Well the DiRT 2 might be out and a review shall be coming in the near future, but for now I'm reviewing the first one, not old, rustic!
The Plot:It's your basic "rank up get cars and money along the way" rally game, but this is a rally game with a difference; a frickin awesome difference. It's not just rally cars your comfined to, but lots of different vehicles, Lorries, CORR buggies, TAID Pick-ups, FWD rally cars and lots more awesomeness. The general layout of the menu where you select your races ect. is brilliant, you know exactly where your up to, what you have to do next. Brilliant. 9/10
Graphics:Basic yet very effective, given the fact you're racing past everything at about 60 MPH (more if you have some cajhonies) they're basic as your never going slow enough to see anything that well. They're pretty good, I spend most of my time on the inside view and the graphics in the car are pin sharp. On the whole, and as long as your car is moving their decent 7/10
The Gameplay:The game play can be a bit sketchy however on the whole it's very nice and consise. The inside can be a bit annoying, as the driver doesn't change gear exactly in time with when you hear it. On the whole it's a pretty damn good game, the menu is very nice (as stated above) and the oponenents are pretty fun to race against in the buggie races and the pick-up and rally cross races. The modes range from what I would call easy a braething to hard as preforming open heart and eye surgery at the same time. Pretty good. 8/10
The Sound:Yeah, the engine noises are pretty nice and the skidding noises from the tyres especially on dirt is pretty good. The turbo noise is good and the general sound from oponents cars is good if not detatched a lil bit, but on the whole a very pleasing game for the ears.7/10
Overall:Overall this is a pretty decent game, the graphics, sound and generally everything is good, nothing to go ranting about, but pretty good. There is nothing in this game I can really complain about.8/10
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
NFS: Shift
Well, there have been alot of Need For Speed games so no one knows which number this is in the series (not even EA themselves!) but what we do know is that there have been lots of NFS games and they have been getting gradually better and this one isn't too hot.
The Plot: Anyone who is familliar or has even watched an NFS game being played will be understanding with the story and the real lack of one. It's your basic, level up and get money and buy a car and modify it. In comparison with other NFS games it's quite a complex story, with different rivals you face and rank up till you get to the top teir and beat the dude at the top and you become the dude at the top and get bored with the game. 4/10.
Graphics: Best thing about this game by several miles, the in-car graphics are excellent, the guy changes the gear in time with the sound of it, he even slots the stick into the right position rather than just take his hand off the wheel and bring it back a second or 2 later (DiRT I'm looking at you) best thing about this game by far and not just by NFS standards. 8/10
The Gameplay: In short the gameplay in this is game feels like 2 different games at the same time, for example, when you go round a corner and floor it half way through you car will get to the end of the corner and accelerate off, now try this looking at the outside of the car and do this, you rear tyres loose traction all together and you spin out and it's a catastrophe and everyone smashes into you and it's all nasty. Now onto my second problem, when someone hits into you or you hit a wall the whole screen goes grey and you can't see where you're going. Brilliant (NOT!) however the acceleration of cars is very realistic and you really feel it. The HUD moves around if you go over a jump or hit a wall or something, i.e. go over a jump the HUD moves up, then down. I know why they did it I just don't like it, it's really distracting from the racing. Sucks. 4.5/10
The Sound: Decent is the only word I could use to describe it, nothing great nothing awful. I can't really think of much to say, nothing mind blowing. However the engine sounds are very clear and conscise, like them alot, but the in-game music is naff. Average. 5/10
Overall: I really don't like this game at all, average at the very best. Not much of a plot to it, but fantastic graphics. Sketchy gameplay and medicore sounds. 4.5/10
The Plot: Anyone who is familliar or has even watched an NFS game being played will be understanding with the story and the real lack of one. It's your basic, level up and get money and buy a car and modify it. In comparison with other NFS games it's quite a complex story, with different rivals you face and rank up till you get to the top teir and beat the dude at the top and you become the dude at the top and get bored with the game. 4/10.
