It is probably safe to say that by now we all know Splinter Cell Conviction has been in development for a long time. The Xbox 360 exclusive title (so long as you do not count the PC release that is due out in a few weeks) originally started out very differently, resembling Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed games more than anything else. However, rumour has it that the release of the first Assassin’s Creed, and how technically superior it was, led to Splinter Cell Conviction returning to the drawing board, and disappearing from the public eye for years.

Gaming’s history with titles that have been completely overhauled mid-production is spotty to say the best. It is not necessarily a bad thing (for instance Resident Evil 4 was reportedly restarted several times) but in general, the reason a game is started from scratch is because there are fundamental issues that can only be fixed by starting over. It probably wouldn’t be unfair to say that in terms of quality, for every Resident Evil 4 there are about ten Too Humans. So where does Splinter Cell Conviction lie? Is it a Resident Evil 4 or is it a bit Too Human?

Taking place a few years after the events of Splinter Cell Double Agent, Senior Citizen Super Spy Sam Fisher is not a happy man. After his daughter was killed by a drunk driver, and his best friend was killed during his last mission, Sam has quit working for the Government Agency Third Echelon. Instead, spending some time away from it all brooding in a Café in Malta. While sipping on his umpteenth Espresso, a waiter hands Sam a mobile phone telling him he has an urgent call. His former handler, Anna “Grim” Grimsdóttír, is on the line and informs Sam that a group of armed men are heading his way. With this information, we begin the obligatory basic tutorial mission.

When being stealthy the controls are, for the most part, very slick and intuitive. Holding the left trigger will make Sam pop behind any available cover, and pressing A will allow Sam to slide gracefully between and over objects. The game handles much like any third person shooter with the right trigger firing weapons, the B button performing mêlée attacks, clicking the right stick zooms in, and left bumper reloads.

Sam has a number of stealth kills in his arsenal

Much like the other big Tom Clancy series, Rainbow Six, you can mark enemies by pressing the right bumper. Marking enemies allows you to keep track of where your enemies are, and is also a necessary part of one of the game’s new features. After performing a stealthy mêlée kill, Sam earns the ability to perform the mark and execute maneuver. Once your targets are marked you simply press the Y button and Sam will fire off head shots in order to quickly and quietly take his targets down. Sam can also mark environmental hazards, such as chandeliers, causing them to fall onto unsuspecting foes below. To begin with, you can only mark and execute two enemies at a time, but this ability can be upgraded further on in the game.

In-game mission updates are made in a strikingly visual way. Relevant information appears on the walls around you, as if it were being fed through a projector. It works in such a way that you are always aware of what you need to be doing, without cluttering the screen, which is a very welcome feature.

Mission updates are projected on to your surroundings

At the end of the first mission you take part in the first of numerous interrogation scenes. After grabbing the target you can press B to hit them in order to procure more information. The environments are interactive, so for instance in this first section, which takes place in a public toilet, if you press B next to a sink Sam will smash his enemy’s head through the sink. Once you have interrogated your target, the relevant information that they give you will flash up on the walls. This serves as a decent visual aid for your next mission.

In terms of gameplay, much like Batman Arkham Asylum, sticking to the shadows as much as possible is the best tactic; when in the shadows Sam becomes essentially invisible. If no-one can see you then the screen turns black and white; the only colours on screen being your enemies. It looks very stylish and works as a good way of cutting down unnecessary clutter on the screen, such as the visibility meters and radars that so many other stealth games have had in the past. If you are unfortunate enough to wander into the sight of an enemy, a small arrow appears on screen to indicate where the enemy is. The longer you stay in that enemy’s line of sight, the smaller the arrow becomes. If the arrow completely disappears then your opponent can see you and you will either have to fight or flee.

Mark and Execute kills are pretty stylish

The second new feature in the game is the last known position feature. This comes into effect when you have been spotted, but manage to break free from your enemy’s line of sight. Doing this will cause a ghostly outline of you to appear in the last place your enemies saw you, and where they will subsequently be focusing their attention. With this knowledge you can reposition yourself to regain the advantage.

Being discovered brings the game’s limitations to light. While the controls work really well in methodical stealth-based scenarios, when you are forced to fight off a dozen enemies that have managed to surround you, the controls feel clumsy. You could argue that the game is punishing you for not being stealthy, or that you are playing the game incorrectly by going hell-for-leather, but that does not change the fact that, at times, the controls are awkward. With this revelation, it becomes clear that Splinter Cell Conviction is less of a third person shooter, and more of a third person puzzle game with shooting elements. More often than not if you find yourself in a situation where you feel that the only option available is to go in guns blazing, then you have not looked around enough for other alternatives.

While the single player is fairly short; I completed it in about 6 hours, the game offers up a lot of additional game modes and additional features to keep completionists playing for a long time to come. The in-game currency used for purchasing upgrades for your equipment is earned through completing challenges, called P.E.C Challenges. There are a number of different challenge types to complete, ranging from simple things like performing X number of head shots, to more challenging tasks such as completing a level without being spotted, without dying, and without restarting at any point. These challenges are applied to not only the single player, but all of the multiplayer modes as well. So you are constantly rewarded for playing, no matter what game mode you choose.

