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><channel><title>newbreview.com ¦ video game news, reviews, deals and more... &#187; scee</title> <atom:link href="http://newbreview.com/tag/scee/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><link>http://newbreview.com</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:14:21 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <item><title>Motorstorm Apocalypse Live</title><link>http://newbreview.com/2011/03/11/motorstorm-apocalypse-live/#utm_source=feed&#038;utm_medium=feed&#038;utm_campaign=feed</link> <comments>http://newbreview.com/2011/03/11/motorstorm-apocalypse-live/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Mar 2011 23:08:48 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>tom01255</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[apocalypse]]></category> <category><![CDATA[arcade]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Eurogamer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Martin Robinson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[motocross]]></category> <category><![CDATA[MotorStorm]]></category> <category><![CDATA[MotorStorm Apocalypse]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Race]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Racer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[racing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[scee]]></category> <category><![CDATA[smoky]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sony]]></category> <category><![CDATA[storm]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tom Wallis]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tom01255]]></category><guid
isPermaLink="false">http://newbreview.com/?p=9544</guid> <description><![CDATA[As some of you may already be aware, especially if you’ve been following the Motorstorm Apocalypse Live event on the interwebs, our very own Tom Wallis was hand picked to compete for our good friends over at IGN against some other, lesser known publications such as The FHM, that Games Radar one and something called [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a
href="../wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSCN0154.jpg#utm_source=feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=feed"><img
class="aligncenter" title="DSCN0154" src="../wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSCN0154.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="450" /></a></p><p>As some of you may already be aware, especially if you’ve been following the Motorstorm Apocalypse Live event on the interwebs, our very own Tom Wallis was hand picked to compete for our good friends over at IGN against some other, lesser known publications such as The FHM, that Games Radar one and something called Eurogamer. Let us hand over to Tom to see what he made of the whole thing…</p><p><span
id="more-9544"></span>When I received an email from IGN inviting me to the qualifying session for Motorstorm Apocalypse Live I could barely remember entering. Looking back, I now remember that entry couldn’t have been simpler: by leaving a comment on IGN’s Facebook picture that stated how you would survive the apocalypse. My answer was suitably witty, if a little populist; something about eating the excess fat from James Corden, because he may as well be good for something, so it should have been no surprise that I was granted a place. Jumping on the James Corden hating band wagon was the only thing I could think of at the time, and for that I can only apologise to him and anyone else that I’ve hurt with my remarks. Especially Adam, who as we all know, is a complete idiot.</p><p>I arrived at the IGN office early for the qualifying session. As more contenders began to trickle in, two things became very clear: 1. They each had a lot more experience with Motorstorm games than I did, and 2. They had all been playing the demo pretty much non-stop since it was released the previous week.</p><div
id="attachment_9561" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 460px"><a
href="http://newbreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSCN0169.jpg#utm_source=feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=feed"><img
class="size-full wp-image-9561  " title="DSCN0169" src="http://newbreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSCN0169.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="600" /></a><p
class="wp-caption-text">That&#39;s right ladies and gents, we have 100 shots of my back!</p></div><p>In all there were 12 competitors in the qualifiers, each vying for one of four places to represent IGN against the other publications in the final event, later that evening. After a few trial runs we were ushered out of the conference room, leaving only the first four contestants to race for their place. A few minutes later and Dom, our IGN handler for the day, emerged to announce who had earned the first place. This was a little irrelevant, because at that stage I couldn’t remember the names of any of the other competitors; after all, you don’t name a pig before you slaughter it.</p><p>My turn came in the third round, and in true newbreview.com style I came in second to the kid with inhuman reflexes. As I crossed the finish line Dom patted me on the shoulder and told me not to worry, the runners up from the heats would each have another chance to win the final spot for the event. Here luck was on my side, and I sped to victory and secured my place in the annuls of history… or to compete at the event, one of the two. I forget which.</p><p>Flash forward a few hours and we&#8217;d been given our briefing for the final. The first stage was to be raced by the editors of each publication, and&#8230; well, there was a lot going on, and the whole event was very noisy, so some of the details may be a little sketchy. Also there was a free bar. In any case, our turn came in the third round, and each of the four IGN competitors took their places to fight it out for a place in the final in front of a crowd of 200 spectators.</p><div
