ENSLAVED: ODYSSEY TO THE WEST

Nowadays it's hard for me to review games after playing The Last Of Us because so many now just seem so lacking, no, no don't be like that! While the game has only furthered my game snobbery there are still many others out there that are remarkable fun and worth looking at. After playing through Enslaved for the third time I was reminded of my love for left field games like these; no franchises, just a really good solid one off story with great gameplay and a heap of fun. Enslaved is a very overlooked game, not took many people know of it or what it is which is a shame considering the quality. The game isn't a perfect 10 but it rates high in the graphics, audio, narrative and gameplay department. When I talked about The Last Of Us earlier this week I noted that Mark Richard Davies had a fair portion of influence over the games development and if you've played both it and Enslaved you'll notice some similarities in terms of the locales and environment. 

Enslaved takes place 150 years into the future on the ravaged planet Earth and follows the epic journey of Monkey and Trip across the countryside. It's important to note at this point that the game is a re-imagining of the ancient Chinese story 'Journey To The West' and is loosely inspired by the books events. In the future the Earth has been savagely torn apart by global war with only a few remaining human colonies and the monstrous mechanical war machines left over from the conflict. After narrowly escaping from a Slaver aircraft the two find themselves forced to work together in order to escape the war torn New York and find salvation from the Slavers in a distant community of Trip's. The overall story is simple but drives the plot well enough to make you want to find out more. The interactions between characters and cut scenes in between gameplay are excellent allowing you to develop and strong bond with the characters. At some times it can come across as a little cliche or wacky but it's a fun little adventure with great reward. 

Something that still stands out for me are the graphics, while not the greatest for a console they are exceptionally pretty. The modified Unreal Engine that the Ninja Theory team uses really does portray a beautiful mix of colours and realistic effects. For a game only two years old it stacks up very well as you would expect, while it can be a little buggy at times it isn't enough to really put you off gameplay. The plant ridden streets add a vast array of colours to what could've been a very bleak brown and grey city scape. The controls for Monkey are about as smooth as you can get with adventure platforming, there were some instances where I couldn't find where to jump to but I think that majority of the time it was to do with the camera positioning, not bad controls. Running and jumping through the environment does have that fun accelerating feel that you'd expect from games like this or Uncharted, so you'll be wanting to push through just to find out what happens next.

Combat is amazingly fun at times with it only getting more enjoyable the more you level up your abilities. Monkey has two primary weapons, his gauntlets and his staff which is capable of shooting high powered blasts or EMP's. The fluency between hand to hand combat and utilising the staff is flawless which allows you to keep the momentum flowing without slowing down. Building combo's and executing finishing moves on Mech's is exceptionally satisfying as you really feel every hit that you make. The AI is relatively clever to running head on into a crowd of enemies and engaging in combat can sometimes result in death; this is good however because it breaks up the mindless hack and slash with strategic combat. Naturally one would think that escorting Trip through the ruined locales as well as protecting yourself could be deemed quite frustrating at times but she's actually quite alright and knows when to duck and hide or provide distractions for you to slip behind enemy lines. In some instances Trip can become a little frustrating but it's all within reason and doesn't slow down the pacing at any points. 

Enslaved: Odyssey To The West is a fantastic little game that executes a very simple but compelling story, it's a great deal of fun and exceptionally beautiful to look at while you play it too! Here's a link to the trailer I hadn't seen before; it's a little corny but kind of cool at the same time. Those interesting should check it out here: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FLiDeURhL0

Genre: 3rd person Action Adventure Platformer

Platforms: PS3 & 360

Score: 9 / 10

THE LAST OF US

Is it the game of the year? Yes. Is it the best game I've ever played? Yes. Has it changed my life? Yes. The Last Of Us has revolutionised gaming and will forever go down in history as the greatest game of the PS3 library and the current generation of gaming. This is one of those games that even months after finishing I'll still be feeling the repercussions of my actions. I simply just don't know where to start, there's just so much to talk about! As many of you will know, The Last Of Us was developed by Naughty Dog Studios, the ones who bought such classics as Crash Bandicoot and the Uncharted series. Those who have played an Uncharted game will know just how capable Naughty Dog are of making a blockbuster game and this time round there's no exceptions. Back when Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception came out in 2012 I thought it was impossible to further max out the Playstation's potential but low and behold it was done again! This is a game that takes you on an epic journey both mentally, physically and emotionally and by the end of it you'll be worn out from the remarkable experience. 

The premise for a post apocalyptic world is an interesting one as there's a great deal of content to work with in terms of the present and the past. An interesting fact that I recently discovered was that Mark Richard Davies, the lead designer on Enslaved: Odyssey To The West, another take on the post apocalyptic premise, also helped the team at Naughty Dog develop The Last Of Us. Funnily enough I recently started playing Enslaved again and was curious about how much it reminded me of TLoU in terms of gameplay and art style. Tune in next week for my thoughts on Enslaved; it's a great game. The art style of the game is stunning with so many locales bursting with life and colour, it's great to see the post apocalyptic Earth overrun with plants and wild animals. It is certainly one of the most prettiest games I've ever laid my eyes on in terms of depth in the world, character animations and much more. Every area you explore from Pittsburg to Boston to Salt Lake City all feel real and really immerse you in the lives of both Joel and Ellie.

The story and characters in TLoU are the key to what makes the game to great and i'll endeavour to not spoil any major plot points at all, so here it goes! Twenty years after the 2013 sudden outbreak of the Cordyceps fungus the world is a ravaged place and the population is dwindling with the lack of food and water. The un-infected live in quarantine zones but even still it's unsafe due to the heavy military presence and the rebellious militia group the 'Fireflies'. Outside to safe zones are the infected; mutated beings who were once people but now mindless abominations that seek out prey. The story follows Joel and Ellie who are trekking across the American Wasteland in hope of find a cure to fungus and ultimately stopping the plague for good. This is where my description of the story ends as anything after would simply spoil the experience! Yes, I could keep talking but this is one of those games where every little detail, and every little conversation between characters counts and it's something that you should all experience for yourselves, you'll thank me in the long run.

