Braid, XBLA
Review by LewieP
Braid is the most unique, memorable, emotionally engaging and fun experience I have had with a game in a long time.
Forgive the hyperbole. I am still in shock at how much I loved Braid.
There are no bullshit cut scenes, there is no repetition, there is no filler. It never ever wastes your time, which is a design philosophy I have nothing but respect for. I can definitely see myself replaying this in 6 months time, and I am already a solid chunk into the post-game.
The art is stunning, and the setting and narrative perfectly synchronised with the gameplay. You could just ignore the story and still thoroughly enjoy the game, but in doing so would miss out.
I laughed out loud a bunch of times. The references to other games are intelligent and classy. The puzzles often feel impossible, until you increase you depth of understanding of the rules in the game. Braid is a game about rules, about learning to understand rules, and controlling the world around you with these rules.
There is a direct physical and emotional connection to the game, culminating in a stunning ending sequence, akin to the Team ICO games.
Jonathan Blow has put the rest of the games industry to shame. They have budgets massively greater than he had, access to far more resources, and far more numerate teams of staff. Yet he has pretty much single handily created something which will stand out as one of the most unique gaming experiences I've ever had, and outclassed most big budget blockbuster games in recent memory. I will now buy, sight unseen, anything he puts out.
I only wish I could rewind and play it for the first time again, but sadly, some things can just never be undone.
It is short. I completed it in pretty much one sitting, stopping only to eat. I didn't keep track of the time, but 5 hours feels about right.
If you like video games, you will love Braid. If you don't like video games, it's because you have yet to play a game like Braid. Bitch about the price being more than most XBLA games all you want, but if you do so you are forfeiting your right to ever complain about games being unoriginal, repetitive and homogeneous.
Pick up some cheap MS Points and buy it. Please.
Braid - Review
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky, PC - £13.71
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky, PC - £13.71 delivered
Apply code "B4U" for 2% off
Update: Well, Powerplay put the price up, it's not longer the cheapest place to get it from.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky, PC - £16.83 delivered
Xbox 360 Premium Console with 60GB HDD - £179.99
Xbox 360 Premium Console with 60GB HDD - £179.99 delivered
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, Xbox 360 - £15.23
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, Xbox 360 - £15.23 delivered
You have to add this to your basket for free delivery if you aren't buying anything else.
Tom Clancys: Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 - Legacy Edition, Xbox 360 - £10.99
Tom Clancys: Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 - Legacy Edition, Xbox 360 - £10.99 delivered
Thanks to mcjihge2 for the tip-off.
Scene It! Lights Camera Action, Xbox 360 - Review
Scene It! Lights Camera Action, Xbox 360 - £17.79 delivered
£14.99 in-store pickup at Argos
Review By Willeth
Some of you might be surprised to find this here - it's not exactly a triple-A title. I bought it on a whim from GAME at £20 a couple of months ago so that I could have something to play with the family instead of monopolising the TV, and so far I've been very impressed.
It contains a wide variety of game modes, whether they're actor/film recogition, movie trivia, observation, and so on - I imagine all the modes from the DVD game, and perhaps a few more that would only be possible with a game pad. And most important of all, it saves the questions that each person has seen individually, so that whenever you play it with any combination of people it should give you a question that nobody has seen before. In practice this works most of the time, but there are some modes that appear fairly often but have only a few questions, so you run through those particular ones fairly quickly.
The 'Big Button Pad' works very well, also. Four are included, and they work much in the same manner as the Buzz! controller - unfortunately, they work via infra-red rather than Microsoft's proprietary RF. What is quite handy, however, is that the larger button on the controller also functions as a D-pad, meaning that it can be used to play games like Uno (or any game where only the D-pad and face buttons are required) single-handed. The upcoming Xbox Dashboard update will also support these pads for their Primetime quiz shows, and while I wouldn't recommend buying the game specifically for that, it's a nice bonus.
It is, of course, solely movie-based, and there are no other trivia games available, with none on the horizon except Scene It! Box Office Smash later this year. This means that if there is one person in the group who is particularly up on their movie knowledge, you'll have a hard time to find a leveller - and there is no handicap option. The game does try to do some of this for you, for example by rewarding players for the most incorrect answers, and a multiplier round at the end which rewards you for consistency. While this might feel tacked-on, thankfully it never feels like the game is cheating you out of a win, a la Mario Party. It's also fairly heavily weighted towards more modern movies, which means that your parents may struggle (like mine), although there are movies from as far back as the 1950s peppered throughout.
Luckily, these down points don't seem to matter so much. Even though she loses with shocking regularity, my mother now accepts the 360 being in the lounge, so that whenever we want we can set up a round of Scene It and have a family game together. Usually every night. I'm not entirely sure that this is a good thing.
