Reading: The future

READING and literature must not be “swept away” by new technologies that are commanding more of children’s time — according to a top playwright.

Sir Tom Stoppard has this week warned that English and the humanities are vitally important to a child’s education and should not be sidelined.

True. Fair point... and well put.

But isn’t it a wise move to try and adapt to the next generation?

I mean sure, I enjoy a good book. And there is something about peeling off the yellowing pages to an aging release.

But in this ever changing world, surely we need to get more and more kids interested.

What nine-year-old wants to spend his pocket money on getting a bus to the book store to buy the latest paperback?

They’d rather spend their money on buying the latest video game or DVD.

And that’s why I love the likes of the Nintendo DS.

Somehow those clever types have found the balance between education and play releasing all these word and number-based brain games to appeal to the masses.

It could be argued that while many traditionalists lambasted the release of the so-called electronic books (e-readers), they are helping to expand the ways in which we read.

Personally I think there is a balance and, while video games like GTA are hardly ‘educational’, other titles on different titles cause more good than harm.

Look at the likes of Wikipedia too.

While admittedly anyone can change an entry on Wikipedia, how good is it as a learning tool?

Anyway, changing the subject quite dramatically (because being random is SO much more interesting than being normal), has anyone ever googled ‘Chuck Norris’ and clicked on the fifth link down?

Now THAT is funny.

So, onto more important things... to celebrate the release of the Transformers: War for Cybertron video game, Game On has teamed up with our friends at Activision to offer five lucky readers the chance to win a copy of the game on Xbox 360.

Transformers: War for Cybertron is a third person action shooter set on the Transformers’ war-ravaged homeland.

Join the Autobots as they struggle to save their homeland or aid the Decepticons in their search for devastating power.

It’s your choice. Cybertron is locked in an epic civil war, spawning one of the most brutal rivalries of all time and this is your chance to take up a front row seat.

Q: Transformers can be referred to as … ?

a). Robots in distress

b). Robots in disgrace

c). Robots in disguise

Email your answers to tnichols@theplymouthherald.co.uk including your name, address AND phone number. Please include 'Transformers competition' in the subject line.

Usual competition rules apply.

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Here are the best new releases and the latest gaming chart:

Title: Transformers: War for Cybertron

Platform: PS3

Genre: Action

Price: £49.99

Hit count: 5/5

So often movie tie-in games fail to make the mark.

That said, Transformers: War For Cybertron thankfully bucks the trend — mainly because the third installment isn’t out yet and there is no story (yet) to tell.

The title takes gamers on a dark journey through Cyberton — the home of the Transformers — with the evil Decpticons trying their best to gain control of the powerful dark energon to rule the universe.

What many gamers will find ultimately cool is the fact you can choose to either be an Autobot or a Decepticon — with the full range of weapons.

The graphics in this third person shooter are tip top and anyone born in the late 1970s or early 1980s will not be disappointed with the gameplay.

The multiplayer is also a must with a huge variety of characters waging war in a robotic world.

It is by far the best Transformers game yet.

Like it? Love it.

Title: LEGO Harry Potter: Episodes 1-4

Platform: PS3

Genre: Action

Price: £44.99

Hit count: 4/5

He’s the hero that every kid longs to be, and now his gaming status is set to go into overdrive as Harry Potter is immortalised as a LEGO character for Episodes 1-4.

Throughout this game, players get the chance to experience the magic and adventure of Harry Potter in a uniquely LEGO way – with all the quirky humour you’d expect from the blocky-headed heroes.

Although the action will focus on Harry, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, a whopping 100 more characters have been worked into the game world.

Also, you can attend lessons, cast spells, mix potions, fly on broomsticks and complete tasks to earn rewards.

The pacing of the early levels where you learn your spells and attend lessons are much better-suited to younger gamers, but playing cooperatively will add an additional layer of ’educational’ depth and that is where the real fun is to be had at Hogwarts.

Spellbinding stuff...

Title: International Cricket 2010

Platform: Xbox 360

Genre: Cricket

Price: £39.99

Hit count: 3/5

As the World Cup is proving, a high-energy sport such as football can be translated to the gaming world with great results, whereas the somewhat more pedestrian cricket arena can be harder to engage with in a virtual sense — despite all the bells and whistles.

International Cricket 2010 remains largely untouched from last year’s Ashes release, which will be a disappointment to those fans who were hoping to see a host of fielding, bowling and batting glitches eliminated.

For all the high-impact ’FIFA-style’ menu systems and music selection, it’s still just cricket and likely to only really appeal to hardcore cricket fans.

The over-the-shoulder views of play, whether batting or bowling do, however, add an excellent extra dimension to the gameplay, making everything feel more involved and closer to the action, which is a major improvement on previous releases and a hint that the sport may yet be able to hit the console big time.

Title: Mini Ninjas

Platform: Mac

Genre: Action

Price: £29.95

Hit count: 4/5

Two ninjas are out to conquer an ancient evil – sounds like the kind of violent beat ’em up you wouldn’t let your kids near.

But no, these are mini-ninjas, bringing a sense of humour and a whole lot of fun to this 3D platform adventure.