The graphics themselves in TLoU are absolutely stunning! Uncharted 3 for recollection was utilising 98.6% of the PS3's capability with just under 50Gb of usage, TLoU surprisingly uses roughly the same amount of gigabytes but further maxes out the potential of the PS3 with close to 99.5% usage. I simply didn't think it was possible to further modify the in-house engine Naughty Dog was using but they did. Uncharted 2 & 3 saw a great deal of improvement over the first game with graphics and animation and TLoU they did relatively the same thing but with minor modifications to things like frame rate and rendering in order to add more content. But to be honest I can think of only one moment towards the end where the frame rate was a little slow and no moments at all where there was rendering issues. Sure characters may have been buggy once or twice but i barely even noticed it, I was so immersed in the game and what was going on that I didn't think twice about it. Now I don't believe graphics are everything to a game but my god to help in instances like this!

So we've established everything's solid, but what about the gameplay? Well that's remarkable too! The intuitive inventory management set-up and the ability to create and craft certain things really does add that extra level of complexity to the story. Couples with this and the excellent 3rd Person gameplay mechanics makes TLoU a very amazing experience. Everything for me was spot on; gameplay, story, even the music was beautifully orchestrated and added an additional layer of emotion to the journey of Joel and Ellie. It's the little things that I love the most like the character interactions between Joel and Ellie throughout the game, while small they serve to subtly drive the plot and stimulate the player with interesting plots at the same time. I just love it! Something that I'm currently working on is a Top 10 openings list for games and let me just say that TLoU rates high, very, very high! Even the ending for me was gob-smacking and I still can't get over it. Everyone with a PS3 go out and play this game now, or steal a PS3 from a friend! I'd just like to add that I will not be held responsible for any PS3's that go missing, you can blame Naughty Dog for making too good a game! Have fun and good luck!

Genre: 3rd Person Action Adventure
Platforms: PS3
Score: 10 / 10

CRY OF FEAR

Iv'e said it before and i'll say it again; I love horror as a genre! For those of you who are getting bored of my horror game reviews I'm sorry but if it makes you feel any better there's not too many left for me to talk about. No, that's a lie, sorry! Muahaha! I respect what small developers can do, especially when they bust out with an amazing game like Cry Of Fear. Initially a Half Life 1 mod, Cry Of Fear has seen some additions to the core gameplay mechanics and it's all for the best. Anyone who's played Half Life 1 or 2 for that matter should know what to expect in terms of movement systems, hit detection and all that jazz. Here is a classic example of the Gold Source Engine taken to new heights with fully remodelled environments, characters and enhanced cutscenes. Now obviously the graphics are limited to that of the mod itself so don't expect it to look like current generation games but give it chance, it's actually a very well designed and thought out game. The game itself can be downloaded I do believe or you can always purchase it off Steam for a very appropriate price. The guys at Team Psykskallar have done a stellar job and cemented their place in the modding community as a highly regarded team. The other game that the team has developed is called Afraid Of Monsters and would you guess it's a horror game and much like Cry Of Fear it's again a very well designed and fun experience. But we'll get to that game another day, for now let's get stuck into this one and what makes it tick.

When I talked about F.E.A.R. the other day I said that it's very hard for FPS games to be scary without overpowering the players arsenal or becoming too repetitive. Cry Of Fear thankfully has taken this all on board and managed to make a truly terrifying experience out of a game that could've otherwise been a flop. Eliminating repetition is hard especially in these kinds of game, luckily Cry Of Fear keeps you guessing with new enemies, puzzles and traps progressively being introduced throughout the game. The addition of boss fights was an unexpected one but made the game that extra bit more fun and intense as the fights were exceptionally tough at times. The story following the main protagonist Simon is a confusing one with you gradually piecing together the events of how you got to this twisted city. Simon must traverse the world and discover the truth about why he's there and what's really going on. I don't want to spoil too much because it is a great story and builds itself very well and should be enjoyed by you guys rather than me telling you. The locales you explore can sometimes be linear but more often than not you'll find you need to explore multiple areas and backtrack to complete objectives. The campaign itself isn't terribly long, maybe 8-12 hours depending on if you get stuck on where to go or puzzle solving. Being alone in this vast twisted city with no idea how you got there does add a serious level of tension to the atmosphere, you'll know what I mean when you play it, but it's the constant feeling of dread that defines the game and makes the experience just that little bit more eerie.

A game like this is a great example of building tension. You will encounter many jump scares throughout the game but they only serve to keep you on your toes. Much of the time the scares will just come from the fear built up in your own imagination and that's what this games all about. All elements of the game are balanced seamlessly which makes for a very immersive experience. Games like this I would like to more of! Games like Resident Evil and Doom these days don't take the whole horror genre seriously enough and are giving it a bad name. There's a considerable difference between an FPS horror game and an FPS with horror elements and a lot of games are misleading people in these regards. Especially with games like Resident Evil 6, which I'll get to one day soon, they try to be too much and ultimately end up being a very bland experience. It's great to see smaller developers out shining many big studios these days because it goes to show that it's not all about the companies name and reputation, it's about the content itself and what the gamers want. Now that was a little off topic rant but bare that in mind next time your browsing for a game to play, don't always judge a book by its cover. You guys should all give Cry Of Fear a chance as I'm sure you'll love it and if you don't at least you've seen what other developers are capable of!

