Review: Heavy Rain
Game: Heavy Rain
Format: PS3
Developer: Quantic Dream
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
*This review of Heavy Rain does NOT contain any spoilers*
Heavy Rain as swept across the globe! No silly, I'm not talking about the weather, I'm talking about Quantic Dream's latest PS3 offering, Heavy Rain. A game which is as impossible to review as it is groundbreaking. It's near impossible to review because not only is it extremely hard to talk about this game without revealing any spoilers (whilst also trying to avoid sounding like a pretentious d*ck) it's also nigh impossible because well, you could say Heavy Rain isn't really a game at all.
Sure, it's sold in games stores and it comes on a blu-ray disc, but Heavy Rain is much more than a game. This is an experience, and it's one that will stay with you for the rest of your gaming lives...
Review: Army of Two: The 40th Day
Game: Army of Two: The 40th Day
Format: PS3
Developer: EA Montreal
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Army of Two: The 40th Day is the sequel to the flawed-but-fun third person shooter released at the beginning of 2008. Salem and Rios, the titular heroes from the original, return to wreak havoc as they attempt to escape Shanghai whilst terrorists attack the city in droves. The over-arching story is less than clear however, as it is unclear why Salem and Rios are in Shanghai or why the city is being attacked at all.
This could all be a clever nod to the fact that in a real terrorist attack, information would be sketchy and you would be unsure as to what exactly was going on. However, I wouldn’t give the writers so much credit, this game neither attempts nor pretends to show any kind of intelligence in terms of narrative or character motivation. If you’re looking for narrative clarity, pick up Bayonetta over this; you might have more of a clue as to the story.
iRate: DLC Exclusivity and Me… A Hate/Hate relationship
Ah the joy of gaming… You finally sit down with the latest multiplatform release and let the gaming goodness wash over you, fully enjoying everything there is on offer. But hang on a second…There are bits missing aren’t there? It’s seems you can’t enjoy the same game as your rival console owners, not because of shoddy porting issues (we’ll save that for another iRate article), but because the developer has decided to sell off their reputation to the highest bidder and screw over around half of us gamers in the process. Oh well, at least they make a bit of extra cash…
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 Newb Review: Episode 9
It's quite possibly the sleepiest podkey ever recorded as Braindead_hero, Crofterz, LavaLampBamboo and Tom01255 talk about the weeks news, site updates and new releases including;
Final Fantasy XIII going gold
Are rythmn games killing the games industry?
and SonyMotion Controller delayed to Autumn.
We also have all your e-mails, our terrible pokemon impressions and the debut of Dialogue Hard with a Vengeance.
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If you want to get in touch with the podcast please e-mail; podcast@newbreview.com
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And The Winner Is…
So, the final votes have been tallied and after several arduous arguments, a final conclusion has been drawn regarding our Game of the Year. In an unprecedented move, one game has stood head and shoulders above the competition in the eyes of the writers here at The Newb Review. This title has not only impressed us immensely since release, it has received over twice the votes of any other nominee. Remember to have your say in the comment boxes below or in The NewbReview forum (link at the top of the page). So, without any further gilding the lily, and with no more ado, we present The Newb Review Game of the Year Award to…
The Newb Review Game of the Year 2009!
No-one can deny that it has been a fantastic year for gaming. Whether you happen to be casual or hardcore; a PC, console or even handheld gamer; the market has been rife with great titles that cater to all. Here at the NewbReview office the arguments about Game of the Year have been frequent and all too often ended in bloodshed. Thus, we thought it prudent to set up a voting system to cease this fighting before the more boisterous contributors begin to bring weapons to their arguments (looking at you Kamiza!)
Review: Uncharted 2, Among Thieves
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 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?”
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.
The Newb Review Episode 4
This week Braindead_hero, Crofterz, Lavalampbamboo and Tom01255 get together to talk about the latest in the video gaming world such as calling Nintendo nazis, suggesting a new direction for the Call of Duty franchise and give our thoughts on the Sony Motion Controller and Natal as well as the latest news, site updates and of course, Stephen Fry.
If you want to send us any questions, comments or suggestions please email podcast@newbreview.com
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Newb Flash Episode 1
Welcome to the first edition of our new micro-podcast "Newb Flash" where we get together to give you a very quick blast of news and information from the video gaming world. Bitesized news update with Joefeesh and Tom01255 including info about Assassin's Creed 2 glitch, Nintendo court case, Medal of Honour update and an Uncharted 2 multiplayer experiment.
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Free PSP Game: Motorstorm, Assassin’s Creed or Gran Turismo
I just stumbled across this promotion whilst browsing the Playstation website and hadn't seen it elsewhere. It seems that if you've bought (or if Santa brings you) a PSP Go, simply by downloading a particular theme, you can qualify for a free copy of Either Motorstorm: Arctic Edge, Assassin's Creed, Blood Lines or Gran Turismo
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5.0 : Review: Mass Effect 2 (6 votes)
4.9 : Preview: Battlefield Bad Company 2 (20 votes)
4.9 : THE EVENT - Dragon Age: Origins, The Warden’s Quest (20 votes)
4.9 : iRate: Four reasons why online play sucks the joy out of gaming (18 votes)
4.9 : Review: Dragon Age: Origins (18 votes)- 4.9 : iRate: DLC Exclusivity and Me… A Hate/Hate relationship (8 votes)
4.8 : Review: Red Faction Guerrilla (20 votes)
4.8 : Review: Fifa 10 (18 votes)
4.7 : Confessions of a Trophy Whore (13 votes)- 4.7 : Review: Army of Two: The 40th Day (7 votes)
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Recomended websites
- 7 Bit Arcade
- Frugal Gaming A great site for video game deals
- Frugal Gaming Forum The community section of Frugal Gaming.co.uk where you can find the best gaming bargains (main site currently under maintentance)
- Gamerdork.net Gamerdork is a gaming site with excellent articles, a friendly community and a superb podcast
- Yet Another Review site Games reviews written by gamers for gamers
Recomended Podcasts
- Gamerdork UK Hosted by Xibxang and Ratsoalbion, this is a superb podcast with excellent commentary on games and gaming
- Pink and Deadly
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