id="attachment_9563" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 610px"><a
href="http://newbreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSCN0195.jpg#utm_source=feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=feed"><img
class="size-full wp-image-9563 " title="DSCN0195" src="http://newbreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSCN0195.jpg" alt="" width="600" /></a><p
class="wp-caption-text">After playing we all had a go on actual bikes. N.B. That didn&#39;t happen.</p></div><p>To make the challenge harder still, followers at home could vote over Twitter to cause added distractions during the competition. The two rounds preceding my race only added to that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, as racers were blasted with rocky debris, and generally seemed to be a bit better than me. When it was finally our turn, the distraction involved being electrocuted, and wasn’t a whole lot of fun either.</p><p>After a few early crashes I managed to blast into the lead on the penultimate lap, keeping my lead throughout the final lap thanks to some mistakes from the other drivers. Everyone was incredibly gracious in defeat, and as we shook hands they each told me to “Smash it” in the final.</p><p>There was another twist to come in the final round. Clearly one apocalyptic distraction wasn’t enough, so this time they fired all of them at us throughout. The electric shock was more intense than before, debris was blasted at me, a rather friendly Alsatian barked and snapped at my leg, and explosions went off all around the players&#8217; cages. On top of that, a pair of motocross riders showed up to rev their engines loudly right next to me. I’m not going to speculate as to whether it was these distractions, my poor choice of vehicle, or my general lack of skill at racing games, but suffice to say I didn’t ‘bring home the bacon’. To my surprise the pre-pubescent, avid reader of FHM won the grand prize of a trip to E3, so we’ll have to find some other way to get you coverage when the LA event rolls round in August.</p><div
id="attachment_9559" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 460px"><a
href="http://newbreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSCN0181.jpg#utm_source=feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=feed"><img
class="size-full wp-image-9559  " title="DSCN0181" src="http://newbreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSCN0181.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="600" /></a><p
class="wp-caption-text">It&#39;s kind of hard to play when you can&#39;t see!</p></div><p>Thanks to everyone that made the event such a success, especially Martin from IGN, who raced gallantly in the editors’ challenge, Dom who helped look after us throughout the day (and gave me a drunken man hug in consolation), and to Tom Champion, who invited the rest of the newbs along to watch me lose.  Motorstorm Apocalypse is available now on PS3 from all good retailers and our very own Amazon store. It&#8217;s quite good.</p><p
style="text-align: right;">- Tom Wallis</p><div
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class="a2a_dd a2a_target addtoany_share_save" href="http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewbreview.com%2F2011%2F03%2F11%2Fmotorstorm-apocalypse-live%2F&amp;title=Motorstorm%20Apocalypse%20Live" id="wpa2a_2"><img
src="http://newbreview.com/wp-content/plugins/add-to-any/share_save_171_16.png" width="171" height="16" alt="Share"/></a></p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://newbreview.com/2011/03/11/motorstorm-apocalypse-live/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Review: Uncharted 2, Among Thieves</title><link>http://newbreview.com/2009/12/30/review-uncharted-2-among-thieves/#utm_source=feed&#038;utm_medium=feed&#038;utm_campaign=feed</link> <comments>http://newbreview.com/2009/12/30/review-uncharted-2-among-thieves/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:00:31 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>kamiza</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[PS3]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Among Theives]]></category> <category><![CDATA[co-op]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Drake's Fortune]]></category> <category><![CDATA[multiplayer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nathan Drake]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Naught Dog]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Playstation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[scee]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sony]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Uncharted]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Uncharted 2]]></category><guid
isPermaLink="false">http://newbreview.com/?p=1146</guid> <description><![CDATA[Game: Uncharted 2, Among Thieves Format: PS3 Developer: Naughty Dog Publisher: SCEE I think it’s fair to say that Uncharted 2, Among Thieves is one of the most hyped games to hit the Playstation 3. In the build up to release, even the most newbish among us would have been hard pressed not to have seen [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a
href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0029U2WGE?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=newrev-21&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=1634&amp;creativeASIN=B0029U2WGE"><img
