Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Darth Vadar is great. Yes I know he's the bad guy in the Star Wars universe but come on he was cool! He wore a cracking black suit and cape, a sinister helmet…well ok maybe not but a mysterious face covering helmet all the same, had the best light saber and the best sound bite going of any movie icon….the heavy breathing you always heard just before he appeared.
So what would it be like if you could be the Dark Lords apprentice? Learning all his skills and powers and causing general mayhem and death without a care in the world unlike those darn hippy Jedi's!? Well now you can with the release early next year of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed!
In the game you play Darth Vadars apprentice, tasked by the Sith Lord to hunt down Jedi across the galaxy and end their lives and how you do this is up to you with the dark side of the Force at your disposal. And hell it looks fun! Pick them up, throw them about or against things, drop heavy objects on top of them, fry them with electricity flying from your fingertips and if all else fails cut them to pieces with your good old light saber!
You start off in the game as an Adept with the majority of all the Dark Force powers like Force Push and Lightning but as you progress through the game, in your hunt for the last of the Jedi, your power become greater and greater until you can take on full armys and knock spacefighters out of the sky. Also like 'Knights of the Old Rebublic' and it's sequel your actions and decisions in the game affect the ultimate outcome of the story as it has many alternative endings which will certainly add to it's replay value.
Now here's a thought to ponder on. If you watch the trailer above you will see the apprentice dispatching Stormtroopers, why oh why if he was a servant of the Dark Lord would he be doing this? Is there a reason? Well yes of course there is! There's many ideas out there regarding this and the story of the game and the main one been he at times has no choice over his actions and is been controlled by Darth Vadar when it suits him. So the question is, is he really a Sith or a Jedi? We'll just have to wait and see….
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed will be a multi-platform release though the footage from the trailer is taken from the XBOX 360 version.
Wii Fit
Right you lardy lot, the time of drinking beer and munching pringles (damn those 2 for 1 deals!) while playing games on your consoles is nearly over with the forthcoming release of…
Nintendo are making quick advances on the 'healthy' gaming market after initially delving into that genre with the free with console (great move) and excellent game Wii Sports.
This time they seem to be really pushing the boat out and intend to get you, your family and your friends healthy with their next release Wii Fit and this in my opinion is no bad thing!
Wii Fit comes in two parts, a little like Guitar Hero 2 on Xbox 360, as in the basic software and then the peripheral but swap the dodgy guitar for a balance board. The Wii Balance Board is a very 
clever piece of kit which has built in gyroscopic technology that registers where you're standing on it, how much pressure your placing on parts of it and just how much you weigh….if it calls me fatty I'll slap it! The Wii Balance Board as you can tell from the picture looks a little like a slightly larger than average family bathroom weighing scale…..ok maybe not like mine which is covered in dust in a cupboard somewhere but you get the general idea.
On the gaming…ok lets be honest….exercise side of things, from what we've been told at the E3 Gaming conference from Nintendo, the software side will involve a variety of workouts, exercise regimes and mini games that caters from kids to unfits slobs like me. There's the bog standard fitness programmes involving press ups, step aerobics to yoga and balancing tests. Wii Fit will also keep a tab on all the users statistics whether you're exercising alone or with the whole family and will also keep an eye on your all important BPM. (Your heartbeats per minute).
Wii Fit is going to be very popular in my opinion. Why? Well because there's alot of people out there that are very unfit and even though they want to be they wont go down to the gym or take up any other sport because they're worried about looking stupid in public or are embarressed about their bodies. Which is wrong, no one should be ashamed about the way they look but sadly in the world we live in today with vain and bitching sad souls there's always a deterrent from improving on your self. People are extremely self-concious, I for one would never join a gym as I have a lung disorder and wouldn't like people to see me gasping and struggling to exercise but with the forth coming release of Wii Fit there's now an alternative.
