With the digital distribution of games now the norm for the new wave of game consoles, we at GameSpy have spent quite some time arguing about how to cover them. Do we attach our usual numerical scores to these games? How is cost a factor? How do we review a twenty year-old games Ultimately, we came up with a "yea" or "nay" system, a simple thumbs up or down as to whether you should foot the bill. So, without further ado, here's a look at what we're playing. In future bi-weekly editions, look for us to cover new digital releases across the boards!



Fill Up Wallet, Go Shopping

flOw
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: thatgamecompany
Price: $7.99 USD

If you're a PS3 owner, you've undoubtedly heard of flOw. Originally a project set up by USC students, the game's genre has been categorized as "Zen" by SCEA's own press sheet. It's also available as a Flash game, but the difference between the Flash version of flOw and the console download are fairly dramatic... unlike, say, Alien Hominid, which started out as a Flash game online, morphed into a budget PS2 and GameCube title, and was recently reincarnated on Xbox Live. flOw's use of the Sixaxis controller alone is a very dramatic departure from using a mouse.


The concept is simple: players take on the role of a marine lifeform as it swims around and absorbs other tiny animals. Gently motioning with the Sixaxis steers the creature through its multi-tiered aquatic world. Once many creatures are consumed, the player's cellular lifeform will absorb more energy and strength, growing new parts and becoming more deadly. Eating a pink or blue marker moves them up or down a tier, respectively. In the deepest area lurks a bigger boss, which, you guessed it, you have to try to eat.

Of the titles currently on the PlayStation Store, from the mediocre Cash, Guns, Chaos to the entertaining GripShift, flOw is undoubtedly the best. It's well worth the small investment given the unique nature of the experience.

flOw gets an emphatic thumbs-up.

Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection
Publisher: Namco-Bandai Games
Developer: Namco-Bandai Games
Price: $19.99 USD

Let's get a few things out of the way here: by no means is Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection a substitute for Virtua Fighter 5, even if you aren't a fan of VF. That said, it's the best version of Tekken 5 you can get. While the PS2 version only supports 480p, DR goes all the way up to a sparkling 1080p. It's missing a few modes that Tekken fans are used to, but its gameplay translates extremely well from its arcade roots.

Features? Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection boasts the fast gameplay and colorful visuals that made Tekken 5 such a winner, awesome cinematics, and a sizable roster of characters (including previously unplayable boss character Jinpachi Mishima). Fundamentally, it's a high-res game with the same solid Tekken mechanics that made us rave so much about the PSP version last summer.


Still, there's a lingering feeling that, with Tekken 6 eventually coming and VF 5 already on the market, DR is more of an experiment for publishers who want to charge $20 for a revamped PS2 game than a top-tier fighting game contender. But it's still fun, and if it means a Katamari remix from Namco, we're all for this experiment.

Our verdict? Thumbs up, though a bit uneasy.