I know the expression 'You should never judge a book by its cover' but on this occasion, I am pretty willing to forget the wisdom behind this; I give you Fifty Cent; Bulletproof. I couldn't quite believe my eyes when I saw this advertised on the television. When musicians decide to project themselves into their own video game, there is always going to be one outcome; unmitigated carnage. Has anyone ever heard of a game called Revolution X? Probably not but let me enlighten you; the aim of the game was to overthrow a grim totalitarian regime.........with the help of Aerosmith. I'm probably not the only one to find it impossible to get my head around that one. Its, frankly, bizarre to say the least. In more modern guises, Revolution X being released on the SNES, we have Def Jam and Def Jam Vendetta, a hip hop wrestling game...........again, I cannot grasp this concept. Read More  »

At an era now where 3 dimensional games are, and have been for a while the way forward, the time has come to ask the question; is it for the best? Now the obvious answer (and most certainly the correct answer) is simply yes. Unfortunately for some games though the three dimensional take over has caused one or two rather prodigious problems.
Sonic The Hedgehog: The game that was quite frankly one of, if not the biggest gaming successes of the early to mid 90’s. My childhood grew up around the humble 16-bit blue ball of fun, and enhanced my gaming future. The Sega Mega drive was in many means Sonic the Hedgehog. If you owned a genesis and lacked any of the prickly Erinaceinae’s games then you were considered imbecile, foolish and simply befuddled in the mind. It was a game appealing to all ages and in no time at all Sonic became a worldwide icon, a challenger to that well known short, podgy, Italian/American Donkey Kong assassin from the Mushroom Kingdom. Read More  »

After nearly four months from its initial release, it appears a miracle may finally have occurred – Treyarch have fixed all the glitches that had been infesting the World at War multiplayer maps like a rabid family of moles happily and contently destroying a garden. In short, it was a mess.
The question many people are asking though is that how did the game come to be released in the glitched, bug ridden state it was? Two years in the making and I found the multiplayer to be virtually unplayable. From browsing several Call of Duty forums, it was abundantly clear that I was not the only one slightly annoyed with what I was witnessing and I soon found myself returning to the welcoming, and relatively bug free, Call of Duty 4; Modern Warfare.
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So, over the past few weeks there have doubtless been a huge amount of important steps forwards in the world of gaming, some good games released, and doubtless some exciting news or other.

I however have been privy to absolutely none of this.

Any why is that you ask? Should you not be scouring all manner of game newspapers and websites for inspiration for this very column?

And the answer of course is a hearty yes. Read More  »

 
The much publicised Resident Evil 5 demo finally hit Xbox Live on Monday and although Capcom point out before hand that the demo does not fully represent the final product, it is shaping up to look pretty impressive. As a visual showcase the attention to detail is outstanding, with beautifully realised landscapes and effects ( the exploding barrel effects are some of the best this generation has to offer).
 
The style of gameplay carries on with the action based approach what Resi 4 started and the option to use the D-pad to switch quicker between some key items is a welcome addition. Not being able to move whilst shooting makes a what some might call an unwelcome return and although the control style has not changed much, it isn't the perfect marriage that RE4 had with the Gamecube controller and takes a while to get used to. Having Sheva by your side comes I handy when reloading or on the brink of death, but on the flipside can become a hindrance when having to do the same for her. I cannot comment on the co-op mode ( my username is my Gamertag if anyone wishes to try it with me sometime).
 
Overall first impressions from the demo seem to imply a well presented action experience, that could be hindered by a jerky camera and fiddly controls.

OK, so this is not really news, and it's not really opinion, but I just wanted to say a big hell yeah to the upcoming Guitar Hero: Metallica that's due out on at the end of March. Having just seen the tracklisting I can say I am wetting my pants and pumping my fists (there's an image) in anticipation. As much as I love Guitar Hero, there's a little too much filler on some of the discs for me, but I can honestly say that I would be happy listening to and playing most of the tracks on this version.
 
For those of you who haven't seen, the game will include 28 Metallica tracks (31 on Wii and PS2 owing to the lack of DLC) and 21 from bands who have inspired Metallica over the years. There's also an Expert-Plus mode to really get those fingers going, although having struggled to even master half of GH World Tour on Expert, this prospect terrifies me. If my fingers are able to type after the metal meltdown, prepare yourselves for a review.
 
