Up until now I have not said much about Guitar Hero Warriors of rock. I suppose a lot of the attention has been diverted away by the unveiling of Rockband’s ‘real’ guitar controllers’ whose somewhat shiny if not a little controversial appearance would be enough to distract any hardcore fan. Still, I think its time to put realism aside for a second and change this. After-all, we are talking about a game here and not a virtual music lesson. It has been common knowledge for some time now that in contrast to Rockband’s attempt to bring music gaming closer to reality, the guys at guitar hero have decided to take their new release back to its roots. But how will this affect the set-list, story and gameplay?  I think its time to take a look at what we know now…

Set list update

Taking guitar hero back to its rock roots is to me largely dependent on two things. Number one, an epic (if slightly tacky) story line. Think guitar fights, fire, lightning and maybe even a dragon thrown in there and your on the right track.  Number two, a very loud Rock/Metal set-list. Think back to the glory days of battling rock stars and slaying the devil in Gh3 and you start to understand what I am looking for. So how is Warriors of Rock shaping up? Well fortunately I have found a nice Video which gives a glimpse of what to expect for the Warriors of Rock set-list. Stick with it people, there is something for everyone if you wait nicely…

So there you have a taste of the new set list. I suppose there shouldn’t be much to say after that…but then again when was I ever lost for words. Watching this Vid I coudn’t help but make a few small observations. The first observation was that though there is a fairly diverse mix of music, this set-list does seem much more reminiscent of Gh in its early days. Aside from the odd what were they thinking song, this taster video contains a good mix of modern hits, metal, some cheesy classics for good measure, epic monster marathon songs as well as a fair dose of the all important classic rock. In addition to this the choice of set-list feels much more like it has been chosen to incorporate the whole band, something which some previous Gh titles have missed a little.

Now for my second important point to take away. With the amount of song repetition going back and fourth between Gh and Rockband I was starting to worry the world may be running out of songs. I know, I know, there are a lot of songs in the world, but after hearing the same old stuff on multiple disks you do start to wonder if the world may simply have run out of Rock music. Thankfully this vid contained much less song recycling than we have seen in previous games, and has ever unearthed some old forgotten classics which I must admit made me smile. I suppose the lack of repetition will depend on what Rockband has chosen this year, but I for one am vaguely (if not a little naïvely) hopeful that the “I want what he’s got, his has sprinkles…” copycat nature of these games may be wearing off. Well…I can dream…

Oh and Dragonforce is back. This will be fun…

Story update

Now for a quick story update, well I say quick, it will probably go on forever but never mind.  Time for video number two. In this Vid we not only get to see Alex Lefeson and Geddy Lee (Rush) talk about their love of guitar hero, but we also learn a little more about the story as well as getting a better look at the Gh characters new Warrior looks.

So there you have it. The story of Warriors of Rock will be inspired by the music of Rush, the game will include the whole 2112 album and Geddy Lee loves guitar hero. In addition to this we now know that we will be soon embarking on a quest to find the Legendary guitar, re-discover the prohibited practice of rock music and awaken the Demi-God of rock. Nice.

Aside from the inventive new portrayals of the characters, and the story-line itself what interests me most is the level to which a single band has affected the games theming. With Rush included quite prominently into the game, it at first seems unusual that this game is called “Guitar Hero Warriors of Rock” and not “Guitar Hero Rush”. Despite the title claiming that this is more than another band add on game, it would appear that the story line, imagery, and locations are all inspired however loosely by a single band. So what makes this title different? Well for a start it is clear that this game does more than simply chart a bands rise to stardom. Instead Warriors of rock uses the music to create a fantasy, fictional story, which though is based largely on the music of a single band is not an actual representation of the band members lives. Warriors of rock seems to encourage us to lose ourselves in the imagery created by the music, and to me this is what music is really about, losing yourself. I’m not saying that the story line won’t be tacky, nor that this game will have the impressive realism that Rockband seems to be offering. Instead I expect quite the opposite, and will be very disappointed if I receive anything else.

Oh, and its my birthday today. Lovely.

Until next time

24

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Guitar Hero Warriors of Rock

Due for release September 2010

Have you ever played a Spider-man game and thought, hey one dimension just isn’t enough for me? Well if you have its your lucky day as Spider-Man shattered dimensions is here.

Based on multiple comic book adaptations Shattered dimensions offers us a completely new perspective on the Spider-man universe. For a game with four completely different dimensions the basic story seems really quite simple. The tablet of order and chaos has shattered, sending its pieces flying off into four very different universes. Being the hero type you must fight as Spider-man across each dimension in order to recover the pieces and restore order once more. Easy eh? Shattered dimensions moves away from the old sandbox style amazing Spider-man games and instead offers us a new level based experience. Impressively each universe is set to have its own styling, levels, combat style and story line. Want to know more? Then please, come with me and take a first glance at four very different Spider-Men and four very different worlds.

Amazing spider-man Universe

In the Amazing Spider-man universe we find the most familiar incarnation of our favorite web spinning crime fighter. It is easy to see that in this universe a definite effort has been made by the creators to ensure that the art style mimics the colorful, defined styling of the original Amazing Spider-man comic books. Not only do you wear the old school red and blue suit, but everything from the characters to the special moves seem exaggerated adding to the retro comic book feel. In the Amazing universe you will encounter enemies such as Kraven, whose desire to become the worlds greatest game hunter has lead him to chase the biggest trophy of all. Yes, you guessed it, Spidey himself. In order to defeat Kraven and the other enemies of this world acrobatics, agility and web combat must all be mastered as key skills. Unlike previous spider man games which were entirely City based in Shattered dimensions you will also be given the opportunity to play and fight in other environments such as the jungle. To me this looked a little too unfamiliar at first, but I think it will be interesting to see how this feels when put into context within the story of the game.

Noir Universe

Set in the 1930’s the Spider-man Noir universe looks set to be the darkest and most sinister of the four. All of the levels played in this universe are played at night, giving the game a distinct dramatic film noir feel. In this universe you will have to use your skills of stealth to hide in the shadows for covert take downs, giving the Noir levels not only a darker feel but also a definite change of pace. Here you will face enemies such as Hammerhead and the Goblin as well as an array of armed citizens just waiting to shoot on sight. On a personal note, stealth killing in games has never really been my thing. No, I tend to prefer the run in and shoot anything that moves approch. Despite this, the dark atmosphere, twisted characters and sinister story-line look like they may just have the potential to sustain me though the Noir levels. I suppose we will just have to wait and see.

2099 Universe

Next we move onto the most futuristic of the four dimensions, Spider-man 2099. Set in a futuristic adaptation of New York in this universe everything is more technologically advanced including your surroundings, your suit and of course your enemies. Here you must use your speed and agility to fight futuristic enemies such as a very scary looking neon Scorpion and the new and exclusive Hobgoblin. The combat in this universe looks set to be very fast paced and close range, making great use of the sharp talons included on the most futuristic looking spidey suit. Its also worth mentioning here that at certain points in the game you will be able to engage your enemies in close up first person combat, making for a slightly more cinematic experience. This universe also promises an intriguing free falling level style which cannot be not found in the other dimensions. In this feature you are falling  down though the city from great heights, dodging obstacles and even engaging in mid air combat. This style of level looks not only very fast paced, but also allows you to appreciate the scale and styling of the futuristic neon city.  And oh yes, in this universe the suit is very cool people, very cool.

Mystery Universe

Sadly the final universe is still to be confirmed. Anyone want to guess what its going to be?  Come on now don’t be shy.

Final thoughts

I have a feeling that Spider-man shattered dimensions has come a long way from the original Spider-man sandbox titles on the PS2. It would seem that like much of the gaming world I found the most entertaining part of the old games seemed to be to jump off of the empire state building and catch yourself with a web as close to the floor as possible (or not) and to finally have something that differs from this is is certainly a relief. On a different note I also can’t help but feel that this game may be trying to mimic the success of Batman Arkhm Asylum, perhaps not so much in gameplay but instead more in objective. There definitely seems to be a desire here to re-invent the games making the spiderman character darker and more intense than previous portrayals. Weather it will be a sucess or not we have yet to see.

Until next time,

24

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Spider-man Shattered dimensions

Due for release on Nintendo Ds, Nintendo Wii, X-Box 360 and Ps3.

