One of the most awesome DS titles on the way is this one for me, we had a link up showing you how to play a demo of the game in your browser to see if you'd agree and now here's a trailer as well. What do you folks think? If you haven't played the demo then go do so immediately and report back!
Wednesday, 8 December 2010
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Dev Diary
By Mark
Wanna geek out a litte? Then watch this dev diary from CD Projekt about The Witcher 2, they go into detail about what their new engine (the RED engine) is allowing them to do and also extensive details on the hardware capabilities and needs. The game hits next May.
Wanna geek out a litte? Then watch this dev diary from CD Projekt about The Witcher 2, they go into detail about what their new engine (the RED engine) is allowing them to do and also extensive details on the hardware capabilities and needs. The game hits next May.
Kratos Set to Join Mortal Kombat
By Mark
Sony's very own God of War Kratos is set to join the upcoming Mortal Kombat game and will (obviously) be exclusive to the PS3 version. He won't just be an extra skin either, Ed Boon and the team will be creating unique fatalities, move sets and even his own combat arena.
He won't be playable in the story mode of the game but will be available in all other game types, and it does make perfect sense really. Kratos is a man so built on anger he's gonna kill you just because it's thursday.
There's also no word on whether other platforms will recieve their own exclusive character but if any proof is out there we'll be sure to let you know.
Source - StickSkills
Sony's very own God of War Kratos is set to join the upcoming Mortal Kombat game and will (obviously) be exclusive to the PS3 version. He won't just be an extra skin either, Ed Boon and the team will be creating unique fatalities, move sets and even his own combat arena.
He won't be playable in the story mode of the game but will be available in all other game types, and it does make perfect sense really. Kratos is a man so built on anger he's gonna kill you just because it's thursday.
There's also no word on whether other platforms will recieve their own exclusive character but if any proof is out there we'll be sure to let you know.
Source - StickSkills
LittleBigPlanet 2 Recreates Wolfenstein 3D
By Mark
We've already seen some awesome stuff made in the LBP2 beta but we've not seen a proper FPS yet. That's not rectified as a creator has gone to efforts of recreating the old Wolfenstein 3D title, the game doesn't look amazing granted but it shows yet more potential of the overhauled creation mechanics Media Molecule have implemented.
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Donkey Kong Country Returns Review - Bananarama Fun
By Mark
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| Back and Ready for his Bananas |
The original Donkey Kong County was released in 1994 for the SNES and it was an absolute smashing success for Nintendo, it featured the titular character and little Diddy Kong and the duo’s quest to reclaim their stolen bananas. The year is now 2010 and Donkey Kong Country Returns is upon us featuring the same duo and a strikingly similar quest, some banana theft has gone down and DK isn’t too happy.
With a game like this you don’t exactly expect a coherent or even sensible plot, yet you forgive those aspects as this is all about the ‘gameplay’ itself and Nintendo haven’t let themselves down with their latest foray into platforming action. You play Donkey Kong Country Returns (from here on DKCR) either holding the Wii remote on its side like a classic pad or you can play it with the Wii remote and nunchuck. I won’t say which to play with as that’s totally up to you I will however say I chose to use the classic style so any complaints I have with control are directed at that.
So with that said let me get the bad out of the way, in DKCR you definitely feel as though you’re playing as the huge gorilla you’re supposed to be and while that’s accurate to details it hinders controls somewhat. It may take a couple of minutes to nail down the speed, jump height and reflexes of DK as he can seem a little cumbersome to begin with. Another issue with controls comes with a feature that appears to only be in the game simply due to the fact that it’s on the Wii; the mechanic is that for certain actions like blowing out fire and slamming the ground you must waggle the controller up and down. It may not sound too bad but when you’re trying to navigate areas and avoid enemies it can hinder you and cause you to take damage which could be avoided if you had a button alternative.
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| Crabtastic |
DKCR more than makes up for this however with its incredibly high calibre of level design, Donkey Kong’s latest adventure has a fantastic amount of variety when it comes to traversing the stages it sets before you. One moment you could be trying to avoid a tidal wave by just reaching cover and another you could be riding a mine cart flying up and down, jumping to avoid enemies and deathly gaps; there’s even parts where you get to ride an exploding rocket barrel. You may think while reading that ‘okay it has different types of stages, surely the actual platformer sections repeat sometimes or are a little dry’ and the answer is simply no. The team has gone to great lengths to keep the level of ‘unpredictability’ very high and consistent; you don’t really know what you’re going to be against next. The only time this falls apart is the boss battles as it’s your standard learn the pattern them dodge and jump on them, but the level of satisfaction is still high upon defeating them and you even get to punch an Ostrich in the face so what’s not to like. That point brings me to another positive and that’s the subtle deft humour used in the game, it’s not over the top or in your face but there are little touches that make you smile.
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| That might hurt a little |
Other aspects of gameplay do involve the aforementioned Diddy Kong and he’s almost invaluable in this game, I said before that DK is a little heavy when you play and while true Diddy almost nullifies the problem. Upon coming across certain ‘DK’ barrels you get to have the little monkey sit on your back with a jetpack that allows for higher and longer jumps and precise landings. This makes things much easier when navigating the many jumps you’ll be undertaking. There’s also a shop element to the game where you may purchase extra life, a secret key among other things. It’s available in between levels and is standard fair procedure really.
One misconception with this game is that it looks a little childish or people may feel it’s a cakewalk aimed at the younger crowd, play DKCR and have your expectations turned on their head. The game is no walk in the park and you may even find yourself frustrated at times simply because you cannot make ‘that’ jump or get past ‘that’ enemy. It’s a welcome challenge though and as said before the satisfaction is high. There is a feature though that if you die enough times you are allowed to simply bypass the level by watching an old grey gorilla go do the work for you.
