Imagine Gyromancer as a puzzle-RPG. You take the role of Rivel, a ball…er jewel bustin mage. Your spells of choice, matching up jewels to decimate your opponent. The game will feature 50 unique creatures, 10 levels, and an online ranking system for gamers to prove that jewel matching prowess.

The game drops on November 18, 2009 for Xbox Live and Steam users. Sorry to all of those on the PS3, but it looks like they have no love for the PSN community. Gyromancer can be had for 1200 Microsoft points / $14.99.

Check out the teaser video!

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Join us once again for our Network-wide podcast, pulling content and audio from Games Are Evil and The Portable Gamer to bring you the best of the week. Rob sits in for Ewan, bringing you the best of all Evils.

This week:

• Interview with @owengoss – Streaming Colour Studios – MONKEYS IN SPACE!
• The GrE Staff tells what games THEY are playing
• Ewan reviews Risen
• Blake moans his way through some EvilCast outtakes

The Good Egg

Subject: The Good Egg

Real Name: Unknown

Other Aliases: None

Place of Birth: Unknown

Marital Status: Unknown

Height: 4′

Weight: 200 lbs

Known Powers: The Good Egg possesses reflexes beyond the greatest athletes the world has ever known. He has trained himself to be able to kill anyone at any size with his bare hands. Though through his pranks he has killed more than a few targets. Through unknown means he has augmented his strength and speed with the dark magics that course through the world. He can travel at superhuman speeds as well as render himself  invisible at will.

Making a Clockwork "talk"

Case Log: The Good Egg is one of the assassins of the 7^thEgg Dynasty. His role in the organization is one of great trust. The Good Egg has direct audience with The Great Egg, also known as Gran Tomago. The Great Egg uses The Good Egg on his own special assignments. Tasks that are only known to the highest members of the organization are entrusted to The Good Egg. My investigations have shown that he has been a member of the group as far back as the 1980s as a torchbearer between the 6^th and 7^th Egg dynasties. If we could ever capture him and extract information, I think we would find all we need to bring The Environmentalists down.

Anyone that followed Japanese professional wrestling in the late 1980s would be familiar with the Good and Bad Eggs, as that is where they established their public identities. They held various wrestling titles and entertained audiences from around the world. It is unclear if they had their powers when they began as wrestlers, but by the time The Great Egg appeared as their mysterious ally, it was clear that they possessed abilities. As you may recall fan outrage caused all three to leave wrestling. It is my belief that this was all planned by The Great Egg.

A sense of his height

In the mid 1990s to the mid 2000s, all three resurfaced as members of a the highly successful touring band, Yolk. Their final tour was as a co-head lining act with the eclectic group, Mung Mind. Many sources at the time reported troubles back stage. Mung Mind fell apart when their guitar player was terribly injured during a sound check. This show was also the final public appearance of Yolk as a band. Public financial records would corroborate that the band combined with the wrestling funds are what allowed Gran Tomago to get the controlling interest in the Environmentalists.

My interactions with the subject have been minimal, as he spends a great deal of his time in counsel with Gran Tomago or the Bad Egg. When not with them he is out on his own performing tasks assigned to him by Gran Tomago.  The remainder of his time is spent in their base. I believe this base exists outside of reality as we know it, for I have found no physical egress. The only means in and out of there are via teleportation. I will be providing an additional report on their headquarters in a future report.

He does that all the time

The other members of the 7^thEgg Dynasty are clearly uneasy when The Good Egg is present. He has a sense of humor that is as twisted as he is dangerous. For example, my first night sleeping in the base lead to my needing hospital care, (fortunately in the Rogue Isles not many questions are asked in an ER). I had fallen asleep in my bunk, while unconscious The Good Egg had fetched a glass of warm water. He then placed my hand in it. Immediately thereafter he punched me in kidney with such force that I required emergency medical care. This sort of behavior is quite typical when it comes to The Good Egg. He takes great pleasure in twisting simple childish pranks into acts of mayhem. Stealth is his primary weapon, his victims seldom meet him face to face. His preferred method of killing is what he calls, “The Ass Punch”. From his concealed state The Good Egg can deliver enough concussive force to kill a normal human, even though he targets their buttocks.

Mr. Blackmail the other assassin in the 7th Egg Dynasty told me about one of the other “pranks” The Good Egg performed. This involved an apprentice sorceress named Davi Rose. The Good Egg found her home in Perez Park and waited for her to come home from her day job at City Hall. When she went inside he snuck over to her home and lit a bag of dog waste on fire in front of her door and rang the door bell. He ran across the street and waited in a crane.  When she opened the door to investigate she was surprised by a 10 ton wrecking ball that killed her instantly. Another seemingly juvenile act turned serious.

Powers Activated

I thought him to be a bit disturbed when I first met him. It was after I had wrapped up killing some snakes for Matthew Burke. I was on my mobile phone discussing my next job when I felt like I was being watched. I turned and no one was there. I finished my call and still had an uneasy feeling. This time when I turned, I barely saw the outline of The Good Egg. He was almost perfectly blended into his surroundings. The Good Egg then shifted into full view he informed me that if I had not seen him, he would have killed me on the spot. I think he planned to stab me with a badminton racket. No longer invisible, I got my first real view of him. He wore a simple white costume without pants (See attached photos). I find it terrifying that someone so small can exude so much menace. I was informed by The Good Egg that he had been observing me since I got to the Rogue Isles and he wanted to offer me a place in the 7^th Egg Dynasty based on my potential.

My cover identity is one of a man suffering from some trauma which has caused him to behave in a childlike manner. I think this helped me get in quicker, as there as little suspicion when I agreed to join them immediately. They think me too simple minded to be capable of subterfuge, thank God.

The most disturbing rumor I have heard about The Good Egg, is that he may be a psionic projection from someone else. Intelligence claims that the person projecting The Good Egg into existence may not even be aware of it. I have no idea how to go about proving that The Good Egg is the figment of someone’s imagination made real.

Updates

Mercury Bundle 2 Sale – Includes Archer Maclean’s Mercury and Mercury Meltdown (now $9.99)- For a limited time only, you can get these two games for one low price. Coupon clippers rejoice!

TV Show King Price Drop (now $6.99)- Now can you tear yourself away from the TV and onto PSN?

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Weapon X Arena Pack Price Drop (now $4.99)- Wolverine + Arena = Happy Gamer

Downloadable Games

Military Madness: Nectaris ($9.99)- Now with a “platoon of new features”.

Numblast ($4.99)- A surreal number puzzle? No. Surreal would be me having anything to do with math unless I *have* to.

PSOne Classics: PS3/PSP

Gex ($5.99)- Look at the lazy lizard and the side-scroller game.. aww.

Game Demos (free)

Trine Demo- Get the first two levels of this bone crushing (no literally, you kill skeletons) solo or multiplayer action to try out.

Military Madness: Nectaris Demo- In case 10 big ones is still too rick for your blood, try the demo first!

Add-On Game Content

LittleBigPlanet Anniversary Costume (free)- You can dress him up like a little doll…

LittleBigPlanet Spaceman Costume (free)- …and tell your friends your daughter did it!

Dragon Age: Origins Stone Prisoner ($14.99)- Get Shale, a Golem who is willing to travel by your side.

Dragon Age: Origins Warden’s Keep ($6.99)- Get the scoop on the loss of Soldier’s Peak, and help the Grey Wardens get it back!

Brutal Legend Tears of the Hextadon Map Pack (free)- Two new maps for your multi-playing happiness; Circle of Tears & Death’s Fjord.

PC owners will get to enjoy this new free DLC along with a game patch on November 5, 2009.  360 owners will see a game patch on November 5, 2009, with the DLC following soon.  Sorry PS3 owners, but your stuck waiting for the patch and DLC.

DOWNLOAD | SUBSCRIBE IN iTUNES

We are like the Dark Knight returning to Gotham, to once again put an end to all evil, except Blake and Ross are going to have to fight it out to decide who is Batman and who is Robin.  My bets are on Ross wearing the green tights, but I might be a little biased.  This week the topics discussed include strippers, blunders and even shutters, along with Ross’s Top 5 Left 4 Dead 2 controversies. So don’t miss a second of the action!

