The new "Bionic Commando" continues the story begun in the Nintendo Entertainment System game of the 1980s and last year's stellar remake, "Bionic Commando: Rearmed." As it goes, after rescuing the captured Joseph "Super Joe" Gibson and defeating a fascist empire, Nathan "Rad" Spencer is set up for a fall, stripped of his bionic arm and thrown in jail to await execution.

But before the sentence can be carried out, Ascension City is destroyed in an attack by remnants of the empire and their bionic cohorts, a group calling itself BioReign.

Spencer is the only man capable of taking them on, or else we wouldn't have much of a game. So Super Joe springs him from the brig for one more mission.

The game tries its best to evoke the style of the 2-D games while reinventing the franchise for modern consoles, but it doesn't quite pull it off – especially disappointing because this update comes from the developer that made "Rearmed."

Part of the problem lies in the structure of the new game. "Rearmed" was arranged so players could revisit conquered levels at will and explore them for new upgrades and hidden weapons, but "Bionic Commando" is pretty much linear. Players can collect little icons in each stage and select levels for free play from a menu, but the first game's area-selection map and its encounters with enemy patrols are gone.

The levels themselves look like they'd be wide-open, but they're riddled with water-filled pits and irradiated areas that Spencer can't survive – these serve to keep the area of play rather firmly restricted.

As before, Spencer uses his arm's grappling feature to reach out and grab surfaces to swing from, but the control doesn't feel as reliable as in the previous game – kind of a problem when certain death often waits below.

But Spencer has some cool new moves with his arm. He can latch onto enemies and zip into them with a kick, punch heavy debris into the air and spike it at enemies, and with a full adrenaline gauge, he can whip the claw around in a circle, among other maneuvers.

His claw is his most reliable weapon, actually. His various guns have limited ammunition, and while their capacity can be expanded and their power and accuracy increased by completing in-game challenges, they're not always as useful as a forklift thrown into a crowd of BioReign soldiers.

The game includes a handful of online modes, including team and free-for-all death matches and capture the flag – all played with grappling arms, naturally.

PICKS AND PANS

Klonoa

3 1/2 stars

"Klonoa," a remake of a PlayStation game from 1998, is a pretty piece of work and one of the best platform games on the Wii – and that includes the classics available on the Virtual Console.

The original game's sprites on 3-D backgrounds have been replaced by a full 3-D treatment with a charming, old-school feel.

The game play is strictly 2-D in Klonoa's journey to stop an evil lord. The levels twist and turn into themselves and are riddled with split pathways and switchbacks, but the action is always centered on Klonoa, and part of the fun is figuring out how he can get to a seemingly out-of-reach area within the strictures of a left-to-right platformer.

Klonoa has a fairly simple set of moves: He can jump and glide; grab enemies and throw them as an attack, or to bust open item capsules, or to give himself a jumping boost; and summon a whirlwind to slow down foes.

Nintendo Wii; $29.99 • Age rating: 10-plus

Avalon Code

2 1/2 stars

The world is nearing its end, but one will be chosen to use the mystical Book of Prophecy to record those parts of the old world worth keeping, so they may be reborn in the new one.

In the action-RPG "Avalon Code," the player is that chosen one. When the book is used to strike an object or person, it scans attributes and represents them as bits of code on a grid – a character may have the code for forest or lightning or justice in their nature, and the player may remove or replace these at will, even when far from the source.

Adding a fire attribute to one of the chosen one's swords can make him stronger, while adding an illness to the goblin enemy type will weaken all goblins. But using the book is a bit of a pain. Creating a desired effect involves paging through entries to find the right bits of code and transferring them to the intended target, a tedious process.

Nintendo DS; $29.99 • Age rating: 10-plus

Fallout 3: Broken Steel

3 1/2 stars

The third downloadable add-on for "Fallout 3" adds a set of new quests and several new weapons, enemies and other items to the base game. The quests mainly revolve around the Brotherhood of Steel's struggles with D.C.-area Enclave forces.

But "Broken Steel" does more than that. It rewrites the ending to allow players to continue beyond the activation of Project Purity and see its water-cleansing effects, which differ depending on choices made in the original end game.

More importantly, it increases the game's level cap from 20 to 30, adding numerous new Perks as well, such as one that generates a new dog if the player's companion Dogmeat dies. The previous two downloadable expansions are good, but this one's pretty much essential for a "Fallout 3" fan.

Microsoft Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade download), also for PC; $10 (800 Microsoft Points) • Age rating: Mature

– Justin Hoeger

X-Men Origins: Wolverine - Uncaged Edition

"LocoRoco 2" and "Patapon 2" are ideal sequels. Both are instantly playable for anyone who spent time with the original games, and both add a number of new features into the mix without losing what made the games work in the first place.

