Review: El Shaddai – The Ascension of the Metatron (12) / Developer: UTV Ignition Entertainment / Format: PS3, Xbox 360

Japanese creators have always found a mine of creative possibilities from western religious and theological texts. Perhaps through unfamiliarity on a daily basis, Japanese anime, manga, and of course videogames have long featured some striking adaptations on the biblical themes and iconography that (in an artistic sense, at least) many of us might take for granted. When you pair the subject material to a creative team headed by names like Sawaki Takeyasu (Devil May Cry) and Masato Kimura (Okami), it results in something genuinely stunning – something like El Shaddai, a character action game that features some of the most breathtaking visuals of this generation, and attempts to take the genre that Takeyasu helped birth in a new direction. 

Based upon the Book of Enoch, an apocryphal text from the Dead Sea Scrolls no less, El Shaddai once again uses elements from scripture to take its narrative cues. Players adopt the role of Enoch who is tasked with heading to earth to return the corrupted fallen angels to their own realm, and in turn release the tortured souls of the Nephelim – the product of the unholy union between mortals and angels. I’m not sure how things played out in the Dead Sea Scrolls, but in this version Enoch is given an impressive arsenal of miraculous weaponry from God to take the fallen ones to task, and is guided through his journey by the Archangels, including the time travelling, fast talking, mobile phone using Lucifel. The premise is dizzying, but somehow over the game’s progression, it all starts to make sense. Narrative advancement is a secondary concern in El Shaddai however, as the game presents a delightful and ever-changing visual setting to entrance the player while the action unfolds.

Aesthetically, the game covers a vast array of styles and themes too numerous to mention and often too staggering to accurately describe. It really has to be seen to be understood, and video footage alone from trailers and gameplay snippets can do no justice at all. In the space of just the first few levels, we are given icy watercolour landscapes, psychedelic monuments on alien looking suspension bridges that stretch and wind through Evangelion-like giant Kabbala, and a massive futurist cyber city on a scale that makes Final Fantasy VII’s Midgar look like a sleepy commuter village by comparison. A game that makes so many visual detours may normally feel disjointed, but it fits with the anachronistic era- skipping nature of the title. 

The character action format has dwindled in popularity in recent years, failing to find the same obsessive audience that delighted in the 128 bit days of Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden. One could attribute the decline to players growing tired of the stiff challenge presented within the genre, that often required frame perfect timing of complicated combo strings and almost pre-cognitive extra sensory levels of reaction and understanding. El Shaddai makes the brave choice of removing the need for high level skills in the traditional sense, and instead implements a simplified rhythm based attack style for this new age of character action.

It takes a little while to get used to if you are familiar with the frenzied swathes cut by Dante and Nero, but once you re-educate yourself and adjust to what the game is encouraging, an accessible but deeply satisfying combat system unfolds. There’s a real subtlety and fluidity to the encounters, and constantly switching between the three very distinct and visually pleasing weapons avoids the creeping sense of repetition. Landing a perfect and uninterrupted combo still feels as gratifying, but there’s no panic induced in trying to pull it off.

Where former entries in the genre would need nothing more than a handful of super combos committed to muscle memory, El Shaddai beautifully combines the fast paced action of its predecessors with a control scheme suitable for the modern age of gaming, and thankfully does it without dumbing any of the challenge down. Fail states – the big taboo in modern gaming – are also taken out of the equation. Slip up in a platforming section and the game immediately reloads from nearby solid ground. If the player suffers defeat in combat they simply have to hammer on the action buttons to effectively wake Enoch up from his fall. It shows a great understanding of the modern audience and the fact that failure doesn’t always have to be so punitive, without shying away from giving you an old-fashioned beating when you deserve it.

El Shaddai: The Ascension of the Metatron marks a wonderful return from some of the industries most talented individuals, brimming with new ideas that can inject life in to the most burnt out of genres. A genuine triumph of creativity and intelligent design that many developers could only dream of matching. 

‘El Shaddai: The Ascension of the Metatron’ is available now for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 (review format) from UTV Ignition Entertainment.

Review: Batman – Arkham City (15) / Developer: Rocksteady / Format: PS3, Xbox 360, PC

Chances are, you were already on-board with Batman: Arkham City. Whether you were drawn in by the extensive pre-release hype or simply looking forward to the game after Rocksteady’s brilliant 2008 series debut, its’ been hard for any gamer to ignore the swelling sense of anticipation around this sequel.

Once again, all hell has broken loose in Gotham. In a move that makes real world authorities look downright responsible, former Asylum boss and now Gotham mayor Quincy Sharp has enlisted the help of Hugo Strange to implement a brand new method of incarceration for the scores of criminals and displaced inhabitants of the destroyed asylum and Blackgate prison. An entire area of Gotham has been fenced off and used as a controlled prison colony, with Strange and his elite Special Forces team keeping an eye on proceedings. It’s not long before the major players of the underworld find their feet within the confines of Arkham City, and a full scale power struggle breaks out with rival gangs vying for control of the penal facility.

While Jim Gordon and the GCPD are stranded without jurisdiction on the wrong side of the imposing perimeter wall, Bruce Wayne begins a campaign to end the miserable and inhumane conditions imposed by Strange’s regime. Like many other dissenting voices with anti-Strange agendas, Wayne ends up being arrested and imprisoned within Arkham City – but while the billionaire philanthropist may struggle to survive in such harsh conditions, Batman has no such cause for concern. Naturally he suspects a conspiracy, but not even the World’s Greatest Detective could predict just how deep and dangerous Strange’s plans will become.

The premise may be farfetched even by comicbook standards, but a moments suspension of disbelief can forgive the overblown central theme as still the unique action game experience and tightly woven interconnecting stories push the problematic initial conceit in to the background, providing a stepping stone that leads to a brilliant and inventive piece of Batman fiction. 

