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I'd try to name a worse shooter, but nothing comes to mind.

Call of Juarez: The Cartel is the third game in the Call of Juarez series, with each game preceding it being decent, albeit with some minor problems. They have always had a western theme which made the series differ from many other shooters today, something I've appreciated. The Cartel drops the Western theme and, coincidentally, all of the fun as well. I almost felt like I was playing Dog the Bounty Hunter the video game rather than Call of Juarez. If that's not enough to dissuade you, I don't know what is.

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Why does this game remind me of Firefly?

I’m not sure what it is, but loot-based dungeon crawlers have an unbelievable ability to completely immerse me. I hate to say it, but they’re basically digital crack and I’m completely unable to put them down until I either reach the end of the game or hit the level cap. Borderlands is my latest indulgence, but it has a twist that you wouldn’t usually associate with the genre.

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The title is due on XBLA, PSN, PC, and Mac but is little more than an updated port of the old standby.

As it turns out, Counter-Strike: Source wasn't enough of an upgrade to the original Counter-Strike for Valve. Today, the company announced the latest iteration of the series, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, yet another incremental upgrade to the original formula. Coming to XBLA, PSN, and Steam for both PC and Mac in early 2012, players will be able to execute the same team-based gameplay in classic Counter-Strike maps as well as brand new ones. Additionally, new gameplay modes, matchmaking, leader boards, and other yet to be announced content will be included in the game. As of right now the only specific confirmed additions are balance tweaks and a special decoy grenade that will set off bullet sounds in an attempt to trick enemies. Gamers attending PAX Prime and London Games Festival will be able to play the latest from Valve.

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"I hear you got a bug problem, ma'am."

There's no question that die-hard Earth Defense Force fans may be a little turned off by the latest title in the series, Insect Armageddon. As something of a spin-off of the main series, the title has been developed by western studio Vicious Cycle Software, rather than the typical folks at Sandlot in Japan. In the shift to D3Publisher's western office, Earth Defense Force has seen some slight changes in an effort to build a stronger third person shooter for western players. As someone who has enjoyed the likes of 2017 and Zangeki no Reginleiv, the changes are a mix of both good and bad.

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Easily the best work of Suda51 thus far, but it’s still rough around the edges.

Shadows of the Damned is clearly Suda51 and Grasshopper Manufacture’s most polished game yet. Whether it’s due to the influence of Shinji Mikami as the creative producer or due to some maturation of Suda51’s style and execution is unclear, but the 10 hour romp through hell is chock full of style, humor, and solid gameplay that trips only slightly along the way. While Suda51’s previous titles can be a bit tough to get into for the average player, Shadows of the Damned is much more accessible and will likely appeal to a much greater audience – assuming they can tolerate the never ending onslaught of penis jokes.

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