class="alignleft" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 20px; border: black 1px solid;" title="Uncharted 2, Among Thieves" src="http://www.nextgn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/504x_uncharted_2_release_date1-255x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="250" /></a><strong>Game</strong>: Uncharted 2, Among Thieves<br
/> <strong>Format</strong>: PS3<br
/> <strong>Developer</strong>: Naughty Dog<br
/> <strong>Publisher:</strong> SCEE</p><p>I think it’s fair to say that Uncharted 2, Among Thieves is one of the most hyped games to hit the Playstation 3. In the build up to release, even the most newbish among us would have been hard pressed not to have seen some kind of marketing – be it billboard posters, TV ads or magazines – it’s everywhere. The question remains “does it live up to the hype?”</p><p>The game is from the 3rd person (camera over the shoulder) action-adventure genre and the basic game-play recipe boils down to climbing, jumping and swinging through various terrains. Throw into the mix a very substantial measure of gun-play and melee combat and top it off with a dash of problem solving. The end result is a tasty morsel that should appeal to most pallets.</p><p><span
id="more-1146"></span></p><p>First and foremost it’s important to set the scene as the cinematic feel of the game is one of the areas in which this game excels. You play Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter who, although decent enough at heart, tends to mix in dubious circles and isn’t afraid to bend the occasional law. The story starts by sending you in search of Marco Polo’s lost fleet of ships because the fleet reportedly carried a massive treasure trove. However the plot is diverted and soon turns into a quest to find the fabled Shangri-la. It’s hard to cover the story in any real detail without spoiling it, and given that said story is one of the strongest aspects of the game, I really don’t want to do that. Don’t get me wrong, this is no Schindler’s List, but compared to a lot of other video games, its story is Oscar worthy.</p><p>For me, one of the most appealing elements of the game is that Nathan Drake is a flawed character. He’s not the perfect super-hero type that you never really connect with. The game manages to humanize him through story telling, superb voice acting and great in-game character animation. The developers have managed to convince you that every leap, grab and fall is only just executed safely. Nathan’s arms and legs will flail as he flies through the air, his hands frantically grasping for a hold, you hear the fear in his voice whenever he makes a perilous leap. All these factors seem to take his character down a peg or two and make him a little bit more relatable in spite of his near unrivalled talents.</p><div
class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 560px"><img
src="http://www.gameandplayer.net/images/plate/plate_09_1024_u2.jpg" alt="Nathan Drake  Spider-Man" width="550" height="300" /><p
class="wp-caption-text">Nathan Drake &gt; Spider-Man</p></div><p>The control scheme is very easy to get to grips with and the melee combat system has been greatly improved since the first game in the series; Uncharted, Drake’s Fortune. You tap out punches and kicks with the square button, which will occasionally be blocked. If you are not careful, the enemy can grab hold of Nate and deliver a brutal blow. When this sort of event triggers, the game slows down ever-so-slightly to give you an opportunity to hit the Triangle button, which is your counter-attack button. When successfully executed, this looks fantastically well choreographed and is very satisfying. You are also able to execute various stealth attacks which will despatch enemies silently. The gun play is an improvement on the first game and you get a decent array of weapon types as you progress through the levels. One big issue raised by many players of the first game was that many of the enemies were “bullet sponges” – i.e. they would take a ridiculous number of shots to fell. This has definitely been improved for the sequel. There are a handful of puzzles to solve within the game that aren’t particularly difficult and in fact seem to have been put in purely to give your PS3 a bit of a breather, as Naughty Dog have produced a game that really pushes the Playstation very hard.</p><p>The Circle button gives you access to the cover system, which is essential if you play on the harder difficulty levels. Hit the Circle and you will quickly duck behind the nearest object, sometimes tipping over a desk for better cover. Once in this mode you can move around either crouched or standing tall depending on the height of your cover. Holding the circle and direction stick will allow Nate to move carefully to the next piece of the environment you can hide behind. When in cover, you “blind fire” and raise your gun above your head shooting from safety. You sacrifice accuracy but you&#8217;re much more protected from return fire.</p><p>Using X, you can jump around to your hearts content. If there is a useable hand hold within reach, Nate will grab on. From there you use the direction stick to climb or move laterally. You can also leap from hand hold to hand hold using X, a great technique for traversing some of the climbing areas quickly.</p><div><a
href="http://playstationlifestyle.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/HiResScreenShots2-685x385.jpg"></a></div><div
class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 558px"><img
class=" " src="http://playstationlifestyle.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/HiResScreenShots2-685x385.jpg" alt="Drake looks amazing" width="548" height="308" /><p
