Our Best and Worst for 2008

Below are our best and worst games of 2008.

DAZXER
I have been very selective on what I put into my console, so this is list is based on what I have actually played.

Best
1. Fallout 3 (60+ hours, wow factor)
2. Gears of War 2 (Great Story and Excellent Action)
3. Grand Theft Auto 4 (Niko Balic, that all I have to say)
4. Burnout Paradise (Best driving game)
5. Mirrors Edge (Just edged out Prince of Persia)

Worst
1. Lost (Bad Very Bad)
2. Midnight Club (Draw Distance), Berva and I are in a debate on this one.
3. Viva Pinata Trouble in Paradise
4. Crash Mind over Mutant (constant back tracking)
5. The Incredible Hulk (Smashing things gets boring quickly)

BERVA

Best
1. Grand Theft Auto 4 (A blast to play from start to finish)
2. Gears of War 2 (wow)
3. Fallout 3 (Fantastic game, attention to detail)
4. Burnout Paradise (Best driving game ever, in my opinion)
5. Prince of Persia (Eye candy with great platforming, loved it)

Worst
1. Turning Point – Fall Of Liberty (haha, this game is totally unplayable)
2. Army Of Two (pathetic, very frustrating)
3. Don King Presents Prizefighter (time to hang up the gloves I say)
4. Facebreaker (EA have canned this franchise and for good reason, its crap)
5. Rise Of The Argonauts (zzz, wake me up when I get to kill stuff)

Spike TV Video Game Award Winners

* Best Shooter: Gears of War 2 (Epic Games)
* Best Xbox 360 Game: Gears of War 2 (Epic Games)
* Best Indie Game Voted by the Fans: World of Goo (2D Boy)
* Big Name in a Game: Kiefer Sutherland (Call of Duty: World at War)
* Gamer God Inductee: Will Wright (Sim City, Spore)
* Best RPG: Fallout 3 (Bethesda)
* Best Music Game: Rock Band 2 (Harmonix)
* Best Soundtrack in a Game: Rock Band 2 (Harmonix)
* Studio of the Year: Media Molecule (Little Big Planet)
* Best PS3 Game: Little Big Planet (Media Molecule)
* Best Driving: Burnout Paradise (Criterion)
* Best Game Based on a Movie or TV Show: Lego Indy (Traveller's Tales)
* Best Fighting: Soul Calibur 4 (Project Soul)
* Best Multiplayer: Left 4 Dead (Valve)
* Best PC: Left 4 Dead (Valve)
* Best Portable: Professor Layton (Level 5)
* Best Wii: Boom Blox (EA Casual)
* Best Individual Sports: Shaun White Snowboarding (Ubi Montreal)
* Best Graphics: Metal Gear Solid 4 (Kojima Productions)
* Best Original Score: Metal Gear Solid 4 (Kojima Productions)
* Best Action-Adventure Game: Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar Games)
* Best Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar Games)

Prince Of Persia - Review

When I heard that Prince Of Persia was coming to next gen gaming consoles, I was thrilled. It brought back memories of the many fun filled hours spent playing Sands of Time on the original xbox. You can rest easy, the new Prince Of Persia is a return to form.

The game is built on a refined Assassin's creed engine and is a joy to play from start to finish. From the stunning visuals to a very unique art style, you will be impressed with how the game looks and plays.

The story involves you the prince along with a princess named Elika on a mission to save the world from the apocalypse. It may seem far fetched but it isn't and the relationship between the 2 main characters of the game is very interesting. Elika is one of the most memorable AI companion character in a video game in recent memory.

Some might ague the fact that the game is too easy, I found that the gameplay was as natural and as beautiful as the world itself. The game is not short, it will take most gamers just on 12 hours to complete. Let me also state that this game has a brilliant ending and overall I put this in my top 5 games of 2008.

I am a big fan of the platforming genre and am pleased that the new Prince of Persia oozes platforming. Grab this over the xmas period, you will not regret it.

Gameplay = 7.8
Visuals = 9.2
Sound = 7.7
Game Now Score = 8.2/10

Fallout 3 - Review

I have 1 word, "Depth", Bethesda, had done it again, allowing you to play over 30 hours, and still have lots to do and explore. I enjoyed playing Fallout Tactics, but this game has taken gaming to another level.
Once I entered the large world of Fallout, I just stood with amazement, to see the level of detail to the horizon.