Links to Topics Discussed:

1. Grenades or Gonorrhea?

2. Did Valve inadvertently spill the beans?

3. Sony no longer cares about Home…

4. Death is calling the N-Gage.

Open To The Public:

• Does the N-Gage sound like a worth purchase?

The Evil Cast:

• The collective of chaos: Ross Polly and Blake Grundman

Special Thanks:

• Rob LeFebvre, the best Alfred we could get for free!
• To all of our subscribers!

If you have any comments, ideas or suggestions, get off your ass and get them to us!

1. Leave us a comment (DO IT NOW!) here on the post
2. Email us at feedback@gamesareevil.com
   
3. Call and leave us a voice message at (206) 309-4286

Related stuff to check out:

• EvilCast NewsBrief Episode #61
• EvilCast NewsBrief Episode #62
• EvilCast NewsBrief Episode #63

To discover whether a game that is marketed for kids (and the young at heart) is any good at all, all one needs to do is the following:

• Find a seven year old boy. My son fits this demographic nicely.
• Place said boy in front of large TV screen, running an Xbox 360 and copy of said game.
• Place a controller in his hands (of course he already knows how to use it; he IS my son…)
• Start the game, while helping him navigate through menus that are too hard for him to read.
• Watch him play.

Throughout this process, data collection is essential. Two data points must be observed, and recorded. The first essential point is the length of time spent playing the game, with a secondary variable being the amount time spent asking to play the game, while the television or console is not on. This requesting process includes asking, normally in a plaintive voice, or outright manipulation in the form of hugs, kisses, and “you’re the best dad, ever” statements. The second key data point to be recorded is the incidence and volume of exclamatory statements and giggles while playing the game in question. If the experimenter can hear said statements and laughter from upstairs, then one can be assured of a positive result.

I have used this tried and true method on rental games to see if they are worthy of a purchase. I’m now utilizing this highly specialized system for you, dear reader, to help you decide whether this movie tie-in game is worth your hard earned money.

We all know that movie tie-in games typically suck. Under most circumstances they suck fairly hardcore, to be completely honest. The only one I’ve heard of being any good is a certain James Bond game from a generation or two ago. So, I approach any tie-in game with some trepidation. Our own staff has reviewed a few movie games in the past, *cough* Terminator Salvation *cough* and found them to be lacking.

My son, in his inimitable seven-year-old wisdom, has decided that Where The Wild Things Are: The Game, rates high on the KWPTG scale. In the Kid Will Play This Game Scale we can find a large number of loud exclamations of delight, joy, laughter, and happiness. In addition, we also found there to be an increase in the amount of hugs, smiles and snuggles from said experimental subject when the game itself was turned off and stowed.

In my own play-through, the game proves to be an engaging mix of platforming elements, engaging characterizations and story events, truly making it a pleasant way to spend time with the Wild Things. I found my inner child laughing and whooping it up, howling right along with Max and the Wild Things, as they jumped and ran their way through the events of the story. This is a game that encourages play, whether in the Village, which an in-between-story-missions location that houses both Max’s tent and the Wild Things’ nest-like chairs, or in the missions, where things like jumping, running, and sliding become crucial to completing the mission.

My son found the running missions to be his favorite, and I must admit, they seemed to convey the proper amount of speed and joy that any young child would experience while running through the woods and jumping over logs and roots. That Max is riding a giant Wild Thing, jumping over and sliding under logs, and leaping across rivers, only adds to the howling happiness of the activity.

This balances out my initial disappointment when I realized that yes, Max would have to use his scepter to hit and smash things while moving through the levels. I haven’t seen the movie, yet, but doubt that it includes much in the way of hitting large fireflies or bushes. That being said, though, smacking them does feel satisfying in a aurally tactile way.

The audio of the game was an integral part of the enjoyment that we found while playing it. The weight of these huge creatures is conveyed through their deep, resonant voices, the rumble of the controller and the satisfying smash when landing a particularly difficult jump. Also worth noting, the “Press Start” screen is one not to be ignored, as watching Max run through levels, or listening to the quirky and thrillingly subtle soundtrack, can be as entertaining as actually playing the game. Throughout the missions, the music does not feel repetitive, or overly orchestrated. The camera angles and delicate transitions between cut scene and game play help emphasize a measure of elegance not typically seen in video games at all, let alone movie tie-ins.

The platforming is simple, but not overly easy. My son needed my help on occasion to get past a particularly tricky jump or a hive full of fireflies, which actually burn or explode. Max collects various objects for the different Wild Things, starting with skulls for The Bull, and progressing through model houses for Carol and plants for SOMEBODY. It’s all fairly innocuous, but remains pleasant and never felt like a grind or busy work.

The story hits all the themes of friendship, even the not so nice ones, in a nod to the original source material. Not everyone who acts like a friend actually is a friend, and Max finds this out early on, after being taken on a long trek and abandoned by two of the less accepting Wild Things. When my son wasn’t watching, I threw rocks at the large bird-like Wild Thing and made him mad. He came after Max, hitting him. When Max’s health got too low, the bird actually ATE HIM. This is brilliant, because it drives home that fact that the Wild Things are actually wild. They aren’t meant to be reassuring at all, and I appreciate the game for not dumbing that down. It’s good to be a little afraid of them.

My only quibble with the game is the lack of any kind of any multiplayer mechanics. It sure would be great to control a Wild Thing while my son controls Max, or some sort of co-op mode where I could play along with him. I don’t need a whole online leader board system, but a simple local 2-player mode would have been the icing on an already tasty cake.

Overall, if you have a young child at home, boy OR girl, you owe it to yourself to pick this game up. If you are familiar with the book, or the movie, and want to extend that experience, this may be a perfect way to do so. If you are able to put aside the foolish things of adulthood and engage your inner howling wild thing, this game will serve you well. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to sneak back to my Xbox and run through a few more forests to collect fallen stars before my son wakes up and takes the console away.

The new content will be available this week, and will include new Shakespearean-style buildings, new roads, and new maps.  No matter how it is put, the new style looks amazing.

Academy of Champions is compatible with the Wii Balance Board and Wii Motion Plus.  The game packs 12 action packed mini games, 5-on-5 soccer action, story-driven playing experience, and unlockable characters like Sam Fisher and Altair.

Geared towards kids, but fun for the whole family.  What better way to introduce your young gamers to soccer and multi-player fun!

Are you a frugal North American who refuses to pay full price for your face-shattering entertainment? Well you are in luck! EA today announced that the retail price of Fight Night Round 4 has been dropped to the more respectable asking price of $39.99. Sorry,  U.K. pugilists. In addition to the price drop, Fight Night will also be receiving a new DLC pack, and a mysterious one at that. This new DLC pack, which will be sold for $9.99 on the PSN and 800 MS points on XBLA Marketplace, adds 3 new boxers and 2 new modes. The new boxers joining the roster are Bernard Hopkins, Sonny Liston, and Evander Holyfield. The only details we have on the 2 new modes are as follows:

The first, Old School Rules brings a new take to the traditional boxing experience, while the second, Ring Rivalries, allows you to re-create some of the greatest match ups in boxing history.

Well, that is not vague at all. We expect to hear more details of these new modes in the near future, and the DLC pack will be released for download in early December.

Click here to get your very own free episode of Muzzled.

Ubisoft announced a collectors edition for the up coming Splinter Cell Conviction.  Below are some deets; don’t forget to clean up the drool as you leave.

Custom USB drive with the following pre-loaded:

• Full-length ‘Making of Splinter Cell Conviction’ video
• Wallpaper
• Concept art
• Renders
• Screenshots
• Storyboards

“Fifth Freedom: The Art Of Splinter Cell” Book
Two In-Game Items

• Gain first access to the MP5-SD3, a lethal close-quarters submachine gun with an integrated suppressor (yeah, we think its hot, too).
• an exclusive 3rd Echelon outfit.

Collectable Decals

• 3rd Echelon Logo Decal
• Iconic Bullet Hole Decal

“Digging In The Ashes” Comic Book
Steel DVD Case

WiiWare

Carnival King - Are you having a rough day?  Have you ever had the desire to “go postal?” Well there is a much better alternative to a homicidal rampage through the Human Resources department of your office.  Instead, you should spend your time taking out your aggressions on a virtual shooting gallery of inanimate digital objects on your television screen.  Plus, as an added benefit, it doesn’t involve the use of grief counselors afterward!

