Category Archives: Platforms

Killzone 2: Napalm and Cordite Map Pack (Review)

Killzone 2 DLCThis is the third map pack released for Killzone 2. It features two new multiplayer maps and two new weapons. All of which you should be familiar with to some extent as they appear in the single player campaign.

The first map is Suljeva Cliffside, which is from one of K2’s dustier browner levels. This is from a very brief section of the single player game that you will have passed though in a matter of minutes.

It is a fairly straight map with a couple of underground tunnels with sentry guns guarding the passages. Outside there are twisted remains of metal huts which make for handy hiding spaces. The level itself is on a hill with one team at the top and the other at the bottom, it’s almost like a valley with a high verge on one side and buildings on the other meaning you’ll be wide open in this gauntlet like section. Continue reading Killzone 2: Napalm and Cordite Map Pack (Review)

Fat Princess (Review)

Now on the store for £11.99It cheers me up every time I explain this game to anyone. It’s a 32 player, medieval era game of capture the flag, except the flag is a Princess. And to make it extra difficult to get away with her, the other team stuff her with cake making her a Fat Princess meaning it takes much longer to carry her back to your castle. If you don’t laugh every time you hear her scream “CAKE!” you probably never will.

The maps are symmetrically designed so no team has an obvious upper hand. As you can see by the pictures, the game’s gone for a cartoonish, cell-shaded style that belies all the blood and gore plastered all over the battlefield. It’s a treat to look at and is razor sharp on a HD set. The locations include forests, volcanoes, tropical islands and mountains. Continue reading Fat Princess (Review)

Mirror’s Edge Review – Have some faith

Dice have done the impossible. The Swedish developers have taken the fist-person perspective game that has barely evolved fundamentally since the days of Wolfenstein and Doom, and injected new life into it with a quite literal leap of faith.

Despite its first-person perspective this is definitely not a shooter. You play as the aptly named Faith, a rooftop Runner, a courier of sorts. Your aim is generally racing across skyscraper rooftops, through underground train tunnels, office blocks, shopping malls and building sites, usually while evading police and security forces and making death defying leaps between buildings, often requiring a last minute grab onto a ledge or drainpipe. If you’ve been waiting for a game that let’s you play out your fantasies of Parkour and free-running as seen in movies like District 13 and Casino Royale, this is the game for you. Continue reading Mirror’s Edge Review – Have some faith

WipEout HD: Fury (Review)

Fury is the first expansion pack to the leading futuristic racer, WipEout HD. Saying it’s an expansion is underselling it to say the least though.

Fury features 8 new race circuits, 13 new ships, 13 new Trophies, 6 new music tracks and most importantly three new game modes. Continue reading WipEout HD: Fury (Review)

Battlefield 1943 (Review)

If you missed our launch party article for the game here’s a quick reminder. Downloadable only, team-based World War II first person shooter based on three (soon to be four) beautifully designed Pacific island maps. It’s like Bad Company has gone on a sunny holiday. Continue reading Battlefield 1943 (Review)

Battlefield 1943 Launches at London Party

Anticipation has been high for the next instalment in the World War II Battlefield series. Following on from the huge success of Battlefield 1942 on the PC, here at the No Sleep Gamer we couldn’t wait to get our hands on the next title in the series, Battlefield 1943, that thankfully will be released on consoles. So when EA and DICE invited us down to the Tamari club in London’s Covent Garden, we answered the call to arms.

After realising that perhaps video games hadn’t taught me as well as I thought about map-reading (actually, I’ll say Google Maps screwed me over) and reluctantly heading for the Underground instead, I eventually managed to arrive in time for the mission briefing. Well, a complimentary Battlefield-themed cocktail. Sunset Sniper anyone? Continue reading Battlefield 1943 Launches at London Party

Zuma (Review)

PopCap Games and Sony Online Entertainment have done it again and brought another fiendishly addictive puzzle game to the PSN Store following on from the success of Bejeweled 2.

zuma closedeyes NSGZuma has you controlling a rotating stone frog in an Aztec temple firing different coloured balls out of its mouth. So yeah, it’s a little strange. Bear with me.

The aim of the game is to get rid of all the coloured balls before they move through the course and get sucked down a hole at the end (if one goes, they all go). You do this by shooting out coloured balls to make sets of three or more of the same colour to make them disappear. This is aided by a line that shows where the ball will land. You’ll have to be extra precise when aiming from distance or at awkward angles. It’s a bit reminiscent of Puzzle Bobble in a “Not there you shit!” sorta way. It’ll make you angry sometimes but you won’t be able to put it down. Continue reading Zuma (Review)

Max Payne 3 staggers into Uncharted territory

Max Payne 3New York, New York. The city so nice they named it twice. Except poor old Max Payne doesn’t seem to agree if these screenshots are anything to go by.

