Lego Indiana Jones

Who would have ever thought that Lego would be making really fun video games? Not really being a Star Wars fan I played the Lego star wars game and I had a lot of fun with it. That being said my hopes were high for Indiana Jones because I enjoyed the movies as a child. The Lego games have a really fun kind of humor where they poke fun at the movie but also stay true to the plot. All of the iconic movie scenes are here and even though you know whats coming next (assuming you have seen the movies) you still want to see it because you know something silly is going to happen.

The gameplay is basically beating up Lego bad guys and then collecting a bunch of Lego pieces and completing some puzzles along the way. Collecting pieces and building stuff is lots of fun and I find it to be rewarding and it also makes you play the game over to get everything you couldn't get with the default characters. I think that makes Lego games fun and really extends the replay value of the game. Some of the puzzles are annoying and driving stuff is a pain in the rear. I found myself mostly punching bad guys instead of shooting them mostly because I think the aiming system is way off.

Multiplayer is where Lego games are the most fun. Nothing is like collecting Lego blocks and solving puzzles with a friend. That being said playing alone can be a downer sometimes. Your own screen partner is constantly dying and is mostly useless when it comes to fighting baddies. You will probably find yourself doing a puzzle and jumping a million times to get somewhere just to switch characters and the guy you were just controlling jump off the place you just spent an hour trying to get to. Read that a few times and you will understand how frustrating that can be.

The tone and overall nature of this game is playful and definitely directed toward children, although I think its suitable for any kind of gamer. You will find yourself humming along with the classic Indy themes and laughing at classic moments of the movies. Playing the game a second time with any character is fun and doesn't feel like a chore. If you enjoy Indiana Jones or Legos or even just a fun clean game then this one is for you.

Pros: A fun light hearted game

Collecting is great

Silly classic scenes

Cons: Frustrating partner A.I.

Gun wielding is wonky

Jumping is painful

From a Christian point of view this really is a great game, there is nothing to worry about here. The gun shooting is not really violent because its just Lego guys and there is no blood. Unless you have a problem with the Indiana Jones movies than you should be alright with this game. Its really easy to pick and put down, it's not necessary to invest hours and hours in this game.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Would Jesus Play This Game: Yes

Madden 2009

Let me start off by saying that I am huge fan of Madden, not as big as some but I play about 1 or 2 games a day. That being said I will try not to be biased during this review. The content in this game is great for anyone, there is no cursing, killing or zombie cheerleaders in this one. As long as you don't think that "Foolsball is the devil" you should be good letting your kids play this one.

From a gameplay standpoint this game is great. This years Madden is much faster then previous years. For the most part the controls are great, I think that the hit stick still needs some work and I dont really like the hit or miss highlight stick. Running the ball is pretty tough if your using this years new feature the "Madden I.Q." When you start the game you go through a kind of madden test to see how good you are at certain things. Lets just say that I think my 2 year old daughter could get a perfect on the rushing test. This means that your rushing offense is going to be so jacked up that it is almost impossible to get over 100 yards in a single game. I'm torn with this though, I somewhat like it because it makes it more realistic but it is also annoying because sometimes you just want to run like O.J. and feel good about yourself (pride thing I guess). Anyway for the most part gameplay here is tight.

I love the franchise mode but I'm not really sure why. Its very bare boned and limited in things you can do during the regular season and especially the off-season. But for a franchise junkie like me I can't stop playing it. On the other hand I hate the superstar feature, controlling one player is lame especially because you can not call your own plays. On-line is fun but tough and I wouldn't let my kids get on there just because of other peoples potty mouths.

Graphically this game is very nice. Animations run smooth and there are a bunch of new ones. The commentators are okay the first 5 games you hear them but after that you can pretty much quote what they will say next. The music in the game is annoying but I just like to turn off the default music and put on the NFL films music (much classier).

Pros: It's Football

Gameplay and Graphics are the tightest to date

Great for anyone

Cons: Bare bones franchise mode

Comeback A.I. is brutal

On-line weirdos

From a Christian perspective this game is harmless. The only thing to be concerned about is its addictive nature and the online wackos. Like I said in the review unless you think football is evil this game is great.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Would Jesus Play this Game: Yes