http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/feature.html/ref=amb_link_162864207_3?ie=UTF8&docId=1000613683&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=auto-sparkle&pf_rd_r=67CC1466ACDE41B38EBF&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_p=280597787&pf_rd_i=vita

In the following videos you will not only see her demonstrate the touch screen controls in the fun little game called Digit Chase (in which the objective is to tap numbers in sequence in order to clear the screen) but she will also show off the Sound Loop and Hello Face apps which are, quite frankly, a little bizarre.

So now you know what to expect from some of the built in software and the touch screen interface. Stay tuned for our full review of Playstation Vita games over the coming weeks.

By now you’ve probably already read about the consoles features and hardware specifications in other reviews. Yes, the Vita is incredibly light, you can earn trophies on the go, and the games look brilliant. All in all it is a very impressive gadget, and hopefully it will do well. As such this will be a very specific article reviewing the beginning set-up of the console and a wonderful piece of software called Welcome Park; an in-built introduction to the inner workings of the Vita.

Setting up the Vita was a breeze, with the screen showing off its clarity well with an introductive movie. After that, a few simple inputs of time, location, language and whether or not you wish to link your Playstation Network account and you’re done. Well, that’s the first part out of the way. Simples. Now onto what I think is quite an impressive way to begin learning how to get to grips with the Vita itself; Welcome Park.

Also I’ve named my Vita Gerald…

Welcome Park is sign-posted almost immediately after starting up the Vita and getting through the set-up stages. Once more there is a brief movie and some generic lass with a soothing voice pops along to guide you through the various functions of the Vita. How does it begin? With the new touch screen feature, of course. I’ll go through each of these ‘tutorials’ in the order they appeared, giving my opinions on each, along with the movie for most modes.

Digit Chase – Flick and Drag – Rear Touchpad stage

When the follow-up to the PSP adds its own touch screen feature, it’s obvious that this would be one of the first features to be put to the test. This tutorial begins with numbers flashing up on screen, with the objective being to touch each number from least to most. One thing you might notice as you do this is the timer in the background, something that is quickly explained once the tutorial is finished. You were actually being timed the whole time, with an optimum time being suggested for you to beat… FUN! Well, actually it is. I spent quite a bit of time playing through this mode, trying to get a new quicker time before moving on. If you do beat the suggested time, you get an ‘on the move’ trophy, one of the new features along with the Vita. If this isn’t one of the best ways to bring out your competitive gamer spirit from the off, I don’t know what is.

I must admit, I felt that considering this was a timed action game, the touch sensitivity wasn’t as up to scratch as I thought it would be. Maybe I’m expecting too much, but there were times when I would quickly touch numbers only for it to not register. That isn’t to say it didn’t work well, because it did. I’m just very picky, apparently.

The second of three illustrative games in this mode is called ‘Flick and Drag’, the objective of which is to… well, flick and drag post-it like notes from a moving carrousel. What does this teach you, boys and girls? Sure, it might be just another method of using the touch screen but once again the timed edge and the promise of a trophy (sadly) is motivation enough to keep trying until you get a decent score. The flick and drag sensitivity was just balanced enough; flicking too wildly will send the carrousel past the number you want. If your flick is too feeble your time score will suffer.

Finally we have the other main selling point of the Vita, the rear touchpad. This game involves you tickling the rear (HA) of the Vita to send up blobs to hit floating circular targets. This is the game I found hardest  to get to grips with, only getting through by pounding Gerald’s behind (HA). I’m sure there must be some knack to it, as it is obviously trying to teach some kind of control over the sensitivity. I’ll just have to keep practicing!

Snap and Slide

This mode deals with teaching you about the camera function of the Vita, allowing you to take a picture of your choice and make it into a puzzle containing a certain amount of pieces. I can see how some people would like this mode and become hooked, however it just didn’t click with me. Even the promise of more trophies wasn’t enough to stop me from moving on immediately to see what was next.

Skate Axis

The aim of this game is to control the stick-man skater using the tilt axis. Avoid the balls and jump by tilting from/towards you in order to collect all the stars available. This was the mode that really worked for me. Showing off the tilt axis function of Gerald, this actually felt a lot more intuitive and fluid than I thought it would. The skating game is cute and simple, but engaging enough to keep you playing long after you’ve got to grips with the controls and won the potential trophy. Definitely worth a shot!

Sound Loop

An interesting way to introduce you to the microphone capabilities of the Vita. This allows you to record and loop various sounds in order to mess around and create your own masterpiece. It’s certainly a novel way to get to you play around with the microphone more than you might have initially planned. I for one will keep playing with this in a bid to become the next Imogen Heap.

Hello Face

Another mode involving the camera, we’re introduced to ‘Face’; a friendly box with a face. He explains that if you take a picture of anything looking like a face it’ll be made into an interactive face. Yup. Pretty descriptive, right? It seems to work well, and certainly provides some amusement for a little while as you scramble to create a face made out of the most offensive items possible. No? Only me? Oh…

So, in short, I’m quite enamoured with Gerald. We’ll still have to wait to see how well future games make use of the various features, and how. they’ll do it Not only that, but I’m interested to see how the 3G versions will be received in countries abroad, especially America with their one-choice contract system. And then there’s the question of how the Vita may affect gameplay with the PS3 in the future. All in all it is a very exciting time to be a fan of Sony.

- Sabbi Stone

Care for something... cinematic?

Netflix has touched down on UK PS3s today, with the 13MB app downloading & installing but not yet allowing access…

Bring on the “all-you-can-watch” movie fun!

- Rax

Sony have confirmed the official products (and prices) for February 22nd’s launch of the Playstation Vita

Here’s the official EU/UK pricing list for first-party games and accessories:

First-Party games:

Uncharted: Golden Abyss – €49.99/£44.99

ModNation Racers: Road Trip – €39.99/£34.99

Everybody’s Golf – €39.99/£34.99

WipEout 2048 – €39.99/£34.99

Unit 13 – €39.99/£34.99

Little Deviants – €29.99/£24.99

Reality Fighters – €29.99/£24.99

Memory Cards:

4Gb Memory Card – €19.99/£17.99

8Gb Memory Card – €34.99/£31.99

16Gb Memory Card – €49.99/£44.99

Peripherals:

AC adaptor – €9.99/£8.99

Portable charger – €49.99/£44.99

USB cable – €9.99/£8.99

In-ear headset – €19.99/£17.99

Starter kit – €24.99/ £21.99

Travel kit – €29.99/ £25.99

Obviously these are the recommended retail prices, much in the same way that the RRP for PS3 and 360 games is £49.99, so expect online retailers to offer slightly lower prices than the ones listed here.

One strange omission is the lack of the 32GB memory card. Considering Sony’s pledge that every game will be available digitally as well as at retail it seems peculiar that they would limit the memory size to a paltry 16GB, especially when other regions have the 32GB card.

We’ll update you of the situation as soon as we hear more.

For those not in the know, Army Corps of Hell is an action game being developed by Entersphere Co., whose team consists of former Nintendo staff who worked on Pikmin. The player assumes the role of a tyrant who once ruled the world, but was overthrown and sent to hell by the mortals due to his domination and greed. Now he must gather goblin troops to regain his power and seek revenge on his banishers.

Stay tuned to newbreview.com for more details as we get them in the future.

This portable version of the game will feature full touch screen support, bonus character costume colours, and cross-compatability with the Playstation 3 version of the game. Capcom’s full press release shares more details:-

The handheld edition of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 will feature online and local multiplayer, touchscreen functionality, NEAR and everything you would find in the PS3 version. In addition, the PS Vita version includes a Spectator Mode and Replay function that allows players to watch or share exciting matches over wi-fi. PS Vita exclusive Gold Herald colour options are also available for the characters. As an integrated option, gamers can use the PS Vita as the “Ultimate Controller” to play the PS3 version of the game.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 takes the epic battle to all new heights with 12 new characters from the Marvel and Capcom universes, a refined fighting system, eight new stages and new modes. As a launch title for the PlayStation Vita system, the game will be available alongside the PS Vita First Edition bundle on February 15, 2012. The regular launch date for the system is February 22, 2012.

Stay tuned to newbreview.com for more details as and when we get them.

Game:

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception once again puts you in the role of chisel-jawed every man Nathan Drake, and his gang of treasure hunting friends, on a globe trotting roller-coaster ride that’ll take you from the dingy back streets of London to the barren deserts of the Middle East. The game’s developers Naughty Dog have upped the scale in almost every respect, including more characters, more varied locations, and a beefy multiplayer mode with dozens of unlockables.

It is very clear that they have set out to make a cinematic game, with plenty of cut-scenes, and oodles of expository dialogue. It is just a shame that their cinematic ambitions go no further than slavishly recreating Indiana Jones.

To those unfamiliar with the series, the basic gameplay revolves around climbing, fist fighting, gun play, and light puzzle solving. Drake, who claims to be a descendant of Sir Francis Drake (Elizabethan explorer extraordinaire) is a charismatic rogue that is part Lara Croft, part Indiana Jones, and part Calvin Klein underwear model, with all the grace and elegance of a rowdy gibbon.

Most of the game’s platforming sections are completely linear, and this sometimes works against the game. On a number of occasions I found myself in densely populated areas, just looking around admiring the scenery when I happen to notice a ledge that is clearly within my grasp. What is hidden on those low hanging rooftops? Unfortunately we will never know what treasures were lurking up there because Nathan Drake is incapable of climbing anything, no matter how low it is, unless it furthers the narrative.

This would not be such a problem if the rules for the platforming sections weren’t so incredibly inconsistent, with Naughty Dog punishing you with an instant death if you dare to go off the beaten track. For instance, in one level that revolves around navigating a ship graveyard, one moment you will be required to swim through water to get from ship to ship, and then the next moment if you go in the water you die instantly, simply because it is not the place that the developer wanted you to go.

The fact that the game is linear isn't necessarily the problem...

This decision to punish exploration is in direct contradiction with the game’s side quest revolving around collecting 100 hidden treasures. I lost count of the number of times that I could see a ledge or platform, that may be housing a hidden treasure, only to find that Drake was incapable of grabbing on to it, despite clearly touching it. I know that means that there is no treasure located there, but I have to wonder why they even bothered to put said platform there at all. When compared to the sublime navigation systems in games such as Assassin’s Creed, Infamous, and Arkham City, which essentially let you grab on to any possible ledge, the game seems incredibly archaic. Even if there is no substantial benefit from climbing on to these ledges, being given the choice to do so would dramatically improve the overall experience.

Another instance in the French Châteaux, revolves around lowering a chandelier in order to gain access to a platform across the other side of a room. When navigating my way back I decided to lower myself off of the edge of the platform, a drop of less than 10ft, in order to save myself from a little backtracking. I was surprised to see that lowering myself safely to the ground resulted in an instant death. I was even more surprised (and to tell the truth a little angry) to see that, upon trying to jump over to the chandelier, I managed to miss my target entirely, falling to the ground below, to the exact spot that has resulted in my death earlier, and at a greater height than before, but I barely received a scratch.

This inconsistency prevails throughout the game, particularly in high speed chase sections. In the game’s first chase sequence, in which you are being pursued by armed men across the rooftops of a South American city, you have to follow a predetermined path in order to escape. Deviating from said path will always result in random inexplicable death. For instance, I climbed over a ledge on the side of a building after seeing a lower roof some five foot below me. Dropping down on to the roof resulted in my death. While it is all very well and good that the developers had a very clear idea of where they wanted you to go, more often than not the game’s clumsy camera obscures your view of where you are actually supposed to be going.

Even in the desert there's only one way to go

Fortunately there are frequent checkpoints, and they load up quite quickly, which helps to stave off some of the frustration. Having tightly scripted sections has been a mainstay of the Uncharted series, however, never before have the developers given you the false illusion of multiple branching paths – Uncharted 1 mainly took place in a jungle, while Uncharted 2 mostly took place in the mountains, and what little time you spent in civilisation was mainly on the ground. It is clear that Naughty Dog have been incredibly ambitious with the setting for this game, however their refusal to change their navigation system, and instead rely on cheap random deaths as a deterrent from exploring, is incredibly disappointing.

That’s not to say that Uncharted 3 is a bad game by any means, nor am I saying that linearity in games is a bad thing. It is just the fact that it is incredibly disappointing and, more importantly, frustrating when they offer you the illusion of choice on where to go, only to kill you for no good reason other than it isn’t where they wanted you to go. A number of linear scripted climbing sections, such as the escape from the French Châteaux or the frantic scramble through a capsized cruise liner, are brilliantly tense and work really well (especially if you have a stereoscopic 3D TV) because there is clearly only one way to go. Whenever ambiguity is introduced the whole illusion of this vibrant world falls apart.

The second frustrating issue revolves around the game’s clunky combat system. The Uncharted series has always suffered from some clunky melee combat, and really that hasn’t changed in this outing. New additions include a counter, and the ability to use objects in the environment during combat. Triggering the environmental objects can, at times, seem completely random. During the opening section during a bar brawl in a London pub I smashed an enemy through a table and then, squealing with glee, moved Drake over to the next table in an attempt to smash another enemy through a table. No matter how hard I tried I could not get it to happen a second time.

While many have complained of the game’s slugging gun controls, I found that increasing the sensitivity in the options counteracted this issue. However, one frustrating issue with gun play is the way that you are forced in to fist fighting if an enemy gets close to you during a gun battle. When enemies get close to you they become extremely hard to shoot, especially when you consider that Drake enters his fighting stance as soon as they get within a certain distance. As there is no longer a dodge button (the dodge button instead initiated a grapple in fist fighting) you are left at the mercy of armed enemies that are further away. This is especially frustrating when, towards the end of the game, there are a number of snipers armed with guns that kill you in one hit, who don’t hesitate in shooting you down like a dog.

Melee combat is at times clunky, but mostly satisfying

Another issue regarding the enemies is the AI, specifically during mandatory stealth sections. Should you accidentally alert a single enemy, even if they are on their own, every other enemy becomes alert and aware of your location, even if you kill the alerted enemy before they make a sound. At times you have a team of up to three other characters fighting with you, but for the most part they don’t actually do anything. In fact, invariably, I found that they may as well have not been there at all, as the majority of enemies focused their fire on me, pretty much ignoring everyone else.

For many these problems likely won’t be an issue, because they will be content enough to just follow the story. Thanks to the series’ trademark witty banter and strong performances it is quite easy to like this game, even if the story is fairly generic. Although there are a number of sections in the game that seemed almost like they were shot for shot remakes of sections from Uncharted 2 – how many times has drake discovered a lost city, only to find that something inside of it drove the natives mad/killed them all, only to end up bringing the whole place crashing down?

Another issue that will likley only bother me is the way that you come across puzzles that no one has been able to solve in centuries. Of course you manage to solve them in a few short minutes, and once solved, invariably your enemies also solve it, or have solved it long before you and are waiting inside to deal out some death. When the writers mention real historical figures and bring up how they dedicated their lives to solving said puzzles, and failed, only for you to come in and solve it in a few short minutes is actually quite disrespectful.

The game’s multiplayer modes are a welcome addition that potentially add a lot of replay value. These take the form of your standard multiplayer modes (death match, team death match etc.) and a fun co-operative mode. Completing games earns you money which can be spent on a number of unlockable costumes, weapons, and perks. Naughty Dog should be commended for incorporating a strong sense of verticality in to their multiplayer games, essentially recreating the Uncharted experience in its entirety.

The multiplayer's maps are mostly based on levels from the singple player

If you’re the sort that doesn’t do well at multiplayer shooters then thankfully there are multiple ways to earn cash. You can earn cash bonuses for helping with kills, or you can collect randomly spawning treasures that appear regularly through the match. This is a great feature that allows everyone a chance to take part without feeling like an impotent bullet magnet.

The co-op mode mostly takes place in various locations from the single player, with less of a focus on puzzles. Apart from an annoying habit of having enemies spawn behind you when you’re in cover, this mode is a fun distraction that can be played online as well as in split screen.

Review Round-Up

Graphics: 5/5 – One of the best looking games ever made. Period. The addition of stereoscopic 3D, for those with a 3D TV, adds a real sense of depth without downgrading the graphical quality too much.

Sound: 5/5 – Excellent voice acting coupled with a very strong recognisable score.

Gameplay: 3/5 – While the game itself plays perfectly well (aside from clunky button mashing combat and sluggish gun play), the biggest let down is the illogical inconstancy in the game world. One minute a drop of 5 feet will kill you, the next it’ll barely cause a bump. This has been done to force you to stay on the predetermined path, but it results in a number of frustrating moments, especially if you’re on the hunt for collectable treasures.

Longevity: 4/5 – The actual single player game is of about standard length (between 8 and 10 hours), and there is a fairly beefy multiplayer mode. There are 100 treasures to find in the singleplayer, which could increase replayability… if the game didn’t punish you for exploring.

Overall 4 out of 5

Nathan Drake’s latest adventure is an incredibly cinematic experience that is a lot of fun, so long as you don’t try thinking for yourself. Much like a roller-coaster it is best enjoyed if you sit down and enjoy the ride – trying to get off and do your own thing at any point can be fatal.

- Luke Mears

Sony are making a big todo about the possibilities of gaming between PS3 and Vita; saying players will be able to begin a game on their PS3, taking their progress with them on their portable device if they have to dash out of the house for any reason. I’ll state categorically now, so as to not disappoint, that FIFA Vita will not tie into FIFA 12 in this way. With Vita development being so new and the install base currently being a complete unknown, it isn’t really surprising that EA have chosen to not fully pursue every feature of the new console. Instead they’ve opted for a ‘baby steps’ approach, but my word are those steps good ones.

The first thing to strike you about FIFA Vita is the graphics. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming because, no word of a lie, this console packs some serious processing power. The game looks remarkable. Rather than being an approximation of the console version, it looks almost identical. Detail throughout the presentation are unprecedented on a handheld, with no hint of slowdown during the match I played. It truly has to be seen in motion to be believed.

And it goes further; FIFA Vita isn’t just a port of a console version of FIFA. Whilst the game modes we’ve come to expect are all present, including the Be A Pro game mode that has you control the career or a single player, the gameplay introduces the front and back touchpads.

Yes, these really are screenshots for FIFA Football, not the console title FIFA 12

“Front and back touchpads?” I hear you say; I’m right there with you, it confused me too at first. I’ll take each in turn.

The front touchpad control allows you to do several things. If you’re defending, you can simply tap a player you select them and gain control. This illiminates any issues with having to cycle through available players until you get the one you actually wanted; often a grumble of console FIFA players. When you have the ball, you can tap on the pitch or tap a player to pass the ball directly to them along the ground. Holding the screen for longer than a tap will loft the ball.

For me, the greatest evolution of the franchise since the ‘through ball pass’ comes with the use of the back touchpad. When you’re attacking, the goal mouth is mapped to the pad, and tapping or holding your finger on it will shoot exactly where you’ve touched. I can’t begin to explain how amazing it feels to break past a defender, tap the top right of the touch pad and have the ball scream past the goalkeeper, hurtling into the top corner.

The implementation of touch controls is a revelation, plain and simple.

Obviously the success rate of each of these features will be dictated by player statistics. Also, it’s worth noting that the touch features are optional; you can decide to use the standard face buttons, a combination of face buttons and touch features and even turn the new features off in the start menu.

Standard games can be set to 6 minute halves, and that’s how the majority of people play FIFA currently on the PS3 and XBox 360. This seems like the perfect length of time to answer pick up and play titles that have flooded the iphone and ipad. This reviewer has been sitting on the sidelines since FIFA 10, and FIFA Vita is perfectly placed to bring me back in the game. Look out for a full review soon after launch in February.

- Tom Wallis

Throw out your 3rd PS3 people...

Sony has released a statement to the effect that the number of devices on which you may use your PSN purchases is dropping from 5 to just 2 on the 18th on November.

Have they detected a little more friend-to-friend PSN sharing than they would like?

This is not a welcome change.

Having said that, and always looking on the bright side, they are taking positive steps to address the decrease in flexibility that this change will levy on players; “PlayStation Network users are able to change the activation setting through each device, and Sony Computer Entertainment plans to provide a new PlayStation Network account management website where users will be able to deactivate particular devices attached to their PlayStation Network account via their PC.”

We love a dashboard / control panel, specially a nice clean webby one, Power to the People!

- Richard “Rax” Burley
@Raxous

Sony have just announced that the Playstation Vita will be released in the UK on February 22nd.  The Wifi version of the console will retail for £229.99, while the 3G enabled option will cost £279.99.  No official price has been given for peripherals, such as the ever so important memory cards, or games, but we are expecting an announcement on that shortly.

Sony recently confirmed the Japanese launch titles (which you can read all about at the handy link below), which includes titles such as Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, and Michael Jackson: The Experience. You can safely bet that the majority of those titles will also make it to the UK, but we will update you as soon as we hear anything concrete.

Sony today launched the latest part of their “Long Live Play” campaign with a fantastic tribute to all us gamers.

Featuring a “who’s who” of major Sony gaming characters it a real delight for fans old and new.

Oh, and if you happen to be called Michael it’s doubly delicious!

- Richard “Michael” Burley
@Raxous

• BlazBlue Continuum Shift Extend (Arc System Works)
• Project N.O.E.L.S. (Arc System Works)
• 3gokushi touchbattle (AQ Interactive)
• Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (Capcom)
• Nature of Night of Kamaitachi – 11th visitor, A Suspect (Chunsoft)
• F1 2011 (Codemasters)
• Dream C Club Zero Portable (D3 Publisher)
• Niconico (Dwango)
• Fis Oh (Kadokawa Games)
• Katamari Damacy (Namco Bandai)
• Ridge Racer (Namco Bandai)
• Disgaea 3 Return (Nippon Ichi Software)
• Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition (Sega)
• @field (Sonic Powered)
• Uncharted: Golden  (Sony)
• Little Deviants (Sony)
• Minnato Issho  (Sony)
• Hot Shots Golf Next  (Sony)
• Yuusha no kiroku (Sony)
• Monster Radar (Sony)
• Shinobido 2: Tales of the Ninja (Spike)
• Army Corps of Hell (Square Enix)
• Lord of Apocalypse (Square Enix)
• Dynasty Warriors Next (Tecmo Koei)
• Dark Quest (Ubisoft)
• Michael Jackson: The Experience HD (Ubisoft)

Sony claim that there will a grand total of 100 titles released for Vita during the “Launch Window”, which is nice and vague. Other titles announced included Metal Gear Solid HD collection and the Zone of the Enders HD Collection. While little was detailed, it has been confirmed that these titles will support save sharing between the Vita and PS3 versions of the game, thanks to cloud saves. This means that, in theory, you will be able to start you game at home on the PS3, continue it on the go with the Vita, and upon returning home pick up where you left off on your PS3 again.

We’re not entirely sure how many of these games will make it to the west, but you can be sure that titles like Uncharted and Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom will make it to our shores.

