Gamecca Magazine April 2010

i s s u e 1 0 / vo l u m e 1 - A p r i l 2 0 1 0

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ws! e i v e er gam

God of War 3 Final Fantasy XIII Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Just Cause 2 MotoGP 09/10 MX vs ATV Reflex Guitar Hero Van Halen and many more...

The Last Battle

Command & Conquer 4

Just for Kicks Just Cause 2

Breaking the Mold Final Fantasy XIII

The Good Fight

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

The End God of War III pulls no punches...

© 20

«I used to want them to forget about me, it made sense at the time. I’d lost my daughter.

I’d shot my best friend. I’d seen the agency I gave my life to turn around and throw me to the dogs. So I started asking questions. $nd I started Þnding answers. 0aybe they forgot about me.

0aybe they didn’t. 7hey’re sure as hell going to remember me now.

16.04.10

18 © 2010 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Splinter Cell, Splinter Cell Conviction, Sam Fisher, the Soldier Icon, Ubisoft, Ubi.com and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. / Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft.

010 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Splinter Cell, Splinter Cell Conviction, Sam Fisher, the Soldier Icon, Ubisoft, Ubi.com and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. / Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft.

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Inside 6 From the Editor 8 Unstuck Sitting on a gold mine?

10 Geekology Out with the old... no, really...

12 Ascension The story of God of War 18 Previews Eight new games coming soon

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40 PS Zealot Are movies over?

42 Xbox Beat Filler content blues 44 House of Mario Is bigger better?

46 Reviews Twenty-one titles investigated 92 Beginners Guide to Good Gaming Still more useful stuff for noobs

Command & Conquer 4

Just for Kicks

96 Hardware Lots of gadgets, gizmos and necessary items

Just Cause 2

Breaking the Mold Final Fantasy XIII

The Good Fight

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Battlefield:

The End of War III pulls no punches...

God ofWar

THIS MONTH’S COVER God of War III brings the saga of Kratos to a thrilling end.

Read the review on page 48.

4

36 Spoken Word The art of voice acting

104 The Lair Uncapped ADSL is here!

106 From Space Get lost 23 27 29 33 47

Competitions: Command & Conquer 4 The Sims 3 Splinter Cell: Conviction Battlefield: Bad Company 2 God of War III gamecca contents • issue 10 • April 2010

Previews Reviews

20

Jumpgate Evolution

22

Spellforce 2: Shadow Wars

24

Alan Wake

26

Darkness Within 2: The Dark Lineage

28

Lego Harry Potter: Years 1 - 4

30

Gray Matter

32

Black Mirror 2

34

Pure Football

48

God of War III

52

Final Fantasy XIII

56

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

60

Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight

62

Total War: Napoleon

64

Just Cause 2

66

Silent Hunter 5: Battle For The Atlantic

68

MX vs ATV Reflex

70

Boot Camp Academy

72

MotoGP 09 / 10

74

Pokémon Battle Revolution

76

Prison Break: The Conspiracy

78

Guitar Hero: Van Halen

80

Superstars V8: Next Challenge

82

Picross 3D

84

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

86

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

88

Assassin’s Creed 2 (PC)

89

Borderlands DLC – The Secret Armory of General Knoxx

90

Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening

91

Karaoke Revolution

gamecca contents • issue 10 • April 2010

GAMECCA Volume1Issue 10 APRIL 2010 Editor: Walt Pretorius Writers: Walt Pretorius Matthew Vice Jimmy Glue Brian Murdoch Bryan Banfield Dion Scotten Suvesh Arumugam Adam Shore Columnist A Photography: Walt Pretorius Marketing & Creative: Katia Taliadoros Letters: letters@gamecca.co.za Competition entries: competitions@gamecca.co.za Newsletter subscriptions: www.gamecca.co.za GAMECCA is published by 1337 Media CC GAMECCA is powered by ISSUU

Copyright © 1337 Media CC 2009 - 2010

5

From The Editor

No Fooling...

by Walt Pretorius

A

h, yes, April – a month crammed full of public holidays and days getting colder as winter creeps up on us here in the Southern Hemisphere. It also marks the tenth issue of Gamecca magazine, which means that our first birthday is approaching fast. But the favourite thing for many people about April is the idea that, for a few hours on April the 1st, you can get away with fooling people without them trying to punch your teeth through the back of your neck. April Fool’s Day can be a lot of fun and the press has traditionally (here in South Africa, at least) enjoyed playing often elaborate pranks on readers for as long as most anyone can remember.

We decided against it. And I’m admitting it up-front, to help prevent you from combing through the magazine, just in case there is something funky going on. There isn’t.

I promise. The reason behind this is that we couldn’t think of anything that would prove to be 100% fool-proof… and if folks catch you out on April the 1st, the joke’s on you. Our readers are smart folks, judging from the letters we have received, so we’re not even going to try. Really. We’re not.

On a more serious note, we got some excellent responses from readers of our March issue. Thanks to all those that wrote in – your comments, opinions and suggestions are very valuable to us. As Gamecca

continues to grow, we take a lot of guidance from what our readers would like to see in the magazine.

With the year hotting up in terms of video games, we are in the process of initiating a big push here at the Gamecca offices, in an effort to bring more readers into the fold. With that in mind, it’s time to ask for a favour again; if you like Gamecca, even just a little bit, tell your friends about it.

As I have said before, our readers are our power within the industry, and the more we have, the better the magazine will become… and every person that recommends Gamecca to a few friends will help that process along. And, while you’re busy telling your friends, why not send us a letter to let us know what you think? Send it to letters@gamecca.co.za.

One last thing, and then I’ll get out of your hair… many people have been asking how to download the magazine. While we’re working on a simpler, more direct process, please feel free to visit http://issuu. com/gamecca and download all of the issues we have published. It will require a quick, painless registration with the Issuu website, but they’re not spammers, so it shouldn’t be a problem. You can also follow us via the Issuu website and, of course, subscribe for our newsletter at www. gamecca.co.za.

Right, on with the show… we hope you enjoy it. g

Gamecca’s PC requirements powered by

www.pinnacle.co.za CPU: Intel Core I7 920; MB: MSI X58 Pro E; RAM: 6GB Apacer DDR3 1333mhz; GPU: MSI N260GTX OC Edition; PSU: In Win Commander 80+ 850W ATX2.3 EPS 12V; HDD: Western Digital Black 1TB; Chassis: Sigma Metal Storm Unicorn; Mouse: SteelSeries Ikari Laser Gaming Mouse; Keyboard: Steelseries 7G Gaming Keyboard

Unstuck

Sitting on a fortune?

by Jimmy Glue

I

recently read a Mental Floss article where they examined some of the most rare and expensive video games. Did you know that a 1987 game by Bandai, titled Stadium Events, for the Nintendo Entertainment System, can fetch up to $41 000? The box of the game alone is worth $10 000.

Only a few copies of this game were made, and they were also compatible with the company’s Family Fun Fitness mat. It was a mat similar to the ones used by early versions of DDR, where you walked, ran, and jumped on to make the characters move.

Another example of rarity, the gold version of 1990’s Nintendo World Championships for the NES, can fetch up to $21 000, while the grey version might set you back around $6 000.

Back in the day, Nintendo held a series of competitions in 30 cities across the US, in which gamers had to compete in Super Mario Bros., Rad Racer, and Tetris. The winners each received a grey version, which means only 90 of these cartridges were distributed. Only winners of a contest in Nintendo Power magazine each received a gold edition, resulting in only 26 being made.

Reading about all the riches which

8

I could have had, if I only saved some of my older games, I started thinking about my future. Do we have games today that might fetch a pretty penny at an auction in about 20 or 30 years?

Sure, journalists do receive on the odd occasion some really awesome promotional stuff, but will that be of value one day? I received a really cool Uncharted 2 press pack just before the game was released, and I thought it was worth showing off. It consisted of an Asian-looking “booklet”, bound by cloth and a ribbon. Inside, it contained the game and media

information, and above that, a handful of loose pages detailing the back-story and what fans can expect. Some pages had some 3D graphics on them, and giving Uncharted’s success, it has to be worth something one day.

But that is a press pack, so by default it should worth more than the paper it was printed on. The question is, do we have games today that will merit a bidding frenzy when they are discovered in an attic in 2040?

I can think of a couple of titles that are hot right now, like Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare2… then again, millions of copies of that game were sold, so there goes cashing in on that one…

I still have some floppy discs lying around somewhere, and most notably, my first pc game, Hook. It came on four floppies, and for the time, that was rather huge. Naturally, the box is still in mint condition, as I never really had any use for it, except taking up a lot of space on my shelf.

Surely that has to be worth something?

It might be worth digging through your gaming collection to see if you are an instant millionaire, as Elemental Gearbolt: Assassin’s Case for the PS1 can fetch up to $1700, while Gamma Attack for the Atari 2600, the only game made by Gammation, will set you back $10 000. The only problem is there is just one copy in existence.

So, even though you think your collection is small, a fortune-in-themaking might be lurking underneath all that dust. g

gamecca column • issue 10 • April 2010

Geekology

Tradition VS Logic

by Matthew Vice

I

f there’s one gamer trait that irks me more than any other, it’s those who resist change in their favourite franchises or, more appropriately, cling to old game-play styles for no good reason.

The first time I can recall feeling that sense of hopelessness was after the release of Resident Evil 4.

I thought it was fantastic, as did half the world, but, as always, a hopeless contingent opposed the changes, using all kinds of carefully chosen, loaded phrases like “an affront to Resident Evil’s legacy” and “a crime against the fans”. Why? Because it changed the fundamental play style, that’s why. Personally, I think it was a good change. I’m happy that in Resident Evil 5 we can now strafe and aim with the right analogue stick, and I’m holding thumbs that in Resident Evil 6, we’ll be able to actually move while aiming – even if it’s slowly. But, as usual, a contingent oppose even these small changes, arguing that it will become “just another shooter” or something.

So is that what makes Resident Evil what it is? The fact that my character’s feet are rooted to the ground while aiming weapons?

I say bollocks. It will take more than a sensible control scheme to change the feel of Resident Evil. As far as I’m concerned, the feel of RE is in

10

the toughness of the enemies, the scarceness of the ammo, and the unwelcome surprises that lurk around every corner. Being rooted to the ground during weapon use seems like an inconvenient remnant of an obsolete play style.

I remember hearing similar things when the protagonist for Silent Hill: Homecoming, Alex Shepherd, was announced to be a soldier who would actually have some knowledge of combat. The howls of protest I read about this online made me hang my head in shame. Arguments like, “the charm of Silent Hill is that you play an average Joe with no combat training” were plentiful. So what?

Are soldiers not welcome in Silent

Hill? Secondly, playing a civilian with no combat training is one thing – but the control schemes in the previous games bordered on idiocy. Even the greenest pacifist in the world would attempt to duck, dodge or at least throw up their palms in defence when a monster takes a swing at them – but in Silent Hill 1 to 4, we had to stand there and take it without so much as a flinch because they were “civilians with no combat training”.

That’s why Alex Shepherd’s ability to dodge in Homecoming is such a welcome addition. It makes sense, not just in the game, but in reality too. Even if Alex wasn’t a soldier, he wouldn’t just stand there like a deer in the headlights when a monster tried to smack him. The old Silent Hill game-play was the result of technical limitations and the learning process of the developers. Clinging to that obsolete system out of some fake love of tradition makes no sense to me at all.

In closing, I’ll say that, in my mind, there’s more to keeping the feel and spirit of a game alive than adhering to some old, outdated control system. Our games machines have evolved, our control schemes have evolved, and we as gamers have evolved. To keep up with us, our favourite games will have to evolve too.

Think about it, would you want to be playing a new Mario game with fantastic graphics and sounds, but running along in a side-on view pressing only two buttons on your multifaceted controller? Hmmm… I didn’t think so. g

gamecca column • issue 10 • April 2010

M

any of the players who are getting to grips with God of War III have never experienced the first two games in the saga. These games, which were released on PS2, begin the tale that is concluded in this third installment… but the game seems to assume that everyone knows why Kratos is seeking revenge on the gods of Olympus, particularly Zeus. It throws the player into the deep end of the plot.

And so, to help those who might feel adrift in the story, or who might even want a refresher on what happened before, we have prepared a history of the series, touching on the plots of the first two games, without spoiling the third.

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gamecca feature • issue 10 • April 2010

Ascension The ballad of Kratos

by Walt Pretorius gamecca feature • issue 10 • April 2010

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gamecca feature • issue 10 • April 2010

The first time we see Kratos, he is plummeting to his death. He has leapt off of a cliff in an attempt to commit suicide on the jagged rocks, lapped relentlessly by the Aegean Sea. As he speeds towards his inevitable demise, the story unfolds in a series of flashbacks…

Kratos was a former captain in the Spartan army, consumed by guilt for a past spent massacring everyone in his path. As a servant of Ares, the God of War, Kratos slaughtered thousands with the weapons that Ares had given him: the Blades of Chaos. But the cruel god’s demands have resulted in Kratos suffering from terrible nightmares, particualry after he is tricked by the deity into killing his own family. gamecca feature • issue 10 • April 2010

He is told by the goddess Athena that he can be free of his past if he destroys Ares. To do so, he needs to visit an oracle in Athens, who will be able to tell him how a mortal man can defeat a god.

On arriving in Athens, Kratos finds the city under siege by Ares himself. After defeating a hideous hydra, Kratos battles his way through Athens to find the oracle. He is told that the only way to defeat Ares is to use the legendary Pandora’s Box, which will grant a mortal the power to kill a god. The box ix hidden deep within the Temple of Pandora, built on the back of the last living Titan, Cronos. Zeus, the head of the Olympian gods, cursed Cronos to eternally wander the Desert of Lost Souls as a punishment for his past actions.

After climbing the massive titan’s back for three days, Kratos find the entrance to the Temple of Pandora. Once inside, he battles terrible creatures and solves tricky puzzles in his quest to find the box. As soon as he does, though, Ares learns of what he is doing, and kills Kratos. He sends harpies to reclaim the 15

box while Kratos journeys to the Underworld.

Driven by revenge, Kratos manages to fin his way back to the land of the living and recovers Pandora’s Box. After he opens it, he grows in size until he is as massive as Ares. The two begin battle, but as soon as Kratos gains the upper hand, Ares traps him in an alternate dimension. Although he appears to be reunited with his family there, Kratos is forced to fight off clones of himself, who seek to harm his kin. Seeing his plan foiled, Ares takes the Blades of Chaos from Kratos and slaughters his family.

Although distraught, Kratos finds himself returned to the battleground, where he discovers the ancient Blade of the Gods. Using it, he finally manages to kill Ares. But Athena tells him that, while the gods can forgive him his past transgressions, they cannot rid him of his nightmares. Horrified, he flings himself 16

from a cliff (which is where the story begins). Athena intervenes, though, and takes him to Mount Olympus, where he is offered the position of the new god of war for the services he has performed for the Olympians.

Athena also gives him the powerful Blades of Athena.

Although Kratos is the new god of war at the start of the second game, the other Olympian deities shun him. Despite Athena’s warnings, he finds solace in leading his army of Spartans and conquering all of Greece. This angers the other gods and, during his attack on Rhodes, they take action.

An eagle swoops out of the heavens and grabs hold of Kratos, draining all his godly powers from him.

It also brings the massive Colossus of Rhodes to life. Zeus appears, offering the Blade of Olympus to Kratos so that he can defeat the Colossus. To do so, he must allow the blade to absorb all of his godly powers, making him mortal once more. When Kratos refuses gamecca feature • issue 10 • April 2010

the offer, Zeus reveals that he was the eagle who swooped down on Kratos, in an attempt to stop him.

He then impales Kratos of the Blade of Olympus.

Once again, Kratos begins his journey to the Underworld, but he is rescued by Gaia, one of the titans defeated by the Olympians during a great war. The titans wish to get their revenge on the Olympians, and need Kratos to help them. To do this, he needs to meet with the Fates, Lakhesis, Atropos and Clotho. Gaia gives Kratos the help of the winged horse Pegasus, and directs him to the Island of Creation to find the Fates. On his way there, he does battle with many foes, including Typhon, Theseus, Cronos, Euryale, Perseus, Icarus and the Kraken.

The Fates are not pleased to see Kratos, and they attempt to stop him by travelling through time and changing his past, using the Loom of Fate. Kratos bests the sisters, though, and returns to Rhodes using the Loom, to stop Zeus from killing his mortal body. gamecca feature • issue 10 • April 2010

Kratos manages to get the Balde of Olympus during their struggle… during their destructive battle, he feigns surrender to gain the upper hand but, as he is about to kill Zeus, Athena appears and begs him to stop. Kratos lunges at Zeus, but Athena jump between the two of them and the killing blow meant for the Olympian slays her instead. As she lied dying in Kratos’ arms she reveals to him that he is Zeus’ son, and that she was trying to put a stop to the cycle of son murdering father… as Zeus had done with his own father, Cronos. After she dies, kratos swears revenge on Zeus and any other god that gets in his way.

Kratos first returns to his own present using the Loom, and then goes back to the time of the Great War. There he promises the Titans that if they follow him back through the Loom, they will have their revenge on the Olympians. The game ends with Mount Olympus shaking as the Titans, and Kratos, of course, climb towards the home of the gods. g 17

Previews

Gearing Up for E3

Highlights 20 24 28 30 34

Jumpgate Evolution Alan Wake LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1 - 4 Gray Matter Pure Football

W

ith this year’s E3 expo taking place in Los Angeles in a few weeks, the preview front has become rather quiet... a number of the companies will be holding off big announcements until that particular show kicks off.