The gameplay is wonderful, the exploration allows you to travel where you want to go. When I first heard about the concept of a first person shooter allowing which can switch to a turn based system, with action points, I wondered how are they going to pull this off. Bethesda have nailed the combat system, to suit 2 styles, I lived in my VATS system (action points). The quests are exciting, even down to collecting bottles. You can choose to be on the side of good or evil, or dip your toes into both pools.
Stats are a plenty here, you can customize yourself in many different ways.

Visuals are excellent, the night and day cycles are wonderful, be wary during night time wanderings. There has been allot of effort placed into the interiors of buildings. Enemies and weapon affects look polished, exploding cars are my favorite. I have to say something about the physics of the games, sorry for being graphic here, lets just say a bad guys head just fell off, this head rolled and rolled down a hill, bouncing of rocks all the way to the bottom. I was very impressed.

Sound is very detailed, it has great atmosphere, the voice acting is excellent, and the dialog has been well written.

To summarize this game, I would like to say "GAME OF THE YEAR". Fallout 3 is going back into my console. I would recommend this game, not only for its 30+ hours of gameplay but it's is brilliant

Gameplay = 9.5
Visuals = 10
Sound = 9.5
Game Now Score = 9.6/10

Mirror's Edge - Review

It is pretty safe to say that you haven't played a game like Mirror's Edge. Game developers Dice have been in the game for quite some time now with some classics such as Pinball Dreams, Ralisport Challange and most recently battlefield: Bad Company.

Mirror's Edge is a very ambitious game that takes platforming to a whole new level. You need to give credit to Dice for going out and making a game such as this. Is it a revolution in platform gaming or does it fall flat on its face?

You play as "Faith" a futuristic courier in a world were freedom of speach, no longer exists. People such as yourself are used to pass on information in a world surrounded by corruption. It sounds good in writing however the poor execution in the story will have you skipping over the cut scenes to get back into the action.

The actual free running and platforming gameplay is brilliant. There has never been a platforming game that has been this immersing. Running and jumping to and from high rise buildings is fantastic. At it's core Mirror's Edge is a celebration of pure programming brilliance.

As good as the free running and platforming is, the combat is pretty bad. When you actually have to face an enemy with a gun or try disarm him/her you will find yourself cursing at the screen. It's just sloppy and it does take away from the overall experience unfortunately. I wish they had made a game that did not involve any combat at all.

The Graphics and art direction in Mirror's Edge is great with some beautiful bright environments for a change. Sound is also very good with ambient noise and in particular wind sounding fantastic, a very good job overall.

At the end of the day I highly recommend people jumping into Mirror's Edge for very unique gaming experience and hope that other developers take on this type of gameplay and expand on it.

Gameplay = 7
Visuals = 8
Sound = 8
Game Now Score = 7.6/10

Fable 2 - Review

Fable 2 takes you on an adventure like no other game has done before, is it enough to win the hearts of gamers this holiday season?

Coming off the success of the original game, Fable 2 is a realization of everything Fable 1 was trying to be. It has a beautiful story of redemption as you are hit hard early in the game with the death of your sister. The game then quickly shifts to a story about revenge and more importantly how much you are willing to sacrifice along the way. The constant battle between good and evil is evident throughout the entire campaign.

The world of Fable 2 is large, however you never really understand how everything fits in. The shocking map system and menu in general is pretty bad, leaving you to fast travel to all your quests, never really knowing where exactly in the world you are currently at, pretty bad.

Visually Fable 2 looks great, with excellent lighting and a very beautiful world overall. There are problems though. The frame rate in general is pretty bad with some pretty ordinary slow downs in many situations. What really has me upset is that the menu system is terrible, it takes you totally out of the experience and is also very slow, seems to be running at 15 frames a second, unacceptable.

Performance problems aside, there is a lot to love about Fable 2, from the interesting story to the visual style of combat, combat which is easy to pick up and play and very satisfying.

Sound is great although there were many times were characters would talk over each other making it hard to concentrate. Fable 2 is full with atmospheric audio which is its strong point.

The campaign is unfortunately short in length, although you can continue your questing once the main quest line is done.

