LOL Time: Google Maps in 8-Bit for NES

It may not fool anyone, but this April Fool is one of my favourites!

LOL Time: Assassin's Creed Kinect

You gotta love April Fool's!

Games to Look Out For in 2012

After coming off the back of a year like 2011, the games industry has a daunting task to make 2012 even better. However, whilst it'll be difficult, the following titles coming out this year will no doubt help eclipse the previous epic 12 months. So get those Christmas money & gift vouchers ready, 'cos there's going to be a crap-load of great stuff coming this year!

Halo 4

Master Chief is back. After focusing on the tales of the ODST's and the fables of Noble team, the original Spartan returns for a fourth Halo instalment. You would have thought that he'd at least been promoted for all of his Covenant-destroying exploits in the first three Halo games! Taking over at the helm of the franchise, from Bungie, is 343 Industries and seeing what direction they take future Halo titles should prove as interesting as the Chief's new adventures itself.


Tomb Raider

Reboots have seemingly been all the rage these last few years, but one series that has been in dire need of one is Tomb Raider. The new Tomb Raider title will see an fresh-faced, recently graduated, 21 year old Lara off on her first adventure and, if the trailer is anything to go by, she will get more than she ever bargained for as she fights for survival on mysterious island. It's far cry from the first, or even the last, Tomb Raider game, but this new entry certainly has the series starting to attract the attention is once did.


Mass Effect 3

The war for the galaxy's survival has began. The price of failure is extinction. All in a day's work for Commander Shepard. With all new multiplayer added, we will witness the climatic finish to this trilogy's story. However, with the ability to import saved games from the previous two games, it's not just the story Bioware have written. It's the player's story as they discover the consequences of their choices made in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. I wonder if sparing Conrad Verner was worth it...

SSX

Having played a lot of SSX on the PS2 back in the day, I'm really happy too see a new SSX title in 2012. Whilst retaining it's wacky uber-tricks, this game will look a lot more grounded and realistisc than it's predecessors; with a roster of new and re-designed returning characters, and with help of satellite mapping, ready to take on some of the world's deadly descents on real-life locations. However, that's not to say that it'll be a sedate. Trying to outride an avalanche in a whiteout as well as trying to avoid the rocks, trees and hidden hazards of the slopes is far from it!


Final Fantasy XIII-2

Final Fantasy XIII was neither the best or worst game ever to come out of the Square Enix, but it certainly was the most visually appealing. In only the second direct sequel to a main Final Fantasy title, this title hopes to correct the flaws and criticisms that were aimed at the first game. In my eyes though, a game with a excellent plot line is able to immerse the player in a rich & detailed universe simply through what they see and hear from the screen. Square Enix have been masters of this kind of story telling so the last 25 years. Final Fantasy XIII did this and I don't see it being any different with XIII-2.


Soul Calibur V

Set 17 years after the events of the last game, Soul Calibur V arrives with a cast of brand new characters and returning favourites that brings more of the same great weapon-based fighting goodness; only this time with a guest appearance far more appropriate than Yoda or Darth Vader: the master assassin, Ezio Auditore da Firenze! Just because he's there are no more Assassin's Creed titles he can appear, shouldn't stop a great character from popping up elsewhere!


Street Fighter X Tekken

If there ever were gaming 'what-if' moments, then this game would be one of them. Capcom's interpretation of Tekken fighters taking on their Street Fighter cast is, no doubt, a beat-em up fan's mouth watering prospect for 2012. Ryu vs. Kazuya. Chun-Li vs. Nina. Guile vs. Hwoarang. It's time for the fanboy arguments to be finally settled. And with fights also set about in 2 vs. 2 Tekken Tag style, this will have fans of both franchises excited for it's March release.


BioShock Infinite

Gone are the murky depths of Rapture. Instead BioShock Infinite invites us to investigate the mysterious going-on's of Columbia; a steampunk air-city in 1912. It is certainly a different direction for the series, given the change in locale and time period, but it can't be all bad having a companion in Elizabeth, who not only is able to complement and augment the player's attacks with her abilities in combat, but is somewhat easier on the eyes. It sure does beat those creepy looking Little Sisters!


