Yes Mr Nukem is back for his second Xbox Live Arcade title, and like the first release (Duke Nukem 3D) it is almost a direct port of its original 2002 PC version by Sunstorm Interactive. However, where Duke Nukem 3D was a first person Doom look-a-like, Manhattan Project goes back to Duke’s side-scrolling roots, but with a slight twist.

At the time of its PC release it is was somewhat ground-breaking for the genre. Eight years on, and some pretty massive leaps and bounds in gaming technology later, it doesn’t seem quite as an impressive a feat. Credit where credit is due though, you have to admire 3D realms ethic of putting Duke in more than just one genre of game style. Question is though, is Manhattan Project the same game as it was back in 2002, and if so, is that a good thing?

Something smells rotten around here!
Duke is back in action and in this game he’s out to save Manhattan, and most certainly its busty inhabitants, from the clutches of the evil humanoid Mech Morphix. Morphix has released some kind of green goop with mutational powers into the sewers of Manhattan, transforming those who come into contact with it into grotesque animal-like killers. Sound familiar? Yeah, throw in some little green turtles and you have yourself a copyright infringement lawsuit. Also it seems that the sick a twisted Morphix has a fixation on kidnapping large lunged ladies and strapping them to bombs; it’s apparent the man has big breast issues.

So with the city in peril, Manhattan turns a the one man who could save the world… Duke Nukem! Holstered up with his Golden Eagle gun and a couldn’t-give-a shit attitude, he dives head on into the action declaring “New York, if I can kill them here, I can kill them anywhere!” You’ll find Duke is well known for his one liners, and in Manhattan Project he ain’t scared to use them.

Hail the king, baby!

Looks like it’s time for me to go… Postal!
The game itself contains eight levels, taking you across Manhattan’s skylines, streets, and sewers before heading out to sea and leading you to a final battle in deep space. The levels themselves are split into three part episodes, but on each you have to achieve the same goals to progress. They go like this… Find the big boobed girl and stop the bomb she is attached to from exploding (that’s a bit of a lie; because they never actually explode, as there is no set time limit within to locate her). You then need to locate the coloured key card, before finishing the level by finding a door and using the key card to progress. At the end of the third stage of each level you exit the door and find yourself in a boss battle.

Along the way you are also given the obvious enemies to kill. They range from pig-like men in police uniforms, to oversized mutant rats in Chinese style outfits, and you’ll even come across a bunch of leather clad robotic women with electric whips. I should note none of the enemies you come across are that hard to defeat, but some odd positional placements on the levels make them more annoying than testing, for example, you’ll constantly find yourself running into them as you go through doorways.

There are secret locations to find, and Nuke symbols to collect. Finding all ten Nuke symbols on each part of a level will give your ego (health bar) a max boost, meaning you’ll take less damage and defeat your enemies quicker. These do give an added element when going across a level, but again to be honest, they’re not essential unless you want to get the accompanying achievement.

2.5D anyone?

There are also a few power ups scattered about a level to give you an extra hand as you progress, these include a force field, a boost that causes you to dish out double damage on enemies, and a jet pack that allows you a limited time to fly about and aid you in getting to those hard to reach places. As for weaponry, you’ll add a new gun type to your arsenal on each level and come the end of the game you’ll have collected a range of weapons. There’s the usual assault rifle, rocket launcher and shotgun, up to the more technological laser cannon and goop gun, which will transform certain enemies into their original form. Each has an individual ammo clip, but you’ll find them all over each level.

Of course though, it isn’t quite as simple as run along killing guys and then getting to the end of a level. With the 3D element to the game you’ll find the camera angle shift giving the perspective of Duke running toward you or away from you, and of course there are higher levels to climb to and lower levels to jump down into. Whether you want to see it as simple camera trickery or a smart game engine ability, it adds to the experience and definitely gives the game a different dimension so to speak. There are also the puzzle elements which will take a bit of grey matter to figure out. These will need to be solved for Duke to advance with his mission and have that final encounter with Mech Morphix.

Controlling Duke is as basic as it comes, and you’ll be blasting pig cops in a matter of seconds. The left and right movement as expected is on your left analogue stick, pushing up makes Duke look up, and down makes him crouch. A is the jump button, with a double press for a higher and longer spinning jump. Right trigger serves as the weapon fire button, and the left one offers a kick or stomp. The bumper buttons both scroll through your collected weapons, and Y throws a grenade or two (depending on how many you have). Finally the right analogue can move the camera angle about so you can get a view of above and below, this is helpful when looking for those sneakily hidden Nuke Symbols.

All this would make for a fun experience however I did find quite a few game-breaking flaws. For example, I found that toward the end of my play through some environmental elements of the level were totally invisible. You may forgive this if it was just background filler, but as you need to use these parts of the environment to move forward in the level it’s pretty much unforgivable. It’s not the only flaw either, as again, toward the end of game levels become very glitchy. Duke will often get stuck on, in and under parts of the platforms. So don’t be surprised if you find yourself needing to look at a youtube video to figure out just how you’re meant to get through when you come to the end game.

He likes makin' bacon

Your face, your ass, what’s the difference?
Graphically Manhattan Project shows its age. There has obviously been a bit of a clean up on the textures, but still, these are 2002 textures which means even with some 2010 polish they still look very dated. There is no evidence of your current generation console being put to work here, and sadly this only adds to one of the games many flaws. For one there are constant screen tears when making Duke jump and the camera angle has to pan rapidly.

Another odd element is the HUD. Sprawling along the bottom of the screen, you don’t really get a sense of what exactly gauges what. It took me until almost the last level to finally workout what was what. With no tutorial to ease you into controls and HUD readings it really is quite baffling. By the time you have figured it out, like me, you’ll probably wonder why felt they needed have it displayed at all.

He's not scared to spray his goop

My name’s Duke Nukem
The one redeeming feature for Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project is the same as in the entire franchise; that would be the man, Duke, himself. Rather than worry about a ton of different soundtracks to compliment the game, they rely on Duke’s one line repertoire to keep you entertained. From the brash and almost offensive chat-up lines when saving the babes, to the riotously amusing quips as he blasts full clips into his adversaries, his dialogue is nearly always welcome. The grungy metal beat that doesn’t change throughout the game is hardly noticeable as you are constantly waiting for Duke to deliver another put-down. Look around on the internet you’ll find many a Duke Nukem soundboard packed with all his classics, as well as a few he has borrowed from a few famous films. Duke doesn’t seem to care if it’s an original or not, if it’s witty and serves a purpose, he’ll use it. So, Yippie Kai-yay Mother Fu… Sorry, on with the rest of the review!

Duke likes a babe... or eight!

Duke Nukem Forever?
That’s about as complex as it gets for Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project. With no multiplayer to concern you, you can concentrate on working through the levels, collecting, discovering and killing. To complete the game it’ll take you roughly around eight hours to get Duke to the final battle with Morphix. The problem, however, comes with a lack of mission variety, making it a real chore around the half-way point. So unless you’re desperate to unlock all the achievements for the game, you probably will start to question why you’re bothering to continue. Throw the glitches I encountered into the mix, and I’m really going to be struggling to recommend why you should even bother trying it.

Duke’s sexist outlook and foul mouth wit do make playing entertaining until the voice track start to repeat, and it really isn’t enough to save Manhattan Project. This game should have stayed back in 2002. I can’t help but feel 3D realms put this out to remind us that Duke Nukem is still a big franchise for them, but with the infamous Duke Nukem Forever still nowhere in sight of development with the franchise in the middle of legal battles, this arcade release only shows how badly Duke needs to have that next generation game if he’s to remind us why we should “Hail the king, baby!”

How We Review Games

So, if you’ve read my reviews and seen the marks I’ve given out, you’re probably all wondering what I, as a reviewer, consider to be my standard bearer. What do I consider to be the finest achievement the industry has ever known when every single game is stood side by side?

Coming into this review, I was touting it to be Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge, a choice certain to quirk a few eyebrows. However, now that Lucasarts are re-releasing the game for a new audience with a whole host of new features, I feel it is my responsibility as a videogame journalist to at least try to justify myself and determine if those feelings are still relevant today.

So, nearly twenty years on, is this still the masterpiece I remember it to be?

Uncanny acclaim
Love it or hate it, Lucasarts re-released the classic Secret of Monkey Island last summer to critical acclaim. It was a keen experiment to be sure, in an age of 3D graphics and high definition sound, re-releasing a game twenty years old with a fairly niche fanbase and an original marketing campaign mostly founded on ‘word of mouth’. However, it was a successful experiment that allowed retro gamers to relive the game as it was originally intended all those years ago but also introduced the wonders of Monkey Island to a brand new audience with sparkling high definition visuals, and improved background music and sound effects and voice acting. The game did tremendously well, considering it was a re-release and inevitably got the company talking about the sequel which was also eager for a facelift.

Time to cool off!

Monkey Island 2 is quite a different animal to the original Secret of Monkey Island. At the time, the narrative structure of MI2 was unique, as it was one of the first games to start the player close to the games conclusion and have Guybrush Threepwood recollect his adventures to that point to both Elaine, the love of his life, who seems surprised to see him dangling from a piece of rope with a chest in hand and to us, the player, who are slightly perplexed at seeing the nature of Guybrush and Elaine’s relationship following on from the ‘Happily Ever After’ ending of SOMI. The flashback sequence begins with Guybrush on Scabb Island showing off to a pair of washed-up pirates who are listening to his story about how he defeated the Ghost Pirate LeChuck with a bottle of root beer. Satisfied he has their attention, Guybrush then brags that for his next trick, he is going to find the legendary treasure of Big Whoop. Sick of hearing the same story and indulging his delusions of grandeur, the pirates dismiss Guybrush and direct him to the town of Woodtick to see if he can find someone else to pester with his travelling tale.

