For the past three weeks I have been angry. I don't usually get angry but certain things wind me up like an emotionally-charged spinning top.
This 'problem', shall we call it, has caused chaos in just about every element of my life.
My financial situation, my love life, my social calendar, and even my work have all suffered as a result.
And the root of my problem...? The internet.
The words "it seemed like a good idea at the time..." have rung around my head for more than 21 days now and my rage is only just subsiding.
Three weeks ago I, as a landlord, decided that I would install a wireless router to a). satisfy the facebook needs of my housemate; and b). prevent him from entering my bedroom every time he needed to use the web for whatever reason.
Easy I thought. Sure, Virgin Media also agreed that it'd be an easy thing.
But you know those people that say "nothing is ever easy?" Well, they - whoever 'they' are - are right.
The router arrived with the supposed 'handy' installation disk and when I switched on my Pc my internet failed.
I hadn't even pulled out a lead or switched a switch yet and already my ageing broadband connection was throwing a hissy fit at the sight of the router.
I phoned Virgin and apparently I had "deleted my driver". At this point all sorts of weird images and thoughts went through my head, but the only response which translated into anything like the English language was "um, uh-huh".
"How did THAT happen?" I asked.
"Pass" the supposed IT helpdesk person replied.
So, 28 minutes later I hang up, connect all the cables together in the mere hope it will come together like a Macgyver (remember that TV show?!) plan.
Nothing, plenty of green and yellow lights signalling success... but ultimately nothing.
I call back Virgin... "If you've got a lap top it should have wireless access now" the not-so-much-sympathetic-but-more-defiant voice says to me.
"That's all very well mister but I want to my Pc to work!" (was the toned down reply I gave).
Nothing.
The next day I take the Pc into the Herald office IT department.
Turned out the driver had gone. Where I'm not sure but it had driven far far away and not left a trace.
The nice people downstairs re-installed it and I later took it home, connected up the wires again and... nothing.
Somehow, and I'm not even going to pretend how, a friend and I re-connected up the original connection (minus the router) and left it - and several hours later it decided to work again.
Happy and content to at least have some sort of connection I left it for three or four days until my housemate came home on Sunday.
By yesterday afternoon he'd connected up the router (without the installation disk I might add), typed in some IP address - which I have no idea what it does - on my Pc and by magic it all works.
And now I have time to reflect. What did I do wrong? Why did I do right? Was it my mistake? Virgin?!'s.
I'm not sure. I can't point fingers but I know it's been emotional.
And how sad is it that I found myself so reliable on the internet?
Banking - done online.
Social networking - done online.
Shopping - done online.
Work - a great proportion done online.
Love life - now hang on... that sounds weird. Sure I send emails to my girl but... oh whatever!
We are all so reliant on the internet nowadays that it only takes three or four days of not having access to show how integrated it is in our lives.
Anyways rant over... here's the best of the new games over the past two weeks:
Title: Soulcalibur IV
Platform: PS3
Genre: Fighter
Price: £49.99
Hit Count: 5/5
The Soulcalibur series has an almost peerless pedigree when it comes to the fighting genre and to say that this PS3 release has been eagerly anticipated would be something of an understatement.
Namco has topped the lot this time, as weapon-wielding battles take on a new level of depth and visual delight.
New gameplay modes and characters keep things feeling fresh (a guest appearance by Darth Vader will always win the crowds over), while some classic warriors try their hand in the next-gen world, too.
Some serious time has been invested into the online capabilities here and that, coupled with the incredible character customisation options, makes Soulcalibur IV a fighter that will certainly stand the test of time.
Title: SBK-08: World Superbike 2008
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Racing
Price: £39.99
Hit Count: 3/5
If the Moto GP series were to glance into either wing mirror, it’d be likely to see SBK coming up on the inside.
While the former has dominated two-wheeled console racing, SBK-08 is the series’ first appearance on the next-gen consoles.
It’s a pretty decent stab at seizing top spot on the podium. You’ll have to put some hours in to get the most from the game – it’s more down the simulation route than a pick-up-and-play arcade affair.
But you don’t need more than a couple of minutes to see it does a good job visually. There are plenty of vehicle modifications to tinker with and racing modes to master, so bikers will be more than happy with how this caters to their superbike obsessions.
Title: Flat-Out Ultimate Carnage
Platform: PC
Genre: Racing
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 4/5
The FlatOut franchise might lack the hype of Burnout and Gran Turismo, but it offers no less of a unique driving experience and has remained steadily popular.
Ultimate Carnage has been rebuilt from the ground up, taking a heavy steer from last year’s Xbox 360 version, and it provides a pretty breathtaking experience.
Seeing your driver fly through his windscreen after a particularly brutal collision will put a warm glow in the pit of your stomach.
Yes, you may lose the race, but it looks spectacular. It’s the undisputed No 1 destruction racer on the market. What are you waiting for? Go do some damage!
Title: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune: Platinum
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £19.99
Hit Count: 4/5
It doesn’t seem like the PS3 has been around long enough to be knocking out platinum budget titles, but when it’s a game of the quality of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, we’re not going to complain too much.
Put simply, for £20 this is probably the best action adventure on the console to date.
It offers a gloriously rich storyline, eye-popping visuals and an uncomplicated yet rewarding mixture of platform, combat and puzzles.
This quest for the treasure of El Dorado makes it hard to distinguish where one cut-scene ends and the real action begins, making the game an incredibly engrossing experience.
It’s a gem that’s well worth digging out again.
Title: Puzzler Collection
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Puzzle
Price: £19.99
Hit Count: 4/5
It’s school holiday time and if those long car journeys are starting to send shivers down your spine, why not stock up on a bundle of over 2,000 puzzles to keep the kids quiet?
Puzzler Collection brings you Fitword, Crossword, Sudoku and Wordsearch puzzles with three difficulty levels that ensure you won’t crack them without some serious effort.
Everything is timed against the clock so the pressure is always mounting. It might look and feel functional, but this game’s more about challenging your mind than entertaining your eyes.
Title: Race Driver: GRID
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Racing
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Fans of racing games are often disappointed if a game proves to be too arcadey or too much of a plodding simulation.
While this may not boast the supreme graphics of the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, this shrunk down DS version of Race Driver: GRID does a fantastic job of juggling both balls, offering over-the-top thrills and spills for the casual racer, coupled with an intense on-track experience that still manages to make a big impact on the small dual screen system.
There are plenty of DS racers to take this Codemasters title round the track a few times, but this baby still qualifies pretty high up the GRID.
Title: Beijing 2008
Platform: PC
Genre: Athletics
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 4/5
The Olympics are finally here and, while video gaming has yet to be recognised as an Olympic sport, that’s not going to stop you enjoying Beijing 2008 on PC.
You can instantly transport yourself to China and compete in over 30 events, from athletics and gymnastics to cycling, table tennis or archery.
It all adds up to a pretty impressive sporting compendium. Although lending nothing particularly new or innovative to the gameplay it nonetheless locates and grips your competitive side, making the quest for gold in all events a relentless one.
Taking the competition online adds an extra dimension to proceedings, and brings a real worldwide international flavour to your living room, as every Olympics should!
Title: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Platform: PS2
Genre: Action
Price: £24.99
Hit Count: 3/5
The Mummy films have just enough special effects and tongue-in-cheek cheesy humour to justify their summer blockbuster status, and Tomb of the Dragon Emperor sees Brendan Fraser and company enter their third adventure.
This is the sadly-yet-predictably poor tie-in video game. Repetitive, basic in appearance and devoid of any shred of innovation, even if you’re the biggest fan of the film series there’s no way you’ll fall in love with this game.
Pointlessly difficult at times and downright boring at others, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor’s redeeming features are few and far between. At best this is one to rent – at worst a guaranteed bargain binner.
Title: Echochrome
Platform: PSP
Genre: Puzzle
Price: £19.99
Hit Count: 4/5
A sign of a puzzle title’s true potential is often the appearance of utter simplicity from the outset.
One glance at the monochrome, linear appearance of Echochrome may lead you to wonder what all the fuss is about, but within a few levels you’ll be entranced by a 3D puzzler that gives thinking gamers something they’ve never played before.
Twisting levels to lead your ambling mannequin from start to finish, you’ll find yourself having to redraw your own laws of perception in order to succeed and, save for fairly repetitive sound, this is an all-round captivating gaming experience that you’d be mad to miss – especially at under £20.
Title: Growlanser: Heritage of War
Platform: PS2
Genre: RPG
Price: £19.99
Hit Count: 3/5
In a world overcrowded by RPGs, standing out from the crowd is a difficult task. Heritage of War comes packed with extra art books, a key ring, buttons and other bits and bobs to give the feel of added value.
However, it’s the core item in this package – the game itself – that brings you back into the familiar territory of playing through an average fantasy RPG.
Poor graphics, coupled with a ropey combat system and some of the most laughable lines of dialogue you’ll have heard in a long time, don’t do much to endear this game to fans of the genre. It’s a shame to have such a disappointing release from the Atlus stable; here’s hoping a return to form isn’t far away.
GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE
1.Soulcalibur IV
2.Wii Fit
3.Mario Kart Wii
4.Wall-E
5.Big Beach Sports
6.Guitar Hero: On Tour
7.Wii Play
8.Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games
9.Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training
10.LEGO Indiana Jones: Original Adventures
Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd
Tuesday, 19 August 2008
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
The plus points of online grocery shopping
Whatever else I do this week I will feel safe in the knowledge I have done my bit (albeit a very small minute bit) for the environment.
This week I am planning to go shopping at Sainsbury's without leaving my home. I won't use my car, I won't unnecessarily pack a few items into a large carrier bag and I won't add to the stress of a checkout queue.
This week I have been learning all about the delights of online grocery shopping.
I've never been sold on the idea really. What if they get my order wrong? What if they haven't got what I want? What if I don't know what I want?
Most of all I've feared being called a slack b****** by my nearest and dearest.
Okay, I understand the benefits if you live in London and your nearest Tesco is three tube stations away, but in Plymouth you can't go 100ft without being met by the luring supermaket signs.
So why shop online at the Sainsbury's website? Well, as my friend Lisa explained to me last night:
a). If 20 people order groceries to be delivered on one evening they'll all be served by one man in one van which equals 19 less vehicles on the road;
b). The delivery man will pick up your discarded plastic shopping bags when he redelivers your groceries which he will then re-use; and c). (And not SO environmentally friendly but still a benefit) the delivery man will give you a £10 off voucher if he is even 30 seconds late. He won't even argue, he'll just hand it over (apparently).
So sure enough, within minutes of her mentioning that her shopping would be delivered soon, the doorbell went. And there he was in all his home shopping glory.
While I have to admit I actually LOVE food shopping in supermarkets, I do have an annoying tendency to always go shopping when I'm hungry.
Bad idea huh? A £20 shop turns into a £50 shop and you end up returning home with £30 extra pounds worth of goodies that seemed more desireable on the store shelf.
I've also just been reminded by a colleague that that way of thinking "destroys town centres and local shops".
Okay, while I appreciate the sentiment, surely it's Mr Tesco and Mrs Sainsbury who have done just that. They provide a service that people want ultimately. Blame the fools not the fools that follow.
In my childlike way of thinking I also actually like the idea that fresh yummy things are being brought to me... like takeaway pizza.
Oh, and delivery only costs £2.50 (or so Lisa said).
I have to say I'm sold on the idea. Now it remains to be seen whether I receive 14 tins of cat food for the moggy I don't own, hair nets and countless boxes of Tampax.
So anyway... Radiohead... how's that for changing the subject?
Has anyone seen the video for their latest single House of Cards? No cameras or lights were used in its creation.
Instead, 3D plotting technologies collected information about the shapes and relative distances of objects to create what is a unique art project in itself.
Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyQoTGdQywY&feature=user for the making of the video.
Here's the best of this week's games:
Title: Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: RPG
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Final Fantasy tactical RPGs have been delighting gamers for years and Grimoire of the Rift is another supreme instalment on Nintendo DS.
It casts you in the role of high school student Luso, whose summer studying inadvertently catapults him into a fantasy world called Ivalice.
This is where the real adventure begins - with more than 300 quests to complete, this is a monster of a game with some damn tough challenges for you and your clan to conquer.
Cute, pin-sharp 3D graphics are perfectly executed on the dual screen, as is the sound. It’s a must-have for your handheld collection.
Title: Guitar Hero: On Tour
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Music
Price: £44.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Get ready to transform your traditional DS into a full-blown musical instrument with an ingenious add-on that allows handheld gamers to experience the musical fun of the Guitar Hero series.
With a mini fret board slotted into the Gameboy Advance cartridge slot, you can start strumming away in the same way the big consoles have done things over the last couple of years.
Make sure you watch out for some serious wrist cramp though – and take regular breaks! Guitar Hero: On Tour features some great pop and rock tracks and the developers deserve kudos for turning this big living room event into a superb showing on the small screen.
Title: Stronghold: Crusader Extreme
Platform: PC
Genre: Strategy
Price: £19.99
Hit Count: 3/5
Fans of Stronghold: Crusader won’t be surprised by what’s on offer here. Calling it 'Extreme' may be pushing things a bit far – this is essentially the same game, albeit with some new maps and the added capability of being able to take part in 10,000-unit battles.
The intelligence of your opponents doesn’t appear to have improved in the passing years, nor have the graphics, which are below par by 2008 PC standards.
This will satisfy your thirst if you’ve been crying out for more Stronghold action, but it’s not the best.
Title: Unreal Tournament 3
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Shooter
Price: £49.99
Hit Count: 4/5
The Unreal series has been around for nearly a decade now, and this Xbox 360 incarnation brings gamers even more fast-paced, enemy-infested shooter action, all cranked up to a next-gen standard.
Some seriously sumptuous graphics give you all the eye candy you could ever want, but beware, the furious gameplay won’t give you a second to soak it all up.
Single player missions might feel a little too easy for experienced Unreal gamers, but once you’ve familiarised yourself with the maps, this is one of the most enjoyable multiplayer experiences yet on Microsoft’s Xbox Live service. Lock, load and lap it up!
Title: Pool Party
Platform: Wii
Genre: Pool
Price: £19.99
Hit Count: 2/5
Wii Play provided an exciting glimpse of how cue-based sports could be played with the motion-sensing capabilities of Nintendo’s interactive console.
Unfortunately Pool Party doesn’t live up to expectations – it appears to be more a case of one step forward, two steps back.
A sketchy camera, weird controls and some basic graphics let down what has the makings of a decent game. If you’re looking for the perfect antidote to a trip down to your local pool hall, this isn’t it.
GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE
1.Wii Fit
2.LEGO Indiana Jones: Original Adventures
3.Super Smash Bros Brawl
4.Top Spin 3
5.Battlefield: Bad Company
6.Big Beach Sports
7.Wii Play
8.Beijing 2008
9.Kung Fu Panda
10.Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
This week I am planning to go shopping at Sainsbury's without leaving my home. I won't use my car, I won't unnecessarily pack a few items into a large carrier bag and I won't add to the stress of a checkout queue.
This week I have been learning all about the delights of online grocery shopping.
I've never been sold on the idea really. What if they get my order wrong? What if they haven't got what I want? What if I don't know what I want?
Most of all I've feared being called a slack b****** by my nearest and dearest.
Okay, I understand the benefits if you live in London and your nearest Tesco is three tube stations away, but in Plymouth you can't go 100ft without being met by the luring supermaket signs.
So why shop online at the Sainsbury's website? Well, as my friend Lisa explained to me last night:
a). If 20 people order groceries to be delivered on one evening they'll all be served by one man in one van which equals 19 less vehicles on the road;
b). The delivery man will pick up your discarded plastic shopping bags when he redelivers your groceries which he will then re-use; and c). (And not SO environmentally friendly but still a benefit) the delivery man will give you a £10 off voucher if he is even 30 seconds late. He won't even argue, he'll just hand it over (apparently).
So sure enough, within minutes of her mentioning that her shopping would be delivered soon, the doorbell went. And there he was in all his home shopping glory.
While I have to admit I actually LOVE food shopping in supermarkets, I do have an annoying tendency to always go shopping when I'm hungry.
Bad idea huh? A £20 shop turns into a £50 shop and you end up returning home with £30 extra pounds worth of goodies that seemed more desireable on the store shelf.
I've also just been reminded by a colleague that that way of thinking "destroys town centres and local shops".
Okay, while I appreciate the sentiment, surely it's Mr Tesco and Mrs Sainsbury who have done just that. They provide a service that people want ultimately. Blame the fools not the fools that follow.
In my childlike way of thinking I also actually like the idea that fresh yummy things are being brought to me... like takeaway pizza.
Oh, and delivery only costs £2.50 (or so Lisa said).
I have to say I'm sold on the idea. Now it remains to be seen whether I receive 14 tins of cat food for the moggy I don't own, hair nets and countless boxes of Tampax.
So anyway... Radiohead... how's that for changing the subject?
Has anyone seen the video for their latest single House of Cards? No cameras or lights were used in its creation.
Instead, 3D plotting technologies collected information about the shapes and relative distances of objects to create what is a unique art project in itself.
Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyQoTGdQywY&feature=user for the making of the video.
Here's the best of this week's games:
Title: Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: RPG
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Final Fantasy tactical RPGs have been delighting gamers for years and Grimoire of the Rift is another supreme instalment on Nintendo DS.
It casts you in the role of high school student Luso, whose summer studying inadvertently catapults him into a fantasy world called Ivalice.
This is where the real adventure begins - with more than 300 quests to complete, this is a monster of a game with some damn tough challenges for you and your clan to conquer.
Cute, pin-sharp 3D graphics are perfectly executed on the dual screen, as is the sound. It’s a must-have for your handheld collection.
Title: Guitar Hero: On Tour
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Music
Price: £44.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Get ready to transform your traditional DS into a full-blown musical instrument with an ingenious add-on that allows handheld gamers to experience the musical fun of the Guitar Hero series.
With a mini fret board slotted into the Gameboy Advance cartridge slot, you can start strumming away in the same way the big consoles have done things over the last couple of years.
Make sure you watch out for some serious wrist cramp though – and take regular breaks! Guitar Hero: On Tour features some great pop and rock tracks and the developers deserve kudos for turning this big living room event into a superb showing on the small screen.
Title: Stronghold: Crusader Extreme
Platform: PC
Genre: Strategy
Price: £19.99
Hit Count: 3/5
Fans of Stronghold: Crusader won’t be surprised by what’s on offer here. Calling it 'Extreme' may be pushing things a bit far – this is essentially the same game, albeit with some new maps and the added capability of being able to take part in 10,000-unit battles.
The intelligence of your opponents doesn’t appear to have improved in the passing years, nor have the graphics, which are below par by 2008 PC standards.
This will satisfy your thirst if you’ve been crying out for more Stronghold action, but it’s not the best.
Title: Unreal Tournament 3
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Shooter
Price: £49.99
Hit Count: 4/5
The Unreal series has been around for nearly a decade now, and this Xbox 360 incarnation brings gamers even more fast-paced, enemy-infested shooter action, all cranked up to a next-gen standard.
Some seriously sumptuous graphics give you all the eye candy you could ever want, but beware, the furious gameplay won’t give you a second to soak it all up.
Single player missions might feel a little too easy for experienced Unreal gamers, but once you’ve familiarised yourself with the maps, this is one of the most enjoyable multiplayer experiences yet on Microsoft’s Xbox Live service. Lock, load and lap it up!
Title: Pool Party
Platform: Wii
Genre: Pool
Price: £19.99
Hit Count: 2/5
Wii Play provided an exciting glimpse of how cue-based sports could be played with the motion-sensing capabilities of Nintendo’s interactive console.
Unfortunately Pool Party doesn’t live up to expectations – it appears to be more a case of one step forward, two steps back.
A sketchy camera, weird controls and some basic graphics let down what has the makings of a decent game. If you’re looking for the perfect antidote to a trip down to your local pool hall, this isn’t it.
GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE
1.Wii Fit
2.LEGO Indiana Jones: Original Adventures
3.Super Smash Bros Brawl
4.Top Spin 3
5.Battlefield: Bad Company
6.Big Beach Sports
7.Wii Play
8.Beijing 2008
9.Kung Fu Panda
10.Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Upstaged by a phone...
I think I must be one of the few remaining people in this world who has not gone ga-ga over the new iPhone.
I mean seriously, I like gadgets and all but hey... it is a PHONE. Alright... it's quite a lot more than a phone but it's still a piece of communication hardware.
I have more heart and (with any luck) more charm than this 4ins by 2ins piece of kit, but on more than one occasion in the last few weeks I've been cast into the shadows.
The last time was in New York just two weeks ago. There me and a mate were hanging out at some red neck bar on the trendy Upper West Side hoping a couple of hotties would pick up on our Hugh Grant-esque accents.
Sadly it wasn't the accent, dress sense or lure of a drink that attracted them in our general direction - it was Joe's iPhone.
"Wow," one big-eyed beauty cooed at him.
"How do you keep the screen so clean. And don't you wish it could do more?
"Hey have you heard about the iPhone and what it can do?"
My opening gambit: "AHEM".
No response.
For the next 30 minutes or so I was upstaged. A modern age man outclassed by a gadget of the modern world.
Does anyone really care enough to hold half-hour-long conversations about a phone?!
"I can get online to look at Myspace or Facebook whenever I want and wherever I am..." was entered into the conversation somewhere along the line.
Who cares, I thought. With all the means and ends to contact people all over the world at any given time, does no-one yet crave the anonymity or escape?
I know I do.
Yes, I'm happy with my Eriksson. Ok, it won't give me a pinpoint GPS position on my every move allowing me to get to places easier, ok it won't allow me to flip it over and see the cute drunken picture of a random wall at a different angle, and ok it doesn't look THAT sexy and cost some extortionate amount of money, but you know what? I really don't care.
It's a phone and a phone should stay a phone as a phone is. Ok we're a generation of consumers and what we desire ultimately determines what we're offered but somewhere along the line things have gone mad.
You know O2 phoned me last week offering me an upgrade.
"So Mr Nichols, what would you like your phone for? Its camera or its walkman qualities?"
"Er... now let me think" I replied.
"How about for A PHONE?!" Jeez...
Rant over. Apologies for the period of time since my last blog. Been away and tad poorly ever since.
Oh as a new addition I've added the weekly games chart below.
While waiting for your new iPhone give these a glance:
Title: Space Invaders Extreme
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Arcade
Price: £19.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Would you believe that one of the all-time classic games is now 30 years old? It’s high time for a revamp and Space Invaders Extreme delivers in almost every way.
This is a serious arcade update with real 21st century polish – those 2D aliens have now got some crazy 3D backgrounds and four cheeky power-ups take the action to a whole different level.
Plus, in pursuit of top points, chain attacks and, of course, the obligatory world No. 1 ranking thanks to the wonder of wi-fi, the competitive edge will never let up.
Those who have never played the original may want to glance back through the decades for nostalgic purposes, but Space Invaders Extreme shows the series has an exciting future.
Title: Wall: E
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action / Adventure
Price: £39.99
Hit Count: 3/5
It’s summer time and Disney Pixar’s Wall: E is looking set to top the bill when it comes to animated movies.
With the world ravaged by pollution and rubbish, little Wall:E and his pall Eve are left in charge of cleaning the planet up while humans take a space-age vacation.
These two characters provide the focus for what turns out to be a pretty enjoyable platform adventure that will be loved by fans of the film.
More discerning gamers will spot the below-par graphics and audio, but may also uncover an excellent co-operative multiplayer mode. It’s decent, but nothing out of this world.
Title: Secret Agent Clank
Platform: PSP
Genre: Action
Price: £24.99
Hit Count: 3/5
People have been booming around the Ratchet and Clank universe for some years now, so a little spice is required to keep the franchise fresh.
Taking cues from spy classics of the past, Secret Agent Clank presents their world with a spy themed twist, including Clank as the Galaxy’s greatest undercover agent dressed in a tuxedo.
With gadgets ranging from Cufflink Bombs to the Tie-arang and Clank-Fu, Clank’s very own style of martial arts, this is an absolute hoot.
Stealth, action, platforming and full-on fighting sequences will keep you entertained for hours, leaving your PSP shaken and stirred.
Title: Command & Conquer: Kane’s Wrath
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Strategy
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 3/5
The Command & Conquer series has been a stalwart real-time-strategy selection for PC gamers down the years but has struggled to make a real impact on consoles, mainly because of the need to revise the control system in the absence of a mouse.
Kane’s Wrath on Xbox 360 does a good job of trying to rectify that with the CommandStick, although moving round maps still feels trickier than it should.
Overall, the game is what you’d expect – action-packed strategy with that familiar C&C seal of quality – but there’s little doubt it’s still best suited to PC.
Title: Naruto Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2
Platform: PSP
Genre: Fighting
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 4/5
The original Ultimate Ninja Heroes did a fine job of bringing the fighting sensation to the handheld scene, and this sequel is equally spectacular, boasting the great anime graphics and sound snatched straight from the popular TV series.
Story mode sees you scrapping your way through a host of hefty challenges and the ever-popular multiplayer mode allows you to set up some of the must-see battles that fans will be salivating over.
All things considered it’s another strong entry to the Naruto series.
PSP owners would do well to lay their hands on one.
In the charts this week the top three held firm in the same place, while Wii Fit tumbled three places from four to seven.
GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE
1.Super Smash Bros. Brawl
2.Battlefield Bad Company
3.LEGO Indiana Jones: Original Adventures
4.Big Beach Sports
5.Beijing 2008
6.Top Spin 3
7.Wii Fit
8.Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
9.Wii Play
10.The Bourne Conspiracy
I mean seriously, I like gadgets and all but hey... it is a PHONE. Alright... it's quite a lot more than a phone but it's still a piece of communication hardware.
I have more heart and (with any luck) more charm than this 4ins by 2ins piece of kit, but on more than one occasion in the last few weeks I've been cast into the shadows.
The last time was in New York just two weeks ago. There me and a mate were hanging out at some red neck bar on the trendy Upper West Side hoping a couple of hotties would pick up on our Hugh Grant-esque accents.
Sadly it wasn't the accent, dress sense or lure of a drink that attracted them in our general direction - it was Joe's iPhone.
"Wow," one big-eyed beauty cooed at him.
"How do you keep the screen so clean. And don't you wish it could do more?
"Hey have you heard about the iPhone and what it can do?"
My opening gambit: "AHEM".
No response.
For the next 30 minutes or so I was upstaged. A modern age man outclassed by a gadget of the modern world.
Does anyone really care enough to hold half-hour-long conversations about a phone?!
"I can get online to look at Myspace or Facebook whenever I want and wherever I am..." was entered into the conversation somewhere along the line.
Who cares, I thought. With all the means and ends to contact people all over the world at any given time, does no-one yet crave the anonymity or escape?
I know I do.
Yes, I'm happy with my Eriksson. Ok, it won't give me a pinpoint GPS position on my every move allowing me to get to places easier, ok it won't allow me to flip it over and see the cute drunken picture of a random wall at a different angle, and ok it doesn't look THAT sexy and cost some extortionate amount of money, but you know what? I really don't care.
It's a phone and a phone should stay a phone as a phone is. Ok we're a generation of consumers and what we desire ultimately determines what we're offered but somewhere along the line things have gone mad.
You know O2 phoned me last week offering me an upgrade.
"So Mr Nichols, what would you like your phone for? Its camera or its walkman qualities?"
"Er... now let me think" I replied.
"How about for A PHONE?!" Jeez...
Rant over. Apologies for the period of time since my last blog. Been away and tad poorly ever since.
Oh as a new addition I've added the weekly games chart below.
While waiting for your new iPhone give these a glance:
Title: Space Invaders Extreme
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Arcade
Price: £19.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Would you believe that one of the all-time classic games is now 30 years old? It’s high time for a revamp and Space Invaders Extreme delivers in almost every way.
This is a serious arcade update with real 21st century polish – those 2D aliens have now got some crazy 3D backgrounds and four cheeky power-ups take the action to a whole different level.
Plus, in pursuit of top points, chain attacks and, of course, the obligatory world No. 1 ranking thanks to the wonder of wi-fi, the competitive edge will never let up.
Those who have never played the original may want to glance back through the decades for nostalgic purposes, but Space Invaders Extreme shows the series has an exciting future.
Title: Wall: E
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action / Adventure
Price: £39.99
Hit Count: 3/5
It’s summer time and Disney Pixar’s Wall: E is looking set to top the bill when it comes to animated movies.
With the world ravaged by pollution and rubbish, little Wall:E and his pall Eve are left in charge of cleaning the planet up while humans take a space-age vacation.
These two characters provide the focus for what turns out to be a pretty enjoyable platform adventure that will be loved by fans of the film.
More discerning gamers will spot the below-par graphics and audio, but may also uncover an excellent co-operative multiplayer mode. It’s decent, but nothing out of this world.
Title: Secret Agent Clank
Platform: PSP
Genre: Action
Price: £24.99
Hit Count: 3/5
People have been booming around the Ratchet and Clank universe for some years now, so a little spice is required to keep the franchise fresh.
Taking cues from spy classics of the past, Secret Agent Clank presents their world with a spy themed twist, including Clank as the Galaxy’s greatest undercover agent dressed in a tuxedo.
With gadgets ranging from Cufflink Bombs to the Tie-arang and Clank-Fu, Clank’s very own style of martial arts, this is an absolute hoot.
Stealth, action, platforming and full-on fighting sequences will keep you entertained for hours, leaving your PSP shaken and stirred.
Title: Command & Conquer: Kane’s Wrath
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Strategy
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 3/5
The Command & Conquer series has been a stalwart real-time-strategy selection for PC gamers down the years but has struggled to make a real impact on consoles, mainly because of the need to revise the control system in the absence of a mouse.
Kane’s Wrath on Xbox 360 does a good job of trying to rectify that with the CommandStick, although moving round maps still feels trickier than it should.
Overall, the game is what you’d expect – action-packed strategy with that familiar C&C seal of quality – but there’s little doubt it’s still best suited to PC.
Title: Naruto Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2
Platform: PSP
Genre: Fighting
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 4/5
The original Ultimate Ninja Heroes did a fine job of bringing the fighting sensation to the handheld scene, and this sequel is equally spectacular, boasting the great anime graphics and sound snatched straight from the popular TV series.
Story mode sees you scrapping your way through a host of hefty challenges and the ever-popular multiplayer mode allows you to set up some of the must-see battles that fans will be salivating over.
All things considered it’s another strong entry to the Naruto series.
PSP owners would do well to lay their hands on one.
In the charts this week the top three held firm in the same place, while Wii Fit tumbled three places from four to seven.
GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE
1.Super Smash Bros. Brawl
2.Battlefield Bad Company
3.LEGO Indiana Jones: Original Adventures
4.Big Beach Sports
5.Beijing 2008
6.Top Spin 3
7.Wii Fit
8.Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
9.Wii Play
10.The Bourne Conspiracy
Thursday, 29 May 2008
Facebook relieves stress - it's official!
At last... the news every office-bound worker has been waiting to hear!
A new report has found that banning workers from using the internet for personal use could actually be hitting productivity because staff need a break to help reduce stress.
A study of 1,700 employees by computer games firm PopCap Games showed that people felt refreshed if they had an 'ebreak' during the working day.
Most of those questioned said they would rather spend some free time surfing the internet to unwind rather than having a cigarette or tea break.
And I have to agree. The company pays for the internet service in any case and besides, smokers are in the minority now - and they smell.
The report said that taking five minutes off to make a cup of tea was accepted, but using social websites (such as Facebook and Myspace) was frowned upon.
Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic of London’s Goldsmiths University, who helped with the research, said: "Tea breaks and fag breaks have long been the most common types of break within office culture but the report shows that ebreaks are fast becoming the most popular choice of break for British workers.
"The report proves that a 10 minute ebreak a day can have significant benefits but, despite this, many bosses are banning them in the fear that they distract employees.
"By factoring in a dedicated slot for an ebreak bosses are fostering a more trusting working environment, boosting productivity and ultimately increasing their profit which surely makes good business sense."
In other news GTA IV is still firmly holding the No.1 spot in the gaming charts. No. 2 is the new Wii Fit title which - as I've said in previous blogs - I can't quite get my head around.
While I can appreciate, to a certain degree, women (and I guess some men for that matter) working out to an Elle Macpherson DVD, the thought of interacting with a computer game is still so so weird to me!
While I am a certified fan of the Wii (it does make for a killer night in with a bunch of people), I still can't quite get to grips with the whole image of people peering in through your lounge window and seeing you do star jumps or stretches. It's just weird!
Maybe I'm just vain or nervous. I guess people do go to the gym and work out in front of people...
Anyways, here's the best of this week's new releases:
Title: Race Driver: GRID
Platform: PS3
Genre: Racing
Price: £49.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Fans of racing games are often disappointed if a game proves to be either too arcade-y or too much of a plodding simulation.
Race Drive: GRID does a fantastic job of juggling both balls, offering over-the-top thrills and spills for the casual racer, coupled with an intense on-track experience that looks as good as anything on the market right now.
It may be jostling for space with the likes of Gran Turismo, Burnout and Project Gotham, but this baby qualifies pretty high up the grid, even if the car count feels a little on the low side.
Title: WSC Real: 2008 World Snooker Championship
Platform: Wii
Genre: Snooker
Price: £34.99
Hit Count: 3/5
The simulated sports keep on coming on Wii – this time the world of snooker gets the motion-sensing treatment. With 32 of the world’s greatest players on offer, you can grab a Wii Cue extension and start doing impressions of Rocket Ronnie and er... Steve Davis on your dining room table.
It handles pretty well and does give a good feeling of the real sport. Graphics handle well in 3D as you’d expect on a next-gen console, but there’s nothing really out of the ordinary here beyond the initial novelty of having another piece of plastic stuck to the Wii controller.
Title: Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis
Platform: PC
Genre: Adventure
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 3/5
Step into the world of the eponymous sleuth and his assistant Dr Watson as you puzzle your way through the game to protect five of the country’s most valuable treasures.
This is a traditional point-and-click adventure that will offer up some pretty challenging logic puzzles – even for hardcore adventure fans – and it’s all presented in an engaging and carefully constructed 3D world.
It’s not going to set the world of interactive PC puzzling alight, but for fans of the character and those looking for a retreat into 19th century London, this could be a real find.
Title: PDC World Championship Darts
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Darts
Price: £39.99
Hit Count: 3/5
Gaming can be considered a pretty sedentary pastime, and darts has never really been known as the most physically demanding of sports either.
The two combine reasonably well here for pretty entertaining simulation of the classic pub game. It’s fairly easy to pick up but tricky to master.
Working your way through the various game modes that take a twist on traditional darts is fun enough, but the best way to see an evening shoot by is to get some mates round for multiplayer.
It gives the game more of a down-the-pub social feel – and, let’s be honest, who wants to play darts on their own?
Title: Commando: Steel Disaster
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Shoot ’em up
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 3/5
As the heroic Storm you’re out to put an end to an evil organisation called Rattlesnake in this side-scrolling shoot ’em up that reeks of the classic Metal Slug series.
You get to tackle this challenge with a range of heavy weaponry and pick-ups - each with its own attack method and power.
Games in this genre generally deliver on the button-bashing to nullify the incessant wave after wave of enemies, and Steel Disaster doesn’t disappoint, with some top boss battles to boot.
It’s a stylised shooter that requires no small measure of skill.
A new report has found that banning workers from using the internet for personal use could actually be hitting productivity because staff need a break to help reduce stress.
A study of 1,700 employees by computer games firm PopCap Games showed that people felt refreshed if they had an 'ebreak' during the working day.
Most of those questioned said they would rather spend some free time surfing the internet to unwind rather than having a cigarette or tea break.
And I have to agree. The company pays for the internet service in any case and besides, smokers are in the minority now - and they smell.
The report said that taking five minutes off to make a cup of tea was accepted, but using social websites (such as Facebook and Myspace) was frowned upon.
Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic of London’s Goldsmiths University, who helped with the research, said: "Tea breaks and fag breaks have long been the most common types of break within office culture but the report shows that ebreaks are fast becoming the most popular choice of break for British workers.
"The report proves that a 10 minute ebreak a day can have significant benefits but, despite this, many bosses are banning them in the fear that they distract employees.
"By factoring in a dedicated slot for an ebreak bosses are fostering a more trusting working environment, boosting productivity and ultimately increasing their profit which surely makes good business sense."
In other news GTA IV is still firmly holding the No.1 spot in the gaming charts. No. 2 is the new Wii Fit title which - as I've said in previous blogs - I can't quite get my head around.
While I can appreciate, to a certain degree, women (and I guess some men for that matter) working out to an Elle Macpherson DVD, the thought of interacting with a computer game is still so so weird to me!
While I am a certified fan of the Wii (it does make for a killer night in with a bunch of people), I still can't quite get to grips with the whole image of people peering in through your lounge window and seeing you do star jumps or stretches. It's just weird!
Maybe I'm just vain or nervous. I guess people do go to the gym and work out in front of people...
Anyways, here's the best of this week's new releases:
Title: Race Driver: GRID
Platform: PS3
Genre: Racing
Price: £49.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Fans of racing games are often disappointed if a game proves to be either too arcade-y or too much of a plodding simulation.
Race Drive: GRID does a fantastic job of juggling both balls, offering over-the-top thrills and spills for the casual racer, coupled with an intense on-track experience that looks as good as anything on the market right now.
It may be jostling for space with the likes of Gran Turismo, Burnout and Project Gotham, but this baby qualifies pretty high up the grid, even if the car count feels a little on the low side.
Title: WSC Real: 2008 World Snooker Championship
Platform: Wii
Genre: Snooker
Price: £34.99
Hit Count: 3/5
The simulated sports keep on coming on Wii – this time the world of snooker gets the motion-sensing treatment. With 32 of the world’s greatest players on offer, you can grab a Wii Cue extension and start doing impressions of Rocket Ronnie and er... Steve Davis on your dining room table.
It handles pretty well and does give a good feeling of the real sport. Graphics handle well in 3D as you’d expect on a next-gen console, but there’s nothing really out of the ordinary here beyond the initial novelty of having another piece of plastic stuck to the Wii controller.
Title: Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis
Platform: PC
Genre: Adventure
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 3/5
Step into the world of the eponymous sleuth and his assistant Dr Watson as you puzzle your way through the game to protect five of the country’s most valuable treasures.
This is a traditional point-and-click adventure that will offer up some pretty challenging logic puzzles – even for hardcore adventure fans – and it’s all presented in an engaging and carefully constructed 3D world.
It’s not going to set the world of interactive PC puzzling alight, but for fans of the character and those looking for a retreat into 19th century London, this could be a real find.
Title: PDC World Championship Darts
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Darts
Price: £39.99
Hit Count: 3/5
Gaming can be considered a pretty sedentary pastime, and darts has never really been known as the most physically demanding of sports either.
The two combine reasonably well here for pretty entertaining simulation of the classic pub game. It’s fairly easy to pick up but tricky to master.
Working your way through the various game modes that take a twist on traditional darts is fun enough, but the best way to see an evening shoot by is to get some mates round for multiplayer.
It gives the game more of a down-the-pub social feel – and, let’s be honest, who wants to play darts on their own?
Title: Commando: Steel Disaster
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Shoot ’em up
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 3/5
As the heroic Storm you’re out to put an end to an evil organisation called Rattlesnake in this side-scrolling shoot ’em up that reeks of the classic Metal Slug series.
You get to tackle this challenge with a range of heavy weaponry and pick-ups - each with its own attack method and power.
Games in this genre generally deliver on the button-bashing to nullify the incessant wave after wave of enemies, and Steel Disaster doesn’t disappoint, with some top boss battles to boot.
It’s a stylised shooter that requires no small measure of skill.
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
(Web) surfing versus sailing
Now this may come as a shock to some but not really to many, I don't really have much of an interest in sailing.
Ok, I hold the post of Maritime Reporter (and in the past yachting types have laughed at the fact I can list my sailing experience on the back of a postage stamp) but it's not really my bag.
For me it's too involved. There's too much to do, hoisting sails, twisting this and turning that... I'd much rather be in the water (surfing) than on it (sailing).
With that in mind a website dedicated to sailing would have to be pretty special to tempt my gaze. So ladies and gentlemen... let me introduce you to the Artemis Transat's fab website www.theartemistransat.com.
The site's developers have gone all out to create something which will be appealing to the masses and not just the sailing enthusiast.
As well as race news updated throughout each and every day, the site provides breakdowns of all the teams competing in the race (which started in Plymouth on May 11), as well as pictures and videos from the skippers.
However, by far the most appealing are the two live race tracker features which allow visitors to pinpoint exactly where each competitor is, how far they have travelled, how far they have to go, the speed of which they are travelling, and the route they have taken.
You can also zoom in and out to show the distance between the competitiors on a map of the Atlantic.
It really is fascinating and provides a unique overview of the race.
Sadly which ever way you look at it the French are still likely to beat the Brits but hey, you can't have everything can you?!
When you consider Sir Francis Chichester's Atlantic crossing in 1960 with little or no technology, and no means by his followers to contact or pinpoint him, the technology is simply staggering.
Another website worth looking at is The Biographicon (www.biographicon.com).
Unlike Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.com), which insists that featured people must reach a certain level of fame before they can be included, the Biographicon isn’t fussy. It's a web site for biographies of anyone and everyone.
Anyone can write a bio about anyone else – or about themselves. The site is based on wiki software, which means anyone can edit it. Go on, add yourselves!
In the meantime here's the best of the week's releases:
Title: Boom Blox
Platform: Wii
Genre: Puzzle
Price: £39.99
Hit Count: 4/5
It’s a pretty rare thing for Oscar-winning film directors to get involved in console games, but Steven Spielberg has obviously got some new interests beyond the movies.
If this is anything to go by, let’s hope there’s more in the tank!
Building on the premise that everyone loves to build things up and knock them down again, Boom Blox offers action-packed interactive activities that takes Wii play to a new level of creativity and fun with single player, co-op, and head-to-head gameplay.
Through brain-twisting challenges and the ability to virtually build anything you can dream up, it’s just the kind of creative title the Wii was made for.
Title: Dragon Quest Swords
Platform: Wii
Genre: RPG
Price: £39.99
Hit Count: 3/5
The Dragon Quest series has always been great at thowing gamers headlong into an interactive adventures that get the pulse racing, and Swords contains a familiar line-up of mad monsters to hack your way through, using the Wii remote as your own personal sword.
Additional mini-games add to the fun as you do things like catching darts with your shield and time-attacks on slime monsters in order to win bonus items and weapon power-ups.
A good-looking, solid RPG title to keep you entertained.
Title: Universe At War: Earth Assault
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Strategy
Price: £44.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Real-time strategy titles have often best performed on PC, simply because they lend themselves best to traditional mouse and keyboard.
Universe At War blows that theory out of the water with an excellent sortie onto the futuristic battlefield to tackle the single player scenarios set before you and the myriad of multiplayer options for those ready to take the battle online.
It looks great, plays even better, and really should be high on your list of games to try if PC-battling was once your thing before consoles came along!
Title: Chessmaster: The Art of Learning
Platform: PSP
Genre: Chess
Price: £19.99
Hit Count: 3/5
Chess is never going to be the most adrenalin-charged gaming experience, but for fans of the classic board game, the opportunity to hone their skills on PSP is likely to raise an eyebrow.
It’s a pretty sterile effort, devoid of any personality, but it certainly offers an insight into chess through 24 lessons brought to you by an incredibly dour man on-screen.
Once you’ve battled your wits through the 34 computer challengers on offer, you can take on a friend who also owns the game, although you may be all chessed out by then.
Title: Jackass: The Game
Platform: Action
Genre: Humour
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 2/5
They may be getting older but the Jackass crew are still letting alligators nibble at their privates and throwing themselves into holly bushes in the buff.
So why not do more of the same on the Nintendo DS?
I’ll tell you why not: because this is an unbelievably contrived money-making effort with boring and unrealistic stunts that only bears a resemblance to the TV series because of the branding.
It’s nowhere near as funny, outlandish or controversial – it’s just rubbish, and buying this game is where the only wince-inducing pain will arise.
Ok, I hold the post of Maritime Reporter (and in the past yachting types have laughed at the fact I can list my sailing experience on the back of a postage stamp) but it's not really my bag.
For me it's too involved. There's too much to do, hoisting sails, twisting this and turning that... I'd much rather be in the water (surfing) than on it (sailing).
With that in mind a website dedicated to sailing would have to be pretty special to tempt my gaze. So ladies and gentlemen... let me introduce you to the Artemis Transat's fab website www.theartemistransat.com.
The site's developers have gone all out to create something which will be appealing to the masses and not just the sailing enthusiast.
As well as race news updated throughout each and every day, the site provides breakdowns of all the teams competing in the race (which started in Plymouth on May 11), as well as pictures and videos from the skippers.
However, by far the most appealing are the two live race tracker features which allow visitors to pinpoint exactly where each competitor is, how far they have travelled, how far they have to go, the speed of which they are travelling, and the route they have taken.
You can also zoom in and out to show the distance between the competitiors on a map of the Atlantic.
It really is fascinating and provides a unique overview of the race.
Sadly which ever way you look at it the French are still likely to beat the Brits but hey, you can't have everything can you?!
When you consider Sir Francis Chichester's Atlantic crossing in 1960 with little or no technology, and no means by his followers to contact or pinpoint him, the technology is simply staggering.
Another website worth looking at is The Biographicon (www.biographicon.com).
Unlike Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.com), which insists that featured people must reach a certain level of fame before they can be included, the Biographicon isn’t fussy. It's a web site for biographies of anyone and everyone.
Anyone can write a bio about anyone else – or about themselves. The site is based on wiki software, which means anyone can edit it. Go on, add yourselves!
In the meantime here's the best of the week's releases:
Title: Boom Blox
Platform: Wii
Genre: Puzzle
Price: £39.99
Hit Count: 4/5
It’s a pretty rare thing for Oscar-winning film directors to get involved in console games, but Steven Spielberg has obviously got some new interests beyond the movies.
If this is anything to go by, let’s hope there’s more in the tank!
Building on the premise that everyone loves to build things up and knock them down again, Boom Blox offers action-packed interactive activities that takes Wii play to a new level of creativity and fun with single player, co-op, and head-to-head gameplay.
Through brain-twisting challenges and the ability to virtually build anything you can dream up, it’s just the kind of creative title the Wii was made for.
Title: Dragon Quest Swords
Platform: Wii
Genre: RPG
Price: £39.99
Hit Count: 3/5
The Dragon Quest series has always been great at thowing gamers headlong into an interactive adventures that get the pulse racing, and Swords contains a familiar line-up of mad monsters to hack your way through, using the Wii remote as your own personal sword.
Additional mini-games add to the fun as you do things like catching darts with your shield and time-attacks on slime monsters in order to win bonus items and weapon power-ups.
A good-looking, solid RPG title to keep you entertained.
Title: Universe At War: Earth Assault
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Strategy
Price: £44.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Real-time strategy titles have often best performed on PC, simply because they lend themselves best to traditional mouse and keyboard.
Universe At War blows that theory out of the water with an excellent sortie onto the futuristic battlefield to tackle the single player scenarios set before you and the myriad of multiplayer options for those ready to take the battle online.
It looks great, plays even better, and really should be high on your list of games to try if PC-battling was once your thing before consoles came along!
Title: Chessmaster: The Art of Learning
Platform: PSP
Genre: Chess
Price: £19.99
Hit Count: 3/5
Chess is never going to be the most adrenalin-charged gaming experience, but for fans of the classic board game, the opportunity to hone their skills on PSP is likely to raise an eyebrow.
It’s a pretty sterile effort, devoid of any personality, but it certainly offers an insight into chess through 24 lessons brought to you by an incredibly dour man on-screen.
Once you’ve battled your wits through the 34 computer challengers on offer, you can take on a friend who also owns the game, although you may be all chessed out by then.
Title: Jackass: The Game
Platform: Action
Genre: Humour
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 2/5
They may be getting older but the Jackass crew are still letting alligators nibble at their privates and throwing themselves into holly bushes in the buff.
So why not do more of the same on the Nintendo DS?
I’ll tell you why not: because this is an unbelievably contrived money-making effort with boring and unrealistic stunts that only bears a resemblance to the TV series because of the branding.
It’s nowhere near as funny, outlandish or controversial – it’s just rubbish, and buying this game is where the only wince-inducing pain will arise.
Thursday, 1 May 2008
Grand Theft Auto IV (do you need a better headline?!)
News just in... Grand Theft Auto IV has broken all previous records selling an estimated 609,000 copies since release on Tuesday.
While I don't really care too much about how many copies have been flogged, I do care about the fact I haven't been able to find a single copy!
I awoke on my day off on Wednesday with one task in mind for an otherwise wasteful mid-week day - buy a copy of GTA IV and do some serious sofa time.
The idea and enthusiasm was there... but sadly I was one of the many who were left disappointed.
First stop was Tesco at Roborough (because those Clubcard vouchers must be good for something other than a food shop).
Result? - sold out.
"We were sold out by lunchtime on Tuesday," one friendly member of staff told me.
"Tesco stores across the country have had to order more due to demand."
Ok, game on...
Game in the city centre. Result - sold out.
Zavvi: result - sold out.
By this time I had given up and returned home. Gutted. But at least my day was eventful - and I got out of the house.
And luckily a mate of mine managed to beat the queues and get in there and bag a copy on the Xbox 360. His verdict - absolutely awesome! (see his review below)
GTA may get a lot of grief for its make-up and brutal play but hey, how can so many people be so wrong?
It's fun (hilarious in parts), graphically superior and probably the most addictive thing ever invented.
So here I am, two days later still trying to find time to escape the office and get a copy.
Best bet is the web where you will find it cheaper if you can afford the wait.
In the meantime why not download some free music over the Bank Holiday Weekend?
A radio network is planning to give away the music it plays on air this Bank Holiday Monday free for listeners to download.
In what they claim is a first, GMG Radio’s network of Real and Century stations are set to go 'radio ga-ga' on May 5, with their Free Music Mayday.
The network of stations is one of several using Cliq, a mobile phone application which allows people to instantly buy music by pressing a button on the handset – even if they don’t know the name of the song.
Users normally credit their account online and tracks cost £1.25 to download.
But from midnight on Sunday May 4, Real and Century listeners across the five stations in the UK will be able to own any songs playing until midnight the following day.
They will be sent straight to their computers to be added to their playlist without charge.
So, sorry to rub salt in the wound if you haven't got a copy yet, but here's what you're missing.
Title: Grand Theft Auto IV
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 5/5
It’s no understatement to say that GTA IV is the most eagerly anticipated title that the gaming world has ever seen.
There’s no way you can sum up the amount of laugh-out-loud moments, adrenalin-fuelled car chases, ear-splitting shootouts and other jaw-dropping stand-out experiences that come bundled into the return to a living, breathing Liberty City.
Everything about GTA IV oozes class and that all-important attention to detail and there are few people – Mary Whitehouse characters aside – that can dispute this is the greatest videogame of all-time. Enjoy.
Title: Turok
Platform: PC
Genre: Shooter
Price: £24.99
Hit count: 3/5
Hunting dinosaurs hasn’t been high on the gaming agenda for a while, but it returns to PC with an assault on the first-person-shooter senses, giving gamers carte blanche to go on an all-out attack on the human and prehistoric enemies that lie in wait.
No shortage of fabulous weaponry and killing moves breathe new life into the well-worn genre, but slightly grubby graphics take the tarnish off what is an otherwise, if a little linear, solid shooter.
Rip off your shirt, paint your face, and go seriously native!
Title: Iron Man
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 3/5
Robert Downey Junior has reprised the role of the classic comic character for the latest big-budget superhero movie and here, in this third-person action shooter, you’re thrown into stories from the original Iron Man comic books and given an array of high-impact weapons to annihilate any enemy force standing in your way.
It’s an entertaining attempt to give movie tie-ins a good name and will keep the comic fans pretty happy, but overall Iron Man doesn’t deliver anything to the action genre that we haven’t seen many times before.
Title: My Riding Stables
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Horses
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5
In an attempt to provide some kind of cosmic balance to the gaming world, titles like My Riding Stables take players as far away as they could possibly be from Liberty City, the home of Grand Theft Auto.
Forget the guns and get ahead as a stable hand, raising sweet little foals and taking excellent care of your guests.
Give outstanding riding lessons and prepare your horses and students perfectly, so that they become the riding stars of the future.
If you’re already snoozing, you’ll know this isn’t for you, but gamers too young for GTA may see things differently!
Title: Undercover: Dual Motives
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Adventure
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5
It’s just the kind of point and click adventure packed with puzzles and mini-games that DS gamers have been crying out for, and were probably expecting to have buckets to choose from when the system was announced.
As a prequel to PC title Undercover: Operation Wintersun, you take British scientist Dr. John Russell on a wild chase for a German nuclear bomb in the middle of the Second World War.
It’s classic adventure gaming style, with one particular game requiring you to blow into the DS microphone to fire weapons!
Good, inventive adventure gaming that the DS should do much more often.
While I don't really care too much about how many copies have been flogged, I do care about the fact I haven't been able to find a single copy!
I awoke on my day off on Wednesday with one task in mind for an otherwise wasteful mid-week day - buy a copy of GTA IV and do some serious sofa time.
The idea and enthusiasm was there... but sadly I was one of the many who were left disappointed.
First stop was Tesco at Roborough (because those Clubcard vouchers must be good for something other than a food shop).
Result? - sold out.
"We were sold out by lunchtime on Tuesday," one friendly member of staff told me.
"Tesco stores across the country have had to order more due to demand."
Ok, game on...
Game in the city centre. Result - sold out.
Zavvi: result - sold out.
By this time I had given up and returned home. Gutted. But at least my day was eventful - and I got out of the house.
And luckily a mate of mine managed to beat the queues and get in there and bag a copy on the Xbox 360. His verdict - absolutely awesome! (see his review below)
GTA may get a lot of grief for its make-up and brutal play but hey, how can so many people be so wrong?
It's fun (hilarious in parts), graphically superior and probably the most addictive thing ever invented.
So here I am, two days later still trying to find time to escape the office and get a copy.
Best bet is the web where you will find it cheaper if you can afford the wait.
In the meantime why not download some free music over the Bank Holiday Weekend?
A radio network is planning to give away the music it plays on air this Bank Holiday Monday free for listeners to download.
In what they claim is a first, GMG Radio’s network of Real and Century stations are set to go 'radio ga-ga' on May 5, with their Free Music Mayday.
The network of stations is one of several using Cliq, a mobile phone application which allows people to instantly buy music by pressing a button on the handset – even if they don’t know the name of the song.
Users normally credit their account online and tracks cost £1.25 to download.
But from midnight on Sunday May 4, Real and Century listeners across the five stations in the UK will be able to own any songs playing until midnight the following day.
They will be sent straight to their computers to be added to their playlist without charge.
So, sorry to rub salt in the wound if you haven't got a copy yet, but here's what you're missing.
Title: Grand Theft Auto IV
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 5/5
It’s no understatement to say that GTA IV is the most eagerly anticipated title that the gaming world has ever seen.
There’s no way you can sum up the amount of laugh-out-loud moments, adrenalin-fuelled car chases, ear-splitting shootouts and other jaw-dropping stand-out experiences that come bundled into the return to a living, breathing Liberty City.
Everything about GTA IV oozes class and that all-important attention to detail and there are few people – Mary Whitehouse characters aside – that can dispute this is the greatest videogame of all-time. Enjoy.
Title: Turok
Platform: PC
Genre: Shooter
Price: £24.99
Hit count: 3/5
Hunting dinosaurs hasn’t been high on the gaming agenda for a while, but it returns to PC with an assault on the first-person-shooter senses, giving gamers carte blanche to go on an all-out attack on the human and prehistoric enemies that lie in wait.
No shortage of fabulous weaponry and killing moves breathe new life into the well-worn genre, but slightly grubby graphics take the tarnish off what is an otherwise, if a little linear, solid shooter.
Rip off your shirt, paint your face, and go seriously native!
Title: Iron Man
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 3/5
Robert Downey Junior has reprised the role of the classic comic character for the latest big-budget superhero movie and here, in this third-person action shooter, you’re thrown into stories from the original Iron Man comic books and given an array of high-impact weapons to annihilate any enemy force standing in your way.
It’s an entertaining attempt to give movie tie-ins a good name and will keep the comic fans pretty happy, but overall Iron Man doesn’t deliver anything to the action genre that we haven’t seen many times before.
Title: My Riding Stables
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Horses
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5
In an attempt to provide some kind of cosmic balance to the gaming world, titles like My Riding Stables take players as far away as they could possibly be from Liberty City, the home of Grand Theft Auto.
Forget the guns and get ahead as a stable hand, raising sweet little foals and taking excellent care of your guests.
Give outstanding riding lessons and prepare your horses and students perfectly, so that they become the riding stars of the future.
If you’re already snoozing, you’ll know this isn’t for you, but gamers too young for GTA may see things differently!
Title: Undercover: Dual Motives
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Adventure
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5
It’s just the kind of point and click adventure packed with puzzles and mini-games that DS gamers have been crying out for, and were probably expecting to have buckets to choose from when the system was announced.
As a prequel to PC title Undercover: Operation Wintersun, you take British scientist Dr. John Russell on a wild chase for a German nuclear bomb in the middle of the Second World War.
It’s classic adventure gaming style, with one particular game requiring you to blow into the DS microphone to fire weapons!
Good, inventive adventure gaming that the DS should do much more often.
Wednesday, 23 April 2008
A slave to the page
I know what you're going to be thinking... another week, another blog, another mention of Facebook.
The fact is I - like 98 per cent of my friends and, in fact people I know - still can't get enough of the social networking website.
I like to think I'm not addicted, that I'm able to last a few hours without wondering who's poked me (so to speak), or which friend from yesteryear is eager to rekindle a lost friendship.
Sadly I hold my hands up and admit... I'm a slave to the page.
Anyway, I haven't brought you here to brag about my latest addiction, I want to tell you about Facebook's brand new feature - Facebook Chat.
Working the same way as Microsoft's MSN messenger, at the click of a [mouse] button FB Chat allows you to open a new window and 'chat' to your mates. It also tells you how many of your friends are online at that time. Handy huh?
With way more features than msn messenger and its associated hotmail, it's sure to stoke up the fire in the war between the two.
Having used it I have to say it is much more user friendly - and it doesn't take ages to load up.
Meanwhile Google announced a new web chat service earlier this month.
HuddleChat (www.huddlechat.com) was designed to help people work together on projects.
It had been up for only a day before bloggers started complaining that it ripped off a similar service called Campfire (www.campfirenow.com); so HuddleChat was promptly taken offline.
Still, it did the job of advertising Google’s new App Engine system for building web-based software.
Also this week with the release of Grand Theft Auto 4 just under days away, games retailers are beginning to see how they can make the most of the hype surrounding the game, by bundling other items onto it.
Sony has already announced they’ll be releasing a special GTA IV PS3 bundle, and online retailer play.com has since said that for under £200 you’ll be able to get your hands on an Xbox 360 Premium console and a copy of GTA IV.
Expect more retailers to follow suit!
