Board games are always a source of argument and enjoyment during the holidays, especially Christmas. Hasbro Family Game Night brings in 6 classic games on one disc, but can it do enough to stop your family from bringing out the original board games out?

First of all, let’s look at the list of the games that Hasbro Family Game Night offers:

Connect 4
Battleship
Yahtzee
Boggle
Sorry!
Sorry! Sliders

The first 3 are games that I have had much pleasure playing over the years as a child and playing them again did bring back memories of better days. The games are much better to play with friends and family than against the AI which can be quite tricky to beat, even in a game of Connect 4. I was always a wizard at it then I played a few games of it on this and lost a few games which made me livid. I can imagine younger gamers losing their patience with it too, so just be cautious!

Overall, it’s a good mixture of games. Although shaking the Wii Remote to roll the dice in Yahtzee doesn’t feel as good as the real thing, it can save a small rainforest thanks to it eliminating the need for paper to write your scores down on. It would have been nice to have a few more games like Scrabble, which thanks to the lack of online support on the Wii makes it impossible to do. Having no online really hurts the game, I know they think that the game has this whole “family” feel to it, but it would have been nice to play other people other than them. It seems like another missed opportunity, which is a real shame. I can see the potential of the game, but it lacks the charm of the board games themselves.

Visually, the game is quite basic to look at. It’s not the worst looking Wii game but doesn’t push the hardware as far as it could easily have. I’m also confused why Mr Potato Head seems to be the game’s mascot, sure it appeals to the kids but not to the whole family. Which brings me to the game’s main fault, I can see it selling really well…but I can’t see it replacing the board games during the holidays, which eliminates the whole point of what they were trying to do.

What could they have done for that to happen? Perhaps offer a few more games? Have online included? Having said all that, I still enjoyed the game…I just can’t see myself or other families playing it during Christmas. I also wonder why the team decide to release the game only on PS2 and Wii. It could have benefited from some nice HD visuals and online courtesy of the PS3 and 360, even if it just turned up on XBLA/PSN.

Not all games will be for everyone. I personally like Yahtzee but hate Battleship, while someone else might feel the exact opposite. The good news is that there’s something for almost everyone here. Although I can’t help thinking that the game really needed Scrabble to make the collection complete, maybe even giving it an edge over the actual game.

Sound quality is pretty average, it’s nothing much to write home about. The controls for each game are fairly simple, although the game does have a tendency to pop up instructions when you don’t want it to. Like if you are thinking where to place a chip in Connect 4 or where to place a ship in Battleship, then you get some awkward pop up. It ruins the experience somewhat.

The Verdict

Hasbro Family Game Night won’t set your house on fire this holiday, but it does have some classic games that are fun to play. The lack of Scrabble and online hurts the game as a whole, but you probably won’t find a much better collection of board games on one disc this year.

Filed Under: reviews
Tagged: family game night, hasbro, ps2, wii

Halo 3 Recon Now Becomes Halo 3 ODST

November 26, 2008 by Adam Waddilove · Leave a Comment

The upcoming Bungie project formerly known as “Halo 3 : Recon” will now be known as “Halo 3 : ODST.”

If you recall, this is our recently announced stand-alone extension to Halo 3 that features an all new campaign played from the perspective of an ODST in the heart of a Covenant occupied New Mombasa. In addition to sleuthing around the city and piecing together the details surrounding your squad’s whereabouts, the game will also include some new Halo 3 multiplayer content as well as one or two unrevealed surprises when it’s released next Fall.

This new title is a more straightforward account of the experience that awaits and the role you will assume as you explore the streets of New Mombasa. But don’t worry, you can still has Recon. (the armor that is, it’s still tied to the Vidmaster achievements and will be accessible via the final retail release next Fall).

“ODST” (literally pronounced “Oh-Dee-Ess-Tee” and not “ohdst”) is the acronym for “Orbital Drop Shock Trooper.” This special forces branch of the UNSC military force is called into action for highly specialized, small scale operations. ODST units were deployed during portions of the Halo 2 and Halo 3 campaign and have also been featured in some of the Halo novels.

Filed Under: news
Tagged: Halo, Halo 3, Halo 3 ODST, Halo 3 Recon, xbox 360

Fallout 3 PC/360 DLC Details

November 26, 2008 by Adam Waddilove · Leave a Comment

—-Galaxy News Radio Alert! —-

Journey further into the award-winning world of “Fallout 3” with Operation: Anchorage; coming exclusively to Xbox LIVE and Games for Windows – LIVE

—-Galaxy News Radio Alert! —-

Already a worldwide best-seller and critical darling, Bethesda Softworks’ “Fallout 3” has raised the bar with its vividly-realized world. Now, hot on the heels of the revolutionary New Xbox Experience and Games for Windows – LIVE launches, Bethesda will release the first of three “Fallout 3” downloadable content packs exclusively on Microsoft’s gaming platforms. Commencing in January, Operation: Anchorage adds a brand new dimension to the critically acclaimed RPG, as players enter a unique military simulation to liberate the city of Anchorage in one of the seminal battles of Fallout lore.

Operation: Anchorage will be followed closely by two additional episodes, The Pitt and Broken Steel, adding new quests, landscapes, enemies and more to the vast Fallout universe. Beginning in January, the full “Fallout 3” experience will only be available via the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the brand new Games for Windows – LIVE Marketplace.

Filed Under: news
Tagged: fallout 3, games for windows, pc, ps3, xbox 360