Over the weekend I …• Played the first four levels of "Kane & Lynch"…and liked it??? Gotta re-read that Gerstmann review.
• Tackled 11 more puzzles in "Professor Layton," approaching the conclusion.
• Collected 20 or so more stars in "Super Mario Galaxy" and reached the first part of the game that I disliked: Freezeflame Galaxy. Also discovered a great new enemy-based power-up, the Boo Bomb. Proof that Nintendo's Tokyo development team plays "God of War"? Maybe. Mario can spin explosive ghosts by their tongues, mace-like, until the boo bombs hit something and explode. It's Kratos-esque and a lot of fun.
• Played one level of "Turning Point: Fall of Liberty" and was intrigued by the concept of defending New York City from Nazis. But even my game-filled life is too short to play what feels like an average entry in a genre so rich with sterling greats. One level is all I can give this game.
• Became transfixed by "Universe At War," the first real-time strategy game with readable text that I've played on a console since I completed one of my all-time favorites, 2004's "Pikmin 2." I'm four missions into the campaign and am having a fun time controlling the first of the game's three distinct, warring alien races. But reviews I've read about this game claim the campaign is lackluster. Am I settling? I'll continue to play "Universe At War" until someone can convince me there's a better RTS for me on the 360. I wonder…
Next: Monday will likely bring more "Universe At War," or more "Mario." That is, if my wife and I don't spend the evening continuing to try to catch up on "In Treatment."