The Meat Grinder Podcasts

OUTLAND REVIEW

The Meat Grinder — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:20:18 +0000

My experience with Xbox Live Arcade has been varied to say the least. At its best it has supplied me with some of the best games I have ever played, regardless of platform, size, price or genre and at its worst has shovelled a ton of poorly designed and badly executed crapware onto my hard disk which oddly all seem to be of similar price to the aforementioned gems.
I suspect I’m not alone in this finding and I also suspect that I’m not alone in noticing that a large number of the games in the ‘good’ category seem to be 2D platformers, which brings me nicely onto the game at hand.
Outland is brought to us by Housemarque studios (one of the 4 studios to actually release a game for the Gizmondo) and published by Ubisoft, so while you couldn’t call it an indie game by definition, it certainly feels like its hanging with the same crowd. Calling it a 2D platformer alone might be a little unfair, there is after all a bit more to it than that. It’s packed with adventuring elements, a fairly well fleshed out combat system, plenty of exploration and the game’s defining mechanic which will seem familiar to people who played a certain shoot-em-up in the days of the N64. In fact there are 2 games that Outland is so similar to that it immediately begs to be compared to them, namely Metroid and Ikaruga so let’s get this bit out of the way.

Gameplay and level design are the aspects it borrows most heavily from Metroid. In fact Outland will seem almost immediately familiar to anyone who has played any of the classic Metroid games. You take control of a nameless warrior who must navigate a series of inter-connected corridor-like levels in order to restore balance to his homeland. If that seems a little vague that’s probably because I wasn’t paying that much attention to the story. See one of my main gripes with the game is that the story is very difficult to relate to. Everything you do is given adequate context and is explained in fittingly mystical language but it feels somewhat clichéd and it doesn’t help that the story is told entirely through narrated text. Now unlike a lot of game critics (yeah I know I just compared myself to proper games critics, I do like to punch above my weight!) I actually don’t consider story telling via text a bad thing, even if it does somewhat contradict the interactive nature of video games. When it’s done well I think it works just fine. Braid for example had an excellent narrative despite being told entirely through on-screen text. To my mind this is due to the fact that the story is incredibly compelling and thoroughly interesting and is also told to you in very small, tantalising bites which keep you wanting more of the story explained. In Outland it is unfortunately standard stuff through and through; a tale about some mystical force and various gods or demons who act as the games bosses and blah blah blah. Anyway let’s move onto the good stuff…

Gameplay is where Outland shines. As I mentioned earlier, it does borrow heavily from the Metroid series and it’s light world/dark world mechanic is at best a loving homage to, and at worst a blatant rip off from Ikaruga. However, it doesn’t matter one iota. The platforming controls are spot on with well implemented parcour-style moves that allow you to wall jump, cling to ledges etc… in a lot of other platformers these moves would feel like an obvious crowbarring-in of parcour to give the game some ‘edginess’ but in Outland it feels completely natural. The pace is superb, I found it to be something of a gradual but never the less, speedy learning curve. You start out platforming slightly cautiously a la Super Mario (well if you play Mario Bros. like me anyway) but before long you get a feel for the controls, the game’s physics, the warrior’s weight and how he handles in the air for example and then you’re flying through the environments at break-neck speed. The warrior controls very fluidly, with an almost race car-like feel to him as you get up to speed when you start running and nicely slow to a quick but smooth and eased halt when you stop moving.

Outland truly is an exceptionally beautiful game

" data-medium-file="https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/outland-out-now-1.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/outland-out-now-1.jpg?w=600" class="size-medium wp-image-410" title="Outland Boss" src="https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/outland-out-now-1.jpg?w=300&h=169" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/outland-out-now-1.jpg?w=300 300w, https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/outland-out-now-1.jpg 600w, https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/outland-out-now-1.jpg?w=150 150w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

Outland truly is an exceptionally beautiful game

There are however, times when the action comes to a halt. Usually this happens when you reach a large expansive area in a level with a myriad of platforms and cannons that fire red or blue energy in sometimes bewilderingly difficult-to-navigate patterns (very reminiscent of old-school shooters like Gradius or R-type) which require you to stop and think for a moment. The light world/dark world mechanic boils down to you being able to change colour from red to blue. This affects everything from what platforms you can and can’t jump on to/interact with, what switches you can and can’t hit. It affects what can and can’t damage you; for instance those energy cannons I mentioned a few sentences ago: they fire red or blue energy and if you are the same colour as said energy then you are ale to walk through unharmed. It even affects combat; if you want to attack an enemy you have to make sure you’re the opposite colour to it, and this mechanic becomes spectacularly complex in some of the boss fights.

Combat for me was also a high point. You rarely seem to get games these days that aren’t specifically about combat but that have combat elements in them that manage to nail both aspects. This seems to be more prevalent in platformers than in many other genres. Thankfully in Outland it is satisfying as all hell! Strokes with your sword feel nice and visceral with a nice meaty feel on contact. They have excellent sound effects to accompany them too and a nice little touch in the form of a very slight but none the less satisfying pause as you slice an enemy. It’s nothing overly flashy, it just feels nice.

The last of the game’s highlights are its aesthetics. It’s a truly beautiful game to behold both in terms of visuals and in sound design. The environments are well structured, each level usually consists of a gorgeous hand painted background which evokes a very ancient, Aztec/Mayan feel which is set behind pitch dark platforms in the foreground, many of which are contrasted with inlaid patterns of shimmering light. It gives the game a very ethereal quality. The sound track is suitably evocative too, ancient melodies accompanied by a smattering of tenor choir parts here and there, the pace of which flows between tranquil and eerie to thundering and fast-paced when the tempo of the gameplay picks up.

The game’s difficulty is what I think some may find a little jarring. As you probably will have come to expect from 2D platformers on XBLA and PSN, the difficulty is steep, ranging from challenging to downright murderous at times with many a moment (particularly in boss fights but sometimes just in run-of-the-mill platforming sections) where you’ll find yourself screaming and tearing your hair out. Of course this could just be because I happened to be shit at this particular game but I’m not ready to concede that yet. Besides many gamers like a challenge like this and even I dare say it’s preferable to the inane hand-holding of many AAA titles of today, many of which seem to have their first 2 hours explain to the player exactly what to do…god forbid they should figure something out for themselves!
Despite a few gripes here and there I thoroughly recommend Outland. It’s fun, challenging, beautiful to look at, satisfying, sometimes infuriating, but at least in my time with it…never boring.

