Sat, 13 Mar, 10
Author:
Lydia Low

Category:
Games deals

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Dragon Age: Origins £19.99 @ Gamestation [XBox 360 & PS3 Games]

Dragon Age: Origins £19.99 @ Gamestation [XBox 360 & PS3 Games]

It may not last too long but Gamestation are currently selling Dragon Age: Origins for just £19.99. This is the cheapest I have ever seen the XBox version and it is very rare to see PS3 copies for under £20 either. At the moment the next best competitor for either console is Zavvi with a price tag of £24.85 (XBox PS3) so Gamestation’s price gives a near £5 saving.

Dragon Age takes some very well worn high fantasy tropes—elves, dwarves, mages, themes of betrayal and impending apocalyptic doom— and places them into a huge world that is a pleasure to explore and filled with side quests to undertake and fascinating characters to meet.

While it may feel rather familiar to anyone who has read any fantasy literature, the story is perfectly paced and just so beautifully told that it will keep you hooked from start to finish as well as being populated by brilliant characters with excellent voice acting to make up for the occasionally dodgy models. Add to this the brilliantly implemented morality system that has far deeper consequences than is usually seen to games, a fun and varied combat system and a world that is made real through it’s rich history and lore and it is not hard to see why, while Dragon Age has not been the biggest commercial success of recent times, it has won an army of devoted fans.

If you are a graphics freak then it is highly recommended that you opt for the PC version of the game, as it fares far well visually than either of the consoles. The PS3 offering is the less ugly sister, with improved textures over the 360 but unfortunately it is also the more glitch prone of the two.

The graphics issue is a shame but really doesn’t not affect the greatness of this game—big, bold and brilliant, it is a worthy addition to any games shelf.

If you want to read more before taking the plunge then be sure to read Matt’s review!

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Sat, 13 Mar, 10
Author:
Matt Gardner

Category:
Games deals

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Assassin’s Creed II £24.99 @ GAME [PS3 Games]

Assassins Creed II £24.99 @ GAME [PS3 Games]

There’s really nothing like coming back from a hard day’s work, engaging in a spot of parkour across various Florentine landmarks and rounding up a bunch of flags before leaping from the top of a cathedral’s spire and using a pesky rooftop guard as a crash mat before assassinating a courier and pocketing his heavy wallet, escaping from the scene of the crime by hiring a few courtesans to distract any unwanted attention. Forget the confusing plot about Templars and genetic memories, this is what the Assassin’s Creed series has always been about.

If you’re a PS3 owner yet to meet Ezio Auditore, then there’s never been a better time to do so as GAME are currently offering an exclusive version of the game – complete with a nice little figurine of Ezio himself – for just £24.99, which is a good £6.50 cheaper than the nearest competitor over at Coolshop.

The game is very similar to its predecessor, but with a few key changes. For starters, you can now upgrade your weapons, and there’s a large number of different blades, knives and other stabbing objects to choose from. The combat system has been tweaked slightly to give Ezio a wider array of moves, and he’ll need them as the guards come in several different shapes and sizes. Crucially, Ezio can now swim and use diving to break the line of sight of suspicious guards.

The gameplay reamins relatively unchanged, but Ubisoft have clearly started playing to the game’s strengths. As well as the assassination missions there are races to be run, messages to be delivered, hidden glyphs to be found and important people to be protected, but now there are a handful of Assassin tombs littered in secret locations that essentially play out as a series of free-running assault courses as well.

The game isn’t perfect, open combat is still pretty awful to be honest and the plot makes absolutely no sense at all, but this is certainly an improvement on the previous title and a great game to add to your collection.

Thanks to davver99 at HUKD

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Sat, 13 Mar, 10
Author:
Matt Gardner

Category:
Games deals

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inFAMOUS £9.99 @ GAME [PS3 Games]

inFAMOUS £9.99 @ GAME [PS3 Games]

Whilst it’s comparative cousin Prototype was, in essence, a free-roaming, superpower-boosted murder simulated, inFamous strives for something a little more refined, although the games are pretty damn similar when all’s said and done. Telling the story of Cole MacGrath, a bike courier caught in the middle of a devastating explosion who awakens to find himself imbued with electrical superpowers, inFamous’ sees you leaping around the fictional Empire City and unravelling an intricate story in a sandbox game that’s just a little bit more special than many of the bland copycats out there.

