Recent Chris Campbell Columns

‘Final Fantasy’ blends action, story; ‘NFL Blitz’ nostalgic

Chris Campbell | Sunday, February 12, 2012

A rich library of characters and story lines allows the “Final Fantasy” franchise to flesh out entire games around seemingly minor characters. This is what …

‘Skyward Sword’ has plenty to enjoy; ‘Defiance’ offers intense experience

Chris Campbell | Sunday, February 5, 2012

Each time I alert my wife that I’m reviewing a “Zelda” game, her first question usually isn’t, “Is it any good?” No, she asks: “Did …

‘Star Wars’ still a Force; ‘Trine 2’ a fun puzzle

Chris Campbell | Sunday, January 22, 2012

It isn’t often that I dive into massively multiplayer online games because of the time and dedication one must give to fully experience and appreciate …

New ‘Oregon Trail’ bogs down; ‘NCIS’ a big yawn

Chris Campbell | Sunday, January 15, 2012

As a child in the 1980s, playing “The Oregon Trail” on an Apple II computer was my entry into video games. I’ve never looked back, …

‘Origins’ recalls side-scrolling fun; ‘The Run’ worth taking for a spin

Chris Campbell | Sunday, January 8, 2012

If nothing else, “Rayman: Origins” is a fine homage to 16-bit side-scrolling games of yesteryear. Winks and nods abound, giving older gamers a reason to …

Fun new adventures for beloved Mario

Chris Campbell | Saturday, December 31, 2011

Speed. Nimble moves. Sharp reflexes. …

‘Aliens: Infestation’ will take you back to the future

Chris Campbell | Sunday, December 18, 2011

I didn’t have much interest in playing “Aliens: Infestation.” Then I saw the leaked trailer for Ridley Scott’s upcoming “Prometheus” film. It looks every bit …

Absurdity makes ‘Saints Row’ fun; ‘Ultimate Marvel’ superior to predecessor

Chris Campbell | Sunday, December 11, 2011

Many games strive for an open world in which the game play is what you choose to make it. “Saints Row: The Third” accomplishes this …

‘Revelations’ decent end to ‘Assassin’s Creed,’ but latest ‘Lord of the Rings’ lacks thrills

Chris Campbell | Sunday, December 4, 2011

It’s time to say goodbye to Ezio and Altair, but not before venturing off into one last grand adventure with our favorite assassins of centuries …

‘Skyrim’ richly rewarding; ‘Modern Warfare 3’ tops genre

Chris Campbell | Sunday, November 20, 2011

There came a moment recently when I completed a small task and realized I was two hours and five sub-quests from where I had started. …

Inmates running asylum in ‘Arkham City’; ‘Uncharted 3’ deceptively good

Chris Campbell | Sunday, November 13, 2011

If you stripped away “Batman: Arkham City’s” DC Comics veneer and made the protagonist a goofy woodchuck matching wits with demented squirrels in a burned-down …

‘Battlefield 3,’ ‘All 4 One’ better with multiple players

Chris Campbell | Sunday, November 6, 2011

“Battlefield 3” is, put mildly, a game of two halves. One half insults the very nature of military-themed games and the people who play them. …

‘Dark Souls’ blends skirmishes, visuals

Chris Campbell | Sunday, October 30, 2011

Extremely challenging but richly rewarding – if only that could sell you on the delight that is “Darks Souls.” Many will not enjoy this fantasy-adventure …

‘NBA 2K12’ the only game in town; ‘X-Men’ dull from A-Z

Chris Campbell | Sunday, October 23, 2011

NBA fans, rejoice: This game is 100 percent labor-dispute free. I jest, but with little end in sight to the NBA lockout, this is the …

‘FIFA 12’ scores big; ‘Rage’ rocks apocalypse

Chris Campbell | Sunday, October 16, 2011

EA Sports has made significant alterations to “FIFA’s” core game play. These changes further solidify the “FIFA” franchise as the dominant soccer series on the …

Competing with humans makes all the difference in ‘Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine’

Chris Campbell | Sunday, October 9, 2011

Legions of “Warhammer 40K” fans have thrilled at the futuristic sci-fi universe in which armor-clad warriors face off against alien races for control of the …

‘Resistance 3’ is last gasp for human race

Chris Campbell | Sunday, October 2, 2011

You have to commend the makers of the “Resistance” series for their boldness in killing off the protagonist at the end of the first sequel. …

‘Bodycount’ offers only mindless entertainment

Chris Campbell | Sunday, September 18, 2011

“Bodycount” is like a summer movie: quick enjoyment, but no long-lasting satisfaction. This game does nothing to stand out in an overcrowded field of first-person …

‘Dead Island’ alive with zombie action

Chris Campbell | Sunday, September 11, 2011

The hype for “Dead Island” raged after the trailer advertising the game quickly became one of the top video-game trailers ever created. Despite not fulfilling …

‘Ms. Splosion Man’ offers challenges

Chris Campbell | Sunday, August 28, 2011

Growing up, I always preferred “Ms. Pac-Man” to the original. The level design was more intriguing, and the cutscenes were injected with more humor. History …

‘Phineas and Ferb’ is simple fun; ‘Juarez’ misses mark

Chris Campbell | Sunday, August 21, 2011

As summer stretches on, most gaming companies release fewer titles, preferring to wait for the fall/holiday bonanza. This gives me time to review some games …

Point Man, brother take ‘F.E.A.R. 3’ to new level

Chris Campbell | Sunday, August 14, 2011

The “F.E.A.R.” franchise has seen its ups and downs. The series blends many of the best elements of military-themed shooters and horror titles, although the …

