Publisher: Atari
Developer: CD Projekt Red
System requirements: Core 2Duo 2.2 GHz or dual core AMD 2.5 GHz CPU; GB RAM Windows XP, 2 GB Windows Vista/7; GeForce 8800 512 MB or Radeon (HD3850 512 MB); 16 GB Drive Space
Genre: RPG
ESRB rating: Mature
Release date: Available now

Everyone is at E3 right now and I’m not. There are two reasons for that. First, I have my finals this week. By the time you read this I will hold a degree in History and Anthropology. Second, I just really wanted to play The Witcher 2, a sequel to one of my top RPGs of all time. Both games are based on my favorite series of fantasy novels and although it is impossible for any game to match the type of experience a sublime work of literature can provide, in this case a valiant effort was made. Andrzej Sapkowski, the maestro himself, was consulting CD Projekt during the development of both titles. The bar was raised pretty high already, but it appeared that the development team was intent on not just raising it again this time around, but rather on rocketing right through it and into previously unknown heights.

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Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: inXile Entertainment
Genre: Action
ESRB rating: Mature
Release date: Available now

Teamwork is usually optional in games. A lot of co-op campaigns have a very relaxed sense of camaraderie, where you can either choose to work together or alone, but the end result remains the same. There is rarely any need for interaction. This is not the case with Bethesda’s Hunted: The Demon’s Forge. Developed by inXile Entertainment, Hunted gives new life to the phrase, “everything is better in pairs.”

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Publisher: Sony
Developer: Sucker Punch
Genre: Action
ESRB rating: Teen
Release date: June 7, 2011

Though they all suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous origin tales, once a superhero gets his powers, he usually gets to keep them. That’s one of the perks of getting bit by a radioactive Chihuahua in the funny pages. Until some evil-doer ups the ante and kidnaps his Auntie, these guys are free to wield that great power with no responsibility. But in video games, it’s one and done. Too often, gamers spend an entire title building their abilities, only to see them stripped by some plot inconvenience in the inevitable sequel. And then it’s back to square one. Having built their own powerhouse in the lightning bug Cole McGrath, the question remains, will Sucker Punch let this guy fly high once again in his long-awaited return, inFamous 2?

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Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Virtual Pet
ESRB rating: Everyone
Release date: Available now
Reviewer: Michael Rabalais

Everyone remembers their first pet. In fact, now that I’ve brought it up, I can guarantee that you’re thinking about his name (Mayonnaise), the games you played with it (Adventure Island), maybe how you got it (The Stork), and the day that it died (Didn’t. Lives on a big happy farm in Montana). Well now through the wonders of technology, Nintendo has developed a patented technodog that is completely portable, and can never die or feel any sort of genuine emotion towards you or your actions, with Nintendogs + Cats!

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A wise man once said, “There is a time and place for everything,” or something to that effect. Obviously he wasn’t referring to mobile gaming, but while playing six to eight iOS games every week, I’ve realized that his nugget of wisdom applies to my gaming habits as well. This week’s diversity of apps not only reflects what developers are experimenting with on our smartphones, it also represents my attempt to fight off boredom. I’ve still been playing Tiny Wings regularly, but when I’m not, I’ve logged hours of gameplay with this week’s offerings.

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Manufacturer: Cooler Master
MSRP: $29.99

When it comes to cooling laptops, my general rule has always been, “If the equipment can’t cool itself at room temperature, then it’s a piece of garbage.” Thus, I have always been a bit skeptical about third party laptop coolers. After all, it seems like a waste of hardware dollars that could be better spent on other things, like a laptop that can cool itself. When my editors sent me a Cooler Master, I was fully prepared to roll my eyes in bored frustration. Yet, it turns out that the joke is on me. Rather than using a pointless piece of hardware for a few weeks, it turns out that I have had the chance to review a well engineered device.

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It’s been a long, tiring week, and it was slim pickings in the app department, but I think I managed to get a few games that everyone will enjoy. With all the working I’ve been doing, it’s been next to impossible to find any time for gaming on the PC or the Xbox, but my iPhone was there for quick rounds of gaming when I had rare free moments to myself. To make sure I bring you guys some of the best apps out there, I went to the iTunes game charts and picked a few out that looked unique and interesting. I play all the apps I review, and typically only one or two keep my interest in the ensuing weeks, but these five are all fun and are likely to be played in the weeks to come.

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Manufacturer: Subsonic
MSRP: $59.95
Release date: Available now

During the recent PlayStation Network unpleasantness, many PS3 users took advantage of one of the features that sets the PS3 apart from the Xbox 360 and the Wii: it’s also a Blu-ray disk player. But there are no on-screen instructions for how to use the standard DualShock controller when watching movies, and let’s face it, most of us are too lazy to dig out the PS3 owner’s manual. Peripheral manufacturer Subsonic has come to the rescue with the NEO controller, which attempts to simplify the PS3 Blu-ray experience.