However, Guybrush isn’t exactly welcomed with open arms as he enters Woodtick and bumps into local bully, Largo LaGrande. Without giving him a chance to breathe, Largo tips Guybrush upside down, forcing him to plead for mercy and then robs him of the mounds of money he has collected from his pirating escapades. Once he’s made his point, Largo tells Guybrush that he’s in charge and has placed an embargo on Scabb Island preventing anyone from leaving without his say-so. Ticked off from his reception, Guybrush starts to ask around Woodtick and finds out that Largo was in fact LeChuck’s right hand man, and is running things now that the Ghost Pirate has not been heard from. Guybrush, floored by the knowledge, his pride dented and his reputation tarnished, decides upon revenge and searches out the ingredients for a voodoo doll to rid Scabb Island of Largo LeGrande for good!

Based on how the game actually opens, you can tell that Guybrush went on to become a pretty successful pirate in-between Monkey Island 1 and 2 as evidenced by his mounds of money and fancy clothes. It was so bold of LEC to completely change the feel of both games. Monkey 1 was filled with intrepid adventure; you were there to take Guybrush through his paces in his quest of becoming a pirate. It was a game that told us something about our own ambitions and goals and how things can be achieved, even if it is by the most unconventional means. Then MI2 spun that completely on its head. MI2 managed to introduce Guybrush in a completely different way, a man who has accomplished his dreams, who has built up a reputation for better or worse, yet made it seem as if he is still struggling in the rat race of life. The game wasn’t afraid to reinvent itself, it wasn’t afraid to push new boundaries and I appreciated that perhaps more than any other quality it offered.

The purpose of this review however, is to consider Monkey Island 2 as a special edition and not just how it was represented back in 1991. That would only be considering half of a game, as the SE introduces High Definition graphics, adds voices to the cast, gives a directors commentary that can be played over the top of the game, and provides unlockable concept art. The Special Edition gives us a whole new experience for a vintage title.

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck...

Could you walk with two peglegs?
The controls for MI2:SE are much improved over those of MI: SE last year. In the HD remake, control of Guybrush is completely handled by the left analog stick (although sometimes it’s very easy for Guybrush to get stuck on his path and it will take several attempts for the player to move from some areas). By pressing in the right shoulder button, the player can access their full inventory with the ability to drag the item out of the inventory and use it on the environment or on another item, or just to simply manipulate them however the game allows. Some new additions include the ability to press in the Left Bumper, which shows all of the areas the player can interact with in the environment by highlighting them. The player can also hold in the X button and get a hint as of what they need to do next. They’ll first be presented with a small, subtle hint, followed by something more substantial and then if they’re still stuck, they’ll be instructed on exactly what they need to do to solve a puzzle.

Of course, you can switch to classic mode at any time and use the original point and click interface. This time, instead of controlling Guybrush with the left analog stick, the player will control a cursor that they will need to move around on the screen and press a button as to where they want Guybrush to go. There are also a series of verbs at the bottom of the screen which the player will need to select one and then use that verb on the environment around them, whether it be ‘look at crypt’ or ‘give banana to monkey’. There are also pictures on the bottom right of the screen to indicate your inventory, the player can select a verb, then use it on an item in the inventory to interact with the environment around. It’s your standard point and click affair that you’ll have been used to with the Secret of Monkey Island and Sam and Max, which doesn’t really play well on an Xbox control pad, but you can still navigate the game quite easily, should you prefer to play MI2 for its original face value.

How it all began...

Ye don’t look like much of a pirate to me!
The HD remake really suits Monkey Island 2. I would even go as far as to say that it looks better and more lively than MI:SE. Although I have to say the way Guybrush has evolved has always been a point of contention with me and when compared to his figure in the original to the pencil shaped frame he’s now adopted, I still don’t think he will ever replace my original vision of Guybrush. Yet, this is as good as the game could possibly look and really fits in with the rest of the series.

LEC have also worked their magic on the backgrounds and frankly, Phatt, Scabb and Booty Island have never looked better! You can see that this is all hand drawn and has been a real labour of love for the development team. It’s as if they are finally able to express the vision they originally had all those years ago now that the technology is in place to support it.

You’ll also be able to look at Concept Art, another new feature in the Special Edition, which is unlocked by making a certain amount of progress in the game, whether it be doing some puzzles or collecting a certain item. The concept art shows LEC’s thought process on each character and how hard they worked to get the image exactly right for this new imagining of LeChuck’s Revenge. Seeing the many variations of Guybrush was particularly eye-opening for me.

What’s also great about these Special Editions, however, is that we get to see the game was it was originally intended, and while this isn’t the best port of the original MI2 that you’ll find on the web anywhere, you can really see how this game has evolved. As a port, the sound seems a little off and resistant to today’s soundcards, not accurately emulated to authenticate the original 1991 experience, and the graphics don’t really blur well together when alternating between classic and high definition, but it really gives you an idea as to how you would have felt playing this on your Amiga way back when.

Arrr! Ye certainly don’t sound like much of a pirate!
Unique to this edition is the directors commentary which can be accessed at select times in the game as prompted on the screen. The directors commentary features three of Monkey Island 2’s main designers sat in one room together chewing the ‘Phatt’ on the game. These men are Tim Schafer, best known nowadays for Psychonauts and Brutal Legend, Dave Grossman best known nowadays for being top dog over at Telltale Games and Ron Gilbert who has been working on the recent Death Spank! Their dialogue is a fascinating insight into how much the industry has evolved in the last twenty years, with all three saying what they felt the industry has become from where it used to be, to what their abilities at the time allowed them to accomplish in Monkey Island 2. They even talk about how certain screens would be drawn and completed but not given a puzzle until much later in the development cycle and go as far as to say the industry has become less spontaneous than it was back then. I also like how you almost unlock certain aspects of the commentary by completing a puzzle and then the designers tell you how they came together on the thought process and explain it in a bit more detail.

Truthfully, their interaction is one of the best points of the Special Edition for me and really catered to the nerd within, although there still wasn’t enough for my liking. Some places you visit in the game, I was stunned and surprised that there was no option to hear a director’s commentary in Phatt mansion or in the Voodoo lady’s House of Mojo. My inner Monkey Island fan would always clamour for more, admittedly, but these are integral scenes within the game that I felt defined much of its charm and the game did not allow Gilbert, Grossman and Schafer to tell us what they thought about them.

Just like the old days.

The voice cast is also back again in Monkey Island 2 and remains faithful to the rest of the series. LEC have once again acquired Dominic Armato to play the role as Guybrush Threepwood, now making him the voice of the intrepid thrillseeker. Earl Boen also returns as Le Chuck and still sounds as devilishly evil as ever before. Alexandra Boyd plays Elaine Marley and Neil Ross returns as Wally the Cartographer.

The music is also very creepy, very dark and uninviting. While listening to the classic version, you can see how much adding real instruments has given an altogether different, perhaps even more sinister atmosphere than before. LeChuck’s theme in particular really fits with instruments. What LEC have failed to replicate is the iMUSE system from the original game. Monkey Island 2 was the first game to feature this, and it basically takes a piece of music for an overall area and then when changing screens, visiting a different part of that large area, a new variation of the same piece of music plays. When the player would leave the area, the music would smoothly fade out and would return to the original melody. Unfortunately, LEC have not been able to maintain that in the original classic version, which, as I alluded to before, probably would not make this the best port possible for die-hard enthusiasts who would only notice a detail like that.

Is it really special?
For me, this was a beautiful journey back to a World that I hadn’t visited in quite some time. It was an absolutely pleasurable experience from start to finish and even though Lucasarts have changed almost everything about the original to make it more in tune with the modern look of the series, I wouldn’t change a thing and would still play it through tomorrow. Monkey Island 2 Special Edition is the remastered version I’ve waited almost twenty years for. Everything that a fan of the series could possibly want is right here in this small, affordable little package. At 800 points or £6.99, this is one of the best stories you will see in a game this year; it’s funny, it’s dark and its informative. Playing the game through again didn’t make me doubt Monkey Island 2 as my favourite game of all time, it reminded me why that is the case and it still managed to divulge something fresh and new to me that I didn’t already have and can now add to my list of reasons as to why I love this game so very much.

I won’t fanboy you but what I will say is this: If you enjoyed Monkey Island 1 Special Edition, then this is a no-brainer purchase for you. If you hated it, then move along, there’s nothing to see here. However, I still stand by my word, I love Monkey Island 2 enough to proudly consider it the finest experience in the industry, and this Special Edition didn’t insult me, it didn’t disrespect me; it just kept giving twenty years on. That is more than anyone can ask for.

How We Review Games

So, how does it measure up? You know what do to find out. OOH RAH!

Not so much of a story, more of a setting, and I still don’t know what that is…
Blacklight apparently has something of a rich universe that the publishers are looking to exploit, with talk of books, comics and movies already lined up, and it’s a great shame that none of that universe made it into the IP’s debut game. Play this game without doing your research, and you’ll have no idea what scenario you are meant to be experiencing. From my initial findings, Blacklight refers to the main faction in the game, and presumably the closest thing you’d come to as being able  to describe as the ‘good guys’. The opposition is apparently called ‘The Order’, a fact I only became aware of after my first match as that faction and I was informed by the on-screen result.