Split Screen Co-op is a VERY welcome feature

In a welcome move, there is a split screen co-op mode that acts as a prequel to the main game’s storyline. This mode pits one player as a USA operative and the other as a Russian agent. You must work together over four levels, with all the same abilities and equipment made available to Sam Fisher throughout the single player. The co-op story mode can also be played online with friends or strangers if you’re into online-only snobbery.

Outside the co-op story there are a number of single level based challenges, similar to the challenge maps in Batman Arkham Asylum. Objectives range from defeating every enemy on the map, to protecting an EMP generator from wave after wave of attacking foes. Arguably, the best multiplayer mode is the 2-on-2 mode, in which one team attempts to take out another live human team of two. As well as your living opponents, the maps are populated with computer controlled enemies that are hostile towards both you and your enemy team, which can create wonderfully tense matches.

Like Assassin’s Creed 2, Splinter Cell Conviction is supported by Ubisoft’s UPLAY system, which allows you to download additional content for free after meeting certain in game objectives. Completing these objectives, such as beating the first level, earns you UPLAY points which can then be redeemed for either a Splinter Cell Conviction theme for your Xbox dashboard, a new machine gun, a new costume for multiplayer, and the Infiltration multiplayer mode. As good of an idea as it sounds, these items appear to already be on the disk, and really could have just been traditional unlocks rewarded for meeting certain objectives. In order to access the UPLAY content you must create an account with Ubisoft, giving them your email address. Perhaps I am being cynical when I suggest this, but I suspect that it is a crafty way of Ubisoft compiling data about the people that play their games.

Review Round-Up

Graphics: 4/5 While the character animations and lip synching in particular can be a little patchy, the game has a wonderful visual style, ranging from the black and white stealth sections to the projection of mission information on walls around you. While not being the best looking game ever, it oozes with style.

Sound: 3/5 Michael Ironside returns as Sam Fisher, although he often sounds as if he has had a few too many drinks before beginning his recording session. Additional voice work is competent at best. The sound effects and music are strong.

Story: 3/5 This is your typical Tom Clancy affair full of military jargon – EMP bombs, conspiracies, private military corporations, and plots to kill the President; thrilling for some, tedious for others no doubt. Enemy dialogue is, in general, pretty bad, with lines such as “you’re not the only bad ass here Fisher!” or “You little girl! Show your ass!” sticking out as some of the worst.

Gameplay: 4/5 Overall the stealth mechanic works really well and creates a genuine sense of empowerment when picking off your enemies. Even when you are spotted you are not brutally punished (apart from in one level) so long as you can escape their line of sight. The Multiplayer modes, particularly the co-op story mode and 2 on 2 team battles are brilliant. The only real downside is that the shooting controls can become rather clumsy when you are discovered and forced to fight.

Longevity: 4/5 While the single player is quite short, the inclusion of the P.E.C challenges offers a decent incentive to play through the game again on higher difficulties in order to upgrade your weapons and equipment. The multiplayer modes are compelling, well designed, and well worth your attention. In a very wise move, Splinter Cell Conviction features Split Screen co-op, so even if the game does not maintain a lengthy online life, you can still keep playing long after the servers are shut down.

Overall 4.5 Marked Targets out of 5: Splinter Cell Conviction is a game that, overall, is better than the sum of its parts. Despite having a few short comings, Splinter Cell Conviction comes close to being a truly great game thanks to the strong stealth gameplay that empowers the player, and numerous multiplayer modes. Splinter Cell Conviction deserves to be in your disk tray for a long time to come.

If you were not aware, we have a little Amazon store here at Newbreview.com (link at the top of the page) which we use to try and raise a little cash that we can put toward prize giveaways and so on.  Good old Mightyles has been scouring the store to find some real bargains that you might be interested in.  Check out these prices and if you want to help support the site, click the links below and spend a few quid in the store. 

Halo ODST (360) £17.73
  
Batman Arkham Asylum (360) £17.99
 
DeadSpace £8.15 (PS3)
 
Lego Batman (wii) £10.98
 
Little Big Planet (PS3) £14.73
 
Brutal Legend (ps3) £14.99
 
Sega Megadrive Collection (ps3) £12.84
 
Super Smash Brothers Brawl (wii) £16.95 
 
Gears of War 2 Game of the Year edition (360) £14.95 
 
DeadSpace extraction (wii) £11.65
 
Viva Pinata Trouble In paradise (360) £5.95!!!!!!!
 
