Gamecca Magazine January 2010

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i s s u e 7 / vo l u m e 1 - J a n u a r y 2 0 1 0

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e gam s! w revie

Avatar:The Video Game The Saboteur New Super Mario Bros Wii SAW F1 2009 and many more

Our gaming picks from the year that was

Mario’s Back

Tradition VS Technology

Parisian Sabotage

Blowing things up in WWII France

Going Native

Avatar :The Video Game reviewed

18 © 2002-2010 Take-Two Interactive Software and its subsidiaries. Developed by 2K Marin, 2K Australia, 2K China and Digital Extremes. BioShock, 2K Games, 2K Marin, 2K Australia, 2K China, the 2K Games logo, the 2K Marin logo, the 2K Australia logo, the 2K China logo and Take-Two Interactive Software are all trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Digital Extremes and its logo are trademarks of Digital Extremes. Microsoft, Windows, the Windows Vista Start button, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are tra demarks of the Microsoft group of companies, and “Games for Windows” and the Windows Vista Start button logo are used under license from Microsoft. “PlayStation”, “PLAYSTATION” and “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other marks and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

12th February 2010 www.bioshock2game.com

Inside 6 From the Editor On this month’s cover:

Avatar: The Video Game is not just another ‘movie-game’... See the review on page 52

8 Unstuck Cheating, the pros and cons 10 Geekology Stop blame shifting! 12 The Great Collaboration Building Avatar 16 Previews Ten new games to look out for 34 The Gamecca Best of 2009 Awards Our picks for the year that was 44 PS Zealot Peripherals rock 46 Xbox Beat Recovering stuff 48 House of Mario Getting it fixed 50 Reviews Twenty-one games reviewed 94 Beginners Guide to Good Gaming More information for video gaming newcomers 98 The Lair The 2009 end-of-year LANs 100 From Space Multiplayer ain’t that bad... COMPETITIONS: 33 Avatar: The Video Game 45 Mass Effect 2 51 Your Shape

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issue 7 • january 2010

18 Phantasy Star Ø 19 Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 20 Safar’Wii

Previews

22 M.U.D. TV 24 God of War 3 25 Red Dead Redemption 26 Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks 28 Split Second 30 Quantum Theory 32 Silent Hill: Shattered Memories 52 Avatar: The Video Game

GAMECCA Volume 1 Issue 7 January 2010

54 The Saboteur

Editor: Walt Pretorius

56 New Super Mario Bros Wii 58 WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2010

Writers: Walt Pretorius Matthew Vice Jimmy Glue Brian Murdoch Bryan Banfield Suvesh Arumugam Columnist A

60 Rogue Warrior 62 Cars Race O Rama 64 Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines 66 Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny

Photography: Walt Pretorius

68 Frontline: Fields of Thunder 70 F1 2009

Design & Layout: Katia Taliadoros

72 Your Shape Letters: letters@gamecca.co.za

74 Jak & Daxter: The Lost Frontier 76 Professor Layton and the Curious Village 78 Jambo Safari

Newsletter subscriptions: www.gamecca.co.za

80 Dark Horizon 82 Just Dance

Reviews

Competition entries: competitions@gamecca.co.za

GAMECCA is published by 1337 Media CC GAMECCA is powered by ISSUU

84 Tornado Outbreak 86 Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars 88 Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story 90 Majesty 2 92 Wheelspin

Copyright © 1337 Media CC 2009 - 2010

issue 7 • january 2010

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gamecca • from the editor

2010 FTW!

A

nd so we begin a new year, a year that is sure to be filled with exactly what we want - great games. The previews that we have done over the last few months have indicated as much, and the trends that we have noticed over the last few years go a long way to corroborate that idea. The start of 2010 marks a new approach for Gamecca as well, and one that has been planned for a little while. As the magazine grows from strength to strength, we want to ensure that we are delivering information to you in the best possible ways. Because of this, you will see some more changes in the magazine. The most prominent change you will come across is a revamp of the way we present the ‘vital statistics’ of the games we preview and review. We have changed our scoring system and collated our information boxes, because we believe that the new way of doing things is more in line with the industry as a whole, and it’s just plain better. You will also notice a few tweaks that have popped up here and there - Gamecca is something of an organic process, and new ideas and knowledge are constantly applied to the magazine, to ensure that it always delivers the best information possible. And with six issues securely under the belt, we have learned a lot (and are sure to learn even more with each subsequent publication). The next year will likely see

by Walt Pretorius

many more changes take place, both within the magazine and in terms of the sub-services surrounding it. The process is a long one (I was taught by a mentor early in my career that even though a magazine may take two to three years to solidify its core identity, changes and evolutions within the magazine never truly stop). And so, I would like to ask you, as our readers, to do a few things to help the process along: Firstly, please bear with us. Everything we are doing is because we believe we can improve the magazine. We want to produce the best possible product and will always strive to make it better, even if the changes we make are small. Secondly, we would like to hear from you. The input from our readers is very valuable to us on several levels, and goes a long way to helping improve Gamecca. We’re not asking for long essays on what you like or don’t like... although those would be welcome too. We just want to know what you think. Thirdly (and this isn’t the first time I have requested this) we would ask you to tell your friends about Gamecca, and ask you to please subscribe to our newsletter at www,gamecca.co.za (and get your friends to do it too.) You won’t get spammed, we swear! Rather, you will always be up to date with what’s happening in and around Gamecca! Right, on to the magazine... but before that, I would like you wish all of our readers, on behalf of myself and the Gamecca crew, a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2010. May your headshots be sweeter, your experience bonuses plentiful, and your skillz madder than ever before! g

Gamecca’s PC requirements powered by

www.pinnacle.co.za CPU: Intel Core I7 920; MB: MSI X58 Pro E; RAM: 6GB Apacer DDR3 1333mhz; GPU: MSI N260GTX OC Edition; PSU: In Win Commander 80+ 850W ATX2.3 EPS 12V; HDD: Western Digital Black 1TB; Chassis: Sigma Metal Storm Unicorn; Mouse: SteelSeries Ikari Laser Gaming Mouse; Keyboard: Steelseries 7G Gaming Keyboard

gamecca • unstuck

Glitching a ride by Jimmy Glue

I

guess the whole point of playing games is to have fun, and to have as much of it as possible. Before I bought my Xbox, I used to play PC games like it was going out of fashion. I spent numerous hours playing games like Command & Conquer, Medal of Honor, flight simulators and in the good old days, games like Dune 2 and various Indiana Jones titles. For the RTS and FPS games, I would complete the single player campaign, sit back, and enjoy the end credits. But as soon as the credits started rolling, I wanted more. Although I finished the game, and it was heaps of fun, I still wanted to give the game another go, but with a twist. Now, this is something that almost no gamer will admit to, so let me be the one to break the ice. I did, on occasion, download a trainer in order to squeeze out some extra fun. For those who have no idea what a trainer is, good for you. A trainer is a small program that runs in the memory and allows you to alter certain aspects of the game. This comes in very handy in RTS games, as you will be able to manipulate the unit cap, your amount of gold/oil/stocks and even the vulnerability of your units. Needless to say, it’s highly illegal in multiplayer matches, but it’s rather fun in single player. The number of options each trainer gives you is entirely up to the programmer, but they usually have about 6 or 7. The trainers for FPS might feature a bit less, as you really only need God Mode and Unlimited Ammo. Trainers are still freely available on the net for PC games, but what happens when one of them creep into console gaming? That is the problem

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that I was faced with recently. While playing Modern Warfare 2 online, I decided to try a different mode other than Ground War or Team Deathmatch. So, I logged on, selected Headquarters, and waited my turn in the lobby. After a short wait, I got placed in the game and noticed something strange. At first glance, I thought the Headquarters mode featured some type of heavy-duty rocket launcher, or missile barrage, with which you need to defend you territory, because as soon as the match started, I looked up to see literally hundreds of grenadelike objects being lobbed towards us. Upon closer inspection, I realised that the match was glitched. Every weapon for every player had unlimited ammunition, grenade launchers included, and the fastest way to kill someone is… with a grenade. Although it was tremendous fun in the beginning, you couldn’t even walk 10 paces without being hit by some kind of bullet, and it seemed that most players didn’t really care about the objective. Instead, they focused on killing the other players, because that meant more XP for their character, which in turn unlocks more weapons and perks. Apparently, the source of the ammo glitch comes from modded consoles who host multiplayer games, and when anybody joins the game, they have the joy of being pelted with pixilated projectiles. It’s cheating, and it’s annoying as hell. The ammo glitch is about issue 7 • january 2010

the third serious glitch to rear its ugly head for Modern Warfare 2, and Infinity Ward has promised to smooth it out. But by the time they patch the game, thousands of players have boosted their XP, which leaves other players at a disadvantage. Sometimes I wish people will just play a game the way it is supposed to be, without cheating or altering the game’s dynamics. I don’t see anything wrong with using a trainer in a PC game, as long as you use it for your own private recreational use. But when gamers start altering the experience of other gamers, without their consent or knowledge, that’s where I draw the line. It goes without saying, but modding a console and exploiting a glitch is highly unethical, let alone illegal. * If you play with someone who cheats online, please report them to Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo, and help make Multiplayer an enjoyable experience for all. g

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18V © 2010 EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. Mass Effect, Mass Effect logo, BioWare and BioWare logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved. EA and EA logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

gamecca • geekology

No more pointing fingers by Matthew Vice

I

’m not sure why it’s taken me this long to realise it, but when I think about the ever-present phenomenon of parents complaining about the content of certain agerestricted videogames, something doesn’t seem right about it. You’ve probably guessed what I’m about to say – why are the parents letting their kids play these age restricted games in the first place? Now, in the old days, parents had a valid excuse. There was no international gaming nanny keeping an eye on what content videogames featured and therefore no age rating system and coded symbols telling parents about said contents. So yes, parents back then could be forgiven for writing angry letters to the press and God knows who after the apparently mildly-violent shooting game they bought for their kid turned out to be a gore-fest with blood, guts and foul language flying through the screen. But these days it’s possible

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to find out these things beforehand. Modern videogames are quite clearly labelled with a suggested age rating and a recognisable set of symbols describing the general content to be found in them. Also, a lot of modern games machines feature some form of “parental control”, which makes it possible to disable games featuring certain types of content from being played on the machine – meaning that even if little Jimmy borrows it from his friend without his parents’ knowledge, he won’t be able to play it. I could posit a few snarky reasons why I think most parents buy their kids games consoles of some kind, but I’ll refrain and say instead that, if you buy a game machine for your children, you could at least take a little bit of interest in what they’re playing and implement the countermeasures to ensure that they don’t play what they’re not supposed to. The days of being able to point fingers at games

issue 7 • january 2010

developers are long past – they’re doing their part, it’s time for parents to do theirs. On that same note, I’ve noticed something – again from my time hanging out in a videogame store (my friends work there, so I hang out to chat, OK?). My friends are responsible salespeople, and they turn away minors who try to buy games like Grand Theft Auto 4, even if they say the usual line, “My mom said I could buy it.” But it’s when the parents come into the shop themselves, buy the game and hand it straight to the kid that I really think that the developers are really unjust scapegoats in this whole thing. For Pete’s sake, parents, these games are age-restricted for a reason! And if you think that saying, “He’s probably played worse already,” or “If I don’t buy it for him he’ll just borrow it from his friends” absolves you of any responsibility, you’re sorely mistaken. g

“So good it hurts” Xbox World 360

“Easily the fastest, most dazzling action game in history” Edge

Being bad never felt so good

JANUARY 2010

WWW.BAYONETTA.COM www.sega.co.uk © SEGA. SEGA, The SEGA logo and BAYONETTA are either registered trademarks or trademarks of SEGA Corporation. Developed by PlatinumGames Inc. (PS3 Version Converted By SEGA) “2”, “PlayStation”, “Ô and À are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Windows, the Windows Start button, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies, and “Games for Windows” and the Windows Start button logo are used under license from Microsoft. Trademarks are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

The Great Collaboration

by Matthew Vice

Brent George makes his debut in the videogame world working on Avatar: The Game, the videogame counterpart to James Cameron’s recently released sci-fi adventure film. Brent has over twelve years experience in the film industry working in the fields of character design, animation, animation direction, creature technical direction and VFX supervision. He worked on 300 and The Fountain, as well as numerous cartoons and other projects.

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issue 7 • january 2010

W

hile most video games based on movie properties are almost after-thoughts, and are based on the vision prescribed by the film creators, the teams behind the movie and video game of Avatar, James Cameron’s fascinating new epic, worked closely together to create a world that was not only magic on the big screen, but equally compelling as a video game. At rAge last year, we were lucky enough to get a chance to interview Brent George, the Art and Animation Director for Avatar: The Game, the videogame accompaniment to James Cameron’s latest epic sci-fi film. Gamecca: Does the game follow the plot of the film, or is it unique. Brent George: The script was written from the ground up for the game, but it crosses paths with the movie plot from time to time. Usually when a game follows the plot of a movie, it doesn’t turn out very well, so we really wanted a unique plot for the game to show players a different part of the story. Gamecca: Tell us a little bit about the game. Brent George: Essentially the game is a third-person action adventure. Players control a human soldier and a Na’vi warrior, and the gameplay will be quite different between the two. Controlling the human soldier is much

issue 7 • january 2010

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more like a typical third-person shooter, and it will be quite intense. Everything will be out to kill them, like the planet is reacting violently to their presence. Even the plants will react badly to the player’s presence. When playing as the Na’vi warrior, combat is much more up-close and personal, with more focus on melee combat and midrange weaponry. Obviously the humans have the range and technology advantage, so players must use the Na’vi’s special abilities carefully to take that advantage away from them. For both characters, there is an RPG element in the way each character levels up and earns new skills. Gamecca: Tell us more about these skills. Brent George: Each character has a skill tree with different abilities they can learn as they progress through the game, like increased attack damage with certain

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weapons or stealth abilities. We made it possible for players to acquire all of these abilities eventually and become a real badass, since we didn’t want players to invest too much time in learning one particular line of skills only to decide that they don’t like it, which sometimes happens in more hardcore role-playing games. Gamecca: How do these skills work? Are they governed by a type of ammo or “mana” or something? Brent George: They work on a “cooldown” concept. So while you don’t have to collect some kind of ammo or power source to fuel these skills, you have to wait to use them after every use. So the more powerful the skill, the longer the wait before you can use it again. Gamecca: Anything else you can tell us about the game?

issue 7 • january 2010

Brent George: All I can say for now is that there will be some open-world-ish elements to the game. It’s certainly not an open-world game as such, but there will be some elements that resemble it. Also we’re currently working on a sort of turn-based strategy meta-game in which players capture territories and earn bonuses which will benefit them when they get back into the action. Gamecca: OK. Cool. So tell us what it was like developing the game alongside the movie with the crew from LightStorm. Brent George: It was quite an experience. Usually when movie license games are made, all of the artistic material for the movie is already created – but this time we were developing the art for the game alongside the art directors for the film, and there was a fair amount of back

and forth in that. In fact, the film’s art directors liked some of the Na’vi costumes the game designers came up with so much that they included them in the movie. So when you see the movie, some of the background characters in there are wearing outfits designed by the videogame team. Gamecca: It sounds like you’ve got a pretty impressive portfolio. Tell us a bit more about yourself. Brent George: Well, I started out as a traditional animator working mostly on Saturday morning cartoons and so on. After that I got into film and have worked in art direction, character design, character animation, creature design, creature technical direction and VFX direction. I worked on 300 and The Fountain among others. This is my first gaming project. g

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gamecca • preview

Previews

Into the New Year

Previews 18 Phantasy Star Ø

19 Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 20 Safar’Wii 22 M.U.D. TV 24 God of War III 25 Red Dead Redemption 26 Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks 28 Split Second 30 Quantum Theory 31 Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

T

he year ahead looks rather exciting in terms of video game releases. We’re only days away from some very big titles hitting the shelves, and have twelve months full of great games - including some very highly anticipated titles - ahead of us. News at the end of 2009 saw some releases being chopped, while others were delayed. Many of those delays fall into this year, and will hopefully stay there. As always, we will bring you preview information about the best releases on a monthly basis. In keeping with the changes that have been made to Gamecca, previews now offer slightly different information in their summaries - no more scores or accessibility ratings. That’s because we would rather see the final version of a given game before assigning any kind of score or rating to it. Keeping our readers informed is one thing, but judging a book by its cover is something that we just don’t want to do. And so, on to the first preview section of 2010, a year that is seeing a more even spread of releases than previously. We hope that we are able to whet your appetite... g

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gamecca • preview

Phantasy Star Ø

Post-Blank The DS RPG that might get it all right

P

by Brian Murdoch

hantasy Star Ø puts the player on Earth 200 years after the “Great Blank”. This was a war that destroyed most of civilization. The humans that survived have been working hard to exist in peace and rebuild most of the society they use to have into the main cities. Hunters are sent out to fight a range of monsters in the outskirts in order to keep the cities safe. The player will take the part of one of these hunters, with 3 races to choose from, with genders, and 14 different character types adding variety. Each character created has a unique set of weapons, armour and other items, according to their class and race. There are around 350 unique weapons, which should cover the Hunter’s needs. Hunters venture out from the cities to hunt monsters, gain experience and meet new characters... All to find out more about the “Great Blank” and see the story unfold.

