So news may have been thin on the ground recently but now the Game Developers Conference has finished there has been some interesting if not entirely suprising announcements. We will break down the biggest ones into consoles:

XBOX 360:

Gears Of War 2: Microsoft have some reasons to be cheerful after GDC with some BIG annoucements that culminated in the news that Gears of War 2 will be with us by the end of the year. Whilst everyone else had it slated for a 2009 release G4A said all along we expected it this year!! As we said in our games to watch in 2008 feature. The game will feature a much more involved game world and a much deeper experience. Cliff Bleszinski, lead designer for Epic Games said.“To our team the original game was just a tease, the appetizer to the ‘Gears of War’ characters and new style of gameplay. We were so amped to get to the next chapter, and dig deeper into the universe of this franchise,” It is good to know that we all paid £50 for a trailer! Anyway he went on, “‘Gears of War 2’ is an even bigger, better, and more badass experience than the first game, and we can’t wait to get it in the hands of eager gamers this November.” Ok so we are a little excited about this new, just a little.

Fable 2: Other 360 news centred around another of the AAA titles for this year Fable 2. Peter Molyneux told the eager masses that the pub games inside the main adventure will be released as a stand alone download before the main game via XBox Live Arcade, enabling players to build up cash to use when the main game is released. Whether this will involve parting players from some real cash before the main game is released remains to be seen!! More interestingly though was the annoucement of dynamic cooperative play, a first to the franchise, the exact details of which will be here soon.

Ninja Gaiden 2: Tomonobu Itagaki also revealed new Ninja Gaiden 2 game-sharing features, including Ninja Cinema, which is enabled solely through Xbox LIVE, providing exciting and innovative entertainment experiences for the more than 10 million Xbox LIVE members worldwide by allowing players to record and upload their best ninja moves to Xbox LIVE. If that is as popular as the Gotham TV channel of PGR3 then expect nobody to use it! They also announced a June launch date for this gory looking blockbuster so not to long to wait now either.

Wii:

Wii Fit: Nintendo’s ability to create an entirely new gaming experince should never be underestimated as they showed off Wii Fit at GDC. Shipping with the weight and motion board sensor, (Wii Balance Board) the package looks like an essential add on for the Wii. Not only does the Balance Board open up a world of game opportunities for third party developers (There apparently 10 titles already well under way that use the new controller.) but also you can log onto the Wii fitness channel daily to check how you are getting on. With an April launch also announced for Europe we will actually be getting this a whole month before the States. (I’m still in shock at this announcement perhpas Nintendo does not hate Europe after all)

Super Smash Brothers Brawl: Whilst everyone (me) goes on about Ninty’s new ground breaking ideas they do also love a good franchise. Smash Brothers is one that gets wringed out with every generation. Coming very soon to a game shop near you With dozens of characters, settings, options and ways to play, it has something for everyone. The game includes characters from all across the Nintendo universe and full online play this time out. Smash Brother Melee was the biggest selling Gamecube title and whilst that is not saying much it does at least point to this game being a biggy! The only problem being that Nintendo still have no confirmed release date for Europe with June or even July being mooted as the earliest we will get to see it, meaning the States and Japan  would have had it months before us. (So I was wrong Nintendo still hate us then.)

Mario Kart Wii: No new Earth shattering news for this title but they did announce that this will be launching on April 11. The game itself is promising to be a return to form with 12 players online and a whole bevy of characters and tracks. The game also comes bundled with the Wii Wheel for your Wii Remote to sit inside. The game also allows for more traditional style controls for those not happy with the Remotes tilt and motion sensing via the Nunchuck and adding support for the Gamecube Controller.

Wii Ware: In perhaps the most interesting news to come from Nintendo is WiiWare. WiiWare is a set of developers tools that will enable both big software houses and independents to create games much easier for the console. It will also enable gamers to buy these games via WiiConsole. Developers like Square Enix, are creating FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a King, a simulation game for all ages. Also watch for games from up-and-coming developers like Frontier with its fresh, enchanting platform adventure LostWinds and a new episodic game series from Telltale.

PS3:

Whilst the others took great joy in celebrating their big news Sony has been conspicuasly quiet. So unfortunatley there are no big Exclusive news for PS3. Instead we will bring you some news on games that will be appearing on the machine as well as others! However if Sony do decide to let us in on any news you will know, as always, as soon as we do.
Red Faction: Guerilla Set 50 years after the PS2 original Red Faction: Guerilla looks set to take THQ’s best original franchise to a whole new level. With the power of the next gen consoles behind it expect some extremely destructable enviroments and huge FPS weapons as once again you take on the Earth Defence Force to rid them from Mars once and for all. “Utilizing improvised weapons, explosives and re-purposed mining equipment and vehicles, Red Faction: Guerrilla allows players to tear through fully destructible environments in an unforgiving Martian landscape swarming with EDF forces, Red Faction resistance fighters, and the downtrodden settlers caught in the cross-fire. Red Faction: Guerrilla will also feature a robust multiplayer component, including several modes focused on destruction-based gameplay.” The only downside is that its not due till 2009.

So we really are in the middle of slow news time and we at G4A have been scratching around trying to find other ways to ammuse ourselves. But there really is only so much of that you can do. After all it is hard to hold a joypad with hairy palms.

So we have been scouring the net for any articles or bits and bobs that are game related. Here is a selectio of what we have found. Some are funny, some are interesting and some are crap you decide:

A video game cartoon from www.explosm.net

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

And Another Video Game Cartoon from www.hypercombofinish.com (most of these are a bit crap but some are funny and this one is cool. Whatever you do dont read the comments as they seem to be written by brain dead twats with no girlfriends, (not like our lovely discerning readers) blimey did you feel my lips on your arse just then?