Burnout Paradise The Ultimate Box (PS3) £14.99
 
The Orange Box (360) £12.99
 
House of the Dead: Overkill (wii) £11.29
 
Mirror’s Edge (360) £8.24
 
Madworld (wii) £3.91
 
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Smash Up (wii) £7.99
 
Resident Evil 0 (wii) £12.73

The epic war of the consoles between Sony and Microsoft (the Wii isn’t made for gamers; see ‘iRate: Wii never play it really’) seems to have descended into a tit-for-tat squabble; each company sinking to new lows by securing the exclusivity of relatively minute amounts of individual titles. Sure, the Joker maps from Batman: Arkham Asylum are only available to PS3 customers, but does Sony really think that this pathetic half-step is going to incense XBox owners into purchasing the rival console?

The PS3 exclusive Joker Maps are no laughing matter for XBox owners

Don’t get me wrong, I use Sony only as an example here; Microsoft is by far the worst offender. Since launch there have been a number of DLC exclusivity deals struck by Microsoft, but here are perhaps the two biggest: Grand Theft Auto IV and Fallout 3.

What makes this worse is the overall quality of this exclusive content. The DLC for Fallout 3 in particular has been met with some mixed reactions. It’s difficult to argue that Mothership Zeta and Operation: Anchorage achieve anything other than detracting from the overall quality of the Fallout experience. Also, our very own Luke ‘Mightyles’ Mears didn’t think much of The Ballad of Gay Tony.

The Ballad of Gay Tony? More like the Ballad of Gypped PS3 Owners!

The word “exclusive” is also something of a misnomer in this context. With the exception of the Joker maps for Batman: Arkham Asylum (although time will tell on that one), almost every piece of exclusive DLC has been a timed exclusive. So after a period of time the DLC is launched on the rival console anyway, usually to the complete disinterest of gamers everywhere. Only the most hardcore fans of Fallout 3, for example, are going to shell out an extra £30 to get their hands on the five packs of new content. The majority will leave it on the shop shelf where it belongs.

Bad DLC in itself isn’t a massive issue, but when the companies we rely on to produce quality products that are worth our time and money begin to shell out large amounts to secure bad content, you know that something is awry. The global gaming industry has become so concerned with rivalry and getting one up (intentional cheeky Mario reference) on each other that it has completely forgotten the people in the middle, the people that really matter, us bloody gamers! And exclusive DLC is living proof of this.

A prime example of timed exclusive DLC not worth the wait

Games developers should be committed to producing titles that deliver the complete experience for anyone that digs into their wallets to purchase a game. It doesn’t matter what format, gamers should be afforded the courtesy of this complete experience.

DLC exclusivity is a corruption of this. Not only are developers selling off parts of the “experience” to the highest bidder, but by doing so they are segregating their audience, causing increasing disillusionment with the developer. We shouldn’t be punished for choosing one console over another. The only kind of exclusivity The Newb Review can endorse is for a full title. Furthermore, by selling off the rights to portions of games through DLC, developers are not only showing a lack of backbone, they are also telling the world that they are driven solely by profit and that they don’t respect the very people to which their products are aimed.

Developers aren’t the only ones at fault though. The tit-for-tat rivalry between Sony and Microsoft, expressed through DLC, is nothing short of childish, playground bullsh*t. If they weren’t so willing to throw away cash carelessly, just to ensure exclusivity rights on the latest and greatest game ad-ons, the thought of exclusive DLC for consoles wouldn’t be so imprinted on the minds of developers, and perhaps us gamers would be treated a little less like mindless sheep.

This is a call to arms: gamers of the world unite. We need to tell the corporations to cease this petty battle for DLC exclusivity. From now on it’s full exclusivity for a title or nothing at all. No more of these petty half-steps to nudge people towards choosing your console.

No-one

The suggestions are in and the shortlist has been drawn. The three titles in the running for the coveted prize of The Newb Review Game of the Year 2009, as voted for by The Newb Review staff are:

Warning: Don’t ever watch developer videos. This year I did exactly that and ended up buying a game that, prior to watching these videos, I had no interest in. Luckily, this game turned out to be undeniably one of the best games to have come out this year; Borderlands. Along with Batman: Arkham Asylum, it is truly refreshing to see two brand new Intellectual Properties duking it out for Game of the Year, especially in an endless sea of sequels, prequels and trilogies. This serves as a great testament to the brilliant year the games industry has had this year.

So what is it about Borderlands that makes it so great? Well it’s not really like anything you’ve played before for starters (the closest I could compare it to is probably Fallout 3). The notion of combining true RPG level-up elements with a first person shooter made me a little dubious at first, but Borderlands pulls it off in stunning fashion. The main reason why Borderlands is so great is because it is just fun to play. Yes, the story is minimal at best, but there’s no better experience than partying up with three of your friends to go around the Borderlands universe and just shoot stuff.

- Crofterz

As a general rule, Super Hero games tend to be pretty bad. For every Spiderman 2, there are half a dozen Superman 64s out there. So you can understand why a number of gamers were sceptical about Arkham Asylum’s potential when it was first announced. How wrong they were. This game blends light detective elements together with an intuitive combat system and a powerful stealth mechanic. However, this is unlike other stealth games. If you are caught, it isn’t the end of the world; you are, after all, controlling the God Damned Batman, with the ability to pummel all opponents into a fine paste using nothing but your bare hands.