There are lots of things to do in Fable 2, from getting married and having children to having multiple wives and even having sex with multiple people at the same time.

I just wished that it ran a little smother and was a little harder in parts. Overall a worthy sequel, just not as good as I was expecting from Peter and the boys down at Lionhead.

Gameplay = 8
Visuals = 8
Sound = 8
Game Now Score = 8/10

Gears Of War 2 - Review

It has been a few years since Epic stunned the gaming world with one of the most exhilarating shooters gamers had ever seen. Microsoft had banked on Cliffy B and the boys down at Epic to produce a new IP (Intellectual Property) that delivered, and delivered is exactly what they did.

Fast forward to November 2008 and Gears of War 2 is finally hitting the shelves, sending fan boys into a frenzy. How does it compare to the first? Is it just Gears 1.5?

In short, Gears of War 2 is breathtaking and a benchmark on how to make an action shooter, period.

Cliffy B was right in saying that Gears 2 would be bigger, better and more badass. From the moment you pop this one into your console, you’re in for something special.

The story is much more satisfying than the first with Dom playing a bigger part in Gears 2, his struggle to handle the fact that his wife is missing is fantastic. There are a few new characters you meet along the way, each have a purpose and overall the story is very satisfying.

Visually Gears 2 is flawless, with some of the most impressive visuals you have seen in a video game to date. Player models look great, environments and shadowing are outstanding, Epic are showing other developers how the Unreal Engine 3 should be used. Gone are the poor frame rate problems during cutscenes that were evident in Gears 1. There is basically no loading in Gears of War 2, you can effectively play the game from start to finish without a loading screen at all (unless you die) .

Sound is also of the highest quality, there is nothing better than pulling off a headshot with your sniper gun and hearing that “pop” sound as the enemy’s head blows up into a million pieces. Atmospheric sound and voice acting is brilliant, much love has been put into every aspect of this game.

When it comes to gameplay, Gears 2 is very much like Gears 1, extremely tight and a blast to play. Multiplayer is back with 10 all new maps and will no doubt be very popular online.

Epic have delivered an amazing experience with Gears 2, a must own game for all 360 gamers.

Gameplay = 9.5
Visuals = 10
Sound = 9.5
Game Now Score = 9.6/10

Fallout 3 - Initial Impressions

The year is 2277, the planet is all but destroyed. Only those that escaped to the underground bunkers have survived. You are born into one of these bunkers, this is your story!

Oh yes, it’s that time of the year were all the big boys come out to play and it doesn't get much bigger than Fallout.

The opening cinematic shows you actually being born into the world and initial gameplay has you crawling/walking around the bunker listening to your dad as he encourages you to take your first steps. The idea is smart and the implementation is brilliant.

The game then progresses through your early years in a series of interesting events within the bunker until something drastic happens. Not going to tell you much as it’s a bit of a spoiler but let me assure you it’s awesome.

The graphics and sound and voice acting are AAA, Fallout 3 is putting its cards on the table and could possibly knock off GTA 4 for game of the year – a must own for all 360 owners!!! Review to follow over the next week or so.

Lego Batman - Review

Here we go, the third installment in the Lego series, and I have to say this is the best one yet.
I have play both Star Wars and Indy with my 6 Yr old son, and he agree's with me, that this is"cool to play"

The gameplay is simple and addictive, I was so excited when I was able to play the alternative version on the story as the villians in the game. This adds so much depth to the game. A nice addition is the use of super suits, gliding, heat resistant, etc. Driving the different vehicles adds to the excitment of this impressive game.

The sound and visuals, have been polished compared to Indy. The liquids in the game are very impressive.

Batman Lego is very entertaining for all ages, my 4 yr old girl keeps bugging me to play with her. I am looking forward to playing the Joker.

Enjoy many hours of fun!!

Gameplay = 9
Visuals = 9
Sound = 9
Game Now Score = 9/10

Mercenaries 2 World in Flames - Review

I must admint, I was excited about the hype for the second installment of the game. Having played Merc's on the orginal Xbox to the end, I was looking forward to re-living my life as a merc on the XBOX 360 console.

Story: -- Pretty simple story, you are 1 of 3 merc's, who will work for anyone with money in Venezuela. You are then double crossed, and now you seek vengence, see simple

Visuals: -- These aren't the best that they can be, but they are still pretty decent. The landscape is impressive.

Sound: -- Here is where I have a problem, usually the voice doesn't relfect the action. Here is an example, I fell down a hill, took damage, and my merc said "I hate getting shot". I know this may be simple and petty, but hearing this over and over again, coupled with the standard voice re-runs, it gets pretty old, quickly.

Gameplay: -- I am not sure where to begin, the game is just to easy, your health regenerate's. The current game design dictates the reason why your health has to regenerate, because when you die, you will have to start the contract again from the start, there are some checkpoints between missions, but they only go so far.

My biggest disappointment was the capturing of targets, in the first Merc, you had to clear the area, knock out the target, call the chopper for extraction and then finally load the target in the chopper. This was refreshing and difficult. In Merc's 2, here is all you have to do, capture a car, drive all the way to the target, get out and "subdue" your target with a button press. Then your target disappears, no need for a chopper extraction.

Good points on the game, the world is large, all building can be blown up, C4 becomes your friend very quickly, bikes and boats are now in play. There is more options for Air Strikes and Drops.
The driving engine, is great and is very responsive.

Overall, If you are coming from Merc's 1, you will notice these changes, if not these changes can be ignored, and the game can still be enjoyed. It looks good and fun to play.

Gameplay = 6
Visuals = 8
Sound = 6
Game Now Score = 6.6/10

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - Review

Star Wars fans around the world rejoice.

From the get go you can tell that this is going to be a fun game, using "the force" to pick enemy's up and send them flying to their demise is, well FUN.

The story of the Force Unleashed is defiantly its strongest point, a story which in many regards is better than some of the star wars films of late.

Visually the game is also impressive, with fantastic lighting effects and character models, true eye candy for all action game fans.

The sound in Force Unleashed is good, along with great performances from the majority of the voice actors. This is a big budget game and it shows.

The gameplay in Force Unleashed is fun, however over time it does tend to feel repetitive. My biggest issue with the game is its pretty ordinary boss fights, they are not very interesting. At a little over 6 hours of gameplay this game is short, even by today's standards.

Its great fun, while it lasts.

Gameplay = 8
Visuals = 8.5
Sound = 7.5
Game Now Score = 8/10

Battlefield Bad Company - Review

Bad Company is a first person shooter that is trying to be the leader of the pack but fails pretty badly.

Yes the visuals are good and the cinematic's (mostly) look great and one could argue the story is funny, not that I found it funny at all.

There are too many problems here for me to recommend. Firstly the actual gameplay is pretty bad. The AI even on the lowest difficulty are ruthless, so bad that you could be 1 mile from an enemy and just see him on the screen and he will spot you and still be getting you for damage from that far, I mean really, what a joke.

The actual movement is also sloppy and you will often find yourself stuck for a split second before sorting out the ordinary controls.

The graphics in Bad Company are good but not great. What this game has got going for it is that you can blow stuff up. Can't find a way into this building? Just blow the side of the building up, presto, instant access.

Overall this game is a bit of a drag. I have no idea why this game is popular online. My experience with the multiplayer action was shocking. If you want to play some FPS multiplayer stick with Call Of Duty 4.

Gameplay = 7
Visuals = 7.5
Sound = 7
Game Now Score = 7.1/10

Braid - Review

You could be easily fooled into thinking that Braid was simply another platforming game.

Braid is first and foremost a puzzle game which uses platforming to assist in solving the always fun and sometimes very challenging puzzle’s spread across 6 worlds.

The first thing you will notice when you begin to play Braid is that the game is highly stylized in its presentation. Braid has simple, yet very appealing graphics and the soundtrack is so beautiful that you will often find yourself listening to the music while you pause for a short break.

Braid tells the story of a man named Tim who is searching for his “princess”, a long lost love. The story is complicated and is presented in a great way that leaves the story to be interpreted by the person playing the game.

Braid’s core gameplay involves Tim rewinding time in order get to puzzle pieces scattered throughout the world. You could easily just go from point A to point B without picking up the puzzle pieces along the way. Doing so, you will miss everything that braid has to offer. This game is all about getting the puzzle pieces and uncovering the real essence of braid.

Braid is a celebration of everything xbox live arcade is trying to be and is the first game in its class that bridges the gap between retro gimmick and pure brilliance.

I can easily recommend Braid to everyone that is serious about their gaming. What I got back from Braid over the 5 hours of gameplay will not be forgotten anytime soon. P.S: This game has a very clever ending, just brilliant.

Gameplay = 9
Visuals = 8.5
Sound = 9
Game Now Score = 8.8/10

My Top 5 Xbox Live Arcade Games

Here is a list of the best games (in my opinion) available on Xbox Live Arcade.

1. Braid (1200 points or $19.20 AUS)
2. Prince Of Persia (800 points or $12.50 AUS)
3. Bionic Commando: Rearmed (800 points)
4. Pac Man Championship Edition (800 points)
5. Geometry Wars Evolved 2 (800 points)

I will be back a little later on in the week with a full review of Braid and Bionic Commando.

E3 2008 - Microsoft Press Conference Recap

The big 3 press conferences have come and gone and there has been some very interesting announcements especially from the Microsoft team who have easily stole the show with some great all round announcements.

Highlights from the Microsoft Press Conference:

- Fallout 3. Coming this Summer (Australia) looking ok but not as good as I expected.

- Resident Evil 5. Release date announced - March 13th 2009. This game was scheduled for this year but has obviously been pushed back. Playable footage, including co-operative gameplay was shown. Plus, chainsaw wielding zombies. Looks fantastic.

- Fable 2. This October. In-game footage was shown. When someone on your friends list is playing the game, you'll see them as a floating orb as they move through the game world, and you'll be able to join together for co-op play at any time.

- Gears of War 2. Release date announced - November 7th, 2008. Campaign has 2 player co-op, but there will be a 5 player mode called "Horde" in multiplayer, where you and 4 other friends will have to fight off multiple waves of locust, sounds like fun to me. - P.S: The footage shown on stage was nothing short of amazing.

- Completely revamped dashboard, complete with Mii-like Avatars and party rooms with chat that span multiple games. Xbox Live Primetime will feature gameshows like 1 vs. 100, which will allow you to play for prizes.

- New XBLA Games. Geometry Wars 2, Uno Rush, Galaga Colonies, the original Banjo-Kazooie and a new South Park game. Great titles coming to xbox live arcade this yeah, all looked fantastic.

- Portal: Still Alive. A version of Portal for XBLA. A crowd favourite heading to the 360 this year!

- Netflix integrated into Xbox Live. Netflix customers will be able to stream movies to their Xbox for no additional fee. You'll also be able to view movies with people on your friends list like you're all sitting on a virtual couch. (US Region only at luanch)

- Scene-It: Box Office Smash. A new version of Scene-It will be the first game to integrate the Avatars into the gameplay.

- You're In the Movies. A new title that uses the Xbox Vision Camera to integrate you into b-grade movies at home.

- Guitar Hero: World Tour. They announced exclusives with Metallica, Van Halen and the Eagles. 85 songs, all master tracks, on the disc at launch.

- Lips. Microsoft's karaoke game, ships this holiday season. Ships with two wireless mics, allowing for duets. Comes with music on the disc, but will also let you use your own tracks from a Zune or an iPod.

- Rock Band 2. Will release first for the 360 in September. Comes with 84 tracks on the disc, but you'll be able to DL 20 more when it's released for the other systems in November for free. You'll also be able to transfer "most' of the on-disc songs from RB1 into RB2, as well as using all of the DLC in the new game. Bob Dylan and AC/DC will be in the game, as will a new song off of the new Guns n' Roses album, Chinese Democracy. They also announced the full setlist.

- Square Enix. Infinite Undiscovery September 2nd. Last Remnant November 20th. Star Ocean 4 Spring 2009.

- Final Fantasy 13 on 360. The big announcement from the show. No word on when, but it is coming to the 360!

- The ability to copy an entire game off the dvd to your hard disk will also be launced with the revamped dashboard a little ater on this year - great news!

As you can see Microsoft had plenty to announce and had the strongest showing at this years E3.

My Top 10 Games on the Xbox 360!

