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)

BlackSite: Area 51 (Review)

blacksite-area-51nsgThis is the pseudo-sequel to 2005s Area 51, but you’re not at a disadvantage if you haven’t played it. The early missions of this first-person -shooter take place in Iraq a few years before the events at Area 51. As an army grunt your character is under the impression this is a standard mission. Half an hour later, knee deep in aliens this is obviously not the case.

The graphics here are reasonable and the outdoor environments are brightly lit with clear detail. However towards the end of this segment there is a section with some horrific slowdown as the frame-rate nosedives and you’ll think the game is about to crash. Fortunately it doesn’t happen again throughout the rest of the game.

Continue reading BlackSite: Area 51 (Review)

Game Over For Old Video Games Age Ratings System

'I can't believe nobody's noticed we're playing Manhunt!'

Brendan Griffiths looks at the future of video games age ratings.

Video games age classifications are to be given the same treatment as cinema films and DVDs. This is a result of the Byron Review, commissioned by Gordon Brown, who has been quoted as saying that he is not interested in censoring the industry. Continue reading Game Over For Old Video Games Age Ratings System

Gaming reviews, previews and features by Brendan Griffiths