REVIEW: Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

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

Each console has it’s own selection of exclusives and have over the years been the main reason for many gamers to pick one console over another. Nintendo has Mario, the Xbox has Gears of War and the PS3 has Uncharted.For many the series has been the main reason they picked the PS3 over the others and as such there’s a lot riding on the latest entry in the series.

Once again our hero Nathan Drake finds himself in search of another lost treasure in another land of mystery. Filled with deception and more twists than you can keep track of the plot is hardly the most original or well written but it sure is gripping. Where the game does excel is in the realistic depiction of the characters and their relationship to one another. They trade jokes and banter back and forth amongst themselves in a manner which is as realistic and believable as we’ve yet seen. listening to Nathan and Sully interact and it’s easy to get lost in their world.

Drake’s Deception kicks off up in a good old fashioned bar room brawl in London where Nathan and his trusty side kick/mentor Sully find themselves at odds with the locals. This opening scene establishes a number of things, first and most noticeably being that the level of virtual in-game acting is the equal of most Hollywood films and secondly that the hand to hand combat engine has received a substantial overhaul, it’s perhaps the most impressive hand to hand combat engine in existence.

Once the game leaves the confines of the pub the combat becomes far more thrilling given just how many different ways in which you can deal with any given situation. You can engage in hand to hand combat with an assault rifle wielding villain or you can sneak up behind him and break his neck or even give him a slight nudge, sending off the top of a building. For times when a stealth kill isn’t an option you can use weapons to take them out from afar or race up and beat them to a pulp with your fists.

The most thrilling aspect of Uncharted’s combat system is the manner in which you can see the environment around you. Rather than hunker down behind some cover and take pot shots at an enemy wielding a rocket launcher you can quickly leap out of cover, climb up a wall and race across a roof top before dropping down on the rocket launcher wielding villain and taking him out. Or you could simply ignore the him and race through the environment climbing over obstacles like a hyper active monkey till you find the way out. It’s a beautifully realised system which lets the gamer deiced just how they want wish to react to any given situation.

Uncharted 3 is never going to win any awards for innovation as at hearts its a very traditional game and goes out of its way to make its self accessible to casual gamers. That said it is one of the most refreshing and fun to play titles in a long time and feels for want of a better word ground breaking. There’s nothing that hasn’t been seen before but the game does it in such a fashion that everything feels as if its the first time we’ve seen it.

Graphically the game is without equal. It is quite simply put the most beautiful looking game ever made. Featuring vibrant environments which live and breath, cities which feel real and a sense of realism that is leagues ahead of most titles. It’s easy to get lost, not int game but rather in just how realistic it all looks. The voice acting and performances are equally as impressive. And lets not forget the score which is one of the most thrilling and rousing to ever grace a game.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is beyond a shadow of a doubt this years most impressive titles. It’s a thrilling, globe trotting odyssey which is the equal of any major Hollywood production. To put it simply, Drake’s Deception is gaming perfection without equal.

REVIEW: Mercury HG

Developer:  Ignition Entertainment |Publisher: Eiconic Games | Format: 360

It’s hard to believe that one of the most memorable titles in the long history of the PSP involved the player controlling a blob of mercury which they navigated through various levels. It sounds absolutely ridiculous that such a concept could result in one of the most compelling puzzle titles ever released. The franchise didn’t end on the PSP and in the years since its debut it has appeared everywhere from the PS2 to the Wii and now with Mercury HG it lands on the Xbox.

As expected Mercury HG involves the navigation of a mercury blob through a series of puzzles but rather than moving the blob you are in control of the terrain upon which it rests. Using the analogue sticks you can tilt the stage upon which the blob exists and send it to where you need it. It all sounds rather simple but like all things in life it’s not quite as easy as it seems. Tilt too far and you can send the blob into the dark abyss from which it can never return, well that is id you ignore the fact that you can easily restart the level.

Starting out simple enough the game grows more and more difficult as you progress. Different terrain affects how you control your blob and on many levels you find yourself using a variety of devices to alter the colour of your blob or to split it. It all sounds rather easy but with each level offering 4 goals Mercury HG is one of the more packed download titles around.

With each level offering 4 goals its easy to imagine that the game could quickly become frustrating but thankfully this isn’t the case. The four goals to fully complete each level are, reach the exit point, complete the level with 100% mercury, collect all the pick-ups and finish a level within a set time limit. Successfully completing each task will reward you with an atom, these are needed to open up later levels. Gaining all four atoms is quite easy early on but as things progress don’t be surprised to find yourself completing the level once before opting to move on to the next returning later on to finish the remaining goals as players find themselves frustrated (in the good way) by the challenge on offer.