Genre: FPS Survival Horror
Platforms: PC
Score: 9 / 10

F.E.A.R. (FIRST ENCOUNTER ASSAULT RECON)

I played this game ages ago around the time it came out and had forgot about it until I picked up a second hand copy recently. F.E.A.R. is an exceptionally fun and simple game that is peppered with horror elements but plays as a First Person Shooter. Now I know what many of you are thinking, how is it possible to have a FPS horror game? Doom 3 was presented with similar questions one year prior back in 2004. Surely a run and gun game just can't be scary, well it depends how it's executed. If I'm going to be brutally honest, Doom 3 and F.E.A.R. just weren't scary for me, sure the atmosphere may have been there in some instances and there were a few jump scares but you can't merit a survival horror game on jump scares alone. Plus if there's one thing I can never get my head around in horror games and most games it's mute protagonists! Doom 3 was a fun game and the incorporation of darkness added a thin veil of horror but ultimately failed and now I only play it for the fun and gunning down demons. F.E.A.R. again works with the darkness element and the paranormal idea and executes it well at times but still doesn't hit that button that I'm looking for. Touching on the mute protagonist aspect again, it frustrates me to no end when your support character is wondering what's going on and you know but can't tell them simply because of your fear of public speaking! This happens more than it should throughout the game and always seems to throw up a barrier between me and the game making me never fully immersed in the world.

Now don't get me wrong, F.E.A.R. is a fun game with some interesting ideas, the gameplay and bullet time mechanic is surprisingly awesome and never gets old. Your player has the super human ability to slow down time briefly allowing you to run and gun down your enemies with a flurry of bullets or grenades if you prefer. Since picking up the shotgun I never use any other gun in the whole game simply because it's the best weapon for bullet time kills. At times I'll shoot so many people that all the blood spray actually inhibits me from seeing what I'm doing! There's a handful of firearms ranging from pistols to machine guns but I'll always come back to old faithful. Most of the game you will spend pursuing you supernatural target Paxton Fettel who using a hive-mind like control has taken control of a small army and is wreaking havoc on the city. As a F.E.A.R. operative it's your job to find and eliminate Fettel and uncover the truth behind any sinister supernatural plots you may stumble across. The transition between the action and the horror elements is perfect, keeping you on your toes at all time because you never know what's going to be round the corner. Generally the scares include you glimpsing something disappearing or the occasional sight of Alma, the mysterious little girl who relentlessly haunts the protagonist. Unfortunately for me these horror set pieces don't come often enough and I would have liked to see more of them throughout the game.

While I commend F.E.A.R. for trying to be a FPS horror game it just doesn't execute as well as it could've been. I read a few notes from the developers who said that they were trying to subtly bring the horror element into the game without too many repetitive jump scares, which is good but they ended up going too light. Much like Doom 3, a game becomes less scary the more you play it and you become used to its mechanics and that's exactly what F.E.A.R. does. The game doesn't keep me guessing but instead makes me just move through area after area with no interest at all. Like I said earlier it's a fun game but what the developers did just isn't enough to really immerse you in the world which is unfortunate given the games potential. Having not played the second or third installment I'd be interested to see how they progressed in gameplay and if they are a little more true to the FPS horror genre. Maybe I just can't get my head around the mute protagonist aspect but it really does let the game down. The other thing that confuses me a little and is clearly summed up in the title of the game; is this assault or recon? The game honestly doesn't know it wants to be at times. There is certainly little to no recon and if push comes to shove I'm always going to choose the assault option because it's more entertaining. When a game loses me a little over half way through simply because it's getting too repetitive I think there's something wrong. The ideas and elements are great but the just need a little fine tuning and you could have a solid horror based shooter. If you're looking for a fun game that offers some interesting ideas and just to pass the time then I'd give F.E.A.R. a go!

Genre: FPS 

Platforms: PC, PS3 & 360

Score: 8.2 / 10

ZELDA 2: THE ADVENTURE OF LINK

I suppose while I've got my head in a Zelda mindset I may as well talk about Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link on the NES; the second installment to the Zelda series and the only other on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Released two years after Legend of Zelda in 1988, Zelda 2 saw the progression of Link's life into a  teenager where following the events of the first game and the destruction of Ganon he soon discovers a sinister plot to revive the Prince of Darkness. The story is a little confusing in terms on continuity but essentially Link has to revive the maiden Zelda (not the Zelda from the first game) who has been in a slumber for years, Zelda's watcher Impa entrusts Link with six gems which when placed in the palaces across Hyrule will open the way to the Great Palace and ultimately the Triforce of Courage. Link will then be able to revive the maiden from her slumber and once again bring peace to Hyrule. Something that i'll touch on again and again throughout this review in the difficulty level and just how hard this game is. Zelda 2 is relentless and will endeavour to kill you at any chance, the game is fun and rewarding but the difficulty can sometimes outweigh the experience at times and can lead to many rage moments. Honestly I still have never finished the game, I've made it up to the final boss on many occasions but have never been able to seal the deal and I've been at it for nearly twenty years! I've played a lot of hard games in my lifetime but this is right up there; it's Dark Souls challenging, maybe even harder.

This time round The Legend of Zelda is presented in the format of a sidescroller with RPG elements. Much like the first Zelda there is an over-world but unlike the first game there are no enemies to fight, instead the over-world just acts as a sort-of map which you traverse. Many people didn't enjoy this aspect as they felt it made the game a little boring at times but it's a great way to make a large world easy to explore. When you stray from the paths in the over-world map you can trigger monster encounters where you jump to the sidescrolling aspect of the game, there is no turn based combat, just monsters to fight. There are many areas of the world which you can't explore immediately, you'll have to complete palaces and find helpful equipment to aid you in your quest before being able to do so. Touching again on the RPG elements, throughout the game you obtain XP from killing monsters and completing palaces which in turn allow you to level up your health, magic or attack skills. This is an interesting element that I have only ever seen in this Zelda and feel it would be a fun addition to the newer instalments. The magic in particular is used for spells which can range from allowing you to jump really high to restoring your life and even turning into a fairy to get through those tight and tricky situations. These interesting ideas coupled with the sidescrolling style of gameplay makes for a really fun adventure and while it is a difficult journey the pay off and reward for your efforts and exploring is always high in the end.

