I saw the new Batman movie this weekend, and all I can say is WOW! It was a lot better than I thought it was going to be. The entire cast did a phenomenal job and the story was well-written and directed by Christopher and Johnathan Nolan. This movie also reminds us the unfortunate passing of Heath Ledger. His rendition of the Joker was creepy, scary, and insane. I may get an earful over this, but I actually like his version of the Joker more than Jack Nicholson and that’s no mean feat.

As for the movie itself, the action was well paced and easy to follow in most cases. There were plenty of plot twists and "OH!" moments that really kept me guessing what was going to happen next. My only complaint is that the running time was too long, clocking in at two-and-a-half hours. I was enjoying the movie so much that the excessive length didn’t bother me all that much, but make sure to empty your bladder ahead of time.

As for gaming this week, make sure you get out there and purchase Final Fantasy IV for the DS. I know, you have three different versions already. So what? This title was one of the best games in the storied series for both compelling gameplay and story. It’s undergone a 3D makeover to ease in the newer players who must have "da graphics" in order to more fully enjoy their games. In addition, this version includes new characters, additional story sequences, pre-rendered cinema scenes, and full voice to make it a like-new experience for older players.

At the very least, it will hold you over until Bangai-O hits the states. This is not a request, but a demand: everyone will purchase Bangai-O. If the Dreamcast version is any indication, it’s that good and you will not be disappointed.

- Dover

Welcome to the week following E3. Let’s talk!

As you may recall, a conscious business decision was made last year to tone down the videogame industry’s biggest three-ring circus into a more manageable, more segmented show. Proposed for the chopping block were the monster booths, jiggling with a toxic mix of blaring music and conveniently clothed models. Gone would be the gaudy marketing props that favor visual real estate over taste or sense. E3 was to rise from the ashes of itself, a changed phoenix trading flames for a more conservative element.

This past week saw the majority of that vision realized. The "Big Three" offered little compared against their extravaganzas of old. Microsoft showed us a new way to play and organize, even though the whole setup felt eerily familiar. Almost like somebody thought of these ideas two years ago. Nintendo sought to introduce yet another peripheral to a system already choking in plastic one-offs. I do wonder how the MotionPlus will further segment the Wii market. Already the Wii user base is an incredibly diverse pie chart, gathering soccer moms, grandparents, traditional Nintendo stalwarts and second console owners under one waggly roof. It is truly a Wii Sports world, and we’re just living in it. Existing peripherals for the tiny white console are either shells that play well in the marketing department but do not carry additional play requirements, or standalone controllers constructed to whip flabby butts into shape. Neither of these types cuts too deeply in to the packaged remote utilized by the majority of software.

MotionPlus, though - that attaches straight into the remote and adds functionality that should arguably already exist in the product. Potential Wii developers can’t rely on the device because tens of millions of non-MotionPlus remotes have been sold to people who will not know the difference. Will fewer developers take advantage of it, even if Nintendo packages MotionPlus into all future remote sales? It is a classic peripheral argument, though I cannot recall any accessory so fundamentally adding to a system’s potential. Wii Sports Resort should ease the medicine some, but MotionPlus seems an awfully big pill.

Sony hosted a conference rife with promise, though they demoed a comparatively small amount. Props go to Zipper for MAG for the most honest game title. MAG, of course, stands for Massive Action Game, and weighing in at a beefy 256 simultaneous players that moniker seems fitting. At first blush, Infamous (or inFAMOUS in moronic marketing speak) carries with it a warm happiness typical of the talented developers responsible for Sly Cooper and Rocket: Robot on Wheels. Confining superhero powers within the laws of physics opens up myriad gameplay possibilities, and no team is more qualified to round that bend.

Though it has no bearing on E3, the recent release of Civilization Revolution reminded me that I own a largely untouched copy of Civ IV. See, when Civ IV hit the market, I thought that I was finally over my horrendous addiction to the empire builder. Sure I bought it, but my days and nights obsessed with the first two games were long behind me. In true addict fashion, this was the lie I told myself. A quick trouncing of the tutorial led to an all-nighter spent wooing the Zulus to help me wage war against Louis XIV. After a bleary-eyed morning at work, Civilization IV was stowed away in a vain effort to hoist importance on the other aspects of my life. As I said, vanity. As of the middle of last week, I am once again nestled in the clutches of my ancient vice. God help me.

- Irving