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A thrilling detective mystery open world game.

This game developed by Team Bondi and published by Rockstar offers something completely different. Taking on the role of Cole Phelps as he works his way through the ranks from a lowly patrol officer up to the arson desk, it’s up to you to solve 21 cases in total.

The game takes place in a near perfect recreation of post war 1940s Los Angeles. Drugs and corruption are rife in the city of angels, this along with the toned down colour palette and jazz music gives the game that old black and white noire film feel.

The pace of the game is slower than most and requires attention to detail and patience. There is action scenes such as car chases and shootouts but the vast majority of the game consists of the motion capturing technology at work. Every twitch, swallow and eye movement is captured directly from actors faces instead of being programmed by a developer and it really shows. In fact I could even recognize some of the actors who must of played these parts, like the bloke who could read minds in the failed television series Heroes.

There is also an open world element to the game in which you have various collectibles to collect. These include 12 plus hidden cars, golden film reels and forty unassigned cases. These unassigned cases will pop up on the radio as your driving around forties L.A. and include tailing suspects, stopping bank robberies and generally upholding the law in any way you can. They’re all short and sweet and don’t present much of a challenge but are enjoyable distraction nonetheless.

Being an officer of the law you can’t run wild and do whatever you want as you might do in G.T.A. For me the game felt like a linear experience shoehorned into an open world game much like Mafia 2. That being said playing through the 21 cases solving the various murders is engrossing but certainly not to every ones taste. As an open world game it just doesn’t work but as a murder mystery detective game there is nothing else like it.

The animation and sound are fantastic with great performances from the actors. The motion capture is the biggest selling point and it adds to the game immensely. The graphics aren’t the best out there and probably a little dated, but the way each little gesture and twitch is shown as your grilling a suspect or taking a witness statement, more than makes up for it.

Closing Comments

As an open world game LA Noire never really did it for me. However if you enjoy a mystery and slower paced gameplay much like reading a good thriller you will like L.A. Noire. The story is a thoroughly enjoyable one that kept me wanting to play through to see what happened next.

Alternatives

GTA IV
More open world, less detective work.

Red Dead Redemption
More cowboys, less laws.

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The most complete compilation of Mega Drive games to date

This collection of 20 year old games from the Sega’s Megadrive will take anyone who is 30+ on a trip down memory lane. The majority of the games here are classics and while graphically they are extremely dated, the gameplay is still there.

In total there are 40 Mega Drive games and 9 unlockable Master System and arcade game games:-

• Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
• Alien Storm
• Altered Beast
• Beyond Oasis
• Bonanza Bros.
• Coloumns
• Comix Zone
• Decap Attack
• Dr Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
• Dynamite Headdy
• Ecco the Dolphin 1 and 2
• ESWAT: City Under Siege
• Fatal Labryinth
• Flicky
• Gain Ground
• Golden Axe 1, 2 and 3
• Kid Chameleon
• Phantasy Star 2, 3 and 4
• Ristar
• Shining Force 1 and 2
• Shining in the Darkness
• Shinobi 3
• Sonic 1, 2 and 3
• Sonic and Knuckles
• Sonic 3D
• Sonic Spinball
• Streets of Rage 1, 2 and 3
• Super Thunder Blade
• Vectorman 1 and 2

Unlockable Master System\Arcade games:-

• Alien Syndrome (Arcade)
• Altered Beast (Arcade)
• Congo Bongo (Arcade)
• Fantasy Zone (Arcade)
• Golden Axe Warrior (Master System)
• Phantasy Star (Master System)
• Shinobi (Arcade)
• Space Harrrier (Arcade)
• Zaxxon (Arcade)

So it’s an impressive list of games with a couple of fillers such as Altered Beast and Flicky which aren’t really worth any body’s time in this day or age. It’s also worth noting that while they have included all the Sonic games they missed out one of the best, Sonic 3 and Knuckles which was playable back in the day by plugging Sonic 3 into the special cart of Sonic and knuckles. A strange decision considering the 2 games needed to play this are included in the collection.

There are some classics here that many Mega Drive owners may have missed out on and I urge you to try, such as Shining in the Darkness, Dynamite Headdy and Vectorman 1 and 2. These are games many may have never even heard of until this compilation and possibly a good enough reason to get this compilation alone.