The story is written by long-time Batman writer, and key architect of the fantastic 90′s Batman Animated Series, Paul Dini. He brings with him the key voice actors Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill (playing Batman and The Joker respectively), making the game a truly authentic Batman experience. Throw together a reasonably long story mode, a number of collectible objects and upgrades, as well as The Riddler’s riddles and a challenge mode that allows you to compare your combat or stealth skills with the rest of the world and you have one of the best games to come out this year.

- Mightyles

This title is a celebration of the development of a truly original idea. Ubisoft have taken the first Assassin’s Creed and thrown a bucket load of improvements at it in the hope that most of them stick. Thankfully, it seems to have worked! Whilst by no means a perfect game, Assassin’s Creed 2 has proven to be a vast improvement on its generally well-received older sibling, and looked set to be the biggest seller of the year… If only it weren’t for the FPS gargantuan that is Modern Warfare 2.

Little errors and glitches littered here and there are insignificant foibles in comparison to the wealth of gameplay features that Ubisoft have implemented to perfection. The story is compelling and immersive and whilst there is still perhaps an ounce or two of repetitiveness, (the major complaint of the first game) added variety and new RPG elements such as building up the Auditore Villa stave off boredom in fine fashion. The climactic ending presents something of a cliff hanger that will keep the forums buzzing right up to the release of the next in the series. We can only hope they can improve the same amount for Assassin’s Creed 3.

- tom01255

Honourable mentions…

Now, with so many great games coming to every console this year, NewbReview didn’t think it fair to concentrate on only three titles and forsake everything else. Here’s the NewbReview team with their honourable mentions for 2009.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

When it was announced that Grand Theft Auto was coming to the Nintendo DS, not many people could say they weren’t surprised. And, even upon release in March, the DS audience were still not ready for this game, as evidenced in the poor sales following this extremely well reviewed and generally awesome title.

In a welcomed return to the top-down view, Grand Theft Auto seemed to do almost everything right. It was beautiful on the underpowered DS, the gameplay was true to the series: new and old, and the driving actually controlled well! One of the best games on DS.

- Joefeesh

Red Faction: Guerrilla

Released way back at the beginning of June, Red Faction: Guerrilla has been one of the few games that have managed to cling on in the psyche of the Newbs in the office. Upon release it immediately entered the canon of fun-but-flawed games; the kind that gets a lot of things right, but doesn’t quite dazzle as it should. The characterisation is pretty flat and the story in particular is undemanding. However, the ability to destroy almost anything using a variety of imaginative weaponry has resulted in an enjoyable experience that’s worthy of note, if not quite reaching the echelon of a true Game of the Year contender.

- tom01255

Forza Motorsport 3

The sheer volume of content in this title would have made this a great Game of the Year contender. Given the quality of the previous game, I was sure this was going to be good. But I wasn’t prepared for exactly how much they would pack in to make this a worthwhile purchase.

The game comes on 2 discs and has over 400 cars and 100 tracks. And having played for countless hours, reaching level 50 and amassing over 5 million credits, I have not even hit 25% completion yet. I will be playing and enjoying this well into 2010.

- braindead_hero

FIFA 10

So everybody complains that we get one every year and nothing much changes. They say whoever is suckered into buying it each year is an idiot. However, following in the footsteps (pun intended) of Fifa ‘09, Fifa 10 is yet another massive step in the right direction for the franchise.

Fifa ‘09 took the crown back from Pro Evolution Soccer, introducing better controls and better modes; it really felt like EA went to town in ‘09. This game has taken the ‘09 formula and built on it, with even better controls and more polished modes. The best football game ever made, FACT!

- Crofterz

Left 4 Dead 2

I’m the first to admit I have a thing for zombies. It’s nothing sexual I assure you, so wipe that thought from your mind. The follow-up to last years Left 4 Dead, this game adds a bunch of new content, new maps, new survivors and new modes; all of which are incredibly well designed. The reason this is one of my favourite games of this year is how much fun it is. How can anyone get bored of fighting off the zombie horde? It’s also very polished; I had a much better time with this game over any other in 2009 by a fair amount. Valve truly are artists in crafting such a game and I applaud them for it.

- Braindead_Hero

Shadow Complex

As far as downloadable games go, Shadow Complex is impressive. It boasts a lengthy single-player campaign, expansive world to explore, and dozens of collectible items to boost your character’s performance. At the start of the game you play as Jason, a man who goes exploring in the caves outside of Washington DC with his girlfriend, only to discover a conspiracy to overthrow the US government. By the end you are a super-powered killing machine, capable of running on water, flying around the screen and punching enemies 200ft into the air. Shadow Complex is a fantastic blend of old school Castlevania-styled gameplay and modern day production values.