The Western release date for the Vita has yet to be confirmed, but we’re pretty sure it’ll land sometime in March.

Anyway, the full stats are:

• Model number: PCH-1000 series
• CPU: ARM® Cortex™-A9 core (4 core)
• GPU: SGX543MP4+
• Main memory: 512MB
• VRAM: 128MB
• External Dimensions: Approx. 182.0 x 18.6 x 83.5mm (width x height x depth) (tentative, excludes largest projection)
• Weight Approx: 279g (3G/Wi-Fi model), 260g (Wi-Fi model)
• Screen: 5 inches (16:9), 960 x 544, Approx. 16 million colors, OLED, Multi touch screen (capacitive type)
• Rear touch pad: Multi touch pad (capacitive type)
• Cameras: Front camera, Rear camera; Frame rate: 120fps@320×240(QVGA), 60fps@640×480(VGA); Resolution: Up to 640×480(VGA)
• Sound: Built-in stereo speakers, built-in microphone
• Sensors: Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer), Threeaxis electronic compass
• Location: Built-in GPS (3G/Wi-Fi model only), Wi-Fi location service support
• Keys/Switches: PS button, power button, directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left), action buttons (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square), shoulder buttons (Right/Left), right stick, left stick, START button, SELECT button, volume buttons (+/-)
• Wireless communications: Mobile network connectivity (3G/Wi-Fi model only), 3G modem (data communication): HSDPA/HSUPA *specification for Japanese region, IEEE 802.11b/g/n (n = 1×1)(Wi-Fi) (Infrastructure mode/Ad-hoc mode), Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR （A2DP/AVRCP/HSP）
• Slots/Ports: PlayStation®Vita card slot, memory card slot, SIM card slot (3G/Wi-Fi model only), multi-use port (for USB data communication, DC IN, Audio [Stereo Out / Mono In], Serial data communication), headset jack (Stereo mini jack) (for Audio [Stereo Out / Mono In]), accessory port
• Power: Built-In Lithium-ion Battery: DC3.7V 2200mA, AC adaptor: DC 5V
• Operating environment temperature: 5℃～35℃
• Supported AV content format: Music – MP3 MPEG-1/2 Audio Layer 3, MP4 (MPEG-4 AAC), WAVE (Linear PCM). Videos – MPEG-4 Simple Profile (AAC), H.264/MPEG-4 AVC High/Main/Baseline Profile (AAC). Photos – JPEG (Exif 2.2.1), TIFF, BMP, GIF, PNG

The Playstation Vita will be out in Japan on 17th December. No European or American release dates have been confirmed yet, but we hear rumblings that they’ll be out before the end of this financial year (March 31st).

Planetside 2; now with extra freeness...

John Smedley, SOE President, has revealed that Planetside 2 will be based around a F2P cost model.

Whilst no surprise, in this age of F2P growth, it is still very welcome news for all you MMOFPS fans.

The original Planetside being one of the pioneers of the MMOFPS genre, this sequel has a lot to live up to. And signs, so far, are good.

So, put away your wallet, and keep an eye on us for further news on this.

- Richard “Rax” Burley
@Raxous

Another high profile move by Sony... they really are becoming... no... I... can't say it...

Sony have confirmed today that they have purchased Sucker Punch Productions, most famous (or infamous?) for their appropriately named pair of hit games starring a certain powerful, if initially socially misguided, protagonist.

Interestingly no one has any idea what Sucker Punch are up to at the moment, so it’s either highly secret, or more likely, highly thumb-twiddly.

Peering into our crystal ball… we can make out an… what is it?… a number… yes, yes… a number… a “3″ I think… and what’s that before it that looks like it might start with an “I”…?

- Richard “Rax” Burley

Cross-talk for me! But not for you... Mr. PS3...

Sony have confirmed that cross-game talk is coming to their new portable gaming system, Vita, when it launches is December this year.

However they’ve also confirmed that nothing is planned regarding cross-talk for the PS3.

We can only hope that feedback from Vita will encourage Sony to fix this flaw with the PS3 and bring it up to a modern standard as concerns voice for modern consoles…

- Rax

After the PSN hacking debacle, Sony’s keynote at E3 2011 was going to be interesting to say the least.

Opening their presentation with a teasing showcase of all the games to come for the rest of the year, it didn’t take Jack Tretton long to dive straight into the “elephant in the room” and apologizing profusely about the entire PSN hacking scandal that has marred the company.

However, eager to kick their conference off on a high note, it wasn’t long before developer Naughty Dog came out on stage to show off Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, one of Sony’s biggest games. Giving a live demonstration of both singleplayer and multiplayer, Naughty Dog look set to deliver another adventure experience that equals, or perhaps surpasses it’s predecessor, Uncharted 2. With it’s atmospheric, cinematic moments, Uncharted 3 will be a worthy addition to the series. With the open multiplayer beta starting on June the 20th, we at the Newbreview office cannot wait for this one.

Resistance 3 is next, with the team from Insomniac Games taking to the stage. There is of course, explosions a plenty as we are treated to a demo level set in St Lucia. Resistance 3′s highly detailed environments really do impressive, perhaps this is the true breakthrough for the franchise? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Lovers are 3D were then kept happy as Mr Tretton announced that God of War: Origins Collection and the Team Ico Collection will be available in 3D, launching this September… NICE!

In a more interesting announcement, Tretton then announced that Sony will drop the price on 3D by releasing a 24inch display, 3D TV, Playstation branded. Perfect for all rooms in the house, complete with a HD/3D switch, it also comes with unique technology which allow two players to see different screens, eradicating the need for split screen. However the killer blow was that these new 3D TV’s will be less expensive and come with 3D glasses. The TV’s will be released this Autumn, bundled with Resistence 3, a pair of 3D glasses and a 6 foot HDMI cable full for $499, INCREDIBLY CHEAP. It will be interesting to see what happens with the 3D TV market now, that’s for sure.

Sony then try to push their Move motion sensor, by demoing NBA2K 12, controlled with the Playstation Move. We are treated to a demo of a new feature called NBA on the Move, which is essentially a basketball game which you play almost like a shooter, casual basketball game.

New IP, Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest is another game with Move support. The fantasy action adventure game looks quite intuitive and immersive, reminding us of perhaps what Oblivion would look like if it were on the Wii.

InFamous 2 then takes up the mantle. The game looks a lot better than the previous game, showing of fun combat, combined with lots of super powers, and even some co-op gameplay. Of course, the game looks pretty incredible but the idea of user generated content support is one that intrigued us greatly.

With InFamous 2 being confirmed for support Playstation Move, another of Sony’s console seller, Little Big Planet 2 Move support is also confirmed to be on its way.

Third person shooter, Starhawk is teased with a very intriguing trailer, before the return of family friendly franchise, SLY is also confirmed. Sly 4: Thieves in Time, will be bringing some lovely cell shaded graphics, and humour back to the PS3 VERY soon.

It was then announced that Dust514 and Eve Online would not only share the same universe over cross platform play, but would also include Move and NGP support. Dust514 in particular looked incredible. It’s huge scale, gritty setting and space marine style gameplay was EXTREMELY impressive. Exclusive to PSN, rest assured we will be anticipating the game’s release in 2012.

Bioshock: Infinite was next to rear its head and boy oh boy are we glad it it did. Simply put, Bioshock: Infinite looks crazy, sporting insane amounts of action and an incredibly interesting story, this will be a MUST buy for gamers. And what’s more, it will be supporting Move too, a lot of love for Sony’s motion controller it seems.

Not only that, but it was unveiled that there will be a Bioshock spin-off coming to Sony’s NGP handheld too, a bit of a surprise to say the least.

Saints Row 3 made an appearance, before Sony showed off a brand new Star Trek game, fully compatible with Move. With a prequel to the game also debuting on PSN, this brand new Star Trek game as a hint of Mass Effect about it. One to watch perhaps?

As they did at EA’s showcase, the SSX series reboot, Need for Speed: The Run and Battlefield 3 make an appearance.

Kaz Hirai walks out on stage to announce some interesting software. Playstation Suite essentially provides an install base for the Android platform. Not much information is given but this could see Sony push hard in other markets. Interesting.

And finally the announcement we’d all be waiting for (not that we didn’t know it was going to happen or anything..), Hirai revealed the NGP, or now by it’s proper name.. Vita. The Playstation Vita was E3′s worst kept secret, with numerous leaks and rumours before the event. Sony’s new handheld features augmented reality technology (this was pushed heavily so expect it to feature in A LOT of Vita’s games), social integration you’ve never seen before in a handheld console, an equivalent service to the Nintendo 3DS’s Street Pass, AND cross game chat (something the PS3 still hasn’t got..no excuses now guys). Vita will come in 2 forms, a Wifi only model and a Wifi & 3G model, with AT&T partnering up to provide 3G services in the states.

With that announce, Sony then proceeded to show off some games in development for Vita!

Up first was Uncharted spin-off, Uncharted: Golden Abyss which looked graphically very impressive for a handheld game. Ruin was next. Ruin is an action RPG on Vita, featuring multiple character classes, a levelling system, loot and destructible environments. Reminiscent of something Torchlight, Ruin is some impressive social elements. Other players online form as your rival enemies, allowing you to choose whether to hinder or harm them. Each player has their own lair which others can invade in real time. Throw in a Cloud save system and the fact that you can also play it on your PS3 and you’ve got yourself one very impressive game. Possible Vita system seller?

Mod Nation Racers came next featuring brand new touch screen controls, making track creation and editing much easier. The handheld’s premiere driving experience for sure.

Available at launch will be Wipeout 2048. Featuring cross platform play, allowing Vita players to race against PS3 players online makes the game a tasty prospect indeed.

Of course, a new Little Big Planet game will be launched for Vita too. Featuring insane customization, the ability to import things such as photos into the game, and unique ways in which to maximize the variety of different controls Vita has, Little Big Planet on Vita is bound to be BRILLIANT.

And finally Sony ended with Street Fighter X Tekken. Not only was a demo of the game running on Vita shown off, but it was also announced that InFamous protagonist, Cole, will be a playable character in the game too!

And that was all she wrote..

Handheld gaming as we once knew it, is now faltering. Without a single Nintendo 3DS title in the UK top 40 this week, it seems that things are only getting worse for Nintendo. What has halted their momentum so abruptly despite the house of Mario effectively dominating the handheld market not so long ago? I don’t think this is something even Ant and Dec’s cheesy mugs can solve.

It would seem their problems lie solely at the feet of Apple because although the Android operating system is becoming far more popular due to it’s accessibility and increasingly affordable games, the Android market seems more devoted to Apps other than games, picking up iOS games on the way.

Apple have formed one of the most bold and aggressive strategies the gaming industry has ever seen. Who could have envisioned a future where you can buy brand new, fully-fledged games for a paltry 59 pence? No, me neither.

This is very clearly a deliberate and cunning move on Apple’s part – designed to undercut their rivals and change the nature of portable gaming.  It is something to which Nintendo and Sony need to respond to, and quickly.

The fact that anyone who is willing to pay $99 to become a registered Apple Software Developer can submit these games means that quality can vary greatly.  However, it also ensures the App Store that provides for Apple’s iOS devices is expanding its wares at a breakneck speed. The ability of these apps to spread virally and reach a global audience within a matter of hours enables the best games can become very successful, very quickly; Angry Birds, anyone?  The pissed-off peckers have pulled in some seriously impressive numbers, an incredible 200 million downloads to be exact, which is phenomenal considering the simplicity of the game.

Those little birds sure have posted some staggering numbers.

How can Nintendo and Sony compete with the App Store’s mass market if they insist on continually developing high-standard software with good production values? Apparently the answer is that they  can’t, and certainly not with the kind of success they’ve enjoyed in the past.  “I think one of the biggest risks today in our industry are these inexpensive games that are candidly disposable from a consumer standpoint. I think they actually create a mentality for the consumer that a piece of gaming content should only be two dollars,” said Nintendo of America bruiser and president Reggie Fils-Aime. It is a risk, and it’s one that is changing the market Nintendo and Sony once ruled – a game changer, if you will.

It’s all well and good blaming Smartphones for the 3DS’s hiccups, but there is of course another factor: There is very little worth playing on it at the moment. There is a strong argument that the Nintendo 3DS was rushed out to market far too soon. We have Pilotwings; a glorified technology showcase, and some lacklustre 3rd party output – no killer app, and nothing that truly shows off the hardware, how very un-Nintendo. “Some people may be waiting, thinking that there aren’t yet enough software titles that they want to play,” laments Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, commenting on the 3DS’s disappointing initial sales.

How could Nintendo have become so disillusioned that they thought they could have sold 8 million units in a few weeks on the back of shiny new hardware appeal alone? And rather than trying to compete with Apple’s belligerent strategy, Nintendo are sticking firmly to their guns with the 30 pound price point for their games. Is a 30 quid game with a complex narrative and a high production value really going to improve your train journey more than the 59 pence game with its immediate and addictive gameplay? I’m not so sure.

Whilst Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D provides another excuse to play through Ocarina of Time again, it's not exactly the most suitable of handheld games, nor the cheapest.

I mean, why should you have to pay so much money for a game you might not play for more than a few minutes while out and about? I don’t understand why people would want to play a massive game with open ended gameplay, and branching narrative on the loo. Keep all of that in the bedroom, I say.

It appears to me that Smartphones represent the natural direction that portable gaming was always going to take. I’m playing devil’s advocate here, but shouldn’t portable gaming be a disposable thing? The quality in the App Store is inherently inconsistent compared with Nintendo and Sony’s output, but is that really such a deal breaker when you’re playing these titles for their intended purpose?

“They are not like gaming consoles, there’s no motivation for high-value video games,” rallies Iwata in regard to Smartphone games at this year’s Game Developers Conference held in San Francisco. Now, to me, this seems to be a sweeping generalization from a man who is seeing change beyond his control, trying to cling to a mantra that portable software with a high concept and a higher budget is the best way to go.

Rather than denouncing Smartphone games as ‘worthless’, I think Nintendo and Sony need to take notes of Apple’s strategy. Sony’s bite-sized ‘Minis’ selection on the Playstation Network Store is a good start, but still isn’t prominent or cheap enough to compete. The App Store has thousands of games to download, if Nintendo and Sony wish for a bigger piece of the pie,; then easier, cheaper and more accessible are going to have to become their religion if they wish to draw in a larger base of developers to create for them.

The Minis just aren't pushed enough to be able to compete

But there’s just one other problem for the people at Sony and Nintendo; Smartphones, as we all know, are magical devices that can pretty much do anything – from naming your first born, keeping tabs on the stock market, to ordering that kitchen sink you’ve always wanted. But perhaps most importantly these devices are fully functioning phones, meaning their success is born of necessity and not just of gimmicks. And now that Smartphones have become every bit as capable as dedicated gaming handhelds at powering videogames, you can now have it all in one device. Why lug around two different pieces of kit when all of your needs and wants are pretty much catered for on just the one?

Let’s face it, the App Store is digital distribution done right; it’s a service you can easily dip into, impulse buy a few games for next to nothing, and start playing them a few minutes later without any stress. In the case of Sony and Nintendo’s portables, so much thought and critic’s opinions have to go into your decision-making pot, if you’re planning on throwing down thirty big ones for a new game, unless you have more money than sense. Nintendo and Sony however, seem insistent on sticking to an antiquated buisness model for a market that, seemingly, no longer exists.

Sony’s ill-fated PSP Go tried a similar approach to Apple with a download-only business model. It just wasn’t smart for them to leave out the UMD disc slot, rendering PSP games owned by millions completely unusable. This might not have been so galling had there not been a mystifyingly bare and expensive collection of PSP games available for download. Apple have avoided this hubbub completely by making all content for their devices download-only from a clean slate, a very bold, and some would say “smart” move indeed.

The PSP GO joins the likes of the Virtual Boy and the Sega Activator in the list of biggest gaming hardware fails of all time.

All I can say is that the Nintendo 3DS and Sony’s upcoming Next Generation Portable-thingy faces some turbulent waters ahead. If they don’t place more emphasis on value and innovation, in an attempt to adapt to this new gaming landscape, they could both face becoming overshadowed by an avalanche of cheap Apps.

Now if only iPhones had buttons…

- Jason Borlase

And we're back! No freebies though yet...

The PlayStation Store is back up today, but there’s not sign yet of any of the promised free games, apparently they are “still in testing”… erm… for what… to see if they remain free? It’s a funny old world!

All games due to have launched during the considerable downtime are now available, providing those who do want to spend their PSN points a veritable cornucopia of exciting, new, shiny games to buy… if they can still remember how to access the store!

- Rax

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20 minutes of gameplay from PSPs forthcoming Final Fantasy “Type-0″ has sneaked onto YouTube!

To say that PSP owners have been feeling a little hard-done by with recent developments might be an understatement.

Well, consider all the damage done recently, fully repaired!

The following should be noted;

1. Each owner will be able to download any TWO games only, which will then be theirs permanently.
2. The games will only be available for this initial download for 30 days following the re-launch of the PSN store. (Date not yet confirmed)

PS3 Free Game Choices;
- Infamous
- Little Big Planet
- Dead Nation
- Super Stardust HD
- Wipeout HD + Fury

PSP Free Game Choices;
- Little Big Planet (PSP)
- ModNation Racers
- Pursuit Force
- Killzone Liberation

All-in-all Sony have delivered a varied selection of very high quality titles here, so, please ensure you keep an eye open for the store re-launch and grab your two, free, games!

Entitled “PSN” (PlayStation Network), it will provide gamers using the previously local play only PlayStation 3 & PSP with online features a plenty.

Rumors that Sony were planning to launch such a service have been circulating for weeks but today gamers get their first chance to try out the exciting new system!

Along with adding multi-player support to many of it’s leading single-player titles this new “network” will feature achievements (called “Trophies” on PSN), an online game & video shop and a number of social media type applications.

More soon on these exciting developments…

Shigenori Yoshida has revealed that Sony’s deadline for the full return of all PlayStation Network services is May 31!

Speaking to Bloomberg he was surprisingly candid in what may have been a softener to all those hoping PSN would be back up imminently.

It should be added that this does not mean that some PSN services may not be back up more quickly than this, but it certainly doesn’t inspire confidence that we will have the whole PSN back up in the next few days…

“We will be offering PSN users the opportunity to select two PS3 games from a list of five, as well as offering PSP users the opportunity to choose two games from a list of four. We will let you know exactly what games are available very soon.”

While the list of games has not been announced yet, it is pretty safe to assume that all games will be games published by Sony. Hopefully they won’t be a selection of Playstation Minis, but actual full retail games such as Little Big Planet or Mod Nation Racers.

One other question we have: does this mean that those with PSPs and PS3s get four free games? We have emailed Sony for clarification and will provide an update in the event that they get back to us.

As an aside, there were audible gasps at NewbHQ when we heard the following from Howard Stringer (Sony Corporation CEO);

“In the last few months, Sony has faced a terrible earthquake and tsunami in Japan, but now we are facing a very man-made event, a criminal attack on us, and on you, and we are working with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies around the world to apprehend those responsible.”

It is a VERY brave man that in some way equates the PSN downtime to a natural disaster which may have cost up to 25,000 lives!

Regardless of the fact that events in Japan were certainly not preventable, I, for one, would certainly trade 13 million credit card details for even a single life in an instant… so Howard had certainly better tread with extreme caution if he’s going to continue down that particular metaphorical path!

So, whilst Sony do battle with their systems and their PR people beg them to give us an accurate return date / time, we sit and twiddle our thumbs (or wave our move controllers around anyway).

Whilst we marvel, with increasing incredulity, at Sony’s ability to shoot themselves (and all their customers) in the foot (again, or should that be repeatedly? or maybe constantly?) we should, apparently, be more sympathetic according to Sony…

“The PSN is a complex network, consisting of approximately 130 servers, 50 software programs and 77 million registered accounts.”

(*Sniffle*) Oh! OK! So sorry Sony, and there we were thinking someone just needed to turn PSN off and on again! (*Sob*) Please accept our humble apologies for our previously harsh demeanor… (*grumbling & grinding of teeth*)

Sorry, but other than providing some tech trivia we have no idea what that statement is meant to represent?

Yeah Sony? And 77 million people use your systems! What are you doing about it!!!

Another reassuring communication from Sony is that;

“Globally, approximately 12.3 million account holders had credit card information on file on the PlayStation Network system.”

Oh! Just 12.3 million? Well that’s OK then! Not the 77 million we feared! No idea what we were all worked up about! ;-(

Sony, please JUST FIX THE PROBLEM. We are nearly 1/2 a month into this now and it is now clear that there was no effective contingency plan and that you do not have the expertise to backup the cost users pay to use your system! And pity the developers, large and small, who rely on your infrastructure! All will suffer, and some may be killed off entirely, with only one company to blame! (*fume*)

So, again, if you have any accounts with SOE services (“station.com”, EverQuest, EverQuest II, The Matrix Online, PlanetSide, Star Wars Galaxies, Free Realms, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes & DC Universe Online) please look out for the following from Sony;

We are sending customer service notifications via email to all of our impacted account holders whose customer data may have been stolen as a result of an illegal intrusion on our systems. These emails will be sent by Innovyx, our third party email distributor, and will contain either ‘soe.innovyx.net’ or ‘soe.sony.com’ in the sender field.

Hopefully this will get cleared up swiftly and not suffer from the extreme data exposure suffered by PSN account holders.

If you are concerned about this affecting you please review our previous article on how to deal with the PSN hack for a list of actions you can take to protect yourself.

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In the meantime the debate about how many gamers will switch to XBox as a protest against Sony’s mishandling of the technical and political failure rages on, with numbers quoted anywhere from “5%” to “1 in 5″, If Sony loose anywhere near 20% of their user-base to Microsoft in the medium term this really will have been a disaster for Sony.

1. If your password is the same for your PSN account as it is for the mailbox of your PSN email address then change your mailbox password(s) ASAP! (i.e. on Hotmail, GMail, Yahoo etc). (The same applies if your security question was the same, you should also change this).

2. Assume your login name / email address, password and security question for PSN are know to the hacking community. If the password  / security question you use(d) for PSN are the same or similar to any others you use you should change ALL other similar passwords / security questions on any/ all other games / sites / services ASAP. (We know this is a HUGE pain and will take a number of hours for many gamers, we feel your pain, we’re changing all our passwords as you read this!)

3. If you had payment card details added to your PSN account / profile then monitor this bank account VERY closely. If you notice ANY suspicious activity contact your bank IMMEDIATELY. They will be aware of this data breach and will be able to assist you further.

4. Be very wary of ANY contact, be that by phone, email or post, which requests any information from you. If in any doubt of the identity of the requesting party / company / individual then do not answer ANY question(s).

5. As soon as PSN is back online you MUST change your PSN password IMMEDIATELY.

Unfortunately, it is extremely likely that hackers are in possession of ALL data you had stored on PSN, including your full name, nickname, username, password, birth date, address, credit card details, etc. Act accordingly.

_________________________________________________________________

Sony’s Official FAQ

(http://faq.en.playstation.com/cgi-bin/scee_gb.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?locale=en_GB&p_faqid=5593)

Q.1     When did you realise the system had been intruded?
We discovered between April 17 and April 19 there was an illegal and unauthorized intrusion into our network.

Q.2     How did you know that the system was intruded?
We watch for any issues that may be raised with respect to security and monitor for such issues both internally and externally.

Q.3     What is the main reason to this problem?  Which parts of the system were vulnerable to the intrusion?
We are currently conducting a thorough investigation of the situation.  Since this is an overall security related issue, we will not comment further on this case.

Q.4     What action did you take (are you taking)?  Is there any possibility of further unauthorized access?
As soon as we learned of this issue, 1) we temporarily turned off PlayStation Network and Qriocity services in order to conduct a thorough investigation and to verify the smooth and secure operation of our network services, 2) we have also engaged an outside, recognized security firm to conduct a full and complete investigation into what happened, and 3) quickly taken steps to enhance security and strengthen our network infrastructure by re-building our system to provide you with greater protection of your personal information.

Q.5     How many were affected?  How many per each region? What is the latest status of PlayStation Network registered account/ operating countries?
Our investigation indicates that all PlayStation Network/ Qriocity accounts may have been affected.

Q.6     Does that mean all users’ information was compromised?  Tell us more in details of what personal information leaked.
In terms of possibility, yes.  We believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information that you provided: name, address (city, state/province, zip or postal code), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password, login, password security answers, and handle/PSN online ID.  It is also possible that your profile data may have been obtained, including purchase history and billing address (city, state/province, zip or postal code).  If you have authorized a sub-account for your dependent, the same data with respect to your dependent may have been obtained. If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, it is possible that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may also have been obtained.

Q.7     Have you notified those users?
We are sending out e-mails directly to these users to their e-mail address registered on the PS Network accounts.  Also, we have posted web notices, and additional necessary procedures have been followed by each region.

Q.8     Have you received reports or claims that their PSN ID information/ credit card had been used improperly?
Not at this point in time.

Q.9     I want to know if my account has been affected.
To protect against possible identity theft or other financial loss, we encourage you to remain vigilant to review your account statements and to monitor your credit reports.  Additionally, if you use the same user name or password for your PlayStation Network or Qriocity service account for other unrelated services or accounts, we strongly recommend that you change them.  When the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services are back on line, we also strongly recommend that you log on to change your password.
For your security, we encourage you to be especially aware of email, telephone, postal mail or other scams that ask for personal or sensitive information. Sony will not contact you in any way, including by email, asking for your credit card number, social security number or other personally identifiable information. If you are asked for this information, you can be confident Sony is not the entity asking.

Q.10     What should I do to prevent any unauthorized use of my (credit card) personal information?
For your security, we encourage you to be especially aware of email, telephone, postal mail or other scams that ask for personal or sensitive information. Sony will not contact you in any way, including by email, asking for your credit card number, social security number or other personally identifiable information. If you are asked for this information, you can be confident Sony is not the entity asking.  Additionally, if you use the same user name or password for your PlayStation Network or Qriocity service account for other unrelated services or accounts, we strongly recommend that you change them.  When the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services are back on line, we also strongly recommend that you log on to change your password.
To protect against possible identity theft or other financial loss, we encourage you to remain vigilant to review your account statements and to monitor your credit reports.

Q.11     Since when have PSN/Qriocity become unavailable and in which region?
PSN/Qriocity services have not been available since April 20 (US time) in all regions.

Q.12     How come it is taking so much time to resume the service?
We are taking the investigation seriously.  We decided to keep the service down to allow us to conduct a thorough investigation and verify smooth operation of our network services.

Q.13     How serious is this?  Have the hackers broken the security on PSN/Qriocity?  Are you taking necessary measures to prevent such outage happening in the future?
Since this is an overall security related issue, we will not comment further on this case but we are working to restore and maintain the services, including countermeasures against future intrusions.

Q.14     When will the service resume?
We are taking the investigation seriously.  We will keep the service down to allow us to conduct a thorough investigation and verify smooth operation of our network services but are working hard to resume the services as soon as we can be reasonably assured security concerns are addressed.

Q.15     Seems like SOE service was also not available/ suffering outage.  Is this true?  Is this due to the same reason as the PSN/Qriocity outage?
SOE’s service is available although a service interruption due to an external attack did occur. A thorough investigation is ongoing.

Q.16     I want my money back (subscription fee, content) since the PSN/Qriocity was not available.
When the full services are restored and the length of the outage is known, we will assess the correct course of action.

Q.17     There seems to be some games that cannot be played even offline?
Depending on the game titles, but mainly PSN games, some may require access to PSN for trophy sync, security check, etc.

Contact Details
Country     Customer Support
Africa         sonycustomercare.mea@ap.sony.com
Australia     1-300 365-911
Austria     0820 44 45 40
Belgium     011 516 406
Bulgaria     support@sbhbg.com
Croatia     playstation.hr@arsvenatus.hr
Cyprus         22352282
Czech Republic     225 341 407
Denmark     90137013
Estonia     6543484
Finland     600411911
France         0820 31 32 33
Germany     01805 766 977
Greece         801 11 92000
Hungary     1 814 4800
Iceland     591- 5100
India         1800-103-7799
Ireland     0818 365065
Israel         09-9711700
Italy         199 116 266
Latvia         67046049
Lithuania     37338655
Luxembourg     0820 31 32 33
Malta         234 360 00
Middle East     sonycustomercare.mea@ap.sony.com
Netherlands     0495 574 817
New Zealand     09 415 2447
Norway         82068322
Poland         0 801 230 000
Portugal     707 23 23 10
Romania     support@sbhbg.com
Russia         8-800-200-76-67
Slovakia     232 112 209
Slovenia     1 510 31 30
South Africa     0861 773783
Spain         902 102 102
Sweden         09002033075
Switzerland     0848 84 00 85
Turkey         bilgi@eu.sony.com
Ukraine     0 800 307 669
UK        0844 736 0595

PlayStation NOTwork?

No expects 100% uptime, specially from a free service, but 4 days (so far!) of downtime, specially over a holiday weekend is really starting to grate with many gamers out there. Rumors abound concerning causes, with Sony pointing the finger at the “Anonymous” hacker group, whilst they point it right back at Sony, claiming indeed that Sony is trying to cover up some serious internal infrastructure failure buy shifting the attention to “hackers”. Far from quietly fixing the network, Sony are now stating that they are now taking the opportunity to totally rebuild PSN and ‘decided it was worth the time necessary to provide the system with additional security‘.

Whatever the cause, 4 days + of total outage over an international holiday weekend, worldwide, is certainly not a great PR move, one can only imagine the size of the smiles at Microsoft’s XBox Live team’s Easter shin-dig! Free drinks all round we bet!

With Nintendo showing off the Wiiii to developers at E3 in June this year we can definitely expect a 2012 release date for the Wiiii.

Having said that, rumblings from Redmond & Minato indicate that both Microsoft and Sony are keen to see further return on investment from the 360 & PS3 respectively before they re-invest in the 720 and PS4. Both have separately hinted, on more than one occasion recently, that they see the additions of Kinect & Move as adding “a number of years” to the lifespan of their current generation hardware, and furthermore both houses are of the opinion that developers have not yet fully explored the capabilities of either platform and that “great”, “new”, “innovative” & “groundbreaking” things are still possible with the current kit.

So, whilst Nintendo fans had better start saving now, it looks fairly certain that XBox & PlayStation followers can breath easy and dish some funds out on one (or more!) of this years huge titles instead of starting to save for that next gen hardware just yet!

Game:

Shift 2: Unleashed is the second simulation racer in the Need for Speed franchise from Slightly Mad Studios. Whilst Hot Pursuit sought to take the arcade leg of the franchise back to its routes, Unleashed seeks to build on the strong performance of Need for Speed: Shift, at the same time as taking on the giants of Gran Turismo and Forza.

The most impressive facet of the preview build we were shown is the graphics. Whilst we were playing on pimped out PCs, and I’m used to playing the previous title on my lowly Xbox 360, the graphical fidelity was astounding. Some of the gameplay videos, which are presumably somewhat masturbatory, show in-game car footage juxtaposed with real life cars; highlighting how difficult it was at times to distinguish between the two.

When playing most driving games, with the notable exception of those that involve a full simulated vehicle ‘like that what you see at the arcades and ting’, the most effective view to control your vehicle is behind the car itself. A kind of third person racer if you will. This phenomenon apparently makes Slightly Mad Studios, well, slightly mad.

Shift 2: Unleashed seeks to remedy that with the introduction of Helmet Cam. With the view firmly inside the helmet of your racer, Unleashed does a great job of providing an unrestricted view of the track from inside the vehicle. As you approach each corner the camera will helpfully tilt towards the apex to guide you towards the racing line, and therefore the best way to master said turn. This becomes increasingly relevant as you move up the difficulties and the highlighted racing line on the track disappears.

The view from the helmet cam really is rather good

The final thing I’ll mention, as I wouldn’t want to ruin our imminent full review, is the difficulty level. Shift 2: Unleashed is a truly accessible simulation racer. At lower levels you will find you can get to grips with the tracks and game mechanics without feeling like your hand is being held completely; rather the game has a loose grip but won’t totally let you go.

Unleashed dynamically changes the difficulty within the event you’ve chosen depending on your performance: if you suck on the lowest difficulty, your fellow racers will become a little slower after several attempts. Likewise, if you’re smashing Elite difficulty left, right and center, the game will increase the speed of your competitors up to as fast as the realistic performance of each car will allow.

- Tom Wallis

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…

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.

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.

That's right ladies and gents, we have 100 shots of my back!

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.

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.

Flash forward a few hours and we’d been given our briefing for the final. The first stage was to be raced by the editors of each publication, and… 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.

After playing we all had a go on actual bikes. N.B. That didn't happen.

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.

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.

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’ 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.

It's kind of hard to play when you can't see!

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’s quite good.

- Tom Wallis

LG's previous logo options suddenly ring true...

All imports of PS3 into any part of Europe have been halted with immediate effect due to the ongoing nose cutting battle between Sony & LG.

In the latest round of slap-fighting between the two electronic product behemoths LG has succeeded in getting all PS3s siezed on entry, by customs officials, to any European territory.

If the ban extends beyond it’s current 10 day term, we could see stock level problems in stores across Europe within the next month.

£180 for a brand new PS3 Slim (160GB)... Buy me quick before my newer, harsher sibling arrives!!

Following our earlier, even if we do say so ourselves, spot on prediction in our £180 PS3 news item, and it’s eerie guesses concerning the drivers behind this price drop,  we have discovered that Sony are, at this very moment, prepping manufacture and shipping logisitcs for a new “unhackable” model of the PS3 to feature 300GB of storage and ruggedised “anti-tamper” hardware security…

Having bested the previously “unhackable” PS3 models we can only imagine that the hacking community is snickering softly whilst stroking it’s white cat… which is likely also snickering…

“Unhackable” = Huge invitation to hack…

Really, one would think that Sony would know better than to even entertain using such a moniker…

£180 for a brand new PS3 Slim (160GB)...

’nuff said surely!

Only available in-store, in the UK, so get down to your nearest one and get it whilst it’s hot! (and, more importantly, still in-stock!).

With similar offers either in place or on the horizon pretty much everywhere in the world we can assume that some new PS3 “version” is due out soon. Be that a “Super Slim” or a 640GB or some such… either way that is a crazy price for a supercumputing Bluray player!

And of course, completing the trio is Mr Kieran Roycroft.

Together they take you through the best games releases of the week and discuss the lack of PS2 classics on the Playstation Network.

And of course there’s contributions from Adam and Luke with a very special Adam Thinks and a 60(ish) second review of Spiderman Shattered Dimensions.

ENJOI

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Read on to see the full interview…

I think that it’s fair to say that TGC’s games are incredibly original, fun and provide a more enriching experience for gamers but I’d like to know what inspired you to begin developing videos games?

I have always been a gamer, but didn’t really think about making video games until I was at the University of Southern California Interactive Media MFA program.  Two things happened; firstly, we took a class our second semester on the history of game design throughout human history. It really awakened me to how expressive game design can be and how much hadn’t been done yet in video games. I really like taking on new challenges, so I was very drawn to the medium at that point.

Secondly, we got to go to the Game Developers Conference in San Jose. Meeting the people who make video games was a wonderful experience – they are some of the smartest people I’ve met. It also made it real, knowing who makes video games and how they go about making them. I wanted in!

What are your fondest memories and experiences with a control pad?

Playing on the NES Power Pad with knees on the ground, slamming our hands on to it, instead of actually running like we were supposed to.

A fan of the good, old, Power Pad

What’s the creative process like at TGC? How much coffee does it take to keep your team running at full throttle?

The creative process at TGC is very iterative, both in implementation as well as the process itself. I see the creative process constantly evolving here, as unique challenges require unique ways of solving problems. I think that’s what makes a TGC developer stand out – they are not only talented at making games, but they are always asking themselves “could we be doing this better?” Not a lot of caffeine is consumed at thatgamecompany, however. It’s a natural high, I guess.

Do you consider yourself and your team to be trendsetters, pioneers even?

I don’t know that we consider ourselves anything in particular… we just make the games we want to make. Yes, we deliberately aim to make games that are different from what’s been made in the past, but we also don’t consider that incredibly innovative because there really hasn’t been a whole lot done in games when you look at it from an perspective of communicating emotions. Mainly, we wanted to make unique games and we wanted to make them our own way, and we couldn’t find jobs anywhere else doing it, so we made our own company.

Recently the games industry seems to have become heavily focused on motion controls i.e Nintendo Wii, Microsoft’s Kinect and Playstations’ Move. How do you see this affecting the kinds of games you make?

With new types of controls, the possibilities for new genres open up, and therefore new audiences. For our games, we aim to make experiences that are accessible, both in the type of content we choose, but also in the technology. We want to remove as many barriers to entry in the experience as possible. So we are really excited about the range of possibilities these new controls open up.

Excited by the possibility that a new generation of controllers are creating.

What’s your favourite game right now? What has been keeping your thumbs busy of late?

I’ve been playing “Auralux,” a game by a student at Dartmouth! We got connected through a friend, and he sent me his project, and I just haven’t been able to put it down – sort of a Galicon-style game, but I really like the art and audio choices.

What do you love most about being a games developer?

The people I meet. Especially in independent games – I’m really looking forward to the Independent Games Summit this year in San Francisco.

As we know, flOw, Flower and the visually stunning Journey are all exclusive to PS3. Now that your three game deal with Sony is reaching it’s climax do you think we will ever see a TGC title on other platforms within the foreseeable future?

Right now we are just focusing on getting Journey out to our fans.

Journey is slated for release this year.

Can you give us some insight into what it’s like to work in a heavily male dominated industry? Do you think that your different perspective has led to you working on more innovative and creative titles?

My Daddy loves me, and thinks I'm special...

The Official PlayStation Magazine has given Killzone 3 a respectable 10/10… wait the game is perfect?

(OK, for the pedants out there one could argue that it may only be 96% perfect and still score 10/10 with rounding).

Which ever way you cut it (Or stab it in the eye!) 10/10 is a pretty bold claim.

We’ve played the demo and it is a great game… but perfect… well erm… no… now if they’d given it a 9.5 or equivalent we might be inclined to let them off, but let’s just say that Killzone 3 had better deliver! And how!

We await this perfect game with much anticipation…

Joining Ash this week is Mr Adam “The Idiot” Radcliffe and Mr Adam Roche of 7BitArcade and [Global-Playthrough] fame. Combined, this week they take you through the best games releases of the week, difficulty in games, Adam thinks and a 60 second review of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite… oh and of course all the other usual gubbins.

Also find out how to win a bunch of Dead Space 2 goodies from our good friends over at EA!

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1. POWER:
Incredibly, Sony claim the NGP will be capable of playing some PS3 games!
(It sports a 4 x 2GHz CPU as opposed to the PSP’s 2 x 333Mhz!)

2. DISPLAY:
The NGP’s screen will be approximately 4 times higher resolution than it’s predecessor.
(It will also be slightly larger at 5 inch diagonal as opposed to the 4.3 inch of the PSP)

3. CONNECTIVITY:
The NGP features not just WiFi type “n”, but also 3G built-in!
(Bluetooth also gets a bump to 2.1 profile)

4. CONTROL:
2 x analog thumb-sticks really take precision control to the next level.
(Not just that tho! It will also have a tickly underbelly… yup, a large underside touch pad!)

5. CAMERA:
The lack of camera on the PSP has been rectified with not one but two cameras, one front & one back.
(It will be capable of video calls out of the box too!)

6. MEDIA:
The UMD is dead! Rejoice! Sony have finally given up and are going with flash media, a great decision!
(Sadly, knowing Sony, this will be some form of “special” Sony home brew, not just SD cards)
So these are exciting times for all us mobile gamers!

All that’s left to ask is why no 3D Sony? Clearly they feel the sheer power of the PSP2 will be enough to mitigate the need for any Nintendoesque 3D pop-up fun. But are they right? In addition to no support for FLAC and a fairly hefty physical size & weight (It’s bigger in all dimensions & heavier than a PSP or 3DS) this could prove another controversial decision…

Now we wait for some gameplay videos to see if the power of the system is enough to overcome it’s slightly cumbersome dimensions and plain old 2D delivery… but still… a 4 core 2Ghz processor? 4 times higher resolution screen? GPS?

Things are about to get VERY interesting!

Fortunately for any would be Demons Souls players out there, there are a few seasoned Demons Souls players within the Newb Review office, and after numerous playthroughs, mental breakdowns and broken controllers, they have decided to spill the secrets of their success and provide a definitive guide in order to turn Demons Souls novices into soul collecting, slayers.

In this part of A Newb’s Guide to Demons Souls, we will cover the fundamental basics that are essential to your survival and overall enjoyment of one of the most trying games you can buy.

Pay attention class…

Picking a Character Class

Right off the bat, there are a total of 13 different character classes to choose from when initially creating your character, each equipped with their own sets of stats, equipment and powers, so picking the right one is crucial. With such a broad spectrum of classes, it can be hard to choose, but there are a few classes that are definitely geared towards first time players, as well as classes that should be avoided as they offer perhaps too much of a challenge for first timers.

Recommended classes

Knight

The Knight is perhaps the most famous of all the classes in Demons Souls as it can be seen on the box of all the different versions of the game. The Knight is one of the best, if not the best, classes to choose for first timer, as statistically it is the most balanced, well-rounded class of the lot.

The addition of heavy armour right off the bat means you will survive a little longer than most during your first adventures. AND the Knight’s increased strength gives you an even bigger advantage by making your melee attacks naturally stronger, which is extremely important in a melee-centric game.

Rest assured you can feel safe with your decision to pick a Knight because, although they aren’t the most creative of classes, you will spend a lot less time dead.

You will need to pick you class carefully if you want to survive

Soldier

Another well-rounded character class comes in the form of The Soldier, however The Soldier deviates from The Knight in the armor department. Whilst The Knight can lark around in its set of heavy armor, soldiers have to settle with starting in their own lighter armor.

At the cost of dexterity, magic and some intelligence, The Soldier also has the most vitality of all the classes, apart from The Barbarian. With the addition of good strength, endurance and health stats, The Soldier class is a very tempting option.

However, The Soldier’s best qualities are in its choice of weaponry. Soldiers start with a Broadsword and a Short Spear, giving you the ability to deal with more dangerous situations. Spears are very effective in corridors and narrow passages, and are good for keeping enemies at a distance. While the Broadsword provides ample damage for close-quarters. With a Spear in one hand and a Sword in the other you will be more than a match for the abundance of enemies you will face during your quest.

And if Spears and Broadswords aren’t your type of thing, don’t worry because Soldiers can use all weapons.

Royalty

Despite starting off with low health and low strength, Royalty characters are still worth considering mainly for their magical abilities.

The magic available to Royalty gives you a longer reach advantage than the close-quarter weapons available to The Knight and The Soldier, enabling you to keep enemies at range.

All Royalty characters also start with a “Fragrant Ring”, which recharges your characters magic over time, essentially meaning you will never run out of magic to use and you won’t have to keep topping your magic points up with “Old Spice” like those filthy Magicians.

Their lack of armor is also a double edged sword. On the one hand you will, of course, take more damage when you are hit, but the lack of armor means your Royalty character is more mobile and harder to hit as dodging attacks becomes easier.

Hunter

Hunters are survivalists, they begin with good endurance, good dexterity and decent health too. However where the hunter really excels is in their use of longbows and crossbows. As a Hunter you gain an addition damage bonus to arrow weapons types and the ability to zoom in on enemies from greater distances. This zoom perk means you can keep enemies at range and, as long as you are out of the enemies pull, they wont rush you and your Hunter wont die.

Of course you also start with a melee weapon, and a good one at that, it is a bloody Battle Axe, a personal favourite around the office. It is stylish and will get you out of a lot of sticky situations should you run out of arrows.

Classes to Avoid

Barbarian

What’s that you say? You like the look of the Barbarian because he reminds you of Conan? Well, take a step back motherlicker because picking a Barbie is for those with a death wish. Barbarian’s may be blessed with insurmountable strength but the drawbacks are far greater for you will start with no armor….. just your underpants.

So unless you want to try slaying the almighty Dragon God in nothing but your pair of lucky pants, stay well away.

The Barbarian is (quite literally) pants.

Thief

So you want to be a Thief do you? Well that’s great, it’s nice to see you have a passion for stealing things, but the universe wont let your kleptomania go unpunished! Thief’s health bars drain quicker than my wallet on release day and your strength is pitiful at best. Remember this is a melee focused game, the short range attack of the Thief’s daggers is no match for a dragon.

On the plus side Thieves do have higher luck so a trip to las vegas might be advisable.

Magician

Magicians are great, who doesn’t love a magician? Well clearly the developers of Demons Souls don’t, so they made sure you would regret your decision to pick a Magician, quickly.

You’ll hit like a girl, you’ll die more often than a Dodo Bird and if you do use your magical prowess even a little too much, you will run out of “Old Spice” in the most awkward of situations.

Learn The Basic Moves

Combat in Demon Souls is all about timing, whether its avoiding a blow, hitting an enemy with a light attack or crushing them with a heavy attack, it’s that simple. Get some practice in and get your timing down to a tea as it will pretty much save your life time and time again. Demon Souls is punishing so avoiding getting hit is crucial, so practice, practice, practice.

Timing is everything

Timing is also important in the way that you use your stamina. In the game, everything from attacking, running, blocking, they all drain your stamina bar and if your stamina bar is drained, your in big trouble, as it practically makes you defenceless. Conserve your stamina and time your attacks correctly to give yourself every fighting chance.

Navigating Levels

The levels in Demons Souls are fairly linear and easy to navigate, however there are plenty of hidden areas for you to discover along the way, most with even more challenging enemies and special items so getting lost is also quite easy to do. Levels are vast, so along the way you may even find a shop here or there for you to re-stock your health/magic items. This is terribly important as levels are also littered with very few checkpoints and full of traps, so be careful where you tread, you never know if you’re stepping into a trap until it’s too late.

Bloodstains within Demon Souls signify a person’s death: by touching bloodstains the game shows you how the individual who left it died, which is a great resource for showing you dangers up ahead.

In addition to bloodstains on the ground, players can leave messages for other players to find and read. But the devious nature of human beings means that you must take them with a pinch of salt, as more often than not, the message you have just read could be nothing more than a cruel trick to get you killed.

Which leads us nicely onto our next section…

Keep Your Wits About You

Demon Souls is brutal, hard and unforgiving, and this is partly because, on your first play through, you have no idea where enemies will spawn. It’s a question of trial and error more than anything else. If you are lucky enough to have friends who also own the game, you can team up to battle monsters together provided you are within 10 levels of each other. The key thing is to keep your wits about you so that you are never caught short when an enemy jumps out and attacks.

The legion of monsters is the least of your worries

And it’s not just enemies that are trying to kill you, oh no. Without spoiling anything, if you are stupid enough to provoke NPC’s throughout your adventure, you may find yourself having your ass handed to you.

And if it isn’t NPC’s or normal enemies, it’s other players online. As well as trying to trick you into killing yourself by leaving messages, some players may take an even more devious route and join your game uninvited as a Black Phantom. Players can join your game and attempt to kill you at any time, in any place, and you won’t even know about it. The game doesn’t even alert you to tell you someone else has joined your game, so be on the lookout.

Summoning Other Players

However much of a badass you might be, you’re going to have to summon players eventually. It makes the game a lot more enjoyable for starters, and in the unlikely event a super-powerful enemy appears to crash the party, you will have some back up.

To summon players all you have to do is interact with any blue glowing messages on the ground; keep an eye out for these because they don’t stick around forever.

Apart from helping you defeat demons, players will occasionally drop items for you too (the ones who pay attention anyway) so sticking together will pay off nicely while you are getting used to the game.

Now not everyone is a team player and some people will just like irritating and annoying you for fun, but never fear! Should some fun loving spirit enter your dimension and proceed to start ruining your game, you can give them a rating ranging from S,A,B,C or D which affects their online reputation, which is viewable by other players.

Soul Form

Soon after you have started the game you will inevitably get killed. Don’t worry, it happens, get used to it. Upon your untimely demise you will enter spirit form. In spirit form your health will be cut in half, which means you are going to have to be twice as cautious, and remember where you died because all your souls (the most valuable resource in the game), are lying there. Should you get killed again whilst in spirit form, you will lose those souls.

However it’s not all doom and gloom, one advantage of sprit form is that the game, especially fighting bosses, will become easier, because in spirit form enemies are less aggressive (apparently).

Thankfully, there are multiple ways you can revive yourself and claim back you fleshy form:

1. Get yourself summoned into another persons game and be a team player, because defeating the boss of said level will revive you and gain you gratitude, along with any items the host player doesn’t want.

2. If you don’t like being nice you could also invade somebody elses game as a “black phantom” and make it your mission to decapitate the host player, ending the game for him and any other souls in his world, whilst at the same time reviving you.

3. The world of Demons Souls is also littered with “Stones of Ephemeral Eyes” which when used will instantly revive you. Sure, it’s not the most exciting way to come back from the brink but those little stones will get you out of tight situations. Lets say you’re in spirit form and your getting your ass kicked, one more blow and your dead right? Well if you have one of these stones you can use it on the spot and be fully replenished without ever leaving the level, how convenient!

Sometimes working with other players is the best way out of a sticky situation

Item & Soul Management

Your main concern will be healing items which are littered throughout the game, but can be hard to find, so ration them and use them carefully. They can usually be found in all sorts of boxes throughout each level, so break them open and see what you can find.

As you progress further in the game other items which allow you to upgrade your character become increasingly important. Whether it’s getting better armor (which is incredibly hard to find), or using items to improve your weaponry, use them sensibly. They are scarce and can be vital in beating enemies and bosses along the way.

Souls are everything in Demon Souls. They are the currency you use to buy things and serve as the experience points you use to level up your character. Unfortunately, getting souls isn’t easy. They are generally dropped by every enemy you kill, but can also occasionally be found throughout each level. Use them wisely and remember to stick to your strengths. Using valuable souls on your weaker attributes can be less effective than levelling up your most powerful attributes.

 REMEMBER, when you die, you lose every soul you have at the time, and the only way to regain them is by going back to where you died and picking them up again.

It may seem like you’re up against the impossible, but with these tips in mind you should be able to survive a little bit longer on your first playthrough of this hardcore hack-and-slash adventure. More than anything else Demons Souls will require you to stay cool, calm and collected while you fight bosses who would eat Godzilla for breakfast.

In part two we will be going over all the bosses in the game and the tactics you will need in order to beat them, so stay tuned!

-Adam Radcliffe & Kieran Roycroft

Adam thinks… now in 3D

We are currently transcending into the second golden age of Three dee (3D), a word which can cause the vast majority of humans to have a uncomfortable allergic reaction. Symptoms include cringing of the face, straining of the eyes and a severe sense of disappointment… along with gas.

Recently the populous of the world has gone gaga over 3D (again), because those wonderful plumber fellows over at Nintendo have “perfected” the eye popping form of so called entertainment and lead 3D into a new era. But this isn’t the first time we have seen the 3D monster emerge from its cave, over time it has continually returned like a bad cold or AIDS… or Justin Bieber.

Nintendo's Virtual Boy is just one, of many gaming experiments with 3D technology.

We were in fact, first introduced to 3D back in the 1950’s with a brief but unsuccessful stint in the limelight. Since then 3D has returned from the depths of hell every decade, getting better each time as technology improves. But despite the advances of 3D technology, it has never made an impact on our so easily persuaded minds. Well, that is until recently when legendary douchebag and film maker, James Cameron showed how 3D should be done with his smurftaculer “AVATAR” blockbuster film. Since then, the entire entertainment industry has been busy ramming 3D down our throats like c*cks to a porn star, desperately trying to cash in on the novelty factor before it wears off again for another decade.

This time around it is now possible to play our beloved video games in 3D as well, although keep in mind you will need a rather unaffordable 3D television, some expensive HDMI leads, oh, and an ever annoying pair of 3D glasses which people despise because they make you look silly while your sitting in your living room BY YOURSELF!! Needless to say watching the TV in 3D is going to set you back a fair few pennies (well at this moment in time at least). In fact it’s safe to say, if you really want to enjoy 3D to the fullest you’re going to have to sacrifice you children’s future for Sony’s cause, because buying a 3D TV means bankruptcy for most people and their poor, neglected families.

That’s why the Nintendo 3DS is going to be so big, like really big, Mariah Carey big.

Mark my words.. The 3DS WILL be HUGE.

Nintendo’s new handheld has solved one of the many problems 3D presents, by removing the need for glasses completely and giving us another level of reality we can all enjoy, well… it’s more like half a level if you want to be pedantic, an illusion on the mind but a pretty cool illusion to say the least. Add to that an affordable price tag and Nintendo is comfortably set to bring the splendor of 3D into the homes of every annoying child in the world, without the need to sacrifice their future in doing so. Of course, they may have to sacrifice their 20/20 vision but what the hell, at least the 3DS will be an aberration and it won’t break your bank or your wallet.

On the other hand, Sony’s love affair with 3D is getting out of hand. They spent pretty much the entirety of 2010 rolling out new 3D televisions, new laptops, Blu-Ray disc players and most importantly upgrading their fantastic PS3 for 3D with Killzone 3 and the long awaited Gran Turismo 5 being just two of the games acting as the driving force behind it all. Unfortunately though, after playing a demo of Killzone 3, in 3D, at the Eurogamer Expo 2010, as impressive as the visuals are in Killzone 3, it’s hard to know where to look while your playing it. 3D just isn’t the kind of gimmick which works well in an FPS, our eyes just are not equipped to deal with the extra dimension while you have 200 Helghast in your ass. This makes firefights more difficult and frustrating.

Sony revealed that Killzone 3 would be playable in glorious 3D, but after getting some hands on time, it doesn't work as well as you'd think.

Gran Turismo on the other hand is being toted as gaming’s equivalent of AVATAR, it’s a majestic display of all the good aspects of 3D, but it’s not the only racing game set to rustle up a storm, oh no. Motorstorm Apocalypse, the fourth game in one of the most enjoyable franchises available on PS3, is being prepped for the 3D take over as well.

It seems there’s a little bit of overkill here, but even one of my favorite developers, Naughty Dog, are also hard at work adding 3D to the eagerly anticipated Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception. This is a series widely regarded as having some of the best visuals produced by anyone, why do they need to spoil it with 3D!? I could be wrong, it may cement Uncharted 3 as the best game of 2011, but I’m not sure I want Nathan Drake’s smug, chiseled grin popping out of the television more than it already does.

Thankfully balance is restored as Microsoft frankly couldn’t give a toss about 3D, they have enough on their plate already with their supremely accessible Kinect.

Microsoft haven't got time to dabble with 3D technology. They are far to busy shoving Kinect down our throats.

All of this support for 3D technology from today’s gaming industry has been in an effort to encourage games developers to produce more visually impressive games and really broaden the scope of their imaginations. But is all this 3D pavlova (or palaver or whatever the word is), being put to use because people really do want 3D? Or is it because the industry thinks this is what we want?

At the moment 3D is being forcefully inserted into as many games as possible, despite the fact that most games don’t need 3D and are completely ruined by it. However the graphical wizards over at NVIDIA have been toiling away more than most. I was lucky enough to bare witness to the future of 3D gaming at Eurogamer Expo 2010 when NVIDIA demonstrated their “3D VISION”.

Before I saw this demonstration, I couldn’t have cared less about 3D and couldn’t wait for the whole thing to just blow over like that war in Vietnam, I considered it a waste of time… I wasn’t impressed by it at all, I have never liked it… you get the picture. Quite frankly, I thought that it was making a mockery of cinema and now it’s extending its evil, soulless grasp into the world of video games. I mean the technology is from the 1800’s for god’s sake, or at least the extra half a dimension was discovered back then, when I was a tortoise on the Galapagos, surely we have advanced further than that?

But I, after watching a rather swanky demo from NVIDIA, can say with confidence that 3D gaming is defiantly the way forward. It will blow your mind. Literally. Your head will actually explode when this sort of thing finally takes off and becomes affordable to everyone, because NVIDIA and PC games have cracked it. They have essentially created a window into an alternate dimension, you’re not just looking at a computer monitor anymore, you’re stepping into f*cking Narnia or TRON or something.

NVIDIA's 3D tech not only makes you feel like your in a TRON film, but it also makes you look as though you are too.

A 3D Vision PC can fundamentally change the way you interact with your PC. With over 400 existing PC games, Blu-ray 3D movies, watching live sports events, and even viewing 3D photographs if your lucky enough to have a 3D camera as well. That’s why it’s interesting, because if 3D really takes off and actually becomes popular, it could change the entire entertainment industry.

So as 3D becomes more powerful and slowly hypnotizes the minds of the young and old alike, we can expect to see some of the most visually impressive games to date. The 3D technology will make the experience of playing a game for the first time a lot more enjoyable for a whole generation of gamers. It begs the question; will 3D stick around this time? Will it cement its legacy in the annals of gaming history? Or will it fizzle out and disappear for another ten years… disregarded as nothing but a novelty? Only time will tell…

See if you can guess what game he’s talking about

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Sony put on their big boots and take serious steps to knock the PS3 ”hackers” off their feet, check the full article at the good old the beeb;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12171423

As you can see from the trailer Bulletstorm is not a game that takes itself too seriously, and rewards you with extra points for the most over the top and elaborate kills that you perform.

Bulletstorm will be released in the USA on 22nd February and in Europe on the 25th February on PC, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360. Those that purchase the Xbox360 Exclusive Epic Edition will be granted acess to the Gears of War 3 beta later on in the year.

Keep your eyes fixed on The Newb Review as we will be bringing you our review for the game in the coming weeks.

Much like any extended excursion or emergency evacuation calls for, property and possessions must be valued in more ways than one. This, I feel being particularly difficult for someone like me with a collection of games going well into the hundreds. Unfortunately, that isn’t even including special edition collector items and the consoles themselves. Again, with the emergency evacuation scenario in mind, small items are obviously the easiest to consider bringing.

This is to say that the PSP and DS are in the glorified position of being ‘must have’ items. Not only are they already portable, but they take up very little space and weigh even less. Something that is becoming increasingly important when considering airport baggage allowances. Not only this, but the packaging for the games for each respective system can be easily stored. Regrettably, the same cannot be said about the others in my collection.

How am I supposed to fit all this into a couple of suitcases?

It’s strange how only a week ago I was lamenting the extra effort it took me to take Resident Evil 5 out of its special edition box and yet now I can’t quite bring myself to leave it behind. The same goes for Borderlands, slip sleeves sometimes being a deciding factor of whether I can be bothered to play a game or not. So what is to be done? Do I remove the games from their packaging, lovingly slip them into one of those multiple disc holder things and be done with it?

I’d have the games, sure, and that’s all that matters, right? Not to mention the space in my suitcase saved. It’s hardly like I read the boxes anymore other than the occasional glance of momentarily renewed admiration at a particularly witty blurb or hilarious typo. Yet I just can’t bring myself to seriously consider this option. I mean, my Silent Hill 2 limited edition box is very fragile. I can’t just tuck it away in storage somewhere sans the game itself, can I? I’m not that cruel.

Silent Hill 2 will forever have a special place in my heart, and my collection.

Speaking of which, what is to become of my Resident Evil 4 chainsaw controller? Common sense tells me that immigration and customs wouldn’t quite share my enthusiasm for the novelty controller in light of security and all that. What will I do if I feel the need to play RE4 whilst flailing around like a crazed Leatherface (or Dr Salvador is more appropriate, I guess). The same goes for my Tatsunoko vs. Capcom and Street Fighter 4 arcade sticks. Sure, you could look at it from the point of view that I’ll be in a country just full of arcades so I won’t need them. And you’d be right, of course. Technically I wouldn’t need them. I might want them, though.  Is that really materialistic of me?

Possibly a little too intimidating for immigration to handle.

It’s actually almost depressing that I’m this concerned with all this and I haven’t even mentioned my DVD and CD collection which is even greater to some extent. Those limited edition CDs and DVD box sets tend to take up some space, after all. Oh, and my books. I haven’t even thought of my clothes. I can always buy more clothes… limited edition items, however?

All I can say in closing on the matter is I’m glad I haven’t got Kinect yet. I’m dubious as to if my Tokyo apartment will have the room for me to work it anyway. Besides, I hear tell they’ll be quite cheap over there pretty soon.

- Sabbi Stone

Sega’s mascot has had something of a hard time ever since he first ventured out of the realm of 2D platforming and into the 3D world; the Sonic Adventure games were passable games at best, and the less said about this generation’s titles Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Unleashed, were-hedgehog and all, the better.

It appears that Sega have realised this cold hard fact and have dedicated themselves to making the sort of game that Sonic fans the world over have been crying out for. Enter Sonic the Hedgehog 4 – Episode 1, a download only title released on every major platform under the sun, that sets out to return to the glory days of high speed 2D adventures.

Sega has clearly made a big commitment to this game, this is the first Sonic game to continue the original series’ numbering, which goes a long way towards making it feel like an important title. In terms of story, Sonic 4 takes place shortly after the events of Sonic and Knuckles; after destroying Dr Robotnick’s space station (I will never call him Dr Eggman) Sonic parts company with Tails and Knuckles and sets off on another adventure, which inevitably involves being attacked by Dr Robotnick, collecting rings, and running from left to right.

Initial impressions are very good; the graphics have a wonderful clear and bright look to them, with bold colours, and Sonic moves at a controllable pace. Having said that, there is a slight issue with Sonic’s controls. In order to keep moving you need to keep pointing in the direction you want to move, even if you have been propelled forward by a spring board. This is not too much of an issue apart from when you have been launched in to the air – if you stop holding forwards at any point while in the air Sonic will immediately plummet like a sack full of hammers.

Sonic brings some of his 3D tricks with him to the 2D adventure.

While the game is very clearly influenced by the older Sonic games, there is a move in Sonic’s arsenal that has been taken from the Sonic Adventure games: the homing jump attack. Simply jump near an enemy, box, or destructible object and a red circle will appear around it. Pressing jump a second time will have Sonic automatically target that enemy/object, which proves to be a key move in clearing some of the later levels.

After beating the first level you are able to select any of the game’s other three areas and play the three acts in any order. Upon completing all three acts in an area you unlock a boss battle. Once all of the boss battles are completed you gain access to the final boss on board Dr Robotnick’s E.G.G Station.

If you manage to finish a level with at least 50 rings, and manage to jump through a giant ring, then you unlock one of seven bonus puzzle levels. The objective in each of these levels is to navigate a free falling Sonic through a kaleidoscopic maze to collect a Chaos Emerald within a set time limit. Players of the original Sonic the Hedgehog will feel at home in these bonus stages, although there is one major change. Rather than controlling the direction that Sonic moves, you control the angle of the bonus stage, turning it so as to move obstacles out of Sonic’s path.

Upon completing the bonus stages and earning all of the Chaos Emeralds you unlock Super Sonic, who can be used in every level at any point. The benefits of using Super Sonic include invincibility and super speed, which can make things a lot easier for you.

As a life long fan of the Sonic games the four main areas have a very familiar feel to them; Splash Hill Zone is like a cross between Sonic 1′s Green Hill Zone and Sonic 2′s Emerald Hill Zone, while the Casino, Labyrinth, Mad Gear, and E.G.G Station zones are clearly inspired by their respective levels from Sonic 1 through 3.

The levels in Sonic 4 take inspiration from the previous 2D Sonic games

As well as the main score based mode in which you earn points for killing enemies, collecting rings, and completing levels as quickly as possible, each level is playable in time attack mode, complete with online leaderboards. However, the leaderboards already appear to have been ruined thanks to some players out there recording impossible times, such as completing the first level in under 1 second, which devalues the whole concept of leaderboards.

The one issue I have with most of the levels is the over reliance on cheap bottomless pits that appear to come out of nowhere. I lost track of the number of times I would go pelting off a ramp at high speed, go flying through the air blindly, only to find myself falling down a conveniently placed instant death pit. At moments like this I really felt like quitting the game altogether. For a game that focuses on high speed you should probably walk through the game and meticulously plan each of your jumps, or risk developing high blood pressure.

Thankfully the developers have made it easier than ever to earn extra lives. As well as collecting 100 rings to earn extra lives you also earn extra lives for point milestones that you reach. Bonus levels in particular seem to dish out extra lives without rhyme or reason, which is not a bad thing.

Another area at which the game falls flat is in the boss battles; Sonic Team would do well to take inspiration from the Mario games. Mario’s bosses rarely take more than three hits before they are defeated, with the trick being finding the right time to attack. Sonic’s bosses take considerably more hits and require some quite precise timing in order to avoid being hit. The final boss in particular takes dozens of hits, and regularly changes his attack pattern, which becomes more and more frustrating as time goes by.

While the levels are very familiar the Labyrinth level changes things up the most

This frustration is compounded by the fact that, as with every Sonic game, every time you get hit Sonic drops all of his rings sending them flying across the screen. If you fail to collect any of the fallen rings then you will die after the next hit. In the small boss battle arenas, where you will more than likely get hit, the rings that you drop often fall off of the screen giving you no chance to collect them. Which is – you guessed it – frustrating.

Really that is the best way of describing Sonic 4 – frustrating. In its efforts to return to the good old days the developers have forsaken a number of developments that have taken place over the past 15+ years. One feature that I really missed that has been included with the online re-releases of the previous Sonic games is the ability to save at any point you want; the inclusion of quick saving relieves a lot of the pressure, allowing you to continue from where you left off to tackle particularly difficult sections, rather than having to play through from the nearest checkpoint, which could be some way away.

Review Round-Up

Graphics: 5/5 The developers are to be commended for the wonderful bright, clear, and colourful graphics. Sonic 4 really is a beautiful looking game.

Sound: 2/5 Sound effects are exactly what you would expect from a Sonic game, from the springy jump sound to the jingle from collecting a ring. However the music featured is not particularly memorable at all.

Story: 2/5 There really is not any story to speak of, but that is to be expected from an old school style Sonic game.

Gameplay: 2/5 As fun as the old school platforming is, Sonic 4 relies too heavily on cheap instant kills, and badly designed boss battles.

Longevity: 3/5 There are 17 levels, with 7 bonus stages. Each of these levels can also be completed in time attack mode, and you can compare your times with the rest of the world. Hopefully by the time this review is published Sega will have done something about the blatant cheating with some of the time scores.

Overall 3 Chaos Emeralds out of 5 - Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1 is a game that starts strongly, with some brilliant graphics and fun retro gameplay. However quickly descends in to a frustrating heap of irritating cheap instant kills. Sega’s efforts to return to ‘the good old days’ have resulted in a game has not learned from the mistakes of the past.

Sonic the Hedgehog Episode 4 is available to download right now on Xbox Live Marketplace for 1200 Microsoft points (about £10), on Playstation Network for £9.99, on Wiiware for 1500 points (about £10) and for £5.99 on iPod/iPhone.

I’ll start of by laying my cards on the table. I am a big fan of the Killzone series. Whilst I really enjoyed the initial appearance on the Playstation 2, it was Killzone 2 that sold the Playstation 3 to me. I clocked up a considerable number of hours on the multiplayer, squeezing a huge amount of value from each and every minute. I thoroughly enjoyed the single-player experience (bar a couple of minor gripes); I thought it presented a nicely paced, well designed campaign. With that in mind, when the list of exhibited games was published for London’s recent Eurogamer expo, it’s not surprising to learn that I was sparkling with enthusiasm as I read Killzone 3 would be at the show… In 3D nonetheless!

When the short, barrel-chested security operatives dressed in their Hi-Vis coats of wonder (which apparently grant the wearer +2 Obnoxiousness) finally decided to let the press in, I made a beeline straight for the cordoned off over-18 section and sat down in an empty Killzone 3 station. Before me stood one of those them-there new fandangled 3D TVs. I picked up the controller, slipped on the 3D specs and what I saw before me was… nothing.  I was the first person in and the glasses weren’t working.  I hoped this was not a portent for the rest of the game. I switched to another pair of (functional) 3D goggles and immediately dived in.

My immediate impressions of the visuals were very positive. Killzone 2 was/is a very attractive game. The graphics have always been one of the strongest in the genre and this new title seems to have upped the ante by some degree. The 3D effects were subtle and only served to enhance the already accomplished visuals, or so I thought. Then I hit my first “wow” moment. Clicking the button to look down the sights of my rifle presented me with the first and possibly best example of how the 3D technology can be used to improve the experience and actually change the game for the better. Words cannot accurately describe the effect that 3D has on this simple action but the visuals made me feel like I was the sight with the rifle pressed up against my shoulder with my target off in the distance. Objects and cover in mid-range truly existed in 3D space – I wanted to run around “scoped-in” for the rest of the game.

Accompanying me on my mission was the Killzone stalwart – Rico.  Now through the previous titles he has been one of the biggest character irritants around.  It seemed as if Guerrilla Games had elected to inflict the character with the most severe case of Torrets that the world has ever seen. I’m not prudish at all but you couldn’t walk 6 feet without another F-Bomb being dropped – a completely ridiculous and excessive use of language. Thankfully it would appear that Rico has undergone severe therapy and his language has been significantly moderated.

In Killzone 2 our foulmouthed friend could also be something of a liability, getting easily killed and lolloping around on the floor waiting for you to hit him with the defibrillator. This time around he seems a bit more useful though, as he provided more functional support and even going as far as reviving me with the defib when I had succumbed to the Helghan offensive; a marked improvement on the previous iteration of the game.

Thankfully the team A.I has been improved

Perhaps one of the biggest criticisms of Killzone 2 was the “sluggish” feel of the controls. Many described the feeling of playing KZ2 as akin to running through porridge – not something I ever had issue with personally, but it was valid enough a concern for Guerrilla to issue a patch to improve the handling. The developer’s aim had been to give the characters a tangible sense of weight, something that comes from carrying around a lot of heavy weaponry and kit. However it seems they over-cooked it for most peoples preferences. Having spent some time with the upcoming title I can say that the controls feel much lighter, as a point of reference I thought they felt a lot like Battlefield Bad Company 2’s set-up. Hopefully this will appeal to those who were put off by the feel of the last game.

The other change worthy of report is the melee system. Gone is the simple knife-swipe from Killzone 2 and now we have a context-sensitive, violent hand-to-hand system. If you’re within reach of your opponent you will knock them backwards with a swipe of your rifle butt. Then, depending upon body position, you could follow up with another, more brutal and lethal attack. My “favourite” was plunging my combat-knife into a Helghan’s eye and then giving it a sickening twist to finish him off.

Overall it seems as if Guerrilla have listened to all the criticism and feedback from players of the last game and attempted to address those issues. For the most part it seems like a refined Killzone 2 rather than a revolution. The tweaks have most certainly improved the game in its weakest areas and the implementation of the 3D graphics appears to have been done with perfect balance. If Guerilla provide the same support for the multiplayer that they did with Killzone 2, they could have even greater success with this follow up title.

Needless to say, Killzone 3 is shaping up VERY nicely

- Steve Garrett

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The 2 handheld games will be shown in greater detail once the event begins in the next few days, however it’s safe to say from the brand new screenshots on show that both are shaping up really nicely.

Final Fantasy 4: The Heroes of Light:

Final Fantasy 4: The Heroes of Light looks set to continue to bring the charm of the earlier installments of the series to the Nintendo DS

In the wake of Final Fantasy 13, Final Fantasy 4: The Heroes of Light looks set to bring the franchise back to it's roots in terms of combat

The inclusion of new mini games offers a nice change of pace

Ogre Tactics: Let Us Cling Together:

Square Enix's latest remake brings the world of Ogre Tactics back to live in a way you've never seen before

Engage in tactical combat with skeletons and other deadly foe

Verdict? Both games are looking good and will no doubt be the ones to watch for those out there that are craving yet more charming, tactical RPG’s on their handhelds. Look out for more coverage on the two games as TGS kicks off in a matter of days and stay tuned for more Square Enix related, TGS news

The Publisher went on to explain further details of the beta: “In the Multiplayer beta, players will have the opportunity to choose from nine different characters such as the doctor, the priest, the executioner or the courtesan, try their unique deadly weapons and discover their signature moves.

The beta will allow players to play as a variety of characters

Up to eight players simultaneously will be able to use new ways to assassinate their targets in two different modes:

Wanted – challenges players to get the higher score by killing their assigned targets and escaping their hunters in clever ways.
Alliance – allows players to compete cooperatively in teams of two, fulfill contracts and confuse enemies in tandem.

Both modes will be playable on two different maps located in Rome and Castel Gandolfo.”

Players will be given an early taste of strategically planning out the demise of a friend.... online obviously

Sounds pretty exciting, and quite a coup for Sony.

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is scheduled to release on November 18th 2010 on Xbox 360 and PS3. It will be available on PC in Q1 2011. Stay tuned to The Newb Review for more coverage on Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood.

All Aboard!

Throughout my gaming life I’ve always been a sucker for hype. I’ll always be the guy pushing in line at the ticket office, making sure I get two seats booked on the hype train. With videogames gaining ever more exposure in the mainstream media, it’s hard not to jump on board, and I do like to put my feet up from time to time. But more often than not the trains are shoddily built from cheap materials, and they soon derail; sometimes even before the’ve left the station.

If game developers are lucky, and have an excellent marketing campaign, they can turn an appalling excuse for a game into a work of art before it has even hit the shelves. All thanks to the hype train.

Did you ever play the original “Alone in the Dark”? Well, back in July 2008 Atari felt the need to publish a reboot of the aforementioned game, which had been six feet under for many years. Sadly, the gravedigger should’ve dug a little deeper and hammered a few extra nails into the coffin, because this is one game which, despite the best efforts of the hype train, should’ve stayed underground.

Alone in the Dark should never have been unearthed

Alone in the Dark, undead edition, was released on PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox360 and of course the Wii. What you guys probably don’t know is that, despite being strictly Xbox 360 at moment, once upon a time I too owned a Wii (I even bought it on launch night). After watching numerous trailers and reading endless articles (to be honest, I just looked at the pictures), I was looking forward to Alone in the Dark, more than any other scheduled Wii release in 2008 in fact.

It was like no game I had ever played before, and its visual style really appealed to my love of the paranormal, BUT the stupid hype train got the better of me. I got up early to buy the game on it’s first day of release, and I finished the game at around midday the same day. Yes, it was that short. There are no words to describe how terrible this game turned out to be. I consider it to be the worst game ever made and I’ll probably take that to my grave…in fact, now I think about it, I might have that as my epitaph. Anyway! Alone in the Dark single handily killed my already rocky relationship with the Wii, and it was all thanks to the f*cking hype that had surrounded it!

But, my friends, it doesn’t end there. Did you ever play an RPG game called Lost Planet? Back in 2006 it was one of my favorite games. I’ve been a fan of third-person gameplay ever since I got my grubby hands on a copy of Resident Evil 1 on my Greystation (thats Playstation 1 for those of you that aren’t cool), and shooting aliens never gets old. Combining the two, Lost Planet came with a crisp look and an abundance of huge enemies to slaughter, with a unique storyline to tie it all together.

Lost Planet 1 was awesome

The sequel on the other hand, oh boy was that a big disappointment, even bigger than it’s enemies (with are MASSIVE by the way). This time around there was a heavy focus on online co-op gameplay, something which any gamer will appreciate: exploding aliens that are larger than your house is even more satisfying when you’re with your friends, yet somehow CAPCOM failed to deliver.

However, Lost Planet 2 was marketed very well. First of all they let us all in on two very impressive demos, one demonstrating the single player aspect of the game, and another for the multiplayer, and after five minutes on both, I was sold. There was practically nothing about the game I did not like and it was hard to find reasons not to buy it on launch day. Add a nice spoonful of TV & internet advertising and it sounded like a recipe for success.

On the day of release, I was once again first in line at my local game shop; I couldn’t wait to find out what the rest of the game was like. Once again though, the hype train had hit me hard. Though my experience with the demos had been great, I just didn’t enjoy the full game as much as I had expected to. For some reason Lost Planet 2 had Lost (see what I did there?) its charm, and most of the critics agreed with me too. Capcom had made a few designs missteps which hindered the game. Camera angles were dodgy, AI was stupid, and I felt like I needed to buy some insurance for my controller because the game is so frustrating at times I almost smashed it against my cell door.

Lost Planet 2? Not so much..

So…. We’ve established that a bad game can still sell, but what about the games which don’t get the hype train they deserve? Take Batman: Arkham Asylum for instance. There have been a lot of Batman games released during Bruce Wayne’s tour of duty, but none of them had ever really met the expectations of the fans of the comic books. The films were not exactly Oscar material either mind you (Dark Knight excluded), so it was understandable when nobody really believed the hype around Batman: AA. We had videos and screenshots floating around the internet like band-aids in a swimming pool but it just never caught anyone’s attention, it was dismissed as nothing more than a Splinter Cell clone. That is until it was released in August 2009. The game was brilliant, a great success. It had solid gameplay and some of the best fighting mechanics seen in a video game for a long time. It had a cool and dark narrative, and most of all it was bloody good fun. For once, a game had exceeded everyone’s expectations and ultimately lived up to the hype surrounding it. Batman proved he was still the king of all flying rodents, and the best superhero by far.

As a consumer, by jumping on the hype train you are also becoming a sheep. All games should be judged on their own merits, but the opinion of the masses all too often overshadows everything a game has to offer. If you can get everyone on the internet raving about it, and you are lucky enough to have a TV ad campaign, you will most likely shift a metric ton of discs. That said, it will be hard to recover your reputation after gamers find out your games can’t live up to expectations. In the short term though, it’s the hype that will determine whether the latest games end up on the top shelf or in the bargain bin.

This is one of the many reasons why independent games have become so important in preserving originality throughout the gaming industry. Downloadable games from XBLA and PSN are getting better; becoming more impressive and visually spectacular as small time developers churn out more engrossing content. At the same time, these developers are not subjected to the hype which all the big wigs inevitably receive.

The fruit based title Apple Jack is a prime example. Apple Jack is a simple platformer, with the main objective being to kill all the enemies in each stage by throwing them into one other. Levels start simply enough, but quickly become challenging as you progress, introducing all manner of puzzles. Sometimes foes will be the only solution to completing a puzzle, as you use them as platforms to reach areas that would be otherwise inaccessible, while others border on the bizarre, with some levels completely covered in pandas and washing machines, as well as the return of the dreaded spiked maze.

Apple Jack.. underrated brilliance

Apple Jack is mechanically solid, and has a great sense of humour. Enemies and stages are named after British towns and counties, which is a delightful addition, and whats more, it looks fantastic. But despite how well this game was received, it amassed a hype percentage of zero: I had no idea it even existed until recently, but its one of the best indie titles out there.

Ultimately, the situation is unlikely to change. Smaller developers have smaller budgets, meaning that they have fewer options for promoting their games.  Sadly, that means that all too often they don’t get the recognition they deserve. The games industry is a circus, and creating buzz around games gives gamers a reason to be excited and journo types stuff to write about, but those that ride the hype train are going to be left disappointed. So keep your heads on, stay calm and keep your eyes and ears peeled, because whilst you drool over the brand new and the shiny, you may be missing out on some absolute gems.

In part 1, Tom sits down and has a chat with Kieran about what he got up to at days 1 and 2 of GamesCom, live from Cologne.

However in a special guest hosting slot, part 2 of this week’s podcast is presented by Mary Mears as she’s joined by husband Luke, Adam Radcliffe and Richard Burley to tell you guys what they’ve been up to and take you through this week’s community feedback.

ENJOI

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The trailer yesterday showed what Visceral Games are calling Dead Space 2’s “Epic Moments”, and I was able to have a closer look at this today. “Epic Moment” describes the more cinematic set pieces in Dead Space 2; which is an entirely new narrative element. The Halo jump saw Isaac fired towards the City Sprawl through space and having to dodge oncoming debris from the decimated cityscape.

This particular set piece was reminiscent of Lylat Wars, and ended in Isaac smashing through a plate of glass, tumbling down a kind of ventilation tube before landing on his feet at the bottom. It seems Isaac has become a lot more mercenary since the last game as he is in control throughout his freefall; quite a change from some of the skin-of-your-teeth escapes from the first Dead Space.

Isaac falls through the air with swan like grace

Another way in which the franchise has become more cinematic with this outing is with the video calls seen throughout the narrative. Whilst they were present in the first game, these videos now receive more emphasis by taking up more of the screen and being in colour. This is a minor change, but another example of how Dead Space 2 has moved away from the dank grittiness the previous title.

It’s clear at this early stage that Dead Space 2 is a dramatic departure from its predecessor. The first was built around tension, using the creepy sound design and relatively slow gameplay mechanics to create a gaming experience that had its feet placed firmly in the survival horror genre. The sequel is a lot more action oriented, with a lot more emphasis placed on the gunplay and Isaac himself very visibly sped up when compared to his first outing.

Whilst purists will despair at this news, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sure, if you’re a die-hard fan of the first game and wanted the sequel to produce the same game with a different setting, you won’t find that here. However the focus on gunplay and action feels noticeably more mainstream, and it seems that this was a conscious decision from the development team.

Dead Space 2 trades some of the survival horror instincts of it's predecessor in favour of a more action orientated feel

The transition from Dead Space to Dead Space 2 is perhaps similar to the transformation of the Mass Effect franchise seen between the first and second game. Whilst Mass Effect and Dead Space were arguably niche titles, as a hardcore RPG and Survival Horror titles respectively, Dead Space 2 is a lot more of a third person shooter.

Notably, whilst the attacks of the new enemies gave some intriguing strategy to proceedings, the feeling of struggling for survival felt in the first game was lacking. With the more powerful arsenal at Isaac’s disposal comes the feeling that you’re capable of dealing with anything the Necromorphs throw at you with relative ease; so for better or worse, the survival aspect of the Dead Space franchise has truly been left behind.

As well as Isaac being noticeably more agile, his abilities have also been amped up. The developers were keen to show us how Kinesis has evolved; it is now more responsive and easier to pull off when being attacked by the various enemies. Perhaps the most exciting new feature I was shown was the implementation of impalement. Using Kinesis you can now pick up severed limbs from enemies and use them to attack. A particular highlight was the moment I managed to pin an enemy to a wall. I’m told that it’ll be possible to pin enemies to almost any surface in the game and will bring a key strategic element to proceedings throughout combat.

Another new feature is the reimagining of Zero G sections. Whilst Dead Space saw you jump from one point to another in Zero G, without being able to use your guns or change your direction, the sequel allows full 360 degree movement using boosters attached to Isaac’s suit. On the PS3 you click L3 to perform a Zero G jump and land. Pressing R2 automatically orients Isaac within his surroundings, which is a useful feature as during more intense sections your orientation to objects can become an issue.

The Zero Gravity system has had a overhaul

Among the new enemies I was shown were the Puker, Nest and the Pack. It doesn’t take a genius to get the gist of what challenge each new enemy will deliver, but I’ll briefly go through them anyway. The Puker spits acid at Isaac, slowing his movement and damaging him if it hits. The Nest looks like a pulsing blob of flesh that fires a kind of homing missile towards Isaac. Finally the Pack bear a striking resemblance to adolescent teens and jump at you, several at a time, in an attempt to claw you from nape to chops. In fact, stick hoodies on the Pack and it’s a lot like a Friday night out in Essex.

Just like the previous title, dismemberment is the key to success in combat. But there are benefits to varying your attack style, such as shooting the head off the Puker to stop its acid spit.

The massive Boss fights of Dead Space make a return, and seem to have had a slight increase in frequency. This could have been due to the section of the game I was thrown into, but I had to deal with three of the bosses in a fifteen minute section of the game. Again, like the first game, some of the fights will be more of a straight fight; others will involve a bit more strategy and may even require that you simply escape.

The Boss fights are as epic as ever

Dead Space 2 is shaping up to be a really polished end product. Whilst the focus on action over suspense will upset some fans of the first game, I remain cautiously optimistic for a decent title.

Dead Space 2 will be released for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC on January 28^th 2011. Expect a full review over at www.newbreview.com soon.

The 60′s and 70′s had free love, the 90′s had grunge, but what does this decade have in store for us? From what I can gather already, nothing but denial. That’s right denial, everywhere you look, it seems everyone is in absolute total delusion. Everyone thinks it’s the 80′s all over again. Pretentious and damn right ridiculous looking haircuts are back in fashion, 80′s rave culture has reappeared, every time I turn on my T.V, I half expect to be greeted with a “brand new” episode of Danger Mouse or something.

But this is bad folks, we’ve come so far since then. A “wise man” by the name of Calvin Harris as recently stated “it was acceptable in the eighties, it was acceptable at the time”, and he’s absolutely right, so wake up and stop having lucid, nostalgic dreams for god’s sake. Besides, the only thing that we as a world actually got out of such a horrible decade was terrible, arty farty music (which as unfortunately also seen a recurrence), and AIDS.

Not a nice thought, I know, so let me immediately lighten the mood by stating; whilst living in denial is well…quite frankly a little depressing, this “80′s revival” has the upshot of allowing us to revisit some of our most beloved childhood memories (unless you were born before or after the 80′s in which case you’re either a dinosaur or a moon baby). It’s impossible to avoid 80′s children’s T.V nowadays because if it isn’t being plastered on the front of t-shirts in your trendy retail outlets, your memories are being desecrated by brand new, live action films, case in point the Transformers franchise.

Transformers joins the long list of 80's series undergoing revitalisation thanks to the current 80's revival

The Transformers universe has been somewhat of a reopened gold mine as of late. A brand new Transformers MMO has been announced for Asia, North Africa, the Middle East and Russia, there are brand new toys in the shops and lest we forget the brand new, Michael Bay Transformers movies that have divided opinion (I personally enjoyed them), and all the merchandising that comes with them. But as with anything that is part of so many people’s childhoods, when franchises are revisited in such a way, there’s extreme pressure on “getting it right” and being true to the source material. So imagine my own scepticism then when it was announced that a brand new Transformers game entitled Transformers: War For Cybertron was on it’s way, especially after the most recent Transformers games I had played were the terrible, aforementioned movie tie-ins.

But Transformers: War For Cybertron is different, it stands alone. It’s got no movie, T.V show or anything of the like to promote, it’s simply a Transformers game that is unashamedly self indulgent with the source material, made for the hardcore fans seemingly made by the hardcore fans and it is good, VERY good in fact.

From the outset War For Cybertron is a love letter to the original, much beloved Transformers of old. The voice cast of the original cartoons are back, delivering authentic and memorable performances, which coupled with some stunning, highly stylized, gritty, cartoon like graphics, helps bring the entire world of Cybertron to life. Believe me when I say, Optimus and Megatron have never looked better.

The Transformers are restored to their former glory

The game is also filled to the brim with modes and features, starting with an expansive campaign. Everything from it’s character models to the campaign’s story oozes tribute and delivers a compelling, immersive experience. Campaign mode sees you play as the 2 warring factions (Autobots & Decepticons), switching between at multiple points in the game. This not only ensures that everyone gets a chance to play as their favourite Transformers, (you play in squads of 3, allowing the player a choice of which Transformer they want to play as), but also allows the game to tell it’s story in a fresh, unique way, giving the player the different perspectives and angles of both factions.

Escalation is the games answer to what I guess you would now universally call “Horde mode”, however, it’s so much more than that. It would’ve been far too easy to just tack on such a mode these days, but what the people over at High Moon have done is to take the idea and add some ideas and gameplay mechanics that really help set the mode apart from other clones. Escalation requires a lot more thought, a lot more strategic planning and actively encourages team work which is somewhat refreshing nowadays. Rather than collecting Energon by killing enemies in order to recharge your special metre like in the campaign, Escalation has pumps set up all over the map, players then pump the Energon they collect into said pumps in order to buy the likes to ammo, health, new weapons or even open up new areas of the map to access Energon pumps that have more powerful weapons and the like.

The whole tactical element of rationing your Energon is something which really sets the game apart from others with a similar mode and by allowing multiple squad mates to use the same pump, togetherness and team work is promoted, essentially allowing players to buy weapons, ammo and health for each other, it’s like a hippy’s paradise…. but with robots…… and war, so infinitely better.

Join up with some from friends (or randoms) and work together to fend off waves of enemies.... with a twist!

Transformers: War For Cybertron as a package is then completed with an array of different multiplayer modes ranging from your standard deathmatch modes to game types such as “Conquest” mode which is similar to the game play of the Star Wars: Battlefront series. However a concerted effort has also been made with the game’s multiplayer modes and War For Cybertron includes some modes which are unique to the game itself. “Countdown to Extinction” sees teams plant active bombs in enemy bases whilst “Code of Power” watches teams vie for the use of a gigantic melee weapon.

All of this is made even more addicting with a Call of Dutyesque level up system. Different classes such as Leader, Scout, Scientist and Soldier all come with their own unique powers and weapons to unlock, leaving players to gain experience from playing online, unlocking new weapons and abilities and customizing their different load outs. My only issue with it’s multiplayer is the actual customization of the Transformers themselves. Sure different chassis’s can be unlocked but for me, the dream of creating my own Transformer is still only that, a dream. The customization is far too limited, you are pretty much picking pre set character models and changing it’s colours, however with the addition of DLC containing new maps and new characters, it seems High Moon Studios are committed to supporting and improving the multiplayer experience, so overall this is somewhat of a minor gripe.

My major gripe (yes I do have one), is that whilst there’s evidence of thought and implementation of new ideas and features that make War For Cybertron unique, the game overall plays like your average 3^rd person shooter. Apart from the ability to transform into a vehicle and back, there’s nothing new being brought to the table in terms of actual gameplay. That said, Transformers: War For Cybertron’s positives far outweigh it’s negatives and finally delivers a brilliant gaming experience that Transformer fans have been waiting a long time for.

At it's core the game plays like your average 3rd person shooter

Review Round Up

Graphics: 4.5/5 – In terms of graphics, the game is stunning and it really helps bring the Transformers universe into modern day gaming, my only complaint is that there’s not a lot of variety in terms of how locations look.

Sound: 5/5 – Getting the original cast of voice actors in from the animated series was a smart move. They give brilliant and authentic performances and thus help bring the world of Cybertron to life, whilst also helping to reacquaint you with old characters.

Gameplay: 4/5 – Whilst the game does nothing new in terms of it’s core gameplay and plays out like your average 3^rd person shooter. It’s story gives a definitive Transformers experience and makes up for some lack of originality with some brilliant and different multiplayer ideas.

Longevity: 4.5/5 – With the release of maps and characters as DLC, High Moon Studios are improving the games overall multiplayer and adding content to an already jam packed game. You will get a lot of hours out of this game.

Overall: 4.5/5 – Overall I give Transformers: War For Cybertron a dazzling 4.5 Dark Energon shards out of 5. A surprise hit of 2010.

[starreview tpl=16]

- Kieran Roycroft

Oh and another thing…

I was a MASSIVE Transformers fan, growing up. In fact I’m still a massive Transformers fan now. So when I heard that a new Transformers game was being made that was set during the Cybertronian civil war, with Generation One inspired character designs, chronicling the rise of the great Autobot leader, Optimus Prime; I obviously geeked out. In fact I’m still geeking out.

For those who don’t know:

• Generation One – The design and canon of the original Transformers cartoons of the ‘80s.
• Cybertron – The machine planet which the Transformers come from.
• The Cybertronian War – This was a great civil war where the faction known as the ‘Decepticons’ were formed, led by the maniacal Megatron, and tried to take over rule of Cybertron.
• Optimus Prime – The robot embodiment of ‘hero’. The leader of the Autobots aka the good guys.

There are 2 campaigns, one for each side of the war, Decepticon and Autobot with the timeline of the game beginning with the Decepticon campaign. Megatron is attempting to find and use a rare, dangerous and unstable energy source called Dark Energon. His aim: to use its power to defeat the Autobots and take control of Cybertron for himself. The Autobot campaign picks up where the Decepticon campaign finishes and Optimus Prime must rally the Autobots and use his awesomeness to stop Megatron’s evil plans. If Optimus Prime told you to do something, you would do it. Peter Cullen (the voice of Optimus) really should take better advantage of this. He’s also the voice for Eeyore in Winnie The Pooh. Just saying.

The ONLY thing these two characters have in common is there voice

As in previous Transformers games, there is an onslaught of generic robots to fight against in campaign mode. The enemy designs are varied enough to keep you interested and there are some great, unique boss battles. Some of the boss battles are truly epic in terms of visuals but they are actually pretty standard in terms of gameplay, which can probably be said for the whole game. Which is fine.

The overarching story is pretty much keeping in line with a lot that has been written about the history of Cyberton and the Civil War. They didn’t mess with the source material, in other words. They didn’t really need to as there is a lot there that most people haven’t seen anyway. The story, therefore just goes in to new detail and depth about the actual circumstances around the war. This leads to lots of exploration of the machines home planet.

Speaking of the home planet; Cybertron is made of metal and apparently they don’t have much paint on Cyberton so pretty much everything is grey and silver with varying levels of grime and shine. The lighting adds some colour but even this is pretty one dimensional with a lot of red around the Autobot city and a lot of purple in the Decepticon’s home. There are other colours in there too but it’s all too bland for me. It’s a good job that the character design is so damn good, with all of the characters resembling Generation One designs with alterations that are influenced a lot by the old full page character art that you (meaning I) used to see in the Tranformers comics and annuals in the 80’s and early 90’s. The artists also seemed to have looked at what worked well in later TV cartoon and comic designs and made some good decisions resulting in some pretty outstanding character designs that will please the hardcore.

I love this game. If you aren’t a fan of Transformers (why?) you will still like the game because it’s got giant transforming robots, great third person shooting, big guns, pretty graphics and lots of ‘splosions and stuff. But there are so many shout outs to the hardcore fans that Transformers lovers are really in for a treat. Keep the sound up high and keep looking around you for the little nods to the series and animated movie.

- Joe Finn

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-c661be842c3ffe2f6026cf06eaf7295f}
Remember when we reach 50 reviews on itunes we will pick a random reviewer and give them the game of their choice!

MP3 Download / iTunes / RSS Feed

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Four years or so have gone by since the launch of the Wii and yet the console still doesn’t have even one good FPS. Sure, Nintendo have made attempts with the aforementioned Conduit, but nothing that’s ever been good enough. Sony’s PS3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 have their own flagship FPSs in form of their Halos and their Killzones, but what does Nintendo have?

Where is Nintendo's answer to Master Chief?

Needless to say, in terms of first person shooters, Nintendo have been left behind. But all of this could change. If there was any first person shooter that needed a sequel it would be XIII. Not only was the original brilliant, it also ended with a cliffhanger, leaving room for a sequel anyway. In an age where FPSs all look and play the same, the comic book stylings of XIII would set it apart from the crowd, a true alternative, one that was on the Wii for a change.

Alas, this will likely never happen. After all, Ubisoft owns the XIII license (or at least did) so if a sequel were to ever be made it would probably be available on all formats, just like the original was. For the moment at least, lets forget about such misery and instead allow me take you back in time and talk to you about the original XIII; a game that was made for a sequel it will never get.

The opening to XIII was, and is still, one of the best opening scenes to any game I’ve ever played. The president is dead and you are the number one suspect. Problem is… you can’t even clear your name as you are suffering from amnesia; you cannot remember a thing. You awake on a beach, badly injured; you don’t know who you are, where you are or why you’ve got a mysterious tattoo of the Roman numerals for the number 13 on your shoulder. Sounds like your average night out to me.

The plot to XIII is like your average Friday night out... minus the assassinations, shoot outs, spies and corrupt government organisations

Immediately you’re thrown straight into the deep end, which despite its age is still somewhat refreshing alongside contemporary FPSs. Modern entries into the genre take far too long to get going, making you sit through drab tutorial after drab tutorial. XIII kicks off the action right away with gang members out to get you from the off. It draws you straight into to an intense, exciting world full off espionage and betrayal, giving you the necessary tutorials as you progress, thus ensuring the controls are fresh in your mind and that you are properly equipped to take on any challenge at any time.

Speaking of controls, the GameCube controller itself is somewhat of a strange beast (I’ll assume you’re playing XIII with the GameCube controller on the GameCube itself or the Wii, like I did). It’s not really designed to play any game, let alone a first person shooter, with its odd shape and its many, many buttons. However, the way XIII uses such a strange controller is brilliant. Every button, every flick of the joystick, feels extremely intuitive and accessible.

The GameCube controller is somewhat of an alien entity in itself

What makes XIII really shine is its unique graphical style. I’ll admit, at the time the game looked stunning on the GameCube; I can’t think of any game that looked better, but after recently firing XIII back up in my Wii, I can safety say it hasn’t aged well graphically. This is something you will have to look past in order to get maximum enjoyment out of the game. But whilst time has not been kind, the uniqueness of XIII’s graphics is still unparalleled.

In today’s gaming environment, graphics are at the forefront of game design (Crysis anyone?). It’s a true testament to XIII that, whilst cell shaded, comic book style games have been done to death. The game’s edgy, gritty, comic book visuals continue to set it apart from games of a similar style, let alone your generic, copy and paste shooters we have to live with today. Everything from the beautiful looking cutscenes to the actual gameplay itself is highly stylized (taking huge influence from the comic book series XIII is originally from), and utterly unique.

XIII is such a multifaceted shooter, not only does it have a brilliant story, “pick up and play” controls and a unique graphical style, but it boasts a variety of gameplay elements that help set XII apart from other shooters. Whether it be a skill/cheat system you unlock throughout the game, brilliant cover and hostage systems or gruesome skill shots that display head shots and the like in gory detail with the clever use of some comic-book-esque panels.

The game rewards players for skillful shots with some brutal, comic book panel inspired effects

A standout moment from the game is the awesome (and my personal favourite) second level in which you must escape from a bank after being framed for yet another crime: this time, setting off a bomb in one of the vaults. Of course you are innocent, so you want to escape as quickly and as quietly as possible without seriously hurting anyone.

Rather than running around shooting the place up, the game forces you to think more carefully; by using chairs and other objects you can knock out the armed police and security guards (as opposed to killing them and/or taking them hostage) which will enable you to escape without injuring anyone. The way the game effortlessly shifts between a shooter and some sort of a stealth game gives you the sense that you are in the starring role of a James Bond film… or something.

This level of variety is something which runs through the game as a whole. Whether it be the 34 singleplayer levels, the 6 multiplayer modes, playable on 14 different multiplayer maps (including up to 4 player local, en or over the internet via Xbox Live 1.0 and PS2 Online, on the Xbox and PS2 versions), or simply the huge range of weaponry at your disposal ranging from melee weapons such as ash trays, and glass bottles to AK47′s, Sniper rifles and Magnums, each with their own comic book inspired “POW!”, “BOOM!” and “”BANG!” imagery. XIII is chock full of content and variety.

There's no better way than to kill an enemy with a rocket that goes.. BAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

And that’s not all! XIII also sports brilliant use of sound, coupling a cheesy, 80′s inspired soundtrack with an awesome voice cast including Adam West (insert Family Guy reference here), and David Duchovny aka Mulder from The X-Files.

Unfortunately, whilst XIII is a brilliant example of game that has all bases covered, it’s another game that time seems to have forgotten and a sequel is about as likely as pigs flying… with wings and all that. However, if you do find yourself getting bored with the same old, generic FPSs, why not give XIII a shot? (no pun intended). Once you look past its age, you get to experience its real beauty.

- Kieran Roycroft

We at The Newb Review, are committed to bringing you the latest and greatest game related content possible. So look out for that, in the meantime though, why not continue reading the third installment in our “Adam Thinks…” series? We found this one washed ashore in a bottle, and it sees our friendly neighborhood idiot tackle the subject of achievements, trophies and the like.

What do you want? A medal or summat?

Humans are heinous, despite all of our blessings and accomplishments in life, we are never truly happy unless our achievement score is higher than the bothersome little mortals on the other end of the microphone. If you don’t get the last 10G or the only platinum trophy, your possessions, your house and even your love wont be deserved. Today fellow bipeds, I am going to talk about gamerscore, trophies and achievements, something that has been stewing in my wonderful mind for too long, and I don’t like stew, stew is horrible, it smells bad and takes too long to cook.

Stew....I don't like it.

Another meal I don’t digest easily is gamescore, it’s a steadily increasing plight, which has been laying waste to the ego’s of many a gamer for too long. In spite of previous efforts to loosen its grasp on our minds, the evil gamerscore’s grip is stronger than ever, and it’s easy to understand why.

People can become obsessed with getting every achievement a game has to offer, after all there are bragging rights at stake. When you’re talking to people from every continent around the world over the internet, that’s invaluable ammunition. You’re not just proving that you are better at shooting aliens or collecting flowers, you’re proving that the country you live in is better than the country they live in.

It’s Microsoft’s fault; Bill Gates is to blame. I can’t say I ever recall wanting to get achievements before the Xbox started its world amalgamation. Now it’s impossible to go anywhere without achieving something, forums, signatures, Facebook and most video game related websites too, it’s a conspiracy! But why has this taken off so well? After all, it’s not like we’re going to benefit from this in real life are we? NO!

Pretty much sums it up really...

In fact some achievements are so hard to get that you actually have to rearrange your life in order to have a day when you can do nothing but kill zombies for eight hours straight. Take Wipeout HD on PS3 for example, it’s one of the most beautiful looking racing games you can buy on PSN. It has a great soundtrack and solid online multiplayer, but boy is it hard, incredibly hard; it’s harder than a grave diggers…heart. I personally logged many hours on that game trying over and over again to get one trophy, so much so in fact that I actually got a little depressed and angry because I just couldn’t do it. I even lashed out at the people brave enough to enter my padded cell, the only emotions I want videos games to promote in me are happy ones, not bad ones.

A more recent racing game known as Blur is a prime example. For starters, Blur rewards you with new cars, challenges and achievements almost constantly. This makes you feel like you are always doing better, always succeeding and generally purveying that you are better than everyone else right from the start. All of this promotes a false sense of opulence; a feeling that is short lived, especially after you take it online and get your ass handed to you.

Don't play Blur, it lies to you! Just like the nurses do when they say my medication is jelly beans

However, if you’re a hardcore Nintendo fan, this isn’t a problem. In fact I want you to cast your mind back to when gamerscore didn’t exist, when Nintendo was king and Sonic was actually cool (OK, maybe that was going a bit too far but you know what I mean), remember how wonderful that time was?

Nintendo don’t have to introduce an achievement/trophy system into their games because the games they squeeze out of their magical money making machine are not exactly of a competitive nature. Their games require you to work together with friends rather than best your friends (with some exceptions). I like to think this induces a better gaming experience.

Nintendo do however reward their loyal fans in different ways. Rather than giving you points or trophies for completing in game achievements, every time you buy a Nintendo product you get “Star Points” instead. These points can be exchanged in the “Star Catalogue” for everything from desktop wallpaper, music and ringtones, to items like key-rings, calendars and t-shirts.

Nintendo Star Catalogue? I'm surprised Argos haven't sued already!

That’s what life should be like; we do well at work so we deserve a free t-shirt. Personally I would like a new thermos, but I’ll settle for stationary. Crayons are especially pleasing.

The real horror of it all though is that the day will come when achievements eventually make their way into our so-called reality. Everything you do, from changing your medication, to GBH, will earn you points. Our rep on the streets will become available to all of our enemies and Kinect will be systematically introduced into our CCTV systems.

When that day comes my friends, the world…will finally be in pieces.

Look forward to some news and community feedback as well as our regular top five feature.

Topics up for discussion include:

Some announcements from EA

The current 3D craze

And some Mass Effect 3 developments

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These days, playing all the way through a game and being completely let down by a half- hearted end boss and ending is becoming more and more common. What with developers being pressured into producing milkable cash cows rather than good games, what do you expect? Sequels, prequels, downloadable add-ons and expansions; you name it, they are in development and they are all being made at the expense of a damn good ending!

But things weren’t always like this…

Back in the late 80′s – early 90′s (or as I like to call it…”The Golden Age” of computer games) the main emphasis was solely on the end boss. This lead to some truly epic encounters. There wasn’t a need for silly achievements, points or trophies; we had all the motivation we needed. We just had to beat the game. That was enough for gamers because back then games were much harder.

Games felt like an epic journey as you battled your way through, offing tough end-of-level bosses that crossed your path until finally reaching the absolute pinnacle: the end of game boss. Auto-saving checkpoints? Pahaha! Don’t make me laugh! Helpful in-game tutorials? Not a chance: read the f*cking manual! That was the kind of time we lived in and that’s what made games so special. It’s such a shame that this “retro aesthetic” is lacking from games of new. However as long as franchises like the Mega Man franchise continue to exist, it will live on.

No other series personifies the “retro aesthetic” more than the Mega Man franchise. Not only is every Mega Man game extremely tough (FACT!) but they also serve as the perfect reminder of how awesome retro game bosses could be. Take Mega Man 2 for example. The game itself follows the traditional Mega Man formula: Mega Man must defeat an array of robots created by an evil scientist, collecting some of their various traits along the way, before the final showdown with the anonymous scientist himself.

The whole journey you must take as Mega Man is one of epic proportions. Battling your way through the various themed levels (which is no mean feat itself considering how tough some of them can be) and defeating the end of level bosses (such as Bubble Man and Heat Man), builds for a truly epic final battle with Dr Wily. This is just something you don’t see in games anymore.

Haha...his name is Wily....that looks like Willy...which is another word for penis...teehee!

And Dr Wily, whilst anonymous until you actually get the chance to fight him, is utterly memorable. Again, this is something you don’t really see in modern gaming anymore. I mean, when was the last time you fought someone as memorable and as iconic as Bowser, Dr Robotnik or even Mecha Hitler from Wolfenstein 3D? That’s right, it was a while ago. Well, that’s if you can even remember any at all. They just don’t make end of game bosses like they used to.

Quite possibly the boss of all end bosses, Mecha Hitler!

It seems modern day gaming is all about style over substance. So much effort is poured into graphical trickery and what a boss looks like rather than actually making the final fight enjoyable. After all, the perfect end boss should not only look incredible, but also have character, instill emotion, be fun and unique to fight, be difficult but not too difficult and provide perfect closure (I don’t ask for much do I?).

This point is possibly best demonstrated by Epic’s Gears of War 2. Don’t get me wrong, Gears of War 2 is a brilliant and incredible looking game. However it has quite possibly one of the worst end of game bosses I’ve ever had the misfortune of encountering. The Mutated Brumak boss sure does look splendidly grotesque (all in 1080p, HD awesomeness), but it’s also extremely boring, weak and disappointing: a bitter end to a brilliant game. Epic got it so right in Gears of War 1 with General RAMM, it’s just a shame that they couldn’t deliver “the goods” in it’s otherwise improved sequel.

Another trend that I’ve noticed, and this really bugs me, is that quite often than not developers will just ramp up the difficulty right at the end in order to make the end boss seem far more powerful (Killzone f*cking 2). Again, this harks back to retro games, because old games are renowned for being notoriously hard. The difference is that they were extremely tough to play all the way through. They didn’t have a huge difficulty spike right at the end like a lot of modern games do.

Killzone 2's Radec is one hard motherfudger!

A game should have a finely balanced difficulty curve. Because retro games were consistently hard it meant that whilst the games were tough, they were consistently tough. This created a finely balanced, progressive difficulty. It seems developers these days neglect all of this. By just making the last boss extremely hard, all difficulty balance goes out of the window. What you’re left with is a player who gets frustrated, having to try and try again until eventually they just give up.

This all culminates in the player wasting countless hours playing and never sees the end. Where is the logic in that?! At this rate developers won’t even bother with endings. They’ll all start making end bosses that no one could ever beat, that way they wouldn’t have to waste time thinking up a proper ending because no one would ever see it. This may sound crazy but I guarantee in a few years I’ll be proven right.

In fact, creating even a passable end boss is such a fine art that some of the gaming worlds most influential, famous and highly regarded pieces of work are guilty of muffing it all up. Case in point, widely accredited as being one of the best games of all time; Final Fantasy 7. Whilst gamers are more often than not recalling all their favourite moments that made the game so memorable, they often forget how truly awful the last boss actually was. Final Fantasy 7 did the exact polar opposite of what I have just been talking about. Rather than making their last boss crushingly hard, beating Sephiroth was far too easy. Rewarding players with Cloud’s final limit break, even if they hadn’t previously unlocked it, made the battle essentially a one hit kill. Not very clever considering you’ve built up to this epic battle over three bloody discs!

And that’s not all, what about the dedicated players? What about people like me that played the game for hours… and hours… and hours… and hours… and… well, you get the picture. We unlocked every limit break, found every summon, maxed-out levels, collected all the materia and beat every enemy. And for what? I’ll tell you; absolutely nothing.

Even the mightiest fall...

But I’m sad to say that Final Fantasy 7 is only the start. What about gaming’s most iconic character? What about Mario? That’s right, even the Super Mario Bros. franchise is guilty of dropping a stinker from time to time. Proof that retro games also suffered from the curse of rubbish end of game bosses is Super Mario Bros 1.

Whilst Bowser may be memorable, your first encounter with him in Super Mario Bros 1 is extremely brief. Much like Final Fantasy 7, an epic battle is built up as you go from castle to castle in search of Princess Peach, who is being held by Bowser. However, once you come face to face with the monster it becomes far too easy, quite literally a hop, skip and a jump actually. You simply wait for him to walk onto the bridge, jump over him and walk into the axe to chop the bridge down and send Bowser to a fiery death. Talk about underwhelming.

It’s not all doom and gloom though folks. Thankfully there are developers out there who still care about what matters the most; the final encounters. The Zelda series has always had great end bosses. However, at the end of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, we’re shown that modern games can get end of game bosses right sometimes. Ganon represents a truly epic battle built over the entire course of the game that requires some skill to prevail. The difficulty is just right and ends fittingly with a beautiful stab to the head. This is the stuff that dreams are made of.

Wind Waker's showdown with Ganon is nothing short of brilliant.

It’s just unfortunate that quite often, these are nothing more than dreams. What we actually have to play is more like a nightmare.

- Kieran Roycroft

Along with the regular features of Top 5, What we’ve been playing, our Earth Worm Jim HD competition results and we give away a Medal of Honour beta code.

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For an MP3 copy of the show, right click the link and choose Save As.
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If you’d like the show notes, click the more button.

[H:MM:SS] – Show Notes
——————–
Opening Song (Track 3 – Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia OST)

[0:00:41] – Introductions + Special Guest

[0:05:28] – Microsoft Press Conference

[0:40:11] – EA Press Conference

[0:55:13] – UbiSoft Press Conference

[1:06:44] – Nintendo Press Conference

[1:27:20] – Sony Press Conference

[1:57:30] – Top 5 Most Anticipated Games From E3 2010
-The Trailer for Dust: An Elysian Tail

[2:37:52] – Wrap Up
-The Wiki Link for Parasite Eve

[2:41:13] – End

They talk all about Move. Killzone 3 is unveiled in fantastic 3D (which can’t be seen over the internet).

And will Kieran lie about anything he saw in an attempt to trick Tom?

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With E3 fast approaching, The Newb Review has taken the opportunity to look back over the years to see the kind of excitement to come out of E3′s past, to predict what we could be seeing in the near future.

This year marks E3s 15th anniversary as well as the 15 year anniversary of a much maligned and often forgotten console, the Sega Saturn. Luckily enough for you, our devoted readers, our very own Alan Parish is quite a fan of the Sega Saturn.

Thus, he has decided to put together an article to explain exactly why he feels the Sega Saturn does not deserve the derision it so wrongfully receives, and attempt to explain exactly why it failed oh-so spectacularly.

SO WHAT WENT WRONG?

One of Sonic Teams more interesting 3D games

WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT SATURN?

Dragon Force had an unprecedented number of characters on screen at once

As well as these unique and interesting games, the Saturn was easily the best console for arcade conversions such as Street Fighter Alpha 2, Metal Slug and all of Sega’s own arcade games.

I think the one thing I really like about the Sega Saturn is that it wasn’t afraid to be different. Whilst it does have it’s fair share of PlayStation ports, the best and most interesting games were only available for the Saturn.

Given how safe the industry has become in recent years; churning out shooter after shooter and constantly rehashing old ideas, it’s nice to go back to the Saturn and play something that was daring and risky. This is the reason I love the Saturn and at the same time possibly the reason it failed. Daring adventurous games don’t always sell. It’s also worth noting that Shenmue started life on the Sega Saturn.

It’s a phenomenon that has existed for years, but is becoming more and more common as the games market expands. I am of course talking about expensive Collector’s Edition copies of the latest new release.

It seems every developer these days is releasing a high priced “limited edition” complete with in-game bonus items, books, soundtracks, short making of DVDs, and little action figures.

Until recently I loved them; my home is littered with all sorts of crap that I have picked up over the years through purchasing limited editions. In my Bedroom you could find Bayonetta’s Gun, a plastic Batarang, and a pewter Big Daddy statue (to name a few examples) cluttering up the place.

It is clear that publishers and developers have realised there is a very strong demand for Collector’s Editions, especially if they come with “exclusive” content. I don’t think it would be too unfair to say that the average hardcore gamer, the sort of person that jumps at the chance of buying the latest games on release day, has some geeky tendencies in him/her.

Average game. Below average Collector's Edition.

The words “limited” and “exclusive” are banded about when describing these products, and are probably enough to get any fanboy’s pulse racing, fearing that this rare treasure may soon disappear. Deep down that’s exactly how I feel when I read the details of the latest Collector’s Edition version of a game I’ve had my eyes on.

However, more often than not, these collector’s editions are released at a premium price, but come in exceptionally poor quality packaging with mediocre additional content at best.

Of course, every now and then a collector’s edition comes along and makes everything better again; take for instance the recent Alan Wake Collector’s Edition. The package included the game, a 100 odd page book that filled in some of the back story behind the events of the game (including samples of Alan Wake’s own writing), a making of DVD that also unlocks developer commentary mode in the game, two premium themes for your dashboard, Avatar awards, and the soundtrack, all wrapped in a hollowed out book. For the price I paid, a mere £40, it was completely worth it.

A Fantastic Bargain at £40

And yet, for every Alan Wake Collector’s Edition there are about half a dozen Red Dead Redemption Collector’s Editions. Now don’t get me wrong, I love the game as much as anyone else out there, but the Collector’s Edition, which I foolishly purchased, was the text book definition of a waste of money.

For £50, it shipped with a download code that entitled you to three pieces of downloadable content: Golden Guns, which increase your fame slightly, the War Horse, a steed that has better stamina regeneration, and the Deadly Assassin outfit, which refills your Dead Eye Metre a little bit faster.

Also included is a download code for the game’s Soundtrack. Let me reiterate; a download code. They couldn’t even be bothered to put it on a CD and slip it in the case. And yet it cost £10 more than the plain old regular version of the game.

If that wasn’t bad enough, I discovered that half of my downloadable content is not available right from the get go; in fact, in order to unlock the Deadly Assassin outfit you have to meet a number of in-game goals, and progress through the story beyond a certain point. It’s not the end of the world, but it is an irritation.

I don’t mean to single Red Dead Redemption out, they are not the only ones releasing crappy Collector’s Editions that fools such as myself keep buying; who can forget the “special edition” Dead Rising, with the only special feature being that it came in a tin case at a £10 premium, or the infamous Batman Arkham Asylum special edition that came with a bonus challenge map, a 10 minute DVD, a short book with character designs in it, and a cheap plastic Batarang on a stand.

To make matters worse, the copy of the game itself was packaged in a flimsy cardboard box, with a faux wooden finish, almost as if they wanted to emphasise how cheap it looked.

A Fantastic Game, But An AWFUL Collector's Edition

Of course no one is forcing people to buy these Collector’s Editions – it’s not like burley men in black kicked down my door and dragged me to my local retailer, forcing me to hand over my hard earned cash for some rubbish downloadable content. But at the same time I have to wonder, how long can this last? How long can Publishers, Developers and Retailers expect to rip people off before they start getting wise to what constitutes a good deal?

To play devil’s advocate for just a brief moment, it cannot be easy for Publishers and Developers trying to find good content for their Collector’s Editions. I would imagine that most game developers are too busy working hard to get the game out on time to spend time sitting in front of a camera talking about how wonderful their game is going to be.

When you take in to account things like Electronic Arts’ Project $10, which offers everybody that buys a new copy of one of their games about $10 worth of free downloadable content, what else do they have the time to make and cram in to the special editions? These DVDs and books don’t just magically turn up out of nowhere, they cost money, and people have put in time and effort in order to craft these bonus items.

A Very Good Collector's Edition For A Not So Great Game

Calling for a blanket boycott of all Collector’s Editions will do little else but deprive Publishers of much needed extra income. Having said that, however, there are a number of ways in which things could go in the future if we stopped buying the bad Collector’s Editions. The best case scenario is that the involved parties take a good hard look at their product and strive to put out better Collector’s Editions.

On the other hand, the involved parties may decide that Collector’s Editions are not profitable and they stop producing them all together. It’s not going to happen overnight, but one day maybe we won’t even have the option of buying expensive variants of our games that come with a load of old tosh. And that would be a real shame.

–Luke Mears–

If this were the practice in any other industry, there would be a number of lawsuits flying about the place, but not in our industry. As such, The Newb Review thought it was time to honour five titles that have contributed the most to the realm of videogames over the past decade.

So, in no particular order, let’s get this party started.

Halo: Combat Evolved

Game: Halo: Combat Evolved
Format: Xbox, PC
Developer: Bungie Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Games Studios

When Microsoft’s first foray in to console gaming; The Xbox, was released, there was only one title that made the machine worth getting at launch. That game was Halo: Combat Evolved (or just plain Halo to the kids). But what exactly was so revolutionary about this first person shooter?

Those of us that are old enough can cast our minds back to the early days of console first person shooters, with titles such as Goldeneye, Medal of Honour, or the various ports of Doom or Duke Nukem. As great as they were, they do not exactly stand the test of time.

Halo, however is still infinitely replayable, as it has effectively defined the console first person shooting experience.

A revolution... Vehicle Combat that is actually fun!

Major innovations:

 Gigantic open levels: While the opening act of the game featured typical corridor based shooting, the game completely changed once the ship crashed on the Halo world. Remember the exhilaration of venturing out of the escape pod and finding a massive world for you to explore? It was mind blowing.

 Vehicle combat: Sure, plenty of games had vehicle sections in them, but more often than not these seemed like an afterthought. Where Halo differed is that the vehicular combat actually felt like an integral part of the game. The smooth controls you associate with first person shooters were successfully transferred over to the vehicles, which made coming across an abandoned Warthog something to look forward to, rather than dread.

 Recharging health: Before Halo if you were unfortunate enough to get shot then the only way you could recover was by using health packs. Not only did Halo introduce the recharging shield, but they also introduced the idea of recharging health. You know the drill. Shot up? Crouch behind cover and wait for your health to come back. It was, and still is, an empowering thing of beauty.

 Intelligent enemies: Gone were the days of enemies simply charging at you down a corridor. No, the artificial intelligence was astounding; enemies would regroup together, hide behind cover and even discuss tactics with each other.

 Incidental character dialogue: Every character that you came across, be they friend or foe, had their own voice and dialogue. Sure a lot of the time it would just be generic military jargon related to the mission, but compare that to the dialogue in previous first person shooters. Perfect Dark’s infamous “why… me?” springs to mind.

Game: Grand Theft Auto 3
Format: Playstation 2, PC, Xbox
Developer: DMA Design (Now Rockstar North)
Publisher: Rockstar Games

It is hard to believe that the Grand Theft Auto series was anything but a 3D open world game. Yet it wasn’t until the fifth game in the series, GTA: 3, that we saw the arrival of the ultimate 3D open world game. A sprawling environment full of people in which you could do anything you wanted. Is it any wonder so many other titles took inspiration from it?

The epitomy of freedom.

Without GTA:3 it is likely that we would never have seen games such as Saints Row, The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, The Godfather, Spiderman 2, or Crackdown.

Major Innovations:

 Absolute Freedom: Playing as the nameless and voiceless thug who escapes from Prison after being set up by his girlfriend on a bank job, you could do almost whatever you wanted. You did not have to do the missions, you could just wander the streets taking in the atmosphere. Or, you know, you could just fire off a ton of rockets at passing traffic.

 Celebrity Voice Acting: While subsequent games have had big names such as Sam Jackson and Dennis Hopper lending their vocal talent, GTA 3 started the trend by hiring actual actors, such as Michael Madsen, to bring the characters to life. What a difference it made.

 Unmatched Atmosphere: Liberty City actually felt like a real breathing city. The streets were populated with people, and there were always cars on the streets, even late at night. Every street in town had its own feel, and after a few hours driving around it became easy to navigate your way around town.

 Licensed Music: GTA:3 featured an unprecedented number of real world songs on the in-game radio station, which was pretty much unheard of at the time. I’ll never forget getting in to my first car and being treated to Paul Engemann’s “Push it to the limit” from the movie Scarface. Pure. Genius.

Game: Shenmue
Format: Dreamcast
Developer: Sega AM2
Publisher: Sega

Technically, Shenmue was originally released in Japan in 1999, so it is slightly outside our time frame. However, the European version of the game did not appear until December 2000, so we’ll let it slide.

Playing as Ryo Hazuki, you were on a quest to discover the identity of your father’s murderer, and to get revenge. The game itself revolved around walking through town and asking the residents questions. If GTA:3 is the representation of western inner city life, then Shenmue is the embodiment of a quiet sleepy Japanese town; slow and dreary for some, but a real gem to others.

Press A to jump, or alternatively you can just watch Ryo stymble over the boxes.

Major Innovations:

 Quick Time Events: Love them or hate them, without Shenmue we would not have the quick time event. A symbol flashes on screen, giving you a few moments to press the corresponding button or face disaster.

 A real working town: The town of Yokosuka was populated with dozens of characters, each with their own voices. Sure, some would brush you off if you tried talking to them, but they all felt like real people. They even had their own schedule that they stuck to, so you wouldn’t come across kids playing baseball in the streets at 2am for instance.

 Life as we know it: Ryo felt like a real living person. He had to eat, sleep, and even get a job. To some, this was a headache that got in the way of the quest, but to me it really made me believe that Ryo was an actual person.

Game: Gears of War
Format: Xbox 360, PC
Developer: Epic Games
Publisher: Microsoft Games Studios

Another flagship Xbox title, although this time a flagship title for the second Xbox, the Xbox 360. Taking on the role of Marcus Fenix, a grizzled rectangular pile of man meat, you must fight against the underground menace of the Locust; an equally burley, pale race of beasties that are trying to wipe out humanity. So far so generic, but what Gears of War lacks in terms of narrative it makes up for with some truly influential gameplay.

Meet generic space grunt 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Major Innovations:

 Cover: Do I need to say anything more than duck and cover? Sure, Gears of War did not invent the idea of a cover system, whereby the character you control ducks behind an object and uses it to shield from enemy fire, but it certainly popularised it.

 Burly Space Marines: It seems every game these days has burley space marines covered from head to toe in generic looking armour. Thanks Gears. Thank you very much.

 Co-op: As our consoles have become more and more complicated it seems developers have favoured leaving out a once mandatory feature: split-screen and local co-operative play. Not Gears of War; as well has having two player split-screen co-op throughout the entire game, you could also team up with a friend over Xbox live. Before Gears it was rare, now it is an industry standard.

Game: Resident Evil 4
Format: Gamecube, Wii, PC
Developer: Capcom Studio 4
Publisher: Capcom

Capcom’s fifth console Resident Evil game (The Resident Evil Survivor series don’t count, thank you very much) Resident Evil 4 saw the franchise getting a major overhaul in terms of gameplay. Gone were the static camera angles, rigid controls, and ammunition conservation and in came a new over the shoulder camera angle, and a plethora of amply supplied weapons.

This was a good thing too because we no longer had the shambling zombies of days gone by. In their stead we were given Los Ganados; frantic, deadly and all too human. Not only did Resident Evil 4 breathe new life in to the flagging series, it also reinvented the third person shooter.

Shooting the heads off of the Spanish has never been so easy

Major Innovations:

 Over the Shoulder: Before Resident Evil 4, the camera angle in third person games tended to be squarely behind the protagonist’s head, which often made fast paced combat situations difficult to say the least. Now, with this shifted camera angle, combat could become more manageable.

 Wii Motion Controls: When Resident Evil 4 was re-released on the Nintendo Wii and came with all new motion controls. Before this point the Wii did not have a decent third person shooter, and some speculated that it was impossible. Resident Evil 4 not only demonstrated that motion controls worked perfectly well in an action game, but may very well make the gameplay even better.

And there we have it, our pick for the Five Most Influential Games of the Past Decade. Of course, with any such subject there are bound to be a few titles that we felt were incredibly influential but just did not quite manage to make it past the finish line in time.

Let us present our Runners Up:

Game: Jet Set Radio
Format: Dreamcast
Developer: SmileBit
Publisher: Sega

This game inspired the likes of XIII, Borderlands… Wacky Races. Ok, so it wasn’t exactly revolutionary, but the first cel-shaded game certainly caused quite a stir and goes down as one of the greatest Dreamcast titles of all time.

The game follows a gang of “rudies”; young people who skate around town spraying graffiti as a form of self-expression. Along the way, you can bolster the ranks of your gang with new members by completing skating challenges against them and ultimately uncover a plot involving a mystical vinyl record with the power to summon demons.

The life of a street punk is a glamourous one

I know it sounds crazy; kids on roller skates graffiti-ing up the place whilst being chased by cops and gangsters, but that’s exactly the point. This is charming, Japanese fantasy, superbly implemented and incredibly fun.

Rumours of an XBLA release have caused quite a storm on the forums and especially amongst the staff here at The Newb Review. If this doesn’t get the re-release we all want it to, I strongly recommend you pick up a second hand Dreamcast and a copy. You can thank me later.

- Tom “tom01255″ Wallis

Game: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Format: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii
Developer: Infinity Ward
Publisher: Activision

Modern Warfare presented the culmination of a growing relationship between the once loved publisher and Infinity Ward. Seemingly grasping the Holy Grail of simultaneous critical acclaim and astronomic sales, it was clear that this game was something special.

Infinity Ward’s legacy seems to be entwined with this title; whenever anyone mentions the COD series, it’s inevitably the Modern Warfare franchise they talk about over any of the World War II based outings.

One of the most successful (and imitated) games of all time.

The story was short, but epic; placing you in the shoes of several different operatives involved in a war against Russian terrorists. The narrative also managed to shock on an emotional level; invoking a strange feeling of grief when a playable character witnesses a nuclear explosion and kicks the bucket.

However, it was the multiplayer where the game really shined. Still a fantastically popular title online, Modern Warfare tapped into a need for all gamers to feel as though they were bettering themselves; by having unlockable guns and attachments, the game enticed gamers to spend hour upon hour improving their account and reaching that 10th prestige level.

With Modern Warfare, Infinity Ward built an empire. It’s just a shame Modern Warfare 2 couldn’t amaze us in the same way.

- Tom “tom01255″ Wallis

Game: God of War
Format: Playstation 2
Developer: SCE Studios Santa Monica
Publisher: Sony

It’s hard to believe that there have only been four God of War games over the past decade. I say that because there has been a seemingly endless number of games that have taken inspiration from this brilliant series of games.

Just take a look at EA’s recent release Dante’s Inferno; would that even exist without God of War? It could be argued that God of War almost singlehandedly revitalised the hack and slash genre (although some credit must be given to Capcom’s Devil May Cry series too).

The format is simple: A burley man (in this case Kratos) runs around fairly large yet linear levels, armed with a plethora of bladed weapons, and cuts a sea of mythical enemies into mince meat.

Chuck in some light logic-based puzzles, usually involving cranks and pullies, and have the player search off the beaten path for collectables that upgrade your abilities and there we have it, the epitome of the hack and slash genre.

Kratos is pretty tasty.

The God of War series is also known for its epic boss battles, which always culminate in the Quick Time Event finale, complete with suitably gory conclusion. And don’t forget the health dosage of quick time sex mini games and an ample showing of breasts.

Actually when put that way, you can completely see why so many game developers have reacted the way they have to God of War. It is the ultimate teenage boy fantasy game. And God (of war) bless it.

Why would I spend my hard earned money on virtual clothes?

When I can go out and buy REAL attire, which would make me more attractive to the ladies and even a little bit more like a normal human being. Well I don’t know why, but I have been buying Nike, Diesel, Adidas, burton and even GAP clothes in video games for various doppelgänger’s regardless.

I often wonder what the point is, when for starters nobody else in the world of my xbox live friends list would think twice about weather my avatar is wearing this seasons underpants.

And nobody in the cold empty and utterly boring Playstation Home’s virtual mall cares for the furniture in my virtual house on a Caribbean island. I should be out in my real shopping mall, meeting real people and possibly real women, to take back to my real house and show off real furniture from ikea.

But reality or not, retail therapy feels good, and that’s probably why its a good business, I think my generation of games has more or less made character customization and essential part of any new releases; something which, if left out, can even land the developers in a steaming pile of complaints from fans who expected better. And I agree with the fans wholeheartedly as I do enjoy changing the hues of my power armor and super suits.

Annoyingly, just like in real life, it’s impossible to put together an outfit which is entirely unique, because there is always some other pretender out there who has bought the same outfit or the same pet, same house, same everything. Essentially meaning that when you’re by yourself, you are captain cool, the freaking fonz man, yeah when I’m in my pad with all the items I have earned or unlocked though games, I’m the freaking don. But as soon as I step out into the lobby or go browsing everyone else’s avatars so i can judge them, I am just another schmuck like the 15 other schmucks with the same pink t-shirt and top hat.

That might sound bitter but the fact is, I like to think of myself as a man apart, and that’s the way I like it inside my television. You could say that’s big headed, but that’s because my head is bigger than yours, no hat ever made has been able to comfortably sit over the circumference of my cranium, FACT. So I buy artificial hats, I can live out the feeling of a warm crown or a shaded brow though my avatars.

“What about avatar games” I hear you say? Surely games like Ages of Booty, Avatar Golf and even Baby Maker Extreme justify spending your Microsoft points on all manner of costumes, because with these games I can actually see my avatars doing stuff. Not just procrastinating in my friends list, but actually in a game where I can interact with them. WELL YOU’RE WRONG!

So far the XBox live market place has yet to fabricate a half decent avatar game, and by half decent I mean it should have minimum 20 hours gameplay; lots of unlockable avatar rewards, plenty of achievements which are not easy to get but not too hard and a story would be nice as well.

I have always thought that the best way to get the general public to buy clothes, pets or props for your Sony or Microsoft double is to make the online shopping experience more exciting than real life; something which no console or PC has yet to master.

And that’s why Sony and Microsoft have failed to make any money.

Its not a waste of money, what you’re really wasting is time, lots and lots of time.

The guys tackle all the usual stuff with news of Bungie joining the Darkside (Activision) and Call of Duty: Black ops. Question: How does a gaming podcast get to talk about The Incredible Hulk’s penis? I don’t know either but the guys manage it somehow. Download the show and listen to find out more.

Also, leave us an iTunes review and you’ll be in with a chance of getting a game of your choice as one lucky reviewer will be picked at random once we reach 50 reviews.

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Leave us a review in iTunes and when we reach 50 reviews will will draw a name out of the hat and send that person a game of their choice (within reason – no band packs, imports, special editions etc)

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No one can deny that Heavy Rain is a divisive game. Some would even go so far as the argue that it isn’t even a real game thanks to its focus on storytelling over traditional gameplay. I personally found it to be one of the most tense, enthralling, and emotionally engaging titles I have played in a long time. So when downloadable content was announced for this brilliant game I felt compelled to get my hands on it.

Rather than continuing after the events of the main story, The Heavy Rain Chronicles are the equivalent of DVD deleted scenes, taking place at different points in the game; perhaps thinking of them as lost chapters would be a more suitable comparison. The first downloadable chapter, The Taxidermist has resident journalist Madison Paige investigating a potential Origami Killer suspect, a Taxidermist named Layland White, that lives out in the suburbs. It is never really said why she suspects him of being the Origami Killer, all we know is her editor says he is a suspect and that’s it.

Upon inspecting White’s front door, and finding it to be locked, with no signs of anyone home, it’s up to you to find a way to break into his home and conduct your own investigation. As with the rest of Heavy Rain, there are a number of ways this downloadable content can go. Ideally, you want to explore the house and leave no signs behind that you have even been there. Upon securing entry to the ground floor you can open cupboards, examine the contents of the fridge, and his fireplace. Other areas to explore include the secluded garage, and the upstairs of the house, which holds a gruesome secret.

The Taxidermist's home has that perfect Psycho feel to it

Of course, as you would expect in a thriller, just when you find all the evidence you need and are about to make your escape, the Taxidermist returns home. As fun as the exploration and mild detective work is, the real tension in this add-on comes from your attempts to escape the house without the Taxidermist discovering that you are there. On my first attempt I failed miserably. Having decided that the best course of action was to hide myself inside a large wardrobe, which was performed by holding down several buttons at once, I soon developed a painful cramp in my hand and had to let go of the buttons, which caused me to fall out of the cupboard at exactly the wrong time; just as the Taxidermist was walking past the room. After a brief chase, in which I ran down a dead end, the Taxidermist quickly gutted me, which brought an end to the expansion.

The terrible secret is pretty obvious from the outset

At this point the game reveals that the way in which I had just completed the game was merely one of five possible outcomes, and invited me to load up a check point in order to try to obtain a different ending. Two of the other endings were fairly obvious, while the final two took a little bit of exploration and logical thinking to figure out. If you are the sort that prefers not to tax the logical side of your brain too much, then a quick google search should turn up a guide. There is also a slight issue with detachment; anyone that is playing this add on will probably already have finished the main story and already know who the killer is. As such, this search for the Origami Killer, who we already know is not the Taxidermist, comes across as being a bit redundant.

Review Round-Up

Graphics: 4/5 Much like the actual game itself, the graphics range from the sublime to the shockingly bad in places. The design of the Taxidermist’s house is incredibly atmospheric and gives off an incredibly creepy vibe.

Sound: 4/5 The music is reminiscent of your typical Hollywood thriller, and is successful in enhancing the already tense atmosphere.

Gameplay: 3/5 As with the rest of Heavy Rain, the game is a cross between a sort of old school point and click adventure, and fast paced quick time button presses. The first two sections of this add on are fairly straight forward; section one has you exploring the outside of the house in order to find a way in, while section two has you snooping around the Taxidermist’s home. The real meat of this expansion comes in the final segment, in which you must try and escape from the Taxidermist’s home.

Longevity: 2/5 While there are five possible outcomes, on my first play through I had completed the add on within 10 minutes. Subsequent play throughs took less time, as I knew exactly where to go in order to trigger the Taxidermist’s return home. While you can explore every nook and cranny of the Taxidermist’s home, there really is little reason to beyond the first play through.

Overall: 3 Stuffed Owls out of 5. While this add on exemplifies everything that is right with Heavy Rain, it also features the same weaknesses. Although there are five possible endings, most may not bother searching them out, if only because the add-on feels a little detached from the main game.

[starreview tpl=16]

Leave us a review on iTunes. When we hit 50 reviews we will give a game of your choice* to one random reviewer.

Don’t forget you can get in touch with the show – podcast@newbreview.com

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* No silliness like Guitar hero bundles, limited edition

I always thought that multiplayer card games often made very poor transitions into the video game world.  Just take a look the numerous Trading Card Games that have tried and failed to replicate the fun that can be had flipping cardboard  – Yugioh, Vs. System, Eye of Judgement, Magic The Gathering  (OK, so I hear that last one is pretty good).  So UNO isn’t a TCG, but it is a multiplayer card game nonetheless. This videogame version of the popular card game proves that if you work hard at it, you can produce a game that is fun on consoles.

UNO has been played in many shapes and forms for years now.  I remember during my time at college we used to play a version that involved a lot of very painful penalties that resulted in a lot of cuts and abrasions!  At its heart though, UNO is a very simple card game that revolves around discarding your hand before your opponents can.  Various “wild cards” can be used to affect your opponents hand or ability to play cards.

