Native Americans can't seem to catch a break. First, the white man takes their land and moves them to dusty reservations, then aliens abduct them from those reservations and imprison them on a spaceship built from twisted metal and grotesque, pulsating flesh. At least, that's what happens to Tommy, along with his Cherokee grandfather and girlfriend, in Prey, a game that's been in development hell for many moons, but has proven well worth the wait.
The visuals are astonishing, and the story, which crosses tribal mysticism with sci-fi horror, will keep you guessing until the end. Creative level design allows you to switch gravity to the walls and ceiling, which will either have you giggling gleefully or wondering if there's an herbal, Native American equivalent of Dramamine.
Despite its innovations, Prey falls just short of greatness. As cool as it is to rip the legs off alien bugs and hurl the explosive insects at enemies, eventually the novelty wears off, and you realize they're still just grenades. And whether you're crawling down a corridor's walls or ceilings, it doesn't change the fact that it's just another first-person corridor crawl. But as Xbox 360 shooters go, you can't do much better.
CHROMEHOUNDS by SEGA (2.5 stars)
Platform: Xbox360.
Rated: T.
This game allows you to spend hours painstakingly customizing your mech until you feel confident that you have, hands down, the most badass war machine ever created. Then you put it on the battlefield and realize it's too heavy to move. In spite of how powerful you make these hulking monstrosities, their sluggish pace will ensure that you're ready to quit before you even reach enemy lines.
OVER G FIGHTERS by UBISOFT (2 stars)
Platform: Xbox360.
Rated: T.
Lock missiles, fire, repeat. Dogfighting is that simple in Over G Fighters, although your whiny wingman tries to convince you otherwise by constantly begging for help. Plus, the graphics are remarkably bland for a full-priced Xbox 360 title. The planes look good, but you'll have reduced them to smoking meteorites before you're ever close enough to see them.
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST by BUENA VISTA (2 stars)
Platform: PlayStation Portable.
Rated: T.
The record-breaking blockbuster has finally received its official video game tie-in, and you'd be better off burying your hard-earned booty on a desert island than spending it on this frustrating mess. The graphics are almost good enough for you to see Captain Jack's mascara, but the bizarre control scheme suggests the programmers indulged in a few bottles of rum before they designed the fighting.