The new PlayStation3 system firmware and the European release of the DualShock3 controller are just two of Sony's upcoming treats.
Sony revealed in a press release that the newest firmware, which will give PS3 owners in-game XMB and Trophies, is due to be launched as a free download on Wednesday.
Most games will have in-game XMB support from release, but only some will feature Trophy support. Amongst these games are Warhawk and PAIN. The feature has also been announced for currently unreleased games such as MotorStorm: Pacific Rift and Resistance: Fall of Man 2.
However, the latest firmware is not the only thing on SCEE's release agenda. The long-awaited DualShock 3 controller is set to be released to Europe on Friday. The controller brings back the old rumble feature familiar to that of the old controllers. Motion sensing technology will still be included in the controller.
This is good news to many PS3 owners who have eagerly been anticipating both features. More as we get it.
Linford
SCEE PRESS RELEASE: Firmware v2.40
CONSOLE GAMING: DualShock3 Hits Europe - 4th July
Labels: 2.4, Breaking, Dualshock 3, XMB
Following up their award-winning and critically acclaimed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Activision have officially announced the newest game in their shooter franchise with a downloadable debut trailer.
Call of Duty: World at War is set to take the game back to its Second World War roots, and whilst some feel this is going back to square one, the trailer reveals that the game is shaping up nicely. However, this is going to feel like our fiftieth tour of the WW2 battlefield, even if it is set in the Pacific theatre. The game seems to centre around the American's struggle against the Japanese forces during the latter part of the Second World War. Rising Sun, anyone?
World at War is taking Call of Duty into the realms of adult gaming. The PlayStation Store gives the trailer alone an 18 certificate, and the video itself shows a much darker, ruthless and violent game than previous incarnations - the inclusion of flamethrowers, for instance.
All in all, World at War is looking to be a game that we must keep our eyes on. More as we get it. You can download the trailer and images below.
Linford
DOWNLOAD TRAILER (Right click, Save Target As...)
Quicktime for Mac
720p WMV for Windows, PS3 Compatible
MP4 for Ipod/PS3/PSP/MP4 Player
IMAGES:
Call of Duty: World at War Album
Labels: Call of Duty, Revealed
Shaun White Snowboarding (as you may have guessed) is a snowboarding game from Ubisoft Montreal. Before I read an article on the game in this month’s PSM3, I didn’t really care about the game. But now I’m actually really stoked for it, mainly because of some great sounding features.One thing that struck me whilst watching a play-through of the “peak” level was the large loading time (about 10-15 seconds). But I doubt you will care as while you wait you can mess around on a half-pipe area that lets you pull some great tricks. This obviously lends a lot from FIFA 08’s “Arena” loading screen that lets you control a player in a 1v1 situation with an opposing goal-keeper.
The game also supports an “always online” function that lets the player go about their normal business in the 1 player mode, but with up to 15 random other riders on the slopes to interact with and more than likely get in the way of. This really excites me as it entails some sort of pseudo-16 player co-op mode which would change the way the game can be played.Finally, the option for custom soundtracks is a god-send for PS3 players without this function built-in (although 2.4 might change this). Snowboarding + Foo Fighters = Awesome.
Shaun White Snowboarding comes out around Christmas 08 on PC, 360, PS3 and Wii. Who knows, it could be one of the unexpected hits of 08.Matt
Labels: Hype Train, Matthew, Shaun White Snowboarding
At around 12.15 pm (CEST) Blizzard announced that their newest game would be none other than Diablo 3. Blizzard have created many rumors around the gaming world about what their homepage splash screen would finally reveal. However, most people were on the money with guesses about a new Diablo game.Gr1mmy
Labels: Blizzard, Breaking, Diablo III
Blizzard is holding the annual Worldwide Invitational this weekend in Paris, and they have said to the fans that they will be announcing something big during the weekend.
Fans are speculating that this has something to do with the upcoming expansion to World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, others think it has something to do with StarCraft 2. However, the thing people are saying most is that they think Blizzard will announce the third Diablo game.
