Don't call it a comeback
New 'Terminator' and Donkey Kong games released
By Sid Lipsey
CNN Headline News
'Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'
(CNN) -- Say what you want about the Terminator, but he was one persistent cyborg. In all three "Terminator" movies, that walking, talking weapon of mass destruction displayed an admirable single-mindedness that never let anything stop him -- not evil fellow Terminators, not multiple shotgun blasts, and certainly not his thick Austrian accent.
That "I'll-be-back" Terminator tenacity apparently has rubbed off on Atari. Last year, the company released a video game based on the movie "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines." That game was a commercial and critical disappointment. Now, Atari and Paradigm Entertainment are back with another "T3" game for the Xbox, GameCube and PS2 -- "Terminator 3: The Redemption."
A whole year after the "T3" movie may seem a little late for Atari to take a second crack at a "Terminator" game. But "Redemption's" creators see an inspirational precedent. "'Goldeneye' came out a full year after the movie [on which it's based]," said "Redemption" lead designer Shawn Wright about the 1997 James Bond game. "And it turned out to be the greatest game of all time."
"Redemption" may not earn classic status. But it has gained critical respect and, more important, is a lot of fun. Taking over from Arnold Schwarzenegger (who, as you may have heard, now has more important things to do), you play a Terminator from the future that time-travels back to modern-day California to protect John Connor and Kate Brewster, two twenty-somethings who are destined to lead a war against the machines trying to wipe out mankind. You square off against a female, leather-clad "Terminatrix" whose attractiveness is mitigated by her frequent attempts to kill you and your two human friends.
At first, "Redemption" is primarily a driving game that closely follows the plot of "Rise of the Machines." But about two-thirds of the way through, "Redemption" veers into an intriguing direction not seen in the movie. The Terminatrix sends the Terminator into a future in which the human race has been eradicated and machines rule the world. It is here that "Redemption" shines as a third-person shooter as you wage a one-man ... er, one-robot war against SkyNet's killing machines in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles.
Typical action games tend to rely on stealth and complicated strategy as much as gunplay. Not this game; the closest you come to stealth here is when you use a sawed-off shotgun instead of a howitzer. "Redemption" features a refreshingly uncomplicated arcade style of game play that's very much of the "shoot first, ask questions later" variety.
But while "Redemption" may be a simple game, it's not an easy one. "Redemption" has earned a well-deserved reputation for difficulty (for the first time ever, I had to use a cheat code to have any hope of completing this game before my deadline). But if you show the same perseverance in playing this game that the Terminator showed in the movies -- or that Atari showed in successfully reviving its "Terminator" franchise -- you'll find the effort well worth it.
'Donkey Konga'
 Test your bongo skills with "Donkey Konga." Colored dots scroll across your screen and tell you which bongo to hit to keep time with the music. |  |
I admit it. I get a perverse thrill out of giving my little niece and nephew gifts that are so noisy, and so much fun to play, that they'll never put them down -- thus guaranteeing that they'll drive my sister and her husband crazy long after I've left. If you also enjoy torturing the young parents in your family, there's a nice new musical noisemaker for the Nintendo GameCube called "Donkey Konga."
Using special "DK Bongos" that plug into the game port, you thump to the rhythm of a variety of songs included in the game. On-screen prompts tell you when to hit the left bongo, the right bongo and even when to clap.
It's not as easy as it sounds. Not since I last played "Simon" has a game confirmed my lack of coordination and rhythm in such humiliating fashion. I did pretty well with "Rock This Town" and "Oye Como Va." But I was baffled by "Whip It," which features one complicated passage that had me cursing with each missed beat (I should probably tone that down before I play this with the niece and nephew).
No matter. This is a great party game that's fun if you're good at it -- and probably even more fun if you're not.
