PS3 Fanboy Review: Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty

We have to applaud the fine folks at Insomniac for trying something new on the PSN. Somehow, they've managed to bring out a brand new Ratchet game, just one year after the release of the first PS3 incarnation, Tools of Destruction. Quest for Booty is a direct continuation of the previous game, but can be played without any experience with the franchise at all. The developers have promised 3-4 hours of gameplay, at a budget price of $15. However, is Quest for Booty worth your hard earned cash? Depends on how much you like the Ratchet franchise.

Although it may have a budget price, the presentation easily matches any full-priced console game. The visuals of Quest for Booty are actually superior to the ones found in last year's game. The water, for example, looks far more captivating in this installment. The lighting seems to be enhanced, and the lush color palette found for most of the game really looks quite stunning in HD. The voice actors all make their return, and Ratchet and friends are animated just as sharply as they always have been.

There's almost no indication that this is a low-budget affair -- at least, in the beginning. The game immediately follows the story of Tools of Destruction, leaving Ratchet on a quest to find clues about Clank's mysterious disappearance. While it's not necessary to have played previous Ratchet games, this one is definitely for the fans, as it primarily focuses on ancillary characters found in the previous installment. It is strange to have Clank so absent in the game -- and unfortunately, the always-lovable Captain Qwark is completely missing in this installment. Regardless, the fully narrated cinematic sequences really bring the story and setting to life.

Immediately, the game thrusts the player into some frantic battles aboard a flying pirate ship. Quest for Booty undeniably starts with a bang. In fact, the first half of the game contains some of the finest moments in the series history so far. The first two levels are incredibly well done, and show how refined the platforming design of Insomniac has come over the years. Even the grind rail sequences are interesting in this installment, thanks to a few clever puzzles that the team has crafted. The primary objective for Ratchet in these early areas is to restore power to five generators, and in order to do so, some gravity defying Mario Galaxy-esque sequences must be completed. They are an absolute blast.

The new gameplay mechanics all feel great, and make you wonder "why didn't they do this before?" Ratchet's ability to finally pick things up is much appreciated, and well used. Even better, a new device allows Ratchet to move platforms, doors and objects at a distance with a wrench. Certainly, this tool is integrated into puzzles in more interesting ways than any of the devices found in Tools of Destruction.

Platforming is definitely the best aspect of Quest for Booty. However, once the game shifts gears in the second half, it certainly feels a bit underwhelming. The beautiful design of the first two levels is abandoned in the final two levels, with dark, dreary colors that are simply boring to look at. There are a few great set pieces, but strangely, they bring the framerate to a noticeable chug, as the combination of real-time lighting, particle effects and number of characters on screen seemingly demand a bit too much from the PS3. Once the game becomes mostly oriented with combat, its shortcomings become increasingly obvious. The weapons are all taken from Tools of Destruction -- and only a small sampling are available. Even iconic weapons, such as the Groovitron, don't make an appearance in this game. The lack of weapon variety, and the limited customization options remove the tactical fun of previous Ratchet & Clank games. With no new weapons, and such an abbreviated list of options, one can't help but notice how shallow Quest for Booty's combat feels.

To make things worse, the already-short game revisits the first two levels once again at the end, instead of offering players new places to visit. With only four areas in the game total, the apparent lack of variety may have players feel short-changed. Instead of adding more clever platforming sequences and puzzles into these levels, they're turned into more grinding combat challenges.

Perhaps the most disappointing thing about Quest for Booty is that once the adventure feels like it's just about to begin, it very abruptly ends. While Insomniac says the game offers 3-4 hours of gameplay, it's probably closer to 2-3 hours. (There are multiple difficulties, though.) Fans of the franchise that were looking for answers to Clank's mysterious disappearance really won't find answers here. While a little more information is teased, it's clear that most players can skip Quest for Booty and continue to the next iteration without missing any crucial storytelling. The lack of revelations shouldn't detract from the excellent quality of the script, however -- once again, the team at Insomniac has crafted a cute, fun adventure that features a number of funny moments.

While we're disappointed Quest for Booty ends so abruptly, we still think it's a rather commendable effort -- one that Insomniac should be applauded for. While this short expansion episode has its flaws, it's still an incredible value at $15. The visuals are still beautiful, and the presentation is equal to any other retail game. The new gameplay mechanics work well, and the platforming, albeit short, is some of the best in the franchise so far. While it may only be a stopgap between the next "real" Ratchet & Clank game -- one we hope will actually have Clank in it -- it's still a recommended purchase for fans of the franchise. For newcomers, we'd still recommend Tools of Destruction for a far more satisfying experience, but for those that really can't wait for a new Ratchet game, this should more than do the trick.

PS3 Fanboy score: 7.5

PS3FANBOY

20th-anniversary 'Madden NFL' is better than ever

When Electronic Arts announced the retired Brett Favre as its 20th anniversary cover boy, it looked like the notorious "Madden" curse - which had mangled the careers of Michael Vick, Donovan McNabb and Shaun Alexander - was finally broken.

But when Favre decided to play again and was traded from the Packers to the New York Jets, it looked like the Curse simply reversed onto EA itself.

By the time the dust had settled, "Madden" (EA Sports, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, $59.99; Wii, $49.99; PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, $39.99; Nintendo DS, $29.99), the mega-selling football video-game franchise's latest installment was too far into production to switch Favre's wardrobe. You'll be able to download rosters that feature Favre as Jets quarterback, and Gang Green diehards will be able to download a fresh "Madden" cover that puts the superstar in a New York uniform.

But all this chaos has distracted EA Sports from promoting "Madden 09" the way it would like: as the 20th anniversary edition of the longest-running franchise in sports video games. EA has always delivered new features in each installment, but this year it's going long, stuffing nearly a dozen fresh game modes and gimmicks into the package. (I reviewed the Xbox 360 version; your mileage on other consoles may vary.)

One of the problems in a series with so much history is that it can be somewhat daunting to a newcomer. Many of the new features in "Madden 09" are geared toward helping the novice. For example, play selection can be as simple or as deep as you want it. At the easiest level, the computer will select your plays for you. Later on, you can arrange your playbook by play type (power run, quick pass) rather than by sometimes confusing formations like Z slant wide corner or double Z LB spy.

You start off with the Madden Test, which gauges your skill in passing, running, pass defense and run defense, then adjusts the game's difficulty to your strengths and weaknesses. Each time you play a game, your skill level is adjusted according to your performance. If you're particularly weak in one area, you can go to the Virtual Trainer, a holodeck-like gridiron, and bone up on the necessary skills. I'm hoping all this will put a stop to the 56-7 blowouts my brother's been inflicting on me for the last 10 years.

A few more in-game features let you learn from your mistakes. Instead of kicking yourself over that end zone interception, you can hit the Rewind button and try the play again. Or you can watch a Backtrack video, in which the game shows you how you could have salvaged a botched play. "Madden 09" also does a great job with onscreen menus that provide a helpful guide to all your options at the line of scrimmage.

The Franchise mode, where you lead a team through one season or more, has some nice upgrades as well. In Franchise Rivalry games against division rivals, the pressure is ratcheted up and everything becomes a little more difficult. (Difficulty also gets ramped up in the playoffs and Super Bowl.) For the truly hardcore, the Front Office mode lets you take charge of every aspect of your organization, from salaries to scouting.

I didn't have the chance to check out the online play, which offers one major addition: Online Leagues, which allow up to 32 competitors to create their own league in which they can draft and trade players and play any games on the schedule in any order they like.

Finally, there are Madden Moments, in which you can try to duplicate some of the most memorable events from the 2007-08 NFL season, like Devin Hester's two-touchdown-return game or David Tyree's catch in the Giants' Super Bowl comeback over the Patriots.

"Madden 09" brings back a variety of the more successful innovations of the last few years, such as the Weapons icons that spotlight individual players' unique talents; Ben Roethlisberger, for example, has the Cannon Arm, while Plaxico Burress has the Spectacular Catch. And the Superstar mode, in which you can build your own career from pre-draft workouts to Hall of Fame induction, is one of the most addictive challenges in any sports game.

As you'd expect, "Madden 09" looks better than ever, with high-definition graphics that come awfully close to the level of a network broadcast. The audio has undergone the most jarring change: Al Michaels, the veteran TV broadcaster, is gone, and John Madden himself has been demoted to the halftime show and the training levels. Their replacements in the booth, the bland Tom Hammond and the insufferable Cris Collinsworth, are poor substitutes.

The post-game recap: If you're a longtime "Madden" fan, you don't need me to tell you to buy this. If you're a newcomer, or if you just haven't played "Madden" in a few years, now is a good time to give it a fresh look. Three-and-a-half stars out of four.

RATING:
3.5/4

NOTE: You can order 20th-anniversary 'Madden NFL' here at Playstation Access.

Hosted.Ap

Soul Caliber 4: IGN Review

Quite a number of gamers have been eagerly anticipating the next installment of the Soulcalibur series, considering the notable quality of past iterations of the franchise. Making its debut on the current generation of platforms, Soulcalibur IV once again offers fantastical, weapons-based combat and an inspired cast of characters, which should be appetizing to fighting game enthusiasts and casual players alike. I was particularly excited to play Soulcalibur IV, especially in light of my fondness for the first Soulcalibur title. I'm pleased to say that this game is an excellent addition to the series -- despite its problems -- and should find a welcome spot in your collection.