The long hot summer is officially here and aside from E3 not a lot has been catching my attention recently. Perhaps the lack of exciting new games is a ploy by the ice-cream men  to make us all go outside and see some real sunlight. Or maybe all of the developers just thought “Sod it, its too hot! Lets go to a water park…” and have left their respective offices in search of summer merriment. I suppose its probably more likely that everyone is simply saving their new releases until prime Christmas present buying season, but I like my reasons better. At least they had ice-cream.

Ice cream and water parks aside I am still left with a problem. How do I fill the long pre-Christmas gaming void in the summer months ahead. The sun is all well and good for a while, but how am I meant to entertain myself when extremely hot, sunburnt and more likely than not feeling just plain Lazy? I needed a solution, and luckily I soon had a plan. Indie games. Indie game manufactures don’t stop because of the heat and even better than this I don’t even need to venture out of my relatively cool flat for new content. One problem though, which to buy? With so much Downloadable content available on live how do you chose which Indie title is most deserving of your hard saved Microsoft points? I feel some mini reviews coming on…

Avatar Paintball

I thought it only right to start my mini review series with the game currently holding the title of most popular download, Avatar paintball. Within seconds of downloading this demo it was clear that this game simply does what it says on the tin. You, in the form of your Avatar play paintball. A basic point a shoot game, you run around the local landscape (in this case a small town) shooting anything which moves. The graphics of the game are styled to be in keeping with the Avatars, making the overall experience simple but pleasing.  In the main game you have the opportunity to use power ups and purchase better paintball guns, but apart from this it would seem that this game stays relatively simple. Point, shoot, redecorate.

A small downside though. Although the full game looks like it could be quite good fun I must say that the demo version of Avatar Paintball was one of the most disappointing. Unlike the main game where you can play against multiple characters online, the demo consists mainly of a practice mode where you are allowed only to shoot at static targets, or walls, both are equally entertaining. Another annoying part of the demo was that the Y, B and A buttons all take you to a separate menu to purchase the game. I constantly found myself trying to jump and instead being taken to the buy game screen, which wouldn’t be a problem if you wanted to purchase this game, but made for a very annoying Demo. Though this game was very dull when played alone, it is easy to see that its main potential is when played with large groups. The game allows for up to 16 players using live, so if you like simple, yet addictive multiplayer gaming this one could be for you.

Cost: 240G
Developer: Digital DNA
Players: 2-16
Star Rating: 3
Final comments: One to play with friends online, don’t bother with the free demo!

Baby Maker extreme

Next in the Top downloads chart was baby maker extreme. An interesting title, and one which had me very curious. Rated 3/3 for mature content I was pretty much convinced that there would be some form of behind the bike shed action, I was however quickly proven wrong. The demo takes place in a hospital delivery room, the key aim being to shoot a baby (or your Avatar, your choice) as far across the room/hall/reception/canteen as possible. This is done by first timing your contractions by pulsating the triggers, before mashing the B button to build up maximum power before releasing. Extra points can be gained for hitting small objects with the baby as it is airborne, and a boost button aids your flight when hit at the optimum moment.

Despite this games eye catching title I must say that after only a short time the Demo got quite boring. When the novelty of catapulting a baby across a hospital wears of you are left with a very basic game which consists mainly of button mashing, and though this game can be a fun one to challenge your friends/Flatmates/Slightly confused Neighbors too the demo is again not that much fun when Played alone. I suppose I could have gravely misjudged this game, after all I did only play the demo and there could be other more entertaining mini games included with the full version. However if this demo does represent the best which Baby maker Extreme has to offer I would say save your points for something a little more inventive and with a slightly more accurate title.

Cost: 80G
Developer: Stegosaurus games
Players: 1
Star Rating: 4
Final comments: Fun for the first five minutes but judging by the demo we have probably seen it all before.

Avatar Ninja

After playing Avatar paintball I expected that Avatar Ninja would be a similar concept. Play as your Avatar, beat up your online friends. I could not however have been more wrong. Unlike the 16 player free for all that is Avatar paintball, Avatar Ninja challenges you to a series of structured reaction based tasks which can be completed alone or against an online challenger. In the demo you must tap A in time with a set rhythm in order to make Ninja you run the length of a ling side-Scrolling pathway collecting gold and silver coins. As you run you must use the X, Y and B buttons to dodge various objects which appear in your way, whilst all the time maintaining the rhythmic tapping of A.

Like most of the other online Indie games Avatar Ninja has a simple concept. However unlike some of the other games I trailed this game has quite a high addiction factor and is still quite entertaining when played alone. After a couple of goes at this demo I began to challenge myself to reach the automatic Demo cut off point at level five, and if the demo was this addictive I can only assume that the rest of the game is quite entertaining. The free online Demo gives a pretty good trial of this game, and if you like the demo at only 80G this game is not exactly going to break the bank.

Cost: 80G
Developer: Milkstone Studios
Players: 1
Star Rating: 4
Final comments: Quite fun and addictive, not at all bad for 80G

Try not to fart

Out of all of the Indie games I tried this week ‘Try not to fart’ was without a doubt both the most entertaining and the most addictive. Using the winning combination of naively drawn characters and adult themes the story is simple. You are on a date with a girl when you feel the need to…well…lets just say you need to deal with some gas. Not wanting to offend your new lady friend with your windy ways the aim of the game is to hold it in. At all costs. In order to keep your dating dignity you must press and hold multiple buttons (Including RB, LB, RT, LT, X, Y, B, and A) releasing them only when prompted to do so. If you succeed in this task you will have charmed your way towards a second date. However if you miss a button, or release a button at the wrong time a green gas cloud starts to fill the room, and if this gas becomes too thick you will simultaneously offend your date and lose the game.

Reading this you may be thinking that this game seems easy, but by the end of the three level demo the random and varied combinations of buttons this game throws at you makes it not only quite hilarious but also deceptively challenging. Watching this game you may wonder why anyone would fail it, but play some of the later levels and you will realize that ‘Try not to fart’ closely resembles playing a game of finger twister with your 360 controller. Add to this the distraction of the random date night dialogue and we have what I think is the perfect mix of addictive mini games and childishly adult humor. I Love this game. There I have said it. These things are better out than in anyway…

Cost: 80G
Developer:Silver Dollar Games
Players: 1
Star Rating: 3.5
Final comments: My favorite!

Apple Jack

It would be foolish to comprise an Indie game review without including at least a couple of Platform based games. The first I chose to trial was Apple Jack. Unsurprisingly you play this game as…well…Apple Jack, a feisty young go getter with an apple on his head…or is the apple actually his head…I am still unsure…if you know please tell me. Anyway, in true platform style you must battle through over 100 colorful 2D levels in order to rescue your beloved lost dog. It is not however all blue skies and Orchards. Along your way you will encounter a number of enemies which you must destroy by picking up and throwing at each other. The fact that each enemy can only be destroyed by another, and the enemies can only be moved in certain ways means that this game is in essence as much of a puzzle game as a true platformer. Oh and did I mention that in this game washing machines are classed as enemies? I always knew they were evil…

I enjoyed Apple Jack and after playing the demo have a feeling that the full game will provide a lot more entertainment hours than a lot of the other inexpensive Indie games. Whats more, the free online Demo consists of several levels of the full game ending only with a time out, making it well worth the 2 minute download time.

Cost: 80G
Developer:My owl software
Players: 1
Star Rating: 4.5
Final comments: A nice platform game with lots of levels.

Bloody death

Now to a slightly more confusing Indie game, Bloody death. Though I can stand any level of gore within gaming, I must admit that I am not the worlds biggest fan of horror movies. I don’t like creepy tension building music, I don’t like jumpy filming and above all I don’t like high levels of gore (That is unless I am causing it, that is somehow ok). You can therefore understand that when I loaded Bloody Death and saw that it was quick time event game set in a fully fledged horror movie I nearly pressed the big glowing X-box button to flea to online safety. Resisting the urge to escape to the home screen I ventured on, trying to ignore the creepy music and thankfully the game soon loaded. I was met by the scene of a terrified girl in a white nightdress cowering behind an old sofa. In the doorway stood a dark bloodstained figure, holding a carving knife. Bodies littered the floor. After a good look around the room the game informed me that quicktime events would determine weather I was to live or die. I waited patiently for my first challenge.

