Stranglehold, Xbox 360

Introduction
As a fan of the actor Chow Yun-Fat, the game seemed fun to play. The game is also the "sequel" to the film Hard Boiled with director John Woo. The latter is also hired for directing / tips for the game Stranglehold. To make the story not giving too much away, we just go now to the game itself: Stranglehold takes place in the Asian underworld, and as always in this type of settings you have to deal with large groups of criminals who are all conspire to you life to make. acidic as possible You, as Inspector Yuen, must see it to completion to make for a happy ending. To achieve this end are three things available to you, and these "tools" can be combined to make lay. Every crime so heinous as possible Bob opportunities during game-play First, there is a kind of bullet-time as well in movies like The Matrix and games like Max Payne is present. By means of controller you you can at any time choose to slow down the time. Everything and everyone around you move this as snails but the protagonist can by diving from the hail of bullets and shot with a few well-aimed. As if this were not enough, you can also use the whole environment to your advantage. Unstable objects such as bottles, hanging signs, wooden poles and veeel more, you can manipulate to some extent. This causes deadly traps for your opponents and / or open you some detours for yourself to fall. Someone's flank And last tool you have the so-called Tequila bombs at your disposal. These are actually four different things that can provide you with some life energy, precision shots, and of course the all-out carnage in which an entire room of enemies sweeps away within seconds. Yourself game-play itself in combination with the aforementioned possibilities, The gameplay is very interesting. Despite the fact that each level a journey from A to B, you can find the move tens or hundreds of ways to achieve. B And here's the rub! If you shoot someone just mess, you get style-points (and provide again the supplement you used Tequila-bombs). If you have someone "just" shoot through his head, you get less points than style, if you know him to crush under a load of bricks or a neon billboard. stylish, so if you play and take the time to people with some style off make, you get more points and you can people even faster / better kill. It sounds somewhat strange, but the essence is that you get a sum of your points. At the end of each level , the story develops slowly and therefore you'll be in very different environments rightly as a stilt village, dark alleys and overly carried casinos. In any case, all places where you feel comfortable as superintendent as long as you have a weapon in your hands. Pain Dot is that the camera does not always react as fine, this sometimes you can not hit someone unless you walk two pixels side. Strange but fortunately always in the same places for. General The game is sometimes quite tricky, if you do it right plays out on "hard", you get the opportunity to try it again, then the mode "hardboiled". In both modes, you really need to have a photographic memory because enemies not only do a lot of damage to you, but there are also many more. Destroying the environment often works in favor of the player. 've Seen that the game was not really clearly through the destruction of a particular object. Puzzles in the game are quite simple because of the linearity of the story. extras style points are added up and thus you can in the main menu, video clips, Buy sketches and multiplayer skins. These are nice extras and give a bit more dimension to the game. For the skins are very nice, with it you can play online and the probability that a lobby is full of different people is present. My ratings I give this game a 7.9 because it is challenging in terms of gameplay and difficulty. Also for your achievements you have to play the game all the way around 2x, ​​in itself is not bad because you can choose the order itself.

Assassin's Creed: the cross of liberty

Since the first images of Assassin's Creed gamers expectantly looking forward to the game. Publisher and developer Ubisoft has media stepwise feature demonstrations and trailers that curiosity piqued. The game not only looks good, it is praised for the freedom that the player would have the biggest game world, an innovative and intuitive controls interact with the urban population as never seen in any game. Expectations are now not tense too high?

Assassin's Creed can be seen as a cross between Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia, both from Ubisoft. The developers of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time were 'Project Assassin' put - a project that would have to reinvent the action genre again. Today we know the project as Assassin's Creed.


Past or future?

The game takes place during the Third Crusade in the Middle Ages. The protagonist named Altaïr is part of a secret group called the assassin's . Altaïr can do to three places during the game, the historical sites of Jerusalem, Acre and Damascus. However, the player gets a history lesson presented; demonstrations during game one could already see that there are some futuristic elements in the game. A kind of matrix-like disturbances appeared through the image and elements of the interface reveal that there is something futuristic happening. Producer Jade Raymond refused to even reveal these elements something. Players had to wait until they themselves were stabbing. Stake in their Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 Altaïr is a time traveler, or does the story or in a virtual world, like the movie The Matrix? Most of the answers we will therefore not reveal in this review, we did tell whether Ubisoft his promises and whether the game is worth a purchase.


Enter The Matrix

You play the American Desmond Miles, a bartender by profession and subject of an unknown experiment. No, Desmond is not a bartender in Jerusalem during the Middle Ages. In the beginning of the game is immediately clear that the mysterious experiment, held by a professor, includes a machine that Miles is uploaded into a virtual world. The eardrums of the players get thereby incidentally rough time. The sound that the machine produces made me run to the TV, worried that it could explode at any moment. The machine uploads the first player to a training level, where the player can own and control where you go up against faceless enemies. Then the adventure really begins.

Subject 17

Desmond is indicated by the professor as a study object number 17. The player will have to find out what exactly this study and why is this Desmond singled out behind them. When Desmond is uploaded to the Medieval period, the player plays his ancestor named Altaïr. Altair is an assassin and a member of the Assassin Brotherhood. Through this brotherhood, the player receives his orders. Importantly, the code of the blood brothers is not violated. The player can not kill innocent people, should blend into the crowd and the society should never compromise. The story of Assassin's Creed is much less spectacular than what we had expected it to be. A large part of it is done immediately at the start of the canvases and during the game, the player gets short pieces of information that are primarily mean that a particular person should be slain.


Gameplay

The first time I move into a city, I just fall back in surprise. Ubisoft gets it done to put where every person seems to have his own agenda. Down a vibrant city full There are not just a few people on the streets, some streets are really crowded and there, the player will have to pry. Through the crowd Market vendors stand in their stalls were like Persian rugs, to apply. Man An old man sits on a bench in the distance and a few women come by with pitchers on their heads. Small dust particles floating through the streets, and I get really feel the sun on my skin shines through the beautiful lighting in the game.

I soon noticed that I can not dance. Merrily through the streets The many soldiers who stand between the local population are observant and any suspicious movement can result in a sword between your ribs. This gives all actions a tense atmosphere and keeps the player constantly on his guard. It soon becomes clear that the ability to ride a horse is no luxury. The areas are of a considerable magnitude, and in this way, the player can move quickly. Although the player has a screen GPS system, it is sometimes difficult to find in the vast world of Assassin's Creed the way. In the absence of anwb-road signs, the player must make do with a scarce number of stones, on which a place name with an arrow.

The Simpsons Game: "Hi, Super Nintendo Chalmers!"

The satirical and socially critical light animated series The Simpsons is since its debut in 1989, nineteen seasons. Meanwhile, the characters of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie worldwide known and loved. Computer games based on the series were obviously inevitable.

A first attempt was made ​​in 1991 with the game Bart vs.. the World, but this game had relatively little success. The titles that appeared over the years, were of varying quality. Was the most successful yet The Simpsons: Hit & Run 2003, developed for the PlayStation 2 by Radical Entertainment. Electronic Arts is now venturing a new opportunity and brings the 3D platformer The Simpsons Game out at less than six platforms: Xbox 360, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii and Nintendo DS. We looked at the Wii version.

The special powers of Homer
The Simpsons Game starts when Bart finds the manual of the same game on the street. It can be seen that crazy little family has superpowers, properties where the family will make. Later treurens to use Not much later, it is clear that the must-have game Grand Theft Scratchy - a big nod to the hit show RockStar - in stores. Obviously Bart wants a copy, but Marge wants to know anything about violent games.

Besides references to Grand Theft Auto, when going through the story a dozen other famous titles ridiculed. Thus the various Simpson members regularly come up in the game engine, which includes references to Sonic, Madden football, Frogger and Mario, but Medal of Honor, Wolfenstein 3D and Pokémon get there with the typical humor of Matt Groening mercilessly beating. Even the Japanese game publisher Electronic Arts and culture are not. Unpunished

Business in Springfield
Besides mocking various game conventions, known characters also appear at the most unexpected moments from the animated series in the game itself. So include Kang and Kodos from the party and Krusty the Klown nor lacking. In addition, the player is different gaming clichés "against which are described in the form of popups. Thus, the player must smash crates to grab powerups - Homer:'' Ah, the crate. As seen in everything. " - And the inevitable trampolines also not lacking. The conclusion is clear in this respect: the team at EA Redwood Shores and the writers of The Simpsons have a good look at the gaming culture of the last twenty-five years. With the often rake joke is playing games almost ridiculous activity. Incidentally, we have not discovered Jack Thompson, but maybe EA shows that over at Take Two Interactive.

The Witcher: Choices and Consequences

The Witcher is an RPG game loaded with adult themes such as racism, sex, alcohol and violence. The player is often in situations where he has to make in terms of good or bad choices. Around these themes Just like in real life is the dividing line between often difficult to make both. A good choice at first glance may subsequently have nasty consequences.
 delved into the world of the Witcher. In the fantasy world we kept drinking games with dwarves, we fought hellhounds, we visited some prostitutes and we got lost in the grand game world. Our experience with the game to read. In this review

In the books of ...

