Stay tuned!

16.12 In the media centre, all set up… there’s not a lot going on right now, but there’s a lot of setting up… not much to report, people seem fairly relaxed.

16.47 At the moment I am watching a feed of the rehearsals for the Fellowship.

18.17 People are starting to arrive – Suzi Perry and Chris O’Dowd have come through. Dom Joly expected in a few minutes.

18.22 Limited WiFi, unfortunately! Please stay tuned.

18.37 Dom Joly is in the house – comes over very well. However, although he thinks it is great that women play games he ‘wouldn’t like it if his wife or girlfriend did as that is ‘his area’. I think his tongue was in his cheek.

18.48 Miyamoto just checked in! (Sadly too busy for an interview!) But WOW!

19.22 Right. Red Carpet over (blagged my way in there.) Got some pics… Will post.

Charlie Brooker

Olly Murs

Dom Joly

19.35 Taking a breather.  This is hard work!

OK – titbits… Same on the journos asking Edith Bowman purely about women and gaming.

Suzie Perry – has been playing games since she was 9. Pong, was what she started on!

Olly Murs – regrets telling someone that if he got through the first few rounds of X Factor he’d give them his PS3 as he’d have no time to play. He misses it now!

19.44 I haven’t had a pee since 10am…

20.20 There’s general milling going on… not much to report. Awards soon, though.

20.22 May resort to tweeting from phone… half laptop battery left… :-/

20.20 Meh. It says I have enough.

20.50 Dara O’Briain is on stage and introduces himself as Soap McTavish. Also made a joke about the ApocolyPS3… Pretty funny.

20.52 He just asked Miyamoto why you have to jump on bosses three times… Brilliant.

20.54 Michelle Ryan is introduced to give the award for Best Action Game.

20.55 Up for this: Assassins Creed 2, Uncharted 2, Arkham Asylum, Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2, inFamous.

20.56 Winner: Uncharted 2!

20.58 Michelle Ryan has the biggest shoulders in Showbiz…

20.58 Next award is for Family and Social, Jason Bradbury and some woman I’ve never heard of presenting this.

21.00 Up for this: Beatles Rock Band, Buzz: Quizworld, Eye Pet, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Guitar Hero 5, Wii Sports Resort.

21.02 Winner: Wii Sports Resort.

21.03 Next award is ‘Best use of online’. Presented by Chris O’Dowd and Miles Jacobson.

21.04 Up for this: Uncharted 2, Battlefield 1943, Modern Warfare 2, FIFA 10, Little Big Planet PSP, Singstar: Take That.

21.04 Winner: FIFA 10

21:06 Next award, use of audio, presented by George Lamb.

21.07 Up for this: Flower, DJ Hero, Arkham Asylum, Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Uncharted 2.

21.09 Winner: Uncharted 2

21:10 Handheld category, Suzi Perry to announce this!

21.11 Up for this: Little Big Planet, Gran Turismo, Mario & Luigi, Scribblenauts, Professor Layton, Loco Roco 2.

21.13 Winner: Little Big Planet PSP, well deserved!

21.15 Olly Murr and Lisa Morgan to announce the ‘GAME Award’. Decided by the public.

21.16 Up for this: Modern Warfare 2 (the public are morons), Beatles Rock Band, Wii Sports Resort, Arkham Asylum, FIFA 10, Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Assassins Creed 2, GTA: China Town Wars, Street Fighter IV, Uncharted 2.

21.18 3rd place: Uncharted 2, 2nd Place: Assassins Creed 2, Winner is: Modern Warfare 2. The public proves their detriment to the industry.

21.20 Next up, strategy, Dom Joly and Chris Dearing for this one.

21:22 Up for this: FIFA Manager 10, Plants vs Zombies, Red Alert 3: Uprising, Halo Wars, Football Manager 2010, Empire: Total War.

21.24 Winner is: Empire: Total War.

21.25 Next award is ‘Original Score’. Edith Bowman presents. Looks like she’s on crack.

21.26 Up for this: Modern Warfare 2, Arkham Asylum, Uncharted 2, Assassins Creed 2, PixelJunk Shooter, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

21.27 Winner: Uncharted 2. Naughty Dog are cleaning up here.

21.27 Multiplayer category, Tom Watson MP to present the this one.

21.28 Up for this: Halo 3: ODST, Battlefield 1943, Modern Warfare 2, Uncharted 2, Beatles Rock Band, Left 4 Dead 2.

21.31 Winner: Left 4 Dead 2. Take that Activision.

21.32 Gameplay. Alex Zane to present.

21.33 Up for this one: Uncharted 2, New Super Mario Bros. Wii (seriously?), Modern Warfare 2, Pixeljunk Shooter, Assassins Creed 2, Arkham Asylum.

21.34 Winner is:  Batman: Arkham Asylum. This is not going well for Modern Warfare 2.

21.36 Now sports: Ralph Little presents. Slags off Ubisoft for feather collection. Tells PES devs to get out, and that they dropped the ball.

21.36 Up for sports: DiRT 2, Wii Fit Plus, FIFA 10, FORZA 3, Wii Sports Resort, Football Manager 2010.

21.39 Winner is 2010

21.40 Best story now, unfunny man Kevin Bishop to present.

21.41 Up for this: Arkham Asylum, Broken Sword: Directors Cut, Assassins Creed 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Uncharted 2, Brutal Legend.

21.44 Winner: Uncharted 2.

21.45 Now ‘One to watch’.

21.46 Up for this: Shrunk, Quick as Thieves, Colour Coded.

21.47 The winner is… Shrunk

21.49 Next one up is Artistic Achievement, Dave Gibbons to present this.

21.50 Up for this one is: Arkham Asylum, Assassins Creed 2, Street Fighter IV, Modern Warfare 2 (artistic?!), Flower, Uncharted 2.

21.51 Winner is… Flower!

21.53 Best game award. This is the final one! Presented by Charlie Brooker!

21.54 Up for this one: Modern Warfare 2, FIFA 10, Uncharted 2, Arkham Asylum, Left 4 Dead 2, Assassins Creed 2.

21.55 The winner is… Batman Arkham Asylum. Was certain Naughty Dog were gonna take that one.

21.57 Modern Warfare 2… MWHUHAHAHAHAHA! Only won the award voted for by morons.

21.57 Oh hang on, they lied, there’s another. Ant and Dec to award the Fellowship Award. Couldn’t they get anyone funnier? Someone should tell Dec that a comb over doesn’t disguise his huge forehead.

21.58 The winner is Miyamoto, say what you like about the Wii, but that’s thoroughly deserved.

22.03 So Naughty Dog and Uncharted 2 ‘won’ the BAFTA’s overall. Thoughts?

22.08 Standing ovation for Miyamoto, and deservedly so. Would the games industry be the same without him? I think not.

Winners for Best Game: Batman.

Biggest winners on the night: Uncharted 2

22.38 Well, that was hard work. Couple of soundbites for you: The boys behind Batman told me that they were ‘thrilled’ to have beaten Uncharted 2 to the Best Game Award. The guys responsible for Uncharted 2 promised me that Nathan Drake is here to stay for a long time. While they struggling with their four awards I offered to take one off their hands. They thought I was joking. I wasn’t.