‘Bastion’ takes step forward for Xbox

Chris Campbell | Sunday, August 7, 2011

When Xbox Live Arcade first offered downloadable games, they were cute one-offs and short-lived experiences. The last few years have seen bold strides in storytelling …

‘Deathly Hallows’ lack’s Potter’s magic

Chris Campbell | Sunday, July 31, 2011

Wisely, developers made the “Harry Potter” video-game series as mature as the films did. The two “Deathly Hallows” movies offered a wildly satisfying conclusion to …

‘Child of Eden’ breaks new ground

Chris Campbell | Sunday, July 24, 2011

“Child of Eden” is technically a shooting game – but in it, your weapon is filled with groovy bullets. In the future, humankind revels in …

Cut your Teether in ‘Shadows’

Chris Campbell | Sunday, July 17, 2011

Only in the twisted experiences of video games must you shoot a talking mounted goat’s head to survive. But that’s just one of the thrills …

‘Cars 2’ travels ‘Mario’ memory lane

Chris Campbell | Sunday, July 10, 2011

I’ve never cared much for the “Cars” movie franchise, but even I can admit that this namesake game delivers a topnotch experience. “Cars 2” can’t …

‘Alice’ sequel wonderfully warped; ‘Transformers’ a waste

Chris Campbell | Sunday, July 3, 2011

It’s time to travel down the rabbit hole once more. I missed the 2000 release of “American McGee’s Alice,” which introduced gamers to a more …

‘Infamous 2’ a letdown; ‘Demon’s Force’ missing pieces

Chris Campbell | Sunday, June 19, 2011

I could make some pithy joke about catching lightning in a bottle a second time in describing “Infamous 2,” but that seems too easy. Plus, …

‘Armageddon,’ ‘Red River’ are solid, but flawed

Chris Campbell | Sunday, June 12, 2011

Even highly successful franchises must inject some newness into the proceedings, partly to remain relevant and partly to see where the new story arc can …

‘L.A. Noire’: Arresting story-driven game

Chris Campbell | Sunday, June 5, 2011

Rockstar Games made epic, if less cinematic, fame with its revered “Grand Theft Auto” franchise. Now, the company has achieved greater heights with “L.A. Noire,” …

‘Prejudice’ delivers despite repetitiveness

Chris Campbell | Sunday, May 29, 2011

Rarely does a digital download-only game offer as much content and replay value as “Section 8: Prejudice.” You play as a space soldier, a character …

‘Brink’ lacks sustained action; ‘Thor’ god-awful

Chris Campbell | Sunday, May 22, 2011

When a utopian city named Ark becomes less than ideal as a place to call home, gamers get the option of defending the city or …

‘Apocalypse’: Chaotic brilliance

Chris Campbell | Sunday, May 15, 2011

“Apocalypse” is the perfect moniker for this, the third and most thrilling edition of the “MotorStorm” franchise. Where other racing franchises aim for technical brilliance …

‘Portal 2’ witty fun; ‘NASCAR 2011’ stalls out

Chris Campbell | Sunday, May 8, 2011

Four years ago, PC gamers were delighted by a quirky game called “Portal,” in which the object was to solve puzzles by creating doorways through …

‘SOCOM 4’ better than predecessors

Chris Campbell | Sunday, May 1, 2011

In the long battle of modern military shooters, the “SOCOM” franchise has never lived up its billing, always trailing several paces behind “Call of Duty,” …

Hits, misses among the 3DS launch titles

Chris Campbell | Sunday, April 17, 2011

Nintendo has released the next iteration of its popular hand-held platform, the highly anticipated 3DS, featuring glasses-free 3-D gaming. Here’s a look at four launch …

‘Crysis 2’ bites Big Apple; ‘Homefront’ just bites

Chris Campbell | Sunday, April 10, 2011

Aliens apparently love to attack New York City, so the “Crysis” franchise has schlepped its first-person-shooter sequel to the Big Apple. In leaving its more …

‘Dragon Age II’ a worthy sequel; ‘Okamiden’ thrives on DS

Chris Campbell | Sunday, April 3, 2011

With new characters, new quests, more dragons and a streamlined progression system, “Dragon Age II” is a worthy sequel to “Dragon Age: Origins.” You play …

‘Fight Night Champion’ scores KO; ‘Knights’ is nuts

Chris Campbell | Sunday, March 20, 2011

Bare-knuckle fights, corrupt promoters, “Rocky”-like comebacks – they’re the stuff of boxing. Now, they come in video-game form with “Fight Night Champion.” EA Sports made …

‘Bulletstorm’ is bloody fun; ‘de Blob 2’ isa fine sequel

Chris Campbell | Sunday, March 13, 2011

Controversy has enveloped “Bulletstorm,” and it’s probably the best thing that could have happened to it. One cable news network even went so far as …

‘Killzone 3’ frenetic fun; ‘Mario Sports Mix’ a loser

Chris Campbell | Sunday, March 6, 2011

When a franchise makes a leap in progress such as “Killzone 2” did from the original game, perhaps it would be greedy to expect similar …

‘Fate of Two Worlds’ a fresh start; ‘Test Drive 2’ can be a treat

Chris Campbell | Sunday, February 20, 2011

Capcom has nearly dominated the 2-D fighting genre, buoyed by its two outstanding franchises, “Street Fighter” and “Marvel vs. Capcom.” While the former has been …

Glitches spoil play in ‘Breach,’ ‘Venetica’

Chris Campbell | Sunday, February 13, 2011

“Breach,” the latest addition to the catalog of military-themed shooters, offers the features gamers have come to expect: First-person shooter. Military scenarios. Varying terrain and …