If you go to Blizzard’s home page, you will see a screen with this picture on it:
This is the latest picture that has been changing in the past week. If you look closer at the picture you can see that it has 4 runes in each corner. Three of the runes have been identified by fans. The top left rune is a Protoss symbol from StarCraft. The far left rune has been identified as a Frostmourne rune or a Shael rune depending on who you ask. The upper right symbol has been identified as a Hel rune from Diablo 2. The 4th rune is just a symbol of some kind of solar system. There is also a pair of eyes in the middle of the picture people are saying this is either the Lich King or Diablo.Another hint at Diablo 3 comes from the artwork for WWI (Pictured below). The fire coming from the hand of Diablo looks a lot like a number 3 which could be a hidden clue from Blizzard as to a possible sequel.
My opinion on the whole thing is that there will be relatively big news on all 3 of Blizzard’s games. Maybe a more official window of release for WOW: WOTLK or some more details of the progress of StarCraft 2 and also the announcement of Diablo 3.I will keep you all informed on all the news over the weekend.
Gr1mmy
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If you have an ad campaign which you would like to run, have any queries about GGTL’s advertising policy or even have an ad campaign which you’d like to see here but doesn’t fit into our regular ad placements, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Even if your ad campaign doesn’t fit into our stated placements, we’re always happy to work on custom campaigns, and we’re sure we can find a cosy spot for your ads.
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Background ads are perfect for those wanting highly noticeable, prominently located, entire-site ads. Background ads allow you the flexibility of using your own logos and images with a large size, as seen above. Sophisticated and stylish, background ads are possibly the most noticeable and effective sort of ad we offer on Gamer’s Guide to Life. Used by websites such as GameSpot, ThatVideoGameBlog, Den of Geek and many more, full-page background ads are possibly the most corporately reliable ads possible.
- Use your own logos, images and branding with the flexibility of lots of space
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Labels: Advertise
Rumours that the new PlayStation3 firmware 2.40 is on the horizon could have some basis in fact, sources report.
Although nothing has been officially announced about the release date of the software update, many seem to think that connection problems on the PlayStation Network are due to the fact that the system is being upgraded to v2.4 - which will allow the XMB to be accessed in-game.
Sony have already confirmed that in-game XMB, support for the new 360-like Trophies system - so it is entirely plausible that these rumours have some substance.
Hopefully this is an indicator that 2.40 is on the horizon, finally. Check out CVG for a list of supposed in-game features.
More as we get it.
Linford
I feel like I must start this review by stating that I have never played a Metal Gear Solid game to completion before (got about 90% through MGS3) and that this may have had a negative or even positive effect on my review. So if you disagree with my review, which you have every right to, please take that into account. Previous MGS experience or not, this game is a great reason to buy a PS3, if not the reason to buy one.Metal Gear Solid 4 manifests itself as a “Tactical Espionage Action” game. The game puts you in Solid Snake’s shoes and has you complete story-fuelled missions which are geared towards stealth action, but won’t massively punish you for going in all guns blazing. Just as a warning, you will find your Dualshock 3/Sixaxis on the chair for a large portion of the game due to frequent, if semi-interactive; cut scenes that tie up the series’ past lore to great effect. These cut-scenes are probably mind-blowing to MGS fanatics, but to me they seemed way too long, if incredibly well done with copious amounts of love put into it.
Metal Gear Solid director Hideo Kojima really added a lot of depth into the game. This depth covers things from being able to flick through a playboy magazine page by page to being able to travel back in time to a place that MGS1 fans will love to re-visit. While I thought that the extra depth would be aimed at die-hard series vets, I was surprised that I really enjoyed these little touches and it really shows how much work Konami’s team did.This game is graphically stunning and is, along with Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, a reason to invest in a HDTV. Lighting is well-done and character models are top-notch which means that even if the story is a little boring sometimes, you can zoom in and look at how well rendered the scenery is.