The game will come together with great features like online and offline multiplayer. The new in-game chat feature should help with this. There are visual chat commands that are displayed, and you will be able to write with the stylus on the bottom screen. With these much needed features and the look of it now, it should be a must-have RPG title. g

AT A GLANCE: Developer: SEGA Publisher: SEGA Distributor: Nu Metro Interactive

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Feb 2010

Platforms

New features and an exciting story combine to make Phantasy Star Ø a must have DS RPG.

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

gamecca • preview

Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce

Striking Back This time on the PS3 and Xbox 360 by Matthew Vice

I

f you’ve never played a Dynasty Warriors game, then you might be wondering what all the fuss is about. In general, they’re loosely based on actual Chinese historical figures, great generals and famous warriors mostly. Players assume the role of one of these historic figures and set out to do great deeds, which usually involves slaughtering entire armies of enemies singlehandedly while achieving various mission goals. The series has been popular enough to have run since the early days of the PS2, so it has its fans. Last year, Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce was released for the PSP. It is more of the same, really, but with a few improvements and new features, like the ability to command a team of officers to follow the player around and help out in combat. The story for the game is once again set in a mystical version of ancient China where players will once again be able to choose their favourite hero and engage in hundreds of missions including overthrowing evil warlords and slaying massive dragons. Naturally, the heroes aren’t typical soldiers, and they have all kinds of superhuman talents like flight, energy projectiles and the ability to send

entire walls of enemies flying with a single sword swing – it’s very anime. It seems that a souped-up conversion of the game is destined for the PS3 and the Xbox 360 which will include, among others things, online multiplayer with voice chat to allow players to co-ordinate their assaults on enemy strongholds and the ability to trade officers with other players. It will also feature an additional 40 missions for players to tackle, bringing the list of playable missions to over 200, which is a lot by anyone’s reckoning. So if you find the idea of some kung-fu fantasy hack-n-slash action appealing, keep an eye out for this one in about mid February. g

AT A GLANCE: Developer: Omega Force Publisher: Koei Distributor: TBC issue 7 • january 2010

Feb 2010

Platforms

Anime-style action and a massive number of missions await in this current generation debut.

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

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gamecca • preview

Safar’ Wii

Couch Safari The best in couch photography by Brian Murdoch

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AT A GLANCE: Go out on safari from the comfort of your own couch. Take the best photos by getting as close to the animals as you can. Developer: TBC Publisher: Nobilis Distributor: TBC

issue 7 • january 2010

Feb 2010

Platforms

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id you ever want to be a National Geographic photographer? I’m not talking about those guys that put their heads in a crocodiles mouth [ok, I’m not sure that photographers do that… - ed], I’m talking about going around to get really good photographs in exotic locations. With Safar’ Wii you don’t even need to leave the house. The player is tasked with jobs every day, to take a picture of a new baby giraffe, or up close to an elephant eating. The real skill comes in when the player has to get as close as possible to take the photo. All of the player’s knowledge of animals will be needed to get that perfect shot. Be warned though, some animals don’t play so nice up close and personal [a fact that REALLY successful wildlife photographers know – ed]. Take these photos back home to sort through and add

to the photo album, and select the best ones to send to the editor. If they are good enough, a new mission will be unlocked. If not then the player will need to jump into the car and head back to take another, better photo to complete the task. There are a range of other mini games to get the player into nature, by even being the animal sometimes. This looks to be a substitute if players are missing the Kruger Park or want to get ready for it. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

gamecca • preview

M.U.D.TV

Smile! You’re on camera... by Jimmy Glue

B

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AT A GLANCE: Similar to Sim Hospital in terms of graphics, this business simulation game should be tons of fun. Developer: Realmforge Studios Publisher: Kalypso Media Distributor: Apex Interactive

issue 7 • january 2010

Mar 2010

Platforms

usiness simulation games are something that we aren’t exposed to too often, but luckily Kalypso Media will be releasing M.U.D TV. The title might look a bit cartoony, but it is sure to be heaps of fun. M.U.D is actually an acronym for Mad, Ugly, Dirty and the player will take on the role of a television studio big-shot, who will get to determine the line-up, hire actors and directors, produce their own shows, series and movies and to secure the lucrative advertising deals. But not only do you have to keep your precious viewers glued to your screen, you will also have to beat your competitors, as they will try anything to steal your viewership. But what comes around, goes around, and the player will have a few tricks up their sleeve too. The game should be very similar in graphics and game dynamic to the Sim Hospital titles, something that should have massive appeal to the younger players, and those young at heart. Since it’s released on PC, the controls shouldn’t be too difficult, as the standard input of mouse and keyboard will be enough. Who hasn’t dreamt of ever making their own television show? Well, now will be the perfect opportunity to do so. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

gamecca • preview

God of War III

To Olympus! The final chapter in Kratos’ war

by Matthew Vice

T

revealed as to Kratos’s new weapons and abilities, but so far we’ve seen that he is still using his Blades of Chaos as his primary weapon. He will also have access to a bow and two gauntlets which resemble the heads of lions. He also still has the Golden Fleece and the Icarus Wings from previous instalments. Due to the higher power of the PS3, Kratos will be able to face much larger groups of enemies at once now – around 50 at a time, which is a huge jump from the PlayStation 2 versions. g

AT A GLANCE: No doubt fans of the previous games are seething and slavering in anticipation. Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Distributor: Ster-Kinekor Games

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Mar 2010

Platforms

o be perfectly honest, when God of War first came to the PlayStation in 2005, it didn’t really do anything revolutionary. Almost all of the ideas in the game had been seen elsewhere before. The reason it was so popular was its flawless execution. Sony of America jumped through flaming hoops and bent over backwards to ensure that their new action franchise was as good as it could get in every area; graphics, sound, music, art direction and game-play. God of War II was even better and the PSP version, God of War: Chains of Olympus (developed by Ready at Dawn) is without a doubt one of the PSP’s most impressive action games. Now the third and final instalment of the series is due on the PlayStation 3 in the coming months, and it looks like Sony plans to make it every bit as impressive and jaw-dropping as its predecessors. God of War III picks up right where the second game left off, and Kratos is still out for revenge against the Gods of Olympus for failing to rid him of his nightmares. His ultimate goal is to kill Zeus, the leader of the gods, thereby toppling their rule over the mortal realm, giving way to eternal chaos. Nice guy. God of War III looks like it will up the ante a little bit in terms of violence and gore, which can be depicted even more realistically on the PlayStation 3. Not much has been

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

gamecca • preview

Red Dead Redemption

Bang! You’re dead... by Jimmy Glue be a Western-themed GTA, which can only be good. Another aspect that should push the boundaries is the fact that realistic horses were created with the Euphoria animation engine, as well as over 40 animals that can be hunted across the frontier towns, prairies, and mountain passes. Just like the taxi service in GTA, players will also be able to ride trains in order to get around, and realistic weather changes should make navigating an interesting task. It’s a Western, it’s developed by Rockstar Games and it’s coming soon! g

AT A GLANCE: It’s a Western-themed game developed by Rockstar Games, similar to GTA. Need we say more? Developer: Rockstar San Diego Publisher: Rockstar Games Distributor: Megarom

issue 7 • january 2010

Apr 2010

Platforms

R

ed Dead Redemption, besides being a bit of a tongue twister, has all the makings of a great game. Developed by the highly-acclaimed Rockstar Games, the Western shooter is the sequel to 2004’s Red Dead Revolver. The game is set in 1908 and the player will take on the role of a former outlaw John Marston, who, no surprise, has to lay down the law on the American Frontier. It has also been speculated that certain elements leading up to the Mexican Revolution will be used. Being a Rockstar game, the title will play off in an openworld setting, similar to GTA, and the player can expect various GTA game dynamics to be used. In short, it should

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

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gamecca • preview

Ben 10 Alien Force:Vilgax Attacks

He’s Back! Back to the Future, Ben 10 style. by Brian Murdoch

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ith the third Ben 10 video game coming soon, heroes need to be warned; Vilgax has returned. Just jump in and buckle up, this should be a bumpy ride back in time. In the current world, Vilgax is too strong with his new allies from the gigantic Null Void projector. Enemies are coming out of the Null Void faster than Ben and his team can put them back. So Professor Paradox sends Ben, Kevin and Gwen back in time to stop Vilgax from obtaining the Null Void projector to begin with. With the help from Grandpa Max and Ship, it is now up to the player to stop Vilgax’s evil plan before it can come to fruition.

Players of this game will need to have watched some of the Alien Force series of Ben 10 to know what is going on with the characters. Those that haven’t might not understand the story too well… including the fact that there was a problem with Ben’s watch and he can only transform into ten of the aliens it allows. The player will be able to play as all of these characters. It’s going to be a hard fight but Ben always comes out on top of his challenges in life. g

AT A GLANCE: Developer: Papaya Studio Publisher: D3 Publishing Distributor: Ster Kinekor Games

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Feb 2010

Platforms

Another Ben 10 gaming fix is on the way, but watching the Alien Force series first is a must for players.

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

gamecca • preview

Split Second

Road Rage Racing mayhem awaits by Bryan Banfield

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AT A GLANCE: All out racing action, combined with lots of mayhem, will be the order of the day. Developer: Black Rock Studios Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios Distributor: Prima Interactive

issue 7 • january 2010

May 2010

Platforms

nnounced at E3 2009, Split Second is set to add another title to the chaotic and crazy genre of carnage racing titles. From the studio that brought us Pure (Black Rock Studios) comes this reworking of a popular genre. The storyline will follow the idea that in the near future we will be looking to new kinds of reality TV shows to get our kicks. Yes you heard right. The main story line is a reality TV series. However this reality TV series allows for players to detonate their surroundings and carefully time their pyrotechnics to hinder and ruin their opponents’ races. The racing track is lined with structures, railings, old cars and even an aeroplane that can destroyed and ignited to add to the frustration of high speed turns, slides and drifting. Split Second also sport a new “powerplay meter” that is recharged by performing stunts, jump and precision driving. Once charged, the powerplay meter will allow you to call down added mayhem. Black Rock Studios have taken a clean approach to the HUD in that the display now sits behind the rear tires of the vehicle, for an open and clear screen. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

gamecca • preview

Quantum Theory

It’s Complicated Waveforms and probability hazes may have nothing to do with this game

T

he third-person shooter genre is quite wellestablished by now, and the big name titles, like Gears of War and Uncharted, have claimed their spots atop the hill, challenging any developers who dare to take them on. Every once in a while, a developer comes along to see how their new third-person shooter fares against these champions. Sometimes it works out beautifully (Red Faction: Guerrilla) and sometimes... not so much (Damnation). It seems like Tecmo will be the next developer to try and

by Matthew Vice

deliver a decent third-person shooter with their upcoming title, Quantum Theory. Set in a beautifully designed, art-nouveau fantasy world, Quantum Theory will put players in command of a burly, gun-wielding hard-man named Syd who has an unsurprisingly scantily-clad female sidekick named Filena. Syd will provide the muscle while Filena provides the magic as they blast their way across numerous fantasy landscape fighting hordes of enemies and colossal bosses. A glance at the screenshots doesn’t reveal anything too spectacular about the game apart from its fantasy visuals, but apparently it will feature an interesting morphing landscape game-play element. Yep, it seems that the very soil in this fantasy world is adverse to Syd and Filena’s presence, and will make every bit as much effort to impede their progress as their enemies. This is primarily where Filena will come in, using her special abilities to help the strong but not-so-agile Syd keep his footing when the world decides it’s had enough of him. If you’re thinking this description smacks a little of the recent Prince of Persia, well, you’re not alone. Still, it will be interesting to see exactly how Tecmo chooses to implement it. Quantum Theory should be hitting the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 round about April some time. Watch this space for more info. g

AT A GLANCE: Developer: Tecmo Publisher: Koei Distributor: Nu-Metro Interactive

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issue 7 • january 2010

TBA 2010

Platforms

Honestly, at this point it looks like Quantum Theory could go either way.

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

gamecca • preview

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

Something Old, Something New… It’ll never be the same by Matthew Vice

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escape from the hordes of chasing monstrosities. Luckily Harry can topple vending machines and other furniture as he runs to try and slow the pursuing beasties down. Shattered Memories is due on the PS2 and PSP in February, and it will be interesting to see how this new angle on the series is received by players who are more likely to have played the previous ones. g

AT A GLANCE: It’s not unusual. Silent Hill has been reinventing itself since Silent Hill 4: The Room. Developer: Climax Group Publisher: Konami Distributor: Nu-Metro Interactive

issue 7 • january 2010

Jan 2010

Platforms

hen I first heard the title of this game and learned that it was essentially a reimagining of the first game, I though it must be a deliberate joke on the part of the developers, knowing how much at least half of the worldwide Silent Hill fan base is sure to moan and whine about every little change made to the game. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories has already been released on the Wii, to mixed reviews, and it seems that what each player gets out of it depends on the attitude they approach it with – and that’s very Silent Hill in itself. In this re-imagining, players once again assume control of Harry Mason and head to Silent Hill to find his missing, adopted daughter, Cheryl. The premise is fairly familiar, but that’s where the similarities end. For starters, there is no combat in Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. What? I hear Silent Hill fans asking. Well, it seems that Konami decided to shift the focus of the game from combat to character interaction and exploration, and this has much more impact on the gameplay. Every choice the player makes in the game and every dialogue option they select subtly affects the course of the game, changing the personalities and goals of Harry himself and the people he meets. The grotesque, horrific enemies Silent Hill is known for are still present, but now Harry is required to escape them rather than fight them. Especially in the nightmare sequences, where the world shifts to the disturbing otherworld, it’s usually a white knuckle, teeth grinding mad dash to

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

compe t i t io n • c o mp eti ti on • com pe tit ion • com pe t ition • com pe t it ion

JOIN THE FIGHT!

Thanks to Ubisoft and Megarom Interactive, you could win a cool Avatar: The Game hamper, consisting of: 1 x T-shirt 1 x USB memory stick 1 x Mouse pad 1 x Key chain

SEND AN EMAIL TO COMPETITIONS@GAMECCA.CO.ZA.. TELL US YOUR NAME, COMPETITIONS@GAMECCA.CO.ZA AND THE NAME OF THE ART AND ANIMATION DIRECTOR OF THE AVATAR VIDEO GAME. PLEASE PUT ‘AVATAR COMPETITION’ IN THE MAIL’S SUBJECT LINE Competition closes 31 January 2010. South African residents only. The judges’ decision is final. Prizes may not be excahnged for cash. Competition closed to employees (and employee’s family) of 1337 Media CC, Ubisoft and Megarom Interactive. Games may be ‘white label’ products.

T

he champagne corks have popped. The fireworks have exploded. The celebrations have died down. The hangovers have been nursed. It’s a bright, shiny new year - and a bright shiny new decade, too - and everyone is looking ahead. The Gamecca crew, however, want to do a little looking back... looking back at the year that was, in terms of the video games that were released through the course of 2009. Not all of them, mind you, because that would just take too long. Rather, we got together and applied a secret formula (comprised mostly of posturing, arguing and accusations) in order to formulate a list of video games that we feel represent the best titles 2009 had to offer. So, without any further ado, and not too much fanfare, we present...

Our awards are divided into two categories: Best Awards, and Merit Awards. Best Awards are just that - the best games in certain categories. The Merit Awards are more fun, and are given for less common ideas and themes. The categories are as follows: Best Awards: Best Casual Game Music Merit Award Game of the Year Best Licensed Title Scare Factor Merit Award Best Shooter Best New IP Most Original Merit Award Best Action / Adventure Best Sleeper Worst Language Merit Award Best Sports Weirdo Merit Award Best Management / Simulation Merit Awards: Babe Merit Award Best Strategy Game Hero Merit Award Most Addictive Merit Award Best Racing Game Villain Merit Award Easiest Game Merit Award Best RPG Weapons Merit Award Most Difficult Merit Award Best Multiplayer Brutality Merit Award Story Merit Award Best Single Player Voice Acting Merit Award Graphics Merit Award Best Kids Game Game Dynamics Merit Award Funniest Comment Merit Award

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issue 7 • january 2010

Best Shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 The Best Shooter award is given to the game that encompasses the spirit of first person shooters most completely. The popularity of this genre means that creating a successfuly game can lead to long running franchises and a lot of press. The winner this year is part of such a franchise. Although the competition was hot, the non-stop, tactically driven action of the single player campaign of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, as well as the numerous multiplayer game modes, make it a clear winner.

Games in this category are about more than just taking out enemies. A high number of varied activities, along with well realised action and a good story, are important in this category. And Assassin’s Creed 2 stands out head and shoulders above the competition.

Best Action / Adventure Assassin’s Creed 2

Evil and insane - the perfect villain combination. How can you not love this guy? It’s Jack Black in a video game!

Merit: Game Hero Eddie Riggs Brutal Legend

Merit: Game Villain The Joker Batman: Arkham Asylum

issue 7 • january 2010

35

There were many great sports games released in 2009, but few managed to capture the feel of the real thing quite like FIFA 10 did. The sports action in this title was intense, so much so that it resulted in cheering and backslapping - even among spectators.

Best Sports FIFA 10 Best Management / Simulation The Sims 3 Ever since the first release of Will Wright’s The Sims, the franchise has allowed gamers around the globe to engage in varying degrees of management. The latest installment, already sporting it’s first expansion, takes the game even further, giving the player never-before-seen influence over the actions of their virtual people and families. There are few simulations as thorough or as engaging as the Sims 3.