Assassin's Creed 2012

What lies in store for the Assassin's Creed series? All we know right now is that will be a new game coming out in 2012, but no other details have been released or confirmed. Will the supposed main character, Desmond, finally get a starring role after four games sitting on the sidelines or will we see a whole new protagonist all together? And where will it be set? Some of the locations that have been rumoured are Medieval China, Victorian London, Feudal Japan or the American Revolution. Where ever and whenever it might be, all we can do is wait to see what world Ubisoft will wow us with next.


Journey

Subscribing the 'Less is More' way of thinking comes Journey; a game where you play as a silent and nameless robed woman whose sole objective is to cross the vast desert to reach the mountain in far off distance. She has only one action - jump - and if you're lucky enough to bump into someone else online, you won't be able to communicate with them via talk or text either. All of this comes as no real surprise; coming from the same developers who brought us the artistic titles Flow and Flower. And whilst anything can happen along the way, we can be guaranteed another stylishly beautiful game.


Grand Theft Auto V

If the rumours are to be believed, then 2012 will see the return of Rockstar's most famous franchise. GTA5 looks set to return to Los Santos - a district in GTA: San Andreas - but other than that, everything else is pure speculation at this point. What we can expect, at the very least, is the sort of fun that can be found with copious amounts of wild shooting, reckless driving and just-because-we-can hijacking in a open-world urban sprawl.


Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Level 5 are no strangers to producing stylised game. With the Professor Layton series and Dragon Quest VIII & IX as part of an impressive back catalogue, this JRPG brings the stunning art and music of the legendary animation house, Studio Ghibli, to the gaming arena for the first time. Even the storytelling - the epic tale of a young boy, Oliver, who embarks on a journey to become a master magician whilst traversing between two parallel universe - has Studio Ghibli's signature! This will be a definite treat for anyone who enjoyed films like Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle or Ponyo and if it plays as well as it looks, then we are in for one hell of a treat.


Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

When I think of PC online gaming, Counter-Strike is one the first titles I think of, so it's another welcome return of an familiar name. But unlike Call of Duty, there are no air-strikes, kill streaks or spawn camping. It's just guns, grenades and your ability to react faster than your enemy. CS:GO's inherent simplicity & no frills combat rewards those with that have dedicated themselves to mastering their map knowledge, teamwork and quick reflexes; even if it leaves little room for newcomers to become anything more than cannon fodder. This will be certainly a game for true, hardcore FPS fans.


Final Fantasy X

When FFX first came out for the PS2, it was simply one of the best RPG's around. Even to this day, it is considered one of the most popular and successful entries in the Final Fantasy series. FFX had, at the time, outstanding graphics for the PS2 and remains visually impressive despite being a 10 year old title. But to now hear that Square Enix are remastering the game, from the ground up, to bring it into HD, is exciting news indeed. Even if it did suffer from minor translation and dubbing issues, FFX conveyed a deep, multi-threaded story that provided a tonne of character development for each of party member. And now with all new graphics powered by the PS3/Vita, a gaming classic has second chance to wow us all over again.


Uncharted: Golden Abyss

If there is one game that is the star of the launch line-up for the upcoming PS Vita, then it has to be Uncharted: Golden Abyss. Not only will it fully utilise the Vita's lush HD display, but the game's mix of touch screen & dual analogue stick controls, as well as it's use of the in-built three-way accelerometer, will be able to fully take advantage of the Vita features; with devastating good results. Nathan Drake in your pocket? Sign me up!

The Standout Games of 2011

Happy New Year everyone! Looking back at 2011, it's safe to say that gamers everywhere have been spoilt with a large range of top quality titles. From the indie developers to the major industry players, we have seen games bestowed to the masses that have ranged from the thought-provoking to frenetic. It has been something to truly savour. I might even go as far as declaring that never has a gamer had it so good before. So, let's take a look back at the past year at what games have stood out for the right reasons. Whether they be the Triple-A titles we were all expecting or the surprise hits that caught us off guard, 2011 was filled with so many top quality titles that it just proved too difficult, at least for me, to narrow down a just a list of ten. So, here is my list of twenty great games of the year*.

