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A single bullet is a powerful object. Described by some as a work of art, and by many as a waste of human life, whichever view you take, there is one word that everyone uses to describe it - deadly.

In games, bullets have never taken this 'deadly' form. Many games bring us tactics and some realism - take the SOCOM franchise, for instance - but most just bring their own ideas to the table. However, the Operation Flashpoint series has always been close to this realism. The original, released in 2001, flew out of shops. It brought freedom but, most of all, this realism to the crowds. People ignored the silly controls, the evident bugs and instead just played. That's when you know a game is good. People just... play it.

The original developer, Bohemia Interactive, have moved on to publish the equally successful ArmA series, and now Codemasters (the original game’s publisher) have taken up the torch. They've got quite a name to live up to, and fans of the first are expecting a lot. Thankfully, Codemasters have seen the huge market that is consoles and have also released the game on the two big ones of this generation.

The main game takes place on a small island off the north coast of Japan by the name of Skira. Set in 2010, oil is still running out and this small island holds a ton of it. The island, owned by Russia, is invaded by the Chinese and the Russians call for their allies, The USA (REALLY!?) to help clear the island. The first 3 missions, a little like training missions, can be done all together in just one run. Apparently, this was going to be the idea that ran through the whole game, you take on a mission and if you fail you can keep playing but your defensive line is pushed back. However, this idea was scrapped when the dev found that you could fail every mission and still make it to the end of the game.

You fight with 3 other team AI if you play single player. They do provide some fire, but are mostly pretty useless. If you send one of them to heal another member, then don't be surprised if he stands up out of cover to do it. This can be very annoying, and can mean that you have to move to help both of them, instead of holding the enemy off. It can make some missions very difficult, such as the third mission where you defend a village. It wouldn't be too difficult if your team would stay in cover and go where you tell them. I ended up in a small room upstairs, while under fire, with no support from my team. Thankfully, be it with luck or skill, I did manage to hold off all the Chinese while they were running up the stairs.

The enemy AI, in contrast, is good. They use cover well, heal team mates and - without strong resilience on your part - will dominate the battlefield. Depending on which difficulty you choose, you can expect to take 1-10 bullets before needing to patch up. At some points you'll be crapping yourself with a grey screen – an imminent sign of an untimely death. With diligence and persistence I made it through - and even managed to get half way through the campaign on hard!

Graphically, the game is rather good. It's realistic – in fact, perhaps one of the more realistic ones of this year. Explosions will make you jump into the nearest cover, be it a tree, a hole or even a burning car. It's a game that needs surround sound as almost every bullet that flies by will have you cowering and whimpering in the nearest corner. Controls are great on PC, as you've got a whole 104-key, custom-mapped keyboard to work with. However, mastering them on consoles is a tough job especially when under gun fire; annoyingly, there were a few times I died due to the controls. Say you’re running to cover, under fire and you want your team to move where your cursor is. Be prepared to have to stop halfway across the battlefield to issue the command. It’s a very annoying problem that could have been fixed easily.

It's a game that's been built on PC and then ported to console, as an after thought. As such, there are a few things you can't do on console. The map editor, annoyingly, has been pulled out. It's a great shame as the original spawned some awesome home-brew, and consoles really need some of that kind of lovin' right now. However, perhaps an even more annoying point is you can't directly run over the whole island, like you can in the PC version. (if you do own it on PC and decide to run from on point of the island to the opposite it's going to take you around 9 hours in real time, so make sure you've got a mini fridge with you).

A big draw for gamers will be the online. Unfortunately, at the moment it's awful. The servers are terrible beyond description. I'll give a quick outline of how it all is. Click Multiplayer, Online. Wait 2-3 minutes. Get error message. Repeat steps 1-3 five times. Finally make it online, click friends. Add a friend, even if that friend is already on your PSN friend list. Join game, get kicked back to step one. Try again, up to 20 times. Get annoyed and put game away. I'm not even exaggerating that. However, on their Twitter account, @Flashpointgame, stated, "We're working around the clock, analyzing online data with partners to ascertain how they can correct server issues." A bit of hope! More recent news also says that DLC may be hitting with the patch - that's fast work Codies. Nice one.

So Operation Flashpoint is great - really realistic, down to the last bullet. Running into the enemy is not the way to do it and you'll die in a few seconds. Tactical decisions and movements are the way to do it, and you'll be rewarded with the next level. Don't rely on your team to give you cover, as they'll hardly help themselves - the best idea is to either use them as cannon fodder or wait until an online patch comes out and play with friends. A typical play through on the easiest difficulty will take a day, tops. A harder difficulty will take a little longer. Trophies/Achievements will take as long as a patch takes, as you won’t be able to platinum the game without the one online award. All the others will take around 2-3 playthroughs - but by that time, you might be a bit bored.

I feel a little harsh giving a mere 6/10 to what was actually a very good game. However, without a decent online, and with the dozy AI companions, I can’t give any higher. I’m sure though, after a patch has been released, that the game will be a solid 8/10. However, until then…

Jacques

Labels: Codemasters, Jacques Hulme, Operation Flashpoint 2, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, Review

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Ever wondered what it would be like if God of War, your local Renaissance festival, Jack Black, ridiculous cleavage shirts, The Legend of Zelda, Ozzy Osbourne, Warcraft III, Heavy Metal, Midgard, and this costume were all thrown into a cauldron, brewed for three to four years, and poured into a video game? You would get Brutal Legend, the latest free-roaming action-adventure game released by video game designer Tim Schafer, a man so popular that he may in fact get more hype from the gaming community when releasing a new product than Jesus Christ gets on Christmas.

Brutal Legend is the story of Eddie Riggs, a leather-donning roadie with biceps that would make a gorilla look ridiculous. His wish: to go back to an era when music was pure - the early 70s. When a set collapses on him, the mythical fire-beast Ormagöden does him one better, transporting him to a fantasy land filled with dangerous creatures and colossal monuments, archaic effigies to the Titans, ancient gods of Rock.

