'Mafia II'

2K Czech

2K Games

PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC

$59.99

ESRB rating: Mature

Review rating: 3.5 stars

While the original "Mafia" game was heralded as a success, it was still overshadowed by the "Grand Theft Auto" series. Nevertheless, players and critics appreciated the in-depth story line and vintage gunplay. Unfortunately, the sequel doesn't offer much else. In fact, it's so shallow that if "Mafia II" were a river, you could toss a dozen victims with concrete shoes into it and none would drown.

As the son of a poor immigrant, Vito is an Italian-American who never experienced the "easy life." When he returns to Empire City fresh from combat in WWII, he discovers that the quickest way out of poverty is to join the Mafia and live a life of crime. Ultimately, he will discover that traveling the road to becoming a "wise guy" isn't quite so wise.

Players expecting a wide-open, sandbox-style game will be disappointed because "Mafia II" is more of a traditional single-player game set in an open world. What does this mean? There are no irritating invisible walls or unnatural barriers to contend with, and players can roam the streets as they please, but there isn't anything to do in the city besides a few completely unnecessary actions like pumping gas and robbing local businesses. Talk about wasted potential!

Enemies can be taken out with hand-to-hand combat or gunplay, and a handy cover system lets players hide behind objects and pop out for quick takedowns. I really like how players can turn corners while staying in cover. Too bad enemies seem to either stay in one spot or rush the player, but I guess intelligence isn't a requirement for being a mob goon. It's not very challenging when you know what the enemy is going to do, though.

Driving has vastly improved over the original, but there's no co-op or online multiplayer in "Mafia II." Too bad, really, because I was hoping the developers would make me an offer I couldn't refuse.

'Ivy the Kiwi?'

XSEED Games

Nintendo Wii

$29.99

ESRB rating: Everyone

Review rating: 4 stars

Since most of the games on the Nintendo Wii are garbage, I appreciate titles that go beyond "wiggling the Wiimote" and actually take advantage of the motion controls. That's why I enjoy playing the delightful game "Ivy the Kiwi?" I also love the fact that the hand-drawn visuals and storybook style fill me with a childhood innocence that is hard to find as an adult.

Designed by Yuji Naka, who is a former member of the team that develops the "Sonic the Hedgehog" series, this game is full of the same type of innovation. It begins with a story that any creature can relate to: Ivy is a small bird who is in search of a mother she never knew. Along the way, she runs into many nasty natural dangers, and the player assumes the role of an all-powerful being that helps her.

Ivy herself is on autopilot and walks forward until she bumps into an object. It's up to the player to draw magical vines on the screen to create ramps or bridges that guide her in the right direction. Enemies come in the form of deadly spikes and carnivorous critters, but clever players will figure out many uses for the vines such as protective barriers or bouncing Ivy up into the air like she's on a trampoline.

Each one of the 50 levels is presented in 2-D and drawn to look like a storybook. The charming visuals remind me of various childhood stories, and Ivy herself is cute and cuddly. Everything about the games seems designed for children, but the difficulty can be quite challenging later in the game.

Split-screen multiplayer for up to four bird impersonators gives gamers even more of a reason to play "Ivy the Kiwi?"