Most of Arkham City’s mechanics and gameplay functions are direct carry-overs from Arkham Asylum, in a sequel that’s more about refinement than straying from the original blueprint. The same intensely satisfying ‘Freeflow’ combat system returns with a snappier and more responsive feel. Less obstructive animation routines strengthen the player’s abilities, improving on the feeling of power and mastery of physical combat worthy of the Bat, and the sense of empowerment when walking in to a crowded brawl is magnified by the subtle changes. Whether it’s a gang of two or three thugs, or a room full of assailants with grenades and automatic weapons, Batman can take them apart with an unmatched sense of style and authority.

Several new weapons are added to the arsenal established in the first game. Freeze grenades and smoke bombs join the array of Batarangs and high tech gadgetry that make a return, but are far more vital to the play experience and less of an inconvenience than before. Most importantly, the ever reliable Batclaw has gone through some dramatic changes enforced by the new open world setting. While Arkham Asylum featured an almost constantly limited pathway for travel and movement, Rocksteady has opened up the confines of corridors and hallways into a hubworld setting for Arkham City. Initial concerns are quickly allayed, as the developer has made the intelligent choice of ensuring every square of the map is meaningful and fun to explore, rather than fall in to the trap of many open world style games in which vast empty expanses separate remote points of interest.

The new Batclaw allows players to grapple and launch to the rooftops and boost into the air, then using the cape to glide menacingly across the skyline. In addition, a mid-air dive and climb mechanic (amusingly similar to Super Mario World) allows increased speed and manoeuvrability in flight. It’s hard to get to grips with at first, but after a few gleeful swoops and dives the system becomes natural, allowing players to cover the large area of Arkham City with speed and ease. Most importantly, much like the combat system, it looks, sounds and feels as Batman should.

The image of the outstretched cape against the grimy and neon flashed landscape as you descend into an alleyway to take out an unsuspecting crowd of goons never gets old, and the attention to detail employed by the creators allows for some brilliant moments that are impressively cohesive throughout each phase of gameplay, be it stealthily creeping through dilapidated gothic buildings, soaring through the night, scanning crime scenes for clues or just a good old fashioned beatdown on some wrongdoers.

After successfully translating the look and feel of playing as Batman and creating a believable and authentic environment for him to exist within, it becomes equally important that the narrative of the game complements these successes. Aside from the shaky premise, Arkham City features an impressively twisty and well plotted tale that takes in several elements of Dark Knight lore. Just like the first game, the rogues gallery is in full effect, with appearances from some of Batman’s greatest foes, and some more obscure faces that non-fans may not be particularly familiar with. While some inclusions feel like an excuse for a clunky boss battle, the major players like Joker, Freeze, Dent and Penguin make for fascinating antagonists throughout the storyline. Each has their own motivations, vendettas and goals, and taking out Batman is often just a bonus to their grand schemes for power within Gotham. Some appearances feel a little outlandish, especially the more supernatural of Batman’s foes, but given the nature of the characters in question and the roles they play within the narrative, it’s an unfortunate side effect of using characters as plot devices. Rest assured however, there is no mutant Joker monster to deal with this time around.

The original game was a real treasure trove of references and easter eggs for long time Bat devotees, and Arkham City increases the amount of fan service by an order of magnitude, but instead of cleverly hidden art assets placed within the environment as with previous game, players now have a bundle of mysteries to solve that add nothing to the main thrust of play, but will be of great enjoyment to every fanboy and girl out there. It’s impossible to list even a fraction of the small touches that flesh out the world of Arkham City without spoiling the fun, but it’s worth exploring every alleyway and secret passage to really squeeze the most from the world. The phonebooth killers, men without faces, warnings from beyond the grave make for just a tiny part of the consuming series of side quests that feel just as important as the main story missions.

There are still some flaws that haven’t been remedied from the first game, most notably the overbearing look of the visual filter applied when using the cowl’s alternative scopes and vision modes. The heavy blue tint of detective vision is almost headache inducing, but the game relies on the mode far less heavily than its predecessor. While more varied in style and less frequently occurring, boss fights still feel far less satisfying than encounters with run-of-the-mill street thugs. These negative points aren’t a major detraction from the overall quality of the game however, and in comparison to the veritable highlight reel of action and storytelling that Arkham City provides, are of little consequence.

This is one of those rare releases where you feel the developer enjoys the world and fiction of their games as much as the fans. The purposeful design choices and obsessive attention to detail provide a new strand of fiction for Batman that stands on its own alongside the films, the comics, and the animated series as a viable new continuity of its own, something that Rocksteady clearly revels in.

There are moments within Batman: Arkham City that had me hopping up and down in my seat in unashamed fanboy joy, and those small, almost inconsequential moments that are so carefully crafted to inspire a reaction with fans only serve to strengthen the wonderfully accessible new take on the fiction of Gotham’s heroes and villains. Best of all, it plays like a dream – endlessly satisfying, always leaving the player wanting to go for just one more side mission, one more Riddler puzzle, or one more challenge room. Grand ambitions of widening the scale and scope of Batman’s ongoing adventures are matched with a game of near unprecedented quality. Niggles exist, much like the first game, but fade into obscurity when the rest of the experience is so well executed.

‘Batman: Arkham City’ is available now on Playstation 3 (reviewed format) and Xbox 360 from Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment.

The Warhammer 40,000 universe has become a familiar staple in the videogame world for some time now, and while the quality of the tabletop war game’s digital adaptations has often been questionable, THQ’s handling of the franchise in recent years has allowed the brand to receive the treatment it deserves, most notably resulting in the excellent Dawn of War real-time strategy series. What always irked me however, was the lack of a decent action game based on the world of 40k.

Full disclosure before the review kicks off: I’ve never been a tabletop gaming kind of guy, but I’ve always been an admiring onlooker of Games Workshop’s creations, especially their depiction of a future sci-fi world. For those wishing for a game that captures the visual stylings of the universe within a heavily action based environment, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine could be the game you’ve been waiting for.

Coming to the rescue of a besieged Imperial tech colony that houses several devastating Titans, you take the role of captain Titus of the Ultramarine chapter of Space Marines. Alongside two other Marines, players must rid the colony of its Ork invaders who have sent millions of units to steal away one of the legendary weapons for itself. Literally millions – and you’ll have plenty of fun using the satisfying arsenal of weaponry to take the hordes apart.

