MIRROR'S EDGE

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : EA Digital Illusions CE

Publisher : Electronic Arts

Engine : Unreal Engine 3 and PhysX (Physics Engine, Nvidia GPU Acceleration and Extra FX are PC Exclusive)

Genre : First Person Shooter and Action-Adventure

Release Date : January 12 , 2009

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows XP / Windows Vista

CPU : Intel Core 2 Duo Processor / AMD Athlon64 X2 4600+

Memory (RAM) : 1 GB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 9.0c Compatible Video Card with Memory 256 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 8600 Series
ATI : Radeon HD 2600 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 8 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

Mirror's Edge takes place in an unnamed city where a totalitarian regime monitors its citizens through invasive surveillance , tracking all forms of electronic communication in order to reduce crime and quell any challenge to its power. An upcoming mayoral election seeks to retain Mayor Callaghan in power to keep the government's control on the city, though a new favoured candidate Robert Pope promises to bring change. The Eurasian protagonist, Faith Connors, is a "Runner", a person trained in parkour , to stay out of sight and to use rooftops and other means to help deliver physical messages between revolutionary groups within the city. Faith along with another Runner, Celeste, were both trained by Mercury who also provides radio support for the two. Faith receives a call for help from her sister Kate, a police officer, at the offices of Pope, and finds that Pope has been murdered, clutching a piece of paper with the name "Icarus" on it. Kate tells Faith to find out more and to report anything to her superior, Lt. Miller. Faith finds a former Runner named Jacknife who identifies that Pope's head of security, a former wrestler named Ropeburn, may have more information, but does not divulge any more. Faith reports this to Lt. Miller, who arranges a meeting with Ropeburn; Faith attempts to listen in, but Ropeburn discovers her and attempts to kill her. Faith gains the upper hand, and hangs him over a rooftop, attempting to gain information, but before she can, Ropeburn is killed by an unknown assassin. Faith gives chase to the assassin, discovering the assassin works for a private security firm that the city relies on heavily for its armed forces, and that the firm is training its own form of Runners in order to capture or kill the other Runners in the city. She regains the assassin's trail to a tanker and is able to corner the assassin, finding that it is Celeste. Celeste states that she has changed sides due to "Project Icarus" to avoid being constantly hunted by security forces and to be able to live her life. Fearing that she will be arrested if she is caught with Faith, Celeste escapes from Faith and disappears.

Mercury tells Faith that Kate has been convicted of Pope's murder, and arranges a spot where Faith can ambush the convoy that is taking her to prison. Faith is able to successfully free Kate, telling her to flee to the lair where Mercury is waiting while she lures the police away. After avoiding her chasers, Faith returns to the lair to find it has been attacked, Kate having gone missing and Mercury near death. Mercury is able to tell Faith that Kate has been taken to the Shard, a skyscraper that is home to Mayor Callaghan as well as the city's centralized surveillance databases. With the help of Lt. Miller, who feels Faith is the city's best hope for change, Faith is able to make her way to the server rooms and destroy the servers, unlocking access to the roof. However, during this, Miller is suddenly cut off, and a shot is heard. There, she finds that Kate is being held at gunpoint by Jacknife. Jacknife explains that Project Icarus is a plan created by Callaghan to eliminate all the Runners in the city and to stop the uncontrolled flow of information, and that unlike Celeste, who took part in it only to stay alive, Jacknife was involved in it all along as a driving force. Jacknife attempts to escape with Kate in a waiting helicopter, but Faith follows and grabs onto it; she is able to jump into the helicopter and send Jacknife plummeting to his death. As he falls, stray bullets from his gun hit the helicopter and cause it to spin out of control. Kate falls to edge of the rooftop, and Faith jumps out just in time to avoid falling to her death. Kate begins to fall from the rooftop, and Faith leaps out and saves Kate from falling. Faith helps Kate up as the helicopter crashes below. The two hug and the camera begins to zoom back to show that they are atop a skyscraper overlooking an entire city. During the game's end credits, an announcement states that both Faith and Kate are now wanted criminals but have gone missing, while urging the citizens of the city to avoid electronic communications until the city can repair the faults with the Shard's servers. The announcement also emphasizes that further questions are now being raised about the Runners, suggesting that Project Icarus is well in motion.

You run across rooftops, through train stations, and along walls. As you run, you pick up speed and are able to string a number of moves together in rapid succession. You can slide under pipes, bound over railings, and leap across impossible-looking chasms, among other techniques. Of course, the most obvious twist in Mirror's Edge is that you do all of this from a first-person view, rather than with the typical third-person camera that we've come to expect. Nevertheless, Mirror's Edge excels when you hit that snappy stride, and once you've found the best route through a particularly tricky scenario, it's exhilarating to rush through it without a care to weigh you down. But this doesn't happen the first time you do it, or even the fifth time. You will need to experiment and hone your skills, given that a simple mistake can send you plunging down onto the street below, or will at very least interrupt your stride. Mirror's Edge is a game of visual contrasts, in which stark white environments contrast with vivid colors. Important ramps, doorways, ladders, and other points of interest are painted in a vibrant red, which is an important visual cue in some of the broader levels. The unusually crisp visuals have seen some nice additional touches on the PC, such as fluttering industrial plastic over a few doorways, and symbolic flags undulating in the wind. The audio also deserves high praise. Sound effects such as Faith's breathy heaves and plodding footsteps are authentic touches that heighten the sense of speed and tension. The voice acting is equally terrific, but it's the pulsing, driving soundtrack that impresses most. The superb musical journey culminates in a fantastic vocal track that plays during the game's final credits. Mirror's Edge offers occasional thrills, provided that you can look past some awkward stumbles.

GAME REVIEW :-

7/10

Mirror's Edge Trailer :-

TOM CLANCY'S GHOST RECON ADVANCED WARFIGHTER 2

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : GRIN and Red Storm Entertainment

Publisher : Ubisoft

Engine : GRIN Diesel Engine and YETI Engine

Genre : Modern Tactical Shooter

Release Date : July 17 , 2007

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows XP / Windows Vista

CPU : Intel Pentium 4 Processor / AMD Athlon64 3800+

Memory (RAM) : 1 GB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 9.0c Compatible Video Card with Memory 128 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 7600 Series
ATI : Radeon X1300 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 5 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

The game begins in Ciudad Juarez after the events of the first Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter , where rebel activity has caused civil unrest throughout Mexico. Despite the death of Carlos Ontiveros in the first game, the insurgency has continued under the leadership of Juan de la Barrera, even spreading into other Latin American states, including Colombia , Honduras and Panama where rebel forces have effectively shut down the Panama Canal. The Ghosts are sent to Mexico by General Keating to investigate claims that the rebels are in possession of a dirty bomb , as well as prevent the rebellion from directly assaulting US soil. Immediately after arriving in Mexico, the Ghosts are put to work destroying a sizable rebel position guarded by two large artillery pieces, enabling additional American forces to reach the main battle-zone. Shortly thereafter, Mitchell aids in an aerial attack against a rebel supply base from Blackhawk 5, annihilating two enemy weapons convoys in the process. The Ghosts also learn that de la Barrera has obtained old Ukrainian Red Star IV nuclear warheads. Combined with several medium-range, Pakistani- built Kashmira-II missiles stolen from cargo ships in the Canal , the rebels now possess the ability to destroy any major city in the United States. With the WMD threat confirmed, the Ghosts travel to Ciudad Juárez to search for the nukes, and link up with loyalist Mexican Army troopers led by Colonel Jimenez. As the Mexican troops advance to secure the market place, however, an underground explosion rips through the district, killing the loyalist vanguard and flooding the area with deadly radiation. Realizing that the market held one of the missing Red Star IV's and containment was lost, Keating orders a retreat. Intelligence arrives suggesting that a local journalist with inside access to the rebel leadership knows the location of the remaining two nukes, and is willing to come forward and assist the Americans. Working with Jimenez's most elite troopers, the Ghosts destroy a series of anti-aircraft batteries and hold off a devastating rebel counterattack, enabling the journalist to be extracted safely, and the information she holds preserved. With all other assets devoted to protecting the reporter, Mitchell and his squad link up with Blackhawk 5 in front of a local church for evacuation.

