REVIEW: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up

Developer: Game Arts| Publisher: Ubi Soft | Format: Wii

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher Hard to believe but it’s been 25 years since the birth of the heroes in a half shell. 2009 marks the 25th anniversary of the Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles and to mark the year there has been a renewed interest in everyone’s favourite time traveling, ass kicking green men.

The turtles has a long history in the gaming world having featured in one of the best side scrolling beat em ups ever released way back in 1989. It was in 92 that they had their proudest moment with the still fantastic Turtles in Time. In 94 they made the transition to fighting games with the fun but flawed Tournament Fighters. Given that the characters lend themselves so well to fighting games it is surprising that it has taken so long for them to feature in another.

The first thing which you notice is just how similar the game is to Super Smash Bros. Brawl which may have something to do with the fact that developers Tokyo based Game Arts were also behind Smash Bros. While initial thoughts may lead you to believe that the game is a blatant rip-off you soon find yourself being drawn in by the sheer playability of the game. Now don’t get me wrong anyone who has played Smash Bros. will know exactly what to expect every step of the way.

Getting started is as easy as pie. You choose your hero in half shell, pick a stage and then beat your enemy till they can no longer stand. The easy to pick up control system is perhaps the games biggest asset. Rather than rely on the overtly complex button layout of modern fighters the game prefers to utilise a few buttons allowing you to select from a variety of controller layouts.

Back to the Smash Bros. comparison and bar a few small changes the games are pretty much identical to all but the most hardened Smash Bros. Fanatics who may notice some slight differences.
The big differences is the more traditional approach to winning a fight. Empty an opponents life gauge and you win, simple as. The other difference is that unlike Smash Bros. You can hang off walls and climb upward in doing so utilising wall based attacks,

The games biggest crime is the lack of character selection. There are 16 players on offer, 3 of which have no relation to the Turtle franchise whatsoever. Many fan favourites such as Bebop and Rock-steady are nowhere to be found. The lack of trophies is also a big drawback. With only 12 to collect there is a noticeable difference when compared to the 540 on offer in Smash Bros.

Smash Up is a lot of fun to play with some rather fine graphics and a sense of fun. While it lacks the polish and re-playability of Smash Bros. It remains a fun filled experience for any Smash Bros. fan looking for something else to fill the time between entries. Turtles fans on the other hand will come away disappointed.

VIDEO: Joe Madureira Interview

Here we have an interview with Joe Madureira Creative Director of Vigil games on their upcoming game Darksiders.

Avatar German PC Demo Released

Gamestoaster has just gotten a heads up that the official German Coke site is now offering what appears for all intents and purposes to be an exclusive demo of the upcoming Avatar game for PC The 1.6G file promise to be an early chance to play what is shaping up to be one of this years biggest games.

To download the game simply go to cokezero.de and click on the Zum Avatar-Special link. From here all it takes is a simple click on the offered link.

As of now we have no idea what language the demo is presented in but we could hazard a guess and go with German.  Gamestoaster will update as more becomes known.

NEWS: Modern Warfare 2 to Break Sales Records

Games publisher, Activision are on their way to breaking records worldwide with the release of the latest in the long running Call of Duty franchise. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is set to break the 1 million mark in it’s first week, beating previous record holder GTA4 which sold 800,000 copies in it’s first week last year.

Pre-orders for the game have been unrivaled in the history of the medium with many gamers reserving their copy up to a year ago. Many Irish stores opened at midnight to facilitate eager gamers, many of whom had been queuing since early afternoon.

The game is receiving critical acclaim from critics and is set to sell 13 million copies before year end according to industry analysts.

REVIEW: Need for Speed: Shift

Developer: Slightly Mad Studios Publisher: EA| Format: PS3

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher The Need for Speed franchise has been a great money maker for EA with each new entry selling enough copies to kick start a small countries economy. The initial games in the series were focused on the world of illegal street racing and were all the better for it. There’s something deeply satisfying from racing through city streets at break neck speeds, it’s a felling that racing around a fixed track can never match. Unfortunately for those out there who enjoy breaking the law the increasing pressure of PC groups resulted in the franchise embracing legal street racing in Pro Street and in doing so the franchise lost much of what made it so much fun. EA then followe,d this with a return to the franchises roots in what was quite a low point in Need for Speed history. With Shift EA have taken the franchise in a whole new direction, resulting in a game which is more at home alongside Forza than any previous Need for Speed title.

