Gamefreaks Issue 84 by Jon Minifie

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NEW ZEALAND’S DEDICATED VIDEO GAME MONTHLY

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For those about to rock!

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Double Fine mastermind Tim Schafer talks about Brutal Legend and his heavy metal destiny

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ISSUE

Masterchief Unmasked We chat with Steve Downes – the man behind the Master Chief

Batman Arkham Asylum

Not just the best Batman game ever made but arguably the best licensed title ever

need for speed shift / dissidia final fantasy / beatles rockband / soulcalibur broken destiny

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neW Zealand’s dedicated Video GaMe Monthly

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contents sep/oct 2009 | issue 84

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Double Fine mastermind Tim Schafer talks about Brutal Legend and his heavy metal destiny

Masterchief Unmasked We chat with Steve Downes – the man behind the Master Chief

$4.00 inc. GST

ISSUE

Batman Arkham Asulm

Not just the best Batman game ever made but arguably the best licensed title ever

need for speed shift / dissidia final fantasy / beatles rockband / soulcalibur broken destiny

editorial Well you would have no reason to be aware of it, but changes have been afoot at Gamefreaks; and it’s not just our sumptuous new layout that I’m talking about here. Nope its personnel that’s making things different. First of all I’m no longer going to be the lone editor after this issue. I’ve got a proper job at a multi-zillion dollar company and kids to worry about and tragically there aren’t enough hours in the day. Not that you’re getting rid of me that easy mind you – I’ll still be kicking in with reviews and titled a semi-honorary role of Senior Editor. Don’t be fooled though it pretty much means helping out when asked, making cups of tea and pretending to be important. However the good news is that we now have two dedicated editors. First off there’s our long serving Adrian Hatwell who’s been all but un-official Movie Editor for quite some time now. Well that title is now official with the man himself responsible for all things good in our movie/DVD section. As for the games side of things, Julie Gray is stepping up and we feel very lucky to have her with her experience in both writing, and editing for another magazine (one that we shall not name). I wish her all the luck in the woozy, sometimes chase-fest that is dealing with publishers and pr companies (nah you guys are all right really). I won’t spoil the other surprise but things are being planned so keep your eyes peeled real sharp! In the meantime we’ve muscled through a gritty month that was a little short on the software side of things. But finally managed to pull together with some wicked reviews. We discover Batman Arkham Asylum is as good as everybody was pumping it to be (2.5 million sales and climbing!!!). Need for Speed Shift successfully pulls off a re-launch while on the other hand Raven’s Wolfenstein harkens back to the old school shooter day. I hope you enjoy the mag; it’s been a delight being in this role. But it’s time to move on… just a little. Nigel Clark (Senior Editor)

contact Tenth Planet Publishing Limited Phone: 09 846 2220 Email: mail@tenthplanet.co.nz

advertising Tenth Planet Publishing Limited Phone: 09 846 2220 Email: jon@gamefreaks.co.nz

people Publisher: Jon Minifie jon@gamefreaks.co.nz Creative: Scott Judson scott@gamefreaks.co.nz Senior Editor: Nigel Clark nigel@gamefreaks.co.nz Games Editor: Julie Gray julie@gamefreaks.co.nz Film Editor: Adrian Hatwell adrian@gamefreaks.co.nz Design: Kela Rose Contributors: Lee Marrett, Adrian Hatwell, Stan McGuigan, Julie Gray, Caleb Judson, Ben Sparks

thanks Aaron, Adrian, Amanda, Angely, Annie, Ben, BNE, Bob, Bruce, Clare, Craig, Danny, Dave, David, Drew, Ewan, Gary, Haley, Ian, Isabella, Jacqui, Jemma, Jen, Jeremy, Julie, Justine, Kate, Katie, Keith, Keri, Leigh, Leroy, Luc, Mark, Matthew, Mike, Paul, Pip, Samantha, Scott, Simon, Teresa, Zeljana The contents of Gamefreaks are copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publishers. The views and opinions expressed in Gamefreaks are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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coming soon

featured

14 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Section 8

10 Tim Schafer: Rebel with a Cause

15 Gran Turismo Tekken 6 16 Heroes Over Europe Halo 3 ODST 17 Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising SingStar: Motown 18 Mini Ninjas Beaterator

reviews 20 Batman Arkham Asylum 21 Wolfenstein 22 Need for Speed Shift 24 The Beatles RockBand 26 SoulCalibur Broken Destiny 27 Watchmen: The End is Nigh GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra 29 IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey Shadow Complex

Double Fine’s outspoken creative director breaks down his forthcoming heavy metal action epic, Brutal Legend.

12 Steve Downes: The Voice of a Hero We recently got the opportunity to chat with voice actor Steve Downes, better known to us as his alter ego from the Halo universe, Master Chief.

movies 32 The Flight of the Conchords: Season 2 Zack and Miri make a Porno Underworld: Rise of the Lycans 33 Fast and Furious Weeds: Season 3 Kolchak: The Night Stalker 34 Jerusalema Passengers The Transporter 3 36 Withnail & I Boston Legal: Season 5 How the West was Won 34 The Boat that Rocked Myster Science Theatre 3000

30/09/2009 11:48:58 a.m.

Sony announces solid line-up for Tokyo Game Show SCE are breaking out the big guns for TGS 2009

ver determined to lurch their way up to the top of the big three, Sony is working hard at being a force to be reckoned with at this year’s Tokyo Game Show. The company has announced a rather hefty total of 55 games on display for the 2009 show. Among this group will be a lot of familiar faces, as well as some unannounced projects to keep people on the edge of their seats. The PS3 is the biggest draw, pushing things you’ve already heard plenty about – but are still excited by – like God of War III, Uncharted 2, another futuristic adventure for Ratchet and Clank, Final Fantasy XIII, more promises of Gran Turismo 5, Heavy Rain, Bayonetta, Tekken 6 and Assassin’s Creed 2. Also included are slightly less prominent titles like Quantum Theory and Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, as well as whatever the magical mystery titles end up

being. The PSP looks set for a great showing as well, with the portable version of Little Big Planet, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier and many other games with subtitles. Plenty of RPGs will be visible at the event, including Valkyria Chronicles 2, Phantasy Star Portable 2 and a port of the dating simulator combined with a fantasy RPG that is Persona 3. Fat Princess, the medieval game about feeding cake to nobles and feeding steel to peasants, leads the charge for Playstation Network games, backed up by new LocoRoco and Disgaea titles. While it’s already available to everyone here, it’s worth mentioning that inFamous will be on the floor as well, under the deliciously Japanese title of Notorious Man. Sony has a lot of big guns to fire, so it should be a fun show.

Courtney Love to Sue Activision The widow of former Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain has threatened to sue the publishing giant over her late husband’s appearance in Guitar Hero 5

M Holy cow Batman! Over 2 million sold Eidos’ new superhero game has now sold two million copies since launch – POW!

n a rather amazing feat, the recently released and critically-acclaimed Batman: Arkham Asylum, a game based on no movie at all, has sold over 2.5 million units. Defying the recent decline in the gaming industry, the caped crusader’s stealthy beat-‘em-up has been a massive hit for Eidos and Rocksteady Studios – and it could signal good things for the near future. The title is aimed squarely at the traditional hardcore gaming market (very geeky young adults of the mostlymale persuasion), meaning that its success could signal a move away from the recent trend towards

casual gaming. Arkham is also significant for being a licensed title that is not tied to any sort of film, leaving it free to be designed and built without the looming spectre of film deadlines, or set characters and plots. It also probably helps that it’s a good game, a rarity for licensed titles. With such impressive sales results after only a few weeks, publishers may be forced to rethink how they handle licensed games in general. Putting things in perspective, the latest Wolverine game of the latest Wolverine movie pushed only 120,000 units, even with Hugh Jackman’s face on it.

usic games and musicians (or at least their families) continue their terrible war. Following the news that Kurt Cobain would appear in Guitar Hero 5 in 3D form, his drugged-up mess of a widow has cried foul. Many people have expressed discomfort or distaste over the existence of a video game version of a dead musician, before it was revealed that Cobain would be a playable character for non-Nirvana songs. Posting on her Twitter account, Courtney Love has blasted Activision for allegedly breaching their contract by allowing virtual Kurt to be unlocked and used to play the songs of other artists. A series of garbled messages filled with nonsense and venom – including the accusation that the publisher is “smugly boasting of rape” – has boiled down to an apparent desire to sue the pants off the publisher, then rip off their heads and spit down their necks. Activision has responded with a statement explaining that Love and others were heavily involved in the approval and design process, and that no breach of contract has occurred. So either the giant evil publisher is lying to save money, or the crazy lady is lying because she’s insane, providing gamers with an interesting ethical choice.

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24/09/09 4:18:43 PM

EA reveals strong Christmas line-up at EA Play Electronic Arts held this year’s EA Play event, affording sneak peaks at many anticipated upcoming releases.

he event’s centrepiece was The Beatles: Rock Band, coinciding with the title’s worldwide launch. A quartet of local z-list celebrity musicians gave the crowd a demonstration of just how to mangle a Beatles classic before the stage was open for the audience to participate in shaming of their own. Also available for a brief hands-on preview was Brütal Legend, the latest heavy metal adventure game from renowned designer Tim Schafer. What the demo lacked in gameplay originality it certainly made up for in slick production, stunning hand-banger art design, and the sparkling wit that is characteristic of both Schafer’s dialogue and leading voice actor Jack Black. RPG developing powerhouse Bioware had their latest

The Ballad of Gay Tony release date revealed Rockstar confirms new DLC will be released on October 29

opus up for perusal also, the spiritual successor to Baldur’s Gate, Dragon Age: Origins. While the game certainly looked to encompass the depth and sheen that have made the studio legend, a combination of free wine and a rather complicated character building intro kept certain parties from experiencing the preview’s full bounty. EA explained that their beloved racing brand Need For Speed would soon be splintering off in a number of directions, starting with Need For Speed: Shift, a less arcade-oriented experience than the series has been known for. Angling closer to driving sim territory, Shift offers a unique view that seeks to position players fully in the driver’s perspective.

he second downloadable expansion for everyone’s favourite felony simulator is coming, and now we know when. Grand Theft Auto 4’s latest DLC will focus less on the brown, sad parts of Liberty City that Niko inhabits and the grainy streets that biker Johnny rolls down, preferring the glitz and fl ash of the night club scene. Players will step into the role of Luis Lopez, small-time criminal and errand boy to the titular Gay Tony, and will no doubt wander the city stealing cars and shooting people, but this time in a more glamorous way – early trailer footage shows parachuting, among other things. Offi cial line from Rockstar says that players will “struggle with the competing loyalties of family and friends, and with the uncertainty about who is real and who is fake in a world in which everyone has a price.” Business as usual, then. The expansion will be appearing on October 29th exclusive to the Xbox 360, and will cost 1600 Microsoft Points. There is also a retail disc version on the way which will give people stand alone versions of The Ballad of Gay Tony and the fi rst DLC, The Lost and Damned.

On-Rails spin-off Dead Space: Extraction for the Nintendo Wii seemed to have successfully replicated the foreboding atmosphere of Visceral Game’s 2008 survival horror despite the inevitable step down in graphical prowess. Also on display was a selection of EA Sport’s annual updates, with the standout, according to crowd reaction, being FIFA 2010. EA put on quite the spectacle indeed, transforming downtown Auckland’s St. Matthew’s church into a fl ashing neon den of indulgences, digital and otherwise. Cheers ‘til next year.

Disney Has Tron: Legacy Game in Development Producer Steven Lisberger confirms videogame tie-in for the upcoming film

New Dreamcast game announced A decade after the console debuted the Dreamcast is getting a new racing game

n a truly odd turn of events, online distributor Red Spot Games have announced the forthcoming release of Rush Rush Rally Racing, a new title for the long-defunct Sega Dreamcast console. Rush Rush Rally is an “old school 2D racing game” developed by Senile Team and available for pre-order at the Red Spot Games online store. It will be the first game released for Sega’s Dreamcast since 2006. The game purportedly boasts such advanced features as four-player multiplay modes, five different cars, 10 Grand Prix racetracks, an ‘Awesome soundtrack’, and animated cut scenes. “Forget about sponsored cars and realistic environments,” the game urges, “ this is just plain old fun!”

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Why exactly the developers chose to create the game for the Dreamcast platform, rather than one of the current console’s online services, is unknown. The Sega Dreamcast launched in late 1998, it was discontinued in 2001 when the company withdrew from the console hardware business.

teven Lisberger, the producer on the Tron: Legacy movie confirmed that a game tie-in is in development. Rumours of a new Tron game based on the upcoming sequel surfaced online earlier this year, but were never quite confirmed. Well, this seems to be as confirmed as it can get without Disney Interactive announcing it themselves. Kotaku recently reported (via Latino Review): “Steven did confirm that yes, there IS a video game in the works by Disney Interactive. He said he wasn’t sure if he should mention it or not, but he’s confirming it anyway.” Whilst there are no available details relating to the game’s content, it has been rumoured that the game will focus on the light cycle competitions, which are also set to return in the sequel movie. The game is said to be releasing around the same time as the movie in December 2010.