class="wp-caption-text">Drake looks amazing</p></div><p>The graphics are, in my mind, the greatest I have seen in any console game. Some of the vistas are absolutely spectacular and I have often found myself stopping just to take a look around and really appreciate the graphical beauty. For me this is best represented in the various “snow” levels. You spend plenty of time in the mountains of Nepal and the environmental effects left me breathless. It’s almost as if they have taken the time to animate each individual snow flake; making them all reactive to the environment. This comes in particularly useful when you are trying to take out multiple enemies silently without alerting the other goons. If you take some time to make careful observations, you can see tracks in the snow and use them to work out the mercenaries patrol patterns. Then it’s just a case of making your way to a quiet point on their patrol route and waiting for them to make their rounds before you pull them over a cliff face.</p><p>The game has five difficulty levels – Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard and Crushing, with the latter only unlocked if you first complete the game on Hard. Beating the game on any difficulty unlocks the benefits for beating the game on all the lesser difficulty levels, so you don’t have to go through each setting to get all the in-game medals. These medals are awarded for various in-game achievements, with some unlocking official trophies. In fact, you can get all the trophies for this game and still have a load of in-game medals to unlock. There’s a definite reward for trying to be a completionist and getting all the medals, as each one comes with a financial benefit. Each medal grants you an amount of in-game currency, which you can use to purchase perks for the single player or the multiplayer aspects of the game.</p><p>The multiplayer was something that took me completely by surprise because I honestly wasn’t expecting much from it. I thought it would be haphazardly tacked on as a sort of obligatory nod toward the growing trend of online gaming. However I was very pleasantly surprised. The multiplayer comes with various modes that can be found in a lot of online shooters. There are two teams: Heroes and Villains, who compete in matches of five vs five. The game types include:</p><ul><li>Plunder (retrieve treasure and return it to a safe spot before the enemy)</li><li>Deathmatch (kill all on the opposing team)</li><li>Elimination (like Deathmatch expect killed players do not re-spawn)</li><li>King of the Hill (hold an area on the map for as long as possible)</li><li>Chain Reaction (take areas in sequence)</li><li>Turf War (hold as many areas as possible for as long as possible)</li></ul><div
class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 600px"><img
src="http://ps3.kombo.com/images/content/misc/uncharted_2_plunder.jpg" alt="Plunder, Plunder, Plunder Cats. Hoooooooooooooooooo!" width="590" height="332" /><p
class="wp-caption-text">Plunder, Plunder, Plunder Cats. Hoooooooooooooooooo!</p></div><p>There is also a Co-Operative mode available online. Teams of three players, made up of you and two others, compete against the computer AI in either Survival mode; where you have to make it through wave upon wave of increasingly tough enemies or Gold Rush; essentially the Plunder mode, but the enemy AI is trying to kill you while you retrieve the treasure. There is more than enough content here for any online enthusiast. Just like in the single player game, you can earn in-game currency to purchase boosters to use in the multiplayer games (things like extra ammo and accuracy) or enhancements to weapons you use in the Co-Op game. You can even purchase different character skins to use online if you’re a little bored with the standard array of characters. The more you play and the more you earn, the more you level up and unlock benefits for your online character. This should provide enough legs for the multiplayer fans to run on for some time to come.</p><p>The game mechanics from the single player game transfer seamlessly into the multiplayer game, so you’ll find yourself climbing up buildings and leaping across chasms looking for a safe spot to snipe from. The level of map design for multiplayer is so good that there are no spots where you can camp safely. Each area has multiple entry and exits options, so you can be sat, taking out a couple of guys whilst someone sneaks up behind you and snaps your neck. The multiplayer has the same polish as the single player game and looks just as good, if not better than anything on the console, including Killzone 2.</p><p>The game doesn’t do anything spectacularly original, but what Uncharted does, it does spectacularly well.</p><h2>REVIEW ROUND-UP</h2><p><strong>Graphics</strong>: 5/5 The best graphics I have seen on any game. It’s hard to believe that they could improve on Drake’s Fortune but they have.</p><p><strong>Sound</strong>: 5/5 Another, best in show award here for the voice acting. The environmental sounds are exceptional as well.</p><p><strong>Gameplay</strong>: 4/5 Not perfect, but improved on the original. There are still some times where you can get a little frustrated with the cover system. Also the puzzles seem incredibly simple and drawn out.</p><p><strong>Longevity</strong>: 5/5 Fantastic. The single player has a huge reward system for in-game achievements that goes further than just trophies. You can unlock perks, character skins and weapons to replay the game with. The addition of a hugely enjoyable multiplayer game means this will keep people busy for a long time yet.</p><p><strong>Overall</strong>: 5/5 Quite possibly the best game on the system. Something that I think every PS3 owner should at least play, if not own.</p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><a