The game has a basic, wii-style character creater which is fairly limited but adequete.  You can play singleplayer, local multiplayer or online multiplayer.  The local multiplayer is a bit daft as you get to see your opponents cards on screen and as such can plan your strategy (pro tip – don’t play like this with your wife because she will either get angry that you beat her because you could see her cards or she will be angry because you let her win).  The single player takes you through a campaign of sorts with games of varying rules, increased opponent count and difficuilty.  The real fun comes from the online multiplayer which is completely lag free and a real joy to play.  It makes a refreshing change from calling in a mortar strike on some random PSN id or having a complete moron rage quit when they’re losing 3-0 against Luton Town on FIFA.

I challenge you to look at these graphics for more than 10 minutes without seeing rainbows for the rest of the day

The graphics are very Wii-Like with a lot of bright, garish colours. As you progress through the single player you will unlock more of these obnoxious card-backs and wallpapers which try to beat your eyes into submission. This is probably a deliberate design element: an attempt to put you off your game to compensate for the relatively week AI in the single player mode. In spite of a few glaring limitations, this game is extremely entertaining; especially when played multiplayer. For such a small game it delivers a huge amount of enjoyment and I whole heartedly recommend it.

Review Round Up

Graphics: 3/5 Cute, cartoony but with a colour-scheme that could give you nightmates

Sound: 3/5 A nice little tune ticks along in the background but it can become a little repetitive after a while.

Gameplay: 4/5 Great fun if you’re looking to take a break from ripping the eyes out of mytholgical beasties.

Longevity: 4/5 People have been playing UNO for years, nothing here works against that.

Overall: pick up 3.5 cards /5. A really nice PSN game.  A bargain at the price although it does promote sexism, racism and violence*

*Disclaimer – it does none of these things.  This is just a dig at Alan Titchmarsh and that daft cow on his daytime bilge who claim video games are going to destroy society.

Now, back in the present, our nameless hero is offered the chance to rejuvenate his grandfather’s farm. No payment, no agreement, no property agents involved… nothing. You’re just given the land and home with the verbal acknowledgement that if within three years you haven’t revived the farm to its former arable glory, you leave.

This wasn’t the point that resonated with me the most, though. What I really loved was the sense of community. There you were, a near stranger to the village, yet they all backed around you. Of course, some weren’t as open as others, but all of them grew warmer to you as time went on and you interacted with them. Everyone in the village of Mineral Town wanted to get to know you and, moreover, they wanted to see you stick at renovating the farm you inherited. People noticeably grew to like you more and more with a little effort, the bachelorettes in particular were a pleasure to please. Each time the heart displayed above the dialogue space changed to a different colour and grew bigger it was a mini achievement in itself. This is all without mentioning the festivals and personal events, of which there were plenty. Wandering into a new screen only to see the beginnings of a new event was exciting and the festivals offered a sense of togetherness that few games offer these days.

The reason I now question this sense of community that I had experienced comes after playing a later installment of the series, Harvest Moon: Rune Factory.  Sure, it was billed as a ‘Fantasy Harvest Moon’ but a Harvest Moon game nonetheless. This is why I was puzzled when even after a whole spring of getting to know the villagers, I still felt disparate from them.

I knew from the outset the girls didn’t have the heart indicator to signify their closeness to my young ‘farmer’, but I assumed their affections would show eventually. Of course, as with any game where an aspect is chasing after love interests, the other villagers were lower on my ‘to impress’ list. They did, however, remain an important factor in the feeling of community. So when after a whole season of farming, working and being involved in the village they’d only said the same repeated dialogue, I admit I was a little disappointed. Of course, this can be put down to the games development, but it was beyond that for me.

As I progressed with each cave exploration, sure, their subject would change minutely but overall to the same effect. “Be careful heading into Carmite Cave!” “Toros Cave is dangerous, so be careful”. The only respite that I was offered came in the form of the festivals, yet, as I soon discovered, even then they had little to say.

Was it the fact that my character in the game was an outsider with amnesia that made the villagers more wary of my existence? In the beginning people seemed cagey, yet after the first cave this seemed to change with their expressions. So, what was it? Was it the fact that I lived on the outskirts of town? I wasn’t quite sure. It was this that got my thoughts turning back to its Playstation brethren.

The community in Rune Factory made me reconsider my memories of the friendly people of Mineral Town. Maybe that whole community had always been fragile, built on the slightest of feelings. In each game our ‘Hero’ is set up to reside in a farm on the outskirts of town. Never inside the town, even if other farms are ran there. Sure, the issue of space is an obvious one, I’ll give the game that, but the other farms seemed to profit just fine!

Another thing is, you ultimately spend more time on your farm or mining than you do in the heart of the community. Even on festival days, a bulk of your spare schedule is given aside to harvesting those crops or rushing off to mine some more of that ore.

Once again the premise of the game is the obvious culprit; it wouldn’t be much of a farm simulator without an emphasis on farming. Even so, I can’t shake the feeling that it is rather rude to run off and do other things when other farmers or shop owners et al are willing to put aside a whole day of trade to participate in the festivities.

One of the clearer points lies in when you finally gain your sought after wife. Even if she was an important part in the community, she seems to give this all up to stay by your side at the farm. I know that certainly in Back to Nature, if you marry Elli she will still work occasionally, but not half as much as they did before the relationship.

It seems that even your wife has to eventually share in the partial solitude of your life. Well, I guess that must have been one of the vows when they did the deed, eh? “To live with forever, in barely sociable conditions till death do us part.”

I guess what I am trying to strike at is that, depending on your outlook or your quibbles with existentialism, Harvest Moon can either seem to be a friendly world or a falsely welcoming one. I used to believe that the villagers of Mineral Town cared about my existence, welcoming me to their festivals with open arms. Perhaps they only ever did that because I significantly improved the economy, outsider or not. I can’t see the townsfolk in Rune Factory minding if I kicked the bucket, in fact, it would probably only change a couple of words in their dialogue. “Be careful in death! I hear it is horrible!” or possibly “Wandering the eternal abyss is dangerous, you know!”

Then again, maybe I am being just a little too cynical. Who knows? Sacred Night is coming up soon and I think I’m just about winning Bianca over finally… one more date and she may be mine!

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Show Rundown [H:MM:SS]
—————
Opening Song (The Normandy Reborn – Mass Effect 2 OST)

Introductions [0:00:54]

Jason’s Now Playing [0:03:17]

-Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360)
-Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (Xbox 360)
-http://www.giantbomb.com/battlefield-bad-company-2-hates-grenade-spam-too/17-2184/
-MLB 2010: The Show (PS3)
-God of War 3 (PS3)

Steven’s Now Playing [0:37:10]
-Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360)
-Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
-Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers (Xbox Live Arcade)
-BioShock 2 (Xbox 360)
-Borderlands (Xbox 360)

News [0:49:08]
-$15 Modern Warfare 2 map pack detailed
-Sony’s Motion Controller Is The PlayStation Move
-SOCOM 4 On The Move
-PlayStation Move Gets Its First Wii Port
-PS3 motion-controlling Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
-ModNation Racers dated for May 25
-Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker delayed to June 8, PSP Pack unveiled
-Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep waking this summer
-Rock Band news and dates
-38 Studios, EA in Big Huge RPG deal
-Need for Speed World beta revs up
-Monkey Island 2 SE takes LeChuck’s Revenge on consoles, PC this summer
-Ghost Recon mini-movie being made by directors of Oscar-winning short
-OnLive launching June 17, CEO Perlman interview inside
-Capcom bags Monster Hunter Freedom 3
-Crackdown 2 drops July 6

February NPDs [1:39:17]

Wrap Up [1:58:07]

End [2:06:11]

*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…

In fact, as a game you could say it’s quite flawed. The character animations leave a lot to be desired and the controls for moving your character are a little bit clunky. You will often find it quite difficult to look in the direction you want and during some of the more intense, adrenaline pumping moments it becomes incredibly frustrating. Graphically the game is all over the place too, which is a bit of a rare thing to say about a PS3 game. Especially considering they’re on blu-ray and all that. The game seems unable to make up its mind; switching from absolutely stunning one minute, to lacklustre PS2-style graphics the next. The game is also quite buggy; littered with glitches and bugs all over the place. There have been occasions when the characters randomly disappear off screen, making the game unplayable. The game itself has also completely frozen at times. It must be noted that there was an update on the day of release, and hopefully with a few more updates and patches, the bugs and glitches can be eradicated.

Thankfully however, if you are willing to be forgiving and look past the obvious issues, Heavy Rain is absolutely solid gold. Finally we have a PS3 exclusive to be excited about. Despite the clunkiness of the movement controls, the rest of the controls are incredibly interactive and intuitive and all skepticism the game garnered before release about it being “just a game made up of QTEs” (that’s Quick Time Events for you people who don’t yet speak da lingo) has been completely quashed.

This is the first PS3 game that actually utilises the 6 axis controller well, hooray! *lets off a party popper* The controls are so well done that you feel completely immersed within the world of Heavy Rain as you live out the lives of the characters you play. Unfortunately, this makes for an incredible boring and mundane first few hours. Personal highlights include making the main character, Ethan, take a dump and…wait for it…brush his teeth!

The first hour or two is quite educational for... you know... people that aren't potty trained and can't tie shoelaces or brush their teeth.

However all of that is basically an exercise to get you used to the controls and the pace quickens soon after that. Very quickly you begin to feel that every move the character makes, is directly influenced by you. It is as if you are an actor playing out these roles yourself.

A growing trend in big budget game releases is the move towards a more cinematic approach and Heavy Rain is probably the closest we’ve come so far to a film/game cross over. It takes far more influence from movies such as Se7en and the Saw franchise than it does any other game, so the idea that you are acting out the different characters isn’t so out of place after all. You control every movement and even every thought. You invest so much of yourself in each character that real emotional bonds are created; which is incredibly important to the whole experience.

Looking at it, Heavy Rain is a landmark title in many ways. Not only is it one of very few PS3 exclusives to be genuinely excited about. Not only is it the first PS3 game that actually uses the 6 axis well. It also presents a landmark in game story telling.

The narrative is nothing short of incredible. Every little thing you do can affect what happens next. Every player’s story is personal to that player, meaning this is brilliant for forum discussions because it makes people exchange experiences and stories with each other. On the other hand, this isn’t so great in certain respects, as it seems the the perfect formula for plot holes. There’s also some terrible voice acting, but this is the first story since Final Fantasy 8 that has got me so emotionally involved. So much so that I actually cried at the ending… Very few games have done that to me.

To make up for the frankly shoddy voice acting however, the soundtrack is absolutely perfect. It is constantly reflecting the mood and enhancing it to help keep you drawn in. It makes the highs of the story feel higher and the lows just that little bit more negative. Pairing with its story, which I have been stalling on for this entire review so far because i’ve been trying to come up with ways of not spoiling it, the game soundtrack delivers one of the most emotional experiences you’re ever likely to have.

But enough stalling, what makes Heavy Rain so special? The story. As I said, slightly marred by plot holes and some bad voice acting, Heavy Rain centres around the lives of its 4 main characters; all from different backgrounds, all with their own vices. The lives of the four protagonists come crashing into each other around the investigation of the Origami killer, a serial killer who targets young boys, drowning them and leaving them with an orchid on their chest and a piece of origami in their hand.

This might all sound pretty grim, but that’s because, well… it is. Heavy Rain is definitely targeted at the more mature gamers out there, it’s got everything from sex, love, murder, death, suicide, dismemberment, drug abuse, corruption and betrayal. This game has it all. There are so many twists and turns, yet on your first play through you never really see any of them coming. It’s all incredibly intricate, yet still manages to avoid even a whiff of pretentiousness. You’ll be fighting for your life one minute and pimp slapping some dirty, perverted night club owner the next!

Pimp slapping has never been so much fun

There are very few gripping and compelling story driven games out there and this is going to sound incredibly corny, but the game will literally have you on the edge of your seat the whole time. Knowing that any of the characters you play can die at any time; with the story continuing without them, coupled with the fact that you become are so invested in them, means that the particularly tense sections, are ramped up incredibly. I have never felt such an intense gaming experience before.

You know what? Enough of this review. In all honesty, describing what makes Heavy Rain such an incredible game is never going to do it justice. All I’ll say is, thanks for reading. Don’t worry, I haven’t spoilt anything for you, go out there and play it. If you’re a PS3 owner, buy it. If you’re not, make a friend who owns a PS3 buy it and make let you play it. You need to play this game.

Review Round Up

Graphics: 4/5 – There’s so much potential because there are moments when everything looks incredibly life-like. However, bad character animation lets it down.

Sound: 4/5 – Voice acting is very bad in some places, but the soundtrack is genuinely brilliant.

Gameplay: 4/5 – Movement controls are a little clunky, but the rest of the controls are incredibly intuitive.

Longevity: 4/5 – Inevitably you will want to play the game through again to see what would happen if you made different decisions, but I advise you don’t. To make the experience that much more special, play it through once and keep your mistakes, don’t try and correct them. DLC support is out with more on the way in the form of prologues but I personally want to keep the story as it is, so I won’t be picking it up. Longevity in the bigger picture? This game is a landmark in video games, not only does it revolutionize the way stories in games are told, but it shows that you can make a mature game without having to pack it completely full of shock value. Please, more games like this.

Overall: 5/5 – As a game it’s probably a 3 or a 4 out of 5, but as a complete experience it gets 5 drops of rain out of 5. A flawed masterpiece. Not only is this an essential purchase for mature PS3 owners but I think every mature gamer should play this game at least once.

Heavy Rain... it's actually better than real heavy rain.

And Another Thing….

Mr Luke Mears aKa Mightyles writes.. “Heavy Rain is far and away one of the most interesting games to come out in a very long time. This game is almost 100% narrative driven, with no superfluous side missions or collectibles. Everything you do contributes towards the progression of the narrative. While detractors will proclaim that it is little more than an interactive movie, I feel that they are missing the point entirely.

This game is superior to any movie in terms of immersion, simply because you are entirely in control of what happens. There is no single predetermined course of action, rather the events of the game play out because of the way you react to any given scenario. For instance, if you fail to escape a death trap then your character is dead for the rest of the game. Likewise, if you expertly escape said death trap your character’s story continues. The key thing here is that rather than punishing you or praising you for your performance, it all feels perfectly natural to the story.

As important and impressive as this game is in terms of artistry and storytelling, some gamers will be put off by it. I’m talking about the person that instinctively reaches for the start button whenever a cut scene starts to play. You know who you are, and shame on you. If you play your games to shoot fools and blow shit up, then Heavy Rain probably is not for you. If you’re looking for a mature, well written experience that rivals any Hollywood thriller, then do yourself a favour and pick up a copy of Heavy Rain.”

[starreview tpl=16]

Buy this game from our Amazon store and help support this site.

Game

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.

So whilst the narrative is wafer thin at best and character motivations are almost entirely absent, your motivation as a gamer is clear: if it moves, kill it. Weapon customisations have been ramped up to help deal out death in various different ways. Guns can be upgraded to change attributes such as the amount of attention a gun draws, damage, bullet spread and accuracy, which brings a tactical element to an otherwise typically primitive shooter experience.

The aforementioned attention your gun draws, or aggro, is the chief tactic to be employed during play. Basically, the bigger and louder the gun, the more the enemy will focus on the man holding it. Thus, your partner is free to run around, laying down enemies with almost no interference.

With enough aggro your partner will be all but invisible to the enemy

With an AI partner in tow, you have some control over actions; sending him up to be aggressive or hold back in a defensive stance. But the real fun here is the surprisingly in depth tactics of advance and retreat when playing with a human partner. The more intense sections of the game become even more so when you’re relying on the guy sitting next to you or a friend over the internet. This translates into a real sense of teamwork and achievement after you’ve cleared a particularly challenging room.

Further weapon enhancements come with the ability to increase the aggro your gun pulls by painting the gun in a variety of patterns, or going the whole hog and decking it out in gold and silver for maximum effect. Affixing a bayonet to the end is also particularly satisfying; be sure to unleash a close-up mêlée attack for the full effect.

Running in brainlessly is the fastest way to catch bullets in your torso

Added silliness is found in the interactions between your two main characters. Fans of the first game might be perturbed to hear that new actors voice Rios and Salem. However this has only raised the quality as they berate and chide each other from scene to scene. The ability to congratulate or abuse your team mate is also back, and will have an impact on the ending of the game, as the trophy/achievement list shows you can either end as best buds or fractured friends.

Another addition is the opportunity for a quick game of rock – paper – scissors, which seems a little inappropriate when you’re standing over the bloodied corpses of your enemies. This serves no real purpose other than a spot of frivolity, in case you thought the narrative was getting a little heavy.

You're treated to frequent spurts of humour, whether you want them or not

This game is geared towards co-op play; either online or using local split-screen. Playing on your lonesome you certainly lose a lot of what makes this game fun to play; the tactics and camaraderie on screen. Split screen is also a little problematic. The game default is a vertical split that can impede your view at times, especially if playing on a smaller television set. Not letting players choose between vertical or horizontal split is practically criminal in modern gaming. However this problem does ease with time and a little patience. Also, with the press of a button you can make the camera shift across to your other shoulder, which is a vital addition in some of the tighter set pieces and goes some way to rectify the hindered peripheral vision.

Visually the game isn’t fantastic, but it is functional and fun. Buildings will explode in the distance and crumble to the ground and whilst these effects look a little blocky and basic, it only adds to the humour and allows you to detach yourself from any thoughts of the horrific deaths of innocent bystanders. There’s not even a hint of the gravitas you might find in the heavier scenes of Modern Warfare 2, but this is a game that by its very nature knows what it is and exploits it to the max.

And you thought the riot shield from Modern Warfare 2 was fun!

In terms of sound, the game arguably impresses more than with its visuals. Explosions will dazzle your ears more than your eyes and gun fights really immerse you into each battle, if only until Salem or Rios utter something inappropriate to drag you right back out again. The voice acting, especially for the two main characters, is far stronger than in the original title. Using established actors (surprise, surprise Nolan North is in this) who clearly have fun playing these characters has increased the quality substantially.

The multiplayer was seriously lacking in the first Army of Two, and you’ll be happy to hear that EA have gone to great lengths to address this with the sequel. There are now up to ten people per map and several game modes to play with. Co-op death match is present, as you would expect, where teams of two battle it out for supremacy. Control and extraction are also fairly standard, which are essentially ‘hold the base’ and ‘survival’ respectively. The final mode, Warzone, is a breath of fresh air, as teams fight it out with various objectives flashing up during the match. Whilst this final mode is more inventive than the other three, there isn’t really anything here that isn’t done better in other games.

Overall, The 40th day presents an enjoyable package that isn’t revolutionary or even particularly inventive, but impresses with its balls out mentality and shameless superficiality. If you and a friend have been looking for a fun co-op experience, look no further. Army of Two: The 40th Day is available on the PS3 and XBox 360 (and PSP, but we haven’t reviewed that yet). You can pick it up through our amazon shop to help support the site.

Review Round-Up

Graphics: 2/5 – They serve a purpose but not particularly well. The game looks a lot better up-close, as with the character design, than further away. Some of the collapsing buildings in the distance look almost comical.

Sound: 3/5 – The characters are voiced well and the relationship between the protagonists is particularly strong. Explosions and gunfire are convincing. Overall the sound is good, but there isn’t anything here that is outstanding.

Gameplay: 3/5 – The lack of options with local split screen is criminal. Movement and aiming takes a little getting used to, especially if you’re familiar with mainstream FPS titles. There are occasional camera issues, as with most games using the third person perspective.

Longevity: 3/5 – The main campaign will take around 10 hours to complete; less if you rush through on the easiest difficulty. The morality choices add little to the overall experience and won’t have you clambering to play through again as a title such as inFamous would. Multiplayer is a fine distraction but won’t hold your attention for long.

Overall: 3/5 – This is a fun little co-op shooter that I recommend if you want something more than a standard head-to-head experience with a friend.

[starreview tpl=16]

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.

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.

If you want to get in touch with the podcast please e-mail; podcast@newbreview.com

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Batman: Arkham Asylum!

Kamiza hands over the award to Batman

Batman really came out of left-field, leaving many of us breathless as to the level of accomplishment and attention to detail the developers have managed. Almost every aspect of the game has been refined to a tee, with superb sound and voice acting, fantastic gameplay mechanics and often dazzling visuals. This game really has to be seen to be believed.

Arkham Asylum also achieved something many tie-in games in the past have not; the game drew in both Batman fans and relative novices alike. Whilst there was some trepidation from hardcore fans upon release as to why certain villains had been passed over, the general response was extremely positive and we’re sure that anticipation will reach fever pitch as we draw near to the release of the sequel.

Winning The Newb Review Game of the Year really puts a smile on his face

Congratulations once again to the developers, (UK based) Rocksteady Studios. We’ll be watching the progress of the next game with great interest…

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!

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.

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.

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.

Nathan Drake > Spider-Man

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.

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’re much more protected from return fire.

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.

Drake looks amazing

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.

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.

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:

• Plunder (retrieve treasure and return it to a safe spot before the enemy)
• Deathmatch (kill all on the opposing team)
• Elimination (like Deathmatch expect killed players do not re-spawn)
• King of the Hill (hold an area on the map for as long as possible)
• Chain Reaction (take areas in sequence)
• Turf War (hold as many areas as possible for as long as possible)

Plunder, Plunder, Plunder Cats. Hoooooooooooooooooo!

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.

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.

The game doesn’t do anything spectacularly original, but what Uncharted does, it does spectacularly well.

REVIEW ROUND-UP

Graphics: 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.

Sound: 5/5 Another, best in show award here for the voice acting. The environmental sounds are exceptional as well.

Gameplay: 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.

Longevity: 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.

Overall: 5/5 Quite possibly the best game on the system. Something that I think every PS3 owner should at least play, if not own.

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Deatils of the promotion are here:

http://uk.playstation.com/psn/support/psp/detail/item247583/PSPgo-game-offer-(selected-titles-only)/

Be sure to read the legal bumph that goes with it though as there are conditions associated with the deal, for example, if you  download the theme with Media Go, you will NOT qualify for a redemption code.  One thing I noticed about the terms is that they state that the offer will only run while “stocks last”.  Stocks of a digital download?  Hmmm.  Still, it’s worth a shot, especially if you’re planning on taking advantage of the deal HMV currently have with the PSP Go selling for £150 for a limited time!

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.
 
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. 
 
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.  
 
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. 

Spider-Drake, Spider-Drake, does whatever . . .

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. 
 
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.

Using cover can be an essential part of the gameplay

 
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’ll have a review of the sequel Uncharted 2, Among Thieves up in the next few days
 

REVIEW ROUND-UP

 
Graphics: 5/5 Quite simply the benchmark against which all PS3 games should be judged.  Beautiful colours, vividly rendered with superb animation.
 
Sound: 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.
 
Gameplay: 4/5 The basic gameplay is done particularly well with just a few minor gripes to detract.
 
Longevity: 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.
 
Overall: 4/5 Absolutely one of the must buy games for the system.  A few small points tarnish an otherwise magnificent game.

[starreview tpl=16]