More thoughts: the official photographers etc didn’t know who they were photographing. One was… a bit of snob towards me. Until he realised I knew who the people were, who had won, who was likely to win, etc, suddenly I was his best friend.

One mystery guy flirted with me. I have no idea who he was. When I asked he was very elusive. I still have no idea.

Journalism is very hard. I will post more pictures tomorrow morning, but for now, I need a drink. Actually I need sleep. Thanks for watching.

EDITORS NOTE: That’s it for for the Live Text Folks, I think Bryony deserves a big hand for her hard work today, and I hope in amongst the work she managed to enjoy herself in the process. Well done!

So, with under a month to go until its now concrete release date of April 16^th, does Ubisoft Montreal’s demo show a game that has beaten adversity, or has the uneasy creation period proved too much to recover from? You know how to find out.

Keeping in with the theme of the game, we begin with an informative video created by Sam Fisher’s former employer, The Third Echelon. The video is pretty much an infomercial for Echelon operatives tasked with tracking down Fisher, explaining his many deadly skills. You are informed of Fisher’s status of having gone rogue and how he can strike from anywhere. The video explains that our hero is now using improvised techniques alongside the training he received as the organisation’s first Splinter Cell. This really is a just a clever way to show you some of the moves and abilities you’ll be able to perform throughout the game, but it sets the scene pretty nicely.

When gameplay kicks in, you are oddly presented with two men peeing at urinals in a dingy male toilet (note that Ubisoft took time to use the unspoken men’s room etiquette; one space apart looking nowhere but forward). Suddenly a guy is thrown into the middle urinal by Fisher, who is demanding the name of the man looking for him. The guy is unwilling to spill the beans and upon prompting you are able to smash his face into one of the urinals. During this scene you are first introduced to the ‘background storytelling’ technique, where when key plot points are unravelled, elements of the story might be projected onto the scenery, rather than ripping you away from the action. At first I found it a little visually distracting, but shortly after becoming accustomed to it, it seems that it’s a very smart technique for keeping the action flowing. You are informed that a guy called Kobin wants you dead, and after a little more ‘gentle persuasion’ (walking him around the room and seeing how he erm… ‘interacts’ with certain parts of the scenery), you soon find out why. It also turns out that Kobin is the ‘drunk driver’ responsible for the death of Fishers daughter, something which took place prior to events in Double Agent.

'I can't go while someone else is in the room!'

After disposing of your toilet buddy, you are taken to a scene with two Third Echelon operatives discussing how Sam had made Kobin talk and that he’s already on to them. This is where the game starts for real, as Fisher is stood outside a warehouse that is hiding weapons testing. This level is pretty much a tutorial, and just like the story telling, the instructions appear on the surroundings. The first thing you are taught to do is take cover by running up to any object and holding the left trigger. To stay perfectly in cover you must hold the left trigger all the time. A new cover-to-cover system is employed here and it’s similar to what you might have found in Eat Lead or the Terminator Salvation game. Lean out and you can point to your next piece of cover and Sam will automatically run there. After that you get to take down your first enemy; he’s unsuspecting, so all you have to do is hit ‘B’ and Sam will take him down silently with hand-to-hand combat. Next up, you are shown the ‘tag’ execution system. By aiming at an enemy and hitting RB, you tag them, you can do this on more than one guy, and then when you press ‘Y’ they will both be taken down quickly and efficiently. With both guys down you are advised to reuse these tactics to infiltrate the Echelon’s Warehouse. The controls here are extremely smooth and intuitive; very easy to get to grips with.

Upon reaching the warehouse door, you can revisit one of Sam’s old tricks allowing you to peek under doors using an optical cable and then tag enemies without exposing yourself. Of course, what’s stopping you from simply tagging every enemy? Well you can only do this on a maximum of three guys at any one time, and the ability has to be earned beforehand by performing a hand-to-hand takedown, meaning that you will also have to rely on your aim at some point. Aside from being advised that you can use your new sonar goggles to highlight all enemies within a certain parameter, that is all the tutorial tells you as you work your way around the warehouse taking out the guards. That said, you can play through this demo in an entire multitude of ways. If you’re like me you’ll aim to be super-stealthy, trying to remain almost invisible, but you can have more of a gung-ho approach if you wish. There is more equipment and weaponry than what the tutorial tells you, for example there are sticky cameras that you can throw on a surface to scope the area, make distracting noise and can even be detonated. You can drag people over ledges just like before, and there are multiple ways to dispose of people. Because you do have that bigger arsenal than the tutorial reveals, it is definitely worth playing through this demo a number of times and experimenting with what is presented to you.

The demo is fairly short, however what is prevalent throughout is unquestionable quality in all areas. Everything from this demo’s level design, the voice acting (which I’m pleased to say that Michael Ironside is back on vocal duties after all!), and greatly detailed graphics, you get the impression that there was never anything to worry about. There are some things missing that people might regard as integral to the Splinter Cell experience, such as the ability to drag and hide bodies for example and making noise seems to have less of an impact, but as it stands this is a little taste of what in my mind now is going to be a great game. While it still has much to prove in terms of multiplayer and the much hyped co-op experience, this is now a day one purchase for me.

What type of coverage is exactly yet to be decided, but rest assured we’ll be bringing you all the news from one of the industries big award shows.

One of the biggest statements that he made was that he has a Google alert for anything with ‘Gears of War’ in it and that he and the team read as much as they can so they call get the feedback, this includes forums posts too. What better way to test this statement by giving the TIMJ view on what should be considered next for Gears of War.

Ok, so this may be a long shot but here is hoping the powers the be make this article pop up on Cliffy B’s alert box so he can become a friend of TIMJ, and possibly comment on my thoughts.

The first thing that I would like to comment on is the co-op. After the first game, we (as fans) asked for ‘Gears’ to allow us four player co-op. Instead we got ‘Horde’ to play, which allowed up to five players to work together, to fight against waves upon waves of the locust horde. This game mode was excellent for a while but I thought needed some variation between levels, possibly some rotation between the different settings to allow more flexibility. A good idea to could be to add specific mission objectives into the mix, key areas that that players have to take, or tasks to complete during each level.

The second point here, I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we would like to see actual four player co-op throughout the story mode. It’s all well and good allowing us to play just as Marcus and Dom, but it would be nice to play as some of the other main characters too. What could be even better is to give players the choice of who they’d like to play as throughout the campaign, maybe using a selection screen like you would see in Left 4 Dead, allowing the player to pick their own character to play through the story, adding extra replay value.

The story is something that is well presented but needs a lot more character depth. Exploration into Marcus and Anya’s relationship would be good, there is obviously some sexual tension between them, possibly showing some potential vulnerability. It would also be nice to have a section of the story that delves into Marcus’s past maybe witnessing him storming his father’s house to rescue him.

Further investigation into what the locust are doing with the humans is clearly the next step, and finding out where the creatures originated from soon is key. The plot at this moment seems to point towards them being genetically created, it would be good to clarify that. Ty was a character that I personally liked, and in the Gears 2 narrative I really wanted to see what made him take his own life, what horrors he saw. A flashback moment, or maybe introducing a new character would explain this; one that survives the torture and is rescued, then you can delve into that a bit more by allowing him to tell his story.