Graphics: Best thing about this game by several miles, the in-car graphics are excellent, the guy changes the gear in time with the sound of it, he even slots the stick into the right position rather than just take his hand off the wheel and bring it back a second or 2 later (DiRT I'm looking at you) best thing about this game by far and not just by NFS standards. 8/10
The Gameplay: In short the gameplay in this is game feels like 2 different games at the same time, for example, when you go round a corner and floor it half way through you car will get to the end of the corner and accelerate off, now try this looking at the outside of the car and do this, you rear tyres loose traction all together and you spin out and it's a catastrophe and everyone smashes into you and it's all nasty. Now onto my second problem, when someone hits into you or you hit a wall the whole screen goes grey and you can't see where you're going. Brilliant (NOT!) however the acceleration of cars is very realistic and you really feel it. The HUD moves around if you go over a jump or hit a wall or something, i.e. go over a jump the HUD moves up, then down. I know why they did it I just don't like it, it's really distracting from the racing. Sucks. 4.5/10
The Sound: Decent is the only word I could use to describe it, nothing great nothing awful. I can't really think of much to say, nothing mind blowing. However the engine sounds are very clear and conscise, like them alot, but the in-game music is naff. Average. 5/10
Overall: I really don't like this game at all, average at the very best. Not much of a plot to it, but fantastic graphics. Sketchy gameplay and medicore sounds. 4.5/10
Monday, 5 October 2009
CoD 4: Modern Warfare
The 6th installment in the CoD series and the best yet in my opinion, this game offers loads, and you really do sense that Infinity Ward went all out on this game. Well seeing as it's called Modern Warfare, you can probably guess what is going on, so, lets start.
The Plot: As I have already said, it's called Modern Warfare, so you can probably have a stab at guessing what it's about, that's right, it's based in the present day. The characters you play as are "Soap" Mac Tavish and Sgt. Paul Jackson, from the SAS (Special Air Service.)and USMC (United States Military Corps) respectively. As the USMC you fight the Op-For (Al Quaeda looky likeys) and as the SAS you fight a bunch of Russian Ultranationalists (nutters.) On the whole it's basic but it's ruddy fun! 7/10
Graphics: Well now, just around the corner from Modern Warfare 2 they look quite old and dated, however in 2007, they were brilliant and aren't actually that bad today, there are pleanty of games that have recently been released with worse graphics (Guitar Hero 5 and Neversoft, I'm looking at you!) On the whole, they are quite nice looking as long as you don't go examining things too closely. 6/10
The Gameplay: Well anyone who is familliar with CoD will instantly jump into this game and love it. The life span of this game isn't overly long, but the missions are unbeliveably fun, ranging from being stealthy and silently smiping from a distance or blowing tanks up with C4-brilliant.9/10
The Sound: I'm afraid this is where my enthusiasm for this game ends, very, very unbeliveablly naff. The voices and gun fire sound good, but I think the general enemy chatter is crap, and explosions aren't great. 4/10
Overall: On the whole it's an awesome game, one of the best around, this set the bar pretty high of Infinity Ward but I'm confident they will live up to all expectations for MW 2, however we digest, Modern Warfare 1- Awesome game, really fun plot, decent graphics, brilliant gameplay and medicore sound. 9.5/10
The Plot: As I have already said, it's called Modern Warfare, so you can probably have a stab at guessing what it's about, that's right, it's based in the present day. The characters you play as are "Soap" Mac Tavish and Sgt. Paul Jackson, from the SAS (Special Air Service.)and USMC (United States Military Corps) respectively. As the USMC you fight the Op-For (Al Quaeda looky likeys) and as the SAS you fight a bunch of Russian Ultranationalists (nutters.) On the whole it's basic but it's ruddy fun! 7/10
Graphics: Well now, just around the corner from Modern Warfare 2 they look quite old and dated, however in 2007, they were brilliant and aren't actually that bad today, there are pleanty of games that have recently been released with worse graphics (Guitar Hero 5 and Neversoft, I'm looking at you!) On the whole, they are quite nice looking as long as you don't go examining things too closely. 6/10
The Gameplay: Well anyone who is familliar with CoD will instantly jump into this game and love it. The life span of this game isn't overly long, but the missions are unbeliveably fun, ranging from being stealthy and silently smiping from a distance or blowing tanks up with C4-brilliant.9/10
The Sound: I'm afraid this is where my enthusiasm for this game ends, very, very unbeliveablly naff. The voices and gun fire sound good, but I think the general enemy chatter is crap, and explosions aren't great. 4/10
Overall: On the whole it's an awesome game, one of the best around, this set the bar pretty high of Infinity Ward but I'm confident they will live up to all expectations for MW 2, however we digest, Modern Warfare 1- Awesome game, really fun plot, decent graphics, brilliant gameplay and medicore sound. 9.5/10
Thursday, 27 August 2009
Tony Hawks Proving Ground Review
The most recent in a long line of games, the brain child of Tony Hawk and the production of Neversoft, they have been going since the early 90s, the only thing that has changed is the playable skaters (inc guests) and the tricks, but are these changes for better or worse?