Soulcalibur IV is a great game -- especially if you've been following and enjoying the series for the past few years. There are over 30 characters to try out (granted, some of them are clones of each other), several gorgeous stages to battle in and enough special moves to keep you memorizing commands for months. As you might expect, Soulcalibur IV also has a healthy number of modes and unlockables that will keep you thoroughly engaged, along with a new online mode that lets you challenge other Soulcalibur fanatics through the magical power of the Internet.

Soulcalibur IV boasts the standard Arcade and Story modes that will be familiar to fighting game fans. I was actually surprised that virtually every character in the game has a "story" to play through, but I was disappointed that Story mode only lasts about five rounds and you can get through a character in ten minutes or less. There aren't really any cinematics except one towards the end and many of those are repeated. What's there, however, is solid and works to give at least a marginal backdrop to the cast.

The Tower of Lost Souls is the other single-player option that gives you the chance to either ascend or descend the tower, facing challenges along the way. If you ascend the tower, you'll be able to select a "stage" or set of floors to fight through, which usually involve heavily weighted battles where you're pitted against several overpowered opponents. Fulfilling certain conditions rewards you with equipment unlocks for the fairly robust Character Creation mode and allow you to advance further up the tower.

Descending the Tower of Lost Souls is an entirely different matter. You can select two characters at the start (they'll fight tag-team style) and then you stick with those fighters through the entire affair. Each floor brings a new set of enemies that you must defeat and you receive items and goodies after clearing a certain increment of floors, like passing the 5th, 10th and 15th markers. This is only possible because the character you aren't using slowly regains health until they're tagged in, so if you keep one fighter alive long enough, the other can come in with swords blazing.

This mode is a great feature of Soulcalibur IV, though I feel as if it could've been deeper with a more fleshed out contextual narrative and a wider variety of specialty matches. Regardless, having this avenue for unlocking content is nice and will add many more hours to the experience.

A good deal of the unlocking you'll be doing in Soulcalibur IV opens up items to the Character Creation mode. Not only can you customize existing characters, including their equipment, weapons, skills and hair style (you can't change "permanent" features like body build and skin color), you can also create new characters from the ground up, though they'll act as copies of pre-existing fighters when it comes to gameplay. Being able to set up different skills works nicely, because the equipment and weapons you have set dictates how many points you can spend in certain skill categories. Say you have 70 available points in the Special category and 40 points under Impact. You can opt to equip the Auto Grapple Break A skill, which has a high chance of automatically repelling a throw if an opponent gets too close.

Acquiring these skills is governed by your Style Level, which increases as you use a character. If you use Ivy a bunch, for example, her Style Level goes up and gives you access to more skills. And the more you play the game, the more equipment you can unlock, which gives you more options for character customization. Nice.

Soulcalibur IV also has your standard Versus options to consider, which means you can jump into a quick match with either a friend or an AI opponent. I'm always thankful when a fighting game includes this option, as it's nice to get a quick couple of matches without having to start up an entire Arcade game.

The real stinger comes in the form of Soulcalibur IV's online multiplayer, which is a first for the franchise. You can face the competition through Xbox Live and the PSN with ease and participate in either ranked or unranked matches. You can even take customized characters into the online arena, which is appreciated. I played numerous online matches on both the PS3 and 360 and both ran very well, with only a few extremely brief moments of lag. Unfortunately, I can't say for sure how the game will perform once everyone jumps on the network with varying connection speeds, but what I saw handled admirably. Hopefully that will be the universal experience when everyone jumps on board.

So now with the general stuff out of the way, we can discuss some specifics. I think everyone is wondering how Darth Vader and Yoda compare. In case you're new to the party, let me fill you in: the PS3 version of Soulcalibur IV features special guest character Darth Vader, while the 360 version gets the lovable, huggable Yoda. Both versions, however, get the Apprentice, the main character from the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

The real issue at hand is that Darth Vader feels like the only balanced character out of the three. Although the Apprentice isn't radically overpowered, some of his moves feel a bit on the absurd side. Plus, he can levitate and shoot lighting. That's tough to deal with. Yoda, on the other hand, is broken. As I feared since the first moment he was announced, Yoda's height makes him an almost ridiculous addition to the ensemble and he's quite possibly the worst thing to happen to Soulcalibur IV. Don't misunderstand: he's fun enough to play as but he's powerful, agile and, because he's so small, a surprising number of attacks go clear over his head. Furthermore, he can't be grabbed. Ever. He's completely immune to it -- even Yoda can't grab Yoda. This is a clear indication that Yoda's just there for kicks and shouldn't be taken seriously as a competitive character. He simply doesn't mesh well with the rest of the cast.

Vader, however, works just fine. He has a few fancy moves here and there but matches with and against him still felt balanced. Even though Yoda is an "inferior" character, 360 owners shouldn't be discouraged. He's just one character out of a collection of more than 30 fighters, so the experience doesn't suffer because of him. If anything, you can just elect to ignore him on the character select screen.

When it comes down to the actual combat, Soulcalibur IV feels great. Controls are extremely responsive and there's a lot of potential for mastery, considering the daunting number of moves at your disposal. Armor destruction and Critical Finishers are also great new aspects to the game. If your opponent blocks too much, there's a chance you can destroy a piece of their armor (one piece for the head, upper body and lower body) which then makes them susceptible to Critical Finishers. If you can wear down their Soul Gauge enough (a colored sphere that turns red as too many blocks are used), you can pull off a Finisher which inflicts incredible amounts of damage and looks really slick in the process. There are a lot of fantastic slow-motion moments during these finishers that need to be seen -- their style is without question.

Although some have worried that this system would be a punishment for players who actively incorporate blocking into their common techniques, it really isn't an issue. You'll only find yourself in trouble if all you do is block the entire round, which means you're in serious trouble anyway. This dynamic isn't set up as a punishment but rather adds a system to make sure that players are at least attempting to balance both offensive and defensive strategies. And the unrelenting power of Critical Finishers won't be seen often during normal matches because it's very rare that you'll fulfill all the required conditions for move execution.

Hardcore enthusiasts of the series don't need to worry, though. Fan favorites like Kilik, Taki, Voldo and Ivy return in Soulcalibur IV and play just like they always have. Although a lot of great additions have been made to Soulcalibur, the older characters still feel exactly like they should and will feel extremely familiar in the hands of series veterans.

One other note about characters: Hilde is awesome. Her design is fantastic, considering the incredible detail in her armor and the regal style of her wielding both a short sword and a lance. The personality of her character, mixed with her flashy yet effective move set, make her one of my favorite characters out of the whole ensemble. Even after considering all the unlockable characters, I still have to go with Hilde.

And while there's plenty of content to unlock, there could have been more, especially in terms of the game's beautiful illustrations. And while the included game types are great, I was also expecting Soulcalibur IV to have more modes.

Another peculiar issue I came across isn't a constant problem, but it's still troubling. After you throw an AI opponent, they seem to briefly enter an orientation state where they get their bearings before coming at you again. If you have sharp timing, you can run up and throw them yet again, and continue this until they're dead. I've cleared entire single-player campaigns just by throwing my enemies. This isn't always an issue -- harder AI opponents won't be so gullible and certain battles sport opponents equipped with the Auto Grapple Break S skill, making them immune to throws. I'm just surprised that certain matches could be so easily won. Then again, this won't bother you if you're only concern is winning...

My last problem with Soulcalibur IV is a significant one, but one that can be briefly stated. Sometimes, button mashing can get people a long way in this game. Moves are just way too easy to pull off and timing is often irrelevant as certain characters can string moves together as smoothly as water (take Maxi, for example). I suppose this makes the overall experience accessible to beginners, but it can be discouraging for hardcore fighting game fans. This isn't always the case, of course, but when some of the most powerful moves can be executed just by pushing two face buttons at the same time, there's going to be plenty of mashing going down.


Closing Comments
Despite the aforementioned concerns, Soulcalibur IV is a lot of fun and I highly recommend it, especially -- as I said before -- to fans of the series. The game runs well, looks beautiful, sports great music and obviously has enjoyable combat. The PS3 and 360 versions are just about identical (barring the differing guest characters), though I felt that the optional install on the PS3 made things feel even quicker and more polished. In the end, both are worthy members of a long- standing series and you won't be disappointed with the purchase.

Now get that soul burning!

Rating: 8.7/10

IGN

Siren: Blood Curse Episode 6 Review

Reaching Episode 6 means you’re halfway through completing the game and tying up all the knots of the story. Episode 5 left us hanging when Sam and Melissa are in pursue of Bella while Howard and Miyako are facing trouble on their way to escaping the village. With Amana getting her memories back, what dangers does that entail, and how is she involved with what’s going on in the village?


Episode 6 will take you to first control Howard in the mining area where Sam was first found in Episode 2. The environment is set in daylight, but don’t think it will be scary at all. You’ll be exploring deep into the underground mine, and you’ll have to rely on Howard’s flashlight at all times when you’re down there. Follow the map if you want to complete this episode in less than 15 minutes.

After Howard’s mission, you’ll have to control Bella. This is the most disappointing mission because all you have to do is guide her to the church to meet her parents. I’ve finished this mission in less than three minutes. So If I were to combine the total play time of both Howard’s and Bella’s mission, Episode 6 will roughly take 10-15 minutes.


