Gamecca Magazine July 2009

i s s u e 1 / vo l u m e 1 - J U LY 2 0 0 9

Living Vicariously the return of The Sims

Electrifying Gaming inFamous on PS3

Prototype evolution just got nasty

Inside

Inside 6 From the Editor On this month’s cover: Prototype allows the player to unleash all kinds of nastiness on a virtual version of New York City. See the review on page 28.

8 Geekology Being a game reviewer isn’t as much fun as you may think, according to Matthew Vice... no, really, it isn’t...

10 Xbox Beat Catch up on some of the big news that was made public at E3 2009, including Project Natal and game announcements.

12 The House of Mario Nintendo’s Wii has a lot to offer, even if it didn’t bring home the ‘winning’ announcement at E3 2009.

14 Unstuck Open world games seem to vex the mysterious Jimmy Glue, and he goes to some lengths to say why.

18 Previews Four games to look forward to are the stars of our first ever preview section.

24 Moving Right Along Motion sensitivity seems to be taking the video game industry by storm, with all the big players getting involved.

26 Reviews We’ve got a whole bunch of reviews to help you make the right kind of game-buying decisions.

56 Lair Page Check out the news from The Lair, which includes events at the Liberty LAN and the Mayhem LAN. 57 Competitions Wanna win stuff? Of course you do - take a gander at the competitions page to see what’s up for grabs.

58 Showdown With two big titles at the top of the free-world game arena, we allow them to duke it out in our Showdown... .

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issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • contents

Previews

20 Wolfenstein Sc-fi Nazi busting action.

21 Ghostbusters: The Video Game Save New York from people who are dead.

22 Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Help Harry fulfill his destiny.

23 Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Hunt a hidden treasure with your kin.

28 Prototype Become the ultimate organic weapon.

32 inFamous Master lightning to uncover the truth.

36 The Sims 3 Live vicariously in a near-perfect world.

40 Red Faction: Guerrilla Blow up all manner of stuff in a fight for liberation.

42 Fuel Race across a truly massive landscape 46 Grand Slam Tennis Feel like you’re really on the tennis court.

GAMECCA Volume 1 Issue 1 July 2009

48 UFC 2009: Undisputed Compete in the world’s most brutal sport.

Editor: Walt Pretorius Writers: Walt Pretorius Matthew Vice Jimmy Glue Brian Murdoch Bryan Banfield

50 Wheelman Cause vehicular mayhem in Barcelona.

51 MadWorld Compete in a brutal blood sport.

Letters: letters@gamecca.co.za

52 Naruto: Clash oj Ninja Revolution 2 Fight as the well-loved anime character.

Reviews

Competition entries: competitions@gamecca.co.za

53 SBK 09: Superbike World Championship Race powerful machines around the world.

54 MySims Racing Expand the activities of your favourite MySims into racing.

Newsletter subscriptions: www.gamecca.co.za

GAMECCA is powered by ISSUU

55 Bionic Commando Experience the power of having a robotic arm.

issue 1 • july 2009

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gamecca • from the editor

The Curtain Rises...

by Walt Pretorius

I

suppose the editor’s note of the first issue of a new magazine should be an introduction to that magazine. So that’s what I’ll do, a little, anyway, just so that you feel at home.

Welcome to Gamecca. This is the first issue of a magazine that will be produced on a monthly basis, and will be available for free on the internet. That’s the first hurdle, right there. It’s free, and the general way of thinking that seems to plague people is that anything that doesn’t cost money isn’t as good as stuff that does. That’s plain rubbish, and we will prove that point over the next few months. Besides the fact that money is tight for everyone at the moment, a well run magazine should support itself in ways other than through shelf sales. True, this isn’t a printed product, which means the production costs are much lower, but the principle still holds – after all, there are salaries to be paid and a whole bunch of other costs that creep into a project like this.

The second hurdle is the fact that it is a digital magazine. Quite frankly, anyone could make a magazine like this and stick it up on the internet. Why, then, should anyone want to read Gamecca? Well, quite simply, this isn’t just another fan-boy project that will fizzle after two months. It is a project born from passion and experience for all involved. The people behind this mag have been around the block a few times, and include two ex-editors (both of whom have edited gaming and technology mags), industry drivers and internationally experienced crew. In other words, Gamecca isn’t another flash-in-the-pan, or pipe dream.

It’s the real deal.

And why shouldn’t a magazine be digital? It’s the 21st century, after all, and everything else is going the way of binary. It also provides you, the reader with a number of options. You can read the issue online, thanks to a snazzy web application. Or you can download it and read it at leisure on your PC. Or, if you like you can print it out and read it in bed. It’s all about options, and that’s what a digital magazine gives you.

So welcome to Gamecca. We hope you enjoy your stay, and that you will visit us many times over the years. Once a month would be nice, as the magazine will be available on the first of every month. And tell your friends about it, too – Gamecca isn’t an elitist magazine that panders to the smaller hard-core market, but is a publication that caters for everyone who likes to play video games; old and young, hard-core and casual, everyone will find something of value in this magazine.

You will see that the magazine predominantly features reviews, but also has columns, previews and competitions,

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“Quite frankly, anyone could make a magazine like this and stick it up on the internet. Why, then, should anyone want to read Gamecca?” among other things. Feel free to enter the competitions, or drop us a letter (it may just make it into the next issue).

You can even subscribe to our newsletter, which will tell you when new issues are available, and give you a little bit of info about the contents. There will even be exclusive competitions for those who subscribe, so you should do just that!

Competitions and subscription details can be found elsewhere in the magazine, so here I’ll just include the letters address: letters@gamecca.co.za. Oh, and be sure to look us up on Facebook as well.

Right. That’s more than enough from me. It’s been hard work, and like a director watching a play on opening night, I have butterflies in my stomach as the curtain begins to rise… g

issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • geekology

The Best Job In The World ™

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by Matthew Vice

lost count of how many times I’ve heard that since I became a game writer. To an outsider, working in gaming journalism may well seem like a dream job – but let me assure you, once the hazy elation of getting paid to play and write about videogames fades, a stark reality comes into focus: it’s a job, just like any other, with its own pros, and just as importantly, its own cons.

First off, when you’re a gaming journalist, the writing just seems to get in the way of your enjoyment of the game. You’re not allowed to sit back and enjoy the game at a languid pace. No, you’ve got to play with a very active mind, noting everything: the acting, the visuals, the art direction, the sound, the controls, the impressive technology, the balance, the multiplayer... And you’ve got to push through it too – while keeping all of this in mind. The phrase “in your own time” just doesn’t apply to

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gaming journalism. You’ve got to get through it as quickly as possible to knock out a review (or several, if you’re a freelancer), usually within a very specific deadline.

This alone makes it feel like a bit of a chore, but there are worse chores than having to play a game, right? Well… yeah, I’m inclined to agree. But by far the worst thing about being a games journalist is actually the interference. Being required to play an endless succession of new games interferes with… care to take a guess? Social life? No. Sex life? Maybe – but no. Hobbies? No… Actually, it interferes in your gaming! “What?” you might say. Well, imagine you’ve just received three games and you’ve got little more than a week to play them all, but the only game you really want to play is the awesome game you got the week before. You can’t, though, because you’ve got three new games to review, and while you might like all three of them, they’re not the ones you really want to play right now.

That’s where being a normal gamer has its advantages: You get to buy only the games you want, when you want, and play them whenever you feel like it. There’s no pressure to finish a game within a certain timeframe or even finish it at all. Don’t get me wrong, us game reviewers are always happy to receive the latest games, but just sometimes, it would be nice to be able to play what we really want to play instead of what we have to play. You may think it odd, but I’m sure that a lot of game reviewers, particularly freelancers, go into those “dry spells”, where no games are released for weeks, with mixed emotions. On one hand, there’s nothing to write about, which means no pay, but on the other hand, it gives us time to enjoy some of the recent (or older) games which have taken our interest.

Well, there you have it, the dark side of being a gaming journalist. I’ll admit I also had naïve expectations about the job when I first decided “...it would be nice to be to take it, thinking I’d be playing games and having a whale of a able to play what we really want to play instead of what time, then spending an hour or two writing about it – but that’s just not we have to play” how it is. g

issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • xbox beat

E3: A Host of Gaming Goodness

E

3 2009 took place from the 2nd to the 4th of June, 2009, at the Los Angeles Convention Centre in the USA. This year’s expo was jam packed with enough announcements and game play demos to make any gamer anxious for release dates.

So let’s get into what made this event so freakin’ awesome.

The NATAL Project: Microsoft has finally given us a good look and some awesome hands on “drool time” with this awesome “ace up their sleeve.”

Some have toted this hardware release as the possible end of the Wii, and we are already hearing some speculation that the next Xbox will possibly have this hardware built in. The truth of the matter is that Microsoft have said nothing, so let’s leave that right there.

Watching the demo sparks every gamers urge to try it themselves.

One of the most popular demos was of people driving around in Burnout Paradise with nothing in their hands.

Just hold your imaginary steering wheel at the “K53” 10 and 2 positions and move as if you were steering.

Step forward with your foot to accelerate and back to brake. You can even perform a “hooting” manoeuvre by pressing the space between your hands.

Motion sensing gaming is the 21st century’s new gaming theme and has put Nintendo back on the map, but I personally don’t buy my Xbox360 hardware and games in a personal quest to put Microsoft at the top. It comes down to the enjoyment factor.

I’m the first to admit that I am not always right but NATAL will take a lot to convince me.

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition: This is for those of us who have been around for some time now. I’m talking early 1990’s (Yip, guys, there was life before CD-ROM). This was when we joined Guybrush Threepwood on an adventure of a life time with only one quest in mind: “I wanna be a pirate.”

This is a total remake from the original game (Which I first played in 4 colour CGA graphics). Every scene has been remade and hand painted for 1080p HD. One of the new features of this game is that it will now have voice over provided by Dominic Armato, who did the voice over for the last few games in the series.

What has also been included is the ability, at the push of a button, to switch between the old version and the new reworked version, giving those who loved the original game, or those who have never heard of the game, the chance to view it in its original glory.

by Bryan Banfield

One of the reasons this game has done so well is due to the fact that the script writers did an outstanding job on the story line and loaded the game with some to the best in-game comedy you will ever come across.

Almost every scene will leave you chuckling while and wondering what they will come up with next.

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is set for release in the States in “Summer 2009” so that could mean anytime from now ‘til September 2009.

As this is an Xbox Live Arcade Game, you will need a Live account to download it to your storage device.

Shadow Complex: Cliff Bleszinski and the team at Epic Games have rewarded us with high quality games, tons of replayability and games that have set the standard for the Xbox360 platform.

Now they are doing it again, with the announcement of Shadow Complex at E3 this year. With its status set at “work in progress”, this 3D, side-scrolling, old-school style action platformer is set to drop jaws.

Those of you who played the original Price of Persia games, the Abe’s Odessy series and Flashback on the Sega Genesis, and loved them... this game is for you.

The story line is based on Orson Scott Card’s bestselling novel Empire, and has you moving through the game collecting weapons and powers that have the ability to alter the game-play and add up to what promises to be outstanding game both visually and from a game-play perspective.

Unfortunately the release date is set at “TBA”. Not good for us that lack the patience to play really amazing games.