Merit: Weapons Borderlands Merit: Brutality Mad World

It’s a case of ‘more is more’, and no game has more guns than Borderlands.

36

issue 7 • january 2010

Brutal graphics, brutal controls, brutal concept...

Best Racing Need for Speed: Shift Racing competition was particularly stiff this year, with titles including Forza Motorsport 3 and DiRT 2 all in the running. But, in the end, the one that had the most to offer on a variety of levels was EA’s series reboot of the Need for Speed franchise. Shift offered players something new, while still holding true to the series’ roots.

Best Strategy Halo Wars While many decried this console based RTS title, the fluidity of design and nonstop action worked well... particualrly considering that the game was an Xbox 360 exclusive, designed from the ground up for the console. It showed a lot of potential for consoles as RTS platforms (and was great fun, too.)

Merit: Voice Acting Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Top notch voice acting from the entire cast

It looks good, but it feels even better...

Merit: Dynamics FIFA 10 issue 7 • january 2010

37

Best RPG Dragon Age: Origins There weren’t too many RPGs released in 2009, but that doesn’t mean that Dragon Age: Origins wins by default. This is the finest party-based RPG we’ve seen in a long time, and changes to the system made by developers BioWare have had excellent impact on the overall experience.

Best Multiplayer Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Despite the bugs and glitches - which get fixed almost as fast as they are found - the sheer number of things to do in this game in the multiplayer arena is impressive. The popularity of the title helps, too... there is always something happening on the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 servers.

Merit: Scare Factor Cursed Mountain

Few games offer such a well-populated and entertaining music collection

Regular trouser checks advised

38

issue 7 • january 2010

Merit: Music Brutal Legend

Best Single Player Assassin’s Creed 2 Games that are focussed on the single player experience are getting less common by the day. Still, Assassin’s Creed 2 would have won the award even if they were still as common as a few years ago. The game features a solid story and offers the player tons to do. The single player campaign is long, engrossing and very satisfying.

Best Kids Mini Ninjas With so many games out there not appropriate for kids, it’s great to see a title like this - which takes a traditionally violent theme and sanitises it for younger players, without compromising the fun story and good game dynamics. As an added bonus, the game is fun for big folks, too.

Merit: Originality Scribblenauts Really fresh ideas are so rare...

Merit: Bad Language House of the Dead: Overkill

It actually holds a world record for use of the word... well, it rhymes with ‘duck’.

issue 7 • january 2010

39

Best Casual Wii Fit Plus While some might argue that this isn’t exactly a game, the addition of a large number of mini-games in Wii Fit Plus has made it more game-like than its predecessor. And as far as casual appeal goes... there is no console that has it more than the Wii, and no game that has it more than the multi-functional Wii Fit Plus.

Best License Batman: Arkham Asylum This game, based more on the Batman comics than the movies, is a perfect example of how a licensed title can be a great game. Excellent dynamics, a solid story and recognisable characters combine to make this title one that is compelling and engrossing... something quite rare in the case of games being based on other entertainment properties.

Merit: Weirdo Katamari Forever Merit: Best Babe Lucy Assassin’s Creed 2 Ms Bell... nothing more needs to be said... No game will have you saying ‘WTF’ more...

40

issue 7 • january 2010

Best New IP Borderlands New intellectual properties can be something of a challenge, purely because they involve a bit of risk... a sequel, at very least, offers the player a frame of reference through previous products. But Borderlands doesn’t need that kind of thing - this game is based on an excellent concept, and brings a great experience to those that play it. Its dynamics are fluid, its story fun, and the overall experience is very addictive indeed, both in single and multiplayer modes.

Best Sleeper Mini Ninjas With so much hype going around, it’s always a nice surprise when a good game is released with relatively little fanfare. We didn’t hear much about Mini Ninjas at all... it just sort-of arrived one day. And it brought with it a very enjoyable gaming experience for the whole family.

Merit: Addictiveness Borderlands

Merit: Easiest Let’s Tap

We just keep going back to Pandora...

Smacking a box ain’t hard... issue 7 • january 2010

41

Merit: Best Story Assassin’s Creed 2

... but not pointlessly difficult.

A well written story is always a winner in a game

Merit: Most Difficult Dragon Age: Origins

Merit: Graphics Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Few games come close to being this pretty.

Merit: Funniest Comment Sean Devlin The Saboteur We can’t repeat it in polite company, but it had something to do with a horse-riding professional and a door handle...

42

issue 7 • january 2010

GAME OF THE YEAR

Assassin’s Creed 2

2009 was an excellent year for games. Strong releases from all the studios made choosing a list of potential winners an arduous task. From new IPs like Borderlands through to strong sequel contenders, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, from strong license titles like Batman: Arkham Asylum to original works like Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, the year saw a lot of great gaming. But when taking numerous important factors into account, Assassin’s Creed 2 shone more than the other contenders. The solid, long single player campaign is supported by excellent graphics, good voice acting and a well-written, compelling story. The freedom afforded the player is massive, and the overall improvements made to the franchise are impressive indeed. In fact, that’s the best word for Ezio Auditore’s adventures: Impressive. Assassin’s Creed 2 is a prime example of a game that not only is great fun to play, but offers a wide variety of players (in terms of tastes and skill-levels) a long, exciting experience. issue 7 • january 2010

43

gamecca • ps zealot

Be Wise, Accessorise by Suvesh Arumugam

H

aving survived the madness of Christmas, some gamers will be thinking about how to reward themselves with some awesome PS loot for 2010. Thankfully, developers have graces us with plenty of exciting new game titles, which so far have delivered on their promises. Still, I can’t help but cast a jealous eye over the Nintendo gamers and their masses of choice when it comes to console paraphernalia. It’s standard for all 1st party manufacturers to focus on the core console and controllers, and it has been left to 3rd party manufacturers to design accessories and nice-to-haves. This means that consumers in most countries are pretty much at the mercy of distributors when it comes to what products are available. Xbox and PS3 gamers may feel excluded, but there is hope for us, and it’s called the internet. A little browsing on the web reveals that there is a host of excellent accessories for the PS3, and many of them would look great next to that brand new slim console you got for Christmas. One of the best accessories I have seen to covet comes from 4Gamers in the UK. They’ve designed a very classy looking steering wheel-cradle for the PS3 control, which looks like awesome driving fun. Because it’s a cradle, there are no compatibility issues… this is a great add-on to the long-awaited Gran Tourismo 5, as well Need for Speed Shift, or whatever driving games blow your hair back. For more info, go check out www. accessories4technology.com.

I’ve seen really nice fighter controls for games like Tekken 6 and Streetfighter IV. The best is the Hori control, who some of you might know as the manufacturers of the original arcade boxes that we played Golden Axe and Pacman on. If you happened to have an NTSC system, you could have ordered the Tekken 6 licensed version of this accessory with your pre-order of Tekken 6. For the rest of us though, Hori have released the same product (minus cool character art and art book) which has received excellent reviews. Check out more at www.hori.jp/us. dreamGEAR USA have also released a similar fighting stick, so I guess it’s a question of preference. One thing I will give dreamGEAR; they have managed to design an excellent alternative to the PS3 controller. I’m not a fan of generic controllers, I usually find them to be uncomfortable and unreliable, but the Shadow 6 Controller is different. Using the comfort design of the Xbox controller, the Shadow 6 has all the features of the regular control, i.e. Six Axis, Wireless etc. but with the rubberized handles and slightly altered analog sticks, which are very comfortable for long gaming sessions. The controller was honoured at the 2009 CES show in Las Vegas, so it definitely is worth checking out at www.dreamgear.net. I really enjoy flight simulators,

which have traditionally been PCbased. However new flight games for the PS3 have really upped the ante and introduced very realistic flight combat experiences. They’re not sims, strictly speaking, but they have all the parts I enjoy; the freedom of the skies and screams of enemies as my missiles blow the crap out of them! Thrustmaster launched their Hoyas T-Flightstick with Tom Clancy’s Hawx earlier this year. Mad Catz in the US have some similar products in their Cyborg range, but by all accounts it’s the Hoyas stick you want to look at. Have a look at www.thrustmaster.com, and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Finally, although gaming is the core function of a PS3, watching Blu-Ray discs is a seriously awesome sideeffect! Anyone who has discovered the joys of this feature will also know the frustration of using the triangle button instead of a fully functional remote control. Thankfully, there are both 1st party and 3rd party BluRay remote controls that can solve this problem. Go straight for the official Sony product, but most of the alternatives are pretty decent as well. Now before you go running off to your nearest retailer, unfortunately your chances of finding these products in stores in SA are slim. However, thanks to e-commerce, almost all of these products are available to order from the net. So get out your credit card, and accessorise! g

This page is provided by PlayStation Gamer www.playstationgamer.co.za

c o mpe t i t io n • c o mp eti ti on • c om pe tit ion • com pe t ition • com pe t it ion

A GALAXY OF

ADVENTURE Electronic Arts South Africa is giving Gamecca readers the chance to win a copy of MASS EFFECT 2. 2.

SEND AN EMAIL TO COMPETITIONS@GAMECCA.CO.ZA COMPETITIONS@GAMECCA.CO.ZA.. TELL US YOUR NAME, AND THE NAME OF THE LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR OF MASS EFFECT 2. PLEASE PUT ‘MASS EFFECT 2 COMPETITION’ IN THE MAIL’S SUBJECT LINE, AND TELL US YOUR PREFERRED FORMAT FOR THE GAME. Competition closes 31 January 2010. South African residents only. The judges’ decision is final. Prizes may not be excahnged for cash. Competition closed to employees (and employee’s family) of 1337 Media CC and Electronic Arts. Games may be ‘white label’ products.

gamecca • xbox beat

Transferring DLC by Bryan Banfield

I

Here are some helpful hints about recovering the stuff you may (or may not) lose along your journey as an Xbox 360 gamer... Recovering your Xbox LIVE Gamertag: This is something really worth knowing if you are as in love with your profile as I am. If anything should happen to my profile; I’m not sure what I would do. To start the process turn on your Xbox360 and press the Guide and then select Recover Gamertag. This will begin the recovery process. Once your Gamertag has been recovered you will have a backup of the last version of your profile as saved on the Xbox Servers. Recovering your Downloadable Content: Downloadable Content has become a way of life now for most of our favourite titles. With this becoming more and more popular, it is worth taking a look at how the Xbox team deals with this feature, and also taking a look at some of the regulations. For whatever reason, there might come a time when you need to take a look into recovering your downloadable content… especially when we are paying for it in a foreign currency. Maybe it’s the fact that you have just upgraded to a new box or that you have woken up one day to see the unfortunate three red lights. First off, we need to understand that the Xbox team has a tool called the “license transfer tool.” Head over

to www.xbox.com and sign into your Xbox account. Click on the “Support” link on the top navigation menu. Next click on the “Xbox Live” link in the left hand menu. Under the heading “Xbox LIVE Marketplace” click on the link “You are unable to view or access previously downloaded content on your Xbox 360” Towards the bottom of the page you will find the heading “Use the license transfer tool” Now that you know where to go to find the tool, lets take a look at how this all works. With the growing success of Xbox360 and the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, Microsoft found it necessary to create a tool that allows gamers to consolidate all their content and to recover the content if necessary. Normally, during the repair process, the licenses are transferred automatically but you will need to download the content all over again. But there have been cases where the process does not complete correctly and you will need to use the tool to move your content to your new console. Downloadable Content is locked to

the console and your gamertags. Please remember that you can only use this tool once every 12 months. This process is not to be used to keep moving your content but to get you back to the way life was before you had a disastrous glitch. The only licenses that are not moved during this process are the movie rental licenses but in SA that should not pose too much of a problem. Once you have completed the process on xbox.com you need to move off to your console to complete the process. First, attach the hard drive or storage unit and turn on your console. Next you will need to sign into your Xbox LIVE Account with which you originally downloaded the content. Next, go to “Settings” then “Account Management” and “Download History”. Repeat the last step until you have been able to recover all of your Downloadable Content. If are still having issues with your Downloadable Content you can also drop me a mail at bryan@xboxgamer. co.za or contact PowerCare on 0861 9269 360. g

This page is provided by Xbox Gamer 42

www.xboxgamer.co.za

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* That’s right! Act now! Buy two copies (we’ve got bills to pay)

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2BSBK 2HRII $O>@HBOP Wolfenstein Painkiller: Resurrection Gratuitous Space Battles Race On

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The NAG DVD sends its regrets for not making it this issue [cough]. Because it never washes its pits, it caught the floppy flu (HD-1440) that’s been going around.

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If your DVD is missing, don’t panic! We’ve put a few of them in cold storage for future generations. Do your bit and don’t bitch.

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WE TAKE A DANCE WITH THE DEVIL IN THE PALE MOONLIGHT AND FIND OUT WHERE HE GETS ALL HIS WONDERFUL TOYS

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THE BEST N! ‡ GA M OW

Fight Night Round 4 | Mass Effect 2 Batman: Arkham Asylum + REVIEWS Demigod | The Sims 3 | inFamous Bionic Commando | More!

‡ THE BEST N! GA OW

+ MSI ECLIPSE SLI

Like Aunt May’s front teeth, your DVD is missing. Now, remember to behave and be tactful when asking about it‌ It’s not like you scream and shout and kick up a fuss whenever she comes over to visit.

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Is your DVD missing? Consider for a moment that it’s you and your copy of NAG that’s missing while the DVD is exactly where it’s supposed to be...

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The DVD was sealed inside a plastic bag, man. Sealed on all sides and now it’s gone. How on Earth did you manage that one? Do you even know where your car keys are right now?

If you read this every month and your DVD is missing every month, perhaps you should consider going for that little visit to the head doctor. You obviously have a split personality and the other guy is getting the DVD each month. To the other guy, please leave the DVD where the other guy can ďŹ nd it. It’s getting tiresome now. Unless there are thee of you... gulp.

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Avatar: The Game

+More!

85 Game Videos +12 ScrewAttack videos

&UQO> Latest ATI & NVIDIA drivers for XP and Vista PSP and PS3 updates Unreal Development Kit Borderlands patch

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Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising DLC

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+More!

ABJLP X JLSFBP X M>Q@EBP X >AA LKP RQFIFQFBP X COBB D>JBP X AOFSBOP X JLOB Minimum Specifications: Dual-core 2.2GHz CPU • 2GB RAM 256MB Graphics Card

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gamecca • house of mario

Wii support you! by Brian Murdoch

I

make no secret of the fact that I am, on occasion, told that I’m too lenient when it comes to games reviews. I’m just one of those gamers who can appreciate the aspirations behind a game, and a lot has to be wrong with it before I’ll refuse to play it. Golden Axe: Beast Rider, for instance, was a game I really wanted to like, with every fibre of my being as a fan of the old games – but it was such a major disappointment and a huge wasted opportunity that I actually felt sick playing it. The service agreement documentation given to you with your hardware is almost never read until the product is broken. When the day comes that your console gives up the ghost, you curse while going through the boxes that you thought where packed well. Yes! found the box, now what does the service agreement

say and how many years have I had this console for? Xbox users may be accustomed to keeping the documentation nearby, but Nintendo gamers aren’t. Did you know that the return percentage of both Nintendo consoles (Wii and DS) is under 1%? If you had to open up a Wii and take a look at the components you would see a very well-built machine with little complexity. There is the optical drive, power unit, a small fan, blue tooth chip and wireless chip sitting on the main board. All are placed to survive a fall from 3 meters. A friend was telling me about his Wii and having the Wii place on the top shelf of his TV cabinet. We don’t know how (I can’t remember) but once the Wii fell from this height. He was expecting to pick up pieces, but not only was the unit still intact, it is still working perfectly.

I spent some time with the technical support guys at Core Group and found out a few facts around servicing your Nintendo consoles. They are a good bunch and work hard to keep the customer satisfied. If you bring your console to them at 1 Sandton Drive [that would be in Sandton, Gauteng, right? – ed] next to “The Place”, they will repair or replace your console and have it back to you within 24 hours. If you have a console broken within the guarantee period and contact them (explaining what is wrong with the console) in only a few working days they will have it repaired or replaced. The system and process is so efficient that it only requires two staff members to service all of Africa. There are a few common problems that they receive, as with any piece of hardware, but the most fascinating one that I saw was water damage! As I have said the Wii is a well build machine with everything to exact spec. The small fan is all that is needed to circulate air and cool the Wii down while running. If a Wii is not turned on for 3 months the fan will not run and condensation creates water in the unit. If the water is created on the solder it creates hydrochloric acid, which burns the board. You’ll turn on your Wii after 3 months and all you will see is a black screen... If there is something wrong with your Wii hardware, the support group at Core are ready to help. If the problem is not hardware related, send the question through to the team at Nintendo Gamer. g

This page is provided by Nintendo Gamer 44

www.nintendogamer.co.za

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4

gamecca • preview

Reviews

Into the New Year

Highlights 18 Avatar: The Video Game 19 The Saboteur 20 New Super Mario Bros Wii 22 Rogue Warrior

50

25 F1 2009 26 Your Shape 28 GTA Chinatown Wars 30 Wheelspin

AT A GLANCE: This is where the game summary goes... a little information at a glance! Developer: Developer Name Publisher: Publisher Name Distributor: Distributor Name

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

18+

issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

I

24 Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines

f there’s one thing we like doing at Gamecca, it’s upping our game. Yes, we mean playing games better, but we also mean delivering our readers the best experience we can. We strive for you, seriously, seriously, we do. So we have had a little redesign pow-wow (not at a beautiful coastal town, where we would have liked to have been over the end of year holidays, but rather in the dank and musty cellar that houses the Gamecca offices). And we came up with new ideas to make the magazine better for you. Included in those ideas was a new, sparkly, shiny summary box for all our reviews (which you can see an example of on the right). We streamlined the information flow, tweaked the input systems and reconfigured the flux capacitors, with the end result being a friendlier, more compact and more informative information panel. It’s really nice, isn’t it? We thought so, too... And it has all the information a curious gamer, concerned parent or thorough reader would want, all in one spot... g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

88

c o mpe t i t io n • c o mp eti ti on • c om pe tit ion • com pe t ition • com pe t it ion

is this your shape?