- Mightyles

Halo 3: ODST

Yes everyone complained, “Not another Halo game!” and I understand your frustrations, we have Halo: Reach on its way but please, Bungie, once Halo: Reach is released, no more Halo games, OK? It’s the fifth game based on the Halo universe but for me, ODST has been the most fun. A shorter, more interesting campaign and the brilliant new Firefight mode thrown in with the truly awesome Halo 3 Multiplayer is a recipe for success. Yes, it is yet another Halo game, but it’s the best Halo game for some time.

- Crofterz

So, the scene is set for an epic three-way battle between Borderlands, Batman: Arkham Asylum and Assassin’s Creed 2. Who will come out on top? Don’t forget, you can let us know what your Game of the Year is in the comment boxes below or argue with us about how we’ve missed of Modern Warfare 2 in the forum.

Make sure you check back on New Years Day to see which title has been awarded the prestigious NewbReview Game of the Year 2009!

1. What’s the best gaming related Christmas gift you’ve ever had? Was it because the game was awesome-tastic or did it cement the love you had for a certain lady? Tell us why it meant so much to you.

Tom01255

Christmas of 1998 was a great one for me; as I eagerly unwrapped my brand spanking new Nintendo 64. This marked my first foray into console gaming and has left a lasting impression. I was immediately hooked to gaming, whilst I had played on the Snes and Megadrive of various friends; I had never had one of my own. But with my new N64 I became king of the playground. The one game I had, the massively underrated Mischief Makers (an eccentric 2D platformer) was more than enough to keep me entertained until Smash Brothers and Zelda really monopolised my playtime.

Joefeesh

Mario Galaxy. From the start, walking down the dark streets of the mushroom kingdom towards the castle, starbits falling from the sky like an upside down fireworks display. I was taken in by the lush world that Nintendo had recreated for Mario Galaxy. The amazing gravity based platforming is like nothing else and the sheer quantity of new ideas transformed into levels still astounds me. With the starry skies and smooth, shiny textures, it was the perfect gift to get me through the holidays during one of the roughest times in my life.

Crofterz

Kung Fu. OK, so my favourite games related Christmas gift takes us way back to when I got my first ever games console (the NES). However, the console itself is not my favourite gift, it was the slew of games that came bundled with it. Duck Hunt (with the light gun), Super Mario Bros., and in particular, Kung Fu. Kung Fu is, to this day, my favourite game. Although it could now be considered extremely primitive, I still love it because I spent so many hours playing it as a child and have many fond memories.

vVv Diesel

As a kid growing up with a father who loved cars, I naturally followed suit, finding myself outside with grease under my fingernails (well, it was more fun than mud!) and watching all manner of car racing. The British Touring Car Championship was by far my favorite, and after playing the original ToCA, I was hooked. Never mind the silly cheats that allowed you to unlock, of all things, a tank; it was all about pure racing. I would play with my best friend or my dad for hours at a time. Then they announced ToCA 2. Well, obviously I drove my mum insane with my constant whines of, ”I really want that game”, and endless questions as to why I couldn’t just buy it with my pocket money.

Come Christmas, I had enough pocket money saved to buy the game five times over, but there it was in my Santa’s sack. The rest of Christmas day was consumed by my new game (and a new TV too). To this day, I still adore the original ToCA games.

Braindead Hero

This one is a fairly simple answer: my SNES. This is the first console that was truly mine, and really got me into gaming. Before, I had played my dad’s Commodore VIC-20, and had plenty of fun with that. But this SNES was mine. It came with a couple of games that have stayed with me ever since, namely the classics: Doom, Donkey Kong Country, and of course, Super Mario World. Three top notch games which made an indelible impression on me and possibly influenced my future gaming tastes. The SNES early on placed me firmly in the Nintendo camp in the then ongoing Nintendo vs Sega war.

Mightyles

I would say that my favourite gaming related present would have to have been getting a Nintendo Wii in 2007… Actually, no. I am lying. In all honesty the greatest gaming related Christmas present I can think of was not even given to me, but given to my elder brother: the Sony Playstation. The reason it was the greatest present is the simple fact that, while I had always been an active gamer, it was not until the advent of the Playstation that I really dived into gaming with any conviction. That year, he got Tekken 2 and I loved it. However, it was not until he brought Resident Evil 2 that I became hooked. Couple that with games like Silent Hill, Metal Gear Solid, Soul Blade, Tenchu, and Bushido Blade, and you can see why I say that was the greatest gaming gift in my household.

Kamiza

Without a doubt, my favourite gaming related present was many years ago when I received a Commodore 64.  Although I’d had a fair bit of video game exposure through the likes of an old Binatone machine, the C64 was the first time I owned a piece of gaming machinery that would score me cool points in school.  I had so many years of enjoyment with some of my favourite games of all time, including IK+, Commando, Ghostbusters (its better than the current gen version) and Uridium +.  Most importantly though, it meant I could stop pretending to be friends with a kid in my class just so I could play on his C64.

