Strategy & Sim Video Games

The sixth full title in the original play-along rock & roll series, Warriors of Rock takes Guitar Hero virtual virtuosos on a journey of metal-inspired fantasy. In the game's Quest mode, players lead eight individual characters to transform into heroic warriors, in a realm of studded black leather and dark gothic undertones. Characters use their individual special abilities to complete rock performance challenges and move the story forward, toward an ultimate battle that will determine the fate of the Demigod of Rock, and indeed, rock & roll itself.

Warriors of Rock hits retail shelves with the largest out-of-the-box playlist yet in the Guitar Hero series, boasting a total of more than 90 tracks from artists including Black Sabbath, Kiss, Megadeth, Anthrax, Def Leppard, and Soundgarden. Hits by artists such as Dire Straits, The Cure, Queen, and The Rolling Stones are also featured. A Quickplay option allows players instant access to the Rock Warrior characters' special powers, outside of the Quest campaign, and players can perform any combination of guitar, bass, drums, and vocals, in Party Play and other familiar Guitar Hero modes.

The initial retail release of the PS3 version of the game is also available in an edition bundled with a hard-rock themed guitar controller, or in a "Complete" edition that includes a microphone and guitar, bass, and drum controllers. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Set during World War II, R.U.S.E. is a real-time strategy game that emphasizes gaining the upper hand through deception rather than brute force. This is accomplished by playing "ruse cards" earned during the course of battle. Among the available ruses are camouflaged troops, decoy units, radio silence, and spies that can reveal unidentified units. Up to eight players can engage in skirmishes online as one of six factions: United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italia, France, and U.S.S.R. Each faction offers a distinct set of units and areas of strength, such as Britain's air superiority or Germany's armored vehicle prowess. A single-player campaign is included, and online games feature such customizable settings as the year of engagement (1939 to 1945), victory conditions, number of available ruses, and more. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Sony's EyePet game stars a monkey-like virtual companion who has big eyes, a button nose, and a soft coat of fuzzy fur. The little EyePet creature appears in an onscreen image of the player's own living room space, as captured by the PlayStation Eye camera. Similar to earlier virtual pet games, such as Sega's Seaman or the DS' Nintendogs, EyePet presents opportunities to feed, clean, train, and bond with the creature, and through the PlayStation Move motion-control accessory system -- which is required for play -- the game offers unprecedented possibilities for hands-on interaction. The virtual pet can play with real-world objects it sees in the room, and players can stroke, scratch, tickle, or poke the creature by wiggling their fingers in view of the camera. With simple hand commands, the EyePet can be encouraged to run and jump about.

Gamers can also create virtual objects for the pet to play with in the game, such as toys or miniature vehicles, by drawing them on a sheet of paper and then holding them up for the camera to view. Alternatively, players can draw symbols and shapes on the television screen by tracing them in air with the PlayStation Move Navigation Controller, and the pet will try to reproduce them on his own virtual pad of paper. Other onscreen-only objects can also be called up and used to care for the EyePet, such as a handheld shower for bathing, and a dish and food container for feeding. As the creature develops, players gain access to new outfits and hairstyles for it to wear. For gamers with compatible televisions and viewing glasses, EyePet can be played with full stereoscopic Blu-ray 3D effects. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

The sequel to 2009's arcade-style flight combat game, H.A.W.X. 2 has you piloting advanced fighter jets and other experimental aircraft while engaging in dogfights, embarking on nighttime bombing runs, and deploying UAVs to track targets. New to this version is the ability to take off and land on bases and carriers as well as refuel in mid-flight. Missions take place in Moscow, the Persian Gulf, the Arctic Circle, and the Indian Ocean. In an attempt to make each locale visually authentic, the developers used high-resolution satellite imagery to reconstruct the environments.

As part of an elite squadron specializing in black ops and surgical interventions, you'll follow the perspectives of pilots from three forces: American, British, and Russian. Among the featured aircraft are the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, Su-37 Terminator, Eurofighter Typhoon, F-117 Nighthawk, F-14A Tomcat, and the AC-130U Spooky. UAVs can also be flown to identify enemies, record conversations, and perform similar surveillance operations. While progressing through the campaign, you'll fly over mountains, deserts, coastal regions, and actual cities to complete mission objectives. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Disney Sing It: Family Hits is a karaoke video game featuring 30 songs from Disney films and shows. Players sing along as music videos and movie footage, including scenes from The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Toy Story, and Cars, play full-screen in the background. Up to eight may play at once, passing the microphone around to take turns. The game's "Encore" mode allows players to record their performances and play them back, just as they were sung or with special audio effects added to the voice track. Actress and singer Anika Noni Rose, who played Tiana in The Princess and the Frog, hosts a section of special training exercises to help players warm up their vocal chords. Disney Sing It: Family Hits requires a PS3-compatible microphone for play. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