The Plot: Anyone familiar to the "Tony Hawks" series will reconise this plot pretty much straight away, it's the same boring old "Start out as a rookie and work your way up through the ranks" story line. Enthralling. It's nothing special to be honest, it has some cool pro skaters acompanied by some sweet real-life cut-scenes it really makes up. The whole thing is very basic and has no life span what so ever and seeing as you spend 75% of your time learning new skills it's very un rewarding. A very disappointing story and short life span. 3/10
Graphics: Nothing special, they are average at best, they can be very glitchy and look very unappealing. How ever there are some very nice touches such as crisp packets in the bushes and litter on the ground but at some points it is very played out and looks a bit overdone. The cars however are the worst, they have very little detail so much so that the wheels hardly look the be going the same speed as the car. 4/10
The Gameplay: The best thing about it, the tricks are very easy to master and are very rewarding to watch back. A stroke of genius in this game is the rigger menu, you can set up or "rig" your own spots to get to places that would other wise be inacessible. It is one of the best features in this game, you can take photos of your tricks and save them, then look back at them. quite a lot of this game is very segmanted and nothing is streamlined. Very good gameplay basic simple controls ensure everyone can play this game. 7/10
The Sound: Meh. Nothing overly brilliant, the mouth moves out of time with the person your talking to and it's sometimes very quite and not always at the same volume. The back ground music, as good as the songs are, you just can hear them over the wheel noise and the noise of the deck hitting the ground when ollieing. It can be very sketchy like the graphics. Not as good as we'd hoped. 5/10
Overall: Well with a pretty boring old plot coulped with pretty boring old sound and graphics, THPG isn't great. However the game play is awesome with the innovative rigger menu it's made up for the crappy graphics and sound. A decent game, not as good as THUG and THUG 2.
A better than average 6/10
The Plot: Anyone familiar to the "Tony Hawks" series will reconise this plot pretty much straight away, it's the same boring old "Start out as a rookie and work your way up through the ranks" story line. Enthralling. It's nothing special to be honest, it has some cool pro skaters acompanied by some sweet real-life cut-scenes it really makes up. The whole thing is very basic and has no life span what so ever and seeing as you spend 75% of your time learning new skills it's very un rewarding. A very disappointing story and short life span. 3/10
Graphics: Nothing special, they are average at best, they can be very glitchy and look very unappealing. How ever there are some very nice touches such as crisp packets in the bushes and litter on the ground but at some points it is very played out and looks a bit overdone. The cars however are the worst, they have very little detail so much so that the wheels hardly look the be going the same speed as the car. 4/10
The Gameplay: The best thing about it, the tricks are very easy to master and are very rewarding to watch back. A stroke of genius in this game is the rigger menu, you can set up or "rig" your own spots to get to places that would other wise be inacessible. It is one of the best features in this game, you can take photos of your tricks and save them, then look back at them. quite a lot of this game is very segmanted and nothing is streamlined. Very good gameplay basic simple controls ensure everyone can play this game. 7/10
The Sound: Meh. Nothing overly brilliant, the mouth moves out of time with the person your talking to and it's sometimes very quite and not always at the same volume. The back ground music, as good as the songs are, you just can hear them over the wheel noise and the noise of the deck hitting the ground when ollieing. It can be very sketchy like the graphics. Not as good as we'd hoped. 5/10
Overall: Well with a pretty boring old plot coulped with pretty boring old sound and graphics, THPG isn't great. However the game play is awesome with the innovative rigger menu it's made up for the crappy graphics and sound. A decent game, not as good as THUG and THUG 2.