Displayed in alarmingly crisp and colourful cel-shaded graphics, even the button-mashing beatings you dish out don’t end in deaths, as enemies return to their pre-cursed animal states. And use your possession of animal powers wisely, as rabbits build up your stealth and bears your brute force.

This is just one of many magical tricks available to you in addition to the core fighting skills — keeping your progression through the amazing game world fresh and innovative.

The lack of a cooperative multiplayer mode is an obvious and confusing oversight, but when you have more than enough fun yourself flipping from one ninja to the next, don’t let that put you off.

Great stuff.

Title: Green Day: Rock Band

Platform: Xbox 360

Genre: Music

Price: £49.99

Hit count: 4/5

The Beatles have already conquered the Rock Bank genre, so how will a more modern-day set of musical heroes cope when the stage is all theirs on the 360?

Well, if you’re a big fan of Billie Joe Armstrong and co, this is like manna from heaven, as you step on to the stage and into the shoes of the multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning band that jump-started the punk-pop revival.

The graphical likenesses of the band members is great, with a perfect blend of high-energy and mellow tracks to hone your rhythm gaming skills to.

It’s a shame that some of the band’s earlier albums seem to have been slightly neglected on the track list, and the career mode doesn’t quite deliver on the historical journey in the same way as the Fab Four, but overall fans of the band will lap this up and should enjoy rocking out for weeks to unlock the dozens of collectable images and rare unreleased video content lurking beneath the game’s ultra-polished surface.

Game chart:

1. Red Dead Redemption

2. Super Mario Galaxy 2

3. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

4. Rooms: The Main Building

5. Just Dance

6. Wii Fit Plus

7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

8. The Sims 3: Ambitions

9. UFC 2010: Undisputed

10. Wii Sports Resort

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd

Is Apple's fruit an iCon?

SO the iPad has been named as one of the coolest gadgets of 2010.

Rightly so I feel. I’ve not actually held one, or even seen one in the flesh (or metallic casing), but it does look pretty sexy in every picture I’ve seen.

More to the point, a world-wide search has begun to find its missing USB port and SD card slot.

I find this issue winds me up even more than the ridiculous price bracket it has here in the UK.

NOTE: £429 for the cheapest (16GB) wifi version and £529 for the cheapest (16GB) 3G version.

Lord Jobs says the iPad bridges the gap between the iPod and a laptop.

Maybe the price yes, but not in its user-friendly sense.

I mean, a glorified mass storage device WITHOUT USB port? What is the point in that?

Of course the answer is simple. Apple want people to download movies and games etc through iTunes.

I’d rather transfer movies and games etc from my home mac onto it.

And there’s the reason. They want us to spend more money on filling it full of software.

While writing this I’m now told you can actually buy an ‘adapter’ for the iPad to allow you to connect other mass storage devices in order to transfer data.

I mean come on. The question has to be: a). is the iPad what the world has been waiting for? A technological breakthrough equivalent of what toasters did to bread?

Or b). Is the iPad a technological breakthrough designed to milk every last penny out of its buyers.

I’m not a betting man but I’d go for the latter.

I’m also sure the world will prove me wrong and each and every one of us will have at least one in our household in the future.

But for now I’m reserving judgement.

Anyway, it’s been a bit of a blinding fortnight for games releases.

Half the reason for my relative no-show on here has been down to those nice people at Rockstar for giving us Red Dead Redemption.

Here are the reviews:



Title: Red Dead Redemption

Platform: PS3

Genre: Action

Price: £49.99

Hit count: 5/5

Rockstar Games releases don’t come along that often, but when they do, they’ve almost always been worth the wait, and invariably justify every last bit of hype that surrounds them. Well, here we go again, as Red Dead Redemption comes swaggering into town, jingling its polished spurs with every step and gunning down pretty much every sandbox action adventure opposition that dares to stand up to it. A huge open-world environment set in the final years of the Wild West is the backdrop to the story of former outlaw John Martson’s adventure across the American frontier. So much to pack in to so few words, but let’s just say it’s an essential purchase – huge rolling regions of towns and outposts, cracking characterisations, a morality system based on your own gaming actions and Western-themed mini games are all in the mix. And, of course, you can ride horses. Yee-hah, just get a rootin’ tootin’ move on and buy it!




Title: Split/Second

Platform: Xbox 360

Genre: Racing

Price: £49.99

Hit count: 4/5
The Burnout series has turned lavish, explosive arcade racers into a fine art, and there’s no doubt that Split/Second is aiming squarely at a similar gaming market. The intricacies of suspension, engine tuning and other simulation options are forgone for the fabulous feeling you get from blowing up a trackside building to wipe out the two cars in front of you. Yes, your drifting around corners and jumping and slipstreaming all add up to god-like power-plays that can transform a track – and a race running order – in seconds. And that’s your key skill as you progress through 12 extreme racing episodes, unlocking more motors from the credits you earn and more lethal races for you to enter. It’s big, ballsy racing from the outset, with sharp reflexes and a power-play sense of timing required to succeed. Burnout may have blazed the trail, but Split/Second is certainly following up with a fiery flourish.



