To cute for words especially if you are aged around 8.

After seeing trailers for this both my wife and little 8-year-old daughter pronounced they wanted this no matter what. So I am going to try and write this review from their perspective in particular my daughter. Sold in tandem with the Playstation Eye for around £35.00 this really is not a game at all more like a souped up tech demo crossed with a Petz and (God I hate that bollocks of adding Z on the end of things to make it look cool) Nintendogs animal raising sim.

First off you are guided through the process of hatching your egg by some nutty professor type.You place a black and red plastic card thing on the floor that the camera registers and right there on the TV your egg pops up from your living room floor. Its right here at the beginning that you remember the technical limitations of these kind of camera controlled toys. The camera is just not precise or sensitive enough to rock your egg side to side using your hands to get it to hatch. This quickly turns into a very hit and miss chore it took me and my daughter a good 20 minutes to get the thing to hatch. Once this is out-of-the-way though these control issues are few and far between but just be warned they do still exist. What struck me immediately especially with both the wife cooing at the screen is how cute and well animated your little cat monkey type thing is. Not only that but how good the effect looks on the TV of you sat on your living room floor and this creature walking around and over you even reacting to you moving your legs and arms.

Next up you have to X-Ray your little friend again using the plastic card. You do this by holding the card up to the camera and use it as a kind of scanner. These regular X-Ray’s form a report telling you and the nutty professor how happy, hungry and healthy little Coco is (Coco is what my little princess has named him by the way). Next up is the Pet Programme which is where the meat of what little real game can be found.

The Pet Programme is split into days and there are 5 different objectives to do each day. These objectives form the basis of teaching your pet new tricks and also teach you how to care for him. Passing these objectives also unlocks new clothes, toys and activities for you and your new chum to do. These include drawing and singing and they all work pretty well especially the drawing. The drawing eventually gives you a magic pen to make toys such as a Car and Plane that your pet can drive and play with. The joy of watching something your little one has drawn then have their pet copy it by holding it up to the camera is a joy and technical marvel to behold.

Obviously your kids will get more enjoyment out of it than adults. I know my daughter absolutely loves it, what with all the dressing up in various costumes. At this very minute Coco is in a full Santa costume which was downloaded from the PSN for nothing. But here in lies the problem there is little more to this than that really it is just an expanded tech demo a very impressive one but a tech demo all the same. I will not knock it too much though as I have stated before both my daughter and wife love it and I guess that is exactly what Sony were aiming for.

I am not going to give it a review score because it’s not really a game so I will give the last few words to my little Princess Ellie. “Eye Pet is really really good. Coco is very cute and I love him to bits. I like drawing with him and dressing him up. I also think he is very funny when he jumps and pounces on your fingers like a cat when you tap them on the floor. I think my Daddy should give it 10 out of 10 and stop trying to teach Coco to sing ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles’ as Coco does not like West Ham, he likes Arsenal like me”. Says it all really don’t you think. I only have one other problem now, getting my PS3 back!

Rockstar’s DLC comes to disc.

This release see’s the completion of the biggest deal for downloadable content (DLC) yet seen. Microsoft reportedly paid Rockstar $50 million for the exclusive rights to, two pieces of DLC for uber seller GTA IV. This disc comes with both episodes of DLC  as a standalone package at a reduced RRP of £34.99 (it can be brought for as little as £24.99 on some online retailers) So did Microsoft get their monies worth? I think so! I do not know any PS3 owning GTA loving friends that are not green with envy over these two games and most are considering buying an Xbox 360 on the strength of these alone. And that surely was Microsoft’s aim to ram in the point that 2008’s  biggest release of the year was going to be a longer and more fulfilling prospect on their box of magic tricks.

Both episodes tell different stories that are woven through the course of the GTA IV ‘Niko Bellic’  story but are totally unique. Although completely separate they do allow you to see some of the key points of Niko’s story from a different view-point and even tie up a few loose ends , in particular the story of the Diamonds.

We will start with the first episode of the package this being “The Lost And The Damned”. I won’t dwell too long on this part as it has been out as DLC since March this year and most would have played it by now. But in the interest of those that have not,  it  tells the story of Johnny Klebbitz deputy leader of motorcycle gang “The Lost” and his struggles with his deranged drug taking brother and leader Billy.  Billy has just been released from jail and is hell-bent on breaking the peace between their rival gang that Johnny has worked so hard to attain in his absence. What follows is between 7- 8 hours of gameplay with Rockstar’s trademark cracking dialogue and plenty of violence. Not much new is added gameplay wise apart from some new weapons  and vehicles, the star of the show being the explosive Grenade Launcher.

The second episode titled the “Ballad of Gay Tony” places you in the shoes of Luis Lopes bodyguard and business partner of titular gay nightclub impresario Tony Prince.  What follows is different to both the original GTA IV and the first episode’s story. Different because gone is the more sombre, serious realistic style of game that GTA IV ushered in and back is the trademark GTA loud brash fun. It would seem that the club land setting has allowed Rockstar to let rip as the missions in TBOGT are so far removed from the previous ones it is a God send. From having to steal a military helicopter and a train carriage through to throwing an internet Blogger called the Celebrinator out of a helicopter and diving after him to catch him, the emphasis is most definitely back to fun fun fun. The game manages to add more than TLATD such as, Base Jumping, club management, Triathlon style races and heaps more weapons and vehicles. There is even a very amusing dance mini game where you and your fellow clubbers do the bus stop and if you do this perfectly you will be rewarded with a treat from a lovely lady.

The story telling takes a bit of a back seat compared to GTA IV and TLATD because of the added over the top missions and other gameplay features,  but you will be having so much fun you would be hard pressed to notice this. Despite the slightly lacklustre story this time round there is a real star turn in the form of Omad Djallili as the mega rich Yusuf Amir, a gangster rap loving  Arab who is trying to prove to his father he is a business man and not a Cocaine snorting, whore fucking idiot. Obviously though he is a complete idiot and he provides some real proper laugh out loud moments.

GTA as ever is a far from perfect experience and the graphics engine is starting to look a bit tired. The animation now looks a little ropey when compared to its more recent competition.  And the gameplay, with the slightly dodgy aiming and cover system included, is not for everyone. But as ever the games has it’s fans which I am proud to say I am one of and this is because of the real star of the show which of course is Liberty City itself. Try as much as others have nobody out there can create a real living breathing city in the way Rockstar can and I have to salute them. A complete recreation  and copy of  New York City is incredible and a programing milestone. And being able to play through 3 stories and see the city from a slightly different perspective each time is a testament to the developers huge talents.

When you consider both episodes add about 7 – 8 hours of gameplay and are both available as DLC is very impressive. Even more impressive when you consider the price.  Both can picked up as DLC for 1600 points (£13.60) each if you own GTAIV and for sub £24.99 on the standalone disc at various online retailers if you don’t.  In short there really is not a lot to dislike if you are a GTA fan then both episodes come highly recommended from me especially the over the top thrills to be found in the ‘Ballad of Gay Tony’. Roll on the sequel wherever it is going to be, Vice City is being mooted but I would dearly love it to be London again.

Rating 8/10

Don’t know why I bother, really.

But let’s do this, anyway.

Right. Welcome to the next instalment of everybody’s favourite wrestling series, WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2010 – now with so many bells and whistles, that it feels suffocating, like a giant man’s armpit. The first thing that gets your attention is the HUGE amount of modes, options, configurations etc. They are EVERYWHERE and are this edition’s selling point. To quote:

“It’s your world now.” Nice.

