All posts by Brendan Griffiths

News

Sony: PSN potentially repaired this week and with free gifts

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Sony today announced the most encouraging details so far on when we can expect PSN to be up and running again. That’s great news, but we were more enticed by this statement:

Our global audience of PlayStation Network and Qriocity consumers was disrupted. We have learned lessons along the way about the valued relationship with our consumers, and to that end, we will be launching a customer appreciation program for registered consumers as a way of expressing our gratitude for their loyalty during this network downtime, as we work even harder to restore and regain their trust in us and our services.

That sounds like free awesomeness. Click through to read the rest of the story and see what you’re getting and how the PSN will be turned back on… Continue reading Sony: PSN potentially repaired this week and with free gifts →

News

EA Announce Need For Speed: The Run

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Popular online retailers ShopTo.net have leaked a trailer for EA’s new racer, Need for Speed: The Run. Realising it would be hard work denying the project with a EA-stamped trailer zinging around the internet, EA were quick to confirm the game’s existence. We’ve even got a release date of November 18th.

The trailer shows that we might be in for a more story-driven experience than the recent NFS titles like Shift 2 and Hot Pursuit. All we know is that your driver is called Jack and he looks like he’s about to come to a messy end, thanks to the train that’s speeding towards his overturned car. If the story involves gaining the trust of an underground racing team as a cop or someone looking for an estranged relative, EA should get re-writing that now. Continue reading EA Announce Need For Speed: The Run →

News

Binary Domain | First Gameplay Trailer

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After revealing the game with a cinematic trailer last December, Sega have finally given us a look at actual gameplay footage for Binary Domain. Now that we’ve seen the game in action, we have to say we’re much more interested. Well, as interested as we can be considering the game won’t be here until 2012 and it’s not called Bioshock 2.

This sci-fi third-person shooter favours a more sedate (no rocket-assisted power-sliding to cover) angle than last year’s 9/10 scoring Vanquish. It shares the all-grey look though. The cover-based shooter looks to be supported by vehicle sections and hopefully some co-op action as you look to be a part of a four-strong squad.

So what will we be blasting to bits come 2012? Cyborg robots, naturally. Red-eyed, self-aware robots. Initially created for service, a sinister corporation gave them a few firmware upgrades including ego and emotion so they could be slyly integrated into powerful positions within society. We’re presuming that bit them on the arse pretty sharpish. Android drones will be supported by larger mechs and if Sega know what’s good for them, some really, really big ones. Hint: just make Vanquish 2 please.

Continue reading Binary Domain | First Gameplay Trailer →

News

UPDATE: PlayStation Network Worldwide Crash

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The PSN is out of action once again, with the Sony tech team working to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Usually, when Sony have had scheduled maintenance to do, they have been quite specific with communicating the downtime. This is not a scheduled session though which means there’s no clear time-frame as to when we can expect to get back online. Worryingly, this is affecting the servers worldwide.

So what problems will this cause you? You can’t sign-in to the PSN (you’ll be greeted with the error code: 80710A06), so you can’t get access to the PSN Store or the Qriocity service. More importantly, you can’t play any games online, particularly annoying if you’re in the middle of reviewing SOCOM: Special Forces. If you have any pending downloads they will at least carry on downloading, handy if you’re trying to download that 870MB Battlefield 3 video.

Continue reading UPDATE: PlayStation Network Worldwide Crash →

Hands-on previews, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Previews, Xbox 360

Red Faction: Armageddon (Infestation Mode Multiplayer Hands-on Preview)

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Red Faction Armageddon’s multiplayer is going for a co-op angle this time around, similar to the Horde mode in Gears of War. Teams of four players will face off against 30 stages of enemies for each of the eight maps. Expect lots of tighter arenas compared to the last game’s open multiplayer deathmatches on the surface of Mars. We’re going to miss those epic jetpack battles.

The main map we got to try out was the underground Black Market. For the most part this level was made up of fairly narrow tunnels with low ceilings, making for some claustrophobic chaos. There’s a small square decorated with lots of neon signs which all too often distracts you from looking out for the alien’s bioluminescent glowing parts. The area of play seems to loop around in a circle. With the terrain including slopes and staircases.