24/09/09 4:18:49 PM

Bethesda sues Interplay over Fallout Online Fallout rights holder Bethesda Softworks has made good on its threat to sue developer Interplay

ethesda Softworks, publisher of the recently acclaimed Fallout 3 and rights holder of the Fallout name, have began the process of suing publisher Interplay over trademark infringements, breach of contract, and unfair competition. In 2007 Bethesda brought the rights to the Fallout series from Interplay for US$5.75 million, with a trademark licensing agreement that allowed Interplay to license back the rights to develop an MMO based on the Fallout series. The agreement contained specific parameters that Bethesda now alleges Interplay have failed to uphold. It was agreed that by April 4 2009 Interplay must have commenced full-scale development of the MMO, Bethesda allege that this has not happened, although Interplay have issued a statement in which they adamantly dispute the claim. Further, Interplay were required to secure US$30 million to fund the development of the title within 24 months of the agreement being signed, and the game was to be launched within four years of signing.

If Interplay is found to have breached these condition then they would lose the rights to develop the game, and Bethesda would seek a payment for damages and legal fees. The loss would be crippling for Interplay as, after the financial disaster of recent years, the Fallout MMO was the biggest draw card the company had left. The MMO isn’t the only point of conflict between Bethesda and Interplay, the rights holder also alleges copyright has been infringed by the manufacture, sale and distribution of the Fallout Trilogy, a collection of the classic titles Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics. While Interplay are permitted by their agreement with Bethesda to sell pre-existing Fallout games they are explicitly required to run all packaging, advertising, and promotional material by the rights holders before production. In not doing so Bethesda claim Interplay have caused confusion between this bundled package and the recent Fallout 3 game, and have also caused “immediate, substantial, and irreparable harm” by offering the pack through online avenues such as Steam and GameTap.

Disney Adds Halo Co-Creator to its Ranks Bungie Software founder has joined the company to oversee creative development

lex Seropian, the founder of Bungie Software and co-creator of the “Halo” franchise has joined Disney to oversee creative development across Disney’s in-house video game development teams. “We’re really trying to be a magnet in this industry for talent, as we are in so many other parts of the entertainment world,” says Graham Hopper, executive vice president and general manager of Disney Interactive

Studios. “Having someone of Alex’s caliber join us is a tribute to the great people we have here already.” The addition of Seropian helps put Disney on the radar of core gamers, which could help it expand its gaming interests. As part of the agreement, Disney Interactive Studios has also acquired Wideload Games, the development house Seropian founded after leaving Bungie. The companies declined to disclose the purchase price.

Rockstar reveals debut iPhone titles

will be the recent DS juggernaut Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. Little has formally been revealed, but we know the other game to head to Apple’s uber-phone is Beaterator which is set to be released on the DS later this year. It’s a relatively easy transition from DS to iPhone for the game as it’s little more than an app with shiny bells and whistles on. An official tie-in with hip hop mogul Timbaland, Beaterator aims to provide a portable world-class mixing desk at your fingers replete with thousands of loops, sounds and original music. Obviously the bigger, traffic-stopping news is that the critically acclaimed Chinatown Wars is being ported to the system (along with the PSP). Is this the publisher domino that needed to fall before a whole heap of other big-name developers got on board? Only time will tell.

Grand Theft Auto and Beaterator announced for iPhone

hile there’s been a lot of hype and hyperbole over the iPhone’s potential as a fully fledged gaming device, an industry-shaking major announcement may just change public perception for good. The creators of Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar, have announced that they are bringing two games to the platform, and even more impressively, one of them

RockStar shows off upcoming titles Adrian Hatwell went along to check out their wares

ur neighbourly contingent of the Rockstar fraternity in Sydney recently crossed the ditch to show off some of their upcoming releases. The next episode in Rockstar’s large-scale GTA IV downloadable content is the last, and the title looks to be going out with a bang. The Ballad of Gay Tony shows players a face of Liberty City not seen by either of the previous protagonists, see the sights from the high-rise views of those that own the town in the most over-the-top, explosive instalment yet. Red Dead Redemption is set on the industrialised frontier, realised as a gigantic sandbox world, even larger than the bustling metropolis of Liberty City. As outlaw John Marston, players are tasked with rounding up the nastiest of rogues at the behest of the crooked law, so that the Wild West might be tamed for civilised folk. Beaterator is a music project that sees Rockstar Games teaming up with renowned producer Timbaland to produce a comprehensive music-mixing tool. It’s not a rhythm game, hell it’s not really a game at all, Beaterator is serious business for beat makers. Chinatown Wars, one of the DS’s all-time best titles, segues nicely onto the PSP, its touch-screen flourishes obviously cut but nicely compensated by the superior graphical power of Sony’s handheld. Look out for more detailed impressions to follow.

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www.ea.co.nz

OUT SEPTEMBER 25 © 2009 Electronic Arts Inc. EA, the EA logo, Need for Speed and the “N” icon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved. Pagani, Zonda F, Zonda R and designs are trademarks and/or other intellectual property of Pagani Automobili and are used under license to Electronic Arts. ’Nissan’ and the names, logos, marks and designs of the NISSAN products are trademarks and/or intellectual property rights of NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD. and used under license to Electronic Arts Inc. Porsche, the Porsche crest, 911 and Carrera are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. Licensed under certain patents. Trademarks, design patents and copyrights are used with the approval of the owner AUDI AG. The trademarks copyrights and design rights in and associated with Lamborghini, Lamborghini with Bull and Shield Device, are used under license from Lamborghini ArtiMarca S.p.A., Italy. The BMW logo, wordmark and model designations are trademarks of BMW AG and are used under license. Ford Oval and nameplates are registered trademarks owned and licensed by Ford Motor Company. General Motors Trademarks used under license to Electronic Arts. The names, designs, and logos of all products are the property of their respective owners and used by permission. “PlayStation”, “PLAYSTATION”, “ ” and “PSP” are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. EANFSSGF1

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SCRIBBLENAUTS software © 2009 WB Games Inc. Developed by 5TH Cell Media, LLC. Trademarks are property of their respective owners. Nintendo DS is a trademark of Nintendo.All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. SCRIBBLENAUTS and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. WB GAMES LOGO, WB SHIELD: ™ & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s09)

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28/09/2009 1:58:44 p.m.

Details on Gran Turismo Bundle for PSP Sony has announced it’s releasing a Limited Edition Gran Turismo PSP Entertainment Pack

Forza

Motorsport 3 Ready to Ship

Microsoft announce the latest entry in its flagship racing series has gone gold

box 360 and V8 Supercars Australia announced a partnership which will see eight V8 Supercars appear in the upcoming racing title “Forza Motorsport 3”. Available in New Zealand on October 23rd, Forza Motorsport 3 takes V8 Supercars to world-famous tracks, including Suzuka, Nürburgring Nordschleife and the Sebring International Raceway, as well as new environments like the mountainous Montserrat region in Spain, the rugged Amalfi Coast in Italy and the American Southwest. V8 Supercars legend Mark Skaife commented, “I’m extremely impressed with the polish of Forza Motorsport 3 and excited about the exposure it will bring to our great sport internationally. Holden and Ford fans can now battle head-to-head everyday of the week, and get up-close and personal with the power and precision of V8 Supercars.” “With 20 million people connected to Xbox LIVE,

Forza Motorsport 3 fans will never be short of competition online. As racers the world over realise the potential of the V8 Supercars, the Holden vs Ford rivalry will most certainly swell beyond our shores,” continued Skaife. Featuring the latest and greatest production offerings as well as the world’s fastest and most exotic street cars, “Forza Motorsport 3” offers more than 400 fully customisable and tunable cars from over 50 of the world’s leading manufacturers. Whether your passion is classic American muscle cars, European roadsters, purpose-built race cars or high-tech Asian imports, “Forza Motorsport 3” puts you in the cockpit of the cars you love. All cars will feature immaculately rendered interiors and extensively reinforced cockpits to handle any collision or rollover, just like their real life counterparts. Players will realistically experience their favourite V8s to a degree that, until now, was only possible in their dreams.

t is time to rev up your engines! The highly anticipiated Gran Turismo for the Playstation Portable (PSP) is due to hit stored come October. To celebrate this Sony are also releasing a limited line of specialiy branded PSP 3000 consoles featuring special GT branding, an exclusive Playstation Network Voucher for the GT-PSP cover star vehicle, the Corvette ZR1 (in white) and a PSP branded leather pouch. It gets better with a pre order incentive for keen GT fans who want to get the collectors edition of the game who along with a specially packed version of the game can also lay claim to 5 exclusive Bugatti Veyron art cards and an extra vehicle in the form of the 2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 This extraordinary vehicle which was first announced in 2000 is the product of several years of leading edge research and development by VW. The resulting 8.0 litre, quad-turbocharged vehicle is officially the world’s fastest production card. Capable of top speeds in excess of 400 kmh and a 1-100 kmh time of 2.5 seconds! Pre ordering also gains you codes for the Lamborghini Countach LP400 1974 Aracncio, Citroen GT and Nissan GT-R Spec V 2009. Gran Turismo PSP goes on sale from October 1st.

The Madden Curse Strikes Again Napoleon: Total War Announced Empire Total War expands with Napoleon add on pack

he next instalment of popular strategy series Total War will feature one of history’s most legendary military leaders, Napoleon Bonaparte, Sega recently announced. Napoleon: Total War will cover two decades in the legendary General’s career re-imagined through the Total War lens of real-time and turn-based battle. Beginning with the Little General’s early campaigns in Italy and stretching through to the famous battle of Waterloo, the game will give players the opportunity to play as or against Napoleon, recreating military history or writing an alternative version of events. It will be the first time the series has featured a strong narrative presence, tying solid characters and cinematic scenes in to the extensive battle sequences. The title will also integrated multiplayer modes and a host of online functions, such as Steam achievements, game bonuses, uniform editor, and voice communication.

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Madden NFL 10 co-cover athlete Troy Polamalu injured

he infamous Madden Curse has struck again, sending cover athlete Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers to the inactive list for three to six weeks with an injured knee ligament. When will these NFL players learn that what money and minimal fame they might earn from being on the cover of Madden NFL isn’t worth the cost? Would you really put your body at the risk of serious bodily harm courtesy of the Madden Curse simply for tons and tons of cash? I suppose that’s something you say yes to simply by deciding to be a professional football player. Or maybe some NFL players think they can dodge the Madden Curse, the superstition that states that anyone on the cover of a Madden game will suffer some kind of injury or misfortune which will send their careers into a downward spiral. It has happened before, and it happened just now: one of the two players on this year’s edition of the game, Troy Polamalu of the Steelers, will thus be forced onto the sidelines for three to six weeks.

24/09/09 4:18:57 PM

From the mind that brought us Psychonauts and Fandango comes the latest in heavy-metal stylized action. We speak to Tim Schafer about the world of Brutal Legend which features scantily clad ladies, heroic fights over barbaric overlords and… guitars. Tim Schafer Can you please describe the gameplay and how strategy plays a role in Brütal Legend? It’s an action game but the player battles through a very non-traditional, heavy metal world. You have a double-sided broad axe for close-range, melee combat, but also a very special guitar that serves as a ranged weapon. Plus, friendly characters around you can be used as weapons in what we call “Double Team” attacks that you use to strike down enemies. When you get to the point in the story where you are commanding a massive, heavy-metal army, you have some pretty interesting choices to make. You can choose which warriors to bring with you into battle, and which to leave backstage. Then you can control where they go to fight. But when the battle is on, it’s on, and you’re right there in the middle of the action.

So, who is Eddie? Eddie is the greatest roadie in the world, but he’s working for the worst band ever. He feels like he was meant for something more important, and that he should have been born earlier, when the music was more real. Even though he often saves the day, he does so from the shadows—he doesn’t like to take the spotlight. How does the multi-player game work? In the single player campaign, you play as Eddie Riggs as he uses his roadie skills to put together an army of headbangers to liberate humanity from the demons. In multiplayer, you can play as Eddie, Ophelia, or Emperor Doviculus and you lead one of three different warring factions in head-to-head battle with another player or team of players.

