D+PAD Issue 10 by dpadmagazine

ISSUE 10 | MARCH 2009

Generation Kill. If, like me, you’re one of those that questions how far gaming has progressed over the past decade, you only need to take a look at this month’s release schedule to realise that actually, it’s not changed quite so much as you’d think. While this generation of consoles has placed a lot more emphasis on shooting increasingly bigger things with increasingly bigger guns, a brief glance at the two highest scoring games this month tells an unexpected story; that the future of gaming isn’t just about high resolutions and obscene levels of storage, but about ‘kicking it old school’. Quite literally, in fact. While the aptness of Chrono Trigger remaining as playable today as it was fourteen years ago is clear for all to see, it’s the release of Street Fighter IV that had us chomping at the bit. Thing is, I’m still struggling to come to terms with exactly why that is. Yes, it’s a hugely refined experience, but it’s principally the same game that I was shamelessly addicted to back in 1992. I’m still pulling off Hadoukens with Ryu, I’m still travelling the globe fighting the same bunch of fighters, and I’m still left hopelessly addicted until the early hours of the morning with the same equally addicted group of friends. So does the industry really need to grow up as David Cage suggests on page 7, or are we happy simply beating the stuffing out of each other, just as we were all those years ago? Surprisingly, it’s the motto of up and coming independent developer Binary Tweed (interviewed on page 11) that perhaps best summarises the state of today’s industry as a whole: New games that are a bit like old games, but better. David Scammell Editor

ISSUE 10 | MARCH 2009 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

David Scammell

19 07

DEPUTY EDITOR

Stuart Leech

MADWORLD

ART EDITOR

32 KILLER APP

David Scammell HALO WARS

KILLZONE 2

CONTRIBUTORS

Nick Akerman Zoheir Beig Martin Gaston Ross Hawkes

Greg Latham MAFIA II

Emily Knox Graham Naunton Simeon Paskell

Emmet Purcell PRETTY IN TWEED

Ashton Raze Paul Watson

ALMOST AWESOME ATROCITIES

STREET FIGHTER IV

ÂŠ 2009 D+PAD. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used, reproduced, rehosted or distributed without prior permission from the editor. All images used in this publication remain the property of their respective owners.

This month’s hottest stories For the latest visit www.dpadmagazine.com/news

NINTENDO DSi PRICED AND DATED FOR EUROPE NEW HANDHELD SHIPS APRIL 3RD, £149.99

WORLD AT WAR MAP PACK INBOUND Treyarch has announced that a multiplayer map pack for Call of Duty: World at War will be released this March on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Nintendo has announced that the next version of their popular handheld console, the Nintendo DSi, will launch across Europe on April 3rd, two days before its North American release. The third console in the DS family will retail for £149.99 and be available in two colours, black and white. The map pack, titled DLC Map Pack #1, contains three new multiplayer maps as well as an additional level for the unlockable Nazi Zombies mode. A price for the pack was not revealed.

But despite costing 50% more than the Nintendo DS Lite, consumer interest for the new handheld seems unprecedented, with leading entertainment specialist HMV reporting that they’ve already taken “substantial pre-orders” for the console. Other retailers across the country are also running pre-order schemes guaranteeing the DSi for launch day.

DLC PLANNED FOR HEAVY RAIN

The DSi ships with the ability to download games, play music and take photos with its two built-in 0.3 megapixel cameras. The handheld sports a built-in web browser and internal flash memory allowing users to download games from the DSWare Shop and store them directly on the console. The unit also has slightly larger screens than its predecessor’s, increased to 3.25” from the DS Lite’s 3”.

Quantic Dream CEO David Cage has revealed that his studio has plans to expand Heavy Rain through post-launch DLC.

Mass Effect’s new alien race - the Batarians

BLIZZCON 2009 ANNOUNCED

ANNUAL EVENT RETURNING TO CALIFORNIA IN AUGUST Blizzard has announced that BlizzCon 2009 will take place on Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.

PGR4’s new hydrogen-powered Peugeot Flux

BlizzCon is an annual celebration of the global player communities surrounding Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo universes. In response to the festival’s increasing popularity, this year’s event has been expanded from three convention halls to four.

“We’re pleased to be bringing the convention back to Anaheim, and we look forward to this new opportunity to meet Blizzard gamers from around the world.” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. BlizzCon will offer a wide variety of activities throughout the two-day event, including hands-on play time with upcoming Blizzard games and discussion panels with Blizzard developers.

Talking to us in a recent interview, David said: “We have many plans for DLC, but I won’t work on them until the game is finished and fully satisfying. Games are expensive; my focus is to give as much as I can to gamers for their money.” You can read the full interview with David on page 7.

This month’s hottest stories For the latest visit www.dpadmagazine.com/news

CAPCOM REVEALS DEAD RISING 2

DEAD SPACE EXTRACTION COMING THIS AUTUMN

H.A.W.X. TO BE BUNDLED WITH FLIGHT STICK Speaking on the game’s official forum, a Ubisoft representative has revealed that Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. will be available bundled with additional hardware when it launches in March.

When asked whether Ubisoft were going to release a flight stick package for the upcoming flight sim, the spokesperson replied: “H.A.W.X. will have both hardware and software bundles at launch. We will reveal more information about this at a later date.”

Capcom has confirmed that Dead Rising 2 is currently in development for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

EA has officially announced Dead Space Extraction, revealing that it will release exclusively on Wii this autumn.

THE GODFATHER II REDATED FOR APRIL

The sequel to the 1.5 million-plus selling Dead Rising, Dead Rising 2 will take the franchise to a new level of zombie-killing fun with tens of thousands of zombies, the all new gambling paradise of Fortune City to explore plus a host of new in-game objects that can be used as deadly weapons to stave off the zombie assault.

Dead Space Extraction is a prequel to the original Dead Space that reveals the events leading up to Isaac Clarke’s mission on the USG Ishimura.

EA has announced that The Godfather II will release across Europe on April 10th, six weeks after it’s original intended launch date.

Dead Rising 2 is set several years after the infamous zombie invasion of Willamette. Unfortunately, the zombie virus was not contained at the conclusion of Dead Rising, and has since spread throughout the United States. Dead Rising 2 is being developed in partnership with up and coming Canadian developer Blue Castle Games. A number of members from the original Dead Rising team are said to be working alongside the studio throughout the development process, including Capcom’s global head of research and development, Keiji Inafune, who, as the game’s producer, will play an active role in the project. A release window for Dead Rising 2 was not disclosed.

The game tells the story of a handful of space colonists desperately struggling to escape from a horrific infection on the Aegis VII mining colony deep in the furthest regions of space. The game introduces all new characters, weapons, enemies, puzzles and co-operative multiplayer gameplay. “We could not be more excited to extend Dead Space into an experience exclusive to the Wii. Nintendo has a wonderful history in the horror genre and we are thrilled to build on that tradition with Dead Space Extraction,” said Glen Schofield, VP and General Manager of EA Redwood Shores studio. “As we were developing Dead Space, we realized that there was so much of the story going untold. Dead Space Extraction tells that story with all of the intensity, blood and gore that fans would expect.”

The Godfather II was originally due to be released on February 27th for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, but was pushed back to build up more excitement for the title. The Sims 3 was also delayed for similar reasons.

Five reasons why you won't be leaving the house for the next few weeks RIDDICK: ASSAULT ON DARK ATHENA XBOX 360, PLAYSTATION 3, PC

By specialising in visceral fisticuffs, the original Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay was a bold entry into the FPS scene by Swedish devs Starbreeze Studios. Continuing the story of Vin Diesel's shaven-headed, goggle-wearing space thug, Assault on Dark Athena comes complete with a remade version of the original game, plus a whole new adventure. Starbreeze Studios are promising a truly filmic experience, and on past evidence (most recently with The Darkness) they are fully capable of delivering on their promise. If it manages to build on the solid foundations of the original, Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena could well be one to watch.

RESIDENT EVIL 5

MADWORLD

One of gaming's premium franchises goes on a Zombie safari next month as the series shifts location, with some controversy, to Africa. Although series creator Shinji Mikami is no longer on board, Resident Evil 5 looks likely to be another noteworthy addition to the series.

With bold black and white comic book visuals, liberally sprinkled with plumes of ruby-red gore and flamboyant ultra-violence, MadWorld made gamers sit up and take notice from the moment is was first revealed. Decried by some as the 'most violent videogame ever', that its debut is on the supposedly 'family friendly' Wii only added to the controversy.

XBOX 360, PLAYSTATION 3

Continuing Resident Evil 4's shift in emphasis away from creeping dread and towards outright panic, Chris Redfield returns and is joined by the shapely figure of Sheva Aloma, with partner-based survival horror the order of the day. Resident Evil 5 is undoubtedly going to sell by the bucket-load and if it manages to live up to the promise of the early trailers, it could well deserve to do so.

Wii

Headline grabbing aesthetics aside, MadWorld looks to continue Shinji Mikami's exploration of the more quirky side of videogaming. Set in a killinggameshow called Death Watch, chainsaw-handed mechanic, Jack, sets about redecorating the scenery with his opponents innards. Tasteful? Probably not. Explosively entertaining? Let's hope so.

SONIC AND THE BLACK KNIGHT

GRAND THEFT AUTO: CHINATOWN WARS

What the fans want, the fans get... so after years of wading through sub-par, novelty-laden Sonic the Hedgehog games, the spikey blue blur finally returns to his roots.... That's right, Sonic is heading to the world of King Arthur! Oh.

Never shy of a little controversy, Rockstar Leeds aren't holding back with Grand Theft Auto's first foray onto the Nintendo DS. Although the epic realism of GTA IV has been discarded for isometric, cel-shaded visuals, this looks to be every bit as gritty as fans have come to expect. From hit and runs, gang warfare and assassinations, GTA staples are all present and correct, with its repertoire expanded with drug dealing touch-screen minigames.

Wii

Looking worryingly similar to last year’s Sonic Unleashed, Sonic now has a sword to compliment his lethal head of hair. At this stage it’s hard not to be cynical, but the generally solid platforming sections of Sonic Unleashed give us some hope that this might be another red-booted step in the right direction for SEGA's mascot. For it to be a full return to form, however, seems like a big ask.

Although on a smaller screen(s), Rockstar are promising that they've managed to cram a sprawling Liberty City into the DS’s diminutive frame. Chinatown Wars has the potential to put a new spin on this much loved series.

KILLER APP

After spending three years in pre-production, fifteen months writing and almost two hundred days motion capture shooting, Quantic Dream’s David Cage is ready to talk more about his studio’s upcoming PS3 title, Heavy Rain; a game that he hopes won’t just prove to be an outstanding dark thriller, but a title that will forever change the face of the industry. D+PAD: Heavy Rain is a brand new IP for Quantic Dream, but just like your previous title, Fahrenheit, you’re looking to break boundaries with storytelling in video games. How do you go about starting a project like Heavy Rain? Do you look at what worked well in Fahrenheit and expand upon those elements, or is it a completely different process? David Cage: After Fahrenheit, we spent a lot of time reading critics’ opinions and listening to gamers. We also had many things we were not happy with and that we wanted to rethink and change. At the same time, we did not start thinking of Heavy Rain as a sequel, but I had the feeling we found something with Fahrenheit that I wanted to explore further. These ideas of letting the player tell the story through his actions using Bending Stories, of considering the experience as an emotional journey with moral choices, of having short and varied scenes, of moving the challenge from the controller to the mind of the player, all these were interesting concepts that could significantly be improved. But we also had many new ideas that we wanted to implement regarding gameplay and a new technology that allows us to improve the quality of the immersion. If I had to summarise my motivation for Heavy Rain, it was to create an emotional simulator, use all means to make the player feel something, making an experience rather than just another video game. To achieve this goal, I thought that Fahrenheit opened the way, but that there was much more to do. Heavy Rain is looking to blur the line between video games and movies. Were you inspired by

the work of any particular film creator/director for Heavy Rain, or is the game entirely your own vision? You are always inspired by other people’s work, not only movies, but also books, TV series, comics, paintings, art in general. Heavy Rain is a dark thriller and I am sure people will find connections with some films we all liked like Silence of the Lambs or Seven. I also really liked a Korean movie call Memories of a Murder and other Asian films. I like Asian cinema, but I also appreciate some Spanish or Spanish-speaking directors like Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth), Alejandro MY MOTIVATION FOR Inarritu (21 Grams, Babel) or Alejandro Amenabar (The HEAVY RAIN WAS TO CREATE Others).

“

EMOTIONAL SIMULATOR ”

What’s really different for me on Heavy Rain is that it is the first script I’ve written for a game that refers to things I have personally experienced in my life. In most other art forms this is quite usual, but it was something weird to do for me in a video game. Most games talk about rookies going to the battlefield or heroes fighting against the forces of evil, situations that few people actually experienced in their own lives, so they can only try to figure out what it means for their characters. Heavy Rain is of course not based on my private life, but it is based on emotions that I have experienced myself, which will - I hope – support the story I want to tell and make its emotions more believable. I think our media is now mature enough to tell more personal stories, and I hope that more game designers will start talking about more personal things, because this is how other art forms reached maturity and more complex and interesting forms.

KILLER APP

without having constraints based on controls. At the same time, all games WE COULD NOT CREATE that tried that had to face conflicts with THE GAME WE WANTED USING the control system, with characters suddenly going left while the player wanted to go right just because the will be quite surprised by what we managed to do camera changed. We solved this issue with two in the game. I know many hardcore gamers are by things: moving forward is [like accelerating] in a instinct resistant to the concept of QTEs, but we racing game by pressing R2 (whatever the position put some serious thought into making it evolve of the camera is), while the left analogue stick and I hope to convince them that our approach controls the head of the character, defining his supports the experience. direction when he walks. We also added a specific system to help navigation in populated environIn another interview you stated that you felt ment to offer realistic sets where the player most video games were “structured like porn cannot get stuck. These are just some of the new movies”, whereby part of the story is told, then ideas we put in place for Heavy Rain regarding there’s some action, and then a bit more story. gameplay. Some of them are real changes of With Heavy Rain you’re looking for a more paradigms, but we could not make the game we consistent “interactive performance”. Can you wanted using the same old rules. give us some examples as to how that will work? The reason why most video games are structured It’s been said that QTEs will be commonplace that way is very simple: they are based on within Heavy Rain. Taking into consideration the repetitive patterns that make it impossible to tell amount of criticism that has been levelled at the any story, so they have to rely on cut scenes to use of QTEs in the past, how have you gone move the story on until the next action scene. about making sure that they add something to Interactivity is used to trigger adrenaline and the experience, rather than detract? stress, but it does not support narrative in any way. QTEs are a minor part of the gameplay of Heavy What I’m trying to change is to directly use Rain. They are used in some action sequences for interactivity to tell the story instead of cut scenes. scenes that would have been impossible to make with any other types of interfaces. If you have a The player should tell the story directly through his fight for example, you either make a very video actions instead of watching it. The first way of game type of sequence (punch/kick/combos, doing this is to rethink interface and this strange always the same moves, limited in an arena to avoid collision problems and inconsistencies with the environment), or you rethink the interface to support what’s really important in a fight: reflexes, quick decision making, pacing, having spectacular moves and directing, being injured, winning or losing). We entirely redesigned the interface to integrate and animate GUI within the 3D world instead of having it on top of the screen, which is definitely less distracting, and we worked hard on tuning them, timing them right, making sure they reinforce immersion and support the feeling we try to create in the scene. I think people

“

THE SAME OLD RULES ”

This is probably my main expectation from next gen games. Rather than displaying more polygons or having a physics engine, they should start to offer meaning. One of Heavy Rain’s most touted features is its unique interface. Can you tell us a bit more about how Heavy Rain’s control system works and how it sets itself aside from other titles in the genre? We had a very simple approach to interface: it should participate to immerse the player in the world by asking him to mimic what his character is doing on screen. We experienced that on Fahrenheit with the new control system we proposed for actions (MPAR, using a move on a stick to unfold animations instead of just pressing a button). We continued experimenting with the same philosophy on Heavy Rain. We have also implemented an interface called MPRESS that could be seen in the Games Convention demo when the character needs to hide, for example. Regarding navigation, we wanted to find a solution to the dependency between controls and cameras. We were looking for a real sense of directing all the time, and not only in cut scenes, which meant having the possibility to place cameras in the set

KILLER APP

09 rule saying that a control scheme should be limited to a certain amount of repetitive actions. If you use a contextual interface, you get access to an infinite number of actions, so your characters can at least do things to tell a story and not just jump or use their gun. The other difficult conceptual step to make is to redefine what gameplay is about: an experience may not be based on weapons or cars and still be fun. Interacting does not necessarily mean to destroy, kill, jump or drive. Interactivity can be about changing your environment, changing relationships or making decisions. It doesn’t have to be limited to military conflicts; any kind of situation can become interactive. Fahrenheit started to show that it was possible: the game was not using any gun or vehicle; it had no enemies to fight and no puzzle to solve. It was just about immersion and decision making. I think it is time for our industry to grow up and explore new possibilities instead of redoing the same games with the same old concepts over and over again. Other games have tried to implement a similar decision-making system to what you’re doing with Heavy Rain, but the results and storystructure have always ultimately been pretty much pre-determined. How deep does Heavy Rain’s system go? Is there a specific number as to how many variances the story has to offer?

“ IT’S TIME FOR OUR

INDUSTRY TO

GROW UP ”

When you think of narrative in a game, you have two options: you create a sandbox (ideally an MMO) where you give as many quests as possible and hope that gamers will generate a narrative on the fly by their interactions, or you write a story. In the first option, you have no control over the narrative and most of the time, there is none or of very poor quality. If you write the story, you can guarantee its quality and consistency for the player. No one can pretend today to generate complex storytelling procedurally just because this is not possible. Heavy Rain is based on a script, and I don’t think there is anything bad or wrong about that. I created a backbone for my narrative, I wrote all the possible variations based on the player’s decisions I could think of, using techniques like Bending Stories to follow their consequences and give a feeling of freedom to the player within the context of the story, so his decisions can really impact the narrative. I think the result will emulate a freedom of choice while maintaining the quality and consistency of the narrative. It is impossible to say how many paths there will be, just

because there won’t really be any. Actions have consequences, sometimes they are limited to the scene, sometimes they will severely impact the narrative. Are you concerned that some players simply won’t run with the concept of Heavy Rain’s flowing narrative, for example, choosing to reload whenever a character dies instead of letting the game run through? Did you consider being more Draconian and forcing this on the player? This is still a possibility. I still have some time before making a final decision. It is always difficult, because it should not frustrate the player but support and improve his experience. An increasing amount of publishers and developers are moving into the mindset of preparing additional content to be made available as an extra download post-release. What do you think of that approach, and is there much scope for DLC in Heavy Rain? Honestly, my focus is on putting as much content as possible on the Blu-ray. We have many plans for DLC, but I won’t work on them until the game is finished and fully satisfying. Games are expensive; my focus is to give as much as I can to gamers for their money.