Up until then, we will keep scouring our sources to bring you news of games that will be coming out in the near future... and planning a big E3 preview issue! g

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gamecca preview • issue 10 • April 2010

PG V

How To Train Your Dragon ™ & © 2010 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All rights reserved. Game © 2010 Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. , ‘PlayStation’, ‘PS3’ and ‘ ’ are registered trademarks activision.com of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Nintendo DS and Wii are trademarks of Nintendo. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360zz and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Jumpgate Evolution

Choices, choices A true test for space fighter pilots.

By Dion Scotten

J

umpgate Evolution promises to be the next evolutionary step in space fighter gaming with NetDevil describing it as immersive MMO space action. The player gets to choose where he fits in as either a hired fighter, trader or pirate.

Space combat will be based on the player’s reaction and precision skill as with first person shooters, rather than character abilities and level. Items collected from loot drops or purchased at stores will give you an edge but there will be no point and click weapons to make things too easy.

Ship choice will be important and the player must trade speed for armour while keeping in mind that tougher ships are slower and easier to hit. The developers promise to provide different builds and combat styles for players, which should make for some very interesting combat.

The trading hub will be run by a ‘player driven economy’, allowing players to set the price of their goods across the galaxy through an auction house system. Clever traders could influence price and demand of goods resulting in a more believable trade system.

PvP is really what it’s all about for most players, though, and it’s the only real way to test your skill as a pilot

anyway. NetDevil has promised massive PvP space battles and will also allow players to claim areas of space as their own.

Jumpgate Evolution will support the use of three monitors through Triplehead2go technology for some truly immersive space battle action. The graphics will also be scalable to allow low spec machines to run the game smoothly.

The release date has not been set as yet but should be somewhere in 2010… in the meantime those who talk like hardcore space fighters had better get ready to prove themselves. g

AT A GLANCE: Developer: NetDevil Publisher: Codemasters Distributor: Nu Metro Interactive

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TBA 2010 Platforms

A space fighter-trader MMO set in a persistent universe with PvE and RvR options available for players.

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

gamecca preview • issue 10 • April 2010

TBA

A outstanding attempt at mixing RTS and RPG

by Bryan Banfield

U

pon returning to your home you discover that the Dark Elves, the most deadly of the Dark Races, have formed an alliance with the mysterious Shadows. They have ruined the peace that has just been established in your land and now threaten to destroy all you hold dear.

The world of Eo is set to fall, and as the Avatar you have assumed a quest to save it. You need to forge the new alliances and unite a band of heroes. Monumental battles await you as you begin to unravel this enthralling story, one battle at a time.

Spellforce 2: Shadow Wars has followed on the success of the previous 2003 title Spellforce: The Order of Dawn.

With each iteration and the subsequent expansions, the Spellforce franchise has moved closer to achieving a land mark goal of a seamless mix between the Real Time Strategy and Role Playing Game genres. Elements of games like Diablo I and Diablo II, as well as game dynamic similar to the extremely successful WarCraft III, have been combined into an offering that have earned a tip of the hat from the critics.

As the main character, Avatar, you have over 100 skills at your disposal, allowing for a customisable experience and close on 60 hours of game-play.

Players are immersed in a living fantasy world, with breathtaking landscaped that can be enjoyed from a third person and isometric view.

The player will be able to choose from three races: The Realm, the Pact and the Clans with each faction catering for a diverse troop and building type.

On the role playing site, the player will have access to 6 members in their party as well as being joined by NPCs. The player’s Avatar will be able to adavnce until level 30 while other characters are capped at level 24.

For a strikingly fresh take and a crisp world of RTS and RPG action, Spellforce 2: Shadow Wars looks set to deliver. g

AT A GLANCE: Another trip into this fantasy world, which blends real time strategy with role playing.

Developer: Phenomic Publisher: JoWood Productions Distributor: TBC

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April 2010 Platforms

Spellforce 2: Shadow Wars

The Fall of Eo

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

gamecca preview • issue 10 • April 2010

c ompe t i t io n • c omp eti ti o n • c om pe tit ion • com pe t ition • com pe t it ion

ALL WARS MUST END

WIN A COPY OF

Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight Courtesy of Electronic Arts TO ENTER: Send an email to competitions@gamecca.co.za.

Tell us your name and the name of one of the factions in cnc4 Insert ‘cnc competition’ in the mail’s subject line.

Subscribe to www.gamecca.co.za Competition closes 30 April 2010. Gamecca subscribers only. South African residents only.

Prizes may not be excahnged for cash. Games may be ‘white label’ products.

Competition closed to employees (& employee’s family) of 1337 Media CC & EA. The judges’ decision is final.

Alan Wake

Fight with light

There is an end to the tunnel

by Jimmy Glue

G

AT A GLANCE: Alan Wake promises to be one of the most suspenseful and engaging games ever. We hope it delivers.

Developer: Remedy Publisher: Microsoft Distributor: Microsoft

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May 2010 Platforms

ames like Heavy Rain have pushed the Interactive Drama genre to the highest levels, and although Heavy Rain was only available on PS3, Microsoft might have the answer for Xbox and PC fans. The psychological action thriller Alan Wake, although not an Interactive Drama, promises to push to the boundaries in story telling with hyper-realistic, dynamic and interactive environments.

Players will assume the role of the titular character, a best-selling suspense author, as he escapes to the small town of Bright Falls, to recover from the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée. Once there, he discovers that the sleepy town isn’t all that it seems to be.

Using his most powerful ally, light, Alan has to solve unique problems, battle nightmare enemies and unveil the story’s riveting plot twists and dramatic character revelation wherever he goes. The suspenseful and deeply psychological title promises to deliver something that has never been experienced before.

The game also takes place in a massive, free-roaming world, which enables Alan to explore every corner of the town in search for answers. To further add to the suspense, the game is divided into episodes, giving it that look and feel of a deeply structured dramatic television series.

With its realistic, interactive environment, engaging story and light as combat weapon, Alan Wake is sure to be one of the most challenging and exciting titles of the year. g

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gamecca preview • issue 10 • April 2010

Play as Tom Paxton, an agent of the Company, sent to Fox River Penitentiary to unravel the mystery behind Michael Scofield being in the same prison as his brother Lincoln Burrows.

• Original voices of the TV-Series • The whole and complete Prison Break atmosphere • Cut scenes with an alternative vantage point on the series • Immersive Stealth Action with multiple solutions • Action oriented close quarter fights with lots of special and finishing moves

Prison Break is registered trademark of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. © Deep Silver, a division of Koch Media GmbH, Austria, and Deep Silver Inc., Hermosa Beach, USA. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360 and the Xbox logos aretrademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. “ “ and “PlayStation“ and “PS3“ are registered trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. Subject to change.

Horror awaits...

by Bryan Banfield

C

oncluding the Darkness Within saga (and out of the Netherlands) comes The Darkness Within 2: The Dark Lineage. Following on from The Darkness Within: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder, which was released in 2007, comes this new edition, set to bring an end to this eerie spine-chilling 3D action thriller.

Developed by Zoetrope Interactive, The Darkness Within 2: The Dark Lineage is built with the CPAGE Engine, which was also used for the development for the first title.

This installment sees you back in the shoes of Howard E. Loreid, in a world where the past and forgotten memories have not moved on, and is set in an old Victorian Mansion deep in a depressive town called Arkhamend. [Heavy Lovecraft homage, perhaps? – ed] The Darkness Within 2: The Dark Lineage is set to deliver many screams as you move through this interactive environment, pushing, pulling and lighting your way through a world gone insane.

The CPAGE Engine has been reworked to allow new features, including dynamic lighting and support for NVidia’s PhysX Engine.

The player will be able to choose the difficulty setting they wish to play on and, with the assistance of the built-in Hint System, will be able to explore through Standard,

Detective and Senior Detective Modes.

The dynamic puzzle system will have players deciphering dreams and working through document fragments to gather clues that ultimately lead to understanding the nightmare they find themselves in.

All of this has been topped off with an immersive Lovecraftian [ah, thought so – ed] story with real-time cut scenes overlaid with an adrenaline pumping soundtrack. g

AT A GLANCE: A lovecraftian adventure filled with horror and weirdness.

Developer: Zoetrope Interactive Publisher: Iceberg Interactive Distributor: TBC

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April 2010 Platforms

Darkness Within 2:The Dark Lineage

Back to the Bad Place

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gamecca preview • issue 10 • April 2010

c ompe t i t io n • c omp eti ti o n • c om pe tit ion • com pe t ition • com pe t it ion

LIVE THE VIRTUAL LIFE! Celebrate The Sims 10th Anniversary

Courtesy of Electronic Arts

WIN A COPY OF

The Sims 3 & The Sims 3: World Adventures

TO ENTER: Send an email to competitions@gamecca.co.za.

Tell us your name and the name of one of The Sims 3’s Expansion packs Insert ‘Sims3 Competition’ in the mail’s subject line Subscribe to www.gamecca.co.za Competition closes 30 April 2010. Gamecca subscribers only. South African residents only.

Prizes may not be excahnged for cash. Games may be ‘white label’ products.

Competition closed to employees (& employee’s family) of 1337 Media CC & EA. The judges’ decision is final.

Lego Harry Potter:Years 1 - 4

Back to School

When two franchises collide…

by Jimmy Glue

H

AT A GLANCE: Taking players back to his first four years, Harry will have to battle a lot of monsters with the help of his friends.

Developer: Traveller’s Tales Publisher: Warner Bros.

Distributor: Nu Metro

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May 2010 Platforms

arry Potter and his magical friends are one of the biggest franchises we have seen to date. Their escapades and adventures have had children and adults alike reeling in excitement and awe, while they navigate the forests and the Hogwarts school.

So it is with no surprise that Traveller’s Tales also put their Lego spin on Harry Potter: Years 1 – 4. The studio has also been responsible for some of the biggest Lego titles, like Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues, Lego Rock Band, and Lego Batman: The Video Game. They will also be releasing Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars later this year.

As the name implies, the game will take players through a magical journey, taking the role of titular character, Harry Potter. The title will be more focused on exploring areas and collection gems, which is slightly different from their combat-driven Indiana Jones adaptation.

Including Harry, a whole host of characters will be available for player-control, with Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Albus Dumbledore, Rubeus Hagrid, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin high in the popularity stakes.

Die-hard fans need not worry, as they will be able to indulge themselves in a couple of games of Quidditch, too.

While exploring the novels’ first four years, and experimenting with the different characters, Lego Harry Potter: Years 1 - 4 is sure to be a lot of fun. g

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gamecca preview • issue 10 • April 2010

c o mpe t i t io n • c o mp eti ti on • c om pe tit ion • com pe t ition • com pe t it ion

E U G O OR

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n u r e h t n o r e h s i f m a join s n io it d e d e it im l e m o s with r a e g n o i ct i v n o c : l l e c r e t n i spl

courtesy of ubisoft and megarom interactive

TO ENTER: SEND AN EMAIL TO COMPETITIONS@GAMECCA.CO.ZA. TELL US YOUR NAME AND THE NAME OF THE HERO IN SPLINTER CELL: CONVICTION. INSERT ‘SCC COMPETITION’ IN THE MAIL’S SUBJECT LINE. SUBSCRIBE TO WWW.GAMECCA.CO.ZA Competition closes 30 April 2010. Gamecca subscribers only. South African residents only.

Prizes may not be excahnged for cash. Games may be ‘white label’ products.

Competition closed to employees (& employee’s family) of 1337 Media CC, Ubisoft & Megarom Interactive.

The judges’ decision is final.

Gray Matter

Jane Jensen returns

The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.

by Dion Scotten

G

AT A GLANCE: The first of a series of supernatural adventures from the creator of the Gabriel Knight franchise.

Developer: WizarBox Publisher: DTP Entertainment Distributor: TBC

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May 2010 Platforms

ray Matter is set to be the first of a brand new series of adventure games by Jane Jenson, all based on the supernatural.

Jensen, of course, is best known for her creation of the award winning Gabriel Knight adventure games. The decision to not continue with the successful series in early 2000 left a lot of fans disappointed. In recent interviews she has been relatively tight lipped about the game but promises a gripping mystery for players to unravel.

Gray Matter is a traditional ‘point and click’ styled adventure game and promises a strong storyline, written

by Jensen and based on the author’s favourite subject.

The story revolves around a neurobiologist and recluse named Dr. David Styles who hires a street magician named Samantha Everett as a personal assistant. He tasks her with recruiting subjects for his bizarre scientific experiments which, in the beginning, she knows little about.

As expected, though, she begins to suspect something out of the ordinary and the story takes a twist as her curiosity gets the better of her.

The player will alternate control between both Dr. Styles and Samantha as the story unfolds. This is typical of the type of storytelling Jenson is famous for and as far as I’m concerned it’s about time it returns.

Gray Matter will contain all the elements of a fantastic adventure game and fans of this genre should be looking forward to its release in May 2010. g

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gamecca preview • issue 10 • April 2010

Black Mirror 2

Mirror, mirror, on the wall...

Who is the darkest of them all?

by Jimmy Glue

B

lack Mirror 2, a stunningly detailed adventure game, is a sequel to the first title, but this second incarnation takes place 12 years after the initial instalment’s conclusion. The player will assume the role of physics student Darren, a young man who works in a photo shop in a small town in Maine.

Darren starts to notice a few strange things when a beautiful English girl name Angelina disappears after visiting their store. To make matters worse, Darren noticed that another man seems to be hot on the young girl’s trail. Are all these events connected, and is his despotic boss involved?

As any young investigator would, Darren decides to piece the mystery together, only to find that he will be in for the adventure of his life. From the start of his journey, Darren experiences vivid nightmares, which eventually lead him back to Willow Creek, a small English town. But this in no ordinary town… it’s also the home of Black Mirror Castle.

The adventure title features stunning and highly detailed 2.5D backgrounds, and lovers of surreal or mystery plots will need to sharpen their point-and-click skills in order to unravel the every growing storyline, which is bound to leave players guessing until the end. g

AT A GLANCE: Developer: Cranberry Productions Publisher: dtp entertainment Distributor: TBC

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April 2010 Platforms

In this mystery title, players will have to solve the mysterious disappearance of a beautiful girl.

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

gamecca preview • issue 10 • April 2010

c ompe t i t io n • c omp eti ti o n • c om pe tit ion • com pe t ition • com pe t it ion

IT’S GOOD TO BE BAD!

WIN A COPY OF

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Courtesy of Electronic Arts

TO ENTER: Send an email to competitions@gamecca.co.za.

Tell us your name and the name of one of the bad company team members Insert ‘bbc2 competition’ in the mail’s subject line.

Subscribe to www.gamecca.co.za Competition closes 30 April 2010. Gamecca subscribers only. South African residents only.

Prizes may not be excahnged for cash. Games may be ‘white label’ products.

Competition closed to employees (& employee’s family) of 1337 Media CC & EA. The judges’ decision is final.

Pure Football

The beautiful game...

In its purest form

by Jimmy Glue

W

ith the Soccer World Cup literally just around the corner, everybody is in the football business… and business is booming. With Electronic Arts releasing the official football game of the world’s greatest tournament, it might seem as though everybody would shy away from releasing their own title.

But Ubisoft is grabbing the proverbial ball by the stitches, and will release their first football game in May. It’s still well within the marketable timeframe for the tournament, but released later than EA’s effort, so Pure Football might just stand a chance in the genre.

The game will feature 230 elite soccer players, 17 international teams, and 17 legendary players, all while bringing the player as close to the action as possible.

Players will also have the ability to create their own footballer, who they will steer towards the grand prize and glory.

The title will also support four-player multiplayer, while one-on-one matches can be played online or with a friend. It’s billed to be a more robust and action-packed version of EA’s FIFA Street, which is a good thing.

Although the matches are played in rather strange arenas, the graphics are decent enough to provide an enjoyable experience. As mentioned, some of the

matches are played in stadiums with Roman, Greek and even forest settings.

When it comes to football games, Pro Evolution Soccer and the FIFA series pretty much have the market cornered, so it will be a bit of a change to see something lighthearted and fun, while still featuring some great football legends. g

AT A GLANCE: Developer: Ubisoft Publisher: Ubisoft Distributor: Megarom

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May 2010 Platforms

An alternative to the big names in soccer simulations is on the way.

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gamecca preview • issue 10 • April 2010

“one of this generation’s definitive titles” 9.2/10 – IGN 10/10 – TotalVideoGames.com

NOW FOR THE PLAYSTATION®3 AND PC MARCH 30, 2010 www.rockstargames.com/episodesfromlibertycity

© 2006-2010 Rockstar Games, Inc. Rockstar Games, Grand Theft Auto, Episodes from Liberty City, the r logo, the Grand Theft Auto logo and the Episodes from Liberty City logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software. “2”, “PlayStation”, “PS3” and “À” are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Windows, the Windows Vista Start button, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies, and ‘Games for Windows’ and the Windows Vista Start button logo are used under license from Microsoft. All other marks and trademarks are properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Spoken

Word

The acting evolution...

by Jimmy Glue

T

hrough the years, game development has advanced in leaps and bounds, and as technology shifts towards more realistic graphics, innovative controls and engaging game dynamics, one of the most important aspects that simply cannot be ignored, is voice acting.

A title may be one of the year’s most anticipated games, but if the voice acting isn’t up to industry standards, the title can seem stale, unoriginal and unrealistic. Luckily, many games released over the last couple of years have boasted phenomenal voice acting talents, most notably Nolan North.

Now the name might not sound familiar at first, but as soon as Nathan Drake from Uncharted 2, Desmond Miles

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gamecca feature • issue 10 • April 2010

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from Assassin’s Creed and Will Grey from Dark Void is mentioned, gamers will know exactly who he is. The mentioned characters are only a drop in his acting pool, but we’ll get to the rest later.