Splinter Cell Conviction sees the return of our good friend Sam Fisher in a brutal sequel with added gameplay features and combat styles. My personal favourite is the beautiful way that they have reinvented the update of objectives and the move towards closing the gap between the film and game experience.

Halo 3: ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Troopers): Originally set by Bungie to be a game add-on to Halo 3.

ODST is now being released as an add-on to the story line but is being sold as a standalone game. The story line has no Spartans or Master Chief. You follow the story line as it unfolds around some secret mission.

Multiplayer has been enhanced to now accommodate the Fire-fight multiplayer mode, which is similar to the Horde mode on Gears of War 2.

Be sure to also take a look at: Lost planet 2 by Capcom, Dragon Age Orgins by EA, and DJ Hero and Modern Warfare 2 both by Activision. g

This page is provided by Xbox Gamer www.xboxgamer.co.za

gamecca • the house of mario

Staying in Control

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by Brian Murdoch

have a mixed array of thoughts that I would like to share with you regarding the abundance of Nintendo news that came from E3; from the not-so-nice piece of hardware that monitors your heart rate to crossing blades, as well as the next level in interactive game-play.

Despite being a fanatic member of the house of Mario, I did not mind who “won” at E3. This might be because no one thought that Nintendo would “win”, but also because there was a long list of expectations from Nintendo. They needed to bring out games to feed the hard-core gamers and - on top of that - something else that would beat the tech that the other two power houses would bring.

They covered themselves with the expected games; Super Mario Galaxy 2, Super Mario Bros. Wii, and the next Legend of Zelda, even though Zelda is only coming out next year. I don’t think they Motion Plus and you can have some great game concepts. need to bring out any more tech; they did Strap a Nunchuk to each leg, a Motion Plus on each Wii that last year. Nintendo announced their Wii Motion Plus remote in both hands and you have an accurate, full body at E3 2008 and launched it around this year’s E3. Now reading. Despite looking like half a cyborg, you have the if Microsoft and Sony have only announced their motion makings of an almost virtual simulation. So when is this devices at this E3, when do you think they will actually hit going to be put into practise for a Mech-Warrior game? the market?

The games seen at E3 leave the Nintendo fans standing Enough waffling - on to the Wii Motion Plus and the in a puddle of their own drool! Being a rabbid again and great things you can do with it. There has been enough collecting enough junk to build the proverbial Tower of criticism to upset me about EA Sports Grand Slam Tennis, Babel to the moon (the rabbids home) in Rabbids Go the first title to come out with support for this new piece Home. Mario goes co-op, even having four players on the of hardware. For the first title I think this was a good start. same stage, playing Super Mario Motion Plus aside, let us “The unit and the control Bros. Wii. But the real gem in my compare this game to the mind was Red Steel 2. The game scheme were designed other tennis games out there… Grand Slam is still and made successful with requires Wii Motion Plus, just like some games require a Nunchuk. tops. I have also heard that game-play in mind, and You will not be able to play the game the new Tiger Woods PGA not great eye candy. ” without it. Red Steel 1 was nothing Tour 10 does some good to write home about, but if this game work with Motion Plus. is half as good as the trailer looks and keeps all of the I think about the many possibilities that exist with the advertised game-play it’s going to be one of the greats Wii Motion Plus being added to the peripheral list. In EA’s Game-play is what your Wii is all about - graphics can be Sports Active you strap the Nunchuk to your leg and there improved with a 5 point component cable but the unit and is a very sensitive reading of the position of the Nunchuk the control scheme were designed and made successful - so much so that your squats are accurate to every click with game-play in mind, and not great eye candy. g in your knee. Now add this to the position reading of the

This page is provided by Nintendo Gamer www.nintendogamer.co.za

gamecca • unstuck

Open World Blues

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by Jimmy Glue

ow, game design surely has come along way since the days of 2-D scrollers, but one design advance that totally grinds my proverbial goat is the idea of open-world games.

For the lost souls who have no idea what I’m talking about, it’s the type of game where you run around like a chicken looking for its freshly chopped-off head.

Mercenaries, Grand Theft Auto, and so many others, all feel the need to throw the player into a bottomless pit of self-exploration. And by self-exploration, I actually mean thinking about what to eat for lunch tomorrow as my mind drifts away while driving (or walking) the last virtual 100km before I reach my destination.

With so many of these games, there is more often than not an escape route to the banality of trekking through the landscape. Fuel, for example, utilises a helicopter to ferry you around. If you can use the helicopter, why drive around?

Same with the Grand Theft Auto series. Stick out your Eastern European finger and a taxi drives over an old lady just so that you can use its services. Ok, maybe using GTA as an example is a little unjustified, since the game plays off in a city where transport is essential and where walking is part of the game plan. But still.

When the first batch of open-world game hit the market, I really enjoyed playing them. I threw my hands onto the heavens and exalted ‘Oh, the freedom!’ But my new-found autonomy was short lived. It quickly an open-world, to me, is a bit like having a messy filing turned into frustration as I wandered around aimlessly, cabinet. All the paper work is in one place, but it’s all over wondering what to do next, or struggling to find the damn the world (if you’ll excuse the pun.) objective.

Games like Call Of Duty, Gears of War and Wolverine Why do designers develop open-world games if they all follow the ‘one-way’ system of design. Even though you already know what the can move backwards and forwards, there outcome will be? Why do they “There is more often is usually only one path to follow. That one torture us by saying “Go forth, than not an escape path will sure enough lead you to glory, so and have fun... But it’s going why make things frustrating with decisionto take you a while before you route to the banality ladened path- and motorways? actually do”. of trekking through Need For Speed I can kind of Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy the landscape” understand, as you don’t have to drive all types of games equally, very far to get to your next race, but even but I just find it very frustrating then you still have the option to quick-jump to a race by and boring when half of my game experience is taken up selecting it on the map. by travelling around a city or dusting it through the bush.

A certain petroleum-titled game recently made it into A quick check around the office reveals that some people actually do like the thrill of hoofing it their own way, but me, Guinness World Records for being the game with the largest playable territory, a massive 5 000 square miles of I’m old-school. (Or maybe just old? – ed) explorable space. Is that really necessary?

Give me a good game with objectives, a mini-map and I’ll leave you with another intriguing question. Why would a decent weapon, and I’ll be entertained for hours on end. we enjoy doing boring things on a console, if we hate doing Maybe being a Virgo has something to do with it. I like my them in real life? g affairs to be organised and up-to-date, so I guess having

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issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • preview

Previews

Welcome to your handy guide to the wonderful world of Gamecca previews...

In this issue 20 Wolfenstein The Nazi busting action is back in yet another game that tips its hat to the father of first person shooters.

21 Ghostbusters: The Video Game 25 years after the fact, a new video game detailing the near-bungling adventures of the Ghostbusters is due.

22 Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Another Harry Potter movie, another Harry Potter game – we got hands-on with the Wii version 23 Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Wild West action returns with the second Call of Juarez game, full of six shooters and intrigue.

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A B C D E F 18

good above average average below average poor terrible

reviews serve an important part in the video game industry, helping build hype for new games to an almost fever pitch before they hit the shelves. In fact, some games get previews absolute ages before they hit the shelves.

We say NO! In Gamecca, we will cut out as much of the hype as we can, and will tell you about games that are due soon. Short, sharp and to the point, our previews will whet your appetite without giving you indigestion, will spark your interest without causing impatient meltdowns and, most importantly, will tell you about games that will appear on shelf within a month or two.

Another thing we do slightly differently is rate games according to how excited we at Gamecca are about them.

This isn’t a rating to be applied to the final product, but rather to how sweaty our palms get when we think about the titles that are to be released soon.

So, on to the preview section. You will notice that it’s fairly short in this first month – you will have to forgive us for that one, but we are herding ducks into various straight lines and trying to make sure that everything just gets better with each outing.

We most certainly hope that the games we take a look at are ones that you intend buying…

Vitals: particularly Game: The name of the game after reading Genre: What kind of game it is our to-the-point Platforms: Which machines it is made for previews! g Dev: Who made it Pub: Who sells it Release Date: When to expect it

issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • preview

Back Behind Enemy Lines

The new Wolfenstein promises loads of WWII inspired action

by Walt Pretorius

W

hen it comes to first person shooters, they all owe something to id Software’s Wolfenstein. See, Wolfenstein was the first game in the genre – it was the original game to present the player with a view over his ‘own’ gun.

Since those early days there have been many first person shooters, and a number of them have come from id themselves – including the Doom and Quake franchises. But every now and then, id return to their roots to produce a new Wolfenstein game.

Currently set for release in the middle of July, 2009, the next instalment in the Wolfenstein franchise will be the first project to see the involvement of Endrant Studios, who are be co-developing the game with industry veterans Raven. Despite being a new company, Endrant draws on a vast pool of experience, and will be focussing on the multiplayer aspect of this game.

“Our goal is to make exciting, fun and accessible games that translate to the masses,” said Ben Smedstad, creative director & co-owner, Endrant Studios Ltd.. “Our

Vitals: Game: Wolfenstein Genre: First person shooter Platforms: Xbox 360 / PS3 / PC Dev: Endrant / Raven Pub: Activision Release Date: Mid-August, 2009

backgrounds and experience enable us to be more creative, more focused and deliver a higher quality game no matter what the platform.”

That’s encouraging indeed. While the Wolfenstein franchise has delivered in the past, it’s still good to know that there will be solid talent behind this new title.

This newest version will see the player controlling BJ Blazkowicz, a member of the Office of Secret Actions (OSA). The mission will be to infiltrate deep into Nazi Germany to find the secret behind a new power that the Third Reich is in possession of. Once there, the player will discover that the Nazis are employing the power of a parallel, dark dimension called the Veil to make a weapon of never-before-seen proportions.

Numerous upgradeable weapons and powers await the player in this title, which uses the historical basis of the Second World War, combined with a healthy dollop of science fiction, to fuel its story. Enemies will range from normal Nazi grunts right through to undead warriors resurrected with the strange powers granted by the Veil.

It all sounds wonderfully exciting and, based on previous efforts as well as the artwork, screenshots and videos that we’ve seen, it will be well worth looking out for.

The new Wolfenstein title will be available in PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 formats. g

Anticipation:

A

With lots of weapons and clever enemies, this relook at the father of all first person shooters promises many hours of action packed gaming.

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issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • preview

Revisiting the Classics Busting ghosts 25 years after the fact

by Walt Pretorius

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an a game successfully be based on a movie that came out twenty-five years ago? Perhaps it’s a silly question – we’ve seen successful games based on movies like Scarface and the Godfather. Then again, these films are cult classics, truly wellloved motion pictures that have stood the test of time. Can the same be said about Ghostbusters?

Fans of the film – and there are many – will say most certainly. In fact, there are many that feel the game is long overdue.

But the time had to be right, as was revealed in one of the Ghostbusters: The Video Game developer diaries, released

by Terminal Reality.

“Sony Pictures Consumer Products (Mark Caplan & Keith Hargrove) knew that the time was ripe for a Ghostbusters revival, and wanted to wrap it around a centerpiece game,” the developer wrote.

“Sony felt that game technology had finally arrived and were looking for a developer with the right mix of passion and skills to do the project correctly.

Sony’s balancing act was to find a game publisher capable of giving the title the exposure it deserved, and making sure that the original cast and crew were solidly behind the project.