Featuring 12 unique levels and 3 bonus stages, Carnival King is sure to keep you firing off shots for quite some time.  Oh, and don’t forget that there is a 2 player mode and online leaderboards to keep your competitive spirit fed until you have gotten rid of that pesky itch in your trigger finger.  If this tickles your fancy, reload your wallet and snag this for 700 Wii Points ($7.00 USD).

Here is a sample of the midway inspired mayhem below:

“Aha! I Got It!” Escape Game – In this age of senseless violence in video games, it is good to know that there are still some that strive to test your brain, rather than your twitch reflexes.  Released over a year ago in Japan under a completely different name, this oddly titled game is a graphical representation of classic puzzlers from back in the text based days of PC Gaming.  Expect to have your mind bended, twisted and jumbled in knots by this interesting take on styles of old.

Though it is a single player game, the puzzle aspects render itself a game that can be played with the entire family.  Just be sure you can all get along for long enough to actually finish each stage, because eventually trial and error with tend to grate on the nerves a smidgen.  If this sounds like a good time, it might be worth picking up for a mere 500 Wii Points ($5.00 USD).

Take a look at this preview of the brain numbing shenanigans:

Family Card Games – Alright, I need to get on my soapbox for a moment and ask, is it really necessary to release all of these different card games on WiiWare?  I mean, I understand that it is an open development platform and all, but how many different solitaire clones do you really need to have on your console, Nintendo?  This is just getting to be a bit much…

That said, if you are a fan of such games as Speed or Memory, then this might be right up your alley.  Up to four players can engage in Hoyle based combat, all in the name of having the strongest deck. Lets face it, there have been so many horrible card games released on WiiWare that I am simply running out of creative euphemisms on the topic.  Looks like it is time to bust out the thesaurus!  Despite all of my warnings otherwise, if this peaks your interest, it is available for 500 Wii Points ($5.00 USD).

Check out a sneak peak at the action in this gameplay trailer:

Virtual Console

Fighting Street – You would have to be living under a rock for the last two decades to not know about the tremendously popular Street Fighter franchise.  However, what most people don’t realize is that the original Street Fighter was not what you would call a “great game.” Considered decent by some, mediocre by others, the first installment in the series was ported to the TurboGrafx 16 in 1988 under the absurdly unclever re-title, Fighting Street.  (Come on Capcom, you could have done better than that!)

Fortunately for the Street Fighter faithful, there is one thing that the port had, that trumped the original: a fully composed soundtrack.  Whether this was a result of using the extra space provided by the TurboGrafx 16’s CD drive is unknown, but it might be just enough to tip the scales towards adding this to your vintage Virtual Console library.  You can snag this classic for 800 Wii Points ($8.00 USD).

If you are curious if it is worth parting with your hard earned duckets, here is a preview of what you can expect:

R-TYPE - Nintendo has once again decided to go right into my nostalgic wheelhouse, by releasing this piece of side scrolling shoot ‘em up royalty.  Originally released in Arcades way back in 1987, it has pretty much been ported to every platform imaginable since then.  Being a classic game doesn’t mean it is easy though, in fact, it is very much the opposite.  R-TYPE is widely revered as one of the most difficult games of all time!

As far as I am concerned, there is nothing more satisfying than navigating a minefield of bullet hell, to deliver that one perfect shot that will bring a boss to its proverbial knees.  The game has tons of moments like this and will keep you on the edge of your seat for hour after frustrating hour.  Do me a favor though, don’t cheat and use a Game Genie.  Nobody likes a cheater!  You have no excuse not to pick this up for the full sticker price of 500 Wii Points ($5.00 USD).

Seriously, you haven’t bought it yet? What are you waiting for, some gameplay video? Alright, here you go:

There should be more than enough choices here to keep you busy for quite some time, so get to it!

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Brian Clough once said “I wouldn’t say I’m the best manager in the business, but I was in the top one.” In SI Games’ sheepskin simulator, Football Manager 2010, you’ll be given the chance to emulate the goals of Clough and his peers throughout a career of football management, from the lower leagues, all the way up to European super stardom.  With Championship Manager 2010 finally mounting a viable alternative to Football Manager after last years of practically not showing up, and sales of the franchise ‘exceeding expectations’ with its latest release, have SI Games rested on their laurels or pushed on from last years rather disappointing outing?
This time last year, Sports Interactive’s PR department were in overdrive, promising more features than ever before, including a new, much anticipated 3D engine and the most complete managerial experience ever seen. To some degree those promises were delivered on, but even the most ardent of fans of the franchise would admit it was quite underwhelming.  Most disconcerting was the 3D, engine which could only be described as primitive at best.  As one would imagine, this time round, the PR firm has been somewhat more subdued, instead only promising a better game all round, and with Football Manager 2010, they have definitely succeeded.  However, as with any success there is still plenty of room to improve in the future.

The first thing that hits you is just how much prettier the game is. The game is awash in a sea of dazzling white and crisp, cool colours. This is not just a new clearer skin, but a whole new, more functional layout. Gone are the vertical navigation menus we’ve seen throughout the history of the series, replaced with a more free-flowing, drop-down menu style. Though this redesign could be viewed as beneficial, it quite possibly could confuse those who’ve become so accustomed to the old menu style. Whilst the game is still the same as those you’ve played before, a few options have been moved around to make for much more logical navigation from screen to screen. Essentially, it’s not as intimidating for those new to the series, while still adhering to the demands of those who’ve lived and loved Sports Interactive’s games for over a decade. It may take a while for gamers used to the series to warm to it, but once understood, it quickly becomes the best all round layout to make its way into any sports management game, ever.

Football Manager 2010 is not only a stark improvement visually, but under the hood it is a much different animal as well. In previous installments, many people, myself included, would often be afraid to run any more than one or two leagues featuring a large database of players, for fear of instant PC meltdown. Curiosity however, got he better of me, so with this in mind I put Football Manager 2010 to the test and tried running the game on a large database with a number of leagues running.  With eight leagues active, from the lowest leagues, because nobody likes to miss out on potential talent, I started a new game. To my shock, database generation was almost instant. The days of 20 minute database creations now seem further away than reality would have you believe. But that was only the first test. After all, what good is a huge database, if the game becomes either too slow to use, or so unstable it becomes prone to crashes? So you can imagine my surprise when the game loaded even quicker than my Football Manager 2009 save, running just 3 leagues! Crazier yet, I was able to zip from screen to screen as if I’d only chosen the bare minimum of what was available.

There can be no denying that Football Manager 2010 as a game is built much more on small tweaks and touches from Football Manager 2009 than an all out revolution, such as that we’ve seen with Championship Manager 2010 this year.  So if you’re familiar with previous titles, there will be nothing too different, but that’s not so much a bad thing. After all, it only needed some key tweaks in the first place. One area that has been improved hugely is match day games. Gone are the bare minimum of options leading up to and throughout a game day. They have been replaced with a copious amount of new and improved options, from enhanced back room staff feedback, such as how certain players can improve areas of their game, to a tactic creation wizard where you can set playing styles for the team.

Two of the largest changes are new features that will soon become invaluable to any budding manager. Firstly, the option to define a players role, setting players as deep-lying playmakers or box-to-box midfielders, ball winning players, poachers, supporting forwards etc… There are now so many options available in setting up your team that you can truly create a playing style, from the silky smooth style displayed week in-week out by the likes of Arsenal and Barcelona, to the more robust styles displayed by Stoke City or Bolton Wanderers. Secondly, there is finally an option to coach from the sidelines, a feature sadly lacking in the previous outing. Now you have the option to truly roast your players for doing a bad job, telling them to focus play around a certain part of the pitch such as down the flanks or to shoot on site, or for those trying to hold on to a win, drop deep and clear the ball. All choices are made on the fly and you can clearly see players moving the ball around accordingly. You’re even able to stack various commands such as defending deep and breaking on the wings. Using these feature become a truly important part of the experience and is the real breakthrough of the new features available in the game.

