Pay close attention to the title of this particular World War II combat sim. It refers to a group of allies rather than a single super-soldier who can shrug off bullet wounds, single-handedly capture all of Germany, and bitch-slap Hitler in an easy final boss battle. Brothers in Arms is going for realism, and realistically, you don't want to get shot. Not even once.
As a paratrooper dropped into enemy territory just prior to the storming of Normandy Beach, you must command multiple squads through a series of missions in preparation for the D-Day assault. Your squads demonstrate excellent AI in response to your intuitive controls. And though you may die several times before you grow accustomed to the game's tactics, when you finally do manage to flank those Nazis with your squads, pin them down in their foxhole, and go for position to take them out sniper style, you'll feel far more satisfied than if you'd been some sort of overpowered Rambo, smacking around the narrow-mustachioed icon of evil all by your lonesome.
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga (M) (3 stars)
Atlus
PlayStation 2
Survivors of a ruined world have separated into clans, each striving to be the first to arrive at Nirvana. But a mysterious light has given everyone the ability to transform into monstrous demons, who do not merely battle their opponents, but absorb their power through cannibalism. This dark, original premise is counter-balanced by startlingly unoriginal turn-based RPG gameplay. What could've added new spice to the genre instead winds up being the video-game equivalent of plain yogurt.
Major League Baseball 2K5 (E) (4 stars)
2K Games
PlayStations 2, Xbox
Major League Baseball 2K5 presents America's pastime the way it was meant to be enjoyed by lazy sports fans: on TV. This year's installment in the franchise has transitions and camera angles that look like they were taken straight from Sportscenter. The graphics have undergone a tremendous overhaul, letting you make out the tobacco-chewing of every player on the field.
Winnie the Pooh'S Rumbly Tumbly Adventure (E) (2.5 stars)
Ubisoft
GameBoy Advance
Winnie the Pooh embarks on a quest to distract himself from how hungry he is. But what shall he do to distract himself from how boring his quest is? Sequel perhaps? Let's hope not. Despite its stunning small-scale visuals, this game ends up being the same as Pooh's quest: a series of mundane tasks done simply to pass the time. Oh, bother.
Matthew Scott Hunter has been known to mumble, "Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start" in his sleep. E-mail him at
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