Codemaster's Birmingham has been very busy since releasing the exceptional hit F1 2010 and promises a grander experience for F1 2011. This year's focus is on Multiplayer and creating an authentic yet fun instalment.

Co-op Championship mode is a major feature of F1 2011. Allowing you to play a whole season with a friend, for the Constructors title. Players looking at each other's stats, will definitely spark competitive race's. The team leader receives all the upgrades first, giving them the edge.

Split screen races will bring the exhilarating rivalry on the track to your living rooms. Raising competitive tensions between family and friends. Car handling has been strengthened and improved, with a lot more control over under steer and over steer.

Christmas is around the corner and Microsoft recently gave us a peek, at what games their releasing this Xmas. Among the titles I saw were Microsoft and Third party publishers games. Including Gears of War 3, Assassins Creed: Revelations, Batman: Arkham City, Forza Motorsport 4 and Ghost Recon: Future Soldier.

Gears of War 3 Hands-On

The build I played presented me with, co-op multiplayer mode Horde 2.0. Me and 4 other players were placed in a close quarters map, of wave upon wave of enemies. The weapons felt tight accompanied by brilliant sound design.
Although my time was short, this was the most intense co-op mode i've played to date. Epic's found that balance of belonging and  relying on  your team, for survival. This will fulfil the slot of many nights to come, shouting down your headset at friends and gamers around the world.

The newest feature in Horde 2.0 is fortifications, allowing you to deploy barriers, decoys, sentry guns and turrets. Fortifications can be upgraded with money earned from killing foes. Money can also buy you back into the game, after you've died. New weapons and ammo scattered around the map, can also be purchased. Alternatively Team mates can trade weapons, share ammo and give one another money.

The main events building up to this final chapter is showcased in the opening cinematic of Gears of War 3. Introducing a new threat to the Gears universe is the Lambert. Anya Stroud, formerly a communications officer, now dons the Delta squad uniform. Ready to battle on the frontline, in the last stand.

When the launch of Gears of War 3 arises on 20th September 2011, players will be entitled to the first four pieces of DLC, via a season pass. With a season pass you'll be making a saving of 33 percent as opposed to buying DLC separately. The season pass will be purchasable for 2400 Microsoft points, on the day of Gears 3's release.

Add on content is set to extend both your campaign and multiplayer experience, beginning with the first release this November. The Gears of War 3 season pass, also includes an exclusive Liquid Metal weapon set.

Dead Island is a first person open world, horror/adventure hybrid. Heavily focused on co-operative play and melee combat. Taking place on a zombie invested island, with strong themes of survival and RPG elements. There are four playable characters to choose from including Xian Mei (Undercover Cop), Sam B (Rapper), Logan (Former NFL Star) and Purna (Former Sydney Cop).

Every one of them has a class type ranging from a jack of all trades who is a all rounder with weapons and abilities (durability, strength etc). The Assassin is handy with a firearm, a tank is heavy, strong but slow. Lastly the leader specialises in handling melee weapons.

Slashing away at enemies you'll notice layers of meat and flesh being apparent, compliments of the games damage system. Depending on a well placed shot or slice, limbs will dismember. 

Once combined with items you've found. weapons and firearms are customizable at a fee. Money plays a big part of Dead Island and can be looted from bags and dead bodies. Every kill rewards you with experience points, utilizing a skill tree system you can enhance your combat skills.

Being an open world game you got to have transportation. In Dead Island you can drive any vehicle you find. Friends can even ride shotgun, while you run over zombies.

Warhammer 40,000 : Space Marine is a third person melee combat, shooter hybrid. Brilliantly fusing to the two together in a gore gushing action epic. At your disposal all times is the Chainsword, for up close and personal dismemberment. Attacking Orks lightly with this weapon stuns them, which can lead to a  brutal execution.

Weapons like the Bolt pistol, Heavy Bolter and Vengeance Launcher are also available, among others collectable throughout the game. The sheer amount of Orks attacking you is overwhelming and constantly keeps you switching between grenades, guns and melee combat.