There, Eddie quickly discovers a small group of free humans who lead him to their ragtag home, Bladehenge. There they alert him of their plight - that humanity is being hunted and enslaved by the evil demon emperor, Doviculus. Teaming up with their optimistic king, Lars Halford, his cautious sister Lita, and the foxy warrioress Ophelia, Riggs uses the power of Metal to inspire the human people to break free from their bondage and fight back against the tyranny of Doviculus and his twisted minions..

Brutal Legend's story is, without a doubt in my mind, the strongest aspect of the game. It's very, very, good. And refreshing. In an industry that is prone to place little emphasis on the importance of good writing in the design process, it's nice to see a game in which the gameplay is determined by the story, and not vice versa, while still keeping both parts balanced.

Throughout his journey, Eddie uncovers a plot full of twists, turns, and shocking climaxes that will keep you glued to the edge of your loveseat. The voice acting in Brutal is natural and emotive, the characters are quirky and extremely well developed, the mythology of the world is rich, deep, and strangely believable, and the dialogue is downright hilarious. Brutal's story utilizes one of the few plots in a video game that I seriously call a work of art.

That being said, the story in Brutal is waaaaay too short. The average time of completion for the campaign that I've seen online ranges from six to ten hours. I finished in around eight, and immediately wanted more. Unfortunately, life after the campaign in Brutal is based on playing Lewis and Clark, exploring the world and picking up upgrades or achievements, not on completing interesting side-quests with the characters you have come to know and cherish. There are a few easter egg type interactions and missions to keep you occupied, but most are repetitions of one of four mini-games: race to the target, ambush the troops, guide the cannon, or man the turret. After fifteen 'ambush the troops' missions, I was ready to be done questing, donate my Xbox to charity, and spend the rest of my days in an Italian monastery without electricity. With ten more hours main campaign content to supplement a bland endgame, this game would have been truly legendary.

Though a good part of the game employs a traditional hack-and-slash style, the core of Brutal Legend's gameplay centres around its unique brand of real-time strategy. Early on in the game, Eddie undertakes simple missions that he can complete using only his axe and guitar. Wielding his axe up close gives Eddie a melee attack, while strumming his guitar allows him to shock enemies with electricity or flambé them with fire in forceful bursts. At that point, the gameplay is an entertaining cakewalk. But don't get comfortable. As the game goes on, a more challenging real-time strategy element is added to the picture, as Eddie leads his hard-rocking army of hog-riding, head-banging warriors into battle against enemy hordes. The combination of real-time strategy and hack-and-slash combat is a unique one that requires players to think as both armchair generals and men on the field.

Playing Brutal Legend's 'hack-and-slash-meets-real-time-strategy' combo can be daunting at first, especially to hardcore fans of either genre, but after giving it a few dozen trie - during which you may angrily throw your controller, the coffee table, or the pet cat at the nearest wall - it gets fun. The trick to succeeding is to not treat the game like it fits into one genre or the other, but to adapt your style of play so it incorporates a bit of both. For me, a veteran of many a real time strategy war, this was tough. I wanted to create units and send them in to the front to fight gloriously for my cause while I stayed back at my comfortable stage (base), managing fans (resources), directing workflow, and getting fed grapes on an easy chair by scantily clad groupies. That ended badly.

To do well at Brutal's combat system: Prioritize. Your. Time. For example, during a stage battle, you may want to dedicate fifteen seconds to ordering new troops and sending them into an area, then another fifteen to charge into battle yourself, hacking a few enemies into mincemeat, and buffing your troops/debuffing your opponents/melting your enemies' faces off with an appropriately timed solo. Then you'll need to upgrade your force/stage, and repeat. Unless you're a gaming god, you won't have time to be fed grapes. The point is to spend time playing both like a third person axe-wielding hero, and Napoleon, not one or the other. Do that, and at the very least, you'll throw your controller less. Like I said, it takes some getting used to, but in the end Brutal's style of battle is a lot of fun.

In the game's multiplayer mode, which lets you square off against human players online or an artificially intelligent foe, you can choose one of three factions to wage stage war with: the Gothic and depressing Drowning Doom; Eddie Riggs' Heavy Metal themed human army, Ironheade; or Doviculus's legion of sadomasochistic demon followers, the psychologically disturbing Tainted Coil. Unfortunately, you cannot play as the beautifully shampooed and conditioned Glam Rock warriors of Lionwhyte that appear in the campaign. Their entire faction is like an ad for Head and Shoulders.

An extremely useful function implemented by the folks at Double Fine is the ability to "Double Team" with every unit in the game. As long as they're friendly, you can choose to perform a special move with any unit you create for an extra effect, be it high damage, a surprise attack, a special buff, or an option for manual targeting. For example, the Drowning Doom infantry units - depressed, long-haired teenagers wearing their little sister's jeans and eyeliner, wielding shovels - will bury your hero character in the ground, so that it can burst out from under enemy troops unannounced. These Double Team attacks will turn the tide in a close battle, especially online, where human players will often forget about them.

In terms of audio, well - it's a game about heavy metal, so as you can guess, it's loud. Loud enough to make your house plants die, have your girlfriend hand you a written warning to play it on mute after eleven or face the prospect of a life of chastity, and have you evicted from your apartment complex. So, basically, it's awesome. I thought so, and I don't even really like metal.

Songs are unlocked in two ways: through the campaign, or by unearthing ancient relics left by the godlike Titans in days of yore. They range from serious ballads by Megadeath, Dragonforce, and the Scorpions to comedic songs by groups like Jack Black's Tenacious D, or Dethklok, the fictional band from the TV show Metalocalypse, a cult favorite on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. Once unlocked, every song can be played via tape deck in Eddie's high-powered car/tank, the Druid Plow.

After hours of driving around doing side quests to a soundtrack of Death Metal, I often found myself turning off the Druid's Plow's tape deck and cruising to silence, if just to give my migraine a quick 15 minute break. During those peaceful moments I heard the beautifully crafted ambiance of the world. And I do mean beautifully. Every realm in Brutal has a specific set of sounds that sets them apart as unique and mystical places. Here, Double Fine did a terrific job. It's worth turning off the music now and then just to listen to the incredibly emotive, well crafted environments that the world offers. It's like a mini, virtual holiday through an album cover.

