In between 55-hour work weeks, doctor appointments for an expecting wife, playing review games, and Super Bowls, I’ve had the good fortune to be able to spend time with two games - one I had planned on for months, the other I hadn’t even heard of until a few weeks ago.

First off is Battlestations: Midway for the 360, a surprisingly enjoyable and expansive strategy-shooter-history lesson that I rented last week. It’s not a graphical powerhouse, but the combination of commanding ships, planes, and submarines from a general’s map or the cockpit is a unique experience that I am really enjoying on those odd occasions when I get to play it.

Secondly is the title that made me rediscover my Nintendo DS (and put the superb Vice City Stories on the commuter shelf for a few weeks); Hotel Dusk: Room 215. I still don’t quite know if I love it or hate it, but dammit if I’m not hooked deep into the so-far convoluted yet immersive story line. I’m into the third chapter…while the animation is borderline brillant and the dialogue is pretty good, damn it all if some of these puzzles aren’t just about the most annoying thing ever. I spent one full day’s commute - to the office and all the way home - wandering around the hotel aimlessly not knowing what to do next. I had to break down and head to GameFAQs for a hint, which, when I found it, was far from obvious (so I didn’t feel like such an idiot).

I am loath to ever use walkthroughs or - God forbid - cheats to get through a game, but I didn’t want to spend the better part of a week with a rental knocking on doors that won’t open or getting told to get the heck out of the restaurant’s kitchen. That’s the only help I’ve needed - so far - and I have since gotten a few more puzzles solved sans info.

Richy out.