Our old friend Will Barker takes a look at the latest installment of
Namco Bandai's Tekken series, which was released in Japanese arcades
way back in 2007. Who will win the King of the Iron Fist
Tournament....
The new release by THQ gives you the choice of over 60 superstars, with
more emphasis this year placed on rising through the ranks with your
own created superstar.
Rockstar games has released its two
downloadable
episodes -
The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony on one disc. So, for
those of you who don’t have access to Xbox Live you can now play these
two episodes.
For those of you that have been waiting in
anticipation for the latest from game developers Gearbox, who brought
you the Brothers in Arms franchise, then wait no more. Introducing
Borderlands!
This one is for all you hoop fans out there
that want your fix of NBA action during the off season. NBA
2K10 is an excellent basketball simulation that has fast paced gameplay
and excellent graphics, making NBA 2K10 the best in the franchise thus
far.
From the mind of Tim Schafer comes the
ultimate
heavy metal action game starring Jack Black. Mixing action,
humor, and heavy metal, Brütal
Legend makes a statement as one of the most enjoyable and unique games
in recent years.
Soccer
fans rejoice. If
you thought, much like I did, that the folks at EA couldn’t improve
on FIFA 09, you were wrong. FIFA 10 refines an already potent game
engine, focusing on what matter most to fans.
Following on the success of its preceding
title, Guitar Hero World
Tour, Activision brings gamers Guitar Hero 5. Building on the
popularity of playing in a four-person band experience, Guitar Hero 5
opens up opportunities not just to play a new, if somewhat eclectic,
playlist, it also gives players the freedom to play lead and bass
guitar, drums, and vocals in whatever combination they want.
Scribblenauts was first shown in a playable
form
at the 2009
Electronic Entertainment Expo, and became a hit, winning several "Best
of Show" awards and for good reason. Have you ever heard of a
puzzle game that gives the player the almost unlimited ability to
conjure up any object they can think of? No I didn't think so.
Our list of reviews of these easy to
download games is growing. The games are fun and challenging to play
for all ages. If you like what the review has to say then simply
download it, play it and if you want the full version then it's
inexpensive to buy. Lots of titles and categories.
DiRT 2 features a host of contemporary
off-road events, taking players to the most diverse and challenging
real-world environments. This World Tour has players competing in
aggressive multi-car and intense solo races at extraordinary new
locations, from canyon racing and jungle trails to city stadium-based
events.
Marvel action RPG games have a long
and illustrious history that
features titles like X-Men Legends, X-Men Legends II: Rise of
Apocalypse, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and now the latest from Vicarious
Visions, Activision (PS3 and Xbox 360) - Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2.
If you have recovered from the late nights,
the
early starts and the dreadful result that was the Ashes 2009, then its
time to whack on the PS3, defeat the Poms and show Ricky and his men
how it is done.
Step into the shoes of American spy B.J.
Blazkowicz as you gun down relentless Nazi scum. B.J isn't new to the
whole Nazi killing game, some of his previous endeavors include Spear
of Destiny in 1993 and Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory in
2001.
Downloadable games are rising in popularity,
so we thought we would take a look at what all the fuss is about as we
download, play and review the latest from Gameblitz.com.
Set ten years before the film's main story
takes place, Watchmen: The End Is Nigh follows crime fighting
vigilantes Rorschach and Nite Owl as they fight their way through the
corrupt streets of New York.
On the heals of the release of Terminator
Salvation, Warner
Brothers interactive have released the video game tie in for the film.
Terminator Salvation is a third person action game that puts gamers
squarely into the fight as John Connor who must battle Skynet and save
humanity.
For a bike messenger named Cole, his day and
life
are about to be turned upside down thanks to a mysterious package he is
assigned to deliver. The package turns out to be a bomb of incredible
power which turns Cole’s home of Empire City into utter destruction and
chaos.
LEGO Battles is the latest game from
the
LEGO
franchise, previous titles such as LEGO Batman: The Videogame and LEGO
Indiana Jones where a hit. You
might be surprised at how much fun you will have.
Red Faction: Guerrilla is the third
installment of the franchise and
is a blast to play. Smashing apart buildings with your sledgehammer and
detonating large quantities of explosives is basically what it's all
about.
Mixed martial arts video game
featuring real
fighters from the
Ultimate Fighting Championship, developed by Yuke's Osaka and published
by THQ, UFC 2009 Undisputed is a true heavy hitter.
