30-minute games radio show
We are
told that the college radio station Trinity FM, of Trinity College
Dublin, will tomorrow broadcast a 30-minute show about computer games.
It will go out from 1.30 to 2pm (GMT), what is the last half-hour of
what is allocated to the Film Review Show on the station’s online
listings. The station is available online using Windows Media Player at
TrinityFM.com.
REVIEW Robotech Invasion
Developer: Vicious Cycle | Publisher: Global Star (T2) | Format: PS2 (Xbox)
Grunts: Craig Gallagher
Robotech: Invasion is the gaming equivalent to one of those cheap
science fiction films you see on late at night. No name actors, cheap
effects and a plot lifted directly from a better film. In short, a bit
like the film Boa Vs Python (What film? - ed).
It is based upon the anime of the same name is everything you would
expect from a Halo wannabe. In fact, the comparisons between this game
and Halo are inseparable. Wide open levels, only two guns at a time,
vehicles, and an interesting story which makes you feel like part of
much large war.
: The main difference between Robotech and Halo, are the low
production values that severely hinder Robotech. Levels are big, open
and bland with low texture levels and repetitive, generic landscapes.
While looks may not be everything, they do count. If only enemies
weren’t so bland and stupid then the lack of gloss could have been
ignored. Unfortunately, the game suffers from poor AI, and what feels
like a constant stream of the same enemies.
Robotech: Invasion may not be the best looking game available, but
it is still entertaining and worth look if you have exhausted your
console first person shooter catalogue and are looking for something
new to play.
REVIEW Tom Clancy Ghost Recon 2
Developer: Red Storm | Publisher: UbiSoft | Format: Xbox (GC, PS2, PC)
Rant: Craig Gallagher Its
has been a while since Ghost Recon, and I’ve missed it. So, we’re
happy to welcome back some old ghosts with a massive change in the
games format.
The game takes place in the future, the year 2011 to be exact. A
violent conflict has broken out in North Korea and it is felt that this
could be devastating if it spreads outside of Korea, you and your team
are sent in to sort it out.
Like in Ghost Recon and Island Thunder, you command three team
members who respond to your commands but instead of playing the game in
its normal first-person perspective, you will get an over-the-shoulder
view of the action. Yeah this is a third-person shooter with all the
classic Ghost Recon elements intact. You have the option of playing the
game in its tradition first-person view in the Options menu, but for
the most part, the third-person perspective works very well..
This is by far the best game in the series yet. It takes the best
elements of the previous game and improves upon them. This is one of
those games that is an essential part of any gamers collection.
Mobile games news roundup
First image WKN Kickboxing, images two and three Yukiko.
DMAs Developer of the Year
Recently at Nephin Games won the ‘Digital Games Developer of the Year’ award at the Digital Media Awards 2005 in Dublin
The Galway based mobile games developer created a game for the World
Kickboxing Network, ‘WKN Kickboxing’. According to Nephin the award
shows that they can deliver ‘top quality fun’, as well as a good
branding tool.
“The final results were a fair reflection of the talent and hard
work involved,” commented Tony Kelly, co-coordinator of the Irish
Chapter of the International Games Developer Association, “The
quality of WKN Kickboxing spoke for itself, and assured Nephin Games of
top prize on the night. Congrats to Alan Duggan and associates for a
job well done”.
The kickboxing game can be found on fonearcade.com, it is supported by the Nokia 3650, 3660, Nokia 6600, 7610, 6620, 6630, 6260, 7650, and the N-Gage.
First bite
Meanwhile the Dublin based mobile games developer BitRabbit
has finished its first game, ‘Yukiko’. The developer has set it
self up to put GBA quality games on Series 60 mobile phones (Nokia
7650, 6600, 6260, 6630, 7610, Ngage, Siemens SX-1, etc).
Yukiko is an arcade-like game where you control “a very cute
character” that travels the world fighting monsters, with bosses at
the end of each level. The game boosts ‘fifteen minutes of original
digital music’.
Unfortunately, at this time, the game is only singed up with a French distributor.
Multiplayer GameCon rises to 300 capacity
Staying as
a 24 hour bring-your-own-PC and Xbox multiplayer games event, ‘GameCon 6′ will
see the LAN move to the less then convenient conference centre in the City West
Hotel in south-west Co Dublin.
It will run
from Saturday 26 March at 9am to Sunday 27 March 9pm. Entry is 30 euro pre-pay online, or
by cheque or postal order, or (if there are places left) 40
euro on the door.
Future Publishing seeks further dominance
Publisher of the acclaimed magazines games TM may be bought by Future
Future has bid for Highbury House Communications, the parent company of Highbury Entertainment (Paragon) publishers of games magazines ‘games TM’, Play, P2, XBM, Cube, PowerStation Solutions, and website totalgames.net.
According to GamesIndustry.biz,
the Future bid has the approval of the Highbury’s board, but it may
take some time before the deal gets approval from shareholders.
If the deal goes through, Future will be adding to their already
overlapped portfolio of publications in the UK and Ireland market.
As it stands Future’s worldwide games publications includes in the UK
and Ireland - PC Gamer, PC Zone, Edge, Official PlayStation 2 Magazine,
Official Xbox Magazine, GamesMaster, PlayStation World, PSW 2, NGC,
Xbox World, Xbox Gamer, Cheatzone, PSM2, 101 PC Games, Cheatzone,
Jetix Magazine, gamesradar.com, edge-online.co.uk, in the US -
Official Xbox Magazine, PSM, PC Gamer, - in France - Consoles Max, Jeux
Video Magazine, Joypad, Joystick, (Official) Nintendo Magazine, PC Jeux
Games, (Official) PlayStation 2 Magazine, PSM2, (Official) Xbox
Magazine, - in Italy - Videogiochi, Giochi per Il Mio Computer,
Nintendo La Rivista Ufficiale, PSM, XBOX La Rivista Ufficiale, Games
Radar, and XBOX La Rivista Ufficiale.