1. Bioshock - Perfection 10/10
   
2. Grand Theft Auto 4 - new benchmark for all sandbox games 9.5/10
   
3. Gears of War - brilliant game mechanics and gameplay 9.5/10
   
4. Call of Duty 4 - Stunning Visuals and great story 9/10
   
5. Burnout Paradise - The ultimate driving experience 9/10
   
6. Halo 3 - Master chief is back and better than ever 9/10
   
7. The Darkness - Highly stylised horror, and that 'voice' - 8.5/10
   
8. Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter - captivating 8.5/10
   
9. Skate. - Breakthrough - 8.5/10
   
10. Tomb Raider Legend - Lara is back big time, great game - 8/10

So there you have it, my favorite 360 titles so far.

I look forward to hearing from Microsoft tomorrow morning when they present their E3 press conference from sunny California.

Unreal Tournament 3 - Review

I would like to start off by saying that I really respect Epic Games when it comes to producing value for money games for all of us. They are amongst a small group of developers that really put their heart and soul into everything they release and it shows with Unreal Tournament 3.

UT3 is all about action packed, fast combat with jaw dropping visuals and killer sound to boot. The visuals in UT3 are fantastic and the game runs at a blistering framerate with no slowdown to be found even in the heaviest of battles.

From the character models to the stunning battle grounds, UT3 looks the part from all angles. The weapons although not realistic feel great and are so accurate that every other developer (besides Activision) should study this game and take notes on how to make a first person shooter.

Unreal Tournament has never been known for its story and UT3 is no exception. The story is shocking, you will find yourself skipping the majority of this as I did, it just does not have any weight at all, pity.

Where UT3 shines is in its gameplay and more specifically in Multiplayer! Multiplayer action is fantastic. Once you find yourself a good ping and a good group of people online, you will have a blast. There are a heap of multiplayer modes to choose from but from what I have played it looks like team deathmatch is the most popular.

The sound in UT3 is very good although the comments made by other players like “yeah, take that!” do get a little annoying after a while.

If you’re after a shooter that is hardcore in nature but easy to pick up and play, this is the game for you.

Gameplay = 8.5
Visuals = 8.5
Sound = 7.5
Game Now Score = 8.3/10

A Gamers History

Hey Ya

Before I begin giving my views on Games, I would like to give a brief history of my gaming life.

I started my gaming life on Atari 2600, with games like River Raid and Pitfall. Moved to the Amiga 500, with Games like Gods, Nitro, and Defender of the Crown. Many nights during my school life constantly playing.

Then with great delight I upgrade to a PC. The list is huge here, and this is where I took my roleplaying games to another level, with game like;
Eye of the Beholder Series
Lands of Lore Series
Crusaders of the Dark Savant
Baulders Gate Series
Neverwinter Nights Series
and many more.

While gaming on a PC, I gamed on a Sony Playstation 1, all major titles. Then moved the Xbox, again all major titles, and yes I got very frustrated if Ninja Gaiden.

I have spent a good part of a year levelling 2 chars to 70 on World of Warcraft, Horde Rogue and an Alliance Warlock. I have since moved onto greener pastures, Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online. I am currently playing both at the moment. I enjoy DDO the most of all, as it is the only MMO, which has true variety.

I am a newbee to the Xbox 360 only started about 4 months ago, so I am on major catchup on all the major titles. Here is a list of all titles currently playing or completed.
Halo 3 - Completed
Condemned -- Playing
Mass Effect -- Playing
Bioshock -- Completed
Burnout Paradise -- Completed
Call of Duty 4 -- Completed
Skate -- Playing
Simpsons -- Completed
Kameo -- Completed
Crash of the Titans -- Completed
Half Life 2 -- Playing (Already completed years ago on PC)
GTA4 -- Playing
Crackdown -- Completed
Many More

So that's it, these are my credentials, for giving my perspective on games.

I hope you enjoy my contribution to the Blog, if you have any questions about games or you want my take on a game, just ask.

Don't sleep, GAME

"A pessimist to an optimist is a realist." (Mass Effect)

Unreal Tournament 3 - Initial Impressions

I have been really looking forward to UT3 on the 360 ever since I heard it was going to get ported over from the PC version.

It has taken almost 1 year for this to actually happen, is it worth the wait?