Shift as has been mentioned all ready is a drastic departure for the Need for Speed franchise given that is now more racing sim than arcade game. While this will no doubt result in many long term fans jumping ship given how much the ante has been upped it will also see many new fans coming over. The control system has been updated given that the more realistic nature of the game calls for greater precision and timing in order to ensure you don’t go spinning into the nearest wall at every corner. Even with the more realistic approach to handling the game has retained much of it’s arcade feel. Eliminator and Time Attack both feature in mode selection and like every racing sim these days the game has a slew of online modes.

Going in this reviewer wasn’t expecting much from the changes made to Shift but overall they really do enhance the gaming experience. Unfortunately the games biggest flaw once more reaps it’s ugly head. The lack of challenge on the single player means that completing each race is a breeze. This really does hurt the game and makes extended playing a chore. Thank goodness then for the superior multiplayer mode. Shift really should be enjoyed with a few friends or against others online. It makes for a far more challenging and fulfilling experience.

Graphically Shift is stunning, the cars look realistic and the small touches such as clouds of smokes left by cars spinning in front of you. Nor is it uncommon to see clouds of dust throw up by cars speeding around corners and it is these small touches which really separates the game front the pack. With that in mind one can’t help but feel that were the game to embrace it’s past the possibilities for realistic yet fun illegal racing would be too much to pass up.

Need for Speed: Shift takes the now classic franchise and ups the ante considerably. Granted this will alienate many of the games core audience but those who give the game a chance will discover an authentic and fun filled racing sim. While it’s no Forza it;s certainly a lot of fun.

REVIEW: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Developer: Naughty Dog| Publisher: SCEE | Format: PS3

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher There’s no point in beating around the bush so this reviewer will just come out and say it, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is one of the defining games of this generation. It successfully manage to marry the thrill of cinema with the immersive nature of video gaming. There is no other game on any console atm which comes close to matching the game for sheer thrills, chills and depth. Among Thieves is that most elusive of things a near perfect gaming experience.

Picking up a year or so after the first Among Thieves finds Drake searching for the whereabouts of the 13 ships Marco Polo lost on his journey from China to home. Over 600 passengers were lost as well as untold treasures. As is the case in most adventures the initial premise quickly grows and soon Drake is searching for the mythical lost city of Shambhala.

The games greatest asset is it’s story, which puts to shame many of the Summer Blockbusters in recent memory. Playing the game you find yourself longing to see the action on the big screen, it’s the way Indiana Jones 4 should have be done. The characters are all multi dimensional leading you to never know who to trust as well as genuine hair on neck moments when certain characters end up in life or death situations.

Some have criticised the game for its elements of repetition. Granted gun fights are similar, you kill baddies, pick up their weapons and repeat but when he action is so this much fun you really don’t care and never tire of it. There is a simple pleasure gained from any game which does what it does well and doesn’t get bogged down in trying to constantly alternate the on-screen mayhem. Among Thieves makes every gun fight fun and when it comes down to it that’s all you can ask from any title.

Graphically Among Thieves is gorgeous, it’s environments are the most realistic and awe inspiring vistas ever seen and push the PS3 to it’s limits. So beautiful are the environments that you do wish the game slowed down long enough to let you get a proper look. This reviewer has repeatedly played the last level simply to marvel at the backdrop.

Multiplayer is also introduced in this sequel and like the rest of the game it’s top notch. The cooperative mode allows 3 players to play simultaneous. Adding just another reason to replay the game, not that you need one given how fantastic single player is. Plunder mode is this reviewers personnel favourite multiplayer mode. It’s by far the most entertaining online gaming experience around.

The mark of a truly great game is how well it manages to combine all the elements into one. Among Thieves does this to perfection. Among Thieves doesn’t reinvent the adventure game, what it does is take everything that has went before and perfect it. There is no other game out there which will have other people drop what they are doing so that they can watch you play often for hours on end.