As good as the sounds in Brutal are at setting a scene, they don't hold a candle to the intricate, breathtaking art that draws up the game's world. There is so much creativity and detail that went into each realm that no two areas feel the same. All of the places Eddie traverses into invoke a specific feeling that seems to tap into a seemingly endless mythic history and culture. It's easy to bridge doubt and achieve a suspension of disbelief in true Coleridgeian fashion. And you don't even have to take opium to do it.

Being able to explore such a vast, awesome world kept me from turning off the system a couple of times. This was especially true after I'd beaten the campaign, when I was forced to complete a bazillion repeat quests to capture over half of the game's possible achievements. Quests like drag racing Fletus, the bitter and yet strangely sassy demon mechanic with an Irish accent, across every nook and cranny of the island, seventeen thousand times, just because. God, how I came to hate Fletus.

The addition of landmarks (points on the map where Eddie takes a quick second off from his war against evil to enjoy the scenery) also allows players to check out their surroundings from a cinematic bird's eye view.

If you can think of a recent game with visuals even half as creative as those in Brutal Legend, and you convince me of that sentiment, then I will send you... erm... one American dollar. Mainly because I think it would be funny to send a single dollar across the Atlantic Ocean while paying over three dollars on international postage.

Brutal Legend is getting a lot of flack in the gaming journalism community for its short campaign, repetitive side-quests, and strange hybrid of a real-time strategy system (see Gabe and Tycho's mocking response). As I write this, its cumulative review score on GameRankings.com sits only slightly above 83%. 83%? Come on. With all the journalists who gave this game less than an 8.5 out of 10, and with Penny Arcade, I disagree. I never thought I'd say the latter. I can see where reviewers are coming from when they criticize Brutal's repetitive quests and short campaign. Those are serious annoyances that can make or break whether a game is just good, or whether it's legendary. And Brutal Legend is definitely not legendary, a fact which I find wholly ironic.

But Brutal Legend does deserve better than a meager 83%, a score so low for a game this good that it's almost insulting. What Brutal lacks in longevity and quest variability, it more than makes up for in story, aesthetics, and most notably, creativity. There is more originality in the first two hours of Brutal than in 90% of the major games released in the last year.

For that, it should be applauded - even its much debated real-time strategy system - not just because the idea of artistic and design innovation is a rare thing worth applauding in the current game industry, but because the ridiculous non-sequitur imagination of Brutal Legend makes it fun. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that's all I really want in a game. That, and scantily-clad Samus after 100% completion.

Brutal Legend was an exceptionally fun game, and I can't wait for the sequel.*

Greg

*Dear Tim Schafer, EA, and Double Fine. Make a sequel, and hire me as a writer, with a salary of one million dollars. Or any other currency, it doesn't matter. Rupees work. Or Schafer Bucks. I've got this great idea where Eddie teams up with the ghost of the Carthaginian general Hannibal to fight off Cyborg Hitler's evil Robotoid Legion, and therefore saves Christmas. I'll call your people. Love, Greg.

Labels: Brutal Legend, Double Fine, Greg Mengel, Review

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It's not often that all the DLC for a game is reviewed at once. Then again, it's not often that a multi-million selling, already-successful game gets five seperate DLC packs, but far be it from me to judge. Fallout 3 might have been one of the best-selling games of the last couple of years, but Bethesda don't seem to have given up on it yet. And thanks to the kind people at Bethesda's PR company, I've got an extravaganza of a review for you.

Find out all the thoughts on the Fallout 3 DLC after the jump.

BROKEN STEEL

You can stop touching up the paintwork in your house now, and stop putting up those pre-war posters - Broken Steel is here. If you've not heard, Broken Steel invites you back to the Fallout world to sample the tastes of the wastes once again. This time, you're here to finish off those Enclave once and for all.

If you're an avid Fallout fan, then you'll be pleased to return to the brown wilderness. If not, it's not good. You don't get any new locations, like in other DLC's - you just get the good ol' wastes. However, why wouldn't you want to return? It's the harsh dog eat dog land that you already know, with a few tiny changes. One of the biggest is perhaps the addition of Aqua Pura. It's a tasty, watery beverage that's a welcome change to the irradiated water you usually find.

Another new addition, is a lot of equipment. One of the most recognizable parts of equipment new to the DLC is the new Hellfire armour and incinerator. Carried by some Enclave, they're basically tank armor with flame throwers. It's some decent armour too - as good as the T-51b Power Armour (Editor's note: which, we presume, is very good). In terms of weapons, there is a generous amount. I've already mentioned the Heavy Incinerator, but there are others too. Two notable ones are the Tesla Cannon - portable epicness - and the new Tri-Beam Laser Rifle, carried by Super Mutant Overlords.

One of the nicer perks to this DLC is the raised level cap. Before, you only had 20 levels, but with the increased cap you get a whole 30. And with these new levels, come new perks. Some are really well thought out, for example the ‘puppies’ perk which, if Dogmeat ever dies, gives you another pup waiting outside Vault 101. For those of you that can't be bothered to do the whole game three times, to get the evil, good and neutral trophies, Bethesda have included a perk that automatically sets your karma to your chosen one. This is obviously a great advantage, but perhaps it's a bit too easy to get the trophies with these perks.

In terms of content, you get three new missions, and three side ones too. In the main storyline of these missions, you enlist to help out the Brotherhood with their Aqua Pura plan. The main missions will have you fighting against the Enclave alongside Liberty Prime, whilst the side missions are mostly helping the Brotherhood distribute water to the people. They include helping protect transports, dealing with fake Aqua Pura and finding out why Megaton needs so much water. Also, perhaps one of the best set pieces in the DLC pack is near the end of the main missions - you'll be taken to watch the destruction of the Adams Airforce base. It's a nice explosion but it's over pretty quick.

So Broken Steel is good. It's nothing special, only raising the level cap and unlocking the game. Some think that the gamer shouldn't be charged for these bits but someone's gotta make money, eh? Like the other DLC, it's short - 2-3 hours to do mostly everything, and then perhaps a little longer if you want to get to level 30. In my opinion, the other DLC packs are better than this one, but the open-endedness it brings makes it worthwhile.

7/10


THE PITT

When The Pitt was first released on 360, it was pulled as it was full to the brim with bugs - and not the crawly type, either. Thankfully, though, the PS3 release hasn't followed suit.