For a sidescrolling game, Zelda 2 is heaps of fun. This is an example of the genre done right with little extras added to make it that extra bit enjoyable. You can discover sword techniques throughout Hyrule which allow you to execute downward thrusts and upward thrusts which implement smoothly into the combat and exploration. The Palaces you complete are scattered throughout Hyrule each with their own enemies and bosses. Something that's always stood out for me are the boss battles, while hard they are exceptionally fun. Sure I've raged many times at the TV but the challenge comes experience and your decisions, it's not all about cheap shots and bad controls like some games. Every boss is different with its own unique combat method and weaknesses which serve to add variety to each palace and always keep you guessing. The hardest boss of all is the final boss, which is terribly fitting for a game like this. Even before you get to the boss of the game you have to access through the mountains to the great Palace which will generally result in a death or two (and remember you only start with 3 lives). Once you navigate the labyrinth that is the Great Palace you need to fight not only the Thunderbird but then Dark Link! It's a marathon, a seriously hard but fun marathon. I love this game to death much like its predecessor but it doesn't get a full 10 just because it is just that hard, maybe I'm just not a good gamer and I strongly urge you all to give it a crack but ultimately I'm always going to choose the original Zelda. Let me know if you beat it because I'd love if it's actually possible or not!

Genre: Action Adventure
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
Score: 9.5 / 10

LEGEND OF ZELDA

You all had to know this was coming eventually, how could I not review my most cherished game of all time? The Legend of Zelda was history in the making and defined the action/adventure genre. This game has done more for video games than any other thing I can think of, it revolutionised the Nintendo Entertainment System and will never be forgotten, well as long as I'm around at least. If a game can make me want to get a tattoo then I think it's doing something right! Going back and reviewing a game like this is a little different to my current day reviews. Assessing something as simple as an 8bit NES game is quite unique, sure there's graphics, music and gameplay to judge but it's a NES game so I have to give it a bit of flexibility given the technology that was around in 1986. Needless to say The Legend of Zelda scores 10/10 for me and here's why...

Let's think back to what games were around in 1986, not many I'm sure. I wasn't around then either but I think it's pretty safe to say that in terms of games there was a very limited choice. Sure we had Atari 2600, 5200, Commodore 64 and all those other amazing consoles we all know and love but nothing revolutionised the gaming world quite like the NES did. Since the video games crash of 1983 the industry within the U.S. and across a lot of the world was in a serious slump but then Nintendo release the Famicom (also known as the NES outside of Japan) in Japan that year and changed the world forever. After the huge reception from Japan the console finally debuted in the U.S. in 1985, Europe in 1986 and lastly Australia in 1987. This in turn redeemed the video game industry post 1983 and put gaming back on the map and in our households yet again. 

So getting back to Zelda, here comes this juggernaut of game with all this content and the promise of a story and the ability to 'save' your game progress, we were all blown away by the mere thought of it all. To me at the time being very young, I didn't fully understand just quite how special it was to be able to preserve your progress through a game. Nowadays it's second nature but looking back now it was a pretty cool thing to have. So what do we know about Legend of Zelda? Well it's pretty simple! You are Link, the Hero of Time who sets out on a journey to rescue Princess Zelda from the clutches of Ganon, the Prince of Darkness. Before Ganon could acquire the Triforce of Wisdom, Zelda splits it into eight pieces which are scattered in eight dungeons across Hyrule. Link must then reclaim the Triforce, destroy Ganon and rescue the princess. 

The land of Hyrule is vast by 1986 standards with dungeons and collectibles strew across the land. Those who wish to see a full layout of the map check the link below. The game plays in an overhead style with some 3D elements implemented, such as walking behind trees and rocks etc. Within the over-world you'll encounter many monsters and foot soldiers of Ganon as well as helpful people along the way. Throughout the game you will travel to new dungeons and collect new items to help you along the way. Link can always use his sword but he can collect secondary items to use too such as bombs and arrows. While it may seem bland to some viewers now, the design of the over-world was vast with rocky mountains, forests, lakes deserts and beaches. It's amazing to see just how far the industry and the games itself has progress over the years.

The dungeons themselves is where the game truly shines, each dungeon is different with new and interesting enemies and generally bigger in size than the last. The final dungeon, for example Ganon's pictured below is huge and maze like, so remembering where to go and what you've done is a real challenge. Gameplay was smooth with the perfect balance of puzzle and combat. I remember the game being quite challenging back when I was young but given my years of gaming it's a little easier now but still presents itself as a worthy adversary. Zelda 2 though, that is one of the most challenging games ever, but we'll get to that another day! The music is something of a masterpiece and while there are only a few tracks that play throughout the entire game they really do set the seen. the dungeon music, especially Ganon's is exceptionally cool!

Something that was remarkably awesome about this game was the after you finished it for the first time you could play the second run through! Essentially the game was the same but with all the dungeons in different locations with the layout entirely new. Playing for the second time through was almost like playing an entirely new game and was a great way to add that extra bit of content in an interesting a fun way. To this date I've played through many of the Zelda games countless times but nothing quite does it like the original. I suppose being the first game I ever played, it does have that affect on me but I think many people would agree that it's a flawless piece of art. I know many of you don't have a NES or Famicom but there are always emulators to use so give it a go and have some fun, I'm certain you won't be disappointed! 