Immortal Cities: Children of the Nile
Developer: Tilted Mill | Publisher: Sega Europe / Myelin Media | Format: PC
Words by Cian Ginty When
you first approach Children of the Nile it is hard to know what to make
of it. It is a strategy game, more so a city building and management
game, you plan your city, satisfy your subjects, and decide where to
explore to open trade routes and where to attack - you do not control
troops all the way into battle.
Basically, you are a royal family in ancient Egypt (no, not just one
Pharaoh, but a line of them); the Children of the Nile are your people.
So, all you have to do is get the whips out and put the slaves to work
on the new tombs? Maybe a few Pyramids?
Not quite that simple, the people who build Pyramids are skilled
workers - Overseers, Labours, and Stone Carvers. They are just a part
of the network of people who have to keep pleased, whether it is a need
for bread, medical care, or to worship the gods in modest to massive
temples. When people are not treated well they will emigrate, sometimes
leaving you without an important social group, which can paralyse
growth.
The game reeks of realism, everyone, bar some children, play a part
in the workings of the city, from man-servants who work for shopkeepers
and woman-servants who work in the noble’s estates, to workers and
their woman who buy goods in shops, to Priests who work in social
services from schools to mortuaries.
CotN uses Stainless Steel’s
impressive 3D game engine, also used in Empire Earth. Along with
allowing you to find whatever view you think is best suited to
building, it also enables you to sit back a follow people going through
their day-to-day routine in the city you have build, which is a nice,
if not a rewarding, touch.
Children of the Nile should be one for all city-building fans;
besides frustration when things go wrong, the only thing is a sense of
disconnection - possible the disconnection once felt by Pharaohs?
REVIEW Outlaw Golf 2
Published: Global Star (Take-Two) | Developed: Hypnotix | Format: PS2
Attitude, skimpy clothing, adult language - not exactly the kind of
thing you’d associate with a golf game. But then again this is no
ordinary golf game; this is golf for rebellious teenagers [and other equally
rebellious people, right? - ed].
Outlaw Golf 2 features a rag tag bunch of club wielding delinquents that
would get nowhere near the most laid-backed country club. As a result
the courses are very unorthodox, Turnpike Valley located in the middle
of New Jersey’s industrial area.
The golfing aspect of Outlaw Golf 2 is well done. There are a number
of different play options available. You can choose from quick,
exhibition or tour, as well the Outlaw Range that lets you hone your
shooting skills
The controls take a bit of getting used to. You pull back on either the
right or left analogue sticks to fill up the shot power bar, then
quickly flick it forward in as straight a motion as you can. This takes
a lot of getting used to, but once you have it down you’ll swing
through.
REVIEW Ratchet and Clank 3
Developer: Insomniac | Publisher: SCE | Format: PS2
[This one is a bit late...] Ratchet and Clank are back for another
bout of intergalactic madness. Unlike most sequels this is not a case
of diminishing returns, this is 3-D platform gaming at its best.
This time Ratchet and Clank must stop the evil Dr Nefarious from
destroying all like in the galaxy, as we know it. To do this we follow
the basic rules for platform games. Run, jump and shoot your way
through levels.
Like the previous games this follows the formula but adds in all kind
of weapons, vehicles and insane over the top weaponry. The gadgets are
as inventive and fun as before. New additions include the Tyhrranoid,
which makes enemies turn on one another and the Tyrra-guise that allows
you to assume the identity of an enemy troop.
While Ratchet and Clank may not be the best platform game out there,
its still one of the most enjoyable. All in all this is a very
satisfying 3-D romp that is amazingly addictive.
REVIEW Moment of Silence
Developer: House of Tales | Publisher: Digital Jesters | Format: PC
There have been a couple of adventure games from European developers
lately that stand head and shoulders above international developers.
Broken Sword the Sleeping Dragon (Revolution), Syberia 1 2
(Microids), and the Longest Journey (Funcom) being a few of note. The Moment of Silence is the newest game to add to that ever-slowly-growing list.
There has been so many variations on George Orwell’s 1984
that it’s hard to differentiate one from the next. While many of
these have been enjoyable, none has been as compelling as this one.
The year is 2044 and the world has an over reliance on technology. So
much so that everything is done from your personal messenger,
everything from paying bills to making calls. And all of these personal
messengers are tied into the GlobalNet. You play as Peter Wright, who
after witnessing the arrest of his next-door neighbour takes it upon
himself to find the truth behind the arrest.
Unlike some adventure games, the voice acting is very competent, and
the music is excellent. Peter looks and sounds a lot like George
Clooney, though we are positive it isn’t the real Clooney doing the
voice. Sometimes the dialogue may seem a bit obtuse, this is more than
likely due to the fact that it has been translated from the original
language.
The puzzles contained din the game are a mix between conversation and
inventory based. The conversation-based ones usually amount to little
more than going through all the dialogue options until you hit the
right one. The inventory puzzles are a lot better. You usually have to
combine some objects in an innovative and unusual manner. Sometimes it
will take a lot of thought, but in the end they always make sense.
The Moment of Silence is the best adventure game this reviewer has played in ages, definitely one for all adventure game fans.
Craig Gallagher