Virtua Tennis 4 World Tour Edition Developer: Sega Publisher: Sega Platform: Playstation Vita Release Date: 15/02/2012 Price: $38.54 (Available Here)
Overview
Sega’s first Playstation Vita title comes in the form of Virtua Tennis 4 World Tour Edition. This arcade tennis game brings twenty-five current and former tennis players to the courts to battle it out for the four major tournaments of the tennis season, collectively known as the Grand Slams. The game is a great addition for any tennis fan who wants to take it on the go. With great gameplay, nice visuals and a plethora of game modes, will Virtua Tennis 4 World Tour Edition ace with its next serve or will it hit an unforced error?
Gameplay
Virtua Tennis 4 World Tour Edition can be played with both traditional controls and touch controls. You can play a few shots as well as smash the ball for you opponent to try and whack it back. The controls work well. Each action button is assigned to a specific shot, such as a slice or a lob. The left stick moves the player around and is also used to aim those shots. The touch screen also comes into play for those who don’t like the use of traditional controls or want a different experience. The player can touch a spot or drag their finger around to move their character. Holding down your finger charges your shot with more power, with aiming done by dragging your finger to the desired location. Touch controls will require time to get used to, but it can bring a new experience to playing tennis. For the rest of you, then traditional controls are great. I prefer traditional controls since I have had experience with tennis games with buttons.
There are quite a few modes in Virtua Tennis 4. The main mode is the World Tour mode. Players will create their own tennis player with the use of either in-game customisation or their face via the front camera. Once that is done, players will have four Grand Slam tournaments, with a tournament break in the middle of the tour, to conquer in search for tennis glory. It is played like a board game and that feels a bit interesting in a not so good way. As a tennis player, I should have the freedom to choose which tournaments I would like to partake in without being restricted in terms of movement. The path does split into two at times, allowing you to participate in special events, such as exhibition matches with the top players and fancy dress matches. Training increases your condition, which allows you to perform at better levels at tournaments. Training is made up of mini games scattered across the board.
Other game modes include Arcade Mode. This is a quick mode where you are drawn against four random opponents in matches at the four Grand Slams. Exhibition mode is two tennis players playing in a match at one of the unlocked venues. There is also practice mode, which involves the player to hit balloons as they learn the controls of the game. The mini games are also in their own mode, ranging from serving into football goals to knocking down bowling pins. The game also comes with Vita exclusive mini games. These involves touch screen tennis from a top down perspective, a mode where the player experiences tennis in a first person view and even a mode where players can take pictures of tennis players in the real word using augmented reality. Online multiplayer is also available.
The roster is a mixed bag. It does include the bigger names of tennis, as well as a few legends of the game, but I felt that it still lacked in the department. Expect Nadal, Djokovic, Federer and Murray (all who grace the front cover of the game) as well as Wozniacki, Sharapova and Ivanovic on the women’s side of the roster. However, not counting the legends, the game has a total of eleven men and seven women, bringing the total amount of tennis players to eighteen. Considering this is a tennis game, the roster feels hollow. Of course, licensing may be the issue as to why the roster isn’t as big as it could have been, however, possibly having at least the top fifteen in both men’s and women’s rankings. At least there can be mixed matches.
Visual and Audio
The visuals in Virtua Tennis 4 are good. The menu design surprised me as it was simple yet effective. The character models look good and their animations, while not the best out there, run smoothly for a sports title. The action on the pitch is over the top and as a hint of an arcade feel, which is reflected in the animations. The courts are outstanding. I was impressed with the fact that one of them was on a ship. This was for a tournament in the World Tour as well. I especially like the Futuristic court, bringing that over the top feeling to the game.
For a tennis game, the audio is not bad. The menu music and other background music are pretty good. The real strength with the sound design, however, is that, to further reflect the over the top actions that Virtua Tennis is all about, the grunts sound so realistic. If you have watched a tennis match live, then you would hear how big those grunts are. They hit the nail on the head with grunting. The crowds could be better. They vary in odd ways, such as loud cheering over a short rally. The crowds, however, are not necessary at the Satellite courts, since they are practice courts and have no crowds to begin with.
Overall
For those who want a tennis experience on the go, Virtua Tennis 4 World Tour Edition is the only option you have at the moment. However, Sega has done a great job on bringing the console version of the game to the Playstation Vita. The gameplay is the same arcade gameplay you would expect from the console versions, with exclusive features added for the Vita. The visuals are great as well as the grunting. The strange case of World Tour mode as well as a roster that should have more may deter the tennis fan in you. With that said, Sega has definitely served up an ace for the Playstation Vita.
Silent Hill: Downpour Developer: Vatra Games Publisher: Konami Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 (Reviewed) Release Date: March 13, 2012 Price: $59.99 – Available Here
Overview:
Whenever a survival horror hears the name Silent Hill they immediately remember two things. First they will think of how much they loved the original two titles, Silent Hill and Silent Hill 2 and then they will think about how much they wish the rest of the series would have just followed suit. Over the years fans of Konami’s Silent Hill franchise have scrutinized nearly every single release since the original titles and picked it apart because it didn’t quite live up to the name of the originals.
However Konami has stepped into 2012 with a brand new Silent Hill game, one that may rise to the greatness fans once expected from the series… Silent Hill Downpour. With the survival horror genre struggling to stay alive in today’s gaming age, can Silent Hill: Downpour provide a brief respite for the declining genre while reviving the Silent Hill name?
