Firstly, the combat has no depth whatsoever, it is a simple press X to swing your sword and that is it. There are special powers you can upgrade to but these actually make the game a bit too easy. I am all for easy games, but eventually I was getting a one shot kill and there was no challenge. There are also not many puzzles and those that were there did not require much brain power to work out, apart from one where I resorted to looking on the web as it had me stumped.  Breakable pots and vases only contained power or health and it would have been nice to have found some collectibles. The only collectibles in the game were stone statues which you had to break – for more power and health. The other thing is the look of the game feels very dated. The previous Prince of Persia on the Xbox 360 looked stunning but this game feels like a step back before that, just not good at all.

The platforming sections – swinging jumping etc, the controls worked well but it was dull. It was the same old jumping from pole to pole, swinging from swings and evading razor saws on walls. There was just no variety at all and I felt the game was just a rehash of older versions.

I really would not recommend anyone buy this game at all unless it is in the bargain bin. It is short, it has no depth and is just old tired ideas mashed up into an omelette of nothingness.  Buy cheap, rent or avoid.

AVERAGE/10

Alan Wake your character is a horror book author who has writers block and decides to go to Bright Falls with his wife Alice to take a break and end his writers block. Unfortunately, things do not go as planned, Alice goes missing and he sets on a frightening tale trying to get her back.  The world is twists, full of horrors, the darkness of evil consuming the population of Bright Falls.  To remain spoiler free I will not mention the story further, only to say that I found myself questioning the storyline several times because it kept twisting – this is not a negative note, it is saying that I was kept on my toes trying to keep up with the twists in the story and at one point I had myself thinking I got the story all wrong, but it was the story playing with my mind.

Graphically the game has its superb points when the environments look polished with high detail. Unfortunately the game looks bad in places on my big 40″ TV. Sometimes the background appears a lower resolution so while you have Alan Wake looking good, the area in the background looks pixelated and like I say on a big TV this is evident. ON a smaller TV this may not be so noticeable.  There is also an element of screen tearing at times when Alan is forced to walk places and follow people, it is no game-breaker but can be a tad annoying at times.

They have included some excellent songs in the game and the sound effects match the spooky atmosphere in the game.  There is a big fail with one part of the sound though. When someone is talking as part of the story, sometimes you can hear conversations in the background so it plays two conversations at once and it can be hard to distinguish the two apart. Turn on the subtitles and it is even more of a mess. You end up with two lots of subtitles one above another with no indication as to which subtitle is which.  If anyone has the sound turned down or is deaf and relies on subtitles this is very bad because there is no indication which are the storyline conversation words and which are the background conversation words.  It is not very well implemented at all and they should have had it so when storyline conversations come up, the background conversations are muted.  I would say this is the one thing that ruins the game sometimes and it is very distracting.

So for those obsessed with numbers, with the graphical issues and the sound/subtitles issues I have to mark this game down, I would have expected more from a game in development alledgedly for 10 years and it is a disappointment to have these flaws. However, whilst I would have knocked away 2 points from the score giving an average 8, I think the storyline has enough gusto to carry the game into a 9 score. Because the game is all about the story and you will find yourself gripped from the very beginning and emotionally driven to solve the mystery and find Alice – dead or alive.

GREAT/10

Alan Wake is available now on Xbox 360 only. Rated 15 years and over.

Don’t forget also you can download filmed episodes of the Bright Falls series on Xbox live marketplace. They add to the story of Alan Wake and are free to download.

My personal opinion is that whilst I enjoyed every Splinter Cell game in the series, I felt that as each one passed, they were getting a little stale.  I think something had to change and the changes in this game I think are for the better.  Okay Sam is no longer a spy but a civilian but really in the sense of the game this is only a matter of how he looks.  The main element of the game is still stealth based but with a few added extras like upgrading weapons and the execute system.  I think the execute system is quite good actually, by performing hand to hand kills you get the ability with a single press to mark an enemy and with another press execute them from a distance in slow motion James Bond style bullet to the head. This can be very useful in situations where you feel there a too many enemies to handle or you cannot get to the stealthily. Some may not like it, but here is the news, you don’t have to use it!  Apart from one section in the game later you can totally ignore the fact you have the execute ability and play the game like the old games.

The graphics in this game are excellent, not quite on a par with Call of Duty MW 1&2, but it is almost there. There is high detail in the environments and aside from a little tearing of the screen occasionally, it looks fantastic.

I think fans of the series who do not play this game because it has moved from it’s roots are doing themselves a disservice because this is every bit a Splinter Cell game with a few changes and Ubisoft fully deserve the No.1 spot it has claimed in its first weekend of sales in the UK.  Well done to Ubisoft for having the balls to try something different on a tired old series and making a success of it.

