Dear Santa....

This year will you please bring me a Japanese Wii so that i can play Sin & Punishment 2 and Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen












Pretty pretty please!

Top 10: My favourite games of the decade

I realised recently that another decade is over in a month or so and began thinking about the best games released in the period. I decided it was too hard for me to decide on the best and instead took the easy option and chose my personal favourite games of the last ten years
















10. Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic (Xbox)

Bioware's fantastic RPG was the kick up the arse that Star Wars games had desperately needed since the first Jedi Knight game and also presented me with a wonderful feeling of immersion and choice that i hadn't felt since the mighty Deus Ex.



















9. Resident Evil (Gamecube)

Gorgeous, atmospheric and genuinely scary in some places Shinji Mikami's re-imaging of the very first Resident Evil is an absolute modern classic which criminally didn't reach as wide an audience as the Playstation original did.














8. Fallout 3 (360)

Along with the five available DLC's Fallout 3 represents an absolutely staggering amount of quality content, much like Oblivion before it this is a game where (if you want to) you can spend hours and hours immersed in a rich environment exploring and completing sidequests. If you want to just play through the main game then that too is possible so please don't think "i haven't got the time to invest" etc as basically Fallout 3 can be as long or as you short as you want it to be.


















7. Silent Hill 3 (PS2)

As mentioned in the previous blog post i enjoyed this a fraction more than Silent Hill 2 (both are brilliant though!)
















6. Super Monkey Ball 2 (Gamecube)

Super Monkey Ball was everything a great video game should be with it's simple mechanics and extreme playability leading to a fiendishly addictive experience. Super Monkey Ball 2 built on this and just gave you more, more levels more mini games and generally a slightly more refined title.

















5. Ikaruga (Dreamcast)

Treasure’s critically lauded shoot em’ up managed to transcend boundaries and bring the genre to a wider audience for the first time in years. Punishingly hard in places if you don’t play by Treasure’s rules but yet wide open for score exploitation if you do, Ikaruga never fails to be exhilarating. (Max chain..Max chain..Energy max....that voice plays in my head at night)

















4. Shenmue (Dreamcast)

Sega’s infamously ambitious title tends to attract love and hate from the gaming community in equal amounts. I am firmly in the first camp, it’s just a shame we will never see and end to the story started with this beautiful game. (Japanese version was actually released 29/12/99 but wasn't translated until almost a year later)













3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots (PS3)

Pure fan service and excessive with it’s cutscenes (shock horror!) in places but my god if I didn’t love the rollercoaster ride of a story and the wonderfully constructed combat situations.

















2. Resident Evil 4 (Gamecube)

The game that changed a franchise and also changed me as a gamer. At the time of the US release I was feeling very jaded with gaming and had only finished one game in over a year. Resident Evil 4 changed that and gripped me from start to finish like no console game had before. Wonderful.


















1. Deus Ex (PC)

I view Warren Spector’s 2000 masterpiece as the greatest game ever so this was always going to be number one on this list, no other game has imparted choice onto the player in such an open ended and brilliant way. I also think the sequel Deus Ex Invisible War was also a great game too, albeit dumbed down in comparison.



Honurable Mentions
Devil May Cry
Half Life 2
Mass Effect
Condemned
Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Dead Space
Ninja Gaiden Black
Modern Warfare 2
Super Monkey Ball
Super Mario Galaxy
Shadow Of The Colossus
Resident Evil: Code Veronica
Gradius V
No More Heroes
Burnout 2 & 3
Bioshock
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
Aria Of Sorrow
Outrun 2
Silent Hill 2
Winning Eleven 7

Silent Hill 3 (PS2)

Whilst most gamers and critics would no doubt chose the 2nd game as the best in the series i am in the minority that in fact prefers Silent Hill 3 instead (albeit by a very small margin).

This is for numerous reasons, none of which are the obvious one that you will be thinking of (the increased emphasis on combat) as in this respect i prefer the attitude of the second game.

In fact my main reasons behind my love for this game all revolve around the way the story ties into the first Silent Hill game and the fantastically melancholy way that this is handled.
















