Results tagged “Review” from Birmingham Mail - Technobabble

Wheelman
XBox 360
Midway
£39.99

GRAVEL-voiced baldy Vin Diesel has been ubiquitous on the Freeview channels recently plugging this driving fest, delivering the line "I'm Milo Burik. I'm a Wheelman." as if he's gargling napalm.

Not exactly famous for costume dramas, Diesel is associated with the Fast and the Furious franchise, and is himself a keen gamer.

Set in the unusual location of Barcelona, the 'plot' involves infiltrating the local underworld to gain information about a huge robbery which is set to take place in the near future.

Unsurprisingly most of the detective work involves driving sports cars as fast as possible (I don't remember Miss Marple taking the same approach).

A new ultra-unrealistic move called the 'airjack' involves somehow leaping from your car, hundreds of feet, landing in an enemy vehicle and taking over.

A bit different to Grand Theft Auto's yank open the door and pull the driver out, and not, I would say, any improvement.

There are some amusing glitches whereby you can plough straight through a brick wall but get stuck on a cardboard box.

It's a competent big dumb driving game, but doesn't really bring a great deal new to the genre.

71 per cent

Dawn of War 2
THQ
PC
£29.99

THE last Dawn of War game really hit the big time - selling huge numbers and bringing a little known tabletop wargame to the mass market.

It didn't really do much different, and followed exactly the same formula that almost every real time strategy game has done since Dune 2.

Build base, hold off enemy attacks, build up force and then assault.

It was done with great aplomb though, and was set in the grim-yet-brilliant fun Warhammer 40,000 universe.

DoW 2, to its credit, tries something quite different. It focuses much more on small squads, utilising cover, with no base building whatsoever.

It is mostly a success although it comes across in the final analysis as being slightly simplistic.

Lord of the Rings: Conquest
XBox 360
Electronic Arts
£39.99

THE LATEST offering in the Lord of the Rings game series is by far the best I've played to date.

Having been a fan of the games since the first one I played on the Playstation 2 I was worried that I was just in for more of the same with Lord of the Rings: Conquest.

To an extent that's true, but the polished graphics, enhanced gameplay and the chance to take part in evil storylines instead just good ones meant that it didn't matter.

In this latest version you get to play as either a warrior slashing his way through hoardes of orcs, an archer who can fire explosive or poison arrows, a scout who can turn invisible and sneak up on enemies or a mage who can wreak havoc on enemy lines while defending your own soldiers.

Each have their own pros and cons but in true LOTR style whichever you choose there'll be no shortage of gore. Probably the best tribute I can give to this game is that my flatmate - who could best be described as a gaming Philistine - sat playing it for about an hour with obvious enthusiasm when I brought it home.

There are plot points in the game which will annoy some Rings fans and it is admittedly a bit on the short side - you could finish it in a day easily - but it more than surpassed expectations.

91 per cent.

By Will Oliphant

Rise of the Argonauts,
XBox 360
Codemasters
£39.99

A CROWD of bloodthirsty Argonauts on a rampaging mission for the golden fleece should make for a brilliant game - or at least you would think.

The basic idea is fine, following Jason's mission to find the fleece to save his wife who has been killed in an attack by mysterious magical enemies the black tongues.

Unfortunately as soon as you get into the first fight scenes it starts to go wrong. Initially there's no flow to the battles and it takes quite a long time before you're given the option to string together moves and get some fluid action.

The game camera also follows your character far too closely and it's incomprehensible why in a game where you have to search maps to find missions and characters to talk to, the makers have decided not to include a compass on the game screen.

The result is you have to keep going back into menus to access the game map, which is time consuming and irritating.

One of the saving graces is you the very satisfying way the camera slows when you finish off enemies and the ability to develop your player with god powers as the game goes on, but it can't make up for bad graphics, poor gameplay and boring interaction between characters.

55 per cent.

By Will Oliphant

Silent Hill Homecoming
XBox 360
Konami
£39.99

WHEN it comes to the skin crawling chill factor it's fair to say the Silent Hill franchaise has it sown up - and that's certainly the case with the latest offering, Homecoming.

And the game, now the sixth in the series, is bang on the money on that front and shows a return to form for the Silent Hill which had seen flagging sales in its fourth and fifth installments.