A better than average 6/10
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Forza Motorsport 2 Review
The second in the series of the Forza Motorsport franchise, this installment offers a far bigger range of cars yet a smaller range of tracks, both real life tracks and virtual ones.
The Plot: Well there isn't much of a plot to this game, it's mainly about buy a car, modify it, win some races, buy a better car, win some races, modify it and so on. You start out with a fairly basic car which you then go on to race against other very basic cars, you then earn CR, this allows you to add performance, handling and body and aero dynamic modifications or skip that process totally skip that phase out or you could save your CR and just get a better car. They didn't excell themselves on thinking of a better story ie racing in tournaments and cut scenes, however it is strangely rewarding. 4/10
The Graphics: Brilliant, there isn't any other word for it they are very nice and consise. The details on the car are very good, the out side bits of the tracks aren't very good, but if your in the middle of a very tight race and are fully focused on the podium, you won't notice it and if you do. LOOK AT THE TRACK. Another nice touch is when you brake hard to turn into a corner the brake discs glow bright orange because of the heat however it's slightly stupid to have it on every single car even small hatch backs. Very pleasing graphics, they are brilliant. 8/10
The Gameplay: Very good, as a driving/racing sim it is top notch. You can actually feel to surge of power from the "super" cars very realistically. The way, when you brake you have to ease it off slowly before you start turning (just like in real life, brilliant) the realism is second to none (well maybe GT5 if it's ever made) The game can be slightly annoying when your cars engine blows because the top gear isn't tall enough. Another nice touch is being able to fine tune your car, everything from ride height to tire inflation, from bump damping to the differential set up. Excellent. 7/10
The Sound: Well only really engine noise and tyre squeal are the only noises in the game while racing, and since they didn't have to over do themselves and they did rather well, when you have an uprated exhaust or are driving sports car/supercar the noise from the engine is sublime and the tyre squeal couldn't have been a huge job and they did that well as well. In short, they couldn't have done a better job. 8/10
Overall: A very good game, brilliant graphics and game play, a less than medicore plot and basic yet robust sound quality. An excellent game, wether you're a complete car fanatic or a complete novice, a new gamer or a very experienced one. A must buy.
An awesome game 9/10
The Plot: Well there isn't much of a plot to this game, it's mainly about buy a car, modify it, win some races, buy a better car, win some races, modify it and so on. You start out with a fairly basic car which you then go on to race against other very basic cars, you then earn CR, this allows you to add performance, handling and body and aero dynamic modifications or skip that process totally skip that phase out or you could save your CR and just get a better car. They didn't excell themselves on thinking of a better story ie racing in tournaments and cut scenes, however it is strangely rewarding. 4/10
The Graphics: Brilliant, there isn't any other word for it they are very nice and consise. The details on the car are very good, the out side bits of the tracks aren't very good, but if your in the middle of a very tight race and are fully focused on the podium, you won't notice it and if you do. LOOK AT THE TRACK. Another nice touch is when you brake hard to turn into a corner the brake discs glow bright orange because of the heat however it's slightly stupid to have it on every single car even small hatch backs. Very pleasing graphics, they are brilliant. 8/10
The Gameplay: Very good, as a driving/racing sim it is top notch. You can actually feel to surge of power from the "super" cars very realistically. The way, when you brake you have to ease it off slowly before you start turning (just like in real life, brilliant) the realism is second to none (well maybe GT5 if it's ever made) The game can be slightly annoying when your cars engine blows because the top gear isn't tall enough. Another nice touch is being able to fine tune your car, everything from ride height to tire inflation, from bump damping to the differential set up. Excellent. 7/10
The Sound: Well only really engine noise and tyre squeal are the only noises in the game while racing, and since they didn't have to over do themselves and they did rather well, when you have an uprated exhaust or are driving sports car/supercar the noise from the engine is sublime and the tyre squeal couldn't have been a huge job and they did that well as well. In short, they couldn't have done a better job. 8/10
Overall: A very good game, brilliant graphics and game play, a less than medicore plot and basic yet robust sound quality. An excellent game, wether you're a complete car fanatic or a complete novice, a new gamer or a very experienced one. A must buy.