A radio broadcast can be picked up in the wastes by a so called slave. Head to his position, and you'll find him battling a new enemy - the Pitt Raider. After helping the poor guy, named Wernher, you'll find that he's escaped from a slave camp in the old Pittsburgh. He begs you to help his people. Accepting, you'll be dressed as a slave and sent into the tunnels to reach The Pitt.

Compared to the massive expanse that you usually find yourself in, The Pitt is quite small. It consitsts of a main lower town, that has an old steel mill to the left. After completing a few missions, you're introduced to the upper town, roughly the same size as the lower town. Another area added with this DLC is the Hole. It's an arena you'll be forced to fight in one of the later missions, and best of all its irradiated.

With these new enemies come more armor and weapons. The best has to be the slaves' home made Auto axe, a hand to hand circular saw. The raiders also carry a new weapon, the Infiltrator. It uses 5.56mm bullets so you probably won't run out. It's got a nice scope on it too, and is silenced - perfect for the sneaky kills. In terms of armour, however, it's pretty poor. There is plenty - but it's a load of rubbish; you've probably got better stuff already. However, you can get hold of some power armour, which is great.

The Pitt holds 3 main missions, which ultimately end with you freeing the slaves. Along the way, you'll have to collect Steel Ingots for the foreman. These are found in a deadly environment, infested with Trog's, men and women that have turned mad over time working in The Pitt's fumes. These creatures are tough, specially when you don't have your usual equipment. It's a bit like starting Fallout 3 again, scavenging everywhere looking for ammo.

After successfully collecting enough steel ingots, you are thrust into the hole. These battles are much easier than the Trog's. With only 3-4 fights it's simple and a bit boring. It doesn't feel finished, and the whole DLC is over in 1 hour.

A very poor effort for £7.99. Not much to do, a bit small and little in the way of good equipment. However, if you want to have a look at a different part of Fallout's world, it's quite good fun, and if you're up for collecting all the ingots, you might be here for a little while longer.

5/10


OPERATION ANCHORAGE

Fallout 3 is one of those games that I keep coming back to. One of the main draws for me is the music - I've been known to turn on Fallout just to listen to the ramblings from one of Capital Wastelands greatest characters, Three Dog. I was pleased then, when it was announced that the one Microsoft exclusive DLC would be heading to PlayStation. And after a few delays, it finally reached us in the form of the first pack, Broken Steel.

And then, the second pack was announced, named Operation Anchorage. It gave me a perfect chance to stick Fallout back in. Once loaded, you start the quest from an Outcast distress radio signal which you'll hear while running the wastelands. It requests 'backup' at a certain location. For those of you that haven't played Fallout, the Outcasts are a sect of the Brotherhood of Steel (the good ones) that broke away following a dispute with the leader.

If you decide to head over to the Outcasts, you'll find them engaged in a fierce battle with some Super Mutants. With your help, they quickly overpower the mutants, and you will then be instructed to follow the outcasts back to an underground base. Here, you discover your exact reason for being recruited by the Outcasts - they've found a locked door that can only be accessed by someone with the pip boy. If you choose to help them, you are promised to the contents of the locked room. After accepting, you're told you must run a 'program'.

This is where the fight starts. Heading into the simulation, you will be informed about where you're going to go. You're told you'll be joining an elite squad fighting to reclaim Anchorage from the communist Chinese. Fallout 3 players may have noticed that the game seems to have an obsession with the Chinese communists: links to them are everywhere, as books in the libraries, names of quests/people and even some of the weapons (such as the Chinese assault rifle). However, one of the more obvious examples of this obsession are present as some of the things that Liberty Prime says. As you're playing Broken Steel, keep your ear out for what he says.

Once in the simulation, you'll be greeted by a fellow American soldier. He tells you the basis of your mission, and then gives you the choice of a sneaky knife approach or the more violent guns blazing way. Once chosen, your commander will climb a sharp cliff, leaving you to proceed on your own. What follows is a small journey through Anchorage, where you assassinate many a Chinese commando and collect a total of 10 pieces of intel. This intel is a nice touch, but with little gain, there's not much point.

As it's a simulation, you can't scavenge any of the bodies lying around, which is a really annoyance as there are a few nice pieces you could collect. The campaign continues with you destroying Chinese artillery and then heading back to base. Back at base, you're briefed on your next assignment and then get to take on a bit of a commanding role: you get to choose who to have in your squad and where you want them to go. It's a nice touch but very simple. Also, they all seemed to die rather early, and I was left fighting on my own. You'll proceed with a counter attack on the Chinese with a few other objectives before you're able to go for the full on assault.

Once the simulation is finished you'll be let loose in the locked room, which contains some nice armor. However, after the quite respectable amount of time you've put in, it's very basic. A few pieces of unique armor and a lot of grenades that you'll probably already have will be your only reward, and it happens to be a little disappointing.

The DLC is good. It won't keep you going that long - I managed to do it in 1-2 hours - and it's definitely overpriced for the amount of time you'll spend on it but, if like me, you're a die hard Fallout fan then it's gonna be good no matter what you get for it. It doesn't necessarily bring you much new equipment but the new area is a welcome change from the brownness of the CW. The show is awesome - it's a really welcome change from the normally dull environment and gives a great atmosphere to the DLC. There are a few annoying problems with the quest however - a bit short, very linear as you can't really go anywhere other than the path, and also not very rewarding.

7/10


POINT LOOKOUT

Point Lookout - another new area, much bigger than the last. Now with added inbreds! What's not to like?

It's a wonder that no one had set up boat rides of the wasteland rivers before. With Point Lookout comes a trip to the coasts of Maryland. You're promised adventure and treasures beyond your wildest dreams, so why stay in the wastes?

Taking the boat, you'll be greeted by a small film where you see some of the main parts of Point Lookout: the mansion, ferris wheel and seaside front. Once off the boat, you’re free to explore the whole wilderness that's available. If you take a look at your map, you may notice it’s massive - defiantly the biggest of the DLCs so far, and there’s a nice surprise still to come - what you see to begin with isn’t all Point Lookout has to offer.