The Legend of Zelda Hyrule Map: http://ian-albert.com/games/legend_of_zelda_maps/

Genre: Action Adventure

Platforms: Nintendo Entertainment System

Score: 10 / 10

SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS

Wow! Just wow! Shadow of The Colossus is a humble game, it's not Mario, COD or Zelda but it had cemented a place very deserving in my heart. This is one of those games that I'd heard so much about but never bothered to pick up a copy simply because it just slipped me by time and time again but after stumbling across it in a video store I decided now's a better time than any to give it a crack. Needless to say I don't want to return it to the video store tomorrow! Shadow of The Colossus is a truly remarkable game and is unlike any game I've ever played, I'm classing it as action/adventure but only because it's an adventure with a great deal of action but even still I feel it almost deserves its own genre. Honestly I'm ashamed that it has taken me this long to get around to playing this game, it deserves all the praise it gets. Shadow of The Colossus is considered the spiritual successor to Team Ico's cult classic hit Ico. Team Ico is apart of SCEI (Sony Computer Entertainment International) and have cemented their place in history as a legend in game development. In recent years it has also been established that both games are indeed linked and that Shadow of The Colossus is a prequel to Ico in some respects. Considering SoTC came out in late 2005 it's amazing to see back on the PS2 it's amazing to see just how much it maximizes the consoles capability, I for one would love to see a game like this on next generation consoles! 

Now the overall game and concept is simple but it's compelled in a very thrilling manner. You play as Wander who has travelled to a distant forbidden land in order to revive the lost soul of his love, Mono. Wander seeks the Shrine of Worship and encounters the voice of Dormin, Wander requests that Mono's soul be restored but in Dormin's current state he cannot. Dormin explains that in order to restore Mono's life Wander must track down sixteen Colossi across the land destroy them. Dormin goes onto say that completing this task may come at a terrible price, however Wander still insists and sets off to topple the colossal beings. The story unfolds further as you progress but I don't want to spoil any surprises! So as you all by now have surely gathered, SoTC has one simple objective; find and destroy the sixteen Colossi that roam the lands. The gameplay and setting is considerably different to that of other action/adventure games. The over-world is a vast land similar to that of Skyrim with different environments and locales however you don't encounter any other characters or enemies other than the Colossi. Now this may seem weird but it adds impact and makes you feel truly alone in a lost forbidden land. Traversing the world can be done on foot or by your horse Argo, which makes exploration feel like a real effort. Every Colossi has their own domain which you must locate using the guiding light of your sword, given that it only provides you with a rough direction it can make for finding some of the beats quite tough and interesting.

Lastly let's talk about the centrepiece of it all, the Colossi battles! This is where the game really starts to shine with each Colossi battle being more challenging than the last. These beasts come in many forms, all relatively large and some larger than others. Essentially the combat is split into two parts; firstly you must use the light of your sword to find weakness' on the beasts body, simple enough right? You then have to use your head to work out how you're going to get into the Colossus itself, this can be as simple as jumping and grabbing onto some dangling hair, using the environments around you or provoking them to make them open to attacks. The second part of the battle is the combat whereby once you're onboard the beast then be prepared for an intense show. Climbing up these large monsters really does feel like an ordeal, working your way up their arms or legs while they try to shake you off makes for an adrenaline pumping experience. Coupled with this and your stamina bar that slowly drains you'' be well and truly on the edge of your seat. Some Colossi can fly while others are simply gigantic bipeds or quadrupeds but being arming with your trusty sword and bow you should have no trouble taking down these towering beasts. This is one of those games that you just need to play it to appreciate just how unique the experience is, every Colossus will  keep you guessing and work your brain and combat tactics. This is stunning and very pretty game and everyone should play it once in their lifetime!

Genre: Action Adventure
Platforms: PS2, PS3 HD Remake
Score: 9.5 / 10

FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS + DLC

So this review will be a little shorter than the last as New Vegas is essentially Fallout 3 but in a different landscape, the gameplay and style of action is similar with a few minor differences. New Vegas received some very mixed reviews at first back in 2010, even from me personally. It's a hard game to stomach when you have to compare it to the last, Fallout 3 was flawless in it's execution so when you sit down to play New Vegas is just feels like another DLC for Fallout 3. But remember, why fix what's not broken? Where the game falls is at the start in the initial 2-4 hours of the game; there's just no pacing and it's exceptionally slow! I've sat down and played the first two hours of New Vegas at least three times and turned it off in frustration, but finally the forth time I persevered and was very glad I did. Once you get into it, it's remarkably fun, not as fun as Fallout 3, but very fun to say the least. Ahead I'll touch briefly on some key points that make up New Vegas and why it's considered the black sheep of the franchise. 

New Vegas follows the journey of the Courier, who after being shot and left for dead finds him/herself dragged into a bloody conflict between the NCR (New California Republic) and the Legion, a deadly army of slavers lead by Caesar. Over the course of this epic quest you will need to decide which side you choose to help and whether or not it will be a free blissful New Vegas or a bleak slave ridden wasteland. There are so many possible outcomes with this game it's uncanny, this rewards multiple play throughs and different decisions as many missions produce many opportunities. Much like Fallout 3 the level of different guns and armour is amazing with the added ability now to customise your guns to an extent, my laser rifle for example now has a scope with a tri-beam splitter and added accuracy. Being able to make little changes like this makes the game just that extra bit of fun and pulls you into the survival aspect of the franchise.