When it comes to a scare factor, the only time I get the feel of the game is when I am in the underground mine, chasing the pursuer. Bella’s mission didn’t make me feel scared. It’s mediocre because all I had to do is try to run into the church.

Episode 6’s plot is getting interesting, but the main disappointment is how short this episode is. Since we’re six episodes away to the finale of the game, the twists are becoming weirder and weirder. Hopefully in the next episode, the scare factor continues and the gameplay length for each episode is at least 30 minutes.

SCORING BREAKDOWN

Episode – 7.9/10

It’s becoming more complicated! Is this a dream or a reality? What is Amana’s purpose in the game?

Scare Factor – 7.5/10
Average. You’ll only get the scare factor feeling when you’re in the underground mine and that’s it.

Game Length – 6.9/10
One of the shortest episodes. It only took me 10-15 minutes to complete this episode.

Overall – 7.4/10

Episode 6 was not something I expected. It’s a mediocre episode. They’ve added some questions to the end that might either annoy you or confuse you.

GamersPlatform

NCAA Football 09: Review

NCAA 08 marked the first “real” attempt at improving the gameplay mechanics on the next generation systems, but it did nothing groundbreaking by any means. Sure, the graphics were improved, but the gameplay still felt like NCAA 06 on the PS2. In recent years, fans have begun calling EA lazy and not improving the game as much as they could. That can no longer be said with the release of NCAA 09. This year’s version improves upon everything 08 did in nearly every way and even features more game modes than ever before.

The most apparent change in NCAA 09 is by far the graphics and animations. The players are much more refined and realistic than in previous iterations and the fields they play on look as spectacular as they do. Snow no longer looks like a white sheet copy and pasted on top of the field and the rain no longer makes your player fumble the ball every other play. The player models do look phenomenal, but it appears some things did get overlooked when they were being redesigned. The crowd, while impressive at first, quickly loses their flare and looks more like soulless demons praising all that is holy – football. Are we in Ohio? I kid!

Before I start talking about anything else let me say something…the animations MAKE this game. While the gameplay has been improved none of it would be possible without the new animations system. Players now move and jump around before kick-offs, celebrate with other players and mascots after touchdowns, and just have a much more realistic nature about them. Most importantly, players can now go in and out of animations whenever you so choose. Get halfway through a spin move and decide a juke would be best? Go ahead! This may leave your back open to a big hit and a fumble, but to pull off that Heisman worthy play the risk is sometimes worth the rewards.

Surprisingly, the new animations allow for some pretty spectacular passing plays as well as running plays. Veteran quarterbacks will find themselves doing many things that, until this point, they had only dreamed of. With correct timing it is now very easy to toss the ball over the cornerback’s head and into the hands of your receiver for a touchdown on those goal line plays. Deep passes can now be accomplished, which were nearly impossible in NCAA 08, and I even pulled off a few Hail Mary’s in my time with the game. One thing that did bother me about the new animations, however, was the reaction of the players not only on your bench, but your opponent’s bench. As you race toward the end zone on that game winning touchdown your bench will throw their hands up in the air, nearly simultaneously, in celebration. The odd thing about this is that the player’s on the opposite team will do this too. Who knows? Maybe sportsmanship is something that happens every day on the collegiate level…then again, maybe not.

As mentioned early, the biggest addition to the gameplay is the ability to break in and out of animations, but the improvements don’t stop there. EA has brought back home field advantage and it can have some pretty interesting effects on your players. On third down and fourth down plays the crowd will get louder than ever and mess with the head of your quarterback. It won’t be long before your quarterback forgets what button each receiver is associated with, their routes will become nothing more than shaky lines, and sometimes they can even forget their routes all together. Even the most experienced quarterbacks are susceptible to these moments, let alone a rookie quarterback. Whenever your basket case of a quarterback finally throws an interception you will be presented with five pictures of the defense and three different defensive plays. From this point you must review the pictures in a limited amount of time and choose which play they ran. Guess correctly and your quarterback will gain a valuable piece of his composer back. Guess incorrectly and your quarterback will continue to be a nervous wreck. Also, all of the game mechanics from previous years, such as the pitch, are still there and work tighter than ever thanks to the new animation system.

No presentation is complete, however, without an impressive showing in the sound department. While NCAA 09 may not deserve an A+ it is certainly more than just acceptable. The hits sound as realistic as ever and the 90,000+ fans screaming will rattle you as much as your quarterback. Sadly, EA has decided to bring back the same commentators as last year, and I know what you are about to ask. Yes, they are as bad as they were last year. For some reason, unknown to me, Corso manages to get under my skin in a way no other announcer can. I would rather listen to John Madden than this guy.

EA has also provided plenty of modes to experiment with all the different gameplay tweaks. The fan favorite, Mascot Mash-Up, is back and is as entertaining as ever. There is just something about watching a gator doing a front flip at four in the morning that never loses its pizzazz. Football themed mini-games such as bowling, tug-of-war, and horse all make an appearance and provide nice ways to pass the time if you don’t have enough to play a full game. Superstar mode is back, but not much has changed since NCAA 08. You progress the same way you did in previous titles and whatever positions you couldn’t be in 08 you still can’t be in 09. They did improve the coaching AI though. Coaches will now keep you on the field during fourth down plays when it is too long for a field goal, but too short for a punt. It isn’t much, but it’s a welcome change that should have come two years ago. Pretty much the same can be said for Dynasty mode. The only thing that has really changed is that you can have two players on the same team in this year’s version. Other than that, don’t expect anything different from the Superstar or Dynasty mode. After all, why fix something that’s not broken?

One thing fans have been screaming for since the conception of the franchise is online dynasties and it has finally made its way to this year’s version. Up to twelve friends can compete in a league with each other for an astounding sixty years. The creator of the league instantly becomes the commissioner and will need to get on at least once a day to make sure everything is going as it should. No games being restarted, making sure everyone is ready to advance the week, and informing everyone when the week has advanced. All of the recruiting from Dynasty mode is still intact and brings a new competitiveness to getting that number one prospect.

The thing I was very relieved about was during my two online seasons I had almost little to no lag. The players respond the way they do in single player, and they don’t feel like they are moving a second later than they should. I would have really liked to join a league with someone I didn’t know or some long-time veterans of the franchise, but sadly you are only able to invite and join leagues that you or your friends have made. Also, when the commissioner progresses to the next week a notice is NOT sent out to the other members, so the commissioner must then take it upon himself to inform everyone else of when he has advanced the week. All in all, the online dynasties are great and were my favorite part of the game even when I was the commissioner.

NCAA 09 may have its share of problems, but EA has done an excellent job of improving nearly every aspect of the game and improving just the overall presentation. I’m looking forward to the coming years of the franchise to see what unique directions they take when improving the gameplay. The new animations have already opened a lot of doors, but the potential of it is far from being tapped. At the end of the day, if you’ve never liked football games this one probably won’t change your mind, but if you’re an avid fan or just wanting to get your feet wet with a little football, then this is the best the industry has to offer at the time.

9/10

GamerDailyNews

1942 Joint Strike: Review

During the '80s the top-down shooter was a staple of arcades. Manufacturers slapped plenty of eight-way joysticks onto arcade cabinets so gamers could get their fix - which usually involved piloting a ship through space or blasting away at aliens and asteroids. Perhaps that's why Capcom's 19xx series stood out. It played it safe with a fan-favorite genre - the first entry, 1942, was a top-down shooter. However, it experimented with conventions. Instead of futuristic outer space, 1942 dipped back into history, putting the player in the middle of World War II. Instead of a spacecraft as the vehicle of choice, Capcom threw players into the cockpit of a fighter plane.

That simple historical twist on a familiar arcade genre resulted in an instant classic for Capcom. The company put out five more entries over the next sixteen years (tweaking gameplay mechanics here-and-there) and ended the series in 2000. Now, gamers have a chance to relive the original game in downloadable form. 1942: Joint Strike carries a small price tag ($10) and faithfully updates the classic twitch-based gameplay of the original with a few bonuses (both in graphics and multiplayer) that should please fans and newcomers alike.

The 19xx series has never been big on story - you're just one man against an entire army of fighter planes - and Joint Strike continues this tradition. You're thrown into the action and expected to know what to do. This idea begins to make sense as soon as the first set of planes comes near you; you quickly realize it's kill or be killed.

To take on wave-after-wave of enemy craft (which includes fighter planes, battleships, tanks, and helicopters), you've got your main weapon: a standard machine gun. This can be upgraded by picking up power-ups that change it into everything from a rocket launcher to a laser turret. Collecting sequential weapon power-ups widens its spread and increases your firepower. Charge shots can be performed by holding down the fire button for an extended period of time and then releasing it. However, these shots only have one charge level; you can't build up to higher, more powerful blasts. If you want rapid fire, tough luck. Joint Strike is meant to play like an old school arcade cabinet, so you have to continually hammer down the fire button; there's no ability to simply hold down fire and rest your poor finger.

Even those with the itchiest of trigger fingers are going to run into a jam - sometimes the screen fills with so many enemies it can be overwhelming. But hey, that's what bombs are for. You start each life with three, and a simple tap of the bomb button unleashes an explosion that helps clear the screen. The other powerful attack you have in your arsenal is the joint strike. You can store up to eight of these attacks, which dishes out a torrent of missiles at unsuspecting enemies. The joint strike meter can be refilled and is weighted toward offensive players - the quicker you kill more enemies, the faster it refills.