Ubisoft and Megarom Interactive will help you change that, with a fantastic Your Shape hamper! The hamper consists of a gym shirt shirt,, a gym towel,, a tog bag and a massager towel massager... ... so what are you waiting for? SEND AN EMAIL TO COMPETITIONS@GAMECCA.CO.ZA COMPETITIONS@GAMECCA.CO.ZA.. TELL US YOUR NAME, AND what special peripheral your shape uses to keep track of your progress. PLEASE PUT ‘your shape COMPETITION’ IN THE MAIL’S SUBJECT LINE Competition closes 31 January 2010. South African residents only. The judges’ decision is final. Prizes may not be excahnged for cash. Competition closed to employees (and employee’s family) of 1337 Media CC, Ubisoft and Megarom Interactive. Games may be ‘white label’ products.

gamecca • review

James Cameron’s Avatar:The Video Game

Pandora Playground Straight lines in the jungle by Walt Pretorius

W

hen big name movies are released, the inevitable video game ‘hanger-on’ is generally not far behind. These games are more often then not developed after the film is completed, or late in the film’s production cycle, and tend to be rush jobs handed off to smaller developers to enable them to get a little experience. The truth is that these games will sell, irrespective of quality. Every now and then, though, a game based on a movie property comes out that is not a victim of this process. These titles truly shine, simply because they are so much better than other, similarly planned games. Avatar: The Video Game is a great example of this, and so it should be – the process in making this game was very different from the usual movie-based title. That said, a game based on movies that shines above the rest of the pack is still only beating out a bunch of

52

generally bad games – when compared to the applicable video game genre (including games not based on any other kind of IP) there are very, very few that stand out as topnotch titles. As a movie based game, Avatar is good. As a game in general, it drops down to being decidedly average. The process employed in making this game was an unusual one. Instead of having a finalised product dropped in their laps, the game developers got to work with the movie crew quite closely. This difference truly shows, because Avatar is free of many of the rather annoying nastiness that plagues games based on movies. It doesn’t regurgitate an abridged version of the film’s story, for example, but rather spins its own tale set in the same universe as James Cameron’s film. In fact, the game tells two tales… pretty early on, the player will be given the choice to betray their own kind and join up with the Na’vi (the intriguingly tall, blue skinned natives of the planet Pandora) or stick with the human RDA (who are the bad-guy exploiters in the film, but are treated a bit less harshly in the game.)

issue 7 • january 2010

gamecca • review

AT A GLANCE: Avatar: The Video Game could have been so much more – a little more freedom, a little more tweaking… still, it’s fun to play. Developer: Ubisoft Publisher: Ubisoft Distributor: Megarom

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

16+

issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

This choice will lead to two different stories being told, but won’t make too much change to the game dynamic. The Na’vi are more dependant on melee combat, while the RDA troops use guns. The Na’vi will have less trouble from environmental threats (seeing as how they are all chummy with the planet itself) while the RDA pack more fire-power. Other than that, things are pretty much the same for both sides (except for one or two further game dynamic differences that we’ll get to later.) The game tries to give the player a lot to do, but in the long run, the missions get a little repetitive, and the ‘open-world’ elements (like collecting various bits and bobs) form part of the missions, rather than being accessible at any time. And, while the missions follow a fairly freeform route (allowing the player a little flexibility to get to where they need to go) the overall experience is more linear than it should be. The saving grace of this title is its presentation. The graphics are really good, with the jungle world that is Pandora wonderfully captured within the game. The voice acting is pretty good too, creating a believable environment for the player to enjoy. Sadly, the camera within the game does a bit of a poor job every now and then, letting the overall look and feel side down a bit. Similarly, the controls have their good and bad

moments. While movement and ranged combat isn’t too bad, melee combat leaves a little to be desired, and flight – particularly on the Na’vi side of things – can be a real chore. There are a variety of vehicles that can be used (read as ‘animals’ for the Na’vi) and most of them follow a fairly sensible, if somewhat loose, control scheme… unless they’re in the air. The flight controls are not quite nasty, but they’re on the border of it. If the player can get past the niggles (like the camera and controls, and the rather repetitive nature of the missions) then Avatar: The Video Game is not too bad an experience. It’s violent, sure, but the lack of gore makes it a little more family friendly. The story isn’t particularly deep, but it does expand on the basis set down by the movie quite nicely. The game is highly accessible too, as is almost always the case with movie games, even to the degree that experience based upgrades are handled automatically. It’s a fun third person adventure that will provide distraction (rather than fulfilment), but its various niggles and issues keep it from true greatness. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

70

53

gamecca • review

The Saboteur

Parisian Nights Causing havoc for Germans in France by Walt Pretorius

F

reedom in games is a big thing, and every year we see the number of free-form, sandbox style game releases increase. In fact, these games are becoming very common indeed, and are getting excellent receptions from gamers and the gaming press alike. Titles like Assassin’s Creed 2, Prototype and Infamous thrilled us during the course of 2009, and have managed to set even higher standards for the whole idea of giving players as much freedom as possible. The idea is, realistically, still fairly new (when compared to, say, first person shooters) and there are still slips here and there. These slips can be small or big, and are the main issue with The Saboteur, a new adventure title from Electronic Arts and the last game developed by the nearlegendary Pandemic Studios. Then again, Pandemic’s games always fell into the category of ‘fun’ rather than ‘revolutionary’. Titles like Mercenaries 2 and Lord of the Rings: Conquest were not bad, but they hardly blew our hair back to any degree. The same can be said for The Saboteur – the fundamentals of the title are sound, but many of the more intricate elements of the game are flawed in some way. The idea is a good one. Based on historical fact, apparently, the tale tells of an Irish mechanic and race car driver, Sean Devlin, whose world is shattered by the Nazi invasion of France. With nothing left to lose, Devlin gets recruited by the French resistance, and begins the long and risky business of destabilising the German war effort through espionage, assassination and sabotage. Within this paradigm, the player is afforded tons of

54

freedom to drive around and cause mayhem, with story missions included to drive the game along. There’s quite a bit to do, too, for various employers. It’s a bit like GTA (or, more accurately, Assassin’s Creed) with Nazis and Frenchmen. The game dynamic allows for a combination of driving, rooftop style climbing and sneaking (a la Ezio Auditore), stealthing about and all out action. And it is in this dynamic that things start falling apart. The driving is not too bad, with a variety of vehicles that offer different levels of performances. The climbing… not so great. The fluidity of action that one would expect from these activities is hampered by a control scheme that is anything but fluid. The stealth bits can fall apart from time to time, thanks to a slightly dodgy AI, and the combat just a little too forgiving. There are numerous imbalances in the game,

issue 7 • january 2010

gamecca • review

and the various elements don’t feel like they tie together properly. Graphically, the game also misses the mark a bit. The overarching idea that oppressed areas are in black and white, while liberated areas are in full colour is nice, but the quality of the graphics on the whole leaves a bit to be desired. Not so of the voice acting, though… it’s very good, and The Saboteur delivers some of the funniest offcolour comments we’ve heard in a long time, smoothly and believably. Everything that is wrong with the game is, ultimately, forgivable, and the title isn’t fundamentally flawed in any way. A little patience and forgiveness of the part of the player will go a long way to making this an enjoyable

experience. But – and this is one of those big ones – the developers seemed to decide to obfuscate the problems with lots of bad language and female nudity. Whether this was a conscious decision to try and spice things up to hide some of the game’s faults or not, it feels gratuitous and completely unnecessary. The Saboteur would have worked well with a little more attention paid to the game and a little less to including the F word and jiggling breasts. To make it even worse, a code can be entered online to unlock full nudity. It feels like a cheap shot, and, quite frankly, it is. I don’t doubt that a great many people entered that code, but still… it’s inclusion does nothing to improve the game (unless the gamer playing it is the saddest, most repressed of sorts, who gets his jollies from ogling a pair of virtual jubblies.) In the end, The Saboteur is worth a spin, but it hardly does anything revolutionary, and some things it doesn’t even do very well. It demands a lot of patience from the player and, if that is applied, will provide a long and fairly enjoyable experience… with or without nipple caps. g

It’s fun, but it’s hardly revolutionary. The Saboteur is something of a missed opportunity. Developer: Pandemic Studios Publisher: Electronic Arts Distributor: EA South Africa

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

18+ issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

AT A GLANCE: PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

72

55

gamecca • review

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Mario from left to right

The Four the Merrier by Brian Murdoch

W

ith all the different version and types of Mario games out there, you might think that things would be getting a little old, but that’s not the case for the world’s number one game character, Mario. In this version there are no prizes for guessing what the story is going to be about. It’s Princess Peach’s birthday and a big cake is delivered… surprise surprise, out pops Bowser Jr and the seven Koopa Kids. They grab the princess and run away in their flying ship, with Mario and Luigi running to catch up. The toads load some of the presents into a cannon and shoot them at the ship to try slow it down. There is a sense both in social and internet communities that if something is said enough and read enough that it will become truth. And it has been said so many times that this is a port from the similarly titled DS version. This statement is completely false. The screenshots and pre-launch information that we were given leads to that

56

conclusion, but when you have played any of the 76 stages you will see that this is a new game from the start. There was also a fear with the multiplayer that the monsters and action in the game would have been spread out to give the players more space, resulting in a weaker single player mode. It turns out to be the direct opposite, in fact. It looks to me that they did not even think of the multiplayer when creating the stages for this title, and then just threw three more characters in. The first few stages are easier to get players started but the skill level required to get through the end levels is very high. If playing with friends, then cooperation is needed. For those who are worried about the

issue 7 • january 2010

gamecca • review

Plumber Power-ups Here are the new power-ups in the game to help Mario save Princess Peace: Propeller Mushroom: Mario puts on a skin tight red suit with a propeller hat that gets him to great heights with the shake of the Wii remote. A shake on the way down lets him come down slowly. Penguin Suit: Ever wonder what Mario will look like as a penguin? Grab this power up to see. Not only can he spit out ice balls in the hottest of lava levels, but he can slide on icy surfaces and swim better in water. Ice Flower: The ice flower is the yin of the fire flowers yang. Use this to freeze enemies and then pick them up to throw them at others before they smash into pieces. POW Block: This has been around forever and does the same thing every time, killing enemies on screen and having any static coins fall from the sky like rain drops.

AT A GLANCE: The Mario side-scroller is back and up to four players help him find Princess Peach and save her from Boswer Jr. Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Distributor: Core Group

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

3+

issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

elevated skill that is required in this new Mario game, don’t be too concerned. If a player is unable to get through the stage and dies eight times a green box is place in the beginning of the stage. Hitting this with Mario’s head gives you the option to start again as Luigi and have the AI take over for the player, playing through the stage and giving the player an option to take over at any point with the press of a button. Once the player takes control it can’t be given back to the AI again. The game is great, but there are a few things missing that could easily have been added. There is no support for the classic controller, but the nunchuk and wiimote play is great. Multiplayer over the internet with WiiSpeak would have been excellent, as well as a different fourth character (as opposed to yet another toad). The addition of Yoshi is sweet, even if you can only ride him, but it would have been nice to take him to the next stage and not just wave good-bye at the flag. This means that Yoshi is only in a handful of stages, where he could have been included as a power up. In every stage there are three big coins to collect and at times it feels that more players are needed to help each other up to collect it. It might be easier to get a friend to help, but every coin can be obtained in single player mode. Remember that it is possible to collect a coin by throwing another object at it. With the DS version the coins were just a way to buy more power-ups, but there is a genuine reason to collect all the coins in this version, that expert players will appreciate. After missioning through all eight worlds and fighting the insane end boss battle, the player will find themselves using the other slots to replay the game again and again. How many times have we picked up or come across Super Mario Bros 2, and played that over and over? This is a Wii title that everyone should play. It’s definitely one of those titles that the Wii was meant for. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

87

57

gamecca • review

WWE Smackdown versus Raw 2010

And Once More… Another year of muscles, mayhem and terrible acting by Matthew Vice

I

t seems like 2009 has been a year of improvement for many franchises. A number of long-running sports series seem to have been at their best this year as the developers re-examined their game-play system and made the first real improvements in ages. Sadly, this brief franchise renaissance doesn’t seem to have affected THQ’s WWE Smackdown versus Raw series. There are some improvements, of course, but there are still a host of long-standing issues and glitches that have yet to be fixed that are still in there. Those new to the series might get cold feet when starting the game for the first time. Players are greeted with more options and modes than you can shake a conveniently-placed steel foldout chair at. Those eager for a brawl can jump straight into the action with the aptlytitled Play option, which then shunts players into menus

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containing every conceivable kind of match and rule tweak wrestling fans could ask for, include the new Royal Rumble and Championship Rumble modes. Anyone looking for a bit more time investment will find plenty to satisfy. The mandatory Career and Road to Wrestlemania modes are available, where players can take an original or created wrestler through an arduous wrestling career or play through a turbulent, cinematic story mode using a handful of famous wrestlers respectively. My WWE allows players to manage the data of their wrestlers and check up on various data they’ve generated throughout the game. The Create mode allows players to create their own wrestlers, complete with entrance movies and move sets. An interesting new feature is the Story Designer mode, which is nothing short of a Holy Grail for all would-be cheesy, reality TV producers. It allows players to create their own WWE stories, complete with the badly-acted inter-match dramas and conflicts. The coolest thing is that players can do this for their custom characters too. It’s fairly easy to get the hang of – simply select a day for the show and cut together matches and scenes. The fighting system is pretty much the same as before, the left stick controls movement while the right stick controls short grapples. The face buttons control strikes, punches, signature moves, finishers and the strong Irish Whip command. The shoulder buttons usually control running, countering and power-modification. Using these buttons in combination with the right positioning in the ring can lead to some of the more spectacular moves in the game. Compared to other fighting, WWE has always been quite technical, requiring a lot of concentration and knowledge of multiple sub-systems to deal with every situation. All of the commands are relatively simple, but there are so many of them that it will take most inexperienced players a long time to get them all down. Like most other wrestling titles, Smackdown versus

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gamecca • review

AT A GLANCE: It’s not worse, it’s not much better, it’s basically just the next WWE game. Developer: Yukes Publisher: THQ Distributor: Ster-Kinekor Games

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

16+

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Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

Raw 2010 is pretty heavy on the presentation. From the moment the game loads up, there is always some hardcore rock, metal or hip hop playing in the background while splash screens show WWE propaganda and footage. The graphics are a mixed bag. The character models look fantastic, but suffer from a lot of noticeable glitches, like clothing not sitting right or funky cloth dynamics. The lighting also looks like it could use some work, as the characters seem to be lit by an entirely different light source than the one lighting the ring. It’s quite jarring at first until you learn to ignore it. One of the more noticeable improvements this year is the incredibly quick load time for character entrance videos. Previously, most players chose to keep them turned off because each intro was preceded by a ridiculously long load time which was then proceeded by another long load time into the actual match. Now the load times between these entrances are so quick that players can leave them turned on to enjoy the full WWE atmosphere. While it would have been nice if the developers had jumped on the “let’s do something different for 2010” bandwagon, WWE Smackdown versus Raw 2010 is not without a few minor improvements. This may or may not make it worthwhile for fans. It’s more of the same, just with an updated roster of wrestling stars and some a handful of new modes – oh, and if you fancy playing online, well, most players will probably be upgrading to 2010 anyway, so it’s a question of how much you want to stay in the game. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

71

59

gamecca • review

Rogue Warrior

Shoot me, Please The war on international AI stupidity by Walt Pretorius

I

n the past, Bethesda Softworks have released games like Fallout 3 and Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. These were great games. But they have also released a few questionable titles, making Bethesda one of those companies that you’re never quite sure about. They might release a bright shining star, or they might release something of a dimmer celestial body. Or they might even release the game equivalent of a black hole, that sucks in your time and money, and just plain sucks overall. Sadly, that black hole has arrived, in the form of a Rebellion developed title called Rogue Warrior. The name sounds intriguing, and the cover art is cool – those are two of the three good points that Rogue Warrior has on offer. The third is that it’s funny, at least in terms of the dialogue – but more on that later. Rogue Warrior tells the story of Dick Marcinko, the real world founder of SEAL Team Six. Set in the 1980s,

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the game sees the player deployed behind enemy lines with two team mates, on the trail of a nuclear arsenal. A grenade puts paid to the team mates in roughly no time at all, leaving Marcinko on his own against the entire Soviet Union… and Korea, where the game starts off. Marcinko ignores all orders to call off the operation and takes off against innumerable odds, bound by patriotic duty. If the AI employed by Rogue Warrior was a real life indicator of the people that he was fighting against, even an old nun with one eye and Parkinsons could have become a top navy operative. While the game claims a mix of stealth and all-out gun fighting, the AI is so thoroughly dense that the player can sprint up behind an enemy and still get a stealth kill. Hell, he could probably do it while playing a trombone. With stealth out of the picture, that leaves ‘guns blazing’. Nothing wrong there – I personally hate all that sneaky stuff. But, for a game to be all-out action, you actually need to be able to hit targets… The hit detection of weapons in this game ranges from a pin-point laseraugmented perfect strike to a brick flung by a myopic hippopotamus. There is no consistency in firing at enemies, despite what the firing reticule might say; some shots will be perfect one hit kills, while others will be wildly off the mark, despite perfect aiming. The problem gets even worse when using the game’s heavy handed cover system, and strips any illusion of professional soldiering that the game was supposed to create right out of the picture. At least the main character is accurate with flinging quick quips and insults.