Ahh those Ikaruga nightmares come flooding back…

" data-medium-file="https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/outland_screenw.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/outland_screenw.jpg?w=600" class="size-full wp-image-412" title="Holy Crap!" src="https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/outland_screenw.jpg?w=600&h=295" alt="" width="600" height="295" srcset="https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/outland_screenw.jpg?w=600&h=295 600w, https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/outland_screenw.jpg?w=150&h=74 150w, https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/outland_screenw.jpg?w=300&h=148 300w, https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/outland_screenw.jpg 675w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />

Ahh those Ikaruga nightmares come flooding back...

Pointless-O-Matic Scale: 8

TRAILERS THAT LOOK BETTER THAN THE GAMES THEY’RE FOR

The Meat Grinder — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:37:03 +0000

Allow me to indulge in wearing my cynical hat for a second here. Game trailers are without a doubt the most important and key factor in any upcoming game’s marketing strategy. It’s the litmus test on whether you think a game is worth forking out the dough for so you can get your hands on the action, adventure or awesome that publishers dangle in front of you.

Look at Halo, if you’re at all interested in the franchise or even just own an Xbox, you’ve probably crossed paths with a Halo trailer at one time or another. I actually really enjoyed the short films put together for the ‘Believe’ campaign shown in the run up to the release of Halo 3 and the game did immensely well, for a number of reasons of course, but it had a huge marketing budget, the Believe stuff alone is rumoured to have cost somewhere in the vicinity of $10 million, so you’d hope it have made some impact. Anyhow, I digress.

The trailer is important and as well as potentially showing you an epic game just around the corner, it can just as easily be used to hoodwink you. Being blinded by a mix of professional editing and a good musical score is enough to make you think you’re going to be buying the game of the year, when actually you’re laying down some bones for dud of the century.

All of this stems from two sets of trailers I have recently come across and they made me think how impressive a feat it is to either completely 180 someones opinion of a game based on a trailer or conversely lull them into a false sense of security. I come at the two sets of trailers in question with a different approach for each, the first, Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Some of the early trailer work back around E3 did seriously peak my interest, having never played the original, which from what I’ve heard, in its day was a thing of beauty (not specifically visually you understand) I was up for at least having a go, whether I rent it or buy it, I’m still undecided, but what the early trailers did was set the scene really well, the world had a strong Ghost In The Shell feel and I assume this is what they were going for. These two more recent trailers however, don’t instill me with as much confidence and are both very different in their approach, one using rendered footage and the other with live-action. Anyway I have seriously rambled long enough and now I feel I should just show you.

Firstly the rendered trailer, (cant find the original so this one has some British guys chatting over the top, sorry).

And the live action – which I prefer.

I commend them for scope of their campaign, but at the same time the first trailer especially (arguably the one that counts for more as it contains in-game footage and character-centric cut scene footage) just comes across as poorly voice acted, poorly animated and the gameplay looks choppy, for a title like Deus Ex, I just feel like this is in unacceptable level of output from a franchise that so many have already made their minds up about. Although this is all the rantings of a crazed student, but based on what I’ve said this is an example of the 180.

The second title is Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, I had an early introduction to the AC franchise when I found AC2 on a hotel TV (with a built in PSOne, how awesome it that!), and that was fun, for about 5 minutes, what I am amazed by is the longevity that the brand has endured, I’ve seen reviews on more recent incarnations and there doesn’t seem to be anything that I can see as a hook, there’s just a particular fan base who eats this s*** up, if you’ll pardon the expression, and so they keep pumping it out. What I find interesting is how little flight you actually see in the trailer especially when compared to previous titles in the series, it’s a change of tact that might pay off with respect to bringing in new gamers to the series, by focusing the trailer on the ‘story’ and the human element, they almost side-step the fact that it’s just a prettier version of what they’ve given us already time and again, that being said, the game does look pretty but most likely it suffers the same drawbacks all fighter jet style sims seem to, pretty from a distance but unacceptably fugly close-up. Let’s hope they prove me wrong, but in the meantime, the trailer.

This is the an example of the hoodwink.

Don’t agree with me, or totally relate, share your thoughts in the comments.

An update from The Meat Grinder Team:

The Meat Grinder — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:55:37 +0000

It’s been tricky trying to run a kick-ass gaming website and podcast in conjunction with finishing a four year university degree, but we’ve just about managed it. That being said The Meat Grinder, has come under a little neglect especially in the last few months and so we’d just like to assure the fans and followers, it’s not over yet.

Podcasts will happen as and when. We’ve moved back to opposite sides of the country but that doesn’t mean no more podcasts ever, just keep your eyes pealed on iTunes or the feed.

The website will now be where we focus our attentions, bringing news and reviews via the written, rather than the spoken word.

Finally the existing podcasts are still on the production line to be YouTubified, subscribe to our channel and you’ll know as soon as they’ve made the leap from audio to video!

That’s all for now but keep an eye on the site, we’ll be posting pretty much anything we damn well choose soon enough and you know what, you’re gonna like it!

E3 2011: THE WII U, NINTENDO’S NEXT STEP

The Meat Grinder — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:53:55 +0000

The Wii wowed crowds, broke records and opened the gates on the motion-control gaming environment, its innovative gameplay mechanics acting as the catalyst that spawned similar systems from both Sony with the PlayStation Move and Microsoft with the Kinect for Xbox 360, which too have reaped the benefits in the next-gen motion gaming market.

As soon as the Wii became a smash sensation there were those who asked what was coming next. Amidst all the speculation and rumors, people eventually caught wind of Project Café, expected to be Nintendo’s next home-console platform. Initially nothing was known about Café say for that its hardware capabilities promised more than anything we’d seen previously from any of the three main companies. Official names flew around with some expecting the Wii 2 and others the Nintendo Stream but at their E3 press event they unveiled, at least in part, what they’d be keeping locked away for so long.

An overview of what the new Wii U controller is capable of

Surprisingly they produced a new controller design with a name nobody had directly anticipated, the Wii U. The controller itself is an intriguing design, a rectangular white slab that sits with a 6.2″ touch screen (supposedly around 1280×720 resolution) in the center. Videos showed a stylus being used directly on the screen which might (but hopefully not) make it a resistive touchscreen, on the flip side a host of videos mocked up its use as a sudo-tablet with sharp graphics and quick responses. The controller also features dual circle pads (similar to that of the 3DS’), ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘X’, ‘Y’ buttons, a D-pad, speakers, dual-mics, dual triggers on the back and a front-facing camera (for Facetime-esq video calling). This paragraph out of context makes it sound like a gaming centric tablet, and in essence that’s what it is, however Nintendo were clear to point out, it does not function as a stand-alone device.

