Wizards of Waverly Place

Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds takes you headfirst into the adventures of Sunnydale's own group of heroes!

Once upon a time there was a small, peaceful island protected by the crystals of fire, earth, water and light. On this island lived a white mage named Shirma, a black mage named Croma and a farm full of cheerful chocobos.

Just when it looked like everybody was going to live happily ever after, Croma bought back a mysterious book from his latest journey. Without thinking twice, he opened the dark tome and inadvertently invited misfortune upon the island. Every nearby chocobo was sucked into the magical pages of the wicked book. Unbeknownst to all, Darkmaster Bebuzzu, who had once laid waste to nearly the entire world, had been sealed inside the pages of the book. Luckily for the good guys, his strength was not fully restored… at least, not yet.

You will take the role of an unlikely hero, a chocobo, who must rescue his friends while stopping Darkmaster Bebuzzu from regaining his lexicon of devastating powers.

This is one of those games that, while it fails to knock your socks off, is thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. Playing as the anatomically improbable Katarina, you roam the sea in a variety of boats and travel by foot over islands filled with forts, monkeys, and pirates. The game includes a story about a secret birthright, a one-eyed bad guy, and some handsome dude whom I call Marquis de la Moustache--you can fill in the blanks. All you really need to know is that you have to wander around collecting stuff and killing giant crabs. This turns out to be surprisingly pleasant, in no small part because of the heroic soundtrack. Dispatching enemies to the sounds of swelling strings and resounding brass is guaranteed to make you feel spiffy. It's like starring in an expertly crafted B movie.

Pirates: The Legend of Black Kat is in fact surprisingly fun given that none of its component parts are all that impressive. The graphics are nothing to write home about, the combat system is ordinary, the characters generic. But everything about the game, even its standard-issue story, has an earnest, irresistible charm. Though there are plenty of battles, the vibe of the game is gentle. After all the bloody, "edgy" games we have seen lately (and believe me, the deluge of blood and edginess has barely begun), there is something refreshingly old-fashioned about a game whose vanquished characters disappear in a discreet poof. With a straight face, the game asks you to collect magic seashells, travel through magic portals, and talk to birdies. I almost found myself looking around for My Little Pony.

The only really annoying thing is Katarina's inability to walk uphill. Here's a woman who can dispatch three pirates simultaneously while doing a backflip, but who can't walk up the gentlest grassy incline. Ascend more than a few feet, and Katrina slides down like a snowboarder. She looks darn sporty doing it, but when you're trying to investigate a burning mansion or some other interesting feature, it's very frustrating.

This game is a good time, even if your socks are still on when you finish. 

Tailored for hard-core gamers, Genma Onimusha is an enhanced version of the award-winning Onimusha Warlords and the ultimate action-packed adventure title to own on the Xbox.
The game takes place long ago in the days of darkness and magic. Strange things are occurring in a hillside castle surrounded by the warring chaos of power-hungry warlords. People are disappearing and the noble Princess Yuki fears for her future. One lone swordsman, Samanosuke, heeds the princess's call for help and rushes to her side, only to find she has mysteriously vanished. Outside the fortress walls, enemy troops are attacking the castle and now Samanosuke must stand by his vow to avenge the princess and defeat legions of demon warriors.