Then after a short pause the game presented me with a single quicktime event, the successful completion of which prompted the murder to walk away allowing my character to continue with her evening of behind the sofa crying. It cannot be denied, this was a little bit of an anti-climax. I don’t know if it was the shoddy acting (sorry actors!) or the lack of interaction which let this game down. All I know is the loading screen seemed far more scary than the game itself, and this cannot be a good thing. I expect that the full version of this game is a lot more frightening, and It can be safely assumed that the quicktime events will get faster as you progress. To me however even if the game became truly terrifying and a lot faster it would still be more of an interactive visual event than a game. If anything Bloody Death was more of an interactive movie, so If you find yourself craving cheesy horror and like the idea of multiple outcomes this could be one for you.

Cost: 240G
Developer: MonkeyWare Studios
Players: 1
Star Rating: 2
Final comments: A cheesy interactive horror movie and comparatively quite expensive.

Miner Dig deep

I decided to end my mini review session with Miner Dig Deep, for no other reason than it is the most chilled out of all of the games I tried and thus won’t wind you up before bedtime. Another single player game, you play as a teeny little miner who must use his trusty pick axe and lantern to uncover as much treasure as possible. In the demo you are given the starts of a basic mine, which you can then use to uncover treasures of varying value. These treasures can be traded in for lantern fuel, ladders, better tools or even lifts, which in turn allow you to go back into the mine and uncover more wonderful treasures. This game is made more interesting by the fact that your time in the mine is limited by the gas level of your lantern. Dig too deep or for too long and your light will extinguish, meaning that in this game you must balance your gold lust with good timing.

Very cute and not too challenging this game is definitely one for chill out time. Though it did not have the excitement factor or hilarity of some of the other games Miner dig deep left me with an undeniable urge to download the full game simply because of the strong sense of investment I had developed in fulfilling the gold based dreams of my little mining friend. Your probably getting the feeling that I was more than a little attached to my miniature miner and his funny little walk…this seems like a good place to end my Indie reviewing spree.

Cost: 80G
Developer:Robir
Players: 1
Star Rating: 4.5
Final comments: A cute chilled out little game which makes me want to go out digging.

And there you have it. If you want to play alone then Apple Jack and Miner Dig Deep seem to have the most content for your money. If you have friends over then taking turns on Try not to fart is my pick for entertainment value and if you are one for online multiplayer challenges then it looks like endless Avatar paintball matches could be for you.

Oh and I Maed a gam3 w1th zombies 1n it!!!1 is also worth checking out. A bit like Geometry wars but with Zombies and those virtual snakes we all remember from old Nokia phones. Still, if none of this floats your boat I suggest Frisbee in the park of Hibernation until the winter. Both are also good options.

Until next time,

24

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Anyone who logged on last week will know that my last contribution was a rather excited outburst giving you a sneaky look at the newest Guitar hero controller. I will not lie. I will always be a guitar hero girl. I was hooked at Gh3 and never looked back. I do however acknowledge that there are a lot of Rockband aficionado’s out there and it simply wouldn’t be fair to talk about the new guitar hero hardware without also having a nosey at the newest offering from the Rockband music room. I am usually a Gh girl through and through, but believe me when I say that this time the guys at Rockband really have turned it up to 11…

For a while now there have been rumors of a complete Rockband instrument overhaul, but I must admit I was initially skeptical. On completion of the online demo, Greenday Rockband showed a small but significant teaser in the form of a keyboard symbol. At this time it was easy to assume that this would be largest change made to rockband this year, however after what we have now seen at E3 it is clear that the keyboard was merely the start of the Rockband re-design.

With this I am calling all Rockband Guitarists, Drummers, Vocalists and Keyboardists to listen up and listen good! In honor of E3 week here is my very special (and perhaps slightly sketchy) summery of some of the features the new rock band hardware. Clear out your virtual music rooms, its time for an overhaul.

Keyboard
I am of course obliged to start with the newest member in the Rockband family, the keyboard. For a while now we have pondered over the appearance of the new keyboard controller, but we need ponder no more because here it is.

Is it a Keyboard or a Keytar?

Looking like a cross between a keyboard and a keytar the Rockband keyboard seems, well kind of unsurprising really. More interesting perhaps is the way the keyboard appears on screen. From what we have seen so far the keybord appears on screen in a similar way to the guitar and drums, but with a twist. Due to the sheer number of notes, instead of having a static runway strip the on screen instructions for the keybord will scroll from left to right allowing players to see only three colored sections of notes at a time. Arrows will indicate when the runway is about to move from left to right, and as the songs get more complicated the movements will become faster and more frequent.

A little fuzzy granted, but you get the idea

In another interesting twist it seems that there is going to be the possibly of using a small patching unit to connect a normal keyboard so that it can be used within the game. Though the unit itself will obviously cost money the idea of being able to use your existing instruments is very creative, and will more importantly save space. Space which you could use to buy…say maybe a new guitar…

Pro-Guitar
This brings me conveniently onto the new Pro-mode Guitars. Not only because in website team band sessions the guitar is often the most popular instrument, but also because out of the classic instrument set it is the guitar which has had the most attention.

If this one isn't real enough for you...

At this years E3 two new models of virtual guitar have been unveiled, both more advanced and awe inspiring than ever before. The first, the ‘Mustang pro’ guitar shown seems to be kind of a half way house between a classic Rockband controller and a real guitar. Though this guitar still has buttons along the frets, it has ditched the strum bar completely and replaced it with a set of 6 playable strings. I should also take the opportunity to now mention that as well as using these new controllers to play pro Guitar, it is also possible to use them to play Pro Bass. This means that Bass players will not be left out of the instrument based excitement, bless their cotton socks. Back to the topic of the Guitar itself  I may be a Gh girl at heart, but even I will admit this is exciting. Though this new controller is massively more advanced than anything we have seen before, it could be easily argued that impressive though it may be this is still not a true representation of a real guitar. To start with the strings are fixed to the body and do not continue up the neck, and further to this it only has 17 frets as opposed to the standard 22. This doesn’t really bother me, but if you are the type to be disappointed by this lack of realism don’t worry. Enter the second pro guitar.

...then how about this one

Check out this little beauty. In addition to the upgraded standard guitar Rockband were also seen showcasing a fully game compatible Fender Squire stratocaster guitar. Unlike the standard Pro guitar this nifty bit of kit has a full fretboard and fully functional strings. If you like the idea of realistic rocking out this one is for you, I for one doubt it will ever get more real than this.

At first glance it is easy to get distracted by the impressive good looks of these guitars, but do not let image distract you from the bigger picture. The effect they will have on the gameplay runs far deeper than a set of strings and a shiny scratch plate. It is clear that with the stunning level of detail and realism that has gone into creating these new guitars the aim of this mode is no longer to simply play hit songs and beat the games career mode. No, to the guys at Rockband its clearly not about this anymore. Pro mode claims to teach you the basics of how to play a real guitar, using real chord formations and finger placements to teach you as you play. Because the guitar has so many buttons the classic on screen system no longer works. In the new on screen layout instead of simply having 5 colored lanes representing varying individual notes, we now have 6 lanes each representing a string. In addition to the colors each note you are asked to play now has a tiny number above it corresponding to the fret you are supposed to play the note on. A bit complicated no? Anyone good at maths? In theory by playing pro mode guitar you are supposed to be able to transfer the skills you learn in the game onto a real guitar and thus become a guitarist. Though this is undeniably an impressive use technology, I am starting to worry that Rockband is moving a little too far away from the original point of the game.

Not really related to what I am saying I know but we all like more pictures of guitars

I play games to have fun and unwind. If I wanted to learn to actually play the guitar I may as well spend my money on my dream guitar, learn to play it from tab and have the rest of the Plus-Xp team stand behind me holding up cardboard stars and occasionally throwing glitter at me to mark my progress. Ok so this may sound a little bit silly but my point remains the same. So far the rrp of these new guitars has not been mentioned but I am assuming that they will not come cheap. Then even if the price is not enough to put you off I am betting that the complexity of the new on screen instructions in conjunction with the sheer number of buttons will leave many players more frustrated than entertained. I hate to be pessimistic about all of this as new guitars are very aspirational and exciting, however the way I see it a lot of the appeal of Rockband is that you can play it with friends and share the experience. In all honesty behind all of the excitement and Guitar lust I fear that to many players the new guitars run the risk of being more off putting than inspiring, and in a game originally designed to be played together this is not necessarily a good thing.