The real problem as far as I can see was that the series was getting old.  It was stale and none of the previous games really improved that much on the previous before that. In a nutshell it was the same gameplay, different location each time and very similar storyline.  Splinter Cell Conviction throws away the old rigid rule book and starts afresh with a new set of rules.  He is no longer an operative in a silly black outfit and donning night vision goggles but is working alone in civvies to his own agenda.

Gameplay wise, Ubisoft have now implemented an quick execute option so you can tag and kill multiple enemies with a couple of button presses.  I like this option. I have problem with some games sometimes in that my reactions are a bit slow so creating a set piece for multiple kills I think is excellent. It is not a given right either, so not to make it too easy, the execute option has to be earned by close up kills.  If anyone complains this makes the game too simple then the easy answer is do not use it. You are not forced to use the tag-then-execute option, it is merely there for those who do want to use it.

Personally I love the new gameplay. It is very fresh and I love the fact that they have moved away from the dry old black-clad-super-spy theme to give us something new.  This may be the recipe they need to bring back gamers who abandoned the series before because it was getting stale.

Roll on April, I will now submit my pre-order.

My friend Cat hates the changes  and you can read her well thought out rant on here

http://carocat.co.uk/2010/03/21/splinter-cell-conviction-demo/

Cat gives more information about the changes although I do not think they are all negative things. Two very polarised opinions

Well the game is out now and has gone straight to Number 1 in the all formats chart. I purchased this game on release day and I have to say it is one of the best games I have ever played. Actually it is not really a game it is more like an interactive movie with many different endings depending on your choices in the game.

I was so immersed into the story of the game I was actually upset that I made a single wrong button press ending in the death of a minor character that I had to restart that chapter again and do it properly because what I did felt so wrong and this is how the moral decisions within the game play on the players emotions.

Like all games, Heavy Rain is not perfect and sometimes suffers from confusing controls especially during moments of intensity like a car chase or a fight and confusing scenes are made more confusing because the more stressed the character gets, the faster the commands display on the screen. Fortunately if you are struggling with this aspect you can turn the difficulty down and play it a little slower.

Despite the niggles, I will now whip out my thesaurus and list some words which describe it – amazing, brilliant, unique, gorgeous, memorable and breathtaking. Yes the game and the ending was so brilliantly executed that when the credits rolled at the end it left me breathless and truly lost for words.  EXCELLENT/10

Out now on Playstation 3 only. Rated 18 years

I feel honoured to0 be this age (36) that I am now.  I have seen computer games from birth to the present day and all their incarnations and have enjoyed the excitement and amazement that every new games generation console has brought me and assuming I live another 50 years, I cannot wait for the next generation of consoles and then one after that and that etc.  I could see 5 more generations of consoles and be 86 years old playing Call of Duty: Gulf War 10 and having 10 year old kids telling me they are going to kill my mother when she will probably already be dead by then. I really cannot wait for what is to come and how game graphics will be seen in future generations.

That is all too far into the future though and right here and right now we have a slew of games coming out in the first quarter of 2010 which are beginning to excite the games playing audience. This is not an exhaustive list and some dates may slip further.

Bayonetta – devil woman attacks peeps with her long hair.  Xbox 360, PS3 – 8th January

Alan Wake – Been in production for many years, will it make it? – Xbox 360 exclusive – 29th January (let us at least pretend)

MAG Massive Action Game – First MMORPG for the PS3 (exclusive) 29th January

Mass Effect 2 – It has to be played, its the law. Xbox 360 exclusive, 29th January

Dead Rising 2 – More millions of zombies causing claustrophobia and dirty pants. Xbox 360, PS3.  29th January

Bioshock 2 – Needs no description of this awesome game.  Xbox 360, PS3 – 9th February

Dante’s Inferno – More horror/evil/hell/demons/devils.  Xbox 360, PS3.  26th February

Dead to Rights: Retribution – Will the dog be in it?  PS3 only.  26th February

Final Fantasy XIII – Not my cup of tea but worthy of a mention. Xbox 360, PS3.  9th March

Splinter Cell Conviction. Its a pretend date really…  Xbox 360.  26th March

Mafia 2 – Bring on  the Mafia in the cars going at 20mph! woo.  Xbox 360, PS3. 26th March

Red Dead Redemption – Cowboys and Indians go open world and free roam. Xbox 360, PS3 26th March

Max Payne 3 – Please no more dream sequences. Xbox 360, PS3 – sometime next year maybe

The Castle of Wolfenstein games have come a long way since their inception many sunrises ago.  Wolfenstein is it’s latest incarnation and is the first on the current generation of consoles.  Set in World War 2, you are fighting the Nazi German’s and their zombies.  You find an old talisman which has special secret powers to unlock.  As you progress through the game you gain extra powers to the talisman – powers like the ability to make enemies glow up so you can see them easily and a special power to see hidden doors and secrets. Weaponry comes in the form of the usual WW2 guns – MP4, M23 and the rifle.