KILLER APP

THE RESPONSIBILITY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT “ WE HAVE IT IS POSSIBLE TO CREATE GAMES WITH MORE CREATIVE AMBITIONS ” and raising an incredible amount of interest. I have worked all my life to be in this position now; this is

Video games have gone from being predominantly fantasy-based to realistic ‘gritty’ experiences. Even games developed by your own studio have followed the same path to an extent, with Omikron’s futuristic setting replaced by more realistic scenarios in Fahrenheit, and an even darker realism set for Heavy Rain. Why do you think there’s been a sudden push for realism? Omikron was aiming to be realistic with the technology of its time... I think that more and more creators want to tell stories that are closer to them, to situations or emotions they have personally experienced. It is easier to talk about something you know than imagining what it was to be a rookie during WWII... For me, it is much more about situations than about realism, more about my personal link to what I want to write than a will to tell stories set in a contemporary or realistic environment. I could work on a non-realistic game in the future and still try to talk about subjects that matter to me and thus seem to me “real”. Do you believe that a realistic setting helps with story-telling, to allow players to empathise with characters more so than they would in a make-believe scenario?

Realism is just a rendering type you choose, nothing more. You can create emotions with any type of rendering if you have something interesting to tell. You don’t need MoCap, virtual actors, facial animations and all the other technology we have on Heavy Rain. This was just the tone and atmosphere I chose for this game because I thought it supported the story I wanted to tell. It is not a requirement and you can tell fantastic stories full of emotions without realism. There are many examples of that in all other arts: think of Miyazaki’s work for example, or the fantastic animation film The Iron Giant, Alan Moore or Frank Miller for comics, ICO or REZ for video games. David Reeves has said that Heavy Rain will be the most important game for PS3 this year. Does the knowledge that there’s a huge amount of pressure on the team to deliver from both consumers and colleagues affect development? Currently, I’m working on a title that is extremely anticipated worldwide, exclusively on a console we chose, with the full support of a console manufacturer, with the time and means to make the game we want, on something that is new, original and creative, aiming to redefine how players play games, making covers of magazines

what any creative person in this industry dreams of doing. Am I going to complain that Sony sees Heavy Rain as a major title for their console this year? Certainly not. This is an honour and we do everything we can not to disappoint people’s expectations. It may sound arrogant, but I believe that this game can be important not only for Sony or Quantic Dream, but beyond for our industry. We have the responsibility to demonstrate that it is possible to create games with more creative ambitions, more complex stories to tell, and that it can be fully playable and more exciting than interactive battlefields. I hope to convince people outside our industry that games can be more than just toys for kids: that they can become art. I don’t pretend I will do all that with Heavy Rain and make it a milestone, but I hope that it will open the way. You mentioned earlier that you think it’s time for the industry to grow up. With Heavy Rain you’re creating a much more mature, slower-paced title in an industry fuelled by juvenile ‘big guns and fast cars’ themes. Hardcore gamers have reacted to Heavy Rain in a very positive light so far, but what do you think will make the game stand out at retail? Heavy Rain will be different. I hope it is going to break with many old game conventions and explore new ideas. Its story will – I hope – also surprise people, and I would like them to go from scene to scene eager to know what will happen next. The game will aim at creating moments that will leave an imprint in players’ mind. The game should also look stunning with its graphics, virtual actors and motion capture animations, but most of all, I hope that people will enjoy it because of its ambition to be what comes after video games. Heavy Rain launches exclusively on PlayStation 3 later this year.

INTERVIEW

11 D+PAD: Given Clover's art style, immediate comparisons with Braid are inevitable. In fact, Joystiq recently went so far as to call Clover "a poor man's Braid". Does that offend you, or is it a welcome comparison? I generally try to avoid discussing other people's work where possible, but I've read the article in question and I can't say I'm offended. For the most part Clover was developed by myself alone, and other people only got involved later in the project. By the time we've finished, Clover will have taken around six months from start to finish, on a budget that allows me to pay the rent and not a lot else. Plus of course, Clover will be cheaper than a single London Underground journey, so I suppose there's some truth in the “poor man's” comment!

There was once a time when independent developers spent weeks, months and occasionally even years desperately pitching to potential publishers in the hope of getting their latest and greatest idea to market. And far too often, it was all in vain. But these days it’s a little different. With the launch of Microsoft’s XNA Creators Club it’s now easier than ever for independent developers and bedroom coders to get their title into the hands of gamers across the globe. Enter Daniel Jones, founder of London-based independent developer Binary Tweed, who talks to us about his upcoming Xbox LIVE Community Game, Clover.

Similarly to Braid, Clover strikes us as being a deeply personal game. Is there any truth to that? Clover is about telling a story and giving the player an experience. Rather than explore my personal interpretation of events, we're presenting a story and inviting players to come to their own conclusions. Of course it's entirely possible that some players won't even notice the allegories, but if they want to enjoy the game as piece of escapism they're perfectly entitled to do that.

12 The immediate premise of Clover appears to be fairly melancholic, with apparently shy protagonist Sam taking a journey of discovery following his mother's recent death. Is it all just a front for a Tim Burton-esque dark comedy, or are there more serious undertones? There is a degree of humour in the game, but it's certainly not dark comedy. If anything, the humorous elements are of the same cheery nature as the visuals. There are more serious undertones for those that are looking for them, and you'd have to be particularly blinkered to not pick up on them. How did you go about developing the character of Sam and the world and personalities around him? Like a lot of game protagonists Sam's character isn't fully explored. We look at him enough to get a sense of who he is, but he's meant to be a channel for the player to explore the game world. The other characters and events of the game are most certainly rooted in reality, and it'll be fun to see how many references actually get noticed.

“

INTERVIEW

Though trying to appeal to a EVERY PERSON WHO BUYS CLOVER much broader audience, Clover AND DOESN’T GET TO SEE THE appears to be a "gamer’s game" at heart. In one of the screenshots ENDING IS A FAILURE ON OUR PART we've seen there appears to be a character know some people that won't play anything wearing a t-shirt with a UK:R graphic, presumwhere they can die or fail. If combat had been ably a reference to SEGA-obsessed blog UK: right for the experience and added weight to the Resistance. Are there any more references in plot then it would have made its way into the the game that gamers will pick up on? game, as it stands I think it would feel 'tacked on'. At last, someone in the industry has noticed our I can think of a high-profile big budget title where cheeky homage! You'd be amazed at how few gun-play was needlessly added, and it completely people have picked up on that. “Gamer's game” is ruined the experience for me. certainly on the mark; Clover's target market is older gamers who grew up on titles of the 80's. As You've said that Clover is to include "unique such there were originally more gaming and forgiving alternatives to player 'health' references being made, but most of them ended and 'death'"; elements of a game that are up detracting from the game world rather than usually taken for granted. Can you talk a bit adding to it. Dizzy players will certainly pick up on about those alternatives? a few things, and will hopefully realise that Forcing players to start the game over from the respect is being paid, rather than ideas being start really doesn't help us tell a story. Every shamelessly looted. person who buys Clover and doesn't get to see the ending is a failure on our part, as it is not a There's no combat in Clover, instead taking game about self-challenge. There's a certain type Dizzy’s tactic of having to avoid enemies. In of person that thrives on challenging their own this day and age that should be considered a performance and beating their own best score, fairly bold move in itself, especially when and this isn't necessarily the kind of consumer attempting to appeal to a broad audience, but we're targeting. People will play Clover because what was your reasoning behind leaving they want to experience a story and an atmosClover combat-free? phere, and people will play Geometry Wars if they Combat wouldn't be in Sam's nature, and in terms want to beat their own high score. The actual of gameplay it really wouldn't add anything to the mechanics of death-alternatives are still being experience. I think the mythical 'casual' market played with. We've got to make sure that they doesn't really appreciate combat and death, and I don't end up being more frustrating than having to start all over again! An important part of this process is understanding what progress means in context of the game, and what user goals are. One particular idea focuses on Sam's personality, and having his confidence knocked every time he does something 'wrong'.

”

“

INTERVIEW

We asked David Cage earlier this issue how THE COMMUNITY GAMES INITIATIVE point. We quite often see films where the viewer is led 'down the garden path' by the he thought gamers would react to his more IS A FANTASTIC MOVE FORWARD director, only to reveal a twist at the end with mature, slower-paced title in an industry FOR THE GAMES INDUSTRY the intention of making the viewer question fuelled by juvenile themes. He reacted by artists who were the inspiration to take the what they'd previously accepted without telling us that he hopes Heavy Rain breaks direction we took, rather than directly influencing question. I'd like to explore inviting players to many old game conventions and that his story the game. There are a few lyrical references that question their actions, and not just their leaves an imprint on players’ minds. Do you I'll be amazed if anyone notices! interpretation of something they've been share the same vision for Clover, or is the game passively consuming. There was a little of this in simply intended as old-fashioned light-hearted How have you found Microsoft’s Creators Club Clover originally, but alas we had neither the fun? and working with the XNA Game Studio? time nor money to implement it satisfactorily. It's intended as both. There are two main reactions The Community Games initiative is a fantastic I'm looking for with Clover, and the first is “great, move forward for the games industry, which What's the future looking like for Binary this reminds me of the games I used to play!” The typically presents itself as a closed-off, elitist affair Tweed? Will we be seeing more of Sam? other will be for the more thoughtful gamer, who that outsiders couldn't possibly understand. I think it's highly unlikely that we'll see more of will understand the allegory and will be aware Community Games fosters a great forum of Sam. A lot of the future is governed by finance, enough to notice the various references in people that are enabling knowledge-sharing that and we have an array of options open to us dialogue and back story. wouldn't be possible in a more commercial depending on the sales volume Clover achieves. environment. I come from a background of I'd like to create more games in the same style Binary Tweed's motto is "New games that are a developing distributed web systems and after having invested in the engine, and ports of bit like old games, but better". What makes frameworks in the finance sector. Almost all of the Clover to other platforms would also make a Clover better than the retro titles we fondly software we used was open source, and there's an great deal of financial sense. If things go really remember? absolute mountain of free material and well, we've got ambitious Publishers tend to look back on old titles, and idea-sharing going on regarding J2EE technology. designs for a something recognise the value in an established franchise but I hope that Community Games goes some way to quite different to Clover not the value in established gameplay mechanics. emulate this kind of approach. but with the same It's to be expected as publishers are much nearer design philosophy, that to the consumer and are more heavily engaged in How are you finding Microsoft’s stringent file will be an even more marketing. As a games designer I can look back at size restrictions? Is there anything that you've unusual blend of titles I enjoyed as a kid, and pick apart what had to leave on the cutting room floor? elements. I can't wait worked and what doesn't hold up to today's At the moment it looks like we're going to have to to see people's expectations. With regards to Clover specifically, I'd cut some music, which would be rather a shame. reaction to that! cite the HD graphics, great music and more There are also plenty of ideas that didn't make it modern approach to progress as reasons why it'll into Clover that hopefully will find their way into a be better than the titles that inspired it. The Dizzy future title. An area where games can excel is by games were marred by frustrating elements that using a player's own actions to demonstrate a weren't part of the core experience, and so we've refined the blend. Though attempting to capture the essence of a retro title, were there any elements from modern games that influenced Clover's development? Were you influenced by any other medium? Modern titles that have had an influence are wide-ranging: Sonic The Hedgehog (not the diabolical 2006 title!), Halo, Every Extend Extra Extreme, Geometry Wars, BioShock... I play a lot of games, so the list could be endless! Other media have been more important to the flavour of Clover, particularly music. I'd say that there were certain

”

FEATURE

Some ideas just shouldn't fail. Certain game concepts are so awesome that from the moment of their inception they have people salivating over the prospect of playing the finished article. How many times have we got hyped up over The Next Big Thingâ&#x201E;˘? And how many times has The Next Big Thingâ&#x201E;˘ delivered?

WORDS: ASHTON RAZE

Exactly. The purpose of this feature however, is not to look at games which failed to live up to the hype (and let's face it, not many possibly could) but games which, despite their concepts showing great promise, ended up as the worst of the worst; atrocious, diabolical examples of game design that make the term 'missed opportunity' look like a massive understatement. Whether it be through general bad design, a single game-breaking element or the developers' refusal to listen to what gamers want, there's a wealth of games which fall flat on their face when instead they should be gracefully pirouetting their way to the top of the charts.

FEATURE

IF IT’S BROKE , DON’T FIX IT While the games in this section don't exactly fit the criteria (they're all fantastic games), they all include a section of dire awfulness which is there seemingly because the developers realised that people couldn't cope with constant fun, and so felt the need to briefly piss on gamers' chips just as things are getting good.

To ease us in, let's take a look at the driving section in Gears of War. Far from being game ruining, it was still the main lowlight in an otherwise excellent action romp. After fighting through waves of Locust in a high-octane battle for survival, the player is then hurled into a cumbersome vehicle where the only means of defence is a glorified bat signal. To add insult to injury, the vehicle can't attack or defend unless it is stationary. Cue many gamers yelling how Epic had 'dropped the ball', 'jumped the shark' or any number of other metaphors which suggested the vehicle section was A Very Bad Idea. Luckily the game picks up again straight after, without any more faux pas. Phew, you dodged the bullet there Epic. At least until the sequel, where another awful vehicle section was deemed suitable for inclusion. Epic? More like Epic Fail.

Sadly not every game has such an astoundingly high calibre as Gears to compensate for the odd bad decision. Moving onto BioWare's sci-fi epic Mass Effect, we have an example of the most facepalminducing vehicle sections in recent history. The Warthog-wannabe that you pilot around the uncharted planets controls like a goat on acid and has the defensive capabilities of a wet tissue. Sure, you can improve it and eventually get to grips with how it handles, but considering how much time you spend in the hunk of junk, couldn't it have been improved to actually make it, I don't know, enjoyable?

Heading away from car crash decisions, we're presented with Zack & Wiki. A point and click for the modern age, Zack & Wiki was said to be just what the Wii needed. Of course, most people singing its praises hadn't actually finished the game, and so had not experienced one of the most ridiculous finales in videogame history. The final couple of stages of Zack & Wiki were straight out of 'The A – Z Guide Of Things Never To Put In Your Game'; multiple actions which led to instant death, and the inclusion of the worst attempt at combat ever seen. It turned what had been a relaxing and cerebral experience into a

frantic game of 'flail the Wii remote and pray'. Were these sections to appear earlier on, they'd have been entirely game-ruining. As it was, they simply ended up leaving a sour taste in the mouths of the few people who got to the end. Talking of endings, who could forget Fahrenheit's? For my money, the writers at Quantic Dream are pioneers in the field of videogame narrative, striving to keep games up to speed with their silver screen contemporaries. Perhaps they got too caught up in the film comparison, which would explain the awful Matrix-esque turn that this edgy and adult serial killer drama took in its final act. The game shifted from hard-boiled cops and tortured fugitives to necrophilia, sentient yellow AI triangles masquerading as cripples, and a couple of astonishingly bizarre slow-motion action sequences which completely shattered the air of quiet menace which had been prevalent in the game. Quite why the plot took such a ridiculous turn is anyone's guess.

No summary of bad decisions would be complete without mention of tacked-on stealth sections. There was a time in gaming that, following on from the success of Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell, every action game seemed to have a stealth section shoehorned in. Fact: not that many developers can do stealth gameplay well. But that didn't stop them from trying, and the term 'enforced stealth section' became synonymous with 'the low point of a game'. The legacy of these sections is that gamers everywhere now sigh and roll their eyes whenever the word 'stealth' crops up in previews. Developers take note; if you're looking for a sure-fire way to botch up an otherwise great game, stick in an instant-fail sneaking bit. I can guarantee you'll see results.

FEATURE

TIE-IN TERROR Gamers are a cynical bunch, but there's something about a movie tie-in which seems to bring out the eternal optimist in some. 'Oh, it could end up being good!' people say. It rarely is, but that doesn't stop the same thing happening the next time a tie-in-with-potential is announced. What is it about movie (or TV) tie-ins that dictate they're almost universally rubbish? Well, it's quite easy to answer. They're usually rushed out on the cheap to cash in on the hype, but then not every game needs years in development to be any good. The Superhero genre should make for some great games. Instead we get tripe like Iron Man, Superman Returns, Ghost Rider and X-Men 3: THE GAME OF THE MOVIE. Whilst it may seem that playing as Superman or Wolverine would be nothing short of awesome, these games go the extra distance to make sure that taking control of train; virtually impossible. As a rule, superhero movie tie-ins are abysmal. Don't believe the press releases.

For a hero with a more grounded basis in reality (although only just), James Bond has provided the world with one of the few movie tie-ins that rivals the best games out there. Rare's GoldenEye is hailed by many as the ultimate movie game, and proof that not all of them have to be rubbish. Of course, the two-years-later release date ensured that Rare had time to polish their title without constraint. Fast-forward to 2008 and the release of Treyarch's Quantum of Solace was released, Quantum of Solace used the Call of Duty 4 engine and early previews had suggested that â&#x20AC;&#x201C; shock horror â&#x20AC;&#x201C; maybe another developer could come close to rivalling GoldenEye. Not so. Instead, we were presented with a shoddily made, incredibly short and unnecessarily frustrating experience. It wasn't an awful game, there was just nothing remotely thrilling or original about it. Playing as James Bond never felt so average. Just take a look at a list of movie-based games on Wikipedia, pick one at random, and chances are it'll be a concept which should be great in game form but ended up a broken mess. Listing every awful movie tie-in would make this feature longer than Lord of the Rings (which, incidentally, a couple of fairly good games are based on). Instead we'll take a look at one television show which seems made for a successful videogame adaptation.