Wii Fit, if it becomes all that it could be, would provide a home gym to get unfit and self-concious people on the road to raising their level of fitness, lose weight and raise their self esteem….and then who knows, once the wagons rolling maybe myself and others might do the unthinkable and join a gym…….ok if they lower the stupid prices first that is!
We'll keep you informed of any upcoming news on this 'game' here at TDL as it happens.
Fatal Inertia Screenshots
At TDL we've just got our hands on some new screenshots of Fatal Inertia - a futuristic racing game for the Xbox 360 and PS3 (although, due to development difficulties the PS3 release is suffering from heavy delays).
The information regarding Fatal Inertia is sparse, but judging by the screenshots and the little information we have, I'm guessing the game will be similar to Wipeout. There are weapons, but the weapons do not directly damage your opponent, instead they damage things around your opponent to hinder them, such as destroying landscape. If they pull this off - it could be good, Wipeout was a brilliant game, a next-gen version with online play would be killer!
As promised - the screenshots. Enjoy!
300 Review
‘300’ is a movie based on the graphic novel of the same name, by ‘Frank Miller’. Having never seen (or even heard of) the graphic novel, I went into this film open minded but at the same time reserved. I’m generally not a fan of artistic films, nor am I generally a fan of war films set in the past. I can safely say that ‘300’ has changed my opinion completely – I loved it.
‘300’ is a story of war between the Spartans and the Persians. The Persians are all for conquering the world, but the Spartans, hardened warriors and fighters, aren’t willing to give into their bullying and thus a war ensues. There is obviously more to it than that, but I don’t want to go into too much detail. The film has received very mixed reviews (although generally favourable from what I’ve seen), the main points of complaint being the story, or lack of. I have to be honest and say that I thought the story was fine. Sure, there were no massive twists or intelligent plot-lines, but that doesn’t matter, and I think if it had either of these things it could have taken away from the simplicity of the film.
If you’ve seen any clips of ’300’ then you have probably seen it’s rather unique art direction (similar to Sin City I’m told, but I haven’t seen that film myself so can neither confirm nor deny). The majority of the film is shot on a ‘greenscreen’ in a studio, and the backdrops are then placed in afterwards. This leads to backdrops that often look slightly ‘fake’ but at the same time, stunning. The film uses colours to convey the mood of the scenes – but there seems to be an overall yellow colour to everything which was a little off-putting. As I’ve said previously, artistic films aren’t usually my thing, but some of the cinematography in this film is just too amazing to not like!
There is a lot of CGI in ‘300’, which is slightly off-putting. The effects can be very over-the-top, but I just think they look simply awesome. You can never get bored of seeing limbs get chopped off!
The acting is good throughout, although slightly clichéd at times. It’s nice to see lots of actors that I didn’t recognize, as far as I could tell there weren’t any ‘big names’ in there to try and get sales. Leonidas, the King of the Spartans is played by Gerard Butler. His performance is incredibly powerful – it makes you want to roar along with him when he’s get his army ready for war!
It’s rare to see such a powerful film as ‘300’. Whilst the film isn’t really sad in any way, it does make you emotional because you really believe the characters, and feel for them, wildly outnumbered and scared, but at the same time, covering it up and putting a brave and heroic face on. You leave the film feeling empowered and in awe of the Spartans.
This is one of the best films I have seen in the past few years. I’m really bad at watching films – I’m usually waiting for them to end because I’m bored. That wasn’t the case with ‘300’ – I didn’t want it to end! Simply stunning!
You can pick ‘300’ up on DVD on 01/10/2007, and I would definitely recommend. If you’ve seen ‘300’ and have any comments, feel free to drop them in the forum using the link below.
You can grab a copy of 300 here…300 - From £14.98
Clive Barker’s ‘Jericho’ Fact-Sheet
Direct from Codemasters, we have a 'fact-sheet' for the up-and-coming horror FPS 'Jericho'. I can't wait for this game, it looks phenomenal! I'm a big fan of horror games (and movies for that matter) and this looks right up my street.
