We got spoiled last week. There were more quality videogame releases than anyone had time to play, including one that I totally forgot to write about (sorry ‘SOCOM’ fans!). Unfortunately, this week is different.

Darkspore (PC)

The tag line for ‘Darkspore’ is: “A New Breed of Action-RPG.” That seems a bit overreaching for a title that looks for all the world like another ‘Diablo’ clone. Of course, that doesn’t mean ‘Darkspore’ isn’t worth checking out.

The game is based somewhat on ‘Spore’ and utilizes the same creature creation engine for customization of your characters. You’ll fight against both existing and user-created enemies, and play with a squad of you own or with up to four players online.

Gameplay looks fairly similar to the ‘Marvel Ultimate Alliance’ games, which is a good thing in my book. It adds in collectables and customizability, and is set in a futuristic science-fiction world. If you’re looking for a good co-op action-RPG, this might be worth taking a look at.

IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover (PC)

The dogfight genre never really made it to the mainstream, but it came close thanks to games like ‘Crimson Skies’ that gave flying games a more arcade-y feel. The ‘Sturmovik’ series is on the other side of the spectrum.

More casual players may dismiss the game as “too realistic” or “too hardcore,” but military buffs and more experienced gamers may find appeal in that. The series is all about recreating realistic World War II dogfights, and makes no apologies to those who want something easier to deal with.