Metallica Tracks: All Nightmare Long, Battery, Creeping Death, Disposable Heroes, Dyers Eve, Enter Sandman, Fade To Black, Fight Fire With Fire, For Whom The Bell Tolls, Frantic, Fuel, Hit The Lights, King Nothing, Master of Puppets, Mercyful Fate (Medley), No Leaf Clover, Nothing Else Matters, One, Orion, Sad But True, Seek And Destroy, The Memory Remains, The Shortest Straw, The Thing That Should Not Be, The Unforgiven, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Wherever I May Roam, Whiplash (Wii/PS2 extras - Broken Beat & Scarred, Cyanide, My Apocalypse
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Many xbox live gold members were treated with the new Resident Evil 5 demo which came out 1 week earlier than the PS3  .... too bad the treat had a razor blade in the center.
This needs to be said...It really makes no sense why you can not move when aiming/shooting or when reloading. I mean come on who would really just stand there and let something try and kill them? ever heard a multitasking? at least let me blind fire if ur not gonna change the no moving when doing more than 1 thing. What is it with these game developers not keeping up with the times? This is the next gen of game why can't we move on? I thought it was a undead fact that when u shoot one in the head they die instantly not 3 to 4 shots later. Don't get me started on the melee, thats they most point less move in the game the only thing it's good for is chopping fruit to get ammo. I'm not complaining about this to make the game easier i just want it to be playable. If these few things aren't change expect me and a lot of modern horror fans to not buy this game! (I know I sort of drove straight into the bad but this is how I feel moments after playing the demo) but the graphics look nice!

/cancels pre-order
 
 

Funny, how rapidly things become fashionable. “Everything comes around,” my mother tells me. Growing up and even now, I sometimes found myself being ridiculed for wearing anything gaming, comics, or “geek” related. This ridicule never bothered me. “Yeah, I spend my free time playing games and reading comics and I love it!” These were my feelings but others viewed my interests as “un-cool” or “weird.” My friends and I didn’t care as we felt this “lameness” separated us from everyone else. This is what made us different and in our own world cool. For in our world, we were judged not on the price of our clothes, but by our high score. We viewed each other not by our athletic achievements but our DPS and respective levels. Recently though, with the emergence of games and comics becoming more accessible and mainstream, either through TV shows or movies, “geek” apparel is seen everywhere. My school, for example, features such people dressed in Marvel shirts or other themed shirts found in Wal-mart and one has to wonder: “When did this become cool?” Read More  »

Do you have Faith? The name EA for years has been almost synonymous with the words: Madden and NBA Live. The year 2008 however, saw Electronic Arts’ display of creativity and innovation. Several IPs were released from EA this year. From Dead Space to Spore, EA has been trying to recreate their public image by providing new and fresh ideas. Dead Space attempts to transform the Survival-Horror genre while Mirror’s Edge changes the way we see Action-Adventure. Controversial in the eyes of many, Mirror’s Edge does find a way to provide an innovative experience similar to what can be expected from Nintendo. Critical reviews have been mixed. Being the first of its kind, flaws are to be expected. Read More  »

Think about it and it makes perfect sense. Sega has spotted a niche - or a massive, cavernous hole - in the Wii market and reckons it can exploit it. Over the next three months, the company will release three, Wii-exclusive titles aimed squarely at the adult market. Familiar arcade shooter House Of The Dead: Overkill is up first, offering tongue-in-cheek scares and blasting action aplenty. It will be followed by stylised beat ‘em up Madworld, and futuristic first-person shooter The Conduit.
 
Speaking to trade magazine MCV, MD of Sega Europe North Alan Pritchard and UK sales director John Clark both said they saw room for more mature gaming on Nintendo's home console. And, as I hinted at in the first sentence, they have a point; although these won't, by any means, be the first adult-themed games for the system. The question is: will these titles be a success and pave the way for more mature, original titles to make their way onto the Wii?
 