What made you choose the open-world environment? We really wanted to create a living, breathing world for Brütal Legend. We wanted the sun to rise and set, and for animals and characters to be going about their business whether you were watching them or not. And we wanted the player to feel like they were free to discover all of the little hidden spots on the map on their own. That’s something that I always strive for in games—a real sense of place. It’s great to create a world that the player can get lost in, and have it be so immersive that when they’re not playing the game they’re thinking about that world in kind of a homesick way, wanting to return. We’ve heard that you started developing the character of Eddie Riggs with the idea of having someone “like Jack Black” voice him. Once Jack Black agreed to voice the part, did that open up some new personality traits or affectations for Eddie? Jack definitely takes the character of Eddie Riggs to a whole new level. He plays him both as a tough guy, but with a subtle, vulnerable side, and he makes the whole thing hilarious. He takes the role very seriously,

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doing many, many takes of every line you hear in the game. And sometimes, after 15 different takes, we’ll say that’s good enough, print it—and then he’ll throw in just one more as a joke, and that turns out to be the crazy one that I never would have thought of writing but turns out to be brilliant and we’ll use that one. He’s awesome. He should star as every character in every game ever made, because then all games would be better. Eddie Riggs is an ordinary roadie who is thrown into an extraordinary situation. Why do you think the stories of the underdog who gets a chance to become a hero are the ones that stick with us? I think a lot of people go about their everyday lives with the thought in the back of their head that if they ever had to, they could step up and be a hero. We like to imagine that we would know what to do if an emergency presented itself—say, if we walked by a burning house with a baby crying inside, or if we were transported back in time to a barbaric age where humanity is enslaved by demons. And a roadie is such a great representation of that because they aren’t the ones who step on stage to

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take the bows and get the applause, they’re just the dudes who know what to do and get the job done. Humble, but capable. How important is the soundtrack to Brütal Legend? The soundtrack is what inspired the game. Everything you see in Brütal Legend came from Heavy Metal, so we didn’t have to work hard to integrate them—they were forged from the same fire. We spent years finding the perfect songs and acquiring all the rights. It wasn’t easy but we wanted to have songs that were more than just personal favorites, but great songs that perfectly complimented the moment in the game in which they were used. There are rumors that some of your old favorites are voicing parts and even contributing music to Brütal Legend. How did they react when you approached them about the game? If I sat down and made a list of everyone I wanted to meet back when I was 15 years old it would be pretty much the same people I’ve been able to meet through Brütal Legend. It has been amazing. And they’ve all been such good sports about it. I

think they like the fact that this game treats them the way they deserve to be treated—as Metal Gods. Since you’re a huge heavy metal fan, can we expect to learn something from that with Brutal Legend? Yeah, even if you aren’t into metal, Brütal Legend is a great action game with a lot of humor and beautiful art to pull you in. But once we have you we play one awesome metal song after another. Eventually, even metal haters will get to a song where they think, “Hey… this song is kind of… awesome.” And then they’ll press the START button to see the name of the song and the band (we always show the name of the song and the band) and at that moment, we’ve got them. Not everyone loves music that explodes your ear holes; will the game appeal to the non-metal head? Brütal Legend is an action game that’s a lot of fun for anyone who loves games. The gameplay is incredibly satisfying, and every moment is loaded with humor, beautiful art, crazy characters, and crazy action. And even if you’re not a metal fan when you start playing, I predict you will be by the time you’re done!

25/09/09 12:37:57 PM

This month Gamefreaks gets the surprise opportunity to interview one of video gaming’s greatest heroes - Spartan 117, aka The Master Chief Himself! Ok we lie a little, the dude’s on a well earned space hiatus somewhere in the galaxy at the moment, having saved the entire human race. But we have the next best thing in the actor who plays the voice of the Master Chief, Disc Jockey and voice actor Steve Downes. Based in Chicago, Steve is the morning host on a popular radio station WDRV “The Drive”. He will be visiting NZ shortly at Auckland’s Armageddon Expo Oct 24-26 as a guest speaker. 12 focus

How did you manage to get the part of humanity’s great green cybernetic hope, Master Chief? The usual way… I was lucky. I was cast to voice a character in an obscure PC game, by Marty O’Donnell. About a year later, Marty who was writing, and performing the music for a new game called “HALO”, was casting voices, and asked me if I would do the voice of Master Chief. Millions of copies sold, piles of money handed over and legions of fans glued to their TVs for each installment. Now Halo 3: ODST is about to be released. Have you been surprised at the popularity of the series? The original Halo was out about a year before I realized how popular it was becoming. I took me about another year to fully comprehend the enormity of the HALO universe. Unlike the Chief, I’m a slow learner! Our friend Spartan 117 is not a talker. Given that he barely opens his mouth for the entire series, why do you think he has become such a memorable character? I think it’s a credit to the writers. They’ve given us just enough of the Chief’s character and personality. The rest is up to the player. Each of us can be just as involved as to what Master Chief looks like, and what his motivations are, as we are directing his movements throughout the game.

The only thing you can’t do is decide what he sounds like… that’s MY call. What process did you go through when recording for the game? It’s pretty simple, really. Marty calls me in. We have a discussion with the writers. They tell me what’s going on in each scene, and we start laying down tracks till we get it right. Voicing for video games is like no other voice work. It’s very intense for a short period of time, and then there’s long stretches where you’re not involved with the character at all. It’s good that way. While it might be a surreal experience to control the actions of your vocal clone, are you a fan and/or player of the games themselves? I am definitely a big HALO fan. I’m afraid my skills leave a lot to be desired The Halo games have been a part of popular culture for over 8 years now, how has being involved with the phenomenon affected you? It’s all been very positive. Being involved in HALO has introduced me to an entire subculture that I find fascinating.

Have you had any bizarre fan experiences as a result of appearing in the games? Can’t really say there’s been anything really bizarre. Although some of the costumes I see at conventions are… interesting. But then, I haven’t been to Auckland yet! Do you have a favourite piece of Master Chief dialogue? “FINISH THE FIGHT!” Voice-actors often get asked to do the voices for the amusement of others, has this happened with relatives or friends? Quite often. Honestly, it’s not one of my favorite things to do. I feel that, taken out of context, it sounds kind of weird. But it goes with the territory. Now that you’ve ventured into the dark caves of the gaming industry, what would be your ideal character to do work for? Ideally, I’d like to do more with Spartan 117. I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface. Perhaps more importantly, is this the end of Master Chief? Has he hung up his helmet? I’m pretty sure you have not heard the last from Master Chief.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Sony Computer Entertainment / PlayStation 3

Grab your gun and backpack and get ready to hop into the shoes of everyone’s favourite not-Indiana Jones, not-Lara Croft, adventuring historian: Nathan Drake. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves has gone gold and is rapidly approaching release. This time around, Nathan is chasing the mystery of Marco Polo’s final voyage – and the piles of treasure associated with it. Following the dead explorer’s trail will involve running, shooting and monkey-climbing through exotic jungles, dirty European streets and Buddhist temples. Developer Naughty Dog has stated that Uncharted 2 is so big it uses 100% of the Blu-ray disc and so complex that it

totally maxes out the PS3 hardware. Crazy hyperbole aside, the trailers show off some very impressive visuals which are apparently rendered by the in-game engine. The gameplay looks slick so far as well, with a recent demo showing Drake sneaking through a street scene crawling with bad guys, hurling them into walls and gunning them down for the good of the world – and to get the treasure. The free climbing aspects are also looking fun, our hero seen lurching from building to building, grabbing onto loose railings and air-conditioning boxes. Uncharted 2 is looking like one hell of an adventure.

Section 8 South Peak Interactive / Xbox 360, PC

Section 8 is a fast-paced sci-fi based online first person shooter which also throws squad-based strategy gameplay into the mix. However, if you’re the type that likes to run and gun solo, you can do that too. Section 8 features two separate factions to play; Section 8 or Arm of Orion. One of the standout factors of Section 8 is the dynamic drop-in respawn feature that allows you to drop from the ship and respawn wherever you choose on the map. This eliminates the ‘spawn camping’ tactic sometimes employed by players and gives the game a much more even-playing battlefield. Although there are a few similarities between Section 8 and other shooters (Halo comes to mind), the pace of the game will more than make up for whatever the game lacks in unique design. You’ll be running around the map in a frenzy, hunting down enemy players

and engaging in squad-based killing sprees non-stop. The speed-boost feature makes tackling long distances on the map a piece of cake as does the rocket-boost. The armour and weapons you’ll get come fully customisable. You can also use default settings depending on what you want to play. Each class (infantry, sniper etc) comes with its own unique set of armour and weapons. Vehicles are also heavily relied on in the game - the Mechs are definitely one of the highlights.

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24/09/09 5:38:15 PM

gran tUriSmo Sony Computer Entertainment – PSP

Gran Turismo has been perhaps the longest developed game for the Playstation Portable. Initially announced in 2004 alongside the original PSP – it’s taken a good 5 years to make it to retail. The upside however is a massive, polished and absolutely gorgeous racing sim which is set to push the diminutive console to its absolute limits. The game offers a mind boggling 800 cars from the fastest of Ferrari’s to your nana’s Honda; to race on are 45 tracks stripped from previous iterations of the games – most of these can also be raced backwards as well meaning there’s a whole ton of races lying ahead.

Gran Turismo has long been respected for it’s realistic handling physics (some people even used to use it to prep drivers license tests) and while the small screen and limited buttons might counteract this somewhat, the game will feature the physics engine use in GT5 Prologue which all you PS3 owners out there will already have (right??). Tragically there’s no online play which will leave some still frustrated GT fans gnashing their teeth (unless you include leader boards and ghost racing), however there is 4 player local wireless racing to be enjoyed.

teKKen 6 Namco Bandai / PS3, Xbox 360

While Virtua Fighter may take the title for the most nuanced fighter, Soul Calibur strolls home with the most geek-worthy of weaponry and Street Fighter has championed the return of the 75 hit combo, Tekken dominates the subgenre of the easiest pick up n play, arcade fighter. So after over 10 incarnations, it’s good to see those aspects are only going to be further enhanced, explored and supersized in Tekken 6. There will be more characters than ever before (a whopping 42), greater stage interactivity, a more enhanced character customisation section and a great diversionary bonus

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section called the Scenario Campaign. This will function as a Streets of Rage and Tekken mash-up, allowing players to side-scrolling wander through streets against wave after wave of faceless bad guy. You’ll be able to use all the attacks as in the single player, but with the added bonus of the possibility of a two player online co-op mode. Two new single player additions should further spice up gameplay, with a new ‘rage’ system giving characters more power when their energy is low, and the ‘bound’ system, which will allow you to bounce opponents off the ground to create bigger combos. Smashing.

24/09/09 5:38:19 PM

heroeS over eUroPe Atari – PC, Xbox 360, PS3

Dog-fighting in classic World War Two planes has always been a bit of fun and we’ve been going more or less without since Ubisoft’s last Blazing Angels game. Sequel to Heroes over the Pacific, Heroes over Europe naturally shifts the theatre of war to aerial battles against Germany’s Luftwaffe. A single player mode is provided from the view of an American, English and <gasp> New Zealand pilot. It’s always nice to see a WW2 game which doesn’t pretend the U.S fought the entire conflict by itself along with a bumbling England which had to be rescued from pretty much anything. The inclusion of a small

player from God’s Own ... especially considering the developers are based in Australia is a pleasant surprise. More than 40 planes will be available ranging from favourites such as the Spitfire, to lumbering B17’s and flimsy Swordfish Torpedo Bombers. Don’t expect much realism through. You’ll be swatting aside hordes of enemy aircraft – enough to end the war on your own for the most part; bullets and rockets are also unlimited in number. Still, done right an arcade flying game can always be good fun and we’re hoping Heroes over Europe can fill a rarely used space in our gaming collection.

haLo 3: odSt Microsoft Game Studios / Xbox 360

The wait is almost over. Halo fans far and wide are preparing to finish another part of the fight with Halo 3: ODST. A prequel of sorts to Halo 3, ODST is an adventure set in alien-occupied New Mombasa. With the Covenant controlling the city, and everyone’s favourite cyborg super-soldier halfway across the galaxy, it’s all up to you and your squad of troopers. The game’s story and atmosphere is dark and isolating, you play a soldier waking from a crash and searching for clues to the fate of his missing squad. As you uncover evidence

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of past events, flashbacks let you play as the other members of your team. While the game has a similar first-person format to other Halo titles, there are some important differences. You are just a regular human, meaning bullets kill you faster and you move slower. This also means a more stealthy approach is needed. You have no radar, but you do have access to VISR – a system which scans the area for enemies and important objects. While it started as a simple expansion, ODST is looking like a game that can stand on its own two boots.

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24/09/09 5:38:32 PM

oPeration FLaShPoint: dragon riSing Codemasters / PC, Xbox 360, PS3

Modern Military shooters...they’re a dime a dozen these days following the popularity of Call of Duty. So you’ll pop in your copy of Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising and charge towards your enemies, assault rifle barking. You’ve done it before so what’s another half dozen foes hiding out inside a shack. Except you don’t, rather you’re dead after a few feet. An enemy sniper waiting for this exact move takes his shot leaving a baseball sized hole in your chest and you staring glumly at a menu. See this game is a little different, forgoing fast packed action and high kill counts for a high degree of realism. If this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea then fair enough ... move along. However just as there are gamers out there who want the most realistic racing title or fl ight simulator, so too there are those that want their wars to be as unforgiving and as real as it can get outside of a posting to Afghanistan. This game is for them. The game takes place on a fictional island which is forcibly taken from the Russians by the Chinese. The US army has picked their side, and they’re going in as allies of their former Cold War enemies to kick out the Peoples Army. It’s going to be a hell of a fight.

SingStar: motoWn Sony Computer Entertainment / PS2, PS3

It’s safe to say that with Motown, there’s no greater genre of music for horrific karaoke singers who actually think they can sing. Rock, indie and party songs can be screamed to high heaven in the name of fun, but the soulful, timeless classics that make up Motown are prime targets for those deluded credibility thieves who are keen to prove their karaoke worth. Which, when it comes to everyone else’s entertainment, means it’s a perfect choice for the next in the Singstar series. There’s pretty much every classic Motown track

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you can think of here, with over 30 tracks of groove-tastic funkiness. The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, the Four Tops and The Commodores are all included, meaning there really is something for everyone and more than enough ammo to embarrass even the most polished of performers. As per usual the PS2 version will come packed with a few less songs than its bigger brother, but when you’ve got warbling classics like ‘ABC’, ‘It Takes Two’ and ‘What Becomes of the broken hearted?’, who’s complaining?

24/09/09 5:38:36 PM

Mini Ninjas Eidos Interactive / PlayStation 3, PC, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS

Adorably squat Japanese children with funny hats are a long way from coldblooded, nameless assassins. Developer IO Interactive seems to be okay with the jump though, moving from the stealth and death of the Hitman games to the cute and fun of Mini Ninjas. Playing as Hiro – the youngest of a group of ninjas under the tutelage of a ubiquitous old man – you must discover what has happened to your ninja friends and free the land from an unknown evil. The game is part RPG, part platformer, part adventure, allowing you to guide your ninja across the landscape, fighting

– among other things – samurai which are actually cute animals trapped in evil shells. You can switch between the different characters at will (once you find them) and each has their own special abilities –for example, bigboned ninja Futo has a huge hammer which can break objects, and Hiro can possess animals with his spirit and use magic spells like fireballs to take out the enemy. The developers noted that they set out to make a game they could play with their kids, but it looks like Mini Ninjas will have something fun for all ages.

Beaterator Rockstar Games / PSP

When word first came out of Rockstar Games teaming up with music producer Timbaland on a new PSP title it was assumed to be some kind of rhythm game by most. Now that the company have had some chance to show off Beaterator the assumptions have been shattered, the game is an in-depth music-mixing program that will allow dedicated producers to create professional-grade beats. Mixing music is no easy task, and most videogames that have attempted to simulate it have done so in a very watered-down manner, but Beaterator has no interest in cutting corners. The process of putting a track together is a genuinely daunting goal, with an interface that looks about as complicated as

anything you might find in a studio. Of course the title still wants to grab the attention of those who wouldn’t know a crossfade from their gain control, and so offers a number of game modes of varying complexity. Live Play is the shallowest, essentially letting the player mix a song on the fly, akin to a musical child’s toy. Studio Session acts as a half-way point for those interested in getting down to business but not quite sure of the ins and outs. Song Crafter is the Full Monty, an avalanche of menus, options, tweaks, and channels that, if you know what you’re doing, can produce original, proficient loops.

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24/09/09 5:38:37 PM

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28/09/2009 1:59:30 p.m.

Batman: Arkham Asylum Over the years there has been a raft of Batman games but nothing particularly stood out as anything more worthy than a casual glance. Being a Batman comic fan the first thing I noticed about Batman Arkham Asylum was the shift away from the usual movie to game garbage.

SUMMARY

Excellent story, fantastic visuals, outstanding voiceovers and intense gameplay all combine to make this the best Batman game to date. A high octane addictive experience that is well worth your time and effort.

DID YOU KNOW?

A Collector’s Edition package will feature a 14 inch Batarang in the style of the game, a 50 page character journal, a bonus DVD including interviews with voice actors, an exclusive Crime Alley Challenge Map, and a Batarang Box Set.

DETAILS Genre / Action-stealth Publisher / Konami, Warner Bros, Eidos Developer / Rocksteady Studios Platform / PS3, 360, PC Released / Out now Website / www.batmanarkhamasylum.com/ Players / One Rating / T Writer / Stan McGuigan

Everything about this game--the impressive visuals, stirring soundtrack, superb voice acting, hard-hitting combat--feels like it has been lovingly crafted

As soon as the game begins you know you are in for a treat. The story (co-written by Paul Dini, from Batman: The Animated Series) unfolds in true Batman style – the atmosphere is dark, oppressing with an intense sense of impending doom. As Batman escorts the Joker to the big house something seems terribly wrong - Batman knows it and you know it but can’t quite put your finger on the problem. Set later in the comic series, Batman is older, wiser and carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, more so than ever before. Robin has long since departed, and Batgirl is now the wheelchair bound Oracle (after the 1988 comic where the Joker left her paralysed). It’s a dark world indeed for our maskedcrusader and things are about to get worse as The Joker takes over Arkham’s high security prison releasing some of Batman’s greatest enemies. Primarily played from an ‘over-the-shoulder’ third person perspective you’ll spend considerable time observing and planning your moves, utilising high-tech gadgets and solving riddles before resorting to your close combat fighting skills. The story requires that you to use your brain, listen to every word for clues, and solve the mysteries without relying solely on brute force. This is the way Batman is meant to be played. Stealth plays a major part in this game; you could go in ‘guns blazing’ so to speak but I suggest that this would prove a difficult and less satisfying path. Batman isn’t one to leave piles of corpses in his wake, so sleeper holds and knockouts are as far as he will go. His martial arts skills are enough to take down a small horde of inmates but you’ll soon discover that stealth

takedowns are quite gratifying and, as the battles become more intense, a necessary survival skill. The Batarang, Claw, explosive gel and other gadgets will soon become your best friends. Detective mode changes Batman’s view to a blue tinted visor that allows him to see through walls, identify thugs carrying guns and knives and discover secret places and clues. It is fascinating watching the visible skeletons of the ruffians roaming the Arkham Island estate. Detective mode is also vital if you wish to search for The Riddler’s hidden ‘riddles’ or to unlock Arkham’s secrets. Collecting and solving these riddles will earn you points that can be used to upgrade your gadgets and fighting skills. Let me talk about the voice cast. Guess who plays The Joker…no idea eh…okay I’ll tell you. It’s Mark Hammil, yes Luke Skywalker himself, but it doesn’t end there, Commissioner Gordon is voiced by Tom Kane (who also does Yoda in Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Kevin Conroy is Batman (he has voiced Batman in numerous animated series) and Arleen Sorkin plays the energetic Harley Quinn, Arleen (married to Christopher Lloyd) also voices Harley in the current Batman: The Animated Series. Indeed a stellar cast. The game isn’t perfect in that it can get a little repetitive and there are no levels in which to control the Batmobile, Batwing or any other vehicles. But this is by far the best Batman game I have ever played. The combat physics are excellent, as is the attention to detail seen throughout Arkham’s dark Gothic architecture. Batman Arkham Asylum is a genuine contender for Game of the Year.

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28/09/2009 2:00:43 p.m.

Wolfenstein The reinvigoration of this beloved shooter series continues with Raven Software’s appropriately titled Wolfenstein. Remake might be a dirty word in the film business but when it comes to videogames it means a chance to breath new technological life into old classics. There’s a certain negative connotation attached to gaming culture that we have not yet managed to shake, that these games we love are little more than violent male power fantasies with no greater cultural significance beyond pure escapism. Certainly there are a great many titles out there that rightly put the lie to this misconception but, for all that it does achieve, Wolfenstein is certainly not one of them. No, Wolfenstein comes from a simpler time, when all we really asked for was a series of corridors and enough Nazis to shoot until we got bored and we were happy. And I feel I can quite safely say there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Raven’s new iteration of the cult classic makes its first and most important right philisophical move in sticking slavishly to that concept; if you’re no longer having fun killing occult Nazi-monsters then something has gone horribly wrong on all levels. As a shooter the game has been stripped right back, the controls are simple and never try to pull anything funny – you run, you jump, you duck, you shoot. It’s this simplicity that makes the game so easy to dive into, developing a slick pace in keeping with the game’s paperback pulp feel. Not to be caught without a little spark of the weird, the game also superimposes a handful of supernatural powers as the story progresses, offering our beefy America protagonist the opportunity to slow time, reveal secrets, and attack otherwise invulnerable enemies. For those who have been following along since the revamped Return to Castle Wolfenstein a few years back, the story sees agent B.J. Blazowicz once more throwing down amongst the more bizarre machinations of the Third Reich. Old Deathshead Strausse makes an appearance, as does Hans Grosse (who, in a nice nod to the legacy, eventually dons a mech-suit outfitted with twin chain guns), though if you’re not familiar with any of the previous cast the game still does a decent enough job of telling its swashbuckling tale regardless.

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You’re better off looking elsewhere if searching for a title that does something inspiring and new with the FPS format, but as far as no-brainer popcorn entertainment goes, Wolfenstein hits that populist mark exactly. Over-the-top Nazi killing, ridiculously fun über-weapons (though with frustratingly scare ammo), exciting boss battles, and a story that Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme or Lorenzo Lamas wouldn’t feel out of place in, mingle together to form a solid, lowbrow slab of fun. Expect more at your own peril. The game also boasts a deceptively robust multiplayer mode. Initially seeming like a tacked on, obligatory extra, the multiplayer modes are very different from the single player campaign, but no less effective. All three match types, Team Deathmatch, Objective, and Stopwatch, offer furious competition by exploiting elements of the id Tech 4 engine that the single player campaign barley touches on. With reverence for the series’ history and a determination to produce something in keeping with today’s standards Raven Software have performed a rather nifty balancing act to deliver a game that is both nostalgic and forward looking and, above all else, a lot of simple fun.

SUMMARY

Old school appreciators will be happy to see the straightforward Nazi blasting action of the original successfully appropriated for this usually more convoluted era. Killing a few dozen supernatural Nazis improves even the dreariest of days, so do yourself a favour.

DID YOU KNOW?

Manveer Heir, Software Designer on Wolfenstein, offered to personally reimburse purchases of Wolfenstein made in its launch month of August provided the game outsell EA’s Madden NFL 10, launching at the same time. For better or worse, this did not happen.

DETAILS Genre / First-person Shooter Publisher / Activision Developer / Raven Platform / PC, Xbox 360, PS3 Released / Out now Website / www.wolfenstein.com/ Players / 1 Rating / R18 Price / $139.99 Writer / Adrian Hatwell

The single-player campaign runs about as long as most; you’ll probably get about six to eight hours out of it

6/10/2009 12:16:17 p.m.

Need for Speed: Shift The “Need for Speed” franchise is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, and what better way to do it than by re-imagining the series

SUMMARY

Tons of cars, tracks and racing modes. If you can forgive a less than impressive online mode then Need For Speed: Shift offers a deep, accessible, challenging and fun racing title which will please arcade and sim style players alike.

DID YOU KNOW?

Need for Speed: Shift isn’t the only new game for the franchise. Coming soon is Need for Speed: Nitro which is exclusive to the Wii, and Need For Speed World Online, a racing MMO for the PC.

DETAILS Genre / Simulator Publisher / Electronic Arts Developer / Slightly Mad Studios Platform / Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, PC Released / Out now Website / http://www.needforspeed.com Players / 1+ Rating / G Price / $99.99 Writer / Nigel Clark

If you´re after a nice driving title with decent physics, a good selection of cars and a very immersive driving experience, you should give Shift a try

Need for Speed: Shift is a triumphant return to form for the long running series, which was on a downward spiral after the street racing turn the franchise had taken had begun to lose its luster. The first attempt for a change was Need for Speed: Pro Street – it didn’t do well. But Shift, lovingly created by Slightly Mad Studios (also responsible for GTR 2 and GT Legends) is a return to form that strikes a perfect balance between arcade and sim racing styles. Its single player aspect strikes a familiar pose to platform heavyweights such as Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo. With a limited budget you get to purchase your choice of a decent, if unspectacular vehicle. Extra funds can be used to buy further upgrades improving the performance of anything from your engine, transmit ion, wheels and body kits. In addition as time goes on you’ll unlock the ability to increasingly customize your rides with decals, paint jobs and of course racing paint jobs with the usual spiel of logos and sponsor names. With over seventy vehicles included in the game (no doubt others will be available via download in times to come) there’s a nice array to choose from high performance street cars up to super racers like the Pagati Zonda. Onto the game itself though. Need for Speed: Shift includes an interesting learning function which analysis the way your play and scores you appropriately. The two differing sides are precision – which judges your performance in clean laps, sticking to the racing lines and so on; to aggression which merits you and your wild side including getting all rough with your competitors. The result of the analysis is the game opening up particular special race modes which are tailored to your particular racing style – special edition races so to speak. Aside from that there are the

tiered progressions with the ultimate aim of getting to a world series – and winning it. Graphically gorgeous as the game is in itself, one aspect that was particularly appreciated was the focus on the cockpit view. While 3rd person and the like options are available you’ll be missing out if you don’t take the more realistic approach which features an impressive attention to detail all the way from the way your cyber self changes gears up to the way you gasp just before getting into a terrible smash up. With a nod to the more aggressive side of the game, Need for Speed Shift also features some particularly impression crash physics. Given the right moment you’ll see cars flipping through the air with shards of metal flying in all directions. The only downside of an otherwise impressive racing game is its multiplayer. The lack of split screen is unfortunate, but tragically common these days. However the online department is very basic and at times can be frustratingly empty when you try to get into some of the more competitively oriented racing modes.

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28/09/2009 2:02:02 p.m.

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28/09/2009 2:02:13 p.m.

The Beatles Rock Band It’s been nearly 45 years since The Beatles hit the scene and changed the world in music. When the game launches this month, Harmonix and MTV Games hope to change the way people listen to The Beatles. The Beatles: Rock Band comes to the market with new instruments, a couple of gameplay additions and the backing of the remaining members of The Beatles.

SUMMARY

Full of classic Beatles songs and interesting facts. The Beatles: Rock Band won’t challenge you. But if you’re a fan it’s worth the price of entry. Naturally if you’re not a fan – stay away, but that goes for all of these band specific packs.

DID YOU KNOW?

