Rating: Not rated at press time
Release date: December 17, 2010

Artillery Brigade is a new World War II gun turret game developed by Revo Solutions. It boasts 360 degrees of rotational movement and a slew of other features to keep gameplay engaging and entertaining. My iPhone 3G is notorious for being finicky when trying to run apps that include 3D rendering, so I was interested in seeing how successful this game would be on my phone. This could be a good purchase for you, depending on what device you own; continue reading to find out why.

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Publisher: Namco Games
Developer: Namco Games
Genre: Sports
Compatibility: iOS 3.0 or later
iTunes rating: 12+
Release date: Available now

There was a time in my life when the only online game I played was Yahoo! Pool. Then I bought a Sony Ericsson cell phone that had a pool game preloaded, so I started playing that when I had time to waste and nothing else to do. When I upgraded my phone, and subsequently lost my pool game, I stopped playing them. But now there’s Pool Pro Online 3 by Namco Games. Read on to find out if it’s the right choice for your mandatory 15-minute work breaks.

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Publisher: Namco Games
Developer: Namco Games
Genre: Platformer
iTunes rating: 12+
Release date: Available now

Garters & Ghouls, by Namco Games, is a top-down shooter that fuses zombie-chic with big guns and a somewhat interesting story. If you’ve ever caught yourself daydreaming of undead vixens strutting around graveyards while blasting werewolves with a crossbow, then you’ll want to read the rest of this review. If you’ve ever wondered if a busty zombie could successfully fight the minions of evil with nothing but her sass and a blunderbuss, then you owe it to yourself to read further. But, assuming you’re a normal, productive human being, you’re probably just looking for a good iPhone game, in that case, you should also click below.

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Publisher: Osao
Developer: Krea Games
Genre: Platformer
iTunes Rating: 4+
Release date: Available now

With the current offering of games for iOS and Android based phones, and at prices of six dollars and below, it’s going to be an interesting struggle between gaming handhelds (even the 3DS) and mobile devices. While Pixeline, published by Osao, might not be the ideal choice for serious gamers, what it does offer is a wallet friendly, all ages, platformer that further validates gaming on smart phones. The app is simple, intuitive, and features both satisfying graphics and entertaining gameplay. If you’re a fan of games like Yoshi’s Island, Pixeline might just satisfy your “hop and bop” addiction.

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Publisher: Gaijin Entertainment
Developer: Gaijin Entertainment
Genre: Action RPG
iTunes Rating: 12+
Release date: Available now

If I was less masculine, Braveheart by Gaijin Entertainment might just make me “squee”. However, I’d like to consider myself too manly for fanboy reactions (after all, I carry a Leatherman AND pocket knife). But I think I can properly convey my enthusiasm for this game by telling you to stop whatever you are doing (in addition to reading this review) and go buy Braveheart! At six bucks it would have been worth the money, but at two bucks, it’s a steal. The gameplay mechanics and the depth of play are fantastic for an iOS game.

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Publisher: Launching Pad Games
Developer: Launching Pad Games
Compatibility: iOS 4.0 or later
Genre: Adventure/Puzzle
iTunes Rating: 9+
Release date: Available now

Apparently, developers no longer want to take any risks; games mostly imitate what’s already been done. At least that’s what I thought before I played Scarlett and the Spark of Life by Launching Pad Games. Scarlett is a weird hybrid of choose-your-own-adventure books and games such as Myst. What really caught me off guard was its storytelling element; the dialogue is humorous, and at times, laugh-out-loud funny. Usually when I’m playing a game with the intent to review it, I look for its ability to make me miss the gameplay when I’m away from my phone. But with Scarlett, I found myself looking forward to uncovering the story.

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Any mobile app or gaming aficionado is bound to already have their favorite source for all things “app.” News and review websites for mobile gaming and phone apps are a dime a dozen, but free, well-developed items can be hard to find. Daily App Dream, a game-and-app portal launching on December 3, is poised to fill the void. The site will offer limited-time promotions in an attempt to help developers make a name for themselves in the burgeoning mobile application market. A list of their initial offerings can be found here after the site goes live.

Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco Bandai Games
Genre: Side Scroller/Beat ‘Em Up
iTunes Rating: 9+
Release date: Available now

Splatterhouse, as some of you older gamers may remember, was originally an arcade beat em’ up developed by Namco in 1988. Since then it has been released on multiple consoles and “virtual arcades” and has now made its way onto the iDevices. Apparently in ’88, it was quite the gory, violent game. By today’s standards it’s pretty harmless, but Splatterhouse still retains that cool retro factor. And hey, violence in games, no matter the generation can still be entertaining, right?

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Publisher: Namco Games
Developer: Namco Bandai Games
Genre: Puzzle
iTunes Rating: 4+
Release date: Available now

Mr. Driller isn’t a new game, but thanks to its success on multiple platforms it was released as an iOS title by Namco Games. Originally, the game was to be developed as Dig Dug 3 but was pushed aside by other titles that were in development. Eventually, Mr. Driller was noticed by Namco executives and after an arcade release, and releases on multiple consoles, it has made its way to the iOS platform. It features an addictive combination of matching colors and puzzle solving with the added pressure of a constantly dwindling supply of oxygen. If you are hasty in how you drill the blocks, you’ll find yourself either out of oxygen or smashed between two blocks. If you enjoy these types of games, this could be your next favorite puzzle game.

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Growing up, I wasn’t technically a gamer. I owned a Sega Genesis and NES, but I only purchased bargain bin games or rented the occasional video game from a local mom-and-pop rental store. My best friends usually had the newest consoles and the latest titles, and I would get to play the latest titles when we hung out, but I was more into the social aspect of gaming with friends. “Gamer” wasn’t something I was, gaming was something I did when I got together with my buddies.

Now I’m 27 and consider myself a “gamer.” I’ve even developed a reputation around my work as the nerdy gamer. Upon coming in late to work one day, my boss asked me if I “was up all night gaming or something.” A large part of this transformation is due not only to being able to afford to keep up with gaming, but also the embracing of technologies that keep me informed such as podcasts, RSS feeds and updates from Facebook.

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Publisher: MOJO Software
Developer: MOJO Software
Compatibility: iOS 3.1 or later
Genre: Puzzle/Strategy
iTunes Rating: 4+
Release date: Available now

Have you ever wished you could dodge descending frowny faces while trying to catch smiley faces and bombs? Grumps is an iOS game developed by MOJO Software that allows you to do just that. Gameplay is simple and graphics are, well, the game has graphics. If you were to decide on purchasing Grumps purely on the iTunes reviews and the provided quotes from “credible” app reviewers, chances are you would pay the 99 cents. But you should put that dollar bill back into your wallet. Let me explain why.

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Publisher: Atari
Developer: Vitamin G Studios
System requirements: Windows XP SP2/Vista/Win 7, Intel Core2Duo E4300 or AMD Athlon X2 3800+ or faster CPU, 1 GB RAM, ATI Radeon X1650/NVIDIA GeForce 7600 or better graphics card, DirectX 9.0c, 1 GB hard-drive space, DirectX 9.0c-compatible sound card
Genre: Casual
ESRB rating: Everyone
Release date: Available now

My life is dominated by stressors. My line of work is stressful. Money problems are stressful. However, developer Vitamin G Studios’ The Undergarden is not stressful. In fact, it has the exact opposite affect on my chi. At first, when I heard about the “casual Zen” genre, I had mental images of bamboo stalks waving in gentle breezes while cherub-esque figures giggled and played games of chase. Then, before playing The Undergarden, I watched a few videos of the gameplay and realized that Vitamin G might be onto something unique and refreshing.

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