The controls have all been implemented nicely with the PS3 controller allowing you to use the D-Pad or left stick. Every time you start a game the controls will be displayed beforehand. The controls can also be remapped if you would prefer a custom setup.

The whole package is presented nicely from the Mega Drive inspired menus to the various extras available. There’s a museum of Sega trivia and Interviews with developers for anyone interested in that sort of thing. You can save whenever and wherever you like, even during boss fights.

As for graphics, there really isn’t much to say they’re 16bit Mega Drive graphics that are colourful
and still have a certain charm. You can choose between 4:3 or 16:9 ratios although it’s recommended that you stick to the 4:3 ratio as this is how the games are intended to be played. There’s a smoothing option that does nothing for the graphics whatsoever and just makes it look worse. The sounds are all 16bit and possibly the worst thing about the whole package but will still bring back memories.

Local multiplayer is supported and is a stand out feature of the package. Playing through Golden Axe or Streets of Rage with a friend is as fun as it ever was.

Closing Comments

This collection is targeted mainly at old school gamers who want a nostalgia filled trip down memory lane. Younger gamers will find it very dated and perhaps boring by today’s standards but for any that want to experience some of the best classics from the 16bit era this is a must have compilation.

Alternatives

Sonic Generations
For a more modern yet classic Sonic experience.

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Cold War era COD action!

It’s Treyarchs turn to develop the yearly instalment of Call of Duty and this time we’re taken to the Cold War era in a typically linear experience. From the beginning you will be thrown straight into the action with huge, spectacular set pieces in a disjointed plot designed to shock and awe.

For most of the game you will be playing in the shoes of CIA operative Alex Mason. As Alex Mason you will be interrogated by an unknown organization with the missions being played out as flashbacks. Players will be taken to Cuba during the Bay of Pigs invasion, held captive in Russia and will also be taken to Vietnam. As well as Alex Mason players will get the chance to play as fellow CIA operative, Jason Hudson and former Red Army soldier Victor Reznov.

The whole plot is a little hard to follow at times. This is typical of the series with there not being any real focus on a single protagonist. It’s also extremely linear with constant markers for you being told what to do, where to go and who to follow. That’s not to say this is a bad single player experience and it works well in the confines of the game. Blockbuster action sequences and high octane action is the order of the day here, and for those looking for an exciting shooter with smooth controls and a consistent 60 frames per second, you won’t be disappointed.

There’s not much to say about the graphics considering not much has changed since the original Modern Warfare. The way things are lit has seen a slight improvement but to most eyes this will seem insignificant. Treyarch recruited an ex Soviet Special Forces soldier and Sonny Puzikas to help with realistic animations of Spetznaz A.I. within the game. The Spetznaz have also been modelled after Sonny, from facial animations to body movement and tactics.

Sound is particularly good with voice acting by the fantastic Ed Harris giving a grade A Hollywood performance. Sound effects are all good and make for a solid gaming experience.

Multiplayer

For most people this will be the meat of the game with many ignoring the single player entirely. The biggest new feature in Black Ops multiplayer is the addition of COD points. This addition allows you to buy new weapons, camouflage, attachments and perks. So instead of waiting to unlock something based on your level you can now spend these points to get what you want when you want. This is a welcome addition and makes for a much more personal experience instead of waiting to level up to 40 to unlock that sweet gun you always wanted. This brings with it the addition of wager matches, where you can place bets with your points if your feeling particularly confident. The winnings will be distributed among the top three players adding to the excitement of multiplayer.

There are several new multiplayer modes including:-

Gun Game – Each player starts out with a pistol and every time they get a kill will move onto the next weapon, up until somebody gets a kill with the knife, ending the game.

One in the chamber – Every player starts with a pistol and one bullet, miss with that and you will be forced to continue the rest of the match with only a knife. Make your shot and you will be given another bullet. Anyone shot will be knocked out of the game.

Sharp Shooter – Each player starts with the same weapon until a timer runs out and the game randomly selects another weapon.

Sticks and Stones – In this each player is given a Tomahawk, a crossbow and a ballistic knife. But any player killed with a Tomahawk will have all their points earned during that game reduced to nothing.