Create your characters. Create finishing moves. Get this – you can now create – wait for it – finishing moves off the top rope! Create outfit designs, and stories to mimic those seen on TV, if you like. Having so many options may be an absolute dream for diehard fans out there. I get that. But oh my god – this is sick. This is serious.

I guess it’s nice that you can go online and upload your created stories, moves and what-not as well as downloading other people’s creations, but with the amount of time and effort put into these creations I felt I should be getting paid for it. To be honest I really couldn’t care less.

Anyway – let’s talk about the gameplay. Or rather, let’s not.

All your characters are here. Your Triple H, your Undertaker.. And many, many others, keeping fairly up-to-date with the actual roster in… ‘real life’. Fortunately, for those quick to point out that things aren’t what they should be, updates will be available in future on the Playstation Store.

This is no plug-‘n’-play business here. First off, would you like a one-on-one match? Tag team? Fatal Four-way? Okay – after that, what kind of match? Normal? Table? Hell in the Cell? Extreme Rules? You get the picture so let’s move on.

Here’s a tip: only ever play against human opponents as AI has NEVER  been the series’ strong point. Watch in amazement, as a CPU fighter will leave the ring – find a ladder – bring it back in the ring – walk around with it a bit – leave themselves open to having said ladder stolen from them – and then pretty much invite you to wrap it around their head. And man – I wish I could recover that quickly from being slammed through a burning table (yes fans – BURNING TABLES ARE BACK!!!).

Even having a ring full of CPU characters doesn’t compensate for their stupidity nor does cranking up the difficulty. You’ll need to be cool with this before even considering taking on the game’s preset ‘Road to Wrestlemania’ story modes, and the others included.

With AI this dumb, I defy you not to ask yourself, “Who’s the real dumbass here?”

Oh, how I miss WWE: No Mercy, on the N64.

To sum it up, this is for WWE fans ONLY. True WWE fans. The enormous amount of game modes on offer will keep them tinkering till the final bell and perhaps they will manage to overlook the major issues, no problem. Many will just be happy to see that Randy Orton’s neck looks lifelike, not that I’ve checked, or anything.

For everyone else, particularly those who enjoy a quick drop-in game every now and then, stay away. You will get lost in this stuff, and want to hit somebody around the head with a chair!

3/10.

Is that just Tekken the piss?

..I will always be a Tekken nut. The game was never about winning for me. Just learning moves and combos… and competing against the next guy.. Showing off at tournaments..  Sweet.

I love the buzz of a great fight, regardless of winning or losing.

And so, here comes Tekken 6: A game that tests my fighting mantra greatly. I’ll get to that issue shortly.

It’s been a long wait for the sixth (technically eighth) instalment. Was it worth the wait? I’d say it was, definitely. But then, I’m a hardcore Tekken fan.

Tekken isn’t for everybody, but this latest edition is noticeably far more accessible to newcomers. There’s now a huge roster of 40 characters to choose from (why the animals keep returning, I’ll never know), and more modes and options to get stuck into.

The first new addition that comes to mind is Scenario Campaign mode, a kind of 3D-Streets of Rage (You don’t know Streets of Rage? Shame on you). At first, you’ll be cursing at the camera and controls here, but something about it is very addictive, and you soon forgive these minor issues. Especially as, over time, you realise you need to play this mode to earn many of the achievements in the game.

Speaking of achievements, characters are seriously customisable now. You can adorn your favourite fighters in all sorts of attire arrangements, with a crazy amount of hats, shoes, Asics tracksuits, etc. to choose from. I have to admit having great fun dressing Law up as my hero, Bruce Lee, but I won’t talk about that here.

The avatars themselves look real nice. The attention to detail with muscle definition and facial expression can’t be ignored and the characters pretty much fill up the entire screen, set in some gorgeous-looking Arenas.

The arenas themselves are great to look at, and are now (mostly) more interactive than those seen in Tekken 4, with fighters crashing through walls or floors into different areas in much the same way as in Dead or Alive. Not much more than a gimmick, but a nice gimmick all the same.

Anyway – enough praise.

The thing about recent instalments of ‘The King of Iron Fist Tournament’ that REALLY annoys me… Are those ‘wonderful’ Boss characters. The kind of character who is three times bigger than yourself, and has a move list that will render you immobile, and unable to fight back.

Jinpachi Mishima was ‘The Daddy’ in the last tournament. He was bad enough, freezing you with almost every move, and seemingly intangible, as your punches and kicks seem to just pass through his belly.

Enter ‘Azazel’ – a whole new ball game. Bring back Jinpachi.

You WILL shout at the TV. Also, Playstation 3 controllers are pricey, so I suggest you go easy on them. *Tip* they might be shaped like a boomerang but they sure as hell don’t come back!

To go back to my ‘Tekken Mantra’, I don’t fight to win, just for the fun of it. I don’t care if I lose, generally. Here’s a boss who cannot be beat unless you ‘play cheap’ – I won’t go into detail, but you’ll need to find a couple of moves, and/or combos, and keep using them, no matter what. My issue is that, even after 13-odd fights with Azazel, with his constant tail swipes, and sudden teleportations, I’d rather lose looking good, than win like that.

But methinks I take this too seriously! Whatever – you’ll see…

You’ll be thankful for ‘Ghost Mode’, which returns from Tekken 5, allowing you to fight renditions of real players around the globe – it’s basically the same as Arcade Mode, but without Azazel. Nice.

To fans of the storyline? Don’t hold your breath. Endings leave you feeling cheated now. Scenario Campaign mode is where all that stuff is, and then some.

There is also a slight issue with loading times; it is vital that you install the game before playing, to improve loading speeds, which, even after installation, are.. not as great as previous games in the series. Considering the huge amount of content in Tekken 6 itself, the loading is easily overlooked, with time.

Anyway, ignoring the last boss (and one bonus character), I love Tekken, as always. Once the online mode is smoothed out and updated (new Scenario co-op modes in the pipeline, etc.), it’ll be even better. This is definitely the best of the bunch, but again, I can’t help thinking that it would be so much better if they got rid of that damned bear, kangaroo, panda, and that fucking boss..

8/10

Has Sony finally got itself the mythical system seller?

The above question is a strange one to be asking considering that Sony’s black behemoth of a console has been on the market for over 3 years. Also considering now that after a slow start there is a growing list of high quality console exclusives. But for me none of these exclusives can be considered to be a system seller. All of the system exclusives have all been far too Marmite like to be a true system seller. This game on the other hand could just be the one.

Nathan Drake’s first outing was quite rightly lauded as a very good game and possibly the first exclusive to hint at what the PS3 was truly capable of. But it fell short of true greatness due to a slightly repetitive structure and a slightly fiddly control system and camera. Naughty Dog this time round though have thrown the kitchen sink at it and it has paid off big time.

The game kicks in straight away no tutorials just in your face gameplay from the off. Nathan Drake comes round sat in a chair bleeding and wondering what is going on when all hell breaks loose and finds out that he is sat in a train that is hanging perilously over a very large frozen expanse. As he climbs his way to safety a set of flash backs play out letting you in on how he has managed to get himself in to this perilous situation. Story wise it is much like the first game a globe-trotting adventure where you are after a priceless ancient artefact and a horde of lost treasure. Meanwhile you are being outwitted and double crossed at every turn. Drake’s love interest and partner Sully return from the first game along with a new rival love interest and a new set of baddies. All of the voice acting and characterisation are top-notch leading to a collection of people you truly believe in and either care about or hate. In Nathan Drake, Naughty Dog  have made one of the most charismatic, likeable video game lead characters ever created and the voice acting of Nolan North really brings him to life.