Story:
True to Silent Hill fashion, we are given a man who doesn’t have the best of luck. In fact, this man may come from the worst place imaginable for a Silent Hill protagonist… jail. We step into the shoes of a man named Murphy Pendleton, a prisoner who has been set up for transfer from his current jail cell to a maximum security penitentiary. However things quickly go south as the prison transfer bus crashes off the road and into the wilderness.
While this may be the best thing to happen to any inmate in their wildest dreams, but Pendleton is about to encounter the worst nightmare of his life because he has just ended up in the outskirts of Silent Hill. With nowhere to go except deeper into the strange and twisted world that is the town of Silent Hill, Murphy must try and stay alive while also finding a way to escape this horrible place.
As with nearly every Silent Hill storyline, nothing is revealed at once and nearly everything is hidden behind the same fog that blankets the town. As players make their way through the decrepit areas of Silent Hill they will begin to understand more of Pendleton’s past as the mysterious and tangled web of Silent Hill: Downpour’s story slowly unravels with more than a few twists to keep you on your toes.
Those who may be concerned about jumping into a series that is already on its eighth installment need not worry about not understanding various things. Obviously if you haven’t played previous titles you won’t get a few small references to past titles. Those who are looking to enjoy a mysterious and scary story filled with plenty of twists and turns with a main character that not only feels human but is a man that you want to see succeed by the end of the story need look no further than Silent Hill: Downpour.
Visuals:
While the fog of the original Silent Hill games was to cover up the hardware limitations of the consoles at that time, the fog of Silent Hill: Downpour provides the same eerie experience without any need to muddle the graphics. The addition of the fog is only the tip of the iceberg however as Silent Hill: Downpour’s version of the oppressive and desolate town is as spooky as it ever has been and seeing it in with modern day graphics is truly a highlight of the game.
However there are a number of other issues that plague the game and a number of these have to do with the performance of the game itself. While Silent Hill: Downpour is a horrifying game that provides plenty of scary moments that will make you jump, one of those scares shouldn’t be due to the terrible drop in frame rate that occurs often throughout the game. There are many times, both at inside environments and outside ones that Silent Hill: Downpours frame rate will bottom out and appear to freeze before resuming with the main character teleporting a few feet in whichever direction you were walking.
The character models themselves are realistic and detailed. In fact, one of the ways to tell how much damage Murphy has received can be seen on his body and movements. The more damage you receive the more torn and bloody your clothes can become and the more exhausted and pained Murphy will move. This provides a neat health system that will keep players focused on their character while trying to survive the various enemies you will come across. Though it is worth noting that the design of the enemies you will face off against has become much less gruesome than in past games.
Audio:
One thing that the Silent Hill games have been known for is the eerie music and terrific sound design used throughout the games to help keep things tense and terrifying. Those looking for such an effect won’t have to look too hard to find plenty of creepy atmospheric sound effects that keep the tension at its peak, especially whenever the player enters the “Otherworld” or experiences a storm. Unfortunately there are very few pieces of background music scattered throughout the game and even then the music barely feels spooky in the slightest.
Gameplay:
The Silent Hill series has had a few ups and many downs over the past few years as it has tried to evolve in an industry that has raised a different breed of gamer than those who played the original titles. Silent Hill: Downpour returns to its roots in a number of ways though makes plenty of sacrifices to create a new type of experience that tries to satisfy everyone.
One of the overhauls in Silent Hill: Downpour comes in the form of a nostalgic combat system where players once again step into the shoes of a person who wouldn’t normally be holding a weapon. As such combat feels similar to earlier titles where fighting feels stiff and unaccustomed. However Silent Hill: Downpour goes a bit too far and makes fighting a chore. Past experiences usually allowed for players to run away from enemies instead of fighting them, and while that is still a choice in Downpour, there are a number of cases were combat is inevitable.
In these cases and any other fights you come across use only three moves, swinging your weapon, blocking and throwing your weapon for whatever reason. Now this basicness would be forgivable if it wasn’t for a number of issues, such as the fact that every weapon you use will break after being used so many times, including steel wrenches, fire axes and crowbars. This creates an unrealistic sense of desperation that is only made worse by the fact that there will be many times your attacks will seemingly land home on an enemy only for it to do no damage or be blocked despite the enemy showing zero signs of blocking incoming attacks.
Although the combat can be hit and miss, literally, the focus of Silent Hill: Downpour is about exploration and experiencing the creepiness that is Silent Hill. This is heightened by the fact that the town of Silent Hill now has an open-world type setup with players able to roam around the town, exploring some unlocked buildings and even picking up some side-quests along the way. These side quests can be everything from solving a miniature puzzle contained in a building, finding and returning items or even battling monsters. These help pad out the game’s storyline with some length and gives the player a sense that they are truly free to roam the terror filled and destroyed streets of Silent Hill.
As you explore you will encounter plenty of different puzzles, a key piece to the Silent Hill franchise. When players begin the game they can select how hard they want their puzzles to be, with higher difficulties making some puzzles a bit more confusing. The puzzles found in Downpour feature quite a bit of variety and sometimes require the player to think outside the box to solve them.
Perhaps the biggest question of all in a game like Silent Hill: Downpour is if it is scary or not. Let me assure you that there were plenty of moments that had me jumping as enemies appeared out of nowhere or creepy events happened in the world which I will not explain here as it would simply spoil the scares.
The “Otherworld,” an even more twisted and deranged side of Silent Hill, appears often in Downpour and often forces the player to run for their life from a glowing red light that tries to suck the life out of him like some mysterious black hole when it draws close. As the player runs away from this unknown horror they will often need to make snap decisions as to which door to run through while avoiding various environmental obstacles. These moments provide plenty of tense action that will keep players at the edge of their seat and jumping anytime a door slams in their face.