My favourite aspect of this series has always been the melancholy moments which are present amongst the Jacobs Ladder-esque otherworldly horror which otherwise populates the games, Silent Hill 3 just manages to outperform Silent Hill 2 in this aspect (in my opinion) which leads me on to the other reason why i love it so much........the music
















The soundtrack for this game is just utterly fantastic and completely reinforces the melancholy aspect i mentioned earlier. Much of this is due to the increased introduction of female vocals on many of Akira Yamaoka's masterfully created tracks. Pieces such as "Please Love Me....Once More" and "I Want Love" are to me the pinnacle of anything he's ever done and only serve to increase the effect of some of the already fantastic cutscenes found within the game.

Silent Hill 3 was unfairly given quite average scores by the specialist press over here on release, mainly for the increase in action and the (supposedly) stifled play mechanics. If only they had known the direction the series was going to go in in this generation then maybe they wouldn't have been so harsh.

Rescue On Fractalus! (Atari 800XL)

Here it is, i present to you the very first game i ever played 25 years ago in 1984.

It also (as i have just learned through the wonders of the internet) was apparently "the first computer game ever to truly scare people".....yeah cheers Dad i was only 5! No wonder i used to quite literally shit myself every time an unexpected alien used to jump up at the screen!
















A classic Lucasfilm Games production, Rescue on Fractalus was also the only good game we had for our beloved (or decrepit depending on your opinion) Atari 800xl 8-bit home computer.

Yes It did used to scare me shitless at the tender age of 5, but to be honest or much greater source of fear was whether the bloody thing would load or not. Good old 8-bit tape decks eh?

Top 5 Games i really should pull my finger out and play..

As you can probably tell i'm a fan of doing these little (gay) lists so here's one that's a bit different,

The Top 5 Games i inexplicably haven't played yet, but promise to in the future, or at least try to, or at least buy them and look at the back of the case blah blah blah what a twat













5. Little Big Planet(PS3)

a 10/10 in Edge means i should at least be curious about this title, but i'm afraid that every time i look at it all i see is a second rate attempt at a 2.5d platformer.
















4. Suikoden 1&2 (PSX)

Despite being a massive RPG fan around the time of the original Playstation i somehow never got round to playing these two even though i'd heard nothing but good things about them. Something i intend to rectify in the new year.















3. God Of War series (PS2)

Initially i was put off as they seemed like a western developed Devil May Cry rip-off but the boss battles do look fabulous so i really have no excuse.















2. Earthbound (Snes)

This boils down to one thing - price. Earthbound now costs £50.00 alone for a bare cartridge and upwards of £150.00 for a complete copy. Will stump up for a cart only at some point i think, i've waited too long as it is to play what's regarded as a unique and witty offbeat RPG.













1. Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)

After loving the demo for Overworks/Sega's gorgeous Strategy RPG the last time i owned a PS3 i never managed to snag a copy at a decent price. Something i now seriously regret since selling the system.

Hidden & Dangerous 2 (PC)

Before games set in World War II became cliched and monotonous, and before squad based tactical shooters were ten a penny there was the Hidden & Dangerous series of games.

The first game released in 1999 was unfortunately a bit of a buggy mess but at the same time it was very tense, revolutionary and inspired. It wasn't until the 2nd (and final to date) game in the series released in 2003 however that developer Illusion Softworks got pretty much everything right and built on the first game to create an immersive, thrilling and realistic (for the time anyway) title that blew me away.
















For me what Hidden & Dangerous 2 did that none of the other WWII games have managed to nail is a sense of unique atmosphere. Instead of the gung-ho Saving Private Ryan-esque feel of Call Of Duty etc H&D2's atmosphere is much more Where Eagles Dare.

Classic missions set in the desert or in snowy Nazi bases bring to mind many classic World War II films, and with unique personalities and skills for each member of your squad comes an actual feeling of loss should one of them die.

A fantastic title, and one i should no doubt reinstall on my old PC to play through again.

Preview: Bayonetta (PS3/360)

Following on from my thoughts on MadWorld below and after Bayonetta receiving a hallowed score of 10 in the new issue of Edge i thought I'd do a little preview of Platinum Games upcoming title.

Coming from the director of Resident Evil 2 and the original Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe AND Okami (Hideki Kamiya) this was always going to be a decent game but the word circulating the net' at the minute is that is seriously fucking sick.