href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0029U2WGE?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=newrev-21&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=1634&amp;creativeASIN=B0029U2WGE">Buy this game at Amazon to help support this site</a></h3><div
id="crp_related"><h3>Related Posts:</h3><ol><li><a
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class="a2a_dd a2a_target addtoany_share_save" href="http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewbreview.com%2F2009%2F12%2F30%2Freview-uncharted-2-among-thieves%2F&amp;title=Review%3A%20Uncharted%202%2C%20Among%20Thieves" id="wpa2a_4"><img
src="http://newbreview.com/wp-content/plugins/add-to-any/share_save_171_16.png" width="171" height="16" alt="Share"/></a></p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://newbreview.com/2009/12/30/review-uncharted-2-among-thieves/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>5</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Review: Uncharted, Drake&#8217;s Fortune</title><link>http://newbreview.com/2009/11/03/review-uncharted-drakes-fortune/#utm_source=feed&#038;utm_medium=feed&#038;utm_campaign=feed</link> <comments>http://newbreview.com/2009/11/03/review-uncharted-drakes-fortune/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:47:36 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>kamiza</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[PS3]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Drake's Fortune]]></category> <category><![CDATA[kamiza]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nathan Drake]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Naughty Dog]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Playstation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[scee]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sony]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Uncharted]]></category><guid
isPermaLink="false">http://newbreview.com/?p=570</guid> <description><![CDATA[Name: Uncharted, Drake&#8217;s Fortune Platform: Playstation 3 Developer: Naughty Dog Publisher: SCEE If I was a treasure hunter, I would always be the last guy to raid the tomb and I’d get crushed by the over-sized rolling boulder.  Yes, I’m often the guy following behind rather than the guy out in front.  That’s why it’s [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img
class="alignleft" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 20px; border: black 1px solid;" title="Uncharted Drakes Fortune" src="http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/4/932984_94613_front.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="250" /><strong>Name</strong>: Uncharted, Drake&#8217;s Fortune<br
/> <strong>Platform</strong>: Playstation 3<br
/> <strong>Developer</strong>: Naughty Dog<br
/> <strong>Publisher</strong>: SCEE</p><p>If I was a treasure hunter, I would always be the last guy to raid the tomb and I’d get crushed by the over-sized rolling boulder.  Yes, I’m often the guy following behind rather than the guy out in front.  That’s why it’s probably no surprise that I have only recently played Uncharted, Drake’s Fortune but I tell you something.  I’ve not come away empty handed from the experience.<br
/>  <br
/> I became a PS3 owner earlier this year, so I have a considerable backlog of titles to catch up on.  One in particular that had been recommended to by many friends was the subject of today’s review.  Spurred on by the tidal wave of excitement that currently accompanies Uncharted 2, Amongst Thieves, I decided to pick up a copy of its predecessor and see what all the fuss was about. <br
/> <span
id="more-570"></span> <br
/> The game was initially released back in 2007 with a Platinum re-printing the following year.  The game is, at its heart, an action-platformer with quite a lot of gun play thrown into the mix.  The lead character, the man you control, is Nathan Drake.  A full time treasure hunter who, although an honest fellow himself, mixes in dubious circles.  The story revolves around his quest to find the lost treasure of El Dorado.  The story starts with Nathan raising Sir Francis Drake’s coffin from the depths of the ocean.  Nathan, supposedly being a direct descendant of the historical explorer, finds a clue to the location of the treasure inside the coffin.  From here on in, the story takes a dramatic turn involving modern day pirates and a chase for the treasure.  I don’t want to give anything away but the story is fantastic and everything you could want from a good adventure film.  <br
/>  <br
/> One of the first things you will notice about this single-player game are its stunning visuals.  Often, a video game review will harp on about frame-rate this, pop-in that.  Not here though.  Even the most newbish among you will see that this game is simply beautiful.  Two years on, with developments in game design progressing, the graphics still stand out as some of the best on any console.  Your character, Drake, moves in a very natural way with superb animation.  When you make a death defying leap, you’ll grab hold of a ledge at the last second and the character animation is such that there is a real level of tension accompanying the acrobatics.  Drake will stumble, frantically grab at outcrops and other desperate actions to make him feel fallible.  This is an essential balance because he is, quite clearly, the most talented free-climber ever seen.  The guy can drop twelve feet and grab a finger hold to stop him falling to his doom.  Obviously this is a super-human level of ability, but the animation makes you believe that although he’s pulling off these incredible moves – he’s only just about achieving it.  This is backed up by clever voice acting.  You hear the desperation in his voice as he “just” makes the leap to the next hand-hold. </p><div
