THQ (PS2, Xbox) Game •••• Graphics/Sound ••••

Ike. The Red Scare. Tupperware. That's what the people of Earth are thinking about in Destroy All Humans! Flipping the script on Space Invaders, this game casts you as Crypto, an alien armed with an addictive array of futuristic weapons and mental abilities. You'll read minds to reveal those deep Earthling thoughts. ("Boy, do I love my new Edsel. It's a classic in the making!") You'll also vaporize civilians (just like your brethren do in War of the Worlds) and trash towns from the comfort of your flying saucer. Humorous dialogue roasts idyllic 1950s America while a spooky score toasts the era's cheesy sci-fi flicks. And you'll know you're well on your way to world domination when you're surrounded by screams. Combine all that with expansive environments à la Grand Theft Auto (yahoo-run family farms, top-secret government sites), the explosive mayhem of Mercenaries, and the twisted satire of Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! and you get gameplay so hard to resist, you'll feel like you're caught in the grip of Crypto's Abducto Beam.