In 24, Jack Bauer's bad days captured the hearts and adrenal glands of viewers the world over. And what could be better than watching Jack Bauer? Being Jack Bauer. Of course, not so many people wanted to play as Chase, Kim or Michelle (although and co through a series of poorly textured corridors, or take him on a tour of the city in a clunky car, avoiding generic goons and police. 24: THE GAME adopted some neat touches from the show, and the plot was canon to series two, but in the end lacklustre design and poor controls left gamers feeling more Jack Osbourne than Jack Bauer.

FEATURE

SONIC BOOM Back in the early 90s, gamers the country over would spend break times in the playground arguing over who was better; Mario or Sonic. Nowadays, if anyone tried to argue Sonic's case in the schoolyard they'd be happy-slapped, robbed of their lunch money then expelled. As Mario has come on in leaps and bounds in Super Mario Galaxy, Sonic's... er, teamed up with a bunch of dislikeable pillocks and turned into a ‘Werehog’. Sure, he still makes an appearance in the odd decent-ish game (SEGA Superstars Tennis, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games) but the entries into his platforming series have been nothing short of diabolical. Sonic 06 was an abysmal mess of a game, with more time spent on loading screens than in motion. The platforming sections were badly-realised rubbish, the token new character a waste of time, and at the end of the game Sonic cops off with a human girl. 'This isn't the Sonic game we want!' SEGA fanboys cried, and so with Sonic Unleashed, Sonic Team have tried to go back to Sonic's roots... plus some Werehog shit.

I'll hold my hands up and admit it; I did quite enjoy parts of Sonic Unleashed. In places, the ‘proper’ Sonic stages reminded me of exactly how good a current gen Sonic could be if it adopted the structure of the Mega Drive classics. This is also the game's greatest failing. It merely hints at how a good Sonic game should play, then pads out those hints with a bunch of crap nobody cares about nor wants to endure. It's fairly apparent that the focus groups got their hands on this one and instead of actually listening to sensible opinions from, I don't know, people who actually grew up playing Sonic, they listened to ideas from a couple of smack-addled hobos and had Sonic transform into a primal beast to take on psychedelic enemy blobs. The Werehog sections play out like God of War or Prince of Persia, only without the merits of either.

While Sonic Unleashed improved considerably upon its predecessor, it didn't even come close to being the Sonic game people want. If you're looking for someone to blame for Sonic's current state, go right to the top. There's no use blaming the developers or QA, if you're given a broken pot and no superglue, you ain't gonna fix it. It's the head honchos who need to sit back and realise that their direction for Sonic is, by design, awful. It's not hard to find a good framework for a decent Sonic game; look on any internet forum and

you'll see the few remaining Sonic fanboys howling to the moon about how to make the perfect outing for the blue hedgehog. But no. Now they’ve given him a sword. I'm not holding my breath.

FEATURE

IT SOUNDED GOOD ON PAPER Here we are in the darkest dungeon of gaming, amongst the select few titles which seemingly couldn't be bad, yet ended up as nothing more than horror stories that parents tell their kids to get them to behave. 'Watch yourself or you'll be getting Legendary for Christmas,' I heard one mother tell her son as he had a tantrum over her refusing to buy him GTA IV.

In theory, Legendary should have been amazing. The game's concept has you opening Pandora's Box and unleashing all manner of mythological beasties upon the world, then proceeding to blow seven shades of Shishi out of them. Couple this with platoons of armed men and some impressivesounding set pieces and you have a sure-fire hit, right? No. For starters, Legendary uses the same engine as Turning Point: Fall of Liberty, with no improvements whatsoever. Movement is robotic and sluggish, and were you to mention environmental interaction to the developers I imagine they'd just look at you blankly. It's all well and good to be caught up in a hail of griffins swooping down, grabbing cars and causing general chaos, but when you can hack at one of the freaks with an axe only to realise they don't even flinch or notice you're there, the illusion falls apart. It seems exciting to watch a golem form out of damaged autos and debris until you realise that you're being funnelled down a series of enclosed corridors and are merely a spectator to the scripted action in the background. Everything about the game was plain awful. Any developer who can take a game that asks you to fight werewolves, hydras, pixies and minotaurs then makes it boring deserves to find a copy of Legendary in their stocking on Christmas morning. Oh wait...

Eden Games' Alone in the Dark, the fifth instalment in the series, is another such game with a reality that never lives up to the premise. You can bandy about terms like 'real world physics' and 'intelligent fire behaviour' all you like, but when your game's a broken mess these things don't matter a jot. Plagued with bugs, Alone in the Dark was the very definition of survival horror - the experience was horrific, and it was a struggle to survive for a multitude of reasons. The inventory was tiny and opened in real-time, which meant you'd often be killed just for trying to get your gun out. The right stick combat was unwieldy, awkward and useless. And Edward Carnby, once a Victorian private investigator and now a foul-mouthed buffoon, couldn't even walk up some stairs if he was carrying a chair. It was as if the engine and the rest of the game were designed in different corners of the world, and nobody thought to check that they actually worked together before release. On top of the awkward mechanics, terrible driving sections and a multitude of bugs, Alone in the Dark didn't provide you with the means to kill enemies sensibly until the last chapter. In fact the game was so bad that Eden (to their credit) considerably altered many aspects of the game for its subsequent PS3 port and produced a much better (albeit still flawed) product.

While Alone in the Dark didn't match up to its sequels, there can be only one game which deserves the title 'most likely to taint its predecessor's legacy'. That game is, of course, Perfect Dark Zero. Far from being awful in the same calibre as Legendary, PDZ was nonetheless a Vaseline-smeared insult to its N64 counterpart. The usual defence of 'but it was a launch title' doesn't stand, I'm afraid. Not when you're making the follow-up to one of the most celebrated FPSs of all time. And lest we forget, Halo was a launch title too. Perfect Dark Zero was incredibly mediocre in every way. From the Americanisation of its titular heroine to its convoluted level design, the game didn't even have a tenth of the drive or ambition of its big sister. Aside from the excellent multiplayer, there was nothing to get excited about. This would have been acceptable were the game not following in the mighty footsteps of Perfect Dark and GoldenEye, but in context Perfect Dark Zero was nothing but a disappointment, one that most gamers didn't see coming. There is only one game that can be crowned king of this section though. A game with so much promise from a developer with an incredibly strong pedigree, but one which was met with universal scorn and disappointment. A joyless, soulless game on almost

every level. And yet, a game (and its developer) I'm now very reticent to stick the boot into. Free Radical's Haze was a disaster in every sense. Upon release, the game received a critical panning and failed to meet projected sales expectations, which contributed to the developer sadly going into administration in December 2008, closing its doors to all but 40 employees. It'd be easy to point the finger of blame at Free Radical; Haze was plain bad. Bad plotting, bad characters, bad design, absolutely no flair whatsoever. The single interesting aspect of the game (the effect of Nectar on the main character) was dropped after an hour's play. And yet why am I hesitant to accuse Free Radical of having 'lost it'? Well, since the company shut up shop, rumours started circulating as to the reasons why Haze ended up how it was. Initial concepts of a very different-sounding game began to surface, and whispered chatter of publisher involvement, maverick behaviour and general bureaucratic difficulties could be heard all around the web. While we have no definite answers, one has to ask oneself how a developer responsible for the fantastic TimeSplitters series could have fallen so far. And in case we forget, key players in Free Radical used to be part of Rare in the GoldenEye/Perfect Dark days. These guys know their FPSs. The true story of Haze may never be told, but if there's one thing we can be sure of it's this; the biggest threat to awesome games and the most likely cause of their subsequent awfulness isn't glitches, lacklustre design, franchise constraints or poor driving sections, but red tape.

HANDS-ON

Witnessing a chainsaw carve through the body of a hapless villain as an explosion of claret fills the screen isn’t as shocking as it once was. In fact, it’s rather funny. MadWorld isn’t the first game to feature chainsaws, of course, but it is the first to feature them ripping through some poor sod’s intestines after having his head impaled by a traffic sign. MadWorld isn’t pleasant, but you knew that already.

FORMAT Wii PUBLISHER SEGA DEVELOPER PlatinumGames Inc. RELEASE March PREVIEWED BY David Scammell

Something you probably didn’t know though, is that - from our brief hands-on at least – MadWorld doesn’t appear to have a huge sense of ambition. Rather than looking to find its own two feet in any originality stakes, outside of its ostentatious presentation it instead appears to fall into the realms of video game conventionality. Depressingly, MadWorld’s creative milieu only seems to apply to the game’s style and tone, rather than extend to any innovations within its gameplay. In essence MadWorld is very much ‘SmashTV: Melee’. The game show theme presides, scrubbed up and brought into the 21st century with a swanky presentation, a foul-mouthed protagonist and garnished with a pair of overenthusiastic announcers (one of whom is voiced by John ‘Marcus Fenix’ DiMaggio) that repeatedly utter words and phrases you wouldn’t want your mother to hear. It’s outrageously over the top, and is a game that won’t slip by unnoticed - rightly or wrongly. As expected, the PlatinumGames representative demonstrating the game to us is all too aware of the furore MadWorld has already provoked in the national press. “We always knew that we were going to get some backlash, but we wanted to make something that was just ridiculously over the top, fun cartoon violence.”

In that sense, MadWorld appears to be a rip-roaring success for the Japanese developers. It’s almost as if Matt Groening got together with Frank Miller to deliver an ultra-stylised, ultra-adult rendition of Itchy & Scratchy. It’s slapstick, gross-out comedy, and - if you fall within the boundaries of its intended audience at least - fundamentally humorous. Rather than being shown any of the game’s bosses during our demonstration, we were instead teased with the opening boss’s name, Little Eddie. “He’s not really little though,” our demonstrator helpfully informs us. Whether or not the boss battles offer a refreshing change and an element to look forward to after the repetitive slaying akin to No More Heroes unfortunately remains to be seen. And neither is it clear as to exactly how much of a challenge these goons will offer.

HANDS-ON

The challenge in MadWorld doesn’t seem to be so much as clearing the wave of villains you’re faced with, but seeing them off as stylishly and violently as possibly. Progressing through the game boils down to reaching a set number of points in each area, with the next zone unlocking upon meeting your target. Points are earned by maiming goons in a variety of different ways through the use of the environment, objects within the environment and Jack’s chainsaw. It’s all fairly simple stuff, for example, plonking a tire around the body of an adversary before sticking a sign pole through his head and throwing him into a wall of spikes (or, the Rose Bush as the developer would rather it was called), earns you a lot more points than simply slicing your opponent in half. As does placing someone into a fire barrel before bludgeoning another poor soul around the head with it.

holding a button and swinging the remote forward hurtles objects towards your foes, amongst (what we’re promised to be) countless others. But as a result of the inherent score-chasing, enemies merely appear to line up as fodder for slaughter rather than offer any significant challenge. This could, of course, change for the final release. Our demonstrator tells us that the final game comes equipped with five themed areas, with the second and third based around Chinatown and sci-fi themes respectively. Ninjas and a comic book interpretation of the Starship Enterprise are promised, and with that (and regrettably that alone), our faith in MadWorld is temporarily restored.

Regular mini-games also attempt to mix up the brawling, tasking players with a variety of challenges. We were shown one entitled Turbinator, which (rather predictably) tasks Jack with throwing numerous enemies into a turbine. But after the initial thrill of witnessing a helpless body gib inside the engine, it’s another element to the game that inevitably (and rather quickly) wanes. Fortunately the control system works well and feels utterly intuitive, with swings of the Wii-mote perfectly calibrated with the on-screen action. A slice of the remote while holding B swings Jack’s chainsaw, while holding A and creating a clockwise motion throws your foe into the air. Other attacks range from tapping A to batter your opponents, or

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

HANDS-ON

In today's action-oriented gaming world, it's not often we get a chance to relax and think about our next move. Whether it be bullets, spears or AI drivers there's generally something hurtling up on our flank, ready to bring about a hefty 'game over' if we so much as blink. Even the majority of RPGs seem to be favouring real-time combat over the more traditional turn-based approach. With Elven Legacy, Paradox Interactive is asking the player to take a step back and think for a second.

FORMAT PC PUBLISHER Paradox Interactive DEVELOPER Paradox Interactive RELEASE March PREVIEWED BY Ashton Raze

For Elven Legacy, Paradox has taken a sideways step from the historical contexts of their Europa Universalis and Heart of Iron series, and headed into a fantasy world of magic and mystery. The premise is simple; a human has been found using magic, and the elves don't like it. Magic isn't safe in the hands of humans apparently (isn't that always the way?) and said elves set out on a quest to track this mage and uncover the truth behind his magic-based abilities. On the way they encounter ghouls, peasants, giant eagles and of course the traditional orcs. In fact one could be forgiven for accusing Paradox Interactive of using every fantasy clichĂŠ in the book, and we were half expecting The One Ring to show up at any time.

The single player campaign plays out over a series of missions chronicling the elves' journey, during which the player can upgrade and promote units as well as unlock new, more powerful units to take onto the battlefield. Each map has a unit cap, so selecting the correct starting team requires an element of thought. If you do happen to end up with a duff squad, capturing nearby settlements allows you to summon a new unit into the fray, providing you have a free slot/disband an existing unit. Tactics are fairly traditional strategy game fare, with the usual units having the usual strengths and weaknesses.

HANDS-ON

22 From our brief hands-on with Elven Legacy, it was fairly clear that strategy aficionados will be instantly at home with the workings of the game. The interface is easy to get to grips with, allowing most commands to be issued solely with a left click, and the HUD is laid out well, with the function of every button made obvious. Couple this with the extremely crisp and bright (yet fairly basic) graphics and you have a game which is designed to appeal to those who are generally put off by the complexity of the genre. There is a danger however, that Elven Legacy might seem a little too familiar to strategy fans and alienate a large percentage of its target audience. As well as a campaign mode, the full game boasts a 'Single Mission' option in which you can replay past levels in order to achieve a higher ranking, or play custom maps. The game includes a map editor which Paradox Interactive has aimed to make as user-friendly as possible. Our preview of the map maker was missing the necessary assets to create full levels, but a brief look around the program showed a simple, self-explanatory interface. Along with single player campaigns, the map maker will allow players to create and share custom multiplayer maps. The multiplayer side of the game allows for LAN, Internet and Hotseat play, the latter being a game hosted on a local computer in which players take turns at the wheel, so to speak. The missions range from simple skirmishes to objective-based gameplay, and the inclusion of the Hotseat mode adds a bit of extra depth to the multiplayer.

Elven Legacy is shaping up to be a solid, accessible turn-based strategy title fighting for its place amongst its heavy-hitting peers. With the focus entirely on the skirmish side of things rather than the resource gathering and construction of games like Civilization, Elven Legacy has the potential to please anyone looking for a fantasy-based tactical strategy experience - as long as Paradox Interactive can ensure their title stands out from the crowd.

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

PREVIEW

FORMATS Xbox 360, PS3, PC PUBLISHER 2K Games DEVELOPER 2K Czech RELEASE Autumn PREVIEWED BY Paul Watson

Czech studio Illusion Softworks scored an underground hit in 2002 with their first venture into the murky underworld of organised crime, Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven. The success of the PC title later led to unspectacular ports on to Xbox and PS2, but the letdown at console level led to internal dispute and the friction left any hope of a sequel looking doubtful, especially after a planned add-on for the original was scrapped. But five years later with egos patched up and the punch of new hardware, the Eastern European studio (now under the ownership of Take-Two and renamed 2K Czech) is back with a second instalment to the sandbox franchise, with the usual bustle of improvements and innovations. Set in 1940s and 50s Empire City (a fictional New York if you hadn't already guessed), Mafia II chronicles the rise of Vito Scaletta, the son of poor Sicilian immigrants. Returning home from World War II after joining the U.S. military as a way of avoiding jail time, Vito is reunited with

old friend Joe Barbaro, with the two quickly embarking on a mission to make a name for themselves in a city gripped by corruption, as the Falconi, Vinci and Clemente families battle for power. As the story progresses, Vito will join one of the crime syndicates and become "a made man" in what we're promised will be open-ended gameplay with an in-vogue 'choose-your-own-destiny' leading you to one of the gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s several different endings. One of the biggest selling points and frustrations of the original Mafia, surprisingly, was realism. Traffic laws had to be obeyed, gas tanks had to be refilled and cars clocked up limited speeds. Thankfully, 2K Czech has tweaked and refined these features with police less infuriatingly anal about minor traffic offences. All vehicles (which now include motorbikes) are also driveable from the off, rather than having to educate yourself in the method of hotwiring each individual motor as per the original.

PREVIEW

And if you rack up enough heat with the need to lay low, there are safe houses for sale to store yourself away in and customisable vehicles if you really need to lose a tail. Upgrades can be performed on your ride at an auto shop with the engines fully replaceable, panels up for re-spray, changeable license plates to throw off the fuzz and, if you find yourself needing to call Mr Wolf ala Pulp Fiction, you can refit interiors too. Taking note from Grand Theft Auto IV (could we really do a preview of a sandbox title without mentioning it?), small details also help to immerse you in Vito's world. Readable newspapers that include information about recent events in the gameworld are available for players to flick through, restaurants open to fill your belly with every mobster's favourite Italian cuisine and NPCs smoke, wait for buses and hurry about their business to avoid the homeless folk searching through garbage cans for their own hearty meal.

And so it should; the studio has purportedly picked up and ditched three different game engines in their pursuit of the perfect base for what is sure to be one of this year's biggest titles. Add to that a series of licensed tunes from the likes of Little Richard and Louis Prima and it looks like going to the mattresses with EA's The Godfather II could prove a welcome fight later in the year.

Another promising feature is the evolution of Empire City over the in-game years. We're told there will be noticeable changes to the scenery and even to the types of car on the road as we move from the 40s to the 50s, with weather effects including snow, rain and sunshine also set to be included. From what we've seen it of it so far, Mafia II simply looks gorgeous. 2K Czechâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s character models and facial animations had us particularly impressed, with the news that cutscenes are being created using the in-game engine making us suitably moist over the preview trailers released thus far.