Barely escaping the immediate warzone via Humvee , the vehicle is hunted down and destroyed by a rebel Havoc helicopter , killing the driver, PFC Provenanzo, and incapacitating the Ghost squad. The only survivor of the wreck, Mitchell manages to escape aboard Blackhawk 9 with the aid of one of the two Mexican soldiers from before, before providing air support for the American salvage convoy sent to recover Blackhawk 5. Having captured both Lieutenant Rosen (Mitchell's friend and field runner) along with the remains of the helicopter, the rebels attempt to use this victory as a propaganda tool. Unfortunately for the rebels, the Ghosts shut down their attempts at media manipulation by destroying the Blackhawk wreckage before storming a heavily-defended, mercenary-controlled hacienda to rescue Lieutenant Rosen, weathering a powerful reprisal from mercenary reinforcements before they can be extracted. With the intelligence gathered from both the Mexican journalist and Lieutenant Rosen, the Americans finally have the location of the last two nukes, back in Ciudad Juárez. Destroying additional enemy anti-air defenses around the site, Mitchell leads one team of Ghosts to secure the exterior of the target building while a second unit of Ghosts, lead by Derrick Parker, assaults the site directly. As Mitchell and his team bravely battles off a strong force of rebels, Bravo Team secures one of the nuclear weapons, but are stymied by de la Barrera, who escapes with the last warhead. Fighting through a densely-packed urban warzone, often faced with rebel APCs, machine-gun nests and anti-tank units along with the mercenaries, the Ghosts eventually punch through the enemy lines and kill de la Barrera, removing the rebel leadership, but do not find the last nuke. Oblivious to the defeat of their rebel employers, the mercenaries have taken the last nuke and intend on using it against the United States in a final act of revenge.

US intelligence finds out that the mercenaries plan to take the nukes to EI Paso , Texas , in order to destroy a large dam and the city around it. The dam turns out to be on top of a major American military installation where the mercenaries successfully hacked the US anti-ballistic missile defense grid, leaving the country vulnerable to nuclear attack. Discovering that the nukes are not, in fact, in El Paso, the Ghosts return to Ciudad Juárez, fighting through the last, desperate enemy forces to discover the last warhead has been armed and installed in one of the Khasmira-II missiles. Mitchell and his team end up pinned down on a balcony overlooking the launch site. With little time to spare, and President Ballentine unwilling to destroy the entire city in order to neutralize the threat, the Americans try to use an EMP missile fired by air support to disable the launchers. However, Mitchell and his team are still in range of the blast, and General Keating hesitates on authorizing air support with friendly soldiers in the blast area. Keating tells Mitchell "Son, I can't ask you to do this," but Mitchell says "Sir, it's why you sent me here, you know this is the only way." An American fighter fires the EMP missile, eliminating the threat but catching the Ghosts directly in the blast. The view cuts to Mitchell falling back by the explosion, with faint voices from Mitchell's crosscom. Lieutenant Rosen's Blackhawk can be seen from this view, and while Keating and Rosen plead with him to stay alive, President Ballantine thanks him for saving the nation. Rosen's chopper hovers over Mitchell, Rosen appears on the crosscom saying "Soldier, you're going home" and the game then cuts to the credits. The game recycles much of the textures and buildings from its predecessor, so the slums of Juarez look almost identical to the industrial areas of Mexico City. The game is dominated by its brown-and-yellow palette, and the color scheme is so bland and lifeless that it sucks a lot of life out of the otherwise solid graphic engine. You'd be hard-pressed to find something in the game that's a bright red or green or blue. The multiplayer options are nicely fleshed out. There are some cooperative gameplay levels, though the single-player campaign itself isn't playable in co-op. Then there's deathmatch and team modes, such as hamburger hill as well as recon-versus-assault, which is an objective-based mode that tasks one team on defense and the other on offense. The PC version of GRAW 2 is custom-built for the platform, and it's so difficult that it appears to have been custom-built for masochists, as well.

GAME REVIEW :-

7/10

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 Trailer :-

TEST DRIVE UNLIMITED

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : Eden Games and Melbourne House

Publisher : Atari

Engine : Havok and Twilight 2

Genre : GT / Street Racing

Release Date : March 20 , 2007

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows XP / Windows Vista

CPU : Intel Pentium 4 Processor / AMD Athlon 2800+

Memory (RAM) : 1 GB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 9.0c Compatible Video Card with Memory 256 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 7500 Series
ATI : Radeon X1650 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 8 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

The game begins by purchasing a car and a house. The player is then free to explore the island; as this happens key locations on the map are revealed. These include a Car and Bike dealership, car rental agencies, tuning shops, paint shops, time challenges, courier, vehicle transportation, hitchhickers and more. Success in challenges is rewarded with in-game money, or in the Hitchhiker and Top Model challenges, coupons. Using these coupons, the player can buy clothing for their character at the many branded clothes shops on the island. Money earned may be spent on buying new vehicles, renting cars, upgrading cars and buying houses. You start by picking a basic character model to represent yourself, and you're whisked away to fabulous Hawaii to buy a car and a house, do a lot of random racing, and drive hitchhikers and models around the island for some reason. That's about all there is to the premise. While it's not shocking that a racing game wouldn't have a major, in-depth storyline, the way the game introduces itself and the open-ended nature of the game world give you the impression that there might be some kind of plot to tie everything you do together. You start out with only a few available mission icons on the huge world map, but as time goes on, you'll see more and more begin to pop up across the entire stretch of the island. If you happen to have driven through a road where an objective resides, you can simply click on that icon on the map and be instantly transported there. But if an icon appears on a road you've never driven on before, you have to drive there to access it. What this does is force you to cruise through just about every nook and cranny of Oahu without being overly pushy about it. Races are fairly typical street races, with up to seven opponent drivers and a number of checkpoints scattered throughout a course. There's a huge roster of them to take part in on various roads that range from hairpin-filled hill climbs to straight-and-narrow city races. There's also the time trials, as well as the speed challenges, which task you either with driving a set speed past a number of speed traps laid about a course, or simply reaching a designated speed within a set amount of time.

There are over 90 licensed cars and motorcycles available in the game. From basic rides like Volkswagens, Chryslers, and Chevys to more exotic models of Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Aston Martins, there are plenty of available cars. Building up a car collection is key, as you'll need at least one car from each of the available A-through-G car classes, since at one point or another, you'll encounter races that require cars from these specific classes. Some races also require very specific cars, but if you don't want to buy them, there are rental agencies that will give you access to those cars for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. To house all your rides, you'll find yourself buying real estate throughout the island. Each house has its own look, but more importantly includes at least a four-car garage, if not higher. The houses don't have a ton of purpose beyond acting as basic hub levels and as a storage area for cars, but they're a nice touch all the same. You can also spend credits you earn from the hitchhiker and model missions on clothes for your character. Buying and selling cars is exceptionally simple; all you have to do is jump into the trade menu when you're in one of your houses, and buy and sell accordingly. You can set prices however you like, though you'll likely want to judge the market for your particular brand of car before trying to price gouge people with that Volkswagen Golf you have no use for. You can set all sorts of arbitrary rules, like time limits, whether or not the driver is relegated to the cockpit camera view, and whatnot, and you can also set entry fees and awards. Of course, the trick is that the awards are taken from your bank account, so you'll want to be careful with how much cash you're dishing out. Fortunately, there's also a time limit for how long a custom challenge can sit on the servers, so you're not destined to get gouged by people forever.

Obviously, the lack of cop interaction prevents them from getting in the way of your enjoyment of driving around the island. In fact, with the exception of the AI traffic and largely immovable scenery, everything about Test Drive's design seems built with the expressed purpose of making Oahu as leisurely a place to drive around as humanly possible. The game's mileage counts for each point-to-point drive are completely accurate, and unlike most games that tell you that you'll be going 15 miles to your destination, you feel like you're driving a realistic 15 miles. For some, the pacing of the island's travels might feel kind of sluggish, but for those who just like the idea of driving a hot car against a striking backdrop, Test Drive provides precisely that. The cars in the game are modeled beautifully, looking like pristine, out-of-the-factory renditions of their real-life counterparts. There's no damage modeling to any of the licensed vehicles, though you can damage the generic AI traffic. Collisions look strange, though, as the physics of you smashing into another car at a 150 miles per hour just don't look right. It's also bizarre when you go head-on into a lamppost or fence or something equally unassuming, and get stopped on a dime by it. There's also no car-customization element to speak of. There are some basic performance upgrades you can buy that sometimes do involve some visual upgrades, but there's no way to trick out your ride to make it look like your ride beyond basic paint jobs and some rim upgrades you can grab at the time you purchase a car. Each car also has its own unique cockpit view that's accurate to the real car; a feature sure to please the kinds of car fanatics that love this level of detail. It's especially cool if you've got a driving wheel hooked up. The game has good car sound effects but a fairly forgettable soundtrack consisting largely of songs from relatively unkown bands. There are a few notable tracks by artists like Queens of the Stone Age, Metric, and the James Gang, but you're more likely to want to get your custom soundtrack on while playing this one. It's not as unlimited as its subtitle suggests, and it has a pervasively aimless feel, but Test Drive Unlimited still creates a fun, leisurely world to drive in.

GAME REVIEW :-

7.5/10

Test Drive Unlimited Trailer :-

MOTOGP 08

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : Milestone

Publisher : Capcom

Engine : Not Revealed

Genre : Motorcycling and Simulation

Release Date : October 28 , 2008

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows XP / Windows Vista

CPU : Intel Quad Core Processor / AMD Phenom X4

Memory (RAM) : 2 GB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 10.0 Compatible Video Card with Memory 512 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 9600 Series
ATI : Radeon HD 2900 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 8 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

MotoGP 08 is meat-and-potatoes racing with enough challenge to keep two-wheeled gearheads busy for a long time. There aren't any surprises in MotoGP 08's list of game modes--you've got the standard list of single-player modes you'd expect from a racing game: Single Race, Time Trial, Championship, Challenge mode, and so on. The highlight on the single-player menu is the Career mode, which gives you a chance to create a rider from scratch and work your way up through three bike racing series (125cc, 250cc, and, the pinnacle, MotoGP). As you enter races, any points you score by placing high enough in the final results will earn you attribute upgrade points you can apply to one of four aspects of your particular bike: top speed, acceleration, braking, and traction. You can then take your souped-up bike online and enter the competition in online racing events against up to 11 other online riders. While Career mode is certainly the best single-player mode in the game, it has its quirks. First of all, your career ends after five years regardless of how many series championships you've won. Second, once you've selected from the game's various AI and handling difficulty levels, you can't change them for the entirety of your career. This is especially frustrating once you've maxed out your bike and can basically smoke the easy or medium-level AI opponents. It would have been more user-friendly to give players the chance to tweak options in between seasons to keep up the challenge. This lack of career option flexibility is a shame because MotoGP 08 is all about the challenge. While the learning curve is a bit gentler this time around, even an experienced MotoGP vet will find some challenge at the default difficulty level. If you bump that up to hard or champion level, you'll face cunning, hard-charging AI opponents that won't give you an inch.

There are three handling settings to choose from: easy, advanced, and simulation. With a little track time, MotoGP vets will likely be able to settle in at the advanced handling level with little trouble, but throughout every race you run in the game, the emphasis on the racing line and careful acceleration out of corners is a hallmark of the game. The advanced handling setting is touchy enough; when riding in the simulation setting, even the slightest error on the throttle while deep in a turn will result in a spill. When running against the upper-tier AI opponents, any mistake you make is magnified by their unyielding aggression, and you'll find yourself in yo-yo battles for position at nearly every corner on the track. While online performance in both games is good, the lack of features may leave you wanting. You can only run races one at a time--there's no option for a virtual championships where players can run multiple races for points--and can only bring your Career mode bike into a race if the host allows it. Even when using custom bikes, however, there's not much in the way of customization; you're stuck with the actual team leathers and bike paint schemes, as well as a series of unique helmets from which you can choose. MotoGP 08's graphics are solid, with the high point being a thrilling sense of speed. The hardcore fans will also find a lot to like with the game's audio presentation; not only is there a big difference among the 125cc, 250cc, and MotoGP bike engines, but individual constructor bikes have an engine sound all their own--one that series fans will likely instantly recognize. A slightly more approachable learning curve coupled with a great deal of challenge means that MotoGP 08 provides enough to keep motorcycle fans busy for months to come while not being as punishing on new players as the previous game in the series. Next year's game must primarily make sure that it has the same suite of offline and online features that players have come to expect from modern racing games. There's a lot to like in MotoGP 08's meat-and-potatoes approach to two-wheeled racing; here's hoping that next year's game offers a more extended menu.

GAME REVIEW :-

7/10

MotoGP 08 Trailer :-

THE LAST REMNANT

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : Square Enix

Publisher : Square Enix

Engine : Unreal Engine 3 Using SpeedTree

Genre : Role-Playing

Release Date : March 24 , 2009

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows XP / Windows Vista

CPU : Intel Core 2 Duo Processor / AMD Athlon64 X2 3800+

Memory (RAM) : 2 GB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 9.0c Compatible Video Card with Memory 256 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 8600 Series
ATI : Radeon X1900 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 15 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

The Last Remnant is set in a fictional world featuring a number of distinct humanoid races; the Mitras, most human in appearance, the Yamas, strong fish-like people, the Qsitis, small reptilians, and the Sovanis, feline people with four arms. The story of the game revolves around "remnants", mysterious and coveted ancient artifacts of varying shapes and sizes which possess magic powers and which have been the cause of several wars throughout the game's history. As Remnants come in varying forms, all cities throughout the world have one that their ruler is bound to that assist to govern and bring peace to their assigned realm. Nine cities have been revealed for the world of The Last Remnant which are Athlum, Balterossa, Celepaleis, Ghor, Royotia, Melphina, Nagapur, Baaluk, and Elysion. They all have their own monumental Remnants. Rush Sykes is the prototypical fantasy hero, innocently sulky but totally devoted to his sweet sister Irina. When Irina is kidnapped, Rush hurries to liberate her, but unsurprisingly, it's not the most straightforward of rescues. Rather, Rush finds himself caught in a political struggle centered around powerful magical artifacts called remnants. These objects are both the center of society as well as a great curiosity, heavily researched at the Academy by hosts of scientists, including Rush's own parents. What starts as an upheaval between the pro- and anti-remnant factions explodes into an all-out war when a formidable hulk of a man calling himself the Conqueror appears, apparently able to control any remnant, no matter how large or potent. Political forces clash and hidden powers are unleashed, and though a tenuous peace is eventually achieved, it isn't long before conflict reawakens. The story is epic, though Rush himself isn't the most interesting leading man. Fortunately, his supporting cast is excellent; the noble David is a charmingly haughty presence, and David's guard Emma makes a strong impression, thanks to some excellent, emphatic voice acting.

The Last Remnant eventually focuses on the Conqueror and his secrets. He's a solemn, momentous presence who makes an impact each time he appears, and it's easy to believe that this man may actually be capable of controlling the universe. But though it will take you a good 60 hours or more to unravel all of his secrets, the journey is entertaining, given that The Last Remnant's distinctive fantasy world is so beautifully constructed. Each city you visit is different from the last, yet the overall vision is cohesive, so nothing feels out of place. Landmarks such as the towering, glowing remnant in Elysion are not soon forgotten, and numerous side quests will have you exploring scorching deserts, caves of bubbling lava, and even the land of the dead. Early in the game, when you don't have a whole lot of unions under your command, you may bemoan the lack of micromanagement that this system entails. The fundamentals are a little confusing too, given that there doesn't always seem to be rhyme or reason to the process that decides which abilities are available to you and when. You can get through many standard battles without putting too much thought into these aspects, if you take a lot of side quests and grind your way to power. However, even with a bit of grinding, the biggest battles require care, both before and during combat. As you play, you'll gain a better grasp of your enemies' weaknesses, the pros and cons of each formation, and the best way to develop your individual units through battle commands.

Eventually, you'll experience some large, impressive-looking battles. They can also be really challenging, so don't expect to rush to a victory, particularly when dozens of unions are involved. On the PC, limits on the number of leaders you can employ on the battlefield have been removed, but financial restrictions and more resilient enemies prevent battles from getting too easy. The game will also throw quick-time events called critical triggers at you that require a rapid button or key press; performing it correctly may initiate a counterattack, or will improve your units' position in the turn order. The colossal battles are the highlight of the game, not just because they are impressively dramatic, but also because you can see the effects of your union makeup, formations, and in-battle decisions more clearly than in the smaller ones. A morale bar across the top of the screen adjusts during the constant tug of war, based on whether you are attacking an enemy's flank or rear, which status effects are active, and a number of other factors. Location on the battlefield, attack range, and potency of healing items and arts are among the many other dynamics that you'll need to consider as you plan out your turn. Outside of combat, a little scavenger named Mr. Diggs will excavate various raw materials that you encounter in dungeons. Along with the monster parts that you forage, these items can be used to upgrade your equipment or create new weapons and accessories. There's not much to the process, and you can customize only Rush's equipment; other units take care of things on their own, using the items you let them keep in the postbattle screen to upgrade their stuff, or asking if you'll take them hunting for a particular resource. As a result, there is a certain amount of replay value here, if only to see how differently battles can play out if you decide to make Rush concentrate solely on mystic arts, or see what happens when the four-armed Torgal focuses on combat skills. The Last Remnant sounds mostly spectacular. The voice acting isn't always excellent, though it's hard to fault the actors when they're forced to deliver some of the game's awkward dialogue and odd bits of slang. Everything else is of top quality, particularly the fantastic symphonic soundtrack. Even after hundreds and hundreds of encounters, the battle music is always rousing, and the triumphant fanfare after every conflict rivals the best of the genre. Every town has its own theme music, and the melodies are terrific in their own right and flawlessly match the city's unique visual design as well. The PC version of this fun and fascinating role-playing game is far superior to its Xbox 360 counterpart.

GAME REVIEW :-

8/10

The Last Remnant Trailer :-

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : Raven Software and Amaze Entertainment

Publisher : Activision

Engine : Unreal Engine 3

Genre : Action-Adventure

Release Date : May 1 , 2009

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows XP / Windows Vista

CPU : Intel Core 2 Duo Processor / AMD Athlon64 X2 3800+

Memory (RAM) : 1 GB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 10.0 Compatible Video Card with Memory 256 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 9600 Series
ATI : Radeon HD 3600 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 8 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

X-Men Origins: Wolverine will give you new insight into how much damage indestructible, razor-sharp claws can do to a human body. This is a game that revels in gore, with decapitations, eviscerations, and mutilations drenching the screen in blood. It may be derivative, a cakewalk, and at times buggy, but the sheer visceral impact of the over-the-top violence in X-Men Origins is enough to make it a fun action game, as well as one of the better movie tie-ins released recently. You play as the titular Marvel mutant, with the game's muddled storyline mimicking and expanding on events in the movie of the same name. Along the way, you take Wolverine through the jungles of Africa, the hidden Weapon X base at Alkali Lake, the interior (and exterior) of a massive casino, and more. You have to take on groups of increasingly aggressive and dangerous enemies, solve not-too-taxing environmental puzzles, as well as go up against several guest boss villains from the Marvel universe. Unfortunately, the game doesn't do a great job of introducing these nefarious individuals--such as the Blob and Gambit--and often throws them in with little explanation of why Wolverine needs to beat on them in the first place. Your weapons of choice for dispatching these villains are Wolverine's claws, and even though the game's jumping timeline means that you'll be playing as both pre- and post-adamantium Logan, the claws retain their indestructible ability to slice through practically anything throughout the game. You have light and heavy attacks that you can string together to perform various combos, and also an extremely useful lunge that lets you launch Wolverine at enemies from a distance. As Wolverine gains levels, new combos open up, as well as four different fury attacks, which are supermoves that require you to build up your rage meter before unleashing. These four attacks can be upgraded as Wolverine gains experience, giving the game a very basic character-customization element. Although spamming the same combos can prove useful early in the game, you won't be able to get away with mindless mashing for too long. The game does a good job of forcing you to change your tactics, sending at you a wide variety of enemy types that require different attacks and combos to dispatch.

Among the game's highlights are a number of particularly gruesome ways that you can dispatch your foes. Some are situational; throw enemies near any conveniently located floor or wall spike and you'll automatically impale them. Some are part of normal attacks, which can result in arms, legs, and heads flying in any direction. The best ones are Wolverine's various flashy finishing moves. The angry mutant can stab an opponent in the side of the head with one set of claws before decapitating them with the other; rip off someone's arm and beat him to death with it; literally tear someone in half; use the spinning blades of a helicopter to transform an enemy's head into bloody chunks; and much more. It's certainly the most blood-soaked superhero game in years, and one that younger Wolverine fans should avoid. However, adult fans of the character will probably find this a guilty pleasure, in turns laughing and wincing at the blood-soaked display in front of them. Your enemies will try to give as good as they get, and Wolverine will have to face off against a good variety of human, mutant, and robotic foes. Most pack heavy firepower or super abilities, but Wolverine has his rapid healing to fall back on. His health bar will automatically refill after a few seconds of not taking damage. In fact, Wolverine's health recovers quite quickly, which makes the game fairly easy to breeze through on normal difficulty. Wolverine can survive bullets, swords, flames, explosions, and lasers, but fall into one of the game's few predetermined no-go zones and it's instant death. This is particularly jarring during the game's final boss fight, in which falling off means having to restart the battle from the last checkpoint. Wolverine's other boss fights are mostly anticlimactic, with some of the bosses even freezing up on occasion. In one instance, a boss character simply stopped moving, whereas in another it failed to reappear after being thrown offscreen. X-Men Origins: Wolverine is easy; you'll likely finish its five chapters in fewer than 10 hours. There's no multiplayer here, and most of the replay value is in finding hidden alternate costumes throughout the levels, as well as an unlockable hard difficulty.

The game's environments--particularly its indoor ones--are plain-looking; the various corridors and laboratories lacking real distinctiveness. Characters fare a little better, sporting good animations if lacking a little in the detail and sharpness departments. The model of Wolverine himself is the standout and features an interesting structure that shows off real-time damage. Get hit, and the damaged areas will show the exposed muscle underneath. Keep on getting pummeled and you'll even see the character's skeletal structure exposed, to be gradually replaced by muscle and skin as Wolverine heals. This sounds better than it looks--most of the time, this real-time damage lacks clear definition, looking more like random red splotches on Wolverine's clothes than serious injuries. Performance was rock steady, with a mostly solid 60 FPS even at high resolutions (and the game supports resolutions up to 1920x1200). As for sound, the highlight again is Wolverine, with movie star Hugh Jackman lending his voice to the character. However, other environmental effects are inconsistent. Most of the time, the various slashing, gunshots, and explosions in the game sound appropriately meaty, but there are some occasions when onscreen actions seem to lack the accompanying sound altogether. It's derivative and occasionally buggy, but solid action and over-the-top gore make X-Men Origins: Wolverine a cut above other movie tie-ins.

GAME REVIEW :-

7/10

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Trailer :-

PROTOTYPE

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : Radical Entertainment

Publisher : Activision

Engine : Titanium

Genre : Sci-Fi Action Adventure and Sandbox

Release Date : June 10 , 2009

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows XP / Windows Vista

CPU : Intel Core 2 Duo Processor / AMD Athlon64 X2 4000+

Memory (RAM) : 2 GB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 9.0c Compatible Video Card with Memory 256 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 7800 Series
ATI : Radeon X1800 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 9 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

Prototype follows the story of Alex Mercer, an amnesia-stricken experiment with amazing abilities. As the game begins, Alex wakes up in a mortuary with absolutely no memory of his past. The bewildered man emerges from an underground lab far below the heart of New York City, only to realize that there is a lot more going on in the outside world. With no familiarity of where he came from or if he is even human, Alex is forced to track down those responsible for his situation and absorb them in order to uncover the truth behind the conspiracy and take vengeance for what has been done to him. He soon discovers that he has the capability to devour the power of those whom he kills, taking their memories, skills, and even their appearance. Above these newfound talents Alex is suddenly thrown into a war involving himself and two different powers. The Blackwatch Special Forces, an unbearably mutated virus-infected population, and the prototype himself all wage war in the streets of New York City. In the midst of this, a mysterious woman named Elizabeth Greene and a group of "Hunters" are accidentally released into the streets. Mercer makes contact with his sister Dana, and former lover, Karen Parker. While Dana assists Mercer in locating his targets, Karen had promised him a cure for his disease. In reality, she was working for Blackwatch, and manipulated Mercer into stealing genetic material they can use to create a parasite capable of suppressing most of his powers. She then disappears. Blackwatch specialist Cpt Cross then injects it into Mercer, rendering most of his powers useless. With the help of Dr. Ragland, Mercer gains them back, rescuing Dana from a Leader Hunter. As the conspiracy unfolds, with the assistance of an unidentified contact, the origins of Mercer, the Virus, and Elizabeth Greene are uncovered: in 1969, the government had tested a virus codenamed "Blacklight" in Hope , Idaho. This virus was designed as a biological warfare agent, targeting those of a predetermined race. Elizabeth Greene was the sole survivor of the incident; her body welcomed the virus rather than die from it, and it had rewritten her genetic code, along with that of her son, who was taken from her by Blackwatch and codenamed "Pariah". This inspired the government to continue research into the virus, cooperating with Gentek corporation.

Alex Mercer, who worked for Gentek, attempted to steal a vial of the virus, but was pinned down by Blackwatch in Penn Station and was killed on site, not before he smashed the tube containing the virus, therefore, releasing the virus. By the time his body was brought to the morgue , the virus had completely taken over his body and placed its genetic structure into his own, literally copying him cell by cell, into the virus. The contact and Mercer assist the military in releasing a new biological agent "blood tox" underground, in hopes of driving the virus to the surface, allowing Blackwatch to fight it directly. Elizabeth Greene, now a giant monster, comes to the surface, and is killed and consumed by Mercer. He then attempts to absorb McMullen, the Head of Research and founder of Gentek, but McMullen commits suicide before Mercer has the chance. It becomes apparent that the government is prepared to nuke Manhattan to destroy the virus. The contact, revealed to be the specialist Cross, then guides Mercer to consume Colonel Taggart, as means of getting onto the USS Ronald Reagan , where the bomb is being held. Cross betrays Mercer once on the ship, and is revealed to be the Supreme Hunter, an Infected monster spawned from Elizabeth. Cross was consumed by the Hunter and was impersonated, manipulating Mercer into doing its work. Mercer brings the nuclear bomb miles into the Atlantic Ocean , causing it to detonate underwater, with Mercer getting caught in the blast. However, on shore, he regenerates from a pool of blood and muses on the consequences of his actions, as well as his realization that he has become something both more and less than human, referring to how he became superhuman at the cost of his humanity. After the credits, Manhattan is seen in a recovering state, the virus almost completely destroyed.

Perhaps the most interesting challenges are those in which you have a time limit to consume a number of highlighted pedestrians in different areas of the city. These pedestrians, of whom there are more than 130 to find both during challenges and during regular play, are special because they each have some knowledge of what's going on in Manhattan, and when you consume them, you're treated to a brief montage of their relevant memories. Mutants and the military can be played off each other on occasion, and a quick look at the city map makes it easy for you to identify which neighborhoods are controlled by which group and which are contested. Frequently, battles that you're not directly involved in can be seen playing out as you negotiate the rooftops above, as can large crowds of fleeing civilians and mutants shambling toward their prey. Prototype isn't a game in which any one visual element is remarkable, but it looks good, and the frame rate generally manages to stick close to 30 per second even when the number of characters and the amount of action onscreen border on insane. Furthermore, Mercer is brilliantly animated, which makes the parkour, the combat, the shape-shifting, and especially the gliding between rooftops all the more satisfying. Prototype is good enough that you'll almost certainly want to keep playing either way, and even if you don't, there's more than enough fun to be had here in a single play through for us to recommend the game without hesitation. This open-world action game set in Manhattan is proof that even viral outbreaks can be incredibly fun if they're done right.

GAME REVIEW :-

8.5/10

Prototype Trailer :-

SAINTS ROW 2

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : Volition Inc.

Publisher : THQ

Engine : Havok Custom

Genre : Third-Person Shooter , Action-Adventure and Sandbox

Release Date : January 5 , 2009

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows XP / Windows Vista

CPU : Intel Core 2 Duo Processor / AMD Athlon64 X2 3800+

Memory (RAM) : 1 GB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 9.0c Compatible Video Card with Memory 128 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 7800 Series
ATI : Radeon X1600 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 15 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

At the end of Saints Row , the protagonist was put in a trauma-induced coma while onboard a private yacht which had a bomb detonated on it. In Saints Row 2, five years have passed and the player is in a prison hospital ward , given extensive plastic surgery and meets Carlos Mendoza , a fellow inmate and brother of former 3rd Street Saint. The player agrees to let Carlos help him escape and after returning to home-city Stilwater, rebuilt from a devastating earthquake, busts former Saints Johnny Gat from his courtroom proceeding and enlists the help of Johnny's friends Pierce and Shaundi , thus resurrecting the Saints. The plot follows the Saints; led by the protagonist, or the Boss- on their quest of elimination for three rival gangs in power over Stilwater. Thus, the main storyline is divided into three separate missions arcs completable in any order. A story arc introduces Maero , leader of the Brotherhood Stilwater gang and his offering to split Stilwater with the Saints. The Boss and Carlos, enraged at the 80/20 split offer, begin a feud with the Brotherhood and the Boss poisons tattoo ink with radioactive waste , causing burns to the left side of Maero's face. Subsequently, the Brotherhood respond with more damaging results: Carlos and Maero's girlfriend Jessica are killed in the process. Through tips from Maero's tattoo artist and frontman of the Feed Dogs rock band Matt , the Boss begins to learn of a large weapons shipment being overseen by the Brotherhood. Maero pressures the Ultor Corporation to release Brotherhood members from prison, much to the disfavour of the chief of police Troy Bradshaw but the Boss intercepts the escorts carrying the inmates, cutting numbers within the Brotherhood. The Boss learns of an illegal weapons shipment being overlooked by the Brotherhood and captures a large stash, crippling the Brotherhood after a raid on their hideout resulting in Matt's death and forcing Maero to flee from their homeground, Stoughton. The Boss is challenged by Maero for a final faceoff , but is able to get the better of him.

Shaundi is tasked with gathering information on the Sons of Samedi and in the subsequent story arc, the Saints learn of the Sons' distribution of the "Loa Dust". Various assets for the creation of "Loa Dust" are targeted by the Saints and the Sons' leaders, The General and Mr.Sunshine , order agent Veteran Child to stop the Saints. Veteran Child kidnaps Shaundi, a former girlfriend, however the Boss eliminates him and saves her. After the Sons' assault Saints' headquarters, Mr. Sunshine is killed by the Boss in a meat-packing plant. After this, The General is then also killed after a group of Saints attack his convoy ensuring an end to the gang. As Johnny and Pierce assist the Boss to take down the Ronin in a story arc, they identify various rackets the Saints can hit to recover territory. However, their activity does not go unnoticed by the Ronin and leader Shogo Akuji orders an attack on Johnny and his girlfriend retired R'n'B singer Aisha resulting in Aisha's death at the hands of Shogo's friend and henchman Jyunichi . Shogo's father and international leader of the Ronin Kazuo Akuji flies in to Stilwater and after Jyunichi is killed in a face-off with the protagonist, disgraces his son and shows regret at giving him power over the Ronin. At Aisha's funeral, Shogo attacks Johnny and the Boss but is given a Texas Funeral after being caught. Kazuo threatens the Boss' longtime friend and leader of the Triads , Mr.Wong , and is finally killed by the Boss during a Chinese New Year's celebration after being bested in a swordfight and being impaled, pinning him to the deck of one of the ships used during the celebration as it explodes. Wiretap Conversations reveal that of the surviving members of the original Saints, Dex Jackson took up a job offer with Ultor and former Saints' leader Julius Little planted the yacht bomb from five years ago hoping to kill the Boss and let the Saints dissolve, through threats from Troy. A side mission becomes available and the Boss contacts Dex, telling him to meet at the old Saints' church. Upon arrival, the Boss finds Julius, who was also told by Dex to meet there. The two are ambushed by the Ultor Masako Team and make an impetuous escape attempt. After they flee to the Eramenos museum, Julius is killed by the Boss out of vengeance for losing five years of his life.

