"Prince Caspian," "Haze" and "Penny Arcade"

Reviews of some new electronic and computer games:

"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian"

As inevitable as summer movies are the games based on them. "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" is decent enough for a game like this. It does its job as a tie-in, but it will likely be forgotten before the movie leaves theaters, or by the time it arrives on DVD.

Instead of being locked into controlling the children or the prince for the whole game, "Caspian" offers a wide selection of characters, all with a common control scheme. Many of them have unique abilities — a dwarf can fit into small spaces, a minotaur can bash obstacles, Edmund Pevensie carries a flashlight — but all have the same basic moves. It's rather similar to the "LEGO Star Wars" games — not surprising, as they were made by the same company that developed this one.

The game play is OK, but requires little skill or smarts; the graphics and sound are fine but nothing special. There are items to collect and chests to unlock for bonus content, and clips from the movie here and there.

Publisher: Disney Interactive.

System: Microsoft Xbox 360; also for Sony PlayStation 3, PS2, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS.

Price: $49.99 ($29.99 to $49.99 for other versions).

Age rating: Teen.

"Haze"

Forty years in the future, the world relies on private military corporations for military work. In "Haze," one of these companies, Mantel, is in South America to eliminate a rebel group called the Promise Hand; the player is a rookie Mantel sergeant.

Mantel uses a combat drug called Nectar to boost its fighters. Mantel troops always have a low-level flow of the drug, but a boosted dose heightens the senses, and increases strength and speed. Overdosing, however, leaves a soldier firing wildly, unable to tell friend from foe.

It spoils nothing to reveal that the player later joins the rebel cause. Rebels can fashion Nectar grenades and stick foes with Nectar-coated knives to induce an overdose. They can also play dead in a tight spot — one of Nectar's effects is that it shields the user's mind from images of carnage. Four gamers can play through the campaign, and up to 16 can battle online using rebels or Mantel troops.

Unfortunately, other than the Nectar-based abilities and counter-abilities, "Haze's" game play is undistinguished; even the weapons lack punch. Already delayed more than once, "Haze" could have still used more time in the oven.

Publisher: Ubisoft.

System: Sony PlayStation 3.

Price: $59.99.

Age rating: Mature.

"Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice Of Darkness — Episode One"

The ludicrously titled game "Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness — Episode One" is the first game based on the online comic Penny Arcade. The game play could use some beefing up for the next episode, but it's a terrific first effort.

"Precipice" is a light role-playing game; players start out by designing a character in the Penny Arcade art style, and soon find themselves traveling with Gabe and Tycho, the lead characters of the strip (and the creators' alter egos). The battle system is quick and simple — when the party encounters a foe, the fight unfolds using a turn-based system much like battles in the "Final Fantasy" series.

The party travels through the mostly perfect burg of New Arcadia, trying to unravel the mystery of a giant robot stomping about town (its name is unprintable here, but suffice it to say the smaller models do questionable things to pieces of fruit).

Like the comic, the game is clever but often ribald, and thus not for young children — curse words and suggestive material are scattered all about. It's good-looking and well-written, and its appeal should extend beyond the comic's fan base; this humorous tale is clearly influenced by H.P. Lovecraft, and the low-tech sci-fi subgenre called steampunk.

Publisher: Hothead Games.

System: PC (www.playgreenhouse.com download); also for Mac and Linux, and Microsoft Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade download).

Price: $19.95 (1600 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360 version).

Age rating: Mature.