Each of the five stages in Joint Strike follows the same pattern: you try to survive waves of attackers and make it to the final boss. Once the boss is beaten, you're cleared for the next stage. To keep you from hanging near the back of the screen (and removed from the action), the developers instituted a multiplier mechanic. The closer you get to an enemy before you destroy it, the higher your multiplier. Multipliers (which go up to 16) give your score a boost. For example, if destroying a certain plane type normally nets 500 points, getting a 16 multiplier from it turns it into a 8,000 point kill.

The multiplier concept reinforces Joint Strike's arcade roots: this is a game all about high scores. You can pick up medals during flight to net points and every level has rankings based on time completion and play style that - you guessed it - reward you with more points. Persistent online leaderboards bring the high score mentality home as well.

Besides an obsession with high scores, Joint Strike has one other thing in common with its predecessors: its difficulty. This is one hard game, but it's never unfair. Like most top-down shooters, the main gamer characteristic being tested is your reflexes. However, reflexes alone aren't enough - they need to be combined with a memorization of enemy and boss patterns.

The majority of players - even on easy - won't beat the game on their first or second try. To help curb the steep difficulty there are four levels of play to choose from, ranging from easy (Penguin) to very hard (Wing King). Starting a game on Penguin will give you nine lives, while embarking on a Wing King mission will test your skill by giving you just a single life. Oh, and lives are important for beginners because the game has no continues. Die and it's back to the beginning.

CheatCC

PSM3 Reviews: Soul Calibur, Siren: Blood Curse, Secret Agent Clank & more

Here are the reviews from the latest copy of UK mag PSM3.

PS3 GAMES

Soul Calibur IV: 85%: Not quite the technical equal of Virtua Fighter but still brilliant.

Siren: Blood Curse: 80%: Some episodes are a bit short, but Sirens's tense horror is ace.

Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli: 71%: We've come to expect big things from full-priced racers and this is just a fair racing sim.

Shikitei (Japan Import): 55%: A garden design utility that's as pretty as it is pointless.

The Incredible Hulk: 55%: Smashing is fun, but there's no real depth.

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith: 78%
Kung Fu Panda: 72%
Wall-E: 42%

PS2 GAMES

Alone in the Dark: 47%
Monster Jam: 23%

PSP GAMES

Secret Agent Clank: 73%: Clank's first starring role stops short of brilliance because of niggly problems.

Space Invaders Extreme: 82%

0-29. Rubbish. An absolute stinker and an insult to gaming. The makers should be ashamed.
30-49. Poor. Why did they do that? Some simple playtesting could of worked wonders.
50-69. All right. Hey it works, and we can see what they are tryin to do. And thats about it.
70-84. Good. Worth playing, especially if you're a fan of the genre. It just lacks that touch of greatness.
85-89. Superb. This is the sweet spot. If a game scores in this zone then it's definitely worth your money.
90+. Amazing. You must get this. Failure to do so would mean missing out on a real console classic.

ForumsGametraillers

1UP - Soul Calibur 4 Review

As someone who's ­- as the years march on -- become less interested in how utterly hardcore a fighting game can be and more concerned with how a game can move the genre forward, I'm glad to say that Soul Calibur 4 achieves both. Balanced and feature-rich, SC4 improves on the groundwork of core fighting mechanics laid in the series' previous iterations while giving players a virtual fighting sandbox. Returning characters are tweaked so that they still feel familiar yet fresh, with new moves and chains to which you'll find yourself saying, "Wow, [character name] is a badass this time around" over and over again. All of the returning vets -- Mitsurugi, Voldo, Raphael, Taki, and so on -- retain their signature play styles, but each receives worthwhile adjustments. You can even tag-team characters now (SC finally catches up to Dead or Alive and Tekken in this respect), a feature that's long overdue.

Where SC4 really shines, however, is in its character-creation mode. The more you use your custom characters, the more options you unlock -- with a wealth of weapons and armor pieces offering boosts to strength, impact, speed, and more, while certain stat modifiers improve your chances to escape throws or reverse counters. By selecting attributes designed to compensate for your weaknesses or enhance your play tendencies (or both), you can craft the fighting-game character of your dreams, to a degree that games like Fighter Maker don't begin to approach. That you can use these characters in any mode --- and have their appearance reflected in things like cutscenes -- is just an extra layer of detail that you must see to appreciate.

I may be alone in this, but I also really enjoyed the new characters contributed by various Japanese manga artists. As someone with lots of games to play these days, I need something more to keep me coming back. So, if I ever get tired of playing as Taki or Kilik, I can always fire up one of my custom characters...or, for example, Shura, designed by Gantz creator Hiroya Oku. What I'm saying is, beyond the niceties of an updated Soul Calibur, I'm looking for variety -- and, of course, an overall high-quality experience. In those respects, SC4 delivers in spades.

As of this moment, the PS3 version has the technical edge, since it allows you to install to the hard drive for faster loading times -- but with the upcoming Xbox 360 update that allow gamers to similarly install any game they want, it's almost a moot point. The Xbox 360 version's advantage rests with its exclusive guest Star Wars character, Yoda. The PS3 version is saddled with Darth Vader, but Yoda is the better character of the two, as he's sprightly and nimble, as opposed to the slow and lumbering Vader. Their Force powers are good for yanking people in and setting them up for combos (à la Mortal Kombat's Scorpion and his "Get over here!" spear), but the Jedi masters' move sets are pretty bland overall, reeking of missed opportunity. Why, for example, wasn't one of Darth Vader's hold moves an invisible dark side chokehold? Why doesn't Yoda calmly drop an X-wing on your head with his throw move?

The Apprentice (from LucasArts' upcoming Star Wars: The Force Unleashed -- and present in both versions of SC4) is ridiculously annoying to unlock, too, as you must first defeat him during the story mode with either of the Force users. He's an all-blocking, all-dodging, supercombo, jerk-a-thon of a character to beat with either Yoda or Vader (although he's much easier to beat with the standard SC characters)...but once you unlock the cheap bastard, he's sure fun to play.

SC4's new Critical Finish feature might, at first, seem like a cheap addition as well, resting somewhere between Mortal Kombat's fatalities and Guilty Gear's overpowered Overdrive moves -- but in actual practice, it's primarily used to punish players who turtle too much (overzealous blocking makes the Soul Gauge meter deplete, eventually rendering offenders susceptible to the newfangled fatalities). In all of my versus playtime, I rarely saw Critical Finishes, as the very notion of the Soul Gauge turning red enough to invite these supermoves kept my mind on offense -- and blocking to a minimum.

The long-requested online mode is probably SC4's most worthwhile endeavor. Characters level up with successive victories, and leaderboards reflect the most accomplished combatants. You can brawl using standard default attributes -- or, if you're feeling ballsy, you can enter an arena with your turbo-boosted character and see how he/she stacks up against the competition. The online mode could use a quick-rematch option, though; postfight, the game boots you back to the matchup screen, which seems just a little clunky here in 2008. Still, this mode looks like it received a lot of thought, with options to reserve space for friends in four-player battles or invite people on your friends list into a match (in the PS3 version, anyway -- Xbox Live already has that functionality built in).

Only time will tell whether people will accept SC4 into the pantheon of timeless, classic fighting games, but it looks great, plays extremely well, and has countermeasures for nearly any perceived exploit you may stumble across (like unlockable final boss Algol's slow-moving ranged attacks). The create-a-character mode is amazingly deep, allowing you to assemble your own bionic man, while the new manga-designed fighters add plenty of fun new looks and personalities to play. The Tower of Lost Souls mode is a much better attraction than Soul Calibur 3's Chronicles of the Sword, as it ditches that game's real-time-strategy-lite load-a-thon with more straightforward combat challenges (and rewards). Ironically, as complete a package as SC4 is, the recent release of the original Soul Calibur on Xbox Live actually feels faster and more nimble than its newer brother; that doesn't make it a better game, but it's an interesting observation.

So with the classic, new-school, and infinitely customizable character roster at the ready, and with online play fully operational, it's not a stretch to say this might be 2008's best fighting game. Some other hot fighters -- notably Street Fighter IV, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, and Battle Fantasia -- are on the horizon, but considering how fun Soul Calibur 4 is after a month of nonstop play, I think it'd be hard to top what Namco's accomplished with what is unquestionably their best fighting game to date.

A/A+

1UP

Soul Calibur IV Review: Best In Series!

What do the Devil May Cry, Metal Gear Solid, Grand Theft Auto and SoulCalibur franchises have in common? All four brought to us some remarkable games that are both innovative and trend setters in the genre. To the delight of gamers worldwide, all four had new releases come out this year too. DMC4, MGS4 and GTA IV received some rave and excellent reviews from every corner in the gaming world. SoulCalibur IV, to the relief of the series’ fans, is following those footsteps as well. Some eye popping graphics bundled with a deep variety of gameplay styles and an extremely appealing modification mode make SoulCalibur IV one of, if not the, best game in the glamorous series so far.