This time you take on the role of special forces soldier Alex Shepherd who has come back from a tour overseas to find his father and younger brother have gone missing.

As the game unfolds in characteristic Silent Hill style we find that Alex has what we would politely call "family issues".

At this point cue a riddle-filled and action-packed gameplay which follows on from what was started by the Resident Evil boys so many years before and features those unsettling but slightly sexy zombie nurses.

There are improvements to this game which haven't been seen before such as the dodge function which allows for more involved fights. Simply pummelling away with a knife or gun won't be enough to stop you from taking lethal blows this time.

Unfortunately the controls are still a little clunky.

You don't feel as in control of the character as I would like. Also irritatingly on the version I used the option to invert the view didn't work making it extremely hard to play. But once I got past this it was certainly enjoyable.

68 per cent

By Will Oliphant

Star Wars The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance
Nintendo DS
LucasArts
£24.99

NOT set in any of the films, this title sees the Jedi on the trail of a missing consignment of lightsaber crystals.

Needless to say, this doesn't go as planned and they find themselves in conflict with a band of force-using women called the Nightsisters.

It's set before the final 'prequel' Revenge of the Sith, so all the Jedi are still around, allowing you to play as Anakin Skywalker with Obi-Wan Kenobi, or Ahsoka Tano with Mace Windu.

The developers have done their best to make the story as immersive as possible, with tons of cut scenes and dialogue somehow fitted onto the DS cart.

In a way it's better that the story doesn't take place in the films, making it more fresh and possibly better written than some of the turgid nonsense in the prequels.

The stylus controls work reasonably well in what is a fairly complex game for this method , although the combat is sometimes a bit hit and miss, as you try and hit the tiny opposing enemy in the right spot.

LucasArts has also stuck a fair amount of additional content and bonuses in which reward repeated play, adding to the longevity.

78 per cent

Ben Hurst

NHL 2k9
Nintendo Wii
2k Sports
£29.99

LIKE most people I was wondering how a game like ice hockey would be implemented in the Wii, with its unusual control system.

But I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at the results of the development.

In your hands the Wii controller, using the cursor for slick passing, and giving the puck a good whack (hopefully) into the corner of the net.

And naturally it would be remiss not to mention the subject perhaps most readily associated with ice hockey - the punch-ups.

Yes there's nothing more satisfying than braining an opponent, using the Wii remote as a bludgeon.

But it';s also sad to say that the game looks terrible. Under the hood it all works well, but on the screen it chugs along, suffering from low framerates.

And it's not because the graphics are cutting edge - they're not, and frankly look a few years out of date.

So NHL 2k9 is something of a work in progress, and no doubt future releases will see improvements.

64 per cent

Alone in the Dark Inferno
Eden Games
£44.99

MORE scare the pants off you action from the latest in this long running series which first saw the light of day in 1992.

I suppose horror never goes out of fashion, and this one is clearly trying to move with the times, placing an emphasis on giving people episodic action for those in need of a "quick TV-style fix".

There are a number of changes which have been brought in on the PS3 after the Xbox 360 version received some criticism - including a 360 degree camera view solving one of the biggest niggles.

The absolutely impossible racing section has also been updated - now there is a checkpoint you can save at, which stops you throwing the controller through the screen.

It looks absolutely superb with excellent character models and overall design is great - I particularly enjoyed one sequence involving a race away from a massive fissure opening up in the city.

It has to be said that the replayability probably won't be that high, once you've got to grips with all the twists and turns in the plot, and when you're talking about £40 plus that might be a problem.

But overall it's an improvement on the XBox version and a pretty effective frightener.

74 per cent

Sonic Unleashed
Sega
XBox 360
£39.99

IS there really a place for pure arcade action any more in the days of ultra polished and realistic titles?

After all the reason for the unrealistic look for most games was that the technology simply wasn't there to do a better job.

To be fair, I think that people expect their 'arcade' games to have this kind of colourful appeal now it has become the accepted norm for this genre.

Sonic Unleashed at first seems to provide what this series is all about - blistering high speed, stripped down platforming and breakneck collection of items.

Visually it looks great - loads of primary colours, and although it's cartoon-like, the graphics are complex and clearly utilise the latest rendering methods.

Unfortunately the Werehog part of the game is a bit like wading through treacle after the excitement of the traditional bit, and certainly doesn't add to the experience.