After the moderate success of the recent movie which used New York for some great noir elements it’s surprising to see Rockstar ditch the Big Apple for this sunny, possibly South American setting. Continue reading Max Payne 3 staggers into Uncharted territory

Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway (Review)

After countless WWII games this squad-based shooter this is the best representation of the constant harrowing fear and panic of the battlefield. Relying on a slower, more thought out tactical approach than Medal of Honor et al, the gameplay is infinitely more rewarding with some missions taking over an hour.

The story of the game follows on from the last PS2 game but don’t worry about it too much if you missed it as it’s easy to pick up (you may be tempted to raid the dusty PS2 shelves after this though). The scale and ambition is on a par with Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers with spectacular action and real emotion between the soldiers. You’re in the middle of the infamously botched Operation Market-Garden where instead of the war being over by Christmas, the allies received a major ass-kicking. Most missions involve taking out the giant 88 guns, liberating Eindhoven or simply staying alive against seemingly impossible odds. Continue reading Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway (Review)

The Bourne Conspiracy (Review)

There’s no doubt whatsoever that the Bourne films are absolutely stunning. The reinvention (Bourneification) of James Bond through Casino Royale would not have been were it not for Bourne bringing the spy / action genre back with such unflinching force. So it’s a little disappointing that this game is not based on the films, instead it’s apparently more based on the original books by Robert Ludlum.

This was probably due to Matt Damon apparently not wanting to get involved with the project because he didn’t like the violent content. Wait…what? Mr Damon, you shoved a biro up someone’s hand and have spent three films smashing the fuck out of people. We’ll assume the cheque didn’t have enough zeros on it then.

Don’t be fooled by the new subtitle of ‘Conspiracy’, this is not a compilation of all three titles; this only covers The Bourne Identity. Having read the book though it’s obvious the developers have ignored it and ripped off the film instead, tweaking the odd familiar action set-piece a little (for the worse). There are also ‘memory’ missions from before Bourne went for his midnight swim off the coast of Marseilles. I’m guessing they’re written in invisible ink and between the lines in the book. They have done well to get the same awesome music from the films, which really pumps up the action. Continue reading The Bourne Conspiracy (Review)

Burnout Paradise: Big Surf Island Expansion Pack (Review)

Construction yard

The brand new island just off the Eastern coast of the old map is finally here. An early surprise is that it’s only £9.99 on the PSN ($12.99 or 1000 MS Points), I was expecting at least £15. I mean look at how much they’ve been charging for some of the DLC cars!

Thankfully the new island is fully integrated into the existing Burnout map with no loading screens, which is an impressive feat given the already considerable size. The island itself is about the size of the Downtown area, but has a mix of business district skysrapers, beaches, waterfronts, building sites (with some insane jumps and hoop sections), winding drift roads, and a mountainous dirt track. Continue reading Burnout Paradise: Big Surf Island Expansion Pack (Review)

James Bond: Quantum of Solace (Review)

Compared to Casino Royale, the Quantum of Solace film was a big let down, so there’s not much hope for the game of the film right? Movie tie-ins are usually average at best.

So it’s a big surprise to find out that the game is actually rather good. Actually it’s very good. The missions take scenes from the last two bond films, not just Quantum. But not in order, as the game plays through Quantum to after the desert sinkhole shootout, then through Casino Royale, then finishing with the remainder of the second film. Yep me neither. Continue reading James Bond: Quantum of Solace (Review)

Twelve Sky 2 (Preview)

This is another free-to-play MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) from Aeria games who are also working on Luminary.

Twelve Sky 2 is set amidst a seemingly everlasting war over territorial dominance between three factions in ancient China. These factions have been dicing each other up for years, but they may have to team up because of the emergence of an old common enemy, if the extended trailer is anything to go by. Don’t worry if you’ve not played the first game as this has a brand new story.

Jinong

This setting is something different from the usual Warcraft and Dawn of War type games as it’s humans-only on the playable character roster but you will get to fight against monsters and weird creatures. It makes a nice change to see ancient China in a something that’s not a button-masher beat-em’-up like Dynasty Warriors. Continue reading Twelve Sky 2 (Preview)

Project Trico Trailer Revealed

*Recently re-named The Last Guardian.
*Make sure to click the HD option on the video after pressing ‘play’ to get rid of the smudgy picture. Works on standard definition monitors too.