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

25 26

KILLZONE 2

STREET FIGHTER IV

CLASSIC MOMENT

50 CENT: BLOOD ON THE SAND

CHRONO TRIGGER

DISMAL

THE FIRST ENCOUNTER - SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS - 2006

PS3 DS

RISE OF THE ARGONAUTS

360, PS3, PC

METAL SLUG 7

HOUSE OF THE DEAD: OVERKILL Wii

SKATE 2

360, PS3

STAR OCEAN: SECOND EVOLUTION

PSP

HOTEL GIANT 2

FABLE II: KNOTHOLE ISLAND

THE LORD OF THE RINGS CONQUEST

’S MOST PLAYED

F.E.A.R. 2: PROJECT ORIGIN

360, PS3, PC

POOR

360, PS3

FLOWER

GOOD

360, PS3, PC

GREAT

HALO WARS

360

SILENT HILL HOMECOMING

ESSENTIAL

360, PS3, PC

THE RATINGS

PS3

360

360, PS3, PC

FALLOUT 3: OPERATION ANCHORAGE

360, PC

FOOTBALL MANAGER LIVE

DRAGON QUEST: HAND OF THE HEAVENLY BRIDE

THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE: MINES OF MORIA

HALO WARS

KILLZONE 2

STREET FIGHTER IV

BUCCANEER: THE PURSUIT OF INFAMY

REVIEWS

26 WELCOME TO HELGHAN

KILLZONE 2

FORMAT PlayStation 3 PUBLISHER SCEE DEVELOPER Guerrilla Games REVIEWED BY Zoheir Beig

e’ve been here before of course. Back in 2003 the original Killzone was unveiled as the game that would emphatically wrestle the FPS initiative back to PlayStation 2, away from Microsoft, Xbox and the mighty Halo. Blinded as the press and public were to some admittedly impressive technical demonstrations, the game went on to sell well over a million copies, presumably before anyone had the chance to realise how many cracks there were beneath the invitingly shiny exterior and how poorly Killzone compared - if not in looks, then certainly in playability - to Bungie’s masterpiece (a game that appears to take on more and more significance as the years pass). Skip forward two years to E3 2005. Killzone 2 is unveiled to an industry as the tech demo – sorry, game – that would cement PlayStation 3’s inevitable market leadership, even with the launch of the Xbox 360 just months away. Sony’s response appeared reminiscent of an advertising slogan Nintendo used in the months before the launch of Nintendo 64: “Is it worth the wait? Only if you want the best!”. As we know, the PlayStation 3 has hardly had an easy ride since.

By now you’ll have already seen the corresponding score. Chances are you’ll have also made up your mind as to this review’s merits, or even those of Killzone 2 as a game overall. So for everyone disembarking at this point, the brief summation is thus: Killzone 2 does very few things that are new and it won’t exactly win the Pulitzer for its attempt at fiction, but it may just be the most accomplished slice of genre gaming this generation has yet produced, with every noteworthy strand of technology and game design collated into one consoledefining title. Where others have innovated, Killzone 2 has refined to the nth degree; this approach may be considered cowardly, but it will work wonders for the average gamer. What suggests Killzone 2 is such a successful creation is that after a while the soundbiteworthy features that stand out in the initial hours gradually give way to an experience that is all about the feel and the immersion of play, a factor that was sorely lacking from the original game. From the heaviness of movement to the debris that chips off each pillar through gunfire, the world of Killzone 2 is tangible, realistic and incredibly well conceived. The visuals, even after such blog-friendly hype, are astonishing, but would represent little more than a hollow

REVIEWS

27 victory were they not supporting this cohesive ethos. Narrative excepted – and it is a big exception - Guerrilla has placed a certain gravitas upon their vision of warfare and ensured that everything works towards this goal. A case in point would be early on when your squad finds itself ambushed in one small corner of Visari Square by charging Helghast troops. Wave after wave of enemies appear, past the point that other FPS shooters would have reasonably given the player a break, but it never feels unfair; instead it’s the first intense set-piece in a game loaded with such encounters. By the end our ammo was down to single digits, our reaction one of being genuinely relieved to have survived. The final assault on Visari Palace is similar, a sustained battle during which every inch gained feels vital and where retreating even a few steps invites the Helghast forward. Killzone 2 is a game that really benefits from a patient approach to combat, the now standard cover system adapted so that pushing forward on the left stick allows you to quickly duck out and fire before snapping back into place. This careful, grinding approach is somewhat at odds with the machismo that dominates practically everywhere else (from the name itself to the expletive-ridden script, Killzone 2 is the sort of game straight from the nightmares of Daily Mail readers), and is an example of contrasts and opposites that also extends to the campaign mode’s excellent structure. The flashpoints dotted throughout are certainly memorable, if

only for their physicality, but they’re buffeted by some wonderful stretches of languor and isolation that significantly help the pacing. Prior to Suljeva Village the repetition of industrial environments threatens to become suffocating, but from Suljeva on, the game soars to a superbly judged climax; the intervening hours full of incident, tension and no little excitement. It’s clear that the last four years weren’t simply spent on pushing the PS3 hardware as far as possible, but in creating a world so cohesive that every successive mission feels like a natural progression from the last. Inconsequential narrative be damned (there are frequent pathetic attempts at investing the story with ‘emotion’ that make the Gears sequel look like Final Fantasy 7); Killzone 2 may have the most derivative campaign mode of the last few years, but it also has one of the very, very best. One significant component of Killzone 2 that has yet to scale these aforementioned heights is the online multiplayer, though only for the simple reason that at the time of writing lobbies lie empty and arenas stand barren. For many online play will be the determining factor of Killzone 2’s success

REVIEWS

“TRIUMPHANT NOTHING SHORT

and failure; reassuringly it’s clear that Guerrilla’s understanding of what makes for a compulsive multiplayer mode is as assured as their knack of cherry-picking ideas for the single-player game, a view also supported by our experience testing last year’s beta and hours spent simulating with bots. Judging by the number of clans already being formed in anticipation, Killzone 2 appears to have captured the imagination of the wider PS3 community.

”

Again taking the template established by the usual FPS suspects, Killzone 2’s online play rewards perseverance and dedication, as more and more options are made available to the player, the more games, kills and points are racked up. Some will be intent on simply climbing up the promotional ladder (a gold trophy awaits future Generals), while others will relish the opportunity for personalisation that exists further down the line. Such a system ensures that there remains a motivation for returning to the game, should the promise of

the tightest, most immersive online games since Modern Warfare not be enough. Expect this to dominate PSN for the remainder of 2009. The irony here is that whereas Sony introduced the first, deeply disappointing, Killzone whilst in a position of unparalleled dominance (even five years on the PS2 is still a going sales concern), Killzone 2, this strangely beautiful testament to the industry as it stands today, arrives at a moment when the Japanese electronics giant has everything to prove within gaming. Countless lauded exclusives have spectacularly flopped since the PS3’s launch and the console’s market share is still less than glowing; there’s a sense that for history to repeat itself twice with another Killzone debacle, given the expectations, the jaw-dropping preview footage and the hordes of illiterate fanboys chomping at the bit, would have been catastrophic. Instead, the end result is nothing short of triumphant.

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

VERDICT

REVIEWS

29 SHOW US YOUR SPECIAL MOVE

STREET FIGHTER IV

FORMAT REVIEWED Xbox 360 OTHER FORMATS PlayStation 3, PC PUBLISHER Capcom DEVELOPER Capcom REVIEWED BY David Scammell

know what you’re thinking. When am I going to ask whether you remember the days spent pumping pennies, quarters or whatever monetary value relevant into your local arcade emporium just to prove to yourself that you can beat the sweaty Ryu-loving freak that seemingly hogs the cabinet? Well, I’m not, because I’m willing to bet that most of you actually don’t. That instead of lugging yourself down to the arcade every evening you were instead sat in a room full of rowdy Chun Li ogling friends, competing in makeshift tournaments on a 14” portable with a d-pad that actually functioned properly, unlike the ridiculously unresponsive 360 d-pad I’ve been lumbered with for the purpose of this review. But that’s another argument entirely. Of course, at the time (and arguably to this very day), Street Fighter II was the pinnacle of fighting games. It offered sheer accessibility on the grandest of scales, inviting both newcomers and pros alike to brawl - and to brawl together. It struck the perfect balancing act between being easy to play but a challenge to master, filled as it was with a memorable move list and an unforgettable character roster. You all knew how to pull off

Ryu’s iconic Hadouken, right? The on-screen visualisation synched perfectly to the controls as a down, down-right, right, Y produced a deadly fireball after a clenched sweep from the hip. It’s been eighteen long years, but you haven’t forgotten. It’s this blissful sense of nostalgia that makes Street Fighter IV the runaway success that it undoubtedly is. Street Fighter hasn’t changed per se – at heart, it’s still the very same game you played all those years ago but it’s been tweaked and enhanced to near-perfection. It’s The Ultimate Street Fighter, Street Fighter: The Greatest Hits, Street Fighter Essentials; whatever you’d rather call it, they’re all applicable. Thankfully, Street Fighter’s new-generation launch is much more restoration than reinvention, doing away with everything that put Street Fighter into hardcore-only territory over recent years and streamlining its accessibility to near-perfection. The Ultra gauge that fills as you take damage, for example, means that regardless of proficiency, you can turn the tide of battle in the blink of an eye – provided you can pull off the required move of course. This is nothing new to Street Fighter (Street Fighter III’s parry system made matches tense affairs

REVIEWS

that could go either way at any moment), but it will be new to the more casual player; those that didn’t have the time (or indeed, capability) to perfect the system, those that found Street Fighter III and its variants a little too hardcore. But, perhaps astonishingly, you never get the impression that Street Fighter IV has been dumbed down to accommodate everyone. Input windows are now more generous allowing newcomers to quickly learn how to perform moves and combos previously reserved for the elite, but in return, focus moves and technicals bulk up the required depth for those looking for it; the line between amateurism and mastery still distinct without necessarily feeling so.

Having said that however, our biggest concern with SFIV is Capcom’s assumption that everyone who sits down to play the game’s Arcade mode (SFIV’s core single-player option, lest we forget) is already a Street Fighter god, with the final boss in particular proving to be ridiculously cheap, pulling off unblockable Ultra Combos and ludicrously overpowered grapples at the drop of a hat. Of course, Street Fighter has never exactly been forgiving, and in all likelihood as a direct result of its penny-pinching arcade origins. But unless you’re well trained in focus attacks, grapples and super moves, you’ll be seeing a whole lot of that Continue screen even on the most moderate of difficulties. Whether that should be considered a complaint or not is entirely subjective. It could (and probably should), after all, be viewed as something to work towards, a deliberate act to prove your worth; the immense sense of satisfaction upon defeating the game’s final boss your ultimate goal. One place you definitely won’t be seeing that Continue screen, however, is in Street Fighter IV’s

REVIEWS

“ CAPCOM’S MAGNUM OPUS ”

remarkable online component. Because of the game’s limited offline modes (solo modes are limited to the core Arcade offering and a Challenge mode filled with time attacks, survivals and a glorified practice arena), online play is unquestionably where lone players will find themselves most often. Split across ranked and player matches (the former rewarding Battle Points which unlock player icons and titles) online play is impressive and thoroughly addictive, with the numerous games we played holding up without even a hint of latency. Furthering Capcom’s notion of accessibility, you’re also able to search for players with a similar skill to that of your own, so heading online needn’t be as intimidating as it once was in previous fighters. And as a side note, though we didn’t get to try out the game with one of those fancy arcade sticks or with the DualShock 3, as briefly touched upon earlier, we found the 360 d-pad to be woefully inadequate. Astoundingly however, the analogue stick more than sufficed,

proving to be surprisingly accurate and a viable tool with which to pull off Super Combos et al. It’s purely down to personal preference, but before writing off the 360 controller altogether, that knowledge is perhaps worth bearing in mind. Street Fighter IV isn’t just a fitting tribute to its predecessors; it’s the finest fighter you’ll have ever played. It’s Capcom’s magnum opus, a stunning refinement of everything that’s come before it and a title that sets a new standard for the genre; a standard that arguably hasn’t been topped since Super Street Fighter II. Capcom has done it again. The king of fighters has returned.

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

VERDICT

REVIEWS

HALO WARS THE SPARTAN PROJECT

ince their very inception, console RTSs have always been frowned upon as unnecessarily awkward affairs. The supposed problem with them, of course, has always been their lack of support for the more traditional keyboard and mouse setup, with most studios simply choosing to port a PC experience to console rather than spend time exploring a solution to their absence. Ensemble’s view on the other hand is that of the contrary; that a control pad needn’t hinder the genre, but enhance it.

FORMAT Xbox 360 PUBLISHER Microsoft Game Studios DEVELOPER Ensemble Studios REVIEWED BY David Scammell

The realisation of Ensemble’s willingness to go against the grain is most apparent upon sitting down with Halo Wars for the first time. Gone is any form of traditional RTS HUD; the removal of the genre’s staple horizontal/vertical bar and ominous cursor icon reinforcing Ensemble’s intentions of providing a console RTS built from the ground up. Instead it’s replaced by a streamlined control setup custom built around the 360’s control pad. A simple tap on the left bumper is used to select all units on the battlefield, while the right selects units on-screen. A squeeze of the right trigger allows you to cycle through individual unit types, before ordering them to move or attack with X. Further attack options are available by pulling up the Spirit of Fire’s (Halo Wars’ equivalent to the Pillar of Autumn) menu with the d-pad, from which more powerful attacks such as carpet bombs and orbital bombardments can be executed. The very implementation of such a simple and efficient system instantly revolutionises how the console RTS will be viewed indefinitely, and is a control setup that will unquestionably be used for any forthcoming titles in the genre.

This streamlining also extends itself to Halo Wars’ micromanagement. Rather than litter the battlefield with individual structures, your base is comprised of one central hub with up to six subsidiary sites on which to build barracks, supply pads, research centres and other essential constructions. The immediate limitation on the number of buildings available at any one time forces the player to consider their options for any prospective combat. Do you build numerous supply pads to bring in a viable amount of cash with which to spend on upgrades and more expensive units, or do you instead focus on building ground and air factories with which to build war machines from the off? By destroying enemy installations or securing areas held by rivals you’re also able to build supplementary bases which, when fully upgraded, allow for a further six constructions on each.

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

REVIEWS

“ A WORTHY EXTENSION TO MICROSOFT’S ICONIC BRAND ”

This proficiency in base-building allows the player more freedom to concentrate on actual combat, an area that comes first and foremost in Halo Wars. Battles are brief, with the focus on tighter, short-lived conflicts than fully blown skirmishes. However, in the process of opening up the genre to accommodate the typical Halo enthusiast, there’s an overwhelming sense that the strategy has been toned down a notch, with a strength by numbers approach preferred over any tactical nous. Rather than build an army filled with various unit types each specialised for different situations, it’s generally more effective to build a battalion of the biggest and most powerful units available to you (fully-upgraded Spartans, for example, or deadly Vulture gunships), a balance only offset by the game’s moderate population cap. While this focus on fast, hard-hitting combat will most likely be welcomed by Halo Wars’ target market (and is still unquestionably a whole lot of, you know, fun), it’s this diluted sense of strategy that sets the game apart from Ensemble’s previous RTS exploits, with a Command & Conquer-esque tank rush often much more favourable to any tactical provisions. The change will undoubtedly prove to be divisive amongst Ensemble’s followers and RTS fans-alike, but shows a firm understanding of the audience Microsoft are so eager to capture, where itchy trigger fingers go before tactical deftness. One of Ensemble’s greatest achievements, however, is in making Halo Wars a worthy extension to Microsoft’s iconic brand, rather than simply feeling like a generic RTS redubbed in a shiny Halo skin. Each of the locations in Halo Wars (which range from arctic tundras to wastelands decorated with derelict Forerunner technology) are sublime, capturing the very essence of what makes the series as emblematic as it is. And rather than fall into the

age-old RTS trap of having missions simply made up of single-track search and destroy endeavours, Halo Wars makes impressive use of its source material with many memorable missions that fall far from your average RTS events. If there’s any disappointment to be had from the campaign it’s that, despite the faction being fully-playable in the game’s skirmish mode, there is no option to play a parallel Covenant campaign, instead restricting players purely to a UNSC component. It’s a minor grievance admittedly, and one that we assume dictated by time constraints or – more likely – plans for a sequel. Until then though the game’s multiplayer skirmishes - which are available able to play both online with up to six players or offline with AI counterparts - should tide you over. Just like any other RTS, waging war against human players is where Halo Wars truly comes into its own, though the game also comes complete with an adaptive AI that adjusts to your skill level. That’s not to say it’s particularly impressive – Halo Wars’ AI does leave a lot to be desired – but it should prove enough of a challenge for those that still aren’t online. The ability to play as one of six different leaders each with their own unique strengths and abilities also adds a touch of variety, ensuring that matches aren’t always simply just a case of UNSC vs. Covenant. An alternative deathmatch option also allows players to get straight into combat with a pre-built base, unlocked tech trees and an avalanche of cash, reducing the RTS genre’s typical forty-five minute playtime to a more manageable fifteen; something bound to please the masses that favour a quick dip every so often. Microsoft must have its own reasons for the closure of the world’s favourite RTS studio but, based on the evidence provided by Halo Wars, Ensemble’s sudden departure seems entirely unwarranted. Not only has the studio delivered a title that lives up to its predecessor’s colossal standards, but it’s achieved a new milestone for the console RTS, paving the way for the future of the genre on a platform previously thought lost.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

SILENT HILL WHAT’S THAT COMING OVER THE HILL?

HOMECOMING

FORMAT REVIEWED Xbox 360 OTHER FORMATS PS3, PC PUBLISHER Konami DEVELOPER Double Helix Games REVIEWED BY Zoheir Beig

ome gamers will perhaps already have made up their mind about Homecoming, even before experiencing the hospital that forms the bold opening of this sixth entry in the Silent Hill series. The crux of their problem will lie not with the four long years that have passed since the last ‘proper’ Silent Hill game (2004’s The Room), but the fact that this is the first time that Team Silent, disregarding PSP’s Origins, have not been involved with a Silent Hill console title. Perhaps it was part four’s mixed reception that led them to forgo development, but as with any franchise that becomes synonymous with a certain visionary or team since birth, a sense of trepidation upon their absence is inevitable.

