Ghostbusters: The Video Game for Xbox 360
Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!!! After 25 years, a video game has been released to celebrate the anniversary of one of the most popular films in history, retailing at £39.99.
It’s a measure of how good the film was that the game seems as fresh and funny as ever. Featuring the voices and likenesses of most of the original cast members; Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson, the new script was penned by the writers of the first screenplay, Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis and with the same laconic humour, the banter between cast members will have you smiling … nay … guffawing, even as you reach for your proton pack.
Set two years after Ghostbusters ll, the storyline is original yet manages to replicate most of the iconic scenes from the movie including the New York library and players journey through cemeteries, museums and otherworldly dimensions re-encountering some of the film’s famous ghouls like Slimer, the terror dogs, Vigo and everyone’s favourite – the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. We’re also introduced to some pretty creepy new apparitions and phantoms and the game features great music, impressive sound effects and responsive control.
The aim is to save New York from being overrun by supernatural forces (again) and the player joins the Ghostbusters themselves as the rookie member of the team. Using the same gadgets from the movies, including proton packs, particle throwers, ghost locating PKE meter and that accessory no-one should be without - the Ecto-goggles - you can also chase down the ghosts in the Ecto-1 vehicle or weaken and trap them with your proton pack via four different modes . Weapons are upgradeable and the highly detailed environments are destructible so wreak as much carnage as you like but be aware that the cost of the damage is counted in dollars.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Truth or Square
Hold on to your squarepants for the ultimate in game from SpongeBob and his friend. OK, so, it’s meant to be for kids but adults love it as well. SpongeBob SquarePants: Truth or Square is in celebration of the tenth anniversary of SpongeBob SquarePants and offers fans a chance to relive some of the best moments from SpongeBob’s life.
When Mr Krabs and his friends plan to celebrate the eleventy seventh anniversary of the Krusty Krab, Mr Krab asks SpongeBob to guard the top-secret recipe for the Krabby Patty but… surprise, surprise… SpongeBob loses it. He enlists the help of Plankton to find it whose ulterior motive is to keep the formula for himself. The only way SpongeBob can find the recipe in time for the anniversary party is by using Plankton’s memory machine for him and players to relive the ten happiest and hilarious moments of his life.
Kids (or you) can play as SpongeBob on their own or with a friend playing as Plankton as they run, jump or spin through twelve exciting levels. Each one takes players back in time to one of SpongeBob’s memorable moments from the show i.e. when he became a fry cook or met Sandy for the first time. There may be a bit of strenuous battling involved in order to fell some of the supersized opponents which include legions of Plankton’s robots, but with SpongeBob’s amazing new morphing abilities including the Sledgehammer Smash, Spatula Slam, Waterbob Sponge or Explosive Cannon, he’ll be able to whack, hose, stun or blast ‘em out of the way. Visiting some of SpongeBob Squarepants favourite locations from Jellyfish Fields to Rock Bottom and downtown Bikini Bottom, there are plenty of stimulating puzzle challenges to play on the way. For ages of three and over SpongeBob SquarePants: Truth or Square retails at £29.99.
Assassin's Creed ll
Assassin’s Creed ll is Ubisoft’s follow up to the fastest selling new IP in video game history, Assassin’s Creed, and is available to buy at prices from £39.99.
The game uses the same gameplay style as its predecessor but now there are added features with a stronger emphasis on open-world exploration, greater interaction, nonlinear gameplay and more variety in missions. There’s also a new improved in-game economy. The protagonist, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a young Italian noble come assassin, is also more clearly delineated as a character. In fact he’s a bit of a lady’s man who possesses a certain panache and some endearingly human traits.
The location is new too, set against the beautiful backdrop of Renaissance Italy in the 15th century, the action follows an epic story of corruption, conspiracy and brutal murder as Ezio strives to exact revenge for the deaths of his family members.
As in Assassin’s Creed, the story revolves around the Animus, the machine that views the memories of the ancestors of Desmond Miles in 2012, who comes from a long line of assassins. The action features some challenging experiences as through Ezio, the player becomes a master assassin and learns how to brandish weapons, disarm enemies and use their weapons against them, helped or hindered on the way by real-life historic characters. These include Machiavelli, Pope Alexander Vl and Leonardo da Vinci, who acts as a kind of Q figure from James Bond, providing miraculous inventions such as flying machines to assist Ezio to use on his mission.