Out recently in Japan it's been held back in the West until the start of January, presumably to avoid the Modern Warfare 2 juggernaut. The PS3 version is (of course) region free but apparently has a few technical issues at present making the 360 version the preferred choice













Why did i sell my Japanese 360 i could be playing this now :(

MadWorld (Wii)

Hmm. Well i don't really know what to say about this to be honest, considering the pedigree of the developers involved - mainly Atsushi Inaba (Clover) and Tokuro Fujiwara (absolute Capcom legend) - i was really expecting something very special indeed.

Instead i was more than a little disappointed.












On paper you would've expected this title to be an all together stylish experience - both in gameplay and visual art, instead i found it to be shallow, juvenile and woefully fiddly.

Much of this is down to the childish delivery of the subject matter, it just doesn't work - neither as comedy or as a parody. The terrible second rate Hip Hop soundtrack could be overlooked if it wasn't interspersed with that shockingly bad "commentary" by Greg Proops and yet again fucking Bender from Futurama.

If there's one word to describe MadWorld it's repetitive, the commentary samples are repeated endlessly meaning they outstay their welcome very quickly and i'm afraid the same thing has to be said about the combat.













It's just lacking in depth and needlessly tacks on Wii remote controls which i found to be very fiddly indeed, there wasn't the precision found in Viewtiful Joe or God Hand for example.

This really does turn the combat into a simple button basher where you basically kick the fuck out of enemy after enemy until you've gained enough points to unlock the next boss battle - none of which are particularly inspiring to say the least.

It just all seems half-baked, with more attention poured on the puerile sweary commentary than the actual thing that matters - the gameplay!

I hope this is just a blip, i really do, and that Bayonetta blows us away.

Modern Warfare 2 (360)

A scintillating title from the word go Modern Warfare 2 is simply now the title that every current generation action title should be judged against. It's bold, brassy, full of risks and controversial material most developers would be scared of and above all else successfully manages to transfer the big budget Hollywood action movie into the video game medium better than any other game before it.














Featuring stunning graphics and a score which does wonders for the cinematic feel of the game Modern Warfare 2 really does grab you by the throat, especially if you were a fan of the original Modern Warfare and it's characters. One of the reasons i enjoyed it so much is the fact that the majority of the "good guys" are British, SAS (or ex-SAS) soldiers to be exact, all voiced and scripted brilliantly. It is a world away from the countless fucking space marines we have had to put up with in action games over the years.














It's plot too is suitably over the top and ambitious, most people will be aware of some of the controversy that has followed the game but for me that wasn't even the shockingly brilliant bit. Without spoiling anything let's just say what happens in the US Rangers segment really exposes the fraility of the USA and playing as soldiers from a country which is basically on the back foot opens up a whole new attitude towards them meaning i enjoyed these segments just as much as the British parts, if not more in a couple of places.













I'm probably the least person to buy into the hype of a game, if anything i'm overly cynical. But i certainly will be gushing where it is due and here it bloody well is. It may be short at 7-8 hours but unless you have a strong detest for first person shooters or fast paced action films then you really should play this.

(Not going into the multiplayer as not touched it yet and to be honest online isn't really my forte')

Top 5 3d Fighters

5. Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection (PS3)

Whilst i find the Tekken series in general to be quite shallow and bland Dark Resurrection is a solid 3d fighter and it's online ranking system along with online battles alievitates it into this top five.
















4. Soul Edge (PSX)

A classic series from Namco was born with this title initially released into arcades in 1996. Highly playable, accessible and fresh Soul Edge's influence shines through today, especially in it's sequel series.....















3. Soul Calibur 2 (Gamecube)

Whilst lacking a touch of the magic that made the first Soul Calibur game so great, Soul Calibur 2 still manages to be a fantastic game. The Gamecube version is the definitive version due to it looking a touch sharper and having the best bonus character (Link)













2. Virtua Fighter 5 (Xbox 360)
Narrowly edging out VF4 Evolution as the pinnacle of Sega's technically deep 3d fighter series Virtua Fighter 5 is stunningly beautiful, superbly balanced and will take years to master, providing you with an almost infinite number of gameplay hours. Add to this the 360 versions online mode and you have a first rate package.

