Chalk it up to the preview effect, but I had high hopes for Dark Void, out today for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC. When checking the game out at a media day in Los Angeles and talking to executive producer Morgan Gray, there seemed to be great potential in combining the bygone era of aerial dogfighting with the Gears of War-style duck-and-cover combat that everyone wants a piece of these days. Alas, Dark Void’s jetpack-enabled adventure isn’t getting the love from critics. Almost uniformly, they acknowledge a good seed of an idea is dragged down by derivative design, a confusing plot the glaring omission of multiplayer.

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The first Heavy Rain review is in, and although the game’s not due out until February 23 in North America, we can breathe easy knowing the Playstation 3 exclusive won’t likely be a colossal critical failure. Official Playstation Magazine has given the “interactive drama,” which follows several protagonists as they track a serial killer, nine points out of 10.

Put gaming conventions aside, go in with no expectations other than this is something new and massively good-looking, and you’ll be rewarded with a unique experience that lurches between genius and madness, manages to be genuinely emotional, and that you’ll be bursting to talk about with your friends.

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It’s a good day to be Sony, with news that Final Fantasy XIII set sales records for the Playstation 3 in Japan. After day one, the game had moved a million units, and by week’s end, 1.501,964 units were sold, according to Media Create. Japan’s previous best-selling PS3 game, Metal Gear Solid 4, has moved less than half as many copies in its entire lifetime. The takeaway is that people are buying FFXIII, and by extension the Playstation 3, in droves. On the week, PS3 sales jumped to 237,086 units, from 75,086 units the week earlier. All of this bodes well for FFXIII’s March 9 release, both for the PS3 and the Xbox 360. But has the game been as successful critically?

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Unsurprisingly, reviews of New Super Mario Bros. Wii are generally favorable. This is, of course, a new Mario game with a lot of the same old 2D platforming that put Nintendo’s iconic Italian plumber on the map. But what about the game’s multiplayer, which allows you to bring three other players in on the action? Nintendo has hyped this feature as innovative, some might call it a gimmick, but it’s certainly the freshest thing New Super Mario Bros. Wii has going for it. So how’d the multiplayer fare? Impressions from around the Web after the jump.

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As expected, the buzz around Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 hit a fever pitch today, just one day before the game’s worldwide launch. So, just sit around and wait, then? Of course not. There’s plenty to do if you can’t stay still for “the biggest entertainment launch of all time.” Why not start by reading a couple early Modern Warfare 2 reviews? Claiming that “embargoes collapse amid pre-launch frenzy,” The Guardian has posted its five-star rave, calling the game “the most polished FPS of the year” and “exactly what fans were expecting.” In particular, the review praises Modern Warfare 2′s superior AI and balanced weaponry.

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As with any big release, you can expect a wide range of reactions to Halo 3: ODST, which puts players in the role of  human soldier, as opposed to the iconic cyborg Master Chief. Some critics raved, such IGN’s Erik Brudvig, who called ODST “another great game from Bungie.” He particularly praised the game’s “fantastic soundtrack” and gave a 9.0 to the game’s lasting appeal. Ars Technica’s Ben Kuchera went the opposite way, deriding the game’s “Cheesy music,” “Short campaign” and “Rehashed multiplayer.” Kuchera concluded that the Halo 3 expansion — which doesn’t require the original game — isn’t worth $60. I’m deferring to GamesRadar’s Charlie Barrat, who keenly notes that if you were expecting an all new adventure that shakes up the Halo formula, you’ll be disappointed, but gamers who want more of the Halo they know and love will be happy enough. Halo 3: ODST hits stores tomorrow. [via Metacritic]