“Dan Aykroyd had been trying to get a Ghostbusters film sequel off the ground for years, but was having a hard time reassembling the cast and generating studio interest.

He had decided that a CG-animated movie would be the best way to go, since the GB III script called for a daunting budget if shot practically. A few voice-acting sessions would require a much smaller time commitment from the cast. And the now almost-sixty-year old principals wouldn’t

have to strap those brutally heavy proton packs back on and run through NYC streets. So, from his perspective, moving to a game format for a true sequel wasn’t too big a leap for him.”

Ghostbusters: The Video Game will allow the player to take on the role of their favourite spirit-hunting characters in a game that is fun-filled, action packed and funny. They will be on a quest, naturally, to save New York from the latest supernatural menace, and will be able to make use of equipment seen in the movies. This is one the fans have most certainly been waiting for. It will release locally in July as a PlayStation 3 exclusive title, released through Ster Kinekor Games. g

Vitals: Game: Ghostbusters: The Video Game Genre: Adventure Platforms: PS3 Dev: Terminal Reality Pub: SCEE Release Date: July 2009

Anticipation:

B+

Even 25 years after the films were first released, Ghostbusters holds a massive amount of appeal - and now that the technology is ‘ready’ for it, the game may shape up quite nicely. issue 1 • july 2009

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gamecca • preview

Handling Harry

The Wii version of the new Harry Potter game will let players get their hands dirty

by Walt Pretorius

I

t’s always a treat to be invited to the Fourways offices of Electronic Arts South Africa for a preview session – the coffee is excellent, the couches are comfy, the smiles are wide and the games… oh, the games!

We recently got an invite to take a look at one of the company’s hottest properties for the year: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Set to release with the film, this game will act as both a support to the film, and as a supplement to it (just like the other Harry Potter game releases.) However, we looked at the game on Nintendo’s Wii console specifically, and found a title that is beautifully presented and huge amounts of fun to play.

Taking the part of Harry, the player will embark on numerous adventures (which we’re not allowed to say much about, according to the numerous legal documents that were waiting for signatures.) The player will experience the story that book readers already know and movie goers may not, but the true beauty of this title does not lie in the story… rather it is the wonderfully implemented control scheme that takes the cake.

See, the player gets to use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to mimic the movements that Harry would (theoretically, at least) make to create his magic.

Casting spells requires specific movements (and specific movements for each spell, naturally) while mixing potions will have the player mimicking pouring ingredients and stoking fires.

The sweet control set-up is supported by some of the best graphics we have seen on the Wii, with characters that are highly recognisable and settings that are rich and detailed. In short, the game captures the feel of the perfectly,

Anticipation:

which is quite a feat when considering that the Wii doesn’t pack the graphical punch of some of the other platforms this game will be available on. The voice acting is also top notch, making this a game that Wii owners and Harry Potter fans alike will be able to really fall in love with.

The modern trend is one that means movie-based games are taken more seriously. It is a wonderful thing to see, to be honest, and it is equally gratifying to see Electronic Arts taking this very valuable franchise so seriously. g

B

Vitals: Game: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Genre: Adventure Platforms: Wii, PC, PS3, X360, PS2, PSP, DS Dev: EA Games Pub: Electronic Arts Release Date: July 2009

EA have taken this one seriously, and the Wii version of the game will most certainly thrill fans with a very visceral control scheme and great graphics.

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issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • preview

Let’s Ride!

The McCall Brothers will allow the player to cut a swathe across the Wild West

by Walt Pretorius

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ames set in the Wild West are rare, which is quite a pity. Being a fan of the movie genre, I personally quite enjoy playing games set in America’s frontier country but, with very few exceptions (like Red Dead Revolver and Call of Juarez) there isn’t much gunslinging and trail-riding to be done via video gaming.

Call of Juarez is making a welcome return shortly, with the second game in the series. Subtitled Bound in Blood, the new game will put the player in the shoes of the McCall brothers, a pair of gun slingers that make their way from civil war ravaged Georgia right through to the jungle-bound Aztec ruins of Mexico. They are, obviously, on a quest, particularly to try and find the legendary Gold of Juarez.

The story, from the press release information we have been able to gather up, will not only detail their adventures, but will also investigate the relationship between the two brothers as greed starts coming between them.

The developers are promising something that they call Dual Collaborative Gameplay. Basically, the player can choose either brother (Ray or Thomas) and can take advantage of their different skill sets, while the AI fills the role of the other brother.

Relying on player skill and a host of upgradeable Vitals: Game: Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Genre: Action Platforms: X360, PS3, PC Dev: Techland Pub: Ubisoft Release Date: July 2009

weapons, Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood will deliver tons of action. Various weapons, from pistols right through to primitive machine guns and heavy calibre cannons, will be available for use, as will horses, canoes and wagons.

The player will be able to explore vast open landscapes including deserts, forests and even cotton plantations.

In addition, the story will feature numerous intriguing characters, including a renegade Apache chief and Mexican bandits.

And as if the massive single player game isn’t enough, extensive multiplayer modes will be available for online enjoyment.

So, while Western games aren’t common, those that are out there (or, rather, will be out there soon) promise to be engaging and enjoyable experiences. g

Anticipation:

B

Whip-crackin’, pistol-totin’, hoss-ridin’ and maybe even a little cattle-rustlin’ will be up for play in the latest game in the Call of Juarez franchise... pardner... issue 1 • july 2009

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gamecca • feature

Moving right along...

Motion sensitive game controls are storming the industry from all sides

by Walt Pretorius

The Project Natal device: tons of power in a small package 24

issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • feature Nintendo’s MotionPlus device slots onto existing hardware and modifies its performance

I

t seems to be a long time ago that game controllers were all black boxes with a little joystick and a red button on the edge of the base. The truth is, though, that in the greater scheme of things, it’s not.

The march of technology has increased pace from a steady walk to a mad sprint towards some invisible (and possibly non-existent) finish line, with players in various industries not trumping each other every now and then, but almost on a daily basis.

And the video game industry, being such a powerful and above all profitable one, is at the forefront of the race.

The latest little bit of industry infighting is part of a war that started at roughly the time that the current generation of console technology was announced.

See, Microsoft and Sony (makers of the Xbox and PlayStation consoles, respectively) have been waging a war of verbal attrition for some time now, with the third combatant (in the form of Wii makers Nintendo) taking sniper-shots from a background position. The war of words between the two giants (which basically breaks down to arguments about why their products are better than the others) was dealt a shuddering blow when Nintendo revealed the big secret behind the Wii. The console offers less processing power than either the Xbox 360 or the PlayStation 3, but it brought a tantalising new control concept to the fray – motion sensitivity. The Wii wasn’t the first console to use motion sensitivity – PlayStation’s EyeToy peripheral did that years ago, after all – but it did it in three dimensional space, thanks to accelerometers built into the remote-like game controller.

Sony’s PlayStation 3 launched with Sixaxis tilt sensitivity, meaning that the controller could also be used as a motion sensitive device. Microsoft was, to some degree, left out in the cold.

And then, a few years later, Microsoft scored a coup. They

announced, at the massive E3 2009 exhibition in Los Angeles, a new control system, codenamed Protect Natal. This is a camera based motion sensing system that, according to reports, will allow the player to interact with games without the need for any handheld devices. It incorporates an RGB camera, depth sensor, multi-array microphone and custom processor in a unit roughly 23 cm long, designed to be placed above or below the TV being used with the Xbox console. With these incorporated systems, the unit will be able to recognise 3 dimensional movement, distances, faces and voice commands. The software incorporated into the system will also enable gesture recognition.

On paper, Project Natal is a powerful system indeed.

However, almost moments after the announcement, Sony followed suit, shedding light on their own new motion sensing system. Although little is known about the device as yet (with more information set to be made available in the middle of July) certain industry analysts and insiders feel that the Sony proposition, for use with the PlayStation 3, will be a better prospect for the core gaming market.

And Nintendo? The Japanese giant doesn’t seem to be worried, with big boss Saturo Iwata actually welcoming the competition. They have just launched their own new gadget, the MotionPlus, which plugs into the base of the Wii remote, and uses a “tuning fork” angular rate sensor. This makes the Wii remote sensitive to rotation and helps refine the way that the original device understands the player’s movement.

So, movement (and lots of it) is most certainly in the future for video gamers. As things look right now, the Wii will still capture the casual market, while the PlayStation 3 solution will (apparently) lend itself to the more core market. The Xbox 360, presumably, will tread something of a middle ground. It’s all speculation, of course, and the only thing that can be said with any certainty is that there are exciting times ahead. g

issue 1 • july 2009

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gamecca • review

Reviews

Welcome to your handy guide to the wonderful world of Gamecca reviews...

Highlights 28 Prototype Become a mutated fighting machine in this virtual version of New York City 32 inFamous Electrifying action set in a fictional, free-roaming city awaits.

38 The Sims 3 Who needs real life when little computer people can provide all the thrills?

O

42 Red Faction: Guerilla ne of the major functions that Gamecca serves is Liberate Mars from the evil and oppressive to guide would-be game buyers towards making government forces. the right kind of purchasing decisions. This is done through supplying our readers with product reviews.

44 Fuel Game reviews are an essential part of the overall video Racing through an unforgiving landscape to win game industry and, as such, we love writing them, laying more and more fuel... them out, and publishing them in the magazine. Actually, no, that’s a lie; the truth is that we love playing games 46 Grand Slam Tennis for a living all that writing is another story. Each review Get into the swing of realistic tennis action and win comes with a rating, but read the whole article none the all four Grand Slam titles. less... a rating is a very opinion based thing, after all. Our reviewer may love the game, but you may hate it - or vice versa. Still, the ‘Reviewer’s Rating’ will give you a rough idea of what’s going on.

Vitals: The summary sums up what the reviewer said with all Game: The name of the game those words in a few concise sentences, conveniently Genre: What kind of game it is located in a block for you to be able to find easily. We Platforms: Which machines it is made for Dev: Who made it sincerely hope that you do read everything the reviewer Pub: Who sells it had to say about the game though, because that will be Age Rating: Who should play it the best way to get a solid idea of what it is all about.

Just referring to the various summaries and looking at the pretty pictures will probably not make you the most well-informed game player Awards: out there. good Glorious Game Oh, yes, the pretty pictures. They’re an Star Award important part, and they are included to Given to the above average give you some kind of idea regarding what cream of the video the game looks like. Stills very rarely do a gaming crop video game’s graphics justice, though. average On this page, other than this long Editor’s ‘Right On’ Button winded introduction, you will find a quick Given to those below average guide to interpreting the various elements games that the of each and every review featured in editor believes Gamecca. We believe that making your poor are really cool, life easy and enjoyable is half of what we although not do. You’re welcome, It’s nothing, really. g necessarily the terrible best of the bunch.

A B C D E F

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issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • review

Maximum Mayhem Feel free to slice and dice...

by Walt Pretorius

F

ree-roaming, open-world games are all the rage these days, and the more freedom afforded the player the better, it seems. But there comes a point where freedom within a game becomes a problem; too much of it will have the player wandering around aimlessly. No game really has that problem to a great degree just yet, but Prototype certainly feels like it does, at times.

Prototype tells the story of Alex Mercer, a guy who wakes up in a morgue and finds himself imbued with extraordinary powers. How he got these powers is a bit of a mystery, but it does seem to have something to do with a strange disease that is threatening New York City.