Scene It! Lights Camera Action, Xbox 360 - £17.79 delivered
£14.99 in-store pickup at Argos (thanks to Numan1617 for the Argos tip)
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2, Xbox 360 - £17.99
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2, Xbox 360 - £17.99 delivered
The SavyGamer Podcast, Episode 1
It's Episode 1 of the SavyGamer Podcast! This week we have a special guest: Jonathan Blow, creator of Braid. We talk about the challenges of being an independent developer and building such a unique game (don't worry, it's spoiler-free). Also, the usual chat about news and stuff, and a quick segment from the casual side of things from Lewie's Mummy. Only on the SavyGamer Podcast!
Show notes (Highlight to view):
00:00 Opening
00:36 Welcome
00:42 Contest winner information
03:39 Burnout Paradise - Cagney is now fully out, Davis update details
06:40 Summer of Arcade promotion details
[Link]
08:50 Geo Wars score: Below the red line is the demo, above is the full version.
[Link]
09:41 Alone in the Dark demo opinions and a magnificent segue
11:46 Lewie's been playing the KORG Synth - terribly
13:26 Trackmania DS video talk
[Link]
14:20 Chrono Trigger DS delayed - anyone surprised?
18:48 PS3 trophy chest is expanding
21:00 Rock Band 2 suspected US release
23:17 Wii Menu homebrew hack - Lewie explains
[Link]
28:24 Wii MotionPlus will be light on the pocket
29:35 Braid talk
32:14 Interview with Jonathan Blow, creator of Braid
1:14:46 End of interview
1:15:08 Bargains of the Week, 2 for £25 PS3/GTA4 360 - £25.99
1:16:59 Have your say - let us know what you want from the podcast
1:18:17 Lewie's mum weighs in on DIY and gaming. [Link]
1:22:30 Close
Total Runtime: 1:22:38
Total Filesize: 75.6 MB
Got feedback on the show? Post a comment, or email us:
LewieP - lewiep@savygamer.co.uk
Will - willeth@gmail.com
Sega Superstars Tennis, Wii - £7.47
Stranglehold: Collectors Edition, Xbox 360 - £8
Stranglehold: Collectors Edition, Xbox 360 - £8 delivered
Only one in stock, so be quick!
2 PS3 games for £25
2 PS3 games for £25
Includes:
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Ratchet & Clank: Tools Of Destruction
Heavenly Sword
Resistance: Fall Of Man
MotorStorm
Or, Blu Ray films:
Tears Of The Sun
Layer Cake
Kung Fu Hustle
Bram Stoker's Dracula
The Patriot: Extended Cut
Hostel
S.W.A.T.
Hollow Man Director's Cut
Shrooms
The Replacement Killers: The Extended Cut
Thanks to ronaldinho10 for the tip off.
Fahrenheit, PC - £4.99
Fahrenheit, PC - £4.99 delivered
Cracking on the Xbox, not played in on the PC, you might want a controller to play it. Anyone out there played it on PC?
Medal of Honor: Heroes 2, Wii - £13.22
Medal of Honor: Heroes 2, Wii - £13.22 delivered
Apply code "B4U" for 2% off
Tabula Rasa Collectors Edition, PC - £4.99
Tabula Rasa Collectors Edition, PC - £4.99 delivered
Oh poor Mr Garriot...
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords, DS - £12.99
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords, DS - £12.99 delivered
New Wii System menu homebrew hack
Features of this hack include:
Removing the health warning screen
Region free Wii and Gamecube games
Built in "rescue mode"
Removing background music
It's not released yet, but should be soon. Finally I will be able to play my imported Gamecube games again. Even nicer to be able to boot all imports straight from the Disc Channel, with no need to boot any homebrew.
I expect custom background music can't be too far away either.
KORG DS-10 Synthesizer, DS - Review
KORG DS-10 Synthesizer, DS - £34 delivered
Review by LewieP
This is a Korg Synth for the DS.
I was tempted to end this review here actually, there is very little else to say.
Here's a list of artists that use similar models of Korg Synths:
The Prodigy, William Orbit, The Dandy Warhols, Foal, Klaxons, Aphex Twin, Ladytron.
So you'll be in good company.
Honestly, I am not hugely talented at this kind of thing. I am basically completely new to it, but just spending a few solid hours has compelled me to learn more about how to use synths. Thanks to 'The Reverend Dr Galactus' for linking me to this pretty great starting point.
I have had great fun with it, and I can only imagine what someone with more knowledge and skill at this kind of thing can put out. I expect there will be some insane concerts of people using multiple consoles all over youtube in the coming months.