And Now I bring you the first 8 yes 8 episodes of the truly wonderous Street Fighter The Early Years courtousy of collegehumor.com

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

Episode 7

Ther is two more episods in the series if you cant wait to see episode 8 you can see it right now here

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1800749

And finally this has nothing to do with games but I just love it!

More Mass Please

In news that has got me more excited that an ADHD kid on speed and plugged into the mains, Bioware have announced the first downloadable expansion to G4A’s RPG of the year Mass Effect. “Bring Down the Sky” will see Commander Shepard and co battling it out in a new system with a new race called Batarians. (See image.) A Batarian extremist group has hijacked a mobile asteroid station in the Asgard system, setting it on a collision course with the nearby colony world of Terra Nova and surprise surprise its up to you to stop it.

“Bring Down the Sky” is the first of hopefully many expansions for Mass Effect and will be available on Xbox Live from Monday 10th March for a mere 400MS points.

I Think We’re Alone Now

News, its a funny thing there just isn’t enough of it about at the moment. Still, in the countdown to the release of Alone In The Dark, Atari has announced the official website. www.centraldark.com is where you can find all the info you may need on this highly anticipated title. Or alternatively you can read all about it here, it may not be as flashy but I’ll wager we will be less biased and more funny. (Possibly) In the mean time here is a brand new shot of the game featuring a petrol bomb, how cool is that? (Sigh). Whatever, Alone In The Dark is due for release in May.

Since the Burnout series of racing games crashed onto the scene on the last generation of consoles it has always been the King of the arcade racer. With this latest addition, the first built entirely for the new consoles from the ground up will it retain its arcade racer crown?

Criterion have always tried to evolve the series with each game playing markedly different from its predecessor, although retaining the series ethos of high speed thrills and massive crashes. This in turn though has lost and gained fans of the series with each iteration (this is the 5th) I for one though have owned a copy of every version of the series on various formats and have loved every one of them. So does Burnout Paradise live up to its heritage? Let’s find out.

So whats new about Burnout Paradise then, well the clue is in the name. The game is based solely in the fictional Paradise City a totally free roaming game world where there are no set tracks, loading or menu screens to be found anywhere. The whole of Paradise City is a vehicle based playground yours to drive round at your will. Every road junction is the gateway to the various events, all the usual series game types make it in such as your straight forward Race to Road Rage, Burning Route and Stunt Runs. There is also a new game type called Marked Man where you have to get from point A to B whilst your competitors try to take you out. Make it without taking a critical amount of damage and you win. All of the events have one thing in common and that is that the route you take is entirely up to you and with 65 streets and hundreds of jumps and shortcuts it is a lot of fun figuring out the best route. Also each of the 65 streets has its own online and offline time record and Showtime score.

Speaking of Showtime, this mode has now replaced the traditional Crash Junctions and instead gives a whole street to wreak carnage upon to spectacular effect and rack up those big scores.

The game initially starts you at one of Paradise City’s Junk Yard’s which act as your personal garages, these are dotted around the map. The car you start in is a little worse for wear so you are advised by the games overseer and guide DJ Atomika, (We will come back to him later on!) to find the nearest Repair garage which is handily shown in the bottom left corner on your mini map. Once you find it you drive through it and your car is miraculously repaired no stopping or waiting you just drive through. Also on the map you will find Petrol stations and if you drive through these they fully charge your Burnout bar. It can  all be a bit confusing initially and the map seems a little bare. But as you drive round and discover places they are automatically added to your map. The mini maps functionality could have been better but it just about serves its purpose.

To take part in one of the many events you just pull up to one of the aforementioned junctions and pull both triggers and its game on. Sending you into a new game mode similar to entering a lobby without actually having to do so, nice!
To enter the online side of the game you just move your direction pad to the right and your Friends list pops up, send out your invites and your friends cars will then all appear on your map and off you go. All of the single player junction events are then replaced by a wealth of multi-player games. It is just all so seamless and easy that you will begin to wonder why we ever needed menus in the first place. The online game also utilises the Xbox Vision Camera in the Game Face feature which allows you to see the misery on your friends faces when you take him or her down.

In all Paradise City is one hell of a coding achievement for Criterion especially as there is never a lack of things to do. Outside of the events there is the Power Parking sub game which has you trying to park between to parked cars at breakneck speeds with just your hand brake, Shutdowns which have you smashing nominated vehicles off of the road which you can then drive around and then there are all the shortcuts and 50 Super Jumps to be found. And you get all of this in one of the most seamless worlds ever committed to disk.

The game also looks super sweet and it all moves at one hell of pace with no slow down or other problems. Burnouts famous crashes have been given the next-gen touch also and they look absolutely spectacular. The vehicle’s crumple and glass smashes all in full high definition glory, it really is a sight to behold.

By stark contrast the music is absolutely abhorrent it is nearly all American Rawk of the worst kind. There is always as usual one or two standout tracks “Adam and the Ants Stand and Deliver” comes to mind. I’m the dandy highway man indeed but when are EA going to get the eternally rubbish EA Trax right. There needs to be more variety in the music that caters for all tastes and not just pre-pubescent American teens. Add in uber cock DJ Atomika and the sound side of the game could test the patience of a saint. I do not know where they found DJ Atomika but please can we send him back there in a wooden box ASAP? I do suppose the saving grace is that he and the music can be turned down or preferably off but really we should be getting better than this.

Other minor irritations include that lack of being able to place a marker on the map so to try and find a particular event is a real chore. Also the mini map does not show enough detail and has you driving around in circles in the middle of a race. In a game world that can take 7 minutes to drive from one side to the other it is absolutely criminal that the map is not more user friendly and a  in fact really lets the game down. Another niggle is the lack of an event restart feature so if you loose a race to re-enter its a long drive back to the junction it started from providing you can find it that is. All of this does get better the more you learn the game world but making it easier to use would not have been that hard.