2. What is your biggest gaming Christmas wish?

Crofterz

Dante’s Inferno. Yes it looks like a complete God of War clone but why have games got to be “ground breaking” all of a sudden? Surely they just need to be fun? And Dante’s Inferno looks like it delivers fun by the bucket load. What could be more enjoyable than fighting an endless amount of demons as you make your way through hell, literally! The graphics looks stunning and this game is the one I’m most excited about (and have been all year). I’m just a bit gutted that I have to wait until next year

Braindead Hero

Okay, so I’ve kind of cheated as this isn’t one game, but one product. This Christmas I would love to receive an ‘ultimate collection’, spanning 9 DVDs (or 1 blu-ray) and containing the best games from the Saturn and Dreamcast. It would have full achievements/trophies and be up-scaled to 1080p HD, with full translations for those never released in English. It would also cost the same as any other game… and I’d never have to go outside again. Alternatively, if anyone wants to donate a Sega Saturn and Dreamcast to me, you will make me a very happy man.

Mightyles

This year I am going to be wicked and ask for two Christmas wishes – one based in reality, and one that seems almost impossible. First the easy one: I want Mass Effect 2. Now. The more videos Bioware release about that game, the more I want it. Despite being incredibly flawed, the original Mass Effect is one of my favourite games of all time thanks to it’s thoroughly engaging storyline and characters. For my second nigh on impossible wish? I’d like a decent Sonic The Hedgehog game.

Tom01255

I’m going to be greedy and wish for two things. Firstly, I want Final Fantasy XIII… Now… And I want it to be a proper return to the old-school Final Fantasy. I want a turn-based fighting system, massive summons to help you fight, a narrative full of twists and turns and a world map to run around á la Final Fantasy 7/8/9. Is that too much to ask!?

Secondly, my biggest wish is for a fully 3D remake of the original Gameboy Pokémon titles (preferably yellow) for the Wii. If done right, this would almost certainly be the killer app for the Wii, at least in my eyes, and I would even consider buying one!

Joefeesh

I’m just going to put this one out there and whichever developer picks it up, please get in contact so I can let you know where to send the royalty cheques. Ninja, superhero, robot, dinosaur zombies. Yeah, I thought of that. Go make it!

I would love to see a Zelda game that had a truly epic story and heart. I had this idea for the story: Link kills Ganon, but his spirit form then slowly starts to take over Link‘s mind, without him realising. He becomes the royal bodyguard, but then one day fights against hordes of enemies only to later find that it was innocents that he’d gone and slaughtered. Link then goes on the run from the Hyrulian army and Nintendo can take it from there. But any real big Zelda reboot would be nice. How about ninja, superhero, robot, Zelda zombie!?

vVv Diesel

My biggest gaming wish is to get hold of a full band kit (mic, guitar, bass and drums). Those bloody plastic peripherals annoy the hell out of me. I’m stuck with 2 guitars and 2 ‘Lips’ microphones, and all I want is a drum kit to let out all of my inner metal-head rage. Plus there’s the fact that the only instrument I can play for real is the drums. Yes, I know that these stupid rhythm games are totally overrated, very annoying and complete trash, but give me a plastic drum kit and I’ll be amused for at least 2hrs; you can keep it after that. Until then, I’ll keep on playing Forza 3.

Kamiza

My biggest gaming wish is for my family to finally relent and get me somthing / anything gaming related for Christmas.  My wife and dad both refuse to buy me anything that will encourage me to sit in front of the Playstation 3 any more than I already do. I always try to ask for vouchers for shops that I know stock games, as there’s no chance they’ll get me vouchers for anywhere as obvious as GAME. If I could pick something specific for them to get me though, it would be a PSP or PSP Go.  I’d love to be able to fill my lunchbreaks with a bit of mid-day gaming.

Make sure you leave a mushroom out for Yoshi!

3. What was your biggest dissappointment of the year? Explanation optional.

Mightyles

The PS3 exclusive Joker maps on Batman Arkham Asylum. I didn’t really know why they neglected their larger fanbase, 360 owners, by exclusively providing this content to PS3 owners, and I had doubts about the perpetuity of that exclusive. However, some 6 months later, and with the announcement of the sequel, it seems less and less likely that the Joker maps will ever come to the 360. As such, I have broken down and ordered a cheap copy of the PS3 version of Arkham Asylum (thanks to zavvi.co.uk!) as it appears to be the only way to play these bonus maps… Perhaps that was their intention all along.

Joefeesh

Honorable mention to Prototype which was a pile of balls, even with the framework of the outstanding Incredible Hulk Ultimate Destruction. My biggest disappointment was Fight Night Round 4. Round 3 is one of my favourite multiplayer games. So intuitive, it took me only 2 turns to really get the hang of it and start kicking some ass. The total punch control was amazing to me. In Round 4 they took what worked and broke it completely. I have no idea why they decided to turn the total punch control with the right stick into half punch control by having to press an extra button to do haymakers… It just doesn’t make sense; it’s a backwards step. Also, the counter attack was made almost unusable. Along with these built in faults, the game was released with massive bugs. At one point my mate battered somebody silly, but when the bell rang the game switched their places, putting him on the floor! Utter rubbish.