You have to feel that the way these games are marketed is key. At the minute, Nintendo loves to trumpet the fact that the Wii allows loads of people to gather round, fling their arms in the air and have a grand old time. And there's no reason for that to change with these; except it won't be the family Redknapp having a laugh, it'll be a gang of 20-somethings having the time of their lives knocking the crap out of each other. Obviously, these being Sega titles, there may well be a different approach, with no input from Nintendo. But I think there is a real opportunity for the two companies to combine and push the fact that the Wii is, like every other Nintendo console, about gaming. Not exclusively kids' games, not family games and not adult games; but the sheer pleasure of being able to find a game that grabs you and won't let go.
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The current generation of consoles are great, aren't they? We've reached a real high-point, in which people can do more and more with their platform of choice. Web-browsing, streaming media, even coupling console and handheld together to extend the gaming experience; they all offer more ways to enjoyably pass our time.

Of course, by far the most popular 'modern' application of console gaming has to be multiplayer, by which I mean broadband gaming; it's amazing, when you think about it. Players unite across the globe, complete strangers, all playing together, all enjoying the online experience as conjured up by developers. Much has been written about multiplayer games and what they mean for social interaction; but what of the darker side? For sure, games like World of Warcraft have famously acted as matchmakers – real world marriages resulting from virtual encounters. But how many online experiences have gone the other way, resulting in negative attitudes and emotions?

First of all, let me define my scope. World of Warcraft is a PC game, and one that bears little relation to the multiplayer games available on Xbox 360 or PS3. In this article I'm going to have to limit the discussion to console games, since PC gaming is truly a whole other can o' worms. So, the multiplayer console experience. Where better to go than a real giant in console terms, Halo?

Halo 3 has what is often regarded as the best in online multiplayer. Title screen to match can take seconds to negotiate. Matches are rarely beset by technical issues, meaning players can focus on the game, not the platform. But how multi-player is such multiplayer? Am I alone in feeling that, rather than bringing people together, such multiplayer pursuits are in fact intrinsically lonely affairs?

Now the new year is well and truly underway I have come to realise, or more come to face the realisation that I, as well as a copious number of other people, am trapped within a mental mind game that I seem to be unable to escape from. That perplexing, unpropitious mind enslaving phenomenon that is better known as “Achievements”. Yes, Microsoft’s answer to sliced bread. They have me, entangled within a second realm where hysteria embraces my body whenever I hear that oh so fulfilling “ping”, followed by the ever more so satiating confirmation I have unlocked an achievement. Read More  »

Be Prepared to Get Your Socks Rocked
As I’m sure any gamer will tell you, Resident Evil 5 is one of the most, if not THE most anticipated game of 2009. Set to release on Friday the 13th in March, Capcom has tremendous hype to face after its predecessor was voted game of year by Spike TV, Nintendo Power, Game Informer and even Japan’s ultra-critical Famitsu, and has even landed at number one of IGN’s Top 99 Games of All Time list. However, with the RE5 demo release just one mere week away, many gamers are turning off the lights, cranking the sound, and screaming like six-year-old girls in frightened preparation. And let me tell you, this little six-year-old girl needs direct injections of RE5 into his veins.
The demo, free to download January 26th, offers two short scenarios, both fully co-op, allowing you to experience how the game will be played out as a team. You may choose to go solo, however, the coop addition, which is both online and open to split-screen, is one of RE5’s best new features. Capcom tried something similar with Resident Evil 0, but was not coop and proved to be more of a hassle when juggling Billy and Rebecca, the two playable characters.
RE5 retains its over the shoulder view, one I’ve had wet dreams about. Since the release of the fourth installment, many games across many genres have adopted this point of view and utilized it well, allowing for a first person feel, but retaining the view of character mechanics. This may not seem all important, but something subconsciously bothers me when I can only see the character's weapon. Read More  »

So it’s finally happened. The MMO genre has gotten so godforsakenly large that every game developer/publisher and their mothers think they can produce a smash hit and rake the mounds of cash in. And its hard to argue with them. With World of Warcraft breaching the 11 million players mark just a couple weeks back and competitors such as Warhammer Online, Lord of the Rings Online, and Star Wars: The Old Republic on the horizon, its no surprise a lot of companies are trying their hand at competing with the best. However, as time has shown, the beast that is WoW will not go down easily, if it ever does. Yet, Namco Bandai (huh?) is taking their turn with hopes that a predominent anime series cultivates enough of a following to give them an edge over Blizzard. The series? Dragonball. Read More  »