Voice actors are basically like ‘real’ actors, but instead of having their faces and body language portray their

gamecca feature • issue 10 • April 2010

emotions, they have to solely rely on their tone of voice, annunciation and a bit of vocal drama to convey the full meaning. It’s no easy task, as we have seen on many occasions how that can go terribly wrong.

In the early days of video gaming, the industry relied on pc-generated sounds and text on the screen to drive the story forward, but luckily since 1982’s Mattelintroduced Intellivoice, things started to change.

The system was part of the company’s Intellivision game console, released in 1979, and some of the first games to include the voice synthesis device were Space Spartans, Bomb Squad, B-17 Bomber and Tron: Solar Sailer.

Granted, most games of that time still relied on text, but it wasn’t until ten years later, when Altered Beast arrived, that a true shift in the industry was felt.

The technology steadily grew, and we started to hear funny sounds emanating from

37

the consoles or computers, developing into recognisable speech.

And so the profession of voice acting was born. Modern day voice actors, or voice artist, usually only have a small but dedicated following, but their profession is as important to the industry as any other part of the title’s development.

Mel Blanc was probably one of the first actors to cross the line between animation and stardom, as he is generally regarded as one of the most influential people in the voice-acting industry. Just as with Nolan, Mel’s name might not come up in everyday conversation, but he has been responsible for bringing most of the early-day cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and even Sylvester and Tweety, to life. No wonder he was been given the nickname of The Man of a Thousand Voices.

Sadly Mel passed away in 1989, but he surely left a lasting legacy on the industry, as his last work included Twiki in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and the loveable cat Heathcliff, as well as a number of commercials.

Nolan only started his career eight years after Mel’s passing, but it has been nearly as illustrious. Born in New Haven in Connecticut, he started his career, not in games, but in live acting. His first role was a Dr. Chris Ramsey in the television series Port Charles, and it wasn’t until 1999 that he managed to lend his voice to an animated character in Interstate ’82.

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While playing minor roles in television series in the early 2000’s, it wasn’t until 2004’s The Punisher adaptation and EverQuest II that gamers started to take notice of his skills. For EverQuest, he voiced no less than 21 characters, and in the first God Of War he portrayed the role of Hades, Greek Soldier and Fisherman. The title also starred Heather Graham.

From there, Nolan quickly shot to cult status, as he palmed in role after role. Although his acting jobs were small at first, like SWAT Officer Tony “Subway” Girard in SWAT 4 and only being credited as Additional Voices in 2005’s Predator: Concrete Jungle, there seemed to be no stopping him.

His first major break came in 2007 when he played the role of Young Jackie in the creepy, but fun action title The Darkness. Interestingly, the voice acting for The Darkness, the snake-like appendages that help Jackie along, was done by Faith No More’s Mike Patton.

Patton is another celebrity who has steadily been crossing the line between music, acting and video games.

Besides being a founding member of avant-garde rockers Mr Bungle and Fantomas, Patton has portrayed the roles of The Anger Sphere in Portal, providing the Infected Sounds for both Left4Dead games and starred as the main character in 2009’s remake of Bionic Commando. He can next be heard as the voice of The Outsider in Edge Of Twilight. gamecca feature • issue 10 • April 2010

gamecca • review

But the use of film stars or musicians as voice actors dates back to the early days of animation, as Cliff Edwards in Pinocchio, Edward Brophy in Dumbo and Peggy Lee in Lady and the Tramp were all established stars before taking on their respective roles.

More recently, Michael Ironside of Top Gun and Starship Troopers played the role of Sam Fischer in Splinter Cell, while Terrence ‘T.C.’ Carson, who starred in the sitcom Living Single, voiced the anger-ridden warrior Kratos in God Of War… a game which also featured screen veteran Clancy Brown as Hades.

Well-known British actor Stephan Fry served as the narrator in LittleBigPlanet and in the first four Harry Potter games, and also joined forces with Nolan on Fable II, where he played the role of Reaver, while Nolan has been credited with various voice acting positions.

There are actually many video games that star alreadyfamous actors; just off the top of our heads Mass Effect 2 stars Seth Green as Joker, Martin Sheen as the Illusive Man and Carrie-Anne Moss as Aria T’Loak. Call of Duty: World at War saw Kiefer Sutherland and Gary Oldman walking into the sound booth.

Although Nolan only starred in the first God Of War, the sequel saw Michael Clark Duncan and Linda Hunt taking on some character voices.

Nolan’s biggest claims to fame came in the last two years, as his talent seemed to have no bounds or limits. gamecca feature • issue 10 • April 2010

For the popular Prince of Persia franchise, he played the role of The Prince, and followed that up with the vocalisation of Sgt. Forge in Halo Wars.

In the video game adaptation of Michael Bay’s Transformers, he played the role of Sideswipe, while later that year he lent his vocal chords to Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 as War Machine. Sticking to the action genre, Nolan brought Romeo to life in Halo 3:ODST. Starring in two of last year’s biggest titles, he went in search of hidden treasure in Uncharted 2 as Nathan Drake, and continued his crusade to hunt down the Knights Templar in Assassin’s Creed 2. For this year alone, he can be heard in three games, and they certainly aren’t small titles.

Every gamer will remember the humorous comments made by Salem in Army Of Two: 40th Day. Well, that was Nolan exercising his talents. Still to be released, he will star in Alpha Protocol and Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths.

Voice acting has certainly proved to be a real profession that should be taken seriously, and although the actors don’t often reach mainstream recognition, it is definitely worth another listen next time you pop in your favourite game… after all, many established screen actors are finding voice acting for video games to be their next challenge. Who knows, you might just spot one of your favourite actors voicing an evil nemesis. g

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PS Zealot

Gaming killed the video star

by Suvesh Arumugam

I

n 1979 The Buggles released a hit single about a radio singer whose rising career was cut short by the advent of television. “Video Killed the Radio Star” has since become synonymous with the death of a genre (despite the fact that the music video was the first to be aired on MTV). But like most art forms, the development of technology, and the changing tastes of audiences, usually brings about some form of radical change in how people demand entertainment.

For a few years now, we have seen a trend in movies based on popular video games, like Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, etc. This was a change from games based on popular movies, (which were usually disappointing, and rarely offered anything new).

Still, any gamer will tell you that as authentic and well-intentioned as the movie may be, it can never capture the intensity or intricacy of game-play. How do you convey the frustration of searching a room for an hour to find a lever? Or the thrill when you find that lever and progressing to the next stage?

Until a few years ago though, games could never compete with the visual and audio spectacle of cinema, or even DVD. Then mankind was blessed with High Definition and 7.1 Sony Dynamic Digital Sound. Thanks to these innovations, and the rising popularity of consoles, movie theatres are pretty much inferior to the quality of home viewing (ask any Blu-Ray fanatic!). Aside from not having to

hear screaming kids or some idiot’s cell phone ringing in the theatre, you are actually watching a much higher resolution picture, and listening to superior sound (at levels you can control). What this means for games is that they now offer more spectacle and entertainment experience than their film counterparts, as well as an interactive experience that responds to decisions and point of view.

With computer animation becoming more realistic everyday, games

are delivering a more interactive adventure experience than movies.

The result is that more and more people, of all ages, are playing video games.

It’s no surprise then that some of the headlining games from the big studios have unheard of production budgets, and are now featuring personnel who were previously known for their work in film. It’s been more than ten years since Ray Liotta, Burt Reynolds, and Jenna Jameson (yes, it’s the one you’re thinking of) got together to voice GTA 3: Vice City (GTA: San Andreas featured James Wood & Samuel L Jackson); Now many actors realise that video games are a genre on their own, and offer full

time careers in voice-acting, motion capture, etc. Aside from big name actors reprising their film roles in the video game versions, many actors are making sure they are landing roles in video games. We’ve seen the likes of Kiefer Sutherland (Call of Duty: World at War), James Earl Jones, Michael Ironside, Billy Dee Williams & Michael Biehn (Command & Conquer Series), Jack Black (Brutal Legend), Patrick Stewart (Oblivion). God of War 3 features the voices of iconic Hollywood actors such as Malcolm McDowell, Clancy Brown, and Kevin Sorbo. Fallout 3 featured McDowell, Liam Neeson and Ron Perlman, while Rogue Warrior featured Oscar winner Mickey Rourke.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 was scored by composer Hans Zimmer (whose films include Gladiator & The Dark Knight to name a few). Gerard Marino recorded the soundtrack for God of War 3 exclusively at Skywalker Studios (possibly the best facility in the world) which is normally reserved for film work. The Berkley College of Music (which has produced many great Hollywood composers like Alan Silvestri and Howard Shore) has now introduced composition exclusively for video games as part of their curriculum.

Like music videos delivered a new and exciting experience to music lovers, video games are the place to find fun, adventure and intrigue in a way that movies can no longer match (and perhaps never could).

The technology delivers an exciting, unique experience in the comfort of your home, and now the talent of Hollywood is on board to make games as awesome as humanly possible.

Movies may not be entirely dead, but any gamer will tell you they’d much rather be playing their PS3 than sitting in a crowded theatre! And it’s only going to get better! g

This page is provided by PlayStation Gamer www.playstationgamer.co.za

Xbox Beat

Stuffed!

by Bryan Banfield

I

t is no secret that spending six to twelve hours immersed in a good story and gripping gameplay can be considered time well spent. Gaming has taken a taken a massive turn for the better with the introduction of achievements.

A simple numerical score next to your gamerpic can carry great prestige. I remember when my gamerscore ticked over ten thousand. Phew, that was some hard work… then you see some gamers with 170,000 gamerscore and you wonder: “Where do they find the time?”

As I have mentioned before; I love a great story and engaging game play.

I love the feeling of being drawn into the world my game is set in. But one thing I can’t learn to enjoy is when my side quests start to deviate from the story line and move into the realm of “content fillers.”

Last month I confessed the bad case of catch-up I’m suffering from.

Well this month I’d like to confess that I am a completionist. While exploring I need to open all the areas of a map, pick up all the collectables, complete all the side quests and hit my level caps. This can mean that games like Oblivion, Mass Effect, Fall Out 3, Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2 can occupy almost all of my time.

I love the lore and the load outs, customising my party and testing my skills against what is being thrown at me.

But with my love for these titles come a dislike for content fillers.

Content fillers are the quests where

you start to get the feeling that the developer has pushed a few extra hours of game play into the title by jamming quests that have you running around looking for non-essential loot or collectables.

The gaming industry uses hours of game play as a measuring stick for to bench their titles against others and as a value-for-money incentive.

Mafia II is being touted as having 15 hours of game play. Just Cause 2 is advertised as having 150 hours of game play. In the Fall Out 3 internal play through the team raced each other through the game shortly before release. The winner came in with just over 70 hours of game play. Yet some of the best games I have played have had roughly six to eight hours of game play.

Most of these 15 hours of game play and 70 hours of game play most defiantly the 150 hours of game play in the titles above comes from the content filler quests [um, in Just Cause 2?I think not – ed]. In the original Mass Effect, I travelled around the whole galaxy, visited all the planets and explored all the clusters.

“Why?” you might ask. Because I was looking for 20 heavy metal deposits, 6 gas deposits, 20 rare metal deposits and 20 light metal deposits. This is the mission named: “UNC: Valuable Minerals.” This mission had nothing to do with the storyline but the time that it took me to find everything is close of three to four hours as these deposits are spread out around the galaxy. These three to four hours will reward you with some experience and a nice cash reward. Bioware on the other hand will smile at the thirty plus hours of game play they have crammed into their title with quests that have nothing to do with the story.

A digital straw man.

So the next time you find yourself asked to collect some junk that is supposed to help you in some unrelated way, you too know that you have just fallen victim to a content filler.

Enjoy your Xbox360 experience with your new found understanding.

Oh, and while you are at it, could you please bring me 6 Elfwood blossoms… I will give you a fancy new belt. g

This page is provided by Xbox Gamer 42

www.xboxgamer.co.za

House of Mario

Is bigger better?

by Brian Murdoch

T

he DSi XL is being launched in South Africa at the end of April 2010. Attentive gamers may have noticed that Core Group missed a step and did not bring in out the DSi. This slip-up aside, let’s look at the differences between DSi XL and the currently available DS Lite.

The CPU I’m not really bothered about. If it drops a few seconds load time, great, but can anyone remember their DS having any performance issues.

Size might be a bummer for some… the DSi XL is more difficult to carry around. The female species will not have too much problem as they always have a handbag. We will be spotting a lot more DSi XL’s in laptop bags. The screen improvements are great. At first I was worried about it showing the pixels in some games, but after going through a few side by side comparisons, it just looks better and there is no pixilation… unless the pixels were already in the game. The new screen brings not only size and clarity, but also an optimized design to allow better side viewing on the console. Extra internal flash memory is use mainly to support the functions of the new DSi menu. During games a quick press of the power button will go to the main menu to change options like brightness. Also, pictures and music need to be stored somewhere.

The SD Card is a great addition to the console to store more data, music and photos. I don’t see it taking over the iPod or iPhone but that’s never what Nintendo is about. Their main

focus is fun in game-play so this will be put to use more in DSi specific game features. With the GBA card slot gone we will have to pull out the old Game Boy or keep the DS Lite to be able to play those classic games.

We will not have to wait long before they are all available on the DSi Ware for download, though, and then it will not matter. The DS rubble pack is not compatible either. The cameras are a nice touch, but it will probably mainly be used in games, rather than as more traditional cameras.

There is a stylus that clips into the console but there is an even bigger pen sized one that will need to be carried separately. Don’t worry because soon there will be carry cases that have a space for this pen.

The battery life is a downgrade as it is much less than that of the currently available DS lite. It’s understandable

because the extra features and bigger screen will drain more battery power.

It would be good to have more than one charger for the DSi XL, like in the office and in the car. The problem comes in with the DSi XL needing a different adapter to the DS Lite, so your old chargers will not work. The only difference in the hardware with the Wifi system is security. Previously you had to downgrade the security on your router to WEP so that your DS Lite could connect. The software part of the Wifi is DSi Ware, which you can now access and use to download new games right onto your DSi XL. I think the DSi XL is a better device.

Find out if you need the extra features first. It is just like buying the better cell phone and not using the features.

The same games can be used in both devices, so will bigger be better for you? g

This page is provided by Nintendo Gamer 44

www.nintendogamer.co.za

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Reviews

All the Gaming Goodness Highlights 48 God of War 3

52 Final Fantasy XIII 56 Battlefield: Bad Company 2 58 Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight 62 Napoleon: Total War 64 Just Cause 2

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010 is certainly shaping up to be a brilliant year for video games, with some very big names hitting the shelves already.

But there are other games, too - diamonds in the rough - that appear without much fanfare, yet still managing to be great titles.

Here at Gamecca we believe in reviewing every game we can get our grubby mitts on, so chances are you might find a few of those sleeper hits in our review section from time to time. What are you waiting for... go check it out! g

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gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

c ompe t i t io n • c omp eti ti o n • c om pe tit ion • com pe t ition • com pe t it ion

Are you brave enough to open

PANDORAS BOX?

WIN A LIMITED EDITION VERSION OF

GOD OF WAR III

Enter our competition courtesy of Ster Kinekor Entertainment TO ENTER: Send an email to competitions@ competitions @gamecca.co.za tell us your name & the name of the Hero in God of War III. Insert GOW III COMPETION in the mail subject line.

Subscribe to www.gamecca.co.za Competition closes 30 April 2010. Gamecca subscribers only. South African residents only.

Prizes may not be excahnged for cash. Games may be ‘white label’ products.

Competition closed to employees (& employee’s family) of 1337 Media CC & Ster Kinekor Entertaiment.

The judges’ decision is final.

God of War III

Revenge

Served smokin’ hot!

by Walt Pretorius

I

am not shy to admit that I am something of a purist, particularly when it comes to anything that can be described as ‘classical’. Classical mythology particularly. I love those old tales of gods and men changing the course of history, with my favourite stories coming from the Ancient Greek mythos. So when people start messing with it, I get a bit angry. I even get angry when they mispronounce the names of creatures or heroes or places famous in the ancient world. Rise of the Argonauts was a game that did this – when they had Jason face off against Achilles in an arena, it was all I could do to not fling the TV out of the window.

There is one franchise, though, that doesn’t get my blood boiling when it comes to messing with mythology, and that is the God of War series. I am not sure why, but I am willing to forgive God of War any transgression in this regard. Maybe it’s because the main character is so wonderfully dark and essentially unlikeable that you can’t help but like him. Maybe it’s because the action is intense and challenging.

Maybe it’s because the series is so brilliantly sweeping in it’s vistas.

Maybe it’s because the

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story is strong, even if it does deviate wildly from the tales that have been told for centuries. I don’t know.

What I do know is that the God of War games have always been high up on my list of favourite titles. When the first game was released, it took our breath away, and the franchise managed to, in the first two instalments, show off the abilities of the PlayStation 2 like never before. So when the hype started rolling for God of War’s transition to the PlayStation 3, I couldn’t help but get excited. If the developers were talented enough to squeeze so much out

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

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of an inferior system, imagine what they would be able to achieve on the bigger, better PS3… that was my thinking, and the thinking of a great many fans of the franchise.

The good news is that the game does not disappoint in the slightest. It’s God of War, but bigger, brighter, better and meaner. Kratos bursts onto the screen as a powerful agent of vengeance in this title, which is utterly compelling and magnificently engrossing from the very instant it starts.

There is the assumption within the game that the player has played through both previous titles, because the story starts exactly where the second game left off. The truth is that not everyone who is playing God of War 3 has, and they may well feel a little out of their depth in terms of the plot. You may wonder how important the plot is in this game… after all, it’s about a dude who goes ballistic, more or less. But the plot line is central, and the developers attempts at a retrospective are unclear and a little confusing. (That’s one of the reasons we have prepared a plot synopsis for you, starting on page 12). The player can pick up enough bits and pieces of the previous plot to get through, though, as the game progresses.