Taking the form of a Gears-like third person shooter, Space Marine is a no nonsense blaster that adds a unique melee aspect to proceedings that proves key to both survival, and the enjoyable constant variation of play style featured within the game. Enemies can be despatched by using ranged weapons and attacks, but the players health bar can only be regenerated by performing close range execution attacks, unleashed once the enemy has been stunned at close range. The executions are wonderfully brutal, and help break up the chaotic nature of the action giving a punctuation point to proceedings when the player needs to catch a quick breath to assess the next action.

The trade off between the relative safety of ranged attacks and the danger of not recuperating health quickly enough is a brilliant design choice that keeps the player deep in the middle of the fight at all times. The combination has to be used strategically, as charging head first in to battle will often end in failure, and occasionally even on the normal difficulty setting players will find repeated deaths during the same sequence. It can get frustrating, but a workaround is always in place to be discovered.

The most enjoyable aspect of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine however, is the convincing recreation of the weapons made famous by the tabletop game. From Chainswords and Bolters to Power Axes and Melta Guns, each weapon is enjoyable to use in conjunction with one another. A personal highlight, are the sequences in which players are given a Jump Pack to traverse both environments, and reign terror upon your enemies. The combination of crashing down with a shockwave inducing thud, and smashing the scrambling foes with a giant electrified warhammer is totally fulfilling.

Space Marine also translates the imagery associated with Warhammer 40,000 perfectly. The Ultramarine character models are satisfyingly chunky and very well articulated, and the Ork hordes the player faces off against look great, with each enemy type distinctive from the last, and filled with humorous design choices. Grim, towering gothic architecture lies decimated as players travel through the game, and while generic underground tunnels and dusty wastelands are employed, there are enough surprises in the shape of enemy transports to lighten the occasionally uninspired nature of the environments. There’s usually too much fighting occurring to take too much notice anyway.

The action can get a little repetitive at times, but new enemies spring up frequently enough and those using specialised weaponry such a shields and rocket launchers add some freshness every so often. The level design is incredibly linear, and there’s never an option other than following the designated path – even outdoor segments feel like corridors with foliage. While a distraction for sure, the linearity and monster closet nature of the confrontations can be forgiven as the sole focus of the title is to provide big and nasty fight sequences one after the other.

Overall, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is a fantastic addition to the growing profile of the franchise in video game form, providing a highly satisfying combat driven experience with the agelessly cool design associated with the universe.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is available now on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 (reviewed format), OnLive and PC from THQ.

Despite some decent releases for Apple’s iOS devices, I’m still mostly skeptical about the value of gaming on the touch screen mobile platforms. Amongst the vast amounts of releases that appear on the app store each week, a few stand out above the noise of the marketplace. HotGen’s To-Fu 2 is one of those mobile games that is worth attention, even for stick-in-the-mud traditionalists like myself.

Keeping to the design ethos that serves the platform best, To-Fu 2 is a simple puzzle platformer in which players have to stretch the titular To-Fu and use his elasticity to cross expanses at high speeds. He sticks to any surface, and players are challenged to reach the goal in a limited number of moves. Several mechanics add challenge aside from the basic traversal each level, that are solidly designed and feature an array of tricks and traps to curb progression, such as laser grids and good old fashioned spike pits.

Visually, it doesn’t offer anything above most iPhone games of its class, but To-Fu is a pleasantly designed character for a headband-wearing block of bean curd, and enough confetti and glowing hues are applied when a level goal is completed. The audio is very repetitive, but I’m pretty certain nobody actually plays these games with the volume up. Do they?

As always with any action based game on iOS, screen size is a limiting factor. Players on iPad won’t have the same problem, but it can be hard to plot To-Fu’s trajectory when your finger is blocking much of the screen. There are several choices made by the developer to minimise this problem, such as being able to freely look around the level and decide a course of action before starting each move.

The real fun of To-Fu 2 is in its smart level design and layouts. The wide array of obstacles and physics objects that alter the way To-Fu interacts with surfaces make for some nice variety, and reaching the goal on a particularly challenging section can feel very rewarding for a game that will be most likely played in short bursts. The limited number of moves available to complete the each level is a great choice and never feels overly punitive, and provides a far more tangible challenge (and subsequent reward for the invested effort) than merely reaching the end of the stage would have offered.

There are frustrations and niggles as any game on this platform is likely to incur, but To-Fu 2 is a fun and entertaining alternative to some of the more ubiquitous hits available for iOS, even to a non-believer in the virtues of Apple gaming.

To-Fu 2 is available now on iTunes for iOS devices. Price: 69p

It’s a little ironic that, for a franchise that’s been on life support since its first sequel, Ubisoft Reflections would decide to put its lead character in a coma for the fifth entry in the Driver series (after ditching him entirely for 2006’s Driver: Parallel Lines). But that’s just the tip of the crazy iceberg as far as Driver: San Francisco is concerned. Detective John Tanner is back, and he’s out of his freakin’ mind!

The game kicks of with Tanner, and partner Tobias Jones, chasing down arch nemesis Jericho (From Driver 2 and Driv3r) after he breaks out of a prison truck on what should be a routine transfer. During the brief tutorial, in which you learn how to handle Tanner’s Dodge Challenger, Jericho manages to turn the tables and, after a spectacular crash, puts Tanner in a coma. From this point on the game takes place entirely in Tanner’s coma dream. Yes, that’s right, it’s all in his head. You, the player, are fully aware of what exactly is going on but Tanner has no clue as he continues in his relentless pursuit of Jericho within the confines of his own brain. As far as a driving game premise goes it’s a tough sell and this might go some way to explaining why Ubisoft have made little to no reference to it in any of their marketing. Watch a trailer or pick up the retail box and you’d be hard pressed to see what separates this from any other open world car game.

