STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC - preview

By Sam SmithBioWare’s Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was a massive hit when it was released in 2003, winning multiple game of the year awards as well as being heralded as the best Star Wars game to date. After a sequel developed by a different studio, the veteran RPG developers return to the Star Wars universe with a vastly ambitious take on the MMO genre, The Old Republic.

The MMO market is currently dominated by the monolithic World of Warcraft, but if any franchise can put a dent in it, it’s Star Wars. BioWare are an extremely successful studio, responsible for such single-player RPG hits as Mass Effect and Neverwinter Nights, as well as the aforementioned KOTOR. With The Old Republic, they have expressed their desire to transfer the single-player experience into a multiplayer world.

This is far more ambitions than it originally sounds. TOR will be the first MMO ever released to have every line of dialogue in the entire game fully voice-acted. Considering that, at this early stage of development, there is already more than 50 novels worth of dialogue, this is not a trivial task.

Also included will be BioWare’s trademark branching storylines. Depending on the actions and choices of the player, the story will progress in different ways, with consequences coming back to haunt you long after you have forgotten what you did to cause them in the first place.

Players will have moral choices to make, although not necessarily between arbitrary shades of “good” and “evil”. Each of the 8 classes in the game will have its own story, promising a unique experience. How well these individual plotlines will mesh with a multiplayer world remains to be seen.

Set thousands of years before the Star Wars movies everybody knows, TOR allows BioWare a lot of creative licence with the franchise. Jedi and Sith are all over the place, allowing every player a lightsaber, if they so choose. That said, the basic plot, with the forces of good and evil in the galaxy at war once again, is similar to that of the films, giving players the familiar Star Wars feel.

The eight classes of the game are split between the two factions of the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire, corresponding to the light and dark sides of the force respectively. Each class is designed around an archetype character found in the films.

For example, anyone who wishes they were Boba Fett (and who doesn’t) will be well-served by the Bounty Hunter class, with its jet-packs and wrist-mounted flamethrowers. For those desiring a more Skywalker-inspired approach, the Jedi Knight class is the only way to go. Han Solo fans will enjoy the Smuggler class, Darth Vader wannabes will flock to the Sith Warrior class, and so on.

Each class is designed to offer a different play-style, from close range hack-and-slash to long-range sniping, and everything in between. At some point, the player will be able to pick between two specialised sub-classes to further diversify their character, as well as choosing which areas to rank up in with custom talent points, allowing plenty of flexibility within the original set confines of a class.

As is fitting for Star Wars, the game will feature plenty of interstellar adventure, with action taking place on many planets across the galaxy, from fan favourites such as Tatooine and Alderaan to new lands like Tython.

The Old Republic is a game which has immense promise, and, if it fulfils the ambitions of its creators, could be something truly special. Currently targeted for release in spring 2011, it will be a while before people get a decent hands-on with it, and learn if it is on the right track. For now though, Star Wars fans can do nothing but hope that the game will let them truly enter and become a part of the universe they love so much.



Click HERE to go to the official The Old Republic website.

Modern Warfare 2 Resurgence Map Pack released next month

The second set of downloadable maps for Modern Warfare 2, titled the Resurgence Pack, will be released June 3rd, exclusively on Xbox 360.

Modern Warfare 2 was, and is, a huge hit, still selling millions of copies today, many months after its release. Publishers Activision decided to capitalize on this by charging a massive $15 for the first set of maps, the Stimulus Pack. This caused outrage among many gamers, especially as two of the five maps included were not even new, but featured in the first game. Nevertheless, the pack sold millions in its first day of release, proving that the system works and we really will pay stupid amounts for more of what we love.

Pricing for the second map pack has yet to be announced, but the smart money (or not) again rests around the $15 mark. If you are an avid Modern Warfare 2 player, prepare to fund yet another condo for Activisions CEO come June 3rd.

Click HERE to visit the official Modern Warfare 2 website.

Four new characters announced for Marvel vs Capcom 3

Hot on the heels of the initial announcement that the long-awaited Marvel vs Capcom 3 was finally in development, four new characters have today been revealed to be joining the fray.

Scans from Game Informer magazine have unearthed many new details that fans will be eager to digest, including the information that Dante, Felicia, Captain America and Deadpool will be playable characters. Here is a list of impressions from the article:

• MvC3 is using the Tatsunoko vs. Capcom scheme to be more accessible, but will retain features like Hyper Combo cancels, Snapbacks and assists.