Initial impressions suggest "oh yes"

The game looks great and the speed!!! (framerate) is super fast, no slowdown at all. Sure it doesn’t look like a super high end PC graphically however it looks great and plays even better.

I have played through the first 6 levels of the single player campaign so far and although the actual story (if you can call it that) is shallow, the gameplay is fantastic. Weapons feel great and the maps seem varied enough to keep players entertained for hours.

I also got a chance to play some multiplayer, however I could not find a decent connection. I am looking forward to playing some multiplayer with Aussie gamers in a few days when it gets its local release. Stay tuned to Game Now for a full review soon.

Metal Gear Solid 4 - Review

Solid (Old) Snake is back in MGS4 in what will be his final mission.

I want to clear up something right from the start, this game is amazing, however it is not a game for everyone.

Visually MGS4 is easily one of the most beautifully rendered games you have ever seen. From the impressive player models to the attention to detail in all the locations you will get to explore, much love has been put into this title and it shows.

The story is complicated, so complicated that the final cutscene is over 1 hour long. The cinematic cutscenes although long are beautiful, and for the most part interesting. The story towards the end does get a little confusing and if your not a Metal Gear loyalist, you may feel a little left out.

Level design is linear, although the programmers have done a brilliant job in making the MGS4 world feel epic in every way. You will get to explore many different locations around the world, all as visually stunning as the other.

The sound in MGS4 is also fantastic and sounds great in 5.1 The voice acting is spot on and the acting in general is of the highest quality.

What are the flaws you may ask?

The first half of the game is fairly action packed with many great action sequences. The second half of the game however you will get to play less and watch more. It is packed with cut scenes. The question you have to ask yourself is whether your prepared for such an experience.

Snake’s actual game speed is fairly slow, yes its a stealth based game however I would have like to see him move a little faster. The game plays out more like an interactive movie than a full on game. I don't mind the breaks but some people may find it frustrating. There are also constant interruptions to the gameplay with short loading screens. They are short (8 or 9 seconds) however they tend to get a little annoying.

People are talking this up to be the greatest game of all time, well let me tell you, it's not. This is easily the best the PS3 has to offer and if people were waiting for that killer title to drop, this is it!

Take care Snake, it's been fun

Gameplay = 8

Visuals = 9

Sound= 9.5

Game Now Score= 8.8/10

Battlefield Bad Company - Initial Impressions

There is a lot to be said about a game in which you can basically destroy everything that is front of you. Can't find a door into that warehouse? That's ok, just blow a hole into the side of the wall and presto!

You can tell that the developers wanted this to be a much better single player experience than their previous effort and although the campaign story is good, it ain't no GTA4, lets put it that way.

Visually the game looks great and runs at a very nice framerate, which is very important to me personally.

The problem for me so far is that even on the normal difficulty setting, the AI is ruthless. You pop your head out from around a building, you will get shot within a second, it just dosen't feel realistic, its like they can see you though the walls.

Having played through the first few levels, I decided to restart the 2nd level on Easy, yes I know you may be thinking, well you suck, well maybe I do however trust me, Easy is still a challenge and the AI seems way more realistic. I also recommend you "up" the sensitivity of your weapon slighly for a more precise shooting experience.

I'll be back later on in the week for a full detailed review, peace out.

Gears of War 2 - The Cool New Features

Hi guys,

I though I'd share some of the cool new features we can expect from Epics upcoming game of the year 2008 :)

1. Multiplayer has increased from 4 x 4 to 5 x 5
2. At least 10 all new multiplayer maps - 2 of the original maps from Gears 1 to be re done (Gridlock and Subway)
3. You will be able to crawl to cover when you a downed - (owesome!!)
4. Different weapons have different finishing moves, all look fantastic and bloody as ever
5. The 'Curb Stomp' is back with an even better animation, you quickly kick your enemy over and jump on his head - lovely.
6. Environments and player models will look even better than Gears 1 (amazing as it still remains)
7. When is spectator mode (i.e dead) you have many cameras to cycle through and can take screenshots at any stage
8. Framerate will be increased for smoother gameplay, both campaign and multiplayer

Welcome to Game Now Sleep Later!

Hi All,

Welcome to our new home to talk everything that is gaming.

Post your thoughts on anything game related and remember, Game Now Sleep Later.