Here is the fact-sheet.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
Clive Barker’s Jericho is a squad-based Action/Horror game based on an original concept and story by acclaimed horror writer and film maker Clive Barker.
The most ancient of evils has broken through into our world and is threatening to spread its taint across the whole of the earth unless it’s stopped. At ground zero lies the Middle Eastern city of Al-Khali, a modern city built atop the ancient ruins of a dozen previous conquerors. All attempts of contacting the citizens of the city have failed. With tensions already running high in the region, this is just the sort of thing that could trigger the apocalypse…
In Clive Barker’s Jericho, players assume the role of the leader of the Jericho Squad – a seven man Special Forces strike team that protects U.S. interests against paranormal threats. Each member of the squad is an expert in modern warfare as well as their own different para-psychological disciplines, including clairvoyance, alchemy, blood magic, exorcism, etc.
Players must lead the Jericho Squad into the flaming ruins of the city, moving block by block towards the dimensional rift tearing away at its heart. Along the way, they encounter the horrific armies of hellish denizens that now rule the city and corrupt everything they touch. As players incrementally approach the source of evil, they will have to rely less and less on traditional weapons and instead focus on the combined psychic talents of the Jericho Squad.
KEY FEATURES:
- Story Penned By Clive Barker – Codemasters has teamed up with the master of horror, novelist and filmmaker Clive Barker, on this original paranormal Action/Horror gaming experience.
- An Original Cast of Characters – The Jericho Squad consists of several team members, each with their own special weapons and paranormal powers:
o Capt. Devin Ross – the Jericho Squad captain and team psychic
o Father Paul Rawlings – the dual-pistol-wielding priest and exorcist
o Sgt. Frank Delgado – a fire-demon-wielding alchemist and pyromancer
o Lt. Abigail Black – a telekinetic sniper that can control bullets in mid flight
o Sgt. Billie Church – a blood mage that uses her own blood to cast spells and wards
o Capt. Xavier Jones – a seer that uses astral projection for reconnaissance
o Cpl. Simone Cole – the Jericho Squad’s reality hacker that can alter time and teleport supplies and personnel
- Unique Gameplay Mechanics – S quad mechanics allow players to jump back and forth between Jericho Squad members, allowing them to use the best suited squad members in particular combat situations. Additionally, Jericho Squad members can combine their paranormal powers for even more substantial attacks.
- A Layered Environment – The ancient city of Al-Khali is formed of layers of different ages that have tried to battle the evil in the past…and have lost. Players will traverse through multiple planes of existence, including the Crusades, WWII, Rome, and more as they try and make their way to the source of evil.
Developer: Mercury Steam / Alchemic Productions
Release Date: September 2007
Platforms: PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360™, PC
SRP: TBD
ESRB Rating: “RP” (Rating Pending)
Bomberman Live - Xbox Live Arcade
This Wednesday, for a measly 800 Microsoft Points you can get your hands on one of the most fun, addictive, and rewarding games ever to grace a games console…
As some of you may know, 'Bomberman: Act Zero' was released as a full game on the Xbox 360. I heard that this was going to be released and my heart sunk! It was so obvious they would ruin it, and I was saying 'Why can't they just release the original on the arcade'. Seems my prayers have been
answered! It's not a fluffed up, pretty version of the original - this is back to the olden days gameplay and graphics and I can't wait!
Anyone else really looking forward to this? I'll be downloading when it's released - be sure to check back then for a review!
Microsoft Wireless Racing Wheel Review
I've been after this piece of kit for a while now, but couldn't quite justify the £80 (RRP £90) price tag until a few more games with proper support came out. We now have six games with full force feedback, so I thought the wheel might be worth a purchase. I’ve been a fan of racing wheels for a while, but wasn’t aware so many things could be wrong with one!