You can pick up a copy of inFamous for just £9.99 at the moment from GAME, which is a good £5 cheaper than next in line Amazon, who are selling it for £14.99.

Sucker Punch have created a great little game here, with a gripping story, well-drawn characters and a nifty little karma system. It looks great, plays great and sounds great too thanks to a cracking, atmospheric soundtrack from Amon Tobin.

Imagine Prototype plus a plot and a karma system and you’ve basically got the idea. An excellent game and well worth it at this price.

Thanks to adriang at HUKD

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Sat, 13 Mar, 10
Author:
Matt Gardner

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Games deals

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Red Faction: Guerrilla £4.99 @ Game/Gamestation [PC Games]

Red Faction: Guerrilla £4.99 @ Game/Gamestation [PC Games]

Since the dawn of gaming time fads have come and gone but one thing has remained constant: the desire to blow stuff up. Red Faction has always excelled when it comes to destruction models, and Guerrilla is no different. Set half a century after the original, this sees you rebelling against former allies, the Earth Defence Force. With our once verdant planet completely spent, the EDF have essentially turned Mars into one big labour camp, which not everybody is too happy about.

If you fancy getting in on some gloriously destructive action, you can pick up a copy of the PC version for under £5 at both Game and Gamestation, although we’d probably go with the former if only for their reward scheme, which is nearly a tenner cheaper than the nearest competitors over at Amazon and HMV.

Let’s make no bones about it, Guerrilla is a pretty disappointing game. The presentation is hardly awe-inspiring, the voice-acting is almost (but not quite) as bad as that to be found in Fable II, and the plot is dreary to say the least. The game’s difficulty curve is also relentlessly unforgiving, sending out a pretty depressing message about the futility of one man standing up to The Man.

But this series is basically just a glorified excuse to let players loose on a game where everything is prone to ruin. You can wreck pretty much anything you can see provided that you have the suitable tools. There’s certainly a lot of fun to be had simply by going around and blowing stuff up, and when the game hits it’s stride I have to say I found myself grinning like a fool. But then the game will spike and you’ll die twelve times and curse the camera and the repetitive nature of it all and play something that’s just a bit…well….better.

Thanks to Neil_Coombes at HUKD

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Sat, 13 Mar, 10
Author:
Matt Gardner

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Games deals

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Nintendo DS Lite £79.99 @ Sainsbury’s

Nintendo DS Lite £79.99 @ Sainsburys

Smaller and sleeker than the original, this is the Atkins diet DS, lacking nothing in functionality and actually improving upon its parent with extended battery life, brighter screens and a chunkier stylus.

The various forms of the DS have all hovered up around the £100 mark for some time – not surprising considering the barnstorming success of Nintendo’s handheld – but finally we’re beginning to see some signs of a price drop. You can pick up a DS Lite, in a choice of 4 different colours, for £79.99 at the moment from Sainsbury’s, which is around £10 less than most other merchants, although you will have to pay £3.95 for delivery if ordering over the net.

There are a few other changes, a few buttons have been moved, as has the microphone, accessories for the GBA can no longer be used due to the new external extension port, but you can still play GBA games, although they’ll poke out at the top a little bit due to the smaller size, Ultimately, though, the DS Lite is a big improvement: it’s more portable, the battery life last for ages as the processors use less power, and the visual sprucing is a welcome touch indeed.

There’s a reason why the DS is the fastest selling handheld of all time: it’s brilliant. It’s far more pocket sized than the PSP 3000, although perhaps not the Go, and in spite of not being able to match Sony’s handheld for sheer power, its array of games is arguably more impressive. The DS is certainly more versatile than its rather more straightforward competitor, but the things that they offer differ enough that you can quite happily pick up both.

I’ve just ordered one of these. It means that finally I won’t have to keep stealing my sister’s DS.

Thanks to loll1es at HUKD

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Sat, 13 Mar, 10
Author:
Lydia Low

Category:
Games deals

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God of War III Preorder £33.99 @ The Game Collection [PS3 Games]

God of War III Preorder £33.99 @ The Game Collection [PS3 Games]

It’s not long now until God of War fans can get their hands on the final instalment in Kratos’ epic revenge trilogy. For those who absolutely have to have it the day it arrives, The Game Collection currently have the best preorder price, at just £33.99, it’s £4 down from the next best offer of £36.95 from Blah DVD (and affliates).

GoW III picks up where the previous instalment ended, with Kratos on the massive Gaia’s back, hungry for his revenge and glory. The game sees Kratos journey from the giddy heights of Mount Olympus to the depths of Hades in his quest to avenge the wrongs committed against him.

