Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 – Story Mode - Early Impressions

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Xbox 360
PS3
PC





Ok, the truth is this game doesn’t need a review it’s going to sell like hot cakes at a fatty convention regardless… Already it has sold around five million copies and is only out a few days. So the short review is ’It’s great, get it!’. This is exactly what we all did I recon but for the odd one of you out there still on the fence, here is a our early impression on playing through the story mode…

Visually this game is as beautiful as its predecessor and then-some, it puts all other current FPS games recently released to shame and shows how the life span of the current generation of gaming machines should stay as is, while the game development improves instead. Infinity ward have tried their best to immerse you into the story and have done a fine job. There are many locations to play in and every one of them feels like a scene from a movie or TV show. Production values in general are top of the line, great sound and a talented celebrity list of voice actors drops you even deeper into the pit of war.

The weapons are very realistic and have great weight and feel. Like a NRA meeting at Charlton Heston’s house it seems that everywhere you go there are guns and weapons lying around, and with a wide variety to choose from its difficult to stick with just one type. There is also the big weapons you access at certain point in the game, like the predator drone that you can control fully, it rains a fiery death on mass groups of evil anti western baddies and there’s the numerous fixed gun placements for maximum carnage and the list goes on, each one bringing a nice ‘Holy Shit – that’s cool!’ type of feeling.

The NPC’s in the game are convincing and even humorous at times and you really feel like just another grunt in the big battles and fight alongside your band of brothers as opposed to the lone ranger style of play. Some situations are truly breath taking, don’t worry, no spoilers, but when you’re fighting in a parking lot of fast food joints as baddies drop from the sky and you then have to secure a rooftop while surrounded by enemies, you will see what I mean. Later missions like the snow base combine stealth and vehicle action so perfectly it feels like a bond movie and then there’s the controversial ‘Terrorist’ mission… This you can choose to skip playing but let’s be honest, everyone is going to try it, when you do it is down to your own judgement how to participate and I personally found it all a bit boring after I capped a few civilians, bit like shooting fish in a barrel, so I then began shooting up the shops instead which was a bit more fun. Yeah, sure, the idea of killing innocent people in an airport has shock value and is shocking for the first few seconds but like I have said already, everything in this game is like a scene out of a movie or TV show, it’s not that different to a bank robbery sequence or an episode of ‘24’. Ultimately I can see why it is in the game as it is a primary plot factor to the chaos that follows, it really grabs you by the balls and pulls you into the story… and remember it is a game not reality, an adult rated 18’s title, not for kiddies and the truth of it is that the concept is far more sinister sounding than the actual playing, critics should keep that in mind.
Now with that little rant out of the way I can tell you that the level is not all about putting holes into innocent people, there are cops and Riot teams to tackle and this up’s the excitement and challenge. There are many world locations from a place in the sun to the depths of the sea, blinding storms to the vacuum of space, they are all here and all beautifully to behold, war has never been so pretty.

The single player experience so far is fantastic and a must for any gamer, I recommend ‘Veteran’ difficulty for the experienced player as I personally find this instalment much easier than COD4. We will bring a Multi player and Spec ops breakdown as soon as we have play tested more but I can say that both are of great enjoyment. So far COD MW2 is one of the first games in a long time that deserves the hype, just buy it before all the fatty’s get all the cakes!

FIFA 10 Review

Fifa 10

EA Sports

Xbox 360
PS3







Well, it's that time of the year folks when EA, THQ (amongst others) come along and hypnotize to monopolise you're hard earned euros with a glorified update of the previous years title release. Now, we've all grown weary of the bells and whistles thrown about the place and empty promises to 'change the way you play games forever' but no matter, we still splash the cash! So with about as much surprise as the moment your girlfriend waves an Xbox controller about as if it's a Wii wand comes along the mighty EA with the equally mighty Fifa 10. They say it's ground breaking so let's take a look under the hood.....