Now on to the games graphics which are quite simply breathtaking. In terms of art style they can be a little generic but then again it is trying to convince you that this is the real world so they would have to be. The level of detail in the games wide variety of backdrops is jaw dropping from jungles to snowy expanses through to urban landscapes they look mind-blowingly authentic. Add on to this the character’s animation both in terms of movement and the emotion shown on their faces as the story pans out is just fantastic. Uncharted 2 is without a shadow of a doubt this generations best looking game by a country mile. The word cinematic gets bandied about a lot in the video games world but for once it is a justifiable claim with this game.

The game plays exactly the same as last time out but things have been smoothed. The controls are  less fiddly when trying to set up that long jump. And the camera behaves in a much better more cinematic way. This game is all about the huge set pieces and you really do lurch from one frantic perilous situation to the next. From hanging on for grim life in a crashed train to jumping from one exploding vehicle to another and onto a train again fighting it out with guns whilst trying to get the lead car. This is the Hollywood blockbuster done to the fullest and is an absolute thrill-a-minute ride. None of the gameplay elements are particularly original but it all works so well and ties together perfectly.

Add on a fun well balanced multiplayer game with both co-op and deathmatch modes and you have an incredible gaming package. One which I have no hesitation in proclaiming to be game of the year so far. Any gripes or grumbles that I could level at the game are so minor compared to the game as a whole they are not even worth mentioning. So back to my opening gambit I honestly do believe that if Sony back this with the right marketing campaign, Uncharted 2 is their mythical system seller as none of the other console giants have a game that is even comparable to the level of graphical fidelity, adventuring punch and  story telling finesse on show here.

Rating 10 / 10

The big one finally arrives.

This game is being touted as the highest grossing entertainment launch of all time. By this I mean it is going to make more money and sell more copies than any film, CD or book at launch than anything else that has been before. It really is a major milestone in our favourite past-time becoming mainstream.  But has Infinity Ward made a game that  lives up to the hype?

With the first Modern Warfare title Infinity Ward completely re-wrote the script about what a modern war based FPS should be.  And since its launch two years ago there have been  a few impersonators but none that come anywhere near the first games quality. So it is down to Infinity Ward to surpass their own game and I’m not sure they have quite done it. Do not get me wrong this is a truly stunning game and the best war based FPS since the first game but it does fall just short of its predecessor in terms of the main campaign mode at least.

The story in campaign mode takes place five years after the first game and is the same mix of American Rangers and Special Forces telling the same tale from two sides. All of the survivor’s from the first game make a return including Soap MacTavish who you controlled in the first game but now partner.  The story itself follows on directly from the end of Modern Warfare and the plot follows the same America vs Russian terrorists vibe. It’s hardly up to Tom Clancy standards (not that they are particularly high) but it does allow for a full-on blockbuster, roller-coaster ride and it does have some surprising fan pleasing twists along the way.

In terms of level design and set pieces Modern Warfare 2 is truly brilliant with some great stand-out moments. These include the Snowmobile chase,

highlighted in the previews; controlling a Predator Drone Ship to fire missiles via satellite link (much like the monochrome gunship level in the first game) and storming an Oil Rig from a Submarine with a thermo vision scoped snip

er rifle. They have even managed to get a Daily Mail baiting politi

cally incorrect level in which you take part in a full on terrorist attack at a Russian Airport. There are others and they are all truly brilliant but none of them really live up to the previous games highlights such as “All Ghillied Up” and the aforementioned Gunship level “Death From Above”.

As with Infinity Ward’s previous Call Of Duty games the level of noise and chaos on the battlefield is fantastic, it really does all kick off spectacularly. The sound is awe inspiring with a level of cacophony and mayhem quite unlike other war games. Add in  top voice acting and a cracking soundtrack and you have top notch sound presentation all the way through. Graphically the game is an improvement from the last one with an extra level of detail in the wide variety of backdrops and no drop in the frame rate even when things are at their craziest. Although that said there are better looking  games currently out there.

Now on to the other game modes which are of course the online multi-player and the Spec Ops mode. First up the Spec Ops mode is a lenghthy collection of  mini challenges that can be tackled by 2 players in either online or split screen co-op or on your own. There are a wide variety of different mission types all based on the maps and missions from the Campaign  mode. From defending a weapons cash through to seek and destroy objectives and even a snow mobile race, it is a well thought out hefty addition to the game as a whole and sure to be a hit with the online fraternity. It is also rock hard, even playing the challenges on regular difficulty will have you boiling over in frustration.  All of this said it is no replacement for a full on co-op feature in Campaign mode.

Online multiplayer is an evolution  of what went before and not a full blown revolution. Considering how good it still is, it’s no bad thing. There is still the RPG style based Perk’s system and a few new Perks have been added and more room bolted on for customisation. Also you now get rewards for “Killstreaks” and also for those like myself who suck at this type of multiplayer game you get rewards for “Deathstreaks” too. There are 16 all new multiplayer maps all taken from the campaign mode and all are well designed and balanced for the various game modes on offer. To be sure there is a lot on offer here and all of those that enjoyed the first games multiplayer features are going to be loving this.

So it all sounds fantastic doesn’t it? Well you can problably sense a but coming, Modern Warfare 2 left a slight bitter taste left in the mouth for several reasons. First of all I completed the Campaign mode in just under six and a half hours and let me tell you I’m no Jedi Master of the FPS, game far from it in fact. Add this fact on to there being nothing really innovative to the game, sure there are new weapons and a few bells and whistles but it all smacks of Modern Warfare 2 being a expansion pack rather than a full on sequel. And priced at Activision’s raised RRP of £54.99 (I know nobody is selling it at this price but all the same whose leg are they trying to pull?).  I traded in Uncharted 2 for this game, a far truer sequel than what is on offer here and still had to part with 20 quid on top and I cannot help but feel short changed and I am also suffering withdrawal symptoms for the game I traded in. I have some concerns also regarding the games politics they are completely at odds with a lot of the jingoistic dialogue coming from the games characters, I think gamers nowadays are a little bit more inteligent and that games should be starting to reflect this. I also find Activision’s decision to release a game of this type the day after Remembrance day in this country and Veterans day in the States more than a little distasteful.

So to summarise Modern Warfare 2 is a fantastic game of that there is no doubt but beacuse of its overly short Campaign mode and a feeling of de-ja-vous, it’s not quite the game I was expecting.  Due to these facts and that the game feels little more than an expansion pack all be it a very sweet but hugely expensive one I have adjusted my score appropriately.

Rating 8/10

So once again the Christmas crazy season has begun – yet this year we seem to be left a little light in terms of real killer apps. So I ask what are this Christmas’ essential purchases?

After a good few months of slipping release dates to some of the most eagerly awaited titles, I am going to look at which games actually did make it out that could end up in your stocking:

Uncharted 2 – PS3:

Yes okay it has been out a while now but this is undoubtedly one of if not the finest games of the year so far. With stunning graphics throughout and some truly innovative gameplay, the follow up to Drakes fortune is a pure tour-de-force from start to finish.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the game, have you been living under a rock? Seriously, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, to give it its full title, is a Tomb Raider-esqe action adventure that takes the genre and injects it with so many steroids that it would make Lara’s tits droop to her knees.