Title: Alan Wake
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action
Price: £49.99

Hit count: 4/5

Alan Wake will have been a game on the radar of action thriller fans for some time, and after what seems like an eternity (over five years), you can finally get your hands on it. Alan Wake is a famous novelist with a serious case of writer’s block, which he seeks to cure by upping sticks from New York and settling down in the village of Bright Falls. However, when night falls in his new place of residence, the shadows that have haunted the area for decades rear their head again, sending Wake on a superb psychological adventure, delivered masterfully in TV-style episodes. The pacing is impeccable, with Alan’s atmospheric narrative musings building the tension and moving the story on seamlessly. It’s darn creepy too, with numerous freaky beasts lurking in the shadows to scare your socks off. If story-driven chillers float your boat, a trip to Bright Falls will be one visit you never forget...



Title: Skate 3

Platform: PS3

Genre: Skateboarding

Price: £49.99

Hit count: 4/5
EA has taken the skate-gaming world by storm with its Skate series, riding toe-to-toe with anything that Tony Hawk can turn out, and producing what is arguably a more authentic analogue experience than its competitors. And for the third instalment we’re moving out of San Vanelona to an all new urban playground called Port Carverton. And that’s not all that’s new – a career mode brimming with devilish skate challenges awaits all newcomers, as you set about building a your own board brand. And you can get a little help from your friends here, too. Co-operative gaming allows you to tackle challenges together, get yourselves photographed in action in the same shot, and a host of teammate-based benefits. The online aspects of Skate 3 are what makes it really stand out from the crowd, but even if you’re more of a solo skater, there’s more than enough in this new city to keep you kick-flipping into the early hours.

Fiction is actually stranger than truth

AS a child of the 20th century I can’t help but believe in fiction over truth at times.
With the birth of the internet and like-minded technology, it’s easy to get hooked on a futuristic idea — no matter how silly the idea might have seemed just a few years ago.
The film Minority Report for instance is a prime example.
Remember the grab screen technology Tom Cruise uses throughout the film?Well, if you google ‘Microsoft Surface’ you’ll see that the technology is just around the corner.
Also remember that scene when Tom Cruise is chased through a cyber city and tracked down by the authorities when digital newspapers begin automatically updating with ‘breaking news’ over his escape really set my mind racing.
Well again, it isn’t too far from the truth.
While we are still a way away from an actual digital handheld newspaper, one could argue that we are already seeing substantial steps towards just that with the launch of Apple’s iPad.
While I — like many others in the UK — am still waiting to get my hands on one, I’m told that you can read books on it turning pages much the same as you would normally, watch movies on a huge screen and do just about anything else you can do on an iPhone.
Another film which has dared to predict the future? How about Star Trek?
Whenever any of the cast had a problem, they grabbed their communicators.
Those communicators could be likened to mobile phones.And we now have robots (albeit mainly in Japan) which have ‘feelings’ much like Johnny 5 in Short Circuit.
The latest film to look into the distant future is Avatar with a human ability to take on the body of another being.
While this — together with Bruce Willis’ recent film Surrogates — may well be a step too far to believe right now, who’s to say it won’t be believable in the future?


Here are the latest releases and charts:

Title: Lost Planet 2
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5

Capcom did a fantastic job with the original Lost Planet, creating an action shooter that gave gamers some of the best graphics and gameplay around alongside a world that they desperately wanted to return to.
Cue Lost Planet 2, which picks up 10 years since the events of the original, to reveal the lush tropical jungles and other new environments that have appeared since the big thaw began.
The story has also advanced beyond the original hero Wayne Holden, and you can now follow the exploits of your own customised snow pirates on your quest to seize control of the planet.
The single-player campaign offers an impressive gaming experience, which is actually bettered by a cracking co-operative offering.
However, you’ll need to look beyond some slightly frustrating control issues and seriously challenging stages to fully appreciate Capcom’s second stab at the series, but overall it’s a welcome return to EDN III.


Title: Iron Man 2
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 2/5

Robert Downey Jr is currently wowing filmgoers with his portrayal of Tony Stark, highlighting Iron Man 2 as one of the biggest Marvel successes in recent years – at the cinema, that is.
The game of the first film proved a flop, doing little to buck the trend that movie tie-ins invariably soon end up in the bargain bin, and you’d be a brave gamer to suggest that Iron Man 2 will go anywhere else this summer.
Even though you’re offered the choice of Iron Man or War Machine in this game, you’re still left with the same sluggish action smash, which is too repetitive to give you any chance to hone your combat skills.
It all feels a little dated, if not rushed, and though the big explosions and odd sojourn in the sky may bring snippets of gaming pleasure, Iron Man 2 falls way short of an Oscar-winning performance.