• The game will have the alpha, beta and gamma assist types, just like in Marvel vs. Capcom 2.

• MvC3 aims to knock down the wall of complicated controls and open up the field of strategic fighting to all comers. This means fusing the accessible controls of TvC with tried and true MVC2 gameplay.

• The game has simplified launch attacks which are universally performed with one button, the Exchange button. This can also be pressed along with certain directions to slam opponents into the ground, leaving them susceptible to combos. Players can hit the Exchange button in midair to tag in other team members on the fly. You can also counter exchange moves by guessing the correct exchange move to input at the same time as your opponent.

• Deadpool's teleportation device will comically malfunction if you spam his teleport move. Also, he breaks the fourth wall by beating his opponents with his health bar.

• Chris Redfield uses his weapons from Resident Evil 5, his shotgun and the "shock stick."

• Moves from the previous games seem to have been retained. Wolverine and Hulks' Supers are shown.

The four new characters bring the current total to ten, although this is sure to increase as we learn more about the game. Marvel vs Capcom 3 is currently scheduled for a spring 2011 release.



Click HERE to visit the official Marvel vs Capcom 3 website.

Game charts for week ending May 7

Showing greater resilience than Beckham's Achilles tendon, 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA is still top of the charts. In second place is Ubisoft's JUST DANCE, and, indescribably, MODERN WARFARE 2 is at number three, still so high despite being released last year.
Elsewhere, SUPER STREET FIGHTER IV sleeps to sixth, SPLINTER CELL: CONVICTION is at eight, and JUST CAUSE 2 rounds at the list at number ten.

1) 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA, ELECTRONIC ARTS

2) JUST DANCE, UBISOFT

3) CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2, ACTIVISION BLIZZARD

4) WII FIT PLUS, NINTENDO

5) BATTLEFIELD: BAD COMPANY 2, ELECTRONIC ARTS

6) SUPER STREET FIGHTER IV, CAPCOM

7) WII SPORTS RESORT, NINTENDO

8) TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL: CONVICTION, UBISOFT

9) GRAND THEFT AUTO: EPISODES FROM LIBERTY CITY, TAKE 2

10) JUST CAUSE 2, SQUARE ENIX EUROPE

Click HERE to visit the ELSPA website for more charts and information.

SPLINTER CELL CONVICTION - review

By Sam Smith

Sam Fisher is one angry ex-superspy. After the death of his daughter, Fisher quit his day-job at Third Echelon, a suitably shadowy secret spy society, to enter a quiet retirement of crushing sorrow and seething rage. However, even the best ex-superspies do not seem to remain ex-superspies forever, and it isn’t long before Fisher is called back into the field once again.

Conviction is the fifth main game in the Splinter Cell series, but knowledge of past games is unnecessary to enjoy this one. The over-arching plot is typical Tom Clancy, with Sam’s old unit gone rogue and planning a coup, and isn’t particularly interesting. What is interesting is seeing Fisher carve a path through his old allies like a man possessed, never anything less than very, very angry. This is definitely a case of a character-driven story.

As with the story, previous experience with Splinter Cell is unneeded to quickly learn and have fun with the gameplay in Conviction, as the game is almost completely different to earlier entries in the series. Stealth is still the key, and charging in guns-blazing will see Sam quickly meeting his end in a hail of bullets. But whereas before the series took a slow-paced approach, having the player wait for the right opportunity to take out a guard, and take the time to hide the evidence, now it is all about speed. Hiding dead bodies is not necessary if everyone else has also met their maker.

A great cover system allows Sam to dash from one spot to the next at the press of a button, quickly closing the distance between him and his next target. This works well with another new addition, the “mark and execute” feature. The player can “mark” an enemy by aiming at them and pressing a button, then instantly “execute” them at any time they in range with another button press. Depending on which gun is equipped, you can mark between 2 and 4 enemies at one time, and dispatching 4 hostiles with the press of button is definitely befitting of a one-man army like Fisher.

The catch here is, after using the mark and execute, the player cannot use it again until they perform a melee takedown on an enemy, performed by sneaking up behind an unsuspecting guard and taking them out silently. Dashing between cover to take out a lone enemy, then executing the rest in one go is normally the best way to go about encounters. New sonar goggles let Sam spy guards through walls, allowing him to mark them and monitor their position without even seeing them.

The story mode is not that long, and even on realistic difficulty is never particularly challenging. However, great pacing ensures there is no real down-time. Where the gameplay falls down is when Sam is spotted by enemies and the game turns into a more conservative 3rd-person shooter until he can disappear again. As a standard shooter, Splinter Cell does not hold up as well as other stalwarts of the genre. The most fun can be had skulking in the shadows.