If you would like to try out a pretty full featured synthesizer for a fraction of the regular cost, then this is more than likely to sort you out. Grab whatever cable you need to hook it up to your recording/playback device (the DS speakers really don't do it justice) and you have a pretty killer set up.
It is almost entirely in English, just the manual and a few error messages in Japanese I believe (I haven't encountered them myself), and this is no doubt cheaper than the UK price will be, that is if it even gets a release here.
I am picking up a cable to record straight to PC, so I might have some recordings to show off in the coming weeks, and I'm going to see if I can convince my mates' band (New Art Riot) to do some collaborations.
KORG DS-10 Synthesizer, DS - £34 delivered
Link's Crossbow Training, Wii - £15.93
Link's Crossbow Training, Wii - £15.93 delivered
Includes Zapper.
SavyGamer Podcast RSS Feed Now Available!
I've just set up an RSS feed for the new SavyGamer podcast. Simply enter the normal RSS feed (this one here) into iTunes (by clicking 'Subscribe to Podcast' in the Advanced menu) or your favourite podcatcher and it'll automatically download the podcast every Friday, as soon as it's posted.
Personally, I recommend Juice. You can schedule it to check for new downloads whenever you want and it'll keep track of your previously downloaded files and only grab the most recent one, even if you delete the file itself.
We're still working on getting the feed added to the iTunes Music Store, but as soon as it is I will post it here.
Remember that we're still looking for a name for the show! If your entry is successful, you'll win $40 of Play-Asia credit. Listen to the podcast to find out how to enter!
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 - Review
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2, XBLA
Review by LewieP
I downloaded Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 last night at around 7pm. Before I got into it, I already knew from reading around that there was 6 game modes, all of which needed to be unlocked, which took around half an hour. I allotted myself exactly this amount of time for a first play. Sure enough, I unlocked all six modes, with a little time to spare.
I then, begrudgingly had to stop playing, as real life got in the way.
I returned at around 11pm, hoping to put in another quick half hour before bed. I initially went back to "Pacifist" mode. First I set myself a 1 million point goal, which I then beat. Then I set myself a 5 million point goal, which I also beat. Then I set myself a 10 million point goal, which I then beat, and in the process got my first achievement.
So, I checked out the rest of the achievements. They are pretty interesting, so I tried a few of them. Some I got first time, some took a few attempts, and some I am yet to get.
By this point, my half hour play had turned into 2 and a half hours.
Not only do I find this game perversely compelling, addictive even, I really admire what they have done.
The original Retro Evolved was the poster boy for what an Xbox Live Arcade game should be. Relatively simple and low on content, fun, different and very pick up and play. If the genius was in the simplicity for Retro Evolved 1, for Retro Evolved 2, it's in the variety.
The six modes each offer something completely different.
Deadline: You have 3 minutes and unlimited lives to get the highest score you can. You build up a multiplier by collecting geoms, which each enemy drops.
For this mode, you are basically putting into practise all the skills that the other game modes teach you.
King: Pretty complicated to explain, and actually pretty complicated to master - There are temporary safezones, and you can only shoot when inside them, but enemies cannot touch you in them. As soon as you enter one, it starts to decay.
This mode focuses on 3 main skills - dodging enemies, shooting the right enemies at the right times, and collecting geoms.
Evolved: The new version of Retro Evolved. A fair bit different, since it has geoms for multiplication, and doesn't have the weapon upgrades. Pretty standard game to be honest.
Pacifism: My favourite mode. No shooting, just dodging enemies and killing them by using the explosive gates.
Really focused on making you find gaps and look for space.
Waves: Based on the Geometry Wars from PGR4, vertical and horizontal waves of enemies constantly spawn. Pretty evil.
Sequence: 20 levels of specific challenges, if you die you will be taken to the next level.
Basically, whatever mood you are in, there will be a mode for you, and the difficulty curve is pretty great. It teaches you how to be better as you unlock the levels.
It has also had a nice graphical facelift from the original. Way more colourful, and even more particles.
I do have a small complaint, although apparently this is common with XBLA games. If you are not signed in to live, it won't save any high scores. Seems a little silly to me.
If you liked the original, you will like this more. If you don't yet have the original, this is far better value for money, and pretty much a must-buy.
Also: Wow, if you do decide to get it, check this out. 3D camera mode!
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Xbox 360 - £3.98
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Xbox 360 - £3.98 delivered
The SavyGamer Podcast, Episode 0
That's right! This is the pre-inaugural edition of the SavyGamer Podcast - as yet un-named, but we'll leave that to you. We'll be talking all things gaming and bargains from a British perspective, with chat and everything that you'd expect from a gaming podcast. Subscribe to our RSS feed and get the podcast every Friday.