All these modes are free for all and add immense value to the multiplayer package. As well as all that the usual team based modes including Domination and capture the flag will of course be making a return.

There is also the addition of Create-a-Class 2.0 in which you can not only customize your load out but also your appearance. From the pattern of your face paint all the way down to the colour and shape of gun sights. An exhaustive amount of gun camouflages are available as well as the ability to engrave your very own clan tag onto your guns.

Contracts are also a new addition but is really a different name for the challenges seen in previous games. Awarding players for a certain amount of games won in a particular mode or for a certain amount of kills with the different guns available.

There are 14 maps in total ranging from the fast paced Nuke Town, taking place in some small nuclear testing grounds; to the medium sized Summit, based in a retail facility in the snowy mountains. The maps feel well executed and thought out with a good balance from small fast-paced ones to the larger more tactical ones. There are 4 map packs available to download should you have the money and will to purchase them. This would bring the entire map count up to a staggering 26 in total.

Black Ops is compatible with Call of Duty Elite which was released in conjunction with Modern Warfare 3.

Black ops also sees the return of the popular Zombies mode and is best played co-operatively with 3 others. For those that have never played the mode in World at War, Zombies is basically a horde mode that gets increasingly difficult the longer you play. For every kill you will be awarded cash with which you can upgrade your weapons in order to give you an advantage. This cash can also be used to unlock new areas within the map. With the ongoing system of rewards and unlocking new areas this mode can become extremely addictive and is great fun with friends and is compatible with 2 player split screen.

Closing comments

Black ops single player is typical Call of Duty affair with all the usual bells and whistles fans have come to expect. It maybe a little too linear for some and I have to agree, it would be nice if they stirred things up a little more graphically and gameplay wise, however it still provides an entertaining thrill ride from start to finish. The multiplayer is the reason to get this game with some gameplay changing modes and the addition of the COD points system, as well as the frustrating at times wager mode.

Alternatives

Battlefield 3
For a more tactical team based multiplayer, this is the one to get.
Huge maps and controllable vehicles make this a great alternative.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
More of the same really but in a more modern setting.

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Action horror survival at its best!

When Resident Evil 4 was released with its complete overhaul in design and gameplay, going from a fixed 3D perspective to an over the shoulder 3rd person perspective, they completely changed the series. As well as gaining a more realistic look and feel the series lost its overall sense of claustrophobia and intensity. Capcom have kept this perspective in Resident Evil 5 and it feels even more removed from the first few games in the series. I’m not complaining as I’ve put between 50 to 60 hours in to this game and enjoyed every minute of it but it feels more like playing any other quality 3rd person action game and not the survival horror game that it is coined as.

The biggest problem that most people have with this game is the stop and shoot mechanic. Yes, it does feel clunky at times and perhaps a little outdated since similar more modern games don’t force you to stop whenever you aim. However it is a part of the series and I prefer to think of it as a challenge to be overcome within the game, rather than a game-breaking mechanic.

Resident Evil 5 takes place in 2009 in the fictional Kijuju autonomous zone or KAZ for short based in West Africa. Here players will once again take control of Chris Redfield who is now a founding member of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance or BSAA. A group founded shortly after the downfall of the Umbrella Corporation to track down all the nasty biological weapons created by Umbrella. Partnered with Sheva Alomar of BSAA’s West African branch, they attempt to rendezvous with another team in order to catch a bio-weapons smuggler but find the local population has been infected and being attacked from all directions.

As a single player the game is enjoyable and will keep many entertained with a good amount of unlockables, upgrades and collectibles to keep you coming back and replaying the game. It’s recommended that you start the game on a harder mode as many hardcore gamers may find the default difficulty a little too easy.

However the game feels made for co-op with multiple paths throughout levels, dual switches and strategies for killing the bosses all with 2 players in mind. Sheva, as an A.I. controlled partner is certainly not the worst I encountered and I was rarely frustrated by her but nothing beats another human player by your side.

Graphically the game is wonderfully presented, no matter where you look you will find eye-candy. From disgusting maggot infested corpses to beautifully lit shanty towns, there is an attention to detail throughout. Cut scenes are a joy to watch with near-Hollywood type production. Bosses are huge and scary with some truly gruesome and unique designs that could make your eyes water.