And so the player takes to the streets of Manhattan, trying to solve the puzzle. That’s one of the nicest aspects of the game – the puzzle solving. See, the story is revealed either through completing story missions, or by collecting the memories of people involved in the grand conspiracy as part of what the developers called the Web of Intrigue. It’s a great way to piece together the tale, but talking about it right now is jumping the gun just a little. Let’s get back to the core of the experience; controlling Alex.

The genetic mutation that has taken place in Alex allows him to do any number of things. In fact, there seems to be very little that he cannot do. He can run up the side of buildings and other vertical surfaces, can make massive jumps, can glide, can grow a variety of appendages that

generally mean pain for other people, and a whole bunch more. The developers basically added so many powers and abilities for Alex, which the player can ‘buy’ using the game’s version of experience (called Evolution Points) that, theoretically, no two experiences will be quite the same with Prototype.

Additionally, unlocking certain abilities makes other abilities available for purchase. Getting the claws, for example, means that the player will be able to unlock modified versions of the ground-spike ability, which is the special attack linked to the claws. It’s a great idea, and the variety is very sweet indeed. However, it leads to the games first, and biggest weakness. With so many abilities available, the controls become something of an issue. See, although the player selects which power to use when, and the controls apply only to the power currently active, there are so many options available that even power specific controls will result in the player having to memorise a whole bunch of control combinations, and having to perform masochistic finger-mutilations to input a large number of them. The end result is that the player will more than likely stop using some of the more impressive powers (because these are

“Alex is simply a born-again bad-ass that will not let anything stand between him and the truth. ”

Vitals: Game: Prototype Genre: Action Adventure Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC Dev: Radical Pub: Activision Age Rating: 18

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issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • review the ones that require pressing fifteen buttons at the same time, while standing on your head and whistling Dixie with your nether regions) and will rely on the easier to use, simpler and generally less effective powers.

Still, a clever player will be able to cover a number of bases, granting the character the ability to take on most enemies with relative ease, thanks to the vast array of powers available.

While the majority of the combat is up-close and inyour-face (up until the time that Alex With a wide variety of powers at his disposal, Alex deals with most removes said face in enemies quickly and easily - even when they come in packs... a number of graphic and brutal ways) the player can also make use of weapons dropped by enemies, and even improvised weapons that can be picked up and flung around the large environment. Air conditioning units at the top of buildings make particularly effective anti-chopper weapons, for example. Alex can also hijack vehicles, and cause mayhem with them too.

That’s really what lies at the heart of Prototype – causing mayhem. The player doesn’t get the choice to be a good guy or a bad guy in this one.

Alex is simply a born-again bad-ass that will not let anything stand between him and the truth. Not tanks, soldiers, cars, civilians, trees… nothing.

The player will get to slice and dice virtually anything in his path, with little consequence.

The game will pretend to punish the player who causes a lot of mayhem by sending out a strike mitigates this problem to a degree, but the mayhem levels team, but these are dealt with easily enough (air get so high that even that can sometimes not be enough to condition unit target practice, once again.) cut through the confusion. This isn’t a bad thing – it’s just Brutally hacking through a number of civilians will get a difficult to deal with, particularly when the heat is on. nice, panic-stricken response from the AI characters that While there are around thirty or so story missions to inhabit the world, sending them scurrying in all directions complete, the game also throws numerous side missions, and adding to the general mayhem (more about that later.)

However, Alex literally needs to rip someone in half for that or (more accurately) challenges at the player. These vary from movement challenges through to carnage style to happen – flying over the crowd or dropping from a high building gets no reaction whatsoever… meaning that either events. They’re fun, and grant the player useful evolution points, but they have little bearing on the overall game. the citizens of New York can’t look up, or there is a serious They’re something to do, but there seems to be little reason chink in the AI’s thinking. to do them, because the game is very generous with When things get violent (and they generally do every few evolution points anyway – the player won’t be struggling to minutes, because almost everyone wants Alex dead) the upgrade Alex’s abilities. scene is truly chaotic. Impressively chaotic, in fact; there Moving through the virtual version of New York City’s are crazed civilians dashing for cover, vehicles exploding Manhattan Island is fast paced and fun. The highly and enemies laying down all kinds of weapons fire. Alex is enjoyable experience will have the player running up tough, and can take it, but sometimes the combat gets so walls, jumping between buildings and gliding fairly long chaotic that it becomes difficult to tell your elbow from your distances. Additionally, falling from great heights doesn’t Dixie-whistling parts. The game has a target lock, which

issue 1 • july 2009

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gamecca • review Alex often helps enemies get the point...

harm Alex, so the freedom of movement is almost complete, without worrying about becoming a pixelated smear on the sidewalk. There isn’t too much of a pop-up problem, but that’s because the game takes up a little too much time loading. The loading doesn’t happen often, but it’s fairly long when it does… and right in the beginning, it loads like crazy. Additionally, the graphics might have been a little less drab. They’re good, but many of the environmental textures are repeated, giving the city something of a plain appearance.

Prototype is good fun to play.

Running around ripping people apart, without too much in the way of consequences, has its charms, after all (at least, it does in a video game.) However, with the sometimescomplicated controls and lack of serious consequence, Prototype isn’t quite as compelling as it could have been.

It’s fine when you start playing it, but it needs more reasons to keep playing than it currently has. The story is good, and if it hooks the player, that should be enough… but the freeform aspect of the game doesn’t hold too much by way of compelling content. Still, this is a very solid offering from Activision, and the wide variety of character options will hold huge amounts of appeal for the player. The chance to literally run riot is also appealing, even though it might get a

little old after a while.

Prototype is a game that everyone should, at very least, try out. It will strike a chord with most people, and those patient enough to learn the necessary controls will have a whale of a time destroying everything that moves (and a few things that don’t.) It’s brutal, violent and crammed with action, which is generally exactly what a gamer wants in a title. g

Reviewer’s Rating:

B+

Prototype offers lots to do, a massive number of upgrades and absolute bucket-loads of brutal, free-roaming action.

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issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • review

A Real Shocker!

inFamous offers the player an electrifying experience

by Walt Pretorius

E

very now and then, a game comes along that makes it obvious why we own consoles… those of enlightened enough to own consoles, of course. For the PlayStation 3, the latest game to earn that distinction is a massive free-roaming title, crammed full of enemies, quests, exploration and superpowers: inFamous. inFamous has a fabulous story behind it that, while possessed of a predictable and slightly familiar premise, features excellent flow and progression, and is populated with believable characters. The central character, who has his life in the player’s hands, is Cole. Once an ordinary messenger with a penchant for exploration, Cole’s entire life changes when a mysterious package he is delivering explodes, levelling most of his beloved home, Empire City. Cole somehow survives, but he is not the same man he was. The cataclysm imbued him with the ability to control electricity… and that’s where the fun starts.

As Cole, the player will get to experience the massive and vibrant Empire City setting however

he wishes to. See, despite the blast, Empire City is still a lively place – although it’s on the nasty side of lively, in all honesty. The city’s three islands have been quarantined, effectively shutting it off from the outside world, and law and order have been replaced by chaos and predation.

Each island is controlled by a faction that want to run things their way, and provide masses of enemies for the player to deal with. Between Cole and these factions stand the normal citizens of Empire City, or those that have survived, at least. These citizens will react to fights, running for cover and adding cannon fodder to these chaotic scenes.

But they will also react to Cole in various ways, which are largely up to the player to determine.

See, the player gets to decide whether Cole is a good

“Every now and then, a game comes along that makes it obvious why we own consoles…”

guy, or a nasty one. Using a six degree scale, the game takes the player’s actions into account (all of them, mind you) and determines how the populace sees Cole. His appearance changes too – the nice Cole radiates blue lightning and looks quite clean and friendly, while the nasty Cole issues red electricity and looks sallow and dirty. The player has direct control over this. A civilian writhing on the ground, for example, can either be healed or killed, drained of their bioelectric energy. These actions provide experience, of course, but also add to the character’s reputation.

This kind of determination makes the game really special, and adds to its free nature. It also adds rewards in the form of powers specific to Cole’s overall nature. Other rewards and powers are unlocked as a part of the story, and can be upgraded (in most cases) using the experience that the player earns.

Travelling around Empire City is arguably the most fun that the player can have with this game. Once a few powers have been unlocked, Cole is able to glide using static electricity, grind along railway tracks and power lines, and generally get around in fun and exciting ways.

Cole is an adept climber at the start of the game, and his new powers mean that he can survive a fall from any height. This makes for exciting locomotion, and I spent a lot of my game time merely cruising around the massive environments, looking for reward items and fighting off random groups of bad guys.

The combat system used in the game is wonderfully simple (actually, all the controls are). The player holds down the L1 button on the PlayStation 3 controller, and blasts energy bolts with the R1 button. These energy bolts are the weakest form of attack, and do not use up any of the player’s stored energy (which is displayed at the

top of the screen). Other attacks are performed using the face buttons and remaining shoulder buttons. These do chew up energy, but they are far more powerful and often specialised. New powers are unlocked as Cole helps to restore power to the blasted city, and after a few hours of play, the player will have an arsenal of powerful, generally upgradeable attacks at his disposal.

Recharging energy is done by sapping electricity from the city’s power grid. This can be done at plentiful locations around the city, or even (at later stages) by grinding electrified rails and cables. However, when Cole enters an area that is suffering from a blackout, his ability to regain energy, and even his overall performance, takes a massive hit. Getting those power grids up and running is crucial. inFamous offers the player a lot to do. Aside from the roughly seventy neutral side missions, fifteen good or bad side missions and numerous story quests, the game has tons of items to be discovered, massive areas to explore and three challenging boss fights. Once everything is done, the player can keep going, exploring Empire City for the sheer fun of it. Starting a new game, though (because you want to try and complete the other side of Cole’s personality, too) will set the player back to the beginning.

Multiple save slots mean that progress won’t be lost, though.

On the technical side, inFamous is a sweet offering.

Vitals: Game: inFamous Genre: Action adventure Platforms: PS3 Dev: Sucker Punch Pub: SCEE Age Rating: 16+

issue 1 • july 2009

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The graphics are good, with the bleakness of the situation brought across beautifully in terms of visuals. Because the game has very little loading time, there will be some pop-up of items and textures, and the very occasional frame-rate slow-down, particularly when the player is moving through the setting at break-neck speeds, but these are very rare occurrences. In fact, the one or two very minor bugs I encountered while playing (and I spent a lot of time playing this one) were hardly even noticeable… a great achievement on the part of developers Sucker Punch, when considering the scale of this project.

Adding to the presentation is a high level of voice acting. Cole is a little sulky, perhaps, but other characters are more or less spot on. This counts for their actions, to, which the AI handles beautifully. Cole will be approached by civilians for help from time to time, and their reactions to his reputation add a massive amount of realism to a game that is, essentially, not really about realism at all.

In terms of control, things are pretty simple. The controls are straight forward.

They get a little more complex as the game progresses, but they never become confusing and remain easy to deal with.

Combat can be a little tricky, as the game has no kind of lock on (except for healing people, or capturing them with

electric bindings, and so on.) When you fight, you do it with your skill only, and that can get a bit frustrating when the bad guy just won’t stand still long enough for you to get that head-shot in. But the missions aren’t generally time and area dependant, so if a lack of skill means that Cole ends up looking a little like Swiss cheese thanks to enemy rifle fire, the player can take off and go hide while his natural healing ability takes care of the problem. The player can also use a wide variety of strategies to take on most missions, which is a really nice benefit. Personally, I like roof top sniping for the most part, but not every mission allows for that.