Title: Wings Of Prey
Platform: PC
Genre: Air combat
Price: £24.99
Hit count: 4/5

Successful air combat sims have been pretty few and far between in recent years, but Wings Of Prey takes to the skies to provide a polished selection of large-scale aerial combat and ground military operations set during World War Two.
You can take part in some of the most famous battles piloting fighters, battle planes and bombers across a range of thrilling missions set across six theatres of war, from the Battle of Britain and Stalingrad to Berlin and Sicily.
The game gives a good combination of arcade and super-tough simulation modes, and is absolutely stunning in every visual aspect, particularly the detail of the terrain that you’ll cruise over.
The action is intense, whatever mission you’re taking on. It’s a shame that the multiplayer mode doesn’t quite hit such dizzy heights: If it had, Wings Of Prey would have been loop the looping towards a five-star performance.


Title: Tap Tap Revenge 3
Platform: iPhone / iPod Touch
Genre: Music
Price: Free
Hit count: 4/5

The original Tap Tap Revenge must have been one of the first apps to grace the iPhone and iPod Touch.
The game brought a Guitar Hero style of musical gameplay to your mobile, as you tapped your finger across one of three different note lines in time with the beat to rack up a cracking score and progress through the song.
Things have moved on somewhat now in the franchise, with an online track store now accessed through the game, allowing you to tap along to your favourite tunes from the likes of Rhianna and Coldplay.
Music videos, special effects, countless achievements to unlock and a super-slick interface make this a hardcore music game for handheld rock-stars – and it’s free!
Just save your pennies for the best tracks a little later down the line...

GAME CHART: ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa
2. Super Street Fighter IV
3. Just Dance
4. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction
5. Grand Theft Auto – Episodes From Liberty City
6. Wii Fit Plus
7. Wii Sports Resort
8. Battlefield: Bad Company 2
9. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
10. God Of War Collection

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd

Third dimension viewing

SO no sooner have we all bought HD televisions, we’re now being told the ‘new’ generation of sets are now outdated.
Yep 3D TV is here, well almost.
I’m sorry but at the moment when I think of the 3D revolution, I think of being conned out of money.
I mean, Avatar in 3D. Man that was cool, and you really felt like you were part of something new and hip.But then on my second outing to the cinema to see Clash of The Titans I came away feeling ripped off.
It later transpired that 3D bits had been added to the main battle scenes afterwards because its producers were impressed with how much money Avatar grossed.I can’t help but feel that I will be as disappointed, if not more, by spending £2,000+ on a new 3D TV.
My parents have just signed up to Sky for the HD version and to be honest the picture is amazing.But I seem to be one of many who believe we should already have that sort of clarity on any TV for the money we pay in the TV licence.
To date the main broadcasters (i.e. BBC and Sky) have been heavily flirting with the idea of 3D TV channels and there has been a football match or two on the latter (which for the record wasn’t THAT impressive, with the crowd shots being more spectacular than the football itself).
And Samsung have just launched the first of its new 3D sets.
It is a step into the future.
When it fully comes online in a couple of years time, it will no doubt be worth investing in.
You will probably be able to buy a TV for about £800 then and even the cheapest set should boast some quality.But until then I remain unconvinced.
Another toy for the fat cats to play with.
Oh, and I bet in the future when you’re sat in your front room watching your 3D TV, if listen really carefully you might well here those fat cats laughing at how stupid you look in your 3D glasses.

Anyway, for the time being spend what money you aren’t saving (for a 3D TV) and buy one of these:

Title: Super Street Fighter IV
Platform: PS3
Genre: Fighting
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 5/5

Just when you thought this legendary series had done it all, the follow-up to Street Fighter IV further redefines the fighting game genre with classic 2D Street Fighter action, a host of new and returning characters, more advanced online gameplay, new ultra combos and much more.
It has instant appeal, throwing you quickly into fast and furious fighting action, while also providing the opportunity for more serious gaming scrappers to refine their fighting style, discover new ways to chain combos and improve their overall skills.
Long-term fans of the franchise will simply see this as yet another first-rate release that allows them to indulge themselves once again in what must be the finest fighter of all time.
Also, newcomers will wonder why they’ve being missing out on so much fun for so long. It’s well priced and a superb way to spend hours on your PS3, so buy it now!


Title: Football Manager 2010
Platform: iPhone
Genre: Football Management
Price: £6.99
Hit count: 4/5

Known for draining hours, days and months from many adults’ lives, the Football Manager series has always retained that ’just one more game’ appeal.
This means that deciding to install it on your PC or console has to be a carefully-considered lifestyle choice!
Pared down and polished up for the slickest on-the-go gadget around, Football Manager 2010 is a brilliant ’lite’ version of the full desktop experience, but don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s been over-simplified.
The player search database is still huge and nearly a dozen leagues are available for managers. Understandably, things such as the 3D match engine have been retrofitted with more basic top-down animations, but this never feels like a step backwards.
Some fiddly fingerwork is required in team selection, but for those with dainty digits, this will herald an extremely exciting launch for the portable gaming world.