Show notes (highlight to view):
00:00 Intro
00:30 Welcome
00:44 A SavyGamer History
02:51 Name our podcast - win $40 of Play-Asia vouchers!
04:18 Nintendo seize R4 carts - massive piracy discussion ensues
06:55 David Reeves of Sony is very frank about piracy
11:31 Why aren't more consoles region-free?
12:32 Home beta applications open in Japan
13:30 Will's hot for LittleBigPlanet
15:31 Firmware woes
16:58 PS3 Platinum range is here
17:50 It's the Summer of Arcade!
24:38 We're going to PAX!
26:03 Castle Crashers - we love it, but is it going to be daylight robbery?
26:30 No. No it isn't.
27:36 You can't trade in digital content. Will we keep it next-gen?
28:58 Microsoft are focusing more on Europe, say Edge. Will rants a bit.
31:45 EA try to spin their Boom Blox numbers
34:37 Wii MotionPlus and AiLive - poking is super important
39:02 Could Jet Grind Radio be coming to Wii?
41:06 GTA: Chinatown Wars will have WFC support
43:30 Battlefield: Heroes delayed
47:15 Bargain of the Week
52:00 What we've been playing recently
59:46 Omega Sektor trip
1:05:51 Contest details
1:08:07 Close
Link dump:
Braid Dev Blog
The Art of Braid
Tesco's MS Points deal - £13.97 for 2100 points
PAX, the Penny Arcade Expo
The Cross-Country Supertrip
Edge Magazine
AiLive and LiveMove2
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Burnout Paradise for £19.98 [PS3] [360]
Ninja Gaiden II for £19.99 [360]
Omega Sektor
Contest entry email
Update: You can submit as many entries as you want, but obviously you can only win once ;D
Total Runtime: 1:08:14
Total Filesize: 62.4 MB
Burnout Paradise, Xbox 360 - £19.98
Burnout Paradise, Xbox 360 - £19.98 delivered
The 'Cagney' update for this, adding a load of new features, is available on August 4th. More details are available here.
Burnout Paradise, PS3 - £19.98
Burnout Paradise, PS3 - £19.98 delivered
The 'Cagney' update for this, adding a load of new features, is available now. More details are available here.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Game Of The Year Edition, PS3 - £16.99
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Game Of The Year Edition, PS3 - £16.99 delivered
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, Xbox 360 - £17.99
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, Xbox 360 - £17.99 delivered
Skate, Xbox 360 - £12.93
Skate, Xbox 360 - £12.93 delivered
Apply code "ENT10" for 10% off
Update: The code has now expired, so it's £12.93, still a fantastic price.
Cheers to Avon for letting me know.
Ninja Gaiden II, Xbox 360 - £19.99
Ninja Gaiden II, Xbox 360 - £19.99 delivered
Cheers to 'more heat than light' for the tip off.
1942: Joint Strike - Review
1942: Joint Strike, XBLA/PSN
Review by LewieP
I won't pretend to be a huge expert on the 1942 series, but I have played my fair share of various entries in the series both in the Arcades and via "Capcom Classics Collection" on the Xbox, which has the original 1942, 1943: The Battle of Midway and 1943 Kai.
194X is a series of vertical scrolling shmups, and the common theme across all the games is "There is a war, and we need someone to single handily win it for us, and you're the pilot for the job"
The thing about the 1942 series, is that it's fairly old school as far as shmups go, there's none of the modern level design and scoring system you would find in something like Ikargua, and the pace is fairly relaxed compared to say Triggerheart Exelica, and Joint Strike is no change. It's half way between a modern remake of the original 1942 and a new entry in the series altogether.
It's relatively underdesigned. There is a pretty basic combo system, and and upgrade system with two tiers and three branches, and the odd bonus level thrown in after a boss fight, but aside from those, it's just wave after wave of enemies, followed some pretty solid boss fights at the end of each level.
The enemies range from fodder that go down in one hit to bigger, more threatening airships, tanks and turrets. They all have really cool designs, and are animated very nicely.
In fact, the whole presentation is very slick. The diagrams that pop up to show you the boss's weak spots before the fight fit perfectly. There a bunch of little throwbacks to the older games too, like how enemies flash white whenever they are hit.
The levels all start out with a washed out grainy look to them, to remind you it is set in the 40s, then the colour fades in. It 's a really pretty game. Lots of levels artistic direction is taken from previous games, but the new 3D engine looks fantastic, and the water has to be seen to be believed.
Norihiko Hibino, the composer most well known for his work on the Metal Gear series and other Kojima titles, provides a soaring orchestral backdrop for the action. Spot on.