Initial AI enemies seem a little dense, but it becomes apparent that they’re supposed to be. The grunts are dumb, but tougher enemies are smarter, and everyone that Cole fights has enough sense to look for cover. That makes the combat experience even better, and requires the player to put a little thought into the fights. inFamous is a fine game, an excellent achievement for Sucker Punch and, above all, lots of fun to play. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys open-world, thirdperson action adventure titles. It raises the bar for this kind of title significantly, and is well worth experiencing. g

Reviewer’s Rating:

A

inFamous is, quite simply, a fantastic game that will have the player busy for many enjoyable hours, with tons to do and lots of choices to make 34

issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • review

Playing God Creating life has never been so much fun

by Jimmy Glue

T

“The possibilities are endless, and the harder they work, the more accomplished they will become.”

he Sims franchise has been with us since 2000, and as we ushered in a new millennium, so too did we usher in one of the most iconic games of this generation.

Developed by Maxis, The Sims allowed us to watch as our little creations ran around the house, looking for that next fix of excitement.

The original game has seen no fewer than seven expansions packs, which is testament to its longevity.

The third instalment, Sims 3, was recently released, and Vitals: Game: The Sims 3 Genre: Life Simulation Platforms: PC Dev: EA Play Pub: Electronic Arts Age Rating: Teen

36

with the new game came some new and exciting elements.

Gone are the days of just entertaining your sims in their houses; it’s time to welcome the ability to roam an almost free world.

Right from the start, players are asked to create their own sim. Almost anything can be customised, including different clothing sets for day, night and swimming. Furniture and fittings can also be given a make-over, with different variations available at the click of a button.

Once content with your newly-created friend, it’s time to drop him into his new residence. We are not talking about the first flat you had in the ‘80s. Oh no, here you can build (if you so wish) the house of your wildest dream, with every accessory possible. You will also have the option to drop your sim into a pre-built house, but where is the fun in that?

As in real life, starting a new existence will cost you money, or in this case, a hand-full of simoleons. You will

issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • review start off with a limited amount to dish out however you see fit, and it can be spent on nearly anything, ranging from furniture, paintings and gym equipment.

Going on a spending spree will dry up your funds pretty quickly, so it is best to start looking for a job straight away. Jobs can be found in a number of ways, but reading the daily newspaper will be a good place to start. Vacancies can also be found on a nearby computer terminal, but you will have to buy one to have that luxury.

When selecting a job, the game will automatically make it your career. Careers can be started in a number of fields, including music, journalism, military, political and even law enforcement. While your sim is at work, a small window will open on the left, which will give you the power to adjust your sim’s working performance. You can’t actually see how they work, but you can decide if your sim needs to work harder, laze around or just do what is expected. Your working performance will also influence the frequency in which they get promotions and special opportunities. The one thing that Sims 3 changed, compared to its predecessors, is that a job will give several rewards, instead of just one.

Navigating your sim around the environment is pretty easy, as it works on a point-and-click system. If left alone for a while, your sim will start roaming around on their own.

Interaction can actually be kept to a minimum, but there’s no fun in suffering from ‘fishbowl syndrome’.

Ok, so you’ve got your house with the white picket fence and the blue door, got a job and bought a TV set. Now all that is left is to start exploring your neighbourhood. This can be done either on foot, by calling a taxi or, if you have enough simoleons, driving yourself around in your car.

There are many things to do around the sim-world, but a personal favourite is to read a book in the park or to go fishing at a nearby pond.

The beauty of Sims 3 is that the possibilities are almost limitless. Cruising the ‘burbs in your shiny X5-lookalike, a spot of shopping might be on the cards, while a trip to the spa will do your little virtual person the world of good.

The nearby community centre could also host a wealth of knowledge and excitement, as you never know what you might get up to there.

Walking through the central park, your sims will no doubt

Even virtual worlds have total losers...

bump into other sims, with whom they can interact. As soon as you start talking, a little box will pop up, noting what your sim has found out about their friend and also what they think of you. The longer you talk, the better acquainted they will be come. Eventually they will move on from just being acquaintances to actual friends, and this is where the real fun starts.

Various interaction are possible during conversations, including telling jokes, talking about work and even being a bit flirty. But be careful if you get flirty, as some sims might find it offensive. It is usually only the single sims that will acknowledge your advances, while the married or dating sims will push you away. Oh, and there is no need to check your sound card, as the sims talk in their own language, called Simlish. Creator Will Wright actually experimented with fractured Ukrainian, French and one of the major languages of the Philippines, Tagalog, to come up with the language.

Choosing you words carefully is the key to get what you want, but having a friend is the most important part, as your sim will start to get lonely very quickly. Being close friends with someone will unlock the ability to do certain activities together, although we haven’t experimented with being a

issue 1 • july 2009

37

gamecca • review Jimmy the Sim seems concerned about virtual incarceration... don’t drop the Sim-soap!

‘close friend’ to your boss (it’s better not to – ed).

As your new-found relationship grows, you will eventually have to opportunity to ask them to move in, but this needs to be a calculated decision, as you will have to take care of both sims. Sure, you can neglect your new partner, from a player’s perspective, but the whole point is to be in control.

It’s better to keep your partner at an arm’s length and enjoy the freedom for as long as you can (ok, you don’t get to write any relationship guides for real people, dude – ed).

Not content with only doing a 9 to 5 job, your sims can develop skills in almost any direction, like music, painting, cooking and logic. The more you get them to practice a certain skill, the better they will become at it, which could also advance your career. Playing chess will increase their logic, as will reading a logic book. Strumming blissfully on a guitar will increase their music ability, which in turn will allow them to play for tips in the park or at a party. The possibilities are endless, and the harder they work, the better in life they will become.

Sims 3 is as an accurate reflection on real life as we’ll ever get in a virtual environment, and it’s one of those game that will still be entertaining in a couple of years from now. EA Play has once again created a genre-defying game, and the new version brings enough to the table that it might no longer be considered a ‘chick game’.

It’s as fun as it is addictive, and the graphics have been vastly improved, which helps with the realism. The only niggle is that it might become repetitive, as the formula for work-sleep-party-eatwork could wear thin in a couple of months. As a whole, it’s an enjoyable title that is sure to keep you glued to your pc screen, and even though we haven’t touched on aspects like adopting (or creating) a baby, there is so much more left to explore.

We have mentioned this before, but the possibilities are truly and honestly endless, as you can control your sim the way you want to and create a life that’s appealing to you. As far as life simulators go, this is definitely the best of the bunch, but it might not be for everyone. It’s a recreational title, and hardcore gamers will view it as silly and meaningless. For a casual gamer, though, it will be an excellent starting point for learning the ropes regarding simulators. After mastering the balancing act of work and play, it could be a good idea to revisit the old sim games, like SimCopter, SimHospital and SimFarm.

It’s by no means a pick-up and play title, but after a short tutorial and some practice, you will be at the top of the social ladder without break a sweat. It’s certainly one for the gaming collection. g

Reviewer’s Rating:

B+

The Sims 3 isn’t a chick game anymore, but chicks will still dig it. Playing God is great fun, and the options in this title make it truly engaging and addictive.

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issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • review

Wanton Destruction

Blowing stuff up has never been more fun

by Matthew Vice

W

hen the original Red Faction was released in 2001, it impressed gamers everywhere because not only was it a solid first person shooter, but it also allowed players to use explosives to tunnel through walls and rock.

The realistic destruction was unheard of at the time, and it became something of a legacy that subsequent titles in the series inherited.

Red Faction: Guerrilla is the third game in the series, and it takes advantage of the power of modern game machines to bring us a new level virtual destruction that is just as impressive today as the first game’s offerings back in 2001. Unlike the other two titles, the destruction in RF:G is focused more on property damage. You know? Tearing down buildings and guard posts and smoke stacks instead of blasting holes in the side of mountain. In fact, it’s impossible to destroy anything that isn’t man-made. This is a moot point however, because it’s way more fun to destroy something built for a purpose than it is to blast a hole in a lifeless chunk of rock – and this is where Guerrilla really shines.

The main character of the game is a man named Alec

Mason. Like his brother, Alec is a miner working on Mars.

Details of his past are scant, but various conversations in the game do hint that Alec has some kind of military/ mercenary background. After Alec’s brother is killed by the oppressive Earth Defence Force, the ruling regime on Mars, Alec joins the Red Faction, a guerrilla resistance group fighting to free the oppressed Martian-born miners from the iron grip of Earth.

That’s where you come in. As Alex Mason, your job is to drive the Earth Defence Force out of the game’s six huge sectors. If you’ve played the first Red Faction, you’re likely to notice that some of the sectors are named after heroes from the first game, like Eos and Parker – legendary former generals of the Red Faction in the past.

In each sector there are story missions and side missions.

You can wander around and find and complete missions as and when you want to. To clear each sector, you need to complete all the story missions – the problem is that some of the story missions only become available once the morale in each sector has reached a certain level, or once the EDF Control rating has been reduced to a certain level.

“The game is all about destruction, and almost every mission in the game involves some kind of large-scale property damage. ”

Vitals: Game: : Red Faction: Guerrilla Genre: Action Platforms: PS3, X360, PC Dev:Volition Pub: THQ Age Rating: 16+

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issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • review

“Damn it, Gerald, did you leave the gas on again?”

To achieve this, you need to complete a few side missions and destroy some EDF property. Each side mission you complete will raise the morale of the Red Faction, and each piece of EDF property you destroy lowers the EDF Control rating a bit. This isn’t just for the sake of numbers either, as you raise morale, more and more guerrillas show up to help you whenever you decide to start some trouble; and as you lower the EDF Control rating, it limits their ability to call in backup to respond to your attacks.

Since you are part of a guerrilla group, good weapons are scarce. In order to procure some better hardware, you have to collect salvage whenever you destroy something, and trade it with your scientists for better weapons, armour, and equipment. But destroying things yields a surprisingly small amount of salvage, and it takes a long time to save up enough to buy decent equipment. Luckily there are Guerrilla Challenges dotted around the map. These challenges serve a dual purpose: firstly, they force you to learn more efficient methods of demolition, and secondly, they reward you with huge amounts of salvage when you successfully complete them.

The most impressive thing about RF:G is the level of destruction is allows. While the shooting side of things is rock solid and smooth, the game is all about destruction, and almost every mission in the game involves some kind of large-scale property damage. Volition’s new Geo Mod 2.0 engine is the software which powers all this monumental demolition. What is does is calculate the weight and tensile strength of every material in the

game, brick for brick and girder for girder. You can smash the entire building apart piece by piece with your sledge hammer if you want to, but this will take a long time. It’s far easier to find those key structural points, place a few explosive charges on them, and then detonate them all at once and watch the entire building collapse under its own weight. It is very convincing and realistic and just plain beautiful to watch, really.

If you’re the kind of player who immediately goes online once you’re done with the single-player campaign, then RF:G has a few interesting multiplayer modes to engage in, the best of which make full use of the wanton destruction the game does so well. Gunning down a team of enemy players who are determined to blow up a building you’re supposed to protect is a lot compelling than chasing and gunning down some single agent who made off with your flag. And if you can’t get online, the competitive Wrecking Crew mode, which lets multiple players on a single machine compete to cause the most destruction within certain parameters, could provide some fun if you’re got friends who are into the game.