The second game in the series even adds (whisper it) on-line multi-player which in itself manages to bring some new gameplay elements  to the table.

If you don’t have it yet, stick it on your list!

FIFA 10/PES 2010 – Multi:

Okay so not just one game here but let’s be honest generally you are either a fan of one or the other and this year the gap between the two is smaller than ever.

In 2009 Fifa managed to edge ahead and Moonheads review of this year’s FIFA would certainly suggest that EA are finally getting things right. Myself however, prefer the overall gameplay in the PES series (Review to follow shortly) and despite a brief flirtation with Fifa 09, will be returning to the comfortable bosom of Konami’s masterpiece this year. Both though are great games and worthy of the ink on your letter to Santa!

Borderlands – 360/PS3/PC

Almost slipping out without a huge fanfare, Borderlands is without doubt one of the games of the year. Camped very heavily alongside the huge hit Fallout 3, Borderlands is a first-person shooter/RPG much in the same vein.

What Borderlands brings to the table is car based combat, stunning visuals and gameplay mechanics that have been designed from the ground-up to reward co-op play, even including a split-screen mode.

Borderlands is a must for anyone looking to get their teeth into something more substantial this Chrimbo!

Forza Motorsport 3 – 360

The now bi-annual update to Microsoft’s answer to Sony’s invisible Gran Tourismo has pushed the boundries once again. Fans of the series or indeed racing games in general will find the usual mix of great visuals, fast paced action and a wealth of cars, tracks and enough options to keep even the most ardent grease-monkey happy till Easter.

Forza 2 was a let down in my eyes but the third game in the series has stepped on the gas and takes driving games to a new level. What Forza 3 does is offer massive tinkering for the enthusiast whilst allowing even the most car-naive ones amongst us easy options to upgrade our engines and wheels without the need for an engineering degree. Maybe the reason for GT’s constant delays is that Turn 10 keep upping the bar with Forza.

Modern Warfare 2 - PS3/360/PC

When Infinity Ward made the first Modern Warfare it redefined the Call Of Duty series so much that it seems Modern Warfare is now a franchise in its own right.

Everyone who played the first Modern Warfare and loved it will be excited about this upcoming sequel and from the looks of it, Infinity Ward have once again managed to put every other game of this type in the shade, proving without doubt that they are one of the greatest development houses working today.

With a fantastic single player story mode that picks up years after the first game and featuring some of the most intense action sequences yet seen. Matched with some truly brilliant set-pieces and a new co-op mode, Modern Warfare 2 looks set to blow the competition away with both barrels, and not a bloody Zombie in sight!

Dragon Age Origins – PC/PS3/360

Bioware get back to their origins (get it?) in this huge RPG. This isn’t a game that will appeal to the masses of casual gamers out there and much more to the huge hardcore RPG crowd. Seen as the spiritual successor to Bioware’s superlative Baldurs Gate series this is a hardcore RPG gamers heaven.

This time though the game is pushing adult boundaries with both race and sex expected to be at the top of the story. With reportedly in excess of 100 hours of gameplay expect this to be keeping RPG gamers very happy this Xmas.

Assassins Creed 2 – PS3/Xbox 360

Set in Renaissance Italy this game according to Ubisoft rights all the wrongs from the first game by adding much-needed variety and depth to the gameplay. Not much is being given away about Desmond the imprisoned modern-day ancestor of  assassin Altair but we do know that he is seeing through the eyes of different assassin this time round called Ezio. New weapons and a monetary system have been added as well as famous historical figures such as Leonardo Da Vinci playing a part.

If Ubisoft have added much needed variety gameplay to the eye popping visuals this could be making people very happy if this is found in their stocking come Christmas morning.

Tekken 6 – PS3/Xbox 360

Namco’s long running beat-em up returns with the usual huge roster of combatants and stunning visuals. The easy to pick up and difficult to master game play of the Tekken series has always been its winning asset, it is less tactical and easier to learn than the Street Fighter series but still offers a good level of depth.

For the first time ever in the series it has gone multi format and online. Expect this crazy beat-em up to have a host of new fans alongside the old ones come the new year.

Left For Dead 2 – PC/Xbox 360

The undead return in this follow up to last years storming co-op fuelled masterpiece of a FPS. Complaints had been levelled at Valve that it is to soon for a follow-up but Valve have promised that this is no mere cash in. Two new types of super Zombie, larger more open areas and melee weapons such as Frying Pans lead us to believe this will indeed be more than worth your Christmas dosh.

Activsion The New EA.

The EA of old knew how to flog a franchise to death but now Activsion have taken this on to a whole new level and given Guitar Hero a damn good thrashing. This is the 12th (ninth on a home console) game in a series which only started in 2005. That is a lot of games in a short space of time add on this years pop sojourn Band Hero and that total tally is up to 13. And not a lot in gameplay terms has changed. I know we have had mics and drums added but the basic gameplay has not changed.

This though is not necessarily a bad thing because the gameplay is so good. Especially when in the company of friends this, and its compatriot Rock Band are still the greatest good time party games. Crank up the volume apply some alcohol and sit back and watch people make complete prats of themselves, its great! I swear something odd happens to people when they pick up that plastic guitar for the first time for a minute or two they are unsure then suddenly there they are strutting their stuff like an axe wielding rock god.

So what’s new for this addition to the series? Not a lot really, there is now drop in drop out co-op play as well as the option to play with any collection of instruments and mics you wish. So if you have 4 drum kits you can play a song with 4 drum kits (can you imagine the racket that would make). You can now also choose to use your Avatar in game so you can look like a gay dweeb fronting a rock band (come on the one thing with these avatars is that they all look a little gay that’s not a bad thing just a strange fact). And for additions to the game that is it.

As with any of these type of games it’s the track listing that is important. Guitar Hero 5 does not disappoint there 85 tracks all master tracks from 83 artists. And its the most eclectic bunch of tracks yet from Coldplay through the Gorillaz to Wild Cherry plus all the usual guitar heavy metal the series is so well known for. Also for the first time for a nominal fee you can use some of the music from Guitar Hero World Tour and Guitar Hero Greatest Hits in this game and all the downloadable stuff from World Tour is useable too (about time too Activision).

So that’s it you will already know if you are going to like this and little we write will sway you. As I said earlier it is great party fare but 12 games in 5 years is pushing the limit of taking the piss out of their consumers. But in the end it does very little wrong other than that.

Rating 7 / 10

Cross genre games rarely work out well.  In many cases they tend to stick to one area without fully developing the other.  That’s why it’s great to see that Borderlands appears to balance it’s FPS and RPG elements fairly evenly.

First things first, while borderlands may have the words “RPG” on the box it plays like a straight shooter with controls in the vein of COD4, which appear to be the standard nowadays.  There’s no shooting and then waiting around for someone else to take a turn, this is all real-time combat with the RPG elements encompassing the damage, fire rate, accuracy, etc of the weapons.  These stats change pretty much per gun that you find, meaning that in many cases each gun will feel different and you’ll have to adjust the way that you approach situations depending on your fire rate or whether there is elemental damage to consider.  As well as base stats there’s also the inclusion of a character tech-tree which, as from level 5, you’ll receive a skill point that can be put into various character building skills such as improving your characters action skill, or increasing health/ammo regeneration.