Beatles front man John Lennon was shot to death on the 8th of December 1980 by Mark Chapman. The murderer was found to be delusional was sentenced and to this day remains in Attica State Prison in NYC.

DETAILS Genre / Party, Music rhythm Publisher / Electronic Arts Developer / Harmonix Platform / PS3, Xbox 360, Wii Released / June 5, 2009 Website / http://www.thebeatlesrockband.com/ Players / 1-6 Rating / TBA Price / $99.99 Writer / Nigel Clark

There is total of 45 songs in the catalog for The Beatles: Rock Band in the group’s short history. While it’s a short list when looking at the Story mode, downloadable content will fill the void after launch

One of, and in many’s opinions the defining rock/pop act of a lifetime. The Beatles tore up the charts throughout the 60’s, set fashion trends, inspired other bands and filled stadiums with young women who would then proceed to scream their heads off for a good hour or two. The Beatles: Rock Band is the result of a collaboration between MTV owned Harmonix and Apple Core who’s major shareholders are the remaining members of The Beatles or their estate – the latter usually summed up as a half nuts Japanese woman with delusions of artistry. As a result The Beatles: Rock Band is a fitting tribute to the much loved band complete with 45 digitally re-mastered songs which cover the entire period of the band’s existence. From their early catchy pop hits which endeared them to every girl in London (then eventually the world) all the way up to the more psycodellic later years when it seems drugs might have had a wee involvement in their inspiration… The story mode takes a familiar form to your classic Rock Band or Guitar Hero games. You play in a certain venue with a set line up of songs and once you’ve completed them you move on to the next lot. However unlike other games of the like your advancement has little influence on how ‘hard’ a song is, instead the venues and tracks are set in a sequential order. Back to the hard part as well…if you’re a seasoned

Rock Band/Guitar Hero player then don’t expect to be overly much challenged by The Beatles – in fact you can pretty much five star the whole thing on your chosen difficulty on your first play through no sweat. That said it makes the game a nice intro to the rhythm game genre and for the matter a hell of a lot more accessible to your folks who will probably be wrestling you for the guitar in no time flat – it’s their generation after all! There’s plenty of nice fan service in the game. By earning stars you unlike Beatles photos – each of which can be viewed close up and containing an interesting piece of trivia about the Band. There’s even bonus material such as a Christmas recording for members of their fan club. Beatlemaniacs will lap this stuff up. A definite highpoint for the game was also the graphics. The Fab Four are instantly recognizable and remarkably realistic despite their cartoon depiction. That aside some of the visuals inside the songs as well as the intro and closing cut scenes are both surreal and beautiful – they’re well worth tracking down on YouTube given the chance. A game like this is made for multiplayer and like other Rock Band games, The Beatles is great fun in company both in person or online. If you’re a fan of the Fab Four then you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t get a copy. Just keep a real close eye on your mum while you do it…

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28/09/2009 2:02:56 p.m.

Dissidia: Final Fantasy With amazing visuals and cut scenes which continue SquareEnix’s reputation for quality, Dissidia: Final Fantasy is a new turn on a series which until now has always had a name for massive role playing games. When it comes to fan service SquareEnix comes near the top for its support of all things Final Fantasy. Dissidia: Final Fantasy however is not your typical epic role playing game which will take you many tens of hours to complete, but rather a fighting title of sorts - with a dose of RPG elements added in for good measure. The scene is set with the gods Cosmos the goddess of harmony and Chaos the god of discord choosing champions to fight over the control of the various worlds. It’s a battle which is supposed to be eternal; however the forces of Chaos slowly gain the advantage until only a handful of Cosmos’ champions remain. Included in their line-up are some of the greatest heroes from the entire Final Fantasy series. Each of the champions is set on a quest to recover a crystal (naturally) which can restore things to the status quo. The story mode follows each of our heroes who range from the likes of the Onion Knight, Tidus, Squall and Clout and their successive tasks. Each story is individual and more often than not has some subtle acknowledgement from the Final Fantasy game the character comes from all the way through to outright intertwining plots. Naturally the big boss you square up against in the end game is also the opposite from the RPG it came from – Cloud going toe to toe with Sephiroph for example. The story uses a grid like pattern where your chosen hero finds treasure, encounters random enemies and of course must get to the end zone to progress to the next level. As you battle your foes you’ll gain new equipment and experience. This allows you to upgrade your character with new weapons, attacks and abilities in a menu system which will be sure to delight any Final Fantasy fan, and confuse the heck out of anybody else.

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The fights are a colorful affair full of magic and interactive objects. It uses a 3D arena where you can lock onto your opponent and have at him with a mix of HP attacks and BRV attacks. The latter do little damage but steals the enemies BRV points and add them to your own – allowing you to pull off more powerful HP attacks in turn. Overall the fighting is not as in depth as a traditional fighting game such as Virtua Fighter – but there’s plenty of challenge to be found, especially when you go up against bosses. Overall the game plays out quite a lot like the classic Powerstone games of yesteryear. Of course you can ignore the story modes and just get straight into the fights with the arcade choice. This opens up all characters including the evil ones (who have to be purchased in story) to have at each other. You too can enjoy the pleasure of slaughtering the annoying brat Tidus over and over again. There’s no online multiplayer but there is the opportunity to a little local game if you happen to have a friend with a PSP and the game at hand.

SUMMARY

An enjoyable and surprisingly deep and long lasting fighting title with a ton of RPG elements thrown in for good measure. Final Fantasy fans will be overjoyed at the chance to play with their favorite characters in a new setting.

DID YOU KNOW?

Final Fantasy VIII is better than Final Fantasy VII – it’s a fact. Sorry Cloud fans.

DETAILS Genre / Fighting, RPG Publisher / SquareEnix Developer / SquareEnix Platform / PSP Released / Out now Website / http://na.square-enix.com/dissidia/ Players / 1 Rating / PG Price / $89.99 Writer / Nigel Clark

There’s enough RPG elements in the battle system to keep the role-players happy, and the fighting system is fresh enough that fighter fans will want to give it a shot

6/10/2009 12:16:53 p.m.

SoulCalibur Broken Destiny Soul Calibur never gets weary. And with Kratos, God of War in the mix, there’s even more reason to put your game face on and battle it out - portable style, of course.

SUMMARY

Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny is a fine piece of game development and a welcome addition to fighting games for the PSP. There hasn’t really been a fighting game for the PSP to rival Tekken: Dark Resurrection, that is, until now.

DID YOU KNOW?

One of the goals of Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny was to target less experienced gamers with an easier game to master. This is apparent with the addition of the ‘Gauntlet’ mode that aims to teach players the fundamental basics as well as strategies prominent in the Soul Calibur series.

DETAILS Genre / Action/Fighting Publisher / Namco Bandai Developer / Namco Bandai Platform / PSP Released / Out now Website / www.namcobandaigames.com/ Players / 1 Rating / PG Price / $69.99 Writer / Julie Gray

This game delivers on the visual pedigree previously established, and the incredible graphics almost singlehandedly make this a PSP classic

Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny for the PSP may seem like a long stretch. It’s true that some games should never be ported from a next-gen console but thankfully, Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny doesn’t share this fate. Everything may seem more compact but Broken Destiny doesn’t lose any of its stunning visuals, nor does it feel any less exciting being played on the PSP. The fundamental game elements that give every Soul Calibur game its authentic look and feel are thankfully, retained. The character selection and game dynamics right down to familiar combination moves all function seamlessly as if they would on the PS3. And the good news is that all 28 characters are playable in the game without having to endure arduous ‘unlocks’ that sometimes take up to hours at a time to complete. It’s nice just to be able to choose your favourite character and get stuck into the fighting as soon as you load the UMD. Game type variety is also well balanced with several different game modes to choose from including battle favourite ‘Quick Match’ where you choose your opponent for each battle, Gauntlet in which takes you on a journey where you must fight opponents along the way and Versus mode where you must face-off against other players. Gauntlet mode is particularly great for newcomers where you can learn all the basic movements and fighting strategies often employed in Soul Calibur fighting games. With each new opponent comes a new arena (just like Soul Calibur IV) and this is ultimately, where the game (and the hardware) really shines. It never ceases to amaze me how smooth

and vivid the graphics are delivered. It’s difficult to take in the fact that you’re playing on a handheld when the animation seems so fluid and the clarity of the animation pristine. The voice acting is also exceptionally cast and you’ll notice some rather comical dialogue being delivered from the characters, bringing out the uniqueness of each character. As a fighting game, Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny is rather enjoyable played solo but is a much better experience and a whole lot more fun when played against a real opponent. Unfortunately, Broken Destiny doesn’t feature online play (or the game share option available in Tekken: Dark Ressurection) but there is the option to play against other players locally (requiring that each player owns their own copy of the game).

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28/09/2009 2:03:48 p.m.

Watchmen: The End is Nigh If the graphic novel and movie weren’t enough to feed your Watchmen frenzy, now you can beat up bad guys to your heart’s content as Rorschach and Nite Owl. The Watchmen brand has been a pretty big deal ever since the movie released. So it’s interesting to see how well a video game version of the movie (originally adapted from the graphic novel) will play. As long as you like an endless cycle of bad guys coming at you to beat up in inventive and interesting ways, you’ll enjoy Watchmen: The End is Nigh. You get to play as either Nite Owl or Rorschach each with their own unique abilities and combination moves. It’s a bit of a let down that they’re the only two playable characters in the game. You also get to choose from two ‘chapters’ (Part 1 and Part II) and you play through each chapter completing mini-missions with your partner and beating up anyone that gets in the way. Eventually, you’ll acquire a list of combination moves as you progress which you can then use in sequences, much like

any other fighting game. And therein lies the problem with Watchmen: The End is Nigh. There’s very little deviation from the linear gameplay which soon becomes quite repetitious. Again, repetition doesn’t necessarily mean boring or bad but there really isn’t a lot to keep you interested once you’ve mastered most of the attacks and combinations. Playing with a partner (via local co-op play) is a lot more fun than playing with AI. There are no online coop modes. The voice acting is great which is to be expected as the actors who played Nite Owl (Patrick Wilson) and Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) in the movie also do the voices for their characters in the game. Visually, the game just doesn’t pop out at you although the comic book cut-scenes and cinematics are nice additions.

SUMMARY

Watchmen: The End is Nigh might be a nice companion to the movie and graphic novels but is more a game for Watchmen fans rather than gamers who like fighting games.

DID YOU KNOW?

Watchmen: The End is Nigh was created as a prequel to the film adaptation of the Watchmen graphic novel and was originally announced as a downloadable game in two parts for the Xbox 360, PC and PS3.

DETAILS Genre / Action/Fighting Publisher / Warner Bros. Interactive Developer / Deadline Games Platform / PS3, Xbox 360, PC Released / Out now Website / www.watchmenvideogame.com Players / 1 or 2 local co-op Rating / M Price / $59.99 Writer / Julie Gray

GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra The G.I Joe cartoon series was extremely popular back in the 80s, with so many different memorable characters. The new G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra game lets you play as 16 different characters including Cobra members. Despite the assortment of colourful characters that can be controlled, the game suffers from the age old movie-to-game issues. I’m thinking you’re probably already aware of how this review is going to go. After all this is a tween targeted third person action game based on the movie of the same name which played recently in movie theatres. Could this be a guaranteed recipe for success you ask? Well, no... in fact G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra has joined the towering stack of games that were released to coincide with a movie that manage to suck horribly. With barely a plot to speak of your missions involve picking a load out of two Joe’s and moving through a linear path shooting at anything that moves, and most things that don’t. There’s an attempt at a Gears of War cover type mechanic, which is rendered all but useless by the fact that even the bulkiest metal object seems to shimmer and disappear after being hit enough. Not to worry though, the simplicity of this game knows no bounds and so long as you’re constantly moving your hapless

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enemies don’t have a chance of killing you. The main gripe about the game is the shocking camera which you have next to no control over. Instead with a life of it’s own it struggles to keep up with your movements and often leaves nearby enemies unforgivably off screen – this is particularly bad during indoor sections of the game. That aside the game is just plain boring – walk, keep up a constant stream of bullets and occasionally use some sort of boosting superpower which is all but pointless considering Cobra’s, as seemingly the world’s most inept super criminals do their best to run into your targets. The game can also be played in co-operative mode. That said if you try this with a friend I’m pretty sure that they will never forgive you. At times, this feels as if it should be a downloadable title, rather than a full retail game, due to how simple and brainless the experience really is.

SUMMARY

If you must have G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra at least pick it out of the bargain bin where its home will surely be soon enough.

DID YOU KNOW?

G.I Joe figurines tend to be molded on made up characters. But Hasbro has on many occasions molded special edition figures honouring the likes of Colin Powell, Theodore Roosevelt and John F Kennedy.

DETAILS Genre / Multiplatform Publisher / Electronic Arts Developer / EA Games Platform / Multiplatform Released / Out now Website / http://gijoe.ea.com/home.action Players / 1 Rating / PG Price / $99.99 Writer / Nigel Clark

28/09/2009 2:04:25 p.m.

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28/7/09 1:12:13 PM 28/09/2009 2:05:12 p.m.

IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey Already an established hit on PC, the Il-2 Sturmovik series now makes its debut on console and it’s business as usual for this quality WW2 flight sim. Named after a Soviet ground-attack fighter (apparently, the most commonly produced plane during the war), IL-2 Sturmovik’s reputation is a strong one. It’s graphically excellent, with backgrounds and landscapes based on period photos and footage, easy to pick up and play, and tough to master. Accordingly, fans of the genre will already be salivating over this spot-on console translation, its backgrounds, the vast number of missions across six different “theatres of war”, the “all new damage effects engine”, the opportunity to pilot 40 planes, the chance to pull off Immelmans and barrel rolls, etc. Conversely, anyone who’s never seen the point of a flight sim won’t be converted. They might take some initial pleasure in throwing a Spitfire around the sky over 1940s Kent but that will pall by the third or fourth virtually identical challenge and the initially amusing “Sausage Fleet over the Briny” style radio chatter of this stage is also likely to grate.

However, you certainly have to admire the depth of the game and its sense of history. Successful completion of challenges unlocks archive footage, and the game itself moves from the Battle of Britain to the Battle of Berlin, via the Battle of Stalingrad, the Allied invasion of Sicily, the Korsun Pocket and the Battle of the Bulge. Yes, the missions within these “theatres” can feel samey but mastery of the different planes takes time and effort. As a result, finally taking out a fast moving German plane in a dogfight is extremely satisfying. The online game will also win over a few people. Collaborative missions take on a new depth when you actually know your fellow pilots, and seriously, who could resist a little gamer-to-gamer dogfight action? Those who loathe flight sims need not apply and fans have no doubt already got it on pre-order. It’s the neutrals that matter here then, and Birds of Prey certainly provides enough challenge to keep them happy for several hours.

SUMMARY

IL2 has been adapted to console beautifully, and is a rich and action packed simulator that gives a great realistic experience.

DID YOU KNOW?

Among the pilots who gained fame flying the Il-2 was Senior Lieutenant Anna Yegorova, who flew 260 missions. She was decorated three times, the last “posthumously”, as she was presumed dead after being shot down. In fact, she managed to survive imprisonment in a German concentration camp.

DETAILS Genre / Simulator Publisher / 1C Publishing Developer / Gaijin Entertainment Platform / PS3. Xbox 360, PSP, DS Released / Out now Website / www.il2game.com Players / 1 Rating / TBA Price / $109.99 Writer / Ken Oathe

Shadow Complex He just happens to be Special Forces trained, and when his new girlfriend is captured he suddenly finds himself engaged in a plot which could lead to the destruction of the United States as we know it and a New World Order. SUMMARY

Shadow Complex has managed to become one of the best titles for Xbox Live Arcade and it does so by shamelessly taking inspiration from one of the best classic games of all time – Super Metroid. That’s not my opinion either – the developers are more than open about their love of the latter title. Our game however instead of being based on a super bounty hunter far far in the future is more or less based in modern times in a Universe created by author Orson Scott Card in his novels Empire and Hidden Empire. In this setting Shadow Complex acts as a prequel of sorts. The story starts off with our hero Jason Flemming going camping with his new girlfriend Claire. In no time at all she’s kidnapped and while he attempts to rescue her discovers no less than a huge underground secret base full of high tech gear and an army with devious plans of causing a civil war in the United States with the ultimate aim of taking over them-

selves…for the benefit of humanity of course. Game play is 2.5D. Basically while Jason is limited to side scrolling movement, enemies can appear from a 3D angle – while leads to one of the game’s few flaws, sometimes awkward shooting. That aside though the action is more than satisfying and there’s plenty of ground to cover. As Jason progresses he’ll gain access to all more powerful weaponry, abilities through an armored suit and unique items such as a foam gun which allows him to create artificial bridges and get past certain doors. While the game itself can be completed in a few short hours, the devs have done a great job of encouraging plenty of re-playability. Early areas have sealed off locations which can only be access through latter game abilities. While the achievements have some pretty harsh challenges such as completing the game while only collecting 13% of the objects.

A bargain at the XBLA points you can get it for. Shadow Complex is full of action, satisfying platform elements and gorgeous graphics. A must buy for any platform adventurers out there.

DID YOU KNOW?

Orson Scott Card’s openly anti-gay comments led to an attempted boycott of Shadow Complex. It didn’t do so well though with the game breaking sales records for Xbox Live by selling 200,000 copies in its opening week.

DETAILS Genre / Simulator Publisher / Microsoft Game Studios Developer / Chair Entertainment/Epic Games Platform / Xbox Live Arcade Released / Out now Website / http://www.xbox.com Players / 1 Rating / Teen Price / 800 Microsoft Points Writer / Nigel Clark

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28/09/2009 2:06:18 p.m.

released this month

All Star Cheerleaders

Fable 2: Game of the Year Edition

Helldorado

THQ / Wii

Microsoft / Xbox 360

Spellbound / PC

It’s definitely pretty niche in its appeal, but for the most part All Star Cheer Squad does well at what it’s trying to achieve. Initially you might think you’ve walked into one of the Bring It On movies, complete with snooty Cheerleaders that put you through your paces in order to make the squad. These tryouts basically serve as a tutorial. The gameplay plays out similar to other rhythm style games, with a meter at the bottom of the screen that scrolls with the various moves you’re supposed to make.

Set around 500 years after the original, Fable 2 offers even more choices and features, while building on the core gameplay theme of Fable where every choice continually defines who you become, allowing you to truly live the life you choose by adding incredible new features and creating a wider, more complex kingdom of limitless choices. Players will have the option to play as a man or woman, get married, have children, and live a life of their own design -- all leading to different destinies.

Helldorado is not strictly a shooter but more of a tactical action & strategy game. It continues on from where Western Commando ended but also offers a well balanced and self-contained story for those who didn’t play those games at all. The cover image is a little misleading. It depicts a gunfighter facing down a large posse that approaches on horseback, but the actual gameplay features a large stealth and strategic element so don’t expect to ride into town with all guns blazing.

Cabela’s Outdoor Adventures 2010

ATV Quad Kings

THQ/ PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS

Activision Blizzard / Wii

Zoo Games / Wii

Every good Pixar flick is followed by a tsunami of merchandising which includes an obligatory game release. Predictably this is aimed squarely at the very young – what parents need to know is that this generally kidfriendly game features mild violence such as using weapons (like golf clubs) to thump the heck out of cartoon animals and insects. Apart from a little bright green blood spatter it’s all pretty tame stuff. In aerial combat, players are tasked with shooting down planes that simply disappear in puffs of smoke.

Cabela’s Outdoor Adventures provides you with the hunting & fishing expedition of a lifetime with 22 outdoor adventures across the globe. Fly, float and trek from Utah to Mexico, and even here to little ole’ New Zealand in search of 10 different species of trophy bucks or stop off and angle for the local species of fish. You’ll also have the opportunity to hunt 11 species of both big game and small game. Your Cabela’s Guide introduces each true-to-life outdoor adventure where stealth, strategy and technique are of the utmost importance.

Four-wheel fanatics can now head to nine locations around the world for frenzied, trick-filled races in ATV Quad Kings. Each quad bike and dune buggy comes with different attributes and money earned from races can be used to further customise the vehicles. Soil, grass, standing water, and rain affect the racing conditions on each course, and four difficulty levels provide a challenge for racers of all skill levels. Players can compete in exciting two-player head-to-head action available in the Arcade and Freestyle modes.

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28/09/2009 2:07:02 p.m.

HALO 3 ODST (XBOX 360) Halo 3: ODST is a standalone expansion for the firstperson shooter video game Halo 3. Players assume the roles of elite human United Nations Space Command soldiers known as Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODSTs) during the events of Halo 2 and Halo 3. Microsoft has kindly provided us with 2 copies to give away. So get your answers in to us today! What do the letters ODST stand for? A) ORANGE DRINK SPILLAGE TRAY B) ONLINE DIGITAL SHEEP TRIMMER C) ORBITAL DROP SHOCK TROOPER

Supercar Challenge System 3 / PlayStation 3

Supercar Challenge genuinely feels like a racing simulation. The handling feels authentic in that it’s totally unforgiving - if you’re late on the brakes going into a corner you will end up in the weeds very quickly. Even the slightest error in choosing a racing line can add seconds to your lap times. It might be possible in the coming months to find a racing game that is more fun, but if you want unapologetic realism and simulation then Supercar Challenge is a game you should be considering.

NEED FOR SPEED SHIFT (PS3) NFS Shift offers the true drivers experience via simulation physics, unique visual effects and the creative leadership of a real world race driver. We have 3 PS3 copies to giveaway - to enter the draw all you have to do is answer the following question… What was the title of last year’s NFS release? A) NEED FOR SPEED UNDERTAKER B) NEED FOR SPEED UNDERPANTS C) NEED FOR SPEED UNDERCOVER

AION (PC) Aion is a visually stunning MMORPG where your character wields devastating powers and sweeping wings to explore a celestial world. We have 3 copies up for grabs so get your answers in to us now and get in the draw. Who is the publisher of Aion? A) SEGA B) ACME C) NCSOFT

Bubble Bobble Neo Taito / XBLA

Taito’s 1986 action classic returns as a hi-def XBLA game. Based on their long running arcade game, Bubble Bobble Neo sees players having to encase enemies in bubbles as either the bubble-spitting dragon Bub, or his reptilian accomplice Bob. Priced to move, at 800 Microsoft pesos, the game comes with a variety of multiplayer options, including offline co-op play for up to 4 players. There’s also a recreation of the original game with 100 rounds in Classic Mode that certainly holds some nostalgic value for those who can remember back that far.

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How to Enter Write the correct answer, your name and contact details in an e-mail and send it in. All correct entries immediately go into the draw. This month’s winners will be drawn October 15th, 2009. No entries will be accepted after that date; please refrain from flooding our e-mail or you’ll be excluded from this and future draws. Send e-mail entries to: competitions@tenthplanet.co.nz

30/09/2009 12:21:51 p.m.

NOW SHOWING

FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS: SEASON 2 STARRING / Bret McKenzie, Jemaine Clement, Rhys Darby, Kristen Schaal, Arj Barker CREATOR / James Bobin, Jemaine Clement RATING / M RUNNING TIME / Season 2 STUDIO / Warner Bros RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Adrian Hatwell

Bret and Jemaine pulled off quite the coup in turning their not particularly clever stand-up act into an imminently watchable, if intolerably hip, television comedy. For a brief first season the comedians’ deadpan non-personalities and ridiculous spontaneous musical acts mingled charmingly, but the one-note show starts to drag with its second season. In an uncharacteristic display of continuity the season picks up in the wake of Manager Murray moving on to a more successful band, leaving Bret and Jemaine to continue on their bumbling path alone. Of course it’s not long until the central trio are back together and the show begins it repetitious cycle once more; the struggling rockers go from one awkward social situation to the next, rhapsodising about their dilemmas in infections

tunes and stammering monosyllabically outside of the music vids. There’s no denying the duo’s musical ability, their satirising songs leapfrog from genre to genre - soul, hip-hop, dance, opera, cock rock – with their idiotic lyrics neatly countering their technical proficiency. The same can’t really be said about their acting ability, though that may well be because of the limited range these dopy, inexpressive characters allow the actors to showcase. The simpering, boho, man-child act was a cute diversion between musical numbers for a few episodes, but by close of Season Two it has gotten well and truly stale. It was nice to see the Conchord lads doing so well in America (especially after getting turned down for television funding locally several times), but it is probably time for the pair to leave these particular personas behind, at least for a spell. Their talent is obvious, it would be a terrible shame for it to end up pigeonholed in Topp Twins-esque pantomime. The season finishes in a manner that could easily signal the show’s end and (despite network interest in a third chapter) that would probably be for the best. It’s time for the Conchords to spread their wings.

ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO STARRING / Elizabeth Banks, Seth Rogen, Craig Robinson, Jason Mewes, Traci Lords DIRECTOR / Kevin Smith RATING / 18 RUNNING TIME / 92 minutes STUDIO / Roadshow RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Adrian Hatwell

Kevin Smith, profane voice of the slacker generation, takes his second shot at producing a film outside of the ‘Askewniverse’ (consisting of films like Clerks, Dogma, and Chasing Amy), which made him a hipster icon. His first attempt, Jersey Girl, didn’t go down so well with his fratish contingent, but the schmaltz of new fatherhood must be forgiven, and Zack and Miri sees the director on much firmer, stickier, panting, undulating ground. Zack and Miri are long time best friends slumming it on poverty row, working dead end jobs to keep the rent up, or not as the case ends up being. Faced with eviction the desperate pair concocts a plan to remedy their financial strife after unwittingly becoming a YouTube phenomenon; they will harness the pervert power of the Internet and produce a successful porn film. This will, of course require the platonic BFFs to do the nasty on camera, which they’re happy to do in a detached way for money, as they have no romantic feelings for each other at all. The light film never makes any secret of where all this is heading, but as they say it’s the journey, not the destination. And this particular journey is littered with the iconic reprobates that Smith’s films are beloved

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for; porn stars, angry black guys, wise-ass layabouts, crass idiots, and, of course, Jason “Jay” Mewes. While the director might have been better off leaving his old friends-turned-actors behind with their old roles, for the most part the supporting talent get their laughs. The biggest difficulty is accepting the leads. Borrowing from Judd Apatow’s bag of hit-making tricks, Smith casts chubby schlub Seth Rogen as Zack, and while he’s an accomplished funny man, to be sure, it’s hard to divorce him from the cavalcade of one-dimensional losers he’s become known for. Elizabeth Banks is one

UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS STARRING / Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra, David Ashton, Geraldine Brophy DIRECTOR / Patrick Tatopoulos RATING / R16 RUNNING TIME / 89 minutes STUDIO / Sony Pictures RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Adrian Hatwell

Vampires fighting werewolves, it shouldn’t be that hard, but somehow the Underworld films have always missed their mark with the two battling mythologies. A smug slickness and techno-sheen that becomes neither ghoulish legacy is largely at fault in the first two instalments, and a Dark Ages prequel seemed the perfect opportunity to take things in the grubbier, old-world direction that the premise needed to go. Alas, it was not to be. A silly origin story of the centuriesold blood feud between Vampires and Lycans sees a relatively solid cast reduced to maudlin character interactions and uninspired fight scenes that blend boringly into each other. The film opens by explaining how the Lycan’s came to be, a slave race created by the cruel Vampire overlord Viktor from the blood of captive human-werewolf bastard Lucien. As any decent underclass tends to, the Lycan’s eventually revolt against their vampire masters, lead by an oiled-up Lucien, kicking off the events that will, some thousand years later, inform the first two Underworld tales. Complicating things is the star-crossed love of Lucien and Vampire heiress Sonja, Viktor’s fetching daughter. Lucien wants them to do more as a couple, such as joining his insurrection, but she’s got daddy issues of the highest order and isn’t ready to flee the family coffin. Eventually pappy learns that she’s up the duff with a werebaby and coldly has her killed in a sunlight crucifixion. If you enjoyed the adrenaline-infused world of the previous Underworld films then this chance to uncover a bit of history behind the myths might seem appealing, but keep those expectations low. The events that sparked such an epic conflict should echo with operatic grandeur, but this tale is decidedly small-time, an afterthought solely birthed to prolong the franchise.

of those rare Hollywood talents whose comedy chops match her beauty, which actually works against the Miri character as we’re supposed to see her as a nominally average girl who would go for a guy like Rogen, requiring a suspension of disbelief that Knocked Up already stretched beyond limit. A funny enough romp that mostly manages to balance its nasty habits with earnest sweetness, but certainly not Smith back to firing on all cylinders yet. The film is missing that indie-spark ennui that first signalled Smith as a man with something to say.

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FAST & FURIOUS STARRING / Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Liza Lapira DIRECTOR / Justin Lin RATING / M RUNNING TIME / 107 minutes STUDIO / Universal Pictures RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Adrian Hatwell

For a numbingly straightforward action series The Fast & the Furious series has certainly opted for a convoluted naming scheme. This latest release, not a remake as the name suggests at a glace (proper scrutiny will reveal those pesky ‘the’s of the original title have been buffed right out), but instead the film slots in as a prequel to Tokyo Drift making it the third in the series. I think. The exact chronology will matter to very few, I’m sure. If you’re still on board with these auto-porn racer flicks it’s certainly not for the epically spun narrative. No, these feature-length hip-hop videos make no attempt to disguise their nature as male power fantasies filled with heaving muscle cars and writhing booty babes. This is

WEEDS: SEASON 3 STARRING / Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, Justin Kirk, Kevin Nealon, Hunter Parrish CREATOR / Jenji Kohan RATING / R16 RUNNING TIME / Season 3 STUDIO / Sony Pictures RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Adrian Hatwell

While I find the benefits of watching TV shows on DVD infinitely more appealing than being slave to scheduling and advertisements, there is a rather serious drawback common to certain types of show; the season finale cliff-hanger. Waiting for a new season to start up on television can be agonising, but waiting for that season to wrap up before a DVD set can be assembled and hopefully make it to our inconsistent shores is damn

the fourth go around the track; we ought to know what we’re in for, and if anyone is still walking out disappointed I suggest the problem doesn’t lie with the film. This being the first time both leads have jumped back into the driver’s seat since the original flick, Fast & Furious has more claim to genuine sequel authority than mere spin-off as outlaw Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and confused copper Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) once more find themselves facing-off and teaming-up in the name of revenge, justice, and general macho posing. Still, even for a film that is all testosterone and motor oil there are certain standards of compliance, the plot can be thin and the acting basic, but the film still needs the juice where it counts. In that respect Fast & Furious is well put together on a visual effects level, though returning director Justin Lin doesn’t seem to have learnt much from his disorienting stint on Tokyo, the ability to comprehend simple special elements, such as what is happening and to whom, in many of the action scenes is almost impossible. The flick is what it says it is, both fast and furious. Just don’t go asking for anything more than that.

near intolerable. Especially when the show is as good as Weeds. Season Two left us hanging in a big way as suburban mum turned local pot-slinger, Nancy Botwin, found herself between a gun-toting gangster rock and Armenian thug hard place with no foreseeable exit. Season Three kicks off its sinister slope deeper down the rabbit hole with Nancy more or less abandoning all pretences to her old life and becoming irrevocably enmeshed in the dangerous criminal underworld. It all sounds rather dark, and it is – there’s murder, and heroin, and arson – but the show nevertheless remains a remarkably sharp comedy. While the phenomenal Mary-Louise Parker carries the show on the shoulders of sexy, charismatic, intriguing Nancy, her supporting cast keep the more light-hearted, puerile shenanigans rolling. Inept brother-in-law Andy’s stint as a rather

KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER: THE COMPLETE TELEVISION SERIES STARRING / Darren McGavin, Simon Oakland, Phil Silvers, Bernie Kopell, Jim Backus, Carolyn Jones CREATOR / Jeffrey Grant Rice RATING / PG RUNNING TIME / The Complete Series STUDIO / Madman RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Adrian Hatwell

Madman Entertainment has done horror junkies a real service in revisiting the 70’s television thriller Kolchak with this lovely DVD set. A precursor to almost every supernaturally tinged television show we know, from the X-Files to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Kolchak has undeservedly slipped into obscurity and it’s about time a new generation were allowed to rediscover this campy gem. The result of a couple of successful made-for-TV movies, The Night Stalker series sees hard case newsman Carl Kulchak pursuing one unholy beastie or other each week, forever butting heads with a disbelieving editor, and regularly becoming the target of the various paranormal nasties he seeks to reveal. Vampires, aliens, werewolves, the undead - no monster was safe from the probing mind and bumbling physicality of Carl Kolchak. The show has certainly dated, but its predictable villainof-the-week structure and at times laughably bad monster costumes only serve to make the rambunctious show all the more endearing. Single-handedly holding the show together is Kulchak himself. The unfairly forgotten acting veteran Darren McGavin imbues his protagonist with such world-weary energy and cynical wit that one can easily sit through any number of stapled together wolf-man costumes or gimpy zombie staggers just to see how the hangdog reporter will fluke his way through once again. The show only ran for a single season, and clocking in at 20 episodes that’s probably a good thing, technical quaintness will only get you so far before things start to drag. It’s a shame that the preceding two films aren’t more readily available as the format is likely a lot more crisp at feature length; fingers crossed this isn’t the end of Kolchak’s DVD resurrection.

niche fetish porn performer, and incorrigible attorney Doug’s Grand Theft Religious Paraphernalia are both hilarious high lights. The show keeps up its unbelievably good musical track record as well, with the best use of non-score tracks in a television show that I can recall, making the excellent character moments all the more memorable. The show’s willingness to alter fundamental elements for the sake of upping the stakes keeps every episode fresh and unpredictable, and the extremely satisfying season finale looks set to take the show in an entirely new direction again. Weeds is as potent as ever, damn the wait until the next season is released.

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JERUSALEMA STARRING / Daniel Buckland, Robert Hobbs, Eugene Khumbanyiwa, Motlatsi Mahloko, Jafta Mamabolo DIRECTOR / Ralph Ziman RATING / MA RUNNING TIME / 120 minutes STUDIO / Madman RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Adrian Hatwell

It’s all too rare that a cinematic vision of Africa, by Africans, makes it to Western shores but underdog crime story Jerusalema appropriates just enough familiar Hollywood storytelling mechanics to make it’s often brutal tale accessible to hegemonic viewers without losing its claim to authenticity. Apparently based on true events, the story tracks the life of gangster Lucky Kunene, just a teen when President Mandela oversaw the end of Apartheid. While it was a momentous time for Lucky and his people the determined youth soon realised that this new freedom didn’t necessary amount to equality, and when his plans to attend university are dashed by scholarship rejection he turns his efforts to gaining power outside the law.

In his narration Lucky tells us of his two heroes, Al Capone and Karl Marx, a duo that don’t exactly sit easily together but, in a strange way, both end up embodied by Lucky’s gradual rise to power and infamy. After getting in too deep in his hometown Lucky cuts and runs to the city where he attempts to go legit, running a taxi service in the ghettos of Hillbrow. This ends badly when he falls victim to the crime so typical of his poor neighbourhood, and it’s then that he decides to step into both Marx’ and Capone’s shoes; to improve the lives of the poor black underclass, and to make himself filthy rich in the process. Lucky’s criminal empire, built upon commandeering high-rise apartment blocks that have been left to rot by their white slumlords, fixing them up, and then appropriating the grateful citizen’s rent for himself, soon attracts the attention of the crooked and violent law, and the would-be entrepreneur looks set to meet the same fate that befell both of his heroes. The familiar trajectory of the narrative should help audiences through the more difficult scenes of violence and vice endemic to modern South Africa, with topnotch acting and a catchy local soundtrack finishing off a very polished presentation.

TRANSPORTER 3 STARRING / Jason Statham, Natalya Rudakova, Francois Berleand, Robert Knepper DIRECTOR / Olivier Megaton RATING / M RUNNING TIME / 104 minutes STUDIO / Sony Pictures RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Julie Gray

I’m a fan of Jason Statham simply because he’s good at playing the high-kicking, gun-toting types. So Transporter 3 really should be no problem for Mr Statham, just another movie to take in his very flexible stride. As it turns out, Transporter 3 is merely a diluted and dare-I-say-it, poor continuation of the original movie. It’s one of those flicks that has the action (thanks to Jason Statham’s incredible physicality and some decent directing) but lacks soul. The fi rst Transporter movie really kicked ass. I loved it! The second movie, whilst not as good as the fi rst, still had the juice to keep you up in your seat, staring in wonder as Statham takes out the bad buys with swift and deadly precision. Transporter 3 had very little juice and didn’t really add anything at all to Frank Martin’s storyline. And although I’m also a fan of Luc Besson, I’m beginning to see a weird pattern emerging in the types of women that are being cast in his movies. European (heavy on the accents) with

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short-cropped hair, long legs and an overwhelming weakness for dangerous men. Oh and makeup artists that use way too much eyeliner! Simply put, if you’re a fan of the Transporter movies, you’re probably going to buy this for the Statham factor alone, which is fair enough. But if you’re looking for an action flick with substance, or even something that will last the distance and keep you entertained for the full duration, Transporter 3 probably won’t fit the bill.

PASSENGERS STARRING / Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson, Andre Braugher, Dianne Wiest, David Morse DIRECTOR / Rodrigo Garcìa RATING / M RUNNING TIME / 93 minutes STUDIO / Roadshow RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Julie Gray

Passengers is about a psychiatrist named Claire Summers (played by Anne Hathaway) who is brought in by her mentor to assist with the survivors of a horrific plane crash. Enter handsome (and in denial) bachelor Eric Clark (Patrick Wilson) who seems to attract more than his fair share of the psychiatrist’s time. Eventually, their relationship goes beyond the professional scope of Claire’s brief. The plot takes a weird and intriguing turn when a stranger starts following Claire’s patients and showing up randomly at group therapy sessions. Claire is then told by one of her patients that he thinks the airline is somehow behind it all which Claire doesn’t entirely dismiss. After discussing some of her fi ndings with Arkin (played by David Morse) who represents the airline, Claire receives a less than cordial response. One by one the suviving passengers of the crash start to disappear and Claire suddenly fi nds herself questioning everything, including her mentor’s advice and her own intuition. Caught up in her deepening relationship with Eric, Claire finds her life becoming more and more complex. After an unwelcome and threatening visit from Arkin, Claire pushes aside her focus on the patients and instead, attempts to unravel the truth behind the plane crash. The plot for Passengers is relatively entertaining and Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson and David Morse deliver strong performances. But unfortunately the epic ‘twist’ in the plot seems to arrive way too late in the story and therefore, doesn’t really deliver the impact it should.

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BOSTON LEGAL: SEASON 5 STARRING / James Spader, John Larroquette, Tara Summers, Candice Bergen, William Shatner CREATOR / David E. Kelley RATING / PG RUNNING TIME / Season 5 STUDIO / 20th Century Fox RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Adrian Hatwell

Boston Legal comes to a close in its fifth season, certainly not a bad tenure for a spin-off but definitely past time for the rapidly deteriorating show to bow out. Starting off as a less edgy, lighter version of its parent show, The Practice, Boston Legal had in later seasons dropped all pretence to seriousness and entered a nosedive of absurdity and smug self-awareness. The show’s final season has the last word on the friendship of slimy attorney superstars Denny Crane and Alan Shore, a friendship that has carried the show from day one. An outrageous William Shatner imbues the deplorable Denny Crane with almost enough vulnerability to be tolerated, and James Spader plays Shore as a tubby, self-righteous crusader whose intellect is only ever trumped by his perversions.