As a warning you should also know that if you buy the Xbox 360’s version of the game will not allow on line play without the hard drive. So if you own a core or arcade version of the game to play online you will need to buy the hard drive unit before you can. Criterion have said this is to insure a level playing field on the online side of the game as there will apparently be plenty of downloadable content available in the future for the title.

In all Burnout Paradise is still the best arcade racer to be found and it really is an impressive achievement. However if your interest in the Burnout series was already on the wane then you are not going to find anything new to reignite your interest in this game. On the other hand though if you still enjoy the high octane spills and thrills the series has always offered then you are going to love it, I know I do.

Overall Score 8 / 10

Don King Wins A Prize

A few sketchy details of a new boxing game have began to filter into the G4A office this week. Loudmouth, comet-haired loony and boxing promoter Don King has his very own game coming this spring. Don King Presents: Prize Fighter is a new game from Rocky developers Venom games. So far it is only down for release on 360, Wii and DS, whether or not it will also be coming to PS3 remains to be seen. This is shaping up to be a real gem and as Rocky was a firm favourite of ours we are excited about the prospect of this game. Will it be able to take Fight Night Round 3’s world title? Only time will tell but looking at this screen shot you wouldn’t bet against it. More on this as we get it.

Xbox Live

A couple of little Xbox live tit-bits. To say sorry for Live being totally crap over the Christmas period Microsoft are giving away the quite decent Undertow for free from today till Sunday. The online multiplayer underwater shooter is one of the better original titles for Live Arcade.

Also on Live today is a playable demo of Turning Point: Fall Of Liberty. The FPS based in an America invaded by Nazi Germany in 1953 looks impressive and we will have a full review shortly.

Slightly more annoying Live news is that Rez HD has been pulled from today’s released schedule and moved to next week! Grr.

Get Your Hands Off Our Lara!

In very welcome news, Edios owners SCi have beaten off all perspective suitors who have been circling around the last major British based games publisher. Rumours had been that Warner Bros. Interactive, who had already owned a stake in the company, were pushing for a take over. This had prompted other companies to also sniff around in-case SCi had decided to sell. The company now have thankfully now decided to go alone and should be set for another big Christmas this year with news that Tomb Raider: Underworld is now done for a quarter 4 release.

Closer To The Condemned

Sega have set the hype-drive into top gear as they countdown to the release of Condemned 2: Bloodshot. With the game currently scheduled for a release on March 14th this latest appetiser, (Not sure that is the best phrase.) Comes in the form of a shiny new trailer and shows just how far the 360 has comes since its launch. The visuals look truly as lovely as they do terrifying and some of the enemies look even more demented than they did before. These include, rather dubiously what appear to be exploding babies! Thankfully the use of FBI tools seems to have been kept in something both Moonhead and myself thought was far too underused in the first game. And a neat touch as far as I am concerned is that our hero seems to have been adversely effected by his experiences, he now looks like a man who is far too used to seeing babies explode! You can see the trailer for yourselves here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=3-5FJl1UjTs

Lets All Get Down The Arcade

Xbox Live Arcade has had some good news in terms of future releases coming on the back of CES (Consumer Electronics Show.) Already due for release this week is Boogie Bunnies, a cute little puzzler where players have to heard coloured bunnies together in a familiar fashion. The 3D style is new and refreshing and certainly gives the game a unique perspective. Kinda like Pikmin meets Bust-a-Move!

Other releases that have been confirmed in the near future include, the puzzle-come-card game Poker Smash; Nintendo-alike Brain Challenge; arcade classic Lode Runner is pencilled in for a rather vague later in the year. However, my personal favourite from the line up is Q Entertainments Rez HD. This Live exclusive update of the classic music based shooter is down as “soon to be released” so let’s hope that is not the same “soon to be released” as Sensible Soccer was.

Boogie Bunnies is available for 800 MS Points from this Wednesday, we will keep you posted on the rest.

Having spent the whole of the festive period in the G4A drunk tank playing games rather than writing about them. Myself and Drew thought we would provide you with a belated mini review round up of the games we were given as presents over the now gone festive period. Some of these games have been out for absolutely yonks so this is why we are only doing mini reviews. First up is -:

Project Gotham Racing 4 -Xbox 360 - Bizarre Creations

After having been a little underwhelmed by Project Gotham 3 I really was not expecting a lot from the latest installment in the Gotham series. How wrong could I have been? The addition of bikes and more variable weather has reinvigorated the game no end. Trying to stay on you super bike surrounded by cars whilst hurtling full throttle around snow strewn icy tracks is a major thrill.

The career mode has also been given a much needed revamp and to an extent it works but sadly the mind-numbing cone challenges are still an ever present. The online side has stayed largely the same but the addition of the bikes and the return of lower powered cars like the Mini has seen the re-injection of much needed fun. There are also more team modes added for the racing clans and you can still post your photo’s and video’s for others to see and vote on with the PGR On Demand option.

Graphically the game has few rivals in the racing genre and even surpasses the visuals from Gotham 3 by quite a margin. The sound of the cars and bikes is second-to-none and although the soundtrack is very hit and miss there is enough musical genres to keep everybody happy. Special mention should go to the achievements too which are generally well thought out especially the “Back to the Future” inspired puzzle achievement.

There are very few Flies in the ointment with this game but there are the aforementioned cone challenges and although the bikes are incredible fun they make the game so easy as to make it feel like your cheating. Also there is the constant but slight niggle of de-ja-vue. In all though a welcome return to form to one of gaming’s premier racing titles.