An awesome game 9/10
CoD WaW Review
The most recent installment of the Call of Duty series (second most if your reeading this after Tuseday 10th November '09) the aptly dubbed World at War.
The Plot: Based during WW II you play as PVT. Dimitri Petrenko a Russian and PVT. Millar an American. The 2 soldiers you play as are fighting on 2 very different battle fields, from the streets of Berlin to the beaches on a remote Japanese Island. These offer very different ways of combat, for example in the streets you are mainly to conform to sniping and long range shooting a far cry from the Japanese fight scenes where you are mainly right up close to the enemy and are force to use melee alot more than I'd like to. 8/10
The Graphics: On the whole the graphics are pretty good, explosions and fire (from the flame thrower) is very crisp. The dark, dank German underground is very realistc and really makes you feel very immersed in the game. How ever at some points during the Japanese levels they can be a bit sketchy. 6/10
The Gameplay: Well depending on what difficulty you play on the game can either be a quick blast or a lengthy session. After you have finished the last level and completed the game completely you will be in for a rather pleasant (or unpleasant) suprise, you get launched into the CoD 5 mini game... NAZI ZOMBIES. Yes you heard correctly, zombies who are Nazis, in short you are a soldier stranded in a delapedated house (or one of 3 other maps if you choose to buy them) and are forced to fend off round after round of undead Nazi soldiers who try to kill you, and your main objective is to not die, couldn't be simpler. 9/10
The Sound: Suprisingly bad, the gun fire is very detached and dumbed down and the explosions (even though they could be 5 feet away they sound like they are several hundred feet away) are also detatched. The talk from other soldiers is rather good and brings my marks out of ten up, it's very clear and consise and you can always hear them. 4/10
Overall: Well with a rather good story line, just above medioker graphics, excellent game play and pretty crap sound, it's a suprisingly good allrounder. Definatly worth a buy (if you haven't already) I look forward to reviewing the next CoD.
A very respectable 8/10
The Plot: Based during WW II you play as PVT. Dimitri Petrenko a Russian and PVT. Millar an American. The 2 soldiers you play as are fighting on 2 very different battle fields, from the streets of Berlin to the beaches on a remote Japanese Island. These offer very different ways of combat, for example in the streets you are mainly to conform to sniping and long range shooting a far cry from the Japanese fight scenes where you are mainly right up close to the enemy and are force to use melee alot more than I'd like to. 8/10
The Graphics: On the whole the graphics are pretty good, explosions and fire (from the flame thrower) is very crisp. The dark, dank German underground is very realistc and really makes you feel very immersed in the game. How ever at some points during the Japanese levels they can be a bit sketchy. 6/10
The Gameplay: Well depending on what difficulty you play on the game can either be a quick blast or a lengthy session. After you have finished the last level and completed the game completely you will be in for a rather pleasant (or unpleasant) suprise, you get launched into the CoD 5 mini game... NAZI ZOMBIES. Yes you heard correctly, zombies who are Nazis, in short you are a soldier stranded in a delapedated house (or one of 3 other maps if you choose to buy them) and are forced to fend off round after round of undead Nazi soldiers who try to kill you, and your main objective is to not die, couldn't be simpler. 9/10
The Sound: Suprisingly bad, the gun fire is very detached and dumbed down and the explosions (even though they could be 5 feet away they sound like they are several hundred feet away) are also detatched. The talk from other soldiers is rather good and brings my marks out of ten up, it's very clear and consise and you can always hear them. 4/10
Overall: Well with a rather good story line, just above medioker graphics, excellent game play and pretty crap sound, it's a suprisingly good allrounder. Definatly worth a buy (if you haven't already) I look forward to reviewing the next CoD.
A very respectable 8/10
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