"Patapon 2," a continuation of the first game's story about cute little eyeball-shaped warriors trying to find a new homeland, remains a quirky mixture of strategy game and rhythm challenge.

With the aid of several drums represented by the PSP's four face buttons, players command their army of Patapons to advance, attack, defend and so on by punching in four-beat combinations in time with each level's music. Against lesser enemies, it's often enough to simply attack and defend until they die before moving on, but against more ferocious foes, it's necessary to carefully time the different commands to best avoid and defend against their attacks while dealing as much damage as possible.

Several new varieties of Patapon warrior can be found to join in the fight alongside the original fighters, such as the Robopons, who punch and throw stones; the flying Toripon; and the magic-wielding Mahopon.

Players can customize several units of Patapon warriors, and can arm and advance each individual warrior through a tree of upgrades by spending items gathered in battle.

Finally, the tribe gains a powerful new ally, the Heropon, who can come back to life in the midst of battle when killed, take on the role of any available Patapon class and summon a hero spirit to add extra punch to his attacks.

The game also offers a local multiplayer mode in which each player controls a hero as the group tries to carry an egg to the end of the stage and hatch it for a reward of items. This mode also can be played solo, with one hero controlled by the player and the others by the computer.

"Patapon 2" is being used as something of a test run for downloadable PSP games. Players can either download it from the online PlayStation Store or buy a retail box with a manual and a voucher code for the download.

Like "Patapon 2," the super-cute "LocoRoco 2" is true to its core. Players use the shoulder buttons to tilt the onscreen environment left and right, allowing a happy little blob creature to roll either way. The LocoRoco blob also can jump, grow larger by eating special berries, and split into numerous smaller selves to go through small passages or sing and re-form at will.

Various mini-games add some variety to the game play, and a purple LocoRoco joins the original six. The bottom line for both games is that anyone who enjoyed the originals will enjoy these sequels – neither tries to fix what wasn't broken.

PICKS AND PANS

X-Men Origins: Wolverine – Uncaged Edition

3 stars

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" has the good sense to crib from "God of War," the current king of hack-and-slash action games, and not just for its gore. (The mutant's metal claws actually do what one would expect in this game.)

The game play is combo-based, with the player stringing together weak and strong attacks, long-distance pounces, throws and special "rage" techniques against scores of lesser foes and occasional greater ones, such as Wolverine's nasty half-brother, Sabertooth. Wolverine increases in power as he kills foes, and players can purchase new skills for him and augment his powers.

Wolverine's regenerative powers make him very difficult to kill, and the bloody action is fast-paced, fun and extremely violent. The choppy narrative is largely told by story scenes prone to irritating freezes and skips.

Microsoft Xbox 360, also for Sony PlayStation 3, PC; alternate versions for Sony PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 2, Nintendo Wii, DS; $59.99 ($29.99 to $59.99 for other versions) Age rating: Mature (10-plus to mature for other versions)

Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – The Director's Cut

3 stars

A point-and-click adventure game set in Paris, "Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars" makes good use of the DS stylus and touch screen to re-create the mouse-driven feel of a genre that was once a mainstay of PC gaming.

The original version of the game only had players direct American tourist George Stobbard; in this edition, the player also guides his ally, reporter Nico Collard, as the pair tries to unravel a murderous conspiracy.

The two explore their surroundings, finding clues and combining items to solve puzzles and the larger mystery. Nico's segments of the game and other additions make this version quite different from the original. The game play is confined to the lower screen, with animated scenes taking up the top one.

Nintendo DS, also for Wii; $29.99 ($49.99 for Wii) • Age rating: Teen

Halo 3 Mythic Map Pack

3 stars

The latest bundle of "Halo 3" multiplayer maps provides a couple of small battlefields and one blank-slate map designed for customization.

The first, Assembly, is a multilevel map set in a Covenant factory, its walkways and platforms oriented around a central hub structure and floor at the bottom. The Orbital map is a human space station with lots of ramps and right angles in its passages.

Finally there's Sandbox. The map consists of three separate tiers on which to build: the Sandbox ground floor, a deep pit below it called the crypt, and the skybox, a large area high above the Sandbox itself.

Microsoft Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade download); $10 (800 Microsoft Points) Age rating: Mature

– Justin Hoeger

LOCOROCO 2

PATAPON 2

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state Attorney General Jerry Brown said Wednesday they are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take a look at a lower court ruling that threw out the state's law banning the sale of violent video games to children.

Schwarzenegger signed SB 1179 into law in 2005. The act prohibited the sale or rental of violent video games to those under the age of 18. It also required violent games to be clearly labeled as such.

But the Video Software Dealers Association and Entertainment Software Association quickly filed a lawsuit challenging the law. A U.S. District Court decided in the associations' favor in 2007, on the grounds that the law violated First Amendment free speech rights. The governor appealed to the Ninth Circuit appeals court, but lost again last February.