*In no particular order because I'm a giant Cop-Out!

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Say what you like about MW3. The sales figures tell you that it was the fastest-selling game to date (I'd use 'fastest selling game ever', but you just know that the next CoD game is going to break that record anyway) made a lot of fans happy and Activision $1billion in just 16 days. This was all the more impressive given that there was some serious & direct competition to this instalment of the CoD franchise. MW3's climatic campaign and challenginh Spec Ops, combined with it's exciting multiplayer made for a game justified the sales figures. However, some might argue that MW3 was inferior to other FPS's on the market or that the game was more of iteration rather than innovation, but when you already hold the record for the fastest selling game, why would Activision or Infinity Ward make any drastic changes to the formula. As the old saying goes: "If it ain't broke, why fix it?".


Battlefield 3

EA's challenge to Activision's dominance in the FPS market did not disappoint. It was always going to be a hotly anticipated battle between these two heavyweights, but even though it sold fewer copies than MW3, I would rate it as having some of the best visuals of any game currently available. And not only is do the graphics look top-notch, but the deep & varied multiplayer, the array of land vehicles and aircraft to choose from and the fact that teamwork is rewarded, BF3 really makes you feel like you are fighting a war rather than just another round or match. Admittedly, it's single player campaign was somewhat disappointing with it feeling somewhat tacked on as side thought, but let's be honest; BF3 was designed with multiplayer in mind, and boy, does it deliver.


The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Nintendo's Wii has the feel of a dead man walking. Having failed to stem the decrease in sales with further price cuts, this year's E3 announcement of the Wii U looks to be the final nail in the Wii's coffin. If it proves to be so, it is pleasing to see that a game as outstanding as Skyward Sword still grabs the attention it deserves, despite being a Wii exclusive. To be honest, it's a shame that a game that has implemented motion control so well has only emerged this recently. As well as it's excellent controls, Skyward Sword is all that you expect of a Zelda game; a plot that captures the imagination, good dungeon design and great boss fights. Some circles are hailing it as the best game since the Ocarina of Time, but the fact that it's another Zelda game might be it's only criticism. However whilst it might have used the same predictable formula that it has followed in the past, there are still a lot of fans that have stuck by the franchise for the last 25 years, which would suggest that like Modern Warfare 3, it's a winning formula!


The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

"I used to be an..." You know what? I'm going to stop there. That meme has been done to death. Then again, how many games on this list can you say have spawned an internet meme? I guess that's my point. Skyrim is that game everyone has been talking about since it's launch in November, even when it's been about immersion-disrupting bugs, the unplayable PS3 saved games or the patches that break as much as they fix. However, some people see some of the less disrupting glitches as a fun quirk of the game. I mean who doesn't find it funny to see what happens when two giants are attacking you simultaneously? And yet, we haven't even covered what makes this game great. The beautiful & atmospheric world opens you up to an immense variety of tasks to keep you busy. Even if you get tired of those, there is still always the compelling, self-contained side quests that accompany an epic main story. And you get to slay dragons. Sometimes that's the only reason you need!


Portal 2

When the first Portal came out in 2007 as part of The Orange Box, Portal certainly was a surprise package at the time and as a result of that, it was always going to be a difficult to make a sequel to surpassed it. But yet, Valve did. As hard as it was, Portal 2 was better in every way. It still had you scratching your head and still provided a great sense of achievement when you finally found the solution to these fantastically clever puzzles. New to Portal 2, was the two player co-op mode made for some perplexing & intriguing situations at times, regardless if you played with somebody online or in the same room. In the single player campaign, you once again found yourself dealing with the passive aggressive GLaDOS (portrayed by the returning Ellen McLain); one of the greatest computer game villains ever in my opinion. But now, the voice acting had been taken to whole new level with the insanely clever writing expertly & comically delivered by Stephen Merchant and J.K. Simmons as the immensely entertaining Wheatley and Cave Johnson, respectively. On my last count, there was just one cut-scene in the entire campaign (and even then, it was still in the normal gameplay's first-person view), which should demonstrate that Portal 2, for me, had the best scripting of any game in 2011.