If you do decide to take a wander, then be prepared for a fight. Much like the Trog's in the Pitt, these enemies are solid. And, what’s more, they like to fight in packs. Say your picking the head off one of the smaller Creepers, don't be surprised if you find yourself being crushed by one of the other enemy types: Bruiser, Scrapper and Brawler.

So you can see that the enemies have been toughened up, but how much do you get for your money? Well, compared to the others, you get five whole main missions. If that isn't enough for you, there’s another 5 side quests to keep you busy. One thing is for certain - this DLC is huge: there’s a massive area to traverse, 10 missions to play and another tonne of equipment.

There’s not much in terms of armour, but collectors will be happy to find plenty of named pieces of clothing. And, if you’re looking for a new weapon, then the Double-Barrelled Shotgun might satisfy your needs. It's very powerful, but with only 2 shots it's slow to reload.

With inbreds, strong enemies, a humongous area to explore and some nice guns, Point Lookout is by far the best DLC you can get for Fallout. It's got plenty to satisfy your needs for a good 2 hours. And if you want to go for all the trophies, then it's going to be a 4 hour job to find everything required.

9/10


MOTHERSHIP ZETA

Concluding the Fallout DLC package is Mothership Zeta, an exciting twist in the Fallout Universe. If you've been playing Fallout for a while, you may have noticed how ugly the whole place looks. To use the words of Mr Threepwood, "Bu... but… it's...... PINK!" Well, possibly not pink but it's certainly brown. If you're getting tired of this, Mothership Zeta is here to lend a three fingered hand. The ship itself is encased in chrome, making everywhere look like an 80's disco ball: for once, a welcome change!

After marvelling at the aesthetics of the ship, you might want to take a look at what the inhabitants like to keep. Following in the same shoes of the other DLCs, there's plenty of new rubbish to collect. There’s not much in the way of armour this time round - most of it is worn by your accomplices - but there are some exiting new weapons. The alien disintegrator is a nice one to play with, as there’s plenty of ammo for it, it packs a nice punch and, for goodness sakes, it’s a disintegrator, how can it not be fun?. For those of you that found the crashed spaceship in the wastelands, there are another 100 power cells lying about the ship, yours for the taking.

As you may have guessed, with this new equipment comes a new threat. This time it's everyone's favourite green skinned extraterrestrials. Most are easy bullet food, but some - for example, the drones - are a bit tougher and, if you’re not careful, could take you down. Having said that, they’re not likely to, as nearly every alien carries Alien Biogel, a blue gel that restores health. You can even get it modified to provide you with even more health points.

The ship itself is pretty big. There are plenty of corridors to explore, and even a space walk at one point. This pack is full of great set pieces - getting abducted, floating through space and a great view of the earth – but the best bit has to be toward the end, where you actually get to control the ship and fight another one! It's even got a slight tactical lean, allowing you to distribute power for a powerful hit, or to tighten defences.

It's probably one of the smallest DLC packs in terms of quests. You only get 3 missions, and not a single side quest. However, if you’re after trophies then you've got to spend a bit of time searching for the records of the ships captives. Some of them are pretty funny, and I advise taking your time out to look for them. If you’re not that bothered about trophies then you’re not going to be in space for very long - a typical play through will only take an hour tops. But, then again, you’re probably gonna enjoy being surrounded by something other than brown mud.

8/10


CONCLUSION

So, these DLC packs are great for the average Fallout fan. Point Lookout is, without doubt, the biggest and best - there's plenty to see and a tonne to collect. Coming in close second is Mothership Zeta, which is just as fun thanks to the change in scenery. However, it’s the shortest and perhaps not worth £7.99. Next would have to be Broken Steel, based on the fact that it lets you keep on playing. It's not got much more to offer apart from that, though, so it's all gonna be over pretty quick. Coming in next is Operation Anchorage, which is fun but too linear - you can't go off the beaten track, and don't even get much for the time you invest. Without a shadow of a doubt, The Pitt is the worst: it's over in a flash, doesn't provide the lone wanderer with much exiting equipment, and most of all – as much as I hate to say it – it’s boring.

Jacques

Labels: Bethesda, DLC, Fallout, Jacques Hulme, Review

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When Massive Action Game was first announced to games journalists and an audience of hundreds and thousands (via high-speed internet streams), people were impressed. Whether it was the idea of a semi-realistic military shooter, or the idea of a full chain of command system, or the promise of 256 online players per match, I don't know, but it's safe to say that Zipper Interactive's promise - to bring a true MMO shooter to a console - shook the gaming world a little, like the aftershock of a mild earthquake. Or something like that.

However, over time, everyone has grown up slightly, has slightly less hair, is a little tubbier than before - and many have forgotten about MAG in the light of other triple-A releases and the wonderful news that Gamer's Guide to Life will be live at the Eurogamer Expo this year. Which is sad, as MAG made such an impression at E3 '08. There are some who haven't quite forgotten about MAG, though - and they're already playing a pre-release beta version of it.

When I got home on 23rd September to find a rather slick-looking email from the lovely people at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, inviting me into the beta testing phase of MAG, I can honestly say that I was giddy with childish excitement. I had friends who were official SCEE beta testers, who had already been in the beta for around a month, and every competition I entered didn't see me come away with a shiny redeem code, so my hopes for getting to play MAG before retail release were considerably lower than they were a few weeks previously. I needn't have feared, it turns out - I was one of the lucky few who Sony decided could make a good job of beta testing what could possibly be one of the most high-capacity games ever published. And I'm ever so glad they did.

The beta test is by no means as large as the full game will be - each match only features 64 players - and yet it still impresses. The games are frantic, fun and - surprisingly and impressively for a FPS - teamwork is pretty much essential to deciding whether you win or lose. It does nothing much new at all for the genre, bar the command view and faction concept, but what it does do is decent enough.

Gameplay is fluid and works very well indeed. Featuring many of the guns which FPS gamers will have become accustomed to, or at least some variants of those weapons, the game's combat is fluid and has the same feel as many other FPS games. Weapons are good, and all feature the aim down sights (ADS) view customary when it comes to today's shooters; however, some weapons - particularly the starting loadouts - lack a punch which leaves you a little disappointed at first. The game features armoured personell carriers too, so those with a flair for driving are catered for - these vehicles are solid-feeling and work really well: each have three seats, of which one is reserved for the driver and one for the gunner, whilst the one left over can carry a passenger. The turret view in these vehicles is excellent, with a high-tech look and feel which works just perfectly when driving into the heat of battle.