Yet it’s this coma based gameplay that makes Driver: San Francisco a title to sit up and take notice of and it’s all down to one game-changing mechanic, ‘Shifting’. To Tanner’s understandable surprise he suddenly finds he has the ability to jump – or ‘shift’- into the body of any other person driving a vehicle. It’s this ability that the entire game hangs on and, with this one ridiculous idea, Ubisoft have managed to turn what’s expected of a driving game on its head.

It’s pretty difficult to explain how brilliantly this works unless you actually sit down to play it. As an example, imagine you’re in a high speed chase but your target is slipping away and catching up seems nigh-on impossible. In any other game this would be a case of hitting the start button and trying again, but in Driver: SF this is the perfect time to hit the appropriate button and float out of your current vehicle. Time slows to a crawl as you soar over traffic and ahead of your target and you pick out a car in the oncoming lane. Hit the button again and BAM!, you’re immediately in the driving seat and you steer into the path of your target, severely damaging him and slowing him down. Another button press and you’re back in your original car, this time with the upper hand. It all sounds a little complex, but after you’ve toyed with it for just a couple of minutes you’ll find it incredibly intuitive. If you want a blank-meets-blank description, try Midnight Club-meets-Quantum Leap.

All this shifting, coupled with the coma-induced story, allows Ubisoft to come up with some mind-blowing missions that you just won’t find in any other game. Being tasked with diffusing bombs located under moving trucks, scattered across 200 square miles of open world San Francisco, in under 3 minutes would, in any other game, seem like the developers are having bit of a laugh at your expense. In Driver: SF this is just par for the course and you’ll relish each new event thrown at you as the story gets deeper and weirder. In fact, it would be poor reviewing on my part to reveal anything else about the campaign as it will surprise you in ways you never imagined. Just go with the flow and you’ll be grinning from ear to ear as you jump from car to car. There’s even a ‘’Previously, on Driver: San Francisco…’’ catch-up sequence each time you load up the game.

The story is relatively short, around 10 to 12 hours in length, but that isn’t all the single player has to offer. Outside of missions are a plethora of races, stunts, side missions, cop chases (both cop and racer), challenges and collectibles to name but a few. All standard fare you may be thinking, but since they almost always utilise the shift mechanic they become fresh and genuinely exciting and you will be eager to earn and complete every one of them. The collectibles are clapperboard tokens spread out across the map and for every ten you collect you earn one of the ‘movie challenges’, races or chases based on classic movie or television programmes (Think Bullitt, Blues Brothers or Starsky & Hutch). Even though they are one of the rare moments that shifting is off limits, they are quite authentic recreations and feel like a special gift from the developers each time you unlock one.

Yet all of this would count for nothing if the handling of the cars was even slightly off. It has been a worry since the demo was released, with many people bemoaning the difficulty of handbrake turns, drifting and steering. Upon release of the full game however, all of these fears suddenly dissipate as you realise Ubisoft has given the utmost care to each and every one of the 140 licensed vehicles available in the game. They all feel and handle differently and are as accurate to their real life counterparts as the over exaggerated nature of the game will allow. You won’t be pulling off any exciting handbrake drifts into tight alleyways in an AMC Pacer and navigating a bumpy dirt track in a low-slung Murciélago won’t win you any prizes. It’s all about picking the right car for the job and this is part of the fun as you frantically try to find a decent ride whilst in shift, the clock ticking relentlessly down in the top left corner of the screen.

Visually the game is a marvel. From the recreation of San Francisco, with its world famous steep, hilly roads that are just perfect for car chases, to the attention to detail on the car models, with the environment around you reflected in the paintwork and chrome. Even the dashboards in cockpit view are painstakingly accurate. All this runs at a silky smooth 60fps that never lets up, even when things get really busy on screen.

I’ve come this far and I haven’t even begun to talk about the multiplayer. Yes, on top of all this vehicular goodness in the single player portion, Ubisoft have seen fit to include some online action. This isn’t an afterthought either as the shifting makes its way to 9 of the 11 modes available. It makes for some tense action during a race if you’re able to immediately jump into any car you want to get ahead of the pack, but be careful about when you do this as there are still checkpoints to worry about and it requires some quick reflexes to shift at the right moment to gain the lead. Another standout mode is ‘Tag’, with one player trying to remain ‘it’ as long as possible and other players trying to tag him/her. The crack here is that whoever is ‘it’ loses the ability to shift so it becomes a paranoid race around the city as any one of the AI controlled cars around you could potentially be another player at a moments notice. There are also standard race modes for those who may find shifting in their online play a little too much to handle.

If you want to nitpick to find a downside then you’ll find that in the AI of anyone who’s on your tail in a chase. The cops in particular are absolutely relentless and if you start lagging they will just pile up around you like a pack of rabid dogs. It’s in scenarios like this that you have to utilise the traffic ahead of you and the exquisite handling the game offers.

Also, in the visual department, the city itself looks a little bland if you stop to admire it up close and the citizens that populate the sidewalks look like they’re made from particularly floppy cardboard. But, since you’ll be travelling past all this at breakneck speed ninety percent of the time, it won’t really concern you and you can forgive these visual hiccups when you do decide to stop and stare.

Multiplayer may be the biggest stumbling block in the game. It’s not immediately apparent how shifting can be utilised to your advantage in online play and there’s a steep learning curve if you’re not managing to get your head around it. This is a shame as it’s the sort of innovative online play that a lot of gamers crave, yet I fear the servers will be empty within a few months as so many people will just turn their backs on it.

The whole game gives off that classic 70’s vibe whilst being rooted in present day. The music and cars span both decades and you’ll be tapping your foot and nodding your head as you cruise across the Golden Gate bridge in your Maserati with The Chi-Lites ‘Are You My Woman’ booming on the stereo.

It looks great, plays better and gives you a wealth of content without resorting to dlc. Ubisoft have confounded expectations with this release and the future of other driving games is looking a little grim right about now. Besides, any game that rewards you for driving a DeLorean at 88mph has gotta have something going for it, don’t you think?

Driver: San Francisco is out now on PS3 and XBOX 360. PC release September 30.

Isn’t that just the way it goes? You save all your money throughout the year and plan a relaxing and lush getaway to a 5 star all inclusive resort to wind away the stresses of your job and life back home. No sooner have you arrived and you realise that the zombies are coming.