The Wii U’s controller screen displays companion information to what’s being played or viewed on the main console, but the video output can be switched and streamed over the air to the display on the controller itself if desired, an interesting idea to say the least. Nintendo showed the controller interacting with the existing WiiMote and Nunchuck combination that further made for some interesting game mechanics. What this also means is that existing games might be able to garner some new life with the addition of a Wii U controller thrown into the mix. Another ability demoed was that the controller can be used as games console in itself (as long as it’s in range of the base station console supposedly) and it can browse the web too.

Strangely Nintendo focused almost solely on the potential brought to the table by this controller, with effectively no mention of the next gen console itself. They spoke of the “Wii U controller” but never moved on to the “Wii U”, a disappointment for myself, but I’m sure they had their reasons. From what we can surmise about the console itself. It’s small, similarly sized to the current Wii with softer edges. Both the console and controller keep the same stark design feel, not quite Apple but you get the idea.

3rd party developers have always been a weak point for Nintendo, looks like this time they intend to fix that

The videos show some current-gen looking stuff but sprinkled in there are a couple of high definition things that certainly raised eyebrows. One portion of a video in particular showed a beautifully rendered Link face off against a giant spider (Armogohma for the fans) in what could potentially be the look for the first HD Legend of Zelda game. There’s not a lot left to say about the console itself. Nintendo presented a list of partners and titles some of which would only really be able to be pulled off on a high-def system. Whatever they plan to do with the Wii U, I am intrigued and excited and we can only hope the next big gaming event in the calendar will play host to the console divulging more of its secrets.

IGN show us a hands on that hints at the graphical potential tucked away in the Wii U

Source 1 • Source 2

E3 2011: THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME…

The Meat Grinder — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:39:03 +0000

We are literally minutes from having watched Nintendo’s streamed press conference at E3 2011, live from the Nokia Theater and their announcements alone have given us plenty to talk about. We also want to take you through the big news from Sony, Microsoft, EA and Ubisoft along with any other little tid bits worth noting but for the meantime we’re going to make you wait just that little bit longer.

For our full coverage on all things E3 keep your feeds up to date as Episode 17 of the Meat Grinder Podcast is just around the corner and should be hitting the shelves (kind of) in the coming days. In the meantime cast your eyes over the new Wii U controller and let us know what you think.

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 16

The Meat Grinder — Thu, 26 May 2011 14:26:14 +0000

On this weeks episode we have more news on reveals from The Dark Knight Rises, some new game reveals, and a discussion on the upcoming events of this years E3, plus we review Mortal Kombat. Oh and a little aside…the first habitable exoplanet has been discovered, thought it might be worth a mention.

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 16

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-16.mp3

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 15

The Meat Grinder — Mon, 16 May 2011 19:04:41 +0000

We are back after a long absence and we promise not to do it again! On this brand new episode we recap the important news that we missed, news on filming for the Dark Knight Rises and Assassins Creed Revelations. We discuss all things Project Cafe and our review of Portal 2.

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 15

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-15.mp3

HALF LIFE 2 EPISODE 3…NO SERIOUSLY!!

The Meat Grinder — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:38:30 +0000

Yes I am dead serious, but before you either start salivating from the mouth or start flaming this article, hear me out… These are nothing more than rumours but they are based on some kind of evidence at the very least. At any rate it’s an article from gamesradar so flame them if you have to flame someone!

Original Article

Yup it seems that the Potato sack ARG (alternate reality game) hidden content which has been causing quite a stir in the gaming community may be hinting that Valve will reveal Half Life 2: Episode 3 after all. A series of hidden references in the indie games that come in the bundle have been decyphered by gamers everywhere. Until recently, the current thinking was that if enough people bought it and figured it out it would reveal that the company would release the upcoming Portal 2 early. However, the latest reveal on the Portal 2 ARG website was a message from Valve (or rather Aperture Science) that reads as follows:

LOG FROM [ REDACTED ], BY J.H. TO C.J.—

1. We designed the entire thing to be very, very durable. It was easy to get the materials since everyone’s been thinking

it’s a simple icebreaker ship. Ha.

2. We have made sure to strip it of anything not necessary, so that we have plenty of space for it. It doesn’t have any

backup supplies in the event the crew runs out of food, though. And there isn’t much food onboard in the first place.

3. In the event you need to send it off all of a sudden, use the OR box with code ‘hb1′.

That’s all, C.J. Not much else I can tell you other than this won’t leave a blight on our record. Mesa is going to be sore when they see what we’ve done.

Now don’t read into it too much if you don’t want to get your hopes up and you’d be well within your rights not to, I’m pretty hesitant after the last 4 years myself but the little stupid optimist inside me wants to believe!

WII 2!!!

The Meat Grinder — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 21:33:30 +0000

That’s right you heard it. What many industry insiders have been saying for a while now and so far have been proven wrong, looks like it may well be happening after all. According to many publications and internet sources including IGN and Game Informer, Nintendo will be revealing the Wii 2 at this year’s E3 in June. It will apparently be supporting HD formats and resolutions and is capable of out performing both the Xbox 360 and the PS3. It will also feature a completely new controller, not a remodeled wii remote, possible incorporating a screen. Reports also say that Nintendo will make an official announcement of the unveiling later this month. So with this news hot on the heels of the 3DS launch, are Nintendo abandoning the casual market and going after the hardcore gamers again? If so can they do it and how will it affect them financially?

Plus Michael Pachter can finally say I told you so!

Mortal Kombat: Lights, Camera, Action, Fight!

The Meat Grinder — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 11:15:23 +0000

Do you remember the fairly terrible Mortal Kombat movies? Wish you didn’t? Well it looks like there might be a brighter future for the live-action world of MK.

Those in the know might have caught a little short around the time of E3 last year called Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, starring Michael Jai White as Jax and Jeri Ryan as Sonya Blade. The short painted a picture of just how potentially awesome a live-action MK could be, with appearances from Johnny Cage, Scorpion, Baraka, Reptile and Sub Zero as well, all set within a somewhat more realistic world (if that can really apply to anything Mortal Kombat).

Directed by Kevin Tancharoen, the short was put out there with the express idea of peaking the interest of the big wigs over at Warner Brothers and it looks like it paid off. Warner Bros Digital have teamed up with Machinima.com to release a 9 part live action web series set in the same world as Rebirth that looks like it could potentially be a half decent attempt at a live action MK. What’s more, if this has really got you excited there’s a trailer out for the new series that you can check out here.