Rating: - 8 /10

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - Wii - Nintendo

Given the unique nature of the Wii’s control scheme most people expected the Wii to have a whole host of quality FPS games. It really has not worked out that way but thankfully Nintendo and Retro Studios have come along and shown the way in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. By using the Wii-Remotes pointer ability to look and the Nunchuck to strafe and go backwards and forwards the developers have produced a fine control method. When you add in the motion sensing controls you have a control scheme that rivals and if not betters the PC snobs and their mouse and keyboard rubbish.

The Metroid series of games have always been of a high quality and the Prime series successfully moved the series from 2D into a 3D first person perspective on the Gamecube and this the Prime series finale really finishes it in style.

Graphically the game again shows exactly what the Wii is capable of in the right hands, with some sumptuous visuals to feast the eyes on.

The story as usual revolves around the now iconic female bounty hunter Samus Arun. This game finds her having been contaminated with the poisonous chemical, Phazon and has you trying to destroy your nemesis Dark Samus whilst battling the growing Phazon threat within yourself. Yes you guessed its your usual B grade Sci-Fi schmaltz but this is a game about blasting and the story is secondary.

Big bosses have been the fare of Metroid games since their inception and this game does not disappoint. As you would expect the gameplay is solid and well thought out but its the little touches that elevate this game above its peers. Like having to twist and push in or pull out the remote to open doors or turn power sources on and the fantastic grapple hook which has you throwing out your nunchuck holding arm to attach it and yanking it back to pull open broken walls and doors.

The only things wrong with this game are its complete lack of multiplayer and online options and also the game, compared to its Prime forbears, is incredibly linear. The scanning of objects and enemies that plays such an integral role in the game now feels more like a chore because of the way the controller scheme works (the only fault in an otherwise supreme control scheme). In all this is one of the premier FPS games to be found on any system and yet to classify it as only a FPS is to do the game a massive injustice as there is so much more to it.

Rating: 8/10

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games - Wii - Sega

For over a decade these two competing console company mascots were the worst of enemies and only in the wildest dreams of any gamer did anybody ever expect to see a collaboration between them. So it is actually a bit of a disappointment that when Nintendo and Sega finally gave a project the green light to star the blue Hedgehog and the Italian Plumber it ends being an Olympics athletics licensed title rather than a platforming super romp. But at least this could be the start of a beautiful relationship.

This fact that it is based on the Bejing 2008 Olympics should already give you a good idea of what to expect from this game. Athletics games have been around since the early to mid 80’s and the unforgettable “Track and Field” in that time very little in terms of control schemes has changed with either button bashing or joystick waggling being the order of the day. Disappointingly given the Wii’s innovative control system all that has happened is button bashing and joystick waggling has been swapped out for waving your Wii-Remote and Nunchuck about in different ways as quickly as you can and instead of holding a button down to get the correct angle for your Long Jump or Javelin Throw its delicate flicks of the Wii-remote. Although the new controls do not feel like much of a change they do feel more involving and immediate and in the track and field and swimming events, totally exhausting.

There is a huge roster of events to take part in from all of the various of sporting disciplines. They do vary in quality with standouts including the Trampolining which has you using the Wii-Remote bouncing up and down to get you jumping and once high enough whilst in the air copy the button combinations and Wii-Remote twists shown on screen to perform spins and somersaults. Also the Hammer Throw which has waving the remote above your head and releasing the hammer by depressing the B button. Low points are the Triple Jump, Archery and the truly awful Table Tennis. A special mention must also go to the Dream Stages which are a series of games that are a lot truer to the various aray of characters from the Sonic and Mario universes that allow them to use special power ups.

Graphically the game is very good with all of the characters looking as they should and the various official Olympics venues recreated in a cartoon style. The game is immense fun with up to 4 people multi player and it is a real party pleaser but unfortunately it is uneventful and boring in single player and this is compounded further by a complete lack of online options. Even just an online scoreboard with world records could really have added some bite to the single player but as it is the single player is a real non-event. This is a fun playable party title that whilst not pushing the envelope just does enough to warrant a purchase especially if you have a few friends on hand for some multi player larks.

Rating: 7/10

Assassin’s Creed - Xbox 360 - Ubisoft

This game has had a strange gestation period starting out as a PS3 exclusive that was demoed to the press first on the Xbox 360 and then as everybody knew would always happened moved to both the PS3 and Xbox 360. Also in the process it seems to have changed from being the recounting of a tale about a sect of Assassin’s during King Richard’s Crusades in the Middle East based on some historical facts. Into some Sci-Fi weirdness and part Middle East Crusade Assassin simulator. The plot is slightly convoluted and awkward, at the start of the game you wake up in a modern day laboratory held seemingly against your will and strapped in to a machine called an Animus which allows you to act out and relive the memories of your ancestors that are held in your DNA. Your captors want to see your Assassin ancestor “Altair’s” memories and are having trouble accessing them and need you to unlock them by having you act as some sort of DNA puppeteer. See I told you the plot was convoluted and awkward, but I will not divulge much more of the plot for fear of giving to much away.

So all the real gameplay takes part in Altair’s shoes and mighty shoes they are too. Altair is without a doubt one of the most nimble and agile game characters ever seen. He can run, climb and swing with all the grace and ease of a cat and he is not too shabby with a blade either. The control scheme for all of this is really intuitive and has you jumping about like a cat-burglar and fighting like a gladiator in no time. In fact with all his agile skills being so easy to pull off and looking so stylish the game has you feeling like a bad ass super hero in no time.