The Tech Tree will be different from class to class and thus each different class will force you to play the game in a different manner, the soldier will become a healer that allows for cover and health regeneration through the use of his turret action skill and can also heal team mates by shooting them.  Let me repeat that.  You can shoot people to heal them!  Personally I played through the game as the Siren Class, while she starts of pretty weak at the start, by the time the tech tree had been fully filled she was a bringer of fiery death through the phasewalk skill and nearby enemies would simply ignite if they were in the vacinity.  The Siren Class was pretty fun to play as even in the second play through, getting to the level 50 cap taking roughly 45+ hours, this experience was only heightened by the online co-op in the game.

Artistically, the game manages to separate itself through the implementation of a comic book esq cell shading.  This works really well and suits the tongue-in-cheek nature of the missions and supporting cast of characters.   The wahed out colour allows for objects of interest such as drops and chests to be highlighted better and are easier to notice than a regular FPS style would have.  The Art-style is also a major advantage given the season and the amount of FPS’s that will be released over the next few weeks, this cell shaded look makes it stand out from the crowd so much more.

The main draw of this game though is the sheer amount of loot that you can collect.  Each drop is randomly generating, even in the case of mission rewards with the item varying slightly from person to person.  Meaning that, while there may not be “87 Bazillion guns”, there certainly is well into the thousands.  As well as the amount of loot the pacing of the drops seems to be just right too, with the rarer items coming later into the game, although there can be the occasional super rare orange random drop at any moment, meaning that there is always the incentive to go that little bit farther to see what you can get.

However there are issues that the game has that could be addressed including the lack of a trading system for money or cash, meaning that when you want to trade with someone in your game you need to drop the item in the good faith that the person you want to trade with will do the same and not just run off with it ala PSO style.  Another issues mainly involve MMO standard features that aren’t in the game, such as a mini-map, separate quest logs and bank.  However, this isn’t really an MMO, so adding these features is kind of wierd.  yet, given that many of those people who play these types of games are exactly the crowd that Gearbox would be expecting to be interested in this game then it’s kind of a big oversight in letting these elements not make it into the final product.  Despite these aspects the game does hold its on, indeed for someone who loves the PSO style loot gathering style of gaming this could very well be a serious contender for ‘Game of the Year’.

Borderlands is the first competent step to taking to the FPS genre to a new audience and creating a little variety from the standard faire available.  It remains fun either by playing on solo while being best played on co-op for the most enjoyable experience.  All in all, Borderlands is a great game that constantly keeps you wanting more, more drops, better equipment and when you finish the second play through really makes you anticipate the DLC.  Even those not familiar with RPGs or shooters should really check this out as it is one of the most uniquely fun experiences of this year.

Score: 8.5/10

Whatever you do keep this to yourself but last years Fifa was actually better than PES 2009. Before any of the fan boys start I have been a PES follower since the series start on the PS1 and before that ISS (International Superstar Soccer) so writing the first line of this review actually upset me because of this. So here we are in 2010 and have EA Sports kept up its good run of form and improved on last years effort. Having played the demo for both titles I was initially concerned for Fifa that it had gone backwards but thankfully I was wrong.

The major change for this years Fifa is one of the biggest and turns out be the most important change to have been made to a football title in many a year. It is the new 360 degree dribbling, it may sound like nothing but this change is everything. In previous football games you could only move in eight directions but in this year you can move fluidly in any direction you wish and it makes a huge difference. All the animation routines have been changed to incorporate it and it is the nuances in these that make this work so well. To be able to throw a feint and just jink round a player with barely a change of direction or to flick a pass on and dance round the oncoming player and on to the ball are all a joy now and easier than ever. Its not all about player movement the system also helps when it comes to flick-ons, passes and goal mouth scrambles everything now seems more natural and organic. It is a wonder why somebody did not attempt this years ago because it has improved gameplay so fundamentally.

 The other major change is the ability to create your own set piece routines. This seems to make little difference but is a good addition for the more tactically minded player. Other than these two gameplay additions it is more a case of upgrades from last years various modes. Virtual Pro 2.0 is an expanded version of last years “Be A Pro Mode” where you get to make your own fledgling player and play through his career. You can now even use your created player in all the play modes and build up his stats whilst doing so. It’s a good solid play mode and this years expansion of the idea does not hurt it one bit.

A similar upgrade has taken place with the managerial mode where you control a football club managing the finances and transfer signings as well as playing the games and again this works superbly well.

Online play is also solid with full 10 on 10 games again and various other modes including leagues and cups. There seems to be little in the way of lag and all runs along very nicely.

Gameplay has also been tweaked and improved. Areas like the shooting have been tinkered with and it is now possible to score with 30 yard screamers. The A button tackle has been toned down so it is not the all conquering thing it was last time out. Contact between players has been improved no end to with big lumps striding through mistimed challenges whilst smaller less physical players come a cropper from them. The frame rate for me could do with being cranked up a bit and although you can change this in the options even on its fastest setting it still feels a little pedestrian at times. This though is a small niggle compared to the Fifa’s of old.

Graphically the game is very good but once again player likenesses are a big let down in particular cover boy Wayne Rooney which looks nothing like him, (Possibly a good thing.) The animation is fantastic and is the best ever for the Fifa series. As usual with EA the Presentation is tip-top through out and it all adds up to one hell of a package.

In all this has taken all that was good about last years game built on it and improved it in every way. Konami I hope you are listening because you are really going to have to up your game (Our first trials of the PES 2010 demo are positive though) Drew will bring you the review of this game shortly and then we will swap and write reviews of the other.

 Rating 8.5 / 10

Bungie Bounce Back To Halo 3.

Were  any of you actually worried after the Bungie and Microsoft split that either company would be too quick to leave their cash cow behind. After playing this I suspect some of you may actually wished they had for a while at least.

This started life as a Halo 3 expansion pack but is now being sold as a full standalone game. Whether it is worth the full retail (£34.99 seems to be the going rate in store and around £29.99 online) release is another question one which I will answer at the end of this review.

For the first time in Bungie’s Halo games you are not playing as the all conquering genetically enhanced Spartan the eponymous Master Chief but instead a rookie ODST (Orbital Digital Shock Trooper) think of him as the future’s answer to say either a Marine or a Para Trooper. The game is set between Halo 2 and Halo 3 with your squad of ODST on what amounts to be a suicide mission in trying to stop the Covenant forces from taking over New Mombasa. A botched job of dropping in behind enemy lines has left you waking up 6 hours later separated from your squad and you are tasked with salvaging the mission and finding what has become of your squad mates.

Kill The Covenant Scum

Your first point of call is to log in to New Mombasa’s computer network called the Superintendant. Once this is done you then have access to the city’s map and waypoint markers as to where your colleagues pod’s had crashed landed it is then up to you to find them. Once you do find the point where one of your colleagues landed you drop into their shoes and follow their story path showing you what has happened to them in the intervening 6 hours.

Bungie have tried to big up the differences between playing as a Spartan and a ODST. But in truth they are very minimal and this still  feels distinctly like every other Halo game. In gameplay terms though the key differences are the inability to run and dual wield weapons also you no longer have a regenerating shield.  Instead of a shield you have a health bar which can be replenished by picking up health packs. You also can be stunned which you come out of by lying low for a second or two (sounds very much like a regenerating shield to me). Also you cannot jump as high as the Master Chief could but this makes no gameplay difference at all. The weapons are all the same barring the return of the first Halo’s handgun in a slightly re-jigged form and the SMG now has a silencer on it. As a ODST you also have a visor that acts as a kind of night vision mode and highlights your covenant foes and allies. It’s shown through a rather nice looking graphical trick where all objects are outlined and highlighted with a kind of luminous effect.