All the previews, video reviews and demos suggest that this will be an unmissable game for Playstation owners delivering an epic experience in a world with a ridiculous sense of scale. Fans of gore will relish the opportunity to rip out cyclops’ eyes and stab minotaurs to death with their own horns. While it has sacrificed some of the diversity seen in God of War II, the fantastic combat and incredible, benchmark setting visuals are present. Reviews suggest that the story is a tad slow to start but once it gets going it provides an excellent and very satisfying resolution to Kratos’ tale.

Thanks to henrymalcam at Hotukdeals!

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Fri, 12 Mar, 10
Author:
Matt Gardner

Category:
Games deals

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Medal of Honor: Airborne £3.97 @ Tesco [PC Games]

Medal of Honor: Airborne £3.97 @ Tesco [PC Games]

To be honest, I have to say that I’ve always found Medal of Honor games to be fairly interchangeable and fairly average. Airborne, though, bucks the trend of the linear WWII shooter somewhat by letting you choose your vantage point for each battle by tossing you out of a plane and letting you parachute into battle wherever you damn well please. It also means that, unlike so many of its predecessors, Airborne lets you choose how you want to go through each level, be it wading into the midst of the action guns blazing, or landing further afield and doing a spot of stealthy recon.

You can pick up the PC version for just £3.97 from Tesco these days, which is around 20% cheaper than the nearest competitor (Sendit – £4.89).

A thoroughly more expansive experience than many of the series’ more average entries, Airborne brought something new to the wartime FPS when it first came out and remains a perfectly solid shooter. It’s certainly one of the highlights of the Medal of Honor franchise, and is a blast to play with improved AI, open battlefields and vertical combat all contributing towards a significantly satisfying game. The graphics, good at the time of release, are still relatively impressive and the heightened realism of the death animations and facial expressions add to the game’s sombre action atmosphere.

Definitely worth a look at this price for any FPS fan.

Thanks to andywedge at HUKD

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Fri, 12 Mar, 10
Author:
Jonathan Lester

Category:
Games deals

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Two Xbox 360 Battery Packs and Dual Charging Station £12.99 @ Argos [Xbox 360 Games]

Two Xbox 360 Battery Packs and Dual Charging Station £12.99 @ Argos [Xbox 360 Games]

You know the drill. Just as you’re getting to a critical point in a serious multiplayer sesh, you’ll notice the green lights around the controller’s guide button berserk…which is swiftly followed by the dreaded “Please Reconnect Your Controller” warning. Rechargeable controller batteries are an essential part of any self-respecting gamer’s arsenal- and now Argos have bundled two batteries with a dual USB charging station…for £12.99. A single battery and charging lead/kit will usually retail from anywhere between £11-£15, which essentially means that you’re saving yourself a packet.

Hardcore gamers with one or two controllers should probably invest in a ‘Play and Charge’ kit so that your batteries can charge whilst you pwn- but this dual charging station bundle is worth buying for a couple of reasons beyond the fantastically-priced battery packs. Since two controllers can be simultaneously recharged from a single USB port, you’ll free up space for rock band peripherals, the wireless adaptor or a Play and Charge kit. It also keeps unused controllers in one handy place, rather than leaving them scattered around the house (and frequently getting lost). Most importantly, it’s a nice piece of kit that actually looks the business as well as giving you attractive visual feedback about power levels.

Note that the supplied battery packs are third party rather than official Microsoft products, but they work well enough. Expect a shorter battery life than the real deal, though (which doesn’t really matter, because you’ve already got the charging station!).

This is an impressive price for an great piece of gaming gear. Besides: even if you don’t like the charging station, you’re still getting two battery packs for £12. Bargain.

Thanks to Adam2050 at Hot UK Deals.

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Fri, 12 Mar, 10
Author:
Marius Goubert

Category:
Games deals

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Dead Space £5.60 @ Amazon [PC Games]

Dead Space £5.60 @ Amazon [PC Games]

Although Dead Space 2 might be looming on the horizon (well, maybe not quite, as at the moment we’re looking at a release date sometime between January and March 2011) the original edition has just fallen to £5.60 on the PC, unfortunately The Hut, whilst cheaper, is currently out of stock. So if you’re on the look out for a decent survival horror, Dead Space is certainly worth consideration, now over 15% cheaper than the nearest competitor (ShopTo – £6.74). The game is atmospheric, hilariously gory, and provides you with plenty of manic-mutants to brutally dismember.