If you haven’t seen MK: Rebirth it’s still floating around the internets but we’ve brought it to you coz were so nice:

Last but not least the first episode of Mortal Kombat: Legacy premieres during Machinima.com’s four hour live stream of the upcoming game on April 12th. Let’s hope the series doesn’t dissapoint.

P.S. Mortal Kombat the game is out April 19th in North America and hits Europe 21st April.

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 14

The Meat Grinder — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:58:00 +0000

Sorry for the absence folks, university takes its toll on the best of us! In this weeks episode we have news on a horrific internal video leaked from MS hq, confusion on Joseph Gordon Levitts role in TDKR. We discuss the video game BAFTAs, have a look back at 2008s Mirrors Edge and dish out a smorgasbord of shout outs! Plus Microsoft are hiring eh?…..

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 14

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-14.mp3

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 13

The Meat Grinder — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 00:37:22 +0000

On this weeks episode the 3DS sells out in Japan on its first weekend! The Smithsonian museum announces a video game gallery, and Gears of war gets a release date. We break down how this years OSCARS went and review Bulletstorm for all you lovely people and we have news on the iPad 2 in case you hadnt heard it was coming! Oh and an American high school bans water…

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 13

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-13.mp3

THE MEAT GRINDER GOES YOUTUBE!

The Meat Grinder — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 22:16:41 +0000

That’s right folks we are taking that one small step for man, one giant leap for student kind into the daunting and yet enticing world of youtube. Basically we can get the podcast to more people this way. It will also make it easier for people to leave comments and give us feedback…hint hint! So we’ll be adding all new exciting video footage to each new episode because we’re just such nice people, and because it will be easier for you guys to see what the hell we’re talking about! We aim to get the youtube version of each episode uploaded before the next audio episode goes live so within a week (video editing takes time!).

So check out the channel and let us know what you think!

The Meat Grinder Youtube Channel

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 12

The Meat Grinder — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:52:42 +0000

On this weeks episode we call gamers everywhere to arms…its campaigning time! Also there is news on a potential new MMO from Blizzard, free DLC for Super Meat Boy, we delve into the murky depths of gaming discussions to see if the zombie-game genre has mileage left. We also review the long awaited Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and news on how Microsoft managed to break peoples phones…

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 12

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-12.mp3

Links for the campaigns featured in this episode:

Geohot’s defence against Sony lawsuit: http://geohot.com/
Custom button maps for disabled gamers: http://www.askacapper.com/petition

3DS HANDS ON

The Meat Grinder — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:51:09 +0000

So a little while ago I was going through my emails, routinely hitting delete on every one when I noticed something about a 3DS event from club Nintendo. It said that there were going to be a handful of preview events around the country and as a member I was entitled to enter the draw. These things rarely come to bare fruit but I thought what they hey so I entered. Within minutes I got an email back saying I was off to Bristol that evening to go and play one! I actually called the venue in question (Bristol’s Arnolfini) to check if it was legit and sure enough I got my confirmation!

So after a 13 minute train ride and a brief stroll me and my amigo Scott arrived at the Arnolfini all decked out in Nintendo-themed decor. The venue was impressive in itself, regardless of the event being held and I would like to commend them for their efforts, I very much hope to go back there in the not too distant future. Now before I continue I should probably apologize for the poor quality of the photos, they were taken from a phone camera (all I had available at the time) and the dim lighting didn’t help matter so think of them more as evidence…

So the tour began with us being greeted by a bunch of girls who I assume were from an events company as there was only one bloke there. Now I will probably sound like I bat for the other team by saying that I didn’t really appreciate being shown around by lots of hot women but the thing is it was a little forced and unsettling. See everyone at the event was there by means of registration and was there for one reason only: to play the 3DS! They didn’t need to be seduced into it by a parade of sexy girls. But I digress…

The first room was lined with an impressive podium display of all the handhelds from yesteryear, sort of a visual history lesson for the uninitiated. Then a demonstration of spot and street pass, 2 features which I think its fair to say I was initially less than impressed with. However, since the event I’m coming round to the idea. It basically boils down to a way to play individuals online who you might not have otherwise met. When you pass in the street, assuming you both have the feature enabled, your information will be logged and next time you turn on your 3DS, it will ask you if you want to play. On that subject, I felt this was the only area that was left untouched; the team neglected to either tell us about or demonstrate decent online capabilities. Now Nintendo doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to online play and it has been touted that this will change with the 3DS, however, we saw no evidence to support that claim here. Before we were treated to the main event we had to endure what has to be the most tortured bit of entertainment I have been a part of in some time. A live Street Fighter show followed by a mercenary hurriedly escorting us through a corridor of resi-evil style zombies…. To their credit, ‘Ryu’ and ‘Ken’ were obviously talented and played out a well choreographed fight (see the pictures) but again given the audience, it was less than necessary.

Now onto the meat of the sandwhich..the play test. For a long time I was very hopeful about the 3DS, then recently after reading a few more negative articles on the handheld, I was a bit more skeptical. Now however, after the play test I can reaffirm that I am very much looking forward to playing it again when I get the chance. When I first set eyes on it, the 3D isn’t quite the shock you think it would be, its more subtle than that, impressive but nothing to blow you away. But the more you play with it the more impressive it looks, and for the most part it really does enhance the visuals of the games (with the exception of Ocarina of Time which I personally thought looked crisper in 2D). I got to play almost the entire catalog of games even those that aren’t scheduled for release on launch day. Among the best were Street Figher 4 which plays and looks like a dream. It even plays rather well in the new perspective mode and it does add something else to the gameplay. They thumb stick/slider is unbelievably precise and I instantly fell in love with it. Even NGP’s proper joysticks will struggle to best this. The touch screen, whilst not capacitive, is this time much more responsive, for a resistive screen anyway (I assume the decision to opt for it was a cost issue).