Previous Metal Gear games have been criticized for not serving polished gameplay to an extent that those not in search of a purely-story based could still enjoy the experience fully. This is not a criticism that can be aimed at Metal Gear Solid 4. The game has some really interesting mechanics that other games have failed to try. For example the “Octocamo” system lets Snake change into a camouflage which suits his surroundings. This makes the menu surfing of MGS3 a thing of the past, and makes the game a lot more fluid, thus absorbing you into the story and action. Fantastic.My angle on the story as a relative newcomer may be controversial but apart from Solid Snake and a couple of other characters I really didn’t have much of an idea of what was going on. Sure the characters have great dialogue and the cutscenes are well directed, but most of the story seemed to be made just so that Kojima could tie up all the loose ends of the series’ past games, without much consideration for those just playing a Metal Gear Solid game for the first time. I can see why people love the story; over-the-top characters and adrenaline fuelled thrills, but it just isn’t for me.
Metal Gear Solid 4 is really remarkable from a game development perspective because it not only ties up the loose ends of the series, but it also adds a lot of new gameplay mechanics and subtle touches in the process, making this game an essential purchase. Metal Gear Solid fan our not.9/10
Matt
Labels: Matthew, Metal Gear Solid 4, Review
I’m sure by now you all know that there are next to no RTS games that can cross the gap between PC and console, so when it was announced that BFMEII was being made available on the 360, I was interested in how it would make the transition.
I’m a huge Tolkien fan and I figured don’t knock it till you’ve tried it, and went out and bought BFMEII for my 360. Biggest mistake I’ve made since I got the console.
I wasn’t expecting much in the first place; I’d played it on the PC before and thought the first in the series was better, but I was still shocked at how little effort went into the game. Not only was there no visual improvements but features that were on the PC version were taken away for the console version.
Two areas on the PC that should be commended are Create-a-Hero which wasn’t on the first and made game-play more versatile, and War of the Ring mode which was a turn based play mode that allowed you to invade other areas as your chosen faction and take over Middle-Earth. Yet neither of these were used on the console version, leaving you with a choice of skirmish mode or the campaign which was poor on the PC in the first place.
If there are any other games which you think shouldn’t have made it consoles, or shouldn’t have been ported to PC, then post in the comments.
Lewis
Labels: Battle For Middle-Earth II, LotR, Writer's note
The world’s fastest ever Memory Stick Pro-Duo has been introduced to the world by SanDisk.
The memory stick, named SanDisk Extreme III Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, is available in 4GB and 8GB varieties and is capable of write and read speeds of up to 30Mbps.
The manufacturer claims that the stick is ideal for professional photographers and advanced amateurs who use Sony Digital SLR cameras. The stick would also be perfect for PS3 and PSP owners, as the amazing speeds are more than capable of copying game saves and videos quickly and easily.
"The SanDisk Extreme III Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo continues our tradition of delivering best-in-class performance in the SanDisk Extreme product line," claims Susan Park, SanDisk's director of consumer product marketing.
"Our customers know SanDisk Extreme cards not only deliver cutting-edge read and write speeds, but are designed for durability – even under harsh conditions."
The Extreme III cards are capable of functioning from minus 13 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit, and carry a lifetime warrantee. The cards also come with RescuePro software for retrieving lost images.
The cards will retail at £76.00 for the 8GB version ($150 for our American readers) or about £46.00 for the 4GB ($90).
The memory stick will be available worldwide sometime this month, and there is no doubt that many Sony/Nintendo console owners will be flocking to buy these in the vain hope of appearing high-tech.
I’ll start the ball rolling.
My best has got to be Oblivion, brilliant game play that could go on for hundreds of hours if you get the expansions and beautiful graphics.
My worst has got to be Samurai Warriors 2: Empires; it often lags and you’re forced to restart your console and every battle is the same, it gets boring pretty damn quick.