New Mombasa's Dark And Moody Streets

 Although the game still plays and feels like Halo the open world elements of the Rookie’s sections do give it a new darker, moody feel. Creeping around New Mombasa’s streets you have to take a more tactical approach to combat as running in all guns blazing and trying to jump about like the Master Chief will get you killed very quickly. It’s these sections that for me are this games crowning glory and show that Bungie are still very much atop of their game. The music as in all past Halo’s is excellent but this time it is toned down and adds to the darker mood. 

Now to online the juicy ripe cherry that has always sat atop of the Halo cake since Halo 2. There are 2 different online sides to this game, on the ODST disc comes Firefight which is Bungie’s answer to Gears Of War 2’s Horde mode.  It is much the same as Horde in that you and 3 of your friends must try to repel and defeat wave after wave of Covenant forces being dropped in. What Firefight offers over Horde is Bungie’s genius in the online arena by this I mean better matchmaking, map design and weapon balance. Also on a separate disc comes the complete Halo 3 online package including all the previously released map packs and 2 brand new maps. There is no Halo 3 story or co-op though.

Defeat The Covenant Together In Firefight

So now its time to answer my question is this a full retail release or an expansion pack and for me it is the later. The game on  nomal difficulty will all be over in around 6 hours and whilst it is enjoyable while it lasts it is too short to have merited a full retail release and price. It is though a worthwhile experiment with the Halo universe and I’m sure that Bungie will have learnt some lessons from making this game. Especially in art direction and story telling as these areas are a real improvement over Halo 3 and I look forward to seeing these new lessons learned put to good use in next years prequel Halo Reach.

With news that the imminent and much anticipated release of Bioshock 2 will feature an online multi-player mode G4A asks do all games future need this feature?

Bioshock is one of this generations most accomplished and highly decorated titles.

Oi Bioshock 2 Multiplayer, NO!

Featuring an entirely new look and feel to anything that had come before it. It is still possibly the most important title to have been released in sometime. The art-deco stylings and sumptuous gameplay still bring a smile to my face even now. So you can imagine my delight when I heard of the inevitable release of Bioshock 2.

My excitement was tempered when I heard that original game creator Ken Levine would not be working on the title, although he has apparently kept an eye on it. Still the results remain to be seen.

Then came the pre-release video! We all wanted to see what was going to happen in the game, a little taster to whet the appetite for the wonders that lay ahead. To my horror to video showed a multi-player online game with many people thrashing about in Rapture (The games setting) shooting each other and using EVE (Magic).

Big Daddy is Back!

For me it felt wrong, my experience playing Bioshock was so deep and so immersive that to me, seeing this bastardisation of the purity of the game left me feeling a little sick. Okay so that may be a little over the top you could say, but it is like someone going back to your favourite movie and adding in loads of slapstick moments with stupid sound effects, (This obviously doesn’t happen unless you are George Lucas, IT STILL HURTS LUCAS!)

It got me thinking, do we need these multi-player elements in games such as Bioshock. Is the stand alone game not enough on its own? The one thing we can be thankful for is that the multi-player elements have been outsourced to Digital Extremes who were responsible for the PS3 conversion of the original game. So at least the main development team have been concentrating on the main game.

I may be wrong, when Bioshock 2 is released the single player campaign may be everything we all hope it will be but my point remains.

Take Call Of Duty: World At War, here is a game that deals with the lives and deaths on millions of young

Nazi Zombie's? Who the hell's idea was that?

men the world over. Men that fought for their countries and for politics that they did not understand. For the most part the COD franchise has dealt with this subject matter in a sensitive and compassionate manner COD3 and all of the Infinity Ward titles especially but with COD: WAW the developers decide to add in a Nazi Zombie shooting game. It was unneeded and crass in the extreme.

I digress with that last paragraph but I feel that while these parts are added to games that are exceptional (Not COD: WAW that was average) it cheapens the whole experience. I find myself wondering if Ken Levine would have added online multi-player and what he thinks of this addition?

Am I talking out of my arse? What do you think?

Beatle Mania Cranking Up Again.

Love them or loathe them you cannot escape the fact that the Beatles changed the musical landscape forever. 50 years on from when they formed Harmonix are trying to do the same with the Fab 4 in gaming form.

Harmonix have as you would expect stuck to the tried and tested Rock Band gameplay of the previous games and also wisely steered clear of the rip off land of Rock Band ACDC Live. This is a full featured stand alone game and as a piece of fan fuelled fancy is quite difficult to criticise too much.

Beautiful Trippy Dreamscape

The game graphics are a step up from previous Rock Band incarnations but are great and not truly stunning. The art style sits well with Fab 4′ s iconic clothes, album covers and the 60’s era style. A special mention though  must go to the dreamscapes of the Abbey Studio chapters of the game these beautiful colourful trippy sections are a joy to behold it’s just a shame that you are to busy watching the colours on the highway to pay any real attention to them.

The only new gameplay function added is the 3 part vocal harmonies which is done really well but hardly a necessary gaming addition. In fact due to licensing issues the game takes more away than it adds. Gone are the in game sound effects, drum and guitar freestyle fill’s and this is all due to the programmers not being allowed to alter the 45 licensed Beatles songs. Also gone is the ability to fail a song so no matter how bad your playing is you will complete the song.

Co-Op Fun

The game is jam packed with fan  pleasing  unlockables from unheard soundbites as you wait for  the games songs to begin. Through to rare unseen photos and videos and other oddities. My particular favourite being the recording of the bands 1962 christmas message which just highlights that at the beginning these 4 were just a group of likeable humorous lads with no knowledge of the super stardom that was to follow.

There are some notable absences on the track list for the game though. Most notably for me Hey Jude and All You Need Is Love (the later of which was up for purchase on Marketplace on the day of release). I am also sure any holes in the track list will be made available at an extra cost over the coming weeks though.

As I said before this is such a well put together package it is hard to criticise it to much. The content here though does not lend itself to Rock Bands core party game loving fans as the songs just do not cut it in that sort of way. So this game is only truly essential if you are a Beatles fan (like the Mrs and daughter) if not stick to Rock Band 2.

Rating 7/10

The Beatles: Rock Band is out now on PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii

Licences and video games tend not to get along.  There’s something about the source material that a game is based on that games developers think that they can get away with releasing something relatively close to it with some added filler to pad out the length of the product, making it seem like it was a justified purchase.  Couple this apathy with the rabid fans that covet these big franchises then it makes for commercial success, so why change?  Why take a break from the norm?

One reason that could be speculated is that making half baked games like the spiderman series, bond licences and various other mediocre movie based games is simply un-rewarding for a developer.  Enter Batman: Arkham Asylum.  While this is based within the Batman universe this is a completely new story written by comic book veteran Paul Dini, something pretty much unheard of in the industry.

So where to begin? 