Ocarina of time was as you’d expect; a prettier version of the old classic which I very much look forward to playing through at home, especially now that the HUD is all devoted to the touch screen. Steel Diver, I have to say I just didn’t get, for one reason or another, it just seemed rather quaint for a 3DS launch title. Kid Icarus, a game which despite everyone else’s slavering, I was quite indifferent about, turns out to be fantastic! The controls and visuals are superb, particularly the former. The combination of the brilliant thumb stick to control movement and using the touch screen to aim works like a dream and it was one of the few games to truly benefit from being in 3D. This leads me to the aspect I found least exciting about the whole event. From the games I’ve played (and I played almost all launch games and more) none really utilized the 3D in a way which really benefited the gameplay, it was mostly just eye candy, with the exception of Kid Icarus, Street Fighter 4, Star Fox 3D, and Snake Eater: Naked Sample (the last 2 I should point out were unplayable demos only). Infact the thing I felt that used the 3D the best, wasn’t any of the games or even the camera function, but the augmented reality games where you place a card on a table and watch it change, shooting at it from all angles if enemies pop out of it. It was actually very impressive, just the way it truly did change as you moved around it. It may be little more than a tech demo but it certainly got my attention.

So all in all I was very impressed with what Nintendo offers in the 3Ds as a piece of gaming hardware. However, I will end on a slightly downbeat note in that at £230 at launch, I will not be buying one (at least not until they come down in price). I can’t help feel that although the cost may be justified in hardware costs, you could get an xbox 360 or even a ps3 for that money and Sony isn’t looking like its going to change things up with the NGP either. It’s just that in todays handheld market where smartphones like the iPhone continue to offer games almost or in some cases as complete as anything you’d find on a true handheld at only £5 tops, how can anyone not be tempted to go down that route, especially when so many people already own iPhones or other smart phones. I just don’t want to see a company like Nintendo crash when they’ve put so much effort into something like this..I hope my skepticism is unfounded.

For more info and details on our play test, check out episode 11 of the podcast.

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 11

The Meat Grinder — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:47:02 +0000

On this weeks episode news of a new Assassins Creed reveal, confirmation that Arkham city will NOT have multiplayer and why you shouldnt storm into Dell HQ demanding everyone get to the lobby whilst dressed as a Biker. We give you our run down of the events of the Mobile World Conference and an exclusive hands-on play test of Nintendos 3DS!

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 11

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-11.mp3

NOKIA & MICROSOFT GET MARRIED, SAY WHAAA?

The Meat Grinder — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:31:05 +0000

You read correctly, of sorts. It seems that Symbian is looking to no longer be Nokia’s baby. With rumours of goings on between Nokia and Microsoft over the past week, it appears that todays announcement at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona has solidified speculation. Not but an hour before this post, Nokia’s head honcho, C.E.O. and Director Stephen Elop came onto the stage to officially proclaim the coming togther of these two big names. Nokia have said that they want to make it a “three-horse race” with respect to the leading mobile operating systems in the market and they feel releasing devices running WP7 under the Nokia brand is the way to go. This of course means that Nokia’s long history with Symbian as their chief OS will cease. They have however said that this is not an immediate gear change. Nokia still plan to release premium handsets across the next year running both Symbian and MeeGo OS’s and plan to slowly transition their infrastructure to WP7 over time. Whether this means they plan to reserve Symbian for their non-feature, non-smart phones or whether they plan to entirely move to WP7 in the long run is unclear, but the possibilites that may come from this could very well shake up the mobile world as a whole, only time will tell….

SONY SUES THE WORLD!!!

The Meat Grinder — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:24:57 +0000

Yes its that time of year again; another excellent demonstration of just how well Sony know how to please their loyal fans and not in any way alienate them or drive them all into bankruptcy. A little while ago Kevin Butler, a spokesperson for Sony was tweeted a message on his twitter feed with a certain code (which we will not print here or else we’ll end up getting sued too!) which he mistook for a battleship reference of all things. He then re-tweeted it, thing is it turned out to be the jail break code for the PS3, and coming from a spokesperson for Sony, you can see how that wouldn’t look too good. What are Sony going to do about it? They’re going to sue everyone…Not joking. Yes their response is to sue Twitter, Youtube, possibly Facebook, and any other social networking site where the code may have been posted. They have also been said to be taking action against the individuals responsible for the posts, demanding that the websites themselves hand over the personal details of the users in question, and also the DETAILS OF ANYONE WHO EVEN COMMENTED on the posts/videos in case they want to take action again them too. So it seems that if you want to bring down a pirate, the best way is to sue a bystander who happened to say ‘Hey look at that boat!’

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 10

The Meat Grinder — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:15:14 +0000

Yes we are 10 episodes old! Rejoice! On this weeks very special episode we take a look at the launch line up for the 3DS, a round up of what to expect at this years OSCARS, a review of the first Dead Space, and a brief dive into the peculiar world of Minecraft. Oh and world shattering news about Bulletstorm being responsible for an increase of rape…Yeh….

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 10

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-10.mp3

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 9

The Meat Grinder — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:22:15 +0000

On this weeks episode we tackle the launch event of the PSP2, or NGP as its known. A round up of our thoughts on the plethora of Mass Effect 2 DLC, A bried look at some indy gems and P Diddy is being sued for 1 Trillion Dollars??….For the 9 11 attacks??!!

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 9

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-9.mp3

THE N.G. WHAT NOW??

The Meat Grinder — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 15:35:48 +0000

Yup the cat is out of the bag. For anyone who hasn’t heard the PSP2 was officially unveiled on January 27th at a Sony event. It’s codenamed NGP (which stands for Next Generation Portable..way to go with the original thinking Sony!) and is set to be available this Christmas (at least in Japan anyway). Basically its a bigger PSP with a nice screen and dual analogue sticks, which Sony seem to still think are better placed both on the bottom instead of the left being up top…maybe they’re just suckers for symmetry? You can check out Engadget’s report for more details and check back with us for more news on this weeks podcast.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/27/the-sony-psp2/

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 8

The Meat Grinder — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:41:23 +0000

On this weeks episode its release dates galore! Duke Nukem Forever, the 3DS, LA Noire, everything has a lock. Also our long awaited review of Donkey Kong Country Returns, a discussion about Chrome OS, a brief glimpse at a game about a guy flying on fecal power, and whats that..a broadway musical about Wii games??

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 8

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-8.mp3

3DS EUROPEAN LAUNCH DETAILS…

The Meat Grinder — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:03:17 +0000

Well today is a day filled with mixed emotions here at Meat Grinder HQ. The good news first, we now have a concrete European launch date and we are infact going to be getting our mitts on the 3DS two days earlier than the folks across the pond! Yes March 25th is the official release date nationwide in the U.K. The bad news however…You’re going to be shelling out about £225 for one of these things! I for one am mad as hell! The U.S. price will be $250, now at today’s exchange rate, that’s a hair over £150…thats an £85 increase!!! (on average anyway, they seem to range from between £219 to £230) Now I don’t really blame Nintendo for this as they said at the conference that retailers would set their own prices for the 3DS which for all I know, could have been something that the retailers demanded but still…£85!!? Give us your thoughts!