Batman: Arkham City

Like Portal 2, Batman: Arkham City had a lot to live up to. Barely two years since the release of Rocksteady Studios' first game, the award-winning Arkham Asylum, the sequel took everything from first game that reviewers and gamers had raved about and refined them. Then they placed all of it in the larger detailed open world of an entire city that allowed for exciting grappling and gliding, adding a sense of freedom that was lacking from being guided down the corridors of the asylum. The visceral combat is now smoother and slicker with attack combos easier to chain, but still just as hard-hitting and gratuitously satisfying. The overall graphics are simply stunning and the voice acting from the returning Kevin Conway (as Batman) and Mark Hamill (as the Joker) again bring a high level of class that even some of the great games don't have. There has also been the opportunity to expand on the the number of characters from Batman-lore where as you are able play as other characters, such as Catwoman, Nightwing & Robin, through a series of challenge maps, take on other villains in main story side-quests and encounter reference after reference of other Gotham-related personalities. All in all, Arkham City is an outstanding game that improved on it's highly successful predecessor in such a short space of time. Out of all the sequels released in 2011, it just pips Portal 2 to being the best sequel of the year.


Assassin's Creed: Revelations

As the last game in the Ezio Auditore de Firenze trilogy, as well as being a line drawn under Altair's story, there was always bound to be a little bit of disappointment. I guess what we hadn't prepared ourselves for was to be disappointed by the added 'Den Defence' feature. Having a mini-game as linear as that in a franchise that has free-running at its very core felt quite out of place, even if it might have been there to reflect the decrease of Ezio's pace and increase in seniority in his old age. The hook blade on the other hand (no pun intended) added a new string to Ezio's proverbial bow; aiding in combat and adding new movement options which kept the platforming fresh. Features of those that came before Revelations (pun intended this time) also got a tune up. The Brotherhood recruitment mini-game has now been fleshed out to give it more meaning & context. At the end of the day though, Revelations is an Assassin's Creed game which didn't quite get it right with some of it's new features. But regardless of that flaw, you still have an Assassin's Creed game that builds on the previous titles, guaranteeing a glorious environmental backdrop and evocative music that immerses you in the final chapters of an exhilarating story of another life in another time.


Halo Combat Evolved: Anniversary

How do you make a legendary game even better than it was originally? After 6 games in 10 years, the Halo franchise comes full circle back to where it all started. Some might argue it's Microsoft cashing in on the last of Bungie's work before Halo IP becomes the full and sole responsibility of 343 Industries. Perhaps. But unlike other HD releases of past titles where the same dated look only adjusted for a larger resolution of screen (I'm calling you out PS3!), this is truly a remake. The fact that you can switch between the original Bungie graphics to the new HD look on the fly at the touch of a button is not only impressive, it is what all HD re-releases should do. With a beautiful & highly detailed remastered look and an iconic soundtrack, an already exciting campaign is more tantalising to play than the original. In addition, the legendary multiplayer, which outdated Xbox Live by a number of years, has been upgraded to use the superior Reach engine whilst revisiting some of the classic maps from the first three Halo games. If all HD remakes were like Anniversary, then perhaps the lack of new interesting IP and increasing amount of sequels wouldn't be such an issue.


L.A. Noire

When Rockstar published this game, it was certainly a different approach if you consider their history of criminal/outlaw/troublemaker protagonists. However, unlike all other games where you play a cop, this is much more than about shooting everything that moves. Don't get me wrong, there are same great shoot-outs and action sequences to be had in L.A. Noire, but as a detective you are expected to solve the crime and bring the perpetrator to justice. Each case that lands on your desk is a compelling self-contained vignette linked all together by a central overarching crime noire plot. As you traverse the city, you are greeted by an authentic and simply outstanding depiction of 1940's Los Angeles style; a world where the small details and the big picture are equally depicted. And once the clues have been examined and the suspects have been taken in for questioning, the interrogation & questioning begin; the mechanics of which demonstrate the use of 'MotionScan' technology showing the most realistic and accurate facial capturing of actors I've ever seen. I understand a lot of people found this game disappointing because of the Rockstar name attached to it as publisher. But you should ignore that and the whole Team Bondi mess. When you simply look at the game for what is it, it's a great game which should get the recognition it deserves. For me, this beats The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for technical innovation and that should say enough.