As mentioned above, Homecoming starts in brilliant fashion: the first sounds you hear are those of warfare, the first thing you see the perspective of protagonist Alex Shepherd as he is wheeled into hospital wounded. It’s the closest that Silent Hill has yet come to the frightening disorientation of Jacob’s Ladder, a film that was apparently a strong influence on Team Silent for the previous games. This sensible appropriation of source, coupled with regular composer Akira Yamaoka’s superb music and a neat early crossover with the lead from Origins, proves that developers Double Helix are aware of the series’ heritage and familiar trademarks. This reverence can of course be something of a double-edged sword, the respect shown to the franchise here preventing any real surprises in terms of gameplay or game structure.

Combat is one area that does appear to have taken a subtle shift. Although the end result is hardly Cliff Bleszinski-meets-Silent Hill (perish the thought), there is still a noticeable increase in the ease with which familiar ghouls can be dispatched, a greater feeling of power in the hands of the player (as Alex is an off-duty soldier this could go down as a clever detail on the part of the developers). This change in the combat controls is balanced however by some genuinely frustrating moments when either the camera or the almost pitch-black environment conspires to disrupt your play. Thankfully though the emphasis throughout the game is still largely on exploration, backtracking and the slow accumulation of each narrative puzzle piece. Shepherd’s Glen, Alex’s hometown, is convincingly eerie and

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

REVIEWS

35 FACE OF SUCH EFFICIENTLY “ IN THETHRILL-RIDES TOOLED AS DEAD SPACE HOMECOMING COMES ACROSS AS SLIGHTLY ANACHRONISTIC

”

distinctive in its variety of locales to make travel between one area and another instinctive rather than an exercise in map checking. The fact that this is the debut Silent Hill game for the current generation is barely discernible; those looking for a glistening Resident Evil 5-esque HD polish will be disappointed. Homecoming’s strengths in this area are in the little details: the grainy, scratched look to the visuals, one map drawn in a childlike scrawl, an abandoned children’s park. Homecoming may well use a slightly updated version of the PlayStation 2 game engine (the variable quality of the facial animations suggests as much), but this presentation is sufficient for the story to be told, and keeps the sense of continuity between the previous games in the series. Yamaoka’s soundtrack is arguably the highlight of this package. Played with the lights off it’s not the excessive darkness that unnerves (at times Homecoming is very, very dark, whilst the fog can be very, very thick), but the stabs of noise or distant cries of children. One potential problem is that, though Homecoming has a wonderful atmosphere and plays at a steady pace, it does stick a little too closely to the Silent Hill formula. The story hinges on the idea that Alex is remarkably

unperturbed by the condition of his hometown when he first arrives, though considering that the developers also took inspiration from the Silent Hill movie this absence of logic isn’t particularly surprising. Like the rest of the game the narrative is overall unsurprising, though there are some standout moments (a cameo from everyone’s favourite pyramid head-shaped videogame character not least among them), and having said all that at least we’re not pondering how Double Helix – who were viewed with suspicion when first announced as developers – have ruined a once great franchise. Homecoming is an assured and welcome entry into the series that will be appreciated by fans of survival horror, though to gamers unfamiliar with the ways of Silent Hill it may come across as slightly anachronistic in the face of such efficiently tooled thrill-rides as Dead Space. For a game so obsessed with its own mythology, the fact that Homecoming still exists in its own little world is strangely apt.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

36 YOU’LL FIND ME IN THE CLUB

50 CENT:

BLOOD ON THE SAND

0 Cent: pop culture icon, businessman, philanthropist and superhero, or so the game would have us believe. The mogul’s new game scores perfect marks as a representation of cross-media sensationalising, but as a game it doesn’t fare so well. Any refreshing quirks, of which there are some, are promptly quashed underneath a mound of generic level design and sloppy AI programming. Its machismo is firmly tongue-in-cheek, but self-effacing irony can only stretch so far.

FORMAT REVIEWED Xbox 360 OTHER FORMATS PlayStation 3 PUBLISHER THQ DEVELOPER Swordfish Studios REVIEWED BY Martin Gaston

Much of the reputation surrounding the game comes from Fiddy himself. You’re just as likely to distance as many people with such a contentious figurehead as attract, and anyone who played the terrifyingly abysmal 50 Cent: Bulletproof is unlikely to pledge allegiance to the continuation of the franchise. Bulletproof’s formula, however, has been broken down and rebuilt from two major sources: the sequel smacks of two parts Gears of War to one part The Club, whilst also reminiscent of an eighties arcade game in that there’s no narrative drive to explain why the

protagonist and his cronies are situated in a non-descript Middle Eastern country. You simply are.

This is all an excuse for a bit of a violence-orientated ruckus, of course. After a sold-out gig, Fifty and his G-Unit entourage shake down a businessman who owes him money. He can’t pay and, instead of listening to the cries of “waste that fool”, Fifty ungracefully accepts a diamond-encrusted skull. The skull is quickly pinched, much to the immense chagrin of our denominationally-conscious rap superstar, and he pledges to murder everyone standing between him and his bling. It’s ridiculous, of course. And with all the integration of 50 Cent’s musical empire - “featuring 18 exclusive new tracks” is given top billing on the back cover - there’s the perfectly understandable

REVIEWS

“ A JACK OF ALL TRADES AND MASTER OF NONE ”

concern that the game will get lost by the wayside. It doesn’t, but the resulting title is one that can only boast of being average. The shooting, graphics and controls are all distinctively competent. Its scoring system works but contains no incentive. The game lacks any sense of flair or vision: its design ambitions must have been to create the most middling gameplay experience of all time. If it were a colour, it would be a perfectly pleasing, inoffensively functional grey. It wasn’t until playing Blood on the Sand that we realised how much of Fiddy’s musical output is obsessed with guns and violence. The game is just as tonally offensive, with regressive pre-modernist stereotypes of jingoistic videogame design being rife in the package, and everyone’s flinging cusses around like they’re going out of fashion. It’s about as sensitive as Prince Philip, and its only concession to politically sensitive middle-eastern issues is that a corrupt white American turns out to be calling all the shots at the end of the day. The primarily middle-eastern setting gives the designers license to try and copy the brown palette from Gears of War, but without the same artistic talent.

There is an unforgivable repetition of objects, textures and animations: by the end of the game you’ve seen the exact same animation for opening shutters so many times you’re left questioning your short-term memory. Screen tearing occurs with regularity and unpolished gameplay elements are present too, such as the integral cover mechanic which isn’t as slick as the one implemented in Gears of War. The co-op partner’s AI is wonky, and the drop-in, drop-out Xbox Live gameplay shoots itself right in the foot by making you go back to the last checkpoint if somebody disconnects. To top it off, it’s too easy, and the timid length of the game is only worsened by the simplistic difficulty level. Copy and paste design repetition is such an issue that we wouldn’t be surprised if the developers turned out to be goldfish. About a third of the way through the game, for instance, you fight an armoured helicopter. The next level features another armoured helicopter, which you dispatch in the exact same way. The level after that features you manning the turret of an armoured helicopter, and then the following level has an armoured helicopter helping you out of awkward situations. Other silly issues help sink the game into its turgid functionality. The most jarring is how Fiddy’s co-op sidekick never features in any of the plentiful cutscenes, resulting in events like Fiddy running out of an exploding building without Lloyd Banks (or other G-Unit member) in tow. 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand is the ultimate vanity project and a prime example of what happens when publishers and businessmen take control of titles. The game has been developed to plough straight down the middle and appeal to the largest possible demographic; it’s a jack of all trades, and master of none. It’s not as bad as his previous game, disastrously melodramatic movie attempt or second album. It is, however, entirely standard.

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

VERDICT

REVIEWS

F.E.A.R. 2: I AIN’T AFRAID OF NO GHOST

PROJECT ORIGIN

I FORMAT REVIEWED PlayStation 3 OTHER FORMATS Xbox 360, PC PUBLISHER Warner Bros. Interactive DEVELOPER Monolith Productions REVIEWED BY Graham Naunton

s it just us, or does being a gamer these days sometimes feel like we’re constantly waiting for ‘the next big thing’? The hype machines, the forum meltdowns, the incessant preaching we’re subjected to from the suits to the scribes, and those random people who might blog something like “OMG I has seen the new God of War that no1 else has seen an it’s teh awesummz”. Was it always like this? We’re pretty sure there was once a time when we’d just stumble across new titles and be totally unprepared for the magnificence that may or may not have lurked beyond the game case. Nowadays we’re already familiar with half of the game’s content before we’ve even inserted the disc – the back story, about twenty-seven trailers worth of spoiler-tastic footage, what multiplayer modes there are going to be as well a whole host of game features. We’re drenched with this knowledge by every man and his virtual internet dog because the makers of the games are basically saying “our title is going to change your world, so we’ve just gotta tell you all about it, again and again, until we have your pre-order.”

So the competition is seriously fierce, but one saying we’re fond of (found in the undoubtedly best selling guidebook “So You Want to Sound Like a Wise Man”) is that competition breeds innovation. The problem we’re having in these crazy days is that it’s all cyclic – with the need to compete, developers do indeed innovate, and can push the envelope. Then, however, they feel the need to shout EVEN LOUDER than the

people before. Surfing the internet for anything game-related is a bit like a twisted version of speed dating, with lots of funny-dressed men with bad facial hair shouting over each other with tales of how funny, charming and downright essential to your life they think they are.

Amongst this raucous swarm is F.E.A.R. 2, appearing almost shy and unassuming in comparison to something like, say, Killzone 2. This is where we stop the comparisons with these – we’re wincing as we say it – supposedly triple-A games, and Guerrilla’s latest in particular, because F.E.A.R. 2 doesn’t want to change the world, and it isn’t ramming itself down our oesophagus. Instead, its aim is simple – heaven forbid, it’s just pure, unadulterated fun. It’s not grandiose, it’s not epic, and it doesn’t come on five discs – it’s a very gratifying, filler-free experience that sharpens the senses, giving the pointy ends a bit of a

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

REVIEWS

39 FEW OF THE ‘GHOST TRAIN’ “ VERY SEQUENCES CONVINCE ”

tweak for your gaming pleasure throughout the entirety of the sizeable single player campaign. It’s almost a relief to be able to play a game that isn’t positively soaked to the skin in slimy, highly contagious hype. We believe in reviewing games in context with others if appropriate, and rightly so, but it is still vital that a game is judged on an individual basis as well, in that its own merits cannot be ignored regardless of its apparent competition. After a brief overlap with its predecessor, F.E.A.R. 2 picks up from where the first game left off and finds the player, now known as Becket, tasked with eliminating the deranged psychic Alma, making a return in her truer form as a painfully thin, dead-eyed woman. The plot has plenty to pay attention to and will most certainly delight those who revelled in the F.E.A.R. universe the first time around, with various text logs filling in the gaps a la Dead Space as well as other neat touches. Despite these attempts to keep players up to speed, those who couldn’t care less won’t be entirely sure of what is going on and why. Perhaps Monolith was aware of this, shifting the action from one defined scenario to the next in an effort to inject some much needed variety into proceedings. Whatever the reason, there’s something in F.E.A.R. 2 that jars, that just doesn’t sit quite right. Of course, there’s plenty to enjoy here as a fan of the FPS genre, with the gunplay feeling slick yet meaty, weighty yet elegant. Dropping the tempo into the series’ famous slow motion before capping four or five bad guys is immensely satisfying, even more so when you realise that the enemy AI is positively fiendish – they’re flushing you out of cover with grenades, flanking your cover and storming your position in teams. It’s great to see, and it kept us on the edge of our seats more than the ‘scares’ were supposed to. Yes, this is part of the main problem with F.E.A.R. 2. Stomping around in mechanical power armour spending thousands of machine gun rounds and a few dozen missiles is undeniably a rush; it’s only when the game decides to get

spooky that we begin to lose a little bit of faith. It frequently breaks rhythm, which we probably wouldn’t mind if it was genuinely tense or foreboding. It feels a tad disjointed, occasionally lacks the correct pace, and to make matters worse it’s all a bit predictable. We don’t need our HUD to flicker ominously or none of the lights to work to figure out that something scare-worthy is on the way. Save a handful of moments, very few of the ‘ghost train’ sections convince. For a game that has fear as its actual name, you’d at least think that it would be good at inciting some. Maybe it’s our granite hewn, wind beaten souls that don’t find anything scary, or maybe it’s just one of those facts of life – give an enhanced super human the ability to slow down time and the arsenal to level small buildings, and things just don’t seem that scary anymore. Although saying that, The Matrix Reloaded was pretty horrific. Whilst not raising bars and lacking the ability to set new standards, F.E.A.R. 2 is nevertheless a great example of a ‘typical’ genre piece that we can recommend to shooter fans, without doubt. Those who have been left scratching at itchy trigger fingers lately due to a lack of decent shooters can now lock and load – this and Killzone 2 guarantee a welcoming reprise for the genre. Don’t expect much in the way of shocks and nervy jumps – those masochistic enough to scare themselves witless would probably find more satisfaction in Shellshock 2, for all of the wrong reasons.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

FLOWER F

THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER

FORMAT PlayStation 3 (PSN) PUBLISHER SCEE DEVELOPER thatgamecompany REVIEWED BY David Scammell

or a game designed to rid you of life’s everyday gloom, your first impression of Flower is unexpectedly sombre. Cast with the view of a lone wilting flower drearily sitting aside an open window as its cracked pane oozes the city’s hubbub into a dull apartment, it’s perfectly plausible to feel cheated: that Flower isn’t all the smiles and pretty colours you had expected it to be.

See, behind the no-frills stress-buster that Flower’s chic premise would have you believe it to be, developers thatgamecompany have peddled Flower with a much more serious tale. While a mere ‘wind simulator’ (to put it in the bluntest of terms) on the outside, it’s all simply a facade for illustrating real-world environmental concerns; a tale of taking back the green belt from everyday pollutants, or as TGC would rather put it, “exploiting the tension between urban bustle and natural serenity.” Some may call it pretentious, others ambitious, but whatever side of the fence you sit, it doesn’t matter: Flower is pure poetry in motion.

soothing soundtrack as delicate harp tinkles ring out upon collection. Each of the worlds represent a different flower’s dream, and collecting a preset amount of petals opens up new paths with which to progress (for example, some petals clear away fallen boulders, others activate wind turbines), while an explosive ripple adds vibrancy to the dulled environment. It’s straightforward, elegant and utterly relaxing. Key to Flower’s success is thatgamecompany’s perfect calibration of the SIXAXIS. Tilts on the x-axis gracefully turn your stream of petals left and right, while gentle nudges up and down send your colourful stream soaring into the air or burrowing through the long blades of grass. Slower, lighter drifts contrast elegantly with weighty forceful gusts, as the level of finesse needed for gentle tilts elevates to full blown turns as the wind gets stronger. Unlike many other SIXAXIS-

Flower’s concept is delightfully simple. Starting out as a single petal caught up in a gust of wind, you drift, glide and blast your way through six beautifully realised open-world environments, collecting different coloured petals and forming a colourful chain, themselves each contributing to Flower’s

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

REVIEWS

“ AN EPIPHANY MOMENT FOR THE SIXAXIS ”

centric titles that require time, patience and (inevitably) cursing to get the hang of, Flower’s control system feels completely intuitive, precise and an absolute breeze to become accustomed to, as the initial sense of fragility as a lone petal suddenly blossoms into confidence. But then TGC turns it all around. As the light fades confidence soon subsides into fear, as sinister electricity pylons fill the land with an overwhelmingly uncomfortable vibe. While the notion of collecting petals and creating a multicoloured conga remains constant throughout, halfway through the game’s sixty minute runtime Flower suddenly becomes something more reminiscent of a conventional title. Rather than simply remain just a collect-a-thon, TGC introduces more traditional elements to the gameplay, whereby tracing patterns within the long grass paves a neon-lit route through the darkness. These in turn become replaced by missions of evasion as you become tasked with avoiding fallen pylons, while the final level itself... well, it would be a shame to soil the experience by mentioning specifics. Needless to say, you’ll come away from Flower not only having played a genredefining title, but you’ll be left with a lasting

impression as well. As TGC are quick to point out, “hopefully by the end of the journey, you change a little as well”, and in all probability you certainly will. It’s debatable as to whether or not the first half of Flower perhaps works best; it is, after all, the sense of merry abandon and pure gusto that arguably makes the title the perfect piece of ‘Zen gaming’ that it claims to be. But then others will almost certainly disagree, that the second half of Flower is filled with more purpose, that it feels more like a traditional “game”. Regardless, Flower is an epiphany moment for the SIXAXIS: a game that outright wouldn’t work without the motion controls, and one enhanced tenfold by their perfect execution. It’s a title that you’ll go back to time and time again, not only to explore concealed areas and find any remaining petals, but because of its intrinsically addictive and peaceful nature. Disregard Flower for its unconventionality and you’ll be missing out on one of the finest (and definitely most exquisite) titles to hit PSN so far.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

42 STANDING THE TEST OF TIME

CHRONO TRIGGER

B FORMAT DS PUBLISHER Square Enix DEVELOPER Square Enix REVIEWED BY Zoheir Beig

ack when the thought of SquareSoft and Enix ever merging was as fanciful an idea as getting, say, Mario to compete in choice Olympic sports with Sonic, Chrono Trigger was a very big deal. While today it is deservedly regarded as one of the greatest games ever, back in 1995 Chrono Trigger’s myth revolved less around how its design template appeared to refine the RPG to a fine art and more on the mouth-watering prospect of designers from both JRPG-development behemoths collaborating on one title. The reality of course wasn’t as heretical as the headlines would suggest, but even Square dubbed the pairing of Hironobu Sakaguchi with Yuuji Horii and Akira Toriyama a “dream team” – the former created Final Fantasy, whilst the latter two distinguished themselves with work on Enix’s Dragon Quest series.