Crofterz

Now Tom (tom01255) is going to absolutely hate me for this, but I was so excited for Dragon Age: Origins this year (almost as excited as I currently am for Dante’s Inferno), but for me it just didn’t deliver. I didn’t know much about the game before it was released (I assumed there would be 4 player online Co-Op for example, as it seemed perfect for it) but I found the combat system was far more suited to an MMORPG than a stand alone RPG. Also, I felt no real connection to any of my characters (due to the sheer size and complicated-ness of it all; yes it’s an achievement but personally I just don’t like hugely massive games that will  take hundreds of hours to complete). Not only did this game massively let me down, but it also found itself in the traded-in section of my local games store within a few weeks.

Braindead Hero

My personal biggest disappointment of the year comes from bad hardware. You may be surprised to find out that my Xbox 360 has never even had a sniff of a technical problem, yet earlier this year my beloved PlayStation 3 broke. Anyone who has had hardware failure knows how bad this can be, but it was made worse by the fact that Sony no longer make the 60GB Backwards Compatible model. I might as well throw away my sizeable collection of PS2 games. Oh and by the way, £100 is way too much to repair anything that stopped working after around 1 year 5 months.

vVv Diesel

Aliens vs. Predator: Colonial Marines is THE biggest disappointment of the year for the sheer fact that at the start of the year we heard so much about it & then……

Nothing! Not a squeak or even a screenshot. Now we hear the game has been delayed. Oh dear, where have we heard this before? (Duke Nukem: Forever, I’m looking at you on this one!) Sure, it takes time to develop a good game, but with so many delays already, they have set the bar much, much higher and soon it’ll become over-hyped  just like GTA 4, Halo 3 & Modern Warfare 2. So much talk but so little to interest.

Kamiza

Without doubt, my biggest dissapointment of the year is the online element of UFC Undisputed 2009. I truly love the offline elements of the game, but when you go online it becomes a real nightmare.  At times the game is hampered by so much lag that you have a 3 second delay between pressing the button and getting a reaction on screen.  Also, it’s incredibly hard if you want to compete with your own created fighter, as most people online have maxed out the stats on their pugilists, giving them a massive advantage.  This could have been fixed with a simple patch to make sure you only get paired with people of a similar level.  Having completed the excellent career mode several times, I find that there is now very little for the game to offer me other than the occassional punch up when I have a friend round for a beer.  The online has really knocked the game down a few notches for me, and that’s a shame. Otherwise it would have been very close to my game of the year.

Tom01255

One of the older boys told me that Santa wasn’t real today… I’m getting increasingly concerned that I won’t get any presents…

MERRY CHRISTMAS

FROM NEWB REVIEW!

Everybody loves achievements, right? Be they the achievements on Steam, World of Warcraft, the Xbox 360, or the Achievements covered in tin foil that are known as PS3 Trophies. The concept of the high score is nothing new to gamers, any one that spent their youth hanging around arcades trying to get on the leaderboards of games like House of the Dead, Street Fighter 2, or Crazy Taxi can attest to that.

With the release of the latest generation of consoles, and the introduction of achievements, the entire concept of the high score has changed. Now rather than just showing off how good we are at one game, we get to show how good we are at games in general, and can compare scores with not only our friends, but the entire world. So yeah, achievements are great. But achievement farming can be a real chore, and there is nothing sadder than playing a bad game in order to get those precious easy achievements – trust me I’ve been there! So, in light of the season, and to follow up on tom01255′s “Confessions of a Trophy Whore”, we here at Newb review thought we would share with you, our beloved readers, a list of games that have easy achievements/trophies, that are also a lot of fun to play. Because while achievements are great, having fun while playing is more important than anything else.

** For the purposes of simplicity I will be mainly talking about the Xbox 360 achievements, however in most cases they are the same for the PS3 trophies and Steam/Games For Windows Live achievements**

BATMAN ARKHAM ASYLUM (PS3/360/PC)

Arkham Asylum may be a horrible place filled with all of Gotham’s most terrible villains, but there’s also a fantastic game with a number of easily achievements. The majority of the achievements are awarded for playing though the story mode and discovering the Riddler’s riddles, which are all easy enough to find when switching on Detective Vision. There are very few challenging achievements in the form of earning all of the Medals on the combat challenges and beating the game on the highest difficulty. Even when playing on the highest difficulty there was only one instance where I had some difficulty in proceeding. The simplicity of the achievements are only made sweeter by the fact that this is such a well designed game, with a well written story and excellent voice acting to round it all off.

EASY ACHIEVEMENTS: Approximately 500 achievement points are awarded for game completion on Normal Difficulty, with a further 160 points for solving all of the riddles. There are a number of other assorted achievements that you will earn during the single player which will easily bring your total close to 800 points.