When LucasArts gave the green light to
create a Star Wars game based
in the LEGO universe, everyone thought it was pure madness. But as we
now know the LEGO Star Wars games are hugely entertaining, and Thomas
Machuca reckons this latest compilation is the best yet.
Continuing the immensely enjoyable action
and
strategy of Red Alert 3, Electronic Arts has released Red Alert 3:
Uprising for those clamoring for more. With cut scenes
featuring Ric Flair,
Malcolm Mc Dowell, Gemma Atkinson and more.
With a regenerative metabolism that renders
him almost
indestructible, augmented with an adamantium bone structure and
retractable claws, Wolverine is one bad mofo. We review the
game
based on the X-Men
Origins: Wolverine movie, and thankfully
it's very playable. And very gory!
Most games based on movies turn out
to be torrid affairs, but Wanted
is different. It's probably one of the first games to successfully
deliver cimenatic gameplay, reinforced with a strong score and decent
dialogue. There's also eye candy galore and some very cool gunplay.
The Folks at Rockstar have done it again,
this time using the
Nintendo DS as their console of choice. Bringing murder, mayhem, and a
miniature Liberty City to the small screens, you don't want to miss
this game!
We had our first glimpse at Resident Evil 5
months ago now we have
played it. Some pure zombie shooting action, with a half decent story
line and throw in some beautifully rendered cut-scenes. Capcom have a
winner on their hands.
Step through a time warp and embrace the
'80s and '90s when
wrestling's biggest names were Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant and Bret
"The Hitman" Heart. This nostalgic wrestling game has nice and easy
controls and super slick graphics which combine to deliver a
rewarding experience.
The original Dawn of War
game on the PC was one of the best Warhammer 40k games ever made, but
the sequel takes a slightly different approach. It's still a
gorgeous
real-time strategy game, but there's much more emphasis on tactics and
RPG elements this time.
Based on the same technology as the
impressive Star Wars:
Battlefront games, LotR:
Conquest brings
in a new fantasy setting that has been begging for
some accessible
button mashing gameplay. But is it all that and a bag of Lembas Bread?
Von Kallenbach investigates.
SingStar
has been a massive
hit for the Sony Playstation consoles, making Sony squillions of
dollars in revenue. Microsoft loves money too, so decided to commission
its own singing game. It's called Lips,
and we gave it to Will Barker to review. We probably shouldn't have...
There are few games that have such a
fervent following or the heritage of the Street Fighter series. Legions
of fans - many
of the Games Channel crew included - have been awaiting its release.
And now, finally, we've played it and we've rated it, so don't tarry -
read the
best review ever!
We take an early look at the updated
Nintendo DSi coming to
Australia in April, which features two digital cameras, a 32Gb SD card
slot and can "transform into a microscopic helicopter," according to
Will Barker. Someone forgot to take his medicine again....
It came out late in 2008 and has
been one of the best-selling games so far in 2009. We finally decided
to take a look at Left
4 Dead
- a zombie-slaying game of extremely violent proportions that allows
four players to participate co-operatively - and we like it. A lot.
Having worked at Web Wombat for years, Will
Barker is not easily scared. But he describes FEAR 2 as "...one
of the
scariest, most engrossing FPS games I've ever played." Combining
destructive weapons with awesome graphics and one of the best plot
lines in history, this horror title will shake the foundations of
gamedom.
Halo 3 was one of the biggest Xbox 360
videogame launches ever - but
has it met its match? Killzone 2 has just arrived on the
Playstation 3 and though it has a couple of minor
shortcomings,
it's one of the best shooters we've ever seen. Without
doubt, this is a must-have PS3 game.
One of 2008's best games, or just a cheap
Grand Theft Auto ripoff?
Jay Williams delves into the comedic criminal world of Stillwater city
in Saints Row 2, to see if this title warrants a closer look for those
gamers with GTA IV withdrawal symptoms. In some ways it's more fun, in
others it's not...
Our newest contributor, Gareth Von
Kallenbach, sinks his teeth into
Skate 2 which could be the new #1 skater in town. Putting Tony Hawk to
task, this upstart skateboarding video game from EA is ultra polished
and adds all the features you'd expect, including plenty of online
modes.
Videogaming is Australia's favourite form of
visual entertainment
according to new figures. Billions of dollars of revenue is filling the
bank vaults of developers and distributors as social and family games
like Singstar and systems like the Nintendo Wii attract casual
gamers. Will Barker reports.