This, in my opinion, is just one example of the most consistent issue that plagues Blacklight throughout; nothing is ever  explained properly. Sure, take a gander through the options menu, and you’ll find a lazily placed ‘how to play’ section with a few text documents explaining things in some minor detail, but this is just not good scene setting. From the text I was able to work out that Blacklight are the USA’s finest soldiers with the greatest technology. The Order is made up of ex-US Soldiers, and for some reason they’re fighting each other in Soviet Russia at some point in the near future. When exactly I’ve yet to establish… It was around this point I stopped caring about who was fighting who, or why they were fighting; the set-up is about as clear as tar.

I’m not saying that an online only FPS should have a full plot or the in-depth narrative to rival the writings of George Orwell, but it’s nice to have the scene set for you and be given an idea of why you’re doing the things you’re doing. More than that, though, it’s just that this is the first instance you’ll find where the game doesn’t offer you any sort of user friendly help, leaving you to clumsily feel your way around.

Can you believe I couldn't find one official first person screenie?

Hard to get to grips with, but fun when you do
The first thing you should notice when starting up a game of Blacklight, is that it controls pretty damn smoothly. Aiming feels a natural experience and the general handling sits in the same ballpark as a Battlefield title. The controls are ripped straight from the like of Call of Duty too, so you’ll find no real surprises there either. The second thing I need to say is prepare to die… a lot. For an online shooter, Blacklight has to have one of the harshest difficulty curves I’ve ever encountered. Sure, you have a health meter, but I’m sure it’s only there to look pretty as one shot will usually equal instant death. The game makes a point about how you have the most advanced technology and armour known to man, and if this paltry amount of punishment is all it can stand, then the respective factions need to sack their suppliers. This can make the game very unwelcoming, and requires a bit of patience early on as you learn the ropes and get a decent image of the maps in your head. Once you do adjust to the difficultly, however, the game can be an absolute joy to play at times, although it does have some issues along the way.

There are seven modes in total, including standard death matches, capture the flag (retrieval), detonate, domination, and last man standing gametypes. For most part these work rather well, although sometimes the harsh nature of the game can make the more objective based modes a bit of an uphill struggle or chore to play through. There is no campaign, but the game does boast a ‘Black Ops’ mode, which can be played cooperatively or on your own, and this mode is extremely poor. There are four missions to take on, offering you different objectives in each; however it is severely let down by poor enemy A.I. The type of A.I. that keeps trying to fire at you despite being behind several objects of cover, or leaves that cover despite being perfectly safe…  It’s not like you can use this mode to practice for online either, as the enemies can take much more damage than found online.

There are twelve maps in total, and a couple of these show some examples of truly great level design, but be warned; there are some absolute stinkers too. The game is at its absolute best in the bigger, sprawling maps that help open things out and make the combat a little more forgiving. The smaller, tighter maps can sometimes make for frustrating gameplay, but the worst one I encountered employed a honeycomb style layout which led to death at every corner. Most of the maps have too much of a reliance on forcing the players into smaller chokepoints, and limited to two or three in each map, this can both be a blessing and a detriment. A blessing in the more open maps, creating some nice ‘Mexican stand-off moments’ amidst the chaos, and a detriment in that one or two maps are horrendously unbalanced as a result. I kid you not, in one map in particular and playing as Blacklight, more than once my team and I spent the entire match penned in our own spawn area, unable to force our way out.

Seriously, I couldn't...

While some might point to the way the game handles respawns as the reason for that scenario, and an element of that complaint is fair, I have to say that at least it’s managed quite well. Rather than spawning you next to a colleague away from the action, or choosing a random spawn point, each team has a base area in which they spawn, which is defended by two heavy duty turrets covering certain angles. This allows you to get your wits about you before running back out in to the battlefield.

Unfortunately for Blacklight, there really isn’t a lot here to make it stand out from the crowd. The guns, although highly customisable (through unlocks), are standard issue for a game of its type. That said, there are some cool twists on traditional items, particularly the grenades. Instead of a smoke grenade, you have digi-grenades, which apparently interfere with your much lauded ‘Hyper Reality Visor’, creating a pixelated area that can distort the enemy’s view or hide your own movement, much like a smoke grenade. Get too close to one of these clouds and your visor will receive loads of little error messages, really screwing up your view. By far my favourite type of grenade is the EMP that causes the infamous Blue Screen of Death to appear on your visor before smartly rebooting. The visor that I’ve mentioned is something that Zombie have really talked up, and it does have a large part to play once you start levelling up, offering the ability to temporarily see through the scenery, used much like a heat signature tracker.

The unlocks are set up in a similar fashion to that of most war games on the market now, and while it’s nice to see a little notification telling you that you’ve unlocked something,  but just as with the setting, the game takes no time to offer you any explanation of what they are or how to use them. Once you get the hang of the customisation, this part of the game gets somewhat enjoyable the further you get into the game, but none of this is helped by an absolute abortion of a menu system which, especially early on, can leave you wondering what the hell you’re doing.

It doesn’t look Unreal
The game uses the Unreal 3 engine, as many a great game has done, but you’d be hard pressed to be able tell as it really doesn’t look like an Unreal game at all. Being a downloadable title, it’s always going to be hard for a game to rival the likes of the full retail brigade visually. As such, Blacklight can be found to be a bit of a mixed bag, and a lot of the compliments you could pay it will usually feature the precursor ‘For an XBLA game…’. In some cases it holds up against its XBLA peers, offering a grittier, darker experience, and compared screen  by screen to say, Battlefield 1943, it does look a little sharper and features more detail, although you have the consider that the level of scope is far less than that of DICE’s popular title. Much like some other aspects of Blacklight, the visuals simply do a job in looking nice, but won’t particularly blow your socks off.

One thing I did really like in Blacklight is the visual representation of your customisations. All of the weapons feature a base part that can be upgraded with new parts as you unlock them, and these changes and additions are noticeable in-game. It’s the little things like that this that draw you back into the atmosphere that the lack of decent stage setting almost prevents.

There is no cover mechanic! WHY SCREENSHOT IT?!

No kick
Unfortunately, the sound effects used for the weaponry in Blacklight is certainly weaker than it could have been. We all know how important a part sound plays in creating an atmosphere, but what’s never mentioned is the importance of sound to add credence to the actions you are doing. Even the slight of a lack of an audible kick when firing, as is apparent in this game, can leave you feeling a little detached from the action. Shouts of ‘Fire in the hole!’ and the like are just things we come to expect in titles like these, to the point where we barely take them in anymore. Elsewhere it’s pretty much standard fare for war games, especially musically; it sounds like Zombie Studios were aiming for something out of a Paul Greengrass movie.

Should you pick it up or put Blacklight: Tango Down?
Blacklight: Tango Down, despite its problems, is a game in which there is a lot of fun to be had if you’re willing to put the work in initially. It’s a game that’s as unwelcoming as it is totally unforgiving, and definitely not worth a look for the impatient. Honestly, there are better times to be had on the Xbox Live Marketplace for much less than 1200 MS Points, and Blacklight will only ever be remembered as a quasi-decent shooter. That said, it is a game that I can see myself going back to beyond the need to review, but I can’t say that others will be willing to look past its faults.

How We Review Games

The studio (Taleworlds Interactive) grew as well, while still remaining relatively compact; with the help of an actual publisher the small but very productive wargame publisher Paradox Interactive improved the production values, leading to the release of Mount & Blade: Warband at the end of march, this year.

Mount & Blade: Warband is a mix between a RPG and a strategy game, but is also unique in many ways, so it’s not easy to make it fit comfortably in a single category. Being an independent game released by a small Turkish developer it’s quite probable that a sizable percentage of our readers never heard about it or its predecessor.

Calradia, the sandbox continent
The game is set in an alternate continent named Calradia, but that’s as far as the “fantasy” aspects of this game goes.  There is no magic, no enchanted swords, no elves, no monsters and no orcs. The setting is a gritty and realistic middle age where the only form of power lies in steel, gold and the relationship with the nobles of the land. This is doubtlessly the first thing that makes Mount & Blade Warhand unique.

The continent is populated and ruled by six realms: The chivalric Swadia, the norse-like Kingdom of the Nords, the Slavic-inspired Vaegirs, the mountain-dwelling Rhodoks, the mongol-like Kergit Khanate and the rich Sarranid Sultanate, that resembles an Arabic realm. Each of those powerful factions has its own culture, architecture, rulers and unique troops, creating a rich and varied universe in which to play.

Riding towards the sunset in a beautiful oasis village...

The story is very limited. Some would actually say that there’s no story at all. You’re a random dude (or dudette), and you have to make ends meet in Calradia. Besides a very compact initial questline that will teach you the basics, you’re on your own. This is what I meant in the title of this paragraph: Mount & Blade Warband could be defined as the wet dream of every fan of sandbox games.

There’s no overall storyline to bind you. You can be a trader, a bandit, a mercenary, a tournament champion, become a vassal for one of the realms or create your own domain. You don’t like the king you serve? No problem. You can start a rebellion to put a different claimant on the throne. You create and shape your own legend according to your taste and with very few restrictions.

Whatever role you chose, you’re still not bound to it. Tired of being the vassal of a king? You can renounce your oath (and any fiefs you’ve been assigned, of course), and swear allegiance to another faction. The claimant you put on the throne is no more of your liking? You can rebel and create your own empire, starting a quest to conquer and unify all of Calradia.

