All posts by Brendan Griffiths

Action, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Xbox 360

Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (Review)

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If you only buy one HD collection this year, make sure it’s this one. Pretenders to the stealth genre have come and gone over the years, but the Metal Gear Solid series has outlasted them all and with good reason.

This collection includes Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and the PSP title Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Yes, that leaves one glaring omission, the original PS1 Metal Gear Solid. Considering it was remade for the GameCube, it’s a missed opportunity. However, we expect it will get its own release soon. Considering the quality that we do get in this collection though, it’s hard to stay mad for long.

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Features, Hands-on previews, Platforms, Previews, PS Vita

PS Vita Preview: The Launch Lineup

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Less than a month to go now before the PS Vita arrives and we can’t wait. There’s a fantastic number of titles available around the launch and we’ve been everywhere from LA and E3, Germany and Gamescom, and more recently London and Manchester to try them out. So take a few minutes to look through our guide to see what you fancy picking up.

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Hands-on previews, Platforms, Previews, PS Vita

Uncharted: Golden Abyss (Hands-On Preview)

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If there’s any name in PlayStation gaming that demands attention it has to be Uncharted. The signs are pointing to a mightily positive launch title that should be on everyone’s pre-order list.

The game has been developed by Sony Bend studios rather than Naughty Dog, but that certainly hasn’t harmed the brand. The best comparison would be the amazing job Ready at Dawn did when they brought the God of War series to the PSP.

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Action, Horror, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PSN (PlayStation Store), Reviews, XBLA, Xbox 360

Amy (Review)

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Survival horror continues its search for a new host as this promising download-only effort fails on all fronts. A technical nightmare that feels rushed, untested, unloved, thoughtless and irritating. Amy, we are upset and disappointed. More so because before we got to hold your hand we thought this would be the post-Ico hit we’ve needed.

The premise was so deliciously tangible it was hard not to get excited about this ambitious studio bringing survival horror to the downloadable market, especially seeing as the genre has ebbed in recent years on modern consoles.

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Hands-on previews, Platforms, Previews, PS Vita

Gravity Rush (Vita Hands-On Preview)

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This is one the first action beat em’ up titles we’ve seen on the PS Vita and from this hands-on demo it’s fair to say that it’s one of the most visually appealing Vita games yet. Despite the demo being in English, there’s not much we can gleam about the story. There’s a mystical cat in a quaint town square, then monsters attack.

The aesthetic style is a hybrid of comic-book visuals and anime cell-shading. Storyboards illustrate some plot elements and you can move the Vita around to peak around the frames, providing a rather pleasing semi-3D effect. The gameplay seems to have been influenced by a wide range of sources as gamers will be able to spot elements of Bayonetta in the combat and the Spider-Man games in the way you utilise walls as traversable surfaces.

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PC, Platformer, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PSN (PlayStation Store), Puzzle, Reviews, XBLA, Xbox 360

Trine 2 (Review)

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In a gaming climate that has almost killed off the humble platformer, Trine 2 shines as a reminder of how much potential is still there for developers willing to work at it as Frozenbyte has done once again.

Players of the original 2009 Trine (PS3 and PC) will be able to jump in straight away, while 360 players might experience a longer adjustment, as the game doesn’t take much time to explain the game’s mechanics to the new player.

Essentially, you control three characters at once by swapping between them on the fly to solve the platforming puzzle at hand with only one character appearing on-screen at a time. The wizard levitates objects and conjures crates and planks to help you climb upwards, the thief fires arrows and has a grappling hook to attach to wooden surfaces and swing around, and the knight provides the muscle with a sword and shield combo or a sledgehammer that can also be used to smash through walls.

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Platformer, Platforms, Racers, Reviews, Sport, XBLA, Xbox 360

Joe Danger: Special Edition (Review)

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PS3 gamers already know of Joe Danger’s brilliance and now XBLA customers finally get to see what all the fuss was about thanks to this Special Edition. For those of you not in the know, Joe Danger rocked onto PSN last year to unanimous applause, combining motorcycle stunt riding, platforming, speed runs and item collecting into one incredibly slick experience.

The game plays across 2D planes, left to right. On your way to the finish line, there are multiple objectives for each of the 100+ levels. Collect all the silver stars, beat a par time, grab coins, hidden icons, land on all targets and maintain a combo for the whole level are some of the tasks at hand. You’ll only need a couple ticked off to progress, but mastering a stage is where the fun really starts.

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Action, Platforms, PSP, Reviews

Invizimals: The Lost Tribes Review – Pocket monsters

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This is another Augmented Reality camera game for the PSP. Fortunately, it’s aimed at a slightly older audience than the recent EyePet Adventures. Capturing and battling monsters is what’s on offer here, think Pokémon, but using the PSP’s camera attachment to hunt them down in the real world.

As an Invizimals hunter, you explore your real-life surroundings with your PSP, scanning surfaces to home in on one of the invisible creatures. When you detect one, lay down the card supplied with the game to reveal the little monster. Different coloured surfaces reveal different monsters in each of the globetrotting stages. Continue reading Invizimals: The Lost Tribes Review – Pocket monsters →

First Person Shooters, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Move, Reviews, Xbox 360

Goldeneye: Reloaded (Review)

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Bond is back, but not as you may remember him. This is the HD version of the Wii remake of the N64 classic. Being a remake, it’s essentially a brand new game. A few nostalgic multiplayer maps return, but otherwise, this is all new and certainly worth your time.