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| Riding a flying barrel avoiding an oversea train... Yeah.. |
Nothing is done to break the boundaries of graphics here, it’s a traditional 2D platformer and does the best it can with what it has, the visuals will provide that nostalgia buzz for older players while still providing pleasing eye candy for new comers. The soundtrack is also incredibly well done by resurrecting older tunes from the SNES era and implementing new ones, I had to tip my hat to them in that department as you find yourself humming along to some tunes whether you’re playing or not.
All in all Donkey Kong Country Returns is what the title honestly says and fetches Donkey Kong back to a 2D platforming environment with fantastic level design rather than innovation. It may not have the technical excellency of Super Mario Galaxy or the artistic charm of Kirby’s Epic Yarn but it is a great game in its own right and should be played by anyone willing to give the game a chance.
Donkey Kong Country Returns – 8
Fluidity/Hydroventure Footage
By Mark
The game was released on Wiiware in the US yesterday and hits the UK on Christmas Eve of all days.
Do you enjoy quirky platformer type games with a unique spin and have in your possession a Wii? Then it may be worth checking Fluidity as its known in the US or Hydroventure as it's going to be named in the UK. Here's a fairly lengthy video showing off the game and I gotta say it does look pretty fun, sort of like the games you find on the Appstore.
The game was released on Wiiware in the US yesterday and hits the UK on Christmas Eve of all days.
New Tomb Raider Details
By Mark
It was pretty surprising yesterday when Game Informer revealed the latest installment to the Tomb Raider series taking Lara back to her origins, we now have some details about the game courtesy of Playstation Informer.
Some of these are pretty shocking given what we've come to expect from Lara Croft game, but shocking in a good way here are the important parts:
- Lara is 21 in this game
- It’s not only a reboot of the franchise but a reboot of the entire brand. As a result there will be no “real” Lara model this time
- They’re doing performance capturing with this game
- There are brutal deaths in the game this time. One is described as a deranged man stabbing Lara in the chest and then closing her eyes after she’s dead. Another includes a boulder falling on her leg to trap her before another falls and crushes her head
- Crystal Dynamics won’t talk specifics on weapons but concept art shows a bow, shotgun and pistol
- The lock on targeting system is gone and it now has a free aim system. CD says that it can compete with any of their competitors
- “I think that the major difference between this game and the old is the concept of smoke and mirrors,” begins Darrell Gallagher, the studio head at Crystal Dynamics. “There was an illusion of freedom because of streaming and loading that would pop you out in a different location, but this is absolutely real. You can literally go any direction that you see and carve your own way to the finish line instead of being guide.”
- “It was important in the game to not only deliver the character arc of Lara Croft emotionally, but to deliver it in gameplay as well so the player gets to grow into a hardened survivor,” says experienced director Noah Hughes. As the game unfolds, Lara will scavenge new tools and gear that augment her abilities. Lara’s athletic prowess will also evolve. Some areas begin inaccessible due to physical limitations or scarce supplies. With the right skills and gear, however, the island is Lara’s for the taking
- There are base camps in the game. Here you can combine items to create something new and access a skill system to upgrade Lara’s abilities. You’ll also be able to use base camps to fast travel to different locations to minimize backtracking
- You’ll need to gather food and water in order to survive
- There are humans in the game, including some of the crew members from the shipwreck off the coast of the island
Reading those details it's sort of hard to not get at least a little excited, there's no visual proof that they will deliver on these yet but we can hope that Lara Croft may hit the big time once more with this reboot.
Source - Playstation Informer (scans of magazine over there so be sure to have a look)
It was pretty surprising yesterday when Game Informer revealed the latest installment to the Tomb Raider series taking Lara back to her origins, we now have some details about the game courtesy of Playstation Informer.
Some of these are pretty shocking given what we've come to expect from Lara Croft game, but shocking in a good way here are the important parts:
- Lara is 21 in this game
- It’s not only a reboot of the franchise but a reboot of the entire brand. As a result there will be no “real” Lara model this time
- They’re doing performance capturing with this game
- There are brutal deaths in the game this time. One is described as a deranged man stabbing Lara in the chest and then closing her eyes after she’s dead. Another includes a boulder falling on her leg to trap her before another falls and crushes her head
- Crystal Dynamics won’t talk specifics on weapons but concept art shows a bow, shotgun and pistol
- The lock on targeting system is gone and it now has a free aim system. CD says that it can compete with any of their competitors
- “I think that the major difference between this game and the old is the concept of smoke and mirrors,” begins Darrell Gallagher, the studio head at Crystal Dynamics. “There was an illusion of freedom because of streaming and loading that would pop you out in a different location, but this is absolutely real. You can literally go any direction that you see and carve your own way to the finish line instead of being guide.”
- “It was important in the game to not only deliver the character arc of Lara Croft emotionally, but to deliver it in gameplay as well so the player gets to grow into a hardened survivor,” says experienced director Noah Hughes. As the game unfolds, Lara will scavenge new tools and gear that augment her abilities. Lara’s athletic prowess will also evolve. Some areas begin inaccessible due to physical limitations or scarce supplies. With the right skills and gear, however, the island is Lara’s for the taking
- There are base camps in the game. Here you can combine items to create something new and access a skill system to upgrade Lara’s abilities. You’ll also be able to use base camps to fast travel to different locations to minimize backtracking
- You’ll need to gather food and water in order to survive
- There are humans in the game, including some of the crew members from the shipwreck off the coast of the island
Reading those details it's sort of hard to not get at least a little excited, there's no visual proof that they will deliver on these yet but we can hope that Lara Croft may hit the big time once more with this reboot.
Source - Playstation Informer (scans of magazine over there so be sure to have a look)
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