3DS U.S. LAUNCH DATE

The Meat Grinder — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:28:21 +0000

So the 3DS preview event in New York City has finally come to a close and whilst there were few surprises, we now have some concrete information. The 3DS will go on sale in America on March 27th (a Sunday…guess businesses are getting tired of all those sick days on console launches!) for $249.99. This means we can expect a price of £150 over here in the U.K. assuming they do a straight conversion, they may of course mark the price up for some other reason. However, I for one am pleased, cheaper than I was expecting. We can also expect a similar release date as Nintendo confirmed it would be out in Europe before March 31st. Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and Kid Icarus Uprising were playable on the show floor and I have to say they looked mighty impressive. Stay tuned for more!

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 7

The Meat Grinder — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:59:08 +0000

The Meat Grinder is back for 2011, everyone rejoice! On this fresh new episode we give you the run down on CES and the VGAs, we put Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare through its paces. We put ourselves through hell trying to play I Wanna Be The Guy, the iPad gets dirty… and some news on the 3DS launch dates.

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 7

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-7.mp3

BIOWARE’S MYSTERY SCREENSHOT REVEALED!

The Meat Grinder — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 18:37:56 +0000

A couple of weeks ago we caught wind of BioWare’s plans to announce something special at the upcoming Spike VGA’s and all we had to tantalise us in the mean time was a shot of some futuristic looking sniper rifle wielding fellow. Well, the truth is now out, turns out is was in fact a frame from the new Mass Effect 3 trailer, so sorry to disappoint, if you thought this was going to be a completely new BioWare franchise and congrats if we have just confirmed your Mass Effect 3 suspicions. The trailer itself certainly looks impressive and throws an interesting curve ball as to what we can expect for the feel of Mass Effect 3.
BioWare have said this will be the ‘epic conclusion’ to both the story started and carried across Mass Effect 1 & 2 and Commander Shepard’s story and if you want to know what’s been going on between Mass Effect 2 and 3, BioWare are filling in the gaps with a slew of DLC starting with the ‘Lair of the Shadow Broker’. The game itself is thus far slated for a vague ‘holiday 2011’ release, so we’ll have to wait and see when they plan to spoon out another helping of Shepard and his motley crew.

Check out the impressive teaser trailer here (recommended in HD).

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 6 CHRISTMAS EDITION

The Meat Grinder — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 21:47:05 +0000

In Our festive, final podcast of 2010 we review the modern classic that is Psychonauts, take a peek at the HTC Desire Z, give you the low down on Fruit Ninja, and we round up our best and worst games of 2010. Let us know your thoughts people!

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 6

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-6.mp3

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 5

The Meat Grinder — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:05:45 +0000

On this weeks episode we spill the news on the Uncharted movie, thoughts on the recent abundance of platformers, our review of Assassins Creed Brotherhood, news on the upcoming Google Nexus S, and first impressions on Pac Man DX Championship edition. Enjoy!

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 5

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-5.mp3

ASSASSINS CREED: BROTHERHOOD REVIEW

The Meat Grinder — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 15:10:48 +0000

Well it’s a year on from Ubisoft’s last entry into the Assassin’s Creed franchise and it’s once again time to step into Renaissance man Ezio Auditore Da Firenze’s shoes and go jumping across the rooftops of Italy. But how does this entry stack up against its predecessor? Is it the instalment we’ve been waiting for or is it merely a glorified expansion pack?

Lets get the obvious out of the way first. If you’ve played Assassin’s Creed 2 and you were hoping for Assassin’s Creed 3, you’ll be disappointed. Brotherhood is most definitely a direct sequel to Assassin’s Creed 2 in the most literal sense; you actually pick up the very second you left off in the last game. For those that don’t know, Ubisoft have confirmed that Assassin’s Creed 3 is in the works but no details on where it will be set, what time period etc.. though if Brotherhood is any indication, it seems likely that we’ll be playing as Desmond in his present day.

In any case love it or hate it, Brotherhood takes us back to renaissance Italy, this time to Rome, a location touched on in the last half hour of Creed 2 and one which many fans were disappointed that more of Rome wasn’t featured in Creed 2. If you’re among those fans, then you’re in luck as virtually the entire game takes place in Rome this time around. A brief overview of the story then! (I’ll keep this spoiler free!)

The year is 1499, just coming to the new year and the start of the next century. Ezio, fresh from his encounter in the vault of the vatican with something that I won’t mention so as to avoid spoiling the last game for anyone who hasn’t yet played it *Hint hint!* He returns to the villa Auditore, apple in tow only to be attacked the next morning by Cesare Borgia, Rodrigo’s son along with a god damn army. Long story short; you fight off the army, lots of people die, the villa along with most of Monterigioni gets destroyed, someone important dies and Cesare makes off with the apple. Oh and worst of all you only had time to flee with one hidden blade and nothing else! This definitely evokes the same sort of feeling Metroid players will remember from each iteration of the prime series. Now I jumped the gun a little here in saying that the game picks up in the Vault where the last game left off. It actually starts, as the last one did in present day. Desmond and the rest of the Brady bunch have scarpered off to Monterigioni to set up shop there, a safe haven from the Abstergo agents. This is where I think we get a glimpse of the next game in the series. It has always been apparent that the series was heading towards a game in the present (or at least Desmond’s present) day and this always worried me a little. Whilst the idea of being an assassin in a futuristic setting seemed cool, the bits in the previous 2 games where you do play in present day are by far the most boring in the game. They just didn’t have the fantastic atmosphere of renaissance Venice or Florence that Ubisoft managed to create, for me half of my enjoyment whilst playing the games was looking at the environments and marvelling at the incredible sight of the Duomo or the basilica in Venice and that kind of wonder was always missing when playing as Desmond in the present.

