Where the month of October may have been a disappointment for me with a limited release schedule of quality horror titles, November kicks things off with an early start to the upcoming holidays.  Whether the classics are your thing – A Christmas Carol – or a slightly skewed take on the story - Scrooged -, this week is sure to be just the start of what will inevitably be chock-full of movies to get you in the mood.

That’s not to say that this week is bare of any actual “new” releases.  Cars 2 is probably the front-runner for my next must-have 3D movie.  Pixar movies, in general, have always been an incredible treat while animated movies, specifically, have been the best visual representation of what a 3D movie should be.   I wasn’t a huge fan of the first Cars movie, and am still relatively surprised that they made a sequel (i.e. where the hell is my Incredibles 2?), but I’m certain my 3 kids will have something else to say about that.

Here are some of the releases for Tuesday, November 1, 2011:

• Cars 2 (2011)
• Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
• Water for Elephants (2011)
• Scrooged (1988)
• Hook (1991)
• The Big Country (1958)
• Cop Land (1997)
• Trespass (2011)
• Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)
• The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
• A Christmas Carol (1951)
• The Grateful Dead Movie (1977)
• Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2011)
• Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon (2011)
• Going Places (1974)
• An Invisible Sign (2010)
• 11/11/11 (2011)
• Twilight Zone (1059-1964)
• Life/Planet earth Collection (2006-2009)

My pick of the week is based entirely on the leading man and his abilities as an actor.  He has quickly become one of my all-time favorites and, seeing him in this movie, it’s easy to understand why.  Depicting one of the craziest game-show hosts of all time, this George Clooney directed movie has it all.

This is truly disappointing.  Here we are, the last week of October, and the best option for a horror title is with a franchise that I didn’t even realize included a sequel – much less 4.  Wrong Turn . . . really?  That’s it?  At least I can get my gore fix on a weekly basis with the incredible television shows of The Walking Dead and American Horror Story.

Wrong Turn 4?  Uugghh!

I suppose all is not completely lost.  There is the Ultimate Trilogy release of the Jurassic Park series.  Sure, they may not be as good as when first released -  and The Lost World is more of an annoyance than an adventure – but in my mind this brings us one step closer.  “Closer to what?” – you might ask.  Well, with the recent Blu-ray release of the Star Wars films this brings us one step closer to what I consider would be the Ultimate Trilogy on Blu-ray.  Can I get a hell-ya for some Indiana Jones?  Although rumored to make an appearance by the end of this year, I won’t be holding my breath.  2012 is a distinct possibility.

Until then, here are some of the releases for Tuesday, October 25, 2011:

• Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
• Jurassic Park: Ultimate Trilogy (1993-2001)
• Winnie the Pooh (2011)
• Attack the Block (2011)
• Island of Lost Souls (1932)
• The Conversation (1974)
• Dazed and Confused (1993)
• Robot Chicken Season 5 (2010-2011)
• Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings (2011)
• City of Life and Death (2009)
• Faces in the Crowd (2011)
• Witchblade The Complete Series (2006)
• Father of Invention (2010)
• The Chaser (2008)
• Europe: Live at Shepherd’s Bush (2011)

It took every ounce of strength to hold back from selecting Europe: Live at Shepherd’s Bush Blu-ray as my pick of the week.  Considering all of their hits like The Final Countdown and  . . . . um . . . . The Final Countdown, it was a strong contender (and if you believe that . . . ).  In the end I had to go with my gut, and my gut was still responding positively after completing the videogame tie-in just a few weeks earlier.  The game was a pleasant surprise.  Here’s to hoping the movie won’t let me down.

Title: Spider-Man: Edge of Time
Format: Blu-ray
Release Date: October 4, 2011
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Beenox
Price: $59.99
ESRB Rating: T

Beenox’s first outing with Shattered Dimensions holds a special place in my heart.  Not because it was such a memorable game or because they were breaking new boundaries, but because it was my first videogame review written for PSNation.  That is in no way meant to belittle the game.  You can catch up with my thoughts on Shattered Dimension here.

Since then I’ve been fairly anxious to get my hands on their follow-up Spider-Man title, Edge of Time and have been hopeful that the issues that plagued Shattered Dimensions (ahem – wall crawling camera) have been addressed and corrected.  Shattered Dimensions was an enjoyable, albeit flawed, attempt at revitalizing the Spider-Man videogame franchise.  Still, the developers at Beenox were most certainly on the right path.  I can only hope that the foundation has already been established and the building blocks are now set in place.

