5. Tripods (War of the Worlds)

To be honest this spot almost went to the Daleks from Dr. Who. But as I reassessed the #5 spot I decided to go with the Tripods. In Speilberg’s War of the Worlds these things are just brutal. Buried within the Earth and driven by an alien force that shows up in lightning storms. Their destructive power is showcased in an awesome moment when people try and investigate what’s happening. The theme of our own history with the Native Americans is another tremendous aspect to these ETs.  Aesthetically they are a pretty cool piece of alien technology that actually mirrors their physical appearance. The Tripods are a very ruthless, but very enjoyable extra terrestrial experience.

4. The Strangers (Dark City)

The Strangers are a very vampire-esque alien species.  In Dark City they create this total noir environment that really makes an impression, and puts them on this list. Their whole mission of human manipulation and study as their driving force just makes them so fun to watch. The fact that they are parasites just adds to the whole vampire aspect of them. They are ever present and all powerful and a great alien villain.

3. Zabrak  (Star Wars)

This species gave us Darth Maul and Savage Opress, that’s almost enough said right there. My reason for liking them is mainly these two characters. Darth Maul is basically everyone’s favorite part of Episode I (if not please let me know what else there is to like about that movie). He is a fast, furious lightsaberist who just flat out looks remarkable. Sure, he went out like a punk, but putting that aside he is still one of the coolest things to happen to Star Wars. Then you have Savage Opress. If you aren’t watching Clone Wars right now, you should be (it’s rad). This new character makes a good show even better. Honestly if a 3rd cool Zabrak character shows up, I may have a stroke.

2. Timelords (Doctor Who)

Sure they just look like normal dudes. They have two hearts and that’s about all that physically distinguishes them from humans. But the last of their species, the Doctor, has something that is so cool. The TARDIS. Being able to travel in time and space makes the timelords an easy number two for my list. They are able to see and do things other aliens can’t even dream of. On top of that, they regenerate. With each regeneration comes a new face, a new personality.. a new person! This makes for a lot of good television to watch as each doctor has his adventures with his human companion.

1. Krogan (Mass Effect)

The Krogan in the Mass Effect series are the end all be all of alien warriors. Living on a planet where predators are a constant threat, as well as the major cause of death, the Krogan embrace violence as a way of life. These reptilian looking aliens are hostile and impatient, but man when you have one on your side in Mass Effect, you are happy to have him. Their culture and mannerisms are very well developed for a video game species.  Whether it’s Wrex or Grunt, it’s great to have them in your shore party any chance you get. If you haven’t played these games yet your missing out on a ton, not least of which is a chance to experience these astounding alien behemoths of combat.

To start I love love this game.  As a fan of the cartoon and half of the movies released for this franchise I was destined to be a fan of a TF game that didn’t remotely suck. I bought the game without hesitation after reading two reviews. But now that I have beaten the campaign and played mulitplayer a bit I have found myself weighing in the pros and cons of keeping this game.

The game has a great, albeit short, campaign. With fan service abound, the story is engaging and giving history to some of our oldest and fondest Autobot and Decepticon relationships. I mean the robotic bromance between Megatron and Starscream was enough for me.  It was a great way to back and tell a story that we have never seen before. The cybertronian designs for ALL the characters is awesome but I especially love what they did with Bumblebee and Ironhide. Honestly I go on for a while about how great the campaign is but with no leveling system to the characters or their abilities there isn’t much reason to back for more. One good reason to go back for more is that each level has three playable characters, so you could essentially play the game a second (or third) time and play as a totally different character. You also have a co-op campaign option so you can play together and discover Transformer history. There isn’t much gameplay change between the different characters but it is a re-playable factor to the campaign so I can’t discredit it.

The multiplayer on the other hand is a bit more hearty. Now mind there is no Halo or COD fanfare here but there is a decent amount to keep a little Autopal or Deciptidude busy.  With four classes to choose from I actually have trouble picking a class sometimes. Each offers a pretty distinct set of combat advantages and weaknesses that all balance pretty well. On top of that there is a leveling system that gives you access to more abilities for you character. These keeps things interesting and the player invested long enough to keep playing. A limited customization to your online character doesn’t hurt either. The online modes are quite a bit of fun, the theme is definitely simple fun over complicated mechanics. You have the basics suite of game modes that includes a well put together and addicting firefight mode. This game hasn’t been ignored by it’s developer either with two download content packages that include new maps and character chassis. All in all it is a great online option for this third person shooter.

