38 public reviews
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Sherlock Holmes vs Jack the Ripper take its design from a combination of a puzzle game and a point and click adventure. Played from either a first or third person perspective, you take control of both Holmes and Watson as you investigate the gruesome Whitechapel murders of 1888. The story, characters and events are largely based on facts, and the resolution is entirely plausible. Though-out the game you'll be…
'Up' proves that a movie tie-in game doesn't have to be a dull and unrewarding. Essentially a co-op 3D platform game, 'Up' shares many design similarities to the popular Traveller's Tales Lego series and like most 3D platform games it feature simple puzzles and tonnes of collectibles. The story in 'Up' loosely follows the movie with Carl and Russell making their ballon lifted odyssey to Paradise Falls; I played the…
Fatal Conspiracy is the third game in Telltale's TV series tie-in on the consoles and once again features five episodes of puzzling, murder solving, and hidden object searching. This time the five episodes actually contain a common plot thread involving a conspiracy within the CSI unit and links to a notorious drug dealer. Character development is explored in much greater detail making Fatal Conspiracy a significant…
Deadly Intent is the second game in Telltale's TV series tie-in on the consoles and once again features five episodes of puzzling, murder solving, and hidden object searching. Although similar in design to CSI Hard Evidence, a number of welcome user interface improvements have been made that help the game zip along. Whilst never matching the heights of Hard Evidence's episodes, the five murder investigation here…
The Legend of Zelda : Spirit Tracks is probably best Zelda adventure since Wind Waker. Many may doubt it, but thanks to its many ingenious puzzles, melancholic music, and a sharp witty script, Spirit Tracks is a joy to play. Like The Phantom Hourglass before it, Spirit Tracks fuses the Wind Waker anime art-style with a flowing stylus control mechanism - familiar to anyone who has played Nintendo's Animal Crossing:…
On the surface Sonic & SEGA All-Star Racing appears to be a cynical attempt to cash in on the success of Mario Kart Wii . However, after popping the disk in you quickly appreciate the level of quality invested in the game. Sumo Digital have created one of the finest kart-racers of this generation by deftly combining the arcade power-sliding of OutRun with the charm and style of SEGA's back catalog of "stars". In…
There are very few games that genuinely make you feel panicked or tense, but Split/Second is certainly one of them. Essentially a kart-racer, Split/Second's unique gameplay has the actual track and environment providing the weapons: you can detonate the various track objects and scenery in order to slow or crash your opponents. These "power plays" are earned by drafting, drifting or successfully dodging attacks on…
Quantic Dream have increasingly used the term "interactive movie" to describe their design ethos. Sadly Heavy Rain is neither a particularly good movie, nor a game with satisfactory interactivity. In many ways the problems with Heavy Rain's narrative can be found in the films on which it is clearly inspired: the movies Seven and Saw are clearly huge influences on the story and aesthetic design. The players enjoyment…
Bioshock 2 follows on 10 years after the conclusion of the original game. Through a series of plot contrivances the world of Rapture has managed to survive and blossom into one ruled by a new zealot: Sofia Lamb . You find yourself thrust into the world as a prototype Big Daddy , revived some years after your original death. Bioshock 2's principle villain is Sofia Lamb who is basically an Anti- Ryan . She's a…
HP OotP has all the right elements to be a great game but is let down by a lack of imagination. Pros : Hogwarts is fantastic; licenced music; voiced by some of the cast; cool analog stick spell casting Cons : Dull quests; excessive treking; limited shortcuts; weak story integration The opening 10 minutes of HP OotP contains all the good and bad things in the game. Your introduction to Hogwarts is breathtaking and…
Read the full review Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Too Human is worth exploring if you have enjoyed action RPGs in the past, but you will have to look beyond flawed game mechanics and design. Pros : Sci-Fi twist on Norse mythology; plenty of action Cons : Broken RPG class & item system; no sense of empowerment; weak level design; many small annoyances; below par graphics and character design Too Human attempts to blend elements from multiple video genres and…
The sequel to 2007's Viva Pinata, Trouble in Paradise makes enough tweaks and improvements to justify a new release: including structured challenges, an improved user interface and some novel co-op features. Essentially a garden and zoo simulator, Viva Pinata requires players to develop a virtual garden to entice and breed cute Pinata creatures. The game employs a food chain so that you must carefully balance the…
