So that the world might be mended

I started out my new-game gaming this month with Demon's Souls. If you want an old school, hardcore gaming experience, Demon's Souls is where you'll get it. You will die on the first level. You will give up and try a different class. You will be forced to learn what you're doing without a comprehensive, hand-holding tutorial designed to cater to illiterate frat boys. Every fight with an enemy is a fight. It is tense, you will square off and trade blows and hope to survive to get to the actually-threatening boss.

Games like this are the kind of thing lots of us grew up playing, and there's a part of me that's glad they still exist. The rest of me is punching a DS3 through my face because I fucking died again.

"In like Flynn." "...I don't get it."

I had no doubts about enjoying Uncharted 2; its predecessor was not a perfect game, but I honestly can't say anything bad about it. Wishy-washy descriptions aside, I loved it. Uncharted 2 surpasses it in every way. With better combat, a more intense story, more fluid animations, fancier graphics and even better dialog than before, I could not have asked for anything else. Of course, I don't need to tell you about it. If you like good things and don't murder puppies to eat their hearts, you already own Uncharted 2.

You can decry cinematic gaming experiences all you like, but it's games like Uncharted that are going to truly legitimize gaming. Great characters, production quality and presentation will bridge the gap and really impress anyone that likes solid entertainment.

Start a revolution, Lars.

Like most, I was expecting more action and less RTS when I fired up Brutal Legend, but hot damn if I didn't love the game. There's an older PC game called Sacrifice that most people have never heard of, but I think at least a few of my fellow Dtoiders will have played. That's what stage battles are, but with the ability to fly and chop the limbs off enemies. And guitar solos. And hotrods. And Manowar. I thought Sacrifice was awesome, so I had no problem with more. I have so much good to say about Brutal Legend, but my goal is not to ramble about any of these games.

Until we close our eyes for good.

I haven't finished Borderlands yet, but after rocking the co-op with wtfistheinternet and ponyboykami, I can't recommend it enough. FPS, RPG, humor, art—the game has a lot going for it. Right now I've got a bird called Bloodwing that's trained to kill, starts on fire when it flies, and rams its face through enemies. I've got a sniper rifle that makes people explode with fire and a revolver with a fucking sword on the front of it. Maybe when Patmann stops sucking he'll join in and we can have a proper tank too.

I can't wait to get more sweet loot.

...

Next up is Ratchet & Clank. I played the demo at Gamestop and it felt good, looked better and had a slightly cell-shaded style that really suited what the game had been doing since its inception. Even after burning through three new games (ok, I haven't finished Demon's Souls yet), I can still be excited for another when it's R&C. It will be planetary obliteraters at dawn, good sir.