VIDEO: Bayonetta Developers Diary

Bayonetta​ the upcoming PS3 and 360 action game from Devil May Cry and Viewtiful Joe creator Hideki Kamiya is shaping up to be one of 2010’s most impressive looking games. Set in a fictional European city, the game will follows Bayonetta, who can wield up to four handguns, perforom various magic attacks aswell as a slew of other weapons. The game has thus far recieved rave reviews in Japan with most giving the game a perfect score.1

Here we have the first developer’s diary and it has to be said that the game looks absolutly fantastic.

REVIEW: Dissidia Final Fantasy

Developer: Square Enix| Publisher: Square Enix| Format: PSP

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher The Final Fantasy series is one of the longest running and most successful gaming franchises in the mediums history. Each addition to the franchise has offered compelling story-lines, universally liked characters and a sense of adventure unequalled by any other title. With the release of Dissidia Final Fantasy Square-Enix has transported the characters to the PSP for a no holds barred brawler. The game takes a variety of heroes and villains from the various entries in the series and brings them all together for a battle royale the likes of which we have rarely seen. The storyline has the heroes of Cosmos fighting against the villainous Chaos. Each side has their own characters from one of the games. At least one character from from Final Fantasy I-XII being featured. All the big names are included with Cloud, Sephiroth, Kefka, Golbez being just a few examples. Each of the characters has been redesigned by the series long-time designer Tetsuya Nomura. From first impressions the gameplay seems to be pretty basic. You pick a character in either of the two game modes, Arcade or Story and commence on your journey. You quickly discover that there is a far more complex and evolving game here than you expected. The story mode plays ouyt through a series of Destiny Odysseys which are divided into 5 chapters each. Each hero character must attempt to collect the pieces of their crystal and in doing so gives you some more of the story. The combat system is similar to the last Star Fighter title. You fight in an small enclosed area and must defeat the enemy in a set period of time. You can can dodge, block or utilise your two basic attacks. Your first attack drains battle points wile the other drains health points. Utilising the BP attack makes your HP attacks more powerful, as such strategically planning each move is the ojnly way to win. As fun as the battles are they do have a tendency to be a little too impressive looking. The larger attacks and special moves are visually impressive but are also quite confusing given that at times it’s near impossible to make out what exactly is going on. As with all entries in the franchise the level of depth on offer is staggering. When it comes to customisation the game is the equal of any next gen RPG release in recent memory. You have the usual array of features such as levelling up, new outfits as well as the ability to purchase new content as well as challenge friends with the games ad-hoc mode. There are also a slew of unlockable characters which alone adds far more re-playability than most titles. The game ranks as one of the best looking titles on the PSP. The character design is second to none and the animatics are visually breathtaking. Shame then that the camera has a habit of getting lost in the action. At times its as if the game is too fast for the camera to follow and you will often find yourself lost. As a brawler Dissidia Final Fantasy is a solid title which manages to impress even when it’s shortcomings are taken into account. Fans will certainly lap it up while more casual gamers will be impressed by just how good it looks.

VIDEO: Ratchet and Clank: Future A Crack in Time Weapons

With just a few weeks till the launch of the newest addition to the entertaining and much loves Ratchet and Clank series, Sony has delivered the latest trailer for Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time.

Those familiar with the franchise will now doubt be rubbing their hands in glee. The prospect of more ludicrously sily weapons with which to blast enemies to bits with is enough to send the most timid of fans into a state of glee.

REVIEW: Motor Storm: Arctic Edge

Developer: Bigbig Studios| Publisher: SCEE | Format: PSP

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher It’s no surprise to find one of Sony’s most endearing and popular racing sims make it’s way onto the PSP. After the success of the first two on the PS3 the next logical step was a move onto the PSP. Arctic Edge manges to retain much of what made the console versions such a joy though graphically it does suffer due which was to be expected.

This time the events move to the Alaskan slopes where you have 12 tacks of perilous ice covered danger and obstacles to overcome. As before winning isn’t simply a case of racing around a fixed track, each circuit in Arctic Storm has multiple paths to choose from. What route you take depends on your vehicle, ATVs are best suited to racing around the slopes and through tunnels while lighter vehicles are more adept at taking the high road.