Red Faction: Guerrilla is a very impressive and solid shooter on all levels, with a well-implemented focus on destruction and demolition at its core, which sets it well apart from the other shooters available at the moment. g

Reviewer’s Rating:

A

Blowing stuff up has never been handled quite this stylishly before, and the overall mechanics make this one just so much fun to play issue 1 • july 2009

41

gamecca • review

The Great Wide Open

Sometimes, really big is just plain too big

by Walt Pretorius

I

magine an alternate reality, ravaged by natural disasters and truly inclement weather, where road racers compete for the rarest of commodities: fuel.

Imagine a world devastated by all kinds of cataclysmic events, strewn with ruins and wrecks, where champions of the road compete with one another with heavily modified vehicles for the ability to keep moving from place to place.

You would certainly be excused if you expect Mel Gibson to make an appearance in such a world, and you would probably expect quite a

“Fuel offers the player something that is both a blessing and a curse; it features a landscape that is 8 000 square kilometers in size”

Vitals: Game: Fuel Genre: Racing Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC Dev: Asobo Studios Pub: Codemasters Age Rating: 7+

42

bit of infighting and aggression. You would probably think that the devastation and desperation would lead to a series of road wars between rival packs. And if that’s what you got, it would be Mad Max, not Codemaster’s new racing game, Fuel.

And yet Fuel uses that very premise to launch the player into a massive, freeroaming environment that’s all about racing and exploration.

Fuel offers the player something that is both a blessing and a curse; it features a landscape that is 5 000 square miles in size.

This truly massive environment is completely free-form.

The player can explore the highways and byways of Fuel’s world to their heart’s content. The problem is that there is very little reason to do so. Spending fifteen minutes driving just to be rewarded with a new paint job hardly seems worth the effort, really, and the collectable items within the world are spaced really far apart – yet do not offer enough of a reason to be collected in the first place. The world

issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • review is just too big for the current level of utilisation. Had there been more to discover, or bigger rewards for collecting items, things may have been different. The assumption that the developers apparently made that players would explore the world simply for the joy of virtual road-tripping was incorrect.

The main thing isn’t exploration, though – rather, it “Damn it, Mildred, I told you is racing, and Fuel offers a truck-load of races and challenges for the player to compete in. It doesn’t feature the best of physics engines, but the races are still rather fun, and often quite frustrating. The AI just doesn’t offer enough challenge, but this game is about beating the environment rather than other race drivers. Many of the races take place during storms or other natural events, but these have very little bearing on the physics at all. The only really challenging environmental factors are those that affect visibility, like sand storms, and then only so far. Still, the races do allow the player to take massive shortcuts and generally make their own way between checkpoints, which is a fresh and fun approach.

Fuel also offers the player a bunch of vehicles that can be bought with the fuel earned from winning races and challenges. By the way, unless the player finishes first, he loses. It’s an annoying tendency that some developers have, but that’s the way it is. These vehicles offer increased power and performance, as is to be expected, and new vehicles are available as the player unlocks new areas of the massive world. But – and this is a nasty, smelly but – the races themselves are vehicle specific. So, buying a bigger and better muscle car doesn’t mean you can use it in all the muscle car races – just the ones you are allowed to use it in. Not very ‘free-form’ at all, and extremely annoying. This problem could have been mitigated by having upgradeable vehicles, but that isn’t an option either. The player’s vehicles are used as sold, and can never be tweaked, trimmed or modified – unless you count those far flung paint-job collectables.

The game looks pretty good, all told, and the simple controls mean that it is accessible to everyone. The sound effects aren’t terrible, but they’re not fantastic either.

When the whole package is examined, Fuel is a simple, easy to play game that offers a wealth of things to do, although not much reason to do those things that aren’t

it wasn’t gonna be a good day for a picnic!

part of the player’s career. It is a fun game, but one would expect a bit more from Codemasters, who are pretty much legendary when it comes to racing games. Still, there is fun to be had here, and the more forgiving racing fan will probably enjoy the game. I did, to be honest, but I wanted more… just a little more control over my vehicles and vehicle choices, and a little more reason to explore than truly vast setting. I guess you can’t have everything. The first instalment in a new franchise is never really perfect.

However, I admit that I am holding out a lot of hope for a Fuel sequel. If the developers modify their thinking and allow even more freedom than they already do (perhaps by realising that freedom is not just where the player can go, but how they can go there, and why they should go there) they will have a solid winner on their hands. A few technical tweaks won’t hurt either, but the real crux of the matter comes from allowing the player choices, and not just the ability to drive around a lot. g

Reviewer’s Rating:

C

There are tons of races to do, with lots of wicked shortcuts... but there is also a whole, huge landscape to explore, with little reason to do so. issue 1 • july 2009

43

gamecca • review

Serving Aces

Smashing balls around the court is easy with EA Sports’ new tennis sim

by Walt Pretorius

T

he problem with riding the crest of a wave is that it makes you a target. Innovation, as important as it is, is the equivalent of painting a massive target on your back and shouting pro-Arab slogans in the vicinity of a bunch of Israeli snipers. People, particularly video gamers, love taking a knock at those who try and innovate – particularly if that innovator is a massive company, like Electronic Arts.

The innovation in question is their new (and first) entry into the tennis simulation market, Grand Slam Tennis. Not only is this the first game that EA Sports has made using this popular sport as its inspiration, but it is also the first game out there that properly utilises an equally innovative device: the Wii MotionPlus. The MotionPlus is an extra little dohicky that fits onto the original Wii remote, making it even more sensitive to motion. In other words, it supercharges the accelerometer that powers the Wii remote, allowing the player to use refined motion for games that support it… and what better sport for this kind of thing than tennis, where racket angle is as important as how hard the player hits the ball.

But it doubles up on that whole innovation idea, and that just makes the target bigger. Surfing the ‘net, it becomes obvious that a number of game reviewers (who are a bunch of jaded perfectionists, generally speaking) haven’t quite realised that innovation and perfection seldom go hand in hand. If they did, we’d all still be driving Model T Fords.

Grand Slam Tennis is a fun game, but it is not perfect. It is innovative, however, and it provides a tennis experience that we have not seen before on any kind of console.

The game collates the tennis world into one game. EA have managed to secure the licenses for all four Grand Slam Tennis events, namely the Australian Open, The French Open, The US Open and Wimbledon. In fact, this is the UK venue’s video game debut. In addition, EA managed to build up quite a stable of tennis greats for this game. Players featured include modern players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams, as well as heroes from days gone by, like John McEnroe, Boris Becker and Bjorn Borg.

Lastly, the game brings all kinds of surfaces into play; clay, grass, you name it, you got it. So, from a logistical point of

“It provides a tennis experience that we have not seen before on any kind of console”

46

issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • review view, it’s the bee’s knees.

Seeing as how it’s a Wii game, the expectation placed on the graphics shouldn’t be too high.

That said, EA Sports have done a fine job, with highly stylised graphics filling in the visuals for the game.

The crowds look terribly fake, but that’s ok. The players are very cartoony, but that’s fine. The courts look pretty good, although they aren’t super detailed – still perfectly good. And the reasons for these being acceptable are because it’s a Wii game, as stated before, and because this is a game that’s all about feel, and less about looks.

The MotionPlus allows the player to play the game more realistically. Racket angle and speed are things that make a difference in this game, and the player will be able to play smashes as well as gentle shots with ease. It makes the experience quite technical, as well as more than a little visceral. The thing is, though, that the controls aren’t quite perfect. Holding the Wii remote in a way that access to all the necessary buttons (which modify player movement on the court, or change shots slightly) is a little uncomfortable.

Yes, it’s John...

Vitals: Game: Grand Slam Tennis Genre: Sports Platforms: Wii Dev: EA Sports Pub: Electronic Arts Age Rating: 3+

Plus, every now and then, the game just misreads the player’s movement. It’s frustrating, particularly when a match point is on the line, but it isn’t a total train smash. In fact, a little practice can go a long way to overcoming the problem. That counts for shot timing too, because it’s just a little off in the game. A few matches will have the player sorting that kind of thing out, though.

Not everyone is going to go crazy for this game, because the whole tennis thing is a bit of a niche market. That said, I managed to do myself some serious physical injury getting to grips with the game, spending far to much time jumping around in front of the TV like a chimpanzee hopped up on cocaine. A lot of playing will reveal that the game has a bit of a shallow single player experience. There is a lot of variety, but not near enough to do. It’s just too short.

A game like this is all about the multiplayer, though, and it uses a nice split screen system when more than one player is viciously waving the remote around. A wide variety of game types are also available (I never knew you could do so many different things on a tennis court) and the overall fun factor is right up there.

In the end, this is a brave and solid first attempt at creating a strong and lasting franchise. There are a few hiccups here and there, but nothing that should make anyone fling the controller aside in too much disgust.

Judging by what was on show in this game, the next Grand Slam Tennis title will probably be phenomenal, when the developers have ironed out the very few kinks present in this game. g

Reviewer’s Rating:

C+

It might have a few kinks and issues, but EA’s Grand Slam Tennis is a fine strat to a new franchise none-the-less. issue 1 • july 2009

47

gamecca • review

Up Close and Very Personal

Dishing out a beating has never felt so real before... except for the real thing, of course.

by Matthew Vice

V

ideo games based on pro-wrestling, featuring licensed, real-world wrestlers are nothing new, they date all the way back to the 16-bit console era in the early ‘90s. Taking all of them into account, there are more wrestling games available than anyone could possibly play, but oddly enough, this video game love hasn’t often been extended to another popular combat sport, Ultimate Fighting.

Sure, there have been a few Ultimate Fighting games here and there, which ranged in quality from good to dire, but it seems that developers have generally avoided the sport for some reason. Well, someone has finally stepped up to change all that. THQ, the developer with arguably the strongest pedigree of wrestling titles, has taken a pop at creating an Ultimate Fighting game in a similar mould to their various

wrestling series – with surprising results.

UFC 2009: Undisputed is the result, and if the quality of the game and the reception it enjoyed are any indication, it looks like THQ might have the first in another long-running franchise on their hands. Like THQ’s wrestling titles, UFC 2009 features a large lineup of real-world fighters in various weight classes. If you follow Ultimate Fighting at all, you might recognize a lot of the contestants.

UFC 2009 also features variety of modes. You can jump straight into the action with an exhibition match, using either a custom character or one of the incredible lineup of real-world fighters. There is also an extensive career mode you can go through, taking a custom fighter through the ranks, starting out as a nobody and working your way up to becoming the Ultimate Fighting world champion. You can also play a Classic Fights mode, in which you either view classic fights between real Ultimate Fighters, or even take control of the bout and attempt to change history. If you find that the computer opponents are no longer a challenge, or if you’re just really confident, you can take the fight online and compete against opponents from all over the world in ranked matches to prove your fighting prowess… or lack of it.

