Archive for March, 2008
Ridge Racer 7 is available for the PS3 from Namco at a price of $29.99. Ridge Racer is back on a non Sony platform for the second time. Arcade style, and wildly exciting gameplay is what you can expect here. There are new customization options for cars and slipstream speed boosts.
Arcade style racing has attained a great degree of popularity in the last 10 years. The same appeal is available in Ridge Racer 7. There is a fair bit of correcting you need to do to your cars direction. You need a lot of timing and some strategy to keep your car moving at a high speed.
The car designs are cool as usual. There are cars from a number of fictional characters to choose from. Each maker has different makes to choose from. You need to establish relationships with the parts maker to upgrade the cars.
The main mode is the Ridge State Grand Prix. Very good fun. Online support for up to 14 players exists. All the HD modes for the PS3 upto 1080p are supported. With sharp graphics and an amazing sense of speed, this is one racing game that is not to be missed.
March 23rd, 2008
Clive Barker’s Jericho is a release by Warner Bros for the PS3 and is available for a price of $28.62. Although the atmosphere is enthralling at times, the design is irritating and so is the gameplay. There is an incredible backdrop of a Roman gladiator battle as well as other enthralling sequences but for every such sequence there are moments of irritation. This is why some parts of the game are to be loved and others hated.
There is a sense of impending doom to this game. It is set in many era’s from WW2 to Sumeria. In every setting there is a certain blackness that envelops the environ. The design of the setting works to that purpose as well. This is a dark, eerie, gothic game that does not make you jump out of the seat, though.
There are some hokey one liners in this one. Also I did not like the ending – it left too many questions in my mind. You have a fair degree of freedom, being able to change between members of the Jericho squad. Every character has some important skills that you can use.
I found the demons annoying. With good design elements that are not well synthesized this game fails to entertain. The game is not given room to breathe. The versions on all the different consoles are practically the same. This game is both an entertainer in parts and a non entertainer.
March 22nd, 2008
MLB 08: The Show is available for the PS3 from Sony Computer Entertainment at a price of $59.99 on Amazon.com. This series has been the best sports series by Sony. The road-to-the-show mode has been redone and there is more feedback on the player progression.
You get to create your player. You can fast forward to the next appearance or go to the next play. You are kept busy. The game is quite interactive. You need to stay on your toes. It takes a quick reaction time to get to stay in the game.
The guess-the-pitch feature is tempting when you are batting. You need to press the R2 button and choose the type of pitch. The analog stick can help you guess the type of pitch.
You get to customize a pitcher as well as name him. You can then give him a try for an existing team. Each customized character will have a stamina and pitch counts. You also get to negotiate with organizations.
The game is good all round fun really. Recommended for baseball fans.
March 16th, 2008
Metal Gear Solid 4 is available for the PS3 from Konami. You get to visit a number of locales during the game. Among these locales is the Middle East and South America. The game begins when Col. Campbell contacts Solid Snake to tell him that Liquid Snake is running outer heaven. What this means is that he has overall control over private military companies worldwide.
These military companies are basically Liquids private army – you will have to battle them. You also discover that Liquids operations stem from the Middle East. Snake is given a contract on Liquid. You need to meet informants tracking Liquids movements. For this you need to go around a number of streets.
MGS4 is different from the earlier version in the shooting controls. Snake can’t fire from the hip. You can’t kill enemies on the run. However the way enemies go down – like rag dolls is a tad satisfying. There is a stress indicator as well = expressed as a percentage. The close quarters combat is enhanced in this game.
The guns you fight with include rifles, submachine guns, pistols, sniper rifles and the antitank javelin weapon. This game has a lot of extras. Recommended for action fans.
March 16th, 2008
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 is available for the Xbox 360 though Konami at a price of $49.99. This series has been stagnating for a while and unfortunately Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 brings nothing new to the table. There is a bit of the tweaking in the gameplay, some of which is for the better and some of which is for the worse.
The teamvision AI system is the biggest upgrade in the game. There is nothing revolutionary in the latest version, though it flows smoother. This game will definitely be enjoyable for people who have never touched the series, but offers little new to those who have experienced it.
The pace of this game is very fast and reminiscent of arcade games. Lag is a problem. In the single player mode, the Master League mode is the most challenging. This game is not the strongest as far as presentation is concerned. With a poor menu system and soundtrack Pro Evolution scores low here.
One of the issues with this series is the success achieved by earlier versions in the series which is difficult to match. Recommended for those who are unfamiliar with the series, but not for people who have already experienced a pro evolution soccer game.
March 15th, 2008
Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds is scheduled for release on March 18, 2008 and is available for preorder. It is a release from Sony Computer Entertainment and is priced at $59.99. The game features both single player as well as multiplayer online mode.
This game can be enjoyed by up to 8 players online. Tournament matches can be played as well. Initially you need to customize your avatar. Pressing the triangle button brings up the menu and you can then reserve a spot in upcoming tournaments. You can customize a great deal.
After you unlock a golfer in the single player game, you can choose him for the tournaments. Also choose your clubs and ball type. Everyone plays simultaneously on the golf course. So many golf balls flying around can be distracting.
Holes often go quickly with everybody playing at the same time. If you want there can be a time limit set on individual holes. This is not the most enjoyable way to play due to time outs. The quality of your shot also wins you awards or cost you penalties.
A full powered shot has the club head flashing red, while a half powered one has it flashing yellow. The social aspect of Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds is well met with the online features. Recommended for golf enthusiasts.
March 14th, 2008
Need For Speed: Prostreet is available for the PS3 through Electronic Arts at a price of $59.99. Unlike the earlier games in this series, it is not set around an underground street racer but around the legal career of Ryan Cooper. Cutscenes are used to add story. The voice acting and characters could have been much better though.
This game takes a long time to go through. You have to go past many race days each consisting of many events. The track action is perhaps not the best there is. In the initial races you will race slow pedestrian vehicles. By dominating more race days you can unlock new events. There is a bit of customization you can do with your cars. The PS3 is the best console to play this game on since you can play online as well.
This game is just an ordinary racing game with a bit of a story, some cop chases and some other additions. The online mode on the 360 and PS3 is a face saver. The amount of advertising on this game makes it completely soulless. This is one game recommended only to those who have money to burn or to those who have a need for speed that can’t be quenched by all the other great racing games out there.
March 1st, 2008