Something that I found got me once I finally became involved in New Vegas was the level of difficulty throughout the game, it can be a little inconsistent. With Fallout 3 there were areas where you just didn't go until you were a higher level but at least they were clearly marked out locations. In New Vegas the enemies encountered can vary between trivial to plain outrageous. This does help to keep you guessing and eliminate repetitive combat but I felt it was more of a nuisance at times rather than challenging. The Nevada desert is a ruthless place so expect to encounter many deadly gangs and animals. The world is littered with side quests which take you all across the country side, there's considerably more content than Fallout 3. The hustling centrepiece that is New Vegas is an interesting place to visit with each casino housing it's own followers and factions. A lot of work has been put into the game, it's just unfortunate that it had to follow in 3's footsteps as it was such a large pair of shoes to fill.

Dead Money:

Now this is when New Vegas starts to get really good and hit the mark. Dead Money sets you in the distant City of the Dead, specifically the Sierra Madre Casino. After following a distress call emitting from a bomb shelter you are gassed and captured, you awake outside in an unknown land. A man named father Elijah has captured you and three others in the hope that you will work together in order to open the Sierra Madre casino's vault and recover its contents within, but it's not as simple as he says. You are constricted with a remote bomb collar where by if you disobey Elijah or tread into areas your collar frequency is scrambled, your head will explode. This makes for an intense DLC as you're always on edge, checking your surroundings and praying to god you don't die. Throughout the City of the Dead you'll encounter what Elijah calls Ghosts, hazmat clad soulless wanderers, and holograms capable of killing you exceptionally quickly. This is one of my favourite DLC's and a great way to kick off the list with a compelling story. 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyvkQk9tSAE

Honest Hearts:

There's a lot of back story to the Honest Hearts and conflict between the White Legs and the Dead Horse tribes so i'll try and avoid that and leave it for the game as it's much better to hear it from Joshua Graham himself. Essentially Joshua was Caesar's right hand man and after a bloody conflict and falling out Caesar cast him into the Grand Canyon alight but by some miracle he survived and lives on as the Burned Man. Soon the Courier discovers that Joshua was expecting Ulysses, the courier before you, to be here now to kill him by Caesar's orders but has not yet come, an interesting plot point to add to the ongoing story of the mysterious 'other' courier. Honest Hearts takes place in the Zion National Park of Utah far to the north, an untouched realm of peace and quiet, well it would be if it wasn't for the rivalling tribes. Throughout this DLC you'll encounter considerable more foes and new weapons and armour and some new survival crafts to help you in your travels. Overall this is a fun DLC with lots of new places to explore and a great addition to the New Vegas world. 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7GBJv_k5Wc

Old World Blues:

So here's a DLC that's a little bit different and touch wacky. The Courier awakes in the distant Big Mountain, a place that for many years the people of New Vegas thought was a no-man's land, but it's far from that now. The courier must scour the pre-war research centre's within Big Mountain for technology to either help you aid your kidnappers or fight against them. Soon you discover that all the mutant animals roaming the wastes such as Cazadors and Night Stalkers all originated from the Big Mountain research facilities. Unfortunately for you, or fortunately, your kidnappers decided to remove your brain, spine and heart and replace it with more efficient technology! Old World Blue is a zany DLC that pits you against some interesting creatures and robots and pretty cool environment. Big Mountain is a pretty large area which rewards lots of exploration and side quests. The Think Tank building in the centre can become your home too and your major base of operations and given the technology around you at your disposal, why wouldn't you?

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwjCTjdDyvw

The Lonesome Road:

This is the final DLC and the epic conclusion to the ongoing myth about the 'other' courier, Ulysses. The Courier will travel far to the west, to the nuclear wastes of the Divide where he/she must walk the lonesome road to its end where they must face Ulysses. The Divide is a maze like landscape torn apart by earthquakes and storms and is a treacherous place to explore. You will encounter new aggressive creatures and the Marked Men, the victims who were scorched by the nuclear wastes and conflict. Much like the last DLC's this quest last for a lengthy 5-8 hours but there's little side quests as the main emphasis is on the main quest of meeting the courier. This is my favourite DLC out of all of them as it sheds a great deal of light on your origin story and is an interesting place to explore. While it is certainly hard, the reward is great and you'll receive some awesome gear in the end, all of which I still use in my profile today and nothing else!

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljfux37VlIA

In conclusion Fallout New Vegas isn't as bad as it may seem at first, once you push through the initial few hours it's a great game with lots of content. While the style and gameplay may still be the same we have to remember that Bethesda knew it was a winning combination so why change it. But I've said it before and i'll say it again, it's just very hard to follow in Fallout 3's footsteps but i'll give New Vegas a round of applause for trying and doing the best they could. Everyone give it a try and just persevere! 

Genre: 1st / 3rd Person Action Adventure
Platforms: PC, PS3 & 360
Score: 9 / 10

FALLOUT 3 + DLC

Fallout, a name that has been etched into the pages of history much like its sibling The Elder Scrolls. There is simply too much to cover when it comes to games like this so i'll endeavour to be as short and concise as possible while also covering the basics. In addition i'll write a brief personal opinion on each of Fallout 3's DLC's so you can know what to expect. Now Fallout 3 is a little dated now considering it's running off a modified engine that powered Oblivion, but after going back and playing this again for about the fourth run-through I've established it's not about the flashy graphics, it's about the experience and atmosphere Fallout 3 offers. Bethesda did a remarkable job creating the Fallout world the way they did and for it was definitely one of those life changing games. The sheer level of just how immersive this game was for its time back in 2008 was brilliant and the DLC's only further strengthened the experience. 