Overall:
Silent Hill: Downpour provides nearly everything a Silent Hill fan would want and more. The haunting design of the city combined with an interesting storyline full of mystery and a great main character in the center of it all Silent Hill: Downpour offers a stunning presentation. However it has a number of issues which hold it back, such as a lack of polish when it comes to stable framerate and a barely tolerable combat system. Despite these flaws, Silent Hill: Downpour provides a scary and intriguing experience that will keep you coming back for more as players aim for different endings and wait for perhaps another new Silent Hill in the future.
Publisher: EA Sports Developer: EA Canada Platforms: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PS3 Release Date:Out now! Price: $89.00
Overview: After putting the series on hiatus for four years, EA Sports decided to revive the FIFA Street franchise and having been a fan of the previous releases (more so FIFA Street 2 than it’s successor), I was pretty excited to get my hands on this one. With 6 complete leagues included, in addition to 20 national teams and a whole bunch of Street teams and special “All Star” teams, FIFA Street was on it’s way to living up to the EA Sports standard. There has however been some criticism about the release of the game, in that many people feel it should just be incorporated into the FIFA games rather than existing as a separate entity, much like the 2k NBA series has done. So is FIFA Street good enough to warrant it’s own retail release? Let’s find out.
Gameplay:
The FIFA Street match engine is heavily adapted from FIFA 12, and given the success of the latter, that’s definitely not something to complain about. The match engine runs smoothly, and for the majority of the time it is pretty responsive. But this isn’t just FIFA 12 on a smaller pitch, the passing is not as precise and as a result you will need to use your dribbling skills and tricks to beat defenders and sink the ball into the back of the net. This does vary however depending on which match type you are playing, as they have included a futsal style match as well as other variants such as 6 vs. 6. These are played on much bigger pitches and require you to change your tactics and style when compared to how you approach a 2 vs. 2 match type. It’s a really great way of spicing things up and works really well throughout the game.
However that being said there are a few flaws which pop up as you play. There seem to be a few glitches and collision issues that occur sometimes, similar to that which we experienced quite frequently in the FIFA 12 demo and which still occasionally appear in the full game, however these seem to be rare enough to not detriment the game much. A more annoying issue is that the defensive abilities are limited to just a standing tackle and a pretty weak attempt at that. Obviously street football favours attacking players and the more goals the better, but it can be incredibly frustrating at times. Although logical to omit a slide tackle given the surfaces you’re playing on, it feels much tamer than the old street games. I was pretty surprised they didn’t even allow the shirt pulling or bumping that you can pull off in FIFA 12, a simple yet effective way of giving the defence a bit of power. Rushing your keeper generally seems to be an effective way of shutting down an attack as they seem to tackle much more aggressively, although obviously risking an open goal. On top of that, AI can be a bit suspect at times, especially when using the “dynamic” formation or playing in a match type without a keeper, however on the most part it’s still pretty good.
Don’t let these flaws deter you too much as the majority of the game plays really well and is quite a lot of fun. World Tour Mode is done pretty well, with you starting off by creating a player (or importing one from FIFA 12), and then selecting a group of pre-created players to join you as you take on some local teams. You can edit all of these players to your liking as well, although the customisation options are almost identical to that of FIFA 12 besides a few hairstyles, but there’s a pretty hefty amount of clothing choices (which you progressively unlock). I would’ve liked some more bold customisation options, like crazier hairstyles, tattoos and bigger variations in body types, which would’ve given the game a more “street” feel, but for the most part there is still enough in there to make your players unique.
You then play some matches and tournaments to improve your squad and move up to the bigger stages, starting with local, national and then onto Europe and finally international. As you progress you sometimes will be able to recruit some newer players, however mind you this does not mean real FIFA players until you get to the international stage, and by then the mode is almost completed. In a way this is good because you have to really develop your squad and it allows you to build the players up exactly how you’d like, but on the other hand I personally prefer to have real FIFA players in my squad. In the older FIFA Street games you’d start out by recruiting lower rated real life stars, and slowly move on to the superstars, which I felt was a much better system.
The difficulty settings for the matches are quite good, simply just easy, medium, and hard, or even play online, with each allowing you to unlock different items. The match type variations keep things fresh, as does unlocking new tricks and improving your player’s skills. At times however World Tour Mode does feel a bit dry and repetitive and doesn’t have the same level of replay-ability that Career Mode in FIFA 12 does, but overall it still is quite fun and will entertain you for hours. Of course once you’re done with World Tour Mode there’s always online to keep you going which is a lot of fun, although you will need to get an online pass.
Visual:
This time round FIFA Street decided to take a much more realistic approach which their players as opposed to the characterised style of FIFA Street 3, and for the most part the players are very well animated, albeit similar to their FIFA 12 counterparts. The venues are also relatively well crafted, with some aesthetically amazing locations such as right in front of the Notre Dame in Paris as well as a floating pitch in the Venetian canals, remembering that this is a sports game so you can’t expect the architecture to compete with the Venice of Assassin’s Creed. The animations are pretty standard, and EA haven’t really stretched themselves too much in terms of player personalities which is a bit disappointing. The game’s interface is easy enough to navigate through and there’s not much to complain about there.