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gamecca • review

AT A GLANCE: Wow. Just… wow. Who would have thought that a game this poor would be released in this day and age? Developer: Rebellion Publisher: Bethesda Distributor: Nu Metro Interactive

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

18+

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Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

These are pretty funny the first dozen times you hear them, but they get pretty repetitive in nature after a while, and the gratuitous use of bad language lessens the overall impact. The levels themselves are linear to a fault, with very little freedom afforded the player at all. There are 8 missions in the game, all of which can be completed fairly comfortably in two hours – making Rogue Warrior a very short game indeed. The player is guided through each level… there may be different approaches, but there is only one path. It seems that the developers tried to conceal this by opening levels out into wider areas from time to time, which allow the player to deviate a little and try different routes but, when (as an example) a pile of debris makes the difference between using one door or another, that’s unacceptable. And as for the very short game length, this is not mitigated by the multiplayer modes, which offer only death match and team death match options. The AI problems extend even further, because these enemies will routinely blow themselves and their buddies up. I doubt that this is due to some hidden message about the mental capacity of communists from an overly patriotic

design crew – it’s just poor coding. The controls aren’t too shabby, surprisingly, although they do use a convention or two that are a little oldfashioned. But even the best controls in the world can fix sights that are off, so praising the game on that front is pointless. Finally, the graphics. This element is often the saving grace of a sub-standard game but, in the case of Rogue Warrior, they just add to the problem. They’re decidedly anachronistic, looking like they would have been more comfortable on previous generation technology. There’s lots of moody lighting, but the various screen tears, clipping issues and other graphical maladies outweigh any atmosphere that might have been generated. Rogue Warrior is indicative of the exploitative nature that sometimes plagues into the video game industry. Hype, pretty artwork on the box and slogans like ‘I am the wrathful god of war’ will do nothing to rescue this title. In truth, this game should never have been released in its current form. Poor show. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

38

61

gamecca • review

Cars Race O Rama

Greased Lightning Capitalising on the success of Disney’s Cars... again. By Bryan Banfield

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games and fifteen new characters, are scattered through elcome, ladies and gentlemen… we are back at Radiator Springs! Cars Race O Rama places the various racing worlds. Players will also have to race across seven race worlds. players back in the role of Lightning McQueen This includes three new racing worlds created for this title. as he prepares his racing academy for the Race O Rama With all racing games these days comes the chance for Trophy. After a successful win in the first round, players are players to customise their ride. The introduced to McQueen’s rival, customisations are fairly limited here, Chick Hicks. Hicks is determined “Players are encouraged to have his racing academy beat to drift on every turn and with players only being able to make track deviation, and even changes to the hood, skirting, spoilers out McQueen’s academy at any down straight sections” and colours. cost, including the use of dirty As players move through the various tricks. The player will have the chance to unlock and collect racing worlds they are presented with a customised thirty characters. All the characters from the film and past McQueen. These customisations are tailored towards the

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AT A GLANCE: Although it seems to be yet another explotation of the Disney franchise, this game is still rather fun. Developer: Incinerator Studios Publisher: THQ Distributor: THQ/ Ster Kinekor

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

3+

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Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

racing terrain, like off road tires for rally racing worlds or a sleek body for fast street racing. With the Race O Rama Cup up for grabs, players will need to best the game’s very competitive AI system. This AI system is designed to have racers from other racing academies employ a variety of tricks, as well as cheat, to take the flag in each race. Once players arrive at a new racing world they will have a set of challenges they need to beat in order to progress. These new challenges change the game play and allow for a fresh take on racing titles of this nature. Some of these challenges call for the player to perform a stunt-like jump while holding a pose for photographs taken by the racing paparazzi lining the track, as an example. Cars Race O Rama supports two player local multiplayer, with seven categories of mini games to challenge players. These games include off-road monster truck races, relay races and circuit races designed to test skills under pressure. The most dominating feature of this title is the emphasis on drifting and the player’s ability to drift. If we all think back to the movie we will remember that it was the drifting that won McQueen the race. Why should this game be any different? Players are encouraged to drift on every turn and track

deviation, and even down straight sections. Intuitive on screen displays allow for players to monitor their angles in the drift to maximise the effectiveness, as well as giving players the added chance of racking up points. On the Achievements front, Cars Race O Rama offers a challenging 22 achievements... Ranging from collecting all the spark plugs in all the races to the “OVER ACHIEVER!” achievement for earning all the other achievements. Cars Race O Rama certainly is no Need for Speed: Shift, however it does offer hours of family fun. The difficulty level is scalable to add a challenge for even the most seasoned racing veterans. But then again, games are meant to be fun and Cars Race O Rama delivers enjoyment all the way to the checkered flag. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

76

63

gamecca • review

Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines

Another Chapter Smaller but just as deadly

T

he poor little PSP is quite an ill-fated machine, when you think about it. It seldom receives big budget titles developed by prominent developers. If it receives anything at all, they’re usually inferior ports of multi-platform titles made to shine on the current home consoles or accompaniments to big PS3 titles with some kind of data-transfer bonus between the two versions. Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines falls into the latter category, but is it a legitimate attempt to bring high-flying assassinations to the PSP, or simply an attempt at a cashin by timing its release with Assassin’s Creed 2 on the PS3? Firstly, players are put in control of Altair, the digital hero of the first game. While this is clearly still done through the Animus – the machine which allows Desmond to relive his genetic memories – we don’t actually get to see Desmond Miles, or anyone outside the Animus for that matter. In this new, uninterrupted chapter of Altair’s life, we get to see Altair’s rise to power as the leader of the Assassins

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by Matthew Vice

and his changing views on life, death, religion and society in light of what he has learned since the previous game. His mission this time is to assassinate Armand Bouchart, the second-incommand of the Knights Templar who took over after Altair assassinated their former leader, Robert de Sable. This quest will take Altair to various cities throughout the Mediterranean as he cuts his way through Bouchart’s generals and brings the fight ever closer to his elusive target. Interestingly, we also get to see Altair’s deepening relationship with Maria, the woman Robert de Sable used as a decoy to draw Altair to the funeral (near the end of Assassin’s Creed, remember?). Game play-wise, Bloodlines is very, very similar to the original Assassin’s Creed, which is a bit of a pity. Considering that the game was obviously made to go hand-in-hand with Assassin’s Creed 2, it would have been nice if some of the overall enhancements from AC2 had been implemented Bloodlines. Still, there are a few things that developer Griptonite fixed. Bloodlines is nowhere near as repetitive as the first game. The viewpoints, which allow Altair to populate his map with useful

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fooled by the bland appearance of Cyprus in the beginning of the game – the visuals do get significantly better afterwards, and of course, Altair looks fantastic at all times. The voice acting isn’t quite as good as in the other versions, but some of the performances are fairly good. One interesting thing to note, Altair now actually speaks with a fairly middle-eastern-sounding accent rather the blatant American accent he had before. Recommending Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines is a tricky affair. If all you have is a PSP and you really want to play an Assassin’s Creed game, then it comes highly recommended. However, if you’re a fan of Assassin’s Creed on the other platforms, then you might be somewhat disappointed unless you downgrade your expectations a bit. It’s worth mentioning that if you connect your Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines to Assassin’s Creed 2 on the PS3, you can unlock some extra weapons in the PS3 game – unique weapons that you cannot acquire any other way – and vice versa, if that has any bearing on your decision. g

AT A GLANCE: While not without a few flaws, the PSP version of Assassin’s Creed should appeal to most fans who enjoyed the first game. Developer: Griptonite Games Publisher: Ubisoft Distributor: Megarom

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

16+

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Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

information, are still present, but now there is only one per district. The sidequests are still in there too, but are now entirely optional, and Altair can progress through the main story without having to complete a set number of tedious side-quests first. Griptonite has done fairly well in translating the controls of the game to the PSP, and it’s possible to be scaling walls and running across rooftops within minutes of starting the game. Assassinating people, fighting and hiding in hiding spots all work just like the other games too. In this respect, the developers have managed to keep the feel of Assassin’s Creed intact, and that’s one of the most important aspects of the game. The camera control is handled via the standard PSP third-person setup – a tap of the left bumper centres the camera behind Altair, and by holding it down, players can use the face buttons to look around. It’s not ideal, but it’s probably the best control scheme given the PSP’s lack of a second analogue stick. In general, the camera is pretty well-behaved, although it doesn’t turn corners with Altair quite fast enough for my liking, but if players keep one eye on the mini-map, they shouldn’t run into any guards they can’t see. While the PSP lacks the power to display the beautifullydetailed cities of its home-console brothers, the developers have taken a pretty good shot at it. Don’t be

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

70

65

gamecca • review

Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny

Destined for small things There’s nothing broken about it

by Matthew Vice

O

games ever to appear on the PSP. All of the beautiful ne of the primary things about Soul Calibur orchestral music scores and the countless sound effects that Namco really takes pride in is the graphical and speech samples are also intact. As if that weren’t intensity of it. Their aim with each new game in enough, the game runs fantastically too, with no dips or the series is to create something so visually stunning that shudders in the action at all. It’s hard to say exactly what other games simply can’t compete – and they’ve certainly pulled it off with Soul Calibur IV on the PS3 and Xbox 360. frame rate the game runs at, but it’s smooth – smooth enough that a hardcore fighting game fanatic like me Now imagine the challenge in recreating that graphical didn’t have any trouble reacting to moves and timing splendour on the humble little PSP. For anyone remotely combos exactly the same was as tech-savvy, it sounds like a tall “Every little detail has been on the other versions. order, doesn’t it? ported over exactly as we All of the characters from You might be surprised then, remember it, making Broken by Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny, Soul Calibur IV are present Destiny one of the most with all of their moves intact; which is essentially the PSP’s graphically impressive games there’s not a thing missing. version of Soul Calibur IV. By ever to appear on the PSP” The only omissions from the far the most impressive thing roster are the Jedi characters about the game is how closely it resembles its older brother on the PS3. Every little detail from the PS3 and 360 versions: Darth Vader, Yoda and has been ported over exactly as we remember it, making the Apprentice. Now, now, don’t get your knickers in a Broken Destiny one of the most graphically impressive twist – to make up for it, Namco has included two brand new characters for PSP swordslingers to get to grips with. The first is Dampierre, a new character created entirely from the ground up for Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny. He’s an eccentric con man with a top hat, tailcoat and handlebar moustache who fights with two hidden daggers strapped to the inside of his wrists (a bit like Ezio from Assassin’s Creed 2). His moves are rather comical and some of them have a random element to them, causing his to feign pain, fall over, or execute a random followup – meaning

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seems to be a matter of consternation to some gamers, so I’ve mentioned it, but it won’t affect the score in any way. Broken Destiny does feature a campaign mode of sorts called The Gauntlet, but it’s really short and probably not what players had in mind. Anyway, this issue aside, there’s no arguing the fact that Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny is an excellent port of Namco’s latest weapon-based fighter. If you’re wondering how well it plays on a PSP, well, if you’ve got an older model PSP, you might have to resort to using the analogue nub since the D-pads on the older model PSP are iffy. But if you’re got a PSP3000 or a Go, you’re laughing. g

AT A GLANCE: Hats off to Namco for this excellent PSP fighter with looks and plays just as well as the console versions. Developer: Namco Publisher: Ubisoft Distributor: Megarom

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

16+

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Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

that players have to pay attention to the outcome to know what to do next. For example, some of his moves will make him fall over at random, but the second this happens, he has a brief opportunity to input a command to perform a few unique moves from his prone state, like grabbing his opponent’s feet for a sneaky throw or rolling over and kicking their ankle, causing them to crumple over in pain. He might not be quite the weirdest Soul Calibur character to date, but he’s definitely up there. He’s also pretty tricky to use effectively, and players must really capitalise on follow-ups to do any serious damage. The second new face will be familiar to PlayStation zealots. Yep, it’s none other than the God of War himself, Kratos. He’s just as full of anger and rage as ever, and he retains many recognisable moves from the God of War series, including the lightning attack he learns from Zeus in the first game. In combat, he’s an absolute monster and definitely more than a match for most characters in the game – he’s quite possibly even more powerful than the Soul Calibur IV boss, Algol. Generally, if he’s in the mood to finish off his opponent fast, he can chain together a nasty combo of these moves that saps his opponent’s life in horrifyingly large chunks. He’s sure to be a popular choice. Strangely enough, the most popular criticism levelled at this PSP conversions seems to be the lack of extra modes – which strikes me as weird, considering that it’s made for a portable machine. Do you gamers really want to go through another 60+ hour campaign to unlock mostly useless junk? I sure as heck don’t. Mind you, I saw the campaigns in the other Soul Calibur games as an annoyance, so you can’t really go by what I say. Still, it

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

81

67

gamecca • review

Frontline: Fields of Thunder

Front and Centre Battling for supremacy

by Jimmy Glue

W

ar games and strategy titles have always brought a smile to my face. Although I never served any military duty (I was born too late), I have always admired the men and women who contributed to the massive war machine. And for as long as there are wars, there will be games based on the real experiences and missions during that time. Fields of Thunder is one such game, but although it has ‘Frontline’ in its title, it was definitely standing in the back row when originality and fun was being handed out in the supply line. Developed by Paradox (here is your clue), they rather unashamedly admit that, essentially, Frontline: Fields of Thunder is Blitzkrieg II re-skinned. Even in the manual they have an entire page dedicated to “Changes in The Game”. The opening line reads “Several changes were made in Frontline: Fields of Thunder in comparison with original

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Blitzkrieg II games,” and afterwards they mention that these were made “to lure Blitzkrieg users”. If you have to “lure” someone to play a game, something is wrong. So, if you have played Blitzkrieg II, then you have definitely played Frontline: Fields of Thunder and I’m willing to bet that not all their changes are for the better. Wow, ok, now that I have that out of my system, on with the review… As expected, the player is asked whether they would like to start a single player or multiplayer campaign. Once single player has been selected, there are several other options like Tutorial and Custom Mission. As any good gamer should do, skip the tutorial and go straight to ‘Play Game’. Here the player will be asked to choose a side between the Wehrmacht and WPRA. After a rather pretty and promising loading screen, you are ready to send your troops to their death. Besides the lack of any back story whatsoever,

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increase the realism. After failing the first mission horribly (which I think is unavoidable), the player will be ushered to another screen, and for the first time, be given a rather lengthy history lesson. From here, other missions can also be selected from the detailed map. The game continues in this fashion until the entire Battle For Kursk has been completed. Frontline: Fields of Thunder is by no means a horrible title, but the fact that it is practically Blitzkrieg II reskinned might put off some gamers. Paradox is also notorious for letting a few spelling mistakes creep in, but it’s more hilarious than distracting. The game will be perfect for die-hard WWII or RTS fans, as the game tries to be as historical accurate as possible, as long as they can get past the small amount of shortcomings. Once you are able to overlook that, plenty of hours could be spent on working out a strategy on how to defeat the enemy. It’s also perfect for someone who has a limited knowledge in WWII, as the Battle Of Kursk is explained in a manner that only Paradox can. g

AT A GLANCE: Frontline is at heart a re-skin of Blitzkrieg II, so if you have played the latter, you aren’t missing much. Developer: Paradox Interactive Publisher: Paradox Interactive Distributor: Apex Interactive

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

12+

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Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

the player is rather unceremoniously told by means of small text on the left-hand side of the screen what to do and where to go. The music that also goes with the first mission would have been better suited in an action sequence in an Indiana Jones film. The graphics, on the other hand, aren’t bad at all. Well, they’re pretty good for a game that was released two years ago. The units look authentic and the little avatars of them at the bottom of the screen are rather cool. Depending on which side you chose in the beginning, the units will respond to the player’s commands in their native language. It might be difficult to understand, as one can only guess what they are saying. Most RTS games will have the units respond with a slight accent, but Paradox wanted to