I felt the same after Gears 2!

The weapon and armour on Gears have always suited the mythology and the characters themselves, however the one thing that would be nice would be to have a little more variety with them. One way to achieve this could be character classes and have more than just one type of each weapon. There is also nothing preventing upgradable weapons and armour to be more effective against your enemies. I personally (surprise surprise – Andy) see no reason why an RPG element can’t be added into gameplay, and the above would be one way to achieve that. Also, that silly button bashing mini-game needs to go. It’s okay the first couple of times, but with no variety it’s a little boring.

The level design is something I have always liked but why not remove some of that linearity, give us room to explore or make difficult choices. I’m not saying make it an open world game, but even that could make an interesting concept or spin-off (hint hint). Allowing the player to take on missions in their own time and in any order would be a nice twist on an old format. Being able to explore Sera, above and below ground, would be brilliant. You could even have it so that you travel the world and enter ‘dungeons’ (linear levels) tying in both types of gameplay.

Finally the multiplayer, which turned out to be a bit of a game breaker with GOW2. It’s an untouchable experience when it works, however I think the next game cannot be released in the state GOW2 was. The online infrastructure needs to be 100% bedded down before it’s release to Joe Public. I know it’s a hard ask but nobody likes continuous title updates, look at what happened with not only GOW2, but what’s also happening currently with Modern Warfare 2; people won’t wait around forever.

So, Cliff, I hope you’re reading this and that you take some of these suggestions on board. I think you guys do a good job but there is nothing stopping you from improving that award winning formula. I’m also sure that some of our readers and other staff have some suggestions too, or maybe they just want to disagree with my selection of changes that I’d make.

We love you, but please for the love of god, give us a Gears of War that works properly and will make us want to play through that storyline more than the once, and not feel unsatisfied and demoralised by the end of it. For a free, no obligation consultation, tweet me up on @zerocool3397 or just email me. I promise it’s for the good of the COG’s.

Things start out in a horrifically cheesy tone, with the protagonist Rico Rodriguez a.k.a. Scorpio meeting with… hang on a second, Scorpio? Rico Rodriguez?  I knew that this game was never going to have a particularly engaging narrative, but what a lazy naming convention. Who else will be making an appearance I wonder? Rico’s young but plucky (and rocket launcher wielding) sidekick Tito? Or perhaps a mysterious Italian informant who goes by the name of Flavio di Pizza, who it turns out is a bad guy of course because, well, he’s European and they’re always evil. Especially if they wear a suit, which I imagine Flavio will. Anyway, Scorpio (sigh) is meeting with the leader of The Reapers, no not those ones, a group of rebel mercenaries who look to overthrow the self serving dictator Baby Papay, who rules the island of Panau with an iron fist since his father popped his clogs under mysterious circumstances. Well I say mysterious, Papay clearly killed him.

This introduction is mercifully brief however and after being introduced to our extremely unlikable but generously equipped protagonist we’re dropped right into the action with only one objective, turn the entire island into a flaming mass. The lifeblood of Just Cause 2 is chaos, which is accrued by killing the occupying forces, destroying property and also taking over government strongholds such as radio towers which will then be occupied by Reaper forces. There seems to be a decent level of variety in the different strongholds, and based on the size of the map there’s certainly no shortage of them. I found myself being a bit frustrated however as there aren’t any visual cues that point you in the direction of which structures need to be destroyed or what items need to be picked up within each stronghold, which resulted in me wasting a sizeable chunk of the demo’s half hour playtime.

I decided that my first target would be a small village at the bottom of the hill I was standing atop. As I looked down on the settlement I was about to reduce to a cinder I couldn’t help but admire how lush the island looks. The draw distance seems limitless and the detail is impressive, the former of which is extremely useful when planning an attack. Since I hadn’t built up any heat at this point I could have walked straight into the town without too much interference from the local militia, but where’s the fun in that? So my approach involved off-roading my jeep down the hill towards the village towards the petrol station on the outskirts and once I had gained a decent bit of momentum I jumped onto the roof of the car using the very well executed stunt driving controls. As my vehicle hurtled towards the very, very explosive station I was unloading both of my submachine guns at anything that moved before jumping off at the last minute to see the entire thing go up in flames. It was pretty damn epic. It also gave me the opportunity to see just how well the Avalanche engine handles destruction, which it does admirably and seems to particularly set up some nice chain reactions.

Any chance of a lift mate?

After my outrageously stylish entrance however it all got a bit stale. The core gunplay is pretty boring with the enemy AI being extremely simplistic. Every location is littered with destructible environments and explosive barrels which helps to keep things exciting, but there really isn’t enough depth to the shoot em’ up element of the game to keep me interested for an extended period of time. Scorpio’s grappling hook can also be used as a weapon ala Bionic Commando, but it seems like the only move he is capable of is throwing them through the air which only has the desired effect if they happen to be standing at the edge of a cliff. Melee attacks are equally uninspiring and seem to be as powerful as whipping the enemies with a wet fern, with would be fair enough if enemies could be annoyed to death but doesn’t really have a place in Just Cause 2. Enemies are also able to absorb a hail of bullets before going down unless you score a headshot, which is nigh on impossible unless you use the zoom function, slowing yourself to a crawl in the process. Basically, don’t expect to win a fight through finesse in Just Cause 2, shock and awe is the only effective way to see you through the revolution.

After “reclaiming” a couple of strongholds and causing an acceptable level of carnage in the name of the Reapers, a Faction Mission is unlocked which seem to be essentially the same as the stronghold assaults, except much bigger and with more things to blow up. A different approach was required this time in order to get myself over the vast wall of the complex I was trying to infiltrate, so I decided that Scorpio’s slingshot move would do the trick. The slingshot makes use of both his grappling hook and parachute, launching him in the air before deploying the parachute to control his descent. It’s a very quick way of getting around the island, but doesn’t allow for much of a controlled entrance. Pushing forward to gain some speed results in the control of the parachute resembling a wonky unicycle, while pulling back somehow manages to levitate you even further in the air. The view from that high in the air is undoubtedly remarkable, just don’t expect to hit your landing zone, or anything within a few hundred yards of it for that matter.

Just Cause 2 pushes a lot of the right buttons and when you run through a list of the ingredients it should result in a winning concoction; high octane action, breathtaking stunts, massively destructive environments and a well accomplished sandbox element. However, it just doesn’t seem to come together well and falls apart when it comes to the more basic elements, with the gunplay and grappling hook mechanics in dire need of an overhaul. The general tone and pace of the game reminds me a fair bit of the film Desperado which can only be a good thing, but it’s going to need to do a lot better if it wants to really break out of the pack, and not be remembered in the same light as that weird bit where Enrique Iglesias sets everyone on fire with a guitar case.

This week, news from the Game Developer’s Conference, including first real details on Sony’s Motion Control Device, major announcements from Infinity Ward, Lucasarts and Telltale, first details on Ghost Recon: Future Soldier and Arkham Asylum 2 and a Doctor Who game?!

Playstation’s Motion Controlled Named ‘Move’ at Game Developers Conference – Semi Launch-Line up revealed including SOCOM 4
Credit: GDC, CVG, Joystiq
This is probably the biggest story to come out of the Game Developer’s Conference this week. Sony unveiled that their motion controlled device would be called ‘Playstation Move’ (dumbest name ever) and we were treated to how the device will operate with selected titles. It appears during its release schedule we will have a game called ‘Move Party’ filled with mini-games; there was also an as yet untitled beat-em-up game, some compatibility with Eye Pet and full compatibility with SOCOM 4! Sony also announced that the product would retail for under $100 dollars and bundles with the Playstation Eye will be shipping out at launch. Just like the Wii, there will also be a nun-chuck like accessory meaning both hands will be full while you’re waggling your way to victory!

In Sterling, I estimate that the Playstation Move will cost you between £65-£70 on its lonesome.

Gran Turismo 5 delays explained … it’s compatible with Move
Credit: CVG
So, like me you’re probably wondering why Gran Turismo 5 has been taking so long to come out. Initially confirmed to be a PS3 launch title, four years on, we’re still waiting. However, it appears as if a listing from the official US site for Sony’s new darling can finally shed some light.

It’s going to be compatible with Move.

Listings on the site also reveal compatibility for Disney’s upcoming Split/Second and ModNation Racer. With three big releases now partially confirmed to be involved with the device, it tends to suggest that there will be a big push to use Move as a racing wheel accessory when we come closer to launch.

Whether this confirms GT5 as a ‘Move’ Launch title or not has yet to be determined, but if this is true, Natal may just have a battle on its hands.

Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition to be released on Playstation Network and MAC
Credit: GDC, Joystiq, CVG
Finally, Lucasarts have confirmed a port of Monkey Island Special Edition is coming to both Playstation and Mac. Furthermore, the game is also making the jump to the Telltale games store as well as InstantAction.com. There are currently no details as to when the game will hit the services but this is a big plus to adventure gaming fans on both PS3 and MAC.

Lucasarts announce Monkey Island 2: Le Chuck’s Revenge Special Edition for Summer release
Credit: GDC, Joystiq, CVG
There is a God …

In addition to the above news, announced at GDC 2010, representatives from Lucasarts alongside series creator Ron Gilbert and former LEC employee Tim Schaefer came on stage during a pirate themed party to reveal they are working on Monkey Island 2: SE to be released this Summer on XBLA, PSN, PC and iPhone!

This isn’t simply the same ’special edition’ treatment applied to last year’s edition; instead, fans can expect a new control mechanism. “In addition to the point-and-click interface, we’ve added the ability to move Guybrush around, so you feel more connected to him,” said LucasArts’ Craig Derrick, project lead on all Monkey Island products.

Also exclusive to this edition is never-before-seen art from Peter Chan and Steve Purcell and a developer commentary for fans of the series! Of course, that’s in addition to all the stuff you’d expect from the special edition treatment, including high-definition art, remastered music, full voiceover track, and the ability to swap between original and ’special edition’ modes. Derrick even said they’ve “re-imagined” each character, citing fan displeasure with Guybrush’s hair in the first special edition.

Considering this is my favourite game of all time, I cannot wait!

Sam and Max Season 3 coming to PC, Mac and PS3 this April
Credit: GDC, Telltale, Joystiq
In a surprising move, Telltale have confirmed Season 3 of Sam and Max to be released on April 17^th on PC, Mac and Playstation 3! This is strange considering Telltale were not supporting MAC a month ago and had no plans to bring their products to Playstation 3. Yet, it seems they have skipped development (at least for the time being) on Xbox 360 and Wii, despite the fact that season 1 and 2 are on XBLA and Season 1 is on Wii, with Season 2 due out ‘shortly’.

Nonetheless, Sam and Max: The Devil’s Playhouse: Episode 1: The Penal Zone will be out on PC, MAC and PS3 on April 17^th. Details on pre-ordering the game have been revealed. You can obtain the whole season on PC and MAC for $34.95 including a free episode of Strong Bad, Wallace and Gromit or an episode from a previous Sam and Max season.

Also, Pre-orders for Sam and Max Season 3 on PS3 start on March 18^th. According to Telltale PR manager Chris Schmidt, pre-ordering the full pack will reduce the cost to $29.99, a minor but not unwelcome discount from the regular price of $34.95.

First Modern Warfare 2 DLC details revealed, due out March 30^th on XBLA.
Credit: Joystiq, SentUAMessage
Long awaited news on the first piece of MW2 DLC has finally surfaced. XBLA gamers will be able to experience five new maps in their playlists in just a few short weeks for 1200 MS points (no, this is not a typo, they really are THAT greedy). As far as we are aware, there will be no new achievements bundled with the maps, but if you’re any fan of COD, this news will bring a big smile to your face.

In addition to three brand new maps recreated for the game, two old school series favourites will be making a return from COD4.

The official listing goes on to say…

“The Stimulus Package delivers 5 additional action-packed multiplayer maps featuring a variety of locations: “Bailout,” a multi-level apartment complex; “Storm,” an open industrial park littered with heavy machinery; “Salvage,” a snowy junkyard fortified by stacked debris and crushed cars. Two legendary fan-favourites from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare return, including “Crash,” a war-torn urban environment; and “Overgrown,” which features a massive dry creek bed.”

Greenday: Rock Band coming out this Summer
Credit Joystiq
Seems the next band to get the Rock Band treatment following on from one of the biggest bands of the 20^th Century is… Greenday. Yeah, I know… don’t go there…

Anyway, Harmonix went out at GDC to confirm that Greenday: Rock Band will be out on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and just about every other format known to humankind this Summer.

Lady GaGa debuts on Rock Band this week
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
Well, it seems the Rock is going out of Rock Band faster by the day. Lady GaGa makes her Rock Band debut this week, alongside 3 Doors Down. Here is the full line up for this Tuesday…

• Lady Gaga – “Bad Romance”
• Lady Gaga – “Just Dance”
• Lady Gaga – “Monster”
• Lady Gaga – “Poker Face”
• 3 Doors Down – “It’s Not My Time”
• Mute Math – “Control”
• South Park – “Poker Face (Cartman version)”
• The Subways – “Oh Yeah”
• The Subways – “Rock & Roll Queen”

(All tracks are original master recordings)

Price:
£0.99 UK (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track
£3.49 UK (560 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “Lady Gaga Pack 01”
(200 Wii Points™) per track

Guitar Hero 6 Confirmed, Gene Simmons to Voice
Credit: GDC, CVG
Well, if you’re to believe the front-man of KISS then Guitar Hero 6 is happening, although that wouldn’t be the biggest surprise ever, right? While not officially confirmed by Activision (even though previous press-releases have announced Guitar Hero games this Autumn), Gene Simmons appeared on ITN’s Game-On Programme and said ‘I’m the Voice of Guitar Hero 6’.

Pretty straight forward and to the point. I’m sure a statement from Activision is forthcoming so that they can confirm the inevitable.

Shame we’re not looking at a Guitar Hero: KISS game, though. That would be pretty cool.