Set several centuries in the future, the story behind Dead Space focuses on the character of Isaac. Part of a team of deep space engineers sent to ‘crack’ planets and export their natural resources back to Earth, Isaac is sent to investigate a break in communication with a ship called the USG Ishimura. Of course, once onboard the seemingly abandoned and derelict vessel, he and his crew find themselves under attack from a horde of psychopathic-mutants. Separated from his crew mates, Isaac then has to try and restart the ship, save anyone left alive, and of course kill anything that gets in his way.

When it comes to armaments, Dead Space does things slightly differently however. As an engineer, Isaac is only armed with tools which he can adapt into various weapons, and which include things like nail guns, flame throwers and pulse weapons. These can all be employed to shoot, burn or tear limbs off any baddies. And visually the game is superb, with the player being treated to plenty of great looking gore. The atmospherics are also well done; especially as you uncover the remnants of the Ishimura’s crew, and signs alluding to their last stand against the Necromorph.

The only drawbacks involve the game’s annoying camera, which can sometimes obscure the action at critical moments. Dead Space also features a lot of back tracking which, although justifiable, can get quite repetitious. However it’s still a highly entertaining and enjoyable title, and certainly a bargain for just under a fiver.

Thanks to Scowie from Hotukdeals.

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Fri, 12 Mar, 10
Author:
Jonathan Lester

Category:
Games deals

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XBLA Roundup: Map Pack Deal & Scrap Metal Review

XBLA Roundup: Map Pack Deal & Scrap Metal Review

After last week’s atrocious Xbox Live deal, Major Nelson has brought his Xbox Live Gold faithful an offer that might actually come in useful (even if it won’t please everyone). This week, Gold Members can download the Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack Bundle for 1600 Microsoft points, which is a reduction of 400 points (and 800 points cheaper than buying the packs separately). As I said, it won’t be useful for everyone- but if you enjoy World of War’s online multiplayer then it’s the perfect time to invest in the extra content.

Just in case you’re interested, this pack includes nine competitive multiplayer maps and three cooperative Zombie maps. The Zombie maps are by far the most fun, since they’re probably more fun than the original game itself. You’ll need tight teamwork, overlapping lines of fire and more than a little luck to survive against the Zombie horde, though you’ll be helped out by Perks-a-Cola machines, Monkey Bombs and the powerful Wunderwaffe DG-2 lightning cannon. This bundle also features 20 Achievements, though most are online-only (sorry, fellow achievement whores!). Don’t get me wrong, it’s still not a particularly impressive DOTW… but it’s unlikely that there’ll be any outstanding offers until the Block Party promotion has ended.

Speaking of the Block Party, Microsoft has released the second XBLA game of the season…

Scrap Metal: Micro Review

XBLA Roundup: Map Pack Deal & Scrap Metal Review

Platform: X360 (XBLA)

Developer: Slick Entertainment

Publisher: Microsoft

Remember the original Micro Machines? Games may have gotten shinier, deeper and more involved since 1995, but there once was a time when games were primarily about the fun rather than the spectacle and story. Like ragging a tiny car around a track from a birdseye perspective whilst smashing your mates sadistically off of the track, for instance.  Luckily for retro fans, Scrap Metal takes the classic top-down racing formula and wrenches it into the next-gen era. By adding a whole mess of massive guns and explosions.

The familiar arcade racing core remains unchanged, but a few new gametypes such as demolition derbies and survival missions have been thrown into the mix. A persistent upgrade system allows you to acquire enemy vehicles and improve their stats. Sixty singleplayer missions provide plenty of content, and the multiplayer is as riotous and uncomplicated and accessible as you’d expect. Basically, you’ll race cars… or blow them up… or both. Good, clean fun.

A few control issues mar the proceedings, and don’t expect the enemy AI to challenge you to any great degree. Having said that, there are a couple of seriously frustrating missions where the odds are firmly stacked against you- but the payoff is well worth the aggro.

Pros:

  • Classic old-school shenanigans
  • 60 singleplayer missions will keep you busy
  • Multiplayer is great fun

Cons:

  • Counter-intuitive controls
  • Occasional frustrating mission
  • Fairly pricey

The very short version: Scrap Metal offers injects a new lease of life into the tried-and-true arcade racer; and more than makes up for its high price tag with a huge amount of content. Turns out that they do make ‘em like they used to.