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

53

69

gamecca • review

F1 2009

Fast and Nasty It feels great, but it looks horrible by Walt Pretorius

O

it comes to simulations, and even more particularly when nce upon a time, the gaming ‘old-timers’ will these simulations are racing games. How often have you say (these being people in their early thirties to heard one of the first comments about a racing game being mid forties) video games were about the game, that the cars look great, or the tracks look wonderfully and not about the looks. As youngsters, we would crowd realistic? Perhaps this is due to around the old family cathode-ray the fact that most gamers would tude TV and slot games like Missile “Codemasters’ first outing with their F1 license, f1 love to get behind the wheel of a Command and Asteroids into the really fast car in some far-away old Atari 2600. In those days, blocks 2009 (developed by Sumo Interactive) suffers from an location and let rip. The sense of to represent space craft were all imbalance between graphics realism is carried further by great we needed. Blips and bloops were and game dynamics.” graphics. music to our ears. While I am one However, as far as driving to say this quite often, we cannot games go, dynamics are equally important. In these cases, deny that great graphics have had an awesome impact on cars need not only look good, but they need to feel right our beloved pastime. Game dynamics may have not taken too. a back seat entirely, but a good looking game with poorer Codemasters’ first outing with their F1 license, F1 2009 dynamics will fare better with critics and players than a game with great dynamics and rotten looks. Our senses (developed by Sumo Interactive) suffers from an imbalance are tuned to visual stimuli more than anything else these between graphics and game dynamics. It was quite days, and good looks are important to us. Particularly when surprising that Codemasters announced that the game

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challenges which are huge amounts of fun, but trudging through the career can be a very tiresome experience. As for the multiplayer gaming: well, it’s restricted to split screen racing, and the game’s performance takes a beating from two players racing against each other. Except maybe for a few of the challenges, this way of playing leaves heaps to be desired. The entire presentation of the game is stripped down and without much appeal. This, on its own, is surprising, considering the work that Codemasters has done with racing games in the past. Think of GRID or Colin McRae’s DiRT 2… sure, they may have been on more powerful consoles, but that really isn’t a good excuse. The game has many flaws that aren’t endemic to the Wii platform. No cop-outs here, please. All the negatives aside, though, F1 2009 is a very fine driving game – one of the best we have ever seen on the Wii. If you’re after the speed and excellent handling and not the frills, this is a great option. Just don’t expect bells and whistles. g

AT A GLANCE: It feels fantastic, but it looks horrible… the speed and controls might make up for it, though. Developer: Sumo Interactive Publisher: Codemasters Distributor: Nu Metro Interactive

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

3+

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Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

would be made for Wii – certainly a stark contradiction to the high-end technology that goes into the real F1 world. The Wii doesn’t match up to other consoles in terms of raw power, and this is a game where it shows… and this factor results in the imbalance mentioned before. F1 2009 does not look as good as it should – in fact, it looks worse than later versions of F1 games built for the PlayStation 2. The graphics are bordering on really nasty. The tracks lack detail, with one blurring into the next thanks to lacklustre textures and minimal detail. As a trade-off, the game runs smooth as silk, with no frame rate issues to speak of. This goes further to enhance the one area that the game truly excels in: the driving experience. F1 2009 feels fast, with the near-featureless tracks zipping by at breakneck speeds. That is exactly as it should be, and the high degree of responsive control put in the player’s hands in the form of the Wii remote (which can easily be slotted into a steering wheel that comes bundled with the game) means that the player will be able to attack tracks with confidence and enthusiasm. That said, the control offered the player by the more traditional Nintendo style controllers is much better, if only for the fact that they can have access to analogue acceleration and braking, granting them much more control over the whole affair. The Wii remote gives the player a digital button for acceleration and braking – not impossible to use by any means, but certainly lacking the finesse that driving fans will want. The experience granted by the game is really all that F1 2009 has going for it. The game modes can get very monotonous, thanks to the bland visuals and AI opponents that are all but challenging. While the player could, for example, go through the lengthy process of trying for pole position in qualifying heats, he is just as likely to win the race starting from behind… the AI is that poor. There are numerous ‘mini-game’ modes in the form of a variety of

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

71

71

gamecca • review

Your Shape

Look Mom I’m on TV. Round is a shape! by Brian Murdoch

A

needs to weigh themselves on another device [what, like a scale, maybe? – ed] and enter the weight in the game. Adding to the glut of fitness titles, Ubisoft recently released Your Shape. However, the game Height, age, gender and name are also required. I have never seen the age taken into account before but it could does bring something different to the table, in the form of a camera. Is the extra expense of the game, thanks to this be used in the calories burn calculation or somewhere else peripheral, justified? that is not displayed [um, age To start off the program there “Don’t be disappointed with is actually rather important… the image that is shown after are a few things that will be - ed]. One thing that this title scanning - it is just giving give will be praised over and over needed from the player. Let an approximation of the shape for by my wife is the fact that us go through these so that that it sees. The point is to the measurement scale can be preparations can be made improve that shape, after all…” selected between Metric and before the game is turned on. Imperial in the beginning and There are no controls needed will stay set. I have our Wii set to the UK to download other than one Wii remote and the aforementioned Wii Ware and Virtual Console games and play online, camera. Additional workout tools, like a fitness ball, can which switches all the other fitness programs to Imperial be incorporated but these are extra and are not needed to play the game. The lack of balance board means the player measuring standards. This is followed by an on-screen scan of the player’s body. The player needs to stand in two different positions, copying a silhouette. Don’t be disappointed with the image that is shown after scanning - it is just giving an approximation of the shape that it sees. The point is to improve that shape, after all… The in-game exercises are peculiar at first because of the way that the game monitors both progress and movement. The player should wear clothing that is in contrast to the background, and shouldn’t have any interference (like 4 year olds running between the player and the camera yelling ‘look, Mommy, I’m on TV.) The camera even works well in low light conditions, although a higher contrast between clothing and background will likely be needed in that case. The camera works well, but on a different

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AT A GLANCE: Workout and watch yourself on the screen with the new Wii camera, included in the game bundle. Developer: Ubisoft Publisher: Ubisoft Distributor: Megarom

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

3+

issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

level to those that will be employed by promised, upcoming technologies. It basically runs on a 2D movement plane, reading movement that is side to side rather than back and forth. The player’s arm and leg positions are very well monitored by the camera and an encouraging “your legs are in the wrong place” is given when the player steps out of line. The standard customization of workouts is present, but with the player able to select which area of their body to focus on, things are a bit different. Selecting which area needs toning, sliming or strengthening and how long to work on it gives great flexibility in getting to that perfect future shape. Cheating is not an option in this fitness program, unless we are talking about getting someone else to do it or not even turning the game on. A body is required and if one arm or leg is out of place, it needs to be corrected. Your Shape will give the player a harder workout than any other fitness program out there because there are no short cuts. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

70

73

gamecca • review

Jak and Daxter:The Lost Frontier

Not So Lost… Sky combat and platforming ahoy by Matthew Vice

S

ince the dawn of the PS2, it seems that the PlayStation has been developing a strong lineup of character-driven action games. Ratchet and Clank, Sly Raccoon, Crash Bandicoot, and God of War are just some of the action games to arrive on the PlayStation in recent years. Very recently the PS3 received Uncharted: Among Thieves, the second in a relatively new, highlypraised action franchise for the PlayStation from developer Naughty Dog. But Naughty Dog has also brought us another one of the PlayStations well-loved action games, namely the Jak and Daxter series. The series started-out fairly light-hearted, but the overall tone grew darker, more mature, and more sci-fi than fantasy-oriented over the course of five games, four on the PS2 and one on the PSP. After the arrival of the PS3, Jak fans having been crying out for Naughty Dog to finally deliver a PS3 Jak and Daxter game – but it seems that they’ve had their hands too full with the seminal Uncharted series to dedicate themselves to such a project. So what they did instead was hand the responsibility of developing a spin-off game for the PSP and PS2 to High Impact Games, a small developer with a short but proven history of developing quality PSP versions of existing action games. The result of this endeavour is Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier, an entirely new adventure for the PSP and PS2 featuring our favourite duo. This time round, Jak and his annoying, fuzzy companion are accompanied by Keira, Jak’s sort-of girlfriend, as they journey to the farthest reaches of the known world in search of Eco. Eco, in case you don’t know, is an energy source in Jak’s world that sustains pretty much all of creation, and

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since it appears to be waning, their world is literally falling apart. But according to old legends, there is a vast source of the stuff somewhere beyond the reaches of the map, in the Lost Frontier. The fact that the Lost Frontier turns out to be a collection of floating land masses brings attention to one of the game’s two major game-play elements; air combat. To get around Jak will have access to airplanes, each of which have different characteristics and can be upgraded in various ways by adding weapons, armour and modifications. And since the skies in the Lost Frontier are infested with charismatic, waistcoat-wearing sky pirates, there’s no shortage of aerial dogfighting to be done on the way to each new mission. Some of the sky battles are really quite awe-inspiring, as Jak attacks huge, floating

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gamecca • review

offensive abilities while Green offers him healing and health-bolstering skills. These abilities can be bought with raw Eco gained from killing enemies. In addition to this, there are tons of little mini-games to engage in which reward the player with Precursor Orbs, which can be used to purchase secrets, art and other goodies. Unfortunately, there are a few downsides to this otherwise solid package. There is still no ability to strafe while firing (at least I couldn’t find one) and the game runs noticeable choppier than those produced by Naughty Dog themselves. Also, the animation, while good, isn’t quite as deep and nuanced as we’ve become used to in the Jak series, which is probably due to High Impact Games not having access to Naughty Dog’s excellent animators. If you can see past those few downers, then Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier is another good addition to the Jak legacy. It’s a huge, sprawling adventure with lots to do too, so you’ll get your money’s worth. g

AT A GLANCE: This will tide Jak and Daxter fans over until Naughty Dog finally decides to give us a PS3 instalment of our favourite duo. Developer: High Impact Games Publisher: Naughty Dog Distributor: Ster-Kinekor Games

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

13+

issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

sky fortresses while fending off the waves of enemies defending it, and that’s not even going into the frantic sky chases. Suffice to say, the flying aspect of the game has been handled incredibly well. The other main aspect of play is the classic Jak and Daxter platform-shooting. Jak still has access to his familiar arsenal of guns, each of which has specific uses in combat and can be upgraded to provide even more unique effects. Jak also has access to an entirely new set of Eco powers. Gone are the Dark Eco and Light Eco powers of before. Thanks to Keira’s studies into becoming an Eco Sage, she has replaced Jak’s life-threatening powers with a more stable brand. These new powers fall into four categories, Red, Green, Blue and Yellow Eco, and each type has a particular focus. Red, for example, offers Jak

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

75

75

gamecca • review

Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Puzzle, Anyone? It’s time to exercise the brain-muscle… by Walt Pretorius

T

paper. Not, if you think about it, a bad thing. I like puzzles, here is a big trend – there’s always a big trend, all kinds of them. From a jigsaw that more often than not generally – in gaming towards self improvements. gets the pieces scattered all over the floor by the cat (and On the one hand we have an avalanche of fitness subsequently thoroughly, soggily masticated by the dog) based ‘games’ for the Wii platform, using the device’s through to crosswords and the like, puzzles are cool. So movement sensing capabilities and a few very clever having puzzle games on a hand-held platform is a winner (if peripherals to monitor users progress. On the other hand, we have programs that exercise your mind. Strangely, even only because the cat can’t get to the pieces.) most of these seem to occur on the DS, making Nintendo One of the games that provides an excellent degree of mental stimulation, a strong contender for the ‘Self combined with a rather Improvement Support’ award (not “There are around 120 brain entertaining tale, is that we have an award like that, but teasers in the game, ranging anyway.) from the easy to the downright Professor Layton and the Curious Village. The game The argument that games are migraine-inducing.” was something of a late mentally stimulating anyway arrival on our shores, but now South Africans can join the doesn’t seem to come into the picture – these games are rest of the world in enjoying this stimulating title. marketed as more stimulating, and are basically becoming The story is simple. Professor Layton, a puzzle solving to gaming what the giant crossword is to the Sunday boffin, is called to the village of St Mystere to help get to the bottom of a rather chunky will. The dividing up of the estate of a late, wealthy baron, is dependant on the finding of a golden apple… but no-one knows where it is. And so Professor Layton, with the help of his rather annoying assistant, takes the case. The story doesn’t only give the game a paradigm to exist in, but also provides a theme for the presentation of the game. The graphics are mostly static, in a hand drawn style, but they are none-theless rather appealing. The voice acting also carries the style (which is rather Sherlock Holmesy) nicely, although some of the fake British accents employed by the voice actors are very fake indeed. Moving through the village is a simple task of pointing the way. The transitions through the village are a series of static frames, some of which contain the villagers that will supply the player with the real

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meat and bones of the game: the puzzles. There are around 130 brain teasers in the game, ranging from the easy to the downright migraine-inducing. Some of them are familiar (the kind of puzzles that have been around since your grandfather was a nipper) but others are rather new and inventive. Each puzzle also has a system of hints in place, and can be retried numerous times. Using hints and retries will lessen the rewards that the player gets for solving the puzzles, though – these are used to buy unlockable content within the game. On the surface, Professor Layton and the Curious

Village is little more than a collection of brain teasers with a veneer of aesthetic elements. The story and setting are not necessary, in practical terms. However, the story is part of what makes the game compelling, and the setting and general feel it brings to the title only enhances the player’s enjoyment of the game. The game is really uncomplicated and easy to play, with simple controls supporting the collection of puzzles, adding accessibility on the technical side. The puzzles can also be replayed, once they have been encountered in the game, although there doesn’t seem to be much point in re-solving a brain teaser that you have already solved. The game very nicely explains the logic behind the puzzles, too, particularly those based on optical illusions. On the whole, it’s an enjoyable game that is easy to pick up and play absolutely anywhere. Sure, if puzzles aren’t your thing, you’ll probably want to avoid it, but the convenience of getting a quick puzzle in anywhere (thanks to the DS’ portability) and the excellent work done on the presentation make this game a winner. g

This collection of brain teasers is cloaked in an amusing aesthetic, and is well worth the effort. Developer: Level 5 Publisher: Nintendo Distributor: Core Group

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

7+

issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

AT A GLANCE: PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

80

77

gamecca • review

Jambo Safari

Into the Wild Wanna catch some critters? by Brian Murdoch

I

line and the player is given lots of freedom to just run n other safari titles the player is limited in how they around the range too. It comes across like a GTA in the can be a game ranger. Some have the player just wild… driving around the park catching animals gets range riding and looking around in the reserve or taking a points, but story missions get bigger rewards, unlock more few photos of the animals. Jambo Safari gives a needed items and (obviously) push the story upgrade to this genre of games. along. Doing a good deal of both is The player does not even start as “If driving becomes my advice, as just doing one will lead a fully qualified game ranger… this mundane then jump into to a bit of a boring experience. If title is earned by performing some a hot-air balloon for some driving becomes mundane then jump outstanding tasks and completing sight-seeing” into a hot-air balloon for some sightsome fun-filled missions. seeing. At the start the player just The capture controls have been simplified to let the needs to deafen their ears to the strong American accent younger generation play (with some effort) but is kept when hearing “Jam-Bo Safari” and start training to be a interesting for the older gamer, too. The player drives with park ranger in a fully functional African park. the nunchuk and catches animals with the Wii remote. The ranger starts by chasing the animal to get within throwing The player needs to earn their stripes and does this by range. At the right performing the given tasks and proving that time, a throwing they are worthy of becoming a game ranger. motion is required These test are not given in an ordered story on the Wii remote. If the animal is successfully lassoed, the ranger needs to show off his driving and following skills to keep up with the animal to slow it down. If the correct movements and following distance are not adhered to the animal gets away. It is not too much of a problem because they don’t get far before the ranger has them in his sights again. Now bear this in mind when driving after that much

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All I can say is that it was an unexpected experience. I had seen and even played some of the other “safari-like” Wii titles out there, but this one actually had me playing more and more. There is quite a lot to do in this game. If being a park or game ranger is your dream then you need to play this. g

AT A GLANCE: A surprisingly fun game, Jambo Safari will allow you to live out your game ranger fantasies Developer: SEGA Publisher: SEGA Distributor: Nu Metro

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

3+

issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

wanted animal, because realistically not every animal likes being caught. So the odd angry animal might charge and hit the Land Rover and send it off a bit. The odd boulder will also pop up during a chase. Don’t worry about the trees because most of them can be ridden through. Caring for animals is also a big part of the game – the player will have three slots for caring for, and interacting with, animals in the game. The game features a few nice extras to help it beat the competition. The player is able to change between 4 different cars and customise each one’s paint job. Clothes can be unlocked and players also need to unlock each area in the range to get there and see a new range of animals. The areas are split into 3 different zones and the zones even have sub-zones, making the park feel massive. There are some party games to play with friends, as well as a coop catching mode, with the second player catching and the first player driving. The graphics and sound are at an acceptable level for a Wii game, but the game engine could have done with some work. The Land Rover should not be able to drive through trees and rocks… not to mention the lasso rope, which passes through almost everything. Getting the player to leave the Landie to untie a huge, messed-up knot could have made for a fun mini-game! I must admit that, at first, I did not want to play this title. I even put it off for other things that I could do, like brushing my teeth again, or watching water drip from a tap. Push came to shove, though, [yes, having an editor can suck – ed] and I force fed the disc into my Wii.