Health is easy depleted by the hordes of Orks but can be regenerated by killing enemies. Fury mode gives you blind rage to kill anything in sight without affecting your health. Dishing out melee attacks or mowing down foes is always rewarding in Fury mode and is easily generated with every kill.

With a fantastic cinematic experience and an epic combat system second to none, you should watch this space. Warhammer 40,000 : Space Marine is released on 9th September 2011 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Bodycount was built with an enjoyable experience in mind, avoiding the modern combat scenario. Through implementing ragdoll physics, firepower and durability power ups, Codemasters has achieved their vision. However overlooking many aspects of the game, Bodycount plays like a prototype rather than a finished product.

Every game has a story or at least a concept which makes sense. In Bodycount the story was formed as an excuse, to kill anything in sight. Every level your briefed by a woman working for your employer, the Network. An organization taking it upon themselves, to end a conflict which doesn't concern them.

You'd be lucky to find any cutscenes at all, giving an explanation of your motives or goals. Within the first hour of the game I was lost and confused. One minute I was scanning an object for intel, then the mission had ended.

The open exploration of levels, is a distraction for players. As there's nothing to do other than mow down your enemies. I was quite disappointed by the absence of actual objectives.

The enemies are quite cumbersome at times, watching you approach them. Only acknowledging you as a threat, once you shoot. Many of the levels are lacklustre and linear. The scripted mini boss battles, are as good as it gets.

With the drought of new game releases finally abating, we can put behind us once again the mediocre and pointless excuses for games that are also known more commonly as “movie tie ins.” All summer we have been crying out for something better, something good and above all something worth playing. Finally after months of waiting Deus Ex Human Revolution has arrived to shake us out of our comatose states.

Deus Ex Human Revolution is a prequel to the Deus Ex series, so you won’t be lost as to what is going on, unless you’re not paying attention. Set in the year 2027 you play Adam Jenson, the head security guard for a company that deals in robotic enhancements for humans. At the start you are completely human, but when the proverbial hits the fan Adam is left for dead. The only thing that can save his life is to get “augmented.” Played with a backdrop of human “purists” blowing up clinics and robotics factories and the arguments for and against implants raging across the media, Adam has to come to terms with augmentations which he had no choice in receiving. From there the story starts to get complicated because no one is what they appear to be.

Wet is an over the top third person shooter, slash ‘em up acrobatic affair, in the guise of a grindhouse movie,  complete with cinema ads of yester year at points. You take the roll of Rubi, a hard drinking  female gun for hire with an attitude. In this game it’s not just how many you kill, its how much of an acrobatic spectacle you can make as you’re doing it. Not only do you have guns but a sword strapped to your back that you can use when assailants get too close. You are encouraged to make any straight forward kills either flying through the air or sliding along the ground whilst looking around 360 degrees for the next bad guy.

Specialist video game retailer GAME is holding its first Event, open exclusively to reward card holders. GAMEFest will take place at NEC Birmingham on 16th - 18th September.

You can expect to play games such as, Batman: Arkham City to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. It's great to see the giants of the games industry, finally visiting Birmingham for a change.

The prices are a steal, adults (Aged 12 onwards) can enter for £10 and Children (Aged 11 and under) for £5.

Feast your eyes on the list of games, from publishers attending GAMEFest:

Microsoft Xbox 360:

Gears of War 3

Sony Playstation 3:

Resistance: 3

Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception

Nintendo:

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Super Mario: 3D Land

MarioKart 7

Kid Icarus: Uprising

Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D

Activision:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

EA:

Battlefield 3

Need for Speed: The Run

Fifa 12

Mass Effect: 3

THQ:

Saints Row: The Third

WWE 12

U Draw Game Tablet

Disney:

Codemasters newest IP is the spiritual successor of PS2 hit Black. Bodycount is a FPS at heart focusing on destructibility and a fun arcade experience. For every kill you receive skill points, rewarding you for headshots or shooting someone with your last round.

