Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Paris
Genre: Party Game
ESRB rating: Everyone
Release date: Available now

If you are looking for a way to mark each anniversary of the Nintendo Wii, paying close attention to each successive Raving Rabbids release would make for a nice string around your finger. Those schizophrenic rabbits, the bane of Rayman, first burst onto the scene alongside the Wii back in the Fall of 2006, and made for a nice companion to show adopters just what fun they could have when introducing the Wii at their holiday party. A year later, a sequel to that game hit and offered up a host of additional manic party modes. And while they spent the following years starring in their own twisted take on the type of 3rd person platformer that Nintendo fans crave; the Rabbids have returned to their roots in this latest release; Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time.

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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: Xona Games
Developer: Xona Games
Genre: Retro Arcade
ESRB rating: Not rated at press time
Release date: Available now

I’m going to assume that at least once in your life you’ve been exposed to the arcade sensation that was known as Space Invaders. A simple concept to say the least, Space Invaders allowed you to fire shots at a horde of enemies that would slowly creep down the screen. Even though the game is decades old, it’s obvious its influence is long-lasting, as evidenced in Decimation X3.

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Publisher: Xona Games
Developer: Xona Games
Genre: Retro Arcade
ESRB rating: Not rated at press time
Release date: Available now

Xona Games has been extra busy as the holiday approaches. With their last entry in the Decimation series just released, two days later they have followed it up with another foray into the old-school arcade game arena with Score Rush.

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Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar San Diego
Genre: Shooter DLC
ESRB rating: Mature
Release date: Available now

Looking to extend your Red Dead Redemption experience? Undead Nightmare offers more than just the same gunplay of the original game. Rockstar gets credit for concentrating on a single-player DLC story extension when so many developers seem to focus on the multiplayer aspects. That is not to say that Undead Nightmare doesn’t offer any such goodies; one of its new multiplayer modes prompted me to turn my back on normal life and camp out in my living room. My legs are numb, my thumbs are raw, bloodied stumps, and I have to sleep with the light on.

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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: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft
Genre: Action Adventure
ESRB rating: Mature
Release date: Available now

Inside everyone’s DNA lie the memories of their ancestors. With the Animus machine from Abstergo Industries, you are able to obtain and record these memories as if they were your own. The only problem is that Abstergo Industries is the modern day form of the Knights Templar, an ancient secret society that wants nothing more than power and control while hiding behind the mask of religion. They use the Animus machine to find ancient artifacts to help them accomplish this. Luckily, there is an order of assassins that are sworn enemies of the corrupt Knights Templar, and want to bring them down. This is where you, the player, comes into the picture.

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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: Disney Interactive Studios
Developer: Disney Interactive Studios
Genre: Action-Platformer
ESRB rating: Everyone
Release date: Available Now

Movie-based games have made major strides of late. While they were once an industry joke—quick cash-ins aimed at robbing whatever loot kids had left after scoffing down their licensed Happy Meal counterparts—recent games such as this past summer’s Toy Story 3 have provided some compelling gameplay experiences aimed at expanding on their source material. With the holidays approaching, you just know that retail shelves will feature the latest tie-in to this season’s blockbuster family hit. So the question looms: should you gobble up that copy of Disney’s Tangled as you brave the post-Black Friday crowds?

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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: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar San Diego
Genre: Action adventure
ESRB rating: Mature
Release date: Available now

If, like me, you grew up on a staple diet of Clint Eastwood westerns you would have received the release of Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption with anticipated excitement. The game was released after a sustained media plug and seen as the successor to Rockstar’s earlier Grand Theft Auto series. So is the game worthy of such hype? Slide off your dust covered saddle, hitch up your horse and come sit down by the campfire. Pour yourself a cup of warm coffee and stretch your aching limbs, and I’ll share my buckshot’s worth of opinion.

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Publisher: Activision
Developer: Bizarre Creations
System requirements: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7; Intel/AMD Dual Core; 1GB RAM for XP / 2GB RAM for Vista and 7; 12GB HDD; 256MB GeForce 7600 GT or ATI Radeon X1650 Pro video card
Genre: Action
ESRB rating: Teen
Release date: Available now

As far as I’m concerned, it had to happen. There came a point where the super-spy fiction of James Bond had to take a realistic turn in order to distance itself from the parody of Austin Powers and remain relevant to today’s movie-goer. I was against this at first, until a friend of mine convinced me to sit down and watch Casino Royal. It was a different kind of Bond movie for a different age of film, and Daniel Craig’s flawed, but extra bad-assed portrayal of MI6’s favorite agent sold it for me. I just wish I could use the same method to better understand 007: Blood Stone.

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Publisher: City Interactive
Developer: City Interactive
System requirements: Windows XP/Vista/Win 7, Intel Pentium IV 3.2 GHz or compatible CPU, 1 GB RAM (2 GB Vista/Win 7), 256 MB DirectX 9 (or later) compatible graphics card with Shader Model 3.0 support, 6.5 GB hard-drive space, DirectX 9.0c-compatible sound card
Genre: Shooter
ESRB rating: Mature
Release date: Available now

The thrill of the hunt is buried in the animal part of our brains. Originally we did it to survive, plus we needed to keep our cave girlfriends busy over a hot cooking pot so that they didn’t move in with the muscular guy in the loincloth two caves up the hill. These days, if we hunt people and we don’t wear a uniform, we’re usually called serial killers or hitmen. But if we slip on the camouflage and do it for our country, we’re called Special Ops soldiers. Developer City Interactive’s Sniper: Ghost Warrior gives us the opportunity to get it on with the world’s most dangerous game.

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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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