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

75

79

gamecca • review

Dark Horizon

Deep Space Saving the universe, one star system at a time by Jimmy Glue

T

supporters. rue sci-fi titles are a bit of a rarity, and when they But until an A-list developer gives us a really great involve flying your own spaceship, upgrading its title, Paradox Interactive released Dark Horizon, which is weapons and modifying its hull, it’s really special. actually a prequel to Tarr Chronicles. The game is strangely The last decent game that I remember that combined all similar to Freelancer, but with not a lot of titles to draw these aspects was a little-known game called Freelancer inspiration and ideas from, it’s kind of expected to have the [dude, Freelancer was HUGE – ed]. same feel. I have spent many hours completing missions, buying Developed by Quazar, the space combat simulator weapons and talking to people, but I think that I just barely revolves around the fight to save the scratched the surfaced. A great “If you are one who likes universe, as star systems cease to aspect of Freelancer was the fact that it integrated multiplayer to fly around space, saving exist. The game starts roughly at the the universe and tinkering beginning of the Second Era of the as well. We usually gathered up three friends, hooked up together with your ship, then you’ll Enosta Universe, about a century definitely like this title” before the disappearance of the and completed the single player legendary cruiser ‘’Talestra’’. missions in co-op mode. The player, once human but now transformed by Like I said, the space/sci-fi flyer is a genre that hasn’t the Mirk, has been given the opportunity to become a been focused on enough in the past, and I truly hope Guardian, and to stop the evil De’Khete from completely that one day some big-shot developer will see the need destroying the universe. It’s your typical good vs evil space to develop a decent game for the players who enjoy it. fight, and although it has a few niggles, it can still be fun. You never know, they might win over throngs of new Straight off the bat, the player is thrust into a mission to destroy the Spawn. The first noticeable thing will be the vastness of the universe in which you fight. True, it is a space shooter and one would expect it to be, well… never ending, but the level of detail is stunning. The stars, planets and floating matter all lend to the authenticity of the title, once again, closely resembling Freelancer. If you can remember what Freelancer looked like, then you will have a pretty accurate description of Dark Horizon. But I’m jumping the gun a little bit. Before you go on holiday or take a long road trip, you inspect your car and make sure that everything is running the way it is supposed to. Taking that aspect and working it into the game, Paradox gave players the chance to upgrade and inspect their ship before each mission.

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The control scheme is fairly easy to understand once you have spent a couple of minutes studying the key layout, and even after that a handful of combinations need to be remembered to hunt down an enemy successfully. Using the keyboard shortcuts, it’s easy to track an enemy and eliminate it, but it’s best to lock-on to one first. Blind-fire will get you nowhere in Dark Horizon, as the optimal fire location won’t be shown. But with that said, the game isn’t without its flaws. Although Quazar put in a good effort, it would be interesting to see what they can come up with if they are given good funding, as the game feels a bit unfinished. There are also tons of meaningless conversations that feel unnecessary, and in true Paradox Interactive style, the information fed to the player can be overpowering. If you are one who likes to fly around space, saving the universe and tinkering with your ship, then you’ll definitely like this title. But be warned, the game has its flaws and it’s by no means perfect. Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. g

AT A GLANCE: Running on the idea of Freelancer, Dark Horizon could have been a bit better and more stable. Developer: Quazar Studios Publisher: Paradox Interactive Distributor: Apex Interactive

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

12+

issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

The garage where your ship is stored is just as detailed as the rest of the universe, and it’s rather impressive that they could have squeezed so much detail into a game that requires a rather low-end machine. Having a selection of about four different ship hulls from the beginning, the player can then select and decide what types of weapons and missiles they would like to equip their ship with. The range is rather limited at the beginning, but better weapons will be unlocked later. The game also features several modes for combat, something that was a welcome sight. In Standard Mode, your ship will run as it should, with everything set to 100%. But in Shadow Mode, your ship becomes practically invisible to the enemy, as your turn everything down. The only drawback is that the top speed decreases, the damage resistance dissipates, and the weapons are less effective.

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

65

81

gamecca • review

Just Dance

Move to the Groove Looks good, but can it dance? by Brian Murdoch

D

ance and rhythm games are coming out in droves. The songs can be played in a With the great success of Guitar Hero and good short or full length variations, performance of Rock Band, more and more people and there are three difficulty will try and come up with the next hit game franchise in levels to challenge the player. this genre. Once a song has been chosen, The title of this game actually explains all that is bundled the player holds the Wii into the game, as well as the control scheme. The player remote firmly in their right needs to “Just Dance” to the chosen song. There is a list hand. Then each player has to of 32 songs varying from follow the “While this game is Acceptable in the 80’s by on-screen undeniably aimed at a Calvin Harris through Groove dancer’s female tween demographic, moves as if is in the Heart by Dee-Lite the old fogies can still have the TV was mirroring them. Each correct and ends around Womanizer a blast with it.” in the style of Britney Spears. (or almost correct) move earns the player points. Now, the movement on screen and the movements of the player can be done exactly, but there are some extra bum wiggles and toes twists that can be added if the players are truly enjoying themselves. Naturally, with just the Wii remote in use, it’s easy to cheat – the player only really has to move their right hand correctly to get through the game. But where’s the fun in that? It would have been nice to include the nunchuk, as I have seen the great movement response that can be received by this impressive piece of hardware. Adding nunchuk function would have improved the control scheme and made the player need to dance more accurate, but would have limited the arm swinging because of the lack in cable length. It would also add the occasional smack to the face and bumping of precious body parts [which, if this was a moshing game, would have been so cool

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The Wii draws most of its success from the casual gamer market, largely thanks to an overall uncomplicated implementation of the controls. There is, however, still a need to balance a game correctly for its target market. Giving it the right amount of ease and complexity, based on target markets, is the key to success. The sad thing is I think this title is confused as to which target it is going for. There is the ease of holding the control and just dancing, but the game features a few older songs that would appeal to older generations. Still, while this game is undeniably aimed at a female tween demographic, the old fogies can still have a blast with it. Sadly, though, as a social game, this title could have been a lot more. Instead, thanks to a few short-comings, it falls into the category of ‘just another Wii game.’ g

– ed]. A cordless nunchuk would be the answer there but forcing everyone that buys this game to buy a cordless nunchuk is a bit impractical [bundle deal? – ed]. Playing the game with only one player is downright boring. There is no enjoyment in being silly alone [or sober – ed] and seeing the score at the end. This game begs for laughter and body-part entanglements. Despite a good concept, accurate Each player will naturally need their own Wii remote controls and a nice collection of (unless they’re weird enough to just dance along for songs, Just Dance could have the hell of it.) It is important to add a strap around each been much better. player’s wrist to stop the Wii remote from flying out the Developer: Ubisoft hand of one player and into the head of the next [could be Publisher: Ubisoft an interesting in-game combat option, though… remoteDistributor: Megarom based dodge-ball – ed]. If the strap has been removed due to the remote not sitting nicely in its charge cradle then Parental Advisory Accessibility Hard-Core Violence my advice is to put it on each time or buy a new charging Language station. The excuse of being an experienced player doesn’t Medium Sex apply here, and my sister’s black eye is the proof of that Drug Use Casual Prejudice statement. issue 7 • january 2010

18+

Platforms

AT A GLANCE:

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

53

83

gamecca • review

Tornado Outbreak

Gone with the wind An awesome game of destruction and mayhem by Bryan Banfield

H

ere’s a title that is fun to sit back and relax with – an uncomplicated sort that is pretty much all about breaking stuff. The character controls a wind warrior named Zephr, who is given command over operations when his superior, Captain Nimbus, steps down. Those operations chiefly involve travelling the universe and creating atmosphere’s on lifeless planets. While travelling around the universe with his squad of wind warriors – creating atmospheres here and there – Zephr happens to meet Omegatron. Omegatron is a great hero of the anti-matter dimension, but has been overthrown by enemies and banished to Zephr’s reality. His special six orbs of power has been taken, and he is

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trapped… and dying. It therefore becomes the player’s task to track down the six orbs and help return Omegatron to his own, unusual plane of existence. Most of the player’s tasks are keeping the L.O.A.D STARR recharged with energy. The L.O.A.D STARR creates a cloud bank and protects the Wind Warriors from the deadly rays of the sun. But the real fun comes in the form of creating tornados. The first few are small – just enough to destroy a small town, for example. But, as the tornado sucks in trees, fences, cars, building and whatever else might be in the vicinity, it grows in size and potential damage. Around level 9, there is very little that will stand in the player’s tornado’s path.

issue 7 • january 2010

gamecca • review

Tornado Outbreak is a thoroughly enjoyable, uncomplicated title. It is one of those games that allows you to just sit back and chill while having fun destroying things. You can even destroy stuff with a friend, with no hectic gaming skills required. So when you get tired of all your triple A titles and just want to have some fun, like you used to in the 8 Bit days, be sure to check out Tornado Outbreak. g

AT A GLANCE: Tornado Outbreak might not be the biggest or most complex title around, but it is good fun. Developer: Loose Cannon Studios Publisher: Konami Distributor: Ster Kinekor Games

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

18+

issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

This wanton destruction of pretty much everything is accompanied by a rather enjoyable Western sound track, which plays in the background as you blaze your way (in as much as a tornado can blaze) across the countryside. Scattered around the countryside are little fire flyers… these buggers are enemies of Omegatron and capturing them in a tornado allows you to add more energy to the L.O.A.D STARR, in turn allowing you more time to work under your cloud cover. During each level, the player will be required to gather 50 fire flyers that have hidden themselves beneath constructions around the level. As the tornado grows, bigger buildings and constructions can be pulled down, revealing the hidden fire flyers. Although 50 are needed to complete a mission, sticking around for 100 is fun – and each fire flyer added puts a little more time on the clock – it’s a good challenge. As the player approaches the location of one of Omegatron’s hidden orbs, a mini-game kicks in. In this game, the player needs to steer the tornado through storm gates in order to generate a storm strong enough to destroy the structure concealing the orb. This will inevitably be followed by a totem battle, during which the player takes on the totems that are trapping the orb. Multiplayer allows for two players to jump in and out of co-op modes, allowing for two wind warriors to wreak havoc. The shared camera option allows both players to use one camera when their tornadoes are close enough together. Each of the game worlds is themed differently, from a farm and farm animals to tanks and a military base. The fire flyers have gone to all lengths to hide the Orbs, in a wide variety of entertaining environments. There are 35 achievements awaiting those who want to whip up a storm (naturally, totalling 1000 gamer score, just like every other Xbox 360 game).

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

75

85

gamecca • review

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Not so Grand Everything’s smaller in Chinatown by Matthew Vice play these games in the first place. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, the PSP port of the Nintendo DS game of the same name, is the latest Rockstar title to try the patience of the international gaming nannies, but how does it fare? In this violent outing, players assume the role of Huang Lee, a Chinese immigrant heading to Liberty City’s Chinatown district to deliver the sacred sword of his recently deceased Triad boss father to his ambitious Uncle, who wishes to use the sword as leverage to become the ith a list of games including titles like Midnight Triad boss of Liberty City. However, things don’t Club, Manhunt, Grand Theft Auto and Bully, go quite according to plan. Huang is ambushed it’s clear that Rockstar Games often sets out the second his plane to capitalise on the hype their lands at the airport and “Chinatown Wars feels anti-social games generate among rather cheap compared to the sword he is carrying is stolen. the media and enraged parents recent games in the series Luckily his attackers mistake his – even though parents technically and its PSP predecessor, near-comatose state for death and shouldn’t be letting their kids dumped him in the ocean, allowing Vice City Stories” him to escape his fate. His uncle is less than impressed by Huang showing up empty-handed, and sets him up with an apartment in Liberty City, sending him on all kinds of missions to further his own ends and track down the sword. What follows is typical Grand Theft Auto fare. Huang must steal cars, deliver items, assault compounds, assassinate people and avoid the cops. Along the way, he’ll meet up with various colourful, foul-mouthed characters who will ask him to do more of the same, only with greater challenges. Huang keeps in contact with all of these colourful characters via e-mail, which he can

W

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AT A GLANCE: Chinatown Wars is a nice but ultimately insufficient attempt at a portable Grand Theft Auto game. Developer: Rockstar Leeds Publisher: Rockstar Games Distributor: Nu-Metro Interactive

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

18+

issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

access on the laptop in his apartment or on his cell phone. From time to time he’ll receive e-mails and so on informing him of various missions that have become available or to keep him up to date with special offers from weapons dealers or the fluctuating drug market price, which Huang can invest in. Unlike recent games in the GTA series, Chinatown Wars is played from a top-down perspective, very much like the original PC incarnation. If you think this sounds like a bit of downgrade in quality, well, you’d be right, and Chinatown Wars feels rather cheap compared to recent games in the series and its PSP predecessor, Vice City Stories, which was far superior in every way. It’s not just the top-down view either… everything feels like it has been squeezed through an underfunded development pipeline. Perhaps most noticeable of all is the lack of a voice cast. Let’s face it, GTA’s priceless dialogue is one of the series’ biggest assets, and you really need a bad Hispanic accent asking if horses can give consent or an East European drawl trying to keep up with barely-discernable Jamaican patois. Chinatown Wars simply begs for a cast of Chinese

accents with the occasional Chinese swear-word thrown in, but sadly, all of the game’s dialogue is conveyed through lifeless text-boxes (and necessitating reading of a small PSP screen is something developers should strive to avoid). The written dialogue is as offensive and politicallyincorrect as it should be, but it takes a lot of effort to bring it to life in one’s imagination. As if that weren’t enough the lack of radio stations, obnoxious DJs, talk show hosts and advertisements spouting hours of pants-wetting offensive commentary is pretty noticeable too. They pulled it off in Vice City stories, so why didn’t we get any here? Instead we have only a modest list of tunes to listen to. If you can get past all of this, however, then you’re in for a pretty wild ride full of minority gang wars in the Liberty City’s Chinatown district. The controls are relatively simple and it’s easy to get the hang of driving, fighting and shooting. Just don’t expect the same level of immersion found in Vice City Stories – in fact, if you’re looking for a GTA game on the PSP, and you haven’t played Vice City stories, you’d probably be better off playing that instead.g g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

52

87

gamecca • review

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story

In Bowser’s Bowels… … there’s a lot going on by Walt Pretorius

M

ario shows up everywhere. It’s hardly a surprise inside Bowser’s body, – the plucky Italian plumber is arguably the while also guiding the world’s most recognisable gaming ‘personality’, temperamental, apparently and it’s little wonder that the holders of the Mario license reptilian bad boy as he finds (Nintendo) take full advantage of that fact. We have out what the hell is going on seen Mario everywhere, from his traditional role as the in Mushroom Kingdom. rescuer of Princess Peach (the still reigning monarch of the Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Mushroom Kingdom) through to performing sports at the Inside Story is the third Winter Olympics, and everywhere in between. We have title in the role-playing style even seen Nintendo lend Mario’s likeness to appear with Mario & Luigi series. The erstwhile rival franchise characters, as was the case with first one appeared on the the aforementioned Winter Olympics game. In that one he Game Boy Advance, while appeared with Sonic the Hedgehog, amongst others. So the second and yes, Mario has been everywhere… so it shouldn’t seem this third one strange when he ends up in the bowels of the Koopa King, were made for Bowser. the DS. Nintendo OK, it’s not like he’s been eaten, or anything (although handed the one would have thought that Bowser would have devised development of a plan long ago to devour the hero, who the beast finds the games off to rather irksome.) It all started with a strange disease Alphadream, who affecting the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom, turning did a fantastic them into barely mobile, bloated blobs. Bowser gate job with all three crashes an emergency meeting of the council, but not games. This before imbibing “Carefully timed counter latest a mysterious one, attacks and attacks will mushroom though, prove useful in ending fights provided to him quickly and, while they are not takes by a mysterious essential to success, getting the stranger (who cake them right is well worth soon turns out as being the top of the lot. It is a rather unique working towards.” to be that other game, for a number of reasons. Mario villain, The most obvious reason is one that will be Fawful.) The mushroom has strange effects on Bowser immediately apparent to Mario aficionados. This is the first and, in a freak incident, he breathes a whole bunch of the Mario game that has seen Bowser take on a prominent, Mushroom Kingdom faithful in. playable role. In fact, the shell-backed bad-guy takes Now it is up to Mario and Luigi to rescue those trapped centre stage, with the player spending most of the time

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gamecca • review

AT A GLANCE: A compelling, exciting and fun DS based role playing adventure for Mario fans. Developer: Alphadream Publisher: Nintendo Distributor: Core Group

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

A

issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

controlling him. The game will switch back and forth between Bowser (on the outside) and Mario and Luigi (on the inside… of Bowser), even allowing the player to make the switch whenever they want. The player’s actions may be limited, though, and progression will need to be balanced. Bowser may need to achieve something before Mario and Luigi can continue. Another big thing (for those unfamiliar with the series) is the fact that this is a role playing game. The developers have made it so that the players can advance the characters (all of them, including Bowser) through experience earned in JRPG style combat sessions. But instead of the run of the mill JRPG combat, this game requires input from the player during attacks and defence, adding a skill requirement that is quite unique. Carefully timed counter attacks and attacks will prove useful in ending fights quickly and, while they are not essential to success, getting them right is well worth working towards. Another strange element for those unfamiliar with the series is the ability to control both brothers at once. And, strangest of all for DS users is the game’s lack of using the stylus. The developers have managed, with this entertaining title, to not only create a game that is compelling and fun to play, with a good story and some great laughs worked in, but have also managed to show off what can be done with the DS. It’s a fairly lengthy game, and one that seamlessly combines traditional platforming (for the Marios) with 3D style adventuring (for Bowser) and role playing elements (for everyone.) Fans of the previous titles will certainly enjoy this one, as will anyone who likes the Mario universe… and, in fact, anyone who wants to play a well made, stimulating DS title. g