That is until this time around. I see now how Assassin’s Creed 3 might take form. Whilst I’m sure there will be parts set in a modern day city, I think it fits with the narative that Ubioft have set up having Desmond visit sites from the ancient world and it keeps that same wonder you get whilst playing in the middle ages. Now lets get down to brass tacks; Brotherhood will immediately feel just like Creed 2 and for many this will feel like a bit of a let down if they were expecting the next leap forward. And in many ways this is very much an expansion pack, you could even take the cynical route and say that this instalment is a shameless cash-in to squeeze some more money out of the franchise before the final push for AC 3. Now that statement probably has some truth to it, Ubisoft are of course a business and they need to look after their bottom line. However, I for one and glad to see another instalment in the franchise before AC 3 and its great to see Ezio return one last time. The game in no way feels like it was a shameless cash-in with no feeling behind it, infact a lot of effort has been put in once again to ironing out creases in the gameplay, notably the combat which has traditionally been a sticking point in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. And whilst it is not perfect, it is the most complete it’s been so far, there’s actually some fantastically brutal new animations for the counter kills, the ones involving either the gun or the heavy weapons like maces are bone chillingly brutal!

For people who are still in two minds as to whether or not this is just an expansion pack or whether it could have been done as downloadable content, rest easy. I managed to easily get 20-30 hours out of Brotherhood, only marginally shorter than AC 2, it really is a full blown game in its own right. There have been numerous game play additions to this instalment too: new weapon types such as double handed swords, heavy axes, and the ability to use your gun with your sword drawn add a new dimension, not to mention the crossbow which I found to be an invaluable additional to the arsenal and was indispensable to the stealthy sections. You also have the ability to recruit and train new assassins to form a team that can help you out along the way. This at first sounded like an unnecessary addition and whilst I rarely used them during combat (how insulting to imply that I need help kicking ass!) I actually found the minigame-like process of assigning their stats and sending them out on contracts, eagerly awaiting news of their success (or failure depending on how good they are) to be thoroughly engrossing. Many new additional mission types have also been added. You now have the chance to track down Abstergo agents, recruit new assassins, courtesans and thieves to the cause and best of all for me, you can now track down and destroy 4 of Leonardo’s fabled war machines in some of the best moments in an Assassin’s Creed game I’ve played. These sections are incredibly stealthy, borrowing from the Metal Gear series (There is infact a cardboard box you can find in Rome as part of a little back-and-forth tribute Ubisoft and Kojima productions have to each others games). These sections are tense and exhilarating and were among my favourite parts of the game along with the welcome return of the tomb raiding sections, this time taking the form in infiltrating the 6 lairs of the Romulus sect.

Which brings us neatly on to the games’ worst aspect; the multiplayer. Now I understand if this comes as a shock to people new to the game but I have a sneaking suspicion that anyone who has played the multiplayer might go along with me here. To fill people in who may be unaware; the multiplayer focuses around assassinations where you are assigned a target to kill and you are also some other player’s target. You don’t know who it is that’s tracking you and you must find your target by the use of a proximity compass and a faceshot picture to help you out. I was initially very excited about this aspect of the game; it’s an original concept in an industry that is built on ripping titles off left right and centre and I haven’t seen any real innovation in multiplayer for some time now. However, in Brotherhood it just feels almost tacked on. That’s not to say that Ubisoft put no effort in, it just seems unnecessary in an Assassin’s Creed game, this single player is what its all about here. Its unfortunately plagued with random spawn issues where you’ll respawn right next to your target, there’s also a lack of variety and the whole thing feels quite one-note. I could only play this mode for a few hours before I’d decided it simply didn’t have enough replay value for me which seems a shame when this aspect was touted so heavily from the start. Perhaps Ubisoft didn’t really want to go this direction but felt that with the success of online-heavy games like C.O.D they simply couldn’t ignore multiplayer any longer.

In any case to sum up; I can;t recommend Brotherhood enough both to long time fans of the series or to new comers. Whilst I miss the variety of the sunset shades of Florence, the sweeping landscapes in Tuscany or the luscious views of Venice, Rome is wonderfully a realised city, far bigger in size than any of those in previous games. The story is nicely fleshed out (though not quite as satisfying as AC 2) and Ezio really does feel like the worthy master. The new additions are more than welcome and add a great deal to the experience. I was hesitant to admit it at first but now I think I’ve firmly made up my mind that Brotherhood is the best entry into the Assassin’s Creed series yet.

On the ‘Sam & Alex Pointless-O-Matic Ratings meter’….

9/10

BIOWARE TO REVEAL NEW PROJECT AT VGA!

The Meat Grinder — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 14:22:26 +0000

Good news for Bioware fans, the company have announced that they intend to reveal their next big project at the Spike TV Video Game Awards on December 11th.
Given that everyone knows Mass Effect 3 is coming, it seems unlikely that this reveal will be tied into the Mass Effect world. If you take a look at the screenshot they leaked, the character is certainly not recognisable from the ME universe. However, its just a guy with a gun peering out of a broken window, so not exactly giving it away! Stay tuned for more info.

BLACK OPS REVIEW

The Meat Grinder — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 02:04:02 +0000

Treyarch’s latest foray into the world of Call of Duty has clearly proved to be the most profitable thus far, but are the sales backed up by some quality content?

The single player story sees you piece together the mind of Alex Mason, a CIA operative who finds himself under interrogation from shadowy figures with the interrogation room serving as the hub for which all the campaigns missions unfold. As you relive Mason’s fragile memories, you are taken across a vast array of environments, starting in Cuba and moving through Russia, Vietnam and Laos in between. The story itself is fast paced and the content varied enough to keep you interested and the classic run-gun-feel of the previous titles is all here as well, but it’s broken up with some vehicle sections and one very inventive mission that sees you jump from commanding a squad from the air, to then switching to the eyes of the troops down on the ground to execute your attacks which keep things interesting.

Pretty People: Woods checking his corners (left), Exotic: Getting to grips with the more unusual weapons in the campaign (right)

Visually the game runs off a variation of the IW4 engine used in Modern Warfare but the enhancements really show. There are some great set pieces and the game has some of the best looking character models to date. On the whole Black Ops looks and feels fantastic but the campaign is a little rough around the edges with glitchy animations, the occasional dodgy texture and on one play through an unusual error with spawning enemies that wrote off the checkpoint saves for that entire mission!

The multiplayer is of course where the majority of players will really want to invest their time and Black Ops has a lot to offer. As well as most of the classic game types from previous installments, Treyarch have added a slew of new modes to keep things interesting and to up the ante even further, players can now use a credits system to bet on game successes and purchase weapons and other useful upgrades. ‘One in the Chamber’ sees each player start a round with 3 lives, one bullet and a knife. For every kill with the gun the player makes, they receive an extra bullet and last player standing wins. ‘Sticks and Stones’ sees players rack up points and bankrupt other players using crossbows, ballistic knives and tomahawks. The ‘Gun Game’ has every kill result in the player receiving a more powerful class of weapon, first to make a kill on level 20 wins. With the 4th and final unique game type being Sharpshooter, weapons automatically change every 45 seconds and the highest kills wins.