The verdict: Keep It

While this may not be an RPG with 80 hours of gameplay or a shooter with a ridiculous amount of multiplayer content, this game is fun. Couple a fun game with a limitedly re-playable campaign and a solid B+ multiplayer suite and you have a game worth keeping around for a while. If there is more content on the way then there is an even more reason to keep this game. And it’s a GOOD Transformers game, for a fan, that is enough said.

5. Shadow Complex (Xbox Live) - First off I’m not going to categorize my top five. So yes, number five is a DLC game. And one of the best download games I have ever played with a mixture of Indian Jones, Metroid, and Science fiction with some political intrigue in the backround.  Fun story and unique enough weapons and gameplay make this game stand out. If you haven’t yet played, this side scrolling adventure is worth your time.

4. Halo 3: ODST (Xbox 360) - My favorite Halo game to date (coming from a Halo fanboy). Scepticism was brushed aside the minute this game came out of the plastic and into my Xbox. With a decent story, gorgeous visuals, amazing soundtrack, and an all new and very fun gameplay scheme, this game gave me plenty of enjoyment.  Throw in firefight with some friends and most Halo fans have enough goodies…But wait! You say I get the entire multiplayer of Halo 3 with new maps on a second disc? Great damn game.

3. Resistance: Retribution (Sony PSP) - Hands down one of the best titles to hit my little black oval. I have never considered myself a fan of this franchise but this game gave me everything a handheld title should. Fun shooting layout, good visuals, and tons and tons of new and old Chimera (baddies) to kill. This game was a blast to play from title screen to end credits and when push comes to shove that’s all you should be asking for.  Make it unique and fun enough, like this game here, and you make my number three spot on my not so coveted top 5.

2. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (Nintendo DS) - Well what can I say? It’s been a while since I’ve swung a keyblade but hey, It’s like riding a bike. And like that old companion rusting away in the garage, Kingdom Hearts was a joy to pick up and play again. Albeit on a new platform and with other characters but the metaphor stands.  The fusion of Final Fantasy and Disney holds true here as you explore Disney worlds and fight off the Heartless.  Though no RPG is quite like this franchise the DS does have a few options when it comes to fans of that genre. But the new unique leveling up system and a fun, though slightly esoteric, story make this game one for books. If you like Kingdom Hearts one or two you can bet your Genie Lamp you will like this one.

1. Batman: Arkham Asylum (Playstation 3) – There simply isn’t enough that can be said about this game.  It makes you feel like you’re controlling Batman. Between grappling up on a seven story building or kicking the crap out of seven thugs simultaneously you just feel like you’re hiding that your last name is Wayne.  Then you have this story that seems to come right out of the animated series, where most of us fell in love with the Caped Crusader. Then you have tech abilities that give the game even further dimension. Combat is slightly repetitive but this game comes across in how great it is presented.  The eye candy never dips so you always feel in the moment as Batman.  And there is plenty to see and do to keep the scourge of the Gotham underworld busy.  If someone told you you’d like this game they were probably right.  The best game of the year should go to the best all around experience and this, Gothomites, is it.

If you’re a fan of Star Wars-esque RPG fun , then you should be playing Mass Effect and excited as all hell for the Sequel.

For those of you who have played Mass Effect, you have no doubt noticed some Star Wars-esque elements to the game. Especially in the art design. And there is no shame in this, a lot of great games pull from amazing film and franchise elements.  For those who haven’t (and if you call yourself a Star Wars fan) at LEAST rent Mass Effect and play it for a while. The character charm and the intense pull and believability this universe has will entrance you. As well as an RPG that makes a lot of must own lists. Hopefully you will find yourself playing and wonder, “Where did the last four hours go?”

The strength of the game is in the gameplay mechanic, but the story is no slouch.  An action style shooter where you level up you and your teams abilities varying from your health and weapon proficiency to biotic (force) abilities. Meanwhile the story is pulling you through several galaxies as you unravel one of the coolest video game plots in history.  The characters are fun to talk to and side quests for some delve further into their already rich histories.  And here you will see more Star Wars similarities in the look and feel of certain alien species.  Playing through this game multiple times is a must in order to take advantage of multiple class choices and story arcs.  And for those returning please don’t play a soldier again, there are way funner classes.  The Vanguard and Infiltrator classes are two great choices.

In short how great the first one is plays in to how excited one can be for the sequel. Story and character based decisions will play over, so you will have a seamless and movie like video game experience.  They have improved the classes (yet another reason not to play a boring soldier class).  And the scale of the game has been turned up a notch, with a large roster of characters both returning and new, as well as a much larger section of universe to explore.  If you have yet to enjoy this wonderful game, then you have just under two weeks to take in it’s beauty before the sequel takes you on another unforgettable ride.