Unfortunately, for every area that is improved, there are sadly some that have remained the same. Everything from the lackluster 3D engine we saw last year is an improved, but still not overly impressive, despite the inclusion of new player animations, stadias, and weather/pitch degradation. Though graphically it’s still a little disappointing, they’ve left the 2D mode in, which ironicly enough, has proven incredibly popular with many. However, one can’t help but feel that in a day and age where graphics are better than ever, it does feel that these 3D engines should at least be on par with those we saw on consoles over a decade ago, rather than those of an older generation. Another area severely lacking in functionality is the scouting section, which has remained the same now for far too many years and is in dire need of an overhaul. It’s functional, but nothing more than basic, especially when compared to the fantastic mode included in Championship Manager. For a game built around unearthing the latest footballing wunderkind, it seems a rather shocking oversight to have not improved it.

On a note for concern, there are some flaws present from the start. On every new game that was started, there were players moaning about how you deal with them in team-talks, even if you praise them for mauling the opposition 5-0. Some more player specific praise would be a welcome addition to future iterations of the franchise, if only to stop this happening all the time. There also seems to be a lack of reality in some matches, and although nothing is going to be perfect all the time, the ones encountered were more than a little odd. An example of some of these problems were present in my very first match, where playing as Manchester United, I had Gary Neville, a right-back who has scored only a handful of goals in his entire career and not score a goal, but a 30-yard screamer off of the woodwork! Further illustrating inconsistancies, Ben Foster, the Manchester United goalkeeper, rocketed in a free-kick from 85 yards! Although ‘he never meant that’, those kinds of things just shouldn’t happen and most definitely never in the same match.

Overall though, I do absolutely love this game and know I will play this several times a week, right up until Football Manager 2011 and quite possibly beyond. I do wish they’d add more new things, especially scouting and set-piece support, both of which are done better in other games.  It would also be nice to reduce the number times you see silly things happen such as players moaning over nothing or getting the most random goal scorers. However, with all that said, it really is purely nit-picking at a game which edges closer to perfect every single year. This game will cause yet more divorces, break-ups and arguments due to its ‘one more game’ nature, but then, do you really need a relationship with this game in your life?

Infinity Ward/Activision have been given the green light by Microsoft to disable party chat for team playlists.  At this juncture, there are conflicting reports on what is and isn’t excluded from party chat.  Ostensibly, the decision has been made to remove party chat to prevent cheating.  But, since cheaters are notoriously inventive and often ferociously determined, something as simple as a phone will surely serve just as well.  Which really leaves the question: why?

Presumably, this will save on bandwidth, setting an alarming precedent for other developers to follow.  But is this really that big a deal?  Or should we be annoyed that Microsoft seem to be happy for developers to rewind 360 functionality several years?  Is this a bridge too far (ahem) after the dedicated server furore that so angered prospective PC players recently?

This expansion has you taking your Sims to places like China, Egypt, and France.  The expansion also boasts a new soundtrack with artists like Nelly Furtado and LeAnn Rimes lending their musical talents.

Look for The Sims 3: World Adventures to hit retail on November 17, 2009.  Don’t have The Sims 3 yet?  Good news for you as a collectors’ edition will be available the same day.  The collectors’ edition will come with both the game and the expansion.

Media Molecule – we make games..

DoubleJump is a free audio podcast that we deliver to you!
Click HERE to subscribe in iTunes | Click HERE for the RSS Feed.

Or Just Listen Here: Download audio file (doublejump_ep_12.mp3)

Join us once again for our Network-wide podcast, pulling content and audio from Games Are Evil and The Portable Gamer to bring you the best of the week. Ewan’s back, podcasting from some pub in the wilds of Scotland, kilt flapping in the breeze, bringing you the best of all Evils.

This week:

• Ewan weights the pros and cons of digital download distribution
• Carter interviews 4J Studios about Texas Wuggle
• Then Carter interviews Brian Robbins from Riptide Games

DJ Hero is a work of musical art.  I have played both Guitar Hero and Rock Band, neither of which have gotten the same dancing, and dare I say, radio cranking effect that DJ Hero achieves.  Bottom line, this game is addictive and immensely fun to play.

As you would imagine, DJ Hero follows the same formula of notes falling down an endless highway.  You have three buttons on the top of the platter (record) that you have to hit in sequence.  You earn stars.  You have a point booster.  This is where the similarities come to an end.

Like any new game, the first thing I did was play through the tutorial.  Grand Master Flash held my hand as he taught me about scratching, crossfading, fader spikes, rewinds, and directional scratching.  It was a bit much to take in at first.  That said, after an hour or so of playing, I was crossfading and scratching with sheer enjoyment.

For those that are concerned about the initial learning curve, let not your heart be troubled, because the difficulty of this game scales very well.  If you start out on the beginner difficulty, you only have to press a button on the platter when a colored bar comes down the screen.  Easy has you doing scratches and matching up colors, with Medium adding in crossfades, Hard imposing directional scratches and fade spikes and Expert, well, that speeds the whole process up and really makes you prove yourself.

The biggest difference I noticed from other entries in the Guitar Hero brand was that missing a note does not cause a loud irritating noise that would stop the beat.  This was always a big turn off for me in other games, because I might be rocking a song, miss a note, and get out of sync with the game.  DJ Hero keeps the beat going, thus allowing you to remain in sync.  On the negative side, this also means you won’t always notice when you miss a note, other than the score multiplier resetting back to one.

Yet another difference from other music games is that you can use euphoria (star power) as soon you gain it.  You no longer need to wait until it fills the meter half way.  It is also worth noting that there are now three bars to fill for euphoria.  You will still want to plan your euphoria use carefully, but it is nice to trigger euphoria before you know the song is ending and you only have one bar to use.

Scoring remains much the same.  If you hit all the notes, scratches, fades and spikes correctly, your score multiplier will increase.  Much like playing lead guitar any of the other music games, your normal multiplier maxes out at four.  This is where rewinds come in.  If you manage to hit enough notes in order, the rewind ability becomes active.  This allows you to spin the platter in reverse and run through a sequence a second time.  Though, on the second pass, you can get double the score multiplier.  Mastering rewinds is crucial to getting five stars on songs.  With practice, you’ll be spinning the platter in reverse and catching the note buttons without even looking down.

Another nicety is that there is little distraction from the music.  Lets face it, when star power is available in Guitar Hero or Rock Band, the sound the game makes can pull you out of a song.  DJ Hero keeps these sounds subtle.  Text pops up on the screen telling you that rewind has became available and the green reverse arrow lights up.  When Euphoria becomes available, the bars on the right side of the highway light up.  Also, the euphoria button on the turntable controller lights up.  It is a nice touch.

As solid are the core mechanics are, this game would be nothing had it not been for the music.  There are 93 mixes available in the game, which sounds like a lot, but you may hear the same song repeated in several mixes.  This is true of songs from artists like Cypress Hill, Gwen Stefani, and Gorillaz. There are some mixes that you will see the song titles, and ask yourself “what the heck?” However, once you start playing the mix, you’ll find yourself really liking it.  This is a testament to the skill of the DJs behind each track.

There are 20 venues to play, all of which contain a wide range of different track counts.  Hell, there are even venues where you will only see two mixes listed.  Once you have met the requirements of the location, usually achieving a three star rating on all of the songs, you will be invited to play the bonus mix.  Some venues even have you playing as the actual DJ.  If you manage to find the Daft Punk venue, and you will be playing as Daft Punk for the entire setlist!

The visuals on the game are pretty much on par for this style and genre of game, not that it will really matter with your eyes focused on the center of the screen.  So, pretty much all you will see is black, green, red, and blue.  Though fairly predictable, the backgrounds do have some thought put into them.  Dancers will also do real club dance moves, spin poi around, and try and get the crowd excited. Special effects attempt to add to this atmosphere as well, just be prepared to see lots of screen flashes and strobes.

All of this adds up to a very engaging game, though it is not all ecstasy in the club.  One of the biggest annoyances is that after you finish a mix, the music stops as it displays your score and star count.  It would have been nice to have some sort of transitional music going, to try and illustrate how a DJ would transition from one mix to another. This would also help keep the flow of the game going without pause.

Another downfall is the feature set.  You have a single player mode, two player mode with a second turntable, and two player where one plays a guitar (imagine that), along with online play, and create your own set lists.  It would be remiss to neglect to mention that the guitar sections are hit or miss in terms of quality.  When you play solo and have a venue with a guitar, it will put you on the left side and the guitar on the right.  Why?  I am glad these are far and few between, and this is only a minor annoyance.