Firstly let's get the whole FIFA V PES out of the way, simply put this is better, on many levels. A blinding loyalty to PES has always been the modus operande here at Reaper Towers as long back as I can remember, but something strange happened a couple of years ago. Konami fell asleep in their Toyotas and along came EA who like 'em or lump 'em pushed the football game in the absolute right direction. Capitalizing on the 'Sim' quality brought to the genre with PES, EA got it just right with fluid controls, full and licensed rosters, brilliant manager modes and create-a-player that was second to none. We were (like Lindsey Lohan) swayed, and you were too!

Now 900 billion trillion copies* later we have just laid Fifa 09 to rest and wrapped our goalie gloves around Fifa 10 which is, if you pardon the expression, a perfect ten. So, what's new? Lot's actually...

Much has been written about the brand new 360 control, and surprisingly it is as good as they say it is. Although only slightly different than previous eight way player movement it's enough to completely change the entire feel of the game allowing measurably superior first touches and runs with the ball. For the first time you actually feel like you're playing football as opposed to playing a game, creating a real immersion that you never knew was missing. This feeds in to the new player dynamics where weight and speed are represented brilliantly and effectively. You know intuitively when a player can take a player on the ball, that said however, as much as I like to feel Ashley Cole's player dynamics I'd rather feel his wife....

Moving on you'll notice on the pitch everything just works better, from attacks at goal to passing dynamics to defensive abilities a little tweaking has helped a lot. In previous incarnations a defender found himself in the way of a shot on goal almost by mistake, where as now it's brilliantly animated when a shot is blocked. This adds an immediacy that was lacking and a sense of urgency when trying to get the ball in the back of the net...

Free kicks have also had an overhaul from the ground up. At the practice mode screen you can access create a set-piece, which might be construed as 'fiddly' but with a little time and patience you will have some seriously effective goal scoring chances that you can take online. I know the purists out there would probably like it 'harder' to score like this but by freeing up the chances of a screaming goal EA have put the responsibility on the defensive play to try keep it clean around the box, a change most welcome.

Outside of the pitch some new developments have also taken place. Players can now share their faces on-line via the My Virtual Pro Game Face option, create your player and splash your mug on it via the EA website (Mac users can't do this at the moment... Typical). Probably a bit pointless for girl gamers and people with fat faces but a fun tool none-the-less. You can bring said player through all sorts of skill curves and build up his ability over all modes including the practice arena, this can be great fun and especially handy for setting up your own team on-line with your mates. Live Season, allowing you to play in real life fixtures, returns in the form of 2.0, which 'Goddammit EA!! costs MONEY. This whole idea of paid for content really gets my grits. Was my initial money not good enough? It's like paying for a seat in McDonald's... Won't be buying that.

Manager Mode is, as ever, totally immersive and excellently executed. Full control is on offer here for those who fancy themselves as 'De Gaffer' from player health and tactics to ticket prices and player transfers. Word to the wise though, these players want a lot of money if they're gonna move to your club, so just give it to them... I hate Ronaldo. Also remember to turn off auto save to avoid those crucial losses and moments of madness where you throw your controller through your shiny HD tele...

The Menu system has been modestly improved and stream lined a bit better than last year and the load times have improved also. The gut's of the game are all still there, including the commentating of Andy Gray and Martin Tyler which really add to the atmosphere of a 'Big Game Match' although they're especially hard on poor old Van Persie, constantly reminding you that he's had a bad season. Wonder what he did to EA? But it's exactly this precise tie-in that makes you appreciate the importance of licensing to this title, reminding us not to take for granted everything reflecting real life, from kits to stadiums.

On-line play is fantastic and seeded to your skill level and in terms of racking up the points, highly, highly addictive. It's an integral part of the appeal of Fifa and EA seem to understand this, in turn building on it year in year out. And at time of review a notable drop in connection losses with your opponent, a problem that dogged '09 in my opinion.

Xbox achievements got a slight overhaul also, whereas you might expect 'header' 'free kick' and 'distance goals' to make a return, they don't. It seems to be mostly centred around Manager Mode and Virtual Pro which forces you to really delve in to the one player option and two player lounge modes. Fine by me, changes things a little and keeps it fresh. For those with a PS3, bad news, the graphics and fluidity are superior on the Xbox and on-line is better also.