Sound is on a par with the graphics with some horrifyingly monstrous sounds designed to make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Atmospheric ambiance gives the whole game a well polished feel that will immerse you in the biological nightmare that is Resident Evil.

Gold edition

This edition of Resident Evil 5 includes the Lost in Nightmares and Desperate Escape DLC. Together these add more value to the game by expanding on the back story and is highly recommended to fans of the series. As well as the extra chapters, a versus mode is also included in which you fight off hordes of enemies against a timer and is an excellent addition to play with friends. Move support is also supported in this edition of the game and is one of the better reasons to own a Move controller.

Closing Comments

Resident Evil 5 is an incredible game to play with a friend in co-op but stands out as a single player with its high production values. For me it has an old school feel with its huge boss fights and over the top plot and this can only be a good thing. It may be a little too short for some but with plenty of reasons to play again and again if not to collect everything, but to challenge yourself in the hardest modes.

Alternatives

Dead Space 1 and 2
For those that prefer their horror in space
and limb dismemberment, it’s scarier too.

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Burnout meets Need for Speed

From the creators of the Burnout series comes this fantastic, undeniably over-the-top racer and arguably one of the best instalments in the Need for Speed franchise so far. If you’ve been playing N.F.S. games for a while then, like me, you will have noticed the series wane over the last few releases. Upon hearing about Criterion Games being given the chance to jump start the series back into top gear, I for one was very excited, and with good cause. Hot Pursuit not only packs a fresh punch, the new Autolog feature innovates and is something that should be in all racing games, perhaps even in other genres with competitive gameplay.

Set in the fictional world of Seacrest County, Hot pursuit does away with attempting any type of storyline, and puts you straight into the drivers seat of some of the hottest cars around at the moment. From the get go you can play as a cop or a racer, but both have access to the same cars apart from a few exceptions like different skins and flashing lights for the police. This leads me to believe that tax in Seacrest county must be sky high with all the traffic cops super cars being written off on a minute-by-minute basis.

As a racer in single player you can choose from: standard 8 player races, one to one duels; Hot Pursuit, which is like the standard race but with the police chasing you down; Gauntlet, which is the same as hot pursuit but you’re the only racer; and time trial, in which you have to beat the time in the car you’re given. All modes require you to race from point A to point B and all are fun but hot pursuit and gauntlet are certainly the most action packed. In these modes you will have the cops making roadblocks, setting spike traps, blasting you with EMPs or just ramming you like psychotic mad men from all directions. However as a racer you are given some tools to help you along the way such as: the self-explanatory turbo or the jammer that counters EMPs and spike traps, as well as showing up roadblocks on the mini map.

As a cop you have several modes to choose from. Interceptor, where you have to chase down a racer within a set time using the various gadgets given to you as well as avoiding anything the racer throws at you. Hot Pursuit, where you have to chase down and bust multiple racers before any of them finish the course and finally; Rapid Response, which is basically like time trials only you have seconds added to your finishing time for either hitting traffic or barriers. In Hot Pursuit and Interceptor modes you will be able to call for helicopters which will fly ahead and lay down spike strips for those pesky racers; and roadblocks, which will usually deploy around the next corner in an attempt to slow the racers down. Both cops and racers can use EMPs and spike strips.

The game looks great as well, with some of the best looking environments seen in a racing game yet. Obviously the cars don’t have the same level of detail as in Gran Turismo 5 but who cares when your driving at over 200 mph down a beautifully lit desert road, masterfully anticipating the next corner. All the cars can receive damage which adds to the overall experience, this instead of being in some indestructible car made out of god knows what.

As for handling, anybody familiar with Burnout will feel right at home as you swing around corners at full speed, only touching the break for the tightest of bends. Anyone looking for a realistic driving experience should not get this game, Gran Turismo 5 or F1 2011 will suit your needs much better.

You cannot upgrade cars or change their appearance apart from the colour, you get what you’re given, but what is available is an extensive list of sports cars and super cars ranging from the Porsche Boxster and Subaru Impreza to the Mercedes SLR Mclaren and Bugatti Veyron. There are over 50 cars in total and more available through paid downloadable content, the majority of which most of us can only dream about owning in real life.