Welcome to Banoi. Where celebrities and the rich come to mingle, party and bite each other.

There have been a plethora of zombie gaming choices over the last few years, ranging from the classic Resident Evil series, through to the fun Dead Rising games and the pant-wettingly good Left 4 Dead and its sequel. Over the last few months, the makers of Dead Island have ramped up the excitement for their own take on the zombie computer game, which culminated in the impressive but not exactly gameplay representative trailer below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZqrG1bdGtg

Having had the opportunity to get hold of the full game almost two weeks before release, I thought that, having completed it, I’d give you the skinny.

First of all, let me just say that I was as pumped about this game as any of you and have been waiting with baited breath for about four years now – the original release date of Dead Island having been announced as some time in 2008. I’m a big horror fan, and enjoy playing most horror games. So I sat down with mucho excitement when the game arrived on 30th August and let the opening montage play out before my eyes.

Firstly, we are introduced to choose our avatar from the four playable characters. Throwing expert Logan, a disgraced ex-American football player; Xian, the Hong Kong patriot and sharp weapons expert who is on the island to spy on the rich Westerners; Purna, the firearms expert who is an Aboriginal ex-cop and finally, Sam B, the one hit wonder rapper who had a smash hit with “Who Do You Voodoo, Bitch?” He’s also a wonder with blunt instruments.

They are all immune to the virus and so you are expected to complete missions and side quests on your own, and here is where my one major bit of advice comes from – search everything and pick everything up if you can. You’ll probably need it at some point – be it to fashion a new weapon, upgrade one, barter with others or even give it away to needy NPCs.

As for playability, I really wanted this game to be great. I wanted to love this game and shout it from the rooftops. Unfortunately, I can’t. That’s not to say that the game doesn’t have its good points, because it does.

There are moments of standout quality. From modified weapons that can have interesting effects on the zombies, to the satisfying bump as your truck runs over another dead-head. There are a couple of good set-pieces, but I won’t spoil them for you if you are planning on playing the game.

Subtle in-jokes, like the amiable Dr West making an appearance (unfortunately not Herbert – that would have been too good!) raise a chuckle and being able to fast travel between positions once unlocked is a bonus because Banoi isn’t exactly a small island. The upgrades you unlock by gaining XP through death, destruction and side quests can improve your experience immensely and, like Dead Rising, the XP increases stay with you should you wish to replay and pick up more items and get those elusive achievements / trophies, dependent on which console you’re playing it on.

The VAT system from Fallout 3 puts in an appearance of sorts, with you being able to direct your strikes on particular body parts until they either break or come off entirely. It’s interesting to watch an armless zombie come at you and try to bite you. Sprinting is a viable alternative to fighting and sometimes this will be the only way you’ll get through a section without dying.

The game is played out in glorious sunshine, mostly, and yet you still can’t help creeping around each corner, knowing the next zombie could leap out at any point. The constant baying and growling of the undead is un-nerving, and offers a feeling of unease to the player at all times.

The good news is that if you die, you lose some money, but you respawn five seconds later and carry on, so no having to worry about going back to the previous save point every time you fail.

So lots of good points, but also, there are lots of issues.

The graphics are in no way world-beating and seem to have only moved on slightly from the original Left 4 Dead. The draw distance is decent, with faraway locations like the hotel or lighthouse easy to see. However, there are times when the game fails to create the landscape under your very feet for a few seconds and it’s moments like that that can take you out of the game, which is a major issue with a horror game. On at least two occasions, I had zombies literally come at me via osmosis. One appeared through a solid wall, the other climbed up through a solid wooden floor. Arms flailed through walls at times as well. It was also lovely to see in this advanced age of graphic engines that our old reliable friend, the invisible wall, puts in an appearance.

The combat seems flawed at times, with too many strikes missing their target, which can be frustrating. This isn’t helped by the fact that these zombies will actually flank you. They may all attack from the front, but at least one will deliberately sneak behind you and hit you where you can’t see them.

The aforementioned ‘homages’ to the VAT system in Fallout 3, the XP and weapon modding of Dead Rising, the co-op play of Left 4 Dead and even the kerb stomping of Gears of War are all in there. Perhaps this is Dead Island‘s biggest issue. It spends so long using great ideas from other games that it forgets to create any new ones of its own.

Also, the co-op may be there from Left 4 Dead, but if that is the game that Dead Island wants to be compared against, I’m afraid it fails. In L4D there is true camaraderie where co-op means something. Even if you are playing on your own, the other three characters are there with you to aid and to be in need of aid. If you die and someone doesn’t revive you, you’re out of the game and your team is down by one. Also, if you play co-op online with three other players, you know that if one of you walks off, they’re probably going to die.

In Dead Island, you play alone, with the other NPCs only visible during cut-scenes. If you play with others, it doesn’t matter if you wander off or not. There’s no real penalty for dying, you just respawn. There’s no feeling of dread or concern. There’s no trepidation about whether you need to change tactics to complete the section.

Like I said, I wanted this game to be great and I wanted to love it. Instead, I can only describe it with one word that I’ve already used.

Frustrating.

Dead Island is released on PS3, Xbox and PC September 9th

There’s something pleasingly old-school about Deus Ex: Human Revolution and this is acknowledged in one of the first achievements/trophies in the game, the description of which asks if you “Point and Click much?”. The much lauded original Deus Ex, released just over a decade ago, practically pioneered the mix of RPG and shooter mechanics and many games since have followed suit. Fallout, Mass Effect and Bioshock have tweaked and refined the template to crowd pleasing effect and the gaming world is all the better for them.

But it’s the original Deus Ex, developed by Ion Storm and mentored by Warren Spector (of System Shock fame, another ‘cyberpunk’ First Person Role Playing Game) that many gamers hold dear to their heart. After being disappointed by the dumbed down Deus Ex: Invisible War, released in 2003, it’s understandable that many people may be apprehensive about another title bearing the Deus Ex name.