Title: God Of War: Collection
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £24.99
Hit count: 5/5

In a way, it’s a little harsh to bring out the early two incarnations of the God Of War series so close to the monstrous impact that the third and final episode has made on PS3.
But giving people the opportunity to fully appreciate how far the series has come is one action experience that no serious gamer should turn their noses up at.
Graphically, they struggle to keep pace with the likes of Uncharted 2, but they’re still both a dream to play – eclipsing many of the early, and some recent, big next-gen releases.
The HD graphical upgrade has certainly worked its magic, making the early adventures of Kratos all the more engaging.
Each half of this incredible bundle represents a serious piece of gaming history and you’d be mad not to add them to your collection – even if you played through the PS2 versions first time around.


Title: Splinter Cell: Conviction
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action
Price: £49.99
Hit count 5/5

Sam Fisher’s previous forays into the world of stealth have been supremely successful, so it’s a pretty bold move to adapt the gameplay formula for the next episode in the series.
But Splinter Cell: Conviction proves to be a masterful progression for the series, restructuring the stealth aspects to turn Fisher from a silent shadow lurker into a ruthless hunter.
Intuitive controls allow you to improvise with the environment around you and react on the fly to any changing enemy situations.
You can create diversions, execute dozens of close-combat takedowns with adrenaline-pumping accuracy and make the most of new high-tech gadgets to stay one step ahead of your pursuers.
While the single-player story may be a little short, the additional modes provide admirable replay value and ensure that Conviction raises the bar for all action stealth titles that follow.


Title: Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £34.99
Hit count 5/5

Liberty City dropped the jaws of sandbox gamers long ago when Grand Theft Auto IV first hit the streets.
Now, this duo of expansion packs finally brings the fresh perspective on life in the city to PS3 gamers.
Whether you’re unearthing the seedy underbelly of Liberty City bursting to the seams with guns, glitz and grime through The Ballad Of Gay Tony or joining Johnny Klebitz and his biker crew in a vicious turf war with rival gangs in The Lost And The Damned, this additional content brings the overall GTA IV experience close to perfection. New missions, side missions, characters, weapons, multiplayer modes, TV, internet and radio content all add to the rich tapestry of life in this virtuoso virtual world.
A few hours with both of these episodes and you’ll realise you’d have been happy to pay double. GTA is still the daddy.

GAME CHART: ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction
2. Just Dance
3. Grand Theft Auto – Episodes From Liberty City
4. Wii Fit Plus
5. Monster Hunter Tri
6. Battlefield: Bad Company 2
7. Wii Sports Resort
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
9. Just Cause 2
10. Pokemon SoulSilver

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd

Stranger than fiction?

EVERYONE loves a good conspiracy theory right? Well this week I’ve been sticking my head into the real X-Files.
Last month the Ministry of Defence released its UFO files onto the National Archives website (http://ufos.nationalarchives.gov.uk/).
The files contain a wide range of UFO-related documents covering the years 1994 to 2000.
They offer the viewer to find out more about close encounters, strange illnesses, flying ‘Toblerones’ and unidentified objects tracked on radar.
Files range in size from 2MB to about 195MB and contain an absolute shedload of information.
Sifting through the pages is actually quite eerie as the files contain letters to and from the Government denying reports.
In one report it states: “It is clear from the reports we receive that there are many strange things to be seen in the sky.
“However, we believe that explanations could be found for most of them.”
Freaky huh?
Random seems to be the theme of this week for me as I’ve been looking at some seriously ‘left at the traffic lights’ sort of stuff.
Like for instance a little search engine site which tells you which song was number one on the day you were born.(www.everyhit.com/dates).
There’s also a strange ‘statastic’ website which tells you heaps of random facts you’ll never really need to know.
Saying that though it is quite fascinating to look at a figure – increasing every single second – relating to births in the world at that one time.
The nifty web page also has stats on how much oil is being pumped around the world at any one time, how many people have died of malaria this year (morbid I know), and the amount of forest the earth is losing every single second.
Check it out at www.poodwaddle.com/clocks2.htm.
Here are the latest game releases and games chart:

Title: God of War III
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 5/5

With so much emphasis placed on multiplayer gaming experiences online, it’s sometimes nice to settle down with a single-player only title and think: "This is just for me to enjoy."
And God of War III is about as good a gaming gift you could give yourself right now.
As its first and probably final outing on the PS3, this is an all-action mythological encounter that combines as equally engaging a storyline as the first title with the ramped-up combat prowess of the sequel.
Bundle in the PS3’s beefy graphics capability and you have one of the punchiest packages around.
Epic boss battles, clever puzzles for you to ponder on, and the kind of over-the-top gore and brutality you’d expect from this fantasy world, all add up to one gaming experience you wouldn’t want to share with anyone, even if there was an online option!


Title: Metro 2033
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Shooter
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 5/5

Bleak is not the word. Set in the shattered subway of a post-apocalyptic Moscow, Metro 2033 is another one of those stories where the fate of mankind rests in your hands.
After 20 years spent underground, with human civilization in a new Dark Age, you must now venture beyond the Metro Station-City limits, from the forgotten catacombs beneath to the desolate wastelands above, where your actions could save the world – or what’s left of it.
But what a wonderful, atmospheric world to explore, putting this shooter up there with the likes of Bioshock and Half-Life 2.
In fact, it’s probably better than Bioshock 2, simply because this is a unique world that will make your jaw drop – we’d already seen Rapture once before.
Yes, the shooter action itself could have done with another wee bit of polish, don’t let that stop you immersing yourself in yet another incredible shooter to land on the 360.