Gears Of War 3

With Gears Of War 3, we find ourselves in very similar situation as Assassin's Creed: Revelations. The last in a trilogy cataloguing Delta Squad exploits against the Locust and Lambent draws to a close where the conclusion of Marcus Fenix & Co. does not disappoint. Despite ridiculous proportioned steriod-fuelled lumps of macho bravado that are COG's, the campaign provides an experience that is as emotional and satisfying as it is frenetic and thrilling; all the while set in even more detailed and rich apocalyptic locations. From the franchise that created & coined 'Horde Mode', now also comes Beast Mode, where essentially is the inverse of Horde Mode, as you play as Locust taking on waves of increasing strong human survivors. It's an interesting take on the classic game type, and some people like to play out being the bad guy. Regardless if it's Horde or Beast mode, the co-op experience is still second-to-none.


Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Set in the Blade Runner-esque universe, comes Deus Ex: Human Revolution; not only a prequel to the beloved Deus Ex, but a FPS/espionage/RPG game in which I've not experienced the degree of freedom to which I can accomplish my mission objectives. This is a rare gem indeed, as most games are often design levels to accomplished in a limited number of ways. But in Human Revolution, you are able to stealthily make your way unnoticed, charge in with guns ablaze or take any lethal/non-lethal approach that falls in between the two extremes. This is obviously very useful as you are able to adapt when on the occasions, your initial plan deteriorates rapidly. Additionally, when talking to NPC's you have the choice to show empathy or confront them over their responses. And it's like this throughout the long and engrossing storyline. Just don't let the average voice acting and poor facial animations put you off. You can really immerse yourself in the world. What strikes me as strange is that despite all of the high praise the game gets, is that the price of Human Revolution has dropped dramatically since it's release in August. It was already less than £20 before the run-up to Christmas had began. Was it a strategy to compete with the influx of Triple-A titles released in the late October to early November period? All that I know it's a great game, now on the cheap and that you should be playing it without hesitation.


Forza Motorsport 4

Forza Motorsport 4 is, without a doubt, the best game in the racing genre this year. Though it doesn't delve into the world of single seater or off-road racing that you might find in F1 2011 or Dirt 3, it does have extensive range of both common and exotic road cars to choose from; all of which are presented to near perfection. If you able to take your eyes off the road, the tracks themselves are also stunning to look; even if there are only five new tracks. When behind the wheel, the driving experience is kind enough not to marginalise those who might struggle to stay on the tarmac as it caters for all manner of driver skill. There's even an immediate feedback system that hands out pointers on how a player can improve their driving technique. This provides some rare arm-around-the-shoulder encouragement, when other games would simple flip you off with a 'Game Over' screen. Fans of Top Gear will be excited by the inclusion of the show's test track in game and Jeremy Clarkson's narration in the Autovista mode, showcasing a variety of drivable and non-drivable cars; including a sneak peek at Halo 4's '54 AMG Transport Dynamics M12 Warthog FAV'. When the best game in the genre can demonstrate that it too can fun as well by including such additional content, you have to tip your hat to it's developer.


Star Wars: The Old Republic

When a game is touted as 'the most expensive game ever created', there are some exceedingly high expectations to meet. But when that game also bears the 'Star Wars' name, meaning millions of fans will be picking it apart down to a microscopic level, expectations go above and beyond what even I can imagine. The one name you want to hear is handling this monumental task is BioWare, and fortuitously that is the case. The Mass Effect and Dragon Age developer, who have a rich and successful history with MMO's, RPG's and in making Star Wars games, has not only produced an MMORPG that satisfies those in the core demographic, but also has captured the imagination and attention of gamers who not normally be interested in Star Wars or this genre of game. The main reason for this is BioWare's signature storytelling written with branching content in mind, which works with the games mechanics in such a way that you are able to play as if it were a single player campaign, without the need to find and group up with 3 other players for raids and difficult dungeons. The universe which the MMO is set does the rest to suck you in. If Activision Blizzard think that SWTOR will not affect their subscriber numbers, then they should ignore them at their own peril.


