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Painkiller: Resurrection (PC)
• Publisher: JoWood Productions
• Developer: Homegrown Games
• Release Date: September 2009
• Screenshots
• What We Saw:
Resurrection is a 19.99 expansion pack to the original game – and it serves as a standalone title. A wickedly fast-paced FPS, the game looks blazing and appropriately blood-tinged. There will be 15 chapters of content, more multiplayer maps, and an entire unlock able card system that gives your character new powers in the midst of combat.
• What We Think:
Danielle: Painkiller is a great name for a videogame – and so is the original’s tagline “Hell’s got a hitman”. Really, this looks fast and furious – if you’re a fan of the series, by all means, knock yourself out.

Pangya: Fantasy Golf (PSP)
• Publisher: Tomy
• Developer: Ntreev
• Release Date: June 23, 2009
• What We Saw:

Apparently Pangya is a big deal in Korea, but all that you need to know is that it’s Hot Shots with a wardrobe. Golfers can be customized with shirts, shorts, skirts, and all sorts of clubs that affect stats and performance, but sometimes the hardest choice is deciding whether your “sandals are a little too strappy.” If cutesy girls aren’t your thing, you could start customizing any of the 18 characters, including a demonic young hunk, a polar bear, or Uncle Bob. The nine courses range from the slightly realistic to the pits of hell, but like Hot Shots, you can expect a full golf game with all the trimmings and eight-player ad-hoc.

• What We Think:
Brian: To say that I’m not a golfer is putting it mildly. I find the sport dull, in a last-period-history-class sort of way, but the Hot Shots games were always the exception. If Pangya can recreate that goofy, free-spirited feeling, I will be more than happy to give it a try. Then again, what can Pangya offer that Hot Shots can’t? Customization. I’m a sucker for changing every detail of my character, even when I’m the only one who will ever see it, and Pangya looks like it will exceed the boundaries of adequacy and then some. Clothes and clubs are only the beginning. Even the decorative light trail that surrounds your ball on a good shot can be changed to hearts, sparkles, and numerous other flittering speckles. And honestly, any game that features a character named Uncle Bob is bound to cause a few smiles.

Parabellum (PC)
• Publisher: K2
• Developer: Acony Games
• Release Date:
• Screenshots
• What We Saw:

Here is yet another free, online FPS with MMO-like aspirations ready to invade the market, but Parabellum will strive to offer more than ranks and customization (which is overflowing) in maintaining a semi-persistent world. The theory behind campaign mode is that two forces will battle through a series of branching maps to meet their goals. Some branches will be quicker, but advantageous to the opponent, and others will be safer, longer routes. That’s only a plan at the moment, so a few rounds of traditional team deathmatch were on the menu for the day.

• What We Think:

Brian: Standing out in a crowd is a difficult task for any FPS, and even more so for the players. Parabellum has the distinction of offering more options for customizing your appearance than any game outside of City of Heroes, and Acony is always taking requests for new styles to include, for a small fee of course. Function beats fashion though, and Parabellum is shaping up to be a competent shooter. Unfortunately, not much more can be said until Campaign Mode is revealed and we see how team progression, team size, and the branching maps all balance out.

Prank Your Neighbor (DS)
• Publisher: DreamCatcher Interactive
• Developer: JoWood
• Release Date: July 2009
• What We Saw:
This is another point-and-click adventure title, but instead of static backgrounds this looks a great deal like an old LucasArts or Sierra adventure. You control a cartoony little guy who has stowed away on a cruise with his obnoxious neighbors – and your job is to use various objects in the game world to ruin his life. The flashier and more complicated your pranks, the better.
• What We Think:
Danielle: I was surprised by how fun this looks – maybe it’s a juvenile premise, but the cartoony animation and stealth/adventure gameplay looked intriguing. I could see myself taking this on an airplane trip and proudly laughing like an idiot when I accomplish something particularly obnoxious.