What'cha Been Playing? All Mixed Up Edition

Despite the holiday weekend, there's always time for some game playin'. This week I've been mixing it up old skool. . .well, these games certainly aren't TOO old, but they're far from the recent releases that are the usual fare elsewhere. This crop of games marks a clean break from what I had previously been playing - no GTA, no Mystery Dungeon, etc. Why is that? Who knows. My games playin' muse doesn't reveal her secrets too easily.

Yakuza (PS2) - Set in modern day Tokyo, you play the role of a misunderstood mobster. This game is a keeper -- I've been playing it on and off for a long time and I keep coming back. Fun game play, great story and just the right difficulty. If you've ever wanted to visit Tokyo, you can do worse than buying his game; the developers really nailed the feel of Tokyo. If you've spent any time in the city, you'll feel right at home minus all the thugs that always want to beat you up. Who knew there were so many tough-guys in the big-city waiting around to pick fights?? This game is highly recommended. Must play. . .

Civilization III (PC) - A ways back, I was a big Civ2 geek. I picked up Civ3 a few years ago and never really spent much time with it - UNTIL NOW. What is it about Civilization that makes one stay up to 3am?? My civilization has been in decline from the start, yet it keeps hanging on. . .turn after turn I grow a bit and then shrink back down almost to nothing. I'm at the brink of extinction now. . .perhaps I should start a new game??? If you've been itching to find out what it's like to rule the world (or at least your little corner of it) look no further. Civilization's the real deal. . .Recommended.

Beautiful Katamari (Xbox 360) - I have to say it: If you've never played a Katamari game, pick one up for whatever system you own. One version or another has been released for PS2, PSP and now Xbox 360. Many people complained about the 360 version because it looks like the developers didn't do much to up the ante on the game play or graphics. Others complained about the price. . .I believe it was released as a full-priced game, whereas the original (PS2) debuted for a mere $20. Well. . .PROBLEM SOLVED! You can pick up a brand new copy of this game for $20 at this point. Regarding the graphics: think of them as remarkably crisp and clear on your new 1080p HDTV. Highly recommended.

Saints Row (Xbox 360) - No offense, but whoever said Saints Row was a GTA killer, or how it forced Rockstar to evolve and innovate their gameplay mechanics, has been smoking something. Now, understand, I didn't spend more than a hour with this game - mostly because I was compelled to turn it off after the first few missions - but I really don't see how Saints Row competes with the last-gen GTAs let alone what's possible with the current crop of consoles. Needless to say, the game didn't convert me into a fan. I will give it another shot, but even for the $20 I paid for it, I don't think this game is worth it. Not recommended.

What have you been playing?