Our first thought was: "sweet, a keyboard that will look good next to the excellent Mad Catz R.A.T. 7 and M.M.O. 7 mice that we've checked out in the past". Our second thought was: "$200 for a keyboard?!" Serious gamers, and those who love them, have a new item to splurge on for the holidays- a keyboard that looks like a beast, in the best sense of the word. It comes in an angled box that says "hear me roar", and once you're done screwing the pieces together (more on that shortly), you've got a keyboard that appears suitably futuristic and offers more buttons than you'll know what do do with.

That's right- the Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E 5 Keyboard (or STRIKE 5) is a super-sized, feature-filled peripheral that eats other keyboards for breakfast. It glows- in your choice of colors- and offers a separate number pad, a nifty OLED add-on called the E.Y.E. that offers it's own apps, an adjustable palm-rest, and two wrist rests as well. You can pick and choose which components to bolt together, but that doesn't exactly make something modular- there aren't a lot of placement options, and we were disappointed that we couldn't set up the E.Y.E. in an accessible position for example, only above the keypad or keyboard, out of the way. You can separate the number pad, which is connected to the main section via a short cable, but it bolts in only on the right-hand side.

We mentioned the screws and bolting, and we mean it- make sure you keep the wrench tool handy (though the wrist rests snap right in). Also, you'll need lots of space, but that should go without saying. We cleared off room on our desks, assembled everything, and got our fingers ready for some gaming. But we first downloaded the software to control everything, and tried to modify the back lighting, before realizing that it looked best in blue and red. There are a lot of available profile packs too, which is fantastic- we checked out macros for programs like SolidWorks and Google Earth, as well as the Adobe Creative Suite, along with ones for just about every MMO in the universe. World of Warcraft and other MMORPG players will find lots to like here, with lots of convenient options for scriptable actions and assignable buttons. The GUI for macro programming is great, and commands can be easily entered, saved, exported, and imported.

The keyboard itself was nicely clicky, highly responsive, and with good surface texture on both the keys and the palm rest. It's all too easy to find a keyboard that is too hard or soft or sticky for marathon gaming sessions, especially when trying to repeatedly tap in an FPS. And there were two features that made this one stand out amongst keyboards we've seen: the ability to disable the Windows key is a godsend, very handy for gamers who are tired of accidentally switching windows while trying to press the control key. And the microphone and speaker pass-through ports are handy for anyone using a headset that has a short cable. We loved the fold-out feet, which have a robotic appearance and are well-rubberized for friction, and the cloth-wrapped primary cable.

Back to the E.Y.E. for a moment: it's a nifty idea that is sadly not very well implemented here. We might be willing to purchase one of these on their own, since it's a fun interface though. The available apps are pretty much gimmicks- a timer and stopwatch, and a program selection mode which allows you to activate a shortcut. It felt novel, but it ends up being placed out of the way in the fully-assembled item, and thus hard to use. The sister model, the S.T.R.I.K.E 7, has a touchscreen, but this smaller one looks a little like HAL  peeking up at you.

We barely scratched the surface in a way- there were buttons we didn't end up pressing or configuring (like the function keys, who uses those?!), and there wasn't a good spot for the palm wrest in our test environment. But serious PC gamers who use a lot of macro commands and want a very configurable setup will be more than satisfied. The S.T.R.I.K.E 5 is ergonomic, distinctively designed, and makes a definite statement. We found it a bit overwhelming and some of the limitations irked us, but there is no doubt that you're getting $200 in value here. Available now!

It's the season for gaming. We've been using our controllers in overdrive, making our way through everything from Dishonored to the latest Call of Duty. Though a Wii U has yet to grace our shelves, we've gotten plenty of use from the Xbox 360 and PS3 lately. And through the last four weeks, we've been testing a headset that is a great value proposition. MadCatz makes some of the best gaming gear around- witness our recent review of their super-powered PC keyboard- and we've got a headset from one of their family.

The Tritton name is well-known for their audio equipment and we quite liked the original AX Pros- the Tritton Pro+ 5.1 True Surround Headset is the latest in the line of platform-agnostic models. Eight total speakers- four in each ear- mean that surround sound doesn't have to be simulated but is truly immersive. There is a lot to like here, starting with the build quality and the reasonable price tag. They call these over-ears, but depending on the sized of your ears, might be more similar to on-ears. Isolation was pretty good, blocking out external sounds so we were able to focus on the sounds of shooting and walking.

Dolby Digital audio allows pinpoint identification of sound sources, thanks to the decoder box. Most higher-end systems have a similar box, and this one was fairly sleek, offering a surprising degree of control over each channel. The Tritton Pro+ offers the nifty Selective Voice Monitoring, a feature that we don't need very often but is handy on occasion. You can choose to hear your own voice through the audio mix or disable it, as well as the voices of other players, separate from the gaming audio. The microphone is adjustable and even removable, but we did notice that it lacked baffling and thus picked up a lot of background noise.

One oddity that it is important to note- the US version of these do not include a PC connector or adapter. The European version does, leading to some confusion. Other than that, cables are included and are decent- the 12 foot long primary cord is pretty nice and felt sturdy, and even an optical one is included. The padding on these is only so-so- the earcups a little less than fully cozy, and while the headband is adjustable, we liked the flexibility of the (more expensive) model we recently checked out. Marathon gaming sessions were a bit better once they were broken in a bit, or we had adjusted to the slightly thinner pads. Further, we wished for a power button on the in-line controls.

The price is certainly right though- it's hard to ask for more from a $200 set. The Tritton Pro Plus headset offers better surround sound than more expensive models, and works well with both of the major gaming consoles. Especially for PS3 users, we'd choose these over the Warheads that we checked out a bit ago, but for 360 users it might come down to a preference of wireless versus wired, and the $100 premium for the Warheads over these.

You've probably seen your fair share of board games. All of the little pieces, the money, the dice, all to play a game that is pretty much the same each time. Games like chess feel a bit old hat, fun and challenging and strategic but all too easy for games to be imbalanced. And besides, wouldn't it be better if you could just shoot lasers?

That's the promise of Khet: a two-player game that feels a bit like chess, but with lasers. There are a few types of pieces, most with angled mirrors and each with their own movement rules, and two semi-fixed laser turrets. Every turn you move or rotate a piece and fire your laser, removing any piece that is hit in a vulnerable location. The game ends when your king, or pharaoh, dies. The theme is fun, with Pyramids and Scarabs, Anubis, and the Sphinx lasers, and the pieces look and feel nice. You might face the occasional mis-alignment with multi-bounce laser chains, but it feels complete (although a Beam Splitter add-on is now available).

We like the strategic balancing, though it can take quite a while for the strange tactics to become clear, and it's pretty simple for a sucker punch to strike even a decent player unaware. That means that new players still have a shot though, and we've seen some unusual and interesting combinations form. The starting positions of the pieces aren't fixed, either, leading to some neat ways you can modify the game- a few different options are suggested, and they each require a complete recalculation of gameplay.

Like "en passant", there are only a couple of weird catch-rules that might seem weird at first: some spaces on the board are restricted to one player or another, and repeating a board position three times in a row allows a player to declare a draw. Beyond those, though, the basics are straightforward. And it's a fun real-world application of physics; you'll have to get more familiar with how mirrors work to understand the game. Plus, it's perfectly safe (and cats love it too).

Available now, it's a perfect last-minute gift for any board game lover. Winner of MENSA and "Toy of the Year" awards, Khet is aimed at ages 9+, and expect to spend around $36 online or in stores.

Welcome to 2013! We're excited for the new year, and the many great things we have in store for you. We'll be heading to CES shortly, joining the throngs at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, generally the largest convention in the world. There's the New York International Gift Fair held later this month, as well as the big Outdoor Retailer show that ushers in a new season of sporting goods.

But first, you're probably looking for a good way to spend those recently-acquired gift cards! And if you have an iPad, you might very well be looking for new accessories that add some badly-needed features. From the same folks behind the adorable, kid-friendly gaming system Duo Pop and interesting if limited Arcade dock come a pair of gaming add-ons that make playing pinball and action games much more engaging.

We'll start with the Duo Gamer, which is basically a Bluetooth joystick for your tablet. Other solutions stick on to the device, but are pretty limited and not very durable. This one held up to some serious playtime, and doesn't offer much lag, another issue that can plague controllers of all kinds. It will work with the iPhone and iPod Touch as well, but we primarily tested with an iPad 2, and it works great- with one serious limitation that definitely makes it a harder sell. Basically, the software library is limited to specific Gameloft titles- and if you use those, then you'll enjoy this greatly. It's fairly comfortable, and you'll be able to play twitch titles far better than competitors- especially with FPS games like N.O.V.A. 3 or Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation. We also liked the extra accuracy with driving games like Asphalt 7: Heat. At $40, it's also not a bad deal- again, as long as you play titles that are supported.

Similar restrictions hamstring the Duo Pinball- a cute and clever dock that serves as a solid base for pinball lovers. Using the accessory with the app Pinball HD Collection, you get five free tables. And they are certainly decent tables, with some good gameplay- but it's not the best app in the store, and not the widest selection. As serious pinball lovers, a few staff have tried literally hundreds of tables, and you always make some compromises for electronic versions- the buttons here don't have quite the same feel, and the tilt option requires you to remove your hands from the controls and touch the screen (not a very good idea generally). Finally, the spring-loaded flipper- a key part of pinball control- is wonky and loose here. It also uses Bluetooth, which works well, except for a bit more of visible lag than the controller in our experience (perhaps because of the software). At $60, it's also fairly expensive for a single-purpose peripheral, limiting our recommendation to those who really love the tables available.

Our movie and television watching habits have changed. Timeshifting has meant that we no longer have to be glued to our screens at the right moment, but can catch up later with Hulu. And though we certainly are saddened by the demise of video rental shops, Netflix is definitely more convenient- especially during snowstorms like Nemo, the one we're currently weathering. Instead of using a big old television, some of us here have a projector for parties and watch quite a bit of media on the computer screen, and mostly use the iPad for travel and in-bed viewing of the latest sitcom or film.

But the iPad, more than laptops or other devices, suffers from an audio problem. The screen is perfect for two people to watch on a couch, but the speakers just don't put out enough volume. And while there are a few other solutions, like a set of external speakers, they either take some thought to set up or remember to grab and pack. Plus, the audio is often a little louder, but rarely better, and often at a weird angle to viewers. That's where the Belkin Thunderstorm comes in- a device they've labeled as a portable "Handheld Theater" for the iPad 2 and 3. We got a chance to check out a demo in a soundproof room at CES, and were a bit skeptical at first- it's a fairly small unit, and if we've hammered home one point with audio gear, it's that size does matter.

But we can't suggest it highly enough- check it out. We came away mightily impressed. Over the past month, we've been traveling and using the Thunderstorm regularly. There are some downsides- it requires separate power of course, which means you need to recharge it regularly, plus it adds quite a bit of weight and thickness to the unit. But overall, it's the best way to get more boom from your iPad, and really will change the way you feel about the cinema experience from Apple's tablet. And it's not just movies- action films become more immersive, since the explosions are no longer a bit of muffled noise- but gaming as well, with most games benefiting greatly from the improved surround sound. Racing games were especially more engaging, with engine sounds in true stereo and with rumbling bass.

Users can expect about ten hours of life from the internal rechargeable batteries, which matches your iPad's battery or exceeds it. And while some other solutions are integrated, this one comes with an excellent case that is part and parcel of the device. Belkin makes some solid cases and accessories, and we have high expectations if we're expected to lose our Smart Covers- but the cleverly folding panels create a better stand that means easier viewing. And in most other ways, it's pretty much the same as the official Smart Cover, protective and swank-looking though only in one color at this time. Unfortunately, we didn't love the Thunderstorm when trying to use our iPad vertically, in portrait mode- it feels a little awkward and unbalanced in our hands.

Aside from that issue, which should only be a problem for users who use their iPad in that orientation, the only other potential stumbling block is the price. At $200, available online and in stores now, it's clearly a device aimed at movie-lovers. As the best integrated solution for audio that we've yet seen, the Belkin Thunderstorm deserves a serious look if you have an iPad 2 or 3 and use it for rich media. Solo users will probably be better served by a good set of headphones, but couples or those who regularly share the latest YouTube video with friends will find it a great buy.

Hold your horses. We're not in the next generation yet. Sure, Sony has announced their new console, the PS4, and Microsoft is expected to do the same and unveil their 720 or Xbox Next, most likely at the annual E3 convention in Los Angeles. But we've got a few games to play and other conventions to visit (PAX East!) before we even think about adding yet another video game system to our home entertainment system.

If you've got an Xbox, though, you need a headset. Whether for serious gaming sessions of Halo, or Bungie's exciting next project, you'll want to make sure that you're getting the best audio experience possible. That means blocking out external noise, but also making sure that you don't wake up your roommates or mother or neighbors with your lat night sessions. We've been testing out the Thrustmaster Y-250X, and it's a solid, reasonably-priced, well-designed instrument of sound.

The looks are striking- white and green for the Xbox, but black models are available for PS3 and PC users, and this model is compatible with other devices as well (we used it with our MP3 players, tablets, and PCs). And the price is certainly compelling- it's not quite budget-oriented, but the sub-$100 pricepoint is competitive and reasonable.  It's wired, not wireless, but that's often a good thing- lag and interference can mean that wireless audio is troublesome, especially when every millisecond counts, and the cables are more than 15 feet long. The microphone is an unusual design, not quite flip-up and hide-away, not as bendable as some we've seen, but detachable. And the headset itself is fairly bulky.

But all of that is acceptable when a headset is comfortable, and this one rates highly. The earcups are large, the headband nicely padded, and everything is pretty durable. We dropped it, yanked on the cords, and it held up well. The Y-250X also offers excellent sound- not audiophile music quality, but slightly boosted, precise sound that's great for gaming. On movies, it felt a bit artificial, but explosions boom nicely and gunshots ring out with decent accuracy. There's bass amplification, for those who want it, and you can also adjust chat versus gaming volumes.

Bottom line: Thrustmaster has made gaming gear forever, and this is a solid entrant, priced right, that oozes style. It's not the best pick for the gamer who wants everything, nor anyone looking for one to travel with. But it's a great middle ground, and we recommend listening to the Y-250X and seeing if it's the right headset for your ears (everyone is different, and we always encourage a few hours of testing, keeping that receipt handy). Available now online and in stores for $90.

"Given this currently horrendous state of both accessibility and playability… it is hard to continue to recommend SimCity." – Polygon, in it's second revision to the original review, lowering their rating from 9.5/10 to 4/10

Some quick background: it's important to get a sense of why SimCity matters. There are competitors to the throne now- Cities XL and Cities in Motion, or even the Tropico series. But SimCity is the grandfather of this sort of game, the original city builder, originally released in 1989. The entire thing fit on a floppy disk, and enshrined Will Wright amongst a small set of gaming gurus that would help define gaming in the coming decades (he did not work on the latest title). It set the foundation for not just the best-selling game of all time for the PC, The Sims 2, but the second best-selling as well (and a few other expansions and sequels on the top 20 list). And many city planners grew up considering the RCI meter, which helped judge demand for residential, commercial, and industrial zones. It was one of those games that, along with The Oregon Trail and the Carmen Sandiego series, were legitimately installed on computers in schools and helped define a generation (or more). Finally, it's been more than ten years since the last "true" SimCity game was released, and the intervening decade led to a lot of pent-up demand amongst gamers who rushed to buy the new title.

For those who have missed it, the launch of the new SimCity was a failure of epic proportions. Any other term would massively understate the issues, as legions of fans have taken to complaining in every forum possible. As Yahoo noted, over the past couple of days, “SimCity” has eclipsed “Pope” in global search volume. The developers responsible, EA and their subsidiary Maxis, admitted that they had been "dumb" and formally apologized. Even the BBC covered the topic, as Amazon temporarily stopped selling the game and EA frantically added servers to cope with the volume and disabled features in an attempt to stabilize performance. After installing the game, the vast majority of players were turned away by full servers, unable to play at all for hours or days, a situation that has improved but continues over a week after launch. MSN looked at the criticism, which has made the title "on track to be the worst-reviewed product in Amazon history".

Most anyone could see these storms brewing- overwhelming demand regularly causes issues with major gaming releases, as Diablo III showed clearly. SimCity, though, has traditionally been a single player experience, meaning that the need to stay connected to the internet struck most gamers as draconian and unnecessary. Developers offered some design and technical reasons for the change, that taken at face value helped explain the requirement. Still, the fact remained: if you want to travel, SimCity was going to be impossible for you to play, as you'd have to have constant internet access. It was a sacrifice widely seen as an effort to thwart piracy, as requiring gamers to "check in and authenticate" would hopefully prevent unauthorized copying.

"[W]e offload a significant amount of the calculations to our servers so that the computations are off the local PCs and are moved into the cloud. It wouldn't be possible to make the game offline…" – Lucy Bradshaw, Maxis general manager, interviewed recently with Polygon

A week after the release, it has become clear: audiences were widely misled. For starters, the game doesn't actually require EA's online services to work, despite the claims- you can test this yourself; others have been able to set the "disconnected" timer to indefinite periods. The "regional" features and cloud capabilities are lost when this is done, but every gamer clamoring for a single player mode would expect nothing else. Wait though- didn't developers claim that many calculations are done on the server-side? Maybe those are major losses that drastically affect gameplay and compromise the designer's vision of the game?

"From the beginning, we built this SimCity to deal with this stuff realistically. [W]e're going to model real cities with integrity." Ocean Quigley, SimCity Creative Director, SimCity blog

In our opinion, they do not- and in some ways, would fix some of the currently broken systems that players are unable to rely on. We admit that the promise of social gaming is strong, even if a core group of gamers would far prefer a completely solo and individual experience. Simulations are often a toy or sandbox, a way to play with disasters, something that necessarily requires breaking a town in a way that won't help your "region". Maxis and EA made a calculated decision to reject this approach, requiring an always-on internet connection and preventing local saving of your creations. There are twin promises here- "The Cloud" and "Regional Gameplay"- and we'll address them each in turn.

The Cloud: There's a nifty PowerPoint presentation that revealed the inner workings of the simulation engine, called Glassbox, which was introduced at the Game Developer's Conference (GDC). You can see the core elements of the game, and the underpinnings that form the thinking behind the game's creation, and there are a few key sections that we'll focus on. Slides 57 and 59 discuss the server architecture, and make the advantages of using the cloud clear. Gamers don't need to worry about their saved games as that is all handled behind the scenes. Plus, additional servers can be added on-demand and as-needed, thanks to systems like AWS and EC2, which allow anyone to purchase nearly limitless computing power on a whim. In SimCity's case, though, the advantages of the cloud were utterly defeated: additional servers were, for whatever reasons, not spun up quickly enough or in sufficient numbers. In addition, many gamers (including us here) experienced issues with their save games, as entire cities were corrupted and made unavailable for play. These errors are unacceptable, and serve only to prove that "the cloud" isn't a bulletproof solution, but simply creates different problems.

Regional Gameplay: The game does, in fact, perform calculations on the servers. But these are, to the best of anyone's knowledge, totally regional in nature. Nothing is really "offloaded" from your local PC- instead, the servers handle interactions between your city and neighbors. Utility sharing, price modeling, cross-region pollution, progress on "Great Works"- those things are handled largely in the cloud. And, if all goes well, those will all be working again as intended. But they fall short of anything approaching essential, and instead serve to damage the experience as a whole. For each fun tweak- specializations, or the fluctuating economic model- there are corresponding failures, errors, and omissions. Communication with neighbors is hidden and fairly difficult. If another person starts a "Great Work", you're stuck with it. Abandoned cities litter public regions, and though we had a good time playing with friends, there was a major downside. Relying on another player for water or power is fine until something goes wrong, and it can very easily result in your city falling apart in incredibly short fashion. This might be a powerful social message, except for the things that go wrong are typically due to bugs and core issues with the simulation that are unlikely to be easily resolved.

It should be said that much of the presentation of the game shines like polished crystal. The art and graphics teams deserve acclaim for making even the problematic sections gorgeous. Night and day cycles are reflected, water laps around your harbors, and pollution creates a haze that even appears visible from the region view. You can rotate everything freely, and explore the lovely animations from every angle. The audio and music are top notch as well- subtle pings as you define your regions, noises of an impending disaster, and yet another excellent SimCity score (this time from Chris Tilton, who worked on the music for Fringe) that builds upon the previous excellent ones yet is distinctly it's own. The sound also adjusts dynamically to what is happening in the game and what you're looking at.

"Sims in each city will have jobs or can lose them, buy homes…" – EA Press Release

Casual gamers will likely be happy. We've logged dozens of hours, and there's no denying the value of a $60 game providing that level of entertainment. There is humor to be had, and plenty of eye candy. But our current feeling is, as Joystiq put it: SimCity is gorgeous and bland. You'll be able to explore much of what the game offers within a few cities, and they'll be largely successful without much effort (or fail through no fault of your own, thanks to poor AI and bugs like recycling systems that can crash your burgeoning economy as they simply stop working for no reason). You can, in fact, create a 100% residential city with no industry or commerce and your people will be totally happy- as long as you build a sufficient number of parks and basic utilities. You can create a single, long, winding road that ends up being perhaps the most effective current traffic solution even as it makes you groan in dismay.

"We’re building a simulation engine that captures the world as it is today. We want you to be able to affect that individual sim, or that particular car.” – Lucy Bradshaw, Wired UK Preview

It's critical that gamers recognize the how the simulation itself works. The developer's diaries are fairly clear about how many of the systems function, even if gamers expected something different from what they received. The "sims" are dumb agents, which explains the traffic woes at the very least. Each person takes a new job every day- the closest one that is open- and goes to the closest house after they leave work. This is disappointing, and definitely appears to contradict claims like being able to "affect that individual sim, or that particular car", as well as the idea that your population would "buy homes". This, in our opinion, greatly diminishes the "simulation" part of the SimCity name. In the latest developer update, they clarify what is persistent in the simulation, but it's clear to us that the very nature of this "dumb agent" approach is extremely limiting.

"Each person living in your city will be simulated by the game's engine." – Mashable Preview, titled "Every Citizen Has A Life"

What's missing and likely to remain missing for some time? Bike lanes. Real mixed use development (real-world residential towers have businesses in them). Highways, subways, overpasses, one-way streets. Farms, agriculture, crops or food. Weather, of any kind, including storm-related disasters other than tornadoes. The touted "global" economic model also would seem hamstrung as even once the servers are working, they appear to be independent from one another. Prices seem to be based on the specific server you join, as are your achievements at press time, oddly. It's wildly unfair for anyone to expect the game to include every possible feature that makes a real city… well, real. But again, there are explicit and implicit promises of "realism"- and the more obvious the exclusion, the more disappointing.

"Together, players will address real global challenges such as climate change… Everything you see in the world we sim." – EA Press Release

Some specific features were definitively promised, and not delivered or implemented. The words "climate change" appear in the press release, and though pollution is a menace, it mostly creates germs that make your Sims sick (whether by air or water). There's no way to "address" the issue as it's utterly absent. There's no acid rain, no environmental collapse ala Jared Diamond, no rising flood waters or global warming. Your coal or oil can run out (in months of in-game play!) but you can always buy those things from the 'world' at large. And there aren't gas stations or anything; the insistent headache of traffic jams are fed by cars running on magic fuel, even though your public transit is completely free (and you cannot modify this).

And then there are features that were in previous SimCity titles, like the ability to modify terrain. Let's say you'd like a river running through your city, or want to fill in some land to make an airport like Korea or Japan did for Incheon or Nagoya. Sorry- no dice! Also lacking are the fun political "ordinances" you could select, opting to make your town a "Nuclear Free Zone" or encourage car pooling. There are no zoos or marinas or the military bases you might remember. Prisons have been folded into police stations, which makes a certain amount of sense, but why not allow players to offload their prison population regionally as well? Gone as well are hydroelectric dams from SimCity 2000 (OK, we don't really miss those).

Granted, many of the new additions are actually quite good- for instance, the "add-ons" to buildings allow them to be upgraded with more firetrucks or ambulances or school rooms. And most people didn't want to run pipes and electricity lines separately, so utilities have been folded in to the road system (power and water and even sewage travel automatically as part of your roads, and you can watch them go). The user interface is excellent, with many clear indicators, and helpful information highlighted. You can click on a delivery truck or resident and see how they're feeling and where they are going, and get a real sense of your city from both up close and afar, as graffiti visibly builds up in high-crime areas. As Rock, Paper, Shotgun put it aptly in their preview, "[e]very layer of information in this game visually ebbs and flows – living infographics."

"simcity.GetFudgedPopulation = function (a) { a = "undefined" !== typeof a ? a : simcity.gGlobalUIHandler.mLastPopulation; if (500 >= a) return a; if (40845 < a) return Math.floor(8.25 * a); a = Math.pow(a – 500, 1.2) + 500; return Math.floor(a) };"

But these are largely cosmetic tweaks to a game that fails to deliver either challenging, long-lasting fun or anything approaching a real-world simulation. In fact, it even fails to live up to the "City" part of the title- populations are artificially inflated, likely due to the fact the game engine could not function well with actual levels of simulated agents. It's more of a SimTown or SimBurrough- and the code that fakes the numbers is even openly visible in the game files (the segment above is the actual function, strikingly named "GetFudgedPopulation"). Many complaints have focused on the small plots of land available (take a look at SimCity gameplay areas through the years for a striking comparison). We found these limitations unsatisfying, but the claustrophobic city limits are just another of many poor decisions.

SimCity (2013) was botched on nearly every conceivable level. Do we really need to render and show power flow slowly bubbling, especially given that electricity moves essentially instantaneously? Shouldn't EA have tested basic traffic patterns before releasing the game? Bugs are natural and even occasionally fun- this is complex behavior, and we don't mind terrain problems or an occasional issue with textures. But we do expect a deep, immersive game, one that offers both scope and scale, and SimCity fails to live up to the predecessors, the decade of expectations, the marketing hype, or even the name itself.

Sure, it's fun. It will even be worth buying, once the server woes are under control. But it's kind of like a fast food meal, prettier but less than satisfying, a broken promise and one that leaves you a little bit sad.

If you're a child of the 70s or 80s, then some of these words and names and brands might be deeply meaningful: Atari, Pong, The Wizard, Battletoads, War Games, Tron, Ultima, Maniac Mansion, Choose Your Own Adventure, King's Quest, Sierra Entertainment, Doom, id Software, John Carmack, Shigeru Miyamoto, Will Wright, Sid Meier, Duke Nukem. For a good portion of us here, the items on the list are imbued with a nostalgia that comes from spending hours in front of the NES or Apple IIe or the first personal computers that used floppy disks and cassette tapes. We're secretly (or not so secretly) fond of 8-bit music. We love introducing people to the oft-overlooked 1984 film Cloak and Dagger. And we miss arcades.

So, You: A Novel. It's not the best name, but you can blame scribe Austin Grossman. Available April 16th from Mulholland Books, the official description is: "A NOVEL OF MYSTERY, VIDEOGAMES, AND THE PEOPLE WHO CREATE THEM, BY THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SOON I WILL BE INVINCIBLE." The all-caps are theirs. And if you haven't yet read the author's debut novel, we recommend doing so- it's better than this one, and nerdy in a more accessible fashion, covering superheroes and comic books in a way that most anyone can appreciate instead of delving quite so deep into obscure arcana.

Because You might have been a great book, but it's too close to (and just not as good as) a few that have already been written. Lucky Wander Boy, for instance, is essential reading for anyone who loves video games and can stand to read about them- and it was written in 2003. Geekiness is not necessarily it's own reward, and though the structure of the book is interesting, it simply isn't strong enough to propel the narrative. Instead, you're treated to characters that you don't quite care about, including a relatively passive and uninteresting narrator. The most intriguing character is dead and his motivations only guessed at. There's a hint of romance, but nothing satisfying, and it's not because the princess was in another castle.

The author clearly knows his games, and the book guides you through various genres, connecting them in a sort of meta-uber-game that probably most every gamer has wished really existed. Imagine a set of inter-connected games, with shared characters, allowing you to import your progress from every setting. You start with a fantasy game like Ultima and end in a science fiction future, carrying your inventory and history with you. The catch- there's a black box system underlying the games, a simulator engine gone rogue… even spawning a financial modelling and prediction engine that could somehow effect the national economy (it's loosely hinted at and then more or less left alone). The central conceit- become a real-world hero by playing games- is tempting. But it's not nearly as well-imagined or successfully plotted as the solid novel Ready Player One.

Books for gamers need to be fueled by more than just nostalgia and some fun references to cheat codes. Games and movies and even books usually create an artificial goal- find the princess, beat the boss- as basically some variation of Hitchcock's MacGuffin. But setting a goal that is more authentic means that the details matter. Here, the core audience will pretty quickly see through the illusion, and find the central problem unrealistic. And no amount of hand-waving- disallowing save games, not being able to understand the core platform of your code- can hide the fact that the book never figures out how to make the goal matter, or make sense. The settings may be faintly fun- reminiscing about summer camp, about the early days of computer programming and DOS prompts- and the some of the humor hits the mark solidly. But it's not as quirky as Constellation Games, which comes from a unique perspective of reviewing games (and alien ones at that). An alternate past, with characters who barely care, is not a recipe for a compelling novel.

TLDR: You starts strong, but gamers-wanting-to-read-about-games-in-book-form would be better of checking out others in the growing genre. $15 hardcover, available widely.

PC gamers- it's your season again. Most of the best upcoming and recent titles are either exclusively on the PC right now (SimCity 5) or are much better played with a mouse and keyboard (Bioshock Infinite, which is a bit wonky and graphically outdated on consoles but sharp and fun on the computer). We've got a pair of PC gaming accessories ready to help you make the best use of your rig. After all, you've spent some money on a video card and plenty of RAM- now it's time to level up your peripherals.

If there was a prize for longest product names, this product might very well capture first place. If there was an award for minor English typos on an official website, the company might also deserve some attention. The… wait for it… A4Tech Bloody Multi-Core Gun3 Gaming Mouse V5 is part of a line of mice from this Taiwenese manufacturer hoping to knock down Razer and other manufacturers who focus on the high-end gaming market. A4Tech's marketing might not grab you, but will the hardware?

If your answer to their question: "Who Die First?" is "Anyone But I", then you're part of the target audience. We admired the feature list on the box, which includes: "Holeless Engine Keep Dust Away". Also, this is a mouse with a bloody handprint that glows red and an armored appearance, so you know that you're dealing with serious gear.

Jests aside, this is actually a pretty interesting, and quite effective, gaming mouse. There are a few other models- the more rounded V2 and V3 and the bigger, meaner brother the V7- but the V5 shares most of the feature set. Like most decent gaming mice, it's a wired optical mouse- wireless would add lag- with adjustable DPI ranging from 200 to 3200. They claim that it's the "most accurate shooting mice with auto recoil suppression and concentrated trajectory, which offers the unprecedented high headshot rate. It also offers both software and hardware dual trajectory adjustments".

And indeed, somewhat crazily, you're able to adjust the "trajectory"- sort of an aim corrector- that helps stabilize against those annoying weapons that attempt to be realistic. Instead of your machine gun recoiling, the mouse can actually override this, correcting for it automatically. It sounds pretty cool, though it takes quite a bit of tweaking and the software is a bit buggy and poorly explained. Also, one big caveat that isn't disclosed obviously on their website: these extra functions require you to spend an extra $20! That's right: the software for the mouse actually only includes a "trial edition". If you buy the non-refundable add-on, you can enable an auto-strafe mode with auto recoil suppression, thus annoying any other gamers out there with your too-good-to-be-true aim and movement.

The other primary feature of note is the multi-core system. Despite the confusing name, this isn't a system of modifiable weights, like the MadCatz R.A.T. mice that we've reviewed where you can change the heft of the device. Instead, the "cores" change how the mouse responds, which isn't that interesting- a basic mode for casual users and another mode that allows you to switch between single fire/two-shot burst/three-shot bursts, and a third that enables the ultra special modes (if you've paid for them). There aren't nearly as many buttons as some others that we've seen- MMO players should look more towards the Cyborg line and others, as the Bloody mice are more for twitch gaming. The mouse surface and feet are decent, and the roller as well, though we didn't love the placement of the side buttons. That holeless optical engine actually does keep dust away, a constant irritant with our other mice. The main left and right buttons are smooth and fast and altogether impressive. Altogether, this mouse is quite the package- decent hardware and some highly questionable software, the first mouse we've seen where you need to pay to unlock features but with some surprisingly powerful features indeed.

Stop at nothing to win? This mouse might very well be for you- a powerful new weapon in the gaming arms war. $45 or so, available online.

PC gamers- it's your season again. Most of the best upcoming and recent titles are either exclusively on the PC right now (SimCity 5) or are much better played with a mouse and keyboard (Bioshock Infinite, which is a bit wonky and graphically outdated on consoles but sharp and fun on the computer). We've got a pair of PC gaming accessories ready to help you make the best use of your rig. After all, you've spent some money on a video card and plenty of RAM- now it's time to level up your peripherals.

The Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 7 continues the lengthy Mad Catz tradition of adding extra punctuation to names, from the R.A.T., S.T.R.I.K.E., to the M.M.O. line. It's thankfully though not nearly as much of a mouthful as the other product in this pairing, the A4TMCGGMV5 that we just reviewed. We've seen lots of gaming headsets, and were excited to try the latest from one of the best manufacturers out there- their lineup includes the TRITTON brand now, and we recently checked out others from Plantronics and Thrustmaster. This one, though, is aimed at PC lovers who want 7.1 surround sound but don't want to break the bank. Competitors typically cost over $200 for this sort of inclusion, even with just 5.1 audio.

There are some compromises made to get to that price point, and the style might not be for everyone though. The FREQ takes design cues from the rest of the family line-up: sharp angles like an F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter jet, with odd-shaped ear cups that just barely made the grade for comfort. Those with larger ears might not be so lucky, as they fit nicely for everyone on staff. The volume button, too, is reminiscent of other MadCatz gear, but we liked the detail and it makes more sense than a spinning dial in many ways. The headband is decently padded, with interesting joints that are pretty adjustable, and the microphone is one of the best we've seen. It's not only detachable, but quite wide, and offers noise canceling. Plus, there's a cute little light that switches between red and white to indicate whether you've muted it or whether you're "doing it live". This is a great feature, since it's all too easy to get caught up in game chat and not realize if you're coughing and hacking and yelling over your teammates accidentally.

As with most good headsets, it's got a USB connector for easy use with a PC (we tested under Windows 7, but it works with other Windows OS versions as well). At a bit over 6-feet long, it's plenty of room to maneuver. You can also use a regular 3.5mm minijack headphone plug instead, and it's a little shorter- good for use with smartphones and tablets or other devices. Build quality is good- both aluminum and plastic, with visible cloth-wrapped cords that add a bit of color and flair, and the key joints being metal means more durability and less worry about bending. These aren't super-portable- they don't fold easily- but are sturdy enough to travel with and not worry about.

In terms of sound quality, we have good news to report. They aren't the best we've seen- noise isolation was a bit of an issue- but the 50mm drivers ensured plenty of boom. The Dolby 7.1 surround sound did help us pinpoint snipers and identify targets, but the up-mixing isn't perfect and we found it a bit distracting for movies and music. The spatial dynamics were useful while gaming, and audio was crystal clear for voice chat- explosions and gunfire roared and vehicles purred nicely. All in all, it's not an audiophile headphone, but an excellent option for multi-player gaming. The mic is superb, and we hope to see the lighting feature trickle into other models, though the earcups could be a bit more cozy. The Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 7 is available now, in four nice color options- a matte or glossy black, shiny red, or white like ours- and runs just under $200, though MadCatz themselves has it listed for $150 at press time.

We might not soccer players- but that doesn't stop us from having a great time pretending. Twisting and twirling little figures in the hopes of gracefully propelling a foosball into the opponent's goal is a classic bar game. Fast-moving, it's smaller and easier to pick up than pool, and you can easily bring other people in or out. Skill matters, but there will always be a bit of chance. It's also a very tactile game, one that's all about feel, so a challenge to duplicate electronically.

But we give New Potato Technologies respect for trying, with their Classic Match Foosball game table accessory for the iPad. It's a dock that requires can be played on the go, running off of the iPad and with a USB cable for charging and docking your tablet. Out of the box, you'll need to do some quick assembly. Plug it in and you're treated with the request to download the free app, download it and you're all set. Altogether, we had our foosball table ready for competition in five minutes flat. The iPad fits in snugly, and is easy to get in and out. It looks and is plastic, but feels pretty heavy and stable. The build quality is pretty impressive- the handles feel solid and move smoothly, the non-slip pads on the legs mean that it doesn't move too much, and we liked the (slightly unncessary) inclusion of the traditional scorekeeping markers. The game keeps track for you, so they're mostly for looks. The app is responsive and fluid at first, impressively as well.

But it's here that we hit a snag. They claim that the table is suitable for multiplayer, but the small handles and space between them mean that it's hard for more than one person to access them easily. The app itself is ok, with some nice touches (the instant replays upon scoring) and some pretty terrible mechanics that make it feel a bit fake (weird bounces and physics, straight lines and sudden accelerations, collision issues, and a general lacking in simulation). One of the best tricks in the real version is to quickly make a save with your goalie thanks to a sudden spin and slide, and the app doesn't handle that very well at all. But the biggest issue was the offset handles that didn't match the placement on the app- meaning that we regularly grabbed for the wrong row. It seems like a major design flaw, and one that could have been remedied with a change in either the app or the way the handles were laid out.

It's still one of the better gaming accessories we've tried, if definitely single-purpose. If you're a foosball fan, it's one of the better simulations out there. Give it a spin- and play against the decent AI to perfect your game. Available now for around $90.

PC gamers, and especially those who play MMOs, have found themselves a bit limited by the traditional mouse-and-keyboard setup. We've seen a bunch of controllers that assist in various ways- like the fancy keyboards from MadCatz that offer a wide range of programmable hotkeys, or their mice that offer assignable buttons. But the issue persists- many of today's more complicated games have outgrown the old-school control scheme.

Enter the Peregrine Gaming Glove- a sophisticated, futuristic wearable computing device, or haptic interface. It literally turns your hands into tiny touchpads in a way, offering 18 different "touch points" and three "activation pads" for a total of 30 or so unique functions available to setup and control actions in-game. Unlike some other peripherals, this one isn't meant to replace typing controls, and doesn't work that well for creating text- but it can work in a "macro" environment. In fact, it does make typing on a regular keyboard a bit more difficult and cumbersome, but that's not likely to negatively affect most gamers, at least while playing.

Regardless of the use case, it will take some learning- and the curve can seem steep at first. Setup is actually really simple- the software is intuitive, and both Mac and Windows software is available, though the OSX version is in beta at press time. You don't have to run their GloveBox software at all times, just to set up the glove. Remapping is visual, and intuitive, though you'll want to customize it for different games and actions. We tried it mostly in World of Warcraft, and Star Trek Online- attempts to make it work with FPS games, like Call of Duty or action games like Assassin's Creed or BioShock Infinite were mostly unsuccessful, though using powers in the latter game were occasionally helpful. For titles where you are used to mapping a lot of actions, then the Peregrine can be really useful, fast and responsive. And yes, it can work with other applications like Photoshop, but makes the other actions

Comfort is paramount, though, and our testers had more mixed reports. For the most part, they are comfortable and not too heavy, as long as your choose your size correctly (only three sizes are currently available: small, medium, and large). The material is fairly breathable, and the company did a good job of integrating the touch-sensitive portions into the fabric. Materials feel solid and well-made. The glove can feel a little constricting, though, with certain sections like those around the thumb feeling awkward. Also, if you have larger hands, you probably won't be able to reach all 18 touch points- but 15 or so is still plenty for most people, and most purposes. And finally, they get a bit uncomfortable after a couple of hours. We liked the magnetic pod, a thoughtful design that allows it to "break away" safely. Of course, that's important because of one downside, which is that the Peregrine gloves are wired, not wireless, and use a USB connection.

Overall, we liked the glove- the best one we've seen for these purposes, even if it's still destined to be a niche device and not suitable for everyone. MMO gamers should definitely consider it though, if only because your friends will be incredibly jealous. It looks great, and performs impressively well. The Peregrine cyberglove is available online now for around $150.

Today, we have four different board games to discuss, all from publisher Game Salute. In this part, we'll be looking at two of them- one which brings a Korean abstract strategy title to the shores of the United States, and another that brings the shores of a sort of alternate colonization to a game challenging your settlers. Both offer compelling hexagonal designs, but they're as different as two games can be. Let's look at each in turn.

Gemblo is fairly simple to explain- it's sort of like a hexagonal version of Cathedral or Blokus, both games we like. A successful Kickstarter project, the American version got funded last year and has now made it's way to our shelves. The rules are pretty simple: each player is given a set of varying pieces, and starts by playing a piece in a corner. Each turn, they must play additional pieces one ridge or "line" away from their own. Things get tricky when you block or cut off other players, and try to prevent them from being able to place their remaining shapes. Best with four or six players, it also works with for two or three, and scoring is simple- the game ends when no one can play, and the player with the fewest "units" left wins.

The game looks great- different translucent colors cascading around the board, gem-like and immediately appealing. We liked the tiles and the board, which were fairly high quality. And, as with most strategy games of this ilk, there's no real luck involved. Unfortunately, there is a clear first player advantage we found, and things are much harder for the sixth player if skill levels are even. It plays quickly, and there are multiple strategies that we've seen work out well. Fans of geometric, spatial games will like this. The clear and yellow pieces can be a bit tough to see though. Available now, online and in stores, for $40.

Our next look focuses on the seventh game in a loose series: Keyflower. We haven't played the previous titles, like Key Harvest, but if they are anything like this game we will definitely be checking them out. The mechanics will be familiar to anyone who has played modern board games like Agricola or Le Havre- worker placement games, with players competing for various spots on the board. The twist here is an auction that sets the available spots, meaning each game will play fairly different, thanks to the dynamic board that is rarely the same. There is also an additional complication: the four seasons. The result is a delicious game, full of complexities, that is structured quite well- it starts off with a wide open set of too many choices, which become constrained over time, building to a faster game. Built for two to six, it plays great with two or four, as tested. And it takes about 90 minutes to play the first time, a bit less once you've become accustomed to the rules. Setup isn't too bad either, though the rulebook could be a bit better.

The artwork is lovely, and adds a lot to the game. Whereas some other worker placement games- even the excellent Lords of Waterdeep that we reviewed- can feel a bit heavy or drag on at times, this one feels light and moves pretty fast. Players are always engaged, and the game is rarely over early- there is always an alternate path, we found, and you'll need to stay on your toes and analyze the best moves constantly. Things stay tense until the end, and it's never boring, thanks to the four round limit. Also, thanks to the variable setup, it is quite replayable. If you like Carcassonne or Puerto Rico, you'll love this! A satisfying title, if a bit intimidating for new gamers- Keyflower is available now for $50.

Today, we have four different board games to discuss, all from publisher Game Salute. In our previous companion article, we covered two very different games, one abstract strategy and the other a worker placement style game. In this part, we'll be looking at two others- both were actually successful Kickstarter project and have great themes. One features a prison island and another that is a stacking city-building game with some interesting twists. Uniting them is one downside- they both try to do a bit too much, and end up more complicated than necessary.

Island Fortress is available for pre-order and is coming soon, after their Kickstarter success grabbed some headlines for an interesting concept. Basically, players collaborate to build a wall, but compete to form specific secret patterns and reach certain objectives. There are multiple ways to victory- owning the majority of a row, adding the last block in a row, and more. We were excited and curious to see how the strong theme translates, especially considering the long road to production (it was originally a game called Huang Di, about the Great Wall of China). Out of the box, the materials were impressive, if a bit confusing- the basic idea seemed slightly overwhelmed by the additions of extras like "Treasures", even during setup.

We played a few times, and it works best with three or four players. We had budgeted 90 minutes, but our first game took over two hours, though later games were closer to the estimated timeframe. The rules are complex and explained in the manual with mixed success- if you're all learning for the first time, expect some rocky moments while you work everything out. There are a lot of elements, in fact- bidding for first player rights, building the wall, trying to balance the limited actions. It felt awkward but interesting- tense, and with a lot of potential fun buried. Why do you need two different types of builders? Why make getting and completing the objective cards so painful? Why bother with the tokens that prevent you from chaining shapes? Also, it's fairly easy to lose a game early on, and be forced to struggle on with no real chance of catching up. There's very little luck, and lots of possible strategies, and the strong theme made this try several times- but each time, it was just more frustrating than it needed to be. Island Fortress runs $50.

Sunrise City faces some of the same issues, in a different way. Once again, the game is a pleasure to look at and use- solid pieces, lovely art, and a strong style that helps draw a crowd. Think Sim City with dominoes. The claim: "it’s simple enough for kids of a reasonable age, friendly enough for family game night, and meaty enough for experienced gamers." And we found that to be the case, thanks to a good bit of luck, and some fun interactivity that keeps it fresh. It's tough to build long-term strategies though, as it's practically unpredictable. Also, for two players, it didn't work so well, but plays fine with three or four.

The scoring mechanic is unusual, and takes some getting used to- you get points, but rather than going for quantity, you're trying to hit specific goals. You can thus mess with opponents by forcing them to take points. We like the gameplay- laying tiles is pretty much always fun, and these stack in fun ways- but there are still some weirdly artificial rules and constructions that make it feel a bit too heavy and mean you'll be checking the instructions for restrictions on sidewalks, water, etc. Still fun, and definitely worth a try if you like a game that doesn't take much setup or room and plays easily. Available now, for $50.

If you have a laptop and you're a serious gamer, chances are that you've been looking for a decent mouse to use. Sure, desktop mice of all make and models are pretty solid- whether wired or wireless, you have no shortage of options. But for something a little more compact, easier to travel with and still fully-featured, we'd suggest a careful look at today's piece of excellent gaming gear.

From the DNA of the MadCatz line of peripherals comes the slightly-smaller-but-still-very-serious R.A.T. M Wireless Mobile Gaming Mouse. We've looked at several of the bigger brother models, and generally, have given the line kudos for the visual aesthetic and design as well as the durable build quality and gamer-focused feature set. This one is no different. 6400 dpi, Bluetooth 4.0 wireless, a nano dongle that is as small as any we've seen- it's clearly a high-end piece of gear.

The adjustable palm rest is a less adjustable, and the extra buttons aren't quite as nicely tactile- but there are still 12 in total, and 10 of them are programmable, which is way better than any other wireless mouse with nearly this small of a footprint. It's not quite as comfortable- larger hands might feel they dwarf the thing- but it's perfect for those with smaller hands and never cramped our style. Some prefer rechargeable batteries, while this one uses two AAAs that make it easy to change them out on the road, and they last a long time as well. In fact, they are rated to last up to a year on a single pair (!) and we used the mouse for over a month without needing to replace them.

Compatible with both PCs and Macs, it looks and feels good. And the R.A.T. M is available in four colors- white, red, and two shades of black (matte or glossy). For everyday email users, it's probably overkill. But gamers in need of a mobile solution, meet the best available input device. Purchase now, in stores, online from Amazon or from MadCatz directly for $120-$130.

A lot of products sound weird at first, and quite a few have unusual names. But rarely do we come across a product that is quite so initially strange and with such a distinctive name. It's also a unique piece of gear as well, the only one of it's kind. Funded successfully on Kickstarter, the project made waves at some recent gaming conventions like PAX East.

We've seen a lot of computer peripherals, but nothing quite like the Stinky Footboard from new company SteLuLu. There are keyboards and mice in every shape and form, of course, but a few target gamers especially, like those from MadCatz. We've seen several other interesting ways to interact with your desktop or laptop, like the Peregrine Gaming Glove and the Penclic input device. But, aside from basic racing and flight simulator pedals, this is the first major way that we've seen to use your feet. The promise is simple: plug the Stinky in via USB, and now you've got a new way to interact!

The Footboard provides quick access to other shortcuts that you can use in any application, not just gaming, but it's specifically aimed at gamers who need quick controls for use in MMOs and RTS game and similar titles. Sometimes, you need to be able to make changes on the fly rapidly, while you use your keyboard and mouse for primary movement and targeting. Even in FPS titles, we setup our Stinky to help with some alternate weapon modes, which worked better than fumbling with 20 buttons on a mouse. The aluminum body itself is extremely sturdy, raised slightly from the ground, with springed sections that work like switches- one for each foot, and another pair on the upper and lower sections of the board. The left and right switches worked perfectly well, with great tension in the springs, but the other pair were a bit harder to use. You can actually switch out springs between soft, medium, and hard tension strengths, which is pretty cool.

It does take some time to get used to the device- the Stinkyboard can feel like learning a new instrument. The creators want you to be able to "stomp out your competition", and thanks to the fairly responsive and sturdy "buttons", we found some fun ways to use it, in Company of Heroes 2 and even in Photoshop. Windows-only, it can only support two-button controls, so don't expect it to take the place of complicated macros. But you can- with some work- set up profiles for use in different programs. We wouldn't call it portable, as it does weigh about 12 pounds, but it held up well in our test and feels incredibly durable. Available soon, pre-order early bird models run $120, and ship soon! It's definitely worth trying out if you're a gamer who loves new ways to improve your play.

This summer hasn't been the best for blockbuster movies. Your favorite TV show is probably on hiatus. Even PC and console gaming haven't had an addictive major AAA title that is likely to consume your July and August. But don't fear: there are still plenty of ways to enjoy your vacation! And we have a suggestion that should cover most groups, whether friends or family- three new board games from Cryptozoic.

We'll start off with the game that can accommodate the most players- Word Whimsy. A lightweight social or party game, this one is easier to pick up and learn than the other two, and is best with a group. Meant for two to seven players, and listed as good for ages 15 and up, this isn't Cards Against Humanity and we see no reason for slightly younger player to be unable to join in the fun. The box is fairly small and components well made, even if the packaging isn't immediately enticing. And the game itself is quite solid- much like other similar titles, one player is a referee and judge each round, while the other players scramble to create the best answer. But the prompt cards are fun- "Good Name For A Metal Band" or "Favorite Bar"- and the players answers can be flexible in length, with crazy words like "Zombie" "Angry" "Unstoppable" "Bunnies". It's clever, and a great choice for anyone who likes Apples to Apples. Available now for around $30.

Perhaps you want a strong theme and a lot more strategy in your games, but still want to be able to fit a group. Well, if you're a fan of deck-building games like Dominion (and very long titles), then Cryptozoic's Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Deck Building Game is the perfect addition to your library. The cards are great, and every fan of the books will enjoy the various heroes and powers and items, plus the art is drawn for the movies for maximum effect. We've been playing the game over the past month, and it's fairly easy to learn, with each game moving quite differently thanks to the variety of cards. It's also flexible in length, since the end of the game is based on the number of super-villain "Archenemies" that you must conquer.

Each player chooses a hero, which adds a special card to their initial deck. As with other similar games, you'll use the equivalent of money to buy new cards that get added to your deck. But the fun twist here is that the available cards are always changing, thanks to a "river" of cards, called the 'Path', and most every card counts towards your "Victory Point" total. As each player's turn comes up, new cards are added, and sometimes a random special event will appear giving that player a bonus (or causing an attack to that player, or everyone). It's a fun mechanic, handled well. It's a bit random the first time though, as players have no idea what cards to expect or what they can do, and strategies are a bit hard to form with so much randomization. Also, each enemy vanquished goes into your deck, and is quite powerful, so we found that "runaway" games are fairly common, where losing players have no chance to come back. The LotR: FotR Deck Building Game is definitely enjoyable, and well worth the $30.

Finally, we've got an interesting 2-players-only title, Cryptozoic's Batman: Arkham City Escape. The basic premise is quite strong, as one player takes on the role of Batman and the other plays as the Villains. The board is surprisingly large, and forms a grid that cards move along, from the spots where the Rogues enter the game to the exit point past Batman where they leave and earn the villainous player victory points. As Batman moves about, frantically trying to defeat each enemy, there are allies that can assist each player. Each turn, a player can play several cards, with villains face down for a surprise attack, and Batman trying to defeat them early before they can present a threat at the end of the board. Villains can carry allies away for even more points, and Batman can utilize classic tool like the Batarang and Explosive Gel- but they come with limited uses, and can only be recharged by defeating enemies.

Our first several playthroughs, Batman didn't stand a chance. It's a challenging balance, but it appears the rules were stacked against him, and you pretty much have to play with one of the unclear "optional" rules to make it even slightly fair. This was pretty frustrating, but if you face a similar situation, just remember that Batman can "skip his entire turn to draw 3 Combat Cards if he has no cards in hand at the start of his turn". You'll still need to choose tools and strategies wisely, but at least stand a chance. We also like a variant that allows you to draw two cards by forgoing your turn, regardless of the number you hold. Aside from the fairly poor rules, which seemed awkwardly structured, the game felt like it fulfilled its promise: allowing one player to cackle as they threw bad guys at Batman, and the other to feel like a superhero who had to make difficult decisions. Available now, for under $40.

Customization and personalization are key buzzwords- who doesn't like having their products made-to-order, whether it's a custom T-shirt or a sandwich with only the ingredients you want. But there is only so much companies can do, since economies of scale make production of most items fairly standard. Hence the variety of skins and cases for your smartphone- everyone might have the same basic phone, but can change the wallpaper, and look/feel.

The ROCCAT Kone XTD Gaming Mouse takes the idea and implements a variety of ways for you to make your gaming peripheral your own. We've looked at many gaming mice in the past- like the unique Mad Catz R.A.T. series- but few offer quite the level of custom control given by the Kone XTD. While many models offer you changeable weights, this one offers you four separate weights that you can combine for the optimal experience (it's still fairly lightweight). And while most mice have a couple of programmable buttons, the Kone XTD gives you eight, and they are all easily accessible and reachable as well.

Let's break it down: mice technology has reached a point of diminishing returns, but there is still a big and noticeable difference between your average consumer mouse and a premium gaming model. 8200 DPI is plenty of precision, and this one can range from 200 up- the A4Tech V5 could do adjustable DPI as well but only went to 3200 for example. Unlike that model's somewhat garish appearance, the cool matte-black XTD offers four lights and adjustable colors that are fairly easy to change. Even more, you can set them independently, which is actually pretty cool. And it's true: mice come with their own processors now, this one included- a 32-bit Turbo Core V2 72MHz ARM MCU processor to be precise. The XTD is wired, which is generally good for gamers, though wireless mice have improved to the point of being able to recommend them without many reservations.

A peripheral isn't only about features though- it's also, or even mainly, about comfort and design. The ergonomics of a mouse are totally personal- we always suggest testing them out, and buying from a place that offers free returns if you don't quite like the fit. With the XTD, folks with larger hands will find the shape nearly perfect, while those with smaller ones might find it a bit over-sized. As with most gaming mice, there are programmable macro options- they are quite customizable, and you can set up different profiles for different games, from MMOs like WoW to the Modern Warfare series. The buttons are fairly raised and easy to find without searching, and feel naturally placed. Instructions on setup aren't great, but the software is solid and fairly easy to use once you get it downloaded, installed, and running properly. You can even tweak the most minute details, which is pretty amazing, if not the sort of thing an average user will want to do.

In short, this is a gamer's mouse worth the pricetag. If you need precision and accuracy, and want a flexible mouse that feels built to last and doesn't have some oversized garish logo branding you, then the ROCCAT Kone XTD is a great pick. Clicks feel solid and the device itself is responsive, and there are plenty of ways to customize. Available now, online and in stores, for around $80.

Gamers know what they want from a mouse: sensitive, accurate, responsive aiming along with plenty of configurable buttons and a comfortable, well-balanced feel. A good mouse should be like any companion that you'd bring with you to battle- solid, durable, dependable. And it doesn't hurt if a mouse offers some nifty lighting and looks that say "I conquer worlds from the safety of my screen".

The new Genius GX Gila Gaming Mouse hits most of these high points, and wins kudos for feeling very stable. Your average mouse might have surfaces and buttons that feel a little loose, or jiggle when pressed, or a scroll wheel that rolls unevenly. But the Gila is built like a rock- in mostly good ways- and certainly proved to be reliable in our tests. Unfortunately, some of those strengths also play against it- it's a bit heavy, and also has fairly awkward ergonomics that never felt comfortable. As an alternative to Razer or Mad Catz, it certainly offers competitive specs and every feature you could want, but it never quite convinced our reviewers.

Yesterday, we looked at a competitor, the ROCCAT Kone XTD. Neither of these brands are as well known here in the United States as in other territories, but both are aiming straight at US gamers hoping to grab a piece of the lucrative gaming peripheral market. As you might expect, the Gila checks most of the same boxes as the Kone XTD- adjustable DPI from 200 to 8200, plenty of multi-color, programmable LED lights (though only three zones), and manually alterable weights that you can swap in or out to fit your needs. Onboard memory allows you to store profiles when switching computers. The Gila adds a few more buttons- 12 total- but four of them we found to be basically unusable, as they require grip contortions that make them suitable only for occasional use. There are only so many spots to press on a mouse that make sense, and it can quickly get hard to tell which one you are clicking- a very bad thing in a firefight when you mean to throw a grenade and instead bring up the map.

The sharp style of the Gila means edges, which meant surfaces that fingers can rub against and find uncomfortable. The size and shape of the body seem aimed at those with smaller hands- we found it a bit cramped, and a little hard to grip. The textures are great, and the mouse wheel is one of the best we've tried, and even the cabling is sturdy and feels well-finished. But in longer sessions of EVE or Star Trek: Online, our fingers and mid-palm started to hurt. Others may find it to be shaped correctly, but anyone will notice a few abrasions from the raised edges of the Gila. Setup is simple, though the software isn't anything special- it gets the job done but is not as configurable as some setups we've seen in the past. It's a shame, since we really did like the slightly heavier balance and tank-like durability. At $70 or so, available online, the Genius GX Gila is a good value too.

Billed as the "first licensed board game ever created simultaneously to its source video game", today's featured product is a gorgeous game that combines a fantastical world and  very nuts-and-bolts mechanics. If you're a fan of the game series and like tabletop fun as well, then you're in for a treat- the characters, the art, and the concept work in tandem to create an interesting experience that connects nicely to the recent computer and console version.

We've played Bioshock Infinite: The Siege of Columbia, the board game a few times, and couldn't help but be drawn in- the compelling design makes you want to jump right in and start playing. But you'll need patience: there are a lot of rules to run through, and not a very helpful guide for first-time players. The components are lovely- four different colored miniatures, and in a fun twist, you can play either a four-player version or one on one with each player taking the lighter and darker red or blue pieces respectively. And you don't simply play solely as a character like the Songbird, but instead a small army consisting of various Risk-like units with slightly different abilities with combat based largely on rolling die.

Aimed at ages 13 and over, they list the game as taking 60-90 minutes to play, which felt about right. The basic objective of the game is to earn the most victory points, and there are two ways to do this- controlling regions, or fulfilling an increasing set of objectives that are public and anyone can complete.

In the process, you're not simply competing with the other side, but are constantly worrying about Booker and Elizabeth, neutral forces who scurry about the game board wreaking havoc on whatever force happens to get in their way. All of which might be enough, but it's not even close- there is a bidding section of the game, and what felt like a wholly unnecessary upgrading system that allows you to make your different troops a bit better step by step. You have a deck of cards, and need to consider a card's combat value along with it's monetary value, and it's value during the voting round as well. Whew!

It's easy for the game to end in a surprising fashion- if you hang back even for a move, or don't communicate well with your partner, the game could be over in a few turns. There can be cruel randomness as well, when a bad roll of the dice and an unlucky draw leaves you with Booker destroying your forces instantly. All in all, Bioshock Infinite: The Siege of Columbia led to a fair bit of frustration, thanks to the lengthy setup time, opaque and complicated rules, and sudden wins and losses that felt unearned. Beneath it is some really interesting gameplay, and we admit to wanting to play again- there simply is nothing quite like the skyline system out there, with the interesting mechanics and lovely art and figurines. Available now for around $70, Bioshock Infinite: The Siege of Columbia will definitely grab gamers, but feels a little like too much of a good thing.