Overall, the game does a good job of breaking the ice and bringing you into the DJ world, but keep in mind that the sets on which your DJ plays are highly exaggerated.  This game will not teach you how to mix songs, nor will it teach you how to transition from one mix to another.  What would have been awesome to see is some interviews with DJ’s like Grand Master Flash, Daft Punk, DJ Shadow, and DJ Z-Trip, just to name a few, included with the game as an unlockable bonus.

This is a great addition to the “__ Hero” family of games.  If you are on the fence about picking up DJ Hero, you might be pleasantly surprised at how fun and enjoyable it is.  Those you you who enjoy techno, house music, hip-hop, or rock music owe it to yourself to at least give it a look.

One of the goals of this game was to shine a light on the masterful work of DJ’s, and it has achieved that goal with flying colors.  Another goal was to bring an interest to turntables/mixers, and it once again accomplished what it set out to do. Most importantly, DJ Hero brings a new level of fun and excitement to the music game genre.

One thing that sets Dragon Age apart from other RPGs is that your race and class effect far more than how you play your character. The first few hours of the game will take place based on one of 6 “Origin Stories”.  These series of quests will help explain how the character got to where they were when the rest of the campaign started. This is an interesting idea that should provide good replay value, not that many people are going to play through a full length RPG numerous times.

Even if you don’t want to play it multiple times, a large amount of DLC should keep the game engaging once the main story is complete. RPG fans should be drooling over this game. While a little more of a niche title then other games coming out this week, Dragon Age is a solid entry for those who aren’t after one of the half dozen shooters or action games coming out. If you’re on a budget, there is a lot of game here. If you enjoy RPGs at all, this is a must buy.

It was to my relief that James O’Reilly, Ubisoft’s Group Brand Manager understood my sentiments, commenting: “We are responding to direct feedback from the fans of Assassin’s Creed. Variety and depth of gameplay is an important learning and the team have been hard at work ensuring that the Assassin’s Creed 2 experience delivers accordingly.” When questioned if things be different this time around, he responded, saying, “I’m really excited about AC2. I feel like we’ve been able to really get what we want out of the game this time.”

Visually, the game has certainly received an upgrade. Climb a building and you’ll see that the play-area is now genuinely city-sized, with no “fog of war” cheats. See a building on the other side of town? You can free-run your way there across the roof-tops with no loading. Other touches, such as how Ezio’s (highly customizable) outfits will darken and stick to him when wet, both dripping and leaving squelchy footprints as he tries to inconspicuously wander across town, add an extra feel of finish.

The first one didn’t do too bad for itself though, did it? “What? 1.2million units for a new IP? Yeah, it did OK,” O’Reilly laughs, “but the ad campaign for the new game will be immense. I’ve never spent this much money before, it’s quite scary,” though no fear was showing in his eyes. “I really can’t wait for it to come out. It’s something the whole team’s really proud of and we know we’ve got a great game on our hands.” When saying this, O’Reilly seems genuine, as if he feels that the team has something to prove this time around, especially after the first AC showed so much promise and technical merit, but failed to cement itself as one of the greats, in the minds of players.

So where will the game be bettering its predecessor, I questioned. “Altair was already a master assassin when we jumped into his part of the story” O’Reilly reminisces. “Players will meet Ezio da Firenze Auditore before he becomes an Assassin and will join him on the path to becoming an Assassin. We can’t wait to see what’s in store as you join the character throughout a 30 year span.” He continued discussing what players would be doing over the span of the game, saying, “In the first game there were really only three mission types. In AC2 there are about 15 mission types in rotation, and the order’s mixed up so the repetition is completely gone. There’s also a ton of side missions outside the main rotation, so there’s loads more for the player to do.”

We’re not allowed to reveal anything about the story yet, but it seems that Ubisoft have really given their all to throttle out the first game’s failings, and make better still its successes. The combat animations were from a three month-old build, but they played at least as well as the first game, with more variation promised. It goes without saying that the free-running and animations are set to once again drop the jaws of passers-by. In its current state the game seemed fairly fleshed out, with surprisingly unique and varied inhabitants wandering its world, not to mention a lot of side-missions apparently already in place. That AC1 sold so well was probably down to expert marketing and the ‘wow’ factor, but AC2 looks to be shaping up to be one of the must-haves in a sea of great story and character-driven games coming our way soon.

For all you gamers and information junkies, we present the weekly PSN Downloadable Updates. Complete with commentary (we know you care what we think). Question, comments, quips, quotes? Comment! ‘Cause we care what you think (most of the time)!

Downloadable Content:

Battle Pool (you know.. billiards with a vengence)!
Hasbro Family Game Night ($39.99)- Reminisce with Connect Four, Sorry! Sliders, Battleship, Yahtzee, Boggle, and Sorry! And the host ain’t bad lookin’ either

Free Game Demos:

Ratchet And Clank Future: A Crack In Time – Ratchet Demo-
Fat Princess Demo – Experience the game that’s turning every gamer into a ‘chubby chaser’!
Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 Demo - Being hailed as the best fúbol simulation available. Check it out and let us know!

Add-on Game Content:

PAIN – Celebrity Character Elvira ($1.99)- Mistress of the Night now available.
Trivial Pursuit Sports Pack ($4.99)- Gee, we don’t have any sports fans out there, do we?
DJ Hero Extended Mix Pack ($5.99)- Wow. DLC already?

Guitar Hero 5 – Because Halloween DOES have it’s own soundtrack!

• “Gor Gor” by GWAR ($1.99)
• “Beautiful People” by Marilyn Manson ($1.99)
• “Astro Zombies” by The Misfits ($1.99)
• All Hallows Eve Track Pack ($5.49) – Downloadable Track Pack featuring “Gor Gor” by GWAR, “Beautiful People” by Marilyn Manson, and “Astro Zombies” by The Misfits.

Rock Band – Oooohhh.. Mystical. Magical. Or just more Halloween-esque songs.

• “Sundial” — Wolfmother ($1.99)
• “Pilgrim” — Wolfmother ($1.99)
• “Woman” — Wolfmother ($1.99)
• “White Unicorn” — Wolfmother ($1.99)
• “New Moon Rising” — Wolfmother ($1.99)
• Wolfmother Pack 01 ($8.49)
• “Superbeast” — Rob Zombie ($1.99)
• “Dragula” — Rob Zombie ($1.99)
• “Burn” — Rob Zombie ($1.99)
• Rob Zombie Pack 01 ($5.49)
• “Sugarbaby” — Morningwood ($0.99)
• “Best of Me” — Morningwood ($0.99)
• “Rock Me” — Liz Phair ($1.99)

Game Videos (free):

• Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Behind The Scenes – Mastering the Cell Processor
• Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Behind The Scenes – Online Technology
• Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Behind The Scenes -Thinking Like A Dog
• The Saboteur – Irishman In Paris
• NBA 2K10 – Post-Moves Trailer
• Just Cause 2 – Vertical Gameplay
• Just Cause 2 – Panau Trailer
• Just Cause 2 – Announcement Trailer
• Front Mission Evolved – TGS 2009 Trailer
• Dragon Age Origins – Warden’s Calling
• Dragon Age Origins – Dalish Elf
• Battlefield: Bad Company 2 – Squad Story 1
• Battlefield: Bad Company 2 – Squad Story 2
• Assassin’s Creed II – Dev Diary 1
• Assassin’s Creed II – Dev Diary 2
• PAIN – Celebrity Character Elvira Trailer
• Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier Story Trailer

As if it weren’t hard enough, Demon’s Souls is getting harder this weekend. The game’s World Tendency, a system of making the gameplay harder or less brutal depending on your actions and the phase of the moon, will be fully black this All Hallow’s Eve. Yeah, you heard that right. We’ll be looking for your bloodstain come Saturday afternoon.

A new Dead Space game? Already? After a year that saw the publication of such outstanding original IPs as Spore, Mirrors Edge, and Dead Space, Electronic Arts looked to be moving in a positive direction towards new content, the polar opposite of rival publisher, Activision. Just when we thought the days of squatting out yearly sequels were behind them, EA showed their true colors once again. Upon the announcement of Dead Space making its way to the Nintendo Wii, fans became frothy with glee, envisioning a Wii port of what was easily the biggest surprise of last year. Resident Evil 4 fueled antics and a unique Wii control scheme were dancing through the heads of reviewers, like sugar plumbs through the dreams of kindergartners on Christmas Eve. Much to the dismay of the excited masses, the game was revealed to forgo the port treatment, instead favoring an on-rails shooter, acting as a prequel to the events that haunted the slumber of every man, woman, and child that played the original. The real question is: did EA’s risk pay off, or are we looking at another mature Wii title that is dead on arrival?