So, one part excellent traditional arcade action, one part tedium.

65 per cent

My Make-Up, My Dress-Up, My Secret Diary
MyGames
Nintendo DS
£14.99, £17.99 and £14.99

CLEARLY someone has come to the conclusion that there is a vast market among Nintendo DS users comprising young girls.

This collection of games is certainly aiming to tick all the boxes this group is interested in.

We have a lot of bases being covered - diaries, make-up and dressing up too - all split off into separate games - all at about the £15 mark, so if you get the lot for your darling daughter you're looking at a fair amount of cash.

The make-up game at least prevents 'real life' applying of slap, and my daughter (aged five) quite enjoyed it.

There was a host of brushes, colours and creams, face masks, hydrating fruits and facepaint palettes - well enough to keep her quiet for five minutes anyway.

Next we have Dress-Up, which doesn't come with many surprises, you, err, dress up in all manner of different gear, mostly, it must be said, to comedic effect.

Finally we have My Secret Diary, which, I suppose has the potential for the greatest longevity, unless you do what most people do and fill it in for a week before consigning it to the back of a drawer somewhere.

The electronic format at least might go some way towards stopping your little brother getting hold of it and revealing the contents to everyone.

The idea is to chat with your friends who will also be nearby on their DS using the three applications - which I would suggest isn't necessarily that likely, although if it happens will greatly add to the fun.

Overall taken as a whole the MyGames series isn't a bad buy at all for a young girl - but they should really be one package for about £20.

69 per cent

Prince of Persia
Ubisoft
PC, XBox 360
£39.99

IT'S saving the world time again in Prince of Persia, another game which is the latest in a long line of sequels.

According to the blurb, the Prince finds himself caught in an epic battle between the primal forces of light and darkness.

Something about a god of light, needless to say, his brother who is the god of darkness, an ancient tree of life which has been destroyed, and the battle to save the earth from doom.

OK, so the plot doesn't exactly go beyond every fantasy novel ever written, but as ever in a Prince of Persia series, it's all about the gameplay.

I remember the original set new standards for what a platform game ought to be when I used to play it on my Commodore Amiga years ago.

And it would be fair to say that this latest incarnation is absolutely brilliant at the fluid acrobatic action which the series is known for.

It does feel a touch repetitive at times, the controls will have you nutting the TV screen and it's a bit short, but Prince of Persia is pure gaming, and great fun.

****

Need for Speed Undercover
EA
XBox 360
£39.99

IS NEED for Speed a franchise desperate for some kind of makeover?

It's certainly been going for some time now, with the same old high speed cop dodging and racing against rivals.

And there's a whole host of rival titles too including Project Gotham, Grid, Midnight Club and even the Grand Theft Auto series at a stretch.

The story, such as it is, and illustrated with some fairly poor cut scenes, is some nonsense about racing other drivers and avoiding police while going undercover to bring down some international crime syndicate.

Tri-City where the game is based, features 80-miles of roads, including a large motorway section.

The city is all very generic, albeit nicely realised, although it suffers from the unrealistic looking problem of skyscrapers popping into view from nowhere in the distance.

Undercover is an excellent racing game, make no mistake. It's fast, furious, competently put together, and has licensed a good many of the hottest cars around. It just doesn't get the excitement levels up as much as it should - possibly because it doesn't really do an awful lot that's new, in what is a crowded marketplace.

***

America's Next Top Model
Eidos
DS
£24.99

NOT that I've ever watched it, you understand, but I believe there is a popular TV show which is the 'inspiration' for this exercise in narcissism.

The aim of the telly version is for numerous lovely ladies who have spent their entire lives being told they're a 'princess' by their mothers, to bitch, trample over people, and generally in the most unpleasant way possible, slime their way to the top of the catwalk tree.

The game, on the other hand, is on the DS, and as such is of rather more wholesome construction, being as its target audience is young girls.

And to be fair it's not all that bad at all - and given that I thought it was going to be reprehensible, tedious and above all, up itself, is something.

The game is similar to the show, in that you're up against nine other contestants, and must undertake a series of challenges including posing, pouting and, erm, wearing clothes.

It's not all that bad - my five year old daughter found it to be quite good fun, and didn't seem particularly corrupted by the experience.

***