It’d be interesting to talk to the executive who green-lit a big $200 million budgeted film “loosely” based on the Hasbro board game Battleship…especially considering it’s bombing something fierce this weekend against the mighty Avengers movie.  (We’re not that surprised – it sucks horribly.)  For that matter, we’re trying to figure out why Activision, of all people, would jump at the chance to make a game based on the movie based on the board game.  No matter – like most movie-licensed fare, it doesn’t really get anywhere.

When Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1 came out for Xbox Live and PlayStation Network a couple of years ago, it answered the prayers of dedicated fans seeking a 2D fix of their favorite hero, in favor of the forgettable 3D endeavors.  But at the same time, it didn’t quite “feel” right, with game mechanics being just a little bit off and the level design not quite being as good as the classic Genesis games.  So the developers did some tinkering and have come back with Episode 2, a game that’s much closer in nature to those classics.  But is it the ultimate Sonic experience?  Sadly, it comes up just short, but in different areas than the first game.

Ugh.  Game of Thrones.  Not the show, mind you, and certainly not A Song of Fire and Ice.  Those are high-quality works that, by all means, shouldn’t be missed, especially for the significant twists and turns.  But the game, recently released by Atlus and Cyanide Studios, leaves a lot to be desired.  It’s fallen completely flat on its face, leaving a diabolically thrilling storyline dangling in the wind because of faulty gameplay and a presentation that can’t compare to The Witcher 2 or even Kingdoms of Amalur.  With that, we’re left wondering…why didn’t someone else grab this franchise?

When Namco released the original Sniper Elite for Xbox and PlayStation 2 a while back, it enhanced the job of being a long-distance killer better than Konami’s arcade-style Silent Scope series could – especially considering the seriousness of its World War II mission.  With Sniper Elite V2, 505 Games steps in as publisher, and tells a more fleshed out tale of a US soldier running and gunning through Germany on his own terms, shooting targets from a distance – and up close when necessary – to get the job done.  It has stuff in common with the original game, but feels much more streamlined, not to mention fun.

When WarHawk released for PlayStation Network a few years back, it introduced some important new fundamentals to the multiplayer battle experience, letting teams take out one another either on the ground or in the air, using a number of well-armed vehicles.  While it was fun for networked battles, it really didn’t offer much outside of that, since there was no sign of a single player campaign.  That said, some team members behind that game have since shacked up with Lightbox Interactive to produce a sequel of sorts, and StarHawk is the result.  And as fun as the original Hawk was, this experience surpasses it.

Over the years, some fascinating games based in the Wild West have come about, featuring heroes riding tall in the saddle and wearing cowboy hats to signify that they mean business.  While some have fared better than others (like Paradox’s fascinating but limited Lead and Gold for PlayStation 3), developers have no doubt tried their darndest to capture the essence of the likes of Sergio Leone and other influences to create the best “Wild West” experience.

The PlayStation Vita.  Though it may not be everyone’s ideal handheld choice (the 3DS is out there, along with cheaper handhelds and that iPhone thing), it’s still a sleek little thing that’s well worth playing.  Sony has made quite a push with the system so far, with a number of impressive games and a few more on the way, including Resistance: Burning Skies landing at retail (and digitally) later this month.  But when it comes to games you MUST have, what are the best choices for the system?

Recently, I was given the opportunity to visit Santa Monica Studios to demo two new upcoming games. The first was a Celtic magic adventure called Sorcery exclusively designed for the Playstation Move. You play a young wizard apprentice armed with an arsenal of spells and abilities fighting through a variety of fantasy locations to free the world of evil. Using the motion controls as the on screen character’s wand via the Sony Move was actually quite fun.

When StarDrone came out for the PlayStation Network a few months back, it introduced an interesting concept that could be used with the PlayStation Move controller, one that had you directing a star-shaped drone across universal maps, collecting stars and other content while getting from point A to point B while you directed it on its journey.  Though hardly as addictive as other PSN games, it had enough moments to give the game a look.  With that, Beatshapers has brought the same experience to the PS Vita, but with touch-screen controls and a few exclusive levels for good measure.  The only question now is whether it’s enough to warrant another purchase.  Sorry, but not this time around.

Ronimo Games dodged quite a bullet with the release of Awesomenauts, as the game’s publisher, DTG, was just about ready to file for bankruptcy, throwing its release into question.  But things got worked out, and now players everywhere will be able to experience the MOBA – multiplayer online battle arena – action that awaits within.  While there are things that are hard to overlook, the situations you can get into with friends really put the “Awesome” into the game’s name.

Recently, I was lucky to partake in the very first Guild Wars 2 beta and what a thrill it was. I haven’t played the franchise before, but all I have heard were great things and it’s one of the most risking IP’s on the market. Unlike most MMO’s, Guild Wars isn’t a subscription service and depends solely on in game player purchase. Besides the subscription model, the development team at NCSOFT is making a number of key changes to the MMO format that makes it immediately intriguing.

Billy and Jimmy Lee's impact on video games has been quite impressive over the years, starting with the duo's debut in Double Dragon in arcades well over 20 years ago.  Since that time, they've starred in countless iterations for the game, including a popular NES game and, as of late, an XBLA port of the original coin-op (though it's no longer available due to rights issues).  This summer, they're on the way back to the gaming scene for yet another comeback with Double Dragon Neon, Majesco's upcoming beat-em-up for Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.  We recently caught up with Pete Rosky to chat about what to expect from this revival.