The first mission aboard the USG Ishimura left us wondering what it would take for such a colossal structure to become devoid of virtually all human life. In the story of Dead Space: Extraction, players get to live out all of the destruction, pain, and horror that set the stage for the events of the original game.

Like most pieces of literature, feature films, and games that revolve around the dismantling of the entire human species, there is one thing that is always a safe bet: humans did something stupid to unleash their ultimate demise. This has been a story mechanic that dates all the way back to the Titans of Greek mythology being imprisoned by Zeus in Tartarus, later escaping and wreaking havoc. So why mess with a good thing, right? In the case of Extraction, the main enemies, the Necromorphs, are released during the attempted mining of a religious marker of some sort on the planet Aegis VII. As one would assume, once a possessed entity that is comprised entirely of deceased human tissue is released on your planet, you have only one option: run like the devil is in your back pocket holding a lighter to the underside of your nut-sack (or equivalent female bits — Ed).

Featuring traditional mechanics that have been found in every on-rails shooter since House of the Dead defined the whole genre, there is really nothing present that is cause for alarm. The “stand in one place while randomly generated zombie sprites hobble, stumble, and outright sprint directly into the sights of your crosshairs” mechanic remains unchanged. That is not to say that there are not new tricks thrown in here and there to enhance the combat, but it seems like a very safe take on something that could have redefined what a next-generation shooter experience could be on the Wii.

As funny as it may sound to hear the words “next-generation” and “Wii” in a sentence other than, “Dear lord, when is Nintendo planning to rob our pocketbooks and steal our wives, with the release of the next generation Wii,” the visuals tend to argue otherwise. In short, this is the single most detailed and aesthetically pleasing game available on the console to date. It is nothing short of staggering what the developers over at Visceral Games have been able to produce with such drastically underpowered hardware. In an age where studios have used the limitations of the Wii as an excuse for delivering piss poor environmental assets and muddy animations, it is nice to see someone legitimately push the machine to its limits.

Sticking with the theme of stellar design, the HUD and visors used to progress the plot of the game are spot on. They are located in areas of the screen where key information can be conveyed quickly, without interrupting or distracting from the action at hand, while still seeming to not be outside of what one would expect. Another particularly well crafted piece of the puzzle is the engrossing narrative. Throughout the events of the game, the player will take control of a great number of different characters. This significantly enhances the overall perspective of the player, allowing a greater sense of the story than if limited to on point of view. The game is set across a great number of different environments, helping to portray a feeling of satisfaction through the relentless forward progression.

Veterans of the past Dead Space installment will remember the game’s upgradeable weapon system. Fortunately those helming the prequel decided to bring this across the console chasm, recreating what may be the single most gratifying mechanic of the entire game. Having the ability to choose up to four weapons of your choice and upgrading them as you see fit helps to both engross and reinforce the life-or-death scenarios that take place. Just make sure to shoose upgrade your weapons wisely: they will be critical to your survival in later stages.

If there are two areas where the game falls tragically short, they would have to be the puzzles and personality. First off, there are a number of different points where environmental puzzles are employed to increase the tension of a scene and provide a necessary break from the gunplay. While  succeed in breaking up the monotony of the action, the actual puzzles themselves leave something to be desired. Normally taking the form of having to hack a locked door or re-activate a dead elevator, this element just seemed like a tacked on mini-game that would be better suited to a precision-based multiplayer mode.

The  area where the game lacks the most is the personality. Sure, the game has solid voice acting and decent character development, but there is nothing that drew me into caring about any one specific character. It doesn’t help matters much that the game is a non-stop, high-intensity experience. Reflections back to games like House of the Dead: Overkill come to mind, except for one key factor: Overkill injected humor at regular intervals in order to break the tension. Having a bit more humor, as dark as it would need to be, might have helped all of the characters feel more authentic, rather than skittish and abused puppies in pasty human form.

Games like Dead Space: Extraction do not come along very often and especially not on the Nintendo Wii. It successfully manages to combine lush visuals, satisfying gunplay, and top tier storytelling into a title that has raised the bar for what to expect from a Wii game. This is a must own for any Wii owner with a bent towards the mature and gratuitous violence that only the threat of an alien genocide can provide.

November 5th

• 61 Band Hero songs available for import into Guitar Hero 5
• 69 Guitar Hero 5 songs available for import into Band Hero

November 12th

• “Let Love Rule”- Lenny Kravitz
• “Lady”- Lenny Kravitz
• “Fly Away”- Lenny Kravitz

November 19th

• “Modern Day Delilah”- KISS
• “Lick It Up”- KISS
• “I Was Made for Loving You”- KISS

November 24th (Free track pack from Neversoft bands, unavailable for download on Wii)

• “Lemon Frosting”- Bunny Knutson
• “RockNRola”- Nancy Fullforce
• “From the Blue/Point of No Return/T.T.R.T.S.”- An Endless Sporadic
• “Love Holds it Down”- Dom Liberati
• “You Really Like Me”- Davidicus
• “Guilty Pleasures”- Tony Solis
• Death Magnetic Album downloadable for Nintendo Wii

That’s a pretty good list to look forward to, and having another “An Endless Sporadic” song alone should be worth anticipating this month of DLC.

Horror games like Obscure are 30% off this weekend only. Get them while they’re hot!

Bayonetta has been blowing reviewers out of the water in Japan. SEGA are very proudly blowing their trumpets hard at the news that Famitsu has given Bayonetta 40/40 for the 360 and 38/40 for the PS3.

Of course this bodes well for those of us who are waiting with bated breath for the European and American releases in January.

“Traditionally high scoring games in Famitsu go on to perform very well at retail in both Japan and the rest of the world. PlatinumGames set out to deliver a game that redefines the 3D action genre, and we feel that they have set a benchmark for future games in the genre to aspire to,” said Mike Hayes, CEO of SEGA America & SEGA Europe.

He added, “We chose a January ship date for BAYONETTA as we firmly believe that it is the best time for SEGA and our retail partners to launch this exciting new IP in the West, and push for a number #1 retail slot. BAYONETTA is a huge title for us and the perfect start for the New Year, both for SEGA and gamers across Europe and America.”

Roughly translated, “we wanted our game to kick as much ass as possible and the second week in January was a much safer bet than having Bayonetta get swallowed up in between the launches of FIFA, Modern Warfare and Assassin’s Creed 2″

Still, the Japanese are a traditionally picky crowd and if they see fit to give Bayonetta perfect scores who are we to argue. I for one would like the chance to see if Bayonetta is a perfect as Famitsu believes it is (hint, hint SEGA)…

The pack will include:

Four vehicle warfare unlocks:
• Improved Vehicle Armour – An up-armour package is mounted on all vehicle types, decreasing the effect of both explosive and penetrating warheads, significantly improving vehicle survivability.
• Supreme Vehicle Firepower – Additional weapon packages are mounted for the driver of all armoured vehicles, greatly expanding the range of targets the vehicle can successfully engage and destroy.
• Vehicle Motion Sensor – Use this electronics warfare package to locate enemy units in direct proximity to the vehicle.
• Tracer Dart Pistol – This magnetic dart attaches to any vehicle surface, allowing squad members to track, lock on, and fire rockets onto moving targets even beyond line of sight.

Two classic Battlefield 1943™ weapons:
• M1A1 Submachine Gun – Reliable but heavy this classic weapon is a powerful force in the hands of any Battlefield veteran.
• M1911 Pistol – Highly customized M1911 are favoured for its dependability and the power of its large .45 caliber round.

These should come in handy for all the Battlefield fans looking to gain the tactical advantage or maybe have a little bit of fun with some classic WWII weaponry.

Battlefield Bad Company 2 is set to come out in the UK on March 5th next year.

It’s Vancouver 2010. The sound of the crowd is nearly deafening as you walk through the 5 most amazing rings you’ve ever seen. The lights come in every color imaginable: and then some. To your left, you see Shadow. His black and red spikes bouncing as he walks, fists clenched tightly, he stares contently at the torch ahead of you. To your right, Peach waves like a beauty queen on a float to the crowd, completely oblivious to the longing gaze of the two-tailed fox walking (or is he flying?) behind her. She’s too excited to notice, and who can blame her? You’re with your oldest and dearest friends at the Winter Olympics. 16 days of heart pounding action await you as you turn on the console and get ready for the festival.