Bastion

Whoever doubted that a downloadable game could hold it's ground against retail titles needs a giant helping of humble pie as Bastion proves that for a small price you can have a tonne of fun. Play this delightful deep action RPG and you presented with an exquisitely charming art style, an ever-unfolding story and a gruff, yet eloquent, Morgan Freeman-esque narrator who provides an artful commentary. Some of the scenes you experience are nothing short of hauntingly beautiful. Delving deeper into this game, there is a large amount of customisation to be found in the main character himself as well as an entire arsenal of weapons you gradually build & master. Tying all of these things together is a fantastically trippy and moving string section-fuelled collection of songs which really captures the tone of the adventure & exploration of a broken post-cataclysmic world and move you when it needs to. The resultant product demonstrates that very rare quality that is lacking from many games on this list; heart. For me, Bastion not only rises above a plethora of great downloadable titles as the best indie game of the year, but also possesses one of the best soundtrack as well.


Burnout Crash!

I can hear you know shouting at me: "Why have I included this downloadable title, but not, say, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet or From Dust?". Well, it's simple really. Whilst there have been many top quality DLG's this year, there is one main difference between Burnout Crash! and other great titles; nostalgia. I've had a lot great times playing Burnout titles with friends and it was mainly due to the Crash mode in these previous titles. The new top down view in takes some getting use to, but it still retains all the satisfaction of causing fiery & explosive mayhem of not only vehicles, but of also the building and objects in the surrounding environment. Another noticeable change is the different direction in artistic styling; pseudo-realistic graphics have been replaced by a cartoony style, giving the game a Micro Machines-esque appearance. The music and sound effects really help create a fun and cheerful vibe to what is actually large scale wanton chaos and destruction. I'll admit though, that the game wasn't perfect. The announcer is a little annoying and that the David Hasselhoff in chicken suit ad campaign was embarrassingly irritating. However, neither of these flaws can detract from the fact that this is an enjoyably fun game to play either solo or with your friends.


Minecraft

It's Minecraft. Need I say more?... Oh I actually do? Well, let's put it into perspective then shall we. How many new IP games have had their release announced at their own convention? One, and that one game would be Minecraft at MineCon in November 2011. Granted, the game has been available in alpha and beta release forms for over 2 years, but in that time the game was still being developed, tested and improved. It's a real measure of how Minecraft have captured the imagination of millions of creative & curious gamers alike through the freedom of the crafting and adventuring it offers. The game's choice in aesthetics are also cleverly chosen. It's very nature compliments the blocky, retro look & feel, which might be considered as unimpressive if the game was about anything else, and alludes to visual similarities to the world's most popular toy, Lego. And even though there are no tutorials or recipes guides, a steep learning curve is price worth paying to for a game which is one of the most conceptually impressive indie games around and it's achievements will no doubt be remembered for a long time to come.


Saints Row: The Third

As a third-person open-world sandbox, it's inevitable that Saints Row: The Third will draw comparison with the genre's biggest names. So how does a game live in the shadow of titles of such as Grand Theft Auto IV? Simple. You differentiate yourself. In this case, Saints Row: The Third has chosen to present itself as raunchy, silly and over-the-top as it possibly can get away with; forging it's own identity in doing so, rather than copy the success of others and in turn gaining an 'inferior GTA clone' moniker. The beauty the game is that it clearly does not take itself too seriously and clearly wants to cater for a level of absurdity a title like GTA IV doesn't. It does this with it's wide assortment of vehicles and weapons - some of which are just insanely crazy - that can only lead to explosive & chaotic fun when either free roaming or taking on the outrageous story missions. Also on offer is a huge degree of player customisation that doesn't just stop at clothes and outfits, but also allows for changes physique, gender and voice; which can be altered at any point in the game. How many games allow you to create a main character than has blue skin, wears nothing but a backpack and speaks throughout the entire game as a zombie? Simply put, it is this unique brand of ridiculousness, coupled with a constant offering of cool rewards, which ensures that there is never a dull moment in the town of Steelport.


