Game On: Week of Feb. 1

My recent column reviewing The Cave. Thanks to the Detroit News for publishing.

Game On: Week of Jan. 25

Here is my recent column reviewing Trine 2: Director's Cut and Black Knight Sword. Thanks to the NJ Herald papers for publishing.

  

Game On: Week of Jan. 18

My recent column reviewing DmC: Devil May Cry and Little Inferno. Thanks to the San Angelo Standard-Times and the North Jersey papers for publishing.

  

Game On: Week of Dec. 7

My recent column reviewing Far Cry 3 and The Walking Dead: Episode 5—No Time Left. Thanks to the Columbus (Ind.) Republic for publishing.

 

Game On: Week of Nov. 30

My recent column reviewing Hitman: Absolution and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Thanks to the Columbus (Ind.) Republic for publishing.

 

Game On: Week of Nov. 23

My recent column rounding up the launch day titles for the Wii U. Thanks to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune for publishing.

Game On: Week of Nov. 14

My recent column reviewing Assassin's Creed III and LittleBigPlanet Karting. Thanks to WPTV in Florida, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and the Detroit News for publishing.

 

Game On: Week of Oct. 26

My recent column reviewing NBA 2K13 and NBA Baller Beats. Just glad the wife wasn't around to watch me nearly shatter multiple bones in my body trying to play Baller Beats. It's a rough one, kids. And thanks to the North Jersey papers for publishing.

  

Game On: Week of Oct. 17

My recent column reviewing XCOM: Enemy Unknown and The Walking Dead: Episode 4 — Around Every Corner. Thanks to the Toledo Blade for publishing.

  

Game On: Week of Oct. 12

My recent column reviewing Dishonored. Only one game in this column because it was so good I ran long. Thanks to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune for publishing.

Game On: Week of Oct. 5

My recent column reviewing FIFA 13 and Resident Evil 6. Thanks to the Detroit News and Toledo Blade for publishing.

 

Game On: Week of Sept. 28

My recent column reviewing Borderlands 2 and Little Big Planet Vita. Thanks to the Evansville Courier & Press and the Detroit News for publishing.

 

Game On: Week of Sept. 21

My recent column reviewing NHL 13 and Double Dragon Neon. Thanks to the Evansville Courier & Press for publishing.

  

Game On: Week of Sept. 14

My recent column reviewing Mark of the Ninja and Way of the Samurai 4. Thanks to the Evansville Courier & Press for publishing.

  

Game On: Week of Sept. 7

My recent column reviewing The Walking Dead: Episode 3 — The Long Road Ahead and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Thanks to the North Jersey papers and the Evansville Courier & Press for publishing.

 

Game On: Week of Aug. 30

My recent column reviewing Madden NFL 13 and Transformers: Fall of Cybertron. Thanks to the Evansville Courier & Press and the north Jersey papers for publishing.

  

Game On: Week of Aug. 24

My recent column reviewing Sound Shapes and Hybrid. Thanks to the Evansville Courier & Press and the North Jersey newspapers for publishing.

Game On: Week of Aug. 17

My recent column reviewing Sleeping Dogs and New Super Mario Bros. 2. Thanks to the Evansville Courier & Press and North Jersey papers for publishing.

 

What I've Read: Stay Close

If there is one negative to being in school for a year, it means I have a ton of reading to do each week that isn't exactly what one would call fun. Sure, it's fun because I'm utilizing those brain cells and growing my skillset, but it's such technical reading that there isn't a way to explain how exciting and interesting this stuff is without coming across as a total nerd.

It also means that when I do pick up a book for personal, relaxing reading, it takes about eight weeks longer to read it because I just can't make the time for it. My usual daily train reading gets overrun by class reading. Just not a lot of time for escape reading, even if my version of escapism tends to be nonfiction or documentary films. Damn, I am a dork.

While it took me much longer than it ever should have, I was able to read Harlan Coben's latest. And while the cover looks innocent enough, the subtle break in the fence should warn you that things in suburban New Jersey are once again in a state of "oh, shit." In this edition, a soccer mom gets her world rocked when she (rather stupidly) decides to tread back into her former life that she once abandoned for greener pastures. She can't quite let it go, and it comes back to bite her in the ass when people start dying around her (or being tortured) and she can't quite understand why and by whom. Throw in the ex-lover that always has to reappear and some creepy killer types, and it's a fun read. I was surprised by the limited number of characters in this novel because normally Coben throws a lot of characters at you and does some festive crossover of other novels he has written. But in Stay Close he keeps it simple and that allows him to dive a bit deeper into some of the characters and when things get super-personal later on, it gives it a bit more weight when normally you gloss over some certain events.

After he took some time to develop a more teen-centered novel (clearly trying to being the Twilight type crowd into his brand of novels), I'm glad he's returned to his more adult-themed stuff because I don't know that I was ever going to follow him down the road of Myron Bolitar's nephew. Of course, if this means Bolitar himself isn't returning anytime soon, I'll be definitely disappointed.

Game On: Week of Aug. 10

My recent column reviewing Wreckateer and London 2012. Thanks to the Evansville Courier & Press for  publishing.