It’s always nice to find at tile which has no shortcomings to speak of and Mercury HG is one of those. It’s challenging, well designed, will have you return time after time and best of all it’s cheap. For not much more than the change down the back of the sofa gamers can get their hands one one of the best puzzle titles out atm and one which will keep them entertained for months to come.

REVIEW: FIFA 12

Developer: EA|Publisher: EA | Format: PS3

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher EA’s FIFA series much like all top teams has over the years had it’s fair share of ups and downs. There have been times when it seemed that the series was dead in the water with little more than a graphical update and then there have been times when a slew of new features have been added. One thing is sure though, over the past number of years the series has gone from strength to strength where each aspect has been tailored to perfection.

The first thing that seasoned players will notice is that the defending system has been given a serious overhaul. Gone is the old style of holding down two buttons in order to have your players close down on the opposition and win the ball. There was absolutely no skill required to do this and has been a point of contention with gamers for a number of years. FIFA 12 redresses this with the new Tactical defending system. Defending players no longer rush in and try to win the ball but rather they can hold back till you the player decide is the opportune time to win the ball. By holding a player back rather than rush in and possibly miss the tackle you can no plan and if you do rush in and miss the ball you now have the option to engage in less than honorable tactics.

You can now pull on opposition players shirts or use your players arm to hold them back. It’s a small addition but it makes a world of difference as it not only heightens the realism aspects of the game but is also a lot of fun. Much like in the real world being caught pulling on a players shirt will results in a yellow card and if you continue to be caught a red card isn’t too far off.

The game also has a new impact engine with a physics engine that realistically simulates the impact between two player and rarely will the resulting animation be the same. It all depends on the players in question and their strength and build. It’s a small change but one which manages to capture the look and feel of the real thing.

The third noticeable addition to the game is a refined control system which allows for precision dribbling. This as you may expect allows you more control over the ball and is especially useful when playing close to the sideline. It also allows you to perform sharp turns and quick touches to control the ball. Most importantly of all, it also allows you to shield yourself when dribbling. All three additions on their own may seem like small changes but taken together they seriously up the realism level and create far more fluid gameplay, as well as making for far more satisfying gameplay.

FIFA 12 is by far the most packed entry in the franchise to date with all of last years modes retuning as well as a number of new modes. Career mode as expected lets you take a single player run through a 15 year career as a player manager, where you devise tactics, build your squad and compete alongside them. There’s also a slew of online modes. Playing against friends is now far more satisfying. In previous titles online friendlies were unranked and bar the fun of competing there was little incentive to play online. This year it’s all changed. Every person you play against creates a new season, made up of ten matches. The one who wins the most games and accumulates the most points receives a trophy once that season is over. Much like the changes to the main game it’s a small change but one which has a significant impact.

It doesn’t matter if you are a long term fan of the series, a complete newbie or even one of those select few who doesn’t even like the sport, you will find something to appreciate in Fifa 12. From the superb presentation, to the excellent graphics to the fantastic gameplay this is easily the finest entry in the series to date and the quintessential sporting title. Fifa 12 is the closest you will get to experiencing professional soccer from the comfort of your armchair.

REVIEW: Men of War: Vietnam

Developer / Publisher: 1C | Format: PC

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher Much like Medal of Honor and Call of Duty before it the Men of War franchiseis branching out into different conflicts. The latest entry in the series moves away from the WWII setting of previous entries in favor of the Vietnam War.

The game offers two campaigns, one from either side of the infamous conflict. In the first you control a team comprised of two Vietnamese soldiers and two Soviet military advisers who survived an assault by American forces. With no way out of enemy territory you must navigate the unfriendly jungles, taking on any American forces that they stumble upon. It’s a long, difficult campaign which alone would make the Men of War: Vietnam a must own for fans of the series but the inclusion of a second campaign is the icing on the cake. The second campaign allows players to control a group of special-ops who spend most of the time alone in the wilds helping the war effort.