The difficulty might be a little unforgiving to newcomers to the genre, but it would be worth persevering I think. I have played a whole load of shmups, and it took me 3 attempts to be able to beat the first level without taking a hit, so seasoned shmupist like myself will probably feel right at home in no time.
A few bad things now.
The framerate is pretty weird. In my time with it, it has been locked at 60 frames per second the whole time during actual gameplay, but it stutters at some weird times, when nothing is actually going on on screen. Just before the traditional "DANGER" message pops up before a boss fight, the game stutters, and the same in the in game cut-scenes. Speaking of which...
It has some really annoying in engine cut scene bits. Nothing happens in them, there is no dialogue or action, the game just decides to take control of your ship for a while, and then zooms in and watches you do a barrel roll. In the middle of the level. I would forgive it if it looked as badass as similar things in other games, but really they add nothing to the game in my opinion.
There is a 2 player coop mode, but I haven't played it, since I am antisocial.
All in all, it's pretty great.
If you have tasted all the shmup flavoured goodness that the XBLA has had to offer so far, and want more, you can't go wrong with this. If you are sick of shmups now, then there is not really a whole deal completely unique to be found here, so I would say steer clear of it. If you are new to the whole genre, then this is a fairly uncomplicated offering, and certainly not the hardest around, it would probably be a great entry point.
1942: Joint Strike, XBLA/PSN
Update: For clarification, I was playing the XBLA version.
Ratchet & Clank: Tools Of Destruction, PS3 - £14.99
Ratchet & Clank: Tools Of Destruction, PS3 - £14.99 delivered
Clive Barker's Jericho, Xbox 360 - £8.08
Clive Barker's Jericho, Xbox 360 - £8.08
Spend £15 for free P&P.
Civilization Revolution, DS - Review
Civilization Revolution, DS - £19 delivered
Review by LewieP
I've not actually played that much of Civilization in the past. My love affair with Sid Meier is based mostly on 'Pirates!' and the glorious 'Alpha Centuari', which I will happilly name as being the game that has probably had the biggest impact on my gaming life. It was a big factor in my path from enjoying playing video games from time to time, to being a geek with a passion for game design and an interest in the process which leads to their creation. I have piled hours into Alpha Centauri over the years, probably more than any other game, and I will sing it's praises at any given opportunity. I don't even mind that it's not even had a sequel hinted at in the 9 years (!) since it's release, because it has aged like a fine wine.
If you haven't played it (which you really should, it's a fiver here, but I got it in Gamestation a while back for £1.98 in the buy on get one free section) Alpha Centauri is a pseudo spin off of the civilization series. It takes the same basic gameplay, but switches the historical setting for a futuristic, and still highly believable, Sci-Fi setting. Instead of rushing to develop gunpowder, you'll be striving for the Technological singularity, and instead of building aqueducts, you'll be working on the human genome project. It also has some of the greatest dialogue boxes from any game ever (Commit Atrocity? Yes/No).
Enough about that though, I could go on forever, but I've not even mentioned the game I am supposed to be reviewing at the moment.
Civilization Revolution is the new entry in the civilization series, aimed at making it more 'casual friendly'. The addition of customisable 'bling' that you can 'pimp your armies' with brings the series in a great new direction, and who wouldn't love the selection of Pussycat Dolls and 50 cent tracks available on the soundtrack.
Psyche!
Honestly, the streamlining of the gameplay is probably not going to be for everyone. I know that when I have got hours to set aside, I love nothing more than crazy levels of micromanagement Alpha Centauri offers, and tuning every aspect of my civilization to suit me is part of what makes the game. However, on a handheld, I think the simplifications are no detriment whatsover.
In fact, I can see myself playing more of CivRev on the DS than I would a regular Civ game. Whilst it has the same "just one more" turn draw of its less casual friendly siblings, half an hour is plenty of time to accomplish something worthwhile.
It's running on a mostly functional 2D engine. I say mostly, since every now and again the framerate chugs a little, but in a turn based game like this it's far from gamebreaking. It has kinda jankey battle animations. There may actually be an option to turn them off, but if not, you can immediately skip them (which I did every time). They add little to the experience, and are the most obvious example of redundant design, pandering to the mainstream audience.
The is some occasional unintended humour. I never expected to have Ghandi hassle me for Gunpowder technology in exchange for his knowledge of free market economies, and I can't help but laugh at the blatant political correctness shown by 2K by picking 'Otto von Bismarck' as Germany's most famous leader.
Some boring stuff -
I'm sure the Touch Screen controls are great, but I never bothered. The Dpad and buttons work perfectly fine for me.