Title: Superstar V8 Racing – Next Challenge
Platform: PS3
Genre: Racing
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 3/5

Hmmmm, there’s been a glut of outstanding racing titles in recent years, and carving your way up into pole position within the genre is not easy.
And with Gran Turismo 5 on the horizon, staying there will be even harder. Here, Superstar V8 Racing – Next Challenge sets its target audience squarely at the more serious racing gamer.
If you’re expecting to pick this up and screech away with the reckless abandon of DiRT 2 or the Need For Speed series, you might be a little disappointed.
However, if you’re prepared to tweak your suspension, master the racing lines and devote the time this title requires, you’ll unearth a racer that handles supremely well and looks pretty darn good, too.
Computer opponents love to take you on with aggressive AI and the online mode is perfectly playable as well.
All in all, Next Challenge may never reach the peak of the podium, but it’s a solid challenger.


Title: How To Train Your Dragon
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5

It’s one of the hot new films doing the rounds for families right now, and when the kids return from the cinema desperate for a pet dragon of their own, pulling out this disc could prove a winning move.
Set after the film, you take the role of either lead character Hiccup or Astrid, exploring the island of Berk and preparing your dragon for battle.
A host of well-considered mini-games act as the training material for your dragon. Once trained, you send your dragon into battle tournaments, where kid-friendly combat controls do a cracking job. The level of dragon customisation is pretty impressive, too.
Also, the full cast lend their vocal talents to this 360 production – making it a really seamless continuation from the big screen, and one most little dragon lovers will be crying out for this Easter.


GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1. Just Cause 2
2. Pokemon SoulSilver
3. Battlefield: Bad Company 2
4. Pokemon HeartGold
5. Just Dance
6. Wii Fit Plus
7. God Of War III
8. Final Fantasy XIII
9. Wii Sports Resort
10. Wii Fit Plus

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd
ends

Google maps out its street plan

WONDERED why someone was outside your house recently taking pictures?
Well you don’t need to use Google’s search engine to find out why.
Google has just announced an extension to its Google Street View feature which will cover more than 95 per cent of UK roads.
From today, 360-degree pictures from Penzance to the Shetland islands will go online, encompassing nearly a quarter of a million miles of British roads.
Google’s Street View service has been available in 25 cities since last March, but the increased coverage makes an additional 210,000 miles of detailed mapping public.
Tomorrow’s launch means the UK will catch up with other European countries - such as Spain, France, and Italy – which already boast nationwide coverage.
Street View images are captured by Google’s car, fitted with a special panoramic camera on its roof.
Pedestrianised areas were shot with Google’s tricycle, including Stonehenge and the banks of Loch Ness.
Despite featuring images visible only from public roads, Street View has attracted critics who believe the detailed street-level information could be exploited by criminals.
And rightly so. While you can’t (yet...) zoom right in towards the front door of every property in the country, who’s to say it will stop now.
Google has taken some steps to preserve anonymity.Its technology automatically blurs number plates and faces and users can ask for their homes or cars to be removed.
But will everyone in the UK be checking the latest feature to check? I think not.
In the words of Fred Astaire: “There may be trouble ahead...”


Here's the latest game reviews:

Title: Alice In Wonderland
Platform: Wii
Genre: Adventure
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 4/5

A 3D big-screen outing, and Tim Burton directing one of the best-loved children’s stories of all time – it has been quite a renaissance for Alice In Wonderland in 2010.
And the video game is another welcome addition to the bundle as Lewis Carroll’s much-loved characters bring another dimension to what would otherwise be your run-of-the-mill action adventure title.
Hopping between characters such as the White Rabbit and the March Hare is as easy as pie.
Each boasts a range of magical powers, such as rewinding time and telekinesis, to help you solve various surreal puzzles in a range of ingenious and cleverly designed Wonderland levels.
Countless collectables, unlockable extra talents and, at its heart, a darn good storyline, with some familiar voices lending their acting prowess to proceedings, Alice is one amazing family adventure you won’t want to miss on Wii.


Title: Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Platform: PS3
Genre: Shooter
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5

Epic shooters don’t come any bigger than another recent release with a 2 at the end of it, so Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has got a pretty hefty challenge to make a name for itself so soon after probably the best FPS we’ve ever seen – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
And, it does a remarkably good job.
An engaging, if a little short, single-player campaign serves as the perfect entree to where the real action’s at – online.
While you may be afforded a little time to gape and coo at the truly stunning environments and vistas you’ll encounter on your single-player run-through, you’d better be on your toes when you team up.
It’s brilliant large-scale battling at its best, with vehicles coming into play, as well as the creation of mini-strike forces tasked with specific objectives that all feed into your side’s masterplan.
And, with the fully destructible environments creating all sorts of opportunities for mayhem masterminds, Bad Company 2 actually provides good, tactical company to its Modern Warfare competitor.