MoW:V is not an easy game and no matter which difficulty you sect to play things are never a walk in the park. You spent most of the time outnumbered and with the smallest mistake resulting in your team being wiped out this is on title which will appeal more to the seasoned RTS gamer than to casual fans. Simple things such as failing to find adequate cover or engaging a larger enemy force will result in death. It’s refreshing to find a title which doesn’t insist on holding the players hand but rather drops them into the deep end and lets them figure out what to do. Newcomers to the genre will find themselves in above their heads, as even on the lowest difficulty the game is far from easy.

There are no tutorials nor are the first few levels an easy introduction to the game and as such it’s fair to say that Men of War: Vietnam is a game for a niche audience. It’s easily the most difficult title released in a long time but for hard’ened RTS fans the game offers a truly exhilarating experience with two great campaigns. Newcomers be warned,this is not  a title that you can pick up and play.

REVIEW: Driver: San Francisco

Developer / Publisher: Ubisoft | Format: PS3, 360

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher The Driver franchise makes it’s long awaited debut on the next gen consoles with Driver: San Francisco. Featuring the return of Jack Tanner it is a direct sequel to 2004’s Driv3r. Conceptually the game is quite a departure from the previous entry in the series. Gone is the ability to exit your vehicle replaced with a decidedly science fiction concept where our hero can fly above the streets and jump into any car he chooses. But before we discuss that lets first get through a quick paragraph on the plot.

Picking up after the events of Driv3r, Jack Tanner finds himself in pursuit of his nemesis Charles Jericho who at the onset of the game makes a daring escape during a prison transport. Tanner quick to react finds himself in pursuit of the escaped felon. What appears initially to be a another cops and robbers tale is given a rather unique angle by the ability of Tanner to “Shift” which is a rather odd but superb gameplay element where in Tanner can jump from vehicle to vehicle and travel across the city from a birds eye vantage point. This unique trick brilliantly replaces the need for on foot moments as well as opening up a whole slew of possibilities.

Shifting as you may imagine is both the games strongest and weakest aspect. It creates some truly memorable moments and allows the gamer to create a different experience each time. Rather than chase down a suspect vehicle and repeated ram it till it stops, gamers can now jump ahead into oncoming traffic and create road blocks or simply use a truck to smash head first into the oncoming vehicle. It’s also the most convenient and fastest way to switch vehicles ever seen in a game. Wheelman had a similar approach but lacked the ease and fluidity found in Driver: SF. It’s a truly brilliant device which gives the games many pursuits a truly original spin.

The games biggest weakness is that it lacks a true sense of purpose when it comes to forwarding the narrative.  One minute you find yourself barreling through the streets of San Francisco in pursuit of Jericho and the next you’re joy riding round the city competing in illegal street races with your wise cracking teenage passenger. That there’s no real urgency to the main plot means that it’s quite easy to simply spend hours driving around the city jumping from one car to the next ignoring the hunt for Jericho and completing the dozens of side missions on offer.

As with all releases worth your hard earned cash Driver: SF offers multiplayer gaming. There are a number of multiplayer modes on offer. Upon first entering the multiplayer section gamers are offered only two modes to choose from. Addition modes can be unlocked and while some may find it an irritation that all modes aren’t instantly available the unlocking aspect of it will bring gamers back time after time until they have unlocked everything.

Overall Driver: San Francisco is one of the most entertaining entries int eh franchise as well as one of the most interesting and enjoyable titles this year. While it can be a little odd to get to grasps with once shifting has been mastered it’s a highly addictive and unique title. And lets be honest, there are few things as thrilling as racing through the streets of San Francisco weaving in and out of oncoming traffic.

REVIEW: MotorStorm Apocalypse

Developer: Evolution Studios | Publisher: SCEE | Format: PS3

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher When it come to truly jaw dropping spectacle, MotorStorm Apocalypse is up there with the best of them. The sheer amount of insanity on display is for want of a better word mesmerizing, it’s the gaming equivalent of the greatest balls to the wall summer blockbuster you could hope for. The sheer amount of destruction on offer as you race around an entire city is at once breathtaking and distracting. While sheer spectacle is the order of the day for many recent titles when it comes to racing games the last thing you really need is to be constantly distracted by jaw dropping scenes of destruction especially with such a fidgety control system.

The first thing to remember when playing MA is that this is not your traditional racing sim, no this is all out insanity as you find yourself competing in races taking place in a earthquake raged city. You play as Mash, a newcomer to the world of racing and must compete in a series of races which are each designed to showcase the different vehicles on offer. Once these mandatory vehicle races are complete you can then decide which vehicle suits you for each race.

With most racing titles playing up the realism on offer its refreshing to find a game which is more about not crashign into falling rubble than gracefully gliding around the same corner three or four times in a row. Even more impressive is how natural disasters can occur mid race and you can find yourself taking advantage of the latest tremor in order to secure first place through use of a shortcut which moments ago did not exist. Its an interesting take on a tired genre and while it doesn’t always succeed its never less than entertaining.

Vehicles are broken down into cars, trucks, bikes and quads, with each having their own pros and cons. The controls for each class of vehicle reflects their size and maneuverability though the frigidity control system can make even the trucks feel as if they are made from some form of light alloy filled with air. Smaller vehicles such as the bikes suffer far worse than the trucks as it leads to a sense of constant unresponsiveness leading to over steering which results in repeated crashes. Much like in the first title way back in 2006, the psychics engine is at fault here and while it doesn’t render the game unplayable it certainly adds to the difficulty.

Lets be honest though, players picking up a title called MotorStorm Apocalypse are not going to be disappointed considering the manner in which an apocalypse is so superbly rendered. There’s something truly breath taking about racing through a ravaged city as before you giant cracks open up as buildings collapse upon you. This is an arcade racer and all the better for it, though make no mistake it is the city not the vechicles which is the star. Hopefully for the next entry in the series a new psychics engine will be in play and we can truly enjoy the apocalypse free from a constant fear of crashing at the next turn.

REVIEW: Bulletstorm

Developer: People Can Fly| Publisher: EA | Format: 360

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher Bulletstorm has all the hallmarks of the next big thing. A lengthy development process, a prerelease campaign in which the game was repeatedly touted as the next big thing and a level of anticipation which is on par with that of the resurrection. The question now though is Does Bulletstorm stand up as a legitimate genre defining title and is it the next big thing? The answer is that Bulletstorm, while flawed certainly delivers on the promise with the gleeful nature of the cartoon voice and humour seeing it apart from the pack

What we learnt from the numerous trailers is that in Bulletstorm you can shot enemies in their balls. The trailers sold the game on it’s over the top violence and repeatedly showcased scenes of jaw droppingly ridiculous gore. It was a rather odd ad campaign as it wasnt until we booted up the game and the first cut scene played that we really got an idea as to what Bulletstorm was about, well bar the ball blasting. the game kicks off with a drunken Grayson Hunt and his motley crew of space pirates launching an all out attack on their old general. After ramming the generals ship Grayson and what remains of his crew find them self stranded on the planet Stygia. With a whole host of mutated freaks to contend with and a general to track down and kill Grayson and Ishi the last survivor of his crew set off across the city of Elysium to kill the general and hijack a rescue ship. None of it is exactly groundbreaking but its told in such a humours style that it’s hard not to fall in love with out characters and their plight.

It’s a testament to the game that there is actually far more going on than meets the eye, Grayson’s reasons for revenge and in doing so redemption are explored in-depth though at times it can seem a little hypocritical considering that this is a game in which you spend your time shooting hundreds of enemies in the testicles while laughing manically. While it is nice to see developers inject some levity into proceedings and it certainly makes for a nice change of pace. However you can’t help feel that as commendable as it is, it remains a hollow gesture made simply to make the game look as it has something to say.

Bulletstorm is for want of a better work juvenile. The language is crass, a line of dialogue can’t go by with out at least one “Fuck” or play on the word dick, the violence is over the top and comical and the characters, Grayson especially seem to be the very embodiment of a 15-year-old who never grew up. It’s childish, immature and all the better for it. There’s a certain charm to the game which will leave you with a smile on your face as you find yourself repeatedly laughing like a mad man as you repeatedly attempt to shoot an enemy in his private area, it’s childish as hell but certainly entertaining.

Gameplay is based on the old favourite of blowing everything that moves to pieces. The score based system, skill points works amazingly well with gamers rewarded for the manner in which they kill. The more unique ht death the more points and the more points you have the more weaponry and ammunition you can purchase. The score system is not a new addition to the genre but few titles have pulled it off so well, the variety of unique kills on offer differs from weapon to weapon and adds a certain level of replayability though that may only apply to those gamers who agonise over the most inventive way to blow up a group of enemies using one of their own as the delivery mechanism.