The missions are predominantly of the drive-and-shoot variety that has become commonplace in the genre. Though there are three gangs opposing you, as well as various law enforcement agencies, the only difference between them are the colors they wear and the scumbags who lead them. The majority of missions boil down to raiding a building and killing everyone who moves. While these excursions are usually entertaining, taking place in a variety of locations against increasingly ridiculous odds, the repetition of the actions is undeniable. The main reason the missions are still fun is the unrestrained freedom in how you can complete them. Enemies can be killed at any time, using any weapon in your arsenal. The best diversion is the terrifying zombie uprising. You can access this on the big-screen TV in any of your cribs, and it provides some of the most exciting moments in Saints Row 2. As opposed to an emulation of a 2D arcade game from years past, this is a 3D adventure to save your soul from bloodsucking zombies. It takes place in the dilapidated hotel that serves as your headquarters, and you have to mow down wave after wave of these undead creatures. With a limited amount of ammunition and melee weapons that break after a few hits, you'll have to constantly run around to evade the threat of these relentless demons. The slow-moving zombies may not seem too scary at first, but as more fill the screen, this becomes an intense and oftentimes exhilarating experience. Being surrounded by a group of zombies as you try to push them away to resurrect your fallen pals is an awesome divergence from the typical inner-city mayhem. The main mode here is Strong Arm, a team-based affair that tests people in a variety of events. You'll randomly be assigned to many of the activities found in the Campaign mode, and you have a few minutes to best the other team before you move on to another event. Strong Arm also uses the spray-paint mechanic in a novel way. If you successfully tag a wall while everyone else is worried about killing one another, you grant bonuses to your team, such as more health or causing smoke to pour out of your enemies, making them easier to see. The only other mode is Deathmatch, which is just too hectic to offer long-term appeal. Technical problems mar this delightfully crass, immature, and over-the-top sandbox game.

GAME REVIEW :-

6.5/10

Saints Row 2 Trailer :-

TERMINATOR SALVATION

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : GRIN

Publisher : Equitiy Games and Evolved Games

Engine : Not Revealed

Genre : Action

Release Date : June 15 , 2009

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows XP / Windows Vista

CPU : Intel Quad Core Processor / AMD Phenom X4

Memory (RAM) : 2 GB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 10.0 Compatible Video Card with Memory 512 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce GTX 200 Series
ATI : Radeon HD 4870 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 8 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

The game starts to a cinematic of the war between humans against machines in Los Angeles. John Connor narrates, saying that remembering the old days make him think positive, but he starts to lose hope by the humans' loss. He and fellow teammates O' Grady and Blair Williams try to escape to the evac point, joining soldiers Griffin Lewis and Rogers. Aerostats appear, but they are easily defeated. Only Williams, Rogers, O'Brady and Connor manage to make it to the evac point, joining soldiers Peters , Marks and Wells. The are no choppers in the building, so the group decides to escape by truck, heading to where it's safer. A hunter-killer appears. Wells, Peters and Rogers are ordered to take positions to protect themselves, while Connor and Williams are ordered to hunt it down. Wells is killed, but Connor manages to destroy the hunter-killer. A T-600 appears, and kills O'Grady. The team manages to find the truck, but a hunter-killer and multiple aerostats appear. Connor and Williams manages to shoot down all robots, and the team survives. Peters is killed by a T-600 shortly. Aerostats appear and try to shoot down the two vehicles. Williams, Connor, Rogers, and Marks all survive the assault. The team travels underground, then above again, battling machines. Marks is killed by an ambush from machines, but the surviving trio manages to reach the evac point, meeting soldiers. Aerostats attack, and Connor, Williams, Rogers and others go outside to take care of them. Rogers is killed in the ensuing battle. A Resistance team led by soldier David Weston asks for help, but transmission is lost. The team then tries to make a landing place for the chopper. The chopper, lands, rescues the team, but Connor and Williams stay behind to rescue Weston's team. Luckily, the duo survives an attack by a harvester, which destroys the choppers. They escape the harvester by going into the sewers.

A rescue team, Epsilon, has a chopper going down, so the duo checks for survivors. They rescue four soldiers, Angie , an unknown, Deckard and Dobkin. They fight a legion of machines, with one soldier dead. They decide to head for an old Resistance outpost, resupply there, and separate - The duo going to Skynet while the other team going to head for safety. Deckard is killed by a T-600, and the team is forced to retreat. They manage to destroy two T-600s. They have to retreat, but with no way out, the team are forced to destroy the T-600s. Dobkin is mortally injured in the process, leaving the three of them left. The four make their way into Skynet compound. Skinjobs (the T-600s with rubber skins) attack them, but the four destroy them. They traverse their way to the tower, battling aerostats, skinjobs and T-7-Ts. They make it to the tower and destroy it with c4s,but Angie risked her life to save connor and the others by staying in the tower as it had been blown to bits. They infiltrate the tower, but there are no guards. They decide to get information from the base before they blow it up. Connor accidentally activates the alarm, so Connor, Angie and Williams has to defend Barnes until he blows up the base. They defend Barnes, so they escape the base. The elevator is the only way out, but the controls are outside, so Angie stays behind and activates the controls, and perishes as the base explodes. The trio manages to escape the base. The communications are back on, as Weston can talk to him again. They first have to locate and destroy Skynet's anti-aircraft turrets. They destroy four area of turrets and machines, but the tank took too much damage. Connor suggests that they could deactivate them on foot. Connor, Williams and Barnes is joined by three men to deactivate the turrets and find Weston's men. Warren and the others guard Connor by destroying as many machines as possible. They traverse Skynet and destroy all machines, so they find Weston and his men. Warren's men will escort them to the vehicles, while Connor, Williams, Weston and Barnes go through the service tunnels to deactivate the turrets. The four try to make it to the control room. Connor shuts them down for a few minutes, enough time to get them out of Skynet. The four attempts to escape Skynet before they destroy the base. They destroy the base, with the four safe, and return to their Resistance camp. Connor narrates, saying that he has gained faith by what he is about to create in the future, instead of the past. His creation was thought to be powerful.

This repetitious combat is broken up by a bunch of on-rails sequences that put you on the back of a vehicle manning a weapon with unlimited ammunition. These sections are a good change of pace, but they are too lackluster and awkward to be fun. You never get to drive the vehicle, which could have been a thrill on the perilous ruined freeways of postapocalyptic Los Angeles, and it seems that the coolest stuff that happens is conveyed by a cutscene that disconnects you from the action. Shooting your enemies in these sequences is a bit tricky, and not just because you are both moving at high speeds. The struggle to compensate for your vehicle's motion, your enemy's motion, and your mysterious drift makes these sections more challenging and less fun. Terminator Salvation is a completely linear adventure without any collectibles or hidden goodies to search for. Every weapon is highlighted with a green outline that is visible through walls, so you won't spend any time dillydallying. You can complete the story in under five hours, at which point your only options for replay are to play it in split-screen with a friend or to try it on a harder difficulty setting. This no-frills attitude runs throughout the whole game and reveals Terminator Salvation for what it is: a stripped cash-in attempt packed with dull, uninspired, and repetitive action. This bare-bones movie tie-in is like a machine with synthetic rubber skin: it's not fooling anyone and you should stay away from it.

