DEVELOPER: Silicon Knights

PUBLISHER: Microsoft

SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 3.0 (out of 5 stars)

Best known for creating the popular "Legacy of Kain" series, game developers Silicon Knights have been hard at work for over 10 years crafting the futuristic action RPG title "Too Human." And while the action is fast and furious, the drab, lifeless environments, finicky targeting system, and stiff animations prove that the game was originally designed for consoles that are "too outdated."

To start with, the storyline is certainly nothing new. Take your typical out-for-revenge plot, insert a couple of unexciting twists, replace everyone's names with those of the Norse gods, and you have "Too Human." Even worse, the game ends abruptly right in the middle of the story because this is the first installment of a trilogy.

As the Aesir god Baldur, players take on hordes of mindless cybernetic enemies that do little more than attack and advance. Sure, it is impressive to see dozens of highly detailed foes onscreen at once, but the frame rate and audio become choppy during these instances.

One place where this title shines is the in-depth customization options. Players begin their adventure by choosing one of five classes, and they can allocate points into a skill tree each time they gain a new level. In addition, tons of armor and weapons drop throughout the game, letting players upgrade Baldur with a wide variety of stat enhancements. Further customization comes from inserting special runes into armor and weapons.

Combat is similar to that found in "Devil May Cry," but much less fluid. Like most shooters, weapons are fired with the right trigger, but melee combat is controlled with the right analog stick. Pressing it towards enemies makes Baldur swing his weapon at them, and if they are several feet away, he performs a cool-looking slide attack. Unfortunately, some moves are passed over in the heat of battle because the analog stick isn't as responsive as using buttons.

Despite a few high points, "Too Human" is just too mediocre.

Perfect the Art of Cooking in 'Order Up!'

DEVELOPER: SuperVillain Studios

PUBLISHER: Zoo Games

SYSTEM: Nintendo Wii

PRICE: $39.99

ESRB RATING: Everyone

REVIEW RATING: 3.5 (out of 5 stars)

Hardly anyone likes to cook in real life, yet cooking games are still extremely popular. While the "Cooking Mama" series introduced gamers to the joys of creating captivating cuisine in cyberspace, "Order Up!" kicks it up a notch by letting players manage their own restaurants.

Budding top chefs begin their culinary tour by selecting a male or female cook, and then trotting off to train in the lowly burger joint known as Burger Face. After creating a few orders for a pimply-faced teenage co-worker, it's time to quit that dead-end job, take out a loan, and start a cafe of your own. This is where the fun really begins.

As the owner of a new restaurant, you have the ability to hire assistant cooks who help you create orders, learn new recipes, buy spices, enhance your establishment and enter cooking competitions. It's up to you to keep customers happy while maintaining upkeep of your restaurants and advancing your career. After only a few hours with this game, it quickly becomes apparent why most chefs rarely sleep.

Using the Wiimote to slice, dice, chop, and cook items is fun and intuitive, with most actions mimicking their real-life counterpart. For example, slicing vegetables uses a natural downward slicing motion and flipping burgers is accomplished by twisting the Wiimote.

Running a restaurant means creating several dishes at once, so it is very helpful to regulate tasks to assistant cooks in order to save time. In addition, serving impatient customers first lessens the number of complaints, which earns more money. Other potential problems that turn up the heat in the virtual kitchen include: snooty food critics, fussy health inspectors and hungry rats.

Sadly, there are no cooperative or competitive modes to speak of, which severely limits the replay value. Still, "Order Up!" is a fun alternative to working in a real restaurant.

REVIEW SCORING SYSTEM

5 stars = Must Have

4 stars = Pretty Good

3 stars = Above Average

2 stars = Bargain Bin

1 star = Don't Bother

RATINGS KEY

Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)

E: Everyone

E10-plus: (Everyone 10 and older)

T: Teen (13 and older)

M: Mature (17 and older)

To find out more about Jeb Haught and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.