I still want a go one one though…I can’t help it… its just so epic… let… me… at… it…

Drums
Now to the drum kit. As an enthusiastic (and thats putting it mildly) Rockband drummer I was pleased to see that the Drum Kit has also had a Makeover. In addition to the 4 classic drum pads three new symbols have been added to the kit, making it more true to life and just generally more shiny.

Shiny, Shiny

The three new symbols aim to mimic the set up of a Standard basic rock kit by adding a high hat, plus crash and ride symbols to the existing three toms and snare we are all familiar with. Though I expect the game will continue to be, well lets just say ‘creative’ with which pad makes which sound, these new symbols will almost certainly make the drumming experience more realistic, more challenging and therefore more fun. Oh and I should also say that from what I have seen so far it looks like these symbols will be available to buy as an add on to an existing kit saving us money and effort. Nice.

Vocals
Not much to say here I’m afraid. I suppose there is a limited amount you can do with a microphone really… Perhaps the singers will just wear a hat and feel special that way, it may work. Not to leave the vocals out completely I will mention the fact that Rockband three will be including multiple harmonies Harmonies as seen in the beetles Rockband. I suppose this is nothing very new and exciting, but its all I have.

Now thats what I call full band play baby!

Thats it really, everything I know about the new rockband kit in one neat little post plus my added musings on the guitar. Ok, so perhaps the post wasn’t that little, but just one more quick footnote to finish. I wouldn’t be surprised if after reading this some of you find yourselves peering hopelessly into your tragically empty wallets with a mixed look of both great excitement and vague dismay on your faces. It would after all be nieve to imagine that these sorts of kit upgrades would come cheap, however there is hope for all you skint little guys. As well as showcasing all of this new kit the guys at Rockband have also made it very clear that the old instruments will still be compatible with the Rockband three content. You won’t be able to play pro mode with your old instruments, but you will still be able to play all of the same songs in the older, much more familiar Rockband format. There have also been whisperings form the team about new content for the original instruments, meaning that if you prefer your old controllers you wont be left out.

Thats really it now…No more footnotes…I want to buy more plastic guitars…

Until next time,

GuitarGirl24
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Who wants new instruments?

I had no plans to write anything tonight. If anything I was ready for a quiet night in with my duvet and a good dvd…AND THEN I SAW THIS….

Its just so shiny....

Yes people, its official. I returned to the country today to find that the internet has been littered with images of a guitar made of what can only be described as the heaviest of heavy metal. Well actually no, its still plastic, but you see what I mean. Looking like some sort of axe of the gods, it not only has an entirely interchangeable body but also claims to be the biggest controller yet. Oh and they have removed all of the extra stuff like the slide bar and unnecessary buttons, a decision which wins my instant approval. In my opinion the bigger and scarier they make the controllers the better the game and I in all honesty can’t wait to get my hands on one.

Look! Interchangeable bodies

Apart from tempting us with leaked images of a snazzy new axe the guys down at GH headquarters have remained relatively quite about their new release. So far only 2 of the 90 new songs promised seem confirmed, and though there have been rumors of new modes no official details seem to have been given as yet. Though the lack of solid information is quite evident my excitement at these new images is no less intense. It is obvious from the title, trailers and new controller that this game is taking the guitar hero series back to its almost comical rock/heavy metal roots and I am very hopeful that a lot more will be reviled about this title at E3 next week. Until then a final treat for you all. After a bit of light digging I have been able to turn up a pretty cool trailer. Being a guitar hero geek I watched this and got so excited I almost nerdgasmed, because of this I think everyone else should watch it too.

Guitar Hero characters turning into heavy metal beasts? I’ll take some of that…to go…with fries…I should eat something…its all just too much…

Until next time,

GuitarGirl24

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Guitar Hero Warriors of rock is set for release in September 2010. Until then watch this space.

Well its been three days since the MCM expo now and I think its due time for my first expo related post. This years Expo was a busy one, with a truly epic turnout larger than any previous expo. With a crowd over 40,000 strong it was surprising that we were able to battle through the crowds to get our hands on what the game section had to offer, however with true drive and dedication we fought on to bring you the news. Between interviewing cos-players, queuing for the cashpoint and a lot of shopping I dared to brave the crowds in order to find the Nintendo DS stand, where I took the opportunity to try the latest addition to the Warioware family, Warioware D.I.Y.

Years ago, many long hours spent in our old school common room with a borrowed copy of ‘Warioware touched’ made me somewhat of a warioware fan, and so given the chance to try the latest offering in the warioware series I was eager to see how it compared. As a ‘Touched’ fan to me Warioware was all about one thing. Killing time. It was the kind of game I could pick up when I had a cheeky half hour between lessons and jump right into, no strong story, no commitment just addictive, colorful, erratic fun. Though I cannot deny that I loved Warioware touched, when reading about this game in my pre-expo prep it seemed quite obvious that Nintendo have decided to move the Warioware series along just a teeny bit. As well as offering a host of new mini games, Warioware D.I.Y also boasted an impressive array of what I can only describe as customizable content. The game not only offered the chance to customize existing mini games, but also the chance to create new characters and scenery, create your own virtual comic books and even write music your own music. Was this to be the little big planet of the D.S? With such an impressive array of features you can see why I was eager to try the game.

So, did warioware D.I.Y live up to its online claims? Read on to find out…

I must say that despite the impressive claims above my true first impression of Warioware was one of confusion. The opening screen gave me 5 options: D.I.Y shop, Warioware Inc, D.I.Y studio, Distribution Center and Options garage none of which I really knew what to do with. I eventually worked this out by trial and error, and though I suppose the confusing start screen is a little irrelevant once you have played the game a couple of times. Nevertheless I do feel that the game could have benefited from a large button which simply said PLAY NOW just to make the game more instant. Once I had successfully negotiated the menu screen I soon found my way to the part of the game I was most eager to try, the game creator. In my opinion it is the game creation/editing ability which makes up the true meat of this game. The D.I.Y studio gives players the ability to draw, animate and create their own characters, scenery and music, in effect allowing you to create your own unique mini games.

Creating your own characters appeared easy enough. To help you get started the game has a number of pre-set images which can be dragged onto your game space, either as scenery, characters or whatever takes your fancy really. In addition to this once you get more confident you can also use the stylus as a brush to paint your own unique characters providing infinite possibilities for game theming and really helping to give your mini games unique character. The game then gives you options which allow you to animate the characters you have created. These options vary in relation to the type of game you are aiming to create, but examples include such options as determining which type of movement you would like you character to have, defining the areas in which your character is to move and assigning commands to on screen buttons.  I am not sure that everyone will be using this paint and animate your own character feature in the innocent way that the game suggests, but whichever way you choose to use it it looks like a lot of fun.

As the resident music and rhythm game specialist here at PlusXp it is not surprising that the music making feature of this game also caught my attention. Like the Game creator the music creator allows you to either edit existing tracks, or create entirely new ones which can then be assigned to your mini games. The music creator gives you 5 tracks to play with, along with a variety of instruments allowing you to lay down beats and create harmonies adding depth to your music. In order to create music you must first select your instrument, and then build your song by placing a series of dots along a grid which sort of resembles a scale. Helpfully there is a small keyboard to the left of the screen which allows you to see which note you are playing, and a series of vertical lines which will help you to give your song a basic sense of rhythm. Though the music creator is essentially quite basic, I found the simple layout extremely easy to understand and play with leaving me free to get crazy and creative with my 5 tracks. I don’t expect anyone to write a masterpiece with this, but adding your own music definitely adds an extra dimension to this game, allowing for even more creativity and experimentation.

Now its time to talk about the comic book creator this game has….Oh wait….I didn’t get time for that….Oh never mind, you will just have to find that one out for yourselves!

I only had a brief go at the D.I.Y elements of the game but from what I saw I do get the feeling crating your own games from scratch may take a little getting used to. Helpfully Warioware DIY not only allows you to create entirely new games but also has a feature where you can edit existing games. This feature not only makes creating your own games a lot quicker, it also helps you to become accustomed to editing tools more easily making it much easier to create your own games in the future. On top of this if you still can’t figure the editing studio out good news! In researching this article I found the warioware website to be full of online video tutorials just waiting to teach you anything you could possibly want to know about this game in colorful attention span holding video glory. Even if you still don’t understand the animation, if your anything like me the music behind the various trailers clips and tutorials will be enough to keep you amused for a fair while…now thats what I call entertainment.