One of the great features of the game is the fluid cover system. Holding LT and moving the left analog stick allows you to either, crouch behind cover, lean and shoot or stand up simultaneously. With the games shredding system, cover never lasts long and the control scheme, allows you to adapt to the environment.

Destructibility or shredding as Bodycount calls it, is an ever present feature of the game. The exterior of buildings can be blown to smithereens in a matter of seconds. Keeping you constantly on your toes searching for cover or sweeping enemies, as fast as possible.

Red Dead Redemption is a good game but that’s all it is. You play the role of John Marston, who has been forced into bringing in his old gang. After a spectacularly stupid move at the start of the game John is left of dead. Cue a good samaritan to pick him up and nurse him back to health. Upon awakening John finds himself on a struggling ranch with a dept to owe, no sooner are his eyes open is instantly put to work as a ranch hand. The ranch acts like a training ground to get used to the controls. Once you have the basics down like in GTA you are introduced to other characters that will have jobs to do.

There are some interesting features in Red Dead Redemption like the Dead Eye. Basically it slows down time so you can aim a tricky shot; once it’s upgraded you can then start to experience faster shooting. What happens then is whilst everything is slowed down you can pick targets, be it three places to shoot someone or five people to shoot. Once the targets are set just press the fire button once and a very quick suggestion of shots will kill whatever targets are picked. The horses have stamina, if involved in a race and you keep trying to push your horse beyond its limit it will throw you off, keeping a horse at maximum speed without overexerting it is a skill in itself. The longer you keep a horse the more used to you it becomes, but if it gets attacked by wolves or whatever you have to start again.

Before this game was released I was almost salivating at what the trailers were showing. I never played the original but came in at the start of Ezio’s story. I loved Assassin’s Creed 2 and was wondering where the improvements could be made. First the combat has been tweaked a tad. In the second you could just counter your way through all the fights, almost. After a while that just gets boring, now you can take out a whole group surrounding you if you’re quick enough. Another change is the ability to ride horses around the town now. In the second you were not allowed to ride you horse right into the town, they’d not move any further than the gate to the towns. Now you can, fight on horseback; even hijack other horses like GTA! But for me is the ability to stand on your horse and assassinate the guards, either by jumping off your horse to the ground or onto their horse killing them and then riding off on theirs.

Xbox 360 and PS3 owners will be able to play Batman: Arkham City in stereoscopic and anaglyphic (red and blue/green glasses) 3D, when it releases in the UK on October 21st 2011.  In other words anyone who invested into a 3D TV can don their shutter glasses, for a stereoscopic experience of breath taking environments in Arkham City.

Like the game of the year edition of Akrham Asylum,  gamers with a standard HDTV can also experience 3D. By wearing the anaglyphic red and blue/green 3D glasses.  It's not the same as stereoscopic 3D but it does the job on a budget. Check out our review of Arkham Asylum's anaglyphic experience here.

PC owners can also control the dark knight in 3D with Nvidia's 3D Vision PC's. The inclusion of PhysX and DirectX 11 effects, is an even better treat for PC gamers.  You can expect there to be more trash flowing in the streets and effects like fog to be present. Arkham City is getting closer to a game of the year award, with every announcement.  Check out yesterdays Mr. Freeze reveal right here.

Ubisoft's wild west series returns, with a new setting and plot. Revolving around three characters taking on the Cartel. In a modern twist on the wild west, the Cartel are today's outlaws and our protagonists are the law. With no demand for a present day western, how will this direction fair with the fans?

Firing up the campaign, your presented with the option to play as either Kim (FBI), Ben (LAPD) or Eddie (DEA). Each character has their own agenda (side objective) and will get a call from a friend or colleague. Requesting you to collect illegal guns from a scene or steal a surveillance tape for example.

You gain points for obtaining a secret item, which leads to unlocking new guns. While doing this you mustn't be seen by one of your partners. Getting caught sets you back and your partner, gets rewarded for catching you out. Only when your playing with a friend is this feature most effective. Sadly your A.I teams are blunt and won't bother, to carry out this objective.