DIFFICULT ACHIEVEMENTS: Earning all medals on the combat challenges will take a lot of practice, as will performing a combo that utilises every move in Batman’s arsenal. Once you achieve this, beat the game, find all Riddles, then you will earn the 100% completion achievement.

ASSASSIN’S CREED 2 (PS3/360)

Taking place in the near future, you control Desmond Miles a man who has been placed in a machine called The Animus, which allows him to relive the memories of his ancestors. This time Desmond controls his ancestor in Renaissance Italy, Ezio Auditore, as he seeks revenge on those that betrayed his family. It is a little convoluted, sure, but does that really matter when it is such a well put together game? What makes this sweet game even sweeter? Easy achievements.

EASY ACHIEVEMENTS: On my first play through the game I unlocked a whopping 930 achievement points without putting too much effort in. Most of the achievements are unlocked through playing the game, although there are a few side ones that you should be able to unlock pretty easily.

DIFFICULT ACHIEVEMENTS: Collecting 100 feathers that are strewn out through the world is more time consuming than hard. Once you find all 100, you earn a special cape that is required for unlocking another achievement. Finding all 20 glyphs in the game may take up a little time, but it is not particularly difficult.

FALLOUT 3 (PS3/360/PC)

Bethesda’s post apocalyptic RPG may seem a little dated to some, but it is hard to argue against the game’s quality in terms of achievements! With the release of 5 add ons (Operation Anchorage, The Pitt, Broken Steel, Point Lookout, and Mother ship Zeta) the game now has a total of 1550 achievement points on the 360. If you do not already own the game then it might be worth picking up the Game of The Year edition, which includes all of the add ons. Check with your favourite retailers to see if they have a decent deal for it.

EASY ACHIEVEMENTS: The majority of the achievements are earned through completing missions, with a few achievements awarded for killing set numbers of enemies, and hacking computers or picking locks. Essentially, you just need to play the game to unlock most of them. Having said that, this is a game where it is possible to clock up over 100 hours of play time.

DIFFICULT ACHIEVEMENTS: The hardest achievements in this game are the collection achievements, particularly the Vault Tech Bobble Heads, as a number of them can only be obtained at a set time. If you miss them, then that is it, you cannot get them again without loading up an old save. Which really, really, really, sucks.

BIOSHOCK (PS3/360/PC)

Venturing in to the deep sea city of Rapture, overrun with mask wearing disfigured junkies, can be a frightening experience at times, but these easy achievements will more than make up for any frights you might have. With the addition of a free piece of downloadable content, the game has a total of 1100 achievement points available, with the vast majority of them being pretty easy to obtain. On the PS3 there is a challenge mode downloadable add on that will add about a dozen bronze trophies that seem to be reasonably achieveable.

EASY ACHIEVEMENTS: At least 300 points are awarded to you just for playing through the story missions, with a good 250 to 300 points that you will probably unlock just through playing the game. The other achievements revolve around photographing your enemies enough to learn everything about them, which is not really particularly challenging.

DIFFICULT ACHIEVEMENTS: There are a number of 100 point achievements that you earn for completing the game without using any Little Sisters, and for beating the game on the highest difficulty without using a vita chamber – which essentially means beat the game without dying. It’s not as hard as it may sound – all you need to do is save regularly, and if you die load up an old save.

FABLE 2 (360)

The latest game from British industry legend Peter Molyneaux, Fable 2 is a game where every choice you make has a consequence, be it a change in your own appearance, or the economic fate of a town. As well as being an entertaining fantasy game with light role playing elements, the game also features a ton of easy achievements. Two downloadable add ons have been released which bring the achievement total to 1350. If you purchase the game of the year edition, which includes both add ons, then you are potentially looking at a big pay off from playing this game.

EASY ACHIEVEMENTS: There are dozens of simple achievements that award 5 or 10 points each ranging from shooting rabbits to making love 25 times. Beating the story mode without playing any more side missions than necessary will earn you approximately 400 points, but it would be almost impossible not to pick up a few other achievements along the way. You do not even have to do the achievements yourself in most cases, all you need to do is play a co-op game with someone and have them perform the necessary deed, and the act of witnessing it alone will grant you the achievement.

DIFFICULT ACHIEVEMENTS: One achievement in particular is especially difficult, the doll catcher achievement requires you to trade online in order to own all six in game collectible dolls. Each profile can only unlock one doll and in order to trade you will need an Xbox live gold account. It is incredibly frustrating without first making the proper arrangements online in forums or what have you. The game also includes achievements that are rewarded for destroying 50 gargoyles (and find their hidden treasure), collecting 25 silver keys, and earning all abilities, pet tricks, and expressions, which may take a long time.

And there we have it! A small selection of decent games that will (hopefully) increase your gamerscore as well as bringing you extreme joy. This is of course just a small selection of great games with easy achievements, so if you have any other games to recommend then feel free to leave a comment below. Let us share the love.