HOW THE WEST WAS WON: SPECIAL EDITION STARRING / Carroll Baker, Lee J. Cobb, Henry Fonda, Karl Malden, Gregory Peck DIRECTOR / John Ford RATING / PG RUNNING TIME / 162 minutes STUDIO / Warner Bros RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Adrian Hatwell

While many of their names may have lost their prestige to time, those that know can’t help but be impressed by the sheer star power of How the West Was Won; Henry Fonda, Gregory Peck, Debbie Reynolds, James Steward, John Wayne, Carroll Baker, Richard Widmark – there’s no modern day equivalent. Add to that list the assemblage of three fine directors, John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall,

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Together the pair make for an amusing diversion but, after five seasons, would surely have been better suited to supporting roles. In this concluding season the rest of the cast has been reduced to its most ridiculous iteration yet. The show never misses an opportunity to insist Candice Bergen’s Shirley Schmidt was the most attractive geriatric you’ve ever laid eyes on; John Larroquette stands around doing very little as Carl Sack; Christian Clemenson’s Jerry Espenson has likely made life thoroughly miserable for anyone actually suffering from Asperger syndrome; and Tara Summers is eminently forgettable as British foil Katie Lloyd. Season Five, like all those before it, tackles the usual array of political issues with it’s characteristic liberal bias; big tobacco, big pharmaceutical, private prisons, military issues, the supreme court, and the presidential election all get a thorough Boston Legal roasting this time around. While its characters may have devolved into twodimensional ciphers the show could never be accused of having nothing to say, almost to the point of propaganda. Even in its declining years Boston Legal still had more guts than any other sitcom currently still kicking.

each heading their own segments (though, honestly, it’s hard to pick who did what without help from the credits), and this epic Western classic makes for one of the most intriguingly bloated projects of all time. The film starts off following the Prescott family whose ‘rock farming’ venture wasn’t going so well back east, and so they decide to try their luck travelling to the frontier. Eldest daughter Eve (Baker) falls for a rugged fur trapper (Stewart) who, after a little run in with pirates, decides to give up his wild ways and settle down on the farm. Younger sibling Lily (Reynolds) eventually falls under the charms of a wayfaring gambler (Peck). The narrative continues on through the years, winding its way to a Civil War segment, the birth of the railway, and an epic train robbery. All classic Western carryon played by some of the most iconic in the business. As if the films abundance of players didn’t make it singular enough it was also shot via the bizarre

WITHNAIL & I STARRING / Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann, Richard Griffiths, Ralph Brown, Daragh O’Malley DIRECTOR / Bruce Robinson RATING / M RUNNING TIME / 107 minutes STUDIO / Vendetta Films RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Adrian Hatwell

Long unavailable in DVD format on these fair shores for no particularly good reason, Vendetta Films have been kind enough to return this British cult comedy to its rightful place in the more esoteric of DVD libraries. With no budget, a terribly clever script, talented young actors, and that uniquely British deadpan nastiness, fi lmmaker Bruce Robinson created one of the most imminently quotable indie fi lms of the 80’s. Following the booze-soaked, drug addled misadventures of a pair of out of work actors, the fi lm wobbles about a lovingly recreated 1969 London, swearing belligerently at passers by and occasionally vomiting on its own shoes. Withnail and Marwood are ‘resting’ thespians that are quickly becoming dissatisfi ed with their squalid city life. With alcohol stores dwindling and no ready source of cash to remedy their comedown the pair decide to take off to rural Penrith for a little pastoral restoration. Unfortunately their rudimentary survival skills aren’t all that refi ned and the locals prove to be a tad more eccentric than the washed-out city boys are ready to handle. The film’s plot is certainly thin on the ground, by about the half way mark, when the rotund Uncle Monty sets his lecherous sights on a despairing Marwood, the story is essentially finished. The film trucks on regardless, in order to give its two malcontents plenty of room to finish up their ever-so whip smart bantering. It’s always a pleasure to watch a pitch-perfect Richard E. Grant and downbeat Paul McGann shoot their hilarious one-liners back and forth. It has, over the years, become less a pleasure to hear those same lines quoted ad nauseum by legions of smug uni students, however. Withnail & I is considered a cult classic for good reason, especially in those circles that still hold up booze, cigarettes, and drugs as a viable religious choice; its status might be a little overblown for what it ultimately is, but the film nevertheless remains essential viewing.

Cinerama widescreen process; a novel technique by which three projectors work in tandem to screen an absurdly long 3-strip image. Happily the DVD format restores work to remove the annoying vertical lines that initially separated the three screens. Even with the letterbox ratio cranked to its fullest, there’s still clearly a fair amount of picture missing, though this does nothing to diminish the experience’s profound strangeness.

STARRING / Kevin Murphy, Jim Mallon, Trace Beaulieu, Michael J. Nelson (Voices) DIRECTOR / Joel Hodgson RATING / M RUNNING TIME / 97 minutes STUDIO / Independent RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Adrian Hatwell

MST3K, as it is known by the cool kids, was a cult sci-fi comedy show that managed to amass quite a following, despite its rather niche appeal, but never really proliferated over this side of the world. Our first real taste comes in the form of this 20th anniversary set, which offers a slender sampling of four episodes from the show’s 10-season tenure. The plot, in as much as there is one, revolves around a host who has been trapped on a satellite by evil scientists who force their victim to watch some of the worst films ever produced as an experiment in mind control. In order to combat the effects the man builds two sentient robot friends who then join him in the audience, cracking jokes and mercilessly mocking the episode’s featured film.

Sure, it doesn’t sound like much, the main thrust of the program boils down to three silhouettes talking throughout an old film, but the quality of the heckling (or ‘riffing’ as it became known) is what makes the show so beloved. The first episode, First Spaceship to Venus from Season Two, is easily the weakest offering of the set. While the ridiculous sci-fi film is ripe for mockery the gags just don’t come thick and fast enough, becoming more interruptions rather than the main event. The later episodes, also accompanied by a new host, are much better examples of the MST3K style as art form. Laserblast, Werewolf, and Future War are all thoroughly lambasted with rapid-fire quips and whip smart pop culture references that still seem as fresh as they probably did at first broadcast.

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The set doesn’t actually claim that the four episodes here represent the best of what the show had to offer, but with some 190 episodes to choose from you wouldn’t think it would be hard to assemble four that really knocked it out of the park. Even so, the DVD set makes for a nice primer on the bygone phenomenon; hopefully those that enjoy the taste will have further DVD sets to look forward to in the future.

WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE A re-release of the suburban nightmare classic, Welcome to the Dollhouse was the film that put director Todd Solondz’s on the indie filmmaking map. A lovely, depressing look at the ugly side of cookiecutter suburbia featuring one of the greatest modern outcast characters, Dawn Wiener.

REVANCHE A bold Austrian crime flick, Revanche is a darkly gripping meditation on fate and revenge. When a plan to rob a bank to start a new life with his girlfriend is botched, petty crook Alex is forced to lie low in a rural village, which just happens to be the home of the cop who foiled his heist and shot his girl.

MAD MEN: SEASON 2 The second season of the chauvinist period show continues in it’s high technical quality and confusing content, as the abominable alpha males of 1960’s advertising agency Sterling Cooper continue to run amok. Season One was a lot of set up; the second certainly has a lot to prove.

THE BOAT THAT ROCKED STARRING / Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Nick Frost, Kenneth Branagh, Rhys Darby DIRECTOR / Richard Curtis RATING / M RUNNING TIME / 135 minutes STUDIO / Universal Pictures RELEASE DATE / New to retail REVIEWER / Adrian Hatwell

He’s had a hand in nearly every successful British comedy production of the last few decades, from Blackadder to Bridget Jones, Four Weddings and a Funeral to Love Actually, but the Boat that Rocked proves that even Richard Curtis’ safe and winning formula can go wrong sometimes. The 60’s period love letter to pirate radio boasts a wonderful cast but eventually drifts hopelessly out to sea in search of a plot. Upon being expelled from school for general debauchery young Carl is sent to stay with his eccentric Godfather Quentin where he is to be whipped into shape working on the businessman’s ship. This, as the extravagantly suited gent immediately informs the youth, is a spectacular mistake, for the vessel he has

unwittingly boarded is in fact the floating spirit of the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll generation. Radio Rock is staffed by a crew of insane DJs who keep the illicit pop-rock tunes of the 60’s spinning 24 hours while the BBC refuses to play more than 45 minutes of popular music a day. In between stints in the booth the lads get up to all manner of drug and alcohol fuelled mayhem in the service of youthful rebellion, Cultural Revolution, and just generally not knowing any better. The cast is made up of some of the most talented comedic performers working today, including Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Rhys Ifans, Bill Nighy, and a rather incongruous Rhys Darby. Each performer fills their renegade rockers with the requisite energy and cool charm; it’s just a shame that beyond drinking and rutting the characters really don’t have a whole lot to do. The baddies fare even worse, with the usually stellar Kenneth Branagh thoroughly wasted as a onedimensional government official with a disdain for anything fun. The production looks and sounds good, a fitting tribute to the romanticised era but considering the weighty social and political content of the music it idolises the film has surprisingly little to sing about.

THE TUDORS: SEASON 2 Horn-dog monarch Henry VIII continues his amorous romp through 16th century England in this sexed-up bit of historical fiction. Sticklers for historical accuracy are advised to keep well clear, but those in favour of a little corset busting have come to the right place, as the second season keeps up its titillating pace.

IT’S A FREE WORLD Ken Loach, battler for cinema’s social realism, returns with another wonderfully told story the globalised world’s impact on the average person. Average person this time around is Angie who, after being fired for not submitting to her boss’s sexual harassment, starts her own recruitment agency for illegal immigrants.

W While making a not particularly flattering biopic about a sitting president certainly shows director Oliver Stone has, err, stones, having now lived through the nightmare and come out the other end it’s difficult to see the film’s relevance beyond simple, though justified, mockery.

The Space Marine T

he Space Marine is a rugged, manly main character who populates approximately half of all video games. He is generally a soldier, an ex-soldier, or he will become a soldier by the end of the game. Contrary to the name, he need not be a marine (or be in space) - the Space Marine is an ideal, a concept, a goal designers can fail to strive for. He is also a he - women are not invited. The Space Marine is usually faceless, or at the very least banal enough that he won’t get in your way. Clad in the generic fatigues and armour of his position, he can be found in brown, green, black and grey varieties. His primary objective is to shoot objects until they stop. The Space Marine is a rock, an island, unchanged by people, circumstance, death or plot. Examples include Master Chief (Halo), Marcus Fenix (Gears of War), as well as the glut of lead-based characters whose names don’t matter from Haze, Black, Killzone, Resistance, F.E.A.R. and anything touched by Tom Clancy. Theoretically, the Space Marine as a main character ticks all the important boxes. Because he is faceless (and sometimes nameless) any player can jump right in and feel like they’re a part of the action. Escapism is, after all, what many gamers have always been looking for - as well as being the reason real space marines probably wouldn’t play video games. In that vein, he also offers the easy opportunity for amazing situations like shooting aliens, shooting different aliens and driving a jeep. Such situations and characters are far from

taxing on the mind, which also gifts the Space Marine an ease-of-use tag - there’s no need to wonder why you are here blasting heads, just do it! And it’s pretty effi ng macho, so there’s instant appeal for the two competing crowds of men that play video games: “I think I’m pretty manly so this game is a good alternative to punching strangers” and “I wish I was manly and this will stop me from secretly sobbing at night”. Video games can be generalised as virtual simulations of cause and effect - characters interact with the world and stuff happens - which is why shooting is such a popular choice of mechanic. Pressing a button to make the thing in front of you die is a tried and true idea to build a game around, so making your character a mindless drone surgically welded to a bullet-spitting machine is a no-brainer. Speaking of no brains, there’s the writing taken care of. Take your big dumb gun holder and tell him he’s on a mission to stop a bad guy. Pencils down. Unfortunately, now the market is up to its pulsing pectorals in these gun-toting nothings, because it requires no effort to create one. Mix a hard jaw with a deep voice, add some gun skills and some mad skillz, repeat for ninety thousand bullets. Originality is for girly-men.

Andy Astruc

ncharted 2 is coming – woohoo! One of the best PS3 exclusives is all shaping up to be up-scaled to the best in the form of Unchartered 2: Among Thieves and next month not only does it feature on our cover but we’ll be bringing you a review, and an interview with the developers. All I can say is, I can’t wait. It seems almost bizarre that it comes in at second mention but there’s also a new Halo game coming out as well! Halo: OSDT, which releases at the end of September (in other words on shelves by the time you read this magazine) sets the player in the role, not of the Master Chief but as an Orbital Shock Drop Trooper – the elite of the humans in the war against the Covenant. The Civil War Marvel comic book fans – sorry graphic novel fans, keep going on about gets to be played out on our big screen TV’s thanks to Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. PSP most anticipated Gran Turismo PSP is due out, EA heavyweight FIFA 2010 is being kicked our way and Bethesda’s gorgeous Wet is all set to dazzle. However it’s great that there’s so much content heading our way, the days of slow releases appears to be ending. Save those pennies cause there’s a game rush approaching!

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