Along with the core story mode, players can also take part in “deniable ops”, extra missions that test players a little more than the campaign. These are great fun, although essentially more of the same. A co-operative story mode completes the package, which takes the form of a prequel to the main plot. This co-op mode is great fun, although again quite short.

Graphics are decent, not too spectacular but definitely not bad. One nice touch is, when the player is hidden in darkness, the colour on the screen will fade to black and white, giving the player a good visual notification of their invisible status.

Conviction is an enjoyable game while it lasts, with a few minor flaws but nothing that really dents the experience. Fans of angry sneaking should definitely enjoy it.

8/10

Click HERE to visit the official Splinter Cell website.

SUPER STREET FIGHTER IV - review

By Sam Smith

Street Fighter IV was a great success when it was released in February last year, revitalizing the dying genre of fighting games with a much-needed shot in the arm, and reminding everyone why they loved the series so much in the first place. Now, following tradition, Capcom are back with an updated version of the game, with new characters, moves and stages among the upgrades on offer. But is it worth shelling out again, just over a year after the first game came out?

The simple answer is a resounding yes. Capcom have gone above and beyond the call of duty, and this is no mere cash in. For fans of the previous game, this is a must-have, and it also is a great entry point for first timers.

The key draw of Super Street Fighter IV is the ten new characters, increasing the overall roster to a massive 35 to choose from. Of these ten, eight are characters returning from previous Street Fighter games, such as Adon from the original Street Fighter, Cody and Guy from Final Fight, and Ibuki and Makoto from the Street Fighter III series. These characters are all slightly more obscure than those included in the original Street Fighter IV, and as such are sure to be popular with long-time fans.

The last two characters are completely new to the Street Fighter series, and both bring new fighting styles to the equation. Juri is a slightly insane evil-henchwoman, with a suitably crazy style of Tae-Kwon Do, perfect for players who like fast characters. The other is Hakan, a national champion at the Turkish sport of Yagli Gures, or oil wrestling. His play style revolves around finding time to “oil up”, covering himself in oil briefly and enhancing his move properties and damage greatly. He is also bright red. Certainly, Capcom cannot be accused of conservative character design.

All ten new characters are a blast to control, and all revolve around a more offensive style of play, in contrast to most of the original cast of SFIV, whom favoured a more defensive approach. This gives the core gameplay a good shakeup, making all-out assault a more viable tactic than before.

Other balances and tweaks have been made to create a more fast-paced play style. Ultra Combos, a character’s ultimate attack, now tend to do slightly less damage across the board; punishing a player less if he makes a mistake and takes an ultra in the face.

On the subject of Ultra Combos, each character now has two to choose from, rather than just one. This is chosen after you select your character, and the choice allows for characters to adapt and adjust to new scenarios better than before. If one Ultra seems useless against a certain character, the other will probably be more suited to the situation.

The original cast has also seen changes of a less obvious nature. Subtle tweaking and balancing has taken place, in an attempt to make the game as fair as possible. Obviously, some characters will always be stronger than others, but overall, Super Street Fighter IV is very well balanced, and almost every one of the 35 characters is viable in high-level play.

As well as the gameplay changes, new online modes have been added to sweeten the deal. As well as the standard ranked match, the game now includes an “endless battle” mode. This mimics an arcade, with a group of players sitting in an online lobby. Two of them will be playing a match, with the others free to watch and chat amongst themselves. After the fight is over, the winner stays on, and the next player has their turn to battle. This mode is a great way to learn how to improve, and altogether a more social experience than the 1v1 ranked match mode.

The second new online mode is the replay channel. This allows you to upload and download replays of matches to watch. Whilst watching matches will not appeal to everyone, for those looking to learn new tactics and improve their skills, watching replays of the top players can be a great asset.

As with all fighting games, Super Street Fighter IV is best played with an arcade stick, rather than a regular controller. Peripheral developer Mad Catz have once again released a line of sticks to coincide with the game, and for the player aiming to get the true Street Fighter experience, there is no alternative.

There is little to find fault with in Super Street Fighter IV. If you were not a fan of the original instalment last year, then there is nothing to change your mind here. Also, the learning curve of Street Fighter has always been greater than that of other fighting games such as Tekken or Soul Calibur, and as such new players may be put off by the constant pasting they will be sure to get online to begin with. But for those willing to persevere, as well as current fans, Super Street Fighter IV is the definitive fighting game of the generation. The fact Capcom have released it at a budget price, due to the short turnaround between this and the original, makes it essentially unmissable.