It's not everyday that we review a game
that's more than a year old
(it's every other day) but Jay Williams embarked upon a strange
sojourn, upon which he uncovered an enigmatic prophecy that may change
the fabric of reality itself. Then again he has been hanging out with
Will Barker...
As Jay Williams discovered - inbetween
trying to woo the digital babes of Albion - Fable 2 is an impressively
polished game with a level of depth and attention to detail that is
rare in modern day games. Simply put, fantasy gaming doesn't get better
than this.
Like a well-trained grizzly, William Barker
can walk on his two hind
feet so we thought we'd let him review Biology Battle, the Games
Channel's first Xbox Live Community game review. He's played the game
for a few weeks and settled on a verdict for this ultra-fast shoot 'em
up.
Car fanatic Jay Williams tries out EA's
latest Need For Speed game
which is being billed as an interactive movie. He couldn't review the
Playstation 3 version as it suffers from chronic frame rate issues so
he tested the "superior" Xbox 360 version instead, calling it
'rubbish' and 'unrealistic'.
Just like Spyro the dragon, long-time
reviewer Will Barker is
trapped in a fantasty world. But as he scrawled in this review,
"...this game is a third-person action adventure with a satisfying
combat
system. It's drag-tastic." Spyro has finally grown up, and the new game
reflects this in every way.
Playstation 3 gamers finally get the chance
to play the incredibly
innovative and thought-provoking first-person shooter
BioShock,
set in an horrific underwater city. It's been more than a year since it
first appeared on the Xbox 360 and PC, but this one gets better with
age.
The Call of Duty series returns to the 1940s
during a time when the
world is at war... But after Modern Combat, are gamers going to want to
take a trip back in time? Will 4-player online co-op and
single
system split screen modes be enough to entice gamers back? Find out in
the review.
Tennis games have always been a bit
'arcadey' but this is all set to
change with Top Spin 3. As our intrepid tennis fan Will Barker
explains, "This is what the die-hards have been waiting for -
brilliant, nuanced, in-depth digital tennis that is tough as
nails". E-gads!
It only took one plane ticket, several
illegal boat journeys and a
restraining order, but Will Barker finally managed to snare an
interview with Novaleaf's CEO and chief architect Jason Swearingen, the
creator of the new Biology Battle game. If you liked Geometry Wars,
you'll love this.
Childhood memories of the Speed Racer
anime may have been butchered by the Weirdchowski brother's feature
film, but the videogame version of the flick is actually a bit of fun.
If you liked the twisting, turning track design of WipeOut and F-Zero,
this game is for you.
Illegal street racing used to be the
preserve of career criminals
and sociopaths, but the sport has just moved to Los Angeles and
everyone's invited. This 'tuner' racing game was created by Rockstar,
the same dudes who made Grand Theft Auto, but is it any good? Find out
inside.
Some people call him Batman, others know him
as the Dark Knight.
Here at the Games Channel we like to call him Bruce, but whatever you
want to call the caped crusader, know this: his adventures in LEGO-land
are pretty freakin' cool! Be smart, read the review.
It's finally here!! Resident nut job Will
Barker reviewed it, calling the title "a monumental game that will go
down in the annals of not only gaming history, but cultural history as
truly visionary and eminently interactive work of art." Yep, another
almost perfect score. Find out why in this banging review.
The third- and first-person shooter
genre is inundated with
titles that claim to be 'new' and 'innovative', but this new game
from Day 1 Studios truly is a breath of fresh air. With
terrain
and gravity deforming weapons, you can get super creative with how you
dispatch your foes.
The
Force Unleashed is one of the best Star Wars games to hit the consoles
in quite some time, but as Toby Hillard discovered the Nintendo Wii
version is a step above the rest. Using the Wii-mote to swing your
light saber, it's one of the most involving Wii games you'll play this
year.
Fresh
from his posting with Interpol in Eastern Europe, Oliver Von Trapp III
found time in his busy fake-dossier building workday to put together
the ultimate list of console multiplayer games.
You will laugh, you will cry, and possibly even shake your head in
bewilderment.
We call this one a spooker. It's part
spook-fest, part shooter, and
the sequel the impressively scary F.E.A.R game. You take on the role of
a solider in a world where an all-powerful young girl has the power to
alter the very fabric of reality. Will Barker
skipped bible
club to investigate.