The influential punk-pop rock band Green Day goes interactive, with a dedicated release in MTV Games' successful play-along franchise. The game features the band's three core members, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool, in virtual form, on stage at various venues important to the trio's storied career history. As in earlier editions of Rock Band, players can jam with the instrument of their choice, and the Green Day edition supports three-part vocal harmonies specific to the band's music. There are 47 playable Green Day songs on the disc, including "American Idiot," "Brain Stew/Jaded," "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," "Hitchin' a Ride," and "Wake Me Up When September Ends." ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Activision's third band-centric Guitar Hero release follows rock group Van Halen during its formative years with David Lee Roth as lead singer, but without original bassist Michael Anthony. As with previous titles focusing on Aerosmith and Metallica, Guitar Hero: Van Halen features 3D modeled versions of each band member as well as signature-style moves, clothing, and instruments from the past and present. Complete a solo tour on bass, guitar, drums, or vocals, or team up with up to three friends for the full band experience. In addition to Van Halen's biggest hits, 19 songs from such artists as Queen, Weezer, blink-182, the Offspring, and Queens of the Stone Age are included. Among the 25 featured songs from Van Halen are "Jump," "Hot for Teacher," "Panama," "Little Guitars," "Cathedral," "Spanish Fly," and "Eruption." ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Assemble a band, brick by colorful brick, in this family friendly version of Harmonix Music's popular rhythm series. Featuring the same level of customization and whimsical humor found in previous LEGO video games, LEGO Rock Band lets you create your own band members, roadies, and even managers from a variety of individual parts. Completing songs and rock power challenges earn you studs that can be used to unlock additional venues, characters, instruments, vehicles, and items for your personal "rock den." Challenges involve achieving such offbeat feats as summoning storms, demolishing skyscrapers, and defeating a giant octopus with the power of music.

As with earlier entries in the Rock Band series, gameplay involves using supported guitar, microphone, and/or drum peripherals to rhythmically follow a series of cascading, color-coordinated notes. A total of 45 songs are included on the disc, all performed by the original artists. Tracks include "Crocodile Rock," "Ghostbusters," "Summer of 69," "So What," "I Want You Back," "Free Fallin," and more. Owners can also download other songs designed for the Rock Band series as well as export the LEGO Rock Band track list to Rock Band 2 for use in all game modes. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Although guitar heroics often take the lead in modern popular music, rock & roll has always been a group activity, and Activision's Band Hero aims to gets the whole crew into the act. As its title proclaims, the continuation of the genre-founding Guitar Hero series sets center stage for the whole band -- drummers and vocalists as well as lead and bass guitarists -- and is designed to let gamers play along with a diverse selection of contemporary and classic rock and pop songs, using their favorite instruments in their own style. To keep the focus on fun, Band Hero offers "No Fail" gameplay modes for instrumentalists, and a "Sing-Along" mode for karaoke-style parties, allowing players to open up and express themselves, without worrying about keeping up with progressions or scoring points. The game's "Party Play" mode allows players to drop in and out of a song at will, as the music keeps playing.

Hardcore console rockers looking for a challenge can still find it, in the game's more traditional modes of play. Bands can battle in "Rockfest" competitive modes such as "Elimination," "Do or Die," "Perfectionist," and "Pro Face Off," that can be played with up to four others on the same console, or as many as eight over an online connection. For veteran guitar heroes, the game is also compatible with previously available Guitar Hero content, with updates that allow players to perform any instrument part and take advantage of new Band Hero features with many of the earlier downloadable songs from the Guitar Hero: World Tour edition of the game. Also building upon the series' World Tour release, the high-def console editions of Band Hero include a fully featured "GHTM Studio," allowing players to remix with new samples, patterns, and playing styles.

The console disc edition of Band Hero offers more than 65 popular songs. Top-selling country crossover star Taylor Swift is prominently featured in the game, with the inclusion of three songs from her first two original albums, and the artist's performances were motion-captured to bring her in-game persona realistically to life. Guitarist and singer Adam Levine of Maroon 5 was motion-captured, as well, for his appearance in the game as a playable character. Band Hero's play-along soundtrack also includes timeless tracks such as David Bowie's "Let's Dance," Devo's "Whip It," the Jackson 5's "ABC," "Mr. Roboto" from Styx, and original hit singles from a diverse selection of artists, including Aly and AJ, Cheap Trick, Fall Out Boy, the Go-Gos, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Roy Orbison, Tonic, the Village People, and many others. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

The first video game based on the Bakugan license combines the action of the collectible card game with a storyline penned by writers of the animated series. Players will engage rivals in a series of battles to develop their unseasoned Bakugan brawler into a fierce competitor. The action first involves throwing Bakugan cards onto the ground before tossing a Bakugan ball toward them. When two balls land on the same card, they will transform into powerful monsters that will fight over the card. Bakugan Battle Brawlers offers an assortment of distinctive battle arenas, featuring various shapes, sizes, traps, and other distinguishing elements. Forty Bakugan are available to collect and defeat, with hundreds of cards included to fine-tune strategies. Battle the computer or challenge friends to a multiplayer match with custom rules. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide