The Bioshock comparisons are evident from the get go, special powers, unique and twisted enemies, upgradeable weapons and an enviroment directly out of your worst nightmare. Oh and don’t forget the rather tiresome audio logs full of useful information, useful that is as long as you’re willing to sit around listening to them. While these comparisons will no doubt be the focus for many there is much more here than yet another run of the mill shooter and unlike most of its ilk a few unique gameplay ideas saves the day.

The story unfolds on the Russian island of Katorga-12, the site of dastardly time manipulation experiments and being a sci-fi epic, the worst thing that can happen, does of course happen. A time shift sends our intrepid hero through time to a place where Russia is the worlds super power and an evil dictator runs the world now inhabited by mutated freaks. As the game unfolds you find yourself manipulating tears in time in order to jump back and forth in time in doing so changing the time line, it’s a unique idea which is perfectly executed.

As mentioned your time manipulation powers are integral to the gameplay, though like all good things in life too much of them robs them of their delight. The ability to unleash a time bubble which brings time contained within to a near standstill is a neat trick but it’s use makes gameplay rather formulaic and easy. By using the time bubble you can grab nearby enemies and easily dispatch them, repeat a few dozen times per area and in 8-10 hours it’s all over. Other abilities include being able to warp humans into mutated freaks and on the mutants themselves you can bring them to a near standstill or age their bodies till all that remains is dust. It’s all good wholesome family fun.

One of the most important aspects of any shooter is the control system and in Singularity the control system is intuitive and perfectly implemented. Movement and aiming are both spot on and the button layout makes for a title which can easily be picked up by even the most casual of gamers which considering the array of abilities on offer is no small feat.

The 8-10 hours of gameplay may not seem like much but considering the multiple endings on offer and dozens of rewards scattered throughout the levels re-playability is quite high making up somewhat for the rather lack struck multiplayer. Only two modes are offered and neither is exactly interesting, still with a few friends it will kill a rainy afternoon just don’t expect anything ground breaking.

Singularity is the definition of a good game which could have been a great one. It has it all, a great idea, inventive gameplay, great enemies but at the end of the day the repetitive gameplay robs it of greatness. That said, it’s still good fun and well worth at least a rental.

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher The Guitar Hero franchise got in on the single band music title with Guitar hero: Aerosmith way back in 07 whereas it took Rock Band a further two years to release a title dedicated to one band. Considering that the band in question was the Beatles, one can forgive the delay. After the success of the Beatles Rock Band it was only a matter of time till we saw more single band title released and now it’s the turn of pop punk heros Green Day.

Following the beatles is a tough trick to pull off and while Green Day do have a vast catalogue of songs to draw from unfortunately the absence of key tracks from the band’s history is disappointing. Most of the tracks included are taken from the latter half of the bands life with Dookie and American Idiot represented here in their entirety with 12 tracks from 21st Century Breakdown on offer. Given the nature of the music the difficulty level is substantially less than that of the Beatles, 3 cord punk rock never was all that difficult to pick up and play.

Gameplay is the same as last years Beatles, you can do up to a three-part harmony with other singers and can utilise the No Fail option if you want to play through the full song but just don’t feel capable of succeeding on your own all in all there’s nothing different on offer here but let’s be honest why fix something which aint broken.

Greed Day Rock Band is exactly what it says on the tin, nothing more, nothing less. THe soldi selection of songs will appeal to fans though long time fans may feel short-changed given the absence of key moments in the band’s history. Your enjoyment of the game all depends on one thing, whether or not you love Green Days music and as such fans will find a lot to enjoy here. for everyone else, Beatles Rock band remains the definitive single band title.
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Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher

The last Prince of Persia title took the franchise in a rather different direction, employing as id did an open world design and gorgeous artistic graphics. It took a franchise which had grown rather tired and reinvigorated it. The latest release, to tie in with the just released film Sands of Time is something of a step back, which is no bad thing considering just how well it works.

The story focuses on the rivalry between our hero the prince and his brother, like most brothers at on time they got along but once evil inhabits the one brother, things have a habit of going sour. The story is a throw back to the superior Sands of Time and as such it really goes the extra mile in crafting a franchise entry which manages to hark back to older titles but at the same time still seem fun. Harking back to the Sands of time the game features intricate and elaborate level design, a hero who has the agility of a monkey, combat which is fun and puzzles which are actually puzzling.

Initial levels have a very paint by numbers feel and anyone whose played a previous title will find no surprises here. Add in the lackstruck and shallow combat and you have a recipe for disaster. Thank God then for the intricate a designed levels in which surprise lurks around every corner and a responsive control system which makes for entertaining if challenging gameplay.

The linear gameplay, a change to the open world design of the last game may seem like a step back but in reality it’s one of the games biggest strengths. The levels all work together with each new area building on the last as you constantly blend skills and abilities. The unlockable moves are the ones which make for such an interesting experience. The ability to freeze water at the touch of a button is the most widely used ability. Turning waterfalls into frozen walls to run across as at the tap of a button you crash through a previously frozen wall of water. It’s an interesting and highly rewarding feature which makes for some truly stunning moments.

Combat, unfortunately is rather lack struck. In past incarnations combat has never been the franchises  forte but it was always stylish enough to overcome such issues. In the Forgotten Sands it’s a bit of a mess, the camera seems to constantly point in every direction bar where you need and the rather simplistic nature of the combat means simply bashing the controls for a few minutes ensures you come out on top. While bosses are slightly more difficult they all seem to follow the same pattern, you avoid their attack before jumping on attacking. It’s simplistic and boring and constantly reminds you that you’re missing out on some superior platforming fun.

despite the initial hand holding and lack-struck combat there is more than enough fantastic platforming action on offer to satisfy fans of the franchise. At the end of the day the game is never less than entertaining and one of the funnest platforming titles in a long time. It’s shortcomings keep the game joining the ranks of the franchises better entries but it’s still a superior effort.

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher UFC Undisputed 2009 was one of last years biggest surprises. It offered an unprecedented realistic fighting sim which capitalised on the rising popularity of MMA by creating a faithful representation of the visceral violence we see in the ring mixed with some great gameplay. THQ obviously saw the potential that the series offered and with this years release they have addressed the issues that many had with the original title and given us one of the most realistic and entertaining fighting games available.

The first thing you notice about this years release is the expanded game modes. Alongside returning modes Exhibition, Ultimate Fights, and Career we now have Tournament, Title, and Event modes which offer a series amount of gameplay. The new modes offer a variety of different types of game, Tournament allows you to find a champion in whichever weight class you want.Event mode allows you to set up a fight card and then either play or simply sit back and watch, yes you read that right you can now watch two computer created fighters battle in the octagon though, let’s be honest most gamers will favour fighting themselves. These new modes may not redefine fighting games as we know them but they do add a lot of gaming hours which is something many fighting games lack of late.

As good as last years title was the career mode was for want of a better word, lacking. Thankfully this year has seen the mode drastically over hauled leading to a far more refined and realistic approach to a fighters career. Unlike the original title in which your fighter was thrown head first into the UFC unprepared for what lay ahead. You now must train your fighter and build him up at fight camp. It makes for a far more interesting approach which really pays off.One rather annoying aspect of this is that Stats have a habit to decreasing at an alarming rate when they are not trained. It’s quite frustrating as to properly keep your stats up involves repeated training rather than just honest to God fighting.

The gameplay has also had an over haul, grappling in last years edition was for want of a better word, lacking. Fights were so much about skill so much as looking for an opening and then using your best move to garner the upper hand. This time around asserting your dominance is far more strategic, rather than forcing opponents to the ground you can now pin them against the cage, the addition of finishing moves means ensures that fights no longer have to end in a KO or submissions.

The biggest criticism of the game concerns its strongest asset, career mode The number of tasks you must accomplish including training and gaining sponsorship makes for a rewarding if frustrating experience. WHile it’s nice to see developers including such a wealth of content the repetitive nature of it can be quite overwhelming for the casual gamer.

Online is yet another area in which the game scores highly. You can set up what are basically clans with other players and train together. You can also set up your own eight fight PPV event which you can then watch afterward as if it were a televised event. It’s a lot of fun and adds more playability to a game all ready buckling under the layers of content on offer.

UFC Undisputed 2010 doesn’t do anything drastically different but at the end of the day why fix something when it’s not broken. Building on 2009s foundation the game is one of the most in-depth fighting sims ever released. Newcomers may be slightly intimidated but for anyone who enjoyed last years addition they’ll be hooked from the get go. UFC Undisputed 2010 is a superb title which deserves space on any gamers shelf.

The game is the third title in the hughly popular franchise and like previous titles is a first person shooter/role-playing title. The game will be a prequel to the original and is being developd by Eidos Montreal and Square Enix who are creating the CG sequences and will publsih the title.

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher Alan Wake was a long time coming, first announced five years ago it has in the years since been repeatedly delayed and shifted platforms before finally in recent weeks appearing on the 360. After such a ling wait and repeated setbacks one could be forgiven for fearing the worst, thankfully any fears can be forgotten now that we have the finished product.

The game follows Wake, a best-selling writer suffering from a bout of writer block. Returning to his hometown with his wife Alice he hopes to relight the writing spark. As one would expect things don’t go according to plan and shortly after getting settled a series of rather strange events is set in motion. First Alice disappears soon to be followed by the appearance of evil creatures called the Taken. To survive Alan must utilise a small selection of weapons, most effective of which his trusty flashlight.

The game has long been touted as being more than a game, something along the lines of a mini series and as such the game unfolds in a series of episodes. After each episode you are greeted with a quick recap, reminiscent of shows such as Twin Peaks and the X-Files. Much like the X-Files most of the action takes place in wooded ares and mountains as you fight against the Taken and other nasties. As mentioned, your flashlight is the most powerful weapon, and is the only one which can truly keep you safe. THe flashlight will break through enemy shields while COnventional armoury such as revolvers allow you to send them shuffling off this mortal coil. Other light emitting devices such as flares and flash bangs can be utilised but it’s best to ensure that at all times you have your flashlight and a fresh supply of batteries.

The repetitive nature of the gameplay, flashlight + revolver does grow tiresom but the ever mounting sense of tension is truly superb. Like all great supernatural/horror tales you are never sure where the next enemy/fright will spring from. The Taken can come bounding from any direction leading to some truly heart stopping moments.

The games biggest fault is that it can easily be clocked  in under 8 hours and while there is some re-playability offered and downloadable episodes in the work once cant help but feel a little short-changed.

Like all great B movies, the game offers some truly menacing sound effects and atmospheric music coupled with some rather serviceable B grade voice acting. The relaxed nature of the voice over does at times rob the game of some suspense though is rather fitting considering the nature of the game. There has been a lot of discussion regarding the games less than hi-def resolution but it must be said usually the game is a sumptuous affair with Bright Falls looking stunning albeit lacking in NPC’s most of the time. The lighting effects are truly stunning and unmatched by any title currently available.

ALan Wake has it’s faults, the short running time and poor voice acting but at the end fo the day it really is a great action game which brings out the best in the 360. It won’t change the world of gaming but will entertain like few other action horror titles.

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher Every four years for a few weeks the entire world is captivated by the world cup. Beginning in June it celebrates soccer and everything that is great about it with the worlds greatest countries competing against one another in dizzying displays of skill from some of the worlds best players. EA’s 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa is exactly what it says on the game, the gaming tie in to the big event.

As in previous incarnations of the game players select their team any one of 199 on offer, work through the qualifiers and then compete in the main event. Getting to the main event is no easy task but like all good things in life, persevere and the game will pay you back in spades. One of the most impressive aspects of the game is not the gameplay but rather the way in which the animated crowds can so easily influence a game. The atmosphere they create allows for a truly realistic feel to games which really raises the bar for Fifa titles.

Many people will no doubt find the prospect of a second Fifa title in a little over 6 months rather daunting, after all it how much different can it be? The changes are quite subtle, passing has been redefined and is now far more fluid. The AI has improved and there is a finesse to aspects such as tackling an penalty kicks. Penalties are now rather more difficult and make previous version rather simplistic looking. While a small change it drastically us thpe ante and allows for some truly nail-biting moments.

The game spares no expense in simulating the real thing. Graphically it really is just gorgeous to look at as players run, pass and slide across fresh grass. The in-game camera coupled with the superb graphics really gives the player the feeling of being there. As always the replays are one of the most entertaining aspects of the game allowing you so see just what you did right or wrong and how to improve upon it in the future.

Audio is for want of a better word fantastic. Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend offers and energetic and often amusing commentary with their constantly on the ball remarks. When taken alongside the superb graphics and gameplay it creates a truly great overall package.

The biggest complaint is that at times the automatic player selection can be rather confusing, the game automatically switches to the person closest to the ball which can momentarily leave you lost. It’s a small complaint and one which really doesn’t diminish the overall package.

Fifa World Cup 2010 is one of the most impressive sporting titles to come along in quite a while. It offers the realistic gameplay fans love while simultaneously offering newcomers an easy introduction. Those who all ready splashed out on Fifa 2010 may feel a little hard done forking out another 50+ euro but for fans and casual gamers alike there is a lot to love here making it an essential title for any sports fan.

Developer / Publisher: Ubisoft | Format: 360

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher Sam Fisher is back, only this time he’s a desolate shell of the man he used to be. An emotionally frail and angry individual with nought but revenge on his mind. His daughter dead and those whom he believed he could trust betrayed him, Sam is a man with but one driving thought, revenge.

The game follows Sam’s quest for the truth, doing so in a manner more befitting Jack Bauer than the Sam Fisher we all know and love. People routinely have their faces caved in by urinals, hands impaled by knives and all manner of other nasty torment is visited upon them. It’s a far cry from the silent stealth based gaming were used to.

The story told through flashbacks is a break neck paced tale of intrigue, double-crossing and twists the likes of which we have come to expect from the series. The sense of urgency prevalent throughout gives the fame the feel of a cinematic spy thriller with a finale which perfectly concludes Sam’s story.

The most obvious change is the manner in which stealth based gameplay of old has been replaced not with a fast paced shooter but rather something in between. Rather than rely on sticking to the shadows you are now offered the opportunity to delve a little deeper into the action. No longer will you spend your time slinking around in the shadows as you wait for a guard to turn his back, a quick bullet to the face now does the trick.

The addition of the mark and execute ability makes quick work of groups of enemies. The move allows you to utilise slow motion and chain together a series of brain matter spattering silent head shots which can seriously change the out come of near any encounter. It’s a rather simple addition which drastically changes the gameplay.

Perhaps the oddest aspect of the game is the manner in which enemy soldiers gleefully taunt you making them easy to locate and dispatch giving the game at times a rather early 90s action film feel. You get the impression that many of the baddies would be more at home in a Steven Seagal film rather than hunting one of the worlds most admired and feared killers.

The two single player campaigns are rather short-lived, but are fun while they last. The second campaign follows Archer and Kestrel is intended for cooperative gaming in which every other scene involves dispatching hordes of enemies. It’s thoroughly good fun and easily the best co-op campaign yet that the franchise has offered.

Visually the game is stunning though the decision by the developers to fade to black and white at times does rob the title of much of the visual sheen. The transition to back and white is done so as to show that you are hidden from enemy view and in doing so elevate some of the reliance on the HUD. While it’s a valiant effort you do wish that like the game play a happier medium could have been reached and the glorious visuals left as they were.

Thankfully the stunning voice acting is left alone with the always superb Michael Ironside once more returning as Sam. The rest of the cast are well-played and when coupled with an epic score the game really does deliver in the sound department.

Conviction may not be the series finest hour but it does offer a great return to form. Those who have stayed with the franchise since day one will find a game which not only offers closure but a feeling that the best is yet to come. It won’t rewrite the books on gaming but it will offer one of the most entertaining, cinematic spy gaming experiences around.

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher Let’s be honest, after the first two parts of SCS’s epic trilogy, God of War anything less than a final of unrelenting violence and death coupled with an interesting story and perfect game mechanics would be seen as a failure. Thankfully as expected God of War 3 is one of the most unflinchingly violent and entertaining games ever released.

GoW II tells the ongoing chronicle of Kratos’s attempt to ascend Mount Olympus in order to slay his father Zeus and end the reign of the Gods. The game is but one constant boss battle interrupted intermittently by random lesser villain slaying and tasks to be accomplished and like the first two games it is done remarkably well.

Anyone who has player either of the previous incarnations will no doubt be aware that to slay a boss you must first beat them to within an inch of their lives until an O appears above their head at which means that it’s time to button bash in accordance to the onscreen prompts to ensure a truly epic finishing blow. Unlike previous games the prompt buttons have been moved to the sides of the screen making it easier to keep your eye on the action and hit the corresponding buttons at the same time.

As one would expect the game makes full use of the PS3’s power and delivers what can only be described as the most viscerally violent game on the console. Graphically the game is astounding with every aspect tailored to perfection, as the camera zooms in to Kratos it suddenly becomes obvious just how much care has gone into the game. The attention to detail is exquisite, be it the shading of the armour or the manner in which light is reflected. It really is a joy to behold and pushes the console like no other recent release.

Criticism of the game is difficult to come by, sure it is rather short but while it lasts its glorious, a constant blast of breathtaking gameplay which never stops to let you catch your breath, that’s what the cut scenes are for.

At the end of the day, GoW III is an unrelentingly violent good time which will no doubt feature in every best of 2010 list. It’s fast, it’s furious and it’s unbelievably fun, just make sure the kids don’t get anywhere near it as it is also the very definition of an adult game.

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher The original Battlefield: Bad Company was an entertaining if flawed attempt to bring the Battlefield franchise away from a strict reliance on multiplayer gaming and offer a story driven single player element also. While entertaining as it the game never reached the levels of greatness one expect from the Battlefield franchise.

Bad company 2 takes what was good about the original title and ups the ante considerably. The meandering storyline of the original has been replaced with a more cohesive and entertaining plot that offers up a number of truly breathtaking moments and a sense of heart that was missing form the first. As with eh first game you play as Preston a member of the Bravo Two Squad in their search for a secret weapon called Aurora which we are first introduced to in a prologue set during WWII. Once back in modern time the story traverse the globe as our unlikely band of heroes race against time to save the fate of the free world.

As before one of the highlights of the game is the banter between your squad who not only react to circumstances in a realistic manner but also provide some of the best comic relief this side of an 80s cop film. Your squad don’t hang back like in other titles but rather they stand up front with you taking out enemy cover and sending their fair share to the heavens above. The improved AI is much welcome and sets a new bar for squad based shooters.

Even with all the time and effort obviously put into he single player it still pales in comparison to the multiplayer. The campaign as fun as it is is also rather short lived with competent gamers being able to clock it in around 8 hours. With that in mind it should be remembered that like a great film, Bad Company 2 is a title you will return to again. The multiplayer is where the game really shines. The features of previous Battlefield titles are all present and correct allowing for dozens of players to battle it out across large maps allowing for a truly entertaining spectacle. The class system is also vast, with gamers being able to one which suits their own style. Each class has it’s own unique points which when combined with gamers from classes can make for one hell of a squad.

Bad Company 2 looks gorgeous with a jaw drop depth of field. The overall cinematic feel is obvious from the level of detail in each locale. Throw in the destructible environments and you have a level of realism rarely seen. Sound is also superb with fantastic voice acting and a great score which further adds to the cinematic feel.

Bad Company is head and shoulders above the original and is a solid contender for best FPS on the current generation. Even with the short lived single player campaign there is more than enough to guarantee that in years to come gamers will be returning time after time.