It has online multiplayer I think, but I haven't tried it, since I have played it mostly on the go (Planes, Trains and Buses)
All in all, it's Civilization, on the go, and it's not bad in any meaningful way. Recommended heartily.
Civilization Revolution, DS - £19 delivered
See you in Omega Sektor
Well, today is Omega Sektor day!
We'll be meeting in Picadilly station in Manchester at 8.30am for those of you in Manchester, Birmingham Station at 10.30-11.00am for anyone getting the train, and in the lobby at Omega Sektor shortly afterwards.
Send me an email on LewieP@Savygamer.co.uk if you can any details. There is going to be a pretty big group of us, somewhere around 10-15 at least. I look like this, and unless it is hot, I will have a bright red hoodie on.
Sorry I am reminding you all so late, I only just got back from LA.
Devil May Cry 4 Limited Edition, PS3 - £24.99
Devil May Cry 4 Limited Edition, PS3 - £24.99 delivered
Alone in the Dark - Collectors Edition, Xbox 360 - £29.99
Alone in the Dark - Collectors Edition, Xbox 360 - £29.99 delivered
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Wii - £24.99
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Wii - £24.99 delivered
Student discount is available too.
Amped 3, Xbox 360 - Review
Amped 3, Xbox 360 - £6 delivered
Review by Amitai Winehouse
I don't like Snowboarding. After all, very few people who are inclined to video games do. The very idea of risking life and limb for very few rewards, not even a few additional achievements, seems foreign to most of my geek brethren. That is not to say that video game companies do not release video games about this sort of sport. EA "Big" has had a lot of success with the SSX franchise, spawning several games. Therefore, almost two years ago when Amped 3 was purchased, I was slightly perturbed, but not yet totally put off.
Never getting further than the end of the 'tutorials', I set the game down until only 3 days ago. Looking for something to play, I picked up on this once more, started afresh and began 'boarding'. There's no doubt that this game is one thing, and that is fun. The wholly realistic route is not the idea for games of this sort, and therefore I can take great happiness out of performing two backwards flips followed by a corkscrew 180.
The game was never going to be a story masterpiece unlike my last review, and therefore the creators set about taking the Michael as much as they could. From 8-Bit sequences featuring an evil overlord (who's face we never see, merely his hood and silver arms, looking for all intents and purposes to be a faceless Dr. Doom) to overly stylized animé style sequences which thoroughly parody animé traditions. The addition of being referred to as "Player 1" throughout also is a nice 4th wall break. The story itself is fairly funny, and whilst not being Hollywood quality, ties things together nicely.
One feature which is also nice is the character creation, which is expectable seeing as most games of this sort have that, and this is no different with a wide selection of clothes and bodily features spanning both genders. The challenges which give you "Coin" to purchase new clothes are also fairly challenging, and the game can be played even after the story ends, meaning a longer experience. There are also several unique challenges, which involve things such as riding a Sled, a Snowmobile, and also a Hang Glider on occasion.
A big thing lacking from this game is LIVE versus mode. I think this would have made an awesome addition to the game, and to leave it out is just mind-numbing. Who wouldn't want to laugh at someone over a headset as they wipe out, or perform a 100,000 point trick that leaves your friends gasping.
Another problem is the repetitiveness of some of the challenges in the game. The difficulty curve very much stays the same throughout each section, and therefore when gunning for respect, at times you may find yourself sensing a small amount of Deja-Vu. However, if the game is played as I believe it is intended to be (e.g. in short bursts) then this is not a problem, and the game remains what it is meant to be, fun.
I say that if you are looking for something to kill a few hours with, then this game is worth what you can get it for know. It's likely better than SSX: Beating a Dead Horse, and the tongue in check nature of the brings it up a notch. A recommended buy.
Amped 3, Xbox 360 - £6 delivered
I am in LA
I am currently stealing WiFi from the Santa Monica Apple store. It's hot day, just been to the beach, and had some pizza. I'm here with my friend Josh, and have met up with Sheldon (from PA), having a wicked time! I was partying with Ant and Dec, Fern Cotten and the host of New Zealand Idol (bit of a creep) last night, at a private party we crashed. Peace and love!
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots, PS3 - £28.99
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots, PS3 - £28.99 delivered
Lost Odyssey, Xbox 360 - £7.99
Lost Odyssey, Xbox 360 - £7.99 delivered
Not heard of this site before, anyone got any experience with them?
Gears of War, Xbox 360 - £7.99
Gears of War, Xbox 360 - £7.99 delivered
Not heard of this site before, anyone got any experience with them?
Tomb Raider: Underworld, PC - £23.51
Tomb Raider: Underworld, PC - £23.51 delivered
Apply code "B4U" for 2% off
Ubisoft condone and endorse video game piracy.