One aspect of the game which many felt the game would suffer was in the handling. After all the PSP is a far cry from the Dualshock. Thankfully Arctic Storm handles pretty nicely, the analogue nub works very well and getting to grips with the game is as easy as pie.

As with all racing sims progressing through the game and winning races unlocks new events, vehicles and parts. These upgrades can range from cosmetics with which to pimp out your vehicle to performance enhancing ones. The game features an impressive array of tournaments to play through with the challenging nature of the game growing with each new one.

Unfortunately at times the AI is a little odd. AI Drivers have a habit of doing unusual things such as driving straight into walls or best of all driving right into you. This can easily be rectified by playing with other flesh and blood players. The game supports up to 8 players so you can easily get a few friends together or play online. The online races are very well implemented and run smoothly, there’s no long loading times and no lag.

As expected Arctic Storm is nowhere near as attractive looking as it’s console brethren. This was expected due to the restricted capabilities of the PSP. The game looks quite well with the tracks all appearing detailed and luscious. The attention to detail paid to the vehicles is fantastic. They all look and sound realistic and crashing into an obstacle and flipping a few times is a joy to behold. The soundtrack is the usual mix of generic alt rock so favoured by these titles. They do their job nicely but over time they do blend into the background.

Arctic Storm is a thoroughly enjoyable racing sim which makes the best of the PSP. It’s easy to pick up and play and the re-playability of it will have your returning time after time. Essential for fans of the PS3 versions and well worth a gander from those yet to experience the franchise as well as those just looking for a good racing sim.

REVIEW: IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey

Developer: Gaijin| Publisher: 1C| Format: Xbox

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher Modern aerial combat sims are somewhat clinical and lacking what one could call a sense of danger. Tracking enemy fighters from a mile away with the help of a tracking system doesn’t always make for the most challenging of gameplay. IL-2 Sturmovik sets out to redress this and by setting the battles during WWII the developers have ensured that it’s one of the most thrilling and exhilarating combat sims around.

First impressions are always the most important when it comes to gaming and the first thing one notices about the game is just how amazing everything looks. The planes all look authentic and the scenery glistens be it from a 100 or a 1000 feet. Disappointing then that Gaijin decided to straddle the game with such an awful HUD. Granted playing these games without a HUD is somewhat impossible but the HUD on offer here is garish and manages to shatter the authentic WWII feel that the game so successfully creates.

The second thing that you notice about the game is that as thrilling as the missions are they alone cannot hold the thin excuse for a plot together. In fact when you really look at it there is nothing resembling a traditional plot, instead you have a best of WWII package. While it’s not the worst thing that could happen it does make the whole endeavour somewhat less satisfying that it could have been. There’s no emotional involvement with your character and the come the final mission there’s no real sense of achievement. That said the missions are thrilling and more often than not you will find yourself revisiting missions time after time. Taking on tanks in the deserted streets of Stalingrad is one of the most exciting moments in games this year.

As excitation as single player is every game these days worth it’s own has to have a multi-player option and IL-2 is no different. Dogfight and Team Dogfight are pretty self explanatory, you fly around taking out other players. The real star here is Airfield which is a play on capture the flag. You must land your plane on an enemy airstrip and in doing so capture it. Once you land a clock beings running and your allies must defend you and the strip. It’s fast, furious fun which really shows just how enjoyable multi-player flight sims can be. There other mode on offer is Strike in which you and your team must defend your city while at the same time attempting to level your opponents. Like Airfield it’s bloody good fun. Unfortunately for all multi-player modes your really do need all 16 players playing at once. Smaller teams means a lot of empty space and in turn an awful lot of aimless flying .

IL-2 Sturmovik is one of the most entertaining flight sims in a long time and the best example available on any console. It’s a must for fans and has enough going for it to appeal to all gamers.

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HANDS ON: MAG

Most people were shocked when it was announced that Zipper were developing a console based MMOG which supported up to 256 players. Until this announcement the concept of having so many players online at one time was completely alien to console gamers more used to 12 aside skirmishes.

Zipper are known for their highly successful and entertaining SOCOM titles which was one of the forerunners of online gaming. Their latest MAG plans to do for online console gaming what

sound did for early cinema. Most console gamers are familiar with the typical 12 on 12 battles available in titles such as Battlefield and most gamers have wished for more. MAG sets out to deliver more than any other online console game ever has.