Well fret no more. Deus Ex: Human Revolution, despite a couple of design flaws and technical faults, can hold it’s head up high and stand proudly alongside the original. Eidos Montreal have crafted a deep, sprawling, conspiracy laden thriller that rewards the inquisitive nature of an RPG gamer whilst also respecting that some folk out there are a little more trigger-happy.

The story, set in 2027 (25 years before the events of the first game), puts you in the role of Adam Jensen, chief security officer for Sarif Industries, one of the top biotech companies involved in human augmentation. The ethics of these mechanical enhancements have split society down the middle and this is not helped by the fact that all these large corporations have effectively taken control of global governments. Caught in the middle of a terrorist attack on Sarif by a rival company, Jensen is almost killed and, at the behest of his employers and without his consent, is augmented himself. Six months later he is back at work and tasked with finding out who was responsible for the attack.

Whilst the tangled tale itself is engaging, the most important aspect of this title is the gameplay. Or, more accurately, how you play the game. Instead of one expansive map to explore the game is broken down into several large multi-tiered ‘hubs’, from Blade Runner inspired cities such as Detroit and China to more contained environments such as medical facilities or shipyard docks. This helps focus the story when following the main mission strand, but each hub is ripe for exploitation. Any situation can be approached from a variety of angles; need access to a corpse being held in a police station morgue? Try sweet-talking the officer at reception through an intelligently designed conversation mechanic. Or you could opt for sneaking in through a network of sewers, ventilation shafts and staying in cover, out of view of patrolling guards and security cameras to reach your goal. Maybe you need to hack a security system for sensitive information but your path is littered with heavily armed enemies and turrets; you could go for the heavy handed approach and stroll in guns blazing. Or you could make use of that code you found on the poor sap you put to sleep earlier in the game, opening up a door that could enable you to bypass the situation altogether. Don’t have the code? No problem, just utilise the game’s fun, initially complex hacking mini-game and open the door that way.

All of this is made easier, in no small part, by the augmentation upgrade system. Everything you do in the game earns you XP which, in turn, earns you Praxis points. These Praxis points are used to upgrade your biomechanically enhanced body in a way that suits your playstyle. In my initial playthrough I opted for hacking skills and stealth augments. I’d always be tempted to find out what useful or incriminating evidence lay on that level 4 secure computer I passed a while back, whilst walking right past an unsuspecting guard’s face with my cloaking device enabled would give me a cheeky thrill. But not having enough Praxis points to upgrade much of my combat skills or armour would leave some avenues of exploration off limits. It’s a risk/reward system that invites multiple playthroughs and I know that, upon completion of the game, I knew only half the story.

It’s this investigatory aspect that is the most alluring and it really does pay to absorb any and all information you come across. At one point an email I read on a hacked computer put to rest any doubts I had about a pretty major character. If I’d not noticed the computer, or simply chosen to move past it thinking it too risky with all the guards in my vicinity, I’d still have those doubts come the closing credits. This exploration extends to interaction with seemingly random characters. From hobos and hookers, to police officers and bartenders, any one of them could open up an optional side-mission and you’ll be spinning many plates during the first half of the story.

Yet this is where the game comes a little unstuck. Human Revolution is at its best in both the Detroit and China city hubs, as choice and consequence are more evident in these open environments and you can feel the story moulding itself to your decisions. But as the game reaches its conclusion, and you move out of these cities, the mission strands follow a more straightforward path. How you move along the path is still up to you, but distractions from side-missions and the like are a rarity. Another flaw that keeps this game from attaining the perfection that so many desperately want is some glaring enemy AI issues. You might accidentally alert a guard during a stealthy approach, setting off an alarm and attracting all his buddies. Simply find a hiding spot, wait it out a minute or two and they will eventually forget the whole thing and return to their preset patrols, as if suffering from some group form of anterograde amnesia.

But the biggest misstep of all is most definitely the inclusion of boss battles. There is no need for them. At all. Each one follows the exact same routine. You’ll find yourself in a room, most likely unprepared, with a ridiculously overpowered boss. The room is then sealed and you have to run and gun for your life in order to proceed any further in the game. Each encounter is completely at odds with the surrounding game and they are all obscenely difficult, as if the developers wanted to intentionally irritate the player. Now if Eidos would kindly release a patch that replaces these mind numbing encounters with a simple cut scene I think everyone will be much happier.

So, is Human Revolution the be all, end all of RPGs? Well, it’s extremely immersive and can adapt itself to virtually any playstyle as much as your playstyle can adapt to it, yet the about-turn to almost standard action-fare linearity towards the final chapters puts a very, very slight dampener on things. It wouldn’t make it as a full on shooter though either, due mainly to some floaty movement and unreliable aim controls. But as a mix of both it will prove to be an intelligent, well written and engaging addition to any discerning gamer’s library.

The annual summer gaming drought has officially ended. Viva La Revolution!

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is available now on PC/PS3/XBOX360

The stigma of bad videogame adaptations of films follows the genre around like a bad smell, so expecting Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters to be subpar is understandable. However, Rise of the Manhunters is surprisingly good in comparison to its movie tie-in brothers, and whilst it’s still a long way off from a great game there’s enough working in its favour for you to enjoy the experience.

Set in the same universe as the film but telling a different tale within it, Rise of the Manhunters sets itself apart from the film enough to allow some creativity to creep in. Focusing on the grander narrative, you play as Hal Jordan battling the Manhunters, ancient robotic warriors created by the Guardians before the Green Lantern Corp was formed, as they vow to destroy the planet Oa and the Green Lantern Corp. It’s the setup for hundreds of invading enemies and countless fights to see them off and eventually beat them, and Rise of the Manhunters follows this through as a linear brawler.

It suits the experience well and is mechanically excellent. A combination of light, medium, and heavy attacks followed up with grabs, blocks and special moves is reminiscent of the God of War series and is smooth, responsive and impactful. Additionally, the special moves conjure constructs, anything imagined in Hal Jordon’s mind made physical and used against his enemies, and the available 12 constructs run the gamut from giant circular saw blades to a fighter jet. They’re downright creative and entertaining to use, and incredibly don’t become superfluous. Each construct has its strengths and weaknesses against the many enemies you encounter and as you progress you’ll rely more and more on using the right construct on the right group of enemies. Unfortunately, the fighting and the enemies themselves are severely lacking in creativity.

