Van Helsing
(Vivendi Universal; PS2, Xbox) Come to Transylvania for the goulash - stay for the horrific bloodshed. Actor Hugh Jackman does the honors here, turning zombies and demons into tartare. Sizzling Dolby Digital 5.1 surround allows every pistol shot and thunder peal to ring clear, while a reactive orchestral soundtrack frames the mayhem. As frightening as the corny script and repetitive play can be, it's the backdrops - like catacombs, crypts, and snowbound villages - that'll give you the creeps. Xbox exterminators enjoy each spider web and dust mite in majestic 480p, while PS2 pundits do the monster mash at lower resolution. Stunning showdowns with Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, and the Wolfman beckon, though wannabe legends must wade through a sea of bodies first. But relax: ostentatious weapons like crossbows, buzzsaws, and shotguns guarantee that none of the bodies will be yours.
-Scott Steinberg