Despite this star billing, on the surface Chrono Trigger is as conventional a Japanese RPG as you’d expect. You begin the adventure as Crono, a young boy who ventures to the local fair to see his friend’s new teleportation machine. Within half an hour your friend Marle has been teleported through an alternate portal when the machine in question goes wrong. Following her you end up in 600 A.D (a symbol in the bottom corner keeping you up to date with the era you’re currently in). It’s testament to the considerable skill of Square’s storytellers that this tumultuous series of events never feels anything other than a breathless, panic-stricken prologue to the larger story that then unfolds. Despite only first meeting Marle at the fair, following her is the only compelling, believable response. The little

pieces of characterisation and dialogue are superb, as is the pacing, the careful layering of events. Never mind videogaming, Chrono Trigger is one of the great recent examples of storytelling in any medium. In short, it’s everything role-playing games are meant to be, sucking you into a unique world until your identification with the game is inseparable from the characters and their goals. Unlike, for example, Final Fantasy IV (the last JRPG I played, and another example in the welcome trend of rereleasing these once rare games on the latest consoles), Chrono Trigger is a game that can be embraced by both genre novices and hardened veterans alike. That first group is perhaps the most important; we’d implore the sort of gamers to whom turn-based battles, MP/HP and intense item management seem impenetrable to play Chrono Trigger. In many ways it’s the perfect

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

REVIEWS

“TIMELESS

PRETTY MUCH

”

introduction to the genre, the surface impression of conventionality giving way to some subtle yet significant changes. For a start there are no random battles, with enemies visible at all times; this removes the irritation of being interrupted on your travels, allowing the sense of exploration to coincide with fighting instead of one factor spoiling the other. The Active Battle System (which actually made its debut in Final Fantasy IV) is similarly intuitive, and is pacey enough to almost make you forget that these encounters are still taking place along turn-based lines. The slight tweaks to the format create some interesting results (for example the gameworld is surprisingly small, which is something you wouldn’t expect from a ‘traditional’ JRPG), but because the design is so tight everything has a purpose; the dynamic of time-travel lending the game the epic-ness that other, lesser, titles would take from an overwhelming world size or a cast of hundreds. This modesty also extends to the visuals (they may date back to 1995 but still retain immense charm) and of course the famous score by Yasunori Mitsuda. Despite all this talk of genre expectations, Chrono Trigger is a creation that transcends such pigeonholing,

excelling despite its heritage and context. For a game that plays so successfully with the notion of time it’s fairly apt that with this re-release Chrono Trigger has proved itself to be pretty much timeless. Having never had the opportunity to play Chrono Trigger until now, only reading about the game in various magazines and across forums over the years, I’m left feeling grateful that a) it lived up to the considerable hype, turning into the sort of canonised prestige title that the worlds of film and music have in such plentiful supply and that b) we live in an age when re-releases/masters such as this one are still considered services to gaming history. Especially for a game that is only seeing official light of day in PAL territories with this DS edition. As polished and complete a version as one could hope for, Chrono Trigger is, in this day of Square Enix and multi-format Sonic, still a very big deal.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

RISE OF THE ARGONAUTS W GREEK TRAGEDY

FORMAT REVIEWED Xbox 360 OTHER FORMATS PlayStation 3, PC PUBLISHER Codemasters DEVELOPER Liquid Entertainment REVIEWED BY Ashton Raze

ouldn't it be great if tragedies could be undone with a flourish of a sheepskin hide? The death of a loved one. £10,000 blown on internet poker. Haze. This is the concept that classic Greek myth 'Jason and the Argonauts' presents, and one which Liquid Entertainment has adapted for Rise of the Argonauts. Rise of the Argonauts is an action-RPG loosely based on the legend of Jason - and by loosely based we mean it features Jason and a fleece. Beyond a few additional characters and locations, Rise of the Argonauts draws on a multitude of Greek tales to weave a rich and complex narrative which, like God of War before it, serves as a 'best of the genre' piece. Or at least it tries to. Following on from their classic Desperate Housewives: THE GAME, Liquid Entertainment has attempted an ambitious project with a structure eerily reminiscent of that of BioWare's output. Branching dialogue trees – check. Equipment upgrades – check. Arena fighting quest – check. The game comes across as if it's been constructed with a Western RPG-By-Numbers kit. Familiarity is no bad thing, but when the sum of Rise of the Argonauts' parts rarely ever come close to its predecessors, we have a problem. The game hurls you into the action as Jason's betrothed is slain by an assassin. The palace erupts into chaos as the player takes control, and immediately the game's shortcomings can be seen. The camera lurches somewhere around Jason's midsection, angled as if trying to get the best male upskirt shot it can

muster as Jason stumbles into scenery and invisible walls, catching his sandals on every bit of debris in his path. Beside him lumbers a giant of a man who, it transpires, is Hercules but whom the player would be forgiven for assuming to be a very pink Incredible Hulk. Almost instantly a fight breaks out and the player is forced to learn two attacks which boil down to 'hit hard' and 'hit harder' no matter the weapon. There are also defensive manoeuvres such as blocking, shoving and dodging, the latter serving only to catapult you into the best position to be attacked. Upon killing an enemy (achieved by pressing 'hit harder' a few times for most adversaries), Jason performs a graceful slow motion fatality attack... which is repeated with every kill. For the entire game.

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

REVIEWS

â&#x20AC;&#x153; RISE OF THE ARGONAUTS DOES LITTLE TO GIVE AN ILLUSION OF CHOICE â&#x20AC;?

The first hour of Rise of the Argonauts is a very disorienting experience. The clumsy controls, voyeuristic camera and horrible collision detection create a sense that rather than guiding Jason, the player is struggling against him. Once off the starting island, the areas become more open which allows for greater freedom of movement, but the clipping issues in particular remain a problem throughout. Visually and technically the areas fluctuate between 'fairly decent' and 'fairly poor', nothing really standing out either way. The more impressive-looking levels are coupled with higher amounts of technical problems, marring what should have been the best sections in the game. During his quest, Jason enlists the aid not only of his crossover myth pals, but four of the Olympian gods who were all the rage in those days. For the most part these Gods serve as glorified move sets; every quest or challenge you complete is presented as an in-game achievement which can be dedicated to a God to gain special moves or buffs. Dialogue choices also contribute to God Powers, with different choices aligned to different gods. Beyond choosing whether to regenerate health or

damage enemies upon blocking, the dialogue options make little difference to the game. The outcome of everything is largely the same no matter what is said, and Rise of the Argonauts does little to give an illusion of choice; the linearity is easy to see. The hubris with which Jason regards his quest - and the fact that in a game about choices there's no real say in what actually happens - does little to endear Jason to the player. The support cast on the other hand are solid and well scripted; some of the game's best moments come from bantering with Achilles or listening to Hercules and Pan share war stories. Indeed, many of the quest plot lines are surprisingly well realised and the voice acting only helps matters. Even though Jason's own story is less engaging, the rest of the Rise of the Argonauts universe goes a way to make up for that. Tyler Bates' sweeping score adds an epic feel to even the most generic-looking of sections and - above all else - the game deserves credit for its sound direction. From its ship-based hub to its mythological roots via its highly linear attempts at non-linearity, Rise of the Argonauts is very much a case of 'seen it all before, done much better'. Clocking in at around twelve hours the game could easily be polished off in a weekend and besides trying out new powers, there's very little in the way of replay value. There is some enjoyment to be had from Rise of the Argonauts, but for most people there isn't enough of a draw to bother finding it.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

46 SLUG PELLETS

METAL SLUG 7

FORMAT REVIEWED DS OTHER FORMATS Xbox LIVE Arcade PUBLISHER Ignition Entertainment DEVELOPER SNK Playmore REVIEWED BY Simeon Paskell

bullet ricochets past your ear; the gun from which it was fired clasped firmly in the hand of an enemy soldier, his face twisted into a mocking grin. Overhead, an incoming mortar-round whistles towards its target and out of the dust-clouds and carnage of war as a heavily armoured tank lumbers into view. Looking around, you notice a small cartoon hamster crawling at your feet. There's only one thing for it grab the rodent for a hefty points bonus and pump the 'Y' button like there's no tomorrow! War isn't hell; war is hilarious and rendered in two dimensions. Welcome to the latest instalment in the Metal Slug series.

There's being true to your original vision and then there's stubbornly resisting change; Metal Slug 7 arguably does both of these things. After having appeared on countless consoles, the arrival of this seventh entry marks nary the smallest of changes to the vintage 'run and gun' gameplay, adhering to a well established formula to a fault: take control of one of six cartoon soldiers and set about the destruction of hordes of bad guys over classically 2D, side-scrolling levels. This is old-school gaming, pure and simple - it's chaotic, deaths are frequent, bosses are large and 'Continue' and 'Game Over' screens soon become a familiar sight. SNK undoubtedly hold the retro-vibe as a badge of honour, but it is, unfortunately, also a cross that Metal Slug 7 must bear, in all likelihood dooming it to a position as another niche title in a niche series. The Metal Slug series has always prided itself on its visuals; shunning the latest 3D rendering techniques for good-old sprites and pixels, and at its best, the artistry of its 2D

graphics are a thing of beauty. It is with a certain sense of trepidation then that one approaches the series' arrival on the DS - is this a machine capable of replicating the minute detail of SNKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s previous efforts? Happily, Metal Slug 7's pairing with the DS is pulled off with some aplomb, with the minute sprites exuding the OTT cartoon violence that fans have come to love. Visuals are crisp, clean and full of character - successfully ticking an important box on any Metal Slug wish-list - and will without question satisfy Metal Slug aficionados. While the top screen is allowed the shine, the touch screen does feel a little redundant, playing host to a needless overview of your current level. In a game where your major concern is where your next bullet is going, and where the next enemy bullet is coming from, seeing what lies ahead is never really on the agenda. Nintendo's New Super Mario Bros. and

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

REVIEWS

47 OLD-SCHOOL, “ RESOLUTELYNON-PROGRESSIVE UNASHAMEDLY AND BRUTALLY TOUGH ”

Konami's recent Contra 4 both proved the effectiveness of spreading the action over two screens, and it's a shame that SNK didn't learn from this. Although it's hard to hold this against the game too much, a more interesting use of the host’s capabilities would have been welcome. The decision to not include any form of multiplayer also feels like a large oversight. Gameplay-wise, Metal Slug 7 is as solid a representation of the series as DS owners could hope for and makes for an ideal on-the-go gaming experience. The titular metal slugs (combat machines ranging from tanks to mechs of various sizes) are present and correct, and there are plenty of memorable boss battles. Although lacking some of the thematic excesses of previous instalments (there are no blood-spewing zombies here!), there is enough variety in enemies, weapons and locales to hold your attention for the seven levels presented. SNK has attempted to add another layer to the experience with a challenge mode (i.e. completing levels while meeting certain

requirements such as rescuing as many hostages as possible and time-trials), but this is likely to only appeal to hardcore Metal Sluggers hungry to push their score just that little bit higher. Metal Slug 7 is what it is; a resolutely old school, unashamedly non-progressive and brutally tough side-scrolling shooter and, in many respects, SNK should be applauded for bringing an authentic Metal Slug experience to the DS. However, its failure to make the most of dual screens feels like a missed opportunity and it is disappointing that the quality of delivery isn't matched by a similar degree of ambition. Rather than being something really special, it is merely (!) a rewarding, polished, charming yet teeth-gnashingly difficult shooter rendered with pristine 2D visuals, and an easy recommendation for fans of the genre. If, however, the thought of constant restarts, unavoidable deaths and thumb-aching button-mashing isn't your thing, we suggest you look elsewhere.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

48 THE HARDCORE YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR

THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD

OVERKILL A

FORMAT Wii PUBLISHER SEGA DEVELOPER Headstrong Games REVIEWED BY David Scammell

s gamers, there are many things in life that we’ve given up all hope on. A decent Sonic game, for starters, or a stunningly attractive girl who loves Halo Wars as much as we do (you’re not fooling anyone, Microsoft). Or perhaps, as is more relevant to this review, the light gun shooter genre.

bonus, ‘Slow MoFo’, regularly jump into view for alert players to target, while each of the game’s seven levels are made up of nothing but set-piece after set-piece, ultimately steering the player toward the compulsory end of level boss. Outside of its contemporary sheen, Overkill is anything but a reimagining of the genre.

For years the light gun shooter has been stuck in limbo, daring not to venture from its arcade roots without a significant series fanbase already behind it (we need only look at the abundance of arcade ports and Wii-makes that make up the genre’s console catalogue for evidence of that). Even then, the line-up has been less than stellar, with Capcom’s Resident Evil Gun Survivor series proving that even the pros should stick to what they know best.

Instead it’s a mastery of the craft, with Headstrong’s ability to recognise the arcade/home audience divide and act on it accordingly particularly praiseworthy. Anyone buying into a light gun shooter knows to expect a simple but fun point and shoot experience, but Headstrong has pushed Overkill further than most. Besides the standard Story mode (which differentiates itself from other light gun shooters by featuring an infinite continue

Which brings us to The House of the Dead: Overkill, a title that falls into an unusual middle-ground. Neither an arcade conversion nor an abysmal spin-off, it is instead a console-exclusive rendition of the revered House of the Dead series, but with a western twist. The cheese-ridden, decidedly eastern zombie-fest has been overthrown by blaxpoitation, sex, swearing and gratuitous violence - and it works. House of the Dead finally feels relevant, brought guns blazing into the testosterone-fuelled world of Grindhouse-inspired exploitation. We’d be lying, however, if we implied that Overkill wasn’t still a light gun shooter by numbers. The genre staples are all in place; bonus items like the point-soaring golden brains and the ingeniously titled slow motion

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

REVIEWS

49 structure), the developer has also implemented an alternative Director’s Cut mode that unlocks after the game’s completion. As the name implies, Director’s Cut offers slightly extended levels as well as a life system typical to that of an arcade cabinet. Series fans looking for an arcade experience will still find it in Overkill, should they want it. The option to buy and upgrade weapons also adds an increased sense of depth to an otherwise intrinsically basic title (a fully-upgraded automatic shotgun brings new meaning to the word bloodbath), while other little touches like the supplementary Dual Wield mode or receiving cash bonuses for shooting zombies ‘Gangsta Style’ (i.e. turning the Wii-mote on its side) all add up to create a package that is not only insanely fun, but also incredibly well-conceived. Special mention also must go to Overkill’s Hand Cannon peripheral which, in the words of the developers, certainly has a lot more “bollocks” than any other Wii accessory on the market. Shaped like a revolver and packing a fair bit of weight, the Wii-mote shell vastly improves the Overkill experience.

“

AN INSPIRED RESURRECTION OF SEGA’S DECAYING FRANCHISE

”

Of course, any game of Overkill’s ilk will never be free of shortcomings, with Headstrong’s dismissal of online leaderboards likely to be the biggest frustration for score chasers. The game’s two to three hour campaign is also disappointingly short for a game designed exclusively for a home console, but perhaps to be expected given its genre-ties. Instead, Overkill’s main attraction comes in its sheer replay factor and multiplayer options. Play Overkill side-by-side with a friend and you’ll have some of the best fun you’ll have had in gaming since say, Street Fighter IV, but indisputably the most you’ll have ever had from a light gun shooter. After the disappointment of Umbrella Chronicles and the non-stop arcade ports and Wii-makes, there was a part of us that thought that the on-rails light-gun genre was destined for the grave. Thankfully the brilliance of Overkill proves otherwise. Headstrong has delivered an inspired resurrection of both SEGA’s decaying franchise and the genre as a whole. Maybe that Halo Wars girl does exist after all...

VERDICT VERDICT

REVIEWS

SKATE 2 EYES LIKE A HAWK

FORMAT REVIEWED Xbox 360 OTHER FORMATS PlayStation 3 PUBLISHER EA DEVELOPER EA Black Box REVIEWED BY Nick Akerman

volution is a slow process. When EA released the original Skate back in 2007, the franchise became an overnight success, gaining plaudits from every corner of the gaming community. More importantly, it kick-started a genre that was in dire need of new direction, brushing aside the archaic button-mashing formula of the Tony Hawk series and propelling the skating world into the next-generation with one well-executed flick of the right stick. With the release of Skate 2, developers Black Box have once again shown a keen eye for improvement as they continue to evolve their franchise and, more importantly, the genre as a whole.

Those that played Skate will know exactly what to expect from the sequel. The innovative control system is back, albeit more accurate and accessible than before. With a greater wealth of tricks, flicks, and grinds to pull off, it’s welcoming to see that EA kept faith in their original blueprint and have started to refine a system that now feels entirely natural. With the game offering a huge challenge for even the most seasoned skating sensation, these changes not only make the title a lot less frustrating and add to the franchise’s playability, it also makes the experience utterly more enjoyable. After spending time in the slammer, you’ll start the game by rediscovering the skills that got you into jail in the first place. Much has changed in the five years that have passed since the first game, with New San Vanelona now run by the oppressive Mongocorp, a company whose severe private property restrictions and tight-fisted

security systems damaged the skating scene to near extinction. Luckily, Black Box has ensured you can take the revolution straight to these yellow-shirted haters, as you have more control over the mediated city and the objects that lie within it.