So for those who don't know or can't remember here's a brief recap about the main story line and the world of Fallout 3. You are the Lone Wanderer, a lost soul who after escaping from Vault 101 pursues his/her father's footsteps in bringing life back to the vast ruins of the Capital Wasteland. These vaults were scattered across the land in preparation for the inevitable nuclear holocausts of future wars, many of its inhabitants chose to live in these vaults for generations rather than face the harsh reality of the outside world. Many of the outsiders now have become divided into two major factions, the Brotherhood of Steel, who fight for the freedom of the people and wish to save the Capital Wasteland, and the Enclave lead by President Eden who wishes to see the world purged of all these outcasts and 'imperfect' people. Only you, the Lone Wanderer, can decide that fate of the Capital Wasteland and only through your actions will the future of this bleak chapter in history be written.

The gameplay in Fallout in my personal opinion was flawless and even with the implementation of the V.A.T.S. I still found it exceptionally fun. Inventory management, gun and apparel degradation and the slue of collectibles and special weapons all added to the great atmosphere of the game and made exploration so very rewarding! There was definitely mixed opinions regarding V.A.T.S. being that it was a crutch and did slow down gameplay but the great thing is that it was all optional. For those who are unfamiliar with what V.A.T.S. is, essentially it's a mechanic in which you pause combat and can tactfully damage or kill your enemies using energy; think of it as magic (MP) that gradually restores over time much like any other RPG. The vast world had many locations to explore and secrets to find. Much like Skyrim it was one if those games where you could just walk for hours across the wastes encountering many interesting characters and animals. 

Veteran players will know that taking on Death Claws early in the game is suicide making the game just that little but more immersive as not every area is fair game. Traversing the treacherous wastes can be as simple as just walking from here to there however the city itself can only be reached via mazes of subway tunnels which while interesting at first can become a little repetitive after a while. Many Super Mutants roam the Washington ruins and make for some intense street stand offs at times. From Megaton to Rivet City to Raven Rock there's always interesting places to explore that offer either unique weapons, armour, characters and even side quests. Playing through again I still have my old favourites in terms of guns and armour, the good old Terrible Shotgun still provides me with hours of entertainment. Coupled with this and the level if perks and upgrades you can achieve it makes for a very fun adventure that all gamers should at least play once in their lifetime.

Fallout 3 E3 2008 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYZpR51XgW0

Broken Steel:

So here's a quick little review on each of the DLC's so you know what to expect. Broken Steel takes directly after the main storyline ends, providing you have the DLC installed. After the fall of the Enclave in the Capital Wasteland, should you decide to side with the Brotherhood, you will assist in one final mission to rid the world of the Enclave resistance. Ultimately you will travel to new areas outside of the current game to a mobile Enclave platform that you must infiltrate and destroy. This DLC can become a little frustrating at times as it is exceptionally easy to get over burdened by Enclave soldiers, especially on the harder settings. As the first DLC installment to the game it will raise the level cap by ten and also add extra types of weapons, characters and enemies all across the Capital Wasteland. Overall though Broken Steel is a fun five hour add on that ties up the main story line cleanly while also allowing you to see the fruits of your fathers work and what he wanted to achieve. 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-19LLwhs9E

Operation Anchorage:

Now here is where the DLC starts to get really fun and changes course from the main story. After receiving a distress call from some Brotherhood outcasts you discover that they seek the weapons within an old armoury hidden  in the Capital ruins but are unable to access the vault. In order to do so you must complete the armoury's simulation of the Battle of Anchorage against the Chinese. In the simulation you are taken to the rocky cliffs and snow covered plains of Alaska where you are introduced to new weapons, skills and enemies, the hardest being the Chinese stealth soldiers who are capable of using cloaking methods and deadly katana attacks. The DLC again lasts for about a lengthy five to six hours which is great considering the content and rewards you can reap from the armoury in the end. Overall I think this add-on is great as it shows the level of variety that can be put into the Fallout universe and is a fun little adventure to add to its existing rich history. 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOHXl3NYOOw

The Pitt:

Now here's where the DL to starts amp up and get quite difficult in terms of the choices you make and the experience required. I recommend being a higher level for The Pitt and the two DLC's to follow as it's just going to be a little less frustrating for you. Generally I play the game in the order I've listed the DLC's post main quest. So getting back to it, The Pitt is to the far north and is a new area entirely to explore. You'll receive a distress call from Wernher, a man who hails from the north and speaks of a distant city lead by ruthless slavers. You must pose as a slave and investigate the rumours that a cure has been discovered for the plague that has been surrounding the city for years. Ultimately you can decide in the end to help the slaves or the slavers and the outcome of The Pitt. It's a short DLC that can be completed in less than five hours but there is a fair chuck of exploration and new weapons and armour to find so it can easily become a lengthy experience. 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWzcjYaXjhA

Point Lookout:

Easily my most favourite DLC just because there is so much content and world to explore. At any point after installing this DLC you can head to a boat moored in the southern part of the Capital Wasteland which will take you to Point Lookout. Far to the south you will be greeted with beaches and thick intense swampland as far as the eye can see, after all Point Lookout's area is about one-fifth the size of the Capital Wasteland! There's a great deal to explore and lots of side quests, such as pursuing the trail of a long dead Chinese spy. The main quest you'' be presented with is the feud going on between two scientists Desmond, a surviving ghoul, and Calvert a brain that survives in a jar. The main story is a little wacky with some dark humour thrown in but it's fun to say the least. The main purpose I feel of Point Lookout was to add an additional area to the Fallout 3 world with rich content and a creepy dark surrounding it. I still travel back just to endlessly wander the swamps and it's still just as fun!