Trading is getting boring? You can start hunting other caravans to rob them of all their goods, or travel from city to city looking for quests and missions to earn money and glory.

You can even fit multiple roles at the same time, playing as a mighty general in times of war, and as a caravan master when there’s peace, or an almost endless variety of other combinations.

The path of glory, from mercenary to king
One of the most prominent features of Mount & Blade: Warband is that the world itself lives and breathes dynamically around you. Every faction has, besides its king, twenty feudal lords with their own personality and quirks.

Some are honorable and will remain faithful to their king unless the situation is really dire, some others will switch faction according to the balance of power several times during the game. Some will even join you as your vassals if you manage to become king yourself. All of them will move in the world according to their own interests and missions, fighting in wars and tournaments, courting ladies, administering their lands, and interacting with you on several levels.

The political game is actually frighteningly complex, especially considering the sheer number of actors in play. Kingdoms will go to war with each other according to or independently from your actions, will gain and lose territory, and the newly acquired fiefs will be given to one of the lords or to you, if you managed to earn the respect of your king and your peers.

When you’re a king yourself you’ll have to weigh the relations between the lords under your rule carefully. Assigning a fief to the wrong lord can upset the others, while giving it to the right one can increase the respect you receive from your subjects considerably. Often there won’t the a “right” or a “wrong” choice, but you’ll have to tread carefully to keep a balance between your vassals, making sure that the ones you upset with a decision will be happy about the next, without starting to harbor desires of rebellion.

Nothing is like the sweet scent of carnage in the morning...

There are also several ladies, wives, daughters and sisters to the lords, that normally do what noble ladies did in the middle ages. They attend feasts, act as gossip hubs, and can be courted for love or politics. All of the characters are related by a quite complex family system, that will play an important role in the game. You can marry a lady to enter the good graces of the lords she’s related to, or have to persuade in several ways a particularly stubborn lord if you want to marry his daughter that you happen to like more than the rest.

Obviously, if your character is a female, she can court (or be courted) and marry one of the lords themselves. This is only one of the differences that characterizes the game as a female Warband leader. It’s the middle ages, and women aren’t exactly treated as equal, as a consequence the game is openly more challenging if played as a lady.

While this might for sure stir some feminist hearts out there, it’s quite realistic, and the disadvantage isn’t so overwhelming to make it frustrating or less fun. On the other hand, managing to raise to power despite the difficulties of being born with boobs tends to be quite rewarding.

The same  level of complexity can be noticed in the world’s economy; it is completely dynamic and governed by supply and demand. Caravans will move from city to city and will dynamically alter available goods and prices, making thriving as a trader quite a challenging and interesting enterprise.

What I’m referring to as “fiefs” are basically the hundreds of cities, castles and villages scattered on the continent of Calradia, and that act as quest hubs, military bases and markets. Every single one has its own peculiar look and it’s permanent inhabitants. No village or city in Calradia looks the same as the others, and the same goes for all castles. This is obviously quite important even during sieges, as every castle and city has a different setup for walls, towers and access points. Each siege has its unique tactical quirks that a good general will have to learn and exploit.

Hold the line!

The heart and soul of Mount & Blade Warband is, obviously, your Warband itself, that will evolve from a ragtag mercenary company to a full fledged army counting hundreds of individual soldiers. At the end  of my latest play through I had about 220 soldiers under my direct command, without counting the garrisons of my fiefs and the troops under my vassals.

Your own character is the centre of your army. He will progress in the usual RPG way, with levels and skills, becoming more and more powerful. You will be able to buy new pieces of armour, weapons and warhorses that will raise your combat effectiveness. Obviously you will also be able to fully customize your character’s appearance with a complex slider system that loosely reminds me of Oblivion. There are no classes in M&B Warband, and while a few decisions on your character background will have a marginal impact on your initial skills and stats, you will be completely free to chose the way you want to skill up. You might decide to invest everything you can in strength, agility and combat skills in order to create a powerful hero able to cut a bloody path in the middle of an enemy army, or to shape him as a great leader that will be able to field more soldiers at the same time, or an archer that can stand back and chose his targets by killing just the most powerful enemy commanders and units. The possibilities and combinations are nearly endless.

Besides you, the most important part of your warband are your heroes. There are sixteen of them scattered around Calradia, and you can recruit some or all of them. Each of them has his or her own unique looks, personality and story and they progress in the same way as your character. You can freely give each of them a role, thanks to the “party skills” system. Basically some of the skills like tactics, surgery etc.. can be delegated to your heroes, letting you invest on other skills. This will turn them into specialists that will benefit the whole party, for instance by healing your men faster after a battle, or saving some from death, turning a mortal wound in one that will just require some rest, or again lowering the prices in marketplaces and so forth. Of course your heroes can also grow into powerful warriors in their own right, forming the elite of your army.

Again, relationships play an important role, and your heroes will interact with each other, often with conflicting personalities that will force you to juggle between them to avoid them leaving your party, or to wait until your leadership is high enough to keep them in check. If you like looting villages and slaughtering peasants, maybe it’s better not to hire the most soft-hearted ones. For sure keeping your party united and effective is a quite challenging work of balance in itself.

Winter sports in the Middle Ages

The lowest level of your warband are your rank and file troops. You can travel from village to village recruiting volunteers that will provide cheap but low level infantry, or you can visit taverns where you will be able to hire costly but higher level mercenaries.

You can pretty much hire every single unit in the game, independently from your affiliation (or lack thereof), to create the army you like the most. You can even recruit for instance, the peasant women that you rescued from some bandits (or the bandits themselves). Initially they will be weak, but will ultimately evolve into powerful female knights. Every basic troop can level up, turning into a more advanced version with better equipment, and eventually specializing in areas like archery, heavy infantry or cavalry.

Implying there’s a story when there really isn’t…
To hear the chilling music, see the title and the opening screens, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this was not your typical Popcap game. All signs seem to point to some sort of dark narrative, but there really is no narrative at all. The premise of the game is to escape from what seems to be a remote and deserted Silent Hill-esque American town called Whisper Valley. With this you’d expect a point and click game, or something that requires investigation, only bizarrely, the way to escape is to find objects from a 2D image and occasionally solve puzzle mini-games. The grand finale is the only scene that requires any lateral thinking and it sticks out like a sore thumb in comparison to the rest of the game. It’s a set-up that is bizarrely inconsistent, and it comes across scatter-brained. Thankfully, the core gameplay mechanics do actually work in the midst of a game that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be.

‘Where’s Wally’ crossed with Silent Hill…
The main bulk of the game seems to take inspiration from the old Virgin Digital Music quiz that did the rounds a few years back. You are presented with a picture of a decrepit and cluttered area, such as a library or train station and provided with a list of ten items to locate. To tick an item off the list you simply click on it. Some of the items in the list might be presented as cryptic clues, or they might require you to fulfil certain criteria, such as using tape to repair a wire, or putting items in a box. The items themselves are very well integrated into the environments, with a lot of items either acting a part of the scenery, camouflaged cleverly or just represented in a way that you wouldn’t expect. The game has this ability to leave you sat looking blankly at the screen for ages when the answer is right under your nose, and it’s here where the game really excels. For the more visually challenged amongst us, the game offers a hint system, which once used highlights the area of something you’re looking for. This can be used many times but there is a short regeneration period before it can be used again.

Don't ask me why there's a gnome in this picture.

The game is separated into twenty-five levels, with each level giving you a couple of these cluttered locations to search for items in, and a time limit to in which to complete them all. The main problem here is that there are also twenty-five of these locations too, but as level can have up to eight of these, the locations get boring very quickly. The game tries to balance this with the huge amount of items in each stage meaning that you’re looking for different objects each time, but it really doesn’t help with the repetition. In this sense, twenty-five levels is probably to much for the main mode, and you’ll find yourself going through the motions by the end.

What is left of that time limit after beating all locations in a level is used to complete one of seven totally unrelated puzzles, and finishing a puzzle will unlock a ‘clue’ to escaping the town. Once you’ve powered through and found all the clues, you’ll be left to assemble them in the form of a jigsaw, before you’re left with only lateral thinking puzzle in the game to complete the game. The puzzles themselves are a total let down and are painfully easy. The game features four variations of a jigsaw, a tile sliding game, a wordsearch, and a Bejeweled clone. These feel like completely arbitrary additions, included only as padding to prevent a one trick pony from getting old. Only if that was really the aim, they fail miserably. The only one of these mini-games with any depth is the Bejeweled clone, which managed to earn itself status as one of two unlockable modes. There is a slightly different take on the Bejeweled clone, whereby you have to eliminate the grey squares behind the items to complete the level.

Be... erm... Starbelled?

The other mode to unlock is ‘Unlimited Seek & Find’, which is easily the best mode of the lot, and probably a lot closer to the original concept that what the clustered main ‘Escape’ mode turned out to be. Without the mini-games getting in the way, you’re left to go through all the stages finding every item on each (hundreds), which makes for a far more relaxed and focused experience. To unlock both these modes, in each stage over the main game you will find one hidden lock and one key that you can click on; find all twenty-five of each, and these two other modes will be at your disposal.

As pretty as a picture.
The artwork in Escape Whisper Valley is a particular highlight, and goes some way to recapturing some of the atmosphere that Spintop have tried to create against what is a basic puzzler. The backgrounds, of which you’ll be looking at a lot over the course of the game, are all greatly detailed, that raises a very rustic, old fashioned feeling, while adding a touch of loneliness with the desolate nature of the environments. The objects and items all blend seamlessly into the backgrounds, which is essential to a game that is all about making you miss the obvious.