The only real problem I can find with Fifa 10 is the inclusion of the Dutch side. I don't like them, wooden shoes and big women.

In closing, a great game indeed. It's not perfect and I'm sure as you play through you'll find little glitches but so far, so very good. EA have listened and responded satisfactorily as far as I'm concerned. From the minute you load this puppy up it's obvious that you're dealing with much more than a game. It's a community, a world within a world and a really great social game. From the frustration to the almost orgasmic satisfaction of scoring a winner in the last minute this title runs the gamut of emotion, exalting the highs and lows of the real life beautiful game and packaging it in a shiny little disc for your Xbox pleasure. How do EA improve on this? I'm not sure they can.

Blind Side G's Verdict: Get it!

P.S Avoid Exciting Alien if you want to win a match...

Halo 3 ODST - A meaty meal - or a disappointing lunch?

Halo 3 ODST

Xbox 360

Bungie
Microsoft






The Halo franchise is to Microsoft as Mario has been to Nintendo. They have both been milked for every penny possible with merchandising and sequels but the question is – is it running out of steam? Halo 3 ODST is the latest offering from Bungie. Backed by a massive marketing campaign and the general hype machine, it is a sure success regardless of its quality. But what is the truth? Is it as disappointing as comparing a real life ‘Big Mac’ to its pretty photo on the menu board or is it a succulent delight to sink your choppers into? Read on…

Originally ‘Halo 3 Recon’ was set to be a DLC add-on but it grew during creation to become its own title and was then named – ‘Halo 3 ODST’, personally I thought ‘Recon’ was better… but never mind. The important thing is that it was being made by Bungie and is set in the Halo universe. Of course this story is about the ODST, not mister big pants John Spartan, so don’t expect the exact same Halo experience as before. ODST means “Orbital Drop Shock Trooper” which is basically an overly clever way of saying ‘Special Forces’ but not special enough to be Spartans, think X Factor contestants that don’t make the final round…

When you strip off the cellophane and crack open that green plastic box you’ll notice two discs, one is the ODST campaign, the other is a collection of all Halo 3 multiplayer maps available to date along with the new ODST multi player levels. If you are a long time Halo player you will piss all over this as it is likely that Bungie has already fleeced you for these maps in the past, if you are a Halo virgin then you are in for a massive fun filled online romp. The campaign disc also holds one of the most promising features of this whole package called ‘Firefight Mode’ (which we’ll come back to) along with access for next years ‘Halo Reach’ beta. Quite a bit in one package depending on your perspective but ultimately the issue remains – is the actual game any good? The answer is Yes… and No!

When I first put the disc into the machine and began the campaign I have to say that it was disappointing. The first game sequence was less than impressive for a start… It involves being introduced to the team, being called ‘Rookie’ alot and bearing witness to the beginning of a cheesy love story. The player models and animation did not look like the usual Bungie brilliance, the character ‘Buck’ who is voiced and visually based on actor ‘Nathan Fillion’ (from the hit series Fire Fly) resembles a burn victim on day release, in fact the whole cast of pixel people just don’t look… right. However I was more concerned about the actual game play and soldiered on.

Thankfully the visuals, animations and characters are back to top notch form during in game play and the streets of ‘New Mombassa’ the African city setting for the tale, is also impressive and convincing. The world can be viewed through normal eyes or through the new ‘VISR’ mode which is futuristic night vision and works very well. There are new weapons in the form of a silenced rifle – weak but fun to use and a powerful hand gun that makes short work of alien heads, feeling more like a sniper pistol than your run of the mill hand gun. You have no shield and have to seek out health packs when injured, much like in the first Halo and all the familiar baddies are out for your blood but are a bit tougher and smarter than before.

