Eat Lead: The Return Of Matt Hazard - Review

Eat Lead is one of those games that flew under the radar of most peoples "games for 2009" list. I for one didn't even realise it was due for release. So I popped it into my 360 and had a look, what I found was a fun game that made me laugh throughout the entire campaign.

Eat Lead is a story about Matt Hazard, a "retro gaming hero of 25 years" that is back after a 6 year break from making games. This is Matt's first next gen game but there is a twist. The CEO of the gaming company has completely taken over the game world and is manipulating it on the fly trying to get you killed. It's a great idea that works well. So instead of fighting new enemies in this 'next gen' game you will be facing old enemies from your 25 year carrier in video games.

It's actually very funny when you have to fight 8 bit sprites and enemies that use water pistols as weapens from a game you did 10 years ago titled "get soaked".

Eat Lead pokes fun at all gaming genres including Mario, WOW, JAP RPG and Wolfenstein.

The gameplay is simple and also a lot of fun. The CEO is out to get you so he will mix things up mid level to through you off, I found this very entertaining.

The graphics in Eat Lead are good with some nice touches on character models in particular. The music does not hold up as well.

If your a fan of Duke Nuke'Em then you will have a blast with Eat Lead. I finished the game in around 7.5 hours so its not that long, however those 7.5 hours were a lot of fun.

Gameplay = 6.5
Visuals = 7.5
Sound = 6
Game Now Score = 6.6/10

Halo Wars - Review

Let me start by saying that Halo Wars is not your typical Real Time Strategy (RTS) game. When I say typical I mean slow paced, complex and massive battles that you have come to expect from such a game.

Halo Wars is all about small but highly entertaining levels jam packed with interesting objectives and firefights. It is a shame that this is the last we will see of Ensemble Studios since they have packed up shop a few months ago. It is also a shame as they have created a very entertaining and approachable game for the 360.

The presentation in Halo Wars is fantastic and Halo fans will love the respect they have given to the Halo brand and its story. The cut scenes are of the highest quality and the game engine runs smooth with no noticeable slowdown.

Sound design is also great and is on the lines of what you would hear whilst playing Halo 3.

The only negative thing that can be really be said about Halo Wars is that it's fairly easy and it's single player campaign is not that long. Around 6 to 7 hours of gameplay.

Halo Wars can only be described as an action RTS game that has been custom built to be played on a console. I had a lot of fun playing it and I think you will too.

Gameplay = 8
Visuals = 8
Sound = 8.5
Game Now Score = 8.2/10

GTAIV: Lost and Damned - Review

In arguably the best downloadable addon to a game on the 360, is the Lost and Damned everything we have come to expect from Rockstar or does it fall flat on its face.

Well after completing the new campaign in just over 10 hours I can assure you this is a great addition to an already brilliant game. What you have in TLAD is a brand new character by the name of Johnny and his story of a power battle within a biker gang. It all leads up to very heated and very memorable characters in typical Rockstar fashion, TLAD doesn't disappoint.

TLAD is a whole new campaign although its packed with many surprising tie ins to the original game and Nicko Belic appears quite a few times to my delight.

The missions are simular to what we had in GTAIV however they are more gang focused and you will often find yourself rolling with your gang on your way to target other rival gangs. That along side the internal gang power struggle makes this content very satisfying.

There is no need to go into who the game looks and sounds as we are all aware that Liberty City feels so alive and is a real achievement on the part of Rockstar.

So if your into GTA you need to play the Lost And Damned, plain and simple.

I am looking forward to the next chapter which will hopefully be out towards November.

Gameplay = 8
Visuals = 9
Sound = 9.5
Game Now Score = 8.8/10

F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin - Review

What a ride!, from hi-tech weapons, to armored mec's and lets not forget to mention the slow-mo button for added effect. F.E.A.R 2 is a great FPS. As the story unfolds, you realize that Alma is back and she is pissed. The story is an excellent continuation on where it finished from the first installment

Visually the game is very good, and the level of detail is something to be impressed with. I have to make special note, of how it looks while you are in the mec, and the level of devastation as you play through. The sound is also very impressive, I run all my games through my Denon Amp and Aaron speakers, and to hear the comments from the super soldier and the gun fire, makes you want to pump it up.

Gameplay, the movement and slow down button, makes for an enjoyable experience. The game excels, when it switches modes, from fighting super soldier, to ghosts, and watching cut scenes, repetition is far from your mind.

This game is very linear, so don't expect a large amount of exploring.

Overall this is an excellent game, and I enjoyed playing it.

Gameplay = 7.9
Visuals = 8.5
Sound = 8.5
Game Now Score = 8.3/10

50 Cent - Blood on the Sand - Review

50 Cent - Blood on the Sand is a surprisingly good game. Yes I know I can’t believe it either. In all honesty we were not expecting big things from this game as 50’s previous game was terrible. So terrible that I’m not even going to mention the title of it. All you need to know is that 50 is back with an action shooter that is fun on many levels.

The game starts off with 50 performing a concert somewhere in the Middle East. After the show 50 goes to collect his cash however the promoter doesn’t have the funds. He offers 50 something far greater than money, something that is priceless. A diamond encrusted female skull! Yeah ok, I know the story sound shocking but trust me it works. Anyway 50 leaves with his skull however doesn’t get far as he is ambushed and the skull is taken away from him. You spend the majority of the game trying to get your prize back.