This could be a dream, it’s so lovely. The graphics at the beginning of the game are so colorful, detailed, and dimensional, you may as well be dreaming. As the opening sequence was playing for my brother, he noted, “Too bad the game play graphics aren’t this good…” Oh, but they are, dear misguided brother, they are. When I first got my Wii, I got the original Sonic vs Mario Olympic Games. I used to invite my friends over just to watch them try the triple jump. Like that game, Winter Olympics has very intuitive controls, but thankfully they aren’t as involved. As in the previous entry in the series, Winter Olympics allows gamers of all abilities to jump right in and start playing a select variety of events from the Free Style option, begin training in the Festival and eventually move onto the main events, or play a few Mini Games to get warmed up. Any of these options are available in 1-4 player mode as well, which is good, because this game was definitely made to share with friends. I like that within the multiplayer mode for the Festival or Free Style, you can choose to either play against each other or cooperatively as a team, a feature that my 5 year old appreciates as well. She’s just as geeked about the game as I am.

Events range from Figureskating to Skeleton Racing, and everywhere in between. Those of you in Europe (or Canada) will be happy to learn that they even have Curling. The events are given to you at a pace of about two per Olympic day, with training mandatory before you compete for any medals. The 16 day festival is based on points, so every score you get will count in the end. The game is also very good about reminding you that it’s all about your overall score, not your individual event scores. Some days you have surprise rival challenges which must be beaten before moving onto the next day. They’re fairly easy, though some will require you to try an extra few times. You may find this frustrating, but my thought is that it prepares you for what is coming next. Chances are, you’ll never feel unprepared for any of the upcoming events. Also, once you’ve trained in every component needed for a Dream Event, you’ll get to play it. For example, when you’ve trained in downhill, slalom, and the jump ski related events, you’ll get the Dream Skiing Event which combines all of the skills you’ve obtained. Once you complete a Dream Event, you unlock it for play in other game modes.

There are also a couple of days set aside in the even schedule for shopping. Here in Olympic Village  you can purchase designs and decorations for your equipment (snowboards, bobsleds, etc) or you can go to the boutique to choose costumes for your Mii. Some of the costumes have benefits for your character (such as more speed, control, etc). Sadly, you can’t clothe the already existing Mario or Sonic characters. You can, however, visit the awe inspiring Library to read about the history of the Olympics, Vancouver, the events, or even the mascots and where they orginate from. Finally, within the Village, you are able to purchase music to play during gameplay. If you don’t want to use your star points to purchase music, you can also unlock tunes as you play. For instance, when you race against King Boo, and win, you unlock his theme music. The combination of unlocking and purchasing is thoughtful, though there isn’t a lot of exciting content in either category to be totally honest.

As I mentioned before, the graphics are simply amazing. No one does Wii graphics like Nintendo, except apparently SEGA, who was the developer behind this one. Most notably, the big rounded figures that have become so archetypal for the Mario and Sonic characters are easily recognizable. The colors are brilliant and vibrant as you would expect from the two power house gaming families, and as I mentioned before the game play is as visually stunning as the pre-rendered movie sequences.

In addition, game play is not dizzying as Sonic games tend to be. Instead, it creates a feeling of being part of the game without the anxiety that would go along with being on a mountain top. The controls lend themselves to this feeling as well. My favorite example of this is the bobsleigh/skeleton. Though it isn’t necessary for game play, the instructions tell you to hold the controller in front of your chest and lean with the sleigh. Obviously, you can just move the controller, but what fun is that? Using the Wii Balance Board is supported, bringing another excellent yet optional  feature of the game.  The Balance Board supported events include: Downhill, Giant Slalom, Individual Large Hill, Moguls, Ski Cross, Halfpipe, Snowboard Cross, Skeleton, Bobsleigh, Dream Ski Cross, and Dream Snowboard Cross. Using the board can make the game quite a bit more difficult while adding realism to the experience.

This is first and foremost a family and friends game. As is usually true of the Mario and Sonic franchises, a wide variety of characters are available right from the beginning, and not just the good guys, either. Characters are separated into categories ( balanced, speed, and strength, for example) for easy pickin’, which is especially helpful when younger children are involved (they don’t have to try to compare stats for a manageable character). Also, when you’re playing multiplayer, the events in festival appear in a different order. If you’re playing by yourself, you may start Day 1 with downhill slalom and speed skating, where you may start Day 1 with curling and bobsleigh while playing as a team. In addition, controls are consistent throughout the game. What you do for one event, you’ll do for all similar events, making the learning curve that much shorter. Even curling was very easy to do! I also really appreciated the variety in control movement. A great example of this is figure skating. With so many moves, a variety of simple controls is a must, but there was never any room for confusion about what movement was needed next, and you get plenty of time to prepare. Very young children may need help with knowing what to do next, but they’ll be able to execute moves very easily.

Overall, I LOVE this game! The only thing I find mildly annoying is the load time between events. However, this is nowhere near enough to deter me from paying the brand new game price. If you have a Wii, chances are you love Mario. If you have children, chances are you love to play games with them. In either case, I urge you to run, not walk, to your nearest retailer and grab Mario VS Sonic: Winter Olympics for a variety of games and Wii-specific fun that young ones and the young at heart can all appreciate and enjoy!

Any GAME reward card customer who purchases the new Football Manager 2010 from GAME stores or GAME.co.uk on Friday 30 October 2009 will be entered into a prize draw, with one lucky gamer being selected to join Harry Redknapp’s personal phone book.  The computer game manager will be able to talk to him to ask his football management advice.
For those not already in the know, Harry Redknapp is a football legend, having previously managed the likes of West Ham, Portsmouth and Southampton. While managing Portsmouth he led the side to their FA Cup victory in 2008. Currently he’s manager for Tottenham Hotspur, oh and did I mention his son is Jamie Redknapp and his nephew Frank Lampard?

As the great man himself said: “I’ve got plenty of years experience in football management so hopefully I’ll be able to pass on some valuable words of wisdom.”

Football Manager 2010 comes out tomorrow in the UK at a RRP of £39.99. Expect a review from us very soon!

According to thems that knows, these patches “will improve the quality of multiplayer connections & matches, and refine the overall balance of multiplayer classes & modes. Specifically for PS3, the patch will significantly reduce checkpoint loading times.”

The complete class balance patch list for Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood are:

• Spy: damage increased; health increased;
• Gunslinger: recoil reduced; accuracy improved;
• Hombre: recoil and reload time increased; damage at long range significantly reduced;
• Veteran: health and accuracy decreased; additional pistols removed;
• Sniper: no-scope accuracy and damage significantly reduced; health decreased; sidearm Ranger swapped for Classic Gun

All Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures episodes will be available on Xbox LIVE® Arcade Wednesday, November 4^th. The release coincides day and date with the 20^th anniversary of the release of A Grand Day Out, Wallace & Gromit’s first animated short, which makes all kinds of sense to us! Stay tuned and maybe we’ll even get you some of that scrumptious cheese, Gromit, in the form of a review or four.Here are the Episodes:

• Episode 4 – The Bogey Man

Sometimes it feels a little like the gaming industry lacks true innovation. So many publishers and developers seem to play it safe and stick to tried and tested genres, never daring to step out of their comfort zone to trying something new. That’s why it is great to see an amalgamation of the city building and MMO genres. This is a combination that I don’t think has been tried before, and in the case of Cities XL, it very nearly succeeds in its goal.

Comparisons to the SimCity series are pretty hard to avoid. With SimCity being such a landmark in gaming history, while simultaneously setting the bar for what is expected from a city building simulation, it’s inevitable that a game like Cities XL would be compared to such greatness. However, this could potentially be a big mistake, as I suspect SimCity veterans and newbies to the genre will have entirely different experiences.

Those that have not been indoctrinated into the city building genre should love the relative simplicity to the game. Weighing in its favor, the tutorials are particularly comprehensive and always intuitive in their explanations. The rudimentary mechanics behind the game are easy to get the hang of, with everything merely involving selecting where you want to place houses, roads, or shops… you get the idea.