Anyone who has bought any Ubisoft game ever, and in fact, anyone who ever buys any games, should read this.
Have you ever bought a game, and then not managed to get it working on your machine? Have you ever had to resort to download a no-cd crack to get it to run? I know I have, and I know that the games industry considers me a massive pirate due to buying their software, then running it in a way they don't like.
Which makes this thread over on the Ubisoft forums all the more entertaining. When faced with a version of Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 that wasn't working on lots of machines, ubisoft did exactly what you would have done. They when and got a no-cd crack of the internet and released it as an official patch.
Continues here.
The games of E3 2008 you might have missed
Update: Apparently rehosting game trailers on Vimeo breaks their user agreement, who knew?
I'll be on the look out for a decent resolution video service that will let me host game trailers, let me know if you have any suggestions.
This year's E3 is drawing to a close, and there have been lots of huge game announcements, biggest of all is probably the announcement of Final Fantasy XIII on the Xbox 360.
But E3 is not just about the big games, there have been a ton of really interesting smaller games shown off too.
Here is a roundup of some of the games that have really caught my attention that don't seem to be getting as much press coverage as I think they deserve.
Rhythm Heaven, DS
The follow up to the import only GBA cult hit "Rhythm Tengoku", Rhythm Heaven makes you focus on the what you hear, not just what you see. It's made by the Warioware team, and presented in a similar format, and certain to make you crack up with laughter.
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2, Xbox Live Arcade (and PC?)
I have literally sucked hours into the original Retro Evolved, both on the PC and the version included with Galaxies on the Wii. A bunch of new modes, Multiplayer and a remixed soundtrack is enough to interest me.
Wario Land: The Shake Dimension, Wii
I absolutely adored Warioland 4 on the GBA, and this looks like it is the natural continuation. Stunning 2D animation, and great looking cut-scenes from Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell, Blood: The Last Vampire). Viva la 2D renaissance. Speaking of which...
Megaman 9, Wii Ware/PSN/XBLA
I always preferred the Megaman X series to Megaman classic to be honest, but even still, this is just brilliant. I am a little disappointed about the lack of aslide too, but I really have faith that this will live up to it's legacy.
Kirby Super Star Ultra, DS
Kirby Super Star was easily one of my favourite SNES games back in the day. There was enough game there to keep you entertained for hours. No doubt some of the screen sharing coop fun might be lost in the transfer to the DS, although I am sure wireless multiplayer will be include, and even as a single player only title it will be fantastic to replay it. They also seem to be adding a whole load more content, hence the ultra. If nothing else the battery won't run out on this cartridge after 10 years or so. Also, 3D cut-scenes and production values out the wazoo.
Dark Void, PS3/Xbox 360/PC
I don't care that this is brown.
We have only really seen one level of this so far, and I am more than happy to give the level design the benefit of the doubt. It is like Gears of War. In fact, it is a lot like Gears of War. But then, multiply the scale several hundred times. It's hard to tell from gameplay videos, but if the controls are solid, and they mix things up enough to keep it interesting, this game could be epic.
It really feels like E3 is a lot less about big announcements than it used to be, remember the 2004 Twilight Princess announcement?
I guess it isn't the conference it used to be, it's far smaller, far more press orientated. It's also more about games that are going to be out in the next 6 months, rather than far away titles on the horizon.
Still, we have Develop Conference and Expo in Brighton in a few weeks (and Bungie, Epic, Rockstar, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony and maybe even SavyGamer will be there!), Leipzig Games Convention and PAX in August, Tokyo Game Show in October and then GDC in February 2009, so there is plenty to look forwards to in coming months.
I am excited about this game
This game looks really fun. It's made for all of us who winge on about games just being brown these days.
From what I can tell, it's one part Katamari, one part platformer with a spot of light combat thrown in.
It is based on a PC freeware game made by a bunch of highly talented Dutch students at Utrecht University, which can still be downloaded here. It's changed a fair bit since then, but I certainly think for the better.
It is an exclusive, for the Wii too, and a proper game too.
Ignore what the Video says about the release date, I have it from THQ that it's set for a September 26th release.
Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom, Xbox 360 - £11.75
Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom, Xbox 360 - £11.75 delivered
Apply code "B4U" for 2% off
Dragon Quest Swords: Masked Queen & The Tower Of Mirrors, Wii - £17.99
Dragon Quest Swords: Masked Queen & The Tower Of Mirrors, Wii - £17.99 delivered
Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit - Review
Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit, PS3 - £32.99 delivered
Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit, Xbox 360 - £32.99 delivered
Review by TheSonicRetard
There would be a review here for you to read, but TSR is waiting on a new console to be shipped to him from Sony after his PS3 got bricked by the 2.4 firmware update.
