Resident Evil Redux

This isn't a review of the game. Its just me enjoying one of my favourite games of all time. Taa.

When thrash metal emerged melodiously rabid from the metal scene in the early 1980s, this young (as I was then) metalhead was there to greet it, moshing right down to my denim studs. Ditto the action movies, that saw the likes of Rambo and The Terminator come stomping out of Hollywood. And just in case I was still bored, the videogame thing happened. Oh yeah that. An industry that from the silicon bowels of Atari, Nintendo, et al, rose to become the multi million behemoth that it is today. And that behemoth owes a lot to PlayStation and what many would call the birth of a new genre: survival horror.
When the original Resident Evil dropped onto Sony's grey box of tricks in 1996, gamers' collective jaw dropped. After rolling a dice for either Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine and heading to the mansion on the outskirts of Raccoon City, it felt like we were in our own personal horror movie (complete with hammy acting that served as the games intro). Cut a long story short, Resident Evil was utterly brilliant. Guns, gore and zombies. Videogame fans had been given our first taste of a future dipped in bloody entrails. Delicious.
Fast forward two years to 1998 and the inevitable sequel shuffled into being. Resident Evil 2 ticked all boxes (and ticked a few more we didn't know existed). It was a game dripping in suspense. Players knew the moment they entered the Raccoon Police Dept. and the camera panned across the marble floor, that bigger and better nightmares awaited in the shadows.
I bought Resi 2 on launch day, and remember going to the local Blockbuster, grabbing a copy and loaded it up with a bottle of Southern Comfort (no coke). I'll be honest, I wasn't mad keen on the box cover art at first, the black "squashed" zombie face looked cheap and homemade but it did have a touch of menace about it (which is probably why I have grown to like it more as time goes by). The game was an instant love for me; it had an atmosphere that I had never experienced in games before (even topping the first game) and together with that beautiful, eerie music which played as you picked through the mutated horrors of Raccoon City pulled me in and never let go. And as someone who has played and completed Resident Evil 2 well over fifty times (true story), I can say it with authority.


Hellooooo Mr Babycakes


A Return to Nightmares

When Capcom announced a remake of my beloved game, my heart said, "yay! Lets do this!" but my mind said, "wait a sec buddy, this could be bad." Call it lazy or greedy, we live in a world where every man and his (zombie) dog is getting a reboot, and we know from bitter disappointment that they have a high risk of going wrong. A sloppy reboot of a much loved classic is sacrilege. When I heard Resi 2 was getting a fresh lick(er) of paint, I tried hard to dial down the excitement, avoiding the previews and first look videos on Youtube lest they ruined my fanboy buzz. I needn't have worried, and the brilliant Resident Evil 7 ought to have been a sign Capcom was hitting the high times again.
By the time I had sunk my teeth into the one shot demo, all fears for a clumsy reboot disappeared. Capcom it would seem, are on a roll and this is good times indeed for zombie fans. Resident Evil 2 looks and plays ace. And the atmosphere of the original? That constant feeling of dread and overwhelming odds? Back in spades, thanks mainly to the hulking Mr X, a stony faced brute who stalks both Leon and Claire throughout most of the game and cannot be stopped (for long) with puny bullets and grenades. He is a genuinely terrifying presence and the "stomp, stomp," you hear as he searches for you in the police station multiply the panic ten fold, especially if you play on higher difficulty. True, you can use methods to try and keep him at a distance but for me personally, its the not seeing him that is more frightening, when I can see Mr X at least I can use evasion tactics.

Game of the year?

I am going all in here. Yeppers, Resident Evil 2 is already my game of the year. There is nothing I can see currently that is going to have even a sniff of knocking it off top spot and that's including titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 (good game but outstayed its welcome for me). The Resi games never do this, you can finish RE2 in around 4 hours easily if you know where you going and plan the inventory accordingly.
There are two scenarios per character so its still a sizable slab of survival horror gaming.

Resident Evil 2 Remake

I don't usually get excited over current gen videogame remakes but here I am happy to make an exception. You see, Resident Evil 2 is one of favourite games of all time. I bought it on launch day back in the heady days of the original Playstation after the first game set a benchmark for survival horror and put it on a course that would make Resident Evil one of the greatest videogame franchises.

