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| Review - Football Manager Handheld 09 |
| Tuesday, 2 December 2008 |
 The Football Manager series on PC has evolved from its Championship Manager roots and become the premier football title. On the PSP there hasn't been much in the way of serious competition but that hasn't stopped them from trying something different and innovating with this years iteration.
Football Manager Handheld 09 comes with a series of refinements and improvements. For the first time the game features a 2D match engine along with the feature to hop between different countries rather than being limited to the run nation. Both of these new headline features aren't without their fair share of problems though. There is also improved transfer code which helps make selling those unwanted players easier. The game also has two new skins, the dark skin in particular is gorgeous and very pleasing to the eye.
The 2D match engine shares none of the same code as the PC version and as such starts from scratch, with this in mind it will come as no surprise that the match experience has its fair share of glitches. Strange sights such a defender running at the keeper one on one and then laying it back half the length of the pitch rather than shooting are common place and using the pitch for tactical analysis can be very hard. Instead much more can be garnered from the brilliant text that gives plenty of hints and tips at where players are being beaten or how attacks break down. Some decisions have clearly been made with the format in mind as well, only goals or near misses are shown and even then it is only the smallest of glimpses. This helps to keep the action going quick and fast and means that games don't drag on, the option for full match highlights would be welcome. SI have had a fair stab at improving the match day experience and should be praised for their efforts and as a starting point the engine looks to have a solid enough framework to build on.
The database problems arise from the hardware only being able to handle X number of players existing in the game at any one time. Things are fine when running one nation with every team having their full first team, high profile reserves and a smattering of exciting youngsters, teams abroad have a decent selection to pick from. When running with extra nations though the game has to spread its players thinly across all of the leagues running meaning that not all teams have their full complements of players and some even having very noticeable first team absences. There seems no solution though unless SI can push that bit more out of the PSP. It is a shame that their is no way to install the database in full on a Memory Card and run them off this faster solid state rather than streaming off the UMD, whether this is even possible or simply pie in the sky is another matter.
There are many other aspects that people would argue mean the handheld version is a poor relation to the its PC brother. This is however not the case as the developers have taken all the key features and distilled them down to their most common form. Take the media involvement, whilst the PC version has taken things a step further and created media conferences. Rather than offering a ream of time consuming options all of which are either positive, negative or no comment related Handheld simply offers these three simple offers. This is by no means a bad thing however has is helps keep the pace to that more suitable to a handheld game where you may just be catching five minutes here or there. It strikes the right mix between just enough whilst not being to much.
If you are looking for a game that can both fill a quick five minutes and offer hours and hours of gameplay this is the one for you. The game has the usual 30 season limit plus all the unlockables fans have come to expect. A bigger database adds to the experience as well offering more players than ever.
 As always finding the right tactics is key to success
The game has improved with each passing year and this is no exception yes there are a few niggling faults, but this doesn't detract from a core experience that will see you spends hours and hours pouring over it's simple text based interface. It may not be the flashiest most graphically intensive PSP game out there but it certainly tests the systems' durability as you will find yourself putting in the hours - time to think about picking up a spare battery for those long distance journeys.
 Labels: flameboy, Football Manager Handheld, PSP, Reviews
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posted by flameboy @ 19:45  |
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| Preview - Star Wars: The Force Unleashed |
| Friday, 22 August 2008 |
Star Wars games have been very much a hit and miss affair of late. But with a new title in the franchise comes a New Hope. We look at the latest Star Wars spin off where the force is well and truly unleashed.
Games based on licenses are usually rushed jobs in order to fit in with the movie or DVD release of the said franchise. However there is certainly a good amount of sense in letting a game have a usual development cycle and releasing it as and when it is ready. Star Wars Force Unleashed is one such example. It could have been rushed out to hit this summer to tie in with Star Wars Clone Wars but instead it will hit worldwide in mid-September.
The demo of this game recently hit on Playstation Store and Xbox Live Marketplace and gives gamers the chance to let rip. Players take the role of Starkiller (interestingly the original name of Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars film) fresh from his advertising orientated cameo in Soul Calibur IV, who is also the secret apprentice of Sith Lord Darth Vader. The game takes place between Episodes III and IV and follows the story of Starkiller as he aides Darth Vader in eradicating all the remaining Jedi, whilst remaining unknown to the tyrannic Emperor.
The game is a third person action game, a genre explored before by Lucasarts but very rarely one they have succeeded in. Force Unleashed seems about to change all of that. First lets discuss what really matters to everyone; the lightsaber play. Force Unleashed takes a style that has become typical to the genre since God of War was released. With a simple move set that can be used by the more casual gamer and still be enjoyable on the easier difficulty settings as well as having enough depth to create a wealth of combos for the more seasoned gamer. Each of the lightsaber moves can also be used in combination with a mixture of jumps and force powers. In the demo only Push, Grip and Lightning are made available, however the trailer at the end of the 15 minutes of gameplay reveal many more powers. One that is certain about this Starkiller is a Sith at the peak of his use of the Force and whoever is stupid enough to stand in your way is in for a beating. Both Lightsaber and Force mechanics work well alone and in tandem and there is immense satisfaction to be had in the use of both.
The demo level takes place on board an Imperial Shipyard. This environment provides a surprising wealth of locations and ways in which to use the Force mechanics. There is little better experience than flinging around Stormtroopers or even better realising the Force Push can be charged and send hangar doors flying open rather than just the edging it open with a quick press. The demo ends with a great boss battle (that we won't wreck for you) which helps show the depth of the combat system as well as reveals some Quick Time Events thrown in for good measure. As long as the game keeps up this variety of play and does not rely on the same environmental gimmicks but instead throws up new ones, it will prove to an entertaining action adventure romp. Finally lets give the graphics a quick mention, they look as really good with the bigger areas in the ship yard looking fantastic, this game will not disappoint when it comes to looks.
Star Wars Force Unleashed is released 16th September in North America, 17th September in Asia and the Pacific with Europe seeing the game hit its shore on 19th September. Be sure to check back for our full review of the game upon its release.
Daft's Opinion:
I was looking forward to this and I was disappointed. For starters the character model of Starkiller is pretty dire compared to his appearance in Soul Calibur IV. Yes, it is a pretty minor gripe and is only really noticeable in the opening cutscene of the demo but it's a bit strange that Namco have a better looking character model considering he is the central character in Unleashed.
Next up, the controls. Altogether they are solid and accessible but I felt slightly disjointed with the Force. Aiming objects with force grip tends to rely fairly heavily on auto-targeting, which itself isn't great, meaning throwing things isn't always as useful as you want it to be.
Finally, the fighting. Why exactly a sith, who throws TIE fighters about like matchsticks and can levitate in mid-air while charging up a force push with the view of quite literally wiping the floor with a squad of stormtroopers, is unable to move while blocking is beyond me. Similarly when swinging your lightsaber you are pretty much rooted to the spot which, in my humble opinion, leads to some stuttered fighting. Also the sudden occurrence of a quick time event, and I'm usually a fan of these, when facing off against the AT-ST wasn't particularly welcome since it's appearance seemed slightly random, but that could just be my unfamiliarity with the game.
However, some of these issues are probably symptomatic of the fact that this is a demo. Force powers get leveled up, hopefully improving their effect and efficiency. The level on offer was relatively barren, especially when held up against the other levels seen in Unleashed, but the interactivity shown in it was promising. The demo never manages to reach a high, it seems to stutter along. With all this in mind I still think The Force Unleashed has a lot of promise – I'm just hoping the demo is only hinting at what we can expect from the full game.Labels: Previews, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
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| posted by flameboy @ 12:03 |
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| Space Invaders Extreme Review |
| Monday, 28 July 2008 |
If you are an old school Space Invaders fan (who for some crazy reason doesn't already own this game) and have been waiting for the franchise to be brought kicking and screaming into the 21st Century, then close this window, log off and rush to your nearest gaming emporium. Honestly just go, you don't need to need this review and nothing that is said here will mean a jot of difference. This is the game for you period.
Still here?! Very well then. Space Invaders has appeared in many many guises down the years and on over 22 platforms, but has never quite managed to recapture the magic of the original. Some have even seemingly done their best to try and tarnish the franchises good name. Take Space Raiders (no not the popular corn based crisps) for the PS2 and Gamecube a 3D version where you run through urban areas as characters such as street teen Justin and fashionista Ashley. It was so far removed from what made Space Invaders great it was a total train wreck and not worth any ones time and effort; Space Invaders fan or not.
One crucially important feature of the original Space Invaders was the music. The MIDI music was perfect in its execution, it heightened the tension of the game and gave a sense of impending doom as the aliens got closer and closer. Space Invaders Extreme takes this premise and turns it on its head by incorporating a very modern obsession in todays gaming; rhythm game mechanics. This helps to bring the game up to a modern standpoint from an audio perspective and helps to make it relevant in the current gaming climate. Any game can add sounds here and there in an attempt to give it rhythm, but to get it right is another thing all together. Space Invaders Extreme adds blips, beeps and pings all over the place which all fit in with the games soundtracks. There is nothing more satisfying than entering fever mode and hearing the sound rush out of your headphones (arguably the best way to play).
Space Invaders Extreme also benefits from simple refinement of the classic formula. Players engage the aliens through increasingly difficult wave after wave before fighting a boss battle to progress onto the next stage. Bonuses are given for killing aliens of the same colour, wiping out an entire row, getting a combo without missing. The bonuses take both the form of extra points and strongers weapons depending on the colour of the enemy killed. Hitting UFO's is interesting as they both provide high points and the enjoyable bonus rounds. These take the form of little mini rounds whereby the player has to complete a certain take for example wipe out ten UFO's in 30 seconds. Completing this results in fever time which is abound with bonuses that get the higher scores and higher ranks.
The graphics are crisp and for the most part simple and faithful to the series, whilst still appealing to the Geometry Wars/Lumines generation. One problem some people may have are the graphically intense backgrounds on the PSP version. Whilst they are a good fit for the game and tie in nicely with the music they can be distracting, this however is not a problem as they can simply be turned off.
Controls on both versions are as tight and reliable as you would expect. On PSP the analogue nub works just as well as the D-Pad on both systems. The DS version however does have one great touch that nudges it up a notch with the inclusion of support for an optional paddle controller (compatible with Arkanoid also) that plugs into the GBA slot on the bottom of the DS. This provides a truly old school control system and helps make the controls and experience feel even closer to the arcade classic.
If you are a fan of the franchise, don't already own it and still havn't been convinced by this review, then seriously what's going on? If your are newcomer to the franchise, give it a go. The series is brought up to modern standards and thrives, without losing what made it a classic back in 1978. Space Invaders Extreme will offer some of the most addictive handheld gameplay you will find on either platform and can be regarded as an essential purchase for all.
 Labels: DS, PSP, Reviews, Space Invaders, Taito
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| posted by flameboy @ 21:52 |
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