One of the biggest gripes gamers had with the first title was just how hard manoeuvring your skater through San Van was. Granted, rolling down steep hills and across skate parks was easy, but getting up steps and into devilish places was a hellish prospect that held the freedom of the series back immensely. Taking note, Black Box has now allowed gamers to get off their board and take a hike, tackling stairs and previously inaccessible areas with near-human efficiency. Regrettably, the system doesn’t always provide you with as much freedom as needed. You can’t always reach areas of interest and

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

REVIEWS

51 NAIL INTO THE COFFIN “ANOTHER OF THE TONY HAWK SERIES ”

you’ll often stutter as you try to get onto ramps and across the city; a disappointment for sure, as being able to make it to those unexplorable areas would have pushed the game into a new and exciting dimension. To further aid your progress, objects such as bins, benches and ramps can be dragged around to suit your needs. In many challenges this is a vital way of succeeding, as it allows the player to think up ways of softening that momentous drop or gaining those vital extra inches of air. Although only minor additions on the surface, these improvements underline how the series is continuing to advance intelligently, bridging the gap between the hardcore and the casual audience who were previously uncatered for. Encouragingly, you’ll find many other minor tweaks hidden throughout Skate 2. The game is still intensely difficult and will test gamers of varying skills in different areas, but the developers now offer a saving grace from the potential frustrations of the skating world. Moving across the city couldn’t be easier, with teleportation and skitching systems now in place. Tutorials are on hand at all times, as you can visit and revisit them when needing to brush up on the tougher skills such as learning to produce insane air and pulling of advanced moves in the fashion of hand-plants and the

fan-favourite ‘Christ Air.’ Pummelling your skull against the pavement is now rewarded, as the infamous ‘Hall of Meat’ counter converts your broken and bruised body into compensating lumps of cash. If a fall is significant enough, you’ll make a fair amount of money; a method of income surely based on the insurance fraud mini-game hidden within the outlandish Saints Row titles. Spending your hard-earned cash is also incredibly simple, with a vast assortment of clothes and accessories at hand. Any ‘awesome’ gear you buy can be flaunted to friends online, as the multiplayer action nicely returns. Along with the usual competitive modes, you can now roll seamlessly from single-player into free skate action, as the city of New San Van becomes a colossal skate park for you and your buddies to exploit. It’s immensely entertaining, as witnessing one of your peers fall heavily from their board leads to a cackling of laughter from all. With cuts and bruises now visible, the effects of making such a fool of yourself are plain to see for everyone taking notice, meaning respect is laid down as soon as you miss time your first intended crowd pleasing move. Add to this the chance to make your own videos and upload them to the EA servers, and Skate 2 becomes a nicely well-rounded package. As a sequel, Skate 2 comfortably sits ahead of its predecessor. Offering a city full of opportunity and freedom, Black Box has done an admirable job in welcoming newcomers and appeasing series veterans. With a bulky career and set of multiplayer modes full of challenge and variety, the game begs to be played whether or not you have a group of friends ready to board with. With this, EA has hammered another nail into the coffin of the Tony Hawk series, as the future of Activision’s seminal skater looks bleak, if not redundant. Skate 2 highlights the premise of evolution excellently with its minor, yet impressive changes reinforcing its position as the best skateboarding game available on the market today.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

52 FINAL FRONTIER

STAR OCEAN:

SECOND EVOLUTION

pace: the realm of infinite possibility. Or so the introduction to Star Ocean: Second Evolution goes. It’s just a shame that, for all the potential, those alleged possibilities are too often an overly generic romp through a very predictable environment.

FORMAT PSP PUBLISHER Square Enix DEVELOPER TOSE REVIEWED BY Martin Gaston

On the other hand, it seems crass to criticise Star Ocean for its sensations of similarity. The JRPG’s fascination with overblown pomp, shockingly trite revelations and a demanding susceptibility towards level grinding are the very genre’s tools of the trade. It would be the same as criticising racing games for having a propensity to use cars. The reality is that part of appreciating Star Ocean: Second Evolution comes from an inherent love of the genre. It’s about catering to an audience who desire experiencing a ten-year-old PSOne game. It practically screams niche. With the DS port of Chrono Trigger dancing around the DS charts with an unreserved splendour, the PSP version of the second Star Ocean game is quietly waiting at the back, hoping to appeal to the true JRPG obsessive. Because they’ve already completed Chrono Trigger seven times already. It’s plain to see that the game has been lovingly recreated, and the port to PSP is aptly handled. The resulting UMD is a long experience, with a lot to it, and even though you’ll mostly be visiting staple JRPG locations there’s a considerable amount of variety in them. Its PSOne heritage is unshakeable, but squishing the graphics down to the PSP gives the illusion of everything looking better. It’s worth noting, however, that anyone hoping to experience the visual panache of Crisis Core will be disappointed. The shiny modern bits come in the shape of

the new translation and voiceover work, which thankfully replaces the abysmal original localisation that felt like it was running your ears through a cheese grater.

The game starts twenty years after the first one finished. You get to choose your protagonist this time around, with the options being either wimpish spaceexplorer Claude C. Kenny, accompanied by his flailing mop-like haircut sidekick, or Rena Lanford, pointy-eared eighteen year old who looks so young she’d be asked for ID if she tried to purchase a game with a 7+ PEGI rating. It doesn’t matter much who you pick, mind, as the two heroes join up at the very beginning of the game: Claude’s been sucked magically through time and space to Rena’s home planet, and there’s something fishy going on with a meteor. And so their frolic through many dungeons and towns begins.

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

REVIEWS

OF EXCELLENCE “ FLASHES ARE MIXED WITH A SENSE OF JRPG-BY-NUMBERS ”

Star Ocean: Second Evolution can be excused for its generic heritage and typical adventuring subplot. JRPG’s, after all, thrive on their atmosphere: look at Final Fantasy VII and Chrono Trigger. But this is where the game falls flat. Everywhere you go is populated by swathes of docile individuals, and even the antagonists are just as polite as they are evil. There’s no sense of immediacy or threat, and the narrative features occasional flashes of excellence mixed in with a sense of JRPG-by-numbers: there are parts where it feels as if you’re flushing out a dungeon for the sake of it. It also takes a ridiculous amount of time to pick up the pace. The first four hours of the game are almost entirely conversation. Too much of the game is spent wading through dialogue. The story ebbs and flows at a snail’s pace, and any attempt at naturalistic speech is ruined by the fact that you have to press X to advance conversation: the implications of having to do this are obvious whenever one character says something that requires a quick response. The dialogue is also presented slowly, in a rather poor font, and is impossible to skip unless you go into the options menu and fiddle with the settings.

Star Ocean: Second Evolution is, however, saved by its aforementioned excellent bits. If the player can muster up enough determination to keep going when the game throws them another lull, their feelings towards it all slowly shift and transmute into nothing short of loving endearment. The skill system is so flagrantly open to abuse that you can’t help but adore it and the freedom and immediacy of the battles means that, whilst simplistic, they never feel like a chore. The game, at its peak, is one of the best JRPG experiences money can buy. What it lacks, however, is consistency. There are times when it feels schizophrenic. The excellent qualities of the game are always at war with its meandering, trifling aspects. It’s too long and too overwhelming a game to play in occasional short bursts, instead demanding that you devote yourself solely to it over the course of a couple of weeks. For that kind of investment, you won’t be getting particularly good returns. But when Star Ocean: Second Evolution works, it’s fantastic.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

54 CHEAP OVERNIGHT STAY

HOTEL GIANT 2

wning an empire used to be the domain of the rich and famous – those with the money, power and business instinct to succeed. And thanks to the wide world of simulation games you can now remove money from that list of qualifications and replace it with patience. Finally releasing a mere seven years after the original, Hotel Giant 2 comes along promising a “fully customisable” experience to give users a feel for running their own ritzy hotel.

FORMAT PC PUBLISHER Nobilis DEVELOPER Enlight Software REVIEWED BY Ross Hawkes

In truth, Hotel Giant 2 is a mash-up of some big-hitting titles, fusing the graphical element and open-ended gamplay of The Sims to the run-your-own business flavour of the likes of Theme Hospital and Rollercoaster Tycoon. But trying to cross so many gaming borders poses more problems than it conquers. If it comes down to a choice of a quality game in one area or an average game in two, the former will almost certainly always appeal to gamers - but seemingly isn’t the first choice of developers Enlight Software.

harmony. However, the three themes don’t quite come together seamlessly, instead almost working in isolation. Yes, your financial management has an effect on other elements, but you never feel that your decisions are having true consequences. And on this front, the biggest culprit is managing the guests in your hotel.

Viewing your guests going about their business is graphically impressive, but soon becomes a repetitive exercise. When your guests are unhappy there’s usually a simplistic answer, and you never seem to need to balance two different situations to come up with a solution. Instead, it’s very point, click and succeed. Similarly, the building process struggles to hold your attention for any great length of time. It just seems an endless stream of clicking that, although pretty, doesn’t feel substantial enough to make it enjoyable or effective.

Hotel Giant 2 is broken down into several different elements: management of staff and budgets, building and customisation of your establishment and meeting the needs of your guests. For the game to be a real success, the three need to work in perfect

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

REVIEWS

55 IN HOTEL GIANT 2 “ SUCCESS ALMOST FEELS LIKE A

FOREGONE CONCLUSION ”

That shiny exterior but a lack of substance is unfortunately a theme throughout Hotel Giant 2. The animations and general artwork are (perhaps somewhat surprisingly) superior to that of The Sims, but not diverse enough. The element that sees you manage your staff is also very black and white in much the same way as the management of guests; you either succeed or you don’t. The customisation of some 1,400 objects also gives you an initial impression of being in control, but success almost feels like a foregone conclusion. For a simulation and business management game to hit the spot it must have an element of finding your own path to victory. Thankfully there’s plenty of choice in how you put together your hotel, with a variety of facilities such as swimming pools and restaurants as well as a healthy choice of locations to base your hotel in, including Paris, Rome, Los Angeles and Phuket. Graphically, Hotel Giant looks the part, with the rooms and exterior shots giving a feeling of a real, breathing hotel and the initial sense of realism with the guests’ animations is to be applauded. But these pros are outweighed by some of its cons, most notably the repetitive and non-engaging nature of the gameplay. There’s no doubting that Hotel Giant 2 will find an audience; the original has, after all, sold over a million copies to date. Gamers wanting an easy-on-the-eye game that’s not overly challenging will find enough here to justify shelling out the budget price and its leniency will perhaps also act as a simple introduction to the simulation genre. But those who are used to enjoying the non-binary nature of The Sims will be a little disappointed when they scratch beneath the surface of Hotel Giant 2’s glossy exterior.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

56 WOODEN

FABLE II:

KNOTHOLE ISLAND U PUBLISHER Capcom

FORMAT Xbox 360 (DLC) PUBLISHER Microsoft Game Studios DEVELOPER Lionhead Studios REVIEWED BY Martin Gaston

pon first arriving at Fable II’s snow-drenched Knothole Island you learn that its inhabitants are having a fair few problems with the weather. Their lands are enchanted somewhat, with their personal meteorology influenced directly by various shrines dotted around the land: three, to be precise. Your character, naturally, has to roam around each of these shrines, killing monsters, recovering artefacts and getting a feel for each of the few new characters on the island before making - as is customary with Fable - a choice that has a substantial hit on your morality. So far, so Fable. If our description of the first DLC pack for last year’s stellar RPG reads like it’s merely a quest by numbers it’s because, to some extent, it is. Knothole Island’s creativity leaves much to be desired, with many of the more ingenious quests of the main game being much more interesting to play than the one’s offered up here. And in a particularly obvious attempt at padding out the length of the comparatively limited content, the village chief makes you endure pointless

toing and froing to unearth keys needed to enter the aforementioned shrines in the first place. But perhaps we’re being too harsh: Knothole Island is home to three intricate, well-designed dungeons, and there are a couple of hours of decent, wholesome content and visual variety contained within.

But that’s all. The main quest only lasts a minimal amount of time, and after that your ability to play with the island is severely limited. There are ten volumes of books explaining the history of the island to be found, but they’re not particularly difficult to recover with most (in all probability) dug out during the course of the main quest anyway. On top of that there’s the Box of Secrets shop, a vendor that will trade unique items with you for various other possessions acquired back in the main game. This itself leads to a bit of back and forth, but the results are satisfying: the new items are

REVIEWS

“

KNOTHOLE ISLAND WILL INEVITABLY INVOKE QUESTIONS ABOUT ITS COST

”

mostly a lot of fun. But, ultimately, many people will have already progressed through Fable II, and as the Box of Secrets is mostly locked until the island’s main quest has been completed, there’s not much avenue of opportunity to use the new weapons and armour to their full potential. Confusingly, progressing through the Knothole Island quest also requires you to leave the island and return after clearing every shrine. This odd necessity goes unmentioned, which, a third of the way into the quest left us running around in circles wondering how exactly we were supposed to progress. This particular quirk smacks of a bug being labelled as a feature, and we can’t help but feel it wasn’t originally meant to be there.

As will always be the case with DLC, Knothole Island will inevitably invoke questions about its cost. At 800 Microsoft Points (or £6.80 to you and me), the relatively diminutive content will seem vastly out of proportion with the original game itself, a fact further compounded if your copy was picked up in any of the pre-Christmas credit-crunch-induced sales. This is, after all, 2009, and whether the economic climate will allow for such frivolous premium content is a question that is yet to be properly put to the test. Yet, part of the appeal of Knothole Island, though, is in its exclusivity. It’s the VIP lounge equivalent of Fable II content, and an area crafted especially to preach to the choir. Just don’t expect it to come cheap.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

58 ONE FLOP TO RULE THEM ALL

THE LORD OF THE RINGS PUBLISHER Capcom

FORMAT REVIEWED PlayStation 3 OTHER FORMATS Xbox 360, PC PUBLISHER EA DEVELOPER Pandemic REVIEWED BY Graham Naunton

CONQUEST W e’ve got to be honest with you here – being a videogame journalist can be pretty darn special at times. From rubbing shoulders with Cliff Bleszinski to popping in to see the chaps at Ensemble to get top grade access to Halo Wars months before its release, it’s fair to say that the staff at D+PAD are not without their fair share of perks. But hold – before you turn a few more shades greener with envy, we’d best make it clear that working in this field that we’re so passionate about isn’t all exclusive betas, unparalleled access and curly fries. We have a job to do, and strive to make our reportage as concise, fair and accurate as possible. We wade through the fancy preview packs, the free key rings and four-sizes-too-big Lair t-shirts to bring you an unbiased reliable source for all things gaming. For every time we get invited to the Killzone 2 beta, one unlucky mortal had to play Haze (thanks for that, Ed). For all of the glorious hours spent making our LittleBigPlanets, some unfortunate soul had More Game Party nestled on their in-tray. Of course, we’re not complaining – we’re here so that a) you can join us in playing the games truly worth your time, or b) you can run to the hills every time a horrific excuse of videogame entertainment emerges from the cracks under the earth, hell-bent on making your game time and wallet size as miserable as possible. In the case of Lord of the Rings: Conquest, we’re pretty sure that option b) is the most applicable on this occasion.

What annoys us the most about Conquest is that…well, it’s so hard to choose one particular facet of this abomination to place under any particular scrutiny, but one recurring thought of ours during our regrettable playtime was damning the sheer ignorance of the development team responsible. How any one of the poor souls who have (probably) worked very hard in making the game thought that this end product would be remotely acceptable in today’s standards really needs to get out from under the rock they’re clearly living under. Lately, throwing an implication of such malice into the air like that is somewhat foolish given EA’s stellar work these past 12 months. We’ve been scared witless in Dead Space, played God in Spore and done an awful lot of running in Mirror’s Edge amongst plenty other pleasant surprises, but Conquest smacks of EA’s bad old days of cobbling together a barely playable shambles under the cheap disguise of the latest “what’s hot” film licence. What makes it all the more bizarre is two-fold – this embarrassment of a game is arguably EA’s worst attempt at this sort of behaviour yet, and since when were we supposed to still care about the Lord of the Rings universe? The film adaptation of Return of the King was released in Christmas 2003, for starters. It was also in 2003 when the Return of the King videogame released, with a virtually identical premise to this current piffle.

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

In the several year gap between the two, nothing has changed one iota. Guiding a sluggish and ugly avatar of what we think might be Viggo Mortensen’s Aragorn or several other no-marks around a battlefield laying waste to a horde of ugly-looking Orcs is again the order of the day. Rinse and repeat a few more times as the good guys, before playing the same battles as the evil forces of Sauron. This might have been mildly interesting if the two factions each had their own set of unique abilities, but sadly playing as the evildoers is a completely identical (and consistently mind-numbing) experience. The one attempt at variety is in choosing between four types of character class before trudging through the following level, but when half of them are pretty much useless your choices are severely diminished. The Archer class, seemingly a crack shot with a bow and arrow, instead finds himself equipped with arrows that have as much potential for damage as a corn-on-the-cob. Luckily, his special move consists of (wait for it) firing off multiple cobs of said corn at once. The Scout class, meanwhile, fails to convince due to the simple fact that attempting stealth when surrounded by hundreds of people wanting to

plant an axe into your forehead is most likely not to yield much success. You can sneak behind people to stab them in the back, one-hit kill style…but what of his few dozen Orcs-in-arms who’ve just watched you? The Warrior and Mage class are your best bets then, their special abilities being…well, you can probably guess. You could also have probably guessed that this was going to be a terrible game as well, given the less-than-stellar record that games based on film licences tend to have. Amazingly, EA are still surprising us, but for all of the wrong reasons. Who knew that they still had the capacity to deliver such awful, creaky, shoddily-constructed software? Once a seemingly forgotten page in EA’s coloured history, we can only hope that this disgrace to the near-legendary universe that Tolkien crafted is simply an anomaly. We’d assume that fans of Middle-Earth would be the game’s intended market, and we can offer this tip – re-read the books, re-watch the films, resume tapping your foot waiting for the silver screen rendition of The Hobbit, if needs be – just don’t buy this game.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

59 WEIGHING YOU DOWN

FALLOUT 3:

OPERATION ANCHORAGE

F PUBLISHER

FORMAT REVIEWED Xbox 360 (DLC) OTHER FORMATS PC PUBLISHER Bethesda Softworks DEVELOPER Bethesda Game Studios REVIEWED BY Zoheir Beig

allout 3 was a game already so expansive that even the very idea of extra downloadable missions does initially seem a little unnecessary. After all, to really explore everything Bethesda’s 2008 masterpiece had to offer required at least two playthroughs (not least because of the oft-criticised decision to force the player to start again upon completion), while many gamers will testify to simply ignoring the central narrative thread and instead spending hours on end scouring every inch of Washington D.C.’s devastated remains. The beauty of Fallout 3 lay in its system of progression, a structural design that accommodated nearly every style of play and one that felt truly open-world without sacrificing a linear momentum. Operation Anchorage by comparison is, if we choose the most generous description, a significantly more streamlined experience. It’s not as though we were expecting an entire new world of course (DLC is by its nature a very focused affair), but what this first DLC offering for Fallout 3 does is, through certain strange omissions, remind us how the original game built so well upon the foundations of both first-person and RPG conventions. ‘Operation Anchorage’ is the name given to the effort of the U.S. Army to liberate Anchorage, Alaska from the Chinese Communist invaders; you first prove your worth as a budding soldier, before leading a team across the snowy plains to destroy several targets and making the final assault

on the Chinese stronghold. In setting and story it’s the least enticing of the three packs, the forthcoming entries offering promises of a new town (The Pitt, which will be set in Pennsylvania) and in the final part, Broken Steel, the long-awaited raising of the level cap from 20 to a still measly 30.