The game supports up to 256 players at one time. Rather than a massive free for all the player are broken up into three factions, S.V.E.R., Raven and Valor. Each faction has been tailored to appeal to a certain type of gamers with the developers intention to try and appeal all gamer types including those who wouldn’t normally play FPS’s.

The 256 players are broken up as follows. Squads are made up of 8 players with 4 squads making a platoon and 4 platoons make a company. Each squad will be led by a player who has advanced through the game’s ranking system. Each faction will have one leader who directs all the platoon and squad leaders below him. This promise to make for a more organised and long term gaming experience.

From what we saw MAG is by far the best hope for MMOFPS console gaming. It’s one of the fastest and most frantic shooters around and given the number of players taking part you’re constantly on the look out. One of the games most impressive features is just how expansive the maps are. With so many players at one time you expect the map to be cramped and overcrowded but this is not the case. The scale of things is truly impressive with the effects of distant skirmishes visible on the horizon, smoke billowing toward the heavens across the map.

As expected from the number of players, completing set objectives is very much team orientated. How you play with others will determine just how much enjoyment you get from the game. Being the lone wolf will most certainly end in repeated failure.

MAG is pencilled in for an early 2010 release and after our hands on Gamestoaster are counting down the days. MAG is for all intents and purposes the game which will make or break MMOFPS on consoles and from what we’ve seen the forecast is good.

Keep an eye out for Gamestoaster’s exclusive interview with Ed Byrne the Creative Director of Zipper Interactive.

REVIEW: King of Fighters XII

Developer: SNK Playmore | Publisher: Ignition | Format: PSP

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher 2009 has been the year in which the fighting game made it’s triumphant return to our shelves. In the same year of Street Fighter 4 and Tekken 6 it makes sense that King of Fighters XII would be released. The game is a reboot of the now classic franchise and features a graphical overhaul, new characters and a few new gameplay tweaks. One of the few things the series has repeatedly done is reinvent its self while retaining the unique feel of the very first KOF. While this bodes well for fans of the franchise, those more familiar with the Tekken, SF and Capcom vs titles will find the lack of innovation and change disappointing.

One of KoF main selling points has been how it offers one on one fighting but allows you to choose a team of 3 fighters who tag in and out when one fighter is defeated. Given that the number of fighters to choose from is only 22 leads to a somewhat limited game. Previous titles have offered a far wider choice of characters, KoF XI on the PS2 had 47. This restriction on characters makes for a greatly reduced gaming experience.

This reduction can be explained by the fact that each character is hand drawn which takes several months for each given the amount of animation needed. That we even get 22 characters is something to be applauded but to neglect to feature fan favourites such as Mai and K is a bit of a joke.

As is par on course for fighting titles this generation an online mode is included. Unfortunately it’s far from the heady heights of the recent Street Fighter 4. early versions were criticised for the fact that they were damn near unplayable. The release of patches has somewhat fixed this but overall it’s a poor show. Taken with the other modes training, arcade and versus this makes for an underwhelming experience. The lack of variety really does hurt the title and while you can’t fault the arcade mode there just isn’t enough here to warrant the price tag.

Where the game does excel are the mechanics. Anyone who has followed the franchise will find that this take some work. The control system has been seriously simplified and the great thing is that once you master this new system it works amazingly well. It’s a shame then that most gamers will never invest the time it takes to accomplish this preferring to instead dust off that copy of Street Fighter 4.

The game looks fantastic. The move into the world of high definition has truly been a blessing. While sprites remain as noticeable as before they really take very little away from the game. Backgrounds look absolutely sumptuous and the attention to detail both tehre and in the characters every move is impressive. The same can not be said for the soundtrack with is a mix of the most generic music you could find. After all the time the developers dedicated to the animation its a shame that the music seems cobbled together at the last minute.

King of Fighters XII is not as bad a game as it sounds. It’s more a case or the wrong game at the wrong time. Except for the re-jigged animation there is no sense of progression in the title and with fighting titles such as Street Fighter 4 and Tekken 6 on the market KOFXI is lefft in the shadows. As much as this reviewer loves the franchise he simply can’t recommend the title over the other brawlers previously mentioned.