The game is made by Activision who are the publishers of the Call of Duty series, this is no Call of Duty but there are influences from those games.  The controls are very similar and have the same feel and even the mission markers look just like the Call of Duty stars.

Graphically the game does look good but there are sometimes low resolution detail and you can see they could have put a little bit more into the presentation. It is certainly no deal-breaker though and there are far worse looking games around.

Wolfenstein is of average length and a casual gamer can get through the campaign in 10-12 hours, maybe a little more if you do all the side extras.

Good/10

Shadow Complex  – Xbox Live Arcade 1200 points

For 1200 points you are getting a fantastic game which is almost of full retail price proportions and is far better than some of the sludge that has been released lately.

Shadow Complex is a side scrolling 3D platformer/shooter/puzzler all thrown into one tasty package. It is made by Epic Games – of Gears of War fame, so you know that every effort has been made to give you a great gaming experience.  It looks good, the graphics are high detail for an arcade game and I experienced no problems.  There was only one time when the game showed some screen tearing and that was when riding the minecart.

The game is quite easy to play and even grandad’s would not have a problem with the controls.  My finish play time was over 6 hours but I did not take the time to collect all items and visit every room.  My stat at the end of the game was only 49% of items to complete so it has the possibility of a good 4-5 hours extra if you are wishing for 100% completion.

Shadow Complex in my opinion is the best Xbox Live Arcade game to date, bar none and is worth every penny I spent on it.

Great/10

Batman: Arkham Asylum

History shows that video games made from movies/comic books have always been very poor, with little gameplay, lots of bugs and look graphically rubbish.  It is like the developers are trying to milk a cash cow without putting in any effort.

Batman: Arkham Asylum is here and is definitely one to break the mould.  This game looks every bit a high definition game with amazing visuals. I would go as far to say next to Call of Duty 4, it is the best looking game on the Xbox 360 to date. There were no bugs, no glitches, no tearing and no framerate problems except for a bit near the end – some cutscenes with the Joker. I am not saying it is the best game ever, only that it looks the best, nearly.

The game is a bit of a hack and slash button mashing affair when it comes to combat, this makes it a relatively easy game to play except really when it comes to the boss battles.  I have to admit I have not completed the game.  I have come to a boss battle near the end and I simply cannot do it and there seems no way to change the difficulty.  This may be a game which ends up unfinished, which is a shame as I have throughly enjoyed it.

There are lots to collect, from riddler puzzles to trophies and interview tapes with prisoners.  There are also challenges to unlock, these can be timed challenges or set pieces to achieve certain goals.  The challenges are accessed through the main menu.  If you have the PS3 version of the game it does include the Joker challenge missions for free.  Sadly the Xbox 360 version does not have these challenges and you will probably have to pay for them if you want them at a later date.

This is a must have game which is worth at the very least a rental.

Great/10

I really want Call of Duty 2 as I have never been able to find it again in the shops but at £20 I think that is far too expsnive for a game which is 5 years old.  If it was £9.99 I would buy it instantly but not at £20, I am not that desperate.

They should really have prices whcih reflect the market for older games.  Maybe have a tier system – new games at near full price, games over 2-3 years old should be bargain bucket.

Unfortunately I think people will accept these prices and pay them which will in turn justify them to Microsoft and they will not bother changing them.

The game starts off in the American Civil War until Mr Ray gets bored and decides to pursue other matters, getting him into trouble with his superiors.  You play alongside Ray’s brother Thomas.  When each level starts you get to choose who to play – Ray or Thomas.  Both of them have unique abilities that the other does not have.  If you choose Ray on a level if you go back and play again with Thomas, you are playing the level from a different perspective so there is some replayability in the game.

The game is very linear and only one route through a level but it really does not matter, it is an enjoyable game nevertheless.  At certain points of the game, before you choose to start your mission you can play around a bit with some side missions.  Just go to the stores and look at the wanted posters on the walls.  There are sides to kill people or to get back stolen property for example.  They are small destractions from the main game.

It is not the best looking current gen game around, but it does the job and sometimes it does look great.  I found when playing I had some picture tearing at times but it was never a serious issue.

Generally it is not too difficult a game but my main gripe is the shooting duels, I find them incredibly hard and sometimes they took 10 attempts or more to win.  Very frustrating.

Good game, definitely worth a rental and maybe pick it up to buy if you are interested in the included multiplayer.

Good/10

Anyone can enter and all winners will have their expenses paid to get to London for the event.

For more information and to enter, visit www.whatisfearlive.com

Closing date for entries is 2nd February 2009