Daniel Craig has replaced Pierce Brosnan, but sadly hasn’t borrowed any of his gadgets. The ace PS2 days of gadget love have been replaced with scanning stuff with your phone. It’s synonymous with the dull Bond that Craig bores audiences with as his beefcake poor man’s Bourne.

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Action, Platforms, PSP, Reviews

EyePet Adventures Review – Augmented adventuring

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With so few titles taking advantage of the PSP camera attachment, you’d be forgiven for forgetting it existed. That would be a shame, as it’s a taste of the upcoming PS Vita’s augmented reality features.

This EyePet game has evolved from a PlayStation Eye title to allow you to better interact with the environment as you move the device around your room. Using the camera and the supplied card, the augmented reality system displays the EyePet creature in the real world. Sure, it’s very child-orientated, but imagine you’d seen this when you were eight? It would have been mind-blowing. Continue reading EyePet Adventures Review – Augmented adventuring →

Party, Platforms, Reviews, Sport, Wii

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games Review

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If the Wii U makes it in time for next Christmas, this could be the original Wii’s last family outing. We’ve had some great times with Wii Sports, Resort, Play, Mario Kart and the last two Olympicstitles, so we were looking forward to a warm-up for next year’s London Games.

Thinking we’d start with some multiplayer games, we headed straight to the London Party mode. Instead of simply choosing a random mix of games or selecting specific ones from a list, we’re given something much worse.

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Hands-on previews, Platforms, Previews, PS Vita

Little Big Planet Vita (Hands-On Preview)

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With the Vita on a seemingly unstoppable display of going from strength to strength, it was almost unsurprising to see a complex title like Little Big Planet appear so at home so soon on the new handheld.

During our hands-on time, we were able to try out a few levels that showed off how the Vita’s extra features would be uniquely utilised during gameplay. We were also invited to a developer demonstration of the create mode too, and we’re now convinced it has the potential to be much more user-friendly than the PS3 versions.

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Action, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Wii, Xbox 360

Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 (Review)

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Ignore the messy Harry Potter titles that EA have been squeezing out over the last few years. If you’re after a game that will please Harry Potter fans, look no further than this Lego-flavoured compilation spanning the last four films.

For the most part, you’ll control the familiar trio, with other characters popping up occasionally. Harry has his cloak, Hermione unlocks swot boxes and Ron can access his brother’s Wesley boxes for destructive fireworks or wall-climbing shoes. As is standard with the Lego games, you can play local multiplayer. The screen will split when it feels it is appropriate. We found it to be a nightmare though. Splitting when it didn’t need to and giving one player loads of space and the other a corner. The divide also made a nasty habit of dizzyingly spinning around.

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Beat 'em up, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Wii, Xbox 360

WWE ’12 (Review)

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With promises of rebuilding the aging gameplay for this year’s title, we’re expecting a lot of WWE ’12. The Smackdown name has been removed from the title as a statement of intent. But has enough changed to warrant the new name, or is it just another gimmick?

The most noticeable addition is the Predator system, which allows you to use the face buttons while locked in a grapple to target the arms, head or legs. Repeated manglings cause your opponent to move awkwardly and reduces their resilience to submission moves. It works well, although repeated use of a move to cause the injury can get boring and makes play feel mechanical, rather than fun.

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Party, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Move, Reviews

DanceStar Party (Review)

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“Damnit,” I thought, as this landed on my doorstep. I am to dance what Ricky Gervais is to sensitivity. I just don’t care for it. But it turns out, that luring me in with my Achilles heel (highscore challenges and Trophies) was the perfect trick at convincing me to give it a go.

So, curtains stapled shut, cat blindfolded, hidden cameras scoured for, sofa moved, controller charged: I entered the madness. A few hours later, a horrible truth dawned. I’m ashamed to say it, but this is a great game. The PS3 has been in need of something to go against the dance games on the other consoles and this could be a contender, especially given the bargain price tag.

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First Person Shooters, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Xbox 360

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (Review)

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After Modern Warfare 2, Infinity Ward seemed to be in deep trouble. An overly public spat with Activision led to the loss of numerous staff, leaving the studio’s fate in the balance. Even during development of this game, they’ve had to put up with heckling from the suddenly very cocky Battlefield brand.

They have stepped up in spectacular fashion though. With reinforcements acquired in the form of Sledgehammer Games, they’ve brought us a stunning example of hi-octane warfare yet again. It’s loud, it’s brash and a little bit insane. We wouldn’t want it any other way.

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Party, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Move, Reviews

Carnival Island (Review)

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I thought the PlayStation Move would have had dozens of minigame compilations by now but this is the first one in ages. It’s ideally timed for a Christmas purchase too as there are loads of family friendly games to play.

Simplicity is key here as none of the games are complicated. They’re not strenuous either, so you don’t need to worry about letting all the Christmas dinner and beer settle before you haul yourself from the couch for your turn.

Games include 35 varieties on various fairground favourites of bowling, throwing balls, catching, shooting, giant hammer strikes and coin tossing and more. Finally, coin tossing in video game form. I jest, but the games are fiendishly moreish. They control very well too. For throwing, bowling or hitting, you’re usually only required to hold the trigger then do the motion as you would in real life.

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Action, Platformer, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Wii, Xbox 360

Disney Universe (Review)

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Buying titles for the little gamer in your life can be a difficult task. Especially if they’re of the age that bright colours and fun take precedent over playing GTA. So you’ll want to get it right this Christmas.

Disney Universe is a good place to start in addition to De Blob 2 and the tougher Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One. It’s cheery, inoffensive, impossible to hit a Game Over screen and has so many playable characters that kids might even still be playing it by New Year’s.

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