September 2011 Archives

Every year EA do it all over again, they make the latest instalment of the NHL series even better than the last.

Yep, this is the same again.

Firstly the most obvious starting block is graphics and presentation, EA have always provided plenty of polish on the surface of their titles and this game is positively gleaming.

So much effort has gone into the look of the stadiums, the players and the fluid brilliance of the animation that it really is hard to see how it could have been any better.

The same can be said for the depth of the options available, every game mode imagineable is included and this is very far removed from being 'just' a sports game.

The whole simulation/management/career option is as important as it has ever been for EA and they realize the need to give gamers the whole package.

That's not to say you wouldn't be chuffed just to fly around the ice playing hockey. The game feels spot on to play and the mechanics of the skating, the tackling and the stickwork are just spot on.

I'm an ice hockey enthusiast so I really enjoyed the game particularly the new additions such as the improvements to the goalies, they now fight for example!

I also enjoyed the enhanced Be A Pro mode which is significantly improved for a great experience.

The game really just glosses the already immaculate paintwork to make another game of the highest quality and one that is testament to the motto "It's in the game'.

This is a very good interpretation and presentation of ice hockey and it's brilliant fun to play.

Every year I can guarantee that at least 5 times I will say that a game has the best graphics I have seen on the Xbox 360 - this is one of those times.

However this is also one of those rare times that I say that this game is also one of the best games I have ever played.

The perfect third game in the Gears of War series and without question the best.

Once again gamers play as Delta Squad hero Marcus Fenix in a desperate battle to save the human race from the Locust forces.

This is the ultimate conclusion to the trilogy and is delivered via an epic, cinematic storyline and some of the crispest visuals seen in a shooter to date.

The juxtaposition between the stunning visuals and the sheer brutality is as evident as ever, all the bullet-storms and heavy artillery are here in abundance with smoother animation and intense gameplay.

Where the game really succeeds is by evolving in all areas, the sound, the visuals and the storyline and gameplay - everything is bigger and better with a gritty new coat of paint.

It aims to go out with a bang and does so.

For all the guts, glory and brilliance of the campaign mode where the game really lives and breathes is the multiplayer arena.

This is arguably the best Xbox Live experience there is, and yes I include COD in that.

Atmosphere is everything in live gaming and this game is eerie, tense and downright edge of the seat shooter action.

This is a very deep gaming experience and with various modes and a ton of unlockables things really don't get much better.

I'm not that experienced or good at online shooters but I liked how I was matched quite easily against fellow strugglers!

I can't speak highly enough of this game and it is very deserving of top marks. Play it!

Fifa 2012 and Pro Evolution Soccer have upped their specs for the battle of football video gaming

Image by Undertow851 via Flickr

Resistance, as we all know, is futile. Resistance 3, on the other hand, is very good.

Set in an alternative 1950s, where aliens known as the Chimera have replaced humans as the dominant species on Earth, Resistance 3 is a first person shooter that sees you playing as former soldier Joe Capelli.

With the current crop of big releases hitting the market it's sometimes the case that titles don't always get the attention they deserve, this game falls firmly into that category.

To cut a very complicated story short you play as Enoch, grandson of Adam and tasked by God with tracking down rebellious angels.

Image via Wikipedia

Nintendo have brought Fox McCloud back for another adventure, this time in 3D on the new handheld console.

It's a long time since I played Star Fox on the SNES and I have fond memories of what a quality title that was.

A game that could quite easily have been called 'trigger-happy', 'kill kill kill' or something else equally as obvious.

This first person shooter is as blunt as they come and the name Bodycount does indeed sum things up.

The The world of mobile gaming has to be one of the biggest growth areas of the tech industry, iPhones have changed the face of mobile gaming and everyone is racing to be a part of things.

Cygnett are well know for their accessories for mobile phones so they were obvious choice to release this gaming controller for the Apple handhelds.

Essentially this case handily slots the phone into the middle of it and in doing so transforms it into a classic video game controller.

Now if you are like me and have an iPhone chances are you have probably found it really awkward playing games without dropping the phone? Well, this eliminates that completely.

Now you have an easy to hold controller and it gives your games a new lease of life.

Think about racing games on the iPhone, how much easier with handles as a controller? A lot easier is the answer.

Perfect for games but you do need to take the phone out to access some features on your phone and in terms of headphones it's a non starter with the case on.

Other than that this is a top-notch effective gadget.

Cygnett Zooom: £24.99 Available from amazon.co.uk

I think it was Green Day who once sang 'Welcome To Paradise', well they could quite easily have been talking about the lush island of Banoi.

However there is a catch, it is inhabited by hordes of zombies.

IT'S the biggest computer games showcase of the year - and it's here in the Midlands.

GAMEfest is a three-day gaming extravaganza at Birmingham's NEC, offering you the chance to play new and upcoming blockbuster titles.

It runs from September 16 to 18 and is open exclusively to holders of GAME's Reward Card.

But don't worry, because you can sign up for a card for free at the store's website.

So what's going to be on offer? The line-up is growing every day but there's already a rollcall of great games, many of which will be available to try for the first time in the UK.

Among the big-hitter headliners are Batman: Arkham City, Saints Row: The Third, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Spider-Man: Edge Of Time.

And, of course, there are sequels and threequels galore, including the latest incarnations of fan favourites such as Streetfighter, WWE, Legend Of Zelda, Need For Speed and Lego Harry Potter.

For sports fans, FIFA 12 and PES 2012 will be going head to head, and who can resist Mario & Sonic At The London 2012 Olympic Games?

Tickets, priced £10, are available via http://events.game.co.uk/gamefest/ and can also be bought instore. GAME promises that there'll be lots of special offers and discount deals at the event, too.

Here's our list of the essential games to sample: Call Of Duty: MW3, Goldeneye 007: Reloaded, Spider-Man: Edge Of Time, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Prey 2, Streetfighter x Tekken, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, Dead Rising 2: Off The Record, Battlefield 3, Need For Speed: The Run, FIFA 12, Mass Effect 3, PES 2012, Silent Hill: Downpour, Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Mario & Sonic At The London 2012 Olympic Games, Overkill Extended Cut, Rise Of Nightmares, Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Driver San Francisco, Saints Row: The Third, WWE12, Batman: Arkham City, Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7, Gears Of War 3.

See you there!