Dealio: Persona 4 at Personable Price

Play.com UK is listing Persona 4 on PS2 at £9.99 - Free Delivery

If only I had waited a week, then I might not be having such a hard time sustaining myself while playing it - QQ -

Hit up the headline for link. Read more!

Hands on : Dawn Of War 2 (PC)

After overcoming the belief that Relic had ruined one of my favourite RTS franchises, I decided I would chin-up and give it a chance...

And I am glad I did, while the new Dawn of war is vastly different to the original (and its 6 million expansions) the game still has its own charms, while base building and the large number of units have been removed, the RPG elements and use of cover add a new angle to the game.

Pros:

Ability to make use of cover - The ability to make use of cover allows you to plan your defense, it also means a bit more thought is required when attacking a stationary enemy that is in cover.

RPG element - The RPG element of the game allows users to customise their squads with different weapons, armour and a variety of special abilities, this means different players can approach the game with different tactics. The fact that I seem to be the only person using the scout leads me to believe that I may just be playing the game the hard way.

Fast multi player - I find multi player much faster paced than the previous Dawn Of War, i believe this is largely due to the lack of HQ's. Resources are still based around capturing points, but with a limited number of units defending them it can be a lot more difficult, the player must constantly move their defensive squads in order to repel the enemy.

Cons:

Lack of base building - I suppose this is more of a personal preference, but I enjoy building a base, and personally think this has been the biggest blow to fans of the game. You are unable to build more units, but are able to resurrect your named characters instead. This changeup removes a large amount of challenge from the game as all that is required to revive them is to have another named unit stand next to them for a few seconds (or in the case of a leveled up scout, instantly).

Lower number of units - As you can only have 4 squads I find it is almost always necessary to keep them all together, this removes the ability to distract an enemy while destroying an objective elsewhere.

Overall I do not think players of the original Dawn Of War should be put off by the changes, they do make it a very different game in its own right. Players will either love it or hate it depending on which style of RTS they prefer. Read more!

Survival Loller - The Decline Of Scary Games

Its 1996, you’re trapped in a mansion. You approach a dude who slowly turns his attention towards you. He has a mouth full of flesh. Hes chowing down on some man guts. (Your scared because you were a juvenile crybaby when you saw this scene but also because it was genuinely scary)


This was the chilling introduction Capcom gave the public in their hit game, Resident Evil, now regarded as a survival horror classic but what has happened to this once mighty genre!?

Despite laughable acting, cheap voice over’s and clunky controls the game maintained the suspense of a horror film throughout. Its huge success spawned a series of sequels and prequels (not to mention films) as well as paving the way to other survival horror games such as Dino Crisis and Silent Hill (both released in 1999).

Now, in 2009 Capcom have decided to give the world their 21st Resident Evil title, ironically titled Resident Evil 5. Silent Hill has released its sixth title in Silent Hill: Homecoming and Dino Crisis is long gone. So who does the title of Survival Horror king go to this year? The answer, in my opinion is no one. Both games have diversified so radically from their original formula that they now sit snugly in the Action category of gaming.

Resident Evil 5 may pick up from the same history banks, but that is the only commonality it holds with its predecessors. You now constantly have a partner to hold your hand throughout, which reduces any chance of feeling isolated. An impressive assortment of guns and a large supply of ammo means you are always ready to engage any enemy in your way. Conveniently placed explosive barrels and mounted guns help make light work of bosses. The blistering heat of Africa is preferred to the chilling air of the night. All these factors help detract from what a survival horror game should be. Something else fans of the old may miss is the puzzles; the few that appear could be beaten by a five year old.

Despite these shortcomings, the game still plays well and looks fantastic. In an action game the addition of a co-op partner changes everything - so if you can accept the change in genre the game is well worth a look.

Silent Hill disappoints in terms of living up to the Survival Horror tag. You play as a soldier returning home to search for his brother. Prior games had a normal civilian as the protagonist, helping to intensify the bond between the player and the character. Now you are somebody who has experience handling guns and has sufficient training in combat. This makes for an action orientated game and removes suspense and tension from the title. Making the transition from horror to action is fine but the developers employ cheap tactics to try and maintain a sense of fear. The main problem being a torch which wouldn’t help you navigate your way out of a shoe box let alone one of the expansive dark sections featured in the game.

The Resident Evil and Silent Hill franchises are still going strong, but no longer have any appeal as Survival Horror games. Dino Crisis finished with its third game, largely because the third game was just plain awful. Fighting genetically engineered dinosaurs in space in the distant future was a bad design choice. The first two games had helped build a story following the main protagonist, Regina, and the third did not continue this.

So around 10 years ago the Survival Horror genre was saturated with engaging titles. In the present there is much greater potential to strike fear into gamers with the excellent graphics on offer but we are yet to see new generation titles achieve this. No game currently holds the title of Survival Horror king and there is a niche in the market which a smart developer needs to exploit. In the meantime if you are looking for a good survival horror game dust off one of the old consoles and play Resident Evil 1-3, Dino Crisis 1-2 or Silent Hill 1-2. Read more!

First Impressions: Persona 4 (Ps2)

Persona 4 - another digit-stacking addition to an already aging franchise, was released in the UK last Friday (13/03). How does the latest Atlus RPG contribution fare on its arguably outdated platform?

After my PS3 in all its next-gen glory spat the disc out in violent disgust, I was forced to retrieve my dated PS2 from the depths of the Console Purgatory that is my attic. Like Frankensteins monster I re-assembled the various components, following closely the advice written in the scriptures. Ok Ok, the game...

The first thing that struck me about Persona 4 was the setting, I had for one reason or another neglected the previous Shin Megami Tensai titles in the series, and I'm beginning to wish that I hadn't.

Persona 4 paints Japan with a degree of style, authenticity and attention to detail that is rarely seen in other J-RPG's. On top of that, the characterisation and art style grants the game a charm which makes it instantly engrossing. Interlaced throughout the *LENGTHY* introductory game period (The player has little or no affect on the proceedings of the game for about 2 hours of play-time) are high quality anime sequences with surprisingly decent dubbing.

The plot is fairly generic, fans of Shounen Anime will be instantly at home, for outsiders, the premise is this: You are an enigmatic, blank slate-esque kid with a secret power un-beknown even to you. You are staying with a relative in a new town and your about to have some adventures, so you may as well look forward to them.

The crux of the game is to solve a mysterious serial murder case that is dominating the local town of Inaba, you have one year, on a calender. Each day is broken down into periods in which various activities will be available to you and it is up to you to manage your time in the most productive way possible.

I realise this sounds incredibly boring ala "Lifestyle Manager 2009" but honestly, you will become immersed in the protagonists life quickly, planning activities days ahead of time. All things factor into what unfolds in your scenario, the weather is of crucial importance to the mystery as are the friends and duties you establish throughout your day-to-day life.

Combat in Persona 4 is fun and quite challenging at times, encounters are not strictly random but are infinite for those that like a grind, while being easily avoidable for those that don't. Character, or rather Persona customisation is deep and rewarding, and there are various difficulty modes.

Without a doubt the most engrossing aspect of the game so far (5 hours in) is the setting and plot line, but a highly developed battle system combined with a fantastic calender based time-scale makes for a driven and immersive game, watch this space.

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Wossy Slips Up Over Fable 3

Marmite-like Radio and TV presenter Jonathan Ross has made a boo-boo today, inadvertently revealing the development of Fable 3 - previously unconfirmed.

Wossy says he'll be contributing voice-overs to the third game in a series which, since the beginning, has featured fantastic voice-work from various Icons.

The accent heavy and overtly British voice acting has split the Fable series apart and is immediately recognisable in both Fable and Fable II

Rumour has it that Guardian Journo and all round legend Charlie Brooker would also like to contribute his unique brand of cynicism - a perfect fit in the satirical world of Albion. Read more!

Grand Slam Tennis - The Wii's True Test?

When the motion sensing control schemes of the Nintendo Wii were first announced, my immediate thought was "they could make a great tennis game with this" and then they did.


Great that is - if you didnt really care much for tennis and just wanted to swing a remote around and have a giggle, which is fine! If its fun its fun. (Unless you're one of the millions of plasma/LCD TV's lost in the great Wii invasion)

The down-side to Wii-Sports Tennis was that it was lackluster in depth. Sure, its family friendly, its got pick up and play appeal, but i couldnt help but feel that it could have been so much more. Was it really responding to my strokes, or was it just swinging when i twitched?

It is this same lack of depth, this casual appeal, which has deterred me from buying a Wii for so long, but now, just over the horizon, there is a game which might just convert me. EA recently announced Grand Slam Tennis on Wii, boasting an all-star lineup of pro players, but more importantly... in EA's words:

"Call Your Shots Topspin, backspin - superior racket responsiveness and control makes it possible."

Something this trivial WILL sway my wallet, its time they started putting the motion sensor to the test, and drawing out its real potential. (if indeed it has any)

With the release of image-shattering titles like Madworld on the horizon, the Wii can finally shed its family friendly, casual gamer appeal and become a more venerable gaming console.

Or it can keep being a Wii. Read more!

Afro Samurai

I’ve just finished the Afro Samurai series. Considering it’s only five episodes, lasting half an hour each, taking a year and a half from watching the first, to the last, is a little embarrassing.


I was hardly knocked out of my seat by it; that being said, it was really enjoyable. The drawings were insanely good. The characters were brilliant, I loved the relationship between Afro and his conscience. And the flashbacks to develop the story were just ace. But what have I learnt from it all?

Anime can be amazing. I don’t usually ‘get’ the whole anime thing. I thought Spirited Away was way (times ten) over rated, and I could never tolerate any others for more than ten minutes. I did watch, and thoroughly enjoy Princess Mononoke, but I figured that would be the exception. In a valiant attempt to catch the anime bug, I set up a crunchyroll account in the winter, and tried watching several anime films. They were all boring. I’m 20, generally speaking I like mature stuff. I watched the Tony Tikatana movie on there (adapted from a Murakami story) and enjoyed that, but since then I haven’t been on the site. But having seen Afro Samurai, I’m definitely going to have to explore Anime again, and see if I can find something else that rocks my boat in the same way. For now, I do have Afro Samurai: Resurrection to keep my yearnings sated.

You might just see an Afro Samurai game review on here soon too, it comes out in two days. And yet it's been out since February the 24th in America... crazy! Who still does staggered release dates these days anyway?

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My Pro Evolution Soccer disdain

And so I enter into the second month of a Pro Evo free zone. It wasn’t long ago that I was thinking of new formations in my head, on the way to, from, and in school.


Even as I lay in bed I was thinking "4-3-3 with Rosicky on the wing, but could he be a WB?!" In fact it was only last year that I reached the year 2012 on my Master League, players like Pirlo and Gerrard were beginning to retire as Walcott, Benzema and Aguero ruled the world. And Lee Chun Soo, bizarrely. It was a massive part of my life.

And yet, despite not playing for so long, I don’t miss it. Six months ago, this would have been unthinkable, if you’d even mentioned it to me a year ago I would have surely kicked you in the shins before unleashing an uppercut to your fragile chin, but this is the stark truth. And why? Because Pro Evolution 2009 is shit. The kind of shit that smells so bad your brain automatically ignores it, for your own safety. The computer makes horrid decisions for you, the passing is crap, the AI runs lack absolutely any intelligence whatsoever, the transfers are behind, the training mode is awful... it’s appalling. That’s not including the compete disregard for presentation and licensing.

And why else? Because FIFA 2009 (which my flat mate owns) pisses all over it. He also manages to piss all over me, but let’s not get into that. The attention to detail is impeccable. The extra modes, levels and variations on the same concept are untouched by Pro. But most importantly, they’ve finally got the game right. FIFA 2009 feels like proper football. No more 10-9 results, where five bicycle kicks are scored by the same player (thanks for that FIFA 2001 – incidentally, the last FIFA I bought). It’s not perfect, god no, but it is the best football game out there.

There’s about six months until these two giants go to war again. I hope Pro Evolution sorts it shit out, otherwise myself, and many others, will all be moving over to the FIFA bandwagon. Read more!