class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 484px"><img
class=" " src="http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2007/281/reviews/932984_20071009_790screen001.jpg" alt="Spider-Drake, Spider-Drake, does whatever . . ." width="474" height="266" /><p
class="wp-caption-text">Spider-Drake, Spider-Drake, does whatever . . .</p></div><p>The actual game play is very good, but not without its flaws.  You run around, shooting bad guys, climbing walls, leaping chasms and solving puzzles.  The climbing aspect is very well executed for the most part.  As I said above, the animation and audio gives that aspect of game play a real, tangible sense of tension.  Pressing [X] and the direction you want to jump will pretty much take care of you.  Pressing [X] to leap onto a wall hold and then the left stick will allow you to climb.  Occasionally, the next grip will be out of reach and you will need to leap from hold to hold using the [X] button.  It’s all very slick for the most part.  However where it falls down is that because the scenery is so alive and vivid, it’s sometimes hard to see where you’re supposed to climb.  I spent quite a bit of time jumping aimlessly hoping to grab hold of a ledge or grip that wasn’t completely conspicuous.  An associated minor gripe is that when you do leap and whiff, the animation is a little weird.  Compared to the realism of the rest of Drake’s animation he can look like a Thunderbirds puppet when leaping against a wall for a non-existent perch. <br
/>  <br
/> The gun play is decent with a good cover mechanic.  Pressing the [O] key will see you stick to the nearest piece of scenery.  From here you can blind fire (shooting without looking), using the R1 button.  This is often an effective technique when surrounded by numerous enemies.  When you do have a little more time to breathe, you can hold L1 down for more deliberate aiming.  You can hold two guns at a time – one pistol and one rifle as well as carrying a handful of grenades.  Some of the enemies you face can take quite a few hits to take down, unless you hit the headshot, which can be frustrating at times.</p><div
class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 389px"><img
class="  " src="http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2007/287/932984_20071015_790screen012.jpg" alt="Using cover can be an essential part of the gameplay" width="379" height="213" /><p
class="wp-caption-text">Using cover can be an essential part of the gameplay</p></div><p> <br
/> The puzzle elements are sporadic and Drake carries a journal with him that provides hints and tips as to what you need to do to solve them.  The puzzles themselves are quite straight forward, but the presentation in this respect is excellent.  In fact, the whole game is superbly presented, from the simple and attractive menus, to the incredible cut scenes.  The polish the Naughty Dog (the game developers) have put into this title is very impressive.  Well, it’s time to wrap this baby up but stay tuned as I&#8217;ll have a review of the sequel <strong>Uncharted 2, Among Thieves</strong> up in the next few days<br
/>  </p><h2>REVIEW ROUND-UP</h2><p> <br
/> <strong>Graphics</strong>: 5/5 Quite simply the benchmark against which all PS3 games should be judged.  Beautiful colours, vividly rendered with superb animation.<br
/>  <br
/> <strong>Sound</strong>: 5/5 A superb audio track with some of the best voice acting I’ve heard in a game as well as incredibly clear incidental audio.<br
/>  <br
/> <strong>Gameplay</strong>: 4/5 The basic gameplay is done particularly well with just a few minor gripes to detract.<br
/>  <br
/> <strong>Longevity</strong>: 3/5 This is where the game suffers.  As a single player only experience, and with 60 treasures to find in the game, once you’ve played it a couple of times, there’s not a lot to bring you back.<br
/>  <br
/> <strong>Overall</strong>: 4/5 Absolutely one of the must buy games for the system.  A few small points tarnish an otherwise magnificent game.</p><p>[starreview tpl=16]</p><div
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isPermaLink="false">http://judo-stk.com/newbreview/?p=5</guid> <description><![CDATA[Game: Killzone 2 Format: PS3 Developer: Guerilla Games Publisher: SCEE I know this game has been out for a while, but with all the new DLC and the news that it will be soon released as a Platinum edition, we might just see a few new owners popping up. Also, I think its important to [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><a
href="http://www.gamespot.co.uk"><img
class="alignleft" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 20px; border: black 1px solid;" title="Killzone 2" src="http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/7/928377_115391_front.jpg" alt="" width="175" height="250" /></a>Game:</strong> Killzone 2<br
/> <strong>Format:</strong> PS3<br
/> <strong>Developer:</strong> <a
title="Guerilla Games" href="http://www.guerrilla-games.com/" target="_blank">Guerilla Games</a><br
/> <strong>Publisher:</strong> <a
title="SCEE" href="http://www.scee.net/" target="_blank">SCEE</a></p><p>I know this game has been out for a while, but with all the new DLC and the news that it will be soon released as a Platinum edition, we might just see a few new owners popping up. Also, I think its important to look at games a while into their life-span. How are they holding up after the initial release-day excitement?</p><p>The basic premise of the game is that the red-eyed Helghast are malicious space-Nazis that have been wreaking inter-stellar havoc for some time now. The ISA are the nice, shiny good guys that have had enough and take the fight to the Helghast on their home planet of Helghan. The plan is to capture their leader – Visari and give him a ruddy good telling off.</p><p><span