Upon opening the box you find a lovely looking steering wheel, perfectly suited to the ‘Xbox look’ with white a grey styling. Very sleek. Opening the box is one of the hard things actually – it must have taken me about 15 minutes, there are so many folds of cardboard and clips holding the thing in! In the box you get…
- Wireless Wheel
- Pedals
- Table Clamp
- Power Supply
- Manual
- PGR3 with Wheel Drivers
Calling the wheel wireless is a bit cheeky on Microsoft’s part to be honest. Yeah its wireless to the console, but you still have to plug it in to the mains to get full force feedback and there is still a wire between the wheels and pedals. To be honest, I would have preferred it to be wired to the console and not have to plug in to the mains although I’m not sure this would have been possible because of the power provided by a USB port.
Some of you may even be wondering what force feedback really is? Well it’s not just rumble – you get that if you use the wheel without plugging it into the mains and it’s pretty poor. Force feedback attempts to replicate the forces felt through the wheel when you’re driving a car. So, drive at 150mph at a corner and try and turn in fast without breaking. Are your wheels going to agree with that? No, the nature of physics dictates that the wheels will try and go straight on. So you feel this, the wheel is hard to turn. Likewise, you’re driving round a corner and the wheel is at an angle. Put your foot the floor in a rear-wheel drive car and the back end will start to slide. You will feel this, the wheel will become slack and you will feel like the tires aren’t gripping. Hit the rumble strips at 150mph and you will feel the wheel bouncing around, jerking from left to right. I’m not sure if that’s a brilliant explanation…but it’s hard to explain – you really have to try it to see what it’s like.
Sounds like good fun? It is! You never forget it’s there; you don’t just get used to the force feedback and forget about it, you’re constantly reminded. Of course – the force feedback is implemented by the game programming though, not the wheel being clever, so it does all fall down to how well implemented the effects are in the game.
The first game I tried out was PGR3 as this comes with the drivers for the wheel that need to be installed before it works properly. I was terrible. Really, really bad. The car would just fish-tail all the way – I couldn’t keep the thing in a straight line. The force feedback can be really off-putting at first and I think it does make it a little harder at the beginning. I think it took around 2 hours of playing to really get the hang of the wheel with PGR. I was playing through the career mode again and at around the half way point I was probably nearly as good as I ever was with the pad. The force feedback effects are ok with PGR, but not brilliant.
The second game I tried was the Need For Speed: Carbon demo. Well…on the demo you can’t calibrate the wheel, which is a shame because it’s absolutely terrible – really bad. Unbelievably sluggish. The full game may have calibration options? I don’t know, but I really didn’t like it.
Third game, Test Drive: Unlimited. TDU plays quite well with the wheel – it’s one of the easier ones to ‘pick-up and play’ in my opinion. You can change the sensitivity and linearity of the wheel to your liking which really helps too. The force-feedback is very simple though, it’s basically just a case of when you turn a corner the wheel will try and stay straight, that’s about it.
Forth game, Forza 2. This was the game which was touted to work so well with the wheel. And it does – it works very well indeed. I’ve only got 3 races left of career, completed exhibition and most of the time trials all with the wheel. The feedback in Forza really is brilliant; it can be a bit weak if anything though. But it does work amazingly and there are plenty of calibration options too which is good. You really do feel at one with the car – it’s definitely a unique experience.
The fifth game I’ve tried, Colin McRae DiRT. Now, this is one awesome game with the wheel. It seems to be a love/hate game for wheel owners, some people hate it but others adore it. I think it’s because it’s very difficult at first as the cars handle unlike anything else. If you put the time in, and spend some time getting the settings to your liking then this game is so much fun. The force-feedback effects are what make this game stand out though – they are simply amazing. You feel every bump through the wheel, clip a rock you feel it, hit a jump and as you land the wheel will jerk to the side. I’ve actually got the feedback effects turned down for DiRT – it’s simply too hard to hold the car straight (especially over jumps) with the effects on full.
