Sunday Mercury - Games and gadgets

Pipemania (DS) review

2008-10-04T09:45:07Z

UNLIKE movies, remakes of games - especially decent ones - tend to be a good thing. And that's exactly the case with Pipemania.

First released way back in 1989, Pipemania is proof if ever it were needed that great gameplay is all you really need for a top notch computer game.

Just as with its predecessors, there's no snazzy, earth-shattering graphics to be found, but you don't need it, because the basis of the game is so strong. It's a puzzler from the old-school stable of Tetris & Co.

]]> Despite an awful tacked-on storyline, the premise is simple, use a random selection of pipes to get from point A to point B.

There's a couple of variations on the theme in this version, but the gameplay is the same all the way through, balancing the desire to complete the level by using all the pieces with the need to complete the level in time.

The real joy of Pipemania is that it will attract the retro gamers who spent far too many hours playing past versions, while it might also convert a few new-age gamers who think that a title isn't worth playing if it isn't oozing with slick 3D graphics - a theory this DS version dispels immediately.

Long live the traditional puzzler!

I Logic Beanie Hat

2008-10-03T09:38:44Z

THANKS to the rise of the MP3 player, headphones have been given something of a rennaisance.

But if you're bored of wearing those silly cans the trendy types use or you're not wanting to advertise the fact you have an iPod worth nicking thanks to white cabling, then the I Logic Hat might be right up your street.

This beanie hat features built-in earphones to keep your lugholes warm and entertained at the same time - perfect for braving those winter morning commutes.

The sound quality is on a par with any of the mid-range earphones you'd find on the market and the fact they're built in does seem to lessen the tinny sound that your fellow commuters have to listen to.

Priced at £14.99, the I Logic Hat is available from the aptly-named www.iwantoneofthose.com.

Celleden Wireless Stereo Player & Speakerphone

2008-09-29T10:20:59Z

THE days of lugging clunky CD players abroad are long gone thanks to the power of the MP3 player.

But what do you do if you want to use the music on your iPod through something greater than your earphones?

Well, Celleden have provided a solution with their Wireless Stereo Player and Bluetooth Universal Stereo Dongle.

]]> By plugging the Dongle into your MP3 player you can the wirelessly send the sounds through to the Stereo Player for great music quality on the go.

As the device is Bluetooth it'll also connect with mobiles allowing you to get real quality out of those tracks you have on your phone and you can also use it as a speakerphone for calls.

Both the dongle and speaker have a 10m range which proved more than adequate when I tested the unit during a holiday in France and allowed us to enjoy the sunshine while listening to great music - and we didn't even need to lug our entire CD collection with us.

The speaker is priced at £49.99 ad the dongle at £39.99. For more details visit the Celleden website.

TNA Impact! (X360) review

2008-09-25T09:45:12Z

AT long last we have a rival to the undisputed heavyweight champion of wrestling games.

The fact that the Smackdown v Raw series won the title by default as there was no competition is neither here nor there, but just like the televised wrestling world, TNA are now a serious rival to the all-conquering WWE.

There can be no doubting that plenty of work has gone into giving this game a graphics package to be proud of and it never disappoints. Every grappler in the game is brilliantly rendered and the action gives the feel of watching the stars of TNA going at it in the six-sided ring.

]]> The WWE games always felt a little contrived in story mode, and while TNA doesn't conquer this completely, the one-player mode is relatively good.

But TNA does trail to its rival when it comes to creating your own wrestler and the actual roster of stars featured. There's no female stars on this game, despite many of TNA's main TV storylines revolving around them.

However, there is one real complaint with this title as you get game hours behind you and that's the lack of variety.

Yes, you can play as different grapplers and use their different finishers, but the stock moves used by all characters are lacking in choice.

The game has its plus-points and arcade-style gamers will love the realism of the graphics, but wrestling die-hards will find the lack of longevity in the game a little tedious.

If it came down to a bout between the TNA and WWE wrestling games, it'd be hard to pick a winner. The end result? It'd probably be a double count out.

Family Trainer (Wii) review

2008-09-25T09:29:48Z

YOU begin to wonder whether there'll ever be a game released again on the Nintendo Wii where you play with the controller as a traditional game pad.

Family Trainer is the latest release to make use of an accessory, in this case a mat which has all the hallmarks of the dance mat which opened the door for multiplayer family gaming on various platforms.

But as we all know, the Wii has given this family-orientated fun a new meaning and Family Trainer is a welcome addition.

It throws out the seriousness of the Wii Fit and brings in laugh out loud gaming for groups of players.

]]> It's keep yourself fit while gaming premise is a little bit tongue in cheek and the gaming is nothing to write home about, but it brings people together in the way games should.

There are a variety of mini-games on offer which will test your timing, reflexes and co-ordination, while all the time making you look like a complete nutter!

As I've already mentioned, there's nothing innovative or brilliant to write home about in this game and it certainly isn't one to play on your own for hours, but if you're looking to have fun with friends and family then you really can't go wrong with Family Trainer.

Infinite Undiscovery (X360) review

2008-09-21T10:33:36Z

FOR a game to really sparkle in the RPG market, it needs to offer something outside the norm.

Sadly, Infinite Undiscovery fails to do this. However, there's still a solid game to be played - and enjoyed - here.

Once you get beyond the naff name of the game, you're straight into the fantasy world and the baffling complexity of gameplay. But again, this isn't a problem unique to this particular RPG title.

However, the gameplay, while often remaining fiddly, does improve over time (apart from one area, which I'll come onto later).