Mario Kart 7

To my knowledge, I don't think there has ever been a bad Mario Kart game and as expected the latest game in the franchise continues that fine tradition. A tried and tested formula of excellent track design - with both new tracks and old returning favourites - and exciting competitive action against AI or human opponents already make for a fast and frantic racing action. However, with items having been rebalanced, there is now a renewed emphasis on driving skill to ensure the best driver stays first once they get into that position. That's not to say that items have been neglected. New items such as the tanooki tail allow the player to bat away objects - including other drivers - that come too close. Other new features include pre-race Kart customisation as well as hang gliders give Mario Kart 7 a new dimension not just attributed to the 3DS's functionality.


Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

When first seeing the Uncharted 3 'Drake on a Plane' trailer seamlessly transitioned from a fist fight to Drake hanging on for dear life to cargo netting 30,000ft in the air, you knew that this was going to be great game given the pedigree of the Uncharted series. After all, Uncharted to the Playstation is what Halo is to the Xbox and Uncharted 3 is simply the best tribute to cinema that the game industry can currently produce. There is no game out there that can match it's dazzling visuals. But an Uncharted game has never been just about it's good looks. Underpinning the polish, is a well-paced, epic adventure set across expertly designed levels - that encourages experimentation - with a number of tactical options in combat as well. And all against a backdrop of beautifully detailed environments. In the desert environment alone, I could happily spend a few hours messing about with the sand dynamics if you gave Drake a tea tray or dune buggy. Nolan North, as well as the returning cast, yet again produce stellar voice acting performances that help to deliver an exciting story that matches the cinematics. Uncharted 3 is undoubtedly the PS3's game of the year. If more PS3 titles were anywhere near in quality as any of the Uncharted games, the foretold 'Year of the PS3' would be a reality.


Dissidia 012: Duodecim Final Fantasy

As further unadulterated fan service to Dissidia: Final Fantasy, it might a little hard to justify this title being on the list. However, it is widely considered to be one of the best PSP titles out there, and so rightly earns it's place. What it does well is suck the player in. Dissidia 012 does this with a battle system that hasn't drastically changed since the first game, but is constantly rewarding currency, equipment, costumes, new music, new moves and even new gameplay modes after practically every fight. The changes to the fighting, like calling a support character or EX mode to slow down time, are nice additions and don't over complicate things. New heroes to the character roster: Lightning (FFXIII), Vaan (FFXII), Yuna (FFX), Tifa (FFVII), Laguna (FFVIII), and Kain (FFIV); all bring something new to the experience and each feel uniquely different from one another. A new overworld in, which you can explore, doesn't add much to the shallow story, but it just one demonstration of the games gorgeous graphics and soundtrack. There are also plenty of new modes introduced. Creation mode, for example, allows you to design your own quests. Another is Labyrinth where after choosing your equipment, opponents, and support characters from a deck of cards, the object is to fight battle after battle to see just how far you can get into the maze. Ultimately, this is a big game that offers new content as much as it recycles old. But once it has lured you in with it's fun combat, it's hard for you to escape.


Next time, we look at the top 10 games we can look forward to in 2012.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Beta

It's been a long time - 8 years to be more specific -  since I've gotten my hands dirty with Counter-Strike. For me, CS might have actually been the last FPS I'd played since Team Fortress 2 became free-to-play. And soon in 2012, we will see the latest iteration of this cult franchise, Global Offensive. For me, I cannot believe how fast time (as well as so many games) have passed me by since those good old days of alcohol-fueled LAN parties in university halls. For others however, CS: Global Offensive might simply be ignored by some sections of the CS's community, like CS: Source was; with a specific version of the original game with certain updates applied only satisfying these diehard fans. Why the trip down memory lane and an exposition of the bleeding obvious, I hear you ask? It is for the simple fact that I personally wasn't great at CS back in the day, but given my general aversion to FPS's, it has become horribly clear whilst playing CS:GO that what 'skill' I had, deserted me long ago. So this is a warning for all FPS enthusiasts reading that my experience with the Beta might be the most undeserving opportunity anyone in gaming has been offered. 