One of the most apparent things about UFC 2009 is the complexity of the gameplay. Whereas THQ’s wrestling games have been pretty technical in the past, they’ve got nothing on UFC. After you press the start button for the first time, you’re automatically prompted to enter the Tutorial Mode – and I would highly recommend you do so. It takes almost an hour to run through everything as the real-time tutorial demonstrates everything from basic strikes to combos, to heavy strikes, to locks, to grapples, to mounts and every little nuance in between. Needless to say, it’s going to take most players quite a while to get comfortable with all of these techniques, but once you do, you’ll probably agree that UFC 2009 is one of the most satisfying

“It’s actually quite impressive, watching sweat and spit fly whenever one fighter lands a punch on another’s head during a long match.”

Vitals: Game: UFC 2009: Undisputed Genre: Fighting Platforms: X360, PS3 Dev: THQ Pub: THQ Age Rating:15

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issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • review and realistic combat games available.

When you create your own fighter, you can cutsomise everything from their weight class and their fighting style right down to their appearance and equipment. You do this by spending points to determine where your fighter’s skills lie, and there are many, many, many options to choose from. Blocking skill, grappling skill, grappling striking skill, mounted striking skill, mounted blocking skill, standing kick defense, standing punch offense… the list goes on and on.

Players who are serious about their fighter could probably spend hours in this mode, tweaking every inch of their character to best suit their needs and fighting style.

The actual fights themselves are fast paced and remarkably similar to the real life sport. They usually start out with a few quick jabs and kicks from a distance, which more often than not lead into closer strikes with elbows and knees, then into grapples, then into mounts. The guy who fails to defend himself from his mounted opponent is usually the loser. It takes a lot of skill to finish a fight standing, without going to the mount at all or ending up in too many grapples.

During the fights, the commentators will provide a remarkably varied commentary. It does eventually end up looping on itself – as all commentaries do – but during your first few hours with the game, you’re likely to hear some consistently fresh remarks. The commentary really becomes impressive when you play the Classic Fights mode, because the commentators call each competitor by name and make remarks about their history and their fighting style while you go at it. It’s a nice plus for followers

Reviewer’s Rating:

of the sport.

UFC 2009 is quite a good looking game too. OK, you can’t really slate it for lack of variety, since two guys wearing shorts in an octagonal ring are all you’re supposed to see. But within that, it’s actually quite impressive, watching sweat and spit fly whenever one fighter lands a punch on another’s head during a long match. The presentation is excellent, too, very reminiscent of the TV shows, accompanied by some suitably hardcore music and a few themes that sound like they belong in a Rocky movie.

Since its announcement, expectations for UFC 2009: Undisputed have been high, as Ultimate Fighting fans licked their lips in anticipation of the first big-budget Ultimate Fighting game adaptation for modern consoles. If you are one of these fans, then go out and buy it, it really doesn’t disappoint. g

B+

Comprehensive controls, great graphics and realistic action make this title a technical, engrossing and enjoyable addition to the ranks of fighting games.

Gamecca fact # 2252: Fighting is the third most popular activity involving two sweaty people rolling around on the floor together...

gamecca • review

Diesel Powered

Big names don’t necessarily make for great games

by Jimmy Glue

W

omen want to be with him, men want to be like him, but Vin Diesel just can’t seem to make a decent video game. Maybe he did it for Chronicles of Riddick (well, the first one, at least – ed), but that’s about as far as it goes.

The muscled man recently starred in another pixel part in the driving-action game Wheelman. The premise has been done before, with slight variations, and at its core, Wheelman isn’t anything new.

You play as Milo Burik, a driver-for-hire, who comes out of retirement to save a woman from his past. Tracking her down to Barcelona, Spain, Milo’s antics land him in the middle of a gang war. As with any good action story, Milo starts working for the gangs, and eventually bites off more than he can chew. You would think that Milo would know better than not to work for all the gangs at once, but after they find out about his betrayal, you are left to mop up his mess.

The combination of on-foot action and driving works well, but even though the game focuses on driving, it does become a bit much after a while. The game also employs the wonderful tactic of ‘elastic AI’, which means, essentially, that you could be winning a race by a good couple of seconds, and all of a sudden, your rival will come flying past like he’s late for a cake sale.

Vitals: Game: Wheelman Genre: Action Platforms: X360, PS3, PC Dev: Midway Newcastle Pub: Midway Age Rating: Teen

Besides for the normal ‘mandatory’ missions, you will also get a choice of side-missions. Depending on your performance on these missions, new side-missions will be unlocked. It does seem a bit unjustified to develop a game that relies on your performance in side-missions to advance to new ones, but what can you do?

As mentioned before, there is a fair amount of on-foot adventure, but that usually involves running from one car to the next. To be fair, there are a good number of missions that will have you bobbing and weaving around bullets, trying to out-smart the not-so-smart enemies. The gun play is almost standard-issue, as the reticule will automatically jump to the closest enemy, leaving you with the ability to mow them down with ease.

Essentially it’s a good action title, with a certain element of pick-up and play, but it might need some getting use to. Its like Need For Speed, mixed with Army Of Two and a little Quantum of Solace thrown in for good measure.

Those are three great titles, but Wheelman does even come close. g

Reviewer’s Rating:

C

While Wheelman isn’t a terrible game, it does leave a few things to be desired.There’s a solid amount of action in it, though...

50

issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • review

Black, White and Red

Video games can be art, even if they’re brutal

by Walt Pretorius

E

very now and then a game comes along that is a work of art. At other times, a game comes along that causes a massive outcry, thanks to the high degree of violence it features. This time around, they’re the same game. Sega’s MadWorld had watchdog groups and mother-grundies up in arms while it was being developed, and all kinds of pressured were directed in almost every direction to get the title banned. Oh, well, so much for trying that tactic, eh? MadWorld has arrived, and it is every bit as violent as the hype made it out to be.

But, and this is a great big, hairy, pimple-ridden but, this is a game that will never reach mainstream success; it is destined to be a much loved cult classic, but the average casual gamer – even the average hardcore gamer – will probably take one look at it and run for the high definition hills. The reason for this, quite simply, is because the game is highly stylised. It makes the most of what it has with the Wii, which cannot deliver what other consoles do with graphics, and brings a beautifully crafted, artistic and stylised world to the player in stark black and white. It’s like playing a Frank Miller comic, something that is underscored by the fact that the only colour in the game is fountains of gushing, spraying and splattering red.

Personally, I think this game is great. It brings light to the fact that games – even brutally, graphically violent ones

Vitals: Game: MadWorld Genre: Action Platforms: Wii Dev: Platinum Games Pub: Sega Age Rating: 18+

such as this – can still be a legitimate avenue for artistic expression. Besides that, it makes use of the Wii’s control system very nicely, adding visceral feel to the brutality without overdoing the remote waving. Every move made with the remote and nunchuk make sense, every action feels just like it should.

Not everyone will like this game, and that was probably plain to the guys that made it. The violence is completely over the top, the language is horribly foul and the whole thing has ‘love it or hate it’ stamped across it in big red letters. I have no doubt that reviewers around the globe are giving this one a lambasting, purely because it doesn’t look and feel like a regular game. But trust me, this one is well worth experiencing, even if just to see how far the artistic side of video gaming and extreme violence can be pushed.

And, just so you know, it very richly deserves its high age restriction… this one is most certainly not for the kids! g

Reviewer’s Rating:

B

MadWorld is brutally violent, irreverant and more than a little twisted. However, it still stands out as a game where artistic values were important in the development process. issue 1 • july 2009

51

gamecca • review

Everybody is Ninja Fighting You don’t have to know Naruto to enjoy this game

by Brian Murdoch

N

aruto Uzumaki is a character in the anime and manga of the same name.

He is energetic and full of fun, and very determined to be the leader in his village.

This 3D fighting game is based on the well-loved series, but adds its own story to the Naruto universe.

Fans will recognise the similarities in the story line.

There is always some trying to destroy the Hidden Leaf Village (Naruto’s Home); this time it is a ex-ANBU member. The ANBU are a group of expert ninjas that carry out secret missions for the village leader (Hokage). They know a lot about the town’s history, flaws and secrets. You get very involved in the story and find yourself battling as the bad guy in some parts of the story, simply because the good ninjas outnumber the bad ninjas. This is done to keep the story mode a challenge. No one appreciates a story line that ends too quickly, is repetitive or too easy and, thankfully, this game falls into none of these categories.

There are many ways to fight in this game, using a combination of controls, and you would do well to read

through the manual to see the special moves your character can do. Going through some of the training exercises to learn all the moves is a good idea, too, before you start the story mode. As an example, I finished the game before I learned how to do signs, and did not understand why the other ninjas could do things I could not.

Although the combat system seems simple and easy to learn at first, you’ll find a great deal of depth when including the chakra system. You build up chakra (magic energy that your body creates) while playing and can use it for different special moves. A full bar can produce a great special move with massive damage, or you can use a little to quickly teleport you across the stage.

The fighting and game-play are the best elements of the title and they make up for some of its flaws. The cutscenes are sometimes horrid and I would rather watch my character pull off a special move than read through the story.

There is some abuse that can be done to the AI, but not enough to make it seem flawed. There are also extra missions for each character to do after finishing the story mode. These missions are the same for each character, Reviewer’s Rating: so you can slug your way through these to unlock other characters to fight with your friends in multiplayer modes.

As you might have noticed, this is not the first Naruto game by a long shot, but it is the first Wii based title Vitals: available in South Africa. It is a great fighting game and Game: Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2 the player not needing to know the history or story of Genre: Fighting Naruto to play makes it a great buy for not only Naruto Platforms: Wii Dev: Tomy fans, but also people looking for more out of your Tekken Pub: D3 style fighting games. g Age Rating: 12+

C+

Recognisable characters and a host of fighting options make this a solid choice for both fans of the Naruto series and Wii-based fighting games in general.

52

issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • review

Speed Demons SBK 09 is perfect for fans of the sport.

by Walt Pretorius

B

ike racing titles aren’t exactly common. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find more than two on any game store shelf, and those two would probably be differently dated versions of the same franchise. But there is obviously a demand for this kind of game. The sad truth is that the developers making these titles can pretty much run rough shod over the gamers out there, simply because there isn’t a whole lot to choose from.

That said, Milestone’s SBK 09: Superbike World Championship, published through Black Bean Games, doesn’t take advantage of that fact. It’s a solid racing title that will provide fans of the sport with many hours of fun and excitement.

That’s the only problem that the game really has, from a presentation point of view: it’s aimed at fans of the sport.

Someone who wants to play a motorcycle based racing game, who might not be a fan, may feel a little lost – choosing which rider to use, for example, has little meaning for those who aren’t rabid supporters of the Superbike World Championship. Where many racing games – even those based on existing sports – will allow the player to at very least enter their own name for their career, but SBK Vitals: Game: SBK 09 Genre: Racing Platforms: X360, PS3, PC, PS2, PSP Dev: Milestone Pub: Black Bean Games Age Rating: 3+

09 will not.

Still, the racing action is solid, and this year the developers eased up on the technical side of things just a bit. Those that want to get right down to the nuts-andbolts of how the bike is set-up and approaches for the various tracks can, but others who may want a more casual, arcade-style experience will find that too.

The graphics have enjoyed a major overhaul in this outing, and the bikes and rider suits now also show signs of damage. The tracks are quire well presented, but the distant backdrops are still a bit iffy.