Labels: Elder Scrolls, Misc., Samurai Warriors, Writer's note
Also announced (probably to hit on the 18th/19th June) is a small bug-fix firmware: 2.36. This update will help towards "improving system stability when playing select PlayStation format software titles".
More as we get it,
Matt
[Source: blog.us.playstation.com]
Was the hype all it lived up to be? Haze was in development for a long time until it was finally released in May 2008. I don’t know what Ubisoft have been doing with their time but they, along with Free Radical, didn’t put enough effort into this game.Haze is set in a future of secret wars, blinding the real world to a private army of “Nectar” induced warriors going out of control. You play the unsuspecting Sgt. Shaun Carpenter who is shipped out to the Boa region of South America to fight off the “Bad Guys” and the “Evil” Skin Coat.
You start of onboard the Mantel Land Carrier; which comes under attack and as a result, you are sent to the location of Skin Coat. The first mission acts as an introduction to the controls and the Nectar system. Your life as a Mantel trooper is short lived as you start to have problems with your Nectar Administrator and question your superior; “Duvall”. He see’s your actions as disrespectful and spreads word that you don’t want to be part of Mantel. From this point on you are taken in by Skin Coat aka Merino.
Free Radical seems to have spent lots of time on the Mantel part of the game with the Nectar system and the Gameplay. But everything then on they seem to have slacked on. The Gameplay is boring as you find yourself doing a rinse and repeat sort of thing. Same old troopers and same old locations.
There are many problems with sound. You can hear squad members talking clearly even if there nowhere to be seen. In one cut scene where somebody shoots themselves you can see the gun fire but no sound of a shot.
There are many other bugs. I had to reset my PS3 twice due to the map completely disappearing. Not impressed. This I’m sure can be fixed with a small patch but still is very annoying for players who waited so goddamn long for the game; for it only to come out glitchy. QA anyone?
On the other side of things there is the multiplayer mode. This offers the regular types of match such as Death Match and Team Death Match but also offers Team Assault; this involves a scenario for each of the 6 maps. There is Defend/Kill Merino, Defend/Destroy the Nectar Crates and my favourite: the MML game. The Match starts with an MML (Mobile Missile Launcher) in the center and each team has to get to it first, steal it, take it to their base and launch it at their opponents to win.
If you’re going to buy this game I suggest that you spend your time playing the multiplayer rather than the story. Despite the glitchy co-op and boring gameplay, Free Radical ended the game in a way that suggested a sequel was coming. Please don’t bother.
5/10
Gr1mmy
Matt... says:
I wanna review a crap game
Matt... says:
I get all the good ones
Matt... says:
You cant say funny stuff about good games
Gr1mzorz says:
hehe go to gamexchange and buy the new hulk game
Matt... says:
Its meant to be good :'(
Gr1mzorz says:
Thats what they said about Haze...
Matt
Labels: BURN, Haze, Matthew, Writer's note
Matt
Labels: First impressions, Matthew, Metal Gear Solid 4
Total Wars fans around the globe have been eagerly awaiting the latest instalment to the epic RTS/TBS series that allowed you to re-enact monumental battles from the time of Feudal Japan to the Crusades of the Middle Ages. Sega and Creative Assembly have now announced that Total War: Empires will be released in 2009 and will be set in the time of the
The most significant new feature is the ability to now fight naval battles on the map rather than automatically fight it in a few seconds. Obviously this new method of fighting battles at sea will lead to a greater range of ships and vessels than the half dozen that could be used in previous games. Any troops that are garrisoned on a ship that is in battle can also grab a cutlass or musket and help repel boarders or board an enemy ship themselves.
Creative Assembly haven’t neglected other areas that are already superb however. The campaign map has been tweaked; you can now set one General as your rally point for newly recruited troops instead of having them march half way around the world. Also research has become more prominent, advancing quickly and being the better faction scientifically now gives you a significant advantage in multiple aspects of the game. The campaign itself has also been altered; in previous titles the game had thrown you into the campaign and left you with tips from your tutorial helper. In Empires you start with being able to do a handful of things and as your kingdom grows stronger and larger and richer you can do more and see more.