In the run up to GTA IV why not give these titles a blast?
Title: The World Ends With You
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Action/RPG
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Taking inspiration from modern-day Japan, The World Ends With You is one of those fabulous games that combines cool graphics with slick game mechanics to produce a unique DS experience that turns the setting of traditional Action/RPGs on its head.
Gloriously garish graphics, funky Japanese pop tunes and a cracking storyline combined with creative combat sequences make for a must-have title on Nintendo’s dual screen that has style in abundance to make it stand out from the mediocre on game store shelves.
Title: UEFA Euro 2008
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Football
Price: £49.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Perhaps there would have been a little more excitement around the release of this title ahead of the big football event this summer had any of the home nations qualified for it.
But with EA’s FIFA engine behind this branded release there’s still cause for optimism as you can try to qualify your favourite nation, captain your country in pursuit of individual glory or enter in online tournaments.
It’s a great interim release ahead of FIFA 09 later this year and should keep football fans more than happy while they watch the real tournament unfold.
Title: Emergency Mayhem
Platform: Wii
Genre: Action/Driving
Price: £39.99
Hit Count: 2/5
Feel the fast-paced action with the emergency services as you take control of the police, fire and paramedic departments, dashing around a city that has a strange kind of interpretation of what constitutes an emergency.
Whether it’s quelling the activities of out-of-control monkeys or bouncing escaping prisoners back into jail on a trampoline, the light-hearted mini-games that await you when you’ve dodged and weaved your way through traffic are amusing enough first time ’round.
However beyond that the simplicity of Emergency Mayhem will bore serious gamers soon enough, so it’s best left to young kids to tackle.
Title: Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys!
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Adventure
Price: £24.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Firstly, top marks have to go to the person who came up with the name of this title. Not too serious, just fun - which is exactly what a game should be after all.
And we're delighted to report the gameplay is just that. The game has classic B movie and comic book style looks which provide the perfect backdrop to an amusing - if a little barmy - storyline.
The side-scrolling adventure game sees three teenage zombies awoken from their graves by a particularly robust alien invasion.
They clamber out of their shallow graves yearning for a spot of lunch and find the invaders more than a perfect match.
Boasting a variety of mini games and brain teasers, the title is a sure fire hit.
Title: Time Crisis 4 (with gun)
Platform: PS3
Genre: Shooter
Price: £69.99
Hit Count: 4/5
A well-oiled franchise that has fairly successfully made the leap from arcade to living room is now into its fourth offering, tying in with the release of the Guncon accessory for the PS3.
A match made in heaven? Well, it’s not a bad start.
The game itself offers a familiar premise, stay-on-the-rails shooting with oodles of enemies, the usual reload-and-cover system and a timer to keep you on your toes.
It’s all executed extremely well, although the introduction of a few off-rails, first-person-shooter levels could have been better.
The Guncon peripheral works really well – but only if you spend the time configuring it to your TV correctly! Do this, and you’ve got a cracking interactive shooter to tuck into.
Title: The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bathroom Interior Design Stuff
Platform: PC
Genre: Life Simulation
Price: £9.99
Hit Count: 3/5
It’s amazing what lengths people will go to to create the perfect virtual life on their PC, when they already have a real one to get excited about.
However, if you can’t make a go of it as a real-life interior designer, this expansion pack will give you everything you need to lead the lifestyle of Laurence Llewellyn Bowen!
Stylish refrigerators, graceful countertop basin sinks, designer rugs and much more are only the click of a mouse away for your Sims, and as long as you don’t get jealous over how much better their house is compared with yours, this is a valuable addition to your Sims collection.
The fact is I - like 98 per cent of my friends and, in fact people I know - still can't get enough of the social networking website.
I like to think I'm not addicted, that I'm able to last a few hours without wondering who's poked me (so to speak), or which friend from yesteryear is eager to rekindle a lost friendship.
Sadly I hold my hands up and admit... I'm a slave to the page.
Anyway, I haven't brought you here to brag about my latest addiction, I want to tell you about Facebook's brand new feature - Facebook Chat.
Working the same way as Microsoft's MSN messenger, at the click of a [mouse] button FB Chat allows you to open a new window and 'chat' to your mates. It also tells you how many of your friends are online at that time. Handy huh?
With way more features than msn messenger and its associated hotmail, it's sure to stoke up the fire in the war between the two.
Having used it I have to say it is much more user friendly - and it doesn't take ages to load up.
Meanwhile Google announced a new web chat service earlier this month.
HuddleChat (www.huddlechat.com) was designed to help people work together on projects.
It had been up for only a day before bloggers started complaining that it ripped off a similar service called Campfire (www.campfirenow.com); so HuddleChat was promptly taken offline.
Still, it did the job of advertising Google’s new App Engine system for building web-based software.
Also this week with the release of Grand Theft Auto 4 just under days away, games retailers are beginning to see how they can make the most of the hype surrounding the game, by bundling other items onto it.
Sony has already announced they’ll be releasing a special GTA IV PS3 bundle, and online retailer play.com has since said that for under £200 you’ll be able to get your hands on an Xbox 360 Premium console and a copy of GTA IV.
Expect more retailers to follow suit!
In the run up to GTA IV why not give these titles a blast?
Title: The World Ends With You
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Action/RPG
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Taking inspiration from modern-day Japan, The World Ends With You is one of those fabulous games that combines cool graphics with slick game mechanics to produce a unique DS experience that turns the setting of traditional Action/RPGs on its head.
Gloriously garish graphics, funky Japanese pop tunes and a cracking storyline combined with creative combat sequences make for a must-have title on Nintendo’s dual screen that has style in abundance to make it stand out from the mediocre on game store shelves.
Title: UEFA Euro 2008
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Football
Price: £49.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Perhaps there would have been a little more excitement around the release of this title ahead of the big football event this summer had any of the home nations qualified for it.
But with EA’s FIFA engine behind this branded release there’s still cause for optimism as you can try to qualify your favourite nation, captain your country in pursuit of individual glory or enter in online tournaments.
It’s a great interim release ahead of FIFA 09 later this year and should keep football fans more than happy while they watch the real tournament unfold.
Title: Emergency Mayhem
Platform: Wii
Genre: Action/Driving
Price: £39.99
Hit Count: 2/5
Feel the fast-paced action with the emergency services as you take control of the police, fire and paramedic departments, dashing around a city that has a strange kind of interpretation of what constitutes an emergency.
Whether it’s quelling the activities of out-of-control monkeys or bouncing escaping prisoners back into jail on a trampoline, the light-hearted mini-games that await you when you’ve dodged and weaved your way through traffic are amusing enough first time ’round.
However beyond that the simplicity of Emergency Mayhem will bore serious gamers soon enough, so it’s best left to young kids to tackle.
Title: Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys!
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Adventure
Price: £24.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Firstly, top marks have to go to the person who came up with the name of this title. Not too serious, just fun - which is exactly what a game should be after all.
And we're delighted to report the gameplay is just that. The game has classic B movie and comic book style looks which provide the perfect backdrop to an amusing - if a little barmy - storyline.
The side-scrolling adventure game sees three teenage zombies awoken from their graves by a particularly robust alien invasion.
They clamber out of their shallow graves yearning for a spot of lunch and find the invaders more than a perfect match.
Boasting a variety of mini games and brain teasers, the title is a sure fire hit.
Title: Time Crisis 4 (with gun)
Platform: PS3
Genre: Shooter
Price: £69.99
Hit Count: 4/5
A well-oiled franchise that has fairly successfully made the leap from arcade to living room is now into its fourth offering, tying in with the release of the Guncon accessory for the PS3.
A match made in heaven? Well, it’s not a bad start.
The game itself offers a familiar premise, stay-on-the-rails shooting with oodles of enemies, the usual reload-and-cover system and a timer to keep you on your toes.
It’s all executed extremely well, although the introduction of a few off-rails, first-person-shooter levels could have been better.
The Guncon peripheral works really well – but only if you spend the time configuring it to your TV correctly! Do this, and you’ve got a cracking interactive shooter to tuck into.
Title: The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bathroom Interior Design Stuff
Platform: PC
Genre: Life Simulation
Price: £9.99
Hit Count: 3/5
It’s amazing what lengths people will go to to create the perfect virtual life on their PC, when they already have a real one to get excited about.
However, if you can’t make a go of it as a real-life interior designer, this expansion pack will give you everything you need to lead the lifestyle of Laurence Llewellyn Bowen!
Stylish refrigerators, graceful countertop basin sinks, designer rugs and much more are only the click of a mouse away for your Sims, and as long as you don’t get jealous over how much better their house is compared with yours, this is a valuable addition to your Sims collection.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)