Those that have played the previous games will experience the culmination of Kratos’ war against the gods. gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

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The story is powerfully told, with good voice acting and absolutely enthralling visuals to support it. But it does lead to a second complaint… the game is shorter than it could have been. It is possible to finish it in around 8 hours, but a play time of around 10 is more likely. Still, it feels much shorter than the previous two titles. You will probably notice a few well-known voices in the game, with the likes of Clancy Brown, Rip Torn, Gideon Emery, Malcolm McDowell and Adrienne Barbeau (and more) part of the voice cast. These actors deliver exceptional performances in the game, making the title rise above the run-of-the-mill video game.

This third instalment really is more of the same thing.

The action within the game feels very similar to the previous two titles, with Kratos taking on hordes of bad guys at close and medium range. Boss battles are exactly what one would expect as well – a lot

50

of pounding, followed by a quick-time sequence in which the boss is finished off once and for all. This quick time leads to the last complaint that could be levelled at the title. The developers put a new idea in to play – all quick time buttons are presented on screen relative to their position on the controller. In other words, a triangle prompt would appear at the upper edge of the screen, and X at the bottom, and so forth. It’s actually a very good idea, because the player can effortlessly orient their thumb to match the prompts. The problem arises from the fact that the game looks so good, the player will sometimes

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

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Kratos can have four) are all upgradeable, as are some of the other items he gets to play around with. The action is intense, with tons of enemies, and despite Kratos’ supreme skill as a warrior, the game can quite often prove to be very challenging.

There are a few things that should be noted, though.

It’s all good and well for us to say how cool this game is, with it’s responsive control system and compelling game dynamics, but we do feel an obligation to also point out that this one isn’t for the youngsters. It is a visceral, brutally violent experience, even traversing the lines of sexual content from time to time. But, as a work of adult entertainment, and as the culmination of the God of War series, God of War 3 is a triumph. It’s pretty, it’s actionpacked and it’s huge amounts of fun to play. The fact that the developers didn’t overextend themselves in the game is a blessing in disguise… they played in an area that they knew would deliver the goods, rather than trying to take too many chances. This is one that you simply must play. g

AT A GLANCE: God of War III brings the saga of Kratos to a bloody, violent and very satisfying end.

Developer: SCEI Publisher: SCEE Distributor: Ster Kinekor

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

18+ gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PS3 Platforms

be distracted from noticing the prompts by the awesome graphics.

None of the complaints are very serious, though… we put them in so that we wouldn’t gush too much about the title. The truth is, though, that God of War 3 is the pinnacle of the series. Sure, it could maybe have done a little more, but it doesn’t really need to. The imagery is very strong, supported by excellent graphics in thrilling, complex settings. Doing battle on the back of a titan’s hand, for example, gives the game a massive scope.

And the player knows exactly what to expect – tons of over the top action, complemented by movement based puzzles and massive boss battles. The weapons (of which

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

94 51

Final Fantasy XIII

For freedom Final Fantasy makes a move

by Bryan Banfield

B

y the end of the 1980s Square (not yet Square Enix) had entered the video game industry. Their initial games did not meet with to much success and very soon the company was looking at filing for bankruptcy.

A young designer, Hironobu Sakaguchi, created a project that intended to pull the company back from its financial demise; this project would be his last, and then he would retire. Sakaguchi called the title Final Fantasy. Late 1987 saw Final Fantasy hit store shelves. The fresh take on role-playing would change the face of the genre forever.

Close on 23 years later the Final Fantasy brand has yet again set a landmark by bringing this popular franchise to the Xbox360 platform.

Not only have they delivered a title that is breathtaking but have also redefined games for the Xbox360 and set the bar much higher for future development on the console.

Final Fantasy XIII was developed using Square Enix’s Crystal Tools engine, Square Enix’s in-house development toolset. What makes this engine so powerful is its ability to animate and render full computergenerated imagery (CGI) real-time, most notably those from Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. Crystal Tools also allows for advanced audio

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gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

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processing and manages the transitions from cut-scene to cinematic effortlessly.

Right out of the gate Final Fantasy XIII steals your breath with its attention to detail and eye popping cutscenes, as the player is introduced to the cast in a film trailer style opening scene. The player is introduced to his digital home for the next 100-plus hours.

Game-play begins with the player assuming the role of

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

Lightning, a former soldier upon a military “Purge” train heading for exile. One of the guards is distracted long enough for Lightning to overpower him and cause the train to come to a crashing halt. Her display of courage inspires Sazh and others to fight along side her.

The citizens of Cocoon live in fear of being wrenched from their homes and exiled to Pulse. Pulse is a land of fierce and terrifying creatures that is located below Cocoon. Lightning’s revolt takes place on one of the trains taking its captives for exile to Pulse.

Throughout the game and after each plot point the in-game wiki style “Datalog” updates, allowing players to gain a further insight into the storyline, as well as take a look into the back stories of each of the characters that they encounter.

The battle system of Final Fantasy XIII is seamless; the player moves into battle and out again without having the game play interrupted for long periods of time.

The player’s ability to perform their attacks is based on the ATB gauge. As this is a live battle system the player is able to queue up abilities, all the while keeping in mind that the effectiveness of the attack is based on the constantly recharging gauge. These battles are faster paced than the previous battle sequences in past Final Fantasy titles.

Death in battle comes from the leader allowing his or her health

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or hit points (HP) to reach zero. This ends the game, regardless of the HP of the other party members. Players are then presented with the traditional Game Over screen and asked if they wish to retry or quit.

Once a player has entered a battle there is no way to flee. Players should be very careful before getting into fights. If the enemy looks too powerful then avoidance is the key to survival. Once in the battle, if things get tough, the player is able to pause the game and return to the moment before the battle started.

The most important point to note regarding the combat system is the ability to stagger an enemy. As rapid attacks are landed on enemies their Chain Gauge fills. Once filled, the enemy will becomes staggered and take a greater deal of damage from attacks.

Once a battle has come to an end all the party members’ HP is restored and the player is presented with a battle rating. This rating is based on the suggested time that the battle should be completed in. The higher the rating, the greater the spoils of war.

Freedom Fighters Lightning Lightning is a former sergeant of the Guardian Corps and on a mission to save her sister from the Pulse Fal’Cie. Although a tough and hardened soldier, Lightning has a tender, compassionate side, due to the death of her parents. Lightning wields a gunblade called the Blaze Edge. She also has the ability to manipulate gravity with a device located on her thumb.

Snow Villiers Snow is the head of NORA and on a quest to save his fiancé. Snow fights with the deft use of his fists in a display of brute force.

Oerba Dia Vanille Vanille is an amazingly adventurous young girl with a child like innocence and the stubbornness to go with it.

Vanille also serves as the game’s narrator.

Sazh Katzroy Sazh is a former military pilot who wields dual pistols and is on a mission to save his son. Sazh also has a pet baby Chocobo that lives in his afro. His character is based on Lionel Ritchie.

Hope Estheim Hope is a fourteen-year-old boy who uses a collapsible boomerang in battle. Hope cannot forgive Snow for his involvement in his mothers death.

Oerba Yun Fang Fang originally worked for the Cocoon Sanctum under Cid. She wields a spear in battle and is dressed in what appears to be a traditional Indian Sari.

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gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

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gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

AT A GLANCE: FF XIII has set the new benchmark for Xbox360. This title is a wake up call to all developers on the Xbox360 platform.

Developer: Square Enix Publisher: Square Enix Distributor: Nu Metro Interactive

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

16+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

After Lightning’s insurrection the player is introduced to Snow. Snow is the leader of NORA, a sort of neighbourhood watch organisation of like-minded youths who patrol their neighbourhood looking into trouble. This trouble is normally in the form of the encroachment of dangerous animals.

Snow has a fiancé being held within the Pulse Fal’Cie (a sort of prison) and he is determined to free her. However, during a battle against PSICOM troops his life is saved by a brave mother that is trying to save her son’s life by volunteering to fight. The battle turns bad and the mother slips from Snow’s grasp. Her final words are for him to save her son. Snow is now torn between saving his fiancé and saving a boy who he has never met.

Watching from a parallel bridge is the young boy, Hope.

He watches as his mother slips from Snow’s hands and falls to her death.

So begin the three sub-plots of Final Fantasy XIII.

At times the game-play, storyline and the early-game switching from sub-plot to sub-plot can get monotonous, making the game feel drawn out. However the depth of the characters, and the relationships that are formed between characters, is outstanding. The team at Square Enix are well know for the depth of the mythos and extent of the lore in their games. This is no different in Final Fantasy XIII. The fact that this title is the first Final Fantasy title to make it to the Xbox360 platform is a landmark event in itself but the level at which it performs on the Microsoft platform is exceptional.

The cut-scenes are smooth and the transitions between cut-scene and game-play are almost unnoticable. The game-play is never jittery or glitchy.

While playing, we are reminded that developers have not yet fully harnessed the potential of the Xbox360 as a next generation console. Final Fantasy XIII is the first title on the Xbox360 to begin to lift the hood. A new standard of video game development for this platform had been set. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

88 55

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

The boys are back Guess that truckload of gold didn’t work out…

by Jimmy Glue

E

lectronic Arts recently unleashed the second instalment of their popular Battlefield: Bad Company series on to the world, and between all the chaos and mayhem, it’s great to see that they still managed to work in some of their signature humour.

This instalment begins with the player assuming the role of WWII soldier Thomas Wyatt, fighting the Japanese in the Pacific Campaign. It’s a good introduction to the sequel as there is no need to have played the first title in order to understand the plot and character development.

While on an island occupied by the Japanese, the group starts to hear a very strange and ominous sound reverberating from the hills.

The sound, however, is the last of their worries, as they need to extract a Japanese scientist who decided to defect to the US. Once they locate the scientist, they are informed that the sound is part of a massive weapon that will be deployed very shortly. Outgunned and severely outnumbered, the group leaves the island, just as the massive weapon

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detonates.

Fast-forward to the future, and the player is put back into the shoes of Preston Marlow, part of the rogue squad of crack soldiers from the first title. Joining him are the familiar faces of Terrence Sweetwater, George Haggard, and Sergeant Samuel Redford. During their introduction, they are engaged in a heated battle with Russians, in order to extract a piece of the secret weapon that was detonated in Japan.

The squad manages to secure the unit in their chaotic, gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

gamecca • review

gun-blazing fashion, only to be told it’s a fake. Much to the delight of Sweetwater, they get drafted into Special Operations by Army General Braidwood in order to stop the Russians from developing the weapon further. And this is where the real action and story starts...

The first real battle takes the team to Bolivia where they need to go in search of an agent named Aguire, who is in possession of intelligence detailing the secret weapon, named Aurora. Similar to jungle warfare in Vietnam, the visibility, or rather the lack thereof, creates the illusion that nothing can possibly be out there, but as soon as the first branch cracks, enemies jump out from everywhere and rain down bullets on the player.

In a situation like this, or any combat situation for that matter, cover will be the player’s best friend. It’s important

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to keep in mind that there are no time limits to complete a mission, so it’s better to take cover, strategise and take out the enemies one-by-one.

The game also features completely destructible environments, and although it’s a good addition, it does come with problems. Because the level of destruction has been extended to the point where the player will be able to completely demolish buildings, instead of just shooting out the walls, after a while there will be no meaningful cover left [so there is a sort of a time limit after all – ed]. And let’s just say that wooden houses don’t make great cover when the enemy is shooting at you.

Another new, realistic feature is bullet drop. In effect, what that means is that there will no longer be headshots from across the level. Over long distances, the player needs to factor in the curvature of the earth and gravitational pull in order to hit the target spot-on.

Another remnant that has been kept from the first title is the ability to drive different kinds of vehicles.

The sequel boasts 15 types that can be driven around, possibly causing general chaos in the process. Some of the vehicles include the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, a quad bike, a two-man patrol boat, a personal watercraft, a ZU-23 mounted on a BTR-D light tank, and a UAV helicopter controlled via remote computer terminals. Speaking of vehicles, we found it rather strange that the enemy’s light tanks or jeeps can be blown up by killing the gunner.

Although a wide arsenal of fire-

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power is available to the player, don’t be fooled in thinking that the title will be a walk in the park. It has some of the most difficult levels in any shooter game, but not because of the level design or missions involved, but because of the enemy’s accuracy, and the player’s low tolerance to metal projectiles.

Graphically, the title is similar to the first instalment, although slightly better. The detail in some of the jungle missions is stunning, with trees, leaves and even grooves in the sand all visible. The draw distance in some levels, especially in levels that involve whole cities, or mountains, is a great improvement over the first. But, great graphics are something that we have all come to expect, as nowadays there really isn’t any excuse for poor detail.

The graphics aren’t exactly on par with Modern Warfare 2, but then again, they’re not supposed to be. Where Modern Warfare has its own identity and graphical

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expectations, so does the Bad Company franchise.

Electronic Arts’ games always have the same look and feel, and it’s something that their fans have come to know and love. The Battlefield series has grown it’s fan-base over the last eight years, and if their style had to dramatically change, it might have an adverse effect on their followers.

Another game aspect that remained the same is the gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

gamecca • review

The multiplayer game features four different modes: Rush, Conquest, Squad Deathmatch and Squad Conquest, which are a vast and welcome change to the title. Players from the first Bad Company will remember that it only had Conquest, which became very stale, very quickly.

Similar to Modern Warfare 2, the multiplayer features a ranking system in which players will get experience points for enemy kills or actions. Over time, the amounted experience points will unlock more weapons and upgrades, making players more deadly and accurate.

Bad Company 2 is a highly addictive game with a great plot, simple controls and stunning graphics. It’s definitely a must for fans of the series, but even non-fans will find it enjoyable.

And yes, there will be a third instalment... g

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

AT A GLANCE: Marlow and the gang are back, and this time they are after a Russian secret weapon.

Developer: EA Digital Illusions CE Publisher: Electronic Arts Distributor: Electronic Arts

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

16+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

control scheme. It’s ridiculously easy to grasp and throughout the title helpful hints and tips will be displayed on screen. A minimap at the top of the screen also makes navigation easy, and driving is as simple as pushing a button and steering with the analogue stick. On easy mode, the game also includes a very handy snap-to when aiming at enemies.

Picking up weapons is also as easy as just pressing a button. Come to think of it, there really isn’t a single action that requires being a double-jointed octopus. Yes, we’re staring at you, Heavy Rain.

Modern Warfare might have the upper hand when it comes to graphics, but Bad Company 2 is definitely giving it a run for its money when it comes to multiplayer. It’s addictive to the point where it’s actually bad for your health, and with no lag (even on a 3G connection) there is no reason why this mode shouldn’t be tried.

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

80 59

Command & Conquer 4:Tiberian Twilight

A Bitter End What were they thinking?

by Walt Pretorius

A

round fifteen years ago, a game was released that would change the way strategy titles were played. It wasn’t an original concept – it was released a year after 1994’s original Warcraft: Humans & Orcs title – but it brought many new ideas to the table, spawning a franchise that would enjoy two sub-branches and a decade and a half of success.

I fondly remember those early days of Command & Conquer. The game was revolutionary in many ways that it was probably the most addictive title of the time. Fifteen years later, EA, who took over development of the game from series originators Westwood, have brought the Tiberian Saga to a close with the release of Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight. This game will be the last time that GDI and Nod butt heads over that mysterious, useful and destructive mineral, Tiberium (for now, at least

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– who knows what might happen in the future). The reason is probably largely due to the fact that the development team of the game has been disbanded.

So, the intention was probably to go out with a bang.

However, the team and publishers made a few fundamental mistakes in putting the title together, and it is earning them a lot of criticism.

The biggest complaint surrounding the game arises from the new DRM system that it requires the player to make use of. Following in the steps of Ubisoft, EA have introduced a controversial protection system that requires the player to be online constantly, even during single player campaigns and skirmishes. While it is understandable that they would want to protect a game like this from piracy, using this particular system isn’t making gamers very happy. After all, even users in the most sophisticated countries can suffer interruptions of internet services, and this game doesn’t pause when the player disconnect… it fails the mission outright.

There are many issues surrounding this controversial new idea, but they might have been less prominent had the game been a better product.

There’s an old saw about not needing to fix things that aren’t broken that could be perfectly applied to this title. There was nothing wrong with the previous games, at least nothing that required the sweeping changes made by the development team.

But they were made, and they were certainly not for the better. Why the developers decided to upset the apple cart right at the finish line is beyond me, but they did.

The player does not get to construct a base in this title. Instead, all building operations are taken care of by a crawler, a mobile base of operations.

This adds a new level of strategy, sure, but is it a desired one? Public opinion would have me believe gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

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gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

AT A GLANCE: A disappointing addition to a once-brilliant franchise.

Developer: EA Games Publisher: Electronic Arts Distributor: EA Africa

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

13+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

not.

To add to this, the crawlers come in three flavours – Offence, Defence and Support- which determine the types of units the player can build. Now, instead of building a large versatile army, the player is hampered by task-specific units and a very stingy unit cap. Sure, they can change out the type of crawler a few times during each mission or battle, but where’s the fun in that?

Battles (outside of the very short campaigns) are won by accumulating victory points within a certain time limit. These points are earned by beating up the enemy and controlling command points on each map. However, gaining the upper hand can be very tricky. Thanks to the unit cap and a few other dynamics, playing the game is a bit like smashing two bricks together repeatedly to see which one will break first. The satisfying feeling of grinding an enemy base to dust beneath your boot heel is completely gone.

Adding insult to injury, the game feels very rushed. The graphics are below expectation, the voice acting and cinematic sequences are weak, and the whole package feels rather flimsy.

Had this been another game, it might have gone over a bit better with gamers... It’s playable, and does demand a different approach. But the new ideas, DRM issues and rushed feeling that the game gives off make it a disappointing addition to such a well-loved franchise. It just doesn’t feel like a Command & Conquer game, which is very sad. If this is indeed the last title they will be releasing in the Tiberian Saga, it is less of a swan-song and more of a swan-dive for the series. As a stand alone title, it would be decidedly mediocre. As a Command & Conquer game, it is bitterly disappointing. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

50 61

Napoleon Total War

Europe will burn

Follow in the bloody footsteps of Napoleon Bonaparte

by Dion Scotten

E

very time I play a new Total War release I’m reminded why I love the series so much. Each brings a fresh historical experience and adds to their already impressive game engine. Napoleon Total War introduces the grand era of France, led by their most memorable general, and will not disappoint fans of the franchise.

Napoleon Total War is an improvement on the very impressive Empire Total War, with tweaks that make the gaming experience even more awesome. The campaign maps are so beautifully rendered that I can’t help but wish other RTS franchises would pay attention and follow suit.

The camera control is effortless and the terrain builds allow for some very sneaky tactics for generals who think out of the box.

Even more detail has been included in individual units,

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from the soldier’s uniform to his movement.

These small details make a huge difference when looking over an army and you get the illusion of reality from the look and feel of the battle scene.

The physics engine is fantastic, as usual, adding more realism and atmosphere to the battles. Higher ground is even more important now as weapon ranges are affected by elevation… so be careful how you advance on the enemy. Rainy weather will interfere with the muskets of your troops, causing misfires and making a ranged attack unreliable. Making sure you have cavalry on both your flanks in every battle can save your Napoleonic rear if the rain clouds open up on you.

Now, if you are playing a French general hell bent on world domination, it only makes sense that you would have as many cannons at your side as possible. Right? It’s no secret that Napoleon loved his artillery and the game supplies a nice selection of powerful units for the player to choose from. Firing cannon balls from artillery gives your troops incredible range on the enemy and looks very cool at the same time. Different ammo options are available and changing to shrapnel at close range can devastate a regiment with a single shot. Easier and cooler.

So if cavalry and artillery are all that, then why would you need line infantry, right? gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

the battles Napoleon lost or defeat him in the battles he was most famous for.

For me this was another awesome release from The Creative Assembly. The modern influences of technology, firearms and the introduction of ship warfare has worked really well in both Empire and Napoleon. I can’t help but wonder how far into the future they’re going to take the Total War franchise but either way I’ll be there to play them. g

AT A GLANCE: Another fantastic recreation of 18th century conflict through the eyes of one of Europe’s greatest generals.

Developer: The Creative Assembly Publisher: Sega Distributor: Nu Metro Interactive

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

16+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

Well, the basic infantry units are tough and can do serious damage if positioned well, plus if you outnumber your enemy you already have a better chance of victory. Huge armies can be created but the player will need to manage his finances very well if he wants to sustain their upkeep.

The turn based map strategy is a little more involved, but not overpowering, and the controls are still sleek and user-friendly. As before the placing of your armies on the overview map can give you strategic advantage in the real time battles. Try to find cover and higher ground when placing armies on the map and be mindful of blocking your enemy’s trade routes.

There are three campaigns to play and cover the conquering of Italy, the invasion of Egypt and the domination of Europe. In addition the player can choose to play as Great Britain, Russia, Austria or the Ottoman Empire in an attempt to defeat the French in the same three campaigns.

The introduction of the player ‘drop in’ mode is quite interesting and should make things a little more challenging. While playing in the multiplayer campaign, the system allows for outside players to take control of what is normally a computer controlled army before a battle commences. It’s an excellent idea and it works pretty well… the true test of a general, anyway you look at it, will always be against another human general.

Napoleon’s most famous battles can be relived through the historical scenario modes and the player gets to win

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

87 63

Just Cause 2

Cause you can You need a better reason?

by Walt Pretorius

G

ames are meant to be fun. That’s a definition, more or less. However, with the competitive nature of the modern gamer, combined with constant demands of ‘bigger, better, faster’, finding a game that is a pleasant, lengthy single player experience seems to be becoming a rarer occurrence of late. Thankfully, though, every now and then, a game comes along that provides the single player with a fantastically good time. Just Cause 2 is exactly that kind of game.

He player takes on the role of Rico Rodriguez, an agent sent to the small Southeast Asian country of Panau. There, he needs to look into the apparent disappearance of another agent, who was his long time mentor. Additionally, he needs to work at destabilising the Panauan government, sending its dictator toppling. And that’s where the fun comes in. In truth, the story is pretty flimsy, but it doesn’t need to be any better than it is – it is merely there to give the player justification in doing whatever they want, and causing a lot of mayhem in the process.

While the game has sotyr missions, given out by the Agency and three rebel factions, the true joy of this game is in exploring the 400 square kilometres of Panau, and causing as much havoc as possible. See, chaos helps destabilise the government, and any chaos caused by Rico

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helps him reach his ultimate goal. How to cause chaos?

By behaving like an utter hooligan, blowing up as much as possible while you’re at it. Even collateral damage, in the form of civilians injured or killed, is not frowned upon during this mission.

It’s the gaming equivalent of giving the keys to a candy store to a sugar addicted kid. The player has absolute freedom in the free-roaming game, limited only by the physics of the game world. Armed with a grappling hook, a stunt parachute, a black market contact and the ability to drive any vehicle and use any gun in the game, Rico is the star of a lengthy homage to high-action movies that will have players crowing with delight at the crazy stunts they manage to pull off.

The game leaves a lot of room for experimentation and fooling around, too. Take the grappling hook, for example… while it can used to climb buildings and latch onto vehicles (including passing aircraft) it can also be employed to tether objects together. Why not hook and enemy up to a vehicle and drag them around for a while? For that matter, why not tie them to a gas cylinder and send them careening around the level with a well placed shot into the gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

action set-pieces deliver all the kinds of gaming goodness for action fans. This is a game that every action player should play, without a shadow of a doubt, for the same reason the player does anything they will do within the game world… just ‘cause they can. g

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

AT A GLANCE: The most fun you’ll have in an action game Developer: Avalanche Studios Publisher: Eidos Distributor: Nu Metro Interactive

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

18+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

cylinder’s housing? Or how about causing chaos by dragging a heavy object behind a vehicle?

He options are almost limitless, and that’s just with one in-game tool. Combining other tools, or using them as single items, opens up even more possibilities for mayhem.

Just Cause 2 is not perfect. It has a few bugs, and the character graphics leave a bit to be desired (at least facially – the animations are fine.) The voice acting is generally weak, and the save system is flawed (it will send the player back to a checkpoint, rather than restarting at the exact point of saving.) Even the checkpoint system used during missions is a little cracked, because the checkpoints are too far apart. But the game doesn’t punish player death overly much – achievements that are made before dying will be carried through to after the reload, at least while the player is not on a mission. Unlocking 95% of a settlement before dying, as an example, will mean that the settlement is still 95% unlocked after the player reloads the game.

Despite the problems, Just Cause 2 is just about the most fun you can have with a third person shooter, purely because the player is never pressured into any course of action (unless they choose to start a mission) and is given ultimate in-game freedom. Even the most frustrating deaths can be easily forgiven in this title.

The beautifully created Panauan landscape offers a host of possibilities, too, and the big explosions and awesome

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

89 65

Silent Hunter 5: Battle For The Atlantic

Dive!

For Kaiser and country

by Jimmy Glue

N

ew IPs are always a risky proposition and, these days, people are all the more demanding of them.

So, when a new idea comes along that is just a little short of brilliant, people take all kinds of pot shots at it. Gamers are getting more demanding by the minute.

World War II games have always been dominated by either FPS or strategy titles, but Ubisoft has squarely cornered the aquatic market. Now in its fifth instalment, the Silent Hunter franchise has had every aspiring U-boat captain chasing after a flotilla of enemy ships to ultimately win the war of the high seas.

A couple of years have elapsed since IV and V, and a lot has changed since then. Most notably, the player will now be able to freely walk aboard their German Type VII Uboat. Although it was previously possible to walk the ship through a series of mouse clicks, the player can now walk around by using the WASD-keys.

In the Total Germany campaign, which takes place between 1939 and 1945 and starts with Britain and France declaring war, the player’s ultimate goal will be to cut off Britain’s supply lines, which will eventually force them to withdraw from the war. But everything usually sounds better on paper…

The first mission in the game serves as a short tutorial, during which the player will be taught the basics of moving

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around the ship and general navigation. The use of torpedoes, the main currency in the title, is also explained in a fairly easy scenario.

The movement, by means of the WASD-keys, is a new addition, but it doesn’t work as well as intended.

In FPS games, the player usually has to look up before climbing a ladder, but in this instalment, the player needs to walk straight towards it in order to begin climbing.

For something that is supposed to simulate realism, it is rather frustrating.

The controls can be a bit sticky at times, but thankfully actions, from manually steering the ship to executing combat actions, can all be done on the HUD. But it’s not ideal, as most actions have a shortcut key.

For a title that took a while to spawn its fifth instalment, the graphics are relatively poor, considering the technology that has been used in other games. The graphics, as a whole, aren’t bad at all; it’s just that players might expect a bit more from Ubisoft. The water has, just as in the first, been rendered perfectly, as well as the night sky. Small details on the ship and on the seabed also give a little credibility to the title, but close-up character rendering weakens the overall quality.

In terms of game-play, the title does live up to expectations, but veteran players might feel that it lacks a certain something. It’s one of those titles that leaves you wondering about certain elements, and give off a feeling of being incomplete, almost to the point of frustration.

It’s similar to the feeling one gets when sitting with a piece of a puzzle, knowing where it should go, but you just can’t get the matching piece to complete the picture.

Although the game can be played in real-time, Ubisoft decided to retain the option of using time compression, which comes in really handy when thousands of nautical miles need to be covered. It will allow the player to effectively put the world in fast-forward, but be aware: gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

AT A GLANCE: Silent Hunter 5 isn’t for everyone, but the few who enjoy it will reap the rewards.

Developer: Ubisoft Publisher: Ubisoft Distributor: Ubisoft

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

12+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

war stops for no man. If time compression is on and torpedoes start flying, it might be over sooner than you think.

At least the player won’t be alone in their endeavour to conquer the high seas (and ultimately Europe) as a full complement of seamen will be on hand to assist in all the duties. NPCs will man the radar station, navigation and engines, and will also be available to perform duties where ever you place them. We did instruct one sailor to man the AA gun on the U-boat’s deck, which he failed to do, resulting in a fiery sink to the ocean floor. The game is fairly buggy, which is strange, since it did a 75MB update before we started.

Silent Hunter 5: Battle For The Atlantic certainly isn’t a game for newcomers to the genre, and veterans might find the controls and game-play slightly frustrating. It just lacks the usual drive and fluid game dynamics that made the fourth instalment so popular… but with great sound and stunning battle graphics, it might just be able to salvage its name and attract some players who will see it for what it is worth. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

65 67

MX vs ATV Reflex

Leaning In

A little more control goes a long way

by Walt Pretorius

W

hen it comes to bike games, they’re pretty tricky to get right, it seems, because no-one seems capable of truly capturing the feel of riding a bike. However, the development team behind MX vs ATV Reflex has managed to get one thing right: the fact that the bike and the rider are two separate entities.

Where someone driving a car has to move with the vehicle out of necessity, a bike rider can move independently, and the performance of the vehicle differs according to the way the rider positions his body.

That’s a big thing in MX vs ATV Reflex… in fact, the game gets its name from the idea. See, the ‘Reflex’ control system now ties the bike to the left stick and the rider to the right stick on the controller. That means that the player has greater variety in terms of turning, with wider and sharper turns now available, thanks to the two sticks being used in conjunction. However, the truth is that it’s

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a great idea, but not one that necessarily needs to be used correctly by the player. The player can get away with a more typical acceleration and braking system for sharper turns, or might make every turn using both sticks. The necessity for correct combinations just isn’t there. On the upside, the system does allow the player to save their rider from disastrous spills by flicking the right stick in a given direction, dictated by an on-screen prompt. This mitigates one of the biggest complaints I have had with the series in the past – too many unnecessary trips over the handlebars.

Another new aspect to the game is the idea of terrain deformation. This means that the track gets torn up with each successive lap as mud and dirt is actually displaced by the passage of vehicles. It’s a nice bonus, but the impact on the game is little more than making the terrain a little rougher. At times the player may well need to compensate for it, but for the most part a correct balancing of the rider is all that is needed.

The trick system has also had an overhaul, from the way tricks are performed through to the way they are judged. Performing tricks now falls to the right analogue stick. Each trick requires three flicks of the stick, so the process takes a little longer, and the scoring system – while it has the best intentions – still needs some work.

Naturally, this game is full of track-busting gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

AT A GLANCE: Despite a few new ideas, this really is just more of the same thing.

Developer: Rainbow Studios Publisher: THQ Distributor: Ster Kinekor

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

3+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PS3 Platforms

action, and the tracks themselves are the usual high quality that has come to be expected from the series, from looks right through to challenge level.

Different vehicle types have been added, and the player may even find themselves competing against a mix of vehicles in a single race.

Speaking of vehicles, the developers still haven’t been able to bring the idea of the weight of the vehicles across effectively. In fact, it’s not just the bikes that feel too light in this game – even the heaviest cars feel far too feathery.

The player can, naturally, build up a stable of vehicles, and customise them for performance by buying new parts and tweaking setups. The vehicles look great too, despite the fact that they sometimes feel a little off in the game.

Despite the problems that the game has, it’s certainly the best in the series. Sure, the MX vs ATV line has seen some low points, but there have also been some very good efforts in the franchise. Thanks to some clever new ideas, this game is certainly better than any that have come before, and will provide the player with hours of fun across a number of different race types. As long as one doesn’t expect too much realism, and can cope with the occasional inexplicable fall (these are thankfully more infrequent than previously) the game will provide a lot of rather challenging enjoyment. They still have a way to go to create something definitive, but MX vs ATV Reflex is a very big step in the right direction for the franchise and the genre. It’s not revolutionary by any means, though – this really is more of what we have seen in the past from the series, with a few new ideas added for good measure. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

75 69

Boot Camp Academy

Wii want you!

The new king of party games?

by Brian Murdoch

D

evelopers and publisher don’t want their Wii games to fall into the common group, more often knows as the “Just another Wii party game”.

This one is a Wii title, and a party title, that is not going to be thrown into that special deal bin at the local games store. This title shines out among the rest and it’s not just because of the great artwork on the cover.

In Boot Camp Academy the players are being trained for an impending world war and being in this army is almost as funny as watching the Policy Academy movies.

The training will involve activities from learning to drive a tank to peeling potatoes and washing dishes, through to shooting different guns, push-ups and rope climbing. This sounds great and it gives the impression of a well crafted

70

game, with some elaborate controls and an impeccable interface to give a new meaning to party games. But that’s not what the developers did. The controls are simple and almost always explained in 3 steps. The rules and simple and the game can be explain in its entirety in five minutes.

Then why do I feel that this game can be crowned above the rest? Simply because the game just has it. The range of 19 mini games give the player snap shots of old arcade games: there are side scrollers, space invaders and shooter games. Boot Camp Academy gives the player the fun feeling without the search for the next 50c or even 20c (for the much older generation) [hey, I remember 20c games! – ed].

With most Wii titles it comes as a standard that player

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

gamecca • review

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

home without the Wii! All in all Boot Camp Academy rounds up to be a well thought out collection of mini games that all Wii parties should have. g

AT A GLANCE: With tons of humour and lots of accessible mini-games, this one might win the party-game war!

Developer: Ubisoft Publisher: Ubisoft Distributor: Megarom

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

3+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Wii Platforms

will need to play levels or complete tasks to unlock extra games or content in the game. Some party titles get this wrong by forcing single player game-play to unlock extras.

This title refreshingly has no unlocks; from the first time the title is inserted into the drive the quick play has all the available games. One would think that this would make it less of a title, but the different approach seems better than a failed one.

It might be more expensive to have more fun because a nunchuk is almost always required and this adds up when there are 4 players. The game does have the option of everyone sharing, but everyone using the same controller makes the mini-games a bit too long.

Boot Camp puts a single player through drills and has the player run through hoops like a circus animal but “we’ll make a man out of you yet, solder!” The War mode is where most people will return to the game and bring their friends with. This lays out territories to fight over with mini-games as weapons. It’s like risk minus the dice but with exercise because after a few rounds of pretend push-ups players will feel the burn.

There are two difficulty settings in the game – easy and hard. Hard unlocks an extra page of instructions to battle the added complexities in the party games.

The standard characters are varied enough to not prompt every player to make their own, but customization is available for those players that want something more personal.

Just in case you missed the point and are still wondering why this title is so great, consider the unexpected humour that is brought in at the oddest moments. Players will find their characters doing push-ups with one hand and then no hands, depending on the prowess of the player. Climb a rope with no hands, relying rather on the strength of your abs to ‘power-crunch’ you upwards. Now don’t try these at

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

78 71

MotoGP 09/10

Super Fast With no twitchiness

by Walt Pretorius

T

he problem with motorcycle racing games is that they never quite get it right. Cars, no problem.

Trucks, not an issue. But bikes… well, I have yet to come across a game that feels like it should. Yes, I am a biker, but I am not one of those speed freaks that thinks pulling a wheelie down the middle of the highway is a cool idea. I am nauseatingly responsible when I ride my bike.

Grandmothers in pulpit walkers have outpaced me. Still, whether you go fast or go slow, there is a feeling to riding a bike, a certain element of control that simply has never been correctly replicated in a virtual version.

The latest MotoGP effort from Capcom doesn’t get it right either, although it does no some things well.

The problem with bikes, I guess, is that to really experience the feeling of riding one, you have to be on board, using your body to balance and steer the machine. That just cannot happen on a console, no matter how good the steering control system is. In the past, they have either been too sensitive, or not sensitive enough. This effort comes close, but the truth is that it leans far more towards the arcade side of things, because these bikes have none of the twitchiness that sometimes makes riding the real thing so exciting. You can slam on the brakes without a chance of something going even slightly wrong in the game, and a heavily leaned turn that hits grass or gravel at the side of the track doesn’t result in the player’s in-game character having to

72

get extensive facial reconstruction surgery.

In short, the control scheme favour more arcade-like ideals. It’s more accessible than previous attempts, but it isn’t quite right just yet. The idea of independent braking on front and rear wheels is great, but it’s not

enough to make the game feel like it should.

A welcome addition to this instalment is an intuitive racing line, similar to the one we have seen in car racing games for quite a while now. The line is very important – sticking to the correct racing line is crucial in bike racing, after all, and the colour changing line does wonders for those who can follow it. The steering is very sensitive, though, and getting the balance between speed and steering to stick to the line is tricky.

Not so for the AI racers, though. While having a pack gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

AT A GLANCE: A nice try, but they still don’t manage to capture the feeling of riding a bike properly.

Developer: Capcom Publisher: Capcom Distributor: Nu Metro Interactive

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

3+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

of perfectionist opponents does make for some exciting racing, it’s hardly realistic when you’re the only guy smacking the tarmac (yes, it’s hard to do, but you can bail in the game.) The AI opponents stick to the racing line pretty much perfectly which, when combined with their aggression, makes winning a race a challenge, even at the lowest difficulty settings.

The game uses an experience based unlock system, very similar to the one in Forza Motorsport 2 and Need for Speed: Shift. It’s a nice system, but the player gets more than rapped across the knuckles for mistakes, while earning positive points is much harder.

The idea of unlocking riders and race categories is all fine and well, but it will take the player ages to get out of the little bike leagues and into the gruntier, bigger classes.

Graphically, the game isn’t too bad, but it’s hardly revolutionary either. The sound front is a little

disappointing, as all the bikes sound tinny and thin.

At least the game has a smashing sound track to keep the player going.

MotoGP 09/10 features the ability to download real world statistics for the current seasons of the tournament, which is a nice feature. The player can take their customised rider and bikes into a virtual version of the actual season, thanks to that, which is a nice touch. However, only true enthusiasts will want to put in the time it takes to get around this game weird little issues and, quite frankly, the arcade-like nature of the controls may well put them off.

Sure, it’s a fun game, and the races can provide a lot of challenge to those inclined to play the title.

However, the effort needed to get anywhere in the game, in terms of getting the controls right through to actually managing to advance through ranks, might be more than the average gamer is willing to take on. The series has a way to go yet .g g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

69 73

Pokémon Battle Revolution

Bigger

Take your battle to the big screen

by Brian Murdoch

P

okémon Battle Revolution is currently the only Wii Pokémon title out. It comes with no real story, extra Pokémon or any of the other great features of the game. Then why does it have such a great appeal for Pokémon lovers? Players of the DS versions Pearl, Diamond and Platinum are able to upload their Pokémon onto the Wii and watch them fight on the big screen.

It’s an impressive notion when the little 5mm Pokémon appears on a 42” TV screen and performs their attacks in full animation.

The game comes with a few different play modes, too.

The Coliseum mode is the only small bit of story that is provided in the game. Start off with six level 50 Pokémon and battle through the different coliseums around the city, going thought the standard motions of facing the right ability and Pokémon against the other trainer’s creature.

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Rewards are given for a perfect performance. If the player successfully defeats their opponent without having one of their own Pokémon faint, a Perfect Point is awarded. This can be used to “continue” if a match is lost. This means that the player can fight the same trainer again without having to start from the beginning of the list of trainers that lead to the champ.

At the start of the game a character file is made. In this character file more than one pass card can be created. The question whether a DS import is going to be made should be answered with yes because it only adds features, even if it is not used later. When a custom card is created a connection to one of the three DS games needs to be made. All the Pokémon are uploaded from the game and stored in the profile. Then select six Pokémon from these to be added to the custom card. This can be done

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

gamecca • review

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

franchise and is not even for the people that have not finished or come very close to the end of one of the DS titles. A “hardcore only” should be placed on the cover, just like an “Internet Required” sticker. Without previous experience, this game would be far less fun. g

AT A GLANCE: Take the Pokémon from the Pearl, Diamond and Platinum DS games and have them battle on the big screen.

Developer: Genius Sonority Publisher: Nintendo Distributor: Core Group

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

7+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Wii Platforms

again and again from the DS and is advised because the Pokémon do not level up in the Wii version of the game.

Also note that once a particular version and of the DS game is used no other version can upload to this profile again. This is to stop getting the best Pokémon from all your friends.

During the Coliseum battles there are options for 2 players to play against each other. The controls hide what attacks are being selected and moves chosen against each other… it is very well done. The use of the different pointers and “1” and “2” buttons on the Wii remote give the player the ability to conceal these from the other player.

This is used in all functions of the game and is the main reason for DS battles, the other mode in which to play the game. Up to 4 DSs can be connected to the Wii game and use their own Pokémon in the title to fight each other.

Controls, other than main menu, are given on the DS. This way no one will know what attacks are coming. Each person will need their own DS and their own version of the three games.

Players are also able to take their Pokémon (at any level) online in the Wii version of the game, and battle with random people and friends online. It is not advisable to take lower level Pokémon online against anyone other than friends because a good ass whipping will be waiting for you. The friend codes system is a horror most of the time but is eased a little by a new little feature. After winning or losing an online battle, an option to add that person to the player’s friend list is given, without the need to visit the other player’s page.

Players will find themselves coming back to the game time and again, but not to go through the Coliseum battles… these are plain and simple. It’s the online mode that will attract people back This version of Pokémon is not for a newcomer to the

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

70 75

Prison Break:The Conspiracy

The Spy Breaking in to prison

by Walt Pretorius

W

hen a movie or TV series makes an impression – oir is believed to have the potential of making a big impression – the inevitable video game version is pretty much a certainty. But, every now and then, a movie will have a game based on it some time after the fact. The Godfather games are good examples of this, as is the recently released Aliens VS Predator game. In these cases, the game is often based on the mythology or universe of the film, rather than being something of a carbon copy.

It’s happened with TV series too, although to a lesser degree. The rather lamentable Lost game came out while Lost was still on air – ok, yes, it hasn’t finished yet, I know – but the tale went back to a much earlier time period in the series’ tale. Now, the game based on the popular Prison Break series has taken it a step further, by coming out after the show has finished, and taking inspiration from the series’ first season.

Prison Break: The Conspiracy puts the player in the shoes of… no, not Michael Scofield. Instead, the player plays as Tom Paxton, an agent working for ‘The Company’, the same shadowy organisation that framed Scofield’s brother, Lincoln Burrows, for murder. OK, if you haven’t watched the series yet, that’s not my fault. Paxton has to

76

try and find out why Scofield, who has had an exemplary record up until now, has managed to get himself thrown into Fox River Penitentiary. So, basically, you get to play a bad guy.

The worst part of it is – and this is something that annoys me on the rare occasions that it happens – that the game starts with the end, and then relays the story as a retrospective. And at the start, Paxton is dead… As if the player didn’t already know that their mission was going to be a failure, provided they saw the TV series. Oh, well, it’s still a game, and it will still kill a few more hours.

The setting for the game is Fox River, as said before, and the developers did a great job capturing the prison and its inhabitants in a virtual format. The faces of the characters are highly recognisable, and small details like the signs on the walls and fences of the jail house are exactly as they were in the show. Sadly, the character animations leave a bit to be desired – all the characters walk with the same steroid-junkie swagger, and they don’t do much by way of casting shadows. Still, these are minor problems, not ones that ruin the experience.

The game dynamic is mainly made up of sneaking around the prison. The game makes use of a lot of stealth tactics, but the AI guards and other characters have worse vision than a myopic rhino in a sand storm. In a way, this makes the game a bit more difficult, with the player thinking that he’s going to be spotted in certain sections and planning for that, when the truth is that he could have walked through the area playing a tuba and dressed in a day-glow jumpsuit, and no-one would have noticed.

The missions have the player following a formula that gets tired before too long… sneak in to steal something, then trade it for information. Over and over again. Sure, there is an underground prison fighting ring to provide the player with a little distraction, but this almost-minigame section of the title just isn’t enough to break the gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

monotony of the rest of the game.

The controls aren’t great either. They’re fairly standard in layout, but every now and then they’ll come across as a little sluggish, leaving the player wanting – and sometimes even having to retry bits.

Had this game come out closer to the release of even the last season of Prison Break, things may have been a little better, with rabid fans stampeding to liberate it from shop shelves. But, at the current time, only the real die-hards (and I don’t know if there are any of those anymore, after the second, third and fourth seasons) will find this game appealing. Action sneaker fans may find a bit of justification to try the title, but it does demand a lot of patience from the player, when all is said and done. It can be fun, but won’t captivate you.

Ultimately, it’s a forgettable title that feels a bit like a cash-in. g

Revisit the story of the first season of Prison Break in this action sneaker.

Developer: Zootfly Publisher: Deep Silver Distributor: Megarom

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

16+ gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

AT A GLANCE:

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

68 77

Guitar Hero Van Halen

Jump!

Rocking to the rhythm of Van Halen

by Jimmy Glue

T

he Guitar Hero franchise has been one of the most successful ventures of any game publisher, and with a string of sequels, the brand has truly grown into a musical powerhouse. Going back to the mid 2000’s, the franchise exposed a lot of gamers to a new music, while paving the way in a new and exciting genre. Granted, the rhythm game genre has always been there, but not on this scale.

Activision recently released the next title in the long list of games, and while you don’t need to be a Van Halen fan to appreciate the music, it will certainly help if you can sing at least one or two of their signature songs. That in itself might prove to be a bit of a downfall to the game, as Van Halen goes back more than 20 years, much longer than what your average gamer is old.

Essentially it’s the same as any other game from the Guitar Hero stable, but in order to keep the genre fresh and the franchise kicking, Activision added a couple of extra things, and redesigned on visuals. Although the title

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doesn’t introduce any new elements, it’s always nice to see some fresh ideas and graphics.

As mentioned, at the core it’s the same as the previous Guitar Hero games, but it doesn’t feature the drop-in/ drop-out that was introduced in Guitar Hero 5. The title does however still feature the support for four players in a single band on lead and bass guitar, drums, and vocals.

Similar to Rock Band: The Beatles, it also provides the player to sing in three-part harmony. But for that, an extra two friends need to be on standby.

By creating a customised rock star, players can bang, sing or strum out all the non-Van Halen tracks included in the game. But for the Van Halen tracks, players will assume the role of either Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen or Wolfgang Van Halen. There is no possibility to play the signature tracks with a created rock star, but that’s not what the title is about.

Fans of the older Van Halen songs might be a bit disappointed to learn that former members Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Gary Cherone are not included as playable characters, and there is also a rather big lack of titles in the game featuring those members. There is, however, a consolation prize in the sense that players can unlock current members’ costumes from those (big hair and spandex) days.

The biggest draw card of the title, despite being based on glam rockers Van Halen, is that the game prides itself as being the most challenging Guitar Hero game ever made. gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

gamecca • review

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

AT A GLANCE: Although it does add to the Guitar Hero stable, Van Halen might have been better as DLC. Developer: Neversoft Publisher: Activision Distributor: Megarom

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

12+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

The note structure are a lot more compact and even on Medium difficulty, they do tend to wiz by a lot faster than in previous titles.

The hardest song on the tracklist definitely has to be the rather short-lived Eruption. Predominantly consisting of hammer-ons and pull-offs, a large portion of the songs also uses the slide-board to simulate the motions of banging out the best solo a guitar can deliver. On medium difficulty, we could only muster a modest 3-stars.

Speaking of songs, all the fan-favourites are included, giving players the chance to become Van Halen in only the way that Guitar Hero can. The solos on the standard track list include Eruption, Cathedral, and Spanish Fly. The latter is a rather funky tune, with an almost Flamenco feel mixed with Mexican Mariachi rhythms.

As for the guest acts included in the title, the rumour goes that most of them were selected by Eddie’s 18year-old son Wolfgang. Players can expect to strum out tune by Alter Bridge, Billy Idol and The Clash. More recent songs include Blink-182’ First Date, Foo Fighters’ Best of You and Jimmy Eat World’s Pain. All in all, a total of 19 additions tracks are included on the disc, plus 25 songs by Van Halen.

Although the game is missable as an extra Guitar Hero title, it’s a definite must-have for any Van Halen fan.

Followers can’t miss out on the opportunity to take to the virtual stage and play songs like Jump, Everybody Wants Some!!, Runnin’ with the Devil and You Really Got Me as loud as they want.

Bringing only a few added extras to the franchise, Guitar Hero fans might be a bit disappointed if they aren’t fans of the band, and although it was given away with a pre-order of Guitar Hero 5 in the US, the title might have been better suited as a rather hefty DLC or expansion pack. But in terms of challenge, it cannot be beaten. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

80 xxx

Superstars V8: Next Challenge

Qualifying lap This series may go far in future

by Walt Pretorius

T

he racing simulation genre is a very popular one, and one that has advanced in leaps and bounds over the last few years. Thanks to new technology, games that were once little more than arcade-style racing titles have become actual simulators, following the rules of physics and performance guidelines of real world cars as closely as possible.

Perhaps the appeal to these games stems from the fact that most ordinary folks will never get to drive a super-car, or take a vehicle around a track at break-neck speed. Whatever the case may be, racing simulations have become a very lucrative market, and it seems like everyone wants a piece of that particular pie.

The thing is, though, that you can only do so much with racing games… if you are trying to keep to a realistic experience, racing games can only go so far. So, without resorting to elements that are less realistic, or bringing in new ideas that might sully the pure racing idea, what is a developer to do?

The secret, really, is to produce a strong product. Then again, there are a lot of strong products out there, and the market is dominated by brands that have been in the market for (in relative terms, at least) a long time.

Newcomers don’t have any easy time of it, and they need

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to produce games with wider appeal to get a decent cut of the market. Games that appeal only to one sector – like the hardcore racing market – are going to have a tougher time getting the sales they need.

When developers Milestone released Superstars V8 half way through last year, their target market was possibly a little too focussed on hardcore racing fans. The second instalment of the game does the same thing; Superstars V8: Next Challenge is meant for enthusiasts rather than casual players.

That immediately puts the title on the back foot when it comes to cracking the market. Fans of lighter games, like Need for Speed, are unlikely to find appeal in this game, and titles like GranTurismo and Forza Motorsport jealously hold a large part of the market, in the form of rabidly loyal fans.

But there have been improvements in this new iteration,

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

very well… judging by the low numbers of people playing it online, this is most certainly the case.

Milestone are on to something good here, though, and they stand a good chance of making an impression on the market. Considering the vast improvements made to the franchise in less than a year, this company may well become a racing force to be reckoned with. g

AT A GLANCE: While this is a rather good hardcore racing title, it lacks polish and mainstream appeal.

Developer: Milestone Publisher: Black Bean Distributor: Ster Kinekor

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

3+ gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PS3 Platforms

meaning that it will stand a bit better of a chance in cracking the whole thing open. The cars, for example, are now licensed (a big draw card, although not a unique one) and various tweaks to the game engine have resulted in a much better driving experience.

In fact, the driving experience is rather good. The cars feel right on the track, and the responsiveness of the controls is quite sweet. Additionally, the AI opponents that share the track with the player are believable. They don’t just race the line – rather, they will be aggressive when they can, and will drive in ways that one would expect to see on a real track.

This, along with good car modelling and tracks that are very nicely put together, makes for an excellent experience. The tweaking system for car modification is very robust, too, meaning that the player can fine tune their ride to the Nth degree, and see definite effects of the activity.

But the whole package lacks polish. In a time when racing games are all flash and gleam, Superstars V8 feel s a little dull and boring. That, combined with a lack of wider appeal, means that the game will probably not do

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

75 81

Picross 3D

Blockhead!

No, it’s not a Rubik’s Cube...

by Brian Murdoch

P

icross 3D is a combination of mine sweeper and Sudoku, and takes the most addictive and pleasant elements out of these games to create a new, complex form of the two. Don’t be scared off by the maths and calculations done in Sudoku because addition up to nine is all that is needed. The real skill required is object discovery and orientation.

The player starts off with a block of cubes. The dimensions of the cube are greater or smaller as per the difficulty on the level but some examples are show in the images around the article. The Sudoku part comes when only random numbers are given as clues, and the same happens on the cube with the numbers indicating how many of those block and in what formation that are found in the cube. Using a process of marking and elimination (as done in mine sweeper) the player chisels their way through the blocks to find the hidden shape. The shapes are things like dogs, chairs, Japanese objects and a range of everyday things.

Don’t worry if my simple explanation of the game does not help when tackling one of these puzzles, the tutorial will teach and explain all. The tutorial is lengthy, though, with lots of puzzles to work through – it’s almost like a fourth difficulty level, joining Easy, Normal and Hard modes. There are around 350 puzzles within the game, which means that not only the tutorial is long.

These basic instructions are intensified by adding a timer and only a certain number of allowable mistakes before the puzzle is failed. If solved within the short time limit, but with some incorrect block choices, the puzzle will get the player 2. If time is exceeded, only 1 star will be given, while a puzzle solved in the time limit, with no mistakes, will get the maximum award of three stars.

Each level has a silver and gold puzzle that will require a certain amount of stars before the player is able to try them. There and also single-puzzle challenges with unique

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restrictions, like no mistakes or a very short time limit.

Controls to unlock these object are the stylus and up and right buttons, or X and Y for left-handed players. Sliders are provided to get into the depths of the puzzle; useful as sometimes a miss click can ruin a perfect score.

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

gamecca • review

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

unlocked, but looking back there is no way to choose which pieces to un-puzzle, unless the silver and gold bonus puzzles are not done.

This title fits perfectly with the idea of ‘training games’ on the DS. The game seems to unlock something extra and stimulate that part of the brain that is not used much. It helps with theoretical and logical problems, as well as spatial thinking and 3 dimensional cognition. Picross 3D is perfect for those that want to challenge the mind. g

AT A GLANCE: A good combination of Mine sweeper and Sudoku, in which you need to find the hidden object in the puzzle.

Developer: HAL Labs Publisher: Nintendo Distributor: Core Group

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

3+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

DS Platforms

Picross 3D is the upgrade of the previous version of Picross DS, but is it better? The older version was displayed in two dimensions and the same process was used to eliminate the block, but in a grid form. The 3D version allows more viewing of the shape than counting. There are some disappointed Nintendo fan boys out there, because their favourite features were left out of the 3D version. In the last 15 puzzles of the previous game it played the Super Mario Bros theme and each time a block was eliminated a ‘Mario smashing block’ sound would be played. I don’t understand why this was not left in [but does it make the game worse because it was left out? Think not – ed].

As each puzzle is solved the objects get stored in theme groups, and the background of the theme that the object fits into is displayed in the background as the player solves the problem. Most of the time this does not help, but there have been a few cases when it helped me understand the shape enough to guess (it’s needed every now and then, guessing) which piece to eliminate. It gives a sense of completion when all the pieces in a theme have been

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

70 83

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

Cribbing...

Mind if I borrow that?

by Walt Pretorius

T

here are many clones in entertainment. There are songs that sound like other songs and movies that contain elements from other films. It’s the way of the world, really – when something works well, other people will put their own spin on it. The same is true of the video game industry, although maybe to a greater degree. And whilke many gamers complain about these clones, the truth of the matter is that clones are going to happen. I mean, think about it… isn’t Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 a clone of the very first Wolfenstein game to some degree? Sure it is. Even if the links are tenuous, they still exist, meaning that the new shooter is based on ideas brought forth by the very first one ever. Just because a game is a clone doesn’t make it bad.

Take Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, for example. The game is almost a direct carbon copy of the grand-daddy of stable-based racing games, Mario Kart. It cribs directly from that title’s work, taking the ideas that Mario Kart introduced and making them its own, but not really disguising them or trying to pass them off as something new.

The game makes no excuses or explanations, in fact. Why should a whole bunch of Sega characters be racing against each other?

Who cares… they just are. Why are the tracks often fantasy-like efforts that have little bearing on the real world? It doesn’t matter because they look so cool. In fact, if you can get past the obvious

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cloning and slightly silly nature of this title, you’re in for something of a treat. Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is a beautifully realised, well constructed and highly enjoyable racing game.

Don’t go expecting anything near to realism, because you’re not going to find it here. Instead, the game is filled with simple, arcade style racing action, and features a number of well known Sega characters, like Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Billy Hatcher, Amigo and more. Each character has a unique special ‘attack’ that can be used during the race, in addition to the expected power-ups that can be collected during events.

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

gamecca • review

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

AT A GLANCE: It might be a blatant crib, but this arcade racer is still fun to play.

Developer: Sumo Interactive Publisher: Sega Distributor: Nu Metro Interactive

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

7+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

The tracks themselves are wonderfully put together, with great graphics and excellent layouts waiting to challenge racers. Many of the tracks contain ‘trick’ elements too, like Sonic-style bumpers that will shoot cars colliding with them off of the track, and so forth.

The environments are based on various Sega properties.

There are tracks based on Sonic the Hedgehog’s world, or Billy Hatcher’s, and so on. The tracks are beautiful, vibrant and exciting, and often leave the realms of the real world far behind. In fact, the whole game is a little surreal and mismatched, with realistic looking characters competing against very cartoony ones.

Some of the characters are a little unbalanced within the game, but this only really becomes a problem in multiplayer sessions – the AI tends to not exploit character abilities too much, making for an enjoyable, yet challenging, single player experience.

This is a surprisingly enjoyable game, despite its cribbing. Several game modes await the player, including a rather lengthy career mode that allows the player to

earn rewards and unlock new content. Unfortunately the difficulty curve in this mode rises rather steeply after a while. Another fun mode presents the player with a varied number of challenges (anything from avoiding breakable pots on the track to shooting targets, or even more pedestrian time-trial style events.)

The controls are hardly surprising – even the drifting system is a borrowed idea – and the player should be careening around tracks as one of the characters (or their Xbox avatar, if they like) in no time at all.

The package is far better than one would expect, and delivers a lot of fun as either a single or multiplayer game.

Perhaps the fact that the game doesn’t make excuses for heavy borrowing from other franchises is part of what makes it good. The player doesn’t need to be distracted by the idea – if he just accepts it and gets on with the game, he’s in for a great time. The disparate elements of the game, the often mismatched characters and the sometimes unbalanced nature of it are all forgivable. This game is too much fun to worry about that kind of thing. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

79 85

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

Little bits

An interesting retelling of a classic horror story

by Adam Shore

W

hen it comes to horror games, two franchises essentially dominate the genre: Resident Evil and Silent Hill. Every now and then, a different title comes along, and sometimes they’re pretty good, but it’s usually these two juggernauts that people pay attention to. Resident Evil is known for being cheesy with likeable characters and more focus on the action, especially lately, and Silent Hill is known for being evenlypaced, artistic, disturbing, beautiful and disgusting all at once.

Unlike Resident Evil, however, Silent Hill hasn’t been remade, re-released, rebooted, reworked and regurgitated since its inception to suit a variety of different platforms and control types – until now, that is. Avid Silent Hill fans might panic when they hear this, but it wasn’t Konami themselves who developed this interesting re-telling of the original story, but the team that made for the excellent Silent Hill Origins, the Climax Group. Originally made for the Wii, but ported to the PS2 and PSP also, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is a completely different take on the original story. Put aside everything you might know about Silent Hill, because if you cling to any bizarre hope that this is going to be the original game all over again, then you’re heading for disappointment.

The initial premise is unchanged: Harry Mason is out driving with his seven year old daughter, Cheryl, when his car spins out of control and crashes into the highway barrier outside Silent Hill. When Harry regains consciousness, he finds his daughter missing, and wanders into the town to find her. Sounds familiar, right? Well, that’s where the similarities end. Along the way Harry will bump into other disturbed characters fans of the original will remember, but in wholly different roles and circumstances. Another notable change is the absence of the disturbing grime, rust and blood-encrusted alternate reality Silent Hill is known for. Instead, Harry is periodically

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thrust into a world of ice and frozen time where he is pursued by deformed, fleshy creatures until he can find a way out. That leads to another difference: This time, Harry cannot fight – at all. Instead he must run, hide, throw down objects to slow his pursuers and occasionally keep the creatures at bay with flares, which they seem to dislike intensely.

I can imagine a few die-hard Silent Hill fans are either crying or spitting in disgust right about now, but give it a chance and you’ll find that there’s plenty of atmosphere and a compelling and disturbing story on offer. Silent Hill has always had a psychological edge to it, and Shattered Memories is no exception. There is a reason for every change, a reason for the ice instead of the rust and blood, a reason for each of Harry’s trips into the frozen world, a reason behind each of the seemingly unrelated disturbing scenes, and a reason behind each choice the player is prompted to make. From time to time, the player is pulled out of their quest to find Harry’s daughter and placed into a first-person view of a psychiatrist’s office.

There the therapist, one Dr Kauffman (remember him?), interviews someone who we assume to be Harry about the whole experience. He will usually ask Harry to complete some kind of psychiatric exercise, like colour in pictures, arranging words or answering yes or no questions before the tale of Harry’s search for his daughter resumes. Each of these choices has a subtle impact on the game and can affect the entire outcome.

While exploring Silent Hill, Harry has two main tools at his disposal, his phone and his torch. His phone allows him to call people, access a GPS map, take photos and save the game. Taking photos seldom has anything to do with the game, but Harry can use it to find evidence of disturbing past events by taking photos of areas which appear distorted. These events don’t really have anything to do with the game either, but if you want to send a few gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

As an avid Silent Hill fan, I can say that I was both surprised and impressed by Shattered Memories. As a remake, it’s a good deal more worthy than the lightlyaltered Resident Evil rehashes we’re used to, and it’s a great example of a psychological game where the story is the most compelling factor and the ultimate reward. g

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

AT A GLANCE: An interesting new take on one of the most iconic horror titles of all time.

Developer: Climax Group Publisher: Konami Distributor: Ster-Kinekor Games

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

18+

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PS2 Platforms

good shivers down your spine with tales of murder, tragic accidents, abuse and incest, then you’ll want to seek them out. Every time Harry successfully photographs one of these areas, he’ll be rewarded with a voice mail or text message shedding some further light on the incident and helping the player to paint a mental picture of the overall story.

Along the way Harry will have to solve a number of puzzles. Most of them are pretty easy, but there are one or two head-scratches in there, like the one in the high schools art studio – certainly nothing close to the level of Silent Hill 2 and 3’s hardest puzzles, though.

Manipulating items in these puzzles and interacting with items in the game world is done with a gesture interface where the player logically mimics the action on screen with the controller. The game was obviously designed for the Wii, but it works well enough on the PS2 and PSP, making it feel not altogether unlike Fahrenheit or Heavy Rain in the way it works.

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

78 87

Assassin’s Creed 2

Ezio’s back This time in a PC version

by Walt Pretorius

A

pause, rather than losing all the hard effort the player has put in by tossing them out of the game.

While the DRM issue might put some off, the truth is that this game is still well worth playing, and the step from console to PC has been an effortless and graceful one. We loved it when it first came out, and we still love it now. g

AT A GLANCE: All the action of the console game is available on PC now, with some extra content for kicks.

Developer: Ubisoft Publisher: Ubisoft Distributor: Megarom

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

18+ 88

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PC Platforms

ssassin’s Creed 2 (our game of the year for 2009) has finally arrived on the PC platform, amidst some fanfare and some controversy.

The fanfare comes from the fact that it is a brilliant game. Those that haven’t experienced the adventures of Ezio Auditore yet are in for a treat, as he allows the player to become an assassin in Renaissance Italy. Fans of the first game will certainly appreciate the massive improvements made to the game, including improved combat and movement mechanics, better graphics and much more freedom. In addition, PC players will be treated with the first two DLC episodes, Battle of Forli and Bonfire of the vanities, which have been included with the PC version.

The controversy stems from the new DRM system that Ubisoft are using, which requires the player to be constantly connected to the internet while playing the game. In a title that doesn’t have any multiplayer gaming, it seems a bit strange, and server issues may hamper play.

However, any form of disconnection will cause the game to

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

90

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

Borderlands to level 61!

by Brian Murdoch

T

polite about pain and suffering they would like to inflict. It is a great addition to the game and will have lots of players back in the multiplayer side of things. Get a group of 4 and ride on a new monster car and not only put a dent in the road blocks, but clear them out completely. The bundle is great value for the small amount of money asked. g

AT A GLANCE: Extra guns, extra vehicles and extra levels… what more could you want?

Developer: 2K Games Publisher: 2K Games Distributor: Online

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

16+ gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

he Secret Armory of General Knoxx is the best DLC for Borderlands yet. The Vault’s been sealed, loot’s all around and Pandora is a nice place again. Nope, that would be no fun! The Crimson Lancers are after us and they want to make their presence felt all over Pandora.

The order has been given that the attempted vault opener must die and General Knoxx is ready to fulfil that order.

This is about a secret armoury, so there is loads loot containing new toys to play with. The level cap has been increased to 61 and, for once, it matters. Just because there is an increase in level cap does not mean level 50 is an entrance restriction… after the first play through it becomes available.

If driving is one of those things you didn’t enjoy in the original game then this DLC is going to put salt in the wound. There are new types of vehicles to ride around in and they are faster, more powerful and required to go around the highways of Pandora. Walking is not an option.

The nods at Half Life 2 are still there and the humour is thicker and stronger as the killer security drones are very

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

80 89

Borderlands DLC – The Secret Armory of General Knoxx

Big guns

More adventure in the lands of Felderen

by Walt Pretorius

T

he first expansion for Dragon Age: Origins has arrived, much to the delight of fans. Dragon Age: Origins – Awakenings brings the player back to the world of Ferelden and places them in the role of Commander of the Grey Wardens. The player can either import their character from the previous game, or make an entirely new one, which will start off at level 18.

Although only around half the length of the original, Awakenings provides the player with more of what they want; high adventure, treasure and combat. Unfortunately, only one of the characters from the previous game – the entertaining dwarf Oghren – carries over into this title, and the newcomers that fill the gaps aren’t quite as compelling as the previous crop. Additionally, the story lacks a lot of the punch of the original.

Still, there are many reasons to play the expansion.

Aside from delivering more of the same kind of game dynamics, the player will also be able to enjoy new equipment, spells and character class specialisations as they work their way deeper into the mythology of Ferelden.

But, most of all, it’s a reason to return to a wonderfully rich and well created fantasy world, one that has earned many fans around the globe. The title may fall a little short when compared to the original, but it’s still a great experience, and a fitting expansion to Dragon Age: Origins. g

AT A GLANCE: More high adventure in the lands of Ferelden awaits the player, with new equipment, skills and spells.

Developer: BioWare Publisher: Electronic Arts Distributor: EA Africa

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

18+ 90

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening

The Wardens return

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

80

gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

Karaoke Revolution

Sing your heart out And still get called ‘lousy’…

by Walt Pretorius

T

AT A GLANCE: XXXXXXXXX Developer: Konami Publisher: Konami Distributor: Ster Kinekor

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

12+ gamecca review • issue 10 • April 2010

X360 Platforms

he music game genre keeps swelling – this time it’s a new version of Karaoke Revolution. The franchise leaves the American Idols theme behind, thankfully, and returns to a more enjoyable game in which the player can launch a career and work through the roughly 75 tracks included at their leisure, without having to put up with criticism delivered by bad voice actors.

The game can be a lot of fun to play, but there are a few niggles that make it mediocre, rather than great.

The song selection has some great tracks to choose from, but some of the selections are a little odd, while others aren’t even playable, unless you’re fluent in several languages. Including French, Italian, German and other languages in the song selection is wonderfully cosmopolitan, but unless you can read and speak the languages in question, these inclusions cut the track selection by about a third.

The graphics are horribly dated, with stiffly animated character performing repetitive dance moves and not lipsynching with the music. The player can create their own characters, which is a nice touch, as well as their own stadiums, but the abilities of the character creator are quite limited.

Worst of all, the game is brutally unforgiving. Unless you’re pitch perfect 100% of the time, it’s not going to help your self esteem. Defining a performance as ‘lousy’ isn’t exactly good for the singer’s ego.

Forgiving players will likely have fun with this one, as long as they don’t worry too much about the score. g

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

69 91

Rear Connectors: Various connection ports are mounted in the rear of the console, allowing for LAN connections, as well as HDMI outputs (on certain models) and HD component cable connections. Some models have added USB ports in the rear as well.

G

etting to grips with some of the more technical aspects of the video gaming industry can be tricky, but we’re here to help. The Beginner’s Guide to Good gaming covers everything from hardware basics through to genre definitions, from video game concepts to lingo.

With constant evolution being something of a theme in video gaming, there are always new ideas and concepts to learn about... and a whole bunch of older ones that still apply. So, as long as there are basic ideas that need to be covered, we will continue with this particular section, bringing you necessary information in small, easy-tounderstand chunks. We hope it helps. g

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Removable Hard Drive: The console’s main storage device, the hard drive is a sealed unit that can be removed and swapped with other dives. Xbox 360 hard drives come in a variety of sizes.

Eject Button: Used to open and close the disc tray

gamecca BGGG • issue 10 • April 2010

Gaming Anatomy 101: The Xbox 360 Console Face Plate: Can be interchanged with face plates bearing product logos, designs and other textures.

Memory Unit Ports: Solid state Xbox 360 Memory Cards plug into these two ports.

Disc Tray: Discs containing media readable by the Xbox 360 (games, DVDs, etc) are placed in this tray. gamecca BGGG • issue 10 • April 2010

Power Switch: Used for turning the device on and off. The device can also be swithced on via the controller. The four lights around the switch indicate how many controllers are picked up by the units, and also display any hardware error warning (as red lights.)

Front USB Ports: Cabled controllers connect to the console via the front mounted USB ports. Additionally, other peripherals and ‘charge and play’ rechargable devices connect via these two USB ports.

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Lexicon: Cut-scene: A cut-scene is a generally non-interactive filler used in games to advance the story.

Pre-rendered: Pre-rendered scenes are ones in which the graphics are played like a movie, rather than using the console or PC’s hardware to render the images via the game engine.

Turn-based: Turn-based games allow the player to take turns with his opponents. While these tend to be slower games, they often allow for a greater degree of strategy to be employed.

Genre Check: JRPG

A

lthough they are ostensibly CRPG games, Japanese RPG titles has eraned themselves their own sub-genre. JRPG games did not evolve from pencil and paper role playing games, like CRPGs. Rather, they evolved from CRPGs themselves, and have become a definable class of gaming.

The hallmark of JRPGs is long, complex story lines, often with a very anime feel to them. These tales are generally told by way of cut-scenes that feature high quality graphics and pre-rendered movies.