Audio:
The soundtrack for FIFA Street is not bad, featuring some tunes from the likes of Fatboy Slim and the Hilltop Hoods, but it still seems to be lacking that edge that we normally get from FIFA soundtracks. What’s more is that the matches feel pretty empty in terms of audio, despite the soundtrack playing in the background. There is no commentary as such and it doesn’t need any, but there’s just not much going on at all. Some of the matches you’ll get a announcer getting a bit excited and making some comments or saying the score, as well as some multilingual chatter coming from the players, but it just needs something more to boost the match atmosphere and improve the overall experience. For the most part the audio is still adequate, but nothing more.
Overall:
It’s not going to keep your FIFA addiction at bay for more than a month or two but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great sports game. Sure it’s lacking depth and there are a few persistent issues that should have been resolved, but there’s still a lot of fun to be had with FIFA Street and it definitely brings some freshness onto the scene. The online gameplay will extend the game’s sustainability and it’s a useful game to have in your collection when you’re in the mood for some easy going entertainment. Could EA Sports have just made this an expansion pack for FIFA 12? There’s far too much content not to mention a lot of uniqueness about FIFA Street to not warrant it’s own release. Despite it’s flaws, it’s still a well rounded game that just needs a bit of polishing. It’s a good improvement from FIFA Street 3 and will hopefully put the series back on track.
There’s no denying that Finnish developers Frozenbyte are extremely passionate about their latest release, Trine 2. The fantasy puzzle platformer gathered a lot of praise upon it’s release last year, and keeping good on their promise of the past few weeks, Frozenbyte have just revealed that the game will receive new content in the spring, in the form of a AAAA expansion. AAAA I here you say? Shoddy rhymes aside, Frozenbyte are determined to provide quality extra content for their game, doing justice to the original campaign and providing the best quality that they can.
The expansion is yet to be named and dated, but will include six new levels packed with new enemies and skills. The skills will be useable in the original Trine 2 campaign, bringing a new element of replayability to the main game. Some small updates and a new difficulty level will also be included, all promised to be retailing at a ‘modest price’. The plot will be an entirely new journey for the three heroes of the Trine, providing yet another reason for the developers to avoid the tag of ‘DLC’.
You can check out the trailer for the new content below: prepare for some pretty.
Mass Effect 3 Developer: BioWare Publisher: EA Platform(s): PC, Xbox 360, PS3 (reviewed) Release Date: March 8, 2012 Price: $59.99 (available here)
Overview:
Mass Effect 3 is the first game of 2012 that needs little of an introduction. The third in the series of sci-fi action RPG’s from BioWare and EA, this entry promises to wrap up the story of Commander Shepard and bring to fruition all the foundations laid by the previous two games with a massive all out war for the galaxy. Decisions new and old and big and small will come into play, ensuring that the series as it stands is one of the most integrated and cohesive trilogies out there. The Reapers have landed and only Shepard can save the day – ready to roll?
Story:
The Reapers have landed on Earth, launching a full scale invasion on it and the rest of the galaxy in order to wipe out all organic life. As ever Commander Shepard is the one to lead the fight, and must rally the galaxy together in a bid to take down the overwhelmingly powerful machines. Equipped with one of the best stealth ships in the galaxy, the Normandy, Shepard must fight not only the Reapers, but pro human terrorist group Cerberus, who have their own mysterious agenda when it comes to the all consuming war.
Many characters from the previous two games return, in cameo capacity if not as full squadmates. There are a handful of newcomers to the squad and some intriguing fresh faces on the sidelines, but for the most part ME3 holds on to the series’ best characters, and keeps Shepard herself firmly at the centre of the action. The galactic war feels truly epic, and for the first time Shepard seems outgunned, desperate.
There are no moments of relaxation here, no missions that are mere personal favours – every move Shepard makes will have it’s consequences, with paragon and renegade choices suddenly taking on a whole new significance now that the bigger picture must be considered. Paragons may want to save everyone, but rescuing the few now may endanger the many later. What wins out, compassion or numbers? The sharp focus of the main plot is somewhat skewed by the rather fluffy fetch quest side missions, but luckily the bulk of the main content is incredibly compelling, with plenty of dialogue on offer to match every gunfight. There is of course, the option to customise the game to your own preferences, prioritizing action, role playing or both as you see fit. It’s probably not something that fans of the series will bother with, but those who found previous games too story heavy will no doubt appreciate the addition.
On that conversational note Shepard is a politician more than ever, having to mediate between races who have been at each others throats for centuries. Old rivalries glimpsed in previous games come into full force here; whether it be the ongoing dispute between the Quarians and the Geth or the high tension between the Krogan , Turians and Salarians because of the genophage. With the galaxy at stake there’s a lot riding on every decision Shepard makes, and the consequences are bigger than ever. Add in some strong connections with established characters and you can often find yourself in painstakingly difficult situations.
And that’s why Mass Effect needs to be viewed as a trilogy; despite the amount of times EA have touted this as a perfect entry point for newcomers to the series. Playing through the previous two games, or even just the second, builds a strong connection to the characters that populate this giant universe, giving players an essential personal connection in all this large scale chaos. Whilst newbies will by no means be lost they will certainly miss out, as not having that history with the characters and their stories takes a lot of depth from a game that thrives on emotionally involving the player.
With – apparently- sixteen different endings and countless variables from three games to influence the outcome, Mass Effect 3’s story is difficult to put a value on for everybody. If you’ve invested in the series there is certainly a lot on offer throughout the game, with tough decisions, satisfying or regretful outcomes, surprises and shocks. The ending is something to be judged on a person by person basis, but the one I experienced in my main play through was certainly final, if nothing else! In the end it made me want to play through again, and not just from the third game.