Beginning as a radio signal intercepted whilst exploring the Capital Wasteland, the first part of Operation Anchorage sees your player facing the prejudice of being a ‘mere’ wastelander when encountering the army for the first time. Though the conversations are understandably curtailed, the impression of numerous stories all taking place throughout the world simultaneously is, as in the full game, well observed. The combat then all takes place in a simulation, similar to Fallout 3’s superb Tranquility Lane mission, albeit with the 50s suburban domesticity replaced by generic industrial virtual reality. These sections that comprise the bulk of Operation Anchorage are both underwhelming and strangely satisfying. The former because there’s little evidence that Bethesda have expounded much effort on these extremely linear and formulaic areas; the latter because walking across the side of a mountain, using the V.A.T.S.-system to behead a Communist soldier is, for the sub-3 hours of this package, diverting enough. Even the objectives (destroy fuel

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

depots/artillery guns etc) feel like parodies of FPS-staples. The mountain locations are a pleasing break from the grey steel of the main world, but there isn’t much to do whilst there apart from follow the one path, whilst the final section actually takes the idea of ‘corridor shooter’ literally. In essence it’s everything that Fallout 3 wasn’t; if Bethesda set out to surprise then they’ve succeeded. Seen as an antidote to the normal game these run-and-gun missions are, in a way, therapeutic. Our review for the last piece of notable 360 DLC, Fable II’s Knothole Island, raised the excellent point as to whether a place for such relatively frivolous content exists in such a tough economic climate. Operation Anchorage doesn’t help shed much new light on the matter, leading us to sit on the fence with regards to its merits. For the price there’s just enough game and subsequent reward to make this a recommended purchase for anyone who also spent the late months of 2008 seduced by Fallout 3: XP

points are generous, and the armour at the end is very useful. Everyone else will probably save their pennies for GTA IV’s The Lost and Damned (console DLC’s true epoch), and there wouldn’t be anything wrong with that. Next stop Pennsylvania…

VERDICT

REVIEWS

60 89TH MINUTE SCORCHER

FOOTBALL MANAGER LIVE

S PUBLISHER

FORMAT PC/Mac PUBLISHER SEGA DEVELOPER Sports Interactive REVIEWED BY Emmet Purcell

ince its inception, the Football Manager series has always been seen by gamers as a dream MMO. The personalised, addictive manager simulation has always appeared an experience befitting a shared experience with friends. Although the wait to realise such a dream has taken a particularly long time (prolonged even further by an extensive beta test), Football Manager Live has finally arrived to introduce MMO gamers an opportunity to down their fantasy avatars in favour of everyone’s favourite compulsive spreadsheet program. What would seem like an inevitable conclusion for the veteran series has taken on altogether different approach, with surprisingly positive results.

thousand teams per gameworld), with a universal budget prohibiting any big signings initially. Thus you’re probably better off letting the computer auto-select your team to begin with whilst building on each victory’s points to lure those household names. This move does of course mean that users joining leagues which are nearly full to capacity will have to make do with popular players already signed up, but in fairness it’s a difficult problem to overcome either way.

Rather unusually, there has always been the curious question as to how Sports Interactive could ever transfer the ultra-realistic gameplay of Football Manager into an MMO setting. Would matches take place on pre-determined times? Who would get to choose Manchester United? And who would be stuck with Mansfield? Rather wisely SI has ditched such high-concept predicaments in favour of using only user-created leagues and teams, whilst opening the entire overwhelming roster of world footballers to the highest bidder.

The match engine itself reverts to the previous 2D incarnation, with users playing four week seasons with live opposition or competent AI opposition (wisely penalties are enforced for teams succeeding against offline users only). SI has also introduced six starting skills for each manager to choose from (coaching, infrastructure, physio etc), adding an RPG-like skill tree of progression to encourage different aspects of managerial prowess amongst the leagues. This is a thoughtful approach to helping newcomers to the franchise play to their own skills, though it’s questionable whether such players can hope to challenge die-hard fans without investing hours of playtime.

Whilst it’s initially a shock to be stripped of taking control of your favourite club (or indeed any), allowing gamers to literally start from scratch regarding their club name, kit, stadium and squad roster separates the men from the boys. Such a decision may prove daunting to newcomers trying to select 22 footballers from an incredibly large database (a maximum of a

Transfers themselves deviate from their real-life counterpart more so than any other feature of FM Live, with eBay-style 24-hour auctions between clubs, ensuring frantic last-minute panic bids. Help for out priced gaffers comes from the already rabid

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

community who bombard your in-game inbox with various deals and transfers, many of which are always well worth a punt. In addition, the social interaction extends to a variety of lobbies and chat rooms, where friendly rivalries can develop. Thus the gameplay itself is a stripped-down experience compared to Football Manager 2009, lacking the latter’s 3D game engine and extensive media interaction. This may seem at odds with the various implementations from Football Manager’s regular titles but isn’t actually a criticism, since the community itself more than compensates in helping pile on the praise or pressure in equal measure without having to worry about hearing what a fictional board of directors might have to say about your performance. Of course the big question for this title will always be, is Football Manager Live a worthwhile diversion from the main franchise to justify a subscription? In all, both titles manage to successfully offer different challenges and experiences from

the series while retaining the addictiveness and “one more match” mentality that’s caused many sleepless nights over the years. Moreover the four month trial included with the game disc should be adequate space to make your decision - how many games, MMO or not, are still played religiously after four months? Football Manager Live is a curious, audacious shot of adrenaline into a series that was bordering on stagnation. If you’ve always loved the team building and match day aspect of the previous titles, let’s see how you cope against almost a thousand other rivals. The world is literally at your feet.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

61 TO HAVE AND TO HOLD

DRAGON QUEST V: HAND OF THE HEAVENLY BRIDE

PUBLISHER

FORMAT DS PUBLISHER Square Enix DEVELOPER Square Enix REVIEWED BY Paul Watson

“J

apanese RPG”. Not since the words “genital swab” were echoed around a room to a first year university student paying visit to an STI clinic have hearts sunk so quickly, alarm bells chimed furiously, and so many cold shivers been sent down the spine. The very thought of working through any lengthy quest riddled with lazy Eastern cultural clichés and horrendous dialogue written by a caffeine-addled otaku is enough to make many wince.

The problem is pretty simple - the majority are hard-boiled, palm shredding grinds to 'level up', something that tends to quickly become the game’s primary and, more often than not, infuriatingly dull task. The storylines are about as muddled and clichéd as a Sly Stallone pep talk and they become so vast and expansive that any real interest in what they are about dissipates until the final ten minutes. But with all that said, a gamer of open eyes, a gamer who welcomes change and who'll happily flirt with the ugly duckling in hope there's a princess underneath can quite easily take their chances with something like Dragon Quest V. If the game looks eerily familiar from the screenshots, that's because it is. Well, very nearly. Square-Enix first released it way back in 17 years ago as Dragon Quest V on the Super Famicom exclusively in Japan. The title was then updated in 2004 and re-released on the PlayStation 2, then again this month on the DS as the second part of the Zenithia Trilogy. Indeed, as the follow-up

to November's The Chapters of the Chosen there are many aspects that are very similar. Namely: everything. There's little, if anything, here that hasn't already been discussed and dissected in previous reviews of Dragon Quest games, with the title feeling more like a lazy renaming than anything else.

The story sees you take on the life of a hero whose mother tragically passes away during childbirth, leaving the mourning father in paternal panic. In his desperation, the hero's old man, the legendary warrior Pankrez, obviously believes that travelling around the world on a large boat would be the best way to cover-up any painful memories and rear the young lad right. Years later, you return to your home village only to see your father die before you're forced into a life of slavery. Rebelling, the hero departs on his own great adventure to fight something mystical and come back smelling of roses. On a positive note, Hand of the Heavenly Bride’s graphics are bright, vibrant and colourful with an almost welcoming aspect. There's also an attempt made at humour in the writing which does make things slightly easier, especially with the mountain of text you'll need to click through as the game progresses. One of the more entertaining of HotHB’s characters is a small Spanish man named Sancho, a lively, rotund little fella who acts as Pankrez's assistant. But the real reason he's so cheerfully funny is his uncanny resemblance to that of Liverpool FC coach Rafa Benitez, complete with his bumbling attempts at English and chiselled

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

facial hair. The rotatable camera is also far more impressive than it should be, helping to remind you that this is a game released in 2009 and not nigh-on two decades ago. As always, the most frustrating aspects of these types of releases can be the random battles. It's a topic that splits RPG fans right down the middle, but when they are incorporated in such a lazy fashion as they are here, it's a struggle to see the fun in them. While you can spend hard earned money on potions to top yourself up in preparation for a boss battle, the countless increasingly annoying out-of-the-blue contests you face will more than likely ensure that you stumble into the big occasion with both health and magic depleted. And, though a genre staple for many a year, the lack of any indication of an enemy’s HP also seems an odd oversight. As the genre has evolved there's been a variety of ways created to show this essential statistic, but

unfortunately not here, and battles soon turn into a guessing game that has you desperately trying to work out what rank an opponent is and the damage they can do. And there falls another problem. A single enemy's attacks seem to be generated by a schizophrenic calculator; spitting out random numbers as it goes along. In one particular fight the same move jumped from dealing out eleven points of damage to fifty-five in the next wave. There didn't seem to be any reason for this and, rather frustratingly, it killed off our character, forcing a restart and instigating another interest-sapping mission back through the random battles and set-pieces. Hand of the Heavenly Bride is a solid, old-school adventure with the same problems and delights that any title from that period has. If you're a supporter of the series or just a sucker for this type of action, then you probably won't be disappointed. But for the rest of you, HotHB does nothing that will change your stubborn opinions.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

62 DIG YOUR OWN HOLE

THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE:

MINES OF MORIA A

PUBLISHER

FORMAT PC PUBLISHER Codemasters Online DEVELOPER Turbine REVIEWED BY Emily Knox

s an extension to the Shadows of Angmar, the Mines of Moria expansion allows players to continue exploring the realms of Middle-Earth, discovering new dangers and challenges within the treacherous – and, it has to be said massive Mines of Moria. Mirroring the style from the Shadows of Angmar, players will have access to new ‘Epic Quests’, which cleverly intertwine with the Lord of the Rings story, keeping players involved with the occurrences from the books and films we’re all familiar with. As before, you’ll often be acting as someone aiding the fellowship from the sidelines, but the rewards for doing so are suitably bountiful.

As opposed to the darker, more desolate Moria that was depicted in LOTR on the big screen, the area is suitably inhabited by sparse groups of dwarves to fulfil vendor and transport needs, but the overall scale of the area remains suitably impressive – grand staircases, sky-high ceilings and large sculpted carvings adorn Moria, and players new to the area will be greeted with new quests left, right and centre; as bleak as it is, there’s certainly plenty to do. In addition to the new setting and continued story progression through the game’s quests, players will also be able to acquire new ‘Legendary’ weapons, which much like the player, can be levelled up and improved in a variety of ways as you gain experience points. After advancing a level for your weapon, you’ll receive a number of points to spend on improving abilities used

with the weapon, but at a slightly higher cost you can also boost basic stats like DPS. Legendary weapons can be tailored however you see fit, and as Bards are used to alter traits, there are characters to reset or change which stats you’ve placed on legendary weapons. So by no means are statistics set in stone unlike other RPGs, though alterations will cost you.

PLAY

PAUSE

STOP

Fortunately for new players wanting the luxury of the expansion, Turbine Entertainment has included two new character classes that should appeal both to newcomers and veterans from the Shadows of Angmar. The Warden, although dealing neither massive damage nor being blessed with extortionate health, focuses on building up a variety of physical attacks, with different enhancements (to heal, or improve defence for example) in a string, in order to use a superior move after using the correct combination of attacks or taunts. There’s more technique here compared to using a standard tank class, but as the Warden gains new combos and abilities progressively with level – and LOTRO is relatively slow-paced with levelling – combinations become easier to remember; which, considering they’re the Warden’s greatest asset, is vastly important.

complexities. The simplest way to describe the Rune-Keeper is with a set of weighing scales; on one side is restorative magic, while the other is destructive magic. If a Rune-Keeper wants to unleash his most powerful destructive attacks, he’ll have to keep using destructive magic until he gains access to the strongest destructive spells. However, if you pile on the destructive magic, you won’t be able to use progressively better restorative magic. In battle you can either sit in the middle and use a bit of both without any significant strength, or focus heavily on one or the other. This has great advantages in any group quest situation, as the Rune-Keeper will be able to change role between a damage-dealer and a healer depending on what is needed most.

The next new class, the Rune-Keeper, is arguably better suited to players who already have a good understanding of the LOTRO universe. The game itself is packed with different ways of advancing your character, and an entirely new player may find themselves faced with too many initial

Although there are plenty of new and exciting additions on offer, the new content doesn’t change the standard formula (slow paced level progression, crafting, fetch-quests and so on), so if you aren’t already psyched about the MMORPG genre, or at least interested in pursuing it, this

expansion is unlikely to change that. For anyone already enjoying Shadows of Angmar, however, Mines of Moria is a near-essential purchase, not only in regard to progressing through the Lord of the Rings storyline, but in offering a fresh style of play through the new classes and a lengthy boost to the game’s lifespan.

VERDICT

REVIEWS

63 PIRATE SOFTWARE

BUCCANEER:

THE PURSUIT OF INFAMY

FORMAT PC PUBLISHER Blitz Games Studios PUBLISHER DEVELOPER Stickman Studios REVIEWED BY Ross Hawkes

ames based around pirates are surprisingly few and far between. When you look at those that live in memory, the list becomes even slimmer, with only Sid Meier’s Pirates and Monkey Island the only two that immediately spring to mind. One of the main reasons for the lack of titles in the genre is, presumably, due to the fact that seafaring just isn’t all that exciting – something Monkey Island overcame by having very little seaborne action at all.

Attempting to gatecrash what has traditionally been a very exclusive party are independent developers Stickman Studios with the release of Buccaneer: The Pursuit of Infamy. The title has been touted as an arcade-style game that concentrates on the key element of pirates – their ships. There’s no one-on-one sabre-rattling encounters with Blackbeard to be found here, just good old ruling of the waves. But with the lack of sex appeal that a life on the ocean waves brings, how can a two-man outfit possibly succeed where so many others have failed? And how can they at least match the ‘close but no cigar’ efforts of so many larger development houses? The graphic artist background of the two developers behind Stickman seemingly gave them a good starting block. From the moment you set sail aboard Buccaneer you get the immediate sense of quality thanks to a deliciously crafted gameworld, where beautifully sculpted islands nestle amongst the oceans, themselves as visually impressive as anything else you’ll likely find

in any big-budget equivalent. Similarly, the ships actually sail through the sea rather than looking like they’ve just been dropped on top of it; a nice touch that enhances the feel of life aboard the ocean waves. But graphics only account for a portion of any game’s quality - a nice look can only get a game so far. To succeed where others have failed the developers needed to be brave.

The first noticeable bold move in Buccaneer is the decision to adopt a non-linear progression system. Rather than become embroiled with a single mission in order to move on, you can instead take on different challenges at your own pace. So, if you want to ease yourself in then the simpler missions are there, but if you’re a belt and braces gamer then there’s the chance to challenge the tougher tests the game has to offer right from the word go. In a world where gamers are increasingly used to playing games the way they want to, this method of giving the power of direction to the user is a well-thought out ploy. Stickman has tried to offer up a different kind of gaming with Buccaneer, but they have met some of the same old problems when it comes to pirate games: variety. There is, after all, a limit to what can actually be achieved at sea, even more so when you base a game in an age of historic warfare. But there has at least been an attempt to try and ensure the missions don’t become variations on a theme. Instead, there are the usual suspects of looting and destruction to be achieved, with the rescuing of overboard pirates added for good measure. While there is still a feeling of ‘been there, done that’ about the missions,

as you delve deeper into the game you experience that unexplainable nagging desire to explore further and push on. No easy feat, and one which Stickman has pulled off admirably.

As bold decisions go, the choice of controls for Buccaneer ranks pretty highly but, unfortunately, also sits somewhat uncomfortably. Rather than having to factor in wind direction and tides, the developers have opted to try and bring speeded up, arcade style action to the oceanic table. Buccaneer uses a traditional left, right and accelerate system of control; a simple system, but one which unfortunately makes the player feel like they’re more in control of a car than a ship. While the arcade controls help to speed up the action and allow for more of a pick-up-and play experience, for a game that prides itself on concentrating on the ships, it seems odd that one of the most integral and recognisable parts of them – their method of movement – is absent. And with Stickman’s focus on a more realistic seaborne life of pirates rather than the fantasy image drawn up by the movies, it seems a little strange to see the controls not reflecting their otherwise pragmatic vision of pirate life. In keeping with the general arcade theme, controlling the ship’s cannons is also simplistic; a right click fires the starboard set and a left click fires port. The battles perhaps as to be expected - are one of the game’s plus points, with the on-screen action perfectly capturing the essence of oceanic warfare as players fight it out on the ocean waves. Naval skirmishes feel like a battle of wits and firepower rather than

falling into the trap of feeling like a pre-determined result; another pit that many other developers often find themselves falling into. So does Buccaneer sink or swim? Well, it’s fair to say that the game just about keeps its head above water. The positives are there for all to see and the negatives can be overcome – the controls are workable if not ideal. If Buccaneer can wash Stickman up on a prosperous shoreline somewhere, there’s a good building block for this independent developer to fire a broadside at some of the bigger software houses.

VERDICT

GALLERY

mikaĂŤl aguirre

mario world http://orioto.deviantart.com

GALLERY

hitana tora

rinoa http://hitana.deviantart.com/

GALLERY

tamasaburo

pryamid head http://tamasaburo89.deviantart.com

SUBSCRIBE Unlike most magazines, you can subscribe to D+PAD wherever you are in the world. And also unlike most magazines, subscribing to D+PAD is completely free. Thousands of our readers have already subscribed to make sure they never miss an issue. Why not join them? To subscribe, click the button below and you’ll be directed to our online subscription page. And don’t forget, it’s completely free!

subscribe www.dpadmagazine.com

NEXT MONTH

next month...