Oh, and I almost forgot. As well as allowing you to make your own mini games D.I.Y also gives you the ability to share your creations with friends. The fact that you can share the games with friends (or complete strangers, whatever floats your boat) means that the game has almost infinite possibilities for new downloadable content. Games, music and comics can be shared either by transferring locally to other D.S consoles, or Via web upload. If you choose to transfer your games online you can also upload them to your Wii console and play your creations on an even bigger screen. All mighty impressive, no?

In addition to the D.I.Y features, Warioware D.I.Y also has 90 in built games which you can mix up and play using what it calls the game blender. I found these games a little hit and miss, with some having the true warioware eccentricities and others just being a little too normal. In addition to this the game blender lets you chose to an extent which type of game you would like to play, which to me takes some of the fun out of the Warioware experience. One of my favorite thing about warioware was that you would spend a good half an hour battling your way through mini games getting faster and faster only to be hit with something you didn’t quite understand seconds before beating your all time record. Though this was undeniably frustrating, it was also extremely compelling and after playing D.I.Y for a short time I am starting to wonder weather in having the ability to chose your own games and practice them to death, it may risk losing the sense of crazy urgency I used to love about the older games. I am not sure of this as yet, but I suppose time will tell.

All is not lost though, there are still some truly random gems to be found. For example my favorite mini game has to be “Keep your bow on to impress boys” in which you have to tap a large bow on the back of a girls head to stop it falling off. Completely random, completely pointless but completely brilliant. Another game I enjoyed playing (more for the gameplay this time, not the crazy title) was a memory game which involved memorizing Wario’s face for a couple of seconds before having it disappear and having to re-compile it out of random mr potato head style pieces within a set time limit. I know that this is not a particularly innovative concept for a game, but it was harder than it looked and quite addictive. I found myself having to give the various types of eyes and noses on offer names and shout them out in order to help me remember them. Looking back it must have been a little strange for expo passers by to be confronted with me shouting ANGRY, BEADY, PURPLE, TRIANGLE!!! But hey, it worked!

So how would I sum up this game? Well to be honest for me the standard mini games were nothing that new, but the ability to create and share mini games to me has great potential. Although the game creator seemed a little complicated Nintendo seem to have done a good job at creating tools to help us to get to grips with it, leaving me confidant that even the least creative gamers will be able to understand and experiment with this game.  Though I cannot deny that in adding structure and choice to the gameplay this game has lost a little of the wackiness which the earlier warioware titles had, I like to think that maybe the mistakes made whilst getting to grips with the animation tools will lead to more interesting games. It seems that this time it is us who must put the random factor back into Warioware. I for one accept the challenge, as soon as I get my copy I’m going to make a game all about throwing slices of toast at Nuns. Anyone like to join me?

Warioware D.I.Y. is on sale now.

Until next time,

24

x

I am not a Bra burning feminist or a nun. My childhood role model was Lara Croft and given the choice between short shorts or jeans the skimpier option will always win with me. For years I have enjoyed titles such as Soul Caliber, Tekken and Street fighter where my chosen character for somewhat unfathomable reasons frequently chooses a bikini as their prime outfit for combat, and it has never phased me. To put it more simply I am a modern kind of girl who is certainly not so fragile that I risk fainting every time a half clothed woman features in a game. Considering all of this it took a while for me to realize why the release of Bayonetta upset me so much, but the fact remains it did and when I get upset I don’t often get upset quietly…

Study the impossible face to breast ratio...I said look at the face too....Oh never mind!

The surprising thing is that when I first heard the character description for for the game I was hopeful, perhaps even excited. A strong female lead character? Created by a female designer? Rave reviews from just about everywhere? Magic witch powers? Guns on her feet? Sadly the end result could not have been further away from what I has imagined. Not only did Bayonetta look like a nine foot tall fetish secretary, her lines were so full of cheap smut that I found it hard to motivate myself to keep playing let alone to relate to the character on any level. Though the rude camera angles were initially quite amusing, after a while I found her creepy spider like limbs and the unusually wide gap between her neck and breast became just kinda creepy, and certainly nothing like any girl I have ever seen. It baffled me to think that Bayonetta had been designed by a woman. If anything to me she looked like she had been created someone who had heard many stories of women, but never actually seen one.

By now you may be thinking ‘Oh no, not another rant about how women in games should keep their clothes on..’ but the strangest thing of all is that titles such as DOA Xtreme volleyball and Bikini Samurai squad (which lets face it are the usual culprits for provoking feminist uproar) did not phase me in the slightest. So why Bayonetta? Why did a character which so many claim empowers women disturb me so much? Was it her skimpy outfits? Dodgy camera angles? Nude finishing moves? Her frighteningly unnatural proportion? Her constant and in places ridiculous use of innuendo? There were many reasons I could have picked to dislike Bayonetta and yet still I was unsure.

Ok, so its a tad unrealistic, but in all honesty what girl wouldn't like to look this hot...

Making sense of my exact thoughts has been a lengthy and complicated process so I will spare you all the tedious task of examining my decision making and skip to the end. After briefly examining both Bayonetta’s physical and mental characteristics I concluded that even if I was to come across a woman with her ‘unique’ qualities I would be unlikely to befriend her, let alone aspire to be her. To many this may seem unimportant, after-all its only a game and was never meant to resemble real life, however I see it in a different way. To me gaming is a form of healthy escapism, and though it is good to have exciting fantasy characters if a character is truly impossible to relate to it can become very difficult to truly lose yourself in their world.

Giant feet anyone??

This realization though seemingly quite meaningless really got me thinking; and then I figured it out. The true reason for my uncharacteristic feminist uproar. It was not the character herself which had unnerved me, but more the new possibilities integrating a character such as Bayonetta into mainstream gaming may bring. Most titles which have previously portrayed women in such a bizarre and lets face it, overtly sexual way have been relatively under the radar of the average new gamer. To put it more simply sure they exist, but they are not usually top 10 sellers. In contrast to this Bayonetta is undeniably one of the most played with (get the innuendo here) female characters of recent times and if I cannot relate to her can other female gamers? If I was a girl thinking of getting into gaming and this was the game I chose this to play I think that the character would stand a true chance of putting me off gaming for life. So is it possible that other potential girl gamers may feel the same? It was with this that I made another decision. It was time for gaming girls to go out into the world and reclaim our gender. It was time to stand up and fight against creepy women who’s heads are too small and who make me feel queazy. It was time for some real world girl pride.

I was going to go for "BETTER GAME CHARACTERS!!!" but this sounded just a little more intelligent

Finding a theme was easy. If I wanted to gather a large crowd of angry women there was only one way to do it. Suffragette style. Looking back through history I chose three famous forms of Suffragette protest from the late 19th and early 20th century, and set out into the middle of the city to see how the modern day public would react to my thoughts. I decided to start with the most obvious and less dangerous stunt of the day. A good old fashioned Placard protest. Choosing the houses of parliament as the most obvious place people go to protest in London, I set out during the early hours of the morning ready and raring to triumph my new found cause.

Oh yeah, parliament don't make games...

All seemed well with my protest. Placard, check. Chant, check. Place of local interest, check. Confused tourists, check. However after a couple of minutes standing on westminster bridge I realized the obvious. The government don’t make games. Even if someone important had passed by (which they didn’t) the odds of them being anything to do with the games industry were quite frankly slim. To be honest it also didn’t seem to be helping my cause that I chose to conduct my protest on the hottest day of the year. I have a sneaky feeling that my Lara croft style hotpants and tank top combo didn’t seem to be helping the public to understand my point, so with my first protest failed it was time for a new plan.

Luckily my back up plan seemed more dramatic, and thus was bound to attract more attention than my failed first attempt. Suffragette Emily Davison made history when she threw herself under the kings horse at the Epsom derby in 1872. Though undeniably dramatic this protest had two obvious problems. The first being that I was not sure if the head of Sega even has a horse, or where to find it. The second being that I wasn’t in the mood for death by trampling that day. It was then that it came to me. I may not be able to throw myself under a real horse, but I knew where there was a plastic horse which could be just as good…

Protest number two. FAIL.