Those who purchased the first game in the SoulCalibur series on the Dreamcast know that what they played on Sega’s console is the best fighting game every created. The game looked unbelievably good back then. The fighting styles and characters’ personal stories were just a few things that kept gamers up for days, battling each other nonstop. The series has been on a decline recently however. It is not like parts II and III were bad or anything, it is just that the first game was so good (Let us call it perfect from now on) that it was nearly impossible to follow it up with anything better. SoulCalibur IV manages to mix some of the best aspects about the original with some innovative and new ideas creating what just might be the perfect fighting experience.

SoulCalibur IV starts off just like all the games in the series with a straight forward menu, a beautiful interactive background and a kick ass intro video introducing you to the SoulCalibur world. For the old time fans, you will have the option to fight it out against a friend, play the arcade/story mode or try out the appealing new mode called the tower of lost souls. New comers might want to try out the training mode first to work on mastering the moves of each character. To improve and win in a game like SoulCalibur you need to pick a character that matches your style of gaming and work on learning that characters’ specific set of moves. Mashing buttons to win might work every now and then, but if you plan on advancing and finishing the game you really need to understand that every button you press matters.

The fighting is split up to many styles and weapons. So your fighting style will change depending on the character you have picked. We do recommend that you try out all styles and characters however. Playing as a huge character with a humongous weapon or a smaller fighter is two completely different styles of gameplay, so different that they could have made two or three games out of SoulCalibur IV alone. There are three areas you can aim for during a fight and those are high, medium and low level targets. Hitting the same target over and over again will result in you breaking the piece of equipment on that specific area (Don’t worry, no nude scenes to look forward to, well unless of course you’re a fan of the SoulCalibur female cast’s unique anatomy in which case you'll be disappointed). You will be causing more damage to your opponent if you hit the equipment-less area. This addition to the gameplay brings up more tactics to the series. Staying put and guarding for the whole match while praying for a ring out is not an option anymore.


SoulCalibur is a fully 3D fighter as you might have figured out. So the movement of the characters and how they look and react is very important to the gameplay. The characters movement is very smooth and the game leaves very little for fighting fans to desire. The number of moves each character poses is huge and the time it will take for you to master them is very long, giving the game a big plus in the value department.

The set of characters is extremely diverse. Take Maxi for example, the fast and active fighter (personal favorite)who will knock you out before you even think twice about your next move. Larger characters such as Nightmare and Rock are also at your disposal. Playing and finishing the arcade mode with each character will reveal some info regarding that specific character. You also have a whole museum filled with unlockables that reveal more and more about the game and series overall. For every fight you play and finish (win or lose) you will rewarded with golden points which in turn can be used to purchase museum’s items, new characters and items to be used in the character creation/modification mode.

The Arcade mode is the same mode you have seen in every fighting game released in the past ten years. Here you will have four stages to beat, each consisting of more than one character for you to take care of. You will be able to choose from two difficulty levels to start with, normal and hard. Both levels are very different. On normal going into a fight while not knowing what or who exactly you are going up against is fine. You can mash some buttons and pray for the best. On the hard difficulty however that won’t cut it. You need to figure out the weak points of your opponent from the first glance and be careful about your moves. You can be aggressive or defensive for example depending on the situation.


The tower of lost souls is the mode we have been busy playing the most since we got our hands on SoulCalibur IV. The tower is made up of 60 levels you can either ascend or descend on. Going up you will have to fight a set of different characters with different attributes and abilities on each level. The first few levels might be too easy, and you will start getting cocky beating up on those poor lizards. Reach some higher levels and experience some of the best fighting you have seen, ever, oh and some of the hardest too. The thing we loved the most about this mode is not how challenging it is or how bad it kicked our asses, it is because how you need to adjust your style for each enemy on hand. You will find yourself going back to training to pick and choose the perfect character and weapon combination for that specific level. Having a solid single player game is one thing many good fighting games have failed to deliver in the past few years, but SoulCalibur thrives on that.

The multiplayer mode does not need any introductions. Invite some friends over and brace yourself for an ultimate evening of fighting and furious competition. Every game to hit the market these days seem to come with some kind of modification/creation mode for you to mess around with. That mode in Soul Calibur though is the best we have seen in a long time. You might not notice anything new, but the level of detail and what you can do with your favorite character is nothing short of fantastic. Using the golden points you gain from the games you play you can purchase new items to dress up your character (or undress him/her if that is your thing). You can even change how the weapons look for each character. Oh and you will also be able to try out the new look in a fight before you confirm any changes. The custom made look will appear as the 3rd option for the character on hand.

The game promises to feature an exciting online mode but sadly and due to some server maintenances issues, the game is not up and alive online yet.

Graphically the game is simply jaw dropping. Even with all the graphical masterpieces we have seen recently, Soul Calibur IV stands out on its own for many reasons. The environments you fight in look fantastic and you just can’t wait for the fight to begin because of how amazing the arenas look during the characters introduction. The characters are fully detailed. Each and every item they carry on, to the hair styles and weapons, it is all just perfectly done. Slowdowns do not exist in any of the game modes we have played in SoulCalibur IV. The cinematic you experience between different stages are worth playing the game for on their own. The menu and presentation style are also very well done with everything clear and waiting for your orders. If you are planning to sell your TV, playing Soul Calibur IV for the buyer might just seal the deal for you. Yes, it looks that good.


The game is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and that is the way it should be played. Every hit, scream and cry will be heard clearly and in timely fashion while you enjoy the battle. The music is not really worth mentioning but that is just asking too much from a fighting game, the dramatic background music is enough to get you in the mood to fight.

Diehard SoulCalibur fans might still not be satisfied with the 4th installment in the series. While they are stuck in the past comparing it to the Dreamcast game, the series have evolved in SoulCalibur IV and yet managed to bring back some key elements we enjoyed throughout the series. You shouldn’t call your game collection a “collection” without a great fighting game on the roster, and SoulCalibur IV fits that title perfectly. And keep all the good stuff we had to say about this game on one side, remember that with the PS3 version you will get to play as Darth Vader himself! So what exactly do you want more in a videogame?

9.5/10
MeGamers

The Bourne Conspiracy Review

Gamers finally enter the world of Jason Bourne, could it be better than the films?

Robert Ludlum's best-selling spy novels and blockbuster film adaptations have thrilled millions. Now become Ludlum's most famous spy Jason Bourne in Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy, going deeper than ever into his world of espionage and conspiracy. A signature Jason Bourne video game experience is born in Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy, an original title fusing the viscous tension and depth of the novels with the aggressive style and frenetic action of the films.

Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy Features:


Become Jason Bourne: Play as a 30 million dollar weapon on the loose, in Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy, action-packed with original missions and sequences inspired by The Bourne Identity.


Go deeper into the Bourne mythos than ever before: Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy lets players experience Bourne as both ruthless agent and wanted assassin on the run from his own agency.


Move from firefights to fistfights: Play sequences that seamlessly blend shooting with hand-to-hand combat akin to The Bourne Conspiracy movie.


Employ signature Bourne techniques: Weaponize, improvise, always survive - pull off heart-pounding escapes, memorable fight moves, acrobatic gun play, and devastating takedowns in Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy!

The Bourne films have been widely popular, I admit I was late getting into the trilogy. Infact, I only saw it a few months ago with the complete collection on the now doomed HD-DVD format. There was just something fresh and brilliant about each film. The Bourne Conspiracy takes the most memorable scenes from the films and puts the control in your hands, it also lets you play out missions that we didn’t see all of and others we never saw at all, as Bourne recovers his memory.

The game is essentially split up into 3 game types: Fighting, Shooting and Driving. It handles like a third-person shooter for the most part, but get close to an enemy and you’ll enter combat mode, which is probably the most fun that the game offers. It’s a simple case of button-bashing and blocking, but you build up a takedown meter during the fight that will definitely help you with your enemies, during which Bourne will use anything from the proverbial kitchen sink to a book in order to down his foe. You may feel that using the takedown meter lowers the difficulty, but it can seriously turn the tide of any fight. On the other hand, the harder enemies can also do their own takedown moves but you can block these by tapping the right button prompt on screen.

The Bourne Conspiracy is full of Quick Time Events. It seems that a lot of games are doing this now, Resident Evil 4 perfected it while Tomb Raider Legend/Anniversary did a fair job with it. Bourne Conspiracy however does tend to rely on it more than you’d hope, it seems that you always have to keep your eyes peeled to press a button. Just timing it wrong or late will result in instant death, but luckily there are checkpoints all over the place, so you won’t have to go far to try it again. Shooting is a mixed bag it seems, it too uses a takedown meter which will wipe out upto 3 enemies at a time, depending how far your meter is full. The main problem with shooting seems to be with aiming, it just doesn’t feel all that strong and the lack of a auto-lock hurts it overall, you’ll end up relying too much on the takedown meter as a result.

As you go through each stage, you’ll need to keep your eyes out for collectable passports, which will unlock “Accomplishments” in the PS3 version, I’m not sure if the 360 achievements are the same but it does seem a bit of a cop-out. I didn’t notice any Trophy support, but it would seem to make sense if they did what with the way the Accomplishments are set out. Another power you can use through third-person is a senses vision, it displays enemies a lot clearer and on the mini-map, it also gives a better idea of where to go, even if the game is completely linear. It does seem rather useless though, it’s not like it contributes a great deal in combat or shooting, it just helps identify snipers and objectives a bit clearer.