Well, I don’t think anyone expected that. Outrageously stunning and a perfect example of a fantastic change of pace to radically alter the tone of the whole spectacle. But what else would you expect from Team Ico but the unexpected?

I don’t know what was more surprising, the creature itself initially (should we be scared, amused, confused?), or the flood of relief that hits as you realise it’s not intended as a fearsome creature as it picks up the boy, presumably his young master, and lovingly nuzzles him. Continue reading Project Trico Trailer Revealed

Burnout’s Big Surf Island Date Revealed

Construction yardWell the date’s finally here. Pack your bags (think up a good excuse to skive work) because June 11th we’re all heading off to Big Surf Island with Burnout Paradise.

We’ve all tried getting a peak from the car park roof across the water to see what’s going on and the recent videos from Criterion have ramped up the excitement considerably over the last few weeks. Continue reading Burnout’s Big Surf Island Date Revealed

inFamous (Preview / Demo review)

inFamousWith the full game release just around the corner, it’s time to check out the hype with a look at the PSN demo of this electrically-charged open world action game based in a city after a huge explosion leaves it in chaos. On the plus-side it gave you electric super powers and the decision to be naughty or nice. Continue reading inFamous (Preview / Demo review)

‘Beyond Good & Evil 2’ gameplay video. Maybe.

This is possibly a leaked video from Ubisoft, showing actual gameplay from Beyond Good & Evil 2.

It’s already drawn comparisons with Assassin’s Creed and Mirror’s Edge. But even at this early stage it looks like it handles itself much better than the former, with fluid animations and a Bourne film style frantic-looking chase camera.

However, for many it looks a little too good. Is this more Killzone 2 style ‘target footage’ that Ubisoft plan on getting the final game to look like? Either way, if the game itself is half as good as the original it will be stunning.

Speaking of which, if you haven’t played it, you can get it for under a fiver on eBay. So go on, you’ll thank us.

And thanks to Kotaku who were one of the first sites to put the video up.

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‘Rag Doll Kung Fu’ free on US PSN Store!

Sony have teamed up with Sprint to give away their PSN download only game, Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic, on the US PSN Store. You better be quick though as it’s only for one week.

No doubt people that have already forked out $9.99 / £7.99 will be annoyed as hell, but if you’ve not got the game already, you may as well try it out. It’s free! Trophies are supported too!

It’s a pretty shallow game on your own and it doesn’t have any online multiplayer options but does feature offline multiplayer for you and up to three of your mates you actually see in person; which makes a nice change considering the fun party games out there without the option, yes you Crash Commando.

Again, the European store is left outside in the rain with its face pushed up against the warm glass of the other regions stores, but we’ll hold off the moaning for now and suggest you set yourselves up a US account and bag it. Have a look here for a useful guide on how to do this. Note you’ll need a different e-mail address from your European account.

On the UK PSN Store this week, Bionic Commando Rearmed has been reduced from £6.99 to £3.99 and Bejeweled 2 has finally been released over here for a mildly annoying £6.29.

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Final Fantasy VII Hits PSN Store

Final Fantasy VII has finally been put on the PSN Store for PS3 and PSP! Unfortunately the most celebrated RPG of them all is only currently available on the Japan or Hong Kong stores.
 
Even though the Hong Kong store is in English it is listed as the Japanese version of the game. The game’s full title is Final Fantasy VII International, which indicates a few extra features, but also an unlikely European release as we never get the ‘International’ FF games.
 
The game costs ¥1500 / HK$118 or about £10 to us. Not bad seeing as used PS1 copies on eBay are going for at least £20.
 
Sony seriously dropped the ball not giving us Metal Gear Solid on the store, hopefully they’ll realise what a huge European following FFVII has and sort it out. Oh and we wouldn’t mind that Blu-ray of Advent Children with the FFXIII demo either.

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Prince of Persia: Epilogue (review)

Prepare for a moody Elika when she wakes up. Not an end-of-the-world morning person apparently.
After that ending (FIRST GAME SPOILER: The Prince releases Ahriman to resurrect Elika) of the first game last year it’s a relief we don’t have to wait a year or two for more. If you didn’t already know, this isn’t a full-blown sequel to last year’s best adventure game, it’s more of a segue before the bound-to-be-announced-soon sequel. Unless of course, Ubisoft is planning on slowly drip-feeding us one downloadable episode at a time? Continue reading Prince of Persia: Epilogue (review)