Graphically, the beta doesn't deliver quite as much as you'd think it might. Menu screens are very nice and look sleek and high-tech, but in-game screen resolution isn't fantastic, despite being in high-definition. However, various sources claim that the beta version of the game only features a fraction of the graphical intensity which the full retail version will have to offer. Weapon and character models are good though, and textures are pretty much standard quality FPS textures. In fact, there isn't much wrong at all with the beta's visuals, apart from the low screen-res. I'm sure this'll be upscaled in the final release, though.

MAG is an online-only game, and you can tell that a huge amount of effort and work has gone into making it a good online experience. The lack of lag is certainly noticeable - there is only ever lag when someone has an extremely low connection, and even then it doesn't affect the entire game, only that single player. There's no peer-to-peer server kafuffledegook*, either, as all of MAG's matches run from official servers setup to do the job of hosting. Voice comms over microphones and headsets are clear, crisp and audible, and work well in-lobby and in the midst of battle. There are options for building clans and getting friends together in one lobby, with the only exception being that they must be in the same faction as you are. However, if you play with those friends option, then you should already know which faction you're going to join before even installing the beta.

In all, the Massive Action Game beta certainly does what Zipper promised it would do when they were stood on stage at E3 '08. The battles are frantic, and teamwork is almost essential to avoiding defeat. The maps are huge and the game handles a large number of players well (although there are only 64 per game during the beta - the game will feel even more frantic once the retail version is released and 256-player battles are waged). However, so far, I've not seen much which does anything new for the first person shooter genre, so those of you expecting something revolutionary - gauging this from what I've experienced of the beta - think again.

Linford

Unfortunately, we could not provide in-play screenshots from the actual beta for legal reasons.

Labels: Beta, Beta Impressions, Linford Butler, MAG, Massive Action Game, Zipper Interactive

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In case you've forgotten, today - Friday, October 16th - marks the beginning of a new epoch in Europe... Rocktober. It's not just a month - it's an era that will hopefully change the way we think about games.

Why, you ask, with one eyebrow raised? On that date, the much-anticipated Brutal Legend will be released for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Hopefully, it's going to kick major ass. I'm all giggly with excitement, so I thought I'd remind you of the game too with a video. Or two. Or seven. I'll just link two. They're from the Brutal Legend website. Hit the jump to check them out.



And the second:



If this game rocks as hard as it looks like it will, then I'll follow in Led Zeppelin's footsteps, and I'll sacrifice an animal. To Thor.

Greg

Labels: Brutal Legend, Greg Mengel, Video

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Ever since the release of Halo on the original Xbox, the Halo series has both set the bar and dominated the realm of console shooters. With the main story being wrapped up in 2007's Halo 3, series developed Bungie decided to created an offshoot to the franchise entitled Halo 3: ODST. Marketed as an extension to the Halo 3 experience, ODST puts the player in control of an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (ODST) instead of the usual super soldier, Master Chief. When ODST was announced, it was first determined to be a straight up expansion to Halo 3, but through the course of its development, it has evolved into a full on retail package with its own multiplayer modes and campaign. However, the question is whether or not Bungie was once again successful in pleasing their die-hard fan base, or if they should have left the series with the closure it had.

ODST takes place during the events of Halo 2 and the beginning of Halo 3, in the Earth city of New Mombasa. The game kicks off with you taking the role of the rookie of an ODST squadron, barrelling toward the Earth in a pod with the rest of your squadron - hence "Orbital Drop". Upon impact though you are knocked unconscious for 6 hours and awake to find that it is already nightfall and the rest of your squad is nowhere to be found. You then take it upon yourself to find out what happened to the rest of the squad by exploring the open world streets of New Mombasa. By following waypoints marked on your minimap, you find objects such as a helmet and broken sniper rifle. These objects act as the start of a mission and once you find one, you are put into the shoes of one of your squad mates in a flashback scene. These flashbacks uncover story elements to help solve the mystery of what happened while you were asleep. The story in ODST is nothing special, but it is a series highpoint. The constant unravelling of story elements is incentive to keep players entrenched, and the flashback scenarios ensure that the levels are always varied from the last.

Now, stories are all fine and dandy, but what gamers are going to want most out of ODST is the gameplay. As expected, Bungie have not lost their touch. Using the same engine as Halo 3, ODST controls really well, allowing players to quickly pull off satisfying kills against their alien foes. There is no shortage of weapons to do this with either, as all of the weapons from Halo 3 have returned (sans the Battle Rifle) and two new weapons have also been thrown in. One of the weapons is simply the SMG from Halo 3 with a silencer on the end for added stealth. The other weapon that is added to your arsenal is one that will make long-time Halo fans quite pleased; a pistol. This isn't any old pistol however - this pistol resembles the Halo 1 pistol: with a 4x scope and a powerful kick, it delivers devastating head shots that can kill many of the game's enemies in one hit, even on the highest difficulty. The main difference to the rest of the series is, unlike Master Chief, these troopers do not possess recharging shields. Instead, the player's health depletes in two ways. The first is stamina - similar to shields, if you avoid combat for a moment, you stamina will recharge. If you take damage after your stamina is depleted however, you will lose health which can only be replenished with med-kits. ODST's gameplay doesn't stray much off the path of the previous installments,which means that your enjoyment of ODST boils down to whether or not your a fan the series.

ODST is also a gorgeous game. Although it uses the same engine as Halo 3, a lot has been refined. The weapons have a shine that wasn't present before. Also, the character and enemy models look great. The biggest change in the graphics occurs in the environments however. From lush African wildlife settings, to claustrophobic cities,the world of ODST is breathtaking. The night-time environments also allow for the use of one of the games new features, the VISR. Short for Visual Intelligence System Reconnaissance, the VISR allows players to see in the dark. In addition to simple night vision, the VISR allows highlights important things in the environments; enemies in red, teammates in green, and clues in yellow. It's a helpful tool for dark fights, but brightness is increased which turns the screen almost entirely white if the VISR is used during the day.