As mentioned at the start of the review, Hot Pursuit brings with it the addition of the Autolog. Autolog is a way that you can easily compare race times and statistics with people in your friends list. Whilst on paper this doesn’t sound that innovative or original considering this is already possible using leader boards, the way that it’s presented and focussed on has never been done before. For instance, you might have what you thought was an incredible time on a time trial only to find your friend has beaten it 5 minutes later because it popped up on their Autolog. This in turn pops up on your Autolog to which you then feel you have no choice but to try and beat them again. I’ve wasted whole afternoons on a single short track because of this and it’s loads of competitive fun between friends and people you know in-game. As well as this you can get a more detailed account of what and where your friends are up to in the game and look at each others photos.

Multiplayer is of course a lot of fun in this as you can play standard 8 player races, one-on-one as a cop or racer in the interceptor mode, or join a team of 4 cops or racers with an aim to take as many racers down before they reach the finish. If you’re a cop or a racer simply finish the race in as high a position as possible. My one and only gripe here is they added no worldwide leader boards which would be nice for multiplayer races. This oversight made me want to play single player more since I could compare myself to people in Autolog. There is no real record of how well you do in multiplayer apart from how many times you have won.

The sound is good with all the right growls and grunts you would expect from these powerful, petrol hungry super cars. The sound effects of the various weather conditions put you right in there be it rain or thunder, giving the whole experience a polished feel.

The main problem with the whole game is that some hardcore players may find it a little too easy, but with the Autolog and the ability to constantly challenge friends, it’s not a major problem. As mentioned above, the lack of worldwide leader boards for multiplayer really does take away from the game. Also noteworthy is that not a single Ferrari exists in the game. I suspect that’s down to Ferrari themselves not wanting to be in a cops VS racers game.

Closing comments

Hot pursuit really brings the series alive again with fantastic graphics and over the top, completely ridiculous, go round a bend at 150 mph handling. The addition of Autolog is innovative, fresh, and a must if you and your friends love to compete against each other. It’s a shame about the online leaderboards and the only reason I can think of for not including this is because they want you to focus on the Autolog, which is no bad thing. Given the choice, I would pick Autolog over worldwide leaderboards since competing against friends is so much better than someone thousands of miles away playing it sixteen hours a day. If like me you got bored of the Need for Speed franchise after Underground, this instalment reinvigorates and innovates the series and racing games in general.

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The Dark Knight returns

Batman: Arkham Asylum set a new precedent when it was released just over two years ago with a great story set in the Batman world, great gameplay and solid mechanics. The sequel doesn’t disappoint and expands upon all the great things from the first game making for an unmissable experience for fans of Batman and fans of gaming alike.

Arkham City is based shortly after events from the first game where former Arkham Asylum warden Quincy Sharp now runs Gotham City as its mayor. He has sectioned off part of the city and moved all inmates from the asylum and Blackgate prison to here. This area is called Arkham City and Hugo Strange runs it and it’s your job as Batman to find out what’s going on in this god forsaken place!

The combat is as intuitive and rewarding as it was in Arkham Asylum and feels a little more polished. There’s plenty of new ways to take down the enemy in your fight against crime with several new moves such as the Bat Swarm, where you call upon a cloud of bats to daze multiple enemies at once. The Special Combat Multi Ground Takedown will make Batman jump into the air and instantly incapacitate all the thugs that are knocked down at the time. The Beat Down will send you into a flurry of punches concentrated on one foe and is especially useful against any one that is heavily armoured. It is now also possible to take out up to three bad guys during counter-attacks. As in the first game, every fight finishes with a close up of Batman taking down the last man standing and it never gets boring.

The graphics are beautiful in a dark gothic sense with old buildings and neon lights creating a great sense of what Gotham could look like and feel like as a whole. The area is roughly four times bigger than that of Arkham Asylum and the gameplay benefits significantly from the use of more space. Moving around the neon lit City of Arkham is a pleasure and is just what Batman needed after the small open space we were given in the previous game. You can dive bomb, swoop in between buildings and boost off your grappling hook like a slingshot giving the game a flow and freedom of movement reminiscent of Just Cause 2, albeit a much darker setting.

