UPDATE – 07/22/10:
NIS America has announced they will be remastering volume 1 of both Toradora and Persona to address transfer issues with both sets. For details, go here. 

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I sat down to watch Toradora!  I’d heard a lot of positive buzz around the internet when the show was originally on the air in Japan last year, but I’ve learned over the years that fan hype should never be taken at face value as a sign of quality.  Thankfully, from the very first episode, any fears I had about the series were quickly put to rest as I became completely engrossed in this engaging and delightfully rambunctious anime series.

My time with Alan Wake began with so much promise. Tight controls, an engaging premise, and wonderful lead in via the Bright Falls webisodes. Unfortunately, despite a strong start, it doesn’t take long for Alan Wake to squander its potential with a slew of bad design choices.

Okay, I have a confession to make: I’ve never purchased a figma figure before this review. Oh sure, I have a Yuki Nagato figure up on my shelf, but I’ve never taken her out of the package. Up until this point, my entire experience with Max Factory’s figma line has been limited to a brief play session with my friend’s Konata figure at a convention a several years ago. When I saw this cute looking Marisa Kirisame figma come up for preorder several months back, I just knew that it was the right time for me to take the plunge in the world of figmas.

After spending over eighty hours wandering the land of Ferelden, I can honestly say that the time I spent with Dragon Age: Origins was the best RPG experience I’ve had in a long time. BioWare’s newest game aptly captures the essence of the Dungeons & Dragons pen and paper experience without all the fuss that usually accompanies such a venture. Rather than sticking me with all the stodgy predictability and clichéd plot retreads of most modern Japanese RPGs, Dragon Age: Origins gave me with a world where every new companion was potential friend (or lover), every battle was a test of my skill, and every decision a reflection of my own morality with long term consequences.

Based on a Russian novel by the same name, Metro 2033 is a great game that easily distinguishes itself from its FPS brethren by means of its engaging gameplay and story. Created by Ukraine based developer, 4A games, and published by THQ, this first-person adaptation provides a solid single player campaign, forgoes any attempt to include multiplayer combat. Despite being hindered by inconsistent gunplay and a dubiously integrated morality system that affects the game’s outcome, Metro 2033 provides a uniquely compelling vision of the Soviet Union post-apocalypse.