Multiplayer traditionally involves a slew of modes in which you run around capturing flags and/or killing one another for hours on end. Bulletstorm doesn’t offer a variety of modes, it simply offers Anarchy in which four players are thrown into an arena and mush fight wave after wave after wave of enemy until they reach a kill score which allows them to move on to the next round. Initial levels are easy as pie but as the game progresses the difficulty level is amped right up and with many Anarchy games taking the best part of 2 hours to finish it can become quite tedious and frustrating. The lack of multiplayer modes is a missed opportunity as Bulletstorm is one of those titles which groups of friends will repeatedly get out to play, the style and tone lends it’s self to post pub pizza and beer playing

Bulletstorms biggest problem isn’t the lackslustre multiplayer or the juvenile tone but rather that it’s not quite the game changer it’s long been touted to be. It’s certainly one of the most entertaining FPS around and the gameplay is great but really there is nothing that hasn’t been done a dozen times before, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing as Bulletstorm simply refines and perfects theses. The skill point system is amongst the best ever implemented in a FPS, the gameplay is fantastic and fans of the genre will find a lot to love here though those easily offended souls should approach with caution.

REVIEW: Dead Space 2

Developer: Visceral Games | Publisher: EA | Format: PS3/360

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher Another year another EA title in which evil children with blades as hands try repeatedly to remove your head from your body. Dead Space was one of the most brutal and exhilarating titles in recent years, it was the gaming equivalent of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre only instead of a family of inbred locals you had to contend with some truly twisted and nasty villains and a truly gothic, shadow strewn mansion of sorts. It was in essence a horror title which remembered that the most important aspect of horror is to scare.

With the success of Dead Space a sequel was inevitable and as such anticipation has been high for what was promised to be a truly breathtaking sequel. Opening in a large orbital space station Isaac Clarke finds himself bound in a straight-jacket locked away as while he slept the world around once more went to hell.

Obviously the most striking difference in games is the change in location, the much larger environment means that the backtracking found in the first title is no longer in place. What we have instead is a much larger and visually more satisfying enviroment, one which changes drastically as you make your way through the game encountering some truly breathtaking moments. Jumping from train carriage to train carriage as it hurtles toward certain destruction while fighting necromorphs is amongst the most thrilling moments in gaming in a long time but it’s jus the tip of the iceberg in a game which seems to constantly be attempting to top its self. There are more breath-taking moments in Dead Space 2 than many franchises can deliver in 10 and this is both a highlight of the game and a drawback.

As much fun as each thrilling set piece it they do lend the game a certain haunted house feel, it’s almost as if were stuck in the merry-go-round as every few minutes a fresh horror awaits us. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but at the same time it does cheapen the over all experience, great horror is always at its most terrifying when restrained and allowing the gamers imagination to run riot. THankfully then that the atmosphere conjured is truly skin crawling, the use of sound and shadow is up there with the best. Walking down a darkened hallway with an empty arsenal as all around you the sound of screeching can be heard is a truly horrifying experience.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the original was the plot which while reliant heavily on formulaic scares really did grab. Dead Space 2, while a superior game with a far more atmospheric feel and set pieces falls down somewhat when it comes to plot. The first few hours are literally you running around while every now and again a strange woman contacts you in order to direct you around. With no idea who she is or why she’s helping you blindly follow her advice even when she directs you to use a crypt as a shortcut at a time when the dead are rising from their slumber. It seems tacked on and while her motivations come clear later on the first portion of the game feels like the developers were looking for a way to show off some of the environments they created.

As the game progresses it is the characters who suffer, they remain little more than a name and repeated scenes of Isaac holding his head as fevered insanity sets it. For a title with such a rich back story involving conspiracy, politics and religion to end up with such a muddled and cliched plot is a shame. It’s all very much skin deep and were it a Hollywood film would most likely feature Lance Henrickson and Brad Dourif in some capacity.

It may seem that the game is a disappointment and while certain aspects are the overall package makes for a truly gratifying gaming experience. There really is something immensely satisfying about dismembering enemies and then stomping ont here dead bodies in order to get some ammunition or supplies. Weaponry and the rig, much like in the original are all upgradeable. The arsenals at your disposal remains somewhat the same though the addition of a powerful rifle nad and the javelin gun do make tearing enemies apart a rather enjoyable experience.

The biggest addition to the game is multiplayer which comes across as the offspring of Left 4 Dead and Call of Duty. Like the main game its satisfying and the more you play the more weapons and skills you unlock and even with only 5 maps to choose from its thoroughly smile inducing fun.