The plastic horse in question was at the Troccadero in Piccadili circus, and after a short trek across town I arrived at the arcade to take my second shot at gaming suffrage. The horse was easy enough to find but it was here that I discovered yet another major flaw in my plan. Not only was there not really enough space to get under the front of the horse, even if I did manage to somehow lie down the virtual jockey ride is not exactly the most popular game in the arcade. In the whole time I was there not a single person was willing to ride the bugger, and this left me once again stuck. My second plan had failed. It was time for my last resort.

My third attempt at gaming suffrage should have been easy. The suffragettes often used hunger strikes as a form of protest and seeing as I had ventured out too early for breakfast I figured I was half way there already.

Ok, so I have no excuse for this one. I was just hungry...

As you can see this did not go to plan. The lure of the American diner was just too strong and dammit I just like to eat. I had failed as a modern day gaming suffragette, and so I had not choice but to admit defeat and go home in shame.

So ok, perhaps the idea of a gaming themed women’s rights protest may seem a little pointless in this day and age of push up bra’s, plastic surgery and OK magazine but I do in all honesty write with what I feel is a valid point. Unlike Bikini Samurai squad Bayonetta was a game I wanted to play. As a gaming girl I cannot deny that I have found that the choice and quality of playable female characters has become quite uninspiring over the last few years and with characters such as Bayonetta emerging I fear for the future of strong female characters. The fact that the game exists never really bothered me, after all I can just choose not to play it. However if this game sets a president for this type of character being the standard I fear that we may start to lose the essence of what a true strong female character can be and this would be a great shame. I grew up with Lara croft. I mean sure she had busty physique, and the noises she made when she jumped can only be described as questionable, but that is besides the point. In my world Lara ran, jumped and moaned for herself and no-one else, and that I could relate to.

In all honesty I cannot deny that this whole post has been a blunt, biased opinion, condensing a topic worthy of intense study into a set of sweeping and undeniably flawed statements. Still, if you take away one thing from this rant I beg you, take away this. In my mind a great female character should not only have the power to excite men. No, that is the easy bit. A TRULY great female lead also has the power to inspire and grow a new generation of strong, sexy gaming girls. You may disagree, but I am living proof of how a single character can inspire a lifetime of gaming. I grew up with Lara Croft, and I wouldn’t change it. Would you?

Until next time,

24

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Tits and ass will probably always have their place in gaming, but I for one hope that they will always have as much of a place behind the controller as they do on screen.

The MCM Expo in London is famous for its cosplay. This time last year I was shamefully unaware of this fact, and strangely enough it was ten minutes in Canning Town tube station which enlightened me. Traveling into the city was surreal on that crisp October morning. As I stepped off of the train to make my change for the Jubilee line I felt like I had entered a different world. The usual depressing reality of the dark dusty station was met by the color and vibrancy of the eager MCM crowd. The noise and color of the crowd created a stark contrast to the usual suit clad business men on their way into the city for work and I walked the length of the platform was met by an army of colorful characters from all times, places and realities. To my right a group of frilly Lolitas stood talking excitedly about the day ahead, Mario and Luigi were leaning against the wall drinking star-bucks and in the distance the cast of Kingdom hearts stood arguing about directions at the tube map. It was at this point that I realized how important the cos-play is to the mcm Expo. The usually heavy atmosphere of the station was now light and optimistic. The noise of the trains almost drowned out by the excited crowd on their way to the Excel. It may have just been the event itself which created this atmosphere of excitement and optimism but I couldn’t help feeling that the costumes and humor of the cos-play was also having something to do with it.

So as a solute to cosplay and to get you all in the cosplay mood I have created a short quiz. It is based on old quizzes from teen girl magazines I (and I’m sure a lot of you, even though you wont admit it) used to do back in the day. So get ready for a journey of cos-play discovery as you find out the definitive answer to the question that obviously burns on everyones minds for at least 60% of the day…

The whole PlusXp team, including myself will be attending this years MCM Expo giving you increased coverage of all this exciting event has to offer. This year we are integrating our own cosplay with our team T-shirts, so If this quiz has inspired you to come along please give is a wave!

Until Next time,

24

x

London MCM Expo
29-30th May 2010
Excel London

P.S.
A big thanks to Mark Boss our Video contributor for unknowingly donating the results photos and the video below taken from May last years MCM expo, and just as importantly thanks to all of those who let us video you and your crazy get-ups. You guys rule!

Before the review an apology. I love Bioshock. Forgive my reminiscences but I feel compelled to tell you that when descending into rapture for the first time in Bioshock 1 I was completely unprepared for what I was to find. I expected gore, I expected fear, however to be met by the scene of a splicer being brutally drilled through the stomach left me feeling three distinct emotions. Firstly fear at the thought that at some time in the future that drill was probably meant for me, secondly disgust at the sheer brutality of it all and more prominently an overwhelming compulsion to delve deeply into the twisted, brutal word that was Rapture. I suppose I would say that in a disturbing way it was love at first sight and ever since then that twisted little post disaster utopia under the sea has both haunted and thrilled me. Imagine then if you will, my delight when Bioshock 2 was announced. Another voyage into the depths Rapture? The chance to be a Big Daddy. Duel wielding the classic BD drill with the plasmids. As you can see I got just a little excited…

Why then am I apologizing? Well in short, I intended to bring you this review sooner. The truth is that whilst my heart, head and fingers screamed ‘Buy!’ my bank balance had different Ideas. So a little later than expected here is my full review of Bioshock 2. I hope you enjoy it.

The story

Set around ten years after the original Bioshock game it is not surprising that in Bioshock 2 the underwater world of Rapture has fallen even further into a state of moral and physical disrepair. In the time since Jack and the little sisters departed the city has fallen under the control of Dr Sophia Lamb, who has done all in her power to re-build Rapture under her own cruel design. Not only has Lamb recruited a new army of Little Sisters, she has also managed to turn the now much older remaining Little Sisters into Big Sisters who act as all powerful guardians over her new society. Unlike Bioshock 1 you play through the game as ‘Subject Delta’ the original prototype Big daddy who has been awoken in the midst of the chaos. As with all Big Daddies your primary objective is simple, to protect the Little Sisters. However being a prototype Big daddy (and the main protagonist) it is of course not that simple. Unlike the other Big Daddies you are bound to only one Little Sister, who ten years ago was stolen from you and taken into the depths of the city by Professor Lamb. Bound by your genetic urge to protect, and guided by plasmid expert Augustus Sinclair you embark on Rapture with the soul purpose of finding and reclaiming Elanor, your only true little sister.

Spoilers

As far as the story goes I have merely given a taste of what is waiting for you in Bioshock 2, however I do feel that this is enough. As with Bioshock 1 to tell the whole story would most likely ruin this game, and so instead I have devised a cunning plan. Instead of telling the story and spoiling your fun I will describe for you my top 3 moments in Bioshock 2 and why I love them. If you have already played the game please feel free to reminisce along with me. If you want it all to be a surprise please look away now.

1-Top moment number 1 comes for Siren Alley. You are sent to Siren alley when your path through Rapture is cut off by flooding in Dionysus park. In order to drain Dionysis park and continue on your journey to find Elanor you must go to Siren Alley where you can access a pumping station to clear the flooding. When you reach the pumping station however you are confronted by the calm yet insane Voice of Sophia Lamb, who in a bid to cleanse rapture decides to flood the Alley drowning all. Now I have never before feared drowning, but hats off the the Bioshock 2 team because this flood was excited perfectly. During the flood scene you are forced to run through almost the entire length of the level. Water pours through the ceiling and walls, pipes burst around you and once functional staircases become deadly waterfalls blinding you with a torrent of icy water. Amongst all of the visual chaos you are also being bombarded with messages from Sinclair telling you to run, whilst simultaneously being heckled by an extremely self righteous Lamb. The flood is exactitude with such precision, detail and urgency that I found myself forgetting all tactic and logic and simply running for my life. This scene is made even more effective by the calm that follows. The water eventually claims the entire level, submerging Siren Alley. This leaves you free to wonder amongst the floating dead bodies and sea-life in eerie silence looking out over a landscape both strikingly familiar and at the same time completely different. A dramatic end to a level I will not be forgetting in a while.