10/10

Click HERE to go to the official Street Fighter website.

HEAVY RAIN - review

by Sam Smith

Heavy Rain is a game unlike many others. Indeed, some would struggle to call it a game at all. Even lead developer David Cage has preferred to refer to it as an “interactive drama.” Lacking in car chases, explosions and shoot-outs (although there are a few), Heavy Rain may not appeal to the typical 13 year-old shoot-em-up fan, but is an experience more mature gamers will relish.

Heavy Rain tells the story of four characters connected by the hunt for a serial killer. It begins with architect Ethan Mars, waking up on a sunny morning, and going about some chores and work as he waits for his wife and children to get home. This is an interesting way for players to get to grips with the unique control scheme.

Characters are controlled with a combination of manual control and quick-time events during cutscenes. This is highlighted well in a sequence where Ethan draws up a diagram for his job, with the player inputting button presses, flicks of the analog stick, or movements of the motion-sensitive controller when prompted to successfully complete the drawing. Or, alternatively, the player can mess up, which causes Ethan to fail in turn. The story continues regardless, and this is an interesting facet to Heavy Rain which becomes much more important as the stakes are raised.

Without spoiling much, Ethan’s ideal life is soon ruined by the accidental death of one of his sons, and the game rejoins him two years later, separated from his wife and struggling to connect with his surviving son, Shaun. The act of playing as a broken man as he tries to find solace with his distant son is not a particularly fun one, but it is not meant to be. Heavy Rain is special amongst games in the way it actually evokes emotions amongst players, and few of them are happy ones. This is a dark, brooding game. After all, it was made in France.

Shaun is soon kidnapped by serial child-murderer the Origami Killer, and the story begins to get rolling. Introduced are the other three playable characters, private investigator Scott Shelby, FBI agent Norman Jayden, and freelance journalist Madison Paige. The four characters’ paths all converge and weave together as the mission to save Ethan’s son kicks into gear.

The story presented in Heavy Rain is dark, atmospheric and extremely involving. This is especially important in a game which is sparse on actual, traditional gameplay, in many ways more similar to a film. The fact that the story manages to maintain its intensity when one considers the multiple ways it can diverge is praiseworthy indeed.

As mentioned, choice is a big theme in Heavy Rain. Depending on how players act the story can take one of many different forms. Between choosing their characters actions, and how players perform throughout the game, they essentially create their own, personal tale. Even a playable character dying does not end the story, and they definitely can die if one is not careful.

Achieving a happy ending in this world of constant downpours (hence the title) and overcast skies is not an easy task. Some of the choices to be made are truly excruciating, due to the emotional involvement the game has already stirred up within the player. Without giving too much away, Ethan is forced to undergo specific trials to prove how much he loves his son (an aspect of the game clearly influenced by the Saw films), some of which are almost painful to “play” through. Of course, the player can always refuse, but then what of Shaun’s eventual fate?

So, the story is magnificent, and the graphics compliment it wonderfully. These characters genuinely look like real people, and the way they move and interact just seems natural. The environment is suitably drab and depressing, reflecting what seems to be the general mood. But a few flaws stop the game from fully realising its vision.

One in particular is glaring. This is a game made in France, and as such, the voice actors are mainly British and French. Unfortunately, this is a game set in America. Most of the voice actors have a gallant attempt at an authentic American accent, and to their credit, most get it. Voices that sound a little off will have ceased to be noticeable by the end.

However, there are some that are simply so bad they threaten to overturn the whole experience, putting immersion at risk. This is never worse than in scenes with children. A French child imitating an American accent is something that, as I have now learned, does not sound convincing. Or human. Considering the large budget the game had to work with, would some voice actors of the correct nationality been out of the question?

Annoying bugs and glitches also pop up slightly too often. From minor things, like background characters walking through each other, to major ones like all sound cutting out for a few seconds, all can take the player away from the all-important story. Apparently a patch is on the way to fix the majority of these, but traditionally, games were tested before release.

But these are small annoyances that can be overlooked when the sheer intensity of the experience is taken into account. Heavy Rain is a game that can leave you depressed, disturbed, or, perhaps, relieved. With a story that rivals the best that novels and film can offer, and far more immersion than any other media can deliver, Heavy Rain is an experience that a discerning gamer will devour.

9/10

Click HERE to go to the official Heavy Rain website.