The first  of Altairs memories that you live through has you bring shame on yourself and to the order of Assassin’s you belong to. You are tasked with regaining yours and the orders honour by assassinating nine targets, you will need all of your feline-like abilities to achieve your goals. Each target is dealt with one-by-one and you will need to carry out reconnaissance missions before taking out your target. You have to climb the games many high points to get the intel missions to pop up on your map. These intel missions then include eavesdropping on conversations and pickpocketing to beating information out of people. Once you have built up all the information you can make your hit. There is a certain amount of freedom as to how you approach the game but each assassination is dealt with in a very linear and over-familiar fashion.

Graphically the game is absolutely stunning with an incredibly realistic looking recreation of the Middle Eastern, Holy Land setting. The first time you ride up on horse back to one of the games big city’s such as Damasucs you will be blown away by the scope and breadth of the games visuals. It really has you believing that you are in a fully realised living breathing world. Also, when you climb one of the games high points and look out over the games incredible vistas and then perform one of the games suicidal leaps of faith in to a pile of hay you cannot help but be impressed with the fluid beauty of the animation and the beauty of the game world.

So in all this is sounding like the game should have lived up to all the hype it has been given and in its presentation and control mechanics it does. Where the game shoots itself in the foot is repetition, once you have completed the games first assassination you have done everything there is to do in the game. Every assassination is the same climb high points to update map, pickpocket somebody, eavesdrop conversation and beat information out of somebody then kill target and so on and so on. Ubisoft have tried to pack this out with other stuff like collecting flags (yawn), defend people from bullying guards and killing Knights of the Templar with 60 of these just hanging around the game world on their own conveniently waiting to be taken out. The problem with all these is exactly what they are, nothing but a time fillers. Where is the incentive to collecting flags that don’t give you any reward in the game and killing Knights of the Templar as you happen upon them who don’t even put up much of a fight?

Another problem is pacing whilst in the Cities carrying out your hits everything is lively and interesting but actually travelling between these cities either on foot or horse back is a chore. Whilst out of the Cities in the Kingdom you bypass plenty of guards and each time you do you have to slow down and press A to blend. Considering you spend a fair amount of time doing this it surely would have been better to just allow you to gallop past without having them all up in arms and chasing you down the second you do not hold down A to blend.

Any title that tries to deliver a Sandbox style experience lives or dies on its level of variety and things to see and do and unfortunately Assassin’s Creed dies a very sudden boring death right here. It is not a game without its merits and is thoroughly enjoyable but it is kind of like digital McDonalds it looks appetising and tastes alright but ends up not satisfying your hunger.

Rating 7/10

Mass Effect - Boiware - 360

One of the most hotly anticipated pre-Christmas releases was Bioware’s space based RPG Mass Effect. Anyone who is even remotely interested in sci-fi would have been salivating at the gorgeous graphics and movie look of the screen shots.

Yes I was one of those, from the first minute I played Mass Effect I was in love. The game promised to be everything I had ever wanted in a game. Command of a spaceship and a quest that spans galaxies and numerous planets.

Playing very much in a similar vein as Bioware’s massive hit Knights Of The Old Republic this is a squad based RPG where the emphasis is on story and character development. As in KotoR every decision you make influences your characters persona and the overall outcome of the story. The moral choices you are presented with are what shapes your character, be good, be bad or be a complete bastard, it’s up to you.

Bioware have spent a great amount of time making sure that conversations in Mass Effect feel natural and have developed a brilliant engine that makes all interactions between characters feel like a real conversation. This is helped by some excellent voice acting from the cast.

Graphically, Mass Effect is a tour-de-force. The character design and animations, especially the facial animations, are fantastic as are the locations. The Citadel, a giant space station which is the hub for the entire game is a thing of wonder. The scale of which really places you fully in the game world. Despite all its graphical wonder for some reason the screen seems to have some kind of filter on it, giving everything a grainy appearance, for the life of me I cannot work out why as it only serves to take some of the shine of the wondrous visuals.

Mass Effect was lauded as having an entire galaxy to explore and for the most part it is true, although you are unable to land on the majority of the planets, which is a shame but understandable when you consider the scope of the game as a whole. Even so the gameworld is still huge with tons of side quests to detract you from the main storyline should you so desire.

Where the game departs form Bioware’s previous RPG’s is in the combat. The developers have tried to blend their original pre-arranged combat system with an FPS style fight. Whats more they have almost pulled it off, almost. As a fight starts, you can click the right bumper and select different abilities from your squad and target them to an enemy on the screen. Then when you release the button you can play out like a normal FPS whilst your squad follow the instructions you have given them, this can be repeated at anytime during the fight too. For the most part it works well but you kind of find yourself wishing for one or the other not this half baked blend of the two. Maybe in the sequel they may get more time to refine it.

Another part that lets Mass Effect down is the driving sequences. When driving the buggy/tank you sometimes have to fight. This involves using a rotating turret on top of the tank. This turret is controlled by the right stick, which also controls the camera. I have found on more that one occasion that I have ended up looking at the underneath of the tank whilst trying to target an enemy. This is something that needs to be corrected as these arcade style parts just are not realised properly.

So apart from the minor criticism and they are few and far between. Mass Effect is a brilliant title and one that immerses the player in an experience that is believable and beautiful. The storyline is engaging and you want to keep playing just to see how it unfolds.

Overall 8.5/10

Sony Moves To Stop “PS3 Is Crap.” Rumours.