2-Top moment 2 is slightly less dramatic, but in its own way quite brilliant. Skipping ahead in the story your ongoing search for Eleanor soon takes you to new, even stranger areas of Rapture. One of these areas is Fontane Futuristics, where plasmids were originally created, trailed and showcased. As expected things do not go smoothly here either. In this level you are lead into a large darkened room, and in classic computer game style the doors snap shut behind you, leaving no opportunity for escape. As you move forward into the room it all becomes horribly clear. You are in fact standing on a flooded stage, originally meant for showcasing new plasmid technology and surrounded by an audience of dead splicers. As you walk further forward towards centre stage (or try to run, take your pick) the whole grizzly show begins. In true circus style the dead audience is invited to roll up and participate in the ‘show’ and soon it becomes apparent that the presumed dead audience actually consists of a lot of Houdini splicers who are quite happy to ‘participate’ in the effort to kill you. Now though this battle was far from epic, something about the whole theatre/circus set-up really tickled me. It was as if approaching a battle in this twisted, childlike scenario somehow captured the true essence of the Bioshock story. To me the decent of rapture has always been strongest when centered around the idea of innocence corrupted, and this scene embodies that essence perfectly.

3-Top moment 3 comes nearer to the end of the game, and is perhaps my favorite moment of all. I will not say how you get there as it will spoil the game, but I could not review without mentioning the horrific beauty of this scene. In the final level Persephone you are actually able to take control of a Little Sister, seeing the world through her eyes. Seeing Rapture through the eyes of a Little Sister for the first time is both incredibly beautiful and completely unnerving at the same time. Whereas everyone else sees Rapture as a place of fear and decay, the Little Sisters see only beauty and light. It is as if the Little Sisters see Rapture as it was before it became corrupted, with golden sunlight bursting through every window and beauty in the place of decay. The twisted metal in the walls is seen as magnificent drapes, the floor is littered with flowers and candles. It is all so beautiful, and yet knowing what was being masked by all of that beauty did make me feel quite uneasy. Even the splicers which to us have always appeared to us as deformed monsters are now kindly handsome men in dinner suits offering a friendly hand of guidance, a hand which we all know in reality would almost certainly have only offered only a gruesome death. It soon becomes apparent why the Little Sisters refer to the Adam infused bodies as ‘Angels’ as if the worse something is, the more beautiful it appears to them. I couldn’t help but wonder weather this scene was simply a play on the innocence of a child’s eyes, or a hint at how intensely the Little Sisters had been brainwashed by Lamb in order to fulfill their purpose. Somehow I think it was both, but either way it added a whole new dimension to the way I had previously viewed the game.

Morality

As with Bioshock 1 on your journey you are faced with several moral dilemmas as well as the classic choice of harvesting or saving the Little Sisters. These acts in turn vary the ending of the game, adding a sense of greater meaning to your otherwise insignificant actions. Once key levels have been completed you are presented with a situation where your enemies are cornered leaving you with classic choice of mercy versus revenge. Feeling that the theme of fatherhood is key in this game (Big daddy etc…) I chose to be a good role modal and show mercy to my enemies. By doing this I was granted not a happy but at least a peaceful end to the game, however if you chose revenge there are once again multiple, more grizzly endings to be found. I don’t really think it is that important which ending you get, however I think that it is great that once again in Rapture your actions will always have unforeseen consequences.

Weaponry

Now for the fun stuff. Weapons. I must be honest it was the new weaponry which really made this game for me. Unlike Bioshock 1 where you are forced to switch between melee weapons, guns and plasmids the duel wielding abilities in this game make it truly exciting. As a Big Daddy your primary weapon is a large drill which you can use to smash through walls, splicers and well pretty much anything you want. Its only a slight upgrade from the classic melee weapon the wrench… oh who am I kidding its awesome! Not only is the drill powerful, but it can be upgraded via gene tonics to incorporate plasmids making it my weapon of choice when facing larger foes. In addition to this your right arm also carries your guns. As you progress through Rapture you gain access to all types of guns including a shotgun, machine gun, hack tool, rivet gun, spear gun and most fun of all a rocket launcher with heat seeking missiles. Nice. In addition to having the armory in your pocket we once again see the return of the classic plasmids from Bioshock 1. Plasmids let you genetically alter yourself allowing you the harness the power of such forces as fire, ice and electricity as well as gaining new skills such as telekinesis. These abilities have not changed much from Bioshock 1 and if I am honest it would have been nice to have a couple of new plasmids. In fact in the whole game there is only one new plasmid to be found and I told you what this plasmid was was I would spoil the ending. Despite the lack of new plasmids with a massive drill on one arm and the ability to burn all in sight on the other I defy anyone playing this game not to feel powerful. I certainly did.

Foes

Let talk enemies. Now with the added physical advantages of being a Big Daddy it is not surprising that the other inhabitants of Rapture have also upped their game. As with Bioshock 1 the first enemies you encounter are the splicers. Splicers are the original human inhabitants of Rapture, who as a result of all the genetic enhancements have gone mad and started killing each other in a bid to gain Adam, the life-blood of Rapture. As well as the familiar Thuggish, Leadhead, Spider and Houdini splicers Bioshock 2 has a new addition to the splicer family, the Brute splicer. Built like a human tank on acid, the bruits are stronger, faster and more lethal than any other splicer you will find in Rapture. These splicers are resistant to most weapons, and I found the only ways to dispose of them swiftly was either with a rocket launcher or to once again run at them with the drill and shred them. I warn its not pretty, but its effective. In addition to tackling the splicers in order to progress through the game you will at times be required to battle your fellow Big Daddies in order to steal their Little Sisters. Once you have a little sister you can use her to gather vital adam from certain glowing corpses (or angels as the Little Sisters call them) which in turn will allow you to upgrade your abilities and become stronger. The Big Daddies have changed very little from Bioshock 1, and though they are still challenging I found them much easier to defeat with your new heavy duty weapon set. Cue Big Sister. Now the Big Sisters may look like stretched Big Daddies but don’t be fooled, they mean business. Armor plated with unlimited plasmid power and a giant needle (used both for gathering Adam and impaling enemies) once a Big Sister has your scent they will hunt you relentlessly. Their pure power and impressive speed combined with their teleport ability makes them all but impossible to outrun leaving you with no choice but to stay and fight them. Scary as the Big Sisters are I do have advice. Electrobolt to stun, ice drill to the face. Works like a charm.

Up to this point I have spoken only of the good in Bioshock 2 however as always there were some disappointments. Writing this article as a Bioshock fan I am blessed with a lot of additional information which someone new to the games may not necessarily know. For example, most of my information about the initial story line came mainly from the trailers and most of my understanding of Rapture came from Bioshock 1. When I first viewed the online trailers for Bioshock 2 I was truly enthralled, however somehow this excitement and horror seemed to be missing in the start of the game. Once you get into it the story of the game is actually very good, so why it was decided to make the opening explanatory cut scenes so short is a little beyond me. If I am honest I wanted more. In addition to this I felt that someone playing this game who had not played the original Bioshock may be quite lost with the concept of Rapture. Though a lengthy explanation of what had gone before may have bored diehard Bioshock fans, a short catchup wouldn’t have hurt and would probably have made this game accessible to many more gamers.

Lastly the thing which upset me the most, something so shocking I urge you to sit down. The circus of values machines no longer say ‘Welcome to the circus of Values’ in the creepy voice we all know and love. Its a travesty. I may never get over it.

Summery

With the original Bioshock game being named ‘Game of the year’ in 2007 it is undeniable that Bioshock 2 had a big reputation to live up too. The success of its predecessor combined with a change in developing house had left many Bioshock fans doubting weather the game would be a worthy sequel to the celebrated future classic. My advice on this matter is simple. Bioshock 1 created and first encouraged you to explore the world of Rapture. It not only created scenery in the form of the art deco underwater city, but a vast classic array of enemies, a unique story-line and a few moral dilemmas to boot. Though Bioshock 2 could never replicate this achievement it does successfully build on the foundations of Rapture expanding and embellishing a great concept. Bioshock 2 takes advantage of the fact that most gamers already know the history of Rapture, and almost immediately offers tasty upgrades such as new and improved weaponry, the ability to duel wield and more challenging enemies such as the Big Sisters. Though I was first disappointed with the slow start to the story I promise that it does pick up, and by the end of the game I was truly hooked. If your thinking about buying this game I encourage you to do so, after-all the ability of duel wield the traditional Big daddy drill with the plasmid of your choice is not one to be missed. Trust me.