Land battles have been given a make over as well, with the use of cover, the ability to garrison in a building and, due to the sometimes unpredictable weapons of the time, gunpowder weapons may now backfire and risk injuring or killing the user. Duelling bumps up the numbers on the new feature list. This is a rare mechanic that I have only seen in Star Wars: Empire at War, when engaged in melee combat a duel will take place, with the combatants being able to block their opponent’s blows and dodge from side to side. Creative Assembly attempted this idea to a certain extent in previous Total Wars but not to such a degree and now when units meet the better equipped and trained unit is no longer certain to win; the outcome is more unpredictable making game play more exciting. This is certainly something that we can expect to be seen in up and coming RTS games as well.
Creative Assembly are yet to set a definite date of release and have simply stated that it will be out in 2009. I’m sure I’m not the only one who will be waiting eagerly for more news on Empires, which is set to be a strong contender for RTS game of the year 2009.
What do you think about Total War? Are there better RTS games due to come?
Lewis
Now you've found the button, all we ask is you click it. By clicking this link, you are taken to an external site where you can vote for GGTL. It is easy to vote and only takes a few seconds, so please take the time to click that link. It helps to drive more trafic towards this site, meaning we can keep free and up-to-date.
If you have any questions about the voting system, or want to moan that you don't like the button, feel free to e-mail me at linfordbutler@googlemail.com or leave a comment on this post.
Linford
Labels: Writer's note
![clip_image001[1]](http://lh4.ggpht.com/linfordbutler/SFVVcdQhg2I/AAAAAAAAAC8/h8hOqmYRUho/clip_image001%5B1%5D%5B4%5D.jpg)
A realistic flight sim on a console is a rare thing to come across, and so when one does come up it's an exciting occasion for serious flying fans. However, these fans are going to be disappointed with this Ubisoft title - it isn't a realistic flight sim and I doubt it was ever intended to be.
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII is an arcadey take on the flying genre. The gameplay is not meant to be realistic, but focuses more on the fun of the flying without the worries of altitude, wind direction or any other air-flight gibberish. The graphics are smooth and pretty, and the sound effects create a good atmosphere.
![clip_image003[1]](http://lh3.ggpht.com/linfordbutler/SFVVd1cuwdI/AAAAAAAAADE/-d4dd5BGocc/clip_image003%5B1%5D%5B3%5D.jpg)
The game plays out the story of the Blazing Angels, a group of American fighter-pilots during the Second World War. Clashes range from the Battle of Britain to Pearl Harbor and the fall of Berlin, and all have some military tactical accuracy. The campaign mode allows the player to relive twenty of the Angels most famous missions, including Operation Dynamo (Dunkirk) and the Battle of Midway.
Squadrons is the first next-gen installment of the Blazing Angels series, and the game makes good use of the technology available. The frame rate is smooth and the game runs at a reasonable 720p on a high-def TV.
![clip_image005[1]](http://lh3.ggpht.com/linfordbutler/SFVVh0Ruc9I/AAAAAAAAADM/t0z0R0LQPsI/clip_image005%5B1%5D%5B3%5D.jpg)
The storyline is well written and the inclusion of actual historic battles rather than made-up ones is a good feature. It's also very accurate in terms of history, but understandable enough to not have to have an A level in Second World War history to follow.
Where Squadrons really excels, though, is in the multiplayer. With five co-op and another 5 'versus' game modes, there are loads to choose from. It gets even better when you take the battle online: players vary in skill and strength, and this makes for a good, even battle.
![clip_image007[1]](http://lh3.ggpht.com/linfordbutler/SFVVk18-WFI/AAAAAAAAADU/wTgKEgcgR6I/clip_image007%5B1%5D%5B3%5D.jpg)
In all, Squadrons of WWII is a flight sim made with fun in mind rather than authenticity. The gameplay is good, graphics are slick and the storyline is fine, but there isn't anything that really stands out. If you're looking for a quick half-hour of arcade dog-fights, then this is your game. If you want a realistic, highly detailed, altitude-calculating flying experience, however - stick with your PC.