So, how well is the wheel supported in games? I was pleased to see that most driving games coming out soon will have support for the wheel. This is a step in the right direction, and I very much hope it becomes standard. After you’ve played with the wheel – you’d never go back to using the pad, it’s so much less fun.
It’s probably worth noting that I’ve tried the wheel on my lap, as well as clamped to a table. It has to be said, it’s nearly impossible to play on your knee, with a table it’s so much better. The wheel tends to bounce around on your knee, and it’s tilted downwards slightly so I found it was brushing on my thighs.
If you’ve done any research on the wheel, you have probably heard about the abundance of problems people have experienced whilst using them. Judging by the xbox.com forums, the majority of people have wheels that do not sit centrally – they can be off by up to 20 degrees. When I got my wheel it was off centre. I eventually returned it and can say that my new one is perfectly centered. It also has no dead zone, whereas my old wheel had quite a large one. So I guess, under the cover, the build quality and quality assurance isn’t very good –which is a shame; it’s just another example of Microsoft cutting corners.
It’s Wheely Good!
So, is it worth it? Definitely, it’s not cheap, but if you put enough time into racing games it is worth it. It brings the games to life, makes it a much more enjoyable experience. I can safely say I would never have got so far through Forza (It’s just so repetitive!) if it wasn’t for the wheel, as it just makes it so much more fun. DiRT and Forza 2 are the only games at the moment with amazing support for the wheel, but I’m sure there will be many more.
- Pros
- Makes the game more fun.
- Looks nice – exterior build quality is good.
- Force Feedback feels amazing.
- Cons
- Interior build quality seems poor.
- Hit and miss as to whether or not you get a decent wheel.
- Not supported in all racing games.
- Not really wireless.
Stuntman: Ignition Demo Preview
Stuntman was one of those unique games back when it came out for the PS2 – it was unlike anything I’d ever played, and it turned out to be one of my favourite games ever!
You can only imagine my joy when I heard that there was a next-gen sequel in the works, couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! Courtesy of the E3 expo in the US, along rolls a demo a whole 2 months before the official release date. Weighing in at just over 640MB and letting you try your hand at some death-defying stunts in 3 different ‘shoots’ – this is definitely worth a download.
For anyone that doesn’t know what Stuntman is all about, the basic premise is you are a stunt driver. 
You go through a ‘shoot’ and follow your director’s instruction’s carrying out all manner of crazy stunts. You are given a rating when you finish a shoot, depending on how closely you followed the instructions, and how well the shoot went. Once you have done a number of similar shoots for the same movie, you get to see a movie trailer which includes your actual driving which is a nice touch.
The good…
I was impressed to see the next-gen version of stuntman was still faithful the original. Whilst this will keep the old fans happy, it does inevitably mean if you weren’t a fan of the original, you probably won’t like this one. Most of the moves are the same, the cars feel very similar (although I’m sure they are easier to drive than they used to be) and the cheesy bond-film rip offs are still there.
…the bad…
The frustration factor is still there. The first game was the most frustrating game I have ever played without a doubt. But with frustration, comes a sense of achievement when you finally do something, so I never got so fed up I couldn’t play anymore. I’m also a big fan of the Microsoft Wireless Racing Wheel, and am disappointed to say that the support in the demo is very poor. It does recognise you are using the wheel, but the cars feel awful and the customisation is very limited – I really hope this is sorted for the release!
…and the ugly.
The graphics aren’t all that great, which is a shame as I remember the original having amazing graphics (for its time obviously). The special effects have gone up a notch – they are much more over the top and dramatic, and make the whole game feel that bit more ‘epic’.
After playing the demo, I can’t wait to get my hands on the full game! Let’s just hope they sort out the steering wheel support – but it’s not the end of the world if they don’t. Check back soon for a full review when I get my grubby mitts on a copy.