Dealspwn Rating: 8/10

So, what’s new?

The big DLC news this week is the Sinclair Solutions Pack for Bioshock 2. Dropping 400 MSP will increase your maximum rank to level 50 and also provides an extra weapon mod, two playable characters and a few new masks. In my personal opinion this should have been a free patch rather than paid DLC- but we have the misfortune to be living in the age of microtransactions, folks.

Well, that’s it for now. See you next week for Perfect Dark and the latest deal of the week!

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Thu, 11 Mar, 10
Author:
Lydia Low

Category:
Games deals

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F.E.A.R. 2 Special Edition £9.99 @ Game [PC Games]

F.E.A.R. 2 Special Edition £9.99 @ Game [PC Games]

If you are simply interested in Project Origin alone then you might wish to visit Play or HMV, who have both dropped their prices to beat Shop To’s deal that Marius posted yesterday, and are now selling it for  just £7.99. However Game’s exclusive special edition contains both the sequel and the original game. If you’re looking to get both this is a great deal because the best price for the original F.E.A.R. is £9.99 alone from Game Seek. So if you buy from Game you can get both games for the normal price for one.

As well as including the original F.E.A.R. title, Game’s exclusive collector’s edition comes in the steelbook packaging that lots of people seem to go crazy for and offers exclusive skins.

The original F.E.A.R. was an exciting and clever thrill ride through a blend of horror and first person shooter gameplay that attracted a body of fans eagerly anticipating the next instalment. As is often the case, the sequel did not quite live up to the high expectations but that is not to say that it is not worthwhile. Project Origin may not quite reach the standard of its predecessor but it is still a very enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

While there are some good, creepy scenes, the game just isn’t that scary and the storyline just feels a little to predictable to build up any real tension. Nonetheless as a shooter this feels solid and the slow-mo shoot outs are a lot of fun, particularly if you are a fan of gore. With the fantastic original included, F.E.A.R. 2 is well worth a go at this price.

Thanks to quazilogic at Hotukdeals!

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Thu, 11 Mar, 10
Author:
Marius Goubert

Category:
Games deals

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Battleforge £3.99 @ HMV (PC Games)

Battleforge £3.99 @ HMV (PC Games)Merging real time strategy gameplay with a collectable card game might sound overambitious, but it’s a combination which has been brilliant executed by the developers of Battleforge. The game is currently going for just £3.99 on HMV which is a great deal considering the next best price comes in at £9.99 from Coolshop.

The gameplay of Battleforge sees the player battling it out against their opponent RTS style with a variety of fantasy creatures. However instead of recruiting units from a barracks or base, the player uses an interactive card deck to summon units directly onto the battlefield. This is done using points acquired from captured power wells which essentially function as the game’s resource. You can also acquire orbs from various structures scattered across the environment which enable you to upgrade and gain access to more powerful cards. And although the system might sound complex, it’s brilliantly designed, and the sheer level of depth on offer means you can devout many happy hours tweaking your various decks outside battles.

Although the gameplay seamlessly integrates RTS with a collectable card game however, the story can be quite frustrating to follow. Essentially, Battleforge casts the player as a skylord who is rewarded by the gods for giving aid in a war against giants…or something along those lines. But if you’re really interesting in pursing the accompanying narrative, it isn’t easy, as the story is related in the form of an on-screen book which, unfortunately, you can’t book mark, which means you have to spend a great deal of time sifting through virtual pages to read new sections. The campaign is also annoyingly short, but that said, Battleforge does get things spot on when it comes to online multiplayer. So if you’re an RTS fan, Battleforge is definitely worth a look – even if you hate collectable card games.

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Thu, 11 Mar, 10
Author:
Matt Gardner

Category:
Games deals

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Yakuza 3 Premium Edition £32.85 @ ShopTo [PS3 Games]

Yakuza 3 Premium Edition £32.85 @ ShopTo [PS3 Games]

Apparently, according to Yakuza 3, a short walk to the store around the corner in Japan will see you set upon by jacketed thugs, mind you, considering Kiryu Kazuma’s chequered past, that’s not exactly surprising. This third instalment finds the tattoed former clan chairman looking after orphaned kids. Of course, things don’t stay quiet for long, and he ends up having to protect the orphanage from a swathe of rival clan baddies under pressure from the government to demolish the sanctuary and erect a seaside resort and barracks.