7/10
Linford
Labels: Blazing Angels, Review
10/10: Must buy for all gamers.
9/10: Must buy for all fans of the genre/series and most gamers in general.
8/10: Solid game for fans of the genre/series.
7/10: Worth a rental if you are a fan of the genre/series.
6/10: Worth playing a demo if you are a fan of the genre/series.
5/10: Worth playing a demo if you are a fan of the series/developer.
4/10: Don’t waste your time with this.
3/10: This game is offensively bad.
2/10: AHHH MY EYES, THEY BURN.
1/10: This game doesn’t work and no patch was released at the time of the review’s publishing.
0/10: This game is in some way affiliated with the Transformers franchise.
All of the reviews written on Gamer's Guide to Life will be scored with this scoring policy in mind. This is a promise we make to our readers, and to the developers and publishers of games when we review any game.
Labels: Policy
The outings of Sony's trademark duo have always been looked forward to by old and young gamers alike and rarely failed to disappoint. The success of the previous Ratchet and Clank games have led to the development of this festival of shooting, space-pirates and small, well-spoken robots.
The first next-gen edition of the series, Tools of Destruction, is impressive from the start. The storyline is first-rate; the dialogue is well written and often funny. The action is fantastically executed and very smooth. First impressions count, and this game makes it clear from the start that it means business.
The game opens with Ratchet fixing his spaceship whilst Clank watches. Then a call comes in from the ever-hilarious Captain Quark, who is surrounded by an army of robot guards intent on killing him, a request for help is made and the protagonists set on their way to help. Ratchet and Clank then enter a world where everyone seems to want to kill them, but never quite succeed, which seems to continue for the rest of the game.
But that isn't a bad thing. The action in this game is the sort you could play a million times over and still enjoy it - it is fast, fun and has that brilliantly innocent feel that you don't usually get when killing things. Furthermore, Ratchet's array of weaponry is ingenious and great to play about with. Prime examples include the Groovitron which sends all nearby enemies into a dancing frenzy. Brilliant.
Tools of Destruction is pretty similar to previous R&C games, particularly Locked and Loaded. In fact, this game takes all the good bits of the other Ratchet & Clank and adds a gloss of next-gen paint onto it.
There are, however, some new features. The addition of Sixaxis control is a big step forward for the R&C series. Scattered throughout the game are various points where you are required to use the motion sensors to progress, and these are moments of genius. By tilting the controller, it allows you to fly, unlock doors or swerve through air traffic whilst hurtling towards the ground at high speed. In fact, the Sixaxis use in this game is probably the most intuitive I've seen on PS3.
The characters are brilliant. Besides the deadly duo, there are many other characters that pop up periodically throughout. Captain Quark, the space-pirates and the strange bloke who trades raritanium are particular favorites; they all have distinctive personalities and are easy to recognize.
But the one thing that really makes this game a gem is the little, insignificant bits that can keep you going for hours and hours. If you wanted to, for example, you could spend days on end just collecting bolts - there are so many of the bleeding things!!! These small extras give this game a real platformer atmosphere that is instantly likeable.
Insomniac has done fantastically well to produce such a masterpiece as this. True, there isn't any online play and it's pretty much the previous games in high-def, but that doesn't matter. This game will keep you playing, laughing and shooting for hours. A must-buy for any gamer with half a sense of humour.
10/10
Linford
Labels: Rachet and Clank, Review
Matt
Controlling a little yellow blob using telepathy via a butterfly isn't everyone's idea of a groundbreaking game. In the case of this decidedly weird take on the puzzle genre, they'd be right to think it wasn't.