Biomutant trailer

The game that has got me most excited for is Biomutant by the developers who brought us the brilliantly fun Mad Max. The idea of playing as an overgrown gerbil with Bruce Lee fighting skills in an open world RPG where John Woo is God is just too much aceness to pass up. I also really like the idea of having a tree of life where you encounter bosses at the roots and depending on karma, you can either protect the planet or let everything go to hell.
Mad Max had a lot of mixed reviews with most criticism coming from the repetitive nature of the game, it was mostly brawling and driving (which is what Mad Max is all about surely?) and yes it was pretty basic gameplay but it was fun because I got the feeling the devs didn't take it too seriously, and Biomutant looks more of the same. I was a big fan of the Mad Max videogame and if the feeling in my water holds, this looks like a blast also.

Far Cry 5 trailer released

Its finally landed! Happy t see I wasn't a million miles out with the Waco cult vibe, and good thing too because it suits the world of Far Cry. Its also a personal favourite of mine, I love the weird cultist going crazy theme, its both comical (at times if done well) and terrifying and if this game lives up to what I'm already imagining, it will be one of the best in the series.

Late Hero Killing Monsters

Behold!

When I was a drinker I always said that there is nothing like a loud thud! ay yjr ass end of a gig (the rebel wind exclamation mark included). I was a Witcher virgin, my innocence untapped by the moon wraiths and cursed ones of this (other) world, but ever since The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt arrived at the tavern, I kept a sly eye on it from the fast cooling embrace of Elder Scrolls like a sh@g happy Romeo.
The reviews were many, as was the praise on internet forums where Geralt's fans only had good words to spend on the game. Sure there were minor grumbles and trolls looking for a wind up but but the overall vibe was you need Witcher 3 in your life so I dutifully piled in to the world of Geralt of Rivia to crack some supernatural ass.

Lords of the Fallen

I am a wimp when it comes to Demon's Soul. There I said it. Its a great game, and I can see why it has the fans it has but even after playing videogames since the days of the ZX Spectrum and Commodore, my skills were no match for it (though I will get back to it one day because like I say, it really is a good game).
In the meantime im going to try and get some schooling on what is considered to be Demon's Soul lite, the gorgeous looking Lords of the Fallen. I know it won't be a cinch, and im prepared for the undoubtedly series of frustrations that will follow but this has been on my To Buy list for a while now and time is ripe for challenge.

Fallout 4: Love Shack, Baby

As anyone who isn't living in a real nuclear wasteland knows, the mighty Fallout 4 was unleashed yesterday, sent to run riot in the wild like a ghoul strung on Jet. To non gamers this news was a mere passing trend on social media, but in the gaming world it landed on shelves like...well like a mini nuclear blast of its own and if you happen to be a fan of Bethesda's games you are no doubt still feeling the aftershock.
Its been a while since I splurged on a special edition but that Pip Boy edition was always going to be mine and I had it on preorder for months. Aye, its nothing more than plastic tat that will gather dust on a shelf but who cares right? Right? Only live once and all that jazz.
Now anyone who has played an Elder Scroll or Fallout game (especially on consoles) are well aware that as far as bugs and glitches go, Bethesda titles have been plagued by them In fact I replayed Fallout 3 to fuel the hype and the game still freezes so when I slid the disc into the PS4 last night, I didn't have the usual excitement big releases usually bring (which is kinda sad because being gamers the hype is part of the ritual.)
So imagine my surprise when two hours into Fallout 4, digging through the ruins of Boston, I had no issues. None. Nada. In fact it felt the complete opposite and played smooth as mammoth cheese (oops, wrong game that's Skyrim.)

FF 3 days

I don't want to be 'that guy' or anything, but still no bugs and I play a good few hours of an evening. Sure ive read about floating shacks and companions getting stuck or lost but Fallout 4 has been buttery smooth whenever I boot up (PS4).

Teh Nerdgasm

Face it, Fallout 4 is harder than FO3 and New Vegas and if you are going to stay alive then you'll be needing skills/perks. Here's what ive been topping up as priority skills.

Become Shadow

Like I said, this game is harder than previous games and early on your rookie ass would be better off avoiding Fallout's happy campers like raiders, Super Mutants, Ghouls, Mirelurks and and... look just everything okay. Invest in some sneak skills, your pretty ass will thank you for it believe me.