After completing the campaign, players will want something else to keep them occupied. This is where the game's 'Firefight' mode comes in. Similar to Gears of War 2's Horde mode, or World at War's 'Nazi Zombies', Firefight allows players to team up with 3 of their friends to fight off waves of enemies. With a constant increase of difficulty, Firefight quickly escalates into a frantic grasp for survival. "Skulls", switch on and off during sessions as difficult modifiers. They do things such as give the enemies a huge amount of grenades, or make the only way to regain stamina to melee attack enemies. Players share a pool of lives, which makes teamwork essential. With this focus on teamwork, Bungie decided to eliminate matchmaking from Firefight, meaning that your teammates are limited to those on your friends list. It is an excellent mode that can keep gamers occupied for hours on end, but your enjoyment is unfortunately limited to whether your friends have the game.

Halo 3: ODST also comes packed with a second disc. Dubbed the multiplayer disc, it included the full multiplayer experience of Halo 3, including every downloadable map free of charge. This is one of the best multiplayer shooter games available to Xbox 360 owners, but many gamers will already own it if they were Halo fans to begin with. The extra maps are a good incentive to pick up the multiplayer again if you have been away from Halo for a while. Although it is a great competitive experience, the multiplayer disc feels like a last minute attempt to justify a full price on the package.

If you are a Halo fan, you probably already own ODST or don't need to be sold on it. If you've never experienced a Halo game however, this is the best time to jump into the series. With a fresh new story, fun gameplay and beautiful visuals, Halo 3: ODST is a great single-player game. The addition of the Firefight mode guarantees for a great time with friends, and the inclusion of Halo 3's multiplayer ensures that this game will last you quite a long time. If you're not a fan of Halo, ODST will not change your opinion, but everyone else should have a great time playing this spectacular game.

Tyson

Labels: Bungie, Halo ODST, Microsoft, Review, Tyson, Tyson Breen

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Back in the day, platformers were all the rage. Every arcade was full of them - and some were really good. However, recently - bar the Mario popularity - they're all but gone. So it's nice that FrozenByte have decided that we need a new one.

TRINE is a side-scrolling, action-based platformer. Originally released for PC, with a DVD edition and a downloadable version from Valve's ever-popular Steam service, TRINE became an unexpected success. So much so, in fact, that they decided that a PlayStation Network version was in order.

If you're typically a side-scrolling gamer, the first thing you'll notice is the upgrade in graphics. Say the last platformer you played was Super Mario Bros 2: you'll be taken back by the eye watering visuals of TRINE as compared to that. It's as vibrant as a multicoloured tiger (yep, that's right. A multicoloured tiger) and, towards the end, just as difficult. The lighting system has been thoroughly developed and perfected. If you're running through a wood thicket, the odd dash of light will fall through the leaves above. And this fantastical lighting carries through to inside settings just as well.

Be you in a huge, towering corridor or swinging above lava, you'll always feel dwarfed by your surroundings. In some ways, I wonder if the characters are, in fact, tiny - even the mushrooms dominate you. It feels like fantasy; like the worlds in your head. And, more importantly, it has what every good fantasy should include - epic scale. The calming soothingness is carried between levels purely through the voice of the narrator. It's the kind of voice you want to fill your dreams with, calming yet commanding - TRINE's fantastical world is made complete with the narration. It also includes an interesting plot line and a cool little twist half way through.

My first outing with TRINE was the PC demo. Unfortunately, originally it didn't fill me with hope. I struggled with the controls and barely made it through the demo. I'm happy to report, however, that things are a lot better with the PSN port. Perhaps it's because I'm used to a controller, but whatever it is, it's really made a difference. TRINE's a smooth experience, in all - you utilise your characters skills (3 people, magically converted into one) to try and rid the world of evil and split yourself into three bodies again. The three characters include a wizard, knight and thief. Each has a speciality that has to be used to get passed certain objects. The thief has a bow to fight, is light on her feet and can make use of a grapple to reach those out of sight areas. The warrior, on the other hand, makes use of his awesome sword and shield to protect himself. Lastly, the wizard can create a number of objects, a box, plank and hovering triangle, to reach the next area.

Combat is your simple, hit-guard-kill affair. The knight is a good staring point but as soon as you unlock the thief's tri-shot, you'll start using her instead. She really becomes unstoppable then as almost, except from bosses, every enemy dies from one or two hits. The wizard himself can't directly kill anyone but he is able to drop an item on an enemy, causing him to explode. In terms of enemies, there are a few standard types - ordinary skeleton swordsman, swordsman with wood shield, swordsman with steel shield, long-swords, archers, spiders and bats. The spiders, bats and archers are easily the most annoying. Spiders are impossible to get to with the warrior if they're higher than one jump, archers always knock you off a platform you're climbing, and bats never stop! Thankfully, as you progress you'll be able to unlock new abilities for the team. Unlocks include new items for the wizard to create, flaming arrows(perfect for one shot one kills), and a massive hammer. Each time you collect 50 points of xp, you'll get another point to spend on abilities.

TRINE comes with a single player mode and a co-op - however, there's no online co-op. A slight disappointment perhaps, but one that is made up by the single player campaign. A clever level design means that even if one of your players falls to his/her death, you can still get past obstacles. For example, without the thief's grapple a jump may seem impossible, but you could also just bridge the gap with a wizard's plank. There are, of course, some points that need a certain skill, but these are usually near a 'life orb'/spawn point. There's also some tricky obstacles that need a bit of skill to pass. You may even get stuck for a little while, but as soon as you've worked out how to cross 'that spike pit', you'll always know how to do it.

The physics in the game are the main point of concentration, but that's not to say the story isn't any good. Infact, its better than most. After your initial training in the Astral Academy, you'll go out into the wide world in search of a way to split your characters. It does feel like an extract from a Pratchett book - plenty of comedy and an extravaganza of fantasy. It might not be a really challenging game, but it does make up for it in almost every other way. If this game was long and had enough variety, you could play through the night and get transported into your own little fantasy world.