Gameplay:
I think the game has been out long enough, and there have been enough rumblings, to provide a bold introductory spoiler to Edge of Time – Spider-Man dies at the hands of Anit-Venom at the beginning of the game.  It was a shocking start to a highly anticipated title and one that I thought would set the tone for the remainder of the game.  I immediately thought Edge of Time was sure to be a much darker addition to the Spider-Man mythology.  Instead, what we’re given is another attempt at a time-manipulation story that involves the investigation of the corrupt Alchemax scientist Walker Sloan and his mad-scientist efforts to rule the world by altering the past.

Jumping ahead and back through time players have the opportunity to play as Peter Parker – aka Spider-Man – and Miguel O’hara – aka Spider-Man 2099 throughout the campaign.  Beenox makes the claim that each version of the incredible spider will play uniquely and have their own set of powers and combat moves.  The reality is that the combat is very much the same but for variations in the way it is displayed.

Each version of the Spider-Man have their own set of hand-to-hand moves that can be upgraded and bought with XP that is acquired during gameplay and mini-challenges.  These upgrades start to provide the game with new life but ultimately are reduced to rehashed move sets.  However, each Spider-Man that you play as does come with a new type of hyper Spidey-sense.  Essentially the same ability for both Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099, when activated it provides for an interesting visual effect as well as a strong defensive tactic.  Suddenly there are – for lack of a better term – trails of Spider-Man and his movements that prevent your enemies from locking onto your position and allowing you to get the jump on them quickly.  It’s a useful ability but one that I found myself using too often.  It reminds me of my overuse of Batman’s Detective mode from Arkham Asylum.  It’s great to use but you become far to reliant on it far too early in the game.

My number one complaint about Shattered Dimensions was with the horrible camera when wall crawling.  More often than not it was un-usable.  Playing as a man capable of spider-like abilities that’s not a good thing.  It’s like finding out you can fly but every time you do you realize you can only fly directly into the ground.  What’s the point, then?  Thankfully, the developers at Beenox heard my many vocalized tirades during Shattered Dimensions and they, for the most part, fixed this nagging issue.  They have made it so when Spider-Man begins his wall climbing the camera pulls farther back to allow for a better view of where you’re going.  Although better, there were still occasions when the camera got a little disruptive with my efforts but it’s definitely better than what it was.

However, where wall crawling has improved they continue to ignore the fact of what made Spider-Man so great to begin with.  The guy’s a superhero.  He can shoot webs from his wrists and swing like a modern-day Tarzan high above the landscape.  This all sounds wonderful and an enticing element for a videogame.  Why then did the developers choose to make the environment for Edge of Time entirely indoors?  There’s just something inherently wrong with this idea.  At least with Shattered Dimensions there were multiple opportunities to take advantage of such an ability.  With Edge of Time you’re constrained to primarily running from one hallway to the next, or crawling through unending ventilation shafts to fight the same group of enemies.  Sure, you could speed things up by swinging your way from hallway to hallway but where’s the excitement with that?

Excitement really seems to be at an all-time low with Edge of Time.  Shattered Dimensions was a great introduction for Beenox because they focused on making the 4 versions of Spider-Man play – mostly – unique from one another and pitted you against some of the greatest Spider-Man villains to grace the pages of comic book history.  Sure, we’re not completely lacking boss battles here but the level design and the means by which you get to those points in the story are a drag.  In between you’re faced with one or the other of the Spider-Men, trapped in their respective time and in need of the other to unlock doors, take down enemies or run through timed obstacles just to keep the tired story moving forward.  In other words, it gets old . . . fast.

Visuals:
The cut scenes of Edge of Time are rather impressive but the in-game visuals are average at best and are recycled throughout the game.  As I mentioned, you’re basically playing this entire game inside the walls of an enormous Alchemax building, how much variety could there be?  It’s obvious they didn’t take any lessons from the success of Arkham Asylum, or even this year’s Captain America for that matter.  Both of those games took place in an individual location but both of those games made the absolute best of it.