]]> The storyline follows the hero Capell as he attempts to free the earth from the Order of Chains. There are lots of bells and whistles added to the tale, but it's essentially an old fashioned good underdog versus a big bad enemy yarn. Graphically, Infinite Undiscovery offers solid if unspectacular imagery, but it does have a nice knack of enthralling you in the action and taking you deep into the consciousness of the game.

And now for that area of the gameplay which will make gamers pull the hair from their scalps.

In any role playing game the need to access your inventory is crucial. It's the norm to expect that while you're flicking through this that the action pauses in the background.

Sadly, the makers decided this would be the one area it would break the mould. But in doing so they've handcuffed players and made the inventory something they try to cut out of the game.

Infinite Undiscovery is a solid title (if you take away the inventory decision), but to throw in a random football analogy, fans always notice the mercurial midfielder rather than the workmanlike right back.

The Sims 2 Apartment Pets (DS) review

2008-09-21T10:26:18Z

YOU'D think that after the successes of Nintendogs and The Sims franchise, mashing the two titles together would produce videogame gold.

Well unfortunately it doesn't quite reach the heights you might expect.

Yes, it's a sweet game which youngsters will enjoy, but the repetitive nature of the game is never really overcome as it has been in previous Sims titles.

Apartment Pets sees you run a pet spa and keep animals in an upstairs flat. And that's about it.

]]> While other Sims titles have offered that open-ended gameplay which can see you take your characters in all manner of different directions, this pet-focused version is actually quite restrictive.

Graphically the game looks the part, with some nice rendering and simple to use navigation.

The stylus on the DS is used intelligently and does the job excellently as you attempt to take care of the various animals, but the lack of flexibility, bar a few minigames, really makes for a game which will only really suit younger players or those with memory problems.

Tiger Woods 09 (PS3) review

2008-09-14T10:38:51Z

THE makers of sports games would usually be tearing up their sales forecast charts if the star of their title picked up a long-term injury just before launch.

But such is the power of the Tiger Woods brand and the previous success of these titles that this latest effort still has all the pulling power Electronic Arts could ever want.

And despite them pretty much sewing up the golf game market, EA certainly haven't rested on their club bags.

]]> In comes Tiger's coach Hank Haney to assess your game and a club tuner to help you get the best from the tools at your disposal.

The new stats system rewards - and penalises - players when it comes to consistency, meaning that even if you're 15 shots in front, there's still a need to be at the top of your game.

The graphics are once again spectacular, but that's pretty much a given for Tiger Woods games and the gameplay is challenging without being impossible.

Online play has also been tweaked with the arrival of simultaneous play shaving plenty of time off those multiplayer games.

Just like the great man's golfing skills, there's almost nothing to pick holes in when it comes to Tiger Woods 09. It's got graphics, gameplay and an appeal to gamers who aren't necessarily huge golf games.

As sport sims go, this is pretty much on the button.

Madden NFL 09 (X360) review

2008-09-14T10:33:19Z

THE rise of American Football on this side of the pond was clear to see when the NFL packed out Wembley for a game last season.

But for those of us who've developed a knowledge of the sport from the Madden franchise, we're already aware how much fun it can be.

Just like Tiger Woods, the Madden series continues to go from strength to strength with new and improved features being added to the mix every year. The graphics once again ooze genuine quality while the TV-style broadcasts give the game a big match feeling which really adds to the atmosphere.

]]> Gameplay is a little bit fiddly at times, and those who aren't up to speed on American Football may find things a little bit baffling, but persistence is the key to getting the best out of Madden NFL 09.

A neat new addition is the test to analyse your skills on the game and then set the game parameters accordingly. This is certainly something which is likely to become more and more apparent in future sporting titles as it makes for a much more challenging experience.

Anyone who has played a Madden game before will certainly enjoy this version. Anyone who hasn't should definitely give it a try.

Too Human (X360) review

2008-09-07T10:48:52Z

TOO Human is one of those games that has a Marmite feel to it - you really will either love it or you'll hate it.

Despite being years in the making and having the hype factor which RPG games seem to come with as standard these days, the game doesn't seem to gel at times and can almost border on the repetitive.

But underlying the whole gaming experience is a strange addictiveness that makes you want to keep going and keep on killing those sci-fi enemies.

]]> Much of this 'five more minutes' mentality comes from the quest for improvements and upgrades to your character Baldur. But it's the lack of impact these changes really seem to make which nag at you at the same time. However, while there's goodies to be got, the gamer in us is going to get square eyes while we go in search of them.

Graphically the game is neat and tidy with some great cut scenes to spice up the action along the way and help tell a story which is too intricate to go into in this space.

But the storyline almost plays second fiddle to what is essentially a dungeon to dungeon journey, wiping out all manner of nasties as you go - something very familiar to gamers who live for this genre.

Gameplay is a little tricky to master at first, but it soon clicks in - despite the fact that the sheer amount of combat means you'll have very little time to actually think about how you slay the next enemy in line.

It's hard to make an overall judgement on Too Human, because it really is a game of personal preference.

Football Manager 2009 details released

2008-09-03T19:07:01Z

REJOICE all ye gamers, for the first details of the new Football Manager title have been released.

As usual there's plenty to get you licking your lips in anticipation.

There's the usual tweaks to things such as the media, but there's also some slightly more impressive changes afoot too.

For the first time in a Sports Interactive game we'll have a 3D match engine (created with the help of those clever guys at Sega), while the transfer system is getting a complete overhaul too.

]]> The details were unveiled in some quite snazzy videos by SI's Miles Jacobsen (he really is the video gaming equivalent of Motty!):

For those of you who've not yet tried either the old Championship Manager versions or the Sega-inspired FM games (and if you haven't then I'm surprised you've found your PC's on switch to read this), then the two videos give you a decent historical background to the Football Manager phenomenon.

Check it out and start counting down the days until November.