Audio & Visual:
Presentation is an integral part of any story, and Mass Effect 3 certainly doesn’t skimp here. Style wise this is the same galaxy as ever, and you can expect the same overall feel as the previous two games when it comes to graphic style, sound and gameplay interfaces. Shepard still has a bit of a dodgy walk, eyes occasionally roll in creepy ways depending on your character model, and if the camera can show off someone’s rear end: it will.
Character models are highly detailed and varied whether you’re chatting to Garrus or just a random Turian on the Citadel, and the world is packed with life. Even the most pointless of NPC’s will stand and have a chat with their neighbour, and there’s no obvious recycling of character models.
Combat is a visual blast, with enemies shattering into shards of ice, splatters of gore or bursting into flames. Shoot a leg off a Husk and it will keep coming at you, trailing a gory stump, and Centurion heads will give an immensely satisfying splat when taken out with a bullet. Big space battles bring Star Wars to mind, and the game is certainly not lacking in epic nor emotional scenes, with great lighting and set ups enhancing many of the game’s biggest moments. The depth and detail on offer in this world is fantastic, and the visuals and sound are ea huge part of that, ensuring that ME3 will take you firmly into its world.
The sound in ME3 is fantastic. The music retains the same sparse sci-fi feel, keeping the old Galaxy Map theme and various other signature pieces that will take fans of the series right back into the action. The Reaper sound effect (originally derived from an old rusty bin) is something to inspire fear and hate, and in one simple effect gives the series main villains a life all of their own. The atmosphere that ME3’s sound design brings, whether it be in a Citadel nightclub or a Reaper infested warzone, is nothing short of spectacular.
Voice acting is for the most part right on the money, although the odd cheesy line or bit of bad delivery does pop up. Jennifer Hale does a stellar job as the female Commander Shepard, bringing a bite more bite and believability than male counterpart Mark Meer. Freddy Prince Jr is surprisingly unirritating as newcomer James, and returning characters stay true to form.
What’s a shame is that the game (in PS3 form at least) can’t keep up with it’s own quality. Textures frequently take a noticeable time to load, sound effects can disappear entirely (hello silent flamethrower) and guns can remain invisible after using infiltrator Shepards cloaking ability. The audio can become overwhelmed and drop out completely for a second or two, and the graphics suffer the same fate with the odd flash of black. The camera can focus on a blank wall in conversation and the lip syncing can be noticeably off. It doesn’t ruin the experience by any means, and it isn’t frequent enough to be truly irritating, but by no means can you ignore the fact that Mass Effect 3 doesn’t run 100% smoothly on the PS3.
Gameplay:
The gameplay in Mass Effect is all about the gunplay. There are no driving sequences, no hacking, and some of the clunkier aspects of the combat system have been removed. Planet mining has all but disappeared, replaced instead by a system scan that can reveal lost artifacts, gaining you war readiness but risking attracting the Reapers. Shepard can still dance and drink like a pro, and there are romances to be had if you treat your squadmates right. Every last scrap of information is recorded somewhere, with new rooms in the Normandy dedicated to tracking war assets and galactic readiness. The codex is encyclopaedic in detail, with the main chunk of it even fully narrated for optimum ease of use. You can still buy fish and models for Shepards cabin, and thankfully someone somewhere has even come up with an automatic fish feeding upgrade. So that’s all the small stuff, so what about the guns?
Where ME2 felt a limited in its weaponry, 3 thankfully comes equipped with plenty of guns, each with two slots for some of the copious mods you can pick up. Shepard can carry weapons from all five gun types, but doing so will weigh her down, limiting the recharge speed of biotic or weapon powers. This adds a nice little element of character tweaking, allowing a balanced character or a prioritized one; throw this in with the copious amount of powers you can plug points into (and a bonus one you can pick up from your squad mates) and there are plenty of elements here to keep the RPG crowd a bit happier. Choosing a class at the beginning of the game certainly changes the way combat feels, adding yet another element of replayability to the game.
The enemies that you’ll spend your time shooting, punching, incinerating and otherwise removing from the galaxy are a varied bunch of Reapers, Cerberus goons and other spoiler related enemies. The Reapers have begun converting more than just humans, with mutated versions of all the major races popping up in different and dangerous roles. Husks seem a little dialled down from the second game, but this is made up for by some of the new array. Cerberus send out a similarly mixed bunch, with cannon fodder goons, well armored Centurions and giant mechs among the horde. Playing on normal difficulty doesn’t present much of a challenge until the final stages, but slicing your way through small armies is still a heck of a lot of fun thanks to the tweaked gameplay.
Things just feel a lot smoother now, with grenades back in action and a combat roll added to both Shepard and the enemies repertoire. Leaping over cover no longer needs absurd preliminary crouching, and biotic powers flow nicely thanks to hot keys for Shepard and her squadmates. Melee feels like a lot more of a viable option, with a charged attack or close range takeout bolstering Shepard’s physical capabilities. The standard guns are varied and feel different in their use, and biotics are as awesome as ever when used effectively. Although there’s some of the trademark corridor combat here there’s a lot more variation to the fighting, and strategy needs to come into play to take on some of the more complex situations with multiple terrain levels and enemy types.
Overall Mass Effect 3 presents a far more satisfying and fun combat system that is the best the series has ever presented. Although it’s no pure RPG there are more elements of the gameplay aspect of that genre here, with increased weapon variety and overall customisation of the experience. One thing to note, that as with the graphics and sound, occasional glitches can occur. These tend to take the form of quest stopping bugs that demand a mission reload. The game won’t recognise that you’ve completed a segment, or won’t allow a door to open despite the fact that you’ve completed previous objectives. Minor irritations certainly, but ones that add to the presentation slip ups to rob Mass Effect 3 of a perfect score.
Multiplayer:
The dreaded M word! For the first time ever Mass Effect 3 brings multiplayer to the already busy party, adding a new element to the Galaxy at War system and yet more replay value to an already time consuming game. The most frequently used comparison for ME3’s multiplayer is with the horde mode from Gears of War, as a team of players must take on waves of increasingly more capable enemies.
What brings the fun to the table here is the ability to grow your own personal character, kitted out with the same options for abilities and classes as Commander Shepard. Flexibility is the name of the game, as you can create a character in as many of the classes as you want to change up the pace. Mixing up biotics and weapon powers with four people can be a hell of a lot of fun, although you do have to be careful not to enter the fray with an unbalanced squad.
Certain feats in combat earn you N7 medals, which give a more reliable sense of player skill than character levels. Multiplayer is integrated into the main game by forming a series of missions against Cerberus and the Reapers by a Special Forces Unit, and revisits several locations that should eventually be familiar from the main campaign. Just like the main campaign there are several difficulty levels available, neatly keeping players within their limits. Earning medals in a session grants you more points and credits to spend leveling up and on new equipment. There are plentiful weapons and characters to unlock, ensuring that completionists have plenty to pick up along the way.
Despite the initial doubt over the inclusion of multiplayer, it has turned out to be a strong addition the game. Multiplayer veterans may not find anything new here, but as more of a single player gamer I found it to be a lot of fun, accessible, and pretty damn addictive to boot.
Overall:
When all is said and done, Mass Effect 3 is an excellent game and a fantastic finish to one of the strongest, most prolific trilogies in gaming. The story is engrossing and well told, and fans of the series will be wrapped up in this world more than ever before. There are some truly emotional moments to be found here, and tough decisions that will have you thinking and feeling like Shepard. The gameplay has been vastly improved and smoothed out, ridding itself of clunky and boring mechanics to make way for a sleeker and more enjoyable combat system. Multiplayer adds yet more content to a single player experience that is already over 30 hours long and hugely replayable, so expect to get a lot of bang for your back from Mass Effect 3. A few technical problems prevent the PS3 version from attaining a perfect score, but Mass Effect 3 and it’s predecessors certainly form one of the best experiences in gaming.
Whether it is a fitting end to Commander Shepard’s tale will be something that varies from player to player, but that’s the beauty of this series – what you get depends on what you give.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
The Last Story Developer: Mistwalker/AQ Interactive Publisher: Nintendo/Xseed Games Platform: Wii Release: 23/2/12 Price: $87.22 – Available Here
Overview
It’s difficult to not compare The Last Story to Final Fantasy. The premise is rather similar, and why wouldn’t it be. It’s a JPRG that has been produced and directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, who previously held the title of executive producer for the Final Fantasy series. However, is it just to compare the two? Is The Last Story the Final Fantasy for Wii owners? Or does it have something unique to offer a group of gamers who have suffered a recent drought in quality titles?
Story
The Last Story is ironically a story videogame players will have heard and will continue to hear for some time. The tale follows a group of mercenaries who make their way through a battle until reaching the city of Lazulis. Basing themselves in a tavern in the middle of the city, their occupation merely frames the larger story of good verses evil and true love. While Lazulis City may seem peaceful on the outside, it is soon attacked and it is up to the team of mercenaries to defend it. In the process, Zael (who is essentially the protagonist) falls in love. The rest of the story is played out in a marvelously cinematic fashion – full of cut scenes and extensive dialogue. The basic arc of the story may not be the most original ever, any fan of RPG’s can tell you that. Despite this, the story is absolutely engaging and the further in to The Last Story you delve, the more captivated you will become.
Gameplay
Taking control of a group of mercenaries is no easy task! Luckily, The Last Story doesn’t throw you in the deep end. In fact, it forces you to wade through the shallowest of shallow ends before setting out on the main quest. Tutorial walkthroughs can become slightly taxing, but provide a safe ground for new comers, given that the Wii has very few lengthy JRPG’s, it’s nice to see the developers thinking about the market they are developing for. For those just learning the ropes, there is also the option for auto-attacking. However, I couldn’t help but feel like this dramatically dumbed down the game until it became nearly patronising to play it. The option to use the Wii Controller my also appeal to different types of Wii gamers, but based on personal preference I preferred the Wiimote and Nunchuck combo.
The Last Story isn’t all hacking and slashing. There is a subtle strategy that comes through the game play. At times, breaks from gameplay will occur for you to plan attacks. This can become slightly bothersome and disrupts flow momentarily – but in the long run does have benefits. As time progresses you’ll be given the chance to learn new special attacks, such as Zael’s ability called ‘gathering’. This draws enemies towards your playing character (Zael) and allows for other members of the party to utilise magic or similar assaults. It also has the handy side effect of healing near-by allies who have been defeated. Like any RPG there is also a leveling up system, which also includes the ability to customize weapons and equipment such as armour. New items of each type can be bought and upgraded at certain points, or even found after defeating enemies, and then shared between your ever-growing party. Not all members will always be present, so selecting the correct items for the current members in your playing party is vital.
Multiplayer
If the story doesn’t sound like your thing, then perhaps testing your skills in the stripped down, gameplay-centered multiplayer modes will be more up your alley. Featuring a versus based deathmatch or co-operative boss battles, multiplayer allows you to use any characters from your save file in strategic online battles. Deathmatch allows you to play as previously non-playing characters including villains, giving you an extra perspective on the game that you wont find in single player. There is also the option to play in teams or in a free for all mode. Co-op puts you, and up to five others, against a boss that you will encounter in the game. This time it’s possible to select from a member of your in-game mercenary party to play as, giving you a bit more range then Zael. Just like in deathmatch mode, the characters will all come equipped with weapons and armour that you have given them in the game. Multiplayer may become a bit tiresome for those seeking a strong structure and story, but for those just wanting to test (or show off) their battle skills, be sure to take a look at multiplayer.
Visuals
From first seeing the cover in an electronics store a few weeks ago, I was sure that The Last Story would be visually stunning. Opening the game case, thumbing through the manual, my expectations grew. Even the opening screen of the game – presenting the games logo with a roar of music – had me eager to start the game and be marveled by the sheer beauty that is The Last Story. Yet, I found myself underwhelmed by the in-game graphics. That being said, the graphics during the cut scenes are nearly as spectacular as I hoped. The colour pallets of grey used through out the game are fantastic and really set a bleak tone – which I think fits the games story well. The character design is fantastic, with everyone looking like they have stepped out of an anime, and the costumes are all well designed – especially considering the high levels of customisation for clothing options. As well as picking different styles of armour it is possible to edit the colour scheme of all the characters in the mercenary party. It doesn’t really impact the game, but is nice to have that little extra bit of control. Graphical quality aside, the detail given to creating such a vast and elaborate world is nothing short of admirable.
Audio
Accompanying the home screen is an amazing musical score. While the visual quality may have diminished throughout the game – the music does not. In fact, the soundtrack was released as a three-disc collection on the composers and producer’s, Nobuo Uematsu, record label. The music will keep you captivated from start to finish. The only downside would be the voice acting. Characters are all played with Scottish accents, which, I can understand given the middle-earth type island the game takes place on. It is just that, having the characters designed in an ‘anime’ style doesn’t suit the voice acting so much.
Overall
If you only own a Wii The Last Story will be a valuable game to add to your collection alongside Zelda and Xenoblade Chronicles. It may not be absolutely perfect – the gameplay can be a little clunky and the graphics can, at times, be less then spectacular. However, in terms of direction and cinematic aesthetic it is a fantastic game. For Wii owners, The Last Story may be their last chance to play a quality game before the consoles life cycle expires.
Mission Sirius developed by Redwing Entertainment is one of the few iOS titles using the Unreal Engine3 technology correctly. Mission Sirius tells a story which takes place on the Planet Momokowith. You control a lone ranger by the name of Roger who is up to his eyeballs battling an array of enemies, with his only goal to fight for freedom and piece together why he is on Planet Momokowith. The storyline is full of mystery and uncertainty, only reaching its gripping conclusion during the final minutes of the game.
Mission Sirius operations are very simple and flexible for an on-rails shooter. Making it easier to operate than the traditional analogue stick FPS currently out in the App store at the moment. There are only two operations: aim-shoot, and reload.
The use of the Unreal Engine 3 technology within the game, truly give players a cinematic experience. Taking advantage of this, Mission Sirius is able to produce motion pictures and animations that are as good or if not better than some of the higher end titles currently in the iTunes store. Furthermore, you will have choices on a number of extraordinary scenes and weapons at your disposal. The latest video-audio technology used in the game ensures the fluency of pictures is maintained, even if a large group of enemies on the screen, the frame rate will not slow down allowing you to keep shooting smoothly to take down the enemies.
From open air to underground levels, you’ll face a variety of enemies such as alien monsters and mercenary troops, use laser guns, shotguns and a number of other weapons to take down you opponents. Mission Sirius may be a small-budget game, however, great things sometimes come in small packages. It has all the qualities and features of an excellent FPS game all wrapped up in an easy to play and very enjoyable on-rails shooter which certainly is worth taking a look at.
The Mission Sirius App is available for $3.99 from the App Store. Buy it now on iPhone or iPad.
Check out our game play video for Mission Sirius below.
Fighting vicious criminals and his own personal demons while in the volatile Brazilian metropolis of São Paulo, Max Payne is reminded of his fair share of trouble found on the streets of New York City. Check out the latest four new screens featuring the New York City area levels of Max Payne 3 which you’ll encounter in both the single-player story and in the multiplayer experience.
If you haven’t already done so, check out our hands on preview for Max Payne 3 here and the latest trailer that show cases visual effects and cinematic here.
Nexuiz Publisher: THQ Developer:Illfonic Platforms: Xbox 360 (Reviewed), PlayStation 3, PC Release Date: 29/02/2012 Price: 800 Microsoft Points
Overview:
Nexuiz was originally released as a free to play game for the PC way back in 2005 and it had a decent following. The game was heavily based on Quake and it even utilised a modified version of the Quake engine.
This new Nexuiz released recently for the Xbox 360, and soon to be released on the PlayStation 3 and PC, is a completely new game built from the ground up. Nexuiz is a digital download title that can be purchased now from Xbox Live Arcade with a release on the PlayStation Network and Steam platform scheduled to happen in the coming months.
Nexuiz is a first person shooter that focuses solely on the multiplayer component, in much similar vein to first person shooters like Quake III and Unreal Tournament. There isn’t much to the story and premise of this game, as it’s basically about this brutal arena based war between two nations, the Kavussari and the Forsellians. Their never ending conflict is broadcasted across the entire universe as a combat sport.
The moment you fire up the game, you’re presented with just the multiplayer mode and the offline bot training mode. No other bells and whistles, this is a to the point first person shooter where you simply have to play against human opponents.
Visuals and Audio:
Nexuiz is powered by the CryEngine 3, most known for being used by Crysis 2 and the recent console port of the original Crysis. The results are pretty cool, as the graphics look appealing and everything moves and animates without any problems. There is the occasional flicker and screen tear but nothing serious or glaring. The graphics engine does the job decently enough with some cool looking environments and nice effects. What matters most is that the game performs smoothly and consistently, which is good considering its multiplayer focus.
Aesthetically speaking, Nexuiz is like a mix of Quake III, Halo, Unreal Tournament, and Tribes. You can really see the influences of those games within the art direction of Nexuiz in terms of the character, weapon, and even level designs. That’s not to say that the game completely rips off from its influences, because it still manages to have its own unique style.
The music of Nexuiz is fast paced techno that really compliments the sci-fi setting of the game. The tracks are catchy and intense, they mix well enough with the fast paced nature of multiplayer battles.
Overall, there is nothing particularly remarkable or unique about Nexuiz in terms of visuals and audio, but what’s there does the job well enough.
Gameplay:
As soon as you start up Nexuiz, there isn’t really much on offer in the main menu. There is a bot training mode where you’ll spend a bit of time just to familiarise yourself with the game and its mechanics. Then it’s just off to online multiplayer.
Nexuiz mainly offers a team-based multiplayer experience, where players get assigned into one of the two teams, the Kavussari and the Forsellians, and battle it out. The main modes of play are team death match and a capture the flag. Both these match types can be played on nine different maps. Unfortunately that’s all there is in terms of the modes of play, while both match types and the nine maps offer some enjoyment, it still feels rather bare bones for a modern first person shooter release.
In terms of the actual core gameplay system, Nexuiz feels like a mixture of Quake III, Halo, Unreal Tournament, and even a bit of Tribes. The mechanics are sound, and they offer a fast paced and functioning shooting experience. Even though it borrows much of its mechanics from other shooters, it does so nicely and still is fun to play. There are nine weapons on offer here, each with primary and secondary functions, and the strange thing is that they all feel very familiar. I’m pretty sure that if you’ve been following first person shooters for a while now, then chances are that you’ve already used these weapons, particularly in games like Halo, Quake, and Unreal. Nothing fancy or unique here, but the selection is good and offers enough variety.
The most standout feature of Nexuiz is the ‘Dynamic Mutators’. These are pick-ups that you will find in each arena and the effects that they have on gameplay is pretty unusual and impressively varied. The effects of these Dynamic Mutators are numerous, and can be anything like turning everything into black and white, jumbling up the game’s controls, forcing everyone to hop uncontrollably, giving you access to all weapons, unlimited ammunition, and many more gameplay altering effects. The Dynamic Mutators alone add a lot of entertainment to the multiplayer, and often makes Nexuiz feel like a fun and casual party game full of random laughs and unpredictable elements.
The net code, in my experience, is superb, as even with a slow internet connection at the time, I was still able to enjoy a smooth, fast, and virtually lag free online. I also had no trouble finding the right number of opponents online, because for now it seems there are people playing this.
There is nothing fundamentally wrong with Nexuiz as a shooter, in fact it plays and functions just fine. However, when viewed in context of the current first person shooter scene and market, the problems with the game becomes clear. A game like Nexuiz, which offers absolutely nothing in terms of single player and relies solely on multiplayer, is contingent upon community support. Will it have consistent long term support? At the moment you can find matches but then with games like Halo, Call of Duty, Killzone, and even the free browser based Quake III still enjoying a strong, active, and ever growing community, I feel Nexuiz will not get the support it needs. If that happens, and it reaches a point where very few people are playing it, it will become pointless.
Nexuiz is pretty good for what it is, in particular the Dynamic Mutators are a lot of fun. However, at the end of the day, there is nothing really on offer here that you cannot find elsewhere. In fact other titles will probably offer you a lot more in terms of gameplay, modes, and features. In the grand scheme of things, and considering just the current state first person shooter market, Nexuiz doesn’t have much of a presence and will be something that players will have fun for a while before going back to the current leaders of the market.
Overall:
Nexuiz, as a relatively cheap digital download title, is a fun shooter with some cool ideas and has a really good online multiplayer mode courtesy of the smooth net code. However, compared to all the other alternatives out there, the game pales. The biggest problem is that Nexuiz is that the game contingent upon community support, and while you can find players online right now, only time will tell how consistent this support will be.
After speculation of its existence, Sony has revealed a high definition collection of the first three Ratchet and Clank games that were released on the Playstation 2: Ratchet and Clank, Going Commando (Locked and Loaded in Europe and PAL territories) and Up Your Arsenal, to be released for the Playstation 3. As with other collections, the Ratchet and Clank HD Collection will include 3D and Trophy support. It will also include the eight player multiplayer from Up Your Arsenal, which will have online functionality.
The release dates are a talking point. Europe and PAL territories will not have to wait for that long, with confirmation that the game will see a release on May 16. However, North America will have to wait until Spring. The reason for the late release is because it will be part of the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the series. There was no mention on whether the collection will be available on the Playstation Store, but, with other collections following that part, it is expected the games will follow suite.
A few screenshots have been released to celebrate the announcement, which you can see below, along with the cover art.