You play ‘Dark Knight’ himself as you try to prevent The Joker from taking over Arkham island by the many number of gadgets and detective intuition that you have.  In order to defeat the small army of jokers thugs you’ll have to rely on the “free-flow combat system” that despite its simplicity takes a while to get fully to grips with.  After a small learning curve with the combat does become very rewarding and the higher you are able to bring your multiplier then the greater distance and speed batman will be able to charge towards enemies with his fists or feet.  The combat works relatively well, however, there are instances where it can be seen to be a little temperamental and sometimes can result in frustrating breaks in combos with batman limply kicking dead air instead of the enemy at the other side of the room.  while this isn’t really noticable in the story mode this becomes a problem during the combat challenges where chaining a massive combo together can mean the difference between success and failure.

As well as combat Batman:AA also relies on stealth, while it’s fun to charge head first into a group of enemies, if these guys are armed then it will almost certainly result in instant death.  There are rooms where you will have to rely on vents, Coombs and ledges to sneak past or take out enemies without being seen.

Where the game shines though is the set pieces leading up to boss fights, the numerous lead ups to the Scarecrow fights being one of the overall highlights of the game.  Boss fights themselves aren’t overly taxing, while there are some that will require multiple attempts to succeed they simply serve as an end point to that particular arc of investigation.  As well as the lead ups and introduction the audio quality in the game rivals that of Dead Space through its ambiance and effects as well as some outstanding voice work.  Batman: AA brings back Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill to reprise their roles of Batman and the Joker, this only adds to the experience.  Indeed there are many VO artists brought back from Batman the Animated Series that not only adds a level of nostalgia but also overall quality as each VO actor has had considerable experience with the character and understands the level of depth required. 

The game is also pushing a serious amount of middleware, built on the UE3 engine and boasting others such as speedtree it would be easy to simply shoe horn these in for no reason however every piece of design, structure and art style appears to serve a purpose and there is very little in the environments that is actually going to waste.  This demonstrates a high level, of not only overall quality, but appreciation for the universe as a whole with streams of references to lesser known Batman villans strewn throughout.  The game also looks fantastic, there are a few instances concerning character faces that look like a waxwork museum left the heat on but that seems to be an issue with the UE3 engine rather than an actual development one. 

Aside from the story there’s also a slew of collectables and challenge rooms to complete to get the 100% complete rating, that will take a good while to achieve.

Despite riding on the coat-tales of the success of The Dark Knight, Batman: AA is a damn good game in its own right.  While there are some minor issues, it is a testament to how good the games quality actually is that these can be overlooked.  Batman: AA appeals not only to Batman fans but fans of good games in general.  Quite simply; you must play this game.

This is my list of beaten games pulled right off my Myspace page. Everything is in alphebetical order, with the exception of games from the same series.  If anyone ever wants my opinion on a game, feel free to ask.

GAMES I HAVE BEATEN

1. .Hack//Infection (PS2)
2. Ar Tonelico: Legend of Elemia (PS2)
3. Arc the Lad (PS) Arc the Lad II (PS)
4. Arc the Lad III (PS)
5. Arc the Lad Twighlight of the Spirits (PS2)
6. Arc the Lad End of Darkness (PS2)
7. Atelier Iris Eternal Mana (PS2)
8. Atelier Iris 2 The Azoth of Destiny(PS2)
9. Atelier Iris 3 Grand Phantasm (PS2)
10. Baulders Gate Dark Alliance (XBOX)
11. Beyond the Beyond (PS)
12. Blue Dragon (XBOX 360)
13. Brave Fencer Musashi (PS)
14. Musashi Samurai Legends (PS2)
15. Breath of Fire (SNES)
16. Breath of Fire II (SNES)
17. Breath of Fire III (PS)
18. Breath of Fire IV (PS2)
19. Chrono Trigger (SNES)
20. Chrono Cross (PS2)
21. Dark Cloud (PS2)
22. Dark Cloud 2 (PS2)
23. Diablo (PS)
24. Digital Devil Saga (PS2)
25. Digital Devil Saga 2 (PS2)
26. Disgaea Hour of Darkness (PS2)
27. Dragon Warrior VII (PS)
28. Dragon Quest VIII (PS2)
29. Dungeons and Dragons Heros (XBOX)
30. Earthbound (SNES)
31. Enchanted Arms (PS3)
32. Ephemeral Fantasia (PS2)
33. Eternal Sonata (360)
34. Evolution Worlds (GC)
35. Final Fantasy (PS)
36. Final Fantasy II (PS)
37. Final Fantasy II (U.S.) (SNES)
38. Final Fantasy III (U.S.) (SNES)
39. Final Fantasy IV (PS)
40. Final Fantasy IV (DS)
41. Final Fantasy V (PS)
42. Final Fantasy VI (PS)
43. Final Fantasy VII (PS)
44. Final Fantasy VIII (PS)
45. Final Fantasy IX (PS)
46. Final Fantasy X (PS2)
47. Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2)
48. Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
49. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (SNES)
50. Final Fantasy Tactics (PS)
51. Final Fantasy Tactics Advanced (GBA)
52. Full Metal Alchemist and the Broken Angel (PS2)
53. Golden Sun (GBA)
54. Golden Sun the Lost Age (GBA)
55. Grandia (PS) Grandia II (PS2)
56. Grandia III (PS2)
57. Grandia Xtreme (PS2)
58. Growlanser II Sense of Justice (PS2)
59. Growlanser III The Duel Darkness (PS2)
60. Illusion of Gaia (SNES)
61. Jade Cocoon (PS)
62. Kingdom Hearts (PS2)
63. Kingdom Hearts II (PS2)
64. Legend of Dragoon (PS)
65. Legend of Legaia (PS)
66. Legaia 2 Duel Saga (PS2)
67. Lufia (SNES)
68. Lufia II (SNES)
69. Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (PS)
70. Lunar 2 Eternal Blue (PS)
71. Mario RPG (SNES)
72. Naruto Path of the Ninja (DS)
73. Paladins Quest (SNES)
74. Phantom Brave (PS2)
75. Pokemon (Red) (GBC)
76. Pokemon (Yellow) (GBC)
77. Psychonauts (PS2)
78. Secret of Evermore (SNES)
79. Secret of Mana (SNES)
80. Sword of Mana (GBC)
81. Legend of Mana (GBC)
82. Shadow Hearts (PS2)
83. Shadow Hearts II: Covenant (PS2)
84. Shadow Hearts From the New World (PS2)
85. Shining Force Neo (PS2)
86. Shining Soul (GBA)
87. Skies of Arcadia (GC)
88. Star Ocean 2 (PS)
89. Star Ocean 3: Till the End of Time (PS2)
90. Suikoden (PS)
91. Suikoden II (PS)
92. Suikoden III (PS2)
93. Suikoden IV (PS2)
94. Suikoden V (PS2)
95. Tales of Destiny (PS)
96. Tales of Destiny II (PS)
97. Tales of Symphonia (GC)
98. Tales of Legendia (PS2)
99. Thousand Arms (PS)
100. Vandal Hearts (PS)
101. Wild Arms (PS)
102. Wild Arms 2nd Ignition (PS)
103. Wild Arms 3 (PS2)
104. Wild Arms Alter Code F (PS2)
105. Wild Arms 5 (PS2)
106. Wizardry Tale of the Forsaken Land (PS2)
107. Xenogears (PS)
108. Xenosaga Episode I Der Wille zur Macht (PS2)
109. Xenosaga Episode II Jenseits Von Gut Und Bose (PS2)
110. Xenosaga Episode III Also Sprach Zarathustra (PS2)
111. Ys The Ark of Napishtim (PS2)
112. Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
113. Zelda Ocarina of Time (N64)
114. Zelda Windwaker (GC)
115. Zelda: Twighlight Princess (GC)

I will be posting many video game reviews. I am an RPG player and have been for most of my life. I’m not too big on other game genres, but will occasionally post something if I find it interesting enough. I will post my opinions on different game series (I.E. Final Fantasy), specific games, currently playing games, beaten games and anything else that I can think of. I had a urge to make a blog to share the things that come to mind, so it’s hard for me to say exactly what I will post, but this is the general idea LOL.