This is truly insanity, and that isn't an understatement. The game (itself a download from the PlayStation Store) begins with the little yellow blob on a platform which you can tilt using the SIXAXIS motion sensors. Things don't get much better, either, as the game progresses further into the realm of madness - you control the blob by moving a butterfly around the screen. This butterfly sends telepathic messages to the blob, which responds by moving to where the butterfly is.
To be blunt, this lousy excuse for a PS3 game is not worth the £1.99 that the Store asks. Sure, the graphics look OK, and it's cute enough to make the little kids go 'ah', but those couple of good points do not justify spending cash on this disaster. Avoid this game like you would a bullet.
3/10
Linford
Racing and Sports aren’t normally a genre I play and I’ll usually leave the reviews to one of the other crew members; but one of my favourite games, back when I owned a PS1, was Toca 2, so I decided to give GRID a test drive due to Codemaster’s excellent heritage.I found creating a career difficult, not because the menus are particularly hard to navigate, but the instructions on screen are in a tiny font along with the fact that I only have a small TV in my room anyway, meant that I found myself tearing the house apart looking for my glasses. Not a good first impression for the game, and something that shouldn’t be a problem.
After finding my glasses, I finished the basic career creator (first and second name, nationality etc.). The feature you get to use next is a nice addition and one I would expect they would have bragged about a bit more. Audio Name. You’re given a huge list of names to choose to be called. These nicknames are hereafter muttered by other characters. This is a nifty little feature that has appeared in very few games in the past; it makes it much more personal and you would be surprised how much of a difference it makes while playing.
Once you’ve got a grasp of control, you can appreciate the graphics and detail in crashes. Who knew crashing your new £150k Mustang into a wall could look so beautiful? Don’t get me wrong, it’s still nothing in comparison to the likes of Burnout but it’s still impressive.
The game play is similar to many other racing games but can still take a while to get used to if you haven’t had a real session on a racing game for a long time. Codemasters have introduced a new feature that makes long races a lot less frustrating. Being able to restart a three lapped race isn’t too bad even if you were on the last lap when you made a mistake. But what about when you’re half way through one of the many different long race types (including straight race and drifting) and you crash? Well in GRID you can now use Flashback; just hit pause, rewind it to before the crash and start from there. You get a limited number of Flashbacks which increase in number as you decrease the difficulty or, if you feel this is cheating like some gamers inevitably will, you can turn it off completely by activating Pro Racer mode at the start of every race. This option lowers the frustration level found in other racing games, which should be a priority for other game developers.After racing as a freelance driver for other racing teams you start your own team and hire a team-mate with his own discipline speciality. This part of the game feels incomplete; you can’t do anything except hire and fire your team-mate, also when you’re racing, the lack of control over what your team-mate does is frustrating. Especially if you have a team-mate who out ranks you and is winning a race in his favourite disciplines and you need the win; you can’t tell them to get out of the way or go aggressive or defensive like in racing games like the Juiced series.
The use of uncommon features like the Audio Name and Flashback make this game very impressive but its minor flaws leave a little bit of a bad taste in the mouth. Still, if you want adrenaline filled racing action with great graphics and an easy learning curve, you could do much worse than Race Driver: GRID.
8/10
Lewis
It's been a while since faithful PS3 owners got a firmware update. Luckily, however, the latest version, 2.40, is due for release on 18th June.
Nothing has yet been confirmed by Sony, but we have a vague idea of which new features will be added. Videogaming24 has it on 'good authority' that the long-wanted in-game XMB (XrossMediaBar) feature will be included in next week's potential update.
Along with in-game XMB, another new feature will be the slightly less-anticipated trophy support. Trophy support has been linked to PlayStation Home, so hopefully this added feature is an indication that Home is on the horizon. Also added will be custom soundtracks, allowing mp3's stored on the Hard Disk Drive to be played during gameplay, according to sources.
The firmware will be available to download via the settings menu on the XMB or via the official PlayStation website on 18th June if all goes to plan.
I will keep you posted as more information is released, and will post a full changelog on the new features when the firmware is released.
Linford
Labels: Rumor