Out of the countless number of enemies attacking you, the actual amount of unique ones is very limited, and even then the majority are just pallet swapped and given a different weapon or shield. It quickly becomes repetitive and predictable as you familiarise yourself with attacks patterns and numerous quick time events for the larger foes. The boss encounters also suffer from this same predictability; once you’ve beaten your first the others are a breeze. Repetition is the bane of brawlers and with Rise of the Manhunters this is no exception. The imaginative constructs are unlocked gradually by purchasing them from energy collected from defeating enemies and breaking containers, and they help break the tedium temporarily by providing entertaining spectacles. Meanwhile, intermittent flying on-rail shooting sections, similar to Space Harrier, between some missions make for entertaining asides from ground combat, but ultimately you’re replacing your fists with projectiles and the grind will bore you.

Alleviating the boredom slightly is the drop-in local co-op feature, which allows a second player to join you playing as Sinestro. Battling alongside another player is certainly more fun than solo but it makes an already easy game almost no challenge at all. It highlights what Rise of the Manhunters really is: a short but compelling narrative experienced through a slightly above average brawler. Beyond the implementation of the constructs, it doesn’t do anything different to stand out. It takes the tried and tested formula and sticks to it, rigidly.

Adding some authenticity to the experience is voice work from Ryan Reynolds for Hal Jordan, and the rest of the cast, although not from the film, do a great job of immersing you in the universe. The exposition isn’t laid on too thick but new comers to Green Lantern lore are brought up to speed effectively as well as the occasional nod to elements within the Green Lantern universe for veterans to enjoy. It’s well crafted for accessibility and a good companion to the film. Some bland textures break immersion slightly and the odd line is cringe worthy but it’s all forgivable.

Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is fun for the six to eight hours it takes to complete but only really offers the bare minimum for your time. It’s unremarkable overall but competent for a movie tie-in, and although the repetition threaten to put you off if you bring a friend along it’s easy to enjoy the experience for what it is.

Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is out now on PS3, Xbox360 and Nintendo Wii

Before I start I just want to make it clear to all reading that, first and foremost, I’m a single-player gamer. That’s what it’s all about for me, that’s what I lay my hard earned down for and I generally consider any online content to be a garnish to the main campaign’s steak and chips.

Don’t get me wrong, there have been some stunning examples of developers putting thought behind the online component of their latest software. Recent titles that spring to mind are well-balanced racers such as WipEout HD and Need For Speed Hot Pursuit, the co-operative joys of Portal 2 or Resident Evil 5 and the downright inspired use of connectivity that Demon’s Souls offers. But, more often than not, I just find online to be boring, broken or both. This is just my opinion however and I’m fully aware that a lot of people like to relax to a Call Of Duty deathmatch, a kickaround on FIFA, a Call Of Duty deathmatch, a bit of Halo or a Call Of Duty deathmatch.

But, back in late 2009, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was released and, accompanying it’s absolutely stellar single player campaign, was a multiplayer offering that simply got everything right. From standard Team Deathmatches to wonderfully thought out co-operative mini-campaigns and everything in between. They were like little bite-sized chunks of the main story complete with all the action, humour and general coolness that we’ve come to love about the Uncharted series.

This coming November we’ll be off on another globe-trotting adventure with Nathan Drake when Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is released and, beyond trailers and E3 reveals, developer Naughty Dog have just given us their biggest tease yet. A multiplayer beta packed with modes galore and other assorted goodies. I’ve been playing it for the past 24 hours and here’s what you can expect if you decide to sample it yourself. First, a rundown of what’s on the playlist…

Team Deathmatch

Probably the most popular mode from the last game. Two teams of five battle it out for 20 minutes or 50 kills, whichever comes first.

Free For All

Classic deathmatch, but new to the series. Ten people in an every-man-for-himself fight to the death.

Three Team Deathmatch

Another new mode with three teams of two hunting each other down for 20 minutes or 20 kills. Features the new ‘Buddy System’.

Hardcore

Randomized deathmatches with, as the menu reads, ‘No Boosters. No Medal Kickbacks. Just your skill.’.

Co-op Arena

A ten round sample-platter of what some of the co-op modes will have to offer including Siege, Gold Rush and Survival. You and two others against the world.

That’s quite meaty in itself but what other surprises are there? What’s new? Well, the maps are for starters. Two are available with this download, the French chateau you’ve all seen from the first trailers and an airstrip located in a desert. Both are excellent areas for all modes (the chateau is my particular favourite) and feature real-time changes in environment such as collapsable walkways, or interactivity such as the ability to close a door on someone chasing you down, or taking a zipline out of harms way. How about a full customization feature for all playable characters? That’s right, everything from the colour of their bootlaces to what kind of hat you want your avatar to wear can be yours to decide. Drake sporting a pair of mirrored shades? Sully in a fedora? Yup, that’s all possible.

Of all the available modes I found that Three Team Deathmatch was the standout. It’s basically the best of both worlds as it’s a competitive mode with a co-operative slant and every match was a tense affair. Coupled with the new Buddy System that gives you benefits to sticking with your partner I can see this getting some serious playtime when the full game is released.

I was curious to see how some of the new gameplay features would fit in such as the Power Plays and Kickbacks. It seemed like overkill since the Boosters from the last game have also returned and that genuinely seemed like enough. Power Plays are short events that take place occasionally to give the losing team a leg-up, yet they can also benefit the winning team. These range from being able to see where the winning team is for a short time, to having the losing team able to inflict double damage. Kickbacks are activated once a set amount of in-game medals are awarded. This could be a short speed boost or infinite ammo for 15 seconds. All these blend in to the background of the gameplay and you never find yourself chasing them down. They don’t get in the way and that’s a relief.