A nice feature was the ability to add curved roads rather than just the traditional straight variety, making the game more fluid than simple straight grid based layouts. At times it felt a little like the Caesar series, with regular reminders interrupting the action to point out what was required to keep the city running smoothly. An array of different types of workers can also be attracted to your city, giving you plenty to do. Further complicating matters, certain housing types attract unqualified workers, while others attract executive workers. The same can be said of the office building types and amenities such as hospitals or bowling alleys. Quickly, you will fall into a routine of obeying whatever the tool tips suggest.

Of course the real meat of Cities XL isn’t just building your city and watching it hopefully flourish, it has more to do with the unique online capabilities. There are a number of servers to choose from, each housing up to 10,000 cities. Once you’ve chosen a server, it’s time to choose the type of plot you want. This mostly affects the difficulty of the area you’ve chosen and what resources are available. The server choice also determines who is available to trade with, which forms the crux of the online side of things.

Trading with other players is initially a fantastic idea that can be used to ensure that you have the resources necessary for your community to flourish. Under most circumstances this works fine, but at times it can be extremely buggy and awkward. Sometimes it forces you through a few too many hoops, leaving you with no other choice but to simply jump to trade a few things. This is a landmark concept, but it could certainly use a little more work.  One can only hope that a patch is forthcoming from Monte Cristo.

At times, in both the Planet mode and the Solo mode (which admittedly feels a bit of an afterthought), things begin to feel a little boring after a while. Sure, lots of juggling is needed to keep the city running smoothly, but with the lack of anything else really occurring, it lacks excitement that one would expect. Where are the natural disasters would normally occur in cities? I am not referring to the staple alien invasions that are present in SimCity, because Cities XL is obviously trying to be more realistic than that, but it would be nice to experience something a little different.

Then again, perhaps the the real beauty of Cities XL is in simply sitting back and watching your city flourish or fail. The core mechanics tend to lend itself more to passive gaming experiences, rather than something that needs constant attention. This is also really where the MMO side of things can take precedence, with the general chat box to entertain you, as well as trading with other players and building up relationships with them.

Ultimately, Cities XL suffers from the same critical flaw that has continued to plague MMOs: it simply doesn’t feel like a completed product yet. That said, in a few patches time, I think it really could be a force to be reckoned with. The development team over at Monte Cristo have already been outspoken in their ambitious plans for the future. Current subscription models offer the promise of new content every month, such as additional buildings and maps based on real geographical locations. Expansion packs are also in the works including such additions as ski resorts and beach locations. The foundations of a great game are certainly there, it just lacks that certain oomph to make it great.

By default, Cities XL is the ultimate MMO city builder. It’s a shame that the game struggles with several significant bugs and a general lack of any sense of humor, because it really could have been something special. If this were a school report, the graded version would have a ‘could try harder,’ written at the end.

Ed Vaizey, the Shadow Minister for Culture, has said that the current UK government has strangled the British games industry.

He added,”While the video games industry has boomed globally, growing by 20% in the last two years, we have lost 44 studios representing 15% of the sector. NESTA research indicates that external investment in privately operated UK developers has dropped by 60% since 2008 and that employment is down 4%.”

As well as citing the current financial climate in the UK as a problem he also threw scorn on the negative press that the government has been heaping onto video games.

“Keith Vaz, the Labour chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, loses no opportunity to link video games with the most heinous of crimes.”

“Much more insidious was a recent photograph, of a kid sitting on his sofa. Listless, bored, fat. And yes, with a video games console on his lap. The message was clear. Playing video games is bad for your health. And who sponsored this terrible message? Well, none other than the sponsoring department of the UK video games industry, the DCMS, as part of the Government’s Change4Life health campaign.”

With the lambasting of his opponents done with Ed promised to give games a proper voice so that the UK can retain its place behind the US and Japan as a world leader in the games industry. This he did whilst deftly side-stepping the question of tax breaks for games devlopers.

“I want to make sure that the views of the video game industry is properly represented in this important process. I know most of you have been focused on an industry-specific tax break. But I encourage the sector to think more widely than that. So I am calling on you to make your voices heard, and send us your expert views.”

Some of the potential solutions are quite interesting. The Conservatives propose wholesale deregulation of broadband providers so that providers other than BT can improve the current infrastructure or even add their own to help the UK’s broadband capacity increase. The also propose greater emphasis on teaching maths and computing in schools so that our children are better equipped to enter careers in game design and coding.

Faster broadband infrastructure and access to a growing talent pool are very positive steps but if all the developers have relocated to regions where they are given healthy tax incentives then the UK won’t have an industry for these improvements to help and the traditions of great British games like Lemmings, Sensible Soccer and Grand Theft Auto will be lost.

TIGA predicts that without tax incentives that can compete with the likes of Canada and France the UK games industry will decline by 25% over the next five years. He says that he wants to listen to the industry. Well Ed, the industry has spoken and what they want is tax breaks.

Industry analyst Nick Parker emailed all the big players in the games industry to ask them when they saw the games industry having its “iTunes moment” and a whopping 11 of the 18 that answered 2012/13.

How is this going to happen? More powerful hardware in the next generation or a shift from graphics intensive games towards software that can be delivered faster are both possibilities however Parker was quick to point out that no-one really knows.

The big factor that revolutionised the music industry was the entry of Apple into the market with iTunes and the iPod and the launch of services like Spotify. We may find that somebody new entering the marketplace might shake things up, just like Microsoft did for for online gaming with the original Xbox.

Rumours surrounding an Apple games console and the launch of services like OnLive and Gaikai could prove to be the catalysts for the change but with the limited broadband capabilities in the US and the UK especially hampering progress it still remains to be seen how much of a impact any streaming services would have.

If they do have an impact then former SCE Worldwide head honcho, Phil Harrison’s, predition of a PS4 with only a hard drive may be closer to the mark than we think. All we know for now is that change is coming and soon…

The first thing I noticed was how heavy the box was.  For a game this has some heft.  The FedEx tracking said it was 33 pounds.  I believe it now.  The turntable comes in a suitcase with a fake leather insert.  It is a nice case.  The top has DJ Hero stamped into it.

Once the case is opened, you are greated by your turntable and game.  The first thing you notice is how nice and shiny it is.  This will be a joy for finger prints.  The one downer right away for me was one of the included batteries had a nice big dent in it.  Thankfully I have 360 controllers with batteries on standby!

The fader and effect mixer are metal.  The gold is a bit much for me, but it is a nice touch.  The little flap houses the PS Home button and all the controller function.  MMM, shiney!  The Renegade Edition also included two cd’s.  One CD from Jay-Z and one from Eminem.  I have not popped this into the cd player yet, but it was listed as unreleased tracks.

There are two straps to pull the top piece of foam out.  This reveal a compartment for the four legs.  These legs screw into the bottom of the case to turn the whole case into a turntable stand.  The legs are height adjustable.  This also makes it nice and easy to transport the whole setup to a friends house if you want to play with them.

Here is what the setup looks like once “assembled”:

The turn table itself feels pretty solid.  The table spins pretty effortlessly.  The buttons are solid.  The fader has a click you can feel when it returns to the center.  The table legs are metal and not plastic.  Overall, this does not feel as much like a plastic toy like the Guitar Hero guitars do.  This is a really nice change of pace, and I hope that future products come with this kind of build quality.

So how is the game?  I have played it for an hour now and it is awesome!  The first time I heard MC Hammer vs Vanilla Ice, well, the neighbors probably didn’t care so much for it, but I was glad to have a nicer stereo system.  The controls are pretty solid.  I still have an issue hitting my scratches just right.  The music is pretty good.  I have not heard everything the game has to offer, but from what I have heard, the mixes are great blends of music you might not otherwise consider putting together.  I do find it hard to sit on the couch and play as I start bobbing and weaving to the music.

The one issue I have had is with the cross-fader.  There is a definate sweet spot to have it register as being back in the middle.  You might thing you have it ok, but you will notice that your getting unwanted results.  I’m sure this is only a matter of practice, but it is still a bit off putting starting out.

Enough of this rambling!  I am going to scratch more virtual records!

Groove is in the heart, but this guy may have just lost his. Full tracklist for Just Dance, new Wii game from Ubisoft, right here: http://www.justdancegame.com/

Posted via web from gre2’s posterous