Aliens vs Predator DLC out this week
Credit: CVG
 The first batch of DLC for two of sci-fi horror’s most feared entities drops on March 18, Sega has confirmed.

This Swarm Map Pack is set to include four multiplayer arenas originally offered for free to Special Edition purchasers; Docks and Machine (which work across all game modes), plus Hive and Outpost (which are Survivor maps).

The pack will cost 540 Microsoft Points (£4.60) when it hits Xbox 360 and Games for Windows and £4.79 on PS3.

First Ghost Recon Future Soldier Details land
Credit: CVG
Exciting times indeed. Future Soldier takes place 10-15 years after Advanced Warfighter and has the Ghosts out to stop an ultra nationalist group that has managed to depose the Russian President.

The Ghost team will also be packing lots of high-tech gear such as stealth cloaks, armoured ground drones and exoskeleton legs. With the exo-skeleton legs, the Ghosts can jump, roll and throw themselves over the battlefield.
Also, the big story is the game supports four player drop in/drop out co-op and controversially, the game features no squad commands like it’s predecessors. Character classes also play a pivotal role in the new game, with players receiving specific, unique bonuses for their chosen role (optical camo for Recon, heart sensors for Snipers, shoulder mounted missiles for Commandos).

The sounds almost like a complete reboot for the franchise which you’re either going to love or hate. More details are sure to land prior to the Beta.

Possible details on Batman Arkham Asylum 2 leaked through IMDB page?
Credit: IMDB, CVG
Part of me hates this, and part of me likes it. However, if an IMDB page listing is to be believed, the next Batman game from Rocksteady Studios will feature the Boy Wonder in tow with the Caped Crusader. The voicing for Robin is to be Vincent Martella, who is also scheduled to voice Robin in an upcoming animation called Batman: Under the Hood.
The IMDB page goes on to list a casting for Two Face (whose presence in future installments was teased at the end of Arkham Asylum 1) and will be voiced by Bruce Greenwood

Mark Hamill is still listed to play the Joker, as is Kevin Conrad as Batman. The game also hints at the return of Harley Quinn and Commissioner Gordon.

The IMDB page finally states that the game is scheduled for release in 2010!

Doctor Who game coming to Wii and DS this Holiday following $10 Million Deal
Credit: The Sun, CVG
While ‘The Sun’ isn’t the most credible source of information in the World, it appears they have stumbled across a gem of information with some confirmations from Dave Tennant and Nintendo. Apparently, Nintendo recently agreed to a contract said to be worth $10 million and will release games featuring the adventures of new Doctor, Matt Smith.

The game is set to feature familiar entrants into the series including the Daleks, the Cybermen and the Silurians.

An insider told the paper: “This has been in the pipeline for years. We’re delighted to have finally nailed down a deal. We went with Nintendo as they have huge appeal for families and Doctor Who is very much a family brand.

The Wii console is key for us as it’s something families play together.”

Former Doctor, David Tennant added: “The video game was quite actively developed, but it’s difficult to nail as the Doctor doesn’t blow things up. He’s not Batman, who goes around smacking people in the head.”

For more details, keep your eyes peeled on a telephone box near you!

Mass Effect 2: Kasumi’s Stolen Memory Out April 6^th
Credit: Joystiq
The next piece of Mass Effect 2 DLC has finally been given a release date of April 6^th for an undisclosed fee. This will add a new achievement, a new playable character and a 90 minute campaign which can be played during or after the main story of the game.

More details to come closer to release.

Mass Effect 2 has 700 Plot Hooks to Mass Effect 1
Credit: GDC, IGN
If you’ve wondered just how much your actions in Mass Effect 1 will affect your game in Mass Effect 2, a demonstration at the GDC from Bioware should give you some perspective. During a talk that was called ‘Get Your Game Out Of My Movie! Interactive Storytelling in Mass Effect 2’ Armando Troisi, Bioware’s Lead Cinematic Director for the Mass Effect franchise described Mass Effect’s built-in ability to read your game save files as the series ‘uber-feature’ and said there are roughly 700 “plot-hooks” in Mass Effect 1 that carry over one way or another into Mass Effect 2.

Without going into any further details, Troisi also said that Mass Effect 3 will place the same importance on save files and player actions.

Wow!

Natal full launch line-up to be shown at E3
Credit: CVG, Joystiq
While details are still a bit sketchy on the ground, Microsoft spokespeople have again confirmed that more details will be revealed at this years E3, including the full launch-line up for Microsoft’s camera, voice, body recognition system. With developers such as Bethesda (Fallout New Vegas support anyone?), Bioware, Lionhead and EA already developing titles for the system, we can already anticipate that the launch schedule will be big, but just how far it will go is anyone’s guess. One thing is for sure, this is the year the motion sensitive war begins and there will be no mercy shown in the run up to Christmas!

On XBLA this Week
Credit: Major Nelson, Xbox 360 Achievements
We return to games on Deal of the Week, except this time, it is an Xbox Classic rather than a more up to date release. You can now purchase the original Fable for 800 points. This was a brilliant game and while there are elements that have not aged so well, this is still a lot of fun and an excellent price point for a classic. If you’re any kind of fan of the series, you should consider checking this out.

As for XBLA, another classic by the name of Perfect Dark comes onto our radars. Also being released for 800 points, this is the third release in the Xbox Live House Party and the third retro release that Rare have brought to the Arcade. Perfect Dark will feature single-player, multiplayer, co-op and enhanced visuals and sounds. From the N64 to the Xbox 360, Perfect Dark will surely be a popular talking point this Wednesday.

Thanks for reading another Weekly News Round with This Is My Joystick. If you have any news stories you’d like to report or if you have a game or product you’d like for me to look into and dig up the latest news on it, then you can send me a message on my Twitter @RayWillmott or leave a message on our facebook group then your news or request will be featured on the next News Round and you will be equally credited for it. If you are obtaining this information from another source, please ensure you give appropriate credit.

The mechanic of building up your world beating team doesn’t come in the conventional, with form players, managers, stadia, contracts and performance enhancing drugs (or stat boosts); it comes in the guise of old school card packs. You know the ones I mean; those inviting tin foil packets of ten or so flimsy scraps of paper that you already have firmly attached to your despairingly empty looking Panini book. Presumably EA Sports are aware of just how much money we all vainly pissed away into those sticker books as kids (or I did at least) and wanted to recreate that same feeling of senseless addiction, although I have to say that it does work pretty well. Cards are split into Bronze, Silver and Gold categories with each category having both common and rare varieties, allowing for a range of players with skill reaching the heights of Lionel Messi, right down to the lows of Sol Bamba.

Although you are granted a free set of bronze players to get you started, it’s necessary to build up your collection early on which is where the store comes in. Buying a pack of cards adds a random combination of players and consumables to your collection, which can then be assigned to your active team as you see fit. The feeling of anticipation is always palpable in those few seconds before you find out what you’ve actually bought, although disappointment will often set in as it’s very difficult to acquire some of the more exclusive player cards. The interface is pretty minimal but still slick enough to allow you to switch cards between your collection and active squad without too much fuss.

My main point of contention with the Store system however, is how accessible EA Sports have made the option to spend MS Points or cold cash on cards. Ultimate Team has an internal currency system which allows you to build up coins through selling cards to other players or playing games, with the rewards becoming sweeter as your challenges become more difficult. It works well and I found spending my hard earned coins on a new player or card pack to be immensely satisfying. It intensifies the feeling that I’ve actually gradually built a team and earned my new batch of players. However every time that I choose the option to buy a card pack a prompt is displayed reminding me that I could spend my points, or I could just skip all of that bothersome hard work and throw down some notes for a bit of instant success.

The playing field would be considerably levelled if the option to spend MS points was removed, although I suppose that’s a bit of an unrealistic suggestion considering the countless transactions that have probably passed into EA Sports coffers since Ultimate Team’s release. As it stands at the moment a considerable portion of Ultimate Team players have clearly taken the Roman Abramovich route, with my ragtag group of plucky underdogs regularly being drawn against what is essentially the Brazilian national team, led by Alex Ferguson. Then again, it does make it all the more satisfying when I register a win against the lazy sell-outs.

As I gathered a more impressive looking team I found that better transfers could be had in the trading menu, which provides an auction system for you to buy individual cards as well as offload your old ones. It works in a similar fashion to pretty much every online auction in existence but certainly isn’t any worse of for it. It’s a perfectly functional system that allows players to be a bit more specific with the cards that they add to their roster. I also like that any bids made on cards within the last few seconds of the auction will result in an extra fifteen seconds being added to the auction, which should deter all of those speculators waiting until the last second to snatch away that elusive Cristiano Ronaldo card.

You can have a lineup like this too! After you hand over about thirty notes...

There’s more to Ultimate Team than simply amassing as many Messi cards as you possibly can, although it certainly goes a long way. A significant factor in how your team plays is the chemistry that your players have with each other, which is affected by an impressive number of conditions to give you a little bit more to think about than each player’s skill. Putting players in the right position and picking a formation will yield positive results, but the way that players interact with each other has much more of an impact. Players of the same nationality or who are based at the same club play better when they are positioned next to each other and as a result successful managers will have to juggle their formations depending on where the majority of the squad hails from.

The chemistry system is a necessary one as it forces an extra level of strategy upon the players who want to build up a Galacticos style team, however the effect that poor chemistry has on the pitch can be drastic at times which can cause a lot of hassle for up and coming teams. Passes will be misplaced, cross will float into the keeper’s arms, shots will be sliced and crucially, players seem to insist on taking an extra touch before releasing the ball. It’s a bit too drastic, especially considering the cards that you’re initially provided with barely manage to get your team chemistry near 40%.

Consumable cards are available to subtly convince players to your way of thinking however, such as changing their preferred formation. Training cards can also be used to temporarily boost player stats, fitness, morale or heal injuries. It’s good to see that a player’s stats can only be increased for the next game, as in FIFA 09’s Ultimate Team it was possible to indefinitely improve every aspect of a player’s game until even Kirk Broadfoot was capable of scoring from the half way line.

After assembling my team of stars it was time to throw them into the deep end with a couple of games. Single standalone games are an option but the real excitement comes through the Tournaments, which are implemented with a surprising level of depth. Tournaments are split into Single Player and Online categories with your team being allowed to enter one of each at any particular time. To keep things interesting each tournament has a specific set of entry requirements, which range from only having bronze players in your team to having no more than two players of the same nationality in the squad. The combinations of different criteria result in prospective managers having to think about what kind of players they want to buy and means that amassing a squad of gold star internationalists won’t always mean success across the board. The restrictions on tournaments could have made switching the different players between squads awkward, but a simple mechanic that allows you to save formations and specific squads makes it much easier to flick between them prior to your next cup run. EA Sports also appear to be making an effort to keep the community as active as possible through the Feature Tournaments, which are limited edition competitions with their own unique pre-conditions.

As long as this is regularly updated then I can’t see any reason why the lifespan of Ultimate Team can’t extend right up until the release of FIFA 11. For gamers like myself who love the idea of taking a team that was crafted with their own hand up against other players, FIFA 10’s Ultimate Team is a relatively safe purchase. Even if that’s not your bag however don’t be put off straight away, as Ultimate Team provides a surprisingly in-depth new game mode for a very reasonable price. At £3.99, Ultimate Team actually sits at the top end of the value for money spectrum, which is especially shocking considering its source. Then again, how much money you’ll be tempted into blowing in the aid of actually winning a few games, I wouldn’t be surprised if EA Sports haven’t already made a pretty tidy return on their investment!

How We Review Games

This episode features the usual bunch, with Andy “Milo molester” Corrigan, Joe “can I just tell one joke?” Staley, and Trent “Records on a Dictaphone” Pyro being lead by myself Andrew “Can’t stop swearing” Knight, as we waffle our way through some not so latest gaming news. Still there is plenty to be enjoyed as we discuss…

• Valentines Day losers
• Games we’ve played
• We rant about aspects of gaming that annoy us
• Try and come up with some news to discuss
• How to abuse a virtual child (only joking, Feds)
• We also have usual features Gamer’s Dic, and Getting To Know You

Music featured at the end of the show is called “NueroFunk Experiment” by DJ Bjra and can be found here.

The episode should be appearing on iTunes shortly as soon as the RSS feeds refresh, or you can stream it or download it below. iTunes users, please drop us a review and help spread the word of the site. If you have any questions or talking points please feel free to email us on podcast@thisismyjoystick.com.

Multiplayer gaming is what people look to more often than not these days, but for me, I like to take into consideration games that my partner (Kirsty) can play with me. The amount of co-op games is on the rise, some good and some bad, but the shift is obvious; co-op is the new single player!

So, what’s the attraction of co-op gaming? For me it’s because I can hold a conversation with Kirsty that doesn’t involve any over- explanation because she doesn’t have a clue what I’m on about. Co-op is also something that we can do together and work as a team which beats playing with yourself (no pun intended… well maybe a little). You can discuss tactics and have a laugh, and you can also explore the story together. The main problem when it comes to co-op gaming is finding a decent game to play, so I have decided to do you a list with my recommendations in no particular order.

Halo 3 and ODST

Let's take a drive.

That’s right folks you guessed it, Halo! So, it’s been out a while and you may have already played it, but have you played it with up to three of your mates? If not then that’s ok, there is time for you yet. Halo features up to four player co-op so if you want to start your co-op experience I would start here. Halo 3 may not be the longest game made but if you start on the normal difficulty then increase it once you have finished it once, you can get some real fun out of this game. It also has one of the most brilliant stories in any game, as well as one of the most iconic characters ever.

The same accusation of a brilliant story can be said for ODST which focuses more on stealth and picking your fights, rather than a gung-ho attitude. The story also differs from that of Halo 3 as it’s the first time in a Halo game that you don’t play ‘The Master Chief’. This produces two unique challenges to keep you and your chosen partner(s) occupied. If you do get ODST as well, be warned that you also get all of the maps packs (except for the newest one that was released the other week) for Halo 3 and the multiplayer component is on a separate disk.

Verdict: Both these games are great for beginners as they both have a varied spectrum of difficulty settings and really are two different experiences set in the same universe.