Sony has moved to quickly deny an article on dutch website Gamed.nl who claimed that the 40GB PS3 was suffering with a 40% failure rate. A press release from David Reevves, President, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, stated in no uncertain terms that “We are very proud of the quality and reliability of PLAYSTATION 3 and are disappointed that such extremely sloppy journalism has resulted in this totally inaccurate story,” said David Reeves, President, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. “Since launching the 40GB PS3, we have experienced a fantastic jump in sales and the failure rates have remained at the very low level that we not only strive for, but have been achieving since the launch of PS3.” So that settles that then, I believe everything Sony say! Still it must have driven lots of traffic to that website, hmm… I am such a synic.

Street Fighting Man!

It is something that is getting us here very excited is the little tit-bits of news from Capcom about the upcoming Street Fighter IV. With a few new screen-shots available now we bring them to you, live and direct. Feast your eyes on their wonders, no doubt some will complain that it is not in 3D, but frankly those people are idiots. The characters look like they have stepped straight from the movie. ( The awesome Manga movie that is, not that shite with Van Dumb and the pint-sized pop tart!) Right, now all we need is a proper arcade style joystick as the pads are just no good for fighting games and have never been.

There is no doubting that Street Fighter is the daddy of all fighting games and as such we are keeping our eyes and ears open for any and all news that is on this. you guys will be the first to know as soon as we do.

Click on the images to see in full!

With the new year still fresh it is time for Game4Anything to bring out its crystal ball and let you know what gaming treats lie ahead in 2008. Below is a lengthy list of all the games on all formats that G4A is looking forward to this very year.

Grand Theft Auto IV - Multi

Delayed from its original October 2007 launch date this game was the biggest omission from the Christmas Line-up last year. Going by the already released video’s GTA IV looks like it is going to be a real corker. The new graphics engine looks sublime and in the latest video it was good to see the Helicopters and motorbikes too! The mayhem should be coming Q1 2008.

Fable 2 - 360/PC

Peter Molynex’s baby finally comes of age and hopefully fulfills all the promises that the fantastic original failed to. Fable was one of the best games on the original Xbox and the sequal looks to be shaping up rather nicely too. This RPG, where you grow from a child to an adult as the game progresses leaves you with moral choices and allows you to fall in love, battle enemies and even get a job and settle down. This time our hero is joined by a travelling companion in a trusty dog, quite what this means to the gameplay is anyone’s guess but the dog is completely AI driven. The new combat system that has been much vaunted looks impressive and all using only a single button. Look for Fable 2 in Q2 of next year!

Condemned 2: Bloodshot - PC/360/PS3

The original Condemned was a largely overlooked spooky atmospheric gem in the Xbox 360’s launch line up. So here’s hoping that this sequel see’s more of the limelight this time round and hopefully builds on the crime solving gadgets sadly underused in the original. This sequel is a direct continuation of the original’s plot placing you back in the shoes of detective Ethan Thomas and will feature more of the same first person melee based combat but with added depth this time round. Graphically the game looks suitably grimey and disgusting and should the sound and atmospherics better the original it will be scaring the pants off anyone brave enough to play it. In all it looks to be shaping up very well indeed and should hit shops Q1 2008.

Ninja Gaiden 2 - 360

Tecmo’s reimagining of the old Ninja Gaiden series on the old Xbox is still to this day one of the finest 3D action beatem-up games ever made. So it is with open arms that we welcome back Tecmo’s kick ass Ninja dude Ryu Hayabusa for this Xbox 360 exclusive sequel. It is looking very sweet indeed but lets just hope the BBFC do not get censorship happy with this game and leave in all the gore and limb dismemberment for the UK version. Also it would be nice if they added an easy mode so gaming weeklings like myself can actually get to finish the game. Expect to see this beauty in all its gory glory come Q2 this year.

Battlefield: Bad Company - Multi

EA decided to task Swedish developers Dice with giving the home consoles their very own reimagining of the Battlefield series rather than the PC only Battlefield 2142. It looks to be a good move with the game having a more involved single player mode with a full story line about a group of insubordinate rengade soldiers misbehaving and theiving whilst in the line of duty. There have been a couple of fine looking trailers but very little is still known about the actual game. The trailers showed fully destructible scenery and a tongue in cheek sense of humour. You can also expect the usual Battlefield multiplayer larks alongside the more involved single player campaign. The game is due for Q1 this very year.

Dead Space - Multi

EA bring us Resident Evil, meets Doom, meets Event Horizon in the stunning looking Dead Space. Marooned on a derilict ship in deep space , this erie looking survival horror titlas has all the makings of a genuine classic. Clearly inspired by one Paul W. S. Anderson’s better movies (Not Difficult.) Event Horizon, this game is due to shit the life out of you. Dark corridors and evil looking aliens are in abundance as you battle to stay alive and find some way to get off the stricken ship. We can but hope that the storyline drives the game better than Doom did. Anyway Dead Space is set for release Q2.

Bionic Commando - 360/PS3/PC

For those of us sadly old enough to remember Bionic Commando was a 2D platformer where the games main character had a robotic arm which could be used as either a weapon or to grab platforms that were otherwise inaccesable. This year will see the release of the remake, and boy is it looking like a load of fun. Set in a post-apocalyptic world you again take on the roll of the bloke with the bionic limb only now it is in glorious high-def 3D and has you swinging through broken buildings and using your arm to take out enemies. Imagine a better looking Spiderman with guns, big guns! Don’t expect to be cerebrally challenged but do expect lots of fast paced action and explosions. The game is also a major move away from Capcoms traditions as it will be the first Capcom title to ever be wholely developed by a western company rather than a Japanese one. Bionic Commando is tentitivly scheduled for Q2 but more likely Q3, watch this space.

Gears Of War 2 - 360/PC

Yeah, so we have absolutely no news on this game at all. We still expect it out in time for Christmas this year. With no need to create the game engine for this sequel the development time should be sufficiant for a 2008 release. We at G4A certainly hope so, and we are fully expecting a bigger more in depth version of the original. Expect some announcements on this one at E3 this year or perhaps even before. We will keep our ears to the ground and as soon as anything stirs you will be the first to know.