id="more-5"></span></p><h3>Single Player campaign</h3><p>You star as Sev – a bloody good soldier who forms part of Alpha squad. You run through the rest of the game accompanied by AI controlled squad-mates killing anyone with the aforementioned red-eye and blowing up lots of things. Job done. What? You want more? Fine!</p><p>The graphics are amazing, particularly the environmental effects. Personally, I felt that at times things were a little too dark, but this is easily rectified through the games visual settings. I suggest that you play this game either at night, or at least with the curtains drawn. The game boasts destructible environments, but nothing on the scale of a game like Red Faction: Guerrilla. Concrete will fall off columns and walls, but the core will remain intact &#8211; you can’t blow a hole in anything really. One way that this dynamic does affect game play is with random, incidental objects that litter the levels. Yes, there are the typical “I’m painted red, so that must mean I explode” barrels but there are smaller, less obvious items that can be used. You can explode petrol canisters, there are extinguishers and compressed gas tanks laying around that you can shoot and turn into a wild rocket. Shooting the valve off a canister is particularly enjoyable as it will then fly around aimlessly as the gas escapes before exploding and causing havoc.</p><p>The sound in the game works really well. It’s very atmospheric and utilizes surround sound very nicely. Listen out for audio cues to tell where your opponents are. Sometimes the dialog gets a little annoying – either through repetitive “Oh, that’s nasty” exclamations as you shoot a Helghast grunt in the face, or the constant – “get to cover Sev!” when you start to take fire.</p><p>The weapons in the game are varied and particularly satisfying. Your have a primary weapons have the most variety. The standard issue ISA rifle is extremely versatile and arguably the best all-round weapon in the game with excellent accuracy over range as well as great, close-quarters stopping power. Throughout the game there is plenty of opportunity to pick up extra weapons of standard fare (Heavy machine guns, shotguns etc) but there are also some superbly fantastic firearms on offer. The Boltgun is absolutely my favourite. Think of it as an exploding nail-gun. If you hit a Helghan soldier with this baby they will fly across the screen and find themselves bolted to the nearest wall. If that wasn’t enough, after a couple of seconds, the bolt pinning them there will explode with enough force so as to take out anyone in the immediate vicinity. You also carry a pistol, which, rather fortuitously, you have an endless supply of ammo for. Additionally you carry standard grenades (you can pick up the Helghan’s electro-shock grenades later in the game) and knife that Crocodile Dundee would be proud of. Using the knife is particularly satisfying as it is accompanied by some rather visceral and convincing sound effects.</p><p>The environments are varied and interesting and you get a real, tangible sense of warfare. The character movement is realistically heavy, but for my money, where the single player really shines is with the opposition AI. The Helghast really don’t want to die. You can tell that they are doing everything they can to kill you whilst preserving their own lives. They dive for cover whenever you draw a line on them. They will try and pop out from cover to take a shot, but if you start firing back they will fire blindly holding their weapon above their head. They will run from you if it looks like you’re getting the upper hand. They will run for their lives if you lob a grenade. I have heard many that cite KZ2’s story as a weakness, but I honestly don’t see it. Sure, it’s not going to win an Oscar, but the story was decent and moved along nicely. The AI controlled Rico can get a little annoying at times, but overall it’s a gritty, war torn environment and the story reflects this. In particular, the ending of the game was great and honestly made me think twice about everything I knew of the whole Killzone franchise. The final showdown is very tough and will definitely need a little patience to get through but it is really worth it.</p><h3>Multiplayer – Warzone.</h3><p>The Multiplayer version of the game is clearly where Killzone 2 stands out from the rest. You start as a lowly private and gradually move through the ranks, on a points based system, unlocking new weapons, abilities and benefits as you go. Points are earned, at the most basic level, by killing enemies, however to really rake in the points you should really pay attention to the current missions objectives. Fulfilling these objectives will grant the player extra points over those who just run around killing everyone. You do not tie yourself in to a particular class though, as every time you die, you can chose to re-spawn as a different class.</p><p><strong>Bodycount:</strong> It’s the ISA against the Helghast in a full out war. The team that reaches the pre-determined kill-count first is the winner. This one is fairly straight forward and you receive extra points for filling body bags.</p><p><strong>Assassination:</strong> One player in the game is designated an assassination target and the team-mates must do everything they can to protect him for a given amount of time. There is a designated area within which the target must stay. If he wanders outside the area, then the survival clock is paused and the objective will not be achieved. The opposition (obviously) has to kill the target before the time limit is reached. This is then flipped, so the defending team will then become the hunters as roles are reversed.