Borderlands

Sniper and a Siren sitting in a tree... S.h.o.o.t.i.n.g...

Borderlands approaches storytelling very differently in comparison to other games of its type. There is a beginning, middle and an end, which is all you really need to know. The story is pretty much told through the missions that you can undertake as and when you have unlocked them and in any order. This also features up to four player co-op too or just two player on the same console split-screen. This title literally has hundreds of hours of gameplay, if you fancy completing it as each of the four different characters. There is also a comedic feel to the game and many times you will be laughing at how over the top it is.

Verdict: Because Borderlands is a RPG, you upgrade your abilities as your character gains a level, adding extra depth and another reason to keep playing. With over a hundred missions, what better game to play with others?

Left 4 Dead (1&2)

I don't think we're alone...

What’s not to be said for zombie killing, is there anything that’s more fun?! What better way to spend your evening than to allowing up to three of your mates to partake in hunting the undead (or is it you that’s getting hunted… the lines are a bit blurry). With two games to own and play, there really is a good reason to own both, mainly due to how they provide two different experiences. This game speaks for itself, it doesn’t need a story (survive, that’s about it) and can have you jumping all over the living room in an effort to evade the blasted witch that keeps chasing you at every turn. The other good thing about this game is atmosphere with a capital A. Once you learn the tell tale sounds and have the volume up high and the lights out, you really do get drawn into a zombie apocalyptic where you create your own stories in gameplay. Absolute mayhem.

Essentially you are in a team of four throughout the levels, but if there is only three or less of you, the other members are replaced by the ever helpful AI. A good reason to own both is that you can use melee weapons in the second one; there is nothing more satisfying than killing a zombie with a frying pan (THUNG!).

Verdict: A co-op game that on harder levels really does require and reward team ethic.

Gears of War (1&2)

Marcus and Dom. You can cut the sexual tension with a chainsaw.

Gears is one of those games that just makes you want to play through all the way, even if it’s only the once. Both are fantastic games and although the second game added some nifty features, the original is still the better. Now, even though there are four main characters, Epic didn’t make it a four player affair so you will have to pick one of your mates to join you. Disappointing, but at least you can still play with a friend (seriously I’m not trying to be rude… it just keeps happening).

Verdict: With its cover and flanking system at the heart of it, and a story written with co-op in mind, this is a great game to play with another.

Army of Two (1 & 40th day)

I think I love you, man.

These are two of my favourite co-op games, and I think they should only ever be played in co-op due to the terrible partner AI that you have to contend with when you are on your own (seriously I don’t think it ever kills anything). Salem and Rios are awesome characters and they have a proper ‘bromance’ going on which keeps you entertained if nothing else. The game is pretty much designed to be played co-op and you can reward your partner or bash them over the head if needs be. You also have to do things as a team like hoist your partner up a wall to cover you from up high or hold a shield and have your partner shoot everything from behind you. Working together is essential and there is not many better games in which to do that.

Verdict: Like with Gears of War, this is a game with the co-op aspect at the very core of the experience.

Lego Star Wars/Indiana Jones/Batman

Don't get any ideas Luke, she's your sister.

They’re silly, stupid, OTT and spoofs the respective franchises perfectly, whilst keeping to the original stories.  They’re also bloody hilarious while never uttering a single word. You get to play a vast selection of colourful characters, each with different abilities that require you them to work in sync to get through the levels. These games need no write up and if you’re now looking at this article and saying the words ‘it’s a kid’s game’ you really don’t know what you’re missing. Trust me when I say, playing the Lego games are some of the best times that I have had with another human being (not including the obvious).

Verdict: Great to play with a friend, but if you want these games for online play then look away, as for most of the Lego titles the co-op is local only. Also keep an eye out for Lego Harry Potter which is coming soon.

Resident Evil 5

Chris: 'My bicep is bigger than your head Sheva...'

Yet another helping of resident evil, only minus the zombies and the horror. Although this game isn’t like any of its predecessors, the split-screen/online co-op is thoroughly enjoyable once you get used to the controls. This game works far better in co-op, and even though there aren’t many things to do as a team, you really have to communicate while taking on enemies and bosses. The only atmosphere in the game is the overwhelming sense of urgency, making you work heavily as a team and that is why this is on the list, but if you want zombie carnage look elsewhere.

Verdict: Subtle use of co-op, but as enjoyable as any of the games on the list.

So, that’s my list of great co-op games and I know that you’re thinking I have missed a few. There are a few that maybe could have been considered, such as Modern Warfare 2, Rockband and the like; however that’s just the way it goes. Just for you guys (who are fussy) I will name a few more games for you to have a go on when you have finished the above ones.

Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (1&2): Reasonable co-op experiences, however the second is easily the better with its own separate co-op levels. Best played in a four (or more) man team, whilst drinking.
Rainbow Six Vegas (1&2): Both games co-op components follow the story missions, but the enemy AI is frustrating at times.
Kane and Lynch: Dead Men: Fun till the novelty wears off and has little or no replay value. Also tries to be like the movie HEAT, minus the class.
Crackdown: Brilliant game but no split-screen, you need two Xbox’s and two copies.
The Simpsons game: Tries to be like the Lego series. Only mildly amusing, but worth trying though.
Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3: Only worth it for fans of the series but it’s good fun. Once again, no split-screen, although would have proven to be difficult to implement.
Conflict: Denied Ops: This is the ‘avoid at all costs’ title that you only try in extreme times of desperation. It is however on the better end of the spectrum of some of the bad co-op games.

Why does it always rain on me?
Fear not dear readers, as someone who’s not a big fan of spoilers, I will not be releasing too much information about the plot here past the basic setup, as the story is that important to the experience. Over the course of Heavy Rain, you’ll be taking the role of four different characters, each with their own vested interested in unravelling the mystery of the Origami Killer. The serial killer in question has a long history of kidnapping young boys, drowning them in rain water, then leaving their corpses in an abandoned area with an Origami animal and an Orchid. His latest victim, Shaun Mars, will have a drastic effect on the lives of our four protagonists.

The story here is really the main focus of the entire game, and while studio boss David Cage might make comments of pretence about the game being more of a Hollywood project, the plot is far more TV Movie than Hollywood. Don’t get me wrong, as far as story-based games go it’s pretty ably written, and has a great impact; it’s the driving force that will make you want to play the game over and over to see what happens in different scenarios, but let’s be honest, there won’t be any Oscars heading in Quantic Dreams direction. This is made worse when you realise that certain choices you might make can very well create plot holes. I can’t really go into great detail without spoiling major parts of the plot, but these will become more apparent once you’ve have had a number of playthroughs, and these things mostly come into play in dialogue. Fahrenheit fans and detractors alike will be pleased to know that Heavy Rain avoids the sharp downward spiral of farcical plot devices that the former is famous for. The plot here is more believable, consistent and the experience is much better for it.