I will say that Beenox came up with an interesting use for picture-in-picture during game-play.  Most often used when switching from one Spider-Man to the other the game would provide a means of communication between them by bringing up the other’s time along the bottom right corner of the screen.  It was a seem-less transition and provided for a nice segue between stories and plot lines.  Unfortunately, this little addition to Edge of Time isn’t nearly enough to increase the overall level of enjoyment you’ll have with this game.  It’s a unique element that I’ve yet to see in any other game  . . . but it pretty much ends there.

Audio:
I hate to keep comparing Edge of Time with Shattered Dimensions but I feel it’s both necessary and warranted.  Both games were created by the same development company and I would have hoped that, like so many development franchise games before them, they would have made improvements by leaps and bounds from one game to the next.  Unfortunately, the audio is yet another example of where Edge of Time comes up short.

It’s not that the special audio effects or musical score come off as bad.  On the contrary, they seem to be just as good as any other AAA title I’ve come across this year.  The use of surround sound could have been ramped up more but I am, and will always be, a stickler for that.  No, it’s the voice acting that falls off when compared with Shattered Dimensions.

Where that game really shined was with the inclusion of 4 very different takes – personality, emotions, motives – on who Spider-Man was.  That’s not to say the actors who voiced the 2 Spider-Men for Edge of Time were terrible.  They were competent – at best – but lacked that something special that we got last go-round with the likes of Neal Patrick Harris.

On top of that, Edge of Time boasts the inclusion of a once “great” actor to voice the main villain – Walker Sloan.  I was fairly excited, initially, by the prospect of having Val Kilmer fill this role.  C’mon, the guy who played Elvis from True Romance and Doc Holliday from Tombstone (I’m your Huckleberry).  That should be awesome, right?  Wrong.  His performance as the mastermind behind time manipulation and world domination was unenthusiastic and drab and it did nothing to save this game from near immediate drops in price.

Conclusion:
I was encouraged by Beenox’s first outing of the Spider-Man experience and was hopeful for vast improvements with their follow up title.  Unfortunately, Edge of Time comes across as taking things too quickly.  It’s been barely a year since Shattered Dimensions first hit store shelves.  Is that truly enough time for a development company to come up with the resources, ideas and even justification for a sequel?  What’s the rush?  Shattered Dimensions may have received somewhat of a warm reception from critics and gamers alike, but why push your luck?  Edge of Time is a perfect example of a development company that has taken one step forward, quickly followed by two steps back.  Those of you hoping for a Spider-Man sequel with Arkham City-like improvements are in for a sad realization.  My biggest fear is that, as of this writing, Beenox has announced another Spider-Man game set to coincide with the release of next years re-boot of the Spider-Man movie.  Where Edge of Time came up incredibly short, their next iteration may very well kill the Amazing Spider-Man once and for all.

Grade:

We’re just a few short days away (i.e. eternity) from what continues to look like will be not only one of the top selling games of 2011 but also – quite possibly – one of the most immersive combat games to date.  I’m sure there are a number of you out there that have already pre-ordered this bad boy.  The last count that I’ve see was that this number has topped 1.5 million.  That’s a lot of gamers eager to unleash hell.

If you’re anything like me (aka, the minority) and you haven’t pre-ordered this game you’re also keeping a close eye on all available options.  Sure, there will be countless offers out there for free in-game weapons, early access to map packs and skins galore if you pre-order from here, there and everywhere in between.  But, again, if you’re anything like me, you’re all about saving a buck or two.  Well, have I found the deal for you.

The following is being advertised specific to Kmart – Shop Your Way Reward Members (free and easy to sign up):

Starting October 25th through the 29th, Shop Your Way Reward Members will receive a $20 gaming coupon with the purchase of Battlefield 3 (360, PS3) for $59.99.

With purchase of Battlefield 3, in addition to the $20 gaming coupon offer you can save $20 on the excellent X-12 Turtle Beach headphones (reg. $59.99) or save $30 on the very impressive 7.1 Sony Playstation headphones (reg. $99.99).

Items must be purchased in the same transaction. Gaming coupon valid from 10/30 through 12/10. Limit 1 coupon per transaction, limit 2 per customer. In-store only.

Finding good deals on videogames continues to be a long running topic of conversation for us here at PSNation.  Kmart has been my retail gaming venue of choice for some time now; and since the gaming release schedule has kicked into high gear their deals have never been better.  Here are a few more (personal) examples in case you think this Battlefield deal is a fluke:  Last week’s release of Batman Arkham City equated to a $30 gaming coupon + and additional $10 gaming coupon good toward the purchase of the upcoming Lord of the Rings: War in the North.  Because Kmart allows these gaming coupons to stack (within their valid dates) I was able to purchase the Anarchy Edition of Rage for less than $5 – day 1 release.