GAME REVIEW :-

5/10

Terminator Salvation Trailer :-

DAMNATION

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : Blue Omega Entertainment

Publisher : Codemasters

Engine : Unreal Engine 3

Genre : Sci-Fi Shooter

Release Date : May 26 , 2009

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows XP / Windows Vista

CPU : Intel Core 2 Duo Processor / AMD Athlon64 X2 3800+

Memory (RAM) : 2 GB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 10.0 Compatible Video Card with Memory 512 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 8800 Series
ATI : Radeon HD 3800 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 11 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

Damnation features large, open environments, a variety of acrobatics and Hollywood-action stunts. Damnation features verticality which differentiates it from other games in the genre. It features many Steampunk elements such as steam power replacing electricity. The game features an option to turn the gore on and off. Damnation has steam-powered vehicles which also have many acrobatic abilities, such as climbing up walls. You play an outlaw named Hamilton Rourke, a member of a rebel gang at large in an alternate 19th-century America where steam-powered high-technology robots and weapons were introduced during the Civil War. An evil industrialist named Prescott has taken charge of the country thanks to legions of robots and a serum that gives soldiers super strength, and it's your job is to take him down. All of this gives the game's settings a sinister atmosphere akin to that of a Wild West take on the ruined City 17 in Half-Life 2. Some levels even feature Prescott speaking on a loudspeaker, waxing philosophically about the destruction of whole cities and how he is the only way back to peace. Lots of steampunk trappings litter the levels, including giant airships, powerful sci-fi weapons, robot soldiers, and creepy enemies. The background story behind these fantastic events remains a mystery. All you get are a few flashes of strange newspaper articles and photos, along with some quick cutscenes that depict Prescott as a bad, bad man. But you won't care much about the story behind Damnation for very long. The gameplay is so trite and repetitive that you quickly go from curiosity to get-me-the-hell-out-of-here boredom. Instead of the fluidity that characterizes the best shooters, the pace here is choppy and awkward. Most of the time, you simply race along unopposed, with the main source of interest being the ability to leap up or down the faces of buildings and shimmy up flagpoles. This can be intriguing in spots. Intuitive controls make it easy to pull off some amazing leaps and backflips.

Many buildings are so gutted and wrecked that they would collapse long before you got perform your Cirque du Soleil stunts in them, while others simply couldn't stand up because of the way they were designed even while totally intact. All you can really say for the ability to leap around and the odd architecture is that, at least, the developers tried to move beyond the generic linear shooter. But in the end, it doesn't work. All of the mildly entertaining derring-do is constantly interrupted. It's as if the designers realized at the last minute that they were supposed to be making a shooter, so they brought all the leaping and gallivanting to a crashing halt by stocking the levels with dumb ambushes. As a result, one moment you're dancing about like an acrobat in buckskins, then the next moment, you're hunkered down behind cover for three or four minutes, only peeking out every so often to rip off a couple of shots at the dozen bad guys who have suddenly popped up in front of you. None of these shooting sequences are the least bit enjoyable. Enemies simply stand in one spot blasting away at you or move mindlessly in and out of shelter like targets in shooting galleries.

PC controls are even worse because you never know when you'll be able to use the mouse or have to hit the keyboard. This is particularly annoying in the menus because it seems like the developers flipped a coin when deciding how to activate buttons. While one function is available by hitting the left mouse button, the very next requires you to hit the Enter key. Also, some standard shooter controls are unavailable, such as using the mousewheel to select a weapon. None of this really gets in the way of controlling Rourke, although that's probably because the underlying gameplay is so irritating it's hard to niggle over a few control flaws that are minor by comparison. Visuals and sound are loaded with problems on all three platforms. Each version of the game regularly chugs during gameplay and cutscenes. The PC displaying a lot of tearing. Textures are embarrassingly behind the times, many buildings display a jaggy, blurry wallpaper effect, and special effects are terribly animated. Enemy heads explode in a shower of gore, yet intact skulls are clearly visible when the bloody spray clears. Enemies caught in explosions are gibbed a split second before the kaboom even goes off. The voice acting is atrocious, although it's hard to imagine even a reincarnated Olivier doing much with the script's cast of stereotypes. For example, there is an Indian mystic who speaks generic Indian gibberish about his destiny; a cowardly, chauvinistic Mexican; and a stock shooter babe who wears a ludicrous top that reveals a good inch or two of bottom breast. Sound effects are arguably even more annoying than the voices. Enemy weapon fire frequently consists of an obnoxious, metallic noise that sounds a whole lot like somebody dragging a chain over a sewer grate. You have to give Blue Omega credit for trying something different with Damnation's steampunk story and its leaping-around action, but that's about it. Everything else here is painful to experience. This third-person shooter is a trip into hell.

GAME REVIEW :-

3.5/10

Damnation Trailer :-

THE SIMS 3

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : EA Play

Publisher : Electronic Arts

Engine : Not Revealed

Genre : Life and Social Simulation

Release Date : June 2 , 2009

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows XP / Windows Vista

CPU : Intel Core 2 Duo Processor / AMD Athlon64 X2 3000+

Memory (RAM) : 2 GB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 10.0 Compatible Video Card with Memory 512 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 9500 Series
ATI : Radeon HD 4650 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 8 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

The Sims 3 is a virtual life simulator. In it, you take control of a character called a sim, or an entire household of them. Sims have needs; they need to empty their bladders, to eat, to sleep, to bathe, to have fun, to socialize. It's real life boiled down to simple mechanics, but within these mechanics lies an entire universe of possibilities. Your sims can have babies who will cry in the middle of the night, needing their diapers changed. You can manage their personal development by sending them to the gym to work out, or by telling them to fix a broken television, or by having them play chess, or by sending them to the park to play the guitar. Sims go to work to earn simoleans (money, of course) so they can buy better things for their homes and redecorate--or just buy a brand-new home. They make friends and enemies, they go swimming, and they clog up the toilet. In other words, they act a whole lot like real people, except that they yammer in a delightful gibberish called simlish and communicate via speech bubbles that appear over their heads. Sim houses and neighborhoods are entirely in one continuous map, and the developers state that "What you do outside your home now matters as much as what you do within." The game includes an optional feature called 'story progression', which allows all Sims in the neighborhood apart from those the player is currently controlling to autonomously continue as if the player was controlling them, i.e. grow up, get married, get jobs and promotions, have kids, and so forth. Unlike previous Sims games, features may be toggled on or off to the user's preference; for instance, a player may toggle off aging/death if they do not want that feature to be enabled.

Sims can easily move around the town with various transportation devices such as taxicabs, private cars, bicycles, or running, while letting the rest of the family stay independent at home - compared with The Sims 2, where time freezes on the home lot when a Sim visits a community lot. There are several skill-dependent abilities - such as advanced social interactions available from high charisma, and special songs for guitar players. Painting, writing and guitar are now different skills, instead of the all-encompassing "creativity" skill of The Sims and The Sims 2. Paintings are now more particular to each Sim, based on their traits. Many careers are available to pursue and each has a workplace building in the neighborhood which Sims travel to for their shifts. Sims can also apply for jobs within these buildings. Though Sims are hidden inside buildings during the workday, the player can control their behavior at work to a certain extent. Like previous Sims games, the job yields "opportunities" — tasks that could be finished for a reward. There are also part-time jobs. Sims can also take actions to increase their productivity beyond the normal workday, such as working overtime or carrying out assignments. Some of them are associated with unique career interactions, such as interviews in the journalism career, meetings in the business career, or interrogations in the law enforcement career. Job performance is in most cases affected by the relation to the boss or the partner. Careers can also branch into several possible promotions. The effect of the open town has a profound influence on the community aspects of The Sims 3. You can call other sims and invite them over using your handy cell phone, but if you're feeling adventurous, just head directly to another sim's house and introduce yourself. Or travel to one of the many public venues: the beach, the park, even the graveyard. In these places, you will have a chance to interact with other sims, and there may even be surprises in store if you happen to be in the right place at the right time. For example, you might be able to join a picnic in progress, or a midnight visit to the cemetery may introduce you to some new see-through pals. The Sims 3 balances its rewards well, not just within aspirations, but within career and financial progression as well. Like real people, your sims will always want better stuff, a nicer house, and a prettier yard. You'll start with meager means, but as you progress down your chosen career track, you'll earn more money and work less, giving you more time for the fun stuff. Like before, you won't actually guide your sim through the workday, but you will be able to select something to focus on during the day, such as getting to know your coworkers or pursuing independent research. Doing so earns extra benefits; for example, studying music theory will increase your logic skill, letting you kill two birds with one stone.