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Publisher: Alawar Games
Developer: Alawar Games
System requirements: Windows XP/Vista /Win 7, 1 GHz CPU, 512 MB RAM, DirectX 9.0, 450 MB hard-drive space
Genre: Hidden Object
ESRB rating: Not rated
Release date: Available now

Snark Busters: All Revved Up puts you in the shoes of Jack Blair, a world-famous Formula 0 racer. Jack’s following in the footsteps of his father, who mysteriously disappeared 17 years ago. But after discovering a mysterious green door in his garage, Jack puts his career on hold to try to catch the legendary Snark. As Jack, you have to jump between the real world and the inverted realms inside mirrors to snare your quarry.

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Publisher: JoWood
Developer: Spellbound Entertainment
System requirements: Windows XP/Vista/Win 7, 2.8 GHz dual-core CPU, Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX or better graphics card, 2 GB RAM, DirectX 9-compatible sound card, 9 GB hard-drive space
Genre: RPG
ESRB rating: Teen
Release date: Available now

There is a formula that RPGs usually follow. You start at Point A with an overarching story objective. Sixty or so hours later (depending upon how many side quests you complete), you fight a massive, sometimes frustrating boss battle to arrive at Point B. Your level of frustration in that final encounter is determined by how well you’ve improved your character during the journey. Developer Spellbound’s Arcania: Gothic 4 fits into that paradigm like a glove. But whereas other games of the genre weigh you down with dozens of useless diversions, Arcania offers a streamlined version of the RPG that helps make that trip from A to B enjoyable.

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Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Team Bondi
Genre: Adventure
ESRB rating: Mature
Release date: Available now

L.A. Noire is a triumph of video game storytelling and voice acting, and raises the bar for all future story-based games. The cases are interesting, and the character interaction is phenomenal. The facial-mapping gives everyone a life-like appearance, and greatly enhances the interrogation process.

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Developer: Futuremark
System requirements: Windows 7 (XP/Vista not supported), 1 GHz or faster CPU, 1 GB RAM (32-bit systems)/2 GB RAM (64-bit systems), Direct X 9-compatible graphics card (DirectX 10 and 11 required for some tests), 10 GB hard-drive space, 1024×600 minimum monitor resolution
MSRP: Free (Basic edition), $29.95 (Advanced), $995.00 (Professional)

The hardest of the PC-gaming hardcore are usually the only users who really care about PC benchmarking. Most of us don’t really want to know how our rigs measure up to those of other gamers; we just want our copies of the latest and greatest to run smoothly so we can pwn as many noobs as possible. But for those of you who yearn to demonstrate that your box is better than everybody else’s box, Finnish benchmark developer Futuremark has been providing system testing software since 1997. Their latest effort, 3DMark7, gives Windows 7 users the lowdown on their PC’s strengths and weaknesses.

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Holy shnikies, do I have some good games for you this week. Two of them (Simple Physics and Tiny Wings) I heard about on gaming podcasts and decided to buy just for this week’s App Attack. These games aren’t as in-depth as some of the iPhone games I’ve played, but I’ve had a crappy week and a lot less time than usual. These games are perfect for when you have a few free minutes or feel like unwinding before you go to bed. They don’t require a ton of thought (except for Simple Physics, which made me feel stupid on more than one occasion), but they are challenging enough to be entertaining. I hope you pick a few of these up. If you’ve played any of them, let me know what you think!

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Publisher: Telltale Games
Developer: Straandlooper Animation
System requirements: Windows XP/Vista/Win 7, 1.8 GHz Pentium IV or equivalent CPU, 256 MB graphics card, 2 GB RAM, DirectX 9.0c
Genre: Adventure
ESRB rating: Not rated
Release date: Available now

The reason why no one should ever negotiate with terrorists is because once you’re in such a situation, you can’t possibly win. The only reasonable course of action is to immediately cut your losses. Yes, there will be losses, and you must come to terms with the fact that they are unavoidable. The moment you falter and try do to damage control, they will grow. Moreover, you’ll be lucky if there’s only linear or logarithmic growth, since chances are you’ll find yourself facing exponential escalation. Coincidentally, the same advice applies in situations that involve girlfriends, but that’s of no concern to Det. Insp. Hector, since he doesn’t have one. What he does have is a cop job in the worst city ever, along with a hostage crisis on his hands. If it was up to him, he’d go back to bed, but the higher-ups insist on negotiating.

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Publisher: Tripwire Interactive
Developer: Power of 2
System Requirements: Windows XP SP2, Vista, or Windows 7; 1.7+ GHz or better processor; 1 GB graphics memory; DirectX 9-compatible; 250 MB hard drive space;
Genre: Casual Strategy
ESRB Rating: Everyone

I usually applaud simple, fun games. I’ve been pleased by their resurgence due to the ability to play them on smartphones, XBLA, etc. In general, I think there’s always room for both the giant blockbuster titles as well as the little simple pass-the-time sort of games. Dwarfs?! falls into this latter category, designed for the casual gamer to take a break from their day and go mining for some gold.

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