Now, with this Battlefield 3 deal you can use this $20 coupon to apply toward the next big PlayStation 3 game – maybe something like Uncharted 3 that comes out the very next week – as well as get your hands on the latest PlayStation 3 Wireless Headset for an incredibly reasonable $70.  Deals like this don’t come around very often, but they’re more frequent than you’d think at Kmart.

So, if you’re lucky enough to still have a Kmart nearby or in a surrounding city (they’re closing their doors fast) you should give them a try.  They might not be able to compete with some of the other big box retailers in terms of selection but, in my opinion, they are hands down head and shoulders above them all with their deals.

I’ll see you on the Battlefield!

It’s a respectably solid week for Blu-ray releases and, for once, I’m at a loss for words based on my pick.  It simply doesn’t get any better.

Rey, buddy, this one’s for you.

In the meantime, here are some other releases for Tuesday, October 18, 2011:

• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
• Batman: Year One (2011)
• The Crow (1994)
• Red State (2011)
• The Guns of Navarone (1961)
• Bad Teacher (2011)
• Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
• Cape Fear (1991)
• The Last Circus (2010)
• Dream Theater: Live at the Budokan (2004)
• Kevin Smith: Too Fat for 40 (2010)
• Queensryche: Mindcrime at the Moore (2006)
• Darkness Falls (2003)
• A Better Life (2011)
• The Robber (2010)
• Tomcats (2001)
• The Howling: Reborn (2011)

Live it!  Love it!  Digest it!

Title: Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One
Format: Blu-ray
Release Date: October 18, 2011
Publisher: Insomniac Games
Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Price: $59.99
ESRB: E 10+

The Ratchet and Clank franchise has been a staple of gaming for me throughout the PlayStation 2′s life-cycle and well into the PlayStation 3′s.  Time and again Insomniac Games has developed stories and environments that have consistently challenged me while, at the same time, kept me smiling all the while.  Over the years the characters have reserved a special place in my heart and I always get a warm feeling inside when I begin hearing faint rumblings of yet another adventure on the horizon.

With 2009”s A Crack in Time gamers were given the opportunity to wrap their heads around some incredibly interesting time-bending puzzles on top of the expected – and well established – solid 3rd person shooting and platforming mechanics.  While R & C have always been know and loved for their interesting and over-the-top weapon selection, A Crack in Time was able to mix things up even further and propel the series to the top of my most beloved gaming memories.

When rumors began to surface about Insomniac changing the game yet again with the potential of 4-player co-op my mind began to race.  How would they pull this off?  Would it be some sort of additional gameplay, ala horde mode?  Would the gaming be relegated to online only or would it accommodate for 4-player couch co-op?  How accessible would it be for newcomers to the Ratchet and Clank universe?  Most importantly, would it be fun?

After getting my hands on the early beta I was intrigued, yet strangely hesitant as even more questions surfaced.  Getting my hands on the finished product . . . well . . . that’s an entirely different story.

Gameplay:
After a brief introductory story-setting cut-scene that explains how Qwark has – somehow, inconceivably – obtained the status of President, we’re dropped right into the action of saving the Universe yet again. Right up front we’re given the opportunity to select one of 4 playable characters: Ratchet, Clank, Dr. Nefarious or Qwark.

The story is broken into unlockable locations – and segments within those locations – that allow for a nice opportunity to save the game and change characters without being forced to start the entire game over from the beginning.  This game design also provides for a nice opportunity for a drop-in/drop-out co-op type experience.  However, the level of experience gained by one character is not carried over to the others so you’re better offer playing through the entire game with the same character.  In addition, not all weapons are available for purchase by all of the same characters.  For example, Dr. Nefarious can make claim to the Cloaker – allowing him to turn invisible and move behind enemy lines for a Nefarious-like sneak attack.  For this reason alone All 4 One has a tremendously high replay value in that you’ll want to experience each character’s abilities.