Creator of The Witcher author Andrzej Sapkowski is Polish. He wrote three short stories and five novels about The Witcher. In Poland, the series is quite popular and there is even a movie and a television series made. Polish development studio CD Projekt went to work with game version based on the books.

Story

A witcher is a mutant with supernatural abilities who has had special training and preparation. The protagonist, named Geralt and equipped with an overdose of chest hair, is one of the best witchers. When mutant, the professional assassin regularly discriminated against and do not receive any kind by anyone. The player controls the monster killer on various chores, which a lot of money to earn.


Choices and Consequences

At the beginning of the game, the player chooses how he wants to play The Witcher: just with the mouse or with a combination of mouse and keyboard. In the first choice player Geralt leads to clicks through the world, the other option provides a control with the keyboard, where the mouse is used to determine the angle and clicking objects and enemies.

We talked in our intro choices between good and bad, which often border is not clear - the game makers are of the opinion that there are only choices and consequences. One at the moment just looking choice can subsequently extract very different. Choices have consequences not usually directly in the game, sometimes hours go by before the player is confronted. Protect your goods from your client or let them take the poor?


Flaming Sword

The game is somewhat similar to role playing games like Oblivion and Gothic 3. The way in which the player fights, is different: multiple clicks on the mouse does not, there must be a certain timing sit in the attacks. When the player attacks an enemy must be pressed again until the mouse button when the cursor contains a flame. In this way, the player puts a combo that should be used to defeat the enemy. Complete If too fast or slow is clicked, the adversary breaks this combo and the player can expect a counterattack. In this way, the player remains active part in the fighting.

Geralt has three fighting styles: fast, strong and group. The first is useful only against weak enemies. Strong should be used when there is a battle taking place against stronger enemies that have good weapons. Group is useful when the player is required to defend against multiple enemies. Unfortunately, the combat system, where we could find our well also means that the cursor should always hovering, sometimes a fight with the camera can be difficult to continue to follow the enemy. Above the enemy The camera gave us other even more problems: by moving the mouse in the extreme corners of the image, turn the camera this way. The camera pans in our opinion, however, just too slow, even if we set it faster at the options. In addition, the left side of the image contains some skills to click on Geralt, we sometimes unintentionally went over it with the mouse. This camera does not run, but there will be an explanation of the skill displayed.


Bribe or drunk

The player must acquire knowledge at several moments in the game. Thus, there are recipes with the right ingredients needed to brew. Potions The player can spend his hard-earned money on buying books with recipes, but more interesting is to take advantage of the characters in the game. Info The player can do this in several ways. Firstly, by bribing a person where there is a risk that the person outraged by the attempted bribery or even the ridiculously low amount you offer. Greedy people take the amount only too happy to. Another possibility is to carry people drunk, allowing them to be leaky. The player must be careful that he does not knock out yourself go and left with a hangover.

Calls are made through a dialog menu. With the many characters that the player encounters in town homes, castles, forests and inns The player chooses he wants to make. Any question or comment For example, the player can obtain information, make choices, womanizing and someone declare war. It is sometimes unfortunate that figures forget they have you spoken or that the same question can be again. Asked

Super Mario Galaxy

The sun is shining and Mario is on his way to the castle of Princess Peach for the party which is given in honor of the comet that passes the planet once every hundred years. If Mario is almost at the castle, the idyllic atmosphere shattered by Bowser attacking his airships. The inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom are trapped in ice and Bowser sends a UFO to Peach's castle, the castle takes into space. Mario knows at the last minute to get to the castle, but shortly thereafter by the magical Koopa Namek shot into space.


Moments later, Mario awakens on a small planetoid and became acquainted with Tyke, a Luma, and begin the tutorial where three rabbits to be caught. When this happened, we meet Princess Rosalina on her comet observatory annex spaceship and she tells us what's going on: Bowser has all the power stars and seven grand stars stole from Rosalina's ship, now helplessly floating through space. Mario must collect the stars to provide the ship again energy and then to travel to save Peach from Bowser's clutches to the center of the universe and thus the universe.

Super Mario Galaxy: Mario vs Piranha Plant
The typical Mario atmosphere and as a player you can put to work. From Rosalina's ship, you can enter observatories to be launched to different galaxies and achieve. Stars there As the player obtains more stars are new observatories and systems available. In addition to collecting coins and stars should also "star bits are collected. The coins fill the life meter round to Mario, and the star bits can be used to stun enemies and to feed hungry Luma that you then can help you on your adventure.