There are now several side missions away from the main game; some are extremely short and will be completed in no time, others will carry on throughout the game, but all are a welcome distraction from the main storyline and keeps things interesting. As well as these, the Riddler trophies make a comeback. There are now around 400 of these in total and some are extremely tricky requiring the use of multiple gadgets and some quick thinking in order to unlock the trophy. Many will be impossible to get until you progress through the game and upgrade to some better gadgetry. Any trophies you can’t get can be marked on the map to tackle later on.

The sound design is fantastic; turn the sound up on a decent system during a fight and you will feel the punches yourself. Voice acting is also a highlight with the return of Mark Hamill as the joker as well as several other great performances.

Once completed, fear not! There is still the new game plus to play where the difficulty is ramped up. This hardcore mode is like playing the real game without the hand-holding of the normal mode: On-screen prompts for moves are removed, there are more henchmen to deal with as well as more variation in enemies from the very start, and you will have all the gadgets and moves that you unlocked in your first play-through. This mode will sort out the boys from the Bat-men!

Challenge maps make a return with 12 combat challenges and 12 predator challenges. Combat challenges will have you fighting off four waves of increasingly hard enemies trying to keep your combo flowing as best as you can. Predator challenges require a more stealthy approach and will give you a set of three goals for each map such as: taking down a bad guy through a wall or knocking someone out with a batarang and then take them down. These are useful for training yourself but also work great competitively for any leader board chasers out there.

As for the bad, all I can come up with is some slightly off lip syncing and texture pop in, but seriously I can’t a find a game without these problems to some extent. Batman still feels a little stiff but he’s a big guy wearing a big suit so maybe he’s supposed to feel a little stiff.

Closing Comments

Arkham city expands upon the first game in every way possible. There’s more to do, more to see and everything you loved about the first one is back, bigger and better than before.

Fans of the first game have to play this and newcomers should consider playing Arkham Asylum first but will have no problems getting into this.

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Prices correct on 27.02.2012

Assassin’s Creed 2

Assassins Creed 2 is a worthy purchase that I’m sure will satisfy fans of the first game. The storyline is nothing short of excellent spanning over 25 years, the background graphics are great, the controls are easy to understand and the gameplay is thoroughly enjoyable. For those of you that, like me you didn’t think much of the first game then I would certainly recommend giving this romp through renaissance Italy a go, you won’t regret it.

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Fallout New Vegas

Anyone that wants a game that can be played for 100s of hours where there are new things to find all the time couldn’t go wrong with Fallout New Vegas. The main story is engaging, it has decent graphics, the map is pretty big, there are lots of weapons and it will take forever to complete. If you loved Fallout 3 then you should go out and buy Fallout New Vegas as soon as possible.

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Pro Evolution Soccer 2011

After Fifa, Pro Evolution Soccer is without a doubt one of the best football games on the PS3. Many people have said this is the best version that Konami have ever made due to it featuring many different competitions including be a legend which is similar to on Fifa, an easy to use interface, everything is fully customisable, games are realistic and the graphics are great. If your a Football fan looking for a bargain that will keep you entertained for hours then Pro Evolution 11 should be top of your list.

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Saints Row: The Third

Saints Row: The Third is the best in the series with some fantastic missions that are as creative as they are ridiculous. The good outweighs the bad and for a truly open world experience this is the closest you can come to doing anything you want without breaking the law.

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Dues Ex: Human Revolution

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a great game that caters equally to fans of stealth or the trigger happy that like to take things head on. With up to as much as 50 hrs of gameplay for those that like to complete everything and a great levelling up system, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is certainly one of the better games this year and I would highly recommend it to any fans of action/adventure games. For the price that this is currently available at preowned it is a great deal.

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For those that like to sin

To compare the Saints Row series to the G.T.A games would at this point be unfair considering how far removed from each other they are. Saints Row forgets about placing any restrictions on you and gives you an open world with an expansive list of ridiculous and outrageous toys to play with.

After a heist gone wrong the Saints find themselves in the city of Steelport. Steelport is a city controlled by The Syndicate, a group of three gangs: Morning Star, Eastern European arms manufacturers that like to dabble in genetic engineering, The Deckers, a group of money laundering cybercriminals, and the Luchadores, a Mexican wrestling gang in control of the gambling. Of course it’s up to you and the Saints to take over the city of Steelport in the most ruthlessly ridiculous fashion possible.