The action in Blood on the Sand is great. The shooting feels spot on and the game looks great on the unreal 3 engine. Its basically Gears of War just not as polished. Its got similar cover mechanics like Gears and again it doesn’t feel as responsive, still a heap of fun to play.

The sound is great with tracks from 50 playing in the background as you go about your business of blowing people into pieces. Blood on the Sand is a relatively short game however short does not mean bad, in fact this game is a fun arcade feel shooter that is sure to please all that play it.

Gameplay = 7.5
Visuals = 8
Sound = 7.5
Game Now Score = 7.6/10

Street Fighter IV - Review

When it comes to fighting games, no one does it better than Capcom. Street Fighter 2 set the benchmark many years ago and since then other fighting games have tried and failed to capture the true essence of fighting. Don't get me wrong, Virtua Fighter and Tekken are both great games but they ain't no Street Fighter.

Street Fighter IV is here and is breathtaking in every way. The visuals need to be seen to be believed, with a very unique artistic style. Character models look great and the attention to detail is very impressive.

You have all you standard modes you come to expect from SF but a nice touch is the ability for other players to challenge you whilst you are playing the single player Arcade mode. So you will find yourself fighting through the various stages of the single player game and all of a sudden, you will get challenged by someone over XBL or PSN. A great touch which really brings the feel of the arcade to your home. The game is extremely polished and plays perfectly. Multiplayer games play surprisingly smooth without much lag to report at all.

There are a bunch of hidden characters to unlcok as well as videos, photos and more. A very comprehensive package which I can recomend not only to the fighting fan but to all xbox and playstation owners. Street Fighter IV has raised the bar when it comes to fighting games and I dont see it being challenged for a little while yet.

Gameplay = 10
Visuals = 9.0
Sound = 8.0
Game Now Score = 9/10

Burnout Paradise - 1 Year on!

When Criterion Games released Burnout Paradise in January of 2008 the game was a huge success. It received great reviews and for good reason, the game is brilliant.

Since the release over 1 year ago we have seen a lot of FREE content added to the game, with motorbikes, weather effects, day/night cycle plus more, all added free of charge. The latest update 1.6 adds improved visuals, vehicle dynamics overhaul and refined gameplay. All this adds up to a very polished game that still plays perfectly and at a blistering pace.

Paradise City is a pleasure to drive around in and I personally cant wait for future updates like "The Fuzz" which will bring cops to Paradise City.

If you haven't checked out Burnout Paradise in a while do yourself a favor, step back into Paradise City were the grass is green and the girls are pretty :)

Skate 2 -- Review

After playing Skate for many hours, this has been on my watch list for many months. I would have to say that EA Black Box, has delivered a much improved game.

The basic story is, you are out of jail, and looking to Skate, in the New San Van, constantly looking over your shoulder for security guards.

The game play has been ramped up (sorry for the pun), with more tricks and movable objects to finger flip over. You seem to have more control to perform tricks and rail slides, I handed the controller to my wife, and she commented "It is easier for do tricks". If you are into Party play, this is the big improver on previous version, by adding your points in a line, rather than stuck with 1 trick.
Here are other area's of improvement, better view (your legs are not taking half the screen) Peds jump out of your way, as the game states "we have learnt how to walk" and detail has been added to the Hall of Meat"

Concerning the graphics and sounds, it all looks smooth and well detailed, and you do get pumped when you are flying down a ramp to Ozzie Osbourne.

This game is an improvement on the previous version, and I will enjoy playing this game, if you enjoyed SKATE, you will love this. You will enjoy seeing new locations and visiting old haunts. In a short pace of time, you will get back into the zone.

Oh BTW, Teleport to an event gets my thumbs up

Gameplay = 8.9
Visuals = 8.0
Sound = 8.0
Game Now Score = 8.3/10

Killzone 2 - Halo killer?

2008 was a great year to be a xbox 360 gamer, however the PS3 had its fair share of exlusives to keep it in the hunt. There is no doubt that the 360 had better content overall however will 2009 be the year of the PS3?

Many are suggesting that if the PS3 is to make any ground on the 360 this year, Killzone 2 will be one of the games that will make a difference. From what we have seen so far Killzone 2 will feature jaw dropping visuals and brilliant sound and lighting effects.

Lets hope that the story is also worthy and that Sony get the multiplayer right from day one. This should not be a problem with the recent Resistance 2 doing very well on the multiplayer front.

Is it a Halo killer? Well they talked about Killzone 1 being the Halo killer many years ago and that didn't go down to well, that and also the fact that Killzone 1 was a terrible game.

With some interesting content heading to the PS3 this year, we could see the next gen war heat up - bring it on I say.

Top 5 iPhone/iTouch Games

Over the last few months we have seen an influx of quality games on the iPhone/iTouch. Developers are embracing the iphone/itouch as a legitimate gaming platform and with games such as Rolando and Fieldrunners you can definitely see why.

Here are my picks for the 5 best iphone/itouch games available at the moment.

1. Rolando (ngmoco) - Rocoloco type game with great visuals
2. Fieldrunners (Subatomic Studios) - Addictive tower defense type game, very well made.
3. Bejeweled 2 (Pop Cap) - The classic gem puzzle game, perfected on the iphone/itouch
4. Dropship (ngmoco) - addictive choplifter type game built from the ground up for iphone/itouch
5. Dr. Awesome (ngmoco) - brilliant use of your personal contact list, save them while you can

It is fair to say that developers ngmoco are leading the way with iphone game development and purchasing any of their 5 games is a safe bet. Check out their web site for further information - http://www.ngmoco.com/games.php