Starting up CS:GO, the menus and their animations are a far cry from the original. They remain simple, yet slick and their style out of the shadow of Half-Life 2. When starting a game, there are only two options available; jumping into a random online match or creating my own locally. Game type is also restricted in the Beta to only Bomb Defusal and there are just two selectable maps; the cult classics Dust and Dust II.

Choosing to jump into a random online match was a big mistake on my part. No sooner had the match on Dust started I was left behind by the rest of my team mates as I leisurely browsed the weapons available to buy. With a trusty, no-nonsense Colt M4A1 I headed towards the sound of the gunfire. No more than 20 seconds from leaving the starting spawn point, I'm taken out by a sniper on the all the way down the street hidden in darkness of a ramp leading down to the underpass. I haven't even fired a bullet yet and I've taken a headshot from a camper! Round after round, I continued to receive headshots and it took until round 8 before I managed to acquire my first kill. By that point, it was pretty obvious that no amount of online multiplayer practice was going to improve my skills. I needed to go back to basics and figure how the accurate the different weapons were from various ranges and body positions, so I fired up a local game and populated it with bots on casual difficulty. It became very apparent how bad I was when I took headshot (albeit not a quickly in the multiplayer game) from a bot in first round. I was official. I sucked, and to compound it all, I couldn't even respawn until the remainder of the bots had duked it out & finished the round.

New to CS:GO are decoy grenades and molotov cocktails. Whilst decoy grenade are effective into luring lone wolf players (or those who are just lost in my case), molotovs are work well in restricting the distance the enemy can close you down; due to the large spread of the flames. This is particularly useful when first encountering multiple enemies in enclosed close-quarters; usually right at the beginning of the round. One minor criticism, and whilst nostalgic, the catalogue of voice dialogue is still the same. After 8 years of not playing CS, I would have at least thought that they could have updated these.

All in all, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive retains all of the gameplay charm and finesse of it's predecessors whilst dragging the graphics and UI into the HD era. It will no doubt compete head-to-head with the latest FPS's like Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefied 3 across multiple platforms, which begs the question; with the games market already saturated with these kind of games, can a lone multiplayer game really make it mark in this generation of consoles? For Valve's and nostalgia's sake, I really hope so.

Renegade Ooops

A couple of weeks ago, I purchased a few games from the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale in the Steam store. It's been a while since I'd been on Steam, so I thought it was about time to fire it up and at least let Steam and Team Fortress 2 updates run their course. Amongst the games I purchased, I bought a 4 pass version of Renegade Ops, which I gifted to a couple of friends that I play TF2 and Alien Swarm with.

I had previously played Renegade Ops a little when I was at the Eurogamer Expo back in September, but my game time was cut short when the demo locked up and crashed. In hidsight, I should have perhaps taken that as a sign to avoid this game. Don't get me wrong. I would never buy a game I've previously played and didn't enjoy, but personally I think it's developer Sega needs a take long hard look at itself when it comes to non-gameplay elements to this title.

So I downloaded & installed the game before firing it up. After 20 seconds, nothing. I double-checked that I pressed the 'lanuch game' button, and Steam brought up 'The Game is Launching' pop-up box, but that quickly disappeared and I'm still staring at my Games Library. The next 90 minutes are spent trawling through Steam Support pages and forums to trying to find a solution. In one last action before giving up, I check for the game's systems requirements and I soon discover the cause. It's not Windows XP compatible. Seriously?!?!?! It can support the bastard child of the Windows family, Vista, but not an OS that I would imagine is still the used by the majority of PC users? I cannot believe that neither Sega or Steam thought that perhaps something as a simple error message stating XP non-compatibility should have been needed instead of having to waste my time to diagnose the problem myself. Whilst I'm partially at fault for assuming that a game that should be able to run a first generation Xbox 360  could also be played on a 3 year old XP machine, it is lazy coding from Sega to not accommodate for such simple error messaging. Thanks for wasting my time! I could have been using that that time playing in the Counter Strike: Global Offensive beta, but more on that for another time.

LOL Time: Garrus Vakarian

Source: http://ow.ly/i/nAMR/original

The Turian has every right to be not fussed about this current meme!