What the story does very well is pretty smart characterisation that successfully allows you to bond a little with the characters. This starts as soon as you pick up the pad. Opening as doting father and family man Ethan Mars, you are teased with the perfect life, a real slice of the American dream. In this early portion you are encouraged to get used to the controls by performing some mundane chores such as cleaning your teeth, getting dressed and working your way around the house. This may sound dull, but it’s these little moments of humanisation that helps create the empathetic bond with Ethan, and makes his future struggles seem much more important to you rather than leaving you as a distant puppeteer. Each of the main characters has their own inner demons and weaknesses that make them appear believable, and this is deeply important if you’re going to get any enjoyment out of the game. That’s not to say that the game hits the target of ‘emotional rollercoaster’ that Cage had been banking on, far from it, but the characters definitely have just about the right amount of padding to make you give a damn about their outcomes.

Heavy Rain, not Silent Hill.

Fahrenheit with waggle
One of the major things that has really annoyed me when I’ve read other reviews out there on the interwebs, is the designated writer referring to Heavy Rain as an ‘Experiment’ or that it’s ‘Unique’ as if born of habit rather than observation. If these terms were at all applicable to Heavy Rain, then it wouldn’t simply be the slight evolution on Fahrenheit that it is. If it really is an experiment, then it’s one that begun back in 2005.

Heavy Rain takes what Fahrenheit did well with its control scheme and incorporates it far more smoothly both visually and effectively into the gameplay. The biggest difference here is navigating the various ‘sets’ you’ll encounter. Holding R2 will start your character walking, and then you steer them with the left analogue stick. As mentioned before here and here, this will initially seem very clunky and counter-intuitive, but after a short while of walking around like the T-1000, it will click and soon seem a very natural control method. At any point while you are in ‘free’ control of the character in this fashion you can hold L2 and see what thoughts are buzzing around the characters head, pressing the corresponding button will see that thought read out in the characters inner-monologue, in much the same way as conversations are handled.

Like with Fahrenheit, the general actions throughout the game are handled through context sensitive analogue stick movements and quick time events; basic actions such as picking up a cup might require a simple quarter circle motion, jumping in a certain area will require a simple up motion. There is some evolution in this system, some actions might require a gentle and slow approach, and are signalled by the on-screen directions displaying a broken border, actions that require you to be quick are signalled by a timer appearing within the prompt. Motions that ask for a character’s strength or concentration are generally managed by constant button taps. There are also moments where you’ll need to hold more than one button at a time until one of the prompts has disappeared, and these moments are usually when someone needs a run-up or is climbing through something.

Yet again on a PS3 exclusive, I’m left pondering the use of the six-axis; I’m not entirely sure what I make of it. While still remaining context based, the waggle factor that plagues most Wii games seems completely out of place, even in a game that creates a great sense of pressure and panic throughout the storyline. With a game so story heavy, even one that puts you in moments where you have to think quickly on your feet, shaking the pad to strangle someone or struggle with a door consistently pulled me right out of any immersion the game had previously created.

What is totally different to Fahrenheit, is that you don’t have to manage your characters mental health or morale, nor does it matter if you get caught by the cops. If any of your characters die, the story will simply evolve and end logically without them, although it obviously won’t be a very happy ending.

Yes, she DOES get them out. *Fist pump!*

The game runs at a pretty slow pace all round, so fans of fast-paced action should probably look away, however that doesn’t mean that the game can’t create a sense of urgency. It is undeniably those pressure cooker situations when the game is at its absolute best, forcing you to quickly make decisions that are genuinely uncomfortable to make. It is both interesting and satisfying to see where these choices take you in the branched story structure; however none of it changes all that drastically as the various scenes transpire until right at the end of the game. You might get different information, other characters might appear or be missing in certain situations or certain scenes might play out slightly differently, but the outcome of each will inevitably be the same with just a few possibilities. While the impact of your decisions will definitely be felt, especially at the end, it does take away that sense of freewill that was promised when the hype machine was rolling into town.

Another thing that strips away the sense of freedom is that there are certain objectives that you absolutely must achieve before the game will allow you to end a scene, and its here you realise just how restricted you actually are within that contained environment. What is true though, is that there is enough flexibility over the entirety of the game, that once you’ve completed the story and seen what sequence of events happened in your ending, you’ll think back to certain points throughout and wonder what might have been had you taken a different option, which gives Heavy Rain its replay value. In the past week alone I’ve played it three times, and there are still things I want to go back and find out.

I’m sad to say that there are potential technical issues to be found, there have been reports by others about crashing scenes and music stoppages, however my experience thus far has been entirely flawless… when playing the game in a natural manner that is. In my second playthrough I discovered that on a few of the scenes I was able to effectively break the game on purpose. I stumbled upon these moments by accident, and won’t disclose how I achieved them, however it would lead to the main character flickering, getting stuck in an object or disappearing altogether for the remainder of the scene. Aside from that, I personally had no other issues, but just be aware that your initial experience might not be as flawless as mine.

This week on 24: Jack Bauer lets himself go...

Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink
It is true, Heavy Rain will probably be one of the best looking games you will play this year, but then admittedly it’s doing a lot less than most other titles do at any one time. Character models are absolutely outstanding (in spite of some pretty disturbing teeth work in some cases), and exhibit pretty believable flaws and mannerisms. It’s also fair to say that when looking at a characters face it’s not often you are left in any doubt about what the character is feeling, much to the testament of Quantic Dreams character work here. What I did notice, having just watched the Hitman movie, is that I recognised a couple of the peripheral actors from somewhere. They were in Heavy Rain… That’s right, a lot of the characters are actually modelled on their voice-actor counterparts (thanks IMDB), and the likenesses must have been modelled masterfully for me to instantly recognise them when seeing them in another medium.

The environments and sets are also beautifully rendered featuring some amazingly atmospheric effects, however a lot of the objects in the world are at noticeably lower resolutions to everything else; not enough to do significant damage to the visual experience, but noticeable nonetheless.

Splish-splash I was taking a bath
Heavy Rain features what is easily one of my favourite original video game soundtracks since Bioshock hit two years ago. Dark, dramatic and powerful; it nails everything you’d want to accompany a thriller, even slowing to a mournful and thoughtful pace when required. It’s a score that instantly creates atmosphere, and with this type of experience that’s all you can ask.

As well as the general story is written, some of the dialogue really isn’t delivered in a manner that compliments the rest of the game’s presentation. One of the characters that typifies this is drug addled Federal Agent, Norman Jayden. Norman is voiced by British actor Leon Ockenden, and his poor American accent really stands out against some of the better deliveries in the game. I’m not against British actors taking on US roles, it can work; see the performances from the cast of the tremendous Band of Brothers series for proof of that. Hell, some of the other Brits in the game provide some brilliant voice work, but some of it is hit and miss. The dialogue is mostly enjoyable and conversations flow naturally enough, but none of the voice artists are helped by some standout moments of clichéd (and possibly lazy) scripting.

Time for us to dry off
Even when considered warts and all, most will find that Heavy Rain is a suitably compelling experience, but I can’t help but feel that over time it’ll prove to be something of an acquired taste. Fellow fans of Fahrenheit will probably be instantly right at home here and will derive much joy from unravelling an intriguing story, but I fear that a lot of those sucked in by the hype may feel a little short-changed or underwhelmed with what they find. That, however, shouldn’t stop people from giving this a try, but with its slower pace I can’t promise that it’ll be the type of thing everyone will enjoy.

How We Review Games