The structure of the game is quite atmospheric and will have you roaming the city streets looking for clues on what happened to the rest of your squad upon arrival. Initially I found this clever, hiding in shadows and avoiding enemies when out of ammo did feel like a sneak em up but everything gets boring when repeated, roaming through deserted streets and buildings while fragging enemy patrols gets old, its like ‘Groundhog Day’ and becomes that unpleasant claustrophobic corridor scenario that all gamers know and hate so well. When you do find the clue, you are then transported into past events involving the ODST trooper related to that clue, again the first missions were a bit ‘more of the same’ type of play and I was quickly losing interest in this ‘bigger than Jesus’ title, but I persevered and thankfully so. Later the ‘Clue’ missions began to flower and turn into a garden of blood dripping roses. Vehicle levels became available and wide open spaces replaced the corridors of urban warfare, the game had taken a turn for the better and my enthusiasm was peaked to what it should have been from the start. Later levels really shine and can be quite challenging, making strategy more important then bare faced shoot outs, some have a flavour of the Halo 3 multiplayer maps and are totally satisfying. Even the Rookie city missions improved and the narrow spaces didn’t seem so bad. The storyline got richer and I began to hear angels play trumpets… Basically it all came out good in the wash. It adds little depth to the Halo Universe with the story but nor is it a problem, it is pleasant enough to follow but irrelevant for the most part. It’s no ‘Band of Brothers’ anyway!

The addition of four player co-op makes it an even better experience especially on the open area maps. Any setting lower than Legendary is a bit easy and the odd bug here and there might piss you off but overall the single player campaign is a deffo play for FPS or Halo lovers, although I don’t think its enough to convert many new players to the Hip world of Halo. Firefight mode is basically a survival setup similar to ‘Horde Mode’ in Gears of War 2 by way of concept. One to four players can team up to survive waves of Covenant attacks while scoring points for their efforts but it’s by invite only not a matchmaking setup, so you need to team up with buddies to enjoy the full experience. This is great, working as a team is important and the constant action is like a pixel drug that will have you cursing like a true marine. This feature saves ODST from seeming anorexic and will provide many additional hours of play… thankfully! It will get boring eventually unless there are plans to add new maps down the road (educated guess is – Yep, I recon they will, at a price!) but it is a solid experience as is.

The second disc containing the Halo 3 and ODST maps is good value for the Halo virgins but for the Halo scholars all you really get is the new ODST maps and the convenience of having everything multi player related on the one disc… so it’s a matter of perspective if this is a good deal or not. There are three ODST maps - Heretic, Longshore, and Citadel. They are all nicley done and have some new strategic elements to them but really it just adds some extra variety and nothing very new except the weapons. Luke warm stuff really!

The bottom line is that it’s a DLC add on that dreamed of being a full stand alone title and nearly made it - but not quite! It’s a good experience and a must for Halo fans but is not at the quality level for the hype it received. Multi player extras are good or bad depending but most Halo gamers will feel ripped off by this setup. The inclusion of fire fight mode is a good idea and perhaps the strongest feature here but not enough to justify Halo 3 ODST being its own boss It’s a glorified add-on that really should have been available to download in segments that suit the gamer just like the Fallout 3 expansions were. Worth the price of a full title? No! Worth playing – Yes! Get it second hand, rent it or better still, wait for it to appear as DLC. (I bet its part of the greedy marketing strategy to come). Just like a fast food buger it’s over priced, smaller than its menu picture but tasty for a short time and will leave you hungry for more… it’s no whopper, more like a cheeseburger!
Do better next time bungie – eat it!

Reapers Verdict: Good for Halo newbees - A rip off for Halo veterns - Worth a play either way!

Batman Arkham Asylum - Does my Bum look big in this cape?

Batman Arkham Asylum

Xbox360
PS3
PC

Welcome to Gotham, home to the strangest bunch of psychos in America where the costume business is recession proof. It’s home to one of the most popular caped crusaders of our time, The Batman. This time round he is taking a trip to the nut house and thankfully he left the bat brat Robin at home. For a character that was born in the late 1930’s Bat's is looking pretty good for his age. Being pimped and exploited in all popular mediums the franchise has touched every youngster’s life at one stage or another, becoming a household name.