For the first time in Ratchet and Clank history (that I know of) you have the ability to heal your partners when needed.  It makes for a great way to extend some of the more precarious boss battles before being wiped out.  However, if all players go down for the count at roughly the same time it will prompt starting things over from the last save point.  Thankfully, All 4 One is nicely stocked with save points so you’re never forced to replay too much of the previous level.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Ratchet and Clank game without a formidable arsenal and All 4 One does not disappoint.  Back are the standard weapons of mass destruction as well as the ability to upgrade their overall power.  As was previously mentioned, each character you select also has their own unique set of weapons and gadgets to choose from.  On top of all that, All 4 One adds the Vac-U 4000 – the most notable improvement and the very reason why co-op works so well.  It is a multipurpose gadget that does exactly what it says – it sucks.  It sucks up bolts, critters and even other players.  The latter is the most important in that you can then launch them to predetermined landing points across gaps and onto otherwise unreachable platforms.  It is also the means by which co-op players are healed.  It works incredibly well and is a welcome addition to an already established set of Ratchet and Clank gameplay mechanics.

Visuals:
The Ratchet and Clank games have always been known for top quality visuals and All 4 One lives up to expectations.  Still, what I noticed almost immediately following the intro cut-scene was that the usually vibrant in-game colors came across as somewhat washed-out, saturated and less intense as what we’ve all come to love and know.  After bumping up the brightness levels within the game options I realized that there was no change and accepted it as a fact of how the game was developed.  Perhaps it was due to the consistent wide-screen view and further away camera angle which allowed for a full perspective of the action.  Either way this is a very (VERY) minor criticism of All 4 One’s visuals.

Where the colors may not have been up to par the option to play the game in 3D displays a quality that has yet to be matched by any other 3D game I’ve played.  Based on previous 3D gaming experiences with the likes of Killzone 3, Resistance 3, Socom 4 and Motorstorm Apocalypse, Ratchet and Clank All 4 One is the definitive sample of what 3D gaming should be like.  To say it is impressive is truly an understatement.  It is more than a gimmick and is probably the first 3D game that has truly enhanced my overall experience.  If at all possible, All 4 One should be played entirely with this setting on.

Audio:
There doesn’t seem to be anything new in terms of audio representation for All 4 One . . .  but that’s a good thing.  No need to reinvent the wheel here.  Back are all the same voice actors that I have come to love over the years.  Where prior titles were limited with those great interactive moments between our 4 main characters, All 4 One allows for the opportunity to have that great banter between them from start to finish.

As a part of my review for A Crack in Time I commented on how much I enjoyed Qwark’s appearance but how sad I was to see him leave the game so soon.  Now, I have the opportunity to enjoy the entire game with him as my chosen playable character; and with it comes all of his laugh-out-loud comments.

It’s here that All 4 One continues to shine.  Because the 4 protagonists are so varied in personality we get to experience them as much or as little as we would like.  It’s reminiscent of the success of Seinfeld for all those many years.  The show was nothing short of ensemble perfection.  Individually, the characters were fun to watch but, as a group, it was incredible.  The same can be said about this latest Ratchet and Clank adventure.  The writing and voice-overs are a real treat.

Online/Multiplayer:
Where the single player campaign matches you up with a more than competent AI partner, playing the game in an actual co-op mode is really when All 4 One is at its best.  Because I was playing an advanced copy of the game the online co-op was not much of an option for me.  Instead, I spent several fun-filled 3D hours with my 12-year-old son – working together and, occasionally, against one another.

At the end of each segment the scores are tallied up for each player based on the number of bolts collected, critters acquired, number of kills and how well you played co-op.  The “winner” of each segment is awarded the distinguished honor before moving on to the next chapter of the game.

Because weapons and upgrades are purchased based on the available number of bolts collected from each chapter it behooves each player to gather the most amount by any means necessary – whether that’s by sharing nicely or stabbing your partner in the back.  Although playing “dirty” can be good fun (paybacks truly are a bitch) it may effect your final ranking as it lowers your overall co-op accomplishments.  It’s a finely-tuned double-edged sword and the developers at Insomniac Games made certain to always keep this in the back of your mind as you play.

I felt my time spent playing couch co-op . . . er . . .  cooperatively provided for a deeper sense of accomplishment.  Whether swinging from each others electric tether or “overloading” the bigger enemies (agreeing on the same weapon against the same target to bring ‘em down quicker and harder – the end result is an incredible slow-mo 3D HD bonanza), All 4 One has taken the concept of co-op to an entirely new level.  Gone are the days that simply reviving a downed partner is the basis for good co-op.  No, my friends.  Insomniac Games has raised that bar – finally – to a level that should make all fans of true co-op games grin and giggle like little children.

Conclusion:
I’ve written a good number of reviews since my time with PSNation began and I can honestly say that this has been the easiest of them all to write.  Ratchet and Clank All 4 One is a no-brainer!  It is a family-friendly game in a world filled with Mature-rated titles.  The gameplay is solid and fun as a single player and is absolutely brilliant when you start adding more players into the mix.  The characters’ comments can be laugh out loud and the addition of 3D is downright staggering.  Even though I was mildly surprised by the slightly downgraded in-game colors this game is just shy of perfect.  Buy this game for yourself and play it with your friends and family – you won’t be disappointed.

Grade:

Halloween is one of my favorite “holidays” of the year.  Practically every channel on TV makes an attempt to get into the spirit and I generally love every minute of it.  That’s why I’m surprised that we’ve yet to receive a better selection of horror titles.  Perhaps the best is still yet to come.  One can only hope.

In the meantime, that which is releasing this week is less than notable – for the most part.  Although the mediocre and mostly negative reviews of The Green Lantern kept me from seeing it in the theaters it’s still a title that I could foresee picking up, if for nothing else, to add to my slowly growing 3D Blu-ray list.  Somehow I don’t think the movie is worth a day one purchase so I’ll likely keep that one on the back-burner and look for future sales online or in the stores.

Here are some of the releases for Tuesday, October 11, 2011:

• Tree of Life (2011)
• Horrible Bosses (2011)
• Chuck: the Complete Fourth Season (2011)
• Zookeeper (2011)
• The Four Feathers (1939)
• Scrooge (1970)
• Bad Seed (1956)
• Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)
• The Family Man (2000)
• Maniac Cop (1988)
• Indian Summer (1993)
• Beautiful Boy (2010)
• Terri (2011)
• Disorganized Crime (1989)
• Silent Night, Zombie Night (2009)
• Art of Revenge (2003)
• Cruel Game (2001)
• Lucky (2011)
• Jingle All the Way (1996)
• Green Lantern (2011) **Releases on Friday, October 14, 2011**

Once again, my pick for the week is a movie that I wanted to see but, for one reason or another, just never had the opportunity to do so.  It has one of my favorite comedic actors and, with the recent news that Arrested Development might very well be making a comeback, how could I not be enthusiastic?

It’s been just over 4 years since we first had the opportunity to live the tragic life of Jackie Estacado.  We, quite literally, went to hell and back with Top Cow Production’s 2007 critically acclaimed release.  Now, Jackie’s back and he’s more powerful than ever.  Where he may have started as a patsy he’s achieved the power of a New York crime family don while wielding an ancient force of chaos and death.

Slated for a relatively early 2012 release, Top Cow is looking to bring The Darkness back and, from what I’ve seen, it’s looking more destructive and brutal than ever.  Still tormented by the murder of his true love, Jenny, and constantly fighting to maintain control over the demons that possess his very soul, The Darkness is set to re-emerge with a vengeance.

Here are some of the latest highlights and images we’ll be eagerly awaiting:

QUAD-WIELDING CHAOS

Slash, grab, and throw objects and enemies with the Demon Arms while simultaneously firing two weapons, adding a new dimension to the FPS category.

HARNESS AN UNSTOPPABLE POWER

Master the Demon Arms and summon the powers of The Darkness for even more explosive gameplay.

KILL THE LIGHTS

The vicious powers of The Darkness manifest only in the shadows so use the environment to your advantage and watch out for enemies who will use light as a weapon.

INTENSE AND PERSONAL JOURNEY

Experience a dark, twisted and gripping story written exclusively for the game by acclaimed comic book author Paul Jenkins whose credits also include The Incredible Hulk, Wolverine, and the original The Darkness game.

DISTINCTIVE GRAPHIC-NOIR STYLE

Graphic novel shading and color combined with the dramatic lighting of film noir pays tribute to the source material and brings the pages of the comic series to life. Inspired by the popular comic book series created by Top Cow.

I’m not a scrooge.  Really, I’m not.  even though my Blu-ray excerpt this week may indicate as much I truly do enjoy the holidays . . .about as much as preparing for a colonoscopy (kidding).

