If the violence-wracked sci-fi worlds of “Chromehounds” is any indication of the future, then things aren’t looking too bright for us humans.

Thank goodness, then, that these dystopian visions exist only as video games.

“Chromehounds” puts players in an alternative Earth where endless skirmishes rage among warring nations that use massive metal battle machines called Hounds to prowl the dreary landscapes.

Following in a long tradition of so-called “Mech” video games, “Chromehounds” plops you in the pilot’s seat of an oversized walking tank (in this game called a “Hound” instead of a “Mech”) bristling with weapons and armor.

You can control one of six different Hound types, with each offering a different gameplay experience. While snipers can pick off enemies from a distance, they won’t last nearly as long as foot soldiers when it comes to close-quarters combat.

There’s a boring single-player mode that serves as a good primer, but the game’s true strengths only come once you fire up Xbox Live and join others for lengthy battles in the game’s persistent online universe.

The double-edged sword of all online games remains true here: your fun – or frustration – is highly dependent on how much time you’re willing to invest and the intelligence of those you choose to team with.

– Matt Slagle, AP Technology Writer

Rumors of the Xbox’s demise have been greatly exaggerated – the old black box’s calendar is, in fact, still pretty full – but it’s safe at this point to assume the system’s most daring days are behind it.

Witness the budget-priced “Warpath,” a first-person shooter that, fun aside, is the antithesis of daring.

It’s not for lack of ability or execution. Developer Digital Extremes’ resume is nothing to scoff at, nor is the Unreal Engine technology under the game’s hood. Someone simply thought it wise to take a bunch of multiplayer modes (capture the flag, deathmatch, territory, team assault), cobble them together, use a game board-like interface as the glue, toss in lots of guns and vehicles, and call it a single-player campaign.

Guess what? Once you get past the somewhat jarring lack of presentational frills, the whole thing works. “Warpath” offers full System Link and Xbox Live support if you’re feeling lonely, but the single-player “quest” manages to play in the same ballpark thanks to its healthy appetite for instant gratification and smart artificial intelligence. You’ve played parts of this before, but between the fast vehicles, upgradeable guns and flurry of activity taking place around you, there’s little need – or time – to yearn for more.

At this point, you’re either turned on or you’re not. This is brainless gameplay at its most pure, and the fact that it’s good at what it sets out to do makes it easy to recommend to the right audience. “Warpath” wasn’t made for everyone – “Halo 3” this is not. But if your Xbox is still plugged in and the prospect of playing an old-fashioned FPS with 2006 clothing sounds irresistible, “Warpath” most certainly was made for you.

– Billy O’Keefe, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services