A man who wears his nickers over his tights while being disguised as a rodent may sound crazy but it has thrilled the fantasy universe right up to present day. We will try to forget the terrible times of poor Batman games and more than a handful of really cringe worthy movies because Batman has come into his golden age… again. Whether you are on the side of Tim Burton’s dark vision or prefer the grounded Chris Nolan adaptations it is fair to say that the character has moved into a more adult arena. Thankfully and at last, this can now also be said of the Dark Knight’s most recent gaming appearance form Eidos and Rocksteady: Batman Arkham Asylum. So, first off, is the hype deserved? Absolutely is the short answer! But here’s the long version…

Visually the game is stunning regardless of the platform, the unreal engine does have a strong ‘Gears of War’ look about it, especially in terms of lighting and atmospheric effects but this is no bad thing. Every area of the map is littered with minute detail wrapped up in well structured, nicely varied and brilliantly convincing environments that really set the tone for the adventure. Characters ooze personality while moving to some of the most fluid and impressive animation to date. The game mechanic works great with few problems, and the control system, although not perfect does a good job of allowing you to access the numerous options needed to keep Bats kicking criminal ass. Let’s just say that the whole production is quality! The love and dedication that went into the science of the game is evident from the get go, sound, visuals, and level design are one of the best to date in my opinion so there is nothing major to criticize in this department.

Where the game really comes alive is with its narrative and personality. Joker is acting up again and has tricked Batman into bringing him to Arkham where he can get down and dirty with his bad plan to smash Gotham and the Bat… the usual stuff really but the array of characters and lashings of dark humour make the story very real. Anyone familiar with graphic novels and movies will see unnecessary but delightful subtle nods and winks to the various stories that are part of the Bats past, making it all the richer for a fan. Combat is satisfying with simple but timed controls and there is a real weight behind the thumps and kicks dished out. Stealth is often the best approach, this has the familiarity of ‘Splinter Cell’ or Thief’ and leads to some very gratifying situations. Sometimes a frontal assault may be unavoidable, so time to access the batbelt and open a good old fashioned can of whoop-ass! Bosses are encountered at various points and generally require a method or strategy in order to defeat them, this has a wonderfully old school type game feeling and shall remind the mature gamer of the big boss fights in many of the early games from their SNes or arcade days.

There are great gadgets as you might expect and their uses are clever and satisfying to implement. Want to hang an enemy upside down from the rafters or perhaps just blow em up as they check on a fallen comrade, easy peasy! The sense of speed as you zip up the grapple line onto the eaves above your enemies is also great. As you progress weapons and abilities are upgradeable giving you grater scope in combat and making Batman that bit tougher.

As well as playing through the main story there are many hidden gems to find and the Riddiler himself sets puzzles for you to uncover which are fun and beneficial to unlocking abilities, this feature feels like you are playing a second storyline parallel to the main quest. All this is well balanced with scenarios that require stealth, brutal force and investigation in equal measure. You also have the ‘Detective Mode’ at your disposal. This is a type of forensic x-ray vision that allows you to see enemies and important items or clues more clearly and you will find it your most useful ability in the game. As you progress through the story mode you will unlock the excellent mini game aspect of Arkham Asylum, the Challenges. These are separate from the storyline and involve you taking down or defeating rounds of enemies, results are then displayed on world wide leader boards so you can compare stats with friends or just in general.

Criticisms are few and it is a rare thing to say, but Batman Arkham Asylum is a near flawless game. The camera can be annoying now and then when obstructed by a wall or structure during combat, but this is rare and minor compared to other similar games. Targeting a ledge for the grapple can also be slightly annoying when in a rush to escape and sometimes the enemy AI can be a bit slow but is overall very sharp. That’s it… yep, really! Its then comes down to whether you like Batman the character or just this kind of game in general, but the title itself does everything it tries to do, it kicks ass!!

For every player there is a point in a game that you just know it is a title to get your teeth into and bond with, for me it was when I was first introduced to the Arkham Assylum graveyard area, its gothic beauty was disturbingly and amazingly stunning. Followed closely by the areas where you must conquer your fears in the face of Scarecrow… the bat shivers went down my spine! I love this game, it ticks all the boxes I need and as a reviewer all I can really give is some facts and an opinion. It’s Bat-tastick and a game not to be missed, the hype got it right for a change so get on those bum hugging tights and strap on those bat boots, its time to kick some Jokers ass! Time to enter the nut house… Good Luck!