Be warned however, this series takes time and practice and is nowhere near as accessible as the other titles mentioned here.
















1. Soul Calibur (Dreamcast)

Lacking some of the "WOW" factor it had on release Namco's sequel to Soul Edge still retains it's great line up of fighters and it's excellent playability. A highly accessible yet still quite deep and rewarding game Soul Calibur still gets fired up on the Dreamcast to this day and evidence of it's greatness is that none of the 3 sequels that have followed have come near it's classic status.

Snatcher (Mega CD)

Never anything less than utterly gripping, Hideo Kojima's first game is something of a rarity in that it's a cult fanboy classic that actually deserves every single bit of the praise that is heaped upon it



















Whilst something of a short game at around 6 hours Snatcher draws you into it's cyberpunk Blade Runner-esque story with sharply written dialogue which is delivered by some of the best voice acting ever heard in a videogame. (Good voice acting would go on to be a trait of Kojima's main series - Metal Gear Solid)



















The actual game plays like a sort of visual novel interspersed with frantic shooting sections which are played either on the joypad or the Justifier light gun.

A special mention should go to the soundtrack which is possibly one of the greatest of all time.



















Snatcher's endearing characters and superb story mean this is something everyone should play through at least once. It is easy to emulate using a Megadrive emulator on either a PC or a modded Xbox if you don't want to pay the triple figure price it seems to command nowadays.

Metroid: Zero Mission (Game Boy Advance)

A masterful remake of the very first NES Metroid title zero missions only real flaws are the relative lack of challenging moments (particularly the bosses) and it’s criminally short length at around 5 hours.















Zero Mission is a gorgeous looking game, especially if played via a DS Lite or Game Boy Micro, it's a step up from Super Metroid unlike the previous GBA title Metroid Fusion which (to aid visibility on the original GBA & GBA SP) in my opinion had a far too bright and washed-out look.















Aurally the game also excels providing classic Metroid tunes remixed for the superior hardware. The Metroid series has always had excellent music and this one is no exception.
Despite the lack of challenge and the short length Zero Mission is a fantastic entry in a fantastic series and is well worth checking out.

Top 5 Sports Games

5. NBA 2K Series (Multi)

Visual Concepts criminally underrated franchise manages to perfectly walk the fine line between arcade thrills and simulation whilst providing an addictive, accessible experience which appeals to fans and non fans alike.

















4. PGA Tour Golf (Amiga)

Best sampled in my opinion on the Amiga due to it's mouse support PGA Tour Golf is a wonderful portrayal of the sport in which you can lose hours mastering the courses on offer. It's just a pity that the franchise appeared to drastically change and loose it's way after obtaining the Tiger Woods name and likeness rights.














3. Virtua Tennis 3 (Xbox 360/PS3)

The pinnacle of Sega's superb series so far due to it's excellent career mode and the addition on online matches Virtua Tennis 3 is a shining example of how to make a relatively shallow arcade game work perfectly on a home console. I only hope Sega now aren't going to resort to the EA formula of releasing yearly updates with minor improvements.
















2. Winning Eleven 7 (PS2)

Released in Europe as Pro Evolution Soccer 3 this represented a substantial overhaul in both graphics and mechanics compared to the previous (excellent) game in the series. Animation was also improved vastly to create a wonderfully fluid and playable game of football. Six sequels have followed, none of which have greatly changed or improved the formula that made Winning Eleven 7 so great. Pull your finger out Konami!
















1. Sensible World Of Soccer (Amiga)

Although undoubtedly basic in appearance by today's standards Sensible World Of Soccer holds the top spot due to the masterful way it combines an in depth management simulation with a insanely playable football game. This was every football fans dream at the time and even the Winning Eleven/PES series' Master League cannot match up to Sensible World Of Soccer's 20 season Career Mode. Get relegated, get sacked, end up having to take a job at some lower league team, rise to the top again, win in europe, even get offered the International managers job of your chosen country!

This game basically ruined my first year of college education, i just HAD to play my career mode and often i skipped full afternoons just to go home and stop my beloved Leeds United from descending into a lower league (hah!) or to make sure England qualify for the World Cup.