A beautiful cell shaded look and interesting new direction fail to mask the inadequacies of the gameplay, script and design. Clearly using the same engine as the equally mixed Assassins Creed, the acrobatic gameplay is marred by floaty imprecise controls that fail to engage the player. The combat isn’t much better with little to communicate actions and an awkward block-&-parry system. The story and characters are…
A sequel to Banjo Tooie was a long time coming, but it was well worth the wait. Nuts & Bolts cleverly integrates Lego style vehicle construction with entertaining mini-games complete with gaming satire. Nuts & Bolts doesn't hold the player by the hand, but it does offer huge depth and enjoyment for those willing to invest time in the vehicle editor. The silly multiplayer mini-games, and originality of everyone’s…
Marcus and Dom are back, and Gears is bigger and better than before. Gears of War helped define this generation of consoles, and the sequel improves on the original in almost every way. The action is grander, the 3rd person combat is refined, and the environments are varied and beautiful. The addition of the cooperative Horde mode, where you face waves of enemies, and excellent multiplayer maps, make Gears 2 the…
This version of the classic game features a number of alternative boards: from the 'Here and Now' edition to Cheese(!); and a new faster variation that incorporates Mario-Party style mini-games. Sadly the game seems to be optimised for the Wii version, making the point-and-click interface awkward on the Xbox 360 control sticks. Monopoly would have possibly been better suited to the Xbox Live Arcade, but it is still…
A Kingdom for Keflings is a city building game in which your giant New Xbox Experience avatar has a very hands-on role. The highly addictive gameplay focuses on resource collection tasks that are assigned to the little Kefling residents; your the ultimate goal being to complete the construction of the city and its castle. Kingdom for Keflings is simple, yet original, rewarding, and fun.
Banjo-Kazooie is a flawless port of the N64 original and my favourite game of all time. On the surface it looks like any other 3D platform game from the period. But the cute characters and squeaky voices mask superb level design, balanced difficulty, and sharp dialog. The conversion to the Xbox Live Arcade comes complete with generous achievements and new hidden secrets. A must buy.
The Force Unleashed attempts to establish another story arc and character to the StarWars universe, in the form of Vader’s apprentice. Unfortunately, although the story is interesting, the gameplay and force powers are not. Essentially a God of War clone, The Force Unleashed suffers from poor level design and lacklustre combat that never really manages to be anything other than competent. There were better…
Pros : Feels like the movies; great combat; presentation; quality Cons : Not much to do once the story has been completed; you need to like cut-scene events; driving level is a bit of a mess. The Bourne Conspiracy is a character action game, based on the book & film series and is probably one of the best tie-ins since GoldenEye on the N64. High Moon studios have created quality product with superb presentation and…
Pros : It's Batman; Lego characters are cute; the villains Cons : Platforming hampered by camera; vehicle levels are poor; hub world has instant death; no online co-op; dodgy AI again! Lego Batman continues with the same formula used in Lego Starwars and Lego Indy. It is the usual mixture of 3D platforming and item collecting -studs, mini-kits & red power bricks- that have been hallmarks of the series. Where Lego…
Fable II is best described as an adventure game with RPG features, rather than a full-bodied RPG. Lionhead Studios have managed to create a wonderfully rich world to explore, and written a half decent story too. However, the real stand-out feature of Fable II is the way in which the game makes you really care for your Hero and dog companion. Very few games have managed to achieve such emotional depth. It elevates…
Little Big Planet is both revolutionary and old fashioned in equal measure. Essentially it is a 2D platform game construction set. But such a description doesn’t do the game justice when you consider the sheer scope available to players and creators alike. With thousands of user created levels already in existence and the impossibly cute Sackboy, Little Big Planet should have something for everyone. Unfortunately,…
Mirror’s Edge proved to be a revelation. Despite my dislike of the first person shooter genere, and especially first person precision jumping, I found the game to be exhilarating and rewarding. The first person free-running is brilliantly implemented, and the stark environments spectacularly convey the corporatocracy (a government dominated by corporate influence) in which the game is set. Despite a number of flaws,…
Motorstorm is back, and this time it has taken the cyberpunk off-road racing even further and set the entire game on a volcanic pacific island. The setting provides Motorstorm with much needed variety in both the track environments and design: from long beaches and lava tubes, to jungle tracks and mountain top observatories. Races are grouped by location and race type, making progression less linear and more…