Sounds like a not-so-Silent Hill.
While there’s not really a lot to say about the soundtrack in Escape Whisper Valley, the music is actually very well produced. It’s a genuinely creepy track that conjures up images of the likes of Silent Hill, and as such I’m sorry to say that I think it could have been put to far better use in another game. It does suit the feeling of isolation Spintop were aiming for, so on that front it does succeed.

Reminds me of Beetlejuice for some reason...

Less would have been more.
It’s fair to say that Escape Whisper Valley certainly isn’t one of the better games in the Popcap library. Like with most puzzle games that Popcap put out, you simply can’t argue with the production values; the core mechanic works flawlessly, it looks and sounds nice, but it lacks clear direction. In this particular case, the pointless addition of mini-games simply stand to make the main mode very lopsided and it really detracts from the game’s real strengths. My advice is to give it a go, and if you decide to plump for it, aim to unlock the additional modes as soon as humanly possible.

How We Review Games

As a fan of both Lego and HPVerse, I decided to take the plunge and quickly pre-ordered my copy, keen to see what TT could do with the franchise in the world of bricks. Having spent hours upon hours hunting for crests and collecting studs, I now have a good enough idea of how this plays to give an informed review and to tell you if this has been worth the wait. So, should Lego Harry Potter Years 1–4 be permanently expelled or should this class remain in session?

Please note, the majority of my time playing this game was local co-op with my girlfriend, who has also offered some of her input into this review. Appropriate credit given at the conclusion of this review.

This isn’t my first brick building barbeque…
The Lego games have been a guilty pleasure of mine since I first played Lego Indiana Jones a few years back. From there, I spent over sixty hours of gameplay time completing Lego Star Wars the Complete Saga to 100% and then decided to BOFF, WHAP and KA-BLAM my way through a series of goons in Lego Batman. The very thought of Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4 has excited me for some time, considering it brings magic, wizards and trolls to a Lego game for the first time and has had my attention since its initial announcement.

Upon my first touch of the pad, I can say that I was not disappointed.

You’ll start the game with a cut-scene familiar to anyone who knows anything about the Philosopher’s Stone source material. Harry is staying at his Aunt and Uncle’s house with the greedy Dudley, essentially being treated like a piece of dirt, when all of a sudden the house is flooded with letters, sending Harry into fits of joy and his Aunt and Uncle into a bout of rage! After failing to remove the letters from the house, Uncle Vernon decides to take the family away from Privet Drive to somewhere more remote. However, they are soon cast in the shadow of the mighty Hagrid, who has other ideas for Mr Potter. Hagrid leads Harry to Diagon Alley, where he obtains his first wand and gets himself prepared for life at Hogwarts. Once through this initial section, you make the trip to Hogwarts via the Hogwarts Express. As Harry, Ron and Hermione you will find yourselves running through Hogwarts and have the option of following ghosts who walk the school corridors leading you to the next level or taking you exploring into the deeper recesses of the old, mystical building. Of course, being at such a early level of wizardry, some areas of the school will be blocked off to you unless you’ve learned how to wield a particular spell. So, for example, there are some Devil Snares blocking your path to one area of the castle and in order to pass you will need to learn Lumos in order to defeat the plant and move on. This is sort of a sandbox area, but it also contains many hidden treasures, secrets, levels and lessons where you can learn more powerful spells in order to progress through the game.

Playing with Lego
In order to access the game menu, which enables you to select the level you want to play, purchase characters for studs or to continue your story from your previous saved file, you will be taken to the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley where you first started the game. TT have been criticised in the past for creating a game which is level after level. However, they have certainly gone to great lengths to try and make Lego Harry Potter feel more of one large interactive environment, something that is certainly very plausible within the HPVerse. Sometimes, it’s even difficult to tell when you’re about to start a level within Hogwarts, the whole experience is that fluid!

From the cradle to the... broomstick?

As your characters learn new spells, they’re added to a wheel which can be easily accessed by holding in the Y button and can be selected using the left analog stick. You’ll have to use different spells in certain situations and it will be up to you to figure out what you need to do in order to progress. You’ll also be able to buy new spells from Diagon Alley, which have a multitude of uses and a wide range of costs.

As always, different characters will also be capable of different things. So for example, only Ron can use his rat Scabbers to access smaller areas, Harry is the best at flying on a broomstick and Hermione sticks to the books and can solve several puzzles featuring symbols. Same as previous lego games, you’ll need to alternate between the cast of the series, in order to further your progression in each stage of the game. This is certainly a common trait in each Lego game, although I found myself quite surprised by the amount of diversity spread among the HP cast, from the main three, to Hagrid, Fang and a Gringots Goblin; there really seems to be a wide range of things that the player will need to take into consideration when trying to tackle some of the obstacles in game, perhaps more than there’s ever been.

I also love how the most simplistic aspects of Lego games have been tuned into something much more suitable for a Harry Potter game. Building blocks are handled differently by using Wingardium Leviosa. You’ll also be shooting projectiles from your wand, rather than beating someone up with your fists. TT have done everything possible to make this authentic, just as they’ve always done with the Lego games and it really does show. It’s a real geekfest for a Harry Potter fan.

It's sport but not as we know it!

Swish and Flick!
The graphics are  improved over other Lego games, more detail has been added to the faces of the cast as one can see in modern day lego figures, and facial expressions are much easier to read than before. This is especially important for the cut-scenes, which, as always, are completely devoid of dialogue and are usually a tongue in cheek representation of an actual scene from the books and/or films. There are many memorable, laugh out loud moments in the game with a humour that will probably appeal more to the adults than the children in some cases (such as Voldemort going to drink Unicorn blood with a knife and fork and the very same Unicorn being nursed back to health in Hagrid’s hut with a thermometer stuck in its mouth). It’s the same quirky, in-joke humour that we’ve come to know and love from the series and is as appropriate and excellent as ever.

The backdrops also look impressive in Lego HP. Seeing the Hogwarts Express take its first voyage and seeing Hogwarts for the first time from the rowing boats are really set-apart moments that will elicit a tear of joy in a die-hard fan or trigger a bolt of recognition in anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock for the last decade. The graphics supporting the levels are also very well designed and unlike in Lego Indy 2, when split-screening, the game doesn’t slow down as much and seems much more comfortable supporting the framerate than before.

Most things will be familiar from past Lego games, such as the hearts at the top of the screen next to a character portrait and a series of studs combined together at the middle of the screen to show your ‘True Wizard’ progress in a particular level. There is a real wizarding vibe here that fits a Lego game like a glove, seeing robes and wands, potions and trolls. It’s a refreshing environment for a Lego game and all of it just looks superb and will instantly make you want to pick up a pad and Stupefy something!

The triumphant trio

Wizard rock!
As is always the case with Lego games, the characters don’t talk during cut-scenes and generally only grunt and groan. Freakishly, however, the grunts actually sound like the characters voices and somehow TT have managed to make the characters sound like their film counterparts, which is quite uncanny and actually rather spooky. The sound effects are also spot on, with the sound of spells flying around the screen, zapping creatures and abominations.

The background music is straight out of the films and that’s a great thing. While it’s not the entire score from the soundtrack of the first four films, there’s a real selection of great tracks that suit the tempo and the mood of each scene; everything from the boss battle with Quirrel to the murky Forbidden Forest filled with evil and wonder, to Harry’s first foray into Quidditch. Everything that’s in there is suited to the scene you’re participating in. The theme within the menu will be especially memorable to anyone whose seen a promo spot for a Harry Potter movie, and will totally get you in the mood for the wizarding world at large.

Two wizards are better than one.
Multiplayer follows on from the introduction of the progressive split-screen in Lego Indiana Jones 2, whereby if one player disappears from the screen, it then splits in two and tracks the progress of both players around the map, until they join up together making the screen whole again. While the idea seemed like it could use some fine-tuning and refinement in Lego Indy 2, it seems spot on in Harry Potter, save for one blemish. Sometimes the scheme seems overly sensitive and begins to split the screen when it doesn’t really have to. Unfortunately, this can be quite annoying, as there will sometimes be a line right through the middle of the screen, that can block both yours and your characters line of sight, whether you’re trying to collect a stud or just bypass an obstacle. Separating and meshing the screens together really is quite trippy on the eyes the first few times you see it, but once you get used to it, you begin to see how much of a technical marvel it actually is. The splitscreen is quite unique for any local co-op game, as essentially both characters being played remain on the same screen, but then if they decide to go in opposing directions, the screen splits  and will follow each character’s movements.

That said, it’s a vast improvement over Lego Indy 2′s variation and it’s clear the development team have had some time to get it right. What was once an annoying aspect of the Lego games has now become a refreshing and enjoyable change. This also allows players to explore different sections at the same time, really adding a deeper emphasis to teamwork within the game. I always feel that Lego games are better played with a friend (even though much of my time with Lego Star Wars was spent alone) and Travellers Tales are clearly supportive of that as well.