"California's children are exposed everyday to video games that glamorize killing sprees, torture and sexual assault," Brown said in a press release. "In the face of this brutal and extreme violence, I am petitioning the Supreme Court to allow the state to enforce its reasonable ban on the sale or rental of violent video game sales to children."

Sean Bersell, vice president of the group formerly known as the Video Software Dealers Association and now called the Entertainment Merchants Association, responded that the state is wasting its money and its time.

"It boggles the mind that, on a day when the state of California finds itself in the worst fiscal crisis it has ever faced and is considering massive layoffs of teachers and cuts to public services, the state would choose to waste tens of thousands of dollars on pursuing this frivolous appeal," he said, noting that the law was found unconstitutional by two lower courts.

Two elements nearly always go hand in hand in a "Resident Evil" game: hordes of zombies and limited mobility.

The zombies have morphed from the reanimated corpses and mutants of the first several titles to the parasite-controlled thralls of "Resident Evil 4" and, now, "Resident Evil 5." The heroes of recent installments are considerably more mobile than those in the older games.

But this is no "Gears of War," with the player in charge of a comparatively nimble juggernaut. The zombies here always come in hordes, and the player usually feels too unwieldy and light on ammo to be comfortable fighting them off.

And so it is in "Resident Evil 5," which takes the battle against zombies to the fictional West African region of Kijuju. The game looks fantastic, and like the others in the series, it's gruesome and violent, so keep that in mind.

Chris Redfield, the hero of the original "Resident Evil" so many years ago, is now a member of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance, a group dedicated to eliminating bio-organic weapons – the legacy of the evil Umbrella Corp.

When Redfield arrives in Kijuju, he's partnered with fellow agent Sheva Alomar, a capable fighter who's familiar with the territory. The pair is soon marked for death by the locals, who are infected with the same mind-controlling mutant parasites that influenced the Spanish villagers in "Resident Evil 4." Redfield and Alomar remain a team as they search for a traitorous contact and encounter several important characters from the series' past. It's no accident that the game features such a capable duo: Players can join each other's games online or play in split-screen fashion at home, a first for the main series.

Unlike a shooter such as "Gears of War," the player can only aim and attack while stationary – there's no running and gunning, and zombies can come from all directions, including above.

Combining that limitation with a slightly awkward inventory system, with space for only nine items per player, makes the fight against zombies and other creatures a dicey proposition – by design, to be sure.

The game doesn't come with a competitive online mode but one can be purchased as a downloadable extra. The Versus mode costs $4.99 for the PS3 version and 400 Microsoft Points for the Xbox 360 version, and has two game types.

It's decent fun, but there are better multiplayer games out there that don't charge an extra $5 for the privilege of playing.

PICKS AND PANS

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

3 stars

With "Assault on Dark Athena," there are now as many "Chronicles of Riddick" games as there are movies – and the games have a better track record.

Once again starring Vin Diesel in the title role, "Dark Athena" sees the criminal/ survivalist/anti-hero arrive undetected aboard the mercenary ship Dark Athena. But this ship's crew is up to something other than typical merc work – the halls are patrolled by creepy cyborg drones, and the vessel appears to be attacking defenseless colonies.

The game play is a combination of stealth segments in which the tough but vulnerable Riddick skulks around and kills from the shadows, and action-oriented sequences where he's more heavily armed. The combination works well, though enemies have an annoying tendency to see behind them.

Sony PlayStation 3, also for Microsoft Xbox 360, PC; $59.99 ($49.99 for PC) • Age rating: Mature

Excitebots: Trick Racing

3 stars

"Excite Truck" was one of the more entertaining games in the Wii's early lineup, simple though it was. "Excitebots" fleshes out the concept with new features and modes.

Those include several minigames, such as bowling and darts; a racing variant in which points are scored by collecting poker hands; and online play for up to six racers. Offline multiplayer remains limited to two.

Instead of trucks, players control various robotic vehicles, each with different attributes. All work the way the previous game's trucks did – accelerate, brake and boost – with a few additions. The bots all have a mechanical arm that can grab onto poles for swinging, they can pull off midair stunts, and they can temporarily switch to a running form with the right item.

"Excitebots" comes with a Wii Wheel accessory and can be played with or without it. The game play remains fast and loose, with the new features adding to the chaos but not taking away from the fun.

Nintendo Wii; $39.99 • Age rating: Everyone

Fallout 3: The Pitt

3 1/2 stars

The second chunk of add-on content for "Fallout 3" takes players to the ruins of Pittsburgh – a place now home to slaves, their masters and those unfortunate souls who have succumbed to the degenerative disease that eventually afflicts all who live in "The Pitt" and become feral, cannibalistic Trogs.