Treyarch have tried hard with this installment and they’ve had a lot to live up to, but Black Ops for the most part delivers. If you can live with the short but compelling campaign, fancy a familiar multiplayer experience with some welcome new additions, and the same Zombie fun that World at War brought to your screen in the past, then Call of Duty Black Ops is definitely for you. A solid, entertaining title with a top notch multiplayer.

On the ‘Sam & Alex Pointless-O-Matic Rating Meter’…..

8/10

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 4

The Meat Grinder — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:24:29 +0000

On this weeks episode…We get the news on Novembers gaming releases, iOS devices get an update, We spill the beans on what we thought of Call of Duty Black Ops, and We get to grips with all things Duke Nukem Forever!

Mp3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 4

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-4.mp3

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 3

The Meat Grinder — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 23:27:17 +0000

On this weeks episode we review Fable 3, reveal our thoughts on motion controls in video games after our play test of KINECT, a look back on last years special edition remake of The Secret Of Monkey Island, and our hands on with the Samsung P1000 Galaxy Tablet!

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 3 (Right click and ‘Save Link As’ to download)

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-3.mp3

SAINTS ROW MOVIE…

The Meat Grinder — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 10:58:13 +0000

If you’ve been keeping up to date with video games and film news for the last year or so, you’ll know there are quite a few video games being optioned for film adaptations. It seems THQ want a slice of the action and have recently announced that a Saint’s Row movie is in the works. CEO Brian Farrell announced that a ‘major’ film maker is being attached to the project and more details will be revealed in December along with plans for the upcoming 3rd Saint’s Row game. Core games boss at E3 Danny Bilson said: “What we have coming on Saints Row – and we’ll announce it in December – is the most robust transmedia play on any game ever done.” No news on which studio will be producing the film or any actors that may be attached. More news on the next podcast next week.

THE MEAT GRINDER IS OFFICIALLY ON iTUNES

The Meat Grinder — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:22:43 +0000

The Meat Grinder Podcast is now officially on the iTunes store for all. If you want to get the latest episodes, simply search ‘The Meat Grinder’ in iTunes or follow the link below and click ‘View in iTunes’. Don’t forget to subscribe so you stay up to date with all of the news, reviews and anything else we damn well choose!

Find us on iTunes here:
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-meat-grinder-podcasts/id402762219

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 2

The Meat Grinder — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:53:36 +0000

On this weeks episode we tackle the issue of 3D in the games industry, we give you the news on the impending launch of KINECT, Bioshock gets a new perspective in our reviews section. We put Super Meat Boy through its paces, and news on the Google Nexus 2. Let us know what you think everyone and be sure to spread the word about the Grinder!

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 2 (Right click and ‘Save Link As’ to download)

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-2.mp3

KINECT LAUNCH

The Meat Grinder — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 12:34:37 +0000

Well if you’ve somehow managed to escape the frenzied onslaught that is microsoft’s marketing campaign then allow us to break the news..KINECT launches in a matter of days (10th Nov)!
Hands up who’s getting it..anyone? Nah didn’t think so. But seriously any of you that have managed to bag one, let us know how you get on with it, what’s it’s good points, what’s it’s bad points. Who knows maybe we’ll include it in the next podcast!
Peace out Grinders!

THE MEAT GRINDER ON iTUNES

The Meat Grinder — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:38:33 +0000

Good news everyone! We’ve been tinkering and tweaking and just submitted episode 1 of The Meat Grinder Podcast to iTunes, so all things staying on track, we’ll post again in the next 24 hours to let you know when it is all up and running. Download and subscribe so you can get the Grinder right on your iPod/Pad/Phone and enjoy!

FACEBOOK PAGE IS UP!

The Meat Grinder — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 23:23:10 +0000

More good news Meat Grinder fans..we have a facebook page! Now you can like us, or friend us, or anything else facebook lets you fancy, tech savy people do. Go check it out!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Meat-Grinder/162379603792902

FOLLOW THE MEAT GRINDER ON TWITTER, NOW!

The Meat Grinder — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 20:23:27 +0000

Just a quick one to say you can now also follow us on Twitter so as you can have even more options on finding out when the next bit of juicy podacast goodness is up for you to feast on. Check us out and follow us at: http://twitter.com/meatgrinderuk

THE MEAT GRINDER: EPISODE 1

The Meat Grinder — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 19:20:10 +0000

Greetings Everyone, the very first episode of The Meat Grinder is now online, allow your ears the satisfaction and let us know what you guys think.
We want your input.. the more feedback we get, the better future podcasts will be! Enjoy!

MP3 Download:

The Meat Grinder Podcast – Episode 1 (Right click and ‘Save Link As’ to download or click to open and stream)

Audio Stream:

https://themeatgrinderuk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/the-meat-grinder-podcast-episode-1.mp3

FIRST PODCAST IMMINENT!

The Meat Grinder — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:42:39 +0000

A happy halloween to all! Now that everyone’s got their deep internal need to dress up as creatures from the underworld and terrorize innocent, decent homeowners, robbing them of undeserved sweets (or maybe just going clubbing if you’re over 18…) out of their system, what better way to ring in the new, post-halloween year by tuning in to our very first podcast. We will be bringing you news, inside opinions, reviews and more on all things gaming and technology. The podcast is being recorded tomorrow and all being well, will be up the same day! Let us know what you guys think.

WELCOME TO THE GRINDER!

The Meat Grinder — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 22:13:03 +0000

Greetings gamers and welcome to the meat grinder! What is the grinder you ask? Well we are a group of students at Bournemouth University (In the U.K for any international visitors) who felt like making a gaming related podcast one afternoon, probably when we should have been doing work. So when we get all this stuff up and running we intend to post regular podcasts on all things gaming and technology.

Before we get any further let’s get one thing straight…we are a bunch of students. We’re not industry insiders and we have no special gaming connections as such. We simply love to game (much like a lot of you we imagine) and these podcasts are intended to provide personal opinions on matters of interest to gamers and gadgeteers. So if you’re looking for up-to-the-minute, bleeding edge news on the latest gaming topics as and when the stories break..probably best to head over to IGN. But if you want some honest opinions from gamers on the ground then this might just be the place for you.

So keep track of the site as we’ll be putting our first podcast up real soon, where we’ll be combing the deserts of the video game wasteland for news, reviews, and intersting extras to put through the grinder!