</p><p><strong>Search and Destroy:</strong> This is my favourite mission type by far. Each team takes it in turn to place C4 explosives on an objective in the enemies half of the map. Easy huh? Not quite. There is a clock ticking and the objective must be destroyed within that time limit. To destroy the objective, you must place two C4 charges, but each charge takes several seconds to set, during which time you’re particularly vulnerable. Once the explosives are placed, a countdown begins. If the defending team can diffuse one or both C4 charges, the clock is stopped.</p><p><strong>Capture and Hold:</strong> In this mission you have to take strategic positions on the map. There are three on each map which are captured by being within the vicinity for a period of time. The more of you there are, the quicker each position is captured. You then have to defend the position for as long as possible.</p><p><strong>Search and Retrieve:</strong> One at a time, Propaganda Speakers spawn across the map. It is then a race for your team to get to the spawn point and return the speaker to a delivery point – normally inside the opposing half of the map.</p><p>Each of these missions actually occur seamlessly within one game, with no need to come out and go back in again. If you set up to host a game, there are so many customizable options. You can pick and chose which missions you want to include (you don’t have to have them all) as well as time limits etc. You can also elect to ban certain classes or weapons, limit the player count or create password protected game rooms so you can enjoy a game with friends without worrying about random people coming in and spoiling your fun.</p><p>The class system is, in my opinion, excellent. There are ranks in between each class which unlock bonuses like extra weapons and increased ammo, but the real fun comes when you unlock class badges. Each class has a primary ability, with a secondary ability that can be unlocked by using the primary abilities to certain levels. The first main class is the medic who has the ability to revive fallen allies. Following on from there, you have the Engineer, Tactician, Assault, Saboteur and Scout, with the latter wielding a sniper rifle and being able to cloak. If you achieve a certain level with each classes secondary ability, you can then mix and match to create super-soldiers. Personally I enjoy walking around as a cloaked scout using the Saboteurs ability to place proximity mines in the midst of the opposition.</p><p>The maps in the game are, in almost every case, amazing. There is a fantastic choice of map size, with each being incredibly well balanced. Each map has strategically strong positions, without being outright broken &#8211; everywhere is accessible to both Helghast and ISA alike. One thing I have come across in random online Bodycount matches is that there seems to be an element of Spawn Camping – where the opponents will sit directly outside of your spawn point and try to kill you as soon as you come back to life. This really shouldn’t be an issue though as each “home base” has several routes out. Also once you unlock the Tactician class you can drop Spawn Grenades anywhere on the map which gives your team an alternative spawn opportunity. The basic game gives you eight maps, which offer more than enough variety, but Guerrilla have release another six maps in downloadable content, each map easily worth the money.</p><p>It’s not all roses for Killzone 2 though as there are some notable downsides. In the campaign mode, there is no co-op at all, which given the nature of the story (you’re constantly playing with a squad mate), seems a little strange. The final boss battle is frustrating, as the difficulty takes a massive leap off the curve. Finally, the one drawback of the multiplayer game is that you cannot utilize the cover mechanic that is so vital during the campaign mode. I honestly don’t understand its omission. Other than that, the game is superb and is an essential purchase for any PS3 owner – especially as it’s about to be released in a Platinum edition.</p><h3>Review Round Up</h3><p><strong>Graphics: 5/5</strong> – Superb, some of the best I’ve ever seen.<br
/> <strong>Sound: 4/5</strong> &#8211; Awesome music and effects, although Rico’s banter gets annoying.<br
/> <strong>Gameplay: 4/5</strong> – The inclusion of cover in multiplayer would make it perfect.<br
/> <strong>Longevity: 5/5</strong> – Superb online support and top quality DLC</p><p><strong>Overall: 4 Headshots out of 5</strong> – This is one of the PS3’s best titles and an essential purchase for all.</p><p>[starreview tpl=16]</p><h3>Price guide (prices correct as of 08-Sep-09)</h3><ul><li><a
href="http://dvd-musicshop.at/judostk?CTY=15" target="_blank">Zavvi: £14.95 &#8211; Platinum Edition</a></li><li><a
href="http://dvd-electronicsshop.at/judostk?CTY=15" target="_blank">The Hut: £15.73 &#8211; Platinum Edition</a></li><li><a
href="http://dvd-computingshop.at/judostk?CTY=15" target="_blank">Sendit: £15.89 &#8211; Platinum Edition</a></li><li><a
href="http://playcomshop.at/judostk?CTY=15" target="_blank">Play: £17.99 &#8211; Platinum Edition</a></li><li><a
href="http://supplier.at/judostk?CTY=15" target="_blank">Amazon: £19.99 &#8211; Platinum Edition</a></li><li><a
href="http://game-onlineshop.at/judostk?CTY=15" target="_blank">Game: £29.99 &#8211; Platinum not available at time of writing</a></li></ul><div
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