Asked to go inside to help free the slaves, the player is stripped of accumulated equipment and set to work in the hellish remains of The Pitt's steelyards before entering into a battle arena to fight for freedom and, finally, confronting the man overseeing the slave operation.

Microsoft Xbox 360, also for PC; $10 (800 Microsoft Points) • Age rating: Mature

– Justin Hoeger

"Demigod" is nothing short of a supernatural smackdown.

The gods have cast down one of their own, and they seek a replacement from the ranks of demigods – powerful creatures that are more than mortal but less than true gods. The only way to settle the matter is trial by combat, with godhood going to the victor.

And that's about as much plot as "Demigod" has. The game is meant for the multiplayer world, much as the "Battlefield" series of shooting games is. And like them, the single-player modes are really only there as a way to practice for online battles in matches ranging from one vs. one to five vs. five.

"Demigod" was made by Gas Powered Games, which was behind the ambitious and complicated "Supreme Commander" and last year's lackluster "Space Siege." This game is on the ambitious side as well but eschews much of the complication.

The game can be found in stores or purchased online at Stardock.com; either method requires the installation of Stardock's Impulse platform.

There are eight demigods in the game in two broad categories. Two more demigods are planned as a free download. Assassins are powerful beings that work solo, bringing devastating attacks to bear against their enemies and taking tons of punishment.

Generals can summon and command small groups of minions, some from scrolls and some from their own innate abilities.

Among the assassins are the Torchbearer, a vengeful spirit who calls forth flame and ice; the Unclean Beast, a disgusting abomination who spreads disease; Regulus, a mutilated angel who snipes with his crossbow; and the game's de facto mascot, the Rook, a living, moving castle.

The generals include the Oak, an animated suit of armor who summons the spirits of the dead; the Queen of Thorns, who bends nature to her will; Sedna, a healer who rides a giant cat and commands yetis; and Lord Erebus, a vampire who raises his fallen foes as servants.

The goal of a match depends on the game type. In Conquest, it is to destroy the other team's citadel; in Fortress, it is to destroy several tough bunkers; in Slaughter, it is to kill a set count of demigods; and in Dominate, it is to control flags on the map for points, as in the "Battlefield" games.

Regardless of game type, static defenses and bonus-granting flags are in the picture, and taking out the citadel always results in victory. The game can be played in single-match skirmishes or as a tournament of eight.

PICKS AND PANS

The Godfather II

3 stars

In "The Godfather: The Game," players worked their way up to become Don of New York. In the opening scenes of "The Godfather II," that Don is killed and his second in command, Dominic, becomes the new Don – and the player's new character.

Instead of the original game's single huge city, this game is broken into several smaller ones. At any time, players can switch to "The Don's View," a map that shows the status of Dominic's criminal empire.

Most importantly, the player can bring in new blood with skills like safecracking, explosives expertise and other useful know-how that comes in handy when shutting down a racket or intimidating shopkeepers. (Despite being a Don, Dominic personally runs a lot of shady errands.) These men can be directed to guard family interests or attack rivals, or be taken along in a posse to back up Dominic when he's doing his own work. But rival crime lords have their own groups of made men who will attack the player's holdings and must be taken out in specific ways to get rid of them for good.

Sony PlayStation 3, also for Microsoft Xbox 360, PC; $59.99 ($49.99 for PC) • Age rating: Mature

Rhythm Heaven

2 1/2 stars

"Rhythm Heaven" is a wacky collection of minigames that almost exclusively use the touch screen for player input.

There are four inputs with the stylus: tapping, sustained pressure, sliding and flicking (kind of like making a quick check mark). It's a simple concept backed by charming visuals and a bizarre sense of whimsy, though some of the timing can be frustratingly tough to figure out.

The DS is held like a book, and all the action happens on the standard screen. Each minigame requires stylus inputs made to the beat of the game's music, but the timing and execution are very different from game to game. One has the player rallying pingpong balls, while in another, the goal is to mimic the sounds singers in a chorus make. Every few levels, there's a speedy remix of the previous several games.

Nintendo DS; $29.99 • Age rating: Everyone

Flock

3 stars

Players are in control of a livestock-abducting UFO in this puzzle game, which includes a map editor so players can create their own levels.

The animals – sheep, cattle, chickens and pigs – are afraid of the UFO and can be herded simply by moving it toward them. It's an inexact science, though. It's a bit like sweeping a floor: Go too fast or push too hard, and the debris will just scatter and make a bigger mess.

A certain number of livestock are required to pass a stage, and there are bonuses for getting them to the mother ship quickly.

Microsoft Xbox 360, also for Sony PlayStation 3, PC; $15 (1200 Microsoft Points) • Age rating: Everyone

– Justin Hoeger