Is Fallout 3 the most anticipated game of
2008? Well, that vote may
have gone to Grand Theft Auto IV, but this new non-linear shoot-em-up
RPG is looking stove hot! Set 150 years into the future, your job is do
exactly as you please thanks to the open-ended gameworld.
First there was LEGO Star Wars, then LEGO
Indiana Jones hit the
scene, and now it's time for LEGO Batman to start busting blocks. As
Will Barker explains, the new game plays better than previous titles
and is a much richer, more diverse experience. And it features
the
batboat!
Imagine playing a videogame, beating it, and
then being entered into
the
Guinness World Record archives... Now you can, and as Will Barker
discovered in this hands-on preview, the entertaining new game
will give fans of Mario Party something to cheer about
The Jackal has just posted his review of
Metal Gear Solid 4, and
already it's being touted as the PS3 Game of the Year. With more
gadgets, weapons, and moves in his arsenal, Solid
Snake's covert operations have never been so awe-inspiring nor
so jaw-dropping to look at.
The Guitar Hero franchise is a musical
juggernaut that is
steamrolling across the globe. It's popularity is massive and now
Guitar Hero has made its way to the Nintendo DS handheld, in the form
of the new "On Tour" game. Will Barker rocks out this review.
The Master Chief returns for his third and
final sojourn, but will
he succeed? Arguably the biggest videogame launch in the history of the
world, Will Barker reviews the game and says it's got
some
issues. Ouch! We've also included a full run down, description
and
even a rating of each weapon, grenade, and vehicle in the game. Take a
seat, this one's big...
When it comes to cyberpunk conspiracy
movies, Ghost in the
Shell is one of the best. So what is The Laughing
Man?
It's a 2-disc DVD set that compiles the entire 26-part TV series into a
handy-dandy two hour movie and though sometimes confusing, it's
excellent anime.
Ported to the PS3 and Xbox 360 from the well
regarded PC game, Enemy
Territory: Quake Wars can now be played with a control pad. But will
you want to do this? If you've already played the PC version, then
probably not. But for newcomers there's a lot to like here.
We previewed Street Fighter IV a few months
ago, but now new
screenshots, video and a range of new information on the most important
videogame of the decade has emerged. As well as 'focus'
attacks
and other gameplay additions, we've got the skinny on new characters
like C. Viper.
Meet Vibri, the female rabbit from one of
1999's most original
games, Vib Ribbon! In this flashback review of the Playstation One
game, James Anthony explains that one of the first ever rhythm games,
using vector line-based graphics, was simple but utterly addictive.
When the Lagoon Company's pirate shit
intercepts Rok's business
charter, his incredibly dull life takes a mind-blowing twist. As Will
Barker explains, Black
Lagoon is an intriguing anime series that's a little
absurd, but has supreme action overkill to keep fans glued to their
TVs.
When Devils cry, do the wings of a thousand
butterlies fell trees in deserted forests? We can't know for sure, but
Capcom's latest action game Devil May Cry 4 certainly felled us with
its superlative visuals and engrossing combat. Tommy Machuca
reviews one of the best PS3 games yet.
Will Barker sat down with what is being
described as the next big manga hit - Death Note
- where a student discovers a book that can kill. We're giving DVD
anime reviews a try here on the Games Channel, so feel free to write in
and tell us what you think.
It's rare for a game to come along
that makes Will Barker
cream his tweeds, especially a hand held game. But the new Zelda title
has done just that, with its innovative use of the touch screen and
addictive adventuring. "Zelda is beyond good, it's
extraordinary."
The Call of Duty franchise has been a
strong seller, and for
good reason - the games are some of the most realistic, pulse pounding
experiences you're likely to encounter on the small screen. The fourth
game in the CoD series has arrived and it's definitely the
best
yet.
If there's one thing that unites Xbox 360
and Playstation 3 gamers,
it's Stacie Orrico. But, in the grand scheme of things, Will Barker
writes that an online mode for the upcoming Resident Evil 5 game could
also change the way rival console gangs approach each other. In-game
trailer included.
Looking for some
vehicular warfare
that won't turn Little Johnny into a psychopath? Mario Kart DS is the
perfect game for young racers, but also gamers of all ages, explains
Will Barker. Join Mario, Luigi, Bowser and their demented
friends
as you speed around some of the wildest race tracks this side of pluto.
And
the icing on the cake? WIFI gaming means multiplayer mayhem anywhere,
anytime!