Continue reading Red Faction: Armageddon (Infestation Mode Multiplayer Hands-on Preview) →

Hands-on previews, PC, PlayStation 3, Previews, Xbox 360

Duke Nukem Forever (Hands-on Preview)

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Release date: June 10th 1998 2011

This isn’t the way it was supposed to be. I was psyched to hear I’d get to play Duke Nukem Forever at Gadget Show Live at Birmingham’s epic NEC venue, but I left the Duke’s area and its collection of PR girls in schoolgirl outfits feeling empty and confused.

If Duke Nukem Forever is released after 13 years of development in the condition I played it on Tuesday morning, there’s going to be a backlash of epic proportions. Hopefully the recent delay is seeing Gearbox adding a few buckets of polish to it.

Continue reading Duke Nukem Forever (Hands-on Preview) →

Action, PlayStation 3, RPG

Yakuza 4 (Review)

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It can be a bit of a tough sell trying to get pumped up for Yakuza 4, seeing as it’s been out in Japan for a year and they’re getting close to the release of the zombie-packed sequel Yakuza of the End. But hell, Yakuza 3 was a pretty damn awesome beat em’ up adventure game and we won’t be seeing the Kamurocho walking dead anytime soon so let’s just try and enjoy it.

Unlike the past games you’ll be playing as four different characters, each of whom has their own storylines although their paths occasionally cross. Each of them also has a different fighting style and access to some exclusive character-specific minigames and side-quests.

Continue reading Yakuza 4 (Review) →

PlayStation 3, Racers, Reviews

MotorStorm Apocalypse (Review)

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After smashing vehicles and racers to bits across deserts, tropical islands and Arctic tundras, where else in the world is there left to race for MotorStorm? How about the end of it? Or more specifically a city that is absolutely not (it is) San Francisco, during a series of earthquakes and storms.

The setting might be a little close to the bone in regards to the recent tragedies in Japan, but in fairness the game was almost shipping when that happened and Sony sensibly decided to delay the release.

Continue reading MotorStorm Apocalypse (Review) →

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

WWE All-Stars (Review)

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As the UFC games send the wrestling genre towards ever-duller reality the WWE universe gets a style overhaul as WWE All-Stars throws in the biggest, names past and present, into the squared circle. Expect to battle with the likes of Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Bret ‘Hit Man’ Hart, Ultimate Warrior, Stone Cold, The Rock, John Cena, Triple H, Shaemus and Rey Mysterio.

The emphasis is on setting everything to the extreme. The character models are beefed up to ridiculous proportions and their faces are amusing cartoonised charactertures of themselves. The first time you see two wrestlers standing toe-to-toe at the start of a match you’ll only be able to think ‘they’re effing huge!’. There are no Divas to oggle at, but considering the beefcake visuals, that’s probably a good thing.

Continue reading WWE All-Stars (Review) →

Arcade Shooter, PlayStation 3, PSN (PlayStation Store), Reviews

Stardrone (Review)

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Strange one this. Zero gravity pinball with a grappling hook is the best way to think of it. It may look like another arcade shooter set in space, but there’s no shooting and you can’t freely control your movement.

After pushing off with one initial boost you then navigate by using your analogue stick to select a beacon to anchor your grappling hook on. Once you’re hooked up your ship will fly around the beacon until you release the tether. The momentum will carry you forwards until you bounce off a wall or until you grab another nearby beacon. Continue reading Stardrone (Review) →

PlayStation 3, PSN (PlayStation Store), Puzzle, Reviews

Slam Bolt Scrappers (Review)

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Don’t dismiss this one as another Tetris or Bejeweled clone as Fire Hose Games have made a real effort to try something new, ambitious and a little bit crazy.