Rainbow 6: Vegas 2 - Multi

So foretelling of Ubi-softs Rainbow 6 Vegas 2 is not exactly the work of Mystic Meg as the first game ended with a “to be continued.” More of everything has been promised with a larger Vegas on show this time and more weapon choices it looks to be taking the american bigger is better idea to the extreme. Also confirmed is jump in jump out co-op for the online side of things as well as improved customisation for your online character. The is one of our favourite titles so we are truly excited to find out what else is in store in this one. R6 Vegas 2 is due out on PS3 and 360 in March.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Sons Of The Patriots - PS3

Surely set to sell some consoles for Sony, Hideo Kojima’s latest epic in the Metal Gera series that now spans well over 20 years MGS4 looks incredible. Solid Snake is now an ageing hero and the ravages of time have certainly taken their toll on our hero, not to mention the millions of cigarettes that he has smoked in the last two decades. We can surely expect lots of cinematic cut scenes and plenty of stealthy action. Personally I hope it harps back to the original MGS on PS1 and not so much the sequels, that have never quite lived up to that games innovation or style. MGS4 is aiming for a worldwide launch in Q2 this year.

Gran Tourismo 5 - PS3

The daddy of all racers returns and is looking purely sumptious. The gorgeous visuals outshine any racer on any platform so far. Hundreds of cars and tracks are here to be had, hopefully Sony has dropped the idea of a budget price for the initial game and then micro-transactions for each car you want to use. I worked it out at the time of the news that this was what they were considering and if my memory serves me right it made the entire game work out to over £100. At G4A we hope beyond hope that the gameplay has been tweeked so that there is actually some AI in the computer controlled cars and that online multiplayer is included. Already suffering delay after delay dont expect to be driving off till Q4 or even 2009. But you will be able to get a sample of the game well before that with GT5 Prologue seeing a Q2 release.

Killzone 2 - PS3

When the video of Killzone 2 was released prior to the PS3’s launch we at G4A were heard to exclaim “Bollocks!” Anyone who was actually fooled into thinking that the CGI was ingame footage, a fact that Sony definitly led everyone to believe, has now been shown the same trailer running on ingame graphics. Whilst still impressive it pales against the previous trailer and has once again shown Sony to be the masters of smoke and mirrors propaganda. The game still should be huge and looks equally as good, but not more so than Gears Of War. Still with a lack of great FPS on PS3 this is definitly one to keep an eye on. Expect it Q4 this year.

Mario Kart - Wii

Mario Kart! Two words that bring a nostalgic sigh to the lips of anyone who owned a SNES. Probably the greatest racing game of all time and yet to be equaled by any of its sequels or clones still stands up to scrutiny even now. The Wii is the platform for the series latest attempt to rediscover its former glory and it is looking to be fab. Gone is the double-dash style gameplay from the Gamecube version for a much more authentic MK experience. In the box with the game you will also get Nintendo’s steering wheel peripheral which the Wii-Remote sits in. The screen shots look superb and with a 16 player online mode already confirmed as well as bikes this could finally be the game that puts Mario Kart back on top of the tree when it is released in Q2 this year.

Advance Wars: Dark Conflict - DS

Advance Wars is not only the best RTS on the DS but one of the finest strategy games anywhere. Dark Conflict, the latest sequel looks to push the bounderies even more. Apart from a completely new cell shaded art style not much more is know at this stage but be sure the game is coming soon and we will keep you posted. Release: 25/01/2008

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Alone In The Dark - Multi

It feels like forever sice we first saw the screen shots of the latest Alone In The Dark game. Set primarily in Central Park, New York the game is looking every bit as scary as it does gorgeous. With a storyline penned by Sleepers author Lorenzo Carcaterra this game is promising to be the best of the franchise so far. In what is a very bold and new direction the game will be spilt into 30-40 minute sections, like a TV show and will play like a whole series back-to-back. This, say the developers will create a new intense style of gameplay with the story moving from one cliff hanger to another keeping the player hooked at all times. It certainly sounds interesting and with it being released on a variety of formats (including Wii and PS2) despite originally being down as a 360 exclusive this game is set to be huge when it hits the shelves in Q1.

Rock Band PS3/360/PS2

Already out and doing well in the good old U.S. of A. Rockband looks to take the premise of the much lauded Guitar Hero series to the next stage. With Bass, Guitar, Drums and a Microphone it is not going to be a cheap game but one that will surely find a home with families and music fans alike. There is also the promise of expanision with more instruments in development and on their way. Add in the PS3 and Xbox 360 online stores for addititional content and the music world is yours for the taking. Expect to see this rocking your console come Q1 this year.

Splinter Cell: Conviction - 360

Ubisoft are bringing back Sam Fisher for his sixth outing and this time he is back as a Xbox 360 exclusive (well at least for a few months). Sam is apparently really on the wrong side of the law this time unlike the falsehoods of his last Double Agent outing. Graphically the game is looking really special and the idea of having to blend in with your enviroment looking to be well implemented. Without all of the gadgets gone and back to basics gameplay here is hoping for a return to Sam’s past glories. We will be hopefully seeing this Q1 but do not be surprised to see it slip to Q2.

Lego Batman - Multi

Coming from developers Travellers Tales developers of the fantastic Lego Star Wars games. The game looks to retain all the fun and charm of the Star Wars games but disappointingly for me at least it is being based on the darker more recent movies, cartoons and comics rather than the cheesey but well loved 70’s tv series. It looks as if gameplay will also be very similar to the Star Wars games but this is no bad thing. Look to be swinging into action over the summer period.

Lego Indiana Jones - PS3

Like the above game this is being coded by Travellers Tales. For me this is a better fit of the two licences than the Batman game and the one I am looking forward to the most. Like the previous Star Wars games this game covers the entire Indiana Jones trilogy of films so shoud serve up a wide variety of locales, gameplay and humour. Although only announced for the PS3 so far expect to see Lucas Arts announce this as multi format in time for its Q3 release

Ghostbusters - Multi.

After the internet fuore caused by the Zootfly video showing what looked like a Ghostbusters game it was only a matter of time before one was officially announced. Well, developers Terminal Reality have come to the rescue with help of Actvision Blizzard. This is promising to be very special indeed with film originators Harold Ramis and Dan Ackroyd on script writing and vocal duties as well as Bill Murray confirmed it is looking like the movie sequel we have all been pining for, in videogame form. With stream crossing online co-op confirmed and some interesting Wii-Remote antics as well expect to heed the call somtime Q3 this very year.

Little Big Planet - PS3

This hotly anticipated title was the darling of last years revamped E3. With Sony being lambasted of late with regards to a lack of innovation this charming looking title packs in so much innovation that Sony could finally be scaring its competitors. Starting out as a little wooly Teddy Bear you have to make the game world yourself with the materials at hand. Completely online all the time you can have your friends over to try your game your way with a truly unique looking art style and a wonderous physics engine this really looks to see Sony finally hitting top form again. Expect to be downloading this game September this very year.

With space running out and this feature starting to drag on here is a quck fire list of some other games released this year that we here at G4A fully expect to do the business-:

Alan Wake (Xbox 360), Devil May Cry 4 (PS3/Xbox 360), Mercenaries 2: World In Flames (PS3/Xbox 360), Fallout 3 (Multi), Halo Wars (Xbox 360), Super Smash Brothers Brawl (Wii), Okami (Wii), No More Heroes (Wii), SOCOM Confrontation (PS3), Tekken 6 (PS3), Pro Evolution Soccer Wii.

These are still but a few of the most hotly anticipated titles due in the coming 12 months, there are so many others that could creep out or have yet to be announced and as always Game4Anything will keep you abreast (huh I said breast.) of any developments along the way. And if you our wonderful well informed readers think we have made a massive oversight let us know below but one thing is for 2007 may have been one of the best gaming years ever 2008 is looking even better.

So 2007 is over and 2008 brings a new dawn on the gaming horizon we have decided to do a review of everything that has been good and bad about our beloved past-time in what was on of the most exciting of years.

Obviously, the best thing that happened to gaming in the year of 2007 was the launch of Game4Anything. Since our launch we have had lots of regular readers who have given us some good feedback about what we do. We thank all of you for your input and promise that 2008 will see even more expansion and exciting extras for G4A so keep it here!

So what about the games? Well 2007 saw the European launch of the Sony’s dream machine the Playstation 3! Not the all conquering launch Sony had in mind as bad press and awful PR mistakes from Sony Execs married with the enormous price tag saw the console’s sales start of slowly. Within the first 6 months Sony was forced to admit they had got it wrong by releasing a slimmed down version of the machine with no PS2 compatibility and no card reader and a smaller hard drive. The retail price of £299 still managed put most people off.

We have also seen the Wii go from strength to strength with titles such as Mario Galaxy and Zelda to name but few.

This year has also been kind to Microsoft with sales of the 360 still going strong, exclusives like Halo3, Bioshock and Mass Effect have done well to dive sales.

In this year we have seen a great many excellent games released and a few not so excellent ones too! Below we give the results of our awards!

Best Platform

1. Super Mario Galaxy - Nintendo Wii

2. Ratchet and Clank: Tools Of Destruction - Sony PS3

3. Crash Of The Titans - Multi

Best FPS

1. Call Of Duty 4 - Activision - 360/PC/PS3

2. Bioshock - 2K Games

3. Halo 3 - Microsoft 360

Best RPG

1. Mass Effect - Microsoft - 360

2. Oblivion - PS3/360/PC

3. The Witcher - PC

Best Adventure

1. Zelda: The Twilight Princess - Nintendo

2. Uncharted: Drakes Fortune - PS3

3. Tomb Raider: Anniversary - Multi

Best RTS

1. Command and Conquer 3 - EA Games - Multi

2. Galactic Civilisations 2: Dark Avatar- Stardock Entertainment - PC

3. World Of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade - Blizzard - PC

Best Racing

1. Motorstorm - Sony - PS3

2. Project Gotham Racing 4 - Microsoft - 360

3. Forza Motorsport 2 - Microsoft - 360

Best Sports

1. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 - Konami - Multi

2. Sonic and Mario At the

Olympics - Nintendo - Wii

3. Virtua Tennis 3 - Sega - Multi

And Now For The Moment You Have All Been Waiting For………..

So this is it Game4Anythings game of the year award. Moonhead if you pass me the golden envelope… thanks. In traditional reverse order……

…..at number 3, the underwater, art-deco world of 2K Games Bioshock.

OK at number 2, pushing hard for the top spot we have…… The epic Call Of Duty 4 from Infinity Ward and Activision.

And now we come to the last award, G4A’s game of the year. It is a real return to form for the worlds number 1 gaming icon …….. Super Mario Galaxy is by far the best game of 2007 and arguably one of the best game ever! So well done to Nintendo and Miyamoto-san who has done it again.

So there you have it, the plumber is back at the top where he belongs and that concludes our look back at the highlights of 2007, we can but only hope that 2008 can eclipse this wonderful year.

PS. Apologies for the formatting but there is something wrong with our front end which will be rectified very soon we hope.