Dead Space 2 is a great experience, it’s fast, furious and full of thrills and spills. It’s the gaming equivalent of a Summer Blockbuster, a non stop barrage of big set pieces and never a moments let up. And while the plot never comes together and it lacks the depth which could have made it a true classic, the game remains one of the most entertaining titles of the year and is sure to feature on best of lists come December.

REVIEW: Gran Turismo 5

Developer: Polyphony | Publisher: SCEE | Format: PS3

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher Gran Turismo 5 has been a long time coming and after numerous delays it became something of a gaming Chinese Democracy and much like Chinese Democracy the end result isn’t quite the landmark event the hype led many to believe it would be.

The first and perhaps most damning thing you will notice upon inserting your game disc is a screen informing you of an optional install which goes on to explain that while not required declining the install will lead to extended ingame loading times and performance issues. That the install requires 8 gigs of space and well over half an hour to install is rather unfortunate especially for anyone with a launch console.

With this out-of-the-way you are now free to experience what promises to be one of the most cutting edge racers to ever grace a console. Anyone who has played any previous entry in the series will feel right at home as soon as the menu pops up and this is far from a good thing.

Barring a few small changes the game remains pretty much the same as previous entries with game play once again seeing you obtaining your National B license through completion of a series of driving tests and upon completion of all 10 tests you earn your first license and ability to enter Amateur events. Completing events is as you would expect how you progress, money is used to purchase upgrades and new cars while experience points open up new events and features.

While experience and cash are necessities in the game it is earning medals which really opens up the game and it is here where the game comes into it’s own. Earning new cars has always been where Gran Turismo excelled and considering that Sony have repeatedly hyped the selection of cars on offer, over 1,000 there is no shortage of medals to earn. There are really two classes of car, standard and premium.

Standard cars are exactly what they say on the tin, standard. The damage modelling on them is basic and the look rather mundane. The premium models have extensive damage modelling and meticulously realistic interior views, it;s a shame that the majority of the games roster is made up of standard models.

Visually the game is far from the cutting edge visual experience it promise. While many elements do look absolutely stunning, many of the cars are photo realistic and there are moments where your jaw will literally drop from the overwhelming beauty of it all but there are a number of elements which really drag the over all experience down. Enviroment elements such as trees look bland and obviously computer generated, banners resemble blocks with no discernible texture.

Weather elements are also rather lack-struck at times, while the vast majority of stages look genuinely realistic there are some effects which would be more at home in cartoon than a realistic sim. While these few graphical anomalies would be forgiven in many titles it’s hard to overlook them in one which promise the most realistic racing experience around.

The one area where the game truly excels is in the level of content on offer. There isn’t another racer on the market which comes close to matching GT5 for sheer bang for your buck. Shame then that a title which spent nearly half a decade in development is the very definition of quantity over quality.

While not a terrible game by any means it is certainly a very underwhelming experience. Car fanatics will no doubt wet themselves over the wide array of cars available to race but most gamers will find GT5 a missed opportunity.

REVIEW: The Sly Collection

Developer: Sanzaru Games | Publisher: SCEA | Format: PS3

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher The Sly series was one of the most entertaining series to grace the Playstation 2 and like many great series it has something of a cult following who should be over the moon with the release og the Sly Collection for the PS3. Bringing together the 3 entries in the series formatted for HD gaming it’s a true celebration of quality platforming which fans will adore.

The first thing which gamers will notice is just how old school the original feels, while it remains highly entertaining and will raise many a laugh time really has not been kind. While there is nothing inherently wrong with the title it is very much a product of time past, the stilted platforming is somewhat underwhelming and may leave newcomers curious as to exactly why the series has received an upgrade.

Thankfully Sly 2: Band of Thieves is as fresh and entertaining as it was first time around. The decision to abandon many of the mini games and racing sequences which dragged the original to a halt is greatly appreciated. Most importantly the platforming elements have been tweaked to damn near perfection and with the inclusion of some entertaining stealth missions Sly 2 remains even now in this day and age a thoroughly entertaining title.

Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves is the high point of the series, it takes all that was great about Sly 2 and improves upon it.Really there’sm not much you can write about it other than to call it one of the best platform titles ever released. The story is well told and will raise many a smile, the platform elements are fantastic and most importantly the game is never anything but entertaining.

The Sly Collection is a fantastic package featuring some of the best platformers ever released and given the relatively low price tag the Sly Collection is a must have.

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