I should have been a pair of ragged claws

Q Entertainment's Lumines has become the outstanding game of the PSP launch, and their Meteos looks to deliver a complimentary experience on the DS. Where Miziguchi's Lumines creates Rez-like synesthetic epiphanies by merging sight, sound, and gameplay, Sakurai's Meteos appears to be a more workman-like piece, true to the designer's Nintendo heritage, that looks to be a faster, more tactical puzzle game. Both titles are distinctly appropriate for their platform; Lumines provides a spectacle on the PSP, Meteos utilizes the DS touch screen for its main game mechanic. 1up has a lengthy preview of the title and a Tokyopia interview with Miziguchi provides a bit of insight into the development of Meteos. I've also dug through Meteos's Japanese web site to get more information. These translations are using Google's translation tool; while it could hardly be considered readable English, the combination of images allows you to get an idea of how the game works. Te

shuffling awkwardness "That's not scary. It's just dumb." same crap, different view

Metal Gear Solid 2 was a fine game spoiled by creator Hideo Kojima's creative hubris and lack of editing. In the third MGS game, Snake Eater, Kojima reigns in his post-modern showboating and gets back to what we like; making thrilling games that tell fun stories. Snake Eater's 1960s jungle setting teems with vegetation and wildlife, making the most convincing virtual jungle I've seen. A number of gameplay tweaks create a survivalist feel: Snake must hunt wild animals for food, perform medical care on himself, and use camoflague to sneak through the brush successfully. These additions do much to establish the setting. Unfortunately, the core gameplay mechanics have not aged well. Controlling Snake is needlessly complex and fussy for tasks like climbing on top of boxes or crawling in the intended direction. Moving stealthfully is now a daunting task due to the zoomed in camera and a "realistic" lack of radar. Stealthy play often requires more effort than many are wi