Reapers Verdict: Buy it now, don't wait for it on the second hand market! DLC on the horizon so renters will loose out...

Assassins Creed - Show us your Dagger Luv!

Assassins Creed

Xbox 360
PS3
PC



If you have ever wondered where the idea of dying as a martyr and then getting the seventy something virgins came from then wonder no more, this is where it all started. Look up the word Assassin and you will find a deep an interesting history that now you can experience for yourself thanks to Ubisoft. You are now the hunter, and having a load of chicks around to cook, clean and give foot rubs is quite the bonus.

The year is 1191, actually… it’s not, its just a few years from now… actually it’s both. Confused? Good, then let me explain. You are Desmond Miles, and you’re also Altair Ibn La-Ahad… more confusion eh? Ok, let’s begin again. Desmond Miles is a modern day assassin turned barman and he is our main character in the not too distant future. A nutty professor and his hot sidekick working for a secret bunch of secret people have kidnapped poor Desmond and all because his genetic code contains the memory of his ancestors. After he is hooked up like a lab rat to some fancy gadgetry he can access these memories, and here comes the best bit… you play the memories of old as his ancestor Altair… simple really. Ok, so it all seems a bit mad, but it works and it works good!

For most of the game you are the assassin Altair and your enemy is everyone you piss off, especially the westerners. The setting is in the crusades of the holy land around the twelfth century when King Henry went to war with the Arab world. This means for us lots of French and English solders to hunt and kill in attempt to boot the crazy Eurotrash out of your land… an age old story really.
When you first begin the game it is fair to say that it is a dazzling sight and the dedication that went into making this title is apparent straight away. It looks amazing and you will be totally absorbed into this historic setting. The cities are immense and the people walking the streets are very convincing, beggars, holy men, and mentalists that smack you on sight, it’s like a weekend in Galway. But the real heart of the game is in your character Altair, despite his dodgy American accent, he’s one cool customer, a real angel of death. The main story line has you hunting various cities form Damascus to Jerusalem in search of specific targets, this hunt is your redemption for making a mess of a serious mission involving the Ark of the Covenant. You go from hero to zero in the opening part of the game and there after it’s all up hill. As you do progress you are rewarded with new weapons, fighting skills, acrobatic abilities and increased health and this serves as one of the ambitions to complete missions. There are also side missions like saving civilians from corrupt solders, pick pocketing secret information and finding look out posts giving you a good view of the city along with making you mission objectives that bit clearer. You can also collect flags that are scattered throughout the game or hunt down every Crusader Knight in the land.

There is great open-endless in what approach you take to a task, when trying to get through a guarded doorway for example, there is the stealth approach where you can sometimes climb around or over the obstacle and take out any roof guards quietly with the blade hidden up you sleeve, or you can try to blend with some holy men and walk right past the guards. Then of course you can just hack your way through, and although this can be enjoyable it can also be dangerous and could end in you having to flee for your life trying to shake off the chasing swordsmen, this too is of great enjoyment.

The actual fighting method is good and you have several options at your disposal, the sword being one of the best for straight out scraps. During a battle with solders timing is the key to success and with the help of some well earned fighting skills you will be able to take on large groups of enemies with little trouble, all of which is bloody and enjoyable to witness in the form of mini cut scenes that flow with your direction. For the most part you will be galloping around on your horse or running on rooftops and hanging from ledges that would give Lara Croft vertigo. This is allot of fun and the fluid motion and character animations make it a seamless ballet of dangerous stunts and jumps.