The aim is to destroy your opponent’s tower with your own tower of weaponised blocks. Using familiar (read: exactly the same as) Tetris shapes you must create same-coloured squares (4×4, 8×8 etc) which will then convert into a weapon. There are different weapons or shields for each colour. Blue is a shield and protects the next square along, red fires rockets, purple a laser, orange repels enemy missiles with ping pong bats, green launches little drills and even more weapons await you in the later levels. These weaponised squares can be powered-up by making the squares bigger by adding extra blocks, a bit like Lumines.

Continue reading Slam Bolt Scrappers (Review) →

First Person Shooters, Reviews, Xbox 360

Homefront (Review)

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The son of Kim Jong Il, proves to be quite a nasty daddy’s little boy and after ‘unifying’ North and South Korea, he decides to stretch his legs a bit in this alternative future-based first-person-shooter.

While Korea was on the up, America was trying to recover from a flu virus that killed millions and soaring gas prices that crippled the nation’s industry. When Korea launched a surprise attack, the US never stood a chance. Using EMP strikes, Korea destroyed America’s vulnerable, digitally reliant infrastructure.

Continue reading Homefront (Review) →

Features, PC, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360

Ten Unannounced Sequels I Already Despise

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We live in the world of the sequel, the remake, the annual release, the safe bet, the lazy rehash. Occasionally a new name might emerge, a new IP (Intellectual Property) that hopes to become the next big franchise, but they’re generally seen to be too risky in the world of the multi-million pound costs of developing and marketing a game.

Some sequels are essential though and 2011 will be no different with Uncharted 3, Mass Effect 3 and Batman: Arkham City already driving us nuts with the wait. Sometimes though, when we see an announcement for a sequel, our hearts sink, we question the sanity of developers/publishers and usually have a bit of a fight around the office to see which poor sod will have to review it.

So here’s a look at the sequels that haven’t been announced yet, but in all probability will be in the near future. Albeit with slightly more marketable titles. Continue reading Ten Unannounced Sequels I Already Despise →

Hands-on previews, PC, PlayStation 3, Previews, Xbox 360

Red Faction: Armageddon (Ruin Mode Hands-On Preview)

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The demolition minigames from the previous Red Faction game have been reworked into a stand-alone Ruin mode.

Rather than being more of the same though, it’s set to be a big improvement thanks to the addition of the Magnet Gun, which if you read my recent preview of the single player game, you’d know is the new toy that every big kid should want.

Continue reading Red Faction: Armageddon (Ruin Mode Hands-On Preview) →

Hands-on previews, PC, PlayStation 3, Previews, Xbox 360

Red Faction: Armageddon (Single Player Hands-On Preview)

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The level begins with the game’s star, Darius Mason (grandson to Alec Mason of Red Faction: Guerilla), fleeing for his life.

He’s just been duped into unleashing an alien horde from a mysterious underground shaft in a Marauder temple, deep underground on (in?) Mars. We never see any people, but we can hear them cursing Mason in the tunnels ahead as they flee from what he’s let loose from the planet’s depths.

Continue reading Red Faction: Armageddon (Single Player Hands-On Preview) →

Arcade Shooter, PlayStation 3, PSN (PlayStation Store), Reviews

PixelJunk Shooter 2 (Review)

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Q-Games came pretty close to perfection with the first game. So we were damn pleased to hear it was getting a full-on sequel as we would have been psyched with a few extra DLC levels.

If you missed out first time around I’ll quickly bring you up to speed. The dual-stick 2D shooter has you flying a small ship, rescuing miners, shooting enemies, and blasting, melting and burrowing your way through terrain looking for survivors, treasure and a way out.

Continue reading PixelJunk Shooter 2 (Review) →

First Person Shooters, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Move, Reviews

Killzone 3 (Review)

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It’s time for Sony’s flagship shooter to really step up as the shooter genre swells with top titles like Black Ops, the Battlefield series, Bioshock, Halo and newcomer Bulletstorm, who are all fighting for gamers’ hearts and cash. Our wishlist: cinematic Campaign mode, multiplayer, local co-op Campaign, Move support and jaw-dropping graphics. Can Killzone 3 really pack all this in?  Continue reading Killzone 3 (Review) →