* Gameplay

Because the game takes place in space and asteroids, there is a whole host of new gameplay possibilities. A circle around a small planet is fast run and Mario can jump from one to the other nearby asteroid. Also, it is possible to defy by walking. Certain walls or ceilings, the gravity The game environments are equipped with all kinds of puzzles, obstacles and other challenges. Further, Mario can use special mushrooms that his outfit and opportunities change, such as a bijenpak which Mario must fly to the giant queen bee and star bits to catch. Off her coat

The moves of the Italian plumber have also expanded from the previous sections. In particular, the Wii Remote plays a major role: if the player shakes it back and forth a star makes Mario spin that enemies can become paralyzed and where certain objects can be capitalized. Furthermore, the controller much like Super Mario 64 and Sunshine: walking around is done with the analog stick on the nunchuck, to jump press A and press B ensures that there is a rigid bit is fired, where you aim at the screen . The player can control the on-screen target in order to collect. Star bits

TimeShift: time too quickly?

The game TimeShift has a long history behind it. Developer Saber Interactive had initially tijdmanipulerende a first person shooter with a steampunk atmosphere for the PC and Xbox developed under the banner of Atari. In this version you played the role of Michael Swift, a typical muscular action hero that a suit can use to travel. Across time and space Under pressure from Atari was, released because of his poor financial situation at the time, a demo that a number of errors in the game revealed.

TimeShift was eventually put on display, so Atari could resolve his debts. Off The new game publisher Sierra, which director Kyle Peschel just before the planned release in 2006, when an extra year gave time to adjust. The game was The new target platforms were the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and the visual style has been updated to modern standards and adapted to bring. A dark atmosphere on stage Furthermore, the story was quite taken by the shovel and is also the main character Michael Swift referred to the history books. In this three-part interview with our colleagues from GameTrailers, you can read more about the developments TimeShift has endured.

A leap through time to the story today: the name and history-less main work in a secret research facility to quantum suits, suits that can be traveled through time. A leading researcher of this project is Dr. Aiden Krone, who at one point decides to run away with the Alpha suit and make a jump. Through time Krone bomb is about to explode and as a player you use the Beta-suit to go after him. As the name implies, it is suit what you have drawn better than that of Krone. One of the new features is auto return, you automatically jump to leave your starting point and time if you end up in a deadly situation. This function is controlled by another beta feature, namely the artificial intelligence called SSAM


But betas are not error-free, the jump fails and auto return falters. You wake up in an alternate timeline where Krone is the head of a dictatorial regime. SSAM informs you that you can not jump through time, but the functionality of your suit is customized and you can slow, stop time now, and even rewind. A dictatorship is nothing without rebels who fight against it, and so the quest to recover from Krone's changes. Timeline begins

Half-Life 2: Episode Two under the microscope

Episode Two is the second game of a series of episodes and is the sequel to Episode One. Together with the first and third this episodic games' form a trilogy and they are considered as the successor of Half-Life 2. This second episode consists of seven chapters and describes the search for the basis of the resistance movement in White Forest.

Developer Valve has the arrival of Episode One indicated that each new episode of Half-Life 2 is accompanied by new features in the Source engine, the engine, Half-Life 2 and Counter-Stike: Source run. Episode One introduced include high dynamic range and improved facial expressions and animations into Source. In addition, the AI of the Combine tweaked, so it now can bend and if it were, the firing line of Freeman to escape. A final new feature in the engine, the 'commentary node system "that allows developers Valve post in the form of comment blocks. Voice notes The high dynamic range and the comment system were first together with support for 64bit processors demonstrated in the tech-demo The Lost Coast, a level that was set for owners of Half-Life 2. available for free

The Source engine with the introduction of Episode Two again with some new features, the most important support multicore processors. In terms of graphics, the engine also has a small leap forward: small foliage, such as grass, is rendered in detail and open spaces have a greater depth-of-field. Using alpha-to-coverage rendering "is applied to the edges of the foliage anti-aliasing. In addition, the physics is also underway. Thus, metal beams break in half and a heavy bomb, a house collapse.

*The Orange Box

Episode Two can be purchased not only via the Steam network and downloaded, but can also be purchased at the store as a bundle for the Xbox 360 and PC. The bundle includes two existing and three new games, focusing on the games, of course, is Episode Two. To existing games include Half-Life 2 and Episode One. The new games are Episode Two, Portal and Team Fortress 2. If you already have Half-Life 2 and Episode One, in possession than Valve allows the games to give to someone as a gift. In this way, a friend can still get Half-Life 2 and Episode One in possession and have buyers of The Orange Box no double games.