Driving is perhaps the game’s weakest point, it reminds me a bit of the driving sections in Bond: Agent Under Fire, just minus the gadgets. It too relies on QTE’s far too much, the control can be a bit stiff at times and crash detection is incredibly unrealistic. It wouldn’t be so bad if the sections weren’t long, but they do tend to drag on longer than they should. If you look at the actual chase sequences in the films you’ll see that it shouldn’t be nearly as long as it is in the game.

Graphically, Bourne Conspiracy is fairly good. You may come across a few ugly character models and textures but the overall look is hardly disappointing, although the driving sections do look pretty bad. The PS3 version does support DualShock 3, but the results aren’t that great as I’d hoped, the response is fairly weak in comparison with the demo of the 360 version that I played. It would have been nice to see an actual cameo from MATTTT DAMMMONN, but it was uncertain if he would be doing anymore at the time of production, so it’s fairly understandable.

The voice-acting isn’t too bad, but it’s hardly memorable either. It does tend to stick to the script for the parts from the films, which is a good thing. We don’t want it changing too much, even if the flashback sequences aren’t scripted nearly as good. The soundtrack is good enough and fits the feel of the game, but you’d hope for a bit more in the audio department.

The Verdict 7/10

The Bourne Conspiracy can be a fun and enjoyable game, but relies too much on QTE’s and fight sequences. Sure they are fun for a while, but the overuse reduces it dramatically and it becomes increasingly repetitive. You will enjoy it for a while, but patience will wear thin quickly.

Civilization IV Vs Revolution

Shying away from our original concept of weighing the pros and cons of multiplatform releases, Big Versus has transformed into a opinionated comparison piece regarding our overall experiences with the multiple versions of a game. Which version will we keep playing in the end? Find out in Big Versus.

Since the early 1990s, Sid Meier's Civilization franchise has challenged strategy enthusiasts to shape an empire and make your mark in virtual history. While PC gamers enjoy the latest expansion for Civilization IV, Beyond the Sword, they may not realize Firaxis Games has been hard at work redefining the conventions that has made the original series so popular with the recently released console exclusive Civilization Revolution.

Promising a more streamlined and accessible entry in the franchise the Big Download team has spent time roaming around the simplified title to give you the skinny on the new Civilization.

Are PC gamers missing out? Find out today, on Big Versus.

Civilization IV
Publisher: 2K | Release Date: October 25, 2005 | PC Exclusive

View all downloads for this title now!

Civilization Revolution
Publisher: 2K | Release Date: July 9, 2008 | Console Exclusive

Comparing Civilization Revolution to Civ4 feels like going to the groceries. There's a set list of what you expect to get but sometimes you notice something you didn't originally imagine you'd want. Specifically, a simple Civilization was never on our minds.

Conceptually, a console focused Civilization seems plausible considering the push consoles have recently had with real-time strategy games. Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth, Command and Conquer 3 and, most recently, Supreme Commander have all made the jump to the console platform. Traditionally known as a slower game, due to its turn-based gameplay, Civ4 makes sense as a console experience. The major difference between all of the RTS ports mentioned and Civilization Revolution is its vision. CivRev is a complete reworking of the series in a way no other strategy game has attempted before. But is it an experience PC players want?

IN THE BEGINNING
One of the most enticing qualities of Civilization has always been the size and scope of the world around you. The world can be as large as you wish while hundreds of abilities help shape your experience differently each time you play. Civilization Revolution unfortunately doesn't feel the same way. The game is limited to one singular map, which randomizes landmass at the start of each new game. Randomized or not, the world is small. It isn't uncommon to scroll in any direction for a few seconds before looping around the planet back to your starting point.

Another substantial change has been the popular Tech Tree. Where Civilization IV increased the tree to 86 research-able items, CivRev is limited to 45. The missing pieces are usually stepping stones to greater technology in an effort to make research faster for console gamers but it sometimes renders technology obsolete quickly. For example, within thirty minutes of being able to build Pikemen units the ability to research gunpowder was made available and rendered the new unit useless. It may look extremely short, but fully researching the tech tree can still take a few hours worth of work. A notable omission of important in CivRev is the focus on religion and in-depth civics from Civilization IV. Instead of a focus on both concepts, they are simply relegated to research-able technology.

The research itself is fine but it eventually, just ends. Future Technology is the research ceiling and affords you the option of creating a space-station which you can send off in search of Alpha Centauri to win the match via technology. There are four ways to win in Civilization Revolution. Military conquest (capturing all other civilization's home city or Palace), cultural victory (by amassing 20 great people, wonders or culturally-flipped cities and then creating a United Nations wonder), economic victory (by amassing 20,000 gold and constructing a World Band) and the aforementioned tech victory.
While the game omits some of the best qualities from Civilization IV, the entire thing feels right. It's a title that could only be released on console as its streamlined presentation would only frustrate PC gamers. For example, there are no controllable workers in CivRev to build farms or roads. Instead the surrounding you control consists of squares indicating how much food, production, or trade is available. Food grows your population, production builds units and buildings, and trade furthers scientific research or discovers more gold. Instead of a worker being delegated specific tasks you select a general worker order for a city and command them to pay attention to a specific resource in the area or balance them, with road build orders when you have a city to connect.

The end result changes the feel of the game dramatically. While Civilization always felt like a extremely controllable game where you played king, CivRev is very streamlined and feels like a god-game. Want a road between two cities? Pay for it and *poof!* there it is. It's quick and painless.

HANDS-ON
Developers who bring strategy games to consoles are known to bullet-point control schemes as so important they sound as though they've solved the Da Vinci Code. Mapping simple mouse and keyboard functionality to a controller with a series of button presses and trigger pulls that quickly fall apart during the action. CivRev is the opposite of this controller circus. As a low intensity but challenging experience, CivRev works well on a gamepad.

There are three basic controls in CivRev. Left-analog is unit movement, right-analog is a free-look magnify glass and the 'A' or 'X' button (on the Xbox 360 and PS3 respectively) is selection. There are other buttons to use, but those are the three that will get the move attention.

One new addition is the onscreen presence of attack and defense statistics during the revamped battle. Information regarding both hostile units display and outline a suggested outcome based on the information of the two units. Combine three of the same unit can create a fleet or army, which increases the attack stat accordingly. In some instances an advisor will tell you that a battle you are about to initiate will not bring favorable results, which can be helpful to run-and-gun style players.

The only thing that didn't get programed into the game was a free option to end a turn at any time. Instead, you must wait until all units and cities have been given orders. So, once you capture cities and build your empire you can expect dozens of menus to pop up and annoy when all you'd like to do is skip a turn so new research can be completed. Civ4 was known to melt away the hours and while you can spend just as much time with CivRev, nothing will snap you back to reality quicker than having to lug through menu, after menu.

EYES AND EARS
Civilization Revolution is a beautiful game. The art style selected for the game, which is a more playful and cartooned take on Civ4, works extremely well. Units are all represented well and easy to differentiate and each civilization has its own unique visual presence. The returning advisors from Civilization II, which help walk you through the game, look fantastic and are a treat to watch evolve as the ages are upgraded from Barbarian to Modern.

Hearing them. That's another issue. All in game characters are fluent in 'Sim-ish,' meaning they mumble made up words to convey the fact that they are speaking to you. This wouldn't be such an issue if you rarely were treated with characters on screen but the game is designed always guide you. So, you'll be hearing a lot of 'The Sims' style character speak. Eventually it will drive your ears to such a deep madness that you'll forget it's happening. It's honestly pretty brutal.

FINAL WORD
Civilization Revolution is a great game. What it does, it does very well. Its purpose was to convert the Civilization experience into a new style that is better suited to console gamers. There are certain gripes we have about the game overall but it offers one of the best strategy experiences console gamers have ever had. Are PC gamers missing out on a new Civ experience by the lack of a PC port of Civilization? Not at all. This is an entirely different beast, created to streamline and simplify the game we've been enjoying for nearly two decades.

Civilization was an evolution of the strategy experience and its recent console counterpart has shifted its focus to a more accessible experience. In that way, the console version truly is a revolution. While PC gamers should be happy to keep their more in-depth experience we recommend you check out Civilization Revolution if you ever get the opportunity.

news.bigdownload

New York Times: Metal Gear Solid Is Not A Game

Seth Schiesel of the New York Times declared twice in his review of Metal Gear Solid 4 that it "isn't really my kind of game." He started off by stating his prejudices early; blatantly telling the reader that his "favorite games provide a sort of social framework within which the players set their own storylines" and that he favors one-player games like SimCity that deliver open-ended gameplay. Surprisingly though, he still claimed MGS4 is very much enjoyable.

Schiesel saw MGS4's production values and attention to detail as quasi-negatives, which lead him to "pretty much stopped caring about playing the game." He then gave a backhanded compliment to the game by saying the "combat scenes ... are just as good, if not better in their intensity, than anything I have ever seen in a film. No lie." Because ultimately, Schiesel thought it is too much like watching an interactive film. According to him, the player lacked control over the storyline. He though it's "Mr. Kojima's world, and you are just passing through for the moment." He ended the review on fully negative note, with an implication that MGS4 isn't even game: "By the time those credits did roll, I was ready for the MGS4 experience to be over ... I was ready to play a game."