I found a lot of nice touches as I played through all modes such as the ability to wear a riot shield on your back as protection, or throwing a live grenade back at the owner (a tricky maneuver, I only managed it once). I just found everything to be an improvement in one way or another and it felt like everyone was having a good time in each match. But, this is a beta and there will be problems that will reveal themselves over time so Naughty Dog want feedback from the community. Feel the Power Plays are too empowering? Want a bigger blast radius from the grenades? Let them know. The beta runs until July 13th so you have just under two weeks to get in on the action and voice your opinion.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is out November 1st on PS3 

Shadows of the Damned has been long awaited by the contingent of gamers who like their play time sprinkled with a dash of horror. The combined forces of two of the genre’s shining lights coupled with the addition of possibly the most creative mind in the gaming industry appears, on the surface, to be a recipe for success. The fact that it comes from Grasshopper Manufacture, who are also responsible for both the No More Heroes series and Killer7 only serves to sweeten the deal.

And what a deal it is. With Suda 51, Shinji Mikami and Akira Yamaoka all in the same boat you are almost guaranteed something amazing and each man has placed his own particular stamp on the title. However, despite the obvious talent on display, the question still lingers as to whether they could craft something coherent in the process.

Luckily, for the most part the answer is a resounding yes. Shadows of the Damned follows the exploits of the demon hunter Garcia Hotspur and his ex-demon companion Johnson. If that sounds like a penis gag to you then be prepared because, with weapons like ‘The Boner’ and a steady supply of innuendo, you’re going to be thinking things like that quite a bit. Suda 51 has his stamp all over this and the immature humour of No More Heroes is ramped up to eleven here. The best way to describe it would be to call it purposefully puerile. No matter how silly the script gets, you always get the feeling that tongue is firmly in cheek throughout.

The game itself kicks off proper when Garcia’s lady, Paula, is kidnapped by the charismatic demon overlord Fleming in response to Garcia’s penchant for murdering demons. The main plot follows Garcia’s attempts to rescue the fair maiden, but the player will mostly be drawn into the pairing of Garcia and Johnson. The pair will spend the game wisecracking and making crude jokes that will raise a smirk in even the most strong-willed person.

The monstrous creations that adorn the screen are both as disgusting as you would imagine something that emerged from the combined minds of Suda and Shinji to be, while also being lovingly crafted and detailed. The game carries a graphical style that is indicative of Suda 51’s work. It’s not necessarily the best looking game in the world, but the visuals carry a very distinct charm and suit the mood of the game perfectly.

While the oddball pairing of Garcia and Johnson is great for a few laughs, the story itself really just acts as a vehicle for the weirdness that has come to define Goichi Suda’s exploits in gaming. Without giving too much away, Suda 51 mixes moments of eccentric humour, such as checkpoints being marked by a terrified demon that craps itself at the sight of you, with the truly disgusting. The monstrous creations that adorn the screen are both as disgusting as you would imagine something that emerged from the combined minds of Suda and Shinji to be, while also being lovingly crafted and detailed. The game carries a graphical style that is indicative of Suda 51’s previous work. It’s not necessarily the best looking game in the world, but the visuals carry a very distinct charm and suit the mood of the game perfectly. It all combines to create a game that feels fresh and original and while not as purposefully mind-screwy as Killer7 and its ilk, Shadows of the Damned does a good job of keeping you on your toes mentally.

For the most part it manages the same in the gameplay department, and this is where Shinji Mikami’s work comes to the fore. Mikami is most famed for his work on the Resident Evil series and, if truth be told, the core gameplay is pretty much the same as in Resident Evil 4 with an extra dodge mechanic thrown in. That is, admittedly, a little uninspired but it is also forgivable as Shadows of the Damned is a hell of a lot of fun to play thanks to using one of the

best gameplay engines in recent memory.

It also has its own touches of gameplay inspiration, namely the contrasts between the light and dark worlds. Quite often during the course of the game Garcia will be plunged into a darkness that renders most monsters invulnerable and also slowly eats away at his health. It also generally serves as the main means of challenge in later sections and boss fights, which often become akin to a puzzle game as a result as the player frantically searches for a way to get rid of the darkness or utilise it to their advantage. It adds a touch of freshness to an admittedly old, though not dated, gameplay system and also serves to move Shadows of the Damned beyond just being a mindless shooter.

On the other hand the game loses some freshness due to a habit of repeating boss battles, especially sub-bosses. Experienced gamers may recognise this as a Capcom-esque tactic so it’s no surprise that it arises in a game with Shinji Mikami’s name attached. Boss battles are great fun at first, especially as you figure out exactly how to defeat each enemy, but only the really major fights aren’t repeated and it does make you wonder if the developers started to run out of ideas for extending the gameplay at points. It never gets too jarring though, and anybody with experience of games like Devil May Cry and the like will be used to it. It just seems a shame that a game infused with as much originality as that offered by Suda 51 would occasionally have to resort to such game-lengthening tactics.

The third part of the holy horror (how’s that for an oxymoron/band name?) triumvirate is Akira Yamaoka. For those who don’t recognise the name, he is the man responsible for the music and sound in the Silent Hill series. I’m sure a knowing smile has found its way onto the lips of many a gamer now and, rest assured, Yamaoka has carried his talents over to Shadows of the Damned. The soundtrack is equal parts funky, intense and flat out jarring. Even the more cheerful numbers seem to carry an odd threat, which makes them a perfect fit for the game. Couple that with some truly off-kilter sound effects and Yamaoka once again establishes his credentials in the genre.

At the end of the day though, there is really only one question on people’s lips. Does the sum of Shadows of the Damned’s parts manage to live up to the hype? For the most part, the answer is a resounding yes. The title’s oddball mix of humour and horror, coupled with a very solid gameplay platform and some ingenious uses of the light/dark mechanic make for a game that is not only a lot of fun to play but also extremely quirky. It pulls of the strange feat of being accessible and slightly off-centre at the same time and, while sections of the game carry the very individual stamp of its creators, it all manages to add up to a game that, minus the odd niggle, is one of the best titles of the year so far.

Shadows Of The Damned is out now on PS3 and XBOX 360