After the introduction you will get the chance to customize your character with an extensive amount of options like a sumo wrestler with a pornstache, or a big burly bloke in a cocktail dress, the choice is yours. Looking at your own ridiculous creations in the various cut-scenes is hilariously surreal. Should you get bored of your character you can go and customize yourself at one of the many shops for a relatively cheap cost to you in-game income. As expected the customization is even bigger and bolder than the previous games and it’s a fantastic thing to have so many options available that no two characters will look exactly alike.

As mentioned earlier Steelport is under the control of three gangs working together called the Syndicate. This also affects how the game is played compared to previous games where you would complete missions separately for each different gang following separate storylines until they came together at the end. There is now only one primary plot throughout the game and there is no need to earn respect to start the next mission, like in previous iterations of the series. Respect now earns you bonuses to weapons or abilities. The main missions of ‘Saints Row: The Third’ are a delightful highlight and include some of the most outrageous things seen in video games since Saints Row 2.

Activities are a huge part of The Saints Row games and fan favourites such as ‘Insurance Fraud’ and ‘Mayhem’ return here. New activities include ‘Guardian Angel’, where you protect members of your gang from high above in a helicopter with an array of weapons. ‘Tank Mayhem’, where you create as much mayhem as you can in a tank. ‘Professor Genki’s Super Ethical Reality Climax’, where you have to avoid traps and kill furry enemies to reach a certain amount of points before time runs out. Sadly the hilarious ‘Septic Avenger’ and ‘Crowd Control’ are missing but that’s no big deal.

There’s a huge array of weaponry to be unlocked and while you will start the game with standard weapons such as pistols, shotguns and SMGs, even these can be upgraded to a level of ridiculousness that fits the game well. Later weapons include the ability to call down air strikes and a device that allows you to control any vehicle within the game remotely.

The vehicles handle well and feel much better than the last game where everything felt very floaty. Here the cars feel like they’re actually on the road and whilst the handling is still designed to be easy and wont push anyone’s driving skills too far. At least you feel attached to the car and road somewhat. The extensive customization extends to the cars of course and you can waste hours modding your collection of cars to your taste.

The worst thing about the game is the feel of the city; it’s a little dull and feels like a fake world. There’s little variation within the city and certainly doesn’t feel like a living breathing city as other similar games have created so well. There are a few glitches such as activities not starting properly when activated and the usual pop in of trees and buildings. You will see characters sometimes getting stuck in trees and walls. A.I. is terrible and doesn’t provide much of a challenge considering the police and opposing gang members seem to be on a suicide mission to kill you, not even attempting to find cover.

All the activities and missions can be completed in co-op mode. This is a great game to play in co-op with all the crazy and ridiculous things there is to do. In co-op you may experience even more glitches though so be warned. Another annoying thing is you can only complete the missions together if you are up to the same point within the game and mission cannot be replayed within co-op.

There is also a “whored” mode which is obviously a saints row take on the horde mode seen in many other games now. It’s probably fun once but not my cup of tea and you will find plenty of other games with better horde modes.

Closing Comments

Saints Row: The Third is the best in the series with some fantastic missions that are as creative as they are ridiculous. The good outweighs the bad and for a truly open world experience this is the closest you can come to doing anything you want without breaking the law.

Alternatives

GTA IV
Does what it says on the tin.

Red Dead Redemption
Always wanted to play at Cowboys and Indians?
An excellent story awaits in this incredible game.

Just Cause 2
Better graphics and in some regards better gameplay,
although not half as funny.

Best Prices for Saints Row: The Third Preowned

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Prices correct on 05.03.2012

Best Preowned Prices

• £34.03
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• £44.99

Quantity and quality!

The only other Elder Scrolls game I played is Oblivion and it overtook everything for around four weeks of my life. I even took a week off work and didn’t do anything apart from play Oblivion, often until past seven o’clock in the morning. It’s not something I’m proud of, however it is testament to the fact these games are extremely addictive and incredibly immersive.

Skyrim is in the most northern part of Tamriel and is home to the Nords. The graphical shift is quite a bit different from the more colourful Oblivion. The graphics are more serious with an almost black and white look at times and in certain parts of Skyrim you will come across sever snowstorms that drastically block your view and if it wasn’t for the compass it would be easy to get lost. There are beautiful waterfalls and flowing waterways and this along with the dynamic weather system makes the world of Skyrim feel vibrant and alive.