He'll be getting to write an actual review as soon as his replacement console arrives.
Thanks Sony.
7/10
Mirror's Edge looks awesome - MP3 Download
Mirror's Edge is one of the hottest looking games I have seen from early E3 footage, but any reaction to footage of it I have seen has included people saying how much they love the music. I have tracked down a full mp3 of that lovely chilled out song, you can download it here:
Alcorus - Shine
Cheers Scotty.
Be sure to buy the inevitable OST.
Search Engine plugin
I have just put together a search engine pluging for Firefox and IE7 users, so you can search through SavyGamer deals/posts straight from your browser.
You can grab it here.
Let me know if you have any problems with it, although from my quick testing, it seems to work fine.
Edit: Also, new favicon!
WALL·E, Xbox 360 - Review
WALL·E, Xbox 360 - £28.55 delivered
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Review by LewieP
Foreword
I have not yet seen the film WALL·E, and as such I will be reviewing this game entirely on it's own merit as a game. It is possible (and in fact likely) that having seeing the film before playing the licensed game would have an impact on your experience.
I do plan to go and see the film at some point though, I am doing the whole thing backwards for the benefit of the game playing public.
This review will probably contain minor spoilers.
I first booted up WALL·E to hear some pretty annoying music, so I skipped the cut scene. Then I got to the (surprisingly slick) menu system. Booted up a new game, and began my adventure. As soon as I took control of WALL·E, I moved the Analogue stick forwards. Then I got an Achievement for moving forwards. Instantly.
Off to a good start then.
I was initially fairly impressed with the animation of the titular character, his caterpillar tracks look and move just right. It's a shame the environments don't hold up so well. At best, there is some really impressive things going on with the physics, on a pretty large scale too, but at worst there is bland, repeated objects and textures all over the place. The bad outweighs the good. On the surface it looks pretty, but the animation, destructibility and up close textures let the whole package down.
The first level or so is fairly easy platforming challenges, involving thowing cubes, hitting switched, and avoiding falling to your doom. Whenever you do die (which is more likely going to be because the camera lets you down than the gameplay challenge) you will respawn pretty close to where you were, no lives system to worry about. There are lots of collectible trinkets strewn over the place, including some 'oh so subtle' references to previous Pixar films (Is Toy Story really 13 years old? blimey!), which unlock bonus content, including multiplayer maps.
After a while, I bumped into this iPod looking flying Robot called EVE. I took control of her, which was not only a much needed change of pace, but it was pretty damn fun. The EVE sections of the game are like a Rogue Squadre-lite with next gen pretties smeared over it. It's a real shame that they didn't give you more freedom as EVE, but you are constantly being intterupted with cut-scenes and timers, so you never feel like you can enjoy it to it's full extent. Hat's off for the homage to the Death Star Exhuast run from Return of the Jedi though, that was ace. It was around this mark that I realised how good all of the in game music was. Crank it up to 11 and you will hear some really great ambient music.
For the first half of the game, there is no enemies, it's just you VS. the environment, and it really would have been a lot better had it stayed that way. In the second half, they introduce a range of enemies, and the combat is pedesrtian at best. Hammer the right trigger til either they or you die. Luckilly the AI is bad enough that you can often position yourself somewhere that it can't 'see' you, and you can take them off from a distance, without them even noticing you. At the turning point, there is a boss battle which had me laughing for all the wrong reasons. You don't actually fight it, just jump into a nearby wall untill it dies. Seriously.
WALL·E underperforms on a technical level. Nothing approaching game-breaking, but it definitely shows itself up in a few key areas. The framerate is pretty ropey, the controls never quite feel spot on, there are invisible walls all over the place, the camera stuggles at times.
It also managed to crash my 360 once, I hope it's not early onset red ring.
If you can see past these kind of troubles, the kind of troubles that often come from an underdeveloped licensed game, then there is fair amount of enjoyment to be had out of WALL·E.
WALL·E on the Xbox 360 is a pretty serviceable, but by no means spectacular, 3D platformer. It has just enough new and interesting elements to keep your attention to completetion, and it retreads just enough familiar ground to be instantly accessible. Keen gamers will be able to burn through the main game in around 6/7 hours, but others in the target audience will probably take longer. The bottom line is, I imagine for most people reading this, there are many far better gaming investments to be had this summer, and this should be pretty far down the list for serious gamers.
However, and this is probably what you expected as soon as you clicked on this review, if you are looking for a "my first platformer" for a younger child who they enjoyed the film, then you could do a lot worse than this, although only if they have already played LEGO Star Wars.
WALL·E, Xbox 360 - £28.55 delivered
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