Criticisms are few, the odd bug here and there can be easily forgiven, of which there are a good few. The cut scenes, although somewhat interactive can ramble on a bit till you catch yourself snoring, because you are unable to skip them. The areas of the game based in the near future can slow the overall pace, not in a good way, and at times you might find the tasks a bit repetitive, but the good points of the game overshadow all this and the atmosphere alone can carry these negative elements and make them minor problems.
Assassin’s creed has the feel of a Tomb Raider or Indiana Jones type game with more than a touch of a medieval GTA element. That combined with stunning visuals excellent sound and atmospheric music not to mention the realistic and immersing environments that make this an excellent title for all adventure platform lovers.

Take a trip to the holy land and see where it all began… maybe you can even score with one of those hot virgins!!

Reapers Verdict: Class Act! Bit repetitive but well worth the play time... A must for 3rd person gamers. Get it!

Bully - Take that finger out of your nose!!

Bully
Xbox360
PS2







Ahh… the youth of today. They have no respect for their elders and love to get into trouble regularly, in my day things were soooo different… actually, no they weren’t… and this new offering from Rockstar north is a reminder to all past and current pupils of the education system, just what a nightmare school could be at times. Canis Canem Edit as it is called here or ‘Bully’ for those of you that feel Political Correctness has gone to extremes yet again… is the latest game from the genius’s over at Rockstar and it is a very controversial yet brilliant example of art imitating life. From the start you will get a look and feel that is reminiscent of past GTA games. This of course is no bad thing and when you add a huge array of fresh ideas and humour on top of it, you have a super packed lunch box full of gaming, apples and all!

You are Jimmy Hopkins, a lil brat of the highest order and have been dumped into Bullworth academy to fend for yourself. Here you will meet some of the weirdest teachers and students, giving you flashbacks form your own school days.
The whole atmosphere has a dysfunctional Harry Potter feel, with a splash of ‘Revenge of the Nerds’, an old 80’s movie. The task is simple, initially survive and eventually become the top Dog of Bullworth. There are missions galore to take part in and several of the main ‘click’ groups in school will have you running around the grounds on various tasks, from planting stink bombs in the girls locker room to spraying graffiti on the town hall for all to see.
The characters are convincing and all characters are interactive, whether you talk, insult, punch, kiss, wedgie or just grab their bum, all have a reaction to your actions. Missions see you gain or loose favour with school faction and open up new possibilities on compleation. Everything you do in Bully has an effect on your skill, weapons and general abilities giving the game a RPG feel without any complications.

Bully is very story driven with loads of cut scenes all of which play on fun stereotypes and have an excellent sense of humour, there is a story based mission that you must follow and a large amount of optional tasks. There is also the freedom to explore the campus, bully the bullies, chat up chicks or just lob dangerous and gooey things at people, fun, fun, fun….

Its not all fireworks and egging people, you also have to attend class and learn… stuff. Studies include the usual things like English, PE, Chemistry and Art, where you are faced with tasks that are portrayed in the form of short in-games. This is allot of fun and can really help you in your everyday existence at Bullworth by giving you various abilities and fighting moves to defend your self with upon passing the class. Everything is governed by real time and you must meet school rules including being in class on time, not breaking the curfew and not slapping around other students in the presence of authority figures. Break the rules and you will have the prefects and cops on your tail forcing you into hiding position like a locker or bin, if caught there’s a good scolding in store from the headmaster and can sometimes lead to detention… which is… fun believe it or not. Again you are treated to an ‘in-game’ as your punishment, getting caught has never been so much fun.
Later in the game you get a skateboard and various bicycles to get you around the hood and make travel fast and fun. There are so many things to experience in this title that it would take forever to point out, but learning what’s on offer is one class you won’t want to miss.

Bully is a supremely varied and rich game bursting with character, the graphics that are very nice but nothing groundbreaking, acting and voice-overs are excellent, flawless and witty. The controls, although sometime a little annoying are easily gotten used to with an fast learning curve helped by tips along the way. The camera can sometime be a pain but is generally not a big problem and the save system will be familiar to anyone who has played GTA games in the past, which is not to everyone’s taste. This game is not a star pupil however and has a few ‘grade F’ flaws, at times it can feel repetitive and the code has quite a few bugs in it leading to blacked out screens and even the odd console crash.
That said, Bully is a must buy for any gamer who loved the GTA feel or for those that need a little reminder of their school days. Time to do your gaming homework… Here end’ith the lesson. Class Dismissed!