Seriously though, with titles like Frosty and the Peanuts Holiday Collection it’s hard not to start getting excited and anxious for the season of joy and giving.  I’m sure, were it not for my 3 children, this time of the year may not mean as much as it probably should, but their innocence and enthusiasm during this time of the year has kept me as young as I can be.  Still, based on repeated cable broadcasts of these classic children’s tales I don’t foresee spending dime one on any of them.

So what is good this week?  There’s a few new releases that scream (pun intended) rehashed stories and uninteresting characters (I’m looking at you Wes Craven and Vin Diesel).  Aside from that, you could get your weird on with a musical performance by Weird Al himself – if that’s your thing.    What has caught my eye is Disney’s re-release of The Lion King.  I’ve been meaning to bulk up my 3D library and, so far, nothing has come close to the incredible 3D quality of the animated movies I own.  Titles like Shrek 4 and Tangled (remember, I have kids) absolutely amaze me with their 3D visuals.  I expect The Lion King – already a beautifully animated movie – would be no different.

Here are some of the Blu-ray releases for Tuesday, October 4, 2011:

• The Lion King (1994)
• Fast Five (2011)
• Scream 4 (2011)
• Jackie Brown (1997)
• Dead Alive (1992)
• Cinema Paradiso (1988)
• The League: The Complete Season Two (2010)
• Life is Beautiful (1997)
• Weird Al Yankovic Live (2011)
• Almost Famous (2000)
• Space Jam (1996)
• Bored to Death: The Complete Second  Season (2010)
• Moby Dick (2011)
• Jig (2011)
• Peanuts Holiday Collection (1965-1973)
• Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (1970)
• Frosty the Snowman (1969)
• Crazy on the Outside (2009)
• Deck the Halls (2006)

My pick this week – The Lion King aside – was truly easy as it has been my most anticipated show for the Fall season.  If you haven’t already been enjoying this weekly escapade, here’s a little taste of what you’ve been missing.

Historically, the third quarter of each year is typically the slowest in terms of new, AAA videogame releases.  I’ve yet to fully understand this – especially when the last 3 months of the year (this year in particular) are consistently packed with incredible titles.  From the likes of Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 to Batman Arkham City and Uncharted 3, our wallets are unfairly put through the strainer.

Why?  Why must it continue to be this way?  There’s no question that the Summer months are usually the biggest months of the year for new movie blockbusters.  Why shouldn’t we see a better release schedule for videogames over this same period?  When will publishers realize that instead of constantly battling head-to-head they could still be successful and not run the risk of being lost in the shuffle if they spread themselves out better throughout the year?

OK, ranting aside, the third quarter of 2011 wasn’t absurdly terrible.  In fact, there were a number of better than average titles that I’m sure we’ve all had a chance to play though on more than one occasion.  In the meantime, the PSNation fans have spoken and here’s a wrap-up of the top 3 favorites between the months of April and June.

Coming in at number 3 – and 7.45% of the votes – is one of the most engaging videogames that I’ve had the pleasure of playing since Heavy Rain.  Boasting incredibly realistic and life-like facial animations, L.A. Noire is one of my favorite games of the year so far.  When so many other games focus on one’s sharpshooting abilities L.A. Noire pushed the envelope with intuitive and deductive gameplay and brought us closer to actual detective work that we have ever come before.

With just under a quarter of the total votes (23.4%) our second place favorite – and still my pick for game-of-the-year – is Portal 2.  Having never played the original Portal game, and not being much of a fan of puzzle games to begin with, Portal 2 gave me the biggest sense of accomplishment from one level to the next.  Never before have I had so many “ah-ha” moments in my gaming history.  Tack on a completely original and unique co-op campaign and this is, without a doubt, a strong contender for this year’s Golden Minecart.

Coming in first place with a commanding 45.74% of the votes is the long awaited Sucker Punch sequel – inFAMOUS 2.  There’s not much to say about this game that hasn’t already been voiced other than that it rightly deserves the accolades it has been given.  The story.  The choices.  The powers . . .  dear Lord, the powers!  It’s games like this that make me proud to be a PlayStation 3 owner.

Well, that was then and most certainly not now.  Still, as previously mentioned, the 3rd quarter did have a few bright stars that shed some light in a time that is mostly dark.  So, without further adieu, here are your choices for The Best of 2011 . . . So Far (Part 3).  Let us know which game was worthy of your precious time.  As usual, if your game of choice isn’t on the list post a comment and let us know why you think it should be.