JRPGs also often make use of turn based combat systems, and are generally very long games - often spanning several discs, even on console platforms.

This genre has grown in leaps and bounds, thanks to the high popularity of anime in the West, as well as to the commercial success of franchises like Final Fantasy and Star Ocean. g

Final Fantasy XIII

Star Ocean: The Last Hope Endless Odyssey

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gamecca BGGG • issue 10 • April 2010

Who has the right?

T

here has been a lot said lately about DRM - that stands for Digital Rights Management. In the last few weeks, a new DRM system has been put in place by companies like Ubisoft and Electronic Arts to help protect their intellectual properties from piracy. This system, which has recieved a fair amount of criticism, requires PC gamers to make use of a persistent internet connection while playing their games, and keeps saved games on a central server, rather than on the player’s PC. While many DRM systems have been tried in the past, piracy is an ongoing problem that affects the PC gaming market most of all. Every time a new DRM system is developed, it is cracked in short order, making it possible for pirate copies of games to be produced.

The question of piracy is not a balck and white one, although under the law it is a rather simple matter. Legally, copying the intellectual property that belongs to another is illegal, whether it be books, movies, music or video games.

The producers of thessse products rely on sales to make an income, and someone distributing cheaper, illegal copies (which are sometimes much poorer quality) can adversely effect that source of finances.

But games are expensive, after all, and many of those who purchase or download pirate games use these high price tags as a justification for their actions. In turn, the people producing the legitimate goods accuse the pirates of driving up prices because of the effect they have on revenue streams. The whole thing becomes a rather viscious circle.

The simplest approach to the problem is to go by the gamecca BGGG • issue 10 • April 2010

letter of the law, which is very plain in its view of these matters. And laws, after all, are there for a reason. Blatant disregard of laws leads to chaos.

As said before, the law states that piracy is illegal, even though it often seems that the enforcement of this law isn’t as strong as it could be. The law governing copyright is an international law, too, protecting intellectual property in virtually every company.

While many pirates claim that the act of piracy arose because of various digital rights management systems, the opposite is more likely - companies started using numerous ways to verify the authenticity of games a long time ago, including asking users questions that were related to the official game manual and similar techniques.

When you dig down to the basics of copyright law, it becomes apparent that even loaning a game or DVD to another person is not allowed. In fact, the person who owns the product only truly owns the disc that the intellectual property is contained on - the actual game or music or DVD still belongs to the people that created it.

It’s a complicated matter, and one that occupies a lot of time within numerous entertainment industries. But (and many pirates will likely disagree) an honest approach to it can only help strengthen the industry. Purchasing legitimate products most certainly is the right thing to do, no matter what justifications pirates may offer for their actions. Perhaps if more people played ball, the more invasive DRM systems used in games these days would become a thing of the past.. g

95

Nintendo DSi XL

Go large!

Playing DS on the big screen (sort of)

by Walt Pretorius

96

g a m e c c a h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 0 • A p r i l 2 0 1 0

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intendo have released several iterations of their handheld gaming device, but the DSi XL is possibly the one that features the most in terms of changes. Instead of just a slicker design, Nintendo have gone bigger in every way with this device.

The first thing users will notice is most certainly the size of the DSi XL. It is much larger than previous versions of the console, and weighs quite a bit more, too. In terms of portability, this isn’t the best of moves. However, there are a number of other features that add significantly to the value of the device.

Under the hood, the DSi XL has a much stronger processor than previous DS models. Whether this will make a massive difference or not right now is moot... it will open the field up for developers in future. Naturally all current DS games are compatible with the device, although the GameBoy port that accompanied previous versions of the DS is absent from this model. That is another strange decision the company made in designing this device, but with downloadable content to be made available in the near future for the unit, the games that were on the older Game Boy will be available for the DS none the less.

The screens are much larger than the previous DS models, too, which is a blessing overall. The visuals are much clearer as a result, without loss of quality.

Playing games with the stylus is also easier, because the response areas for the stylus are naturally much larger.

It necessitates larger movements on the part of the user, though, but hardly the kind that are going to be massively invasive.

The controls in the form of the face buttons and D-Pad are the same size as other DS models, and as a result feel g a m e c c a h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 0 • A p r i l 2 0 1 0

a little uncomfortable. The user will get used to them, of course, but the larger distance between the hands while playing feels a little odd. The unit also has a slightly larger stylus clipped into the base section, and comes with a much larger pen-style stylus as well.

The unit has a host of software capabilities as well, including a preloaded dictionary, photo-manipulation tools and a music player. The DSi XL has two camera lenses (one in the lid and one in the ‘fold” that is visible when it’s open. It also has an very welcome SD slot for added memory, although it does feature much more internal memory than previous models.

The power switch has been set in a more sensible position, too.

If there is a complaint that needs to be levelled at this great device, it is that the battery life is disappointing, with the DSi XL only giving around half the life of previous models. A new socket for recharging has been used, too, so you’ll need to carry your charger around with you.

Other than that, it’s another model of the DS line. The finishes are much better, and the overall construction feels a lot less plastic than before. Added functionality adds a lot more value, and the bigger screens are a breeze to play games on. While this device is not a must-have gadget, it certainly presents a nice upgrade from the ones that came before. g

AT A GLANCE:

The new DSi XL proves that you can put more dynamite in a bigger package...

Score

89 97

Hori Fighting Stick 3 for PS 3

Packs a punch!

Get with the old school...

by Brian Murdoch

H

ori’s Fighting Stick 3 is a solidly constructed controller that allows players to remember the glory days of arcade style controls… it has a solid cherry stick for movement, and all the PS3 controller buttons built into it. Sadly, the right analogue stick has been ignored, though… which not a major train smash, games that use it (like Mortal Kombat VS DC Universe) won’t benefit completely from the very comfortable position the Fighting Stick 3 offers players.

The turbo function is programmable for three speeds and for making multi hits possible. Virtually every button can have a turbo function added (including some of the directional movements) but switching to turbo modes is not fast enough and often requires looking down. The AI will not see this but the human opponent will take advantage of this.

The stick is fairly heavy, and is held in position on smooth surfaces by four rubber feet. A generous 3 meter

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cable allows the player to use the device at virtually any comfortable distance from the screen..

This fighting stick does not work on the Playstation 2, Playstation or PS one. We’re mentioning this in case the six warnings on the box are missed.

The Hori Fighting Stick 3 is beautifully put together and, as a peripheral specifically for fighting fans, is a great investment. Check out www.mobileg.co.za for details on where to get one of these great devices. g

AT A GLANCE: This is a high class fighting stick which seems expensive, but the features and quality are worth every cent.

Score

80

g a m e c c a h a r d w a r e • i s s u e 1 0 • A p r i lxxx 2010

Logitech Wireless Keyboard K350

Sleek...

Where comfort is king.

by Walt Pretorius

T

he keyboard is a wildly under-rated piece of hardware. One will often here people talking about their graphics card or CPU, even their RAM and their mouse... but very few people wax lyrical about their keyboard.

Yet this device is a crucial part of any PC setup, and a good keyboard can make the difference in many ways - from in-game performance through to health and wellbeing.

The Logitech K350 takes performance and comfort into account, while also getting rid of nasty wires in the process. The keyboard is layed out in a subtle curve, allowing the user more comfortable access to the keys.

The change is not quite as extreme as the Microsoft natural keyboard range, so it doesn’t take too much getting used to.

The cushinoed palm rest also helps with comfort, allowing the user to place their hands in a comfortable and correct position.

Aside from the bells and whisltes (and extra functions) g a m e c c a h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 0 • A p r i l 2 0 1 0

one would expect from a Logitech keyboard, the K350 also makes use of excellent wireless technology. The reciever that plugs into the PC or notebook is tiny, meaning that it doesn’t need to be removed from notebooks when they are carried around. The wireless technology that the K350 uses is 2.4GHz, meaning that it is very realiable and accurate. Finally, the battery life (provided by 2 AA batteries) is up to three years, and is indicated by a handy display on the keyboatd face.

It might not be a specific gaming keyboard, but if you’re looking for a good all-rounder, the K3560 is perfect. g

AT A GLANCE: Sleek, comfortable and reliable, the Logitech K350 is a great allrounder keyboard.

Score

82 xxx 99

Asus M4A89GTD Pro/USB 3 Motherboard

Go faster!

Overclocker’s delight.

by Walt Pretorius

A

good motherboard is more than essential for PC performance. In fact, this components forms the backbone of your PC; if your motherboard isn’t up to scratch, your performance will most certainly not be what it could be.

Asus’ range of M489GTD motherboards deliver speed and reliability in a number of flavours. This particular model, the Pro / USB 3 is a great way to provide your PC with a solid performance basis, thanks to a number of ideas that Asus have introduced.

With a strong focus on the demands of modern gaming, Asus tend to put technologies in place that will deliver better than expected performance. At the heart of this board’s performance is that company’s Core Unlocker technology. Using a simple sysetm, the user can squeeze more than 100% more performance out of an AMD chip.

That’s an incredible boost, and one that shows in the form of smooth, effortless handling of even the most demanding tasks And it’s available at the flick of a switch, which unlocks the true potential of the processor.

Turbo Key II technology also allows for an increase in performance, quickly, easily and without dangerous BIOS procedures. This is a trend that Asus are following more and more - making the overclocking of PCs a simple

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procedure, rather than one that would be the province of super-geeks.

The board even features a hybrid processor that will boost the performance of GPUs. In short, it’s all about speed and super-performance. And the overclocking ids made easy, and real-time, thanks to intelligently designed hardware and software.

Even the USB ports are faster, featuring USB 3.0 technology to increase data transfer rates and response times.

If speed is what you want - and you do want it, trust us - then this board is a no-brainer. The overclocking abilities are accessible to everyone, from hard-core tinkerers through to newcomers. It would be difficult to find a friendlier overclocking device. g

AT A GLANCE: Sweet performance from a board that makes overclocking safe and easy... this one is all about speed.

Score

88

g a m e c c a h a r d w a r e • i s s u e 1 0 • A p r i lxxx 2010

Steelseries 5H V2 Pro Gaming Headset

Sound great

Versatility and performance combined

H

eadphones are key to a gamer these days.

Whether it be because they’re living their lives at LANs, or because they need good sound without waking the neighbours - or even just because they prefer headphones over desktop speakers - a good quality, comfortable set of headphones is essential.

Steelseries have manufactured a set of headphones that provide for exactly those requirements. 5H V2 headset is superior in almost every sense, whether they are used for intense gaming sessions or just relaxing with some tunes.

While they are quite bulky, they are easy to transport, thanks to a specialised construction that allows the headset to be broken down into three parts. This idea also means that you’re not goning to show up at a LAN to find that your headphones broke during transportation.

The generous earpieces are very comfortable indeed, with no pressure placed on the ear itself. And the sound reproduction is excellent, whether in traditional stereo, or in virtual 7.1 surround sound (a wonderful facility made possible by the USB sound device included with the headset.)

The left earpiece houses a retractable microphone - a g a m e c c a h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 0 • A p r i l 2 0 1 0

by Walt Pretorius great idea that allows the player to slow the microphone and it’s flexible boom, ithout looking like he has an antenna coming out of his head. The inline volume control on the headset’s cord also has high, low and mute settings for the microphone.

The cord is a little short, but a very generous extension cord is also included in the package.

As a gamer and music lover I have used numerous headsets through the years, but these deliver an exceptional level of performance, and an all-round versatlity and practicality that is awesome. They’re not very loud, but the clear sound reproduction compenstates for that. Besides, lower levels are better for good, clear sound, and your eardrums will last longer. g

AT A GLANCE: Versatile, comfortable and excellent sound performance - the 5H V2 headset offers everything a gamer would need.

Score

92 xxx 101

Hori Charge Stand for DS Lite

Neat!

A perfect bed for your DS Lite

P

ersonally, I hate wires. They clutter up the place and generally make a mess of everything. So, when I come across a solution to (at very least) neated up things a little, I am bound to jump at it.

Hori have made a nifty device with that idea in mind. The Charge Stand for DS Lite offers a solution to having that DS charge cable cluttering up the place. It also has a few other practical uses... for example, you won’t have to hunt for your charger plug. It slots into the base of the stand, meaning you can leave the charger plugged in without unsightly wires lying about.

The stand holds the DS firmly, too, keeping it out of the way. The DS plugs into the stand by way of a charging port that is built into the floor of the stand. It is solidly constructed and well-balanced, meaning that it will cradle

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by Walt Pretorius

the DS snugly and safely.

And let’s not forget the fact that it looks good. While it allows you to charge the DS out of the way, it still presents a neat image (and lets you show off one of your toys quite nicely.)

While this is not an essential piece of equipment, neat freaks will certainly want to get hold of this. Head over to www.mobileg.co.za for further details! g

AT A GLANCE:

A neat, sturdy and stylish charging cradle for the DS Lite.

Score

79

g a m e c c a h a r d w a r e • i s s u e 1 0 • A p r i l xxx 2010

In the Lair

Who needs a cap? by the banman

F

loating through the Milky Way, located as planet number 3 from the star called Sol, we find a small blue and green planet that the local inhabitants call Earth.

Late in Earth’s year of 2009 is when it all began.

It was a sunny day, nobody was the wiser. People were playing in the park. Children were laughing. Life was good.

Unknown to all, a small faction of technologist were scheming and planning. Without a warning they launched their new offering. Screamer Telecoms had just burst onto the scene.

IT departments scrambled, the phones began to ring, forums lit up.

IM clients started spewing out lines of text chat. Uncapped ADSL had just struck the South African people with pricing that put this service well within their grasp.

News sites began covering this development but as quickly as it arrived the hype died down and life returned to the way it way before.

Yet again a new set of technologists and business men sat surveying the aftermath and then MWEB launched their Uncapped offering. This time the pricing was so good that it lit up the digital air waves again.

IT departments scrambled, the phones began to ring, forums lit up.

IM clients started spewing out lines of text chat. Uncapped ADSL had just struck the South African people again.

This time the news never died down. It became the talk of the town.

Bandwidth suppliers were switched

and username and passwords were changed in ADSL routers around the country.

South Africans were not even able to recover from this attack before email inboxes were hit with another declaration of war!

Gian, the CEO of Afrihost.com had just mailed his clients letting them know that Afrihost’s offer had just hit South Africans yet again.

What had happened before began to happen all over again.

IT departments scrambled, the phones began to ring, forums lit up.

IM clients started spewing out lines of text chat. Uncapped ADSL had just struck the South African people again.

Bandwidth suppliers were switched and username and passwords were changed in ADSL routers all around the country.

The Uncapped ADSL wars have begun in South Africa. We are now at the edge of the final step to moved South Africa towards the international bandwidth standards.

As the ADSL offerings have begun

to change in South Africa more and more users have moved towards faster access to data, information and email access.

South African telecom companies are still seeing an 80%+ growth in mobile 3G users while the ADSL offerings are still only growing by about 20%+ year on year.

This is due to the fact that the price of bandwidth in South Africa is still relatively high.

As more undersea high speed internet cables arrive on the shores of South Africa we are beginning to see the offerings come down in price and become more affordable to families.

For us gamers the connections to online multiplayer servers get better and better every time plans like these are released to the public.

Services like Steam become a great place to get access to games via digital distribution and downloading of Xbox Live Arcade games and content from the PSN Network moves closer to our reach.

With downloadable content for PC, Xbox360 and the PS3 nearing the 1.5GB for some titles the traditional 3GB Cap quickly becomes unviable.

Uncapped bandwidth at an affordable rate is a new market for South Africa. In part we have the Soccer World Cup to thank but what excites me more is the potential for local video game developers and software houses that offer software as a service.

We are turning an exciting new corner in South Africa’s technology adventure. g

This page is provided by The Lair www.thelair.co.za

From Space

Rough diamonds

by Columnist A

W

hat’s important to you in a game? Is it the story? Game mechanics?

Physics? Graphics? Realism? Good controls? Replayablility?

For me to enjoy a game, it must feel right. Tight controls and good atmosphere: I should feel like I am really in that place and being that dude, rather than just playing the role of puppet master. Punchy effects and a perfect camera angle, guns that have impact, and a view that doesn’t make me realise I’m playing a game.

I’ll admit, rather shamefully, that I’ve had review games land on my desk and given up on them within five minutes because they just don’t feel right. Racing games where the cars drive like they’re on marshmallow tyres. First-person shooters with big machine guns that feel no more impactful than foam dart launchers.

The things I’m referring to are not necessarily what differentiate a good game from a bad one.

There have been alleged great games I’ve not been able to enjoy at all, simply because they didn’t feel right. Either the controls were all floaty or the physics system didn’t quite live up to my expectations. On the other hand, a few average, or bad, games have really drawn me in because they managed to get the basics right. Games where I had fun actually living the

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game world the designers envisaged, rather than paying attention to a bad level design, atrocious story telling and other artsy demerits.

I don’t like the French, but they have a great term for what I’m talking about. Je ne sais quoi – literally translated as “I do not know what”.

It’s a great phrase to describe something that really is much more than a number on a spec sheet or a description in a plot summary.

A game can be really flawed for a number of quantifiable reasons - bad graphics, long loading times, limited

replayability, lacking multiplayer and so on – but a really fun game feels so fun to play that it’s easy to overlook those shortcomings and lose yourself for a few hours as you get drawn in, for whatever reason.

So, next time you read a review for a game that gets a sub 50% score and has “rubbish” written all over it, try out the demo and see for yourself. Try ignoring the obvious bad things those game reviewers have pointed out, and see if the game has some redeeming features. There’s a chance you’ll find a diamond in the rough. g

gamecca column • issue 10 • April 2010