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nirmblvcPHc

Mothership Zeta:

Finally there is Mothership Zeta, the last DLC in the Fallout 3 universe. As you can tell by the name this game involves aliens and spaceships, sounds good in theory yes? Well Mothership Zeta is a lot of fun and I enjoyed it but what brings it down is the level of repetitiveness. After investigating a crashed alien spacecraft on Earth you are teleported to this distant ship in outer space. The objective of Mothership Zeta is to escape the spaceship and wipe out the aliens before they destroy Earth; a interesting premise in a Fallout game but still easy to wrap your head around. While there are new outfits and a slue of weapons to collect it still manages to get a little bogged down. At first it's a lively change to the rubble of the capital Wasteland but once you've seen one alien test chamber you've seen them all. Now don't judge it too much, it is heaps of fun but just go into the game with a level head and you'll be pleasantly surprised. 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iwFhq57o-M

I hope you've all enjoyed this lengthy Fallout 3 review, next I'll touch on Fallout new Vegas and why it didn't receive the praise it was hoping for, as well as all the DLC's too of course. Everyone should definitely play Fallout 3 at least once in their lifetimes as it is one of those life changing games. It's fun, addictive and there's always going to be something new to surprise you. Have fun!

Genre: 1st / 3rd Person Action Adventure
Platforms: PC, PS3 & 360
Score: 9.7 / 10

TRON EVOLUTION

Tron; a name that so many people know and love but what of Evolution and why was it so overlooked? The Tron Legacy movie in 2010 saw a lot of mixed reviews and while it grossed a massive amount of money in the opening fortnight across the world, there many people who thought the story was lacking and the overall plot was weak. Right around the time, the game Tron Evolution came out on the current generation consoles and given the hype surrounding the movie you would have thought the game would have been a great seller but unfortunately given the games quiet release and being overshadowed by the movie and Christmas blockbusters it didn't receive the praise it was expecting. Now here's what I think went wrong... 

The movie is a direct sequel to the game which is a sequel to the original Tron from 1982 and almost everybody didn't know this. Despite this the movie, I thought, still made perfect sense and story and characters were great, it was exactly what I wanted and was expecting. But after playing the game a few months after the movie's release, everything made a lot more sense. All those questions people were asking in the movie were answered for me so my appreciation for the Tron world and characters grew even greater but for those who hadn't played the game still had those lingering thoughts which brings me to this crucial point; the game should have been released at least six months prior to the movie! Gamers would have played it, told their friends and some word would have at least got around about the overall plot idea behind the coming movie.

Now for those people who haven't seen a Tron movie or know about the franchise here is what I can tell you without spoiling anything. The franchise primarily takes place in the digital world of The Grid, a world which exists within our computer systems. Obviously since the first movie The Grid has seen an update or two hence the very vibrant neon look. Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) is a User, a regular human who can traverse to and from the computer world and one of the few who knows of its existence. Prior to the second movie Flynn and the people of The Grid co-existed with a newly found race, the ISO's, however Flynn's computer created copy Clu didn't share his passion for co-existence and staged a coupe to wipe out the ISO's. All of this takes place during the game which leads directly onto the movie. Now this is a lot of information and back story so it's no wonder viewers of the second movie were a little confused. Sure it's mentioned in the film but only briefly to drive the plot and here is where I feel it dropped the ball a little. I love the Tron franchise, the whole idea of a computer world and the futuristic neon jumble of buildings is eye candy me. 

The Tron world is rich with lore a history and it's a perfect place to look to for a great intuitive game and TV show. In Evolution you played as Tron's assistant, a Monitor called Anon, it's probably wise at this point for me to point out that Tron was created by Kevin Flynn to protect The Grid when Flynn was not there. The events in which you play as Anon cover a hefty amount of backstory right up until and including the fall of the ISO's. Something new and interesting which is introduced is the virus program Abraxas, who was created by Clu to wreak havoc on the populous of The Grid and wipe out the ISO's. Abraxas was a great character in the game and had a very sinister aura about him. Throughout the game Anon would encounter recognizable characters from Tron to Clu and even Quorra, still voiced by Olivia Wilde. It was Anon's goal to purge The Grid of the virus Abraxas was spreading and destroy Clu, and if you've seen the second movie you'll know he only got half of this job done. 

The game itself plays somewhere between Uncharted style play forming and hack and slash action adventure. Utilizing your disc in combat is fluent with various upgrades adding interesting mechanics to the game. Switching between offensive and defensive combat is smooth and the level of moves you can use is plentiful so combat doesn't become too repetitive. While the game had great combat mechanics, light cycle sequences and a cool soundtrack it still went relatively overlooked by the gaming community which is unfortunate as it is a lot of fun. Now it's not the greatest game ever, there are still a few bugs and sometimes the surroundings can become a bit repetitive but it still has a special place in my heart. Considering what it was trying to do and what the game had to work with I'd say it did the best it could. So for those Tron lovers out there looking for a fun little experience that offers a great deal more story behind the Tron franchise then I reccomend giving this one a crack.

Tron Evolution teaser trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZLONRreKAI

Disney's Tron Uprising TV show still has to be the best animated show I think I've ever seen and that's saying something considering I've seen and still love a lot of cartoons. The level of character development and rich story seen in each episode is remarkable. The show itself takes place after the events of the game but before the second movie in the distant city of Argon. Following the destruction of the ISO's, Tron enlists Beck, a program who shares his vision for freedom across The Grid. Beck then dons Tron's infamous suit and sets off to free Argon of Clu's control. The series of events that follow are somewhere between awesome and epic, the show is an absolute blast! Only one season has been made so far and Disney doesn't have a second one in the works which makes me very upset as I want to watch more. I strongly urge everyone to watch it and tell Disney just how awesome it is. I hope you've all enjoyed this lengthy Tron fest and endevour to save The Grid and give the game a chance, it will definitely change your mind about the movie of you ever had any doubts. Until next time, have a great day!

Tron Uprising Disney Webite:
http://disneyxd.disney.com/tron-uprising

Genre: Action / Adventure Platformer

Platforms: PC, PS3 PSP & 360

Score: 8.9 / 10