Title: Final Fantasy XIII
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: RPG
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5

OK, if you’re already a big Final Fantasy fan, it won’t really matter what you read in this review, you’ll have already pre-ordered it and be rubbing your hands at the prospect of hour upon hour of new Japanese role-playing action.
For everyone else, what do you need to know?
Well, in FF13, you’ll embark on an epic journey through the cityworld of Cocoon and the outerworld of Pulse, mixing fantasy weaponry and the might of magic to progress, and finally face, your destiny.
It’s all played out in classic over the top J-RPG style, with truly stunning production values – the graphics, sound and storyline all reach epic proportions, and it’s a captivating single-player experience.
Whether you’ll go back for another bash after completion is another matter, but it’s still a must-buy title for anyone with an RPG obsession.


Title: Yakuza 3
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5

Modern-day Japan once again proves to be an engrossing backdrop to the next cinematic chapter in this well-received gaming saga, which continues to offer players an authentic, gritty and often violent story to absorb themselves in.
The city you explore lives and breathes as much as any sandbox title you might have seen since GTA IV, such as the ever-changing menus at street restaurants - it’s attention to detail to the nth degree.
At its core, though, is an extremely enjoyable and adult story that once again proves that the line between cinematic experiences and gaming experiences is too fine to see anymore.
It’s easy to be distracted by one of the 100-plus side-missions, or the fantastic mini-games from Mahjong, but when you return to the main game, it’s still as impressive as ever.
This game proves that exploration and combat in a thriving, detailed environment remains a potent recipe for gaming success.


Title: The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces
Platform: Wii
Genre: Aerial combat
Price: £34.99
Hit count: 4/5

Anyone who’s a fan of the Ace Combat series should be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of getting the Wiimote and nunchuk in their hands for another dose of flight fun and frolics from the team who brought you those great air combat experiences.
Taking inspiration from five manga novels, Innocent Aces is fab, sending you out on a variety of missions to bomb targets or take part in some monumental dogfights with enemy planes.
Control-wise, the traditional method may give you a touch more finesse, but using the nunchuk is so much more realistic, if a little harder to master. Graphically, it’s a bit below par, but this shouldn’t put you off taking your place in the cockpit for Japanese anime aerial action.


Title: Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5

The Resident Evil series has rarely disappointed, so the prospect of a fifth outing on next-generation consoles unsurprisingly sparked excited twitching in the thumbs of gamers ready to engross themselves in the next biohazard threat - this time in Africa.
Here, the latest bioterrorism threat is literally transforming the people and animals of the city into mindless, maddened creatures and, joined by a new partner, Sheva Alomar, you can bring Chris some much-needed assistance, by using a revolutionary new two-player co-op mode of gameplay.
Gone are some of the creepy spine-tingling jump-out-of-your seat moments that lingered in the darkness of the early versions – they are replaced by a greater emphasis on the action.
However, there are still more than enough thrills and spills to keep the franchise going strong, and you shouldn’t miss out on this African adventure, which also includes access to eight new characters for play in the game’s Mercenary mode, as part of its gold edition bundle.

Title: Sonic Classic Collection
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Action
Price: £24.99
Hit count: 3/5

Still one of the best-loved video game characters to ever be created, it’s time to dip into Sonic’s archives in this classic collection which allows fans both old and new to speed through the much-loved zones of the four original Mega Drive adventures.
They’ve been optimised to take full advantage of the Nintendo DS system, and feature a new ’save anywhere’ capability, which means you don’t need to glue yourself to your DS for hours on end to get through certain levels.
Extras video and collectable pictures add the obligatory additional content to the cartridge, while the games themselves still play pretty well, save for a spot of screen squashing here and there to emulate SEGA Genesis visuals.
Hours of fun for new and old blue hedgehog fans alike.


GAMES CHART: ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1. Battlefield: Bad Company 2
2. Just Dance
3. Aliens Vs Predator
4. Heavy Rain
5. Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing
6. Wii Fit Plus
7. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
8. Wii Sports Resort
9. FIFA 10
10. New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd
ends

Returning to a time without consoles

Something very strange happened last night. Within seconds I was taken back to a forgotten time... a time when I went to primary school, had a silly haircut and enjoyed playing sports on the moors with other kids my age.
This was also a time when my household didn't have a games console or the like.
Last night Sony's PlayStation Network decided it didn't want to work anymore. Along with the thousands - if not millions - of gamers across the world, I was suddenly lost. I didn't know what to do.
In the last couple of years I have given up on watching TV because it's just pants (with the exception of Horizon and strangely Masterchef if only to see that bald dude keep the spoon in his mouth for an obscene amount of time), I don't really play a lot of sport and I'm not a big drinker.
I quite happily see my girlfriend, but other than that I like to immerse myself in something other-worldly.
The way I see it I spend all day every day talking and communicating, so the last thing I want to do is talk some more. This is my release and my down time.
So last night, when that joy was taken away from me like someone blowing out a candle, I struggled to cope.
All of a sudden I began to suggest alternative things to get stuck in to - like reading a book or doing the hoovering.
Jeez, my existence is questionable.
So thankfully today that technical problem has been fixed.
The bug hit at midnight on Sunday as the clock in the "fat" model of the console tried to recognise 2010 as a leap year.
Fans saw the console’s date reset to January 1 2000 and were unable to connect to the online gaming system PlayStation Network.
Sony had urged owners of the model to stop using the machine as it could result in errors in some functions or the loss of data.
The problem did not affect the newer slim PS3 model.
Patrick Seybold, spokesman for Sony, said on the PlayStation blog: "We are aware that the internal clock functionality in the PS3 units other than the slim model recognised the year 2010 as a leap year.
"Having the internal clock date change from February 29 to March 1 – both GMT - we have verified that the symptoms are now resolved and that users are able to use their PS3 normally."