SBK 09 offers a solid racing experience, although one that will probably not blow you away. It’s decent, with good physics, and with a good variety of difficulty – from really easy right through to painstakingly technical. The package is also fairly unique in that it deals with the current season, not the previous one, giving the player the opportunity to create their own (if rather virtual) version of history. g

Reviewer’s Rating:

C+

Fans of the real sports may have a little more fun with this one, but if going fast around a track on two wheels is your thing, it’s worth a spin. issue 1 • july 2009

53

gamecca • review

A Kart by Another Name Lots of custom kart action in the world of MySims

Y

by Walt Pretorius

ou would be excused for thinking you’re seeing a lot of similarities between Mario Kart and EA’s latest MySims venture, MySims Racing.

As much as they may deny it, the similarities are there, plain as day. That doesn’t wreck the experience, though, and nor should it – games that are clones are pretty common, after all, and a game is never so similar that it doesn’t bring something of it’s own to the mix.

This title was made because it’s what the consumers wanted. When EA polled users about what they would most like to see as part of the MySims range, party and racing games were top of the list. Hey presto, we now have both. Once again, not a bad thing. Gamers have been complaining that developers don’t listen to them for years, so this proves them wrong, just a little.

MySims Racing is set in the world of the MySims, EA’s Wii-based, youth-oriented franchise that is similar to The Sims in name alone. It is yet another addition to the pack, making for a total of four released, and one soon to be released games.

As the name implies, it’s all about racing. Players who want to import their MySims characters from other games can foget it – you have to start from scratch with this one.

Aside from building a character, the player also gets to create a vehicle, which is quite a lot of fun. The vehicles

Vitals: Game: MySims Racing Genre: Racing Platforms: Wii Dev: EA Games Pub: Electronic Arts Age Rating: 3+

can also be upgraded, and the upgrades have a very definite effect on the vehicle’s performance; a very nice aspect to the title indeed. Building a car is really simple, as the entire system uses the same simple menu system from the MySims series.

Driving in the game can get a little difficult if using the ‘steering wheel remote’ idea… it’s much easier to navigate the tracks with the analogue stick on the nunchuk.

All in all, a fun game, if not highly original. The races are enjoyable, set in a number of different locations, and a four player split-screen multiplayer mode adds some longevity to the title. There is no online play, which is a pity, but the game can still provide many hours of enjoyment… particularly for the youngsters it is aimed at. g

Reviewer’s Rating:

C+

It may not be the most original game around, but MySims Racing offers a fairly solid experience, especially for the youngsters.

54

issue 1 • july 2009

gamecca • review

Get a Grip!

Nathan Spencer is back to reclaim his past

by Jimmy Glue

I

f the name Nathan ‘R.A.D’ Spencer means anything to you, it can only mean one of two things. One, you played the original version of Bionic Commando, or two, you played the current version of the game. Either way you will know that, even though it’s a fun title to play, his bionic arm missed the grapple on success.

The recently released version of the game sees the return of Spencer, but only after he is betrayed by the government, thrown in jail for a crime he didn’t commit and sentenced to death. Fortunately, a catastrophic explosion rocks Ascension City, and Mr. Spencer is given a new lease on life, and ordered to track down the source of the explosion.

Just to recap for those who have no idea what the game’s about, the game is a semiopen world action-adventure. Spencer, together with his bionic arm (which at times seem to have a mind of its own) can travel just about anywhere in the city, provided he stays within the non-contaminated zone.

Naturally there is a story line to follow, which at times seems a bit silly, and together with stiff acting during the cut-scenes, makes the title look a bit laughable. But it’s not all doom and gloom. The graphics are pretty good and the action never truly stops. His arm can shoot out and latch on to anything, so even if you have to restart the level, you can follow a different route every time. Speaking of restarting a level, if you die, you will be thrown right back to the beginning of the level, which is really annoying. (No checkpoints) The arm doesn’t make the man, though, and Nathan occasionally (ok, more often than not) uses some automatic firearms. He can only carry three at the same time, plus a handful of grenades, which isn’t much. Ammo is virtually impossible to keep track of, and you’ll often find yourself in a heavy fire-fight, just to hear the ‘click-click’ of an empty rifle.

Compared to other superpower games on the market, Vitals: Game: Bionic Commando Genre: Action Platforms: X360, PS3, PC Dev: Grin Pub: Capcom Age Rating: 18+

Bionic Commando is left to bring up the rear... and a guy with a high-powered bionic arm isn’t really something that you want behind you. It’s not a bad title, and it has some entertaining moments, but the combat is a bit skewed and you might feel outclassed by the AI at times.

For a guy with a prototype arm, he’s not doing much to become infamous (! - ed). g

Reviewer’s Rating:

C

Bionic Commando is a great idea that doesn’t rise too fave above average because of a few strange design choices. issue 1 • july 2009

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gamecca • in the lair

Only Original Demigods, Please

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ith the release of Demigod last month and the launch of the Only Original Demigod tournament, June saw the second round taking place at the Liberty LAN and Mayhem LAN in Johannesburg.

Teams were pitted against each other in order to find one Demigod team per event to qualify for the online finals to take place later this month.

Team FT, consisting of Fluffy, Seren1ty and Slick, claimed their spot at the Liberty LAN, and at the Mayhem LAN had team Whatever earn the spot. Team Whatever consists of Julian, Steve and Caden.

The Only Original Demigod comp is sponsored by Megarom and ASUS. The winning team of three will win R3000,00 in cash and the following 3 ASUS graphics cards: an EN9800GT MATRIX/ HTDI/512M, an ENGTX260 MATRIX/ HTDI/896MD3 and an EAH4850 MATRIX/ HTDI/512M. An original copy of Demigod wins you a tshirt and entrance into the tournament. The tournament style is 3v3 double elimination where the winner at each event wins a spot into the online finals where SA’s Demigods will be crowned.

For more info on this tournament please contact fanaticit@thelair. co.za or visit www.thelair.co.za The Liberty LAN: 19th June 2009 www.libertylan.co.za Liberty was packed again this month. Seats were sold out but people kept on arriving.

ASUS and Intel banners were all around the event and some of the gamers were walking around in their Only Original Demigod t-shirts. There were, yet again, a ton of custom chassis there. It is not unusual to see groups of people standing around watching as a few people upgrade one of their buddies’

by thebanman

boxes.

As mentioned above, the Only Original Demigod tournament qualifier took place at this event on the Friday Night.

DotA and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare were the most popular games at this LAN, with a few people playing World of WarCraft and Prototype.

Mayhem LAN: 20th June 2009 www.mayhem.co.za Mayhem was a little slower in attendance this month, but that never stops the buzz. Mayhem has come to be known as the gamers’ LAN. There is a feel at this LAN that is not always present at other events.

ASUS and Intel were again branded at this event as well as IPEG, Boardgames.co.za and wantitall.co.za.

Mayhem and The Lair make consoles available for gamers to play and experience popular and newly released titles at the Mayhem LANs. This time, the Xbox360 was loaded with Prototype for the gamers to play. On the Wii we had EA’s newly launched Grand Slam Tennis, which uses the Wii motion plus attachment. One of the clear winners this month was the Eye of Judgement that we had on the PlayStation 3. We started up this game and it remained popular for the whole event.

We also had a few Guitar Hero Metallica drum battles with Fanaticit and Zakeroph showing us how it is done.

The most popular games at the LAN were DotA and Demigod, with some Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: World at War played as well. We also saw a lot of Battlefield 2, Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead and Natural Selection.

As mentioned, the Only Original Demigod tournament qualifier took place on the Saturday evening.

For more information on LAN events and tournaments in your area, please contact thebanman@ thelair.co.za or visit www.thelair.co.za. g

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

Win! gamecca • competitions

Take the time to send a simple email to us and you could win one of these great prizes!

Gamecca competitions are open to entries from South Africa only.

Win a Guitar Hero: Metallica hamper!

This prize includes a PS3 copy of the game, a limited edition Death Magnetic CD, a Death Magnetic T Shirt and a Guitar Hero: Metallica T-shirt. Simply tell us which metal band recently Win a copy of featured as the stars of a Red Faction: Guerrilla! Guitar Hero game. Prize courtesy of Megarom Interactive.

Tell us, in an email, what the name of this game’s main Send your entry to character is. Also tell us competitions@gamecca.co.za. whether you would prefer an X360 or PS3 version of Please use the subject line ‘GHM competition’. Multiple entries the game. Prize courtesy of will not be Ster Kinekor Games. considered.

Send your entry to competitions@gamecca.co.za.

Please use the subject line ‘RFG competition’. Multiple entries will not be considered. Please include your name.

gamecca • showdown

inFamous vs Prototype

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hen considering inFamous and Prototype, one could certainly develop a whole new conspiracy theory; some shadowy organisation went to two different develoment houses and said something along the lines of “right, make us a video game about a guy who gains tremendous powers after a cataclysmic event brought about by a shadowy organisation... got it? GO!” Despite the fact that these two games seem so similar on the surface, there are some fundamental differences that set them apart. We managed to secure the two lead characters of the games for a debating session, transcribed below, to try and get to the bottom of which game is king of free-roaming action adventure...

not my fault. I can try to avoid them as much as possible, but it really doesn’t count for much.

Cole: Well, people in my city take my photograph. They love me. But I could make them hate me. All depends on how I feel. Now that beats running up a wall.

Alex: Ah, well... the people in my city always run away screaming. You just can’t win. You accidentally chop one or two of them in half while trying to save the rest of them from a wave of rampaging mutants and suddenly nobody forgives you. Ingrates.

Cole: You think that’s bad? My people are always asking for favours and needing to be healed...

Alex: Well, at least you have people to thank you for busting your ass. I have to run balls-to-the-wall across rooftops, slay hordes of monsters, and jump from the top of the world to try and land on a tiny little area --- all because some thankless, glowing glyph told me to. Man, what I wouldn’t give for a pat on the back and a “thank you” just once.

Cole: You know what? Sod this! We never asked to be hero types! We never wanted people to act all whack towards us. I have had enough!

Alex: Well, it was a monster I never actually asked to be, but yeah! Screw them! Even when I go out of my way to help them, they run away screaming.

Cole: I’m going to the bar. I know a nice one, not too many bad guys sniping at it...

Cole: I am Cole. I am bald, surly and can shoot bolts of electricity out of my fingers.

Alex: I’m Alex, and I’m a classified super weapon. I can run up the sides of buildings, lift tanks over my head, and change my body into all kinds of useful forms, like blades and clubs.

Cole: Oh, yeah? Well excuse me, Mr Combination-ofevery-super-hero-ever. At least I have a theme. And besides, I can do lots of other stuff too... like glide with static and throw electric bombs and... stuff...

Alex: Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I’m coming too.

The folks in my city can deal with the mutants themselves for a while and see how they go.

And so, no real conclusions there. It seems that both inFamous and Prototype have strengths and weaknesses… and ungrateful people. In the end, the better game is probably a matter of personal taste. Yes, we’ll go with that… g

Alex: Oooh... “I have a theme,” he says - sounds like another way of saying “I have limits.” And just so you know, I can glide too - and I don’t throw bombs, I throw real estate.

Cole: OK, OK, throwing big things is impressive. But here’s a thought... you’re such a bad ass, right? Can you choose to be a nice guy? And still get the job done? Huh? Can you? Huh? Huh? Alex: Well... hey, even if I wanted to, I can’t be responsible for every civilian’s safety. So maybe some stupid innocent runs between me and another mutant while we’re having a showdown and I accidentally gut them like a flounder - it’s

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issue 1 • july 2009