I’ll start off with some info about my gaming life. I am 25 years old and I started playing games when I was 10. The very first RPG I ever played (and the one that got me hooked) was Final Fantasy II for the SNES. It’s also Final Fantsy IV for the DS and Playstation. I would try to explain that to people, but it always seems to confuse them LOL. Ever since then, I have been fascinated with them. Can’t say for sure what it is that draws me in, but I can’t get enough. This is my preffered type of game because I love the stories. Other game styles just don’t give me the in depth, strong, emotional story that I love, which is why I don’t play them much. First Person Shooters would be my least favorite type of game. Getting killed every 5 second by people who have been playing the game forever just isn’t fun to me. Since Final Fantasy II, I have gone on to beat well over 100 RPGs. I have a list on my Myspace account which I will transfer to here and update every time I beat a new one.

For those of you who don’t know, RPGs are some of the most time consuming games out there. On average, they take about 70 hours to beat the way I play them. I have done the math on this and I have literally spent almost a year of my life (hours wise. 332 days I believe) playing games and I’m damn proud of it LOL. Think I’ll throw a party when I reach a year. I have many series that I am fond of and quite anxious to get when they come out. New developers are starting to come out with games faster than I can keep up. It’s almost scary. Won’t let it slow me down though :p

Anyways, my store is about to close so I have to wrap this one up. That is a little about me and my gaming life. I will start posting reviews on game series shortly and move onto whatever comes next after that. I will be putting up a lot of things, so feel free to jump around to whatever catches your interest. Thanks for reading my first game blog

This article also went up on Nidzumi.com (see previous post) however, today (7/8/09) it made the front page of Bitmob.com which I am exceedingly excited about.

After reading all the news that came out of this year’s Develop conference in Brighton some comments that Jenova Chen from thatgamecompany caught my attention. He had some criticism of the way that journalists approach reviewing games and said it was time we changed. This got me thinking so I did a little research and this article is the result.

Cover Art

The franchise has come a long way from that first visit to the mansion many years ago. Resident Evil 5 tries to bring everything all together in this current iteration of the series. Along with trying to close some lose ends in the plot RE5 adds some new tricks while keeping the changes they made that revitalized the series in RE4.

The biggest addition to the franchise is cooperative play. It is completely integrated into the main plot, so even if you don’t have a buddy to play with you will have an AI companion the whole way. The addition of a second player definitely had a positive impact on the experience but it is not without its setbacks.

I played through the entire game with Johnny and that definitely helped keep my interest in the game. Games, as of late, have done little to keep me wanting to play. The biggest appeal for playability is cooperativeness. So this game completely fits inside my wheelhouse; A co-op shooter that’s fast-paced and well-structured.

The plot tries to connect the events of Code: Veronica with the events of RE4. Since I have only played RE4 I didn’t have much connection with the plot, but it sufficiently tried to fill me in with flashbacks, etc. The story seems to pull from from all sorts of places. There’s nothing that’s groundbreaking, but there is enough there to make the player want to continue to play.

The gameplay is nearly identical to that of RE4, with the newest change being co-op play. Thankfully, the game doesn’t do too much to force co-op play. The extra player is really an extra set of inventory space and someone else for the zombies (or monsters/whatevers) to shoot at. The small team interaction consists of helping open doors and lifting each other up to certain spaces. A player could also help his/her teammate with an action button press if he/she is in danger. It was certainly appreciated that the developers did not try to force to much team splitting or complicated teamwork actions into the mix. It kept the focus on survival and strategy. I did not play the game with the AI character, but I definitely would not be interested in playing as much if I was playing by myself.

Chris and Sheva

The most annoying parts often were where players were forced to split up. In all of the points where players have to split up there is no decision as to who gets to go where. It is predetermined by the game (usually having Sheva move to a new area while Chris waits for her). That along with the inability to trade weapons is a killer flaw. One section where Sheva and Chris are split between buildings was very frustrating as all the zombies were in the building Sheva was in. The idea of the split was that I, playing as Chris, was suppose to give sniper support to Johnny. But since we decided that Johnny would hold the sniper rifle I was left picking my fingernails as he fought through the horde.Thankfully the splitting is few and far between.

Another welcomed change was the inventory system. The system has been switch to a 9 slot quick change system. All objects are reduced to one space, aside from the ammo and players don’t have to pause the game to switch guns or objects. While the change makes the system simpler it does not remove the constant struggle of in-game inventory management, which the series has become infamous for. The new system is a step in the right direction but there are still a few flaws to it. There are a few shortcuts. such as using the D-pad for the main directional (Up, Down, Left, Right) slots, but it does get very cumbersome when objects are not in those slots. It gets very intense trying to pull out a first aid spray while the horde comes at you at all directions. It also ends up being very frustrating too.

RE5 Mercenaries Mode

This flaw becomes very apparent in the new “Mercenaries” mode where players are bombarded with horde as they try to defend themselves for a certain time limit. Survival modes seem to be the big thing in the shooter genre. “The Mercenaries” does not disappoint in this department. In fact it ended up being the most enjoyable part of the game for me and Johnny. The mode ensures the maximum amount of infected with ample amounts of ammunition. What makes it interesting is the weapon and item selection committed to each unique character. So it pays to work out with your teammate who should play as whom so that there is no issue in necessary weapons and ammo distribution. Also, certain levels are better for certain characters. Chris’ shotgun and handgun combination is good for a large horde but when faced with a mini-boss, like the chainsaw infected, it gets extremely difficult. RE5 certainly doesn’t compare with the intensity of Left 4 Dead in this department, but it is still a fun alternative.

I could not try Versus mode since I did not have internet when I was playing, but if its anything like “The Mercenaries” I’d be happy.

If RE4 was up your alley then RE5 is definitely a must-buy. There are enough unlockables and easter eggs to keep you replaying this one for a while.

=)

Wind your way through the puzzling temples of Zuma.

Shoot brightly coloured balls from your stone frog idol to make matches of three or more to clear the deadly chain of spheres before it reaches the golden skull.

Aim, and you’ll rack up huge combos and bonuses that’ll help you on your adventure.

In a not-too near future, you grab your rifle and check your ammo. You and your squad have fought in battles in the past but none big as this. The enemies base in front of you and shakes under the force of air strikes.

An armoured personnel carrier punches through the enemy perimeter and you sprint for the gap with bullets whistling past your head. Your platoon leader goes down, picked off by a sniper. If you can survive this engagement, you will command 32 men platoon.

MAG is set in a world where governments use Private Military Corporations (PMCs) to do their work. You will be battling for lucrative government contracts.

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Release Date: 27 Nov 2009

Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny is the latest in the Soulcalibur series, the weapons-based one-to-one fighter.

Challenging single player modes, head-to-head multiplayer and this is a must have fighting game for fan.

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Release Date: 28 Aug 2009