ShopTo is currently offering the Premium Edition (which comes with 4 pieces of DLC and a 31 track accompanying soundtrack) for £32.85, which is a good couple of quid cheaper than anyone else offering a version of the PS3 exclusive.

The most striking aspect of Yakuza 3 is arguably it’s setting: the lush and verdant Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa are a far cry from the gritty streets of Tokyo and Osaka. The presentation is, as you’d expect, pretty damn special and the gameplay is incredibly true to form.

Many Yakuza veterans hail the series as being far superior to that of the Rockstar franchise to which it often gets compared and, whilst  I’m not entirely sure I’d go that far, it’s clear that SEGA has pulled out all of the stops with this one. The freeroaming aspects of the game virtually peerless, and the development team has done such a good job with fleshing out the game world with endless distractions, mini-games and bustling urban cityscapes that it seems almost as if they’re deliberately trying to draw you away from the convoluted main story.

There’ve been a few cuts for the Western release, but this shouldn’t put you off at all.

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Thu, 11 Mar, 10
Author:
Marius Goubert

Category:
Games deals

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TOM CLANCY’S ENDWAR £5.85 @ Shopto [PS3 Games]

TOM CLANCYS ENDWAR £5.85 @ Shopto [PS3 Games]Traditionally, real time strategy games don’t work particularly well on consoles. They can leave you battling to navigate the map, struggling to drag boxes in order to group units, and issuing basic commands can turn into a long drawn-out affair. However Tom Clancy’s EndWar is an RTS built for consoles, and one which uses a voice recognition system to make things a bit more manageable and alleviate the cumbersome feel you get with most other RTS titles. You can currently pick up a copy on the PS3 for £5.85 from Shopto which is a great deal considering the next best comes in at £8.99.

You can’t help but notice a few parallels regarding the Endwar’s storyline – which basically involves a large scale conflict over dwindling oil reserves. But unlike some of the more convoluted Tom Clancy plot lines, thankfully Endwar doesn’t bombard you with loads of politics and keeps things nice and brief. As already mentioned, the game uses a voice recognition system which allows you to issue commands. And although EW can be played with just a controller if you choose – and are self-conscious about housemates/girlfriends/family hearing you shouting orders for hours on end – you’ll be missing out on one of the game’s best features.

Unlike when you ring Virgin Media, the voice recognition in Endwar actually works very well – especially on the PS3. Lots of background noise can be a problem, but on the whole, it’s a system that’s been surprisingly well implemented.  You don’t have to have the entire command list memorized, as the order options appear in the top corner of the screen and can be cycled through until you find the one you need. Unfortunately however, despite the fact it manages to bypass the control problem, End War isn’t exactly awe-inspiring when it comes to visuals. Path finding could be also better, and overall, there are a few minor issues which mean that while the game is good, it can’t quite be described as great.

Thanks to Ipswich772 from Hotukdeals.

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Wed, 10 Mar, 10
Author:
Lydia Low

Category:
Games deals

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White Knight Chronicles £27.99 @ The Game Collection [PS3 Games]

White Knight Chronicles £27.99 @ The Game Collection [PS3 Games]

Level 5’s first project for the PS3 is unfortunately this terribly mediocre fantasy rpg. It’s not the worst game ever but it’s certainly a huge let down.

If the poor reviews have not been enough to put you off then you may be interested to hear that The Game Collection are currently selling White Knight Chronicles for just £27.99; this is a good £6 cheaper than the next best price of £34 from Amazon.

In the kingdom of Balandor, a princess’s traditional coming of age feast is rudely interrupted by evil organisation The Magi. The princess manages to escape with the aid of a plucky young chap called Leonard who is magically and conveniently transformed into ancient warrior the White Knight, who has the power to defeat The Magi, when he stumbles into a suit of armour. Thus begins a predictable and highly disappointing adventure.

There are some great enemies to pit yourself against but unfortunately the combat system that you will be using to fight them is thoroughly unexciting and battle is often far too easy. There are some nice environments but the character models aren’t great and, while the voice acting very good, the lip syncing that accompanies it is often dreadful. The story is a reasonable length, offering a good thirty hours of play and there’s a whole heap of side quests to kill plenty more time. The multiplayer mode isn’t perfect but it’s nice to have the option to tackle a good selection of the quests with some chums.

Overall it’s not a dreadful game but it shoots way below what was expected—a sad, missed opportunity.

Thanks to Adam2050 at Hotukdeals!

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