The main quest is an enjoyable tale but the meat of the game as in Oblivion is in everything else you can do. All the usual guilds make a return here apart from the fighters guild which has been replaced with something else that I wont spoil for you here. Considering the amount on offer here it’s amazing how good the quality of most of the missions is. Apart from doing some fetching or going to kill this enemy here type quests, which at the end of the day are optional anyway, every quest has an interesting story to tell and some unexpected twists and turns. If you prefer doing your own thing you can spend hours and hours in Skyrim without progressing any story whatsoever. Instead making up your own path through the game clearing caves and dungeons as you see fit.

When you really start thinking about how much work has gone into the game as a whole it is an amazing place to behold. There are books to read everywhere and I’m sure many people will ignore them but they’re actually worth reading, especially for fans of the series as many of them have nods to past games. Some books will increase your skills automatically and some will even trigger quests. The addition of bookshelves to store books in your homes has made me go on a mission to collect series of books.

Skyrim does away with all the equipment needed to make potions from Oblivion and has now replaced them with alchemist labs. These can be purchased for your various homes or found in different places around the game world.

The sound is good and at times reminded me of Star Wars. It works well within the game for the most part but there were some annoyances such as characters speaking over each other, and hearing the same voice on two people next to each other. These are minor gripes and had no impact on overall gameplay.

Levelling up is more streamlined now Bethesda have done away with choosing major skills at the beginning of the game. Skills like one handed, conjuration and light armour level up purely based on how much you use them throughout the game. This feels like a more natural way of levelling up and doesn’t force you to use your major skills as in Oblivion.

The menu interface is a huge improvement from Oblivion’s book like look. It’s clean, modern, practical and considering the amount of items and information available it’s a pleasure to use on a PS3 controller.

Closing comments

The wonderful world of Skyrim is beautiful to look at and pleasure to explore as there is always something to do, whether it be collecting plants and insects to make potions with, exploring caves, taking down dragons and giants or actually completing an objective. Nobody can deny how involved this game is and how many hours it will suck out of your life. There is plenty of content to keep the majority of gamers happy for at least 100 hrs.

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Prices correct on 05.03.2012

Hasbro Family Game Night 3

This game features many classic board games including Game of Life, Twister, Cluedo, Yahtzee and Mouse Trap with Mr Potato Head as the host. I doubt that adults would get past a game or two but should definitely appeal to kids aged 7 – 13. The price of the game is very reasonable and can be picked up preowned for as little as £9.99 so is well worth the money.

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Disney Universe

This is definitely a game for kids up to the age of about thirteen. For children the game is very well presented with plenty to do and is much better than a lot of kids games I’ve seen. It’s well made and will keep a younger audience entertained and not so bad that adults can enjoy playing with children in the four player co-op mode.

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	£22.99	Buy Now
	£32.50	Buy Now

Sonic Generations

It’s refreshing to play a Sonic game actually worth playing and being able to see some of the older levels fully realised in 3D was for me a high point in the game. There’s something here for anyone that enjoyed Sonics older games and for anyone that’s been turned off by some of the more recent atrociously bad games I recommend you try Sonic Generations. As with all Sonic games from the past kids will love this and be entertained for hours.

Best Preowned Prices for Sonic Generations:

	£22.99	Buy Now
	£32.10	Buy Now

MySims SkyHeroes

MySims SkyHeroes is a fast paced exciting game that has lots of colourful cartoon visuals. Even though the game features a lot of weaponry and air combat fights it sends out a lot of positive messages to kids through the main story of heroes and redemption. The controls are really easy to use and so should be great for kids and adults to play together.

Best Preowned Prices for MySims SkyHeroes:

	£11.99	Buy Now
	£12.95	Buy Now

DanceStar Party

DanceStar Party is one of the latest dancing games that requires the PlayStation Move to play. If you have played Singstar Dance you will find that this game is a million times better and much easier to score points. It lets you and your kids learn the hottest dance moves and comes with 40 great tracks from the best artists. All in all a good game and will help keep all the family fit!

Best Preowned Prices for DanceStar Party:

	£13.36	Buy Now
	£19.95	Buy Now