Schiesel also thought MGS4 as-it-is would not be possible on the Xbox 360 and that "the PS3 has more pure silicon horsepower under the hood" which will eventually result in "Microsoft ... playing catch-up." Perhaps by lavishing praise on the hardware, Schiesel thinks he will sound neutral. We can't help but think his view on MGS4 is from a guy who walked into a restaurant ordering Omakase from a world-renowned chef whose specialty is an ingredient he is mildly allergic to.

PS3Fanboy

PS3 Informer: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Review

The name Hideo Kojima has long been associated with greatness, and any self respecting gamer could pick Solid Snake out of a lineup. So with great anticipation, the multitudes have received Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, the supposed final chapter in Solid Snake’s 10 year career.

However, as much as I would love to hand over a perfect score to Hideo’s epic masterpiece, there is quite a bit of nitpicking I had to do.

Now don’t get me wrong, I played the game from start to finish to give it a fair shot. I even took the time to set up Metal Gear Online for some additional feedback. And I feel that I am justified in my feelings concerning Metal Gear.
As a dedicated fan for most of my life, this finale was a critical point in my life as a gamer. It brought to a close a series of storyline arcs that had long been speculated and argued over. It put to rest all the theories and ideas that I had spent hours arguing with my peers about. And it put them all to rest in about 10 hours of cutscene.

10 hours. Of a 15 hour game. You do the math. Of course, this formula rings true in every Metal Gear Solid title, with the main emphasis being on the storyline instead of the gameplay. But I can’t help feeling that Hideo went a bit off track here even with the minimal amount of gameplay involved here. It’s no secret that I am a failure as a ninja, so the concept of myself playing a stealth title does seem far fetched. However, my love for Metal Gear’s artful storytelling combined with stealth aspects has helped me overcome the slower pace of things.

Metal Gear Solid 4 completely forgets what it means to be a stealth game. There are more explosions and blood splatters in this game to rival the highest end Hollywood summer spectacular. And did I mention 5 hours? That’s all you get. And almost 4 of that is comprised of boss battles. Oh, and while we’re on the number 5, that’s how many times you’re going to have to install the game while playing. Blu-Ray may be the future, but you still need to install this baby like some old school PC game every time you get to a new Act. For a title with this much hype, I’m a bit disappointed in having to watch Snake stop and smoke in the middle of my gripping narrative adventure, or deal with harrowing old school load screens that seem a tiny bit long for this generation.
Now that I’m done griping about the major flaws that upset me after spending $60…let’s cover what makes Metal Gear worth having.

First off, the story is second to none. Only Hideo could wrap things up as well as he did, connect the dots and leave minimal loose ends. However, there are a few elements that feel forced, which I will not spoil for you readers, but I’m sure any diehard MGS fan could spot the points where even a master seemed to be running out of ideas. In the older titles, I feel like the audience could associate with the characters more, even the villains. We came to appreciate them on a human level, almost relating to what led them to corruption. I feel that Metal Gear has stepped so far back in a cinematic scene that it forgets about one important aspect –the audience. However, despite some bizarre twists and long shots, the story is masterfully assembled.
Gameplay, albeit complex, as the instruction manual will prove, it follows the same old MGS formula that allows Snake a wide array of options to handle any situation. Sure, you could run like a maniac and hope for the best, but it’s probably better to use your Octo-camo and rely on your surroundings a tad. Your tools are nearly infinite, as your weapons arsenal is severely bloated compared to past installments. In my mind, anything that fires bullets is good enough for me, but I’m sure gun enthusiasts will be excited. While we’re talking about bullets, I do have another minor argument. The weapons system and the fact that I can buy whatever I want whenever I want. And I literally mean whenever. When faced by a foe bent on ripping me limb from limb and only one clip in my M4, it’s a bit frightening to think that I can open up my menu and buy another 24 clips if I want. Something about this concept seems to destroy the challenge. Maybe it’s just me.
Motions are fluid, animations realistic, and motion capture that truly destroys that sense of “it’s only a game”. I can safely say that the line between “game” and “film” shatters with MGS, as I repeatedly found myself marveling at skin textures and slight facial gestures. It truly is gorgeous, there’s no lying about that, and I am pleased to see Snake’s final chapter end in such style.

Metal Gear Online. Gripe number 1? The 2 usernames, 2 passwords, and all sorts of other security checks necessary to sign in. The necessary update as soon as I signed on that prompted me to manually quit and reboot game, and the lengthy time to get into a match. With all the steps involved, I felt like I was attempting to hijack a nuclear weapon. However, once online, fun ensued in true MSG style which any fan could appreciate. Is it the shooting game to end all others? Not entirely. Will it survive after Socom: Confrontation comes out? I doubt it. But for now, with a severe lack of quality online titles for the PS3, it seems like a solid bet for the moment, especially after finishing the MGS storyline and having nothing else to do with your $60 investment.

I hate to be a pessimist here, but now that Sony’s ace is finally on the table, I dare to wonder “Now what?”. Metal Gear Solid 4 was one of the most anticipated titles of all time, and one of the very few exclusive titles Sony had left; now that the final stone has fallen, I dare to wonder what’s next for Playstation 3 as well as Kojima. I suppose we’ll have MGO to tide us over while we wait, by the time a new announcement is made, I should have finally found a match. See you on MGO until a new threat and a new Metal Gear rises yet again.

Genre:Stealth Action

Developer: Konami

Publisher: Konami

Pros: Metal Gear at its finest, gorgeous graphics, intuitive gameplay with endless options as to how to handle each situation

Cons: Constant Install makes Blu-Ray technology look like a failure, 3/4 of the entire game is cutscene, learning curve is pretty sharp for a MGS rookie

PS3 Informer Rating: 4 stars out of 5

PS3Informer

Problems with the PS3 and improvements to make it better

Firmware 2.40 brings the PS3 closer to a fully-fledged system, but there are still problems with the system software and features that are missing. In this article, we detail some of the problems faced by the existing system software and what additional features can make it better. While not everyone will agree with the problems and improvements features in this article, it just goes to show how many flaws the system has and how far off it is from perfect.

Don't get me wrong here. I love my PS3 but there is always the need for criticism.

Current Problems (and possible solutions):

The friends list takes long to load - if you have over 50 friends, your friends list can take a while to load, in addition, it takes some time for their online status to refresh. One way to solve this problem is to cache the list and reload it as needed. Currently, it seems that the list is loaded fresh every time the console is started.
Lack of supported video and audio formats - only a limited number of video and music files are supported by the PS3. While the recently introduced DivX compatibility makes it easier for some people, there are still many formats that are missing. Currently, the PS3 cannot be classified as a "media center" without better compatibility.
In-game XMB is slow - while the in-game XMB is a nice feature to have, it can be slow and clunky. With a whole SPU dedicated to the XMB, it's the memory that is causing the problem, which is only 256MB for the entire system (thought there is also another 256MB in the GPU). One way to speed up the in-game XMB is to only show the features that can be accessed in-game, and hide the rest.
In-game music playback - Firmware 2.40 introduces in-game music playback, but is only compatible with titles that support the feature. It's up to the developers to make the feature available. Sony should allow the feature by default, and simply allow players to mute in the game's music by changing the game settings. This will allow gamers to play their own music while also leaving the sound effects in place.
Downloading while on power-save mode - you can only download content while the system is switched on. It would be great if there is a power-save mode (a mode between stand-by and full power) that allows you to download things while saving power.
Screensavers - if you leave your PS3 idle, the screen simply dims down or runs folding@home if it's configured to do so. It would be great if there were some actual screensavers or even an auto-off feature, something similar to that of the PSP.
Better flash player - the PS3 web browser is decent, but the flash player cannot support all flash content. It would be great if the flash player was in the same league as a PC or Mac.
Limited friends list - Firmware 2.40 upped the friends list limit from 50 to 100, but this is still very restrictive. My friend list is closely reaching this new limit and it could be months before they decide to increase it again. Why not just allow an infinite number of friends?
Online version of Player Profile - Player's profile has changed in Firmware 2.40, showing something similar to a "gamers card". Why not introduce an online version of this or at least offer an API for developers to create their own? People want to share their achievements and "now playing" statuses, so why not let them.
Better Remote Play - the PSP/PS3 cross-compatibility features are great, but there is still room for improvement. Why not let users edit their account (via Account Manager) from their PSP. Mirror the screen on both the PSP and PS3 rather than showing the "Remote Play in Progress" screen on the PS3.
Better messaging - the messaging system is good for sending messages to offline friends, but when you want to chat to someone online, IM would be so much easier if you don't have a mic. Adding IM to the chat room would allow gamers with no mic to still join in.
Allowing users to change PSN Name - currently, you cannot change your PSN name. Sony should allow users to change their name if they no longer like they current name, but limit it to once every six months to stop abuse.
Message list - prior to Firmware 2.40, clicking on a friends name would show you the message list between the two of you. It now displays the player's profile. It should be the way it was. Now you have to press TRIANGLE and then select [Message List] to see your messages.
New features to improve the PS3:

Cross game chat/in-game chat - for games that don't support chat, the XMB should provide an alternative, allowing gamers to communicate. Cross-game chat would allow gamers to keep in touch with friends playing different games.
Email to PSN (and vice versa) - allow users to send a message to your PSN account using a email address and vice versa could help keeping it touch with friends who don't own a PS3. A personalized email address like [psn_id]@psn.playstation.com would be great.
Message Notification - get an email sent to your registered email address when you receive a new PSN message.
Better online Profiles - allow gamers to add more information to their profile page rather than just "About Me". This would avoid duplicate questions like "how old are you?" and "where are you from?", as it can all be on the profile page.
RSS Reader - like the PSP, a RSS reader feature would allow gamers to subscribe to podcasts and photo feeds. Hell, why not also let gamers subscribe to their favorite news websites too.
Skype - again like the PSP, a Skype client would be great. Not only can you have voice conversations with friends, if you have the PlayStation Eye or Eye Toy, you can also have a video call with friends and from around the world.
Upscale PS3 titles - if you are playing a 720p game on a TV that supports 1080p, why not upscale games like you can upscale DVDs? Of course, this might make developers lazy.
Friend Finder - you may not always know your friend's PSN ID, so why not allow gamers to search for their friends using their email address. Even better is allowing gamers' to import their address books from Hotmail, GMail and Yahoo and auto-search for people they may know.
Login to multiple PSN accounts - you can currently only login to one PSN account at a time. Why not let gamers login to two or more accounts when playing multiplayer games. That way, both users can get points for playing games like Warhawk on split-screen.
Password Protection - anyone can login to your Local User account when they turn on your PS3. Adding password protection would make it much more secure. For example, it would stop jealous friends from deleting your gamesaves.
Admin User(s) - if you have younger siblings using your console, they can sometimes change settings or delete things without your knowledge. Having an "admin" account can prevent "non-admin" users from tampering with settings and deleting files. This is especially important with the System Update feature.
"Appear Offline" - signing into the PSN means everyone can see you online. But this is necessary to access the PlayStation Store and playing games. There should be a "appear offline" feature allowing you to appear offline to friends, but giving access to all the PSN features.
Keyboard Shortcuts - The XMB supports a keyboard, but there are no shortcut keys. Pressing "S" on the friends list should scroll down to the first name beginning with "S". Pressing "Del" on a video/photo etc. should give you the option to delete it.
Screenshots and Videos - gamers should be able to take in-game or even XMB screenshots and videos with the press of some key-combination. While video recording might affect system resources, image capture should be a lot easier to implement. This would allow gamers to show off their skills or easter-egg finds more easily. (Don't you just hate shaky-cam videos and blurry screenshots.)
Auto-download - if you subscribe to Qore, whenever a new episode is out it should automatically be added to your download list (in addition to appearing on your PlayStation Store download list). Similarly, you should be able to set "download all new demos" and let the PS3 download all new demos automatically.
Better multi-taking - currently, you cannot do anything else while installing a game. You should at least be allowed to view photos or surf the net while you wait, or do something else that doesn't use of system resources.
Better "now playing" status - the PS3 only displays the names of games you are currently playing. Why not expand this to display "Playing Video" when watching a video or display the name of the Blu-Ray title you are watching (and display the appropriate icon). It may stop friends from pestering you.
Message Attachments - you can only attach photos to PSN message. Why not let gamers attach bookmarks and gamesaves too?
Force developers to use the PSN ID system - Metal Gear Solid 4 is the one game that doesn't use the PSN ID system. Sony should force developers to use this system as it makes locating friends easier. The MGS4 Game ID just complicates things. Any add-ons should also be forced to appear on the PlayStation Store. Konami just screwed things up with the Konami ID and Game ID systems.
Better Back-up/Restore system - backing up your console means all your content is backed up. Allowing user to customize their backup would make it easier for gamers. For example, gamers can select "Games" and "Savedata" to back on those two, and ignoring everything else. This should also work when restoring a system, allowing users to only restore a subset if items.
Let's leave it there shall we? We could probably go on forever but whether any of the above feature see the light of day is Sony's decision. It's taken almost two years to get the PS3 this far and implementing even a few of the above features could take Sony another year. If you have any comments or suggestions, make yourself heard below.

xtremeps3

DLC Royal Rumble - PS3 vs Xbox 360 vs Wii

The console war is fought everywhere these days, but the internet seems to be where people are most vocal. It also serves to give each console its own set of downloadable content, fuelling the war even more. Each week we'll give you a run-down of what's available to download on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii, and declare a winner.

Note: This round-up is based on UK releases to each console's online service. Releases outside of the UK could vary.

PlayStation 3 - PSN


Just a solitary new game release for PS3 this week, and one that's been available for Xbox 360 for a while now. There's also the fact that buying the game for XBLA gets Xbox 360 gamers access to the Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD beta. The Commando 3 demo was released last week so we recommend PS3 gamers give that a try before spending £6.99 on the full game.

There's plenty of new DLC up for grabs though, including the free Rainbow Six Vegas 2 Gift Pack and the ultra cool Top Gun Anthem for Guitar Hero 3. Those who've picked up the newly released Buzz! Quiz TV can also immediately expand their question selection with a range of question sets.

Games
Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3: £6.99

Add-ons
Guitar Hero 3 - July 4th 2008 Holiday Single - Top Gun Anthem: Free
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2: Gift Pack: Free
Buzz! Australian Culture Quiz: £3.49
Buzz! UK Culture Quiz: £3.49
Buzz Rock Legends: £3.49
Buzz Sci Fi: £3.49

Videos
Movement - Movement Ep1 'Lets hit the road': Free
Movement ep2 'Paris Respects to Jim': Free
Movement Minitel Rose Be with you: Free
Movement Minitel Rose Continue: Free
Movement Minitel Rose Interview: Free
Movement Pravda Interview: Free
Movement Pravda 'Je suis french': Free
Movement Pravda 'Tu es l'Ouest': Free
BIA HH Ubidays Trailer: Free
Haze Launch Trailer: Free

Wallpapers and Themes
Top Spin 3 Wallpaper: Free
Elefunk Forest Wallpaper: Free
Elefunk Circus Wallpaper: Free
MGS4 OTC Theme: Free
Elefunk Theme: Free
Echochrome Theme: Free

Xbox 360 - Marketplace

No demos this week for Xbox 360 owners, but this week does see the release of the classic Namco Bandai beat 'em up SoulCalibur which, despite its years, is still a great fighter - the lack of online play is a big disappointment though.

As on PS3, there's the free Top Gun Anthem for Guitar Hero 3 and the free Rainbow Six Vegas 2 Gift Pack. There's also a wide range of premium DLC including new Ninja Gaiden 2 costumes, new questions for Wits & Wagers and a selection of songs for Rock Band.

Games
SoulCalibur: 800 MS Points

Add-ons
Guitar Hero III July 4 Holiday Track - Top Gun Anthem: Free
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 Gift Pack: Free
Wits & Wagers DLC: 320 MS Points
Ninja Gaiden 2 Costume Pack Shadow Walker: 200 MS Points
Ninja Gaiden 2 Costume Pack Biometal: 200 MS Points
Ninja Gaiden 2 Costume Pack Fiend Hayabusa: 200 MS Points
Rock Band: Vesuvius "Promised Land" [Track]: Free
Rock Band: Trapt "Who's Going Home with You Tonight" [Track]: 80 MS Points
Rock Band: Papa Roach "Time is Running Out" [Track]: 80 MS Points
Rock Band: Motley Crue "Down at the Whisky" [Track]: 80 MS Points
Rock Band: Crue Fest Pack 01 [Track Pack]: 240 MS Points

Videos
Alone in the Dark Eden Trailer: Free
Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution BtS Trailer: Free
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Behind The Scenes Trailer: Free

Themes and Pictures
LEGO Indiana Jones Gamer Picture Pack: 130 MS Points
LEGO Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Theme Pack: 100 MS Points
LEGO Indiana Jones Temple of Doom Theme Pack: 150 MS Points
LEGO Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark Theme Pack: 150 MS Points
Soulcalibur IV PICTURE Pack 01: 80 MS Points
Soulcalibur IV THEME 01: 150 MS Points

Wii

There's nothing new on the Virtual Console, but there are two new titles available for WiiWare.

My Pokémon Ranch will see the loveable creatures interacting with user created Miis for the fist time. By linking up with Pokémon Diamond or Pearl on the Nintendo DS, captured Pokémon can be transferred to the ranch. At the ranch players will be able to take pictures and share them with friends.

The second new release is Pop, which as the name suggests will see players popping bubbles. Each bubble is worth points and players can chain together coloured bubbles for big points. Players will earn badges for completing certain objectives and also compete to place high up on the online leaderboards.

Also available this week is a bunch of new content for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King. Simply select "Purchase Add-on Content" from either the main game menu or the in-game castle menu.

WiiWare Games
My Pokémon Ranch: 1000 Wii Points
Pop: 700 Wii Points

Add-ons
Infinity Spire: 300 Wii Points
Library: 200 Wii Points
Castle Renovation: 100 Wii Points
New Royal Outfit 2: 100 Wii Points
New Chancellor Outfit 2: 100 Wii Points

And the winner of this week's DLC Royal Rumble is...

Xbox LIVE Marketplace
I know we sound like a broken record but the Xbox 360 Marketplace comes out on top yet again. It has the better new game release in SoulCalibur, letting everyone experience one of the classics of the beat 'em up genre. We'd also argue that the Xbox has the better selection of add-on content. Wii at least puts up a fight this week, with two new WiiWare titles and some Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King DLC, but it's not enough to lift the platform out of third place.

Videogamer