My only other issue is a longstanding one with the series in the achievement/trophy system which only seems to recognise the first player and treats the second as a guest. I really don’t understand why in 2010 this is still an issue and why achievements cannot unlock for both players if both have gamer profiles, tracking their statistics individually. Instead, only player one will unlock certain achievements, so if you are playing this co-operatively with a friend, you’ll need at least two full playthroughs to get everything done. What is new in Lego Harry Potter, in the description of the achievements, it states Single Player Only. This seems incredibly backwards to me when games are in the trend of being more progressive. Unfortunately, it is not just Lego Harry Potter that is guilty of such a crime, as I found myself even more infuriated with Capcom’s Lost Planet 2 for similar issues.

It's all about the lego!

What’s the final wizarding word?
Real perfectionism has gone into this game and it shows. Travellers Tales didn’t want to release a half-baked product lathered with glitches and hiccups. That TT and WB have collaborated to ensure that the same issues that plagued previous games didn’t crop up in Lego HP is clear and reassuring. The appropriate amount of care and attention to detail has been observed and what we have is a really polished end product that totally appeals to just about anybody with a pulse.

There are lots of things to do here and the levels are very replayable, once through on story and then several times afterwards on Free Play. If you want to unlock everything, you’re really going to have to commit the time to obtain True Wizard on every level, get every crest from the four houses, post every post box by way of a snowy owl, unlock every character and every special ability. While still not as vast as Lego Star Wars the Complete Saga, this is the biggest single Lego product to come out since and has a lot of tools at its disposal. Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4 is a triumph, and is easily the best Harry Potter video game to date, the best Lego game to date and the most fun co-operative experience I have played so far this year!

Credit to LaurieTLC for her input into the structure and development of this review.

How We Review Games

So when presented with the option to review the series’ first foray into the world of episodic gaming, I have to admit that initially I was wavering slightly. Think about it; I would be coming into a series with established characters, concepts and inside jokes, and please make no mistake; that is a daunting task. I’ve seen people do it before on other sites with an unpleasant effect; I could upset generations of devoted followers by not ‘getting’ the series, or even by praising a title that peaked back in the day and has alienated since fans. Remembering that I’d purchased the Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition on XBLA last year but never finished it, I even rushed through it over the last week to familiarise myself a little more with the characters and the oddball humour before jumping in with both feet. Consummate professional, me.

So with my research completed, I weighed anchor, hoisted the mizzen mast, shivered my, erm… timbers (?!) as I set sale to catch up with Guybrush and company.

Please note: Rather than review each episode individually as we would usually do with episodic games, I’ve decided to review the series as a whole. The main reason is that the full series has been available on PC for some time, and is readily available in a bundle, where as the PS3 version is only available as a bundle.

So, who the hell are you people?
For those like me who may never have sampled a Monkey Island title before, we’re a few years into the pirating career of one absurdly named Guybrush Threepwood, now married to the love interest from the original title, Elaine Marley. The story kicks off in the midst of action. Regular villain LeChuck has kidnapped Elaine on her own boat with the intent of stealing her affections, and for some reason is currently torturing the last of thirteen monkeys. Guybrush is apparently thought to have been left for dead, yet in reality his ship is in hot pursuit and he is armed with his cutlass that he needs to spray with Voodoo root beer to dispose of LeChuck.

Before he has chance to lace his sword with the real deal, Guybrush’s typical clumsy nature means he has to concoct a new batch on the fly, which has an adverse effect for all parties. After running LeChuck through with his blade, instead of evaporating as expected, the ghostly enemy oddly becomes human. That’s not all, Guybrush’s left hand becomes infected with the ‘Pox of LeChuck’, leaving him unable control it. In the confusion some gunpowder is set off and the ship explodes, leaving a pox-ridden cloud loose in the world, while Threepwood washed up on the shore of Flotsam Island, where he must meet the locals and try to gain a ship to rescue his long suffering wife. This is as far as I’m willing to go on the story for the series, as the way it unfolds is one of the biggest joys anyone will get from playing the title for themselves.

The story in any episodic series is always going to be the key aspect that keeps people playing, and it pleases me to say that throughout the entire series the story is wittily written, snappy and at times, very funny. The humour can be something of an acquired taste, with a fair amount of the jokes revolving around the groan-worthiest puns and the worst one-liners possible. We’re talking jokes that are so bad that they’re hilarious, and people without a sense of irony should probably give this a wide berth. There are a lot of references to previous games here, as early as the get-go too, and in this respect it did pay off to some degree that I had played through the original game beforehand.

Yet, people who haven’t followed the series should be able to fit in effortlessly. It is completely possible to come into this and warm to the characters immediately, such is the strength of their personalities, and any inside jokes that might go over peoples heads will just fit in with some of the silliness that the series is famed for. That’s not to say that the game is one long joke, there are some truly touching and saddening moments, which not only made me reflect a little, but also gave me memories to some of the classic animated feature films back in the day.

Without saying too much more, predictably, Telltale have made the smart move to end the various episodes on cliffhangers and like with any decent form of episodic entertainment, it’s done in a way that hits the right note and leaves you unable to wait for the next episode. This was terrible for me with all the episodes at my disposal, I can’t even imagine how it must have been absolute torture to wait an entire month.

Enemies to the death...

More control than just pointing and clicking.
As I’m reviewing the PSN version, I somewhat expected that the game would control similarly to the remake of the original, and I couldn’t have been further from the reality. Unlike the original, the game is set in a relatively 3D world (although in some areas you’re left with 2D restrictions), and rather than moving Guybrush around with a cursor, his movement is mapped to the left analog stick. Any items of interest are highlighted when you approach them with a prompt for the X button. The PC version actually uses a combination of the two systems (it even gives you a choice to play more traditionally); the default controls sees you using the WASD keys to move around, and leaving the mouse free to click on anything that looks interesting.

Initially on the PS3 version, this is can be a bit clumsy and it isn’t helped by the fact that the engine is rather fussy about what object it deems that you’re looking at. If, for example, in the opening sequence you are looking at a barrel of grog while stood still, you’ll find the prompt flickering quickly between that and the gunpowder barrels. This can be made worse when the boat moves up and down with the motion of the sea, often changing what you are looking at just as you’re pressing the button. Thankfully, Telltale have accounted for this with a simple but very effective system. Tapping L1 or R1 allows you scroll back and forth through the points and areas of interest on screen, highlighting them with a red cursor and thankfully, overriding the game’s idea of what it thinks you’re looking at. Should you get stuck at any point too, you can always hold either L2 or R2 and all points of interest on screen will be highlighted, giving you a good indication of what you need to be interacting with to progress.

Of course, any adventure game worth its salt requires clever use of the various items that you might pick up along the way, and the inventory system and how you use items are streamlined somewhat here. To use items you simply open the menu using the triangle button, press X on the item you want to use, and then you press X again on the object or person you want it to interact with. As you would expect in a game like this, you will be required to cleverly combine items. On the PC version, your inventory is managed slightly more traditionally, dragging items you need to combine into two dedicated areas and pressing the combine button. On the PS3 it’s even simpler. Open your inventory, press triangle on an item you want to combine, and press triangle once more on the item you want to combine it with.

Some adventure games of this type do have the habit of employing some strange logic when it comes to using items, which would often lead to players wandering around the world using every item on everything just to try and progress. There aren’t that many moments like that in TOMI, with that sort of gameplay left to desperate moments when you’ve missed something so glaringly obvious that you’ll feel like a moron when you realise what you need to do.

Guybrush Threepwood... Mighty Pirate! (TM)

You won’t need an eyepatch.
As I mentioned above, Tales of Monkey Island is a 3D point and click adventure, just like Telltale’s work with Sam & Max. At first the game might seem a little rough around the edges, but this is a port of a PC game, one with a low polygon count, designed run on as many PC’s as possible. That’s not to say that the game is ugly; it’s far from it. The game has a lovely cartoon styling with the cast all brilliantly realised and brimming with character. The environments are also lovingly designed, detailed and full of life. Even better is the variety you’ll encounter over the course of the series, and although you will retread some of the same locations along the way (Flotsom Island being a particular fixture) they always seem fresh and interesting.

Arrrrgh me hearties!
It’s hard to pick just one of my favourite things about my time with TOMI, but the soundtrack is definitely up there. While it features the classic light and breezy Caribbean soundtrack of yesteryear, it’s the darker tones along the way that managed to seduce my aural senses. The scores really hit the spot, some even reminding me of Final Fantasy VII’s most sombre moments, all while pulling the right emotional strings given the situation.

If you think I couldn’t give more praise to Telltale’s sound department, you’re very much mistaken. The voice acting in this game is nigh on faultless. Key players like Dominic Armato and Alexandra Boyd return to voice our premier couple, while the newcomers fit in perfectly. It’s true, the voice actors are helped no end by a witty and flowing script, but their performances are vital to the character’s portraying their personalities. Heritage aside, it’s those personalities that make this game stand out more than than the others in Telltale’s back catalogue

Mighty Game (TM)
Whether you’re a fan of the series or a total newcomer, Tales of Monkey Island will more than likely win you over immediately with a complete charm offensive thanks to likeable characters, clever scripting and high production values. With those three strengths woven into a fabric of classic gameplay, it’s an example of something that has become all too rare in the gaming industry. More importantly, as a first step into the unknown for the Monkey Island franchise and given its status, it’s a pleasure to say that it lends itself perfectly to the episodic structure and suffers none in the transition. At a measly price of £14 on PSN for the series bundle for far more than your monies worth of entertainment, it’s an easy recommendation.

How We Review Games

The question is, should Nelson have stayed hidden in this secret division, locked up in the deepest recesses of the FBI? Lets find out…

So what does it take to be in the FBI?
The game starts with Nelson sat at his desk trying to solve a crossword puzzle. The day has clearly been a long one as Mr Tether’s eyes are drooping and he is reliant on the bowl of chewing gum on his right to keep himself awake and concentrating. Soon, however, the lure of sleep becomes too much and Nelson crashes face first on his desk and is away with the fairies. During his dream, Nelson sees an individual in a space suit approach his desk, Nelson faces the astronaut alarmed, flummoxed as to how or why one would be in his office. As he tries to get his head around the very thought, the astronaut seems keen to introduce himself, raising the mirror in their helmet. Nelson startled, struggling for breath, wakes up with a start before we find out who the individual is and sees that his beloved crossword puzzle has been shredded into multiple pieces. It is here we’re introduced to the meat and potatoes of Puzzle Agent’s premise; puzzles!

The game itself has borrowed heavily from the likes of Professor Layton, with Telltale themselves openly admitting it. As Layton has proven to be such a hit with DS owners, that’s definitely not a bad thing either. The first puzzle of the game sees you try to rearrange a crossword puzzle that has something written in red ink all over it back into a legible form. The puzzle is fairly straight forward and serves as more of an introduction to what you’re going to be doing throughout the course of the adventure. Solving the puzzle will mysteriously reveal the word Scoggins to the player. Seconds later, Nelson gets a call from his boss to tell him to investigate a mishap at a factory in the town of Scoggins, Minnesota. Perplexed at how all of this seems to tie up, Nelson thinks there is only one thing for it, shrugs his shoulders, and takes to the snow-sleigh to make his way through the snowy suburbia.

The lay of the land

As you would expect, the puzzles increase in difficulty the further into the game you get. Players will go from piecing together a crossword to configuring fuses and putting bugs in matchstick boxes. There’s a real mix of head scratchers in this game and they will definitely keep you on your toes. Don’t worry, Telltale have been very forgiving in the way that you can always get some help. Nelson chews gum in order to help him concentrate on puzzle solving and this helps him focus on the task at hand, enabling the player to get a hint. This goes from a minor hint, to almost completely spoiling the puzzle for you (although Telltale never completely give the game away). However, every time you use a hint, it will go against your record which you have at the end of completing every puzzle. The record also takes into consideration how many attempts you’ve made at the solution and then give you an overall score for your performance, whether you’re a borderline puzzle solver or a top agent!

Bugs + Matchsticks = Buddies

So being an agent isn’t all about action?
As always, the game’s control is handled via a cursor on your screen and you will interact with ‘hotspots’.  However unlike other point and click games Telltale have done, a simple click of the mouse sends ripples out on the screen, like a sound wave and depending on if you’re in the right area, will highlight the areas you need to interact with. So, a looking glass will appear if you need to examine something or a speech bubble will appear so you can talk to another character. Usually, when Nelson goes to examine something, he will pull out a tape recorder from his coat and speak into a dictaphone, considering it a clue for his investigation.

Captains Log, Stardate... Oh Wait...

You’ll also find chewing gum scattered across the game. Every time you click on the gum, Nelson will gather it and this will allow him an extra hint when he is puzzle solving as I previously alluded to.

Its not all it appears to be.
As you can see from the pictures above, the game is hand drawn and is more of a 2.5D experience which is another new approach for TTG and is a real rare treat in this day and age of 3D gaming. Once again, Puzzle Agent dares to be different and pays more of an homage to point and click games of yesteryear than those we see today. As the game art is hand drawn, new freedoms are opened up to both developer and player. For example, facial expressions seem less stunted than in 3D games and there is a more personal flair to the game than anything TTG have done to date.

One may argue the environments in Puzzle Agent are especially bland as the majority of the game takes place in the snow, but that only adds to the atmosphere of the game, as we’re led to believe that this little town is remote and yet there is a much more sinister undertone to its day to day living. While the environments are snowy, they are also quite dark and gloomy and is very easy to compare to the likes of Fargo in terms of how it looks and feels.

Unfortunately, there's no co-op in this adventure!

So is it all authoritative barks?
Nelson sounds like a bit of a weed, but that’s sort of the point as this is an agent more comfortable with textbooks and lateral thinking and doesn’t like being thrust into the thick of danger. As an agent, Nelson is quite jumpy, he doesn’t trust anyone and whips out his tape recorder at a moments notice whether the clue is relevant to his investigation or not. The voice acting suits completely as it does for the Scoggins natives, some of whom treat him as an intruder and others overly welcoming.

The tempo of the music in the background is also a real draw. While Nelson seems weedy, TTG have managed to create a legitimate tension in Scoggins that makes you believe we’re not being subjected to the paranoid machinations of a jittery protagonist. They really make the place seem to be quite frightful, and that only the residents are the ones who truly feel comfortable being there. There’s a real dark vibe coming from the music in this game that is reminiscent of things TTG have done before, but also shows that they’ve gone in a completely different direction with Nelson Tethers. They’re really trying to distance themselves from the games they’ve done in the past and to prove, point blank, they can do the weird and the creepy as well as the cartooney, cutesy and zany.

Definitely of the weird and creepy category

So is this a puzzle worth being solved?
This game isn’t going to be for everyone, but that seems to have been a battle Telltale Games have been fighting since their inception. Certainly the Professor Layton games have proven to be exceptionally popular and this game is focused on anyone with even a passing interest in that market, as well as anyone who has played a TTG title before. There is enough variety in here that’s going to appeal to many people. The puzzles vary enough that they will challenge every ounce of your grey matter, there are side puzzles you can tackle if you want a break from the main story and when you want to jump back in, the main puzzles slot in very significantly with the plot (of which there is a good one). On the other hand, if you’re coming into this game expecting your normal Telltale product, don’t. While it’s very geared towards story and dialogue, this game is all about the puzzles. There is limited investigating here; there is no inventory, just a case file filled with previous puzzles which you can replay to improve your score and the story which is fairly easy to progress as the game will either tell you what you need to do or there are a limited number of objects to interact with to begin with.

Ultimately, Nelson Tethers certainly deserves more of Telltale’s attention as its a complete deviation from what people expect and really does stand up with the likes of Professor Layton as the story is quite dark, mysterious, gloomy and even sometimes downright sinister. Telltale have learned a lot from their previous forays and have been able to create a myriad of brilliance in Puzzle Agent. This is a great value game that will keep you puzzling for several hours and has a good storyline to boot. If the thought of finding a rubber band in a persons stomach through a slithering tapeworm or assigning birds to carry sacks full of gnomes tickles your tastebuds, you won’t find any more refreshing an experience than Nelson Tethers: Puzzle Agent!

How We Review Games

Is this season Telltale’s finest hour? Read on to find out more…

Disclaimer: Please be advised that some spoilers are contained throughout these reviews and so it is advised that you play these episodes in order so as not to ruin your experience with the story. Thanks.

If you’ve ever played a Sam and Max game before, just playing the very opening of The Penal Zone, you’ll notice the difference straight away. The game is introduced by a narrator and seems to have adopted a much darker undertone than before. Certainly, the humour is as deranged and depraved as before, but there’s something malicious about the peril the characters are up against. This really does appear to be the Devil’s Playhouse and you’re stuck right in the middle of it.

The story begins with both Sam and Max stuck together in a prison cell on an oversized gorilla’s spaceship. Yep, it’s as zany as it sounds. Both dog and rabbity-thing seem to have been caught up in a nefarious plot and all their hopes seem to hinge on a mole that cannot verbally communicate being kept behind a glass window in the adjacent cell and a piece of clay. As you’ll soon find out, the game actually starts right in the middle of the story and so the narrative structure of the episode will see the player take part in the events leading up to its ‘prologue’. This may seem confusing at first but is a brilliant way for Telltale to introduce the new features to Sam and Max, which I’ll detail a bit later on in this review.

The first thing you’re liable to notice is that the graphics seem greatly improved from previous seasons, with facial expressions playing a much more predominant role in character interaction and communication with the player than ever before. It seems Telltale have used the animations set out in the Wallace and Gromit series of games (whereby Gromit’s sole interaction with the player comes from aforementioned facial animations) and use that to great effect to add even more emphasis on the hilarity and insanity of the franchise. Max will frown when confused, Sam will show disbelief and bafflement at the outrageous comments that spew from his partner’s mouth, but both can still look utterly deadpan and serious when necessary as and when needed. There seems to be richer landscapes, more variety in set pieces, from spaceships to underground sewers, and as never before, the environments seem more three-dimensional when following the players movements, which can even serve as aid as to where the player needs to go next to further their adventure.

Back on the beat

In my eyes, those who’ve never had the chance to play Save the World and Beyond Time and Space, may feel a little overwhelmed by the games unique sense of humour (such as a giant stone head of Abraham Lincoln having a relationship with Sybil, a woman who changes her careers quicker than her knickers), and confused as to what relevance the sub-cast of characters have to the Freelance Police, however, Telltale have structured the story in such a way that it also feels as if the series is being rebooted for a fresh audience, only giving some minor references to previous events in the other eleven episodes. Essentially, you’ll still be able to keep up with the narrative, as each episode is a self-contained story, but it is part of one large story-arc that will continue over the course of the five episodes. Devil’s Playhouse does follow on from the events of Beyond Time and Space, but it is not integral for the player to have played season 2 before embarking on season 3, even if it does give them added perspective.

That said, I do have an issue with Telltale releasing the third season of Sam and Max on Playstation 3 and iPad, having not allowed Sony and Apple owners the chance to try the previous 2 seasons before thrusting it upon them, then ignoring Xbox 360 and Wii owners who have been playing Sam & Max games over the last year, not giving them season 3. This seems like odd logic and hopefully this is rectified sooner rather than later for all parties involved as this is equally disappointing for all interested and does make things very confusing.

The controls will be familiar to anyone who’s played Tales of Monkey Island on PC and are much friendlier to the Playstation 3 control pad than the point and click interface of previous Sam and Max seasons. You’ll use the left analog stick to control Sam’s movements (or the WASD key combination on PC) and interact with the X button (or mouse click on PC). If you’re using PC and feel more comfortable with a mouse, you can also hold in the left mouse button and drag the mouse around the screen to move Sam wherever you want him to go.

In addition to the new control scheme, the game provides players with a case book that gives a list of suspects involved in the case (including the very characters you control) and also tells you what your current objective is which is also a series first. The inventory system has also undergone a large overhaul. Sam will still carry his possessions he collects around the World in a cardboard box but now each item can now be used, examined and then used on the environment around. It appears Telltale have decided not to implement the TOMI inventory scheme which enables players to use items on other items and kept faithful to previous seasons of Sam and Max. While I understand Telltale wanting to remain loyal to previous instalments, I’ve always felt it to be a lacking feature in several of their games, but perhaps that’s because I’ve taken the ‘use item a on item b’ for granted on other adventure games. This doesn’t detract from the overall experience, but I was surprised after playing Tales of Monkey Island that the feature had been taken out of the Devil’s Playhouse.

Another new addition to The Penal Zone is Max’s TOYS wheel brought to life from the Devil’s Toybox, which enables him to do strange, weird and wonderful things such as gaze into the future and teleport to other areas. The opening scene of The Penal Zone will allow the player to experiment with Max’s other abilities. With a set of 3D viewing glasses, Max can now gaze at a particular object in the environment and see what will happen to it in the future. This is also applicable to Sam and can actually give the player a large clue as of what they need to do next to further the story. This is an incredibly innovative and clever way to offer hints to the player without outright telling them what to do as previous Telltale games have been guilty of. Players can also teleport Sam and Max to areas of the game very quickly using another of Max’s abilities. Not only is this a great way to navigate through the game quickly, it also offers new methods of puzzle solving which are cleverly crafted into the game.

Gimme that sandwich!

As always, the voicing of Sam and Max is brilliant and highly appropriate for both characters. Everyone suits and plays their role very well. Everyone seems to fit the bill, from the serious security guard, to the grouchy old salty seadog grandpa Stinky, Telltale have a brilliant cast in place and are confidently recreating the World of the Freelance Police and making it their own. The music is still as wonderfully quirky as ever, with saxophones and pianos creating apt background melodies and tracks for tension and humour placed perfectly. In the sound department, Telltale have yet to put a foot wrong.

To put it simply, The Penal Zone is the best of Telltale Games, all the lessons learned, all of their trials and errors figured out and properly implemented. What Telltale have managed to create is the definitive adventure experience, taking elements from previous games they’ve released and moulding them together perfectly to create something truly brilliant. The story is excellent, the writing as good as its ever been, the controls suit, the graphics are top notch, the voice work and sound effects are spot on; there really is no reason to fault the first episode of The Devil’s Playhouse. Even though this is the beginning of the third series, this is as solid an introduction to Sam and Max adventure games as has ever been released. I cannot recommend this title enough for anyone who wants to experience a true gaming sitcom, whether it is for the first time or not. Absolutely brilliant!

How We Review Games

Now I’m 27, and while the thought of picking up such artillery in the re-imagined version of DOOM 2 didn’t nearly have the same impact on me, the moment I fired up the game and heard the opening track, stood behind two marines poised for battle, I knew exactly where to go, I knew exactly what to do and I was ready for action!

The question is, for 800 Points, were these memories of a gaming yesteryear really worthwhile or should Bethesda have stayed well away from putting their name against a fifteen year old game? Read on to find out more…

DOOM 2 obviously follows on from the events of DOOM, still set on hellish mars with a sole marine fighting for his existence amidst a slew of horrific beasts and tortured souls. Lets face it, DOOM wasn’t remembered for its story, it wasn’t revered as the grandfather of the FPS genre because of its ability to weave a captivating narrative. It’s because of the ability to terrify, to place the player against utterly unfair odds, to force you to turn the corner of one creepy corridor to the next and face wretched evil abominations that have utter bloodlust in their eyes and resentment in their gut for your living presence. That’s your story. One man armed to the teeth and a crapload of hell desperate to bring him to his knees. There is no real story to speak of here, because these were the days of collecting red, blue or yellow keycards to open doors, and pressing a button to exit a level. The things developers could get away with back then, eh?

Taking that into consideration, unfortunately both Nerve and Bethesda cannot escape the reality that DOOM 2 is an aged game. Even with some fine-tuning (mostly just adding a bit more colour and outline to the characters and locations), this game does look old and haggard. It probably appears that way to us due to the amazing development in technology from the nineties to the noughties, however, to me the pixels seem much more prominent, there is limited mobility in NPCs, no chance of jumping and no way of aiming with the right thumbstick. Nerve have kept it all in there from ID’s original vision, whether you like it or not. It’s also worth mentioning that on my 28″ flatscreen TV, the game could not take up the full screen. I understand that this game was probably never designed for modern day technology and that trying to stretch the game any further would be completely detrimental to its quality, but its still difficult not to notice something like that when living and gaming in 2010.

Ah, memories!

The controls seem pretty suited to an Xbox pad and even though this game would have been played primarily via keyboard back in the day, you can play the game pretty effortlessly on Xbox 360. The right trigger will utilise the weapon in your hands, whether that is Chainsaw, Shotgun, Pistol or the BFG and you can cycle through your weapons quickly by pressing Y or B. Pressing the A button will cause your marine to interact with the environment in an effort to open a secret passageway full of goodies or just to press him up against a wall, allowing him to make very disturbing grunting noises. To move around the place pretty quickly, all you need do is hold in left trigger and you will move at a super human speed which is both a really useful and good feature in this port, especially if you remember DOOM can be quite generous with its level length.

The one area that seems the most remastered in this port is the sound. The sound effects of your player breathing heavily still make him sound like a possessed goat and the alarm of all the men and monsters still sound the same when you bump into them, but the music has been changed quite a bit. Granted, that’s not necessarily for the better, as sometimes you might mistake yourself for playing The Secret of Monkey Island when bobbing and weaving along some terrain, but its definitely undergone some changes. Unfortunately, the new take on sound can impact on the atmosphere that DOOM has always prided itself on as it doesn’t really capture the sci-fi horror feel, and any sense of pulling the player away from that sensation is quite devastating to the whole product at this stage of its lifespan. That said, you will still feel as if you’re playing a DOOM game with the sounds of the chainsaw going full throttle and the ‘blam’ of a shotgun piercing craters through life forms of all distinctions.

Its the rabbit that got it!

The other new aspect you’ll find in DOOM 2 is the ability to play local 4 player splitscreen, all collaborating on the same level to focus on its completion, something that would have been either unplayable or impossible fifteen years ago. The game also includes online co-op and deathmatch, which is considerably much easier to set up and play than when connecting to each other through dial-up modems. Playing split-screen can be a convoluted affair and as the game is quite pixelated, the reduction in screen size really does make it difficult to see where you’re going and will force you to squint, especially, as I pointed out earlier, as the game does not take up full screen on most modern day TVs (with mine generally being smaller than most).

The game does also struggle to keep up sometimes, when the action gets a bit hot and heavy and there are multiple people on the screen at anyone time, the engine struggles and has to work overtime to ensure that it works to a passable standard. Again, this is the problem of porting an old game to modern day systems, as the game was probably never designed with such foresight and finds it difficult to compete with the norm in most retail games available today. The online component works ok, the servers seem pretty stable, but does also suffer from stuttering and stammering quite regularly, if, as I said before, the game gets overloaded. Still, its nice to see a game utilising local multiplayer, which is becoming more and more of a rarity these days and it is very commendable that they have taken these same features online, while still including a deathmatch mode where you can compete against your friends, as well as alongside them.

All in all, this is a pretty full package. The normal thirty two map DOOM 2 campaign is included, which is quite a full experience in of itself, but the package also includes an expansion created especially for this remake, ‘No Rest for the Living’, which is a nine map homage to the DOOM legacy, most notably DOOM’s first episode, Knee Deep in the Dead. The game also ships with an online and local component, which is an attractive short-term diversion from other gaming experiences. All things considered, I really did enjoy my return to DOOM 2 and felt satisfied by the amount available to me. Yet, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was a missed opportunity and thought how cool it would be if DOOM 2 had been allowed to live with a whole new graphics set, perhaps bringing it up to the same standard as the graphical monster DOOM 3. How would this game look, feel and play if it was given a completely fresh coat of paint comparable to the standards of today? That said, for retro lovers such as myself, I’m also glad that its been maintained this way, as modern day players can see how much gaming has truly changed in the last decade and get a real taste of how much first person shooters have  evolved. DOOM 2 was a standard bearer for the FPS genre and  forced all other devs to raise their game to the level at which they’re at right now.

Basically, if you didn’t grow up with DOOM 2, if the thought of dipping into some retro to relive the ‘good old days’ is not your cup of tea, you’re highly unlikely to want this port at all. If, like me, you crave a little of nostalgia every now and again, this is an absolutely essential addition to your collection.