There’s a welcome return to free running with added swimming and flying. With a more deeply and finely tuned combat system players roam through Venice, Tuscany and Florence using a host of new weapons created by Leonardo including swords, poison blades, miniature firearms, cutlasses, maces, spears and daggers. There’s even a database that gives information on historical figures and landmarks. It’s a game that combines an absorbing storyline with superb graphics and thrilling action and it’s waiting to be played by you.
Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City
With very adult content, the brand new Grand Theft Auto has two games in one box – The Ballad of Gay Tony and The Lost and the Damned, neither of which requires the original Grand Theft Auto to play.
Set in the depraved Liberty City, a world of money, beautiful women, luxury cars, bikes and boats, the Ballad of Gay Tony features the story of the assistant to the nightclub owner Tony Prince, who becomes involved in an orgy of guns, violence and crime as he struggles to ascertain who he can trust in a fake world. With a good story line and voice acting and new activities such as Drug Wars, Club Management, Dancing and Drinking Games, the action is even more fast-paced than before with the chance to pilot military helicopters, parachute onto skyscrapers and moving trucks and take part in realistic fight scenes.
The Lost and the Damned takes a new angle on the storyline begun in GTA lV and players will recognise some characters and events. Johnny, a former member of the notorious biker gang, The Lost, has built bridges and organised truces with other local gangs. When his brother, Billy, the out-of-control president, returns from rehab in a violent mood, Johnny attempts to create order out of chaos. Players won’t be disappointed by the action, power graphics, lighting, new vehicles and arsenal of heavy weaponry. The game can be played as a single player with the addition of new activities like Gang Wars and Bike Races or as a multiplayer.
Sherlock Holmes Vs Jack the Ripper Xbox 360
The brilliant fictional detective is back – this time to track down the most infamous villain to stalk the streets of Victorian London – Jack the Ripper.
This game not only offers the chance to pursue the murderer, it also allows you to solve one of the greatest British mysteries of all time as you uncover the true identity of Jack the Ripper. Well, OK … I suppose no-one will ever really know who that is but the script is taken from police and newspaper records of the time and represents an authentic recreation of events. When Jack brutally murders five prostitutes, Holmes and Watson are at hand to inspect the crime scene and extract clues. What distinguishes this game is that although Holmes and Watson are fictional characters, you are actually investigating real life crimes with actual evidence. The creepy action that ensues allows for two different views that can be accessed at any time; you can play from a third-person viewpoint in a cinematic perspective or from the first-person for total immersion.
During the course of the game, you’ll traverse the dark streets of London and the shadowy alleyways of Whitechapel; the favoured haunt of Jack, using objects and gathering clues that will help you to discover more about the murderer’s true identity and motives. You also have to perform some surprise quests on the way. The story is well told and the script and acting first rate. Action is fully rendered in 3D and uses an original crime scene reconstruction that allows you to analyse and test out your theories as you venture on the trail of the killer and eventually use your amazing powers of deduction to discover his true identity. And who could it possibly be? Well, it’s elementary, my dear Watson.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
The loveable chipmunk and his friends are back in a hilarious Squeakquel to be released on 11th December 2009 with a RRP of £24.99.
You can play as the chipmunks themselves; Alvin, Simon and Theodore or as rival girl-group; The Chipettes - Brittany, Jeannette and Eleanor, in a cool storyline that takes you across the world and back to different concert locations in cities like New York, London and Sydney where you can perform music tracks that feature either band with their different characteristics or warble a duet with both.
In the main game you can prove that you’ve got rhythm by using your musical skills to master the award-winning songs from the Alvin and The Chipmunks back catalogue. These are judged in varying degrees of difficulty based on tempo and complexity with two global modes of difficulty; Normal and Expert that can be changed anytime during the game. If you manage to fill the stadiums with your fans, there are attendance records to be earned too to boost your score. In a gripping finale that takes place at Hollywood’s Super Duper Dome anything could happen.
Three micro-games use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk or there’s a Multiplayer Party Mode so you can compete with up to two friends and have a ball or you can watch music videos of your favourite songs in the Jukebox Mode while you squeak away to your heart’s content.
Resident Evil Archives:Resident Evil Zero now in Wii
Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil Zero is an epic story that follows events leading up to the incident at mansion in a game that was previously only available on the Nintendo GameCube due for release on 22nd January 2010.
Some people have said it’s one of the most frightening games they’ve ever played. Following the format of Capcom’s survival horror films, we go back in time to discover the story behind the infernal Umbrella Corporations as players uncover the origins of the T-virus and surprise, surprise a few rampant zombies on the way.
