September 2009 Archives

A High-octane, jaw-droppingly brilliant action game with a heroine that makes Lara Croft look like Little Miss Muffet.

Do I need to say anymore?

Hmm... the editor just told me that I'm contractually obliged to do just that.

If anyone has a lot of back catalogue to work with it's Nintendo.

This is a revisit once again to an old favourite.

This is a super-cute, manic, colourful DS offering that oozes happiness and catchy gameplay from the very start.

It's basic old school retro platforming with a bit of spit and polish, level based gaming where you have to jump, fight and float through the levels and defeating the baddies as you go. Absorbing the powers of different enemies is a good tactic.

There are some nifty level designs and some great mini games and unlockables as you go.

An ideal game for kids ­between six and 14.

Good fun

Strap on that plastic guitar, don that mullet wig, squeeze into that spandex and strap on those leather boots...

Guitar Hero is back and it's better than ever, with new features, unlockables, and a ton of the finest rock songs ever crammed into one game!

Do what I did and ease yourself back in with Quick Play. I started with Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire before upping the anti with Nirvana's Lithium.

THESE little earbuds are ­absolutely brilliant.

There is a range of colours and the magic of the Z.bud is the cord, not your usual tangle-tastic rubber; this is proper cord and as such behaves itself and doesn't drive you insane.

A lot of thought has been put into making this appeal to iPod/iPhone users in terms of the security of the jack socket. In-line volume control is useful and the cord can be easily adjusted through sliders. It comes with multiple ear bud adapters for all ear sizes.

The sound is actually very rich with and not tinny in the slightest and unlike some headphones they do actually cancel out all other noise when you have them in, even without the sound on - ear-plug style.

Log on to www.zagg.com

The history of the Championship Manager/Football Manager split is well documented so I won't bore you with too much of a history lesson.

Most fans believe FM to be the true blood heir of the football management crown.

The Championship Manager franchise has struggled so far to create a game that can compete, but with this new offering it does edge nearer and has actually delivered a very well-designed, playable and comprehensive game.

Eidos Interactive Ltd and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, have announced that the number-one selling Batman: Arkham Asylum™, firmly established as the 'must-have' game of Summer 2009 has shipped in excess of 2.5 million units to retail since launch.

With numerous Game of the Month and Editor's Choice awards throughout the world and a MetaCritic score in the 90s, the game has met with critical acclaim in the media, earning a Guinness World Record for Most Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game Ever.

The Games for Windows® LIVE version launched last week in the US and Europe and the first downloadable content (DLC) went live last week, with additional DLC still to come.

"The tremendous critical and commercial success of Batman: Arkham Asylum sets a new benchmark for superhero games," said Martin Tremblay, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "Rocksteady Studios created an excellent game and the sales numbers demonstrate how a powerful franchise fused with high-quality production resonates with consumers."

YET another serious game from Nintendo - what's going on? I mean this game will positively scare the bejeezus out of you.

Set in the Himalayas, you take on the role of a mountaineer on a quest to find your lost brother and discover ancient secrets of the Tibetan Monks.

This is no ordinary expedition, though, and you won't just be battling the bad weather - there are some very dark times ahead in that there snowy mountain!

POT the red and screw back, for the yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black - we'll show you what we can do with a load of balls and a snooker cue.

Or in this case a mini cue-shaped Wii controller.

If you have played the snooker games on the market in recent years then you know what to expect. The game is packed with features, game modes and career options. The graphics are good, if somewhat unspectacular.

MY DAUGHTER was supposed to review this but homework beckoned on deadline day so I am forced to write it myself - can't get the staff!

She has been playing this for the best part of a week and I can report that it has kept her happy, occupied and suitably frustrated.

Review by Julia Breens

I HAVE a shameful secret - a worrying addiction to Lego-themed computer games. Combine that with the fact I am a huge Batman fan and you would think last year's Lego Batman: The Videogame would be my Shangri-La.

Well, Batman: Arkham Asylum doesn't so much eclipse Lego's poor old version of the Caped Crusader as deal it a flying kick to the chest followed by a knockout punch to the jaw.