In the hope that the problem doesn't resurface, why not try these latest releases?

Title: Heavy Rain
Platform: PS3
Genre: Adventure
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 5/5

If Heavy Rain is likely to teach you two things about video games, they will be: 1) Games have come an incredibly long way from the days of Space Invaders and Pac Man; and 2) We’re entering a strange territory in this world, where the boundaries between video game and movie are truly being transcended.
Heavy Rain is an outstanding, adult adventure, which puts you in control of the four protagonists on the tail of a serial murderer called the Origami Killer. Why is it so amazing?
It makes you genuinely care, for one, and graphically the facial animations of the characters are so lifelike you could be forgiven for thinking you were watching a film.
This is a stunning looking game, which serves to only ramp up the immersion further as you make your way through a story that will twist and turn according to your own decisions, and provide almost everyone who plays it with a unique experience they won’t forget for a long, long time.

Title: Sonic & SEGA All Stars Racing
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Racing
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5

There’s no doubt that Mario Kart in its various guises on successive systems has been celebrating atop the cartoon racer podium for many years now.
Now, there’s a serious challenger on 360 and PS3 to rival Nintendo’s diddy racing dominance, as you enter the frantic battle to the chequered flag with Sonic and friends, speeding around tracks set in medieval castle ramparts, lush rainforests and bustling cities, all taken from the familiar universes of Sonic and SEGA.
All the tricks, twists and turns are there, in the shape of custom-built vehicles for different characters, secret shortcuts, swift handling and specific All Star moves – such as Super Sonic, Banana Blitz and Tails Tornado – that allows a quick way for you to get back into the race!
There’s no doubt this is a worthy adversary to Mario, and certainly the best kart racer you can buy on either of these systems, but in the grand scheme of things, the plumbers remain in pole position.

Title: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Platform: Wii
Genre: Survival Horror
Price: £34.99
Hit count: 4/5

The Silent Hill series has been around for more than a decade, so now is probably a good time to go back to its roots, and at the same time, ’re-imagine’ the world that we were first introduced to all those years ago with a car crash on the outskirts of a strange town.
The first thing to note here is the superb Wii gameplay mechanics that feel as natural as they are effective.
Point the remote around the screen and you have your flashlight, independent of your character movement with the nunchuk. You can also take mobile phone calls through the speaker of your Wiimote too – it may look stupid, but it feels so right. And you’ll need these devices, as there are no weapons to help you through this eerie, adult story, which serves only to heighten the feeling of helplessness.
That’s only to the credit of the writers, who provide a nightmarish succession of psychologically disturbing scenarios that will thrill and chill in equal measure. The series, it seems, is in safe hands.

Title: Way of the Samurai 3
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action/Adventure
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5

A cracking prospect – take the role of a samurai and choose your own path, blazing a trail of honour, loyalty and respect or one of villainy, corruption and greed. In a series best known for its high level of freedom and play style, fans won’t be disappointed here, as the slick sword-fighting combat system combines superbly with the open world exploration akin to the Grand Theft Auto series.
Wrapped around all this is a storyline that will take you down many different paths, with 15 different endings, giving the decisions you make during the game even more significance. Yes, the graphics could do with a bit more polish here and there, and some of the menu navigation aspects are a little frustrating, but overall, this visit to Japan’s Sengoku period is one well worth making. An excellent adventure all round.

Title: Lips: Party Classics
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Music
Price: £24.99
Hit count: 4/5

Lips is the real deal for karaoke-style gaming on the 360, with wireless microphones allowing you to not only prove that you’re a Leona Lewis or Dizzee Rascal in the making, but also groove to the tunes without getting yourself all tangled up.
There’s no doubt you’ll get in a spin over the staggering collection of tracks on this Party Classics disc, as around 40 tunes span genres and generations to ensure there’s more than enough to cater for all music tastes.
From The Righteous Brothers to Right Said Fred, Nancy Sinatra to New Order, the whole family can get involved, as Xbox 360 controllers double up as a variety of percussion accompaniments, too, rather than you just sitting there watching the tune pass by.
It’s a nice touch that adds to the party experience and overall, this is a fab development of the Lips series.


GAMES CHART: ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE

1. Aliens Vs Predator
2. Just Dance
3. BioShock 2
4. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
5. FIFA 10
6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
7. Wii Sports Resort
8. Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games
9. Wii Fit Plus
10. Army of Two: The 40th Day

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd