'HITMAN: BLOOD MONEY'

'HITMAN: BLOOD MONEY'
(Eidos Interactive) for Xbox 360, Xbox PC, PlayStation 2.
Rating: M
Grade: A-
Just when you thought the criminal underworld was getting too comfy, we've got Agent 47 back to level the playing field.
Most impressive in this the fourth game in the Hitman franchise is the environments in which you will get to execute your missions. From a Mardi Gras parade to a Las Vegas casino, the settings for these missions are superb and take the game to a level beyond the dark alleys and underground dance clubs in previous installments.
Something that will certainly appeal to more gamers is the game play variety you can now choose. While stealth will always reign in Hitman games, if you do feel frustrated with certain missions you can just unhinge your pistols or slap in a fresh clip and go bullets-ablaze if you wish. This used to be antithetical to the Hitman franchise, but nowadays it's hard to not give gamers a chance to just let loose.
'JAWS UNLEASHED'
(Majesco) for Xbox,PlayStation 2, PC.
Genre: Action
Rating: M
Grade: D
There is never a good reason to trash a perfectly good franchise name. And Jaws is one if there ever was one.
Seriously, when you say the name "Jaws" to someone, who doesn't instantly think of the terrifying tale (both in the novel and the films) of a blood-thirsty shark on a tear in the summer waters? "Jaws Unleashed" really, really wants to capture the tension by putting you in control of the famous great white shark, but it never succeeds in making you feel good about playing as a shark trying to maim and slaughter innocent victims and other creatures of the sea.
The game's design is open-ended, which presents plenty of opportunities to attack either human or any other form of mammal, depending on your tastes at that moment. What's bizarre about the game (just for starters) are the attack modes. I mean, the idea of upgrading a shark may be weird in theory, but it's outlandish in practice.
It's not worth even getting into all the absurd moments that ooze from this game. Just know that you can take Jaws on land for brief periods of time to catch some human prey. It's just that silly of a premise, and unless you have some over-arching desire, it would equally be that silly of a decision to buy this game.
'MONSTER HUNTER FREEDOM'
Camcom for PSP.
Rating: T
Grade: C+
After playing "Monster Hunter Freedom," you get the sense that you've played this game before. Maybe it's because there are elements of "Turok" involved (lots of nasty dinosaurs and other creatures to take down), or perhaps it's the aspects of "Elder Scrolls" that has you reminiscing of games past.
No matter what games "Monster Hunter Freedom" makes you think of, the overall problem is that it matches none of those games -- it's just a culling of ideas from other successful franchises cobbled together in hopes that it works on the PSP.
You play as a warrior in some pre-historic time where humans must hunt dinosaurs and also collect food from the land to keep the tribe alive (insert sexist hunter/gatherer joke here). The game is not horrible -- heavy weapons, great graphics on the PSP -- but the control scheme drags the game down. It's very hard to move around and it lacks a lock-on feature, making fighting enemies frustrating beyond belief.
Still, this game is solid enough to rent it for a weekend, if only to slay some angry dinosaurs that clearly need to be taught a lesson.
-Chris Campbell, Scripps Howard