Performance is a bit sluggish when you scroll across the town or follow your sim as he or she travels. And though the pathfinding has improved, sims sometimes still have difficulties getting from point A to point B without going through some odd animations or complaining that there's someone in the way. Unsurprisingly, the game sounds absolutely charming. The jaunty tunes that accompany the Build and Buy modes and the tunes that play when you turn on the radio are terrific, perhaps the best in the series. Some sound effects are recycled, but The Sims 3 doesn't feel cheapened as a result; it strikes a chord of familiarity that works to the game's benefit. The latest Sims game is also the greatest, striking a terrific balance between the fresh and the familiar.

GAME REVIEW :-

9/10

The Sims 3 Trailer :-

S.T.A.L.K.E.R: SHADOW OF CHERNOBYL

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : GSC Game World

Publisher : THQ and GSC Game Publishing

Engine : X-Ray

Genre : First-Person Shooter and Role Playing

Release Date : March 20 , 2007

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows XP / Windows Vista

CPU : AMD Athlon64 X2 4200+ / Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor

Memory (RAM) : 2 GB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 9.0c Compatible Video Card with Memory 256 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 7900 Series
ATI : Radeon X1950 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 10 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

Stalker takes place in an area called "The Zone", which is based on the real-life Zone of Alienation and partly on the settings of the source novel and film. It encompasses roughly 30 square kilometers and features a slice of Chernobyl extending south from Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant; geographical changes for artistic license include moving the city of Prypiat into this area (it is actually to the north-west of the power station), although the city itself is directly modeled on its real-life counterpart, albeit smaller in size. In Stalker, the player assumes the identity of an amnesiac "Stalker", an illegal explorer/artifact scavenger in "The Zone" , named "The Marked One". "The Zone" is the location of an alternate reality version of the Chernobyl Power Plant after a second, fictitious explosion, which contaminated the surrounding area with radiation and caused strange otherworldly changes in local fauna, flora and the laws of physics. "Stalker" in its original film context roughly meant "explorer" or "guide", as the stalker's goal was to bring people into the Zone.

A group of four Stalkers, named Strelok, Ghost, Fang, and Doc, travel to the center of the Zone in an effort to reach the Wish Granter. After encountering the fanatical Monolith faction, they are forced to retreat. Strelok is knocked unconscious during a "blowout" and loses his memory. The others are able to escape the Zone, though on the way back they get in a trap and Fang is killed by a sniper; some time later Ghost is killed during the mission by a Controller in the vaults of a secret X16 Laboratory under the factory near Yantar. The unconscious Strelok is discovered by the C-Consciousness, who, unaware of his identity, mistakenly assigns him the task of killing the Stalker known as Strelok and his allies. On the way out of the Zone, the truck carrying the still unconscious Strelok is destroyed, and he is discovered by another passing Stalker. Later in the game, Strelok is reunited with Doc who helps him piece together his past, prompting Strelok to return to the Zone and the Monolith. When Strelok eventually confronts the C-Consciousness, he is faced with a choice of merging with it and attempting to repair the Zone and bring about world peace, or trying to stop the C-Consciousness from continuing its experiments. If the player chooses not to join the C-Consciousness, he is forced to battle heavily armed members of the Monolith faction. When they are defeated, he destroys the equipment that sustains the C-Consciousness. Strelok is then seen standing in a grassy field, the Zone seemingly gone.

It's got some quirks, but S.T.A.L.K.E.R. delivers a dynamic and impressive first-person gameplay experience you won't soon forget. In spite of its small quirks and bugs, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is definitely a game that deserves to be played. For first-person shooter fans looking for the next big thing in the genre, it's difficult not to be impressed by the game's unique and evolving world. Meanwhile, fans of role-playing games will appreciate the open-ended nature of the gameplay and being able to explore different paths through the zone. This is a bleak game, but in a good way, as it captures its postapocalyptic setting perfectly. It's also an excellent combination of combat, horror, and exploration.

GAME REVIEW :-

8.5/10

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. :Shadow Of Chernobyl Trailer :-

ENEMY TERRITORY: QUAKE WARS

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : Splash Damage, id Software, Nerve Software, Underground Development

Publisher : Activision

Engine : id Tech 4 with Mega Texture Technology

Genre : First-Person Shooter

Release Date : October 2 , 2007

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows XP / Windows Vista

CPU : Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor / AMD Athlon64 X2 3800+

Memory (RAM) : 2 GB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 9.0c Compatible Video Card with Memory 256 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 7600 Series
ATI : Radeon X1900 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 5 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

The year is 2065. The Strogg race has attacked Earth in order to process its raw materials into a fuel called stroyent. If you've played any other Quake titles, you'll know some of the history here, but it's mostly irrelevant in the context of Enemy Territory's multiplayer action, so let's cut to the chase: You join either the human Global Defense Force or the alien Strogg team, and then shoot your enemies in the face. Quake Wars is a class-based, objective focused, team-oriented game. Teams are based on human (GDF) and alien (Strogg) technology. While the teams are asymmetrical, both sides have the same basic weapons and tools to complete objectives. Each player class from each side normally has new objectives show up during game play, many times based around the specific capabilities of your class. The game also has the capability to group players into fireteams for greater coordinated strategy. These fireteams can be user created or game generated depending on the mission selected by the player.

The Soldier and Aggressor are the standard grunts of each army. They get a health bonus and the widest array of weapons to choose from (Assault Rifle/Lacerator, GPMG/Hyperblaster, Rocket Launcher/Obliterator, and Shotgun/Nailgun), as well as a much stronger sidearm (Machine Pistol/Lightning Pistol). The Field Ops and Oppressor plays a major supporting role. Each side can place offensive indirect weaponry such as the Hammer Missile/Dark Matter Cannon, Rocket Artillery/Plasma Mortar or the Artillery Cannon/Rail Howitzer. These must be fired by the Field Ops/Oppressor by spotting the desired target. Both can place colored smoke grenade beacons that call in further indirect fire: a Vampire bomber air-strike for the GDF, and an Orbital Strike beam for the Strogg. The Medics and Technicians play a further supporting role. Medics can give out health and revive team mates instantly, at 50% health, using the defibrillator paddles. They also have the ability to signal via a colored smoke grenade for a Supply Station to be dropped that includes both health and ammo. Also, for each Medic on the team, the health of all members is increased by a small amount. The Technicians can give out stroyent, which replenishes both health and ammunition. The stroyent tool can also be used to revive a fallen Strogg, but unlike the Medic paddles, it is not instantaneous and takes a few moments. Engineers and Constructors are primarily defensive and strategic units. They can place anti-vehicle, anti-personnel, and anti-artillery turrets. Along with turrets, up to three proximity or trip mines can be placed. Engineers and Constructors have the ability to repair all friendly vehicles and turrets, as well as build certain objectives or useful outposts. Covert Ops and Infiltrators can both hack enemy deployables and objectives, disabling them for 60 seconds and damaging it 50% if held long enough, as well as use EMP/Scrambler Grenades on turrets and vehicles for a 30 second disable. Both of these classes can steal enemy uniforms as well, taking on the name and appearance of the enemy, and then use their powerful back stab attacks to take out unsuspecting enemies, killing them instantly. The disguise is removed, though, if the player attacks an enemy in front of another, if they attack an enemy from the front, use their ranged weapon, or use the hacking tool. The Covert Ops has a Third-Eye Camera that creates a localized radar, can be used to view its surroundings, and can be destroyed remotely.

There are three ways to play: on a single map, a three-map campaign that takes place across a single continent, or in a two-round duel on a single map in which teams compete to see who can complete their assault faster. There are 12 maps in all, and they hold up to 32 players at a time--though every server we have seen supports no more than 24 players. If you're an Enemy Territory veteran, this is the logical next step for you. And if you've been turned off by team shooters in the past, this one may change your mind. The accessible, objective-focused gameplay won't be for everyone, especially those into the chaotic, freeform warfare of other team shooters. But all told, Quake Wars is great fun and should provide FPS fans with a lot to sink their teeth into.

GAME REVIEW :-

8.5/10

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars Trailer :-