Reapers Verdict: - Not for everyone but I loved it! GTA fans will probably enjoy it the most, perhaps a rental for those who are not to impressed by what they have seen.

Superman - Hottest red Pants in the Universe?

Superman
The Video
Game

Xbox 360
PS2

There are many things super in this world, noodles, markets, and models, but can they wear their underwear over their clothes??? No, only one person can do that, and I don’t mean you granny… that’s right… Superman! Those fetching blue skin tight stockings, tight little red Speedos and a big flappy cape, not to mention that big S on his chest, it’s like Halloween at Elton John’s house.

When you begin Superman Returns it all looks great and exciting as you drool at the prospect of ruling metropolis with an iron fist… um, I mean being its hero and saving innocent people. Either way, the prospect of having a vast city to explore and zip around is great. After some tutorial missions which capture the attention well, your precious Metropolis city is taken away and you journey into space in search of superman’s historic birthplace, Krypton. After you endure a slugfest with some intergalactic mussel brained baddies that are more frustrating than fun, you return to earth and begin the best part of the game, super-cruising around the city, which is without a doubt the games most enjoyable feature.

After flying around for a few minuets at super speed, bashing around a few baddies along with the odd civilian, and perhaps rescuing a few cats, yes I said Cats… you will start to realise that there’s not much else to do in the game, apart from the race against a leprechaun look-alike.

Experience points are earned by defeating a never-ending stream of repetitive baddies which are a bit limited and once you find the perfect way to defeat a particular class of enemy it soon becomes a yawn fest. Bosses pose the greatest challenge and at times are visually impressive like the massive Metallo when he gets super sized. There is also metropolises very own super village idiot ‘Bizzaro’ whom is basically a mentally challenged superman clone, and you cant help but feel it would be more fun to play as the dummy than to fight against him. Ultimately the bosses, just like their minions, become repetitive and systematic with little in long term enjoyment.

The other thing you will quickly notice is that this title ‘Superman Returns: The Video game’, has very little to do with the movie at all, just some nicely rendered cut scenes from the film, which are totally and utterly pointless and are thrown in just for cheep reference. And where’s Clark Kent?? And who told all the baddies that Superman hates Kryptonite?? …some secret!

The graphics are not too bad generally, player models look impressive enough with main characters very like their movie counterparts. Flying is fun and has a great sense of speed while Superman’s powers can be useful and look well. The size of the city is also impressive and is very well designed. From a distance buildings are realistic, but on closer inspection you will find that everything looks a bit blocky and dated being far from the next gen visuals you’d expect. Cars roaming the streets are very boxy and the people are mindless animated mannequins, it all begins to look the same where ever you go, soon becoming Super Dull - Super quickly.

Sound effects are standard with perhaps the flying effects being the best. The famous music from the movies is not well implemented, which is a shame. Voice overs are good and see the characters well represented despite the cheesy overtone.

Controls are easy to use at first but combos become over complicated and the fighting lacks any sense of weight or any ‘crunch’ factor. Throwing a truck feels like lobbing an empty box of corn flakes. The fighting system is seriously flawed and often unresponsive, always frustrating. Throw in on top of this a camera that has a mind of its own during battles making enemies difficult to see half the time and a targeting system nothing short of pitiful and the word ‘Super’ becomes ironic.
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You get the sense that this game had the potential to be really good… but unfortunately it failed! More than obvious is that this game is heavily influenced by titles like Spiderman 2 and the GTA series, unfortunately not influenced enough and these much older games put Superman: The video game to same.

Fly past this one, the only players that just might get some enjoyment from Superman are the little ones and only if their big fans. Poor old Soups just aint lucky in games, he might be able to save the world but he just cant save developers from putting him in bad title, better luck next time Clarkie. Is it a bird… is it a plane… no it’s a Super Dud.

Reapers Verdict: Dont bother! Fly past this game... perhaps one for the kids or achivment whores