Action follows Rebecca Chambers, the newest member of the S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team who comes to Raccoon City to investigate a series of grisly murders. When she discovers a military transport truck filled with corpses, the horror begins. She is accompanied on her journey by Billy Coen, an ex-marine who was convicted of murdering 23 people – fortunately the evidence was purely circumstantial. With flesh-eaters, ghouls and the undead making unscheduled appearances, you’ll be on the edge of your seat with your heart pumping throughout. Graphics heighten the sense of fear in the spooky mansion with odd camera angles and dark shadows. You can use the standard Wii remote, classic controller or GameCube pad. There’s also a whole arsenal of weaponry to choose from with the ability to shoot anything from a pistol to a rocket launcher.
You can play as Rebecca and Billy simultaneously by using the Partner Zapping system, solving some cryptic puzzles along the way, as you help them in their desperate bid to escape from Raccoon City.
The Saboteur is set in 1940s Paris
Pandemic Studios invites you to enter the covert world of the saboteur in a stylised 1940s Paris as you attempt to overturn the Nazi occupation and track down your mortal enemies in this revolutionary new game released on 4th December.
You will play in the character of Sean Devlin, a tough, Irish racing mechanic based on the real-life war hero William Grover-Williams seeking personal revenge after his friends have been killed, one by one, by the Nazis. With a bit of help from the French Resistance, British Intelligence and a full arsenal of weaponry, you’ll use your wits to track down high ranking German officers and officials, blowing up zeppelins, derailing trains and exploding bridges on the way.
Features of the game include The Vertical World which takes you up on to the rooftops of Paris; the perfect place to initiate surprise attacks, plus gameplay systems called Climbing, Sneaking and Stealth Kills to help you infiltrate the Nazis.
Will to Fight combines visual style with gameplay as the environment of Paris changes around you according to the success of your missions. In order to make the district brightly coloured and “happy” you must weaken German forces occupying the area. In doing so, the district’s citizens will also regain hope and assist you in your fight. Areas with low WtF will be dark with the exception of brightly coloured German flags.
You’ll be fighting your way from the top of the Eiffel Tower to the banks of the Seine, taking in the whole panoply of the city. With a RRP of £49.99 The Saboteur is not only a great game, it’s a great way to see Paris.
The Whispered World - fantasy and adventure game
The fantasy adventure game The Whispered World is to be released in the UK, Scandinavia, France, Spain and Italy on February 12th 2010 for use with Windows PC, XP or Vista.
The beautifully animated point-and-click game from Daedalic Entertainment follows the 12-year-old clown Sadwick, who is visited in his dreams by a strange, blue creature that despatches him on an adventurous journey from autumn forests to islands through the crumbling Whispered World. As the only person who can prevent the destruction of the world, Sadwick has to discover the meaning of a mysterious prophecy somewhere along the way.
Integral to the game is Sadwick’s companion Spot who helps to solve many puzzles and is able to shape shift on the user’s command and metamorphose into useful tools like a flaming torch or sheet of paper etc. Throughout the game, the player simply chooses to point at an object to look at it and decide whether to pick it up or keep it. With hand-painted backgrounds, fine details and atmospheric music, a fairy-tale atmosphere is created with melancholic overtones that create the setting for a truly epic story.
Animated by Macro Hüllen, the wide backgrounds sidescroll on different levels to create a sense of depth, even in 2D, and are reminiscent of games like Runaway and So Blonde. The storyline is also sophisticated with witty dialogue, so should appeal to adults and kids alike. Game reviewers have pointed out that The Whispered World has something missing from many others available on the market – an emotional connection. It’s a game that will move you, it will soothe and entrance you – it may even bring a tear to your eye and it’s available from February 12th 2010.
Where to get it >>
Sound Asleep Rocking Chair connects to games console
Sound Asleep has come up with the perfect inflatable gaming chair that will fit comfortably into any teenager’s bedroom and connects to a games console via a 3.5mm stereo plug.
Easy to inflate and incorporating inbuilt speakers, the chair rocks – literally! With a pocket for your music device the Sound Asleep Rocking Chair is compatible with all music sources such as iPods, MP3 players, CD players and radio and requires no batteries as it is powered from the headphone socket of the connected device.
Made of 100% PVC the Sound Asleep Rocking Chair is also pretty durable, ready to stand up to those long hours of hard gaming. Risks of bottom grooves are minimal however, due to the comfortable and robust flock-lined seating. Measuring 96cm x 65cm x 86cm approximately, the product is suitable for anyone over the age of 5 and is attractively designed in red and blue at the remarkable price of £30.
The only fault is that it may become even more difficult to entice your offspring downstairs into the living room so why not solve the problem by putting a Sound Asleep Rocking Chair in there too?