I loved Bioshock 1. I love Bioshock 2. Please play Bioshock 1. If you do not own Bioshock 1 please buy Bioshock 1. Then please play Bioshock 1. After you have played Bioshock 1 and only then please play Bioshock 2. This will make you happy. I promise.

Until next time

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Well I have kept my promise. It seems like a long time ago now that I was giving you all the low down on the Van Halen Demo but after a lot of strumming, a few harsh failures (and a bit of sneaky Bioshock 2) I am back to give Guitar Hero Van Halen its final Verdict. I feel that the phrase ‘Final Verdict’ is very appropriate when reviewing this game, for more reasons than one. Many people I have spoken to have judged this game quite harshly with opinions that in any court would suggest a verdict of life imprisonment or even death by burning. In other words, they speak of the game only with contempt anger and disappointment. I however feel that every case heard in the gaming courtroom must have defense as well as prosecution, and so I shall endeavor to give you a fuller picture before giving a final verdict. Please rise, put your left hand on the plastic guitar and swear to tell the truth the, whole truth and nothing but the truth. Gh Court is in session.

The defence:

Opening Statement
“The defense pleads that Gh Van halen is an innocent party, created only to amuse, challenge and entertain members of the gaming community. The songs were varied, playable and most of all challenging adding valuable content to a hugely popular series. The gameplay was solid throughout and challenged the player to explore many varying techniques in order to complete the game ”

Evidence.

1. The Set list is Varied, and provides a wealth of new songs. As strange as the choice of songs initially seems, Gh Van Halen does in a strange way have something for everyone. From ‘Painkiller’ By Judas Priest and ‘Master exploder‘ by Tenacious D for the rock heads to ‘I want it all’ by Queen for your mum, this is a mixed bag unlike any other. For some time now music based gaming has been a firm party favorite, and after rigorous testing with the Plus xp-house band I can confirm that though Van Halen may be slightly disjointed in career mode, it was more than enough to satisfy everyone during party play. True it does not have the varied brilliance of say Gh 5 or Rockband 2, but if like me you have a hard-core band who have pretty much exhausted all of the songs currently available any content becomes good content.

2. The difficulty has definitely increase. I can now confirm it. Though I have a feeling the days of ‘Family friendly’ gaming are far from gone, this title embraces a little of the spirit of the earlier Gh titles. How does it do this you ask? by taking the difficulty once again up to epic proportions. Of course. I feel that despite all of its flaws this game is in one way back the way nature intended, with songs progressing from easy and accessible to nearly impossible within a single setlist. I should also say at this point that this game challenges the player to explore many of the more recent Gh playing techniques. This title had its fair share of staggered chords, slide solo’s and four finger chords, making it a challenge for even the most dedicated Gh rocker. Though I kept my promise and completed this game, I must now confess that I am still battling with ‘Hot for teacher’ ‘Spanish Fly’ and ‘Erruption’ in Expert mode. For some this would be a cause for distress, but to me it brings a great sense of joy. Things are back the way they should be. Difficult.

3. Cathedral.  As expected this game is quite tap slider heavy, something which causes me great sadness. Though I will use the tap slider if desperate I am not its biggest fan, and though this is obvious unjustified prejudice I am certain that I am not the only one who feels the same way. There is however one shining ray of holy light for those of you who like me think that using the slider is *cough* Cheating *cough*. I am talking of course about the Van Halen Solo “Catherdral” which I am pleased to report is both extremely challenging and without a tap note in sight. As the game finishes with three of Van Halen’s most famous solo’s the tap free nature of Cathedral makes it impossible to complete this game without homing both your tap/slide skills and your traditional solo skills. Sliders beware, solo properly or fail miserably!

The Prosecution.

“Gh Van Halen was an overpriced disappointment with few surprises and even less atmosphere. The band clearly had little to no input with this game, and though the setlist was more difficult the songs chosen made no sense leaving the game lacking in both theme and purpose.”

Evidence.

1. Lets face it, Guitar hero Van Halen has little or no story line. In the good old days Gh titles encouraged you to connect with your band by showing you their progression from rock wannabes to rock gods. In more recent titles this has been taken to new levels, by allowing you to help your band members build their careers, earn cash and even defeat enemies, adding much needed dimension and a true sense of purpose to the games. I am disappointed to say that Gh van halen has little to none of this vital content. You begin the game as Van Halen at the end their musical career, which personally left me feeling both confused and as if there was nothing left to be achieved. Though in the past I never really valued any of this atmosphere building content, I must say that its absence was extremely clear when playing this game. At points it was difficult not to wonder ‘Why am I doing this again?’ which can never be a good thing. Sadly Gh Van Halen simply cannot compete with the, more atmospheric, compelling band orientated releases such as Gh Aerosmith, metallica and more recently the beetles Rockband.

2. It is undeniable, the set-list makes no sense. Though the setlist doesn’t look to bad on paper I have to say that even I (with quite a strange taste in music) found it a little unnerving. Unlike the Gh compilation titles (5/World tour etc..) which are strangely allowed to mix up genres, as time progresses I have come to expect most band based Gh titles to have a sense of theme and identity. For example, Gh metallica had a strong metal theme which ran both through the character creation, cut scenes and most importantly the setlist. Van Halen mixes songs which are just frankly un-mixable, in many cases leaving the player as much confused as inspired. ‘Painkiller’ with ‘Stacey’s mom?’ No Thank-you.

3. It is also clear that the band itself had very little input in this game. Further adding to the disappointment factor of this game is the remarkable lack of band themed content. Whereas Gh metallica told the story of the band using songs, video and pictures, Van Halen used only songs with no structure or explanation. Even without being a big Van Halen fan I found the lack of the usual band based ‘Treats’ a little strange. Van Halen fans expecting a glimpse at the lives your hero’s? Prepare to be disappointed.

4. It is a little tap slider heavy.  Though the gameplay is quite varied it is still virtually impossible to complete this game without using the tap slide bar. Though this will not bother everyone, if your like me and enjoy doing solo’s the old fashioned way you will be disappointed by pretty much all of the last gig. Also if you have an old pre-tapslide style guitar beware, in expert mode this game is not for you.

5. Your efforts are not rewarded.  Hours of trawling through career mode and what do you get? Nothing. No battle with the devil, no fire and the flames, no flying carriage of rock, no skyscraper, and certainly no fireworks. Three solo’s and thats it. Nothing.

The Verdict.

Ok, so lets be realistic here. What were we expecting? I said in my initial demo review that there was not very much new happening here, and to be honest why mess with a format that works. True this game lacked a lot of the atmosphere and mod-cons of Gh 5 but overall it delivered what we have come to expect from these titles, more songs. The one thing which has really suffered during this game is not the all important gameplay but the atmosphere. I would say that if you love titles such as ‘The beetles Rock Band’ for the rounded, thought out story you are likely to be disappointed by Van Halen, but if you are simply after more/harder songs this is for you.

On this note. Many have said that simply providing new songs is not enough to warrant a new release, and that this would be better left to downloadable content but I would argue that this is not necessarily so. After-all, though X-box live is pretty widespread I know plenty of people who are unable to have access, meaning that if Gh went over entirely to downloadable content they would be, well F****d. If like me you are lucky enough to have access to X-box live I am happy for you, but I ask you. Is it fair to punish all of those who live in the countryside/low net speed areas/with their parents/in student halls, just so you can be opinionated? There is simply no justice in that.

I Agree that this game is no game of the year, however if treated as an expansion pack its challenging setlist makes Van Halen actually a lot of fun. If you are a dedicated Gh fan, looking for a bit of a challenge I say ignore the critics and have a go. If you are a Gh Virgin looking to pop your Virtual rock cherry I would steer clear. After-all this game is much more about Rock than Romance and you are likely to be disappointed.

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Oh, I almost forgot. For those of you who read my Van Halen review and are wondering if this game helped me regain my ‘GuitarGirl’ status I am pleased to say that despite this somewhat damming review, I have once again found my love of the plastic guitar. In the end it was not so much a new game which helped me regain my fret mojo, but a little help from my friends. Don’t believe me? Here is a tasty easter egg to prove it.

Enjoy x