So, TRINE is a beautiful game, but perhaps a little too simple in areas. You'll certainly enjoy what there is, and what there is - well, it's quite a lot. In total there's 15 levels which each take approx 40mins to an hour per level. If you're after those trophies (and why wouldn't you be? It's the first PSN Platinum!) then there are alot of silvers. There are also some tricky ones - 'Better than the Developers!' in which you need to complete the last level without dying is particularly difficult! The beautiful world will certainly satisfy your eyes, whereas the side-scrolling will satisfy your nostalgia. It may not do anything too radical, but the physics are awesome and the fighting is above average. You might not pay much attention to the music but its nice if you do give it a listen. Superb voice acting, the wizards suave voice and the knight's comical extracts are great. At £15.99 from the PlayStation Network, there's no reason why you should pass up on buying this. Unless you hate fantasy-based side-scrollers with wizards in which you conjure planks in a beautiful world in order to beat evil and return your characters to their three individual forms. If you don't like the idea of that - TRINE might not be the buy for you.

Jacques

Labels: FrozenByte, Jacques Hulme, Nobilis, PSN, Review, Trine

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I'm a little wary of any Final Fantasy titles released after FFX. Actually, make that any after IX. So, when I watched the new english-language Final Fantasy XIII trailer released on Sunday by Square Enix, I did so from between narrow, doubting eyes.

My problem with Final Fantasies released after IX is that they just seem too 'poppy', too flashy and stylised, too... anime. Now anime is a fine genre with a noble tradition, but there comes a time when I want to play a good, solidly built Eastern-style RPG and not be sent to the hospital with an epileptic attack. Anime, especially interactive anime, does that to me. It inspires epilepsy.

That being said, I am definitely going to play this game. I pride myself on the fact that I've played all the main Final Fantasy titles released in English, and many of the spin-offs. It may be naïve nostalgia, but I consider Final Fantasy Legend II to be one of the most unfairly overlooked and underappreciated RPGs made to this day. I don't think I've ever played a Final Fantasy that was bad, ever. The only thing that comes close is the Kingdom Hearts series, that horrible abomination born of the forbidden union of Disney and Square Enix. The Little Mermaid levels of both the first two games in that series will still inspire frightened and helpless feelings in me if spoken of in my presence. It's like mentioning Cthulu. Or better yet, Voldemort.

I really don't expect Final Fantasy XIII to be even nearly as bad as Kingdom Hearts. Actually, anime styling aside, the gameplay and mechanics of the game shown to us so far look really, really good. Good enough that I can forget that my some of my characters are summoning transformer cars (see 2:30 in the video), while others look like a pirates-turned Abercrombie models (freeze on 5:15, 6:18), that for no apparent reason one of the villains speaks in a tacky Australian accent (see 6:31), or that every single character, even the afro-sporting black guy, looks and acts overtly Japanese. I guess that's part of the charm.

Enough said for now, we'll talk more about this game when we can actually play it. Until then, here's the video, compliments of Square Enix, Gametrailers, and, of course, Gamer's Guide to Life. Bon appetit.

Greg

Labels: Final Fantasy, Greg Mengel, Square Enix, Trailer

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In my world, there are two different types of game: one story driven, and the other action driven. I don’t particularly mind which it is, as long as it sticks to its department and doesn’t drift between the two. There are many awesome examples for each category: Final Fantasy, Fallout 3 and Oblivion are prime examples of ‘story games’; where as Burnout, Dead Space and Mercenaries are all about action.

WET is one of those games that really does focus of action. You can’t cross a single area without at least 2 barrels exploding in your face, forcing you to change direction. What it does, it does well. There’s no namby-pamby health regeneration - nope, it’s you against the world. At first this may sound a little tricky but once you learn of Rubi’s - *ahem* - special skills you’ll soon see why it’s so forceful.

The game starts with Rubi, your character, chasing a gang through the streets on Japan, using the environment to try to catch your target. After battling several goons, where you learn some of your acrobatic skills, you head outside to begin decapitating more enemies with your - rather sharp - sword.

However, here you start one of many repetitive struggles to reach the next area. The basic idea of these set pieces is this: get locked in an area with lots of bad guys, smash things with your sword to block of more enemies coming in, clear up and leave. The first time you play one of these areas all the action, all the moves, all the bullets are exciting and you feel almighty taking down 30 to 40 enemies - but it soon starts to get a bit of a bore.

After a bit of story progression, you’ll reach Rubi’s hideout in the desert. Here, you train using other weapons such as the shotguns and bows. It’s a nice place to relax as long as your not actually doing a challenge. There’s plenty to climb up and a vast amount of space for you to run in.

So, in summary, if you’re looking for a quick thrill that’s better than your usual all out action game, then WET will keep you going for a few weeks of now-and-again play, as long as you’re not trophy hoarding. My main criticism with the game is the repetitiveness. Apart from the odd exciting set piece, like falling through a burning plane, it does become a bore. I found myself putting it down for a day, picking it back up then putting it down again.

STORY
Definately, not the strongest point of WET at all. There is one but it’s hard to follow and you’ll soon find yourself engrossed in the action instead.

GAMEPLAY
It’s all about jumping, running and sliding your way through a countless amount of people. There’s not really much variety but you’ll enjoy what there is. Some little differences are thrown into the middle of the story which do keep you trying and playing a little longer.

AUDIO
Perhaps the best part about the whole game, as it’s a really well thought out. The songs give the whole game its Wild West feel. My favourite track plays in the first ‘locked area’, a track called ‘Insane’. All of the tracks are a great listen and it’s a nice feature to be able to replay then in the extra content area.

VISUALS
There's nothing special really - they work, but it’s certainly not the next Uncharted 2 in terms of graphics. The film effect, however, is a nice feature and completes the Tarantio/film feel. If you don’t like it or it get in the way, just hit start and you’ll be able to turn it off.

LENGTH
It’s actually a bit longer than your average game today. Campaign on easy would probably take about 4-5 days of occassional play, or a day of non-stop action. If you a trophy hoarder (like me!) Then your probably be looking at 1-2 months. Some of the trophies, for example ‘All gold on challenges', are really hard but, with enough practice, they're achievable.

Jacques

Labels: Bethesda, Jacques Hulme, Review, Wet