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

80

89

gamecca • review

Majesty 2

Semi-Rule Shouldn’t Kings issue orders? by Jimmy Glue

B

have a gold value attached to them, so if you plant an efore doing this review, I had never heard of explore flag with a gold value of 500, more units will go in Majesty, or any other fantasy sim, and I think I search of the flag. know why. Although Majesty 2 isn’t a bad game, The same can be said for the attack and defend flags. If there are just a couple of things that make the game a bit an enemy has a huge bounty on its head, more units will frustrating. try to attack or defend it. It does become a bit frustrating, In Majesty 2, developed by Paradox, the player will take the role of the last heir to the throne. It’s a RTS by the as you will constantly be flagging enemies for attack, and strict definition, but one thing that sets it apart from other if there is an enemy in your city without a reward value, no unit will attack it. RTS titles is that the units are semi“One thing that sets it Maybe I’m just used to the autonomous. apart from other RTS conventional RTS games, but I don’t What that means is that you won’t feel that it should be necessary to be able to tell each unit where to go or titles is that the units are semi-autonomous.” reward your units for exploring or what to do. It’s almost like they have attacking. Shouldn’t they be doing a mind of their own, and will wander those things automatically? Oh, and if you run out of around the map looking for something to do. At best, you gold for some odd reason, you can’t set attack reward will be able to plant different flags, like Explore, Defend, flags, which means the chances of a unit attacking is very Attack and Danger along the map. These flags will also remote. The graphics are rather good, but they’re by no means revolutionary. From a top-down view, the amount of detail is sufficient to make the title look good, and when zooming in to any unit, the graphical detail is up to par with current titles. The game features both single player and multiplayer missions, but single player is recommended if you would just like to have some mindless fun on a Sunday afternoon. After selecting the single player campaign, the rather interesting story is explained to you, just to make sure that you are up to speed with the development of the kingdom. During the tutorial mission, it is clear that your advisor has a bit of a sense of humour, something that is rather welcoming. Actually, the humour throughout the title is amusing,

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gamecca • review

as your subjects will often retort with a snide comment. The units are a different story, as there is only a handful of them to build. As with any medieval RTS, you get your mage, archer, warrior and peasants. Those are about the only units that you will be able to build. The archers are excellent explorers, and will always seek out high-earning reward flags. However, they aren’t as courageous when it comes to battle. Although they fight

from a distance, they will flee the scene quite quickly. The warriors are the true fighters in this tale, as they won’t shy away from a fight, as long as you can get them to it. The nice thing about all the units are that they sort-of upgrade. The longer and harder they fight, the higher their level will become, and they will start to actively seek out battles. Majesty 2 is a rather cute game, for the lack of a better word, but the experience soon becomes forgettable. The inability to control units directly will be a major point of frustration, as will the unit cap of only 3 units per building. It’s a good game for someone who is starting out in RTS games, but for hardcore, or even semi-hardcore gamers, the title will only frustrate, which will lead to a very short gaming experience. The graphics are cute, crisp and feature enough detail to be realistic, while the controls are simple to understand and execute. The sound effects are true to their reallife counterparts, while the in-game commentary and comments will be something to smile at. g

The game is a typical medieval RTS, but just be aware that your units will be able to think for themselves. Developer: Paradox Interactive Publisher: Paradox Interactive Distributor: Apex Interactive

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

12+ issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

AT A GLANCE: PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

53

91

gamecca • review

Wheelspin

What?! You have got to be kidding by Walt Pretorius

T

fact that it bears Archer MacLean’s name. Archer here seems to be a trend happening with December game releases… the really good games get released MacLean is a gaming legend, and has created some very fine games. Perhaps the developers of this title in November and the slush pile hits the shelves in got him drunk the night before he was supposed to December. OK, that’s a generalisation – there are good sign off on the title. Whatever the case may games released in the “A control scheme that be, Wheelspin certainly does not live up to his month of December. alternates between being reputation as a game creator. But the overall finickier than a nine tailed It is, in a word, horrible. That may seem like standard does drop, cat in a rocking chair a harsh statement, but after three days of probably because pondering a subtle way to say it, no solutions marketers are hoping factory and slower than a whale in syrup” were evident. So there it is, in stark black on that the insane white: horrible. rush of last minute The idea behind the game is a good one – the player Christmas shopping will get a few of the less worthy titles gets to race futuristic cars around twisty tracks and hastily stuffed into stockings before the screaming hordes really, incredibly silly speeds. It sounds a lot like the descend on the presents and unveil them in a hurricane of WipeOut series and spiritually it is, but where WipeOut torn wrapping paper and tinsel. That’s how games like Wheelspin get onto store did everything right, Wheelspin manages to do everything shelves… any other time of the year, stuff like this wrong. wouldn’t even be released. The menu interface is a little confusing, to start off. Once The most distressing thing about this game is the the player has managed to figure out what exactly they are

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gamecca • review

it right, you realise that you haven’t . A handbrake turn, for example, is more likely to end the player up flying off of the track than the desired tight turn, because the car tends to whip around almost on the spot when one is employed. The player spends more time resetting and watching their car sail gracefully over the edge of the track than they do trying to negotiate tight turns… no wonder the car respawn speed is the fastest thing in the game. This title is less than half-baked. The fact that it saw release at all is incredible, because it really isn’t any kind of good at all. I always try to find redeeming qualities in even the worst of games, but this one has none. And just to add insult to injury, it was released by Bethesda, a company that is known for some very solid titles in the past. What exactly the motivation for releasing this game was is unclear – but it smacks of exploitation of a Wii-buying market that will, statistically, buy a game almost purely based on the fact that there is a Wii logo on the upper right corner of the box art. Shameful! g

AT A GLANCE: This game defies description in such a short space… it’s that nasty! Developer: Awesome Play Publisher: Bethesda Distributor: Nu Metro

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

7+

issue 7 • january 2010

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

meant to do, it’s on to the racing. First impression: the graphics are really sub standard. The cars look like little more than brightly coloured boxes on wheels, and the track detail is very low. Boost pads and racing lines are easy to spot, but probably because everything else looks so very bad. The cars do change shape as they are modified, with bodywork latched on here and there. And then there’s the game dynamic. The game offers various control schemes, with the basic one being strapping the Wii remote into a wheel modifier and letting rip. Tilting the wheel affects speed, and steering is achieved like any other racer that uses the same control idea. The weapons fire is on the D-Pad, as is the hand brake. The 1 and 2 buttons can be used to speed up and slow down. After a disastrous attempt, we decided to give the nunchuk modified controls a spin. Strangely, this scheme uses only the nunchuk. While one would be forgiven for assuming that the controls for steering go to the handy analogue stick for steering, they don’t. A flick to the top fires weapons (when they come into play) and a flick downwards engages the incredibly sensitive handbrake. Steering is achieved by tilting the nunchuk left and right, while acceleration and braking are affected by tilting the controller forward and backward. It’s an interesting control scheme, and one that has MacLean’s influence stamped all over it. The problem is, it doesn’t work. The very high speeds of the game aren’t served by a control scheme that alternates between being finickier than a nine tailed cat in a rocking chair factory and slower than a whale in syrup. Just when you think you might be starting to get

PC X360 PS3 Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

32

93

gamecca • beginner’s guide to good gaming

D-Pad Controls: Allows for directional input, usually as a supplement to motion sensitive controls, or used to increase in-game functions (menues, etc)

A Button: Large game control button, often used as a primary ingame function control. + / Home / - Buttons: Sometimes used for in-game functions, primarily used as main menu access and control buttons. Home button will return the user to the Wii menu in most cases.

A

recent conversation showed me that many people don’t know much about the video gaming industry - they’re very much in the dark about what the products are, what the games are about, and how powerful this industry really is. Many of these people would be interested in getting into the whole thing, but they aren’t sure where to even start - relying mostly on in-store sales staff who, quite frankly, aren’t necessarily the best people to get advice from when it comes to playing video games or buying video game equipment. Many of these people are only out to make a sale. Sure, there are those that know their stuff, but how does one truly tell the differnece between someone who is truly passionate about the hobby and someone who is trying to pad their sales commission? The trick is research, which can very easily be done through the internet, as well as various publications on the newsagent’s shelves. And, naturally, with Gamecca’s Beginner’s Guide to Good Gaming, now in its third installment. If you have any questions, it is also a good idea to get answers from people in the know, who are as unbiased as possible - feel free to send your questions to letters@gamecca.co.za, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can with informed, balanced and unbiased answers. g issue 7 • january 2010 94

1 / 2 Buttons: Game function controllers, with either primary or secondary control functions in-game, depending on the required controller positioning.

LED Indicator: Shows that the remote is powered on or off, and indicates which remote relates to which player slot within the game. Up to four players are indicated.

gamecca • beginner’s guide to good gaming

Gaming Anatomy 101: The Wii Remote

Sensor Cover: Protective cover over the remote’s signal devices.

B Button: A trigger style control button on the bottom side of the remote, easily accessible with the player’s index finger.

Power Button: Turns the remote and the console on or off.

Peripheral Port: A plug interface at the base of the remote, to allow various peripherals to be connected to the device - including the nunchuk controller and MotionPlus device.

Remote Speaker: Used to produce sounds programmed to the remote by game developers.

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gamecca • beginner’s guide to good gaming

Lexicon: Developer: The company or team who makes a given video game. Publisher: The company that markets video games, and generally funds them too. Distributor: A third party company working with publishers to bring video games to markets where the publishers do not have offices or official presences. Third Party: A company not directly related to a given product or product range, but who still has business interests related to the product.

Genre Check: Racing

K

nowing which game is a racing game is obvious, right? Yes, it is. We admit it. It’s easy to tell which game is about racing, and which game isn’t. But, that said, there are certain considerations and conventions within the racing genre that need to be taken into account when selecting a racing game to play or purchase. And that’s where we can help. There are several sub-genres to the racing genre, with the most notable being simulation style games and arcade style games. Simulation games are hard-core titles, getting down to the nuts-and-bolts nitty-gritty of racing. Players of these games will be able to adjust gear ratios, tyre pressure, brake-bias and a host of other functions to help improve their performace. Arcade games are much more casual, delivering a less serious and often far less realistic driving experience. For the most part, racing games offer a little of both. Many games, like Forza Motorsport 3 or Need for Speed Shift, will offer a balance between the two extremes, allowing the user to determine how detailed they want their experience to be. Other games, including the likes of Colin McRae’s DiRT 2, are almost completely arcade in their approach. In the end, it’s a matter of taste... it’s a good idea to check out a few reviews first, just to make sure that a title will be appropriate. Many racing enthusiats will not enjoy the more casual approach to things like physics and damage that arcade style games take on, while players wanting a more casual experience may feel intimidated by very techical titles. g

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Need for Speed: Shift

Forza Motorsport 3

issue 7 • january 2010

gamecca • beginner’s guide to good gaming

Who You Gonna Call? W

e were asked if we would consider clarifying the way the video game industry operates by a number of companies who field phone calls - complaints, requests for support, and the like - that aren’t actually meant to go to them. We thought it was a smashing idea. The video game industry is a fairly complicated scene, but, as far as the consumer is concerned, it is really quite simple. Games are made by developers. These are the guys that put in all the hard work conceptualising, designing and building the video games we play. Games are then brought to the market by publishers, who often fund the development process and who are responsible for the marketing and distribution of titles within territories that they have an official presence. Sometimes, developers and publishers are the same company but, for the most part, they are separate, associated concerns. In territories where publishers do not have a presence, their games are often marketed and brought to retail channels by distributors. These third party companies act independantly of publishers. Let’s take a South African example. Most games available here are brought to market by distributors. While Microsoft and Electronic Arts have South African offices, publishers like Sony Computer Entertainment, Activision, Ubisoft, Square Enix and numerous others are all dealt with through third party distribution channels.

It goes a little further. Microsoft create the Xbox 360, but they do not make all the games for it - just like Nintendo don’t make all the Wii games and Sony don’t make all the PlayStation 3 titles. Massive publishers overseas - like Activision and Electronic Arts - would be considered third party software publishers for these platforms. Their South African distributors, in turn, would distribute those third party games as normal. The point of this rather lengthy (and hopefully not too confusing) explanation is simple - if you have a problem with a video game product, you need to address the correct channels. An angry telephone call to the Core Group (as an example) about a Wii game may not yield any results, because that game might have come through EA, Megarom, Ster Kinekor Games or Nu Metro Interactive... all of whom are third party Wii title distributors or publishers. The tricky part is knowing who to talk to. Most companies will be happy to point you in the right direction. Or you can take a look at Gamecca reviews, which list the name of the local distributor for each game. We could print a list, but changes that occur from time to time would necessitate a refresher list being printed every so often - and besides, it’s a little more complicated that a case of ‘company A distributes games from publisher B’. A little research will go a long way, though, and much of the information required can be gleaned from the internet, or found out with a phone call or two. . g

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gamecca • geekology

Ho-Ho-Holidays! by the banman

D

ecember 2009’s activities kicked off early in the month. The 5th of December saw the Liberty LAN and Mayhem’s Christmas LAN on the same weekend. Liberty LAN seemed to be bursting at the seams, with gamers quickly filling up the venue. There were even a few gamers that came over to the Mayhem LAN due to the fact that they could not get in at the Liberty LAN. The situation was very similar at Mayhem. LANners were waiting from early in the morning for the event to begin and for registration to open. The Mayhem Christmas LAN was an outstanding success, with sponsors, partners and affiliates going all out to

make the event a rip roaring success. Close on 200 sponsored gifts were given to the teams at Mayhem, at an event that has come to be a highly anticipated happening each year. There were fourplayer local multiplayer games of Left 4 Dead 2 on the Xbox360s while Need for Speed: Shift, PES 2010, and Modern Warfare 2 dominated the PS3 arena. The gamers were purchasing Christmas Crackers at the registration area to see what Christmas gifts they had won. Borderlands and Assassin’s Creed t-shirts, games from EA, Guitar Hero gear and Demigod t-shirts, as well as a host of other goodies and collectables kept the Christmas LANning spirits high. Mayhem also had their signature orange (2009’s chosen colour) Mayhem branded Christmas hats. The weekend of the 12th of December saw Pretoria’s new kid on the block hosting their

event. FragArena is a new LAN in the Pretoria area and they are growing in numbers every month. The Lair was there to host a DotA tournament that ran quickly and very smoothly. The COD4 servers were packed to capacity. I hopped into my car and headed to Cape Town for the Christmas Holidays and was in time to drop in at Organised Chaos at Cape Town’s Velodrome (I love this building as it looks like the chronosphere from Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2). Organised Chaos is the largest LAN in the Cape Town area and was attended by almost 800 gamers. This event also saw the finals of the Frontosa and Intel COD4 tournament. Three big screens and sponsored boxes were the order of the day. All of this was set up on a large stage area Organised Chaos had set up for the finalists. The Lair is looking to do some awesome work with OC in 2010. Keep an eye on your inbox for more details. g

This page is provided by The Lair www.thelair.co.za

gamecca • from space

Fun? Sure, why not? by Columnist A

I

n last month’s column, two types of gamer were mentioned. Guys who like to play the game and take on the role of the character they’re controlling, and guys who play the system, finding glitches and sometimes cheating to win. This set off a bit of a discussion when it came to filling this month’s column space. Yours truly and Mr. Editor got a talkin’, and it turned out that the man in charge is vehemently antimultiplayer. I know why, for I was once in his shoes, too. Aside from the odd bit of LAN gaming - you know, where you take your computer along to copy some files while you play games - I was never really into the multiplayer scene. My main reasoning was, “Well, I play games for fun. Getting killed the whole time by folks who’re better than me is not fun!” [Dude, you used to kill me ALL the time! – ed] Slowly, my mindset changed. I realised that for a lot of the casual gamers it isn’t about winning or losing. It’s not about the competition. It’s about sharing an experience with your mates. Look, my team was properly thumped in a game of Battlefield 1942, mostly because the opposing side was a set of hairy man-nerds who needed a Gillette sponsorship. But the fondest memory came from that exact game: conceding defeat, we spent the last five minutes of the match screwing around. The most laughs came from standing seven-up on the wings of a bomber plane while it circled the enemy base. It got shot down, we fell to our deaths and the enemy team celebrated victory. Little do they know... Even now, in an era of seamless multiplayer gaming, thanks to services like Xbox Live, fun can be had. Don’t let online gaming put

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you off because you’re scared of being embarrassed, or you’re bad at a game. Remember, it’s your Xbox/ PS3/PC. You dictate the terms of fun. If you’re not having any, just quit the game or find a new party to play with. Perhaps that is the most important bit about playing online, though. Since 2006 I’ve been playing with folks from all over the world and have formed fast friendships with my online friends. They’re all like-minded guys who know how to have fun. In Forza 3 we don’t bring every race incident to a jury, we simply say sorry for causing an accident and race on. In Halo 3, we’ve spent hours playing custom game types and blowing things up. Even Gears of War has seen many, many moments of hilarity. I was the last guy on my team, and three guys from the enemy team came charging towards me in column formation, shotguns loaded. I ran like hell, and in the ensuing chaos two of them took one another out, while I chainsawed the third. Nobody was angry. The stakes weren’t high. We were out to have fun and issue 7 • january 2010

something hilarious happened in the process. And that’s before we even get to co-operative play. The same special moments and crazy situations can be had in online co-op - and the fun is set to explode in 2010, with more and more games incorporating new, non-competitive multiplayer features. There are times when you’re focused and taking things seriously, but when you set out to have fun you should always be able to say, “It’s just a game”. g

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