My Horse and Me 2 would not be the first choice for the enthusiast gamer to pickup and play. Buying the game from a high street retailer would most likely result in extreme self consciousness and a hat full of excuses like “It’s for my daughter/wife/partner/mother/sister”. However, the prospect of 1000 easy achievement points can make you play games you would not normally consider. My Horse and Me 2 turns out to be…
Guitar Hero On Tour, for the Nintendo DS, was a surprise worldwide hit in 2008 despite its mixed critical reception. Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits is the third instalment of the cramp-inducing series that comes complete with a handful of tweaks and a new “modern” set-list. Guitar Hero On Tour is probably better described as “Plectrum Hero”, since the gameplay centres around the use of the custom four-button fret…
A combination of a devalued “Hero” brand, a high price, animosity towards Activision and some bizarre marketing decisions (Emimen and Jay-Z - their music is hardly in it) has put off most people. It is a real pity as DJ Hero is an absolute gem and goes a long way in refreshing the tired rhythm game genre. DJ Hero’s eclectic soundtrack has music in it to sort all tastes, whilst the combination of tight controls and…
Who wouldn’t want to be a dictator and run their own mini Cuba? Think of it: cigars, mojitos, and all night salsa! Tropico 3 is a clever blend of Sim-City and Theme Park set in the 1950s Caribbean. Available for both the PC and Xbox360, it made a refreshing change to the “flash-bang-wallop” that most of November’s games were all about. With a wonderful soundtrack, decent graphics and more satire than an episode of…
Wiiware has really taken off this year and has seen some remarkable independent games - such as the Bit Trip series and Art Style: Orbient. However, the real star was this unusual 2D side-on real-time strategy game. It could well be the best real-time strategy game conceived on a console. Its design overcomes the limitations of using a control pad, whilst retaining all the necessary features for a fun and…
The Wii has hosted some excellent games this year that cater for all gaming tastes. Dead Space Extraction is the year’s surprising twist on the survival horror genre. Mislabelled by those who haven’t played it as “on rails”, Dead Space Extraction proves to be both intelligent and frightening in equal measure. Clever use of cinematic techniques and brilliant voice acting add depth and quality to the presentation;…
I really don't like the Beatles: I don't enjoy their music and I find their whole mythology an irritation. Somehow Harmonix have managed to sell me something I don't like and have a great time playing it? I think it is in no small part to the quality of the production, and the visual flare used in the presentation of many of the songs. It hasn't made me a fan of the band, but I can honestly say I really enjoyed…
Battlefield 1943 excels as a fun and enjoyable multiplayer first person shooter. Stripped of complexity and perfectly balanced, it proved to be a hit with both shooter aficionados and more laid back players alike. The easy to master controls (with the exception of the plane) and non-stop action mean there is never a dull moment and no frustration. A sub £12 price-point made Battlefield 1943 one of the best value…
The Professor and Luke are back again to unravel the mysteries of Pandora’s Box and a train full of crazy characters. Like the previous game in the series the puzzles range from the very easy to the fiendishly hard. In this second outing the puzzles are much better integrated into the main story and its events. With three more Layton games bound for Europe, we can look forward to many more years of intriguing…
Read the full review Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
The real outstanding feature of Uncharted 2, in addition to the jaw-dropping environments and non-stop action, is the quality of the dialogue, narrative and general writing. It really does raise the bar in interactive character driven story telling: there is little exposition, well rounded and believable characters, and a story that propels itself without the need for clumsy prolonged cut scenes or back-story. At no…
Easily took the crown as the most enjoyable and rewarding racing game of recent years. DiRT 2 is the best pure racer –with focus on racing rather than simulation- since Project Gotham Racing 4, and much more fun than the cold and anaesthetic Forza 3. Amazing graphics, a solid frame-rate and a pumping soundtrack complete the package on one of the games of the year.
Pros : Captures the spirit and cheese of the TV show; great for achievement boosting Cons : Dialog is often ponderous (like the TV show!); voice acting can be really bad; bizarre use of the d-pad; long load times. CSI - Hard Evidence is a good example of how not to port a PC game. Despite this, it is actually an enjoyable game with five interesting investigations to resolve. Anyone who has seen the TV series will be…
Read the full review CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Hard Evidence
Developed by former Bungie developers, Booty is a real-time strategy game featuring customisable maps and plenty of pirate whimsy. Played with up to 8 other players, you control a single pirate ship and work together to capture a specific number of towns. Easy to pick up and tricky to master, Booty is a good edition to XBLA libary. Co-operation and strategy are key elements needed to win each match: do you attack or…
