Entertainment Tri-State Gaming Column for Feb. 1

GAMERS CORNER: 'Phoenix' flounders while 'Dusk' delivers
By Justin McElroy
The Herald-Dispatch

What have you been playing lately?

Oh, that's nice. Those are good games.

What have I been playing? Oh, how nice of you to ask, let me tell you.

Phoenix Wright: Justice for All (DS): This is the second iteration of the unmistakably Japanese lawyer simulation that's sure to get odd looks from your concerned significant other should they happen to peek over your shoulder.

If you played the first title you know exactly what to expect here. The game is still uniformly well-written and the system of law still seems to be "guilty until proven innocent." There are also a lot of illogical solutions to puzzles which can be really frustrating.

I'll be honest, I loved the first game, but without the novelty factor, I found those few quibbles I have beginning to outweigh the fun I was having. After playing through the first two cases, I was ready to move on to greener pastures. But if you like reading and don't mind looking up the occasional walkthrough online, you'll have a good time with this one. Honestly, I'd probably still be hanging in with it if I hadn't been distracted by the siren song of ...

Hotel Dusk: Room 215 (DS): In a way, this is the same vein as Phoenix Wright. It's a well-written adventure game that's unlike anything on the home consoles. The only difference is that "Hotel Dusk" seems fresh, while Wright is sort of wearing out its welcome.

"Dusk" is a sort of "game noir" with you playing the role of a disgraced cop looking for answers in the seedy titular place of lodging. It forces you to use the DS stylus in a lot of interesting ways, which is someplace where Phoenix Wright fails miserably (that series has simply been adapted from the Game Boy Advance.)

It's also one of the most compelling graphical styles I've seen recently. Pretty much every writer has compared it's sketchy black-and-white look to A-Ha's "Take on Me" video. The comparison's popularity would be good enough for me to eschew it were it not so darned accurate. In any case, it's a wonderful game. Go buy it.

Crackdown (Xbox 360): This may just be a demo, but it's surprisingly good. I say "surprisingly" only because the retail version of the game comes with free entry into the "Halo 3" beta test, an awfully big carrot to attach to any game. But if the demo is any indication, the beta entry will be a bonus for purchasing the game, not the other way around.

"Crackdown" puts you in the boots of a superpowered cop cleaning up the streets by ... well, by killing people. It's a free-roaming city and you're presented with very little narrative to trip over. There's just good, old-fashioned bullets and explosions, as well as the ability to pick up cars and jump over buildings. If that's not enough incentive for you to go download a free demo, you should probably quit video games all together.

Justin McElroy is a reporter for The Herald-Dispatch, as well as a part-time lawyer, detective and superpowered criminal murderer. Inquire about any of his services by writing jmcelroy@herald-dispatch.com.