Gun Nut

There are times when stealth just doesn't cut it and your club footed guy/gal WILL kick off a floor trap or worse a landmine. So either be ready with a stockpile of stimpacks and chems, or learn to shoot. Fast.

Physician Heal Thyself

Some gamers think firearm skills more important than medicine but the wise man knows better. Nobody is getting help if you have more holes than Swiss cheese, so lap up those medic skills.


So, Any Downers ?

Sure! Fallout 4 is not the perfect game we all hoped it would be. Granted everyones opinions differ but for me? The inventory system can be very fiddly, especially when facing a crew of psycho raider scum. If you aren't ready then prepare thy doom (its worth noting Fallout 4 is harder than previous games too). Then there is the map. It feels smaller than Fallout 3 despite wandering the wilds and discovering loads of new settlements. I just don't get the same wow! This game is huge feeling. Of course this might be down to 'sandbox fatigue', play enough open world games and they all shrink due to not being fazed any more.
Settlers camps>. When I first saw Preston Garvey (current leader of the Minutemen) I thought he'd be a badass like Isran from Dawnguard, the Skyrim DLC. He's not. Indeed from the moment you set him and his chums up at Sanctuary, he begins to irritate. All settlers do. Bunch of whiny, demanding yoghurt knitters looking to me to help them survive. If they helped, I wouldn't care but the basttards leave everything to me. If the game allowed it, I would have killed them all long ago.

Anyway, im heading back to the wilds of Boston and kill more sh!t. Lock and load.


Fallout Onesie? I'll Take Two

Fallout 4: You're Special!

With Fallout 4 due to drop in early November (and yes, my preorder ace looking Pip-Boy edition is reserved), the hardcore Wastelanders among us have already started to think about our first character build. The skills and perks are many and each one will help you create the type of character YOU wish to make. Love shooting stuff? Grab some gun skills. Want to be more efficient in patching yourself up after one Deathclaw meeting too many? The medicine/science skills await. Sticky fingers? Ah, you'll be needing the sneak and lock pick perks. And so on.
Newbies to this might be starting to have doubts because on paper, creating your very own Fallout hero/villain sounds a bit naff. Right? Wrong! Once it falls into place, starting out anew is strangely addictive, so much so in fact that Fallout fans regularly start new characters. Its even got a name on gaming forums: restartitus.

SPECIALO is the acronym standing for skills: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Luck. You get limited points to load them with so use wisely.
I find 6 Strength, 6 Perception, 5 Endurance, 7 Charisma, 7 Intelligence, 6 Agility and 5 Luck suits the type of build I use.

Dishonored 2: For the Watch!

There is a God


See that up there? The sequel to one of my favourite videogames has been announced at E3, and in a world that struggles to excite the child in me, its welcome news. Very welcome. You see im currently on my 42nd visit to Dunwall and my hunger for the FPS stealth 'em up shows no sign of burning out. Even after earning every trophy/achievement the game has to offer (and yup, including Clean Hands and Ghost).
As you might guess, the news of Dishonored 2 has me pretty hyped, and judging by the reception on Twitter, im not the only one. This and Fallout 4 means other developers will have to dig deep if they are to have any chance of stealing Bethesda's thunder.

Murdered: Soul Suspect

When Murdered: Soul Suspect was originally announced, it it barely made a blip on my gaming radar (truth be told, there was no blip at all. Not even half of one). I'm an action kinda guy, more at home shooting bad guys in BioShock than trying to solve violent deaths (even if that violent death involved my grizzled old self). So imagine my surprise when I saw Murdered: Soul Suspect in a December PSN store sale on PS4 and found myself putting it into my digital basket without second thought. (Though I must be honest, if it was more than the £12 I paid, I probably would have clicked on by). Luckily the timing (and price) was right and I was on the hunt for something different, and Airtight Games had the solution with Murdered: Soul Suspect.
The game takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, and you play Detective Ronan O'Connor, a former petty criminal turned cop. (And before I forget, tattoos look pretty cool on ghostly skin. This game is very easy on the eye).
Det. Ronan is on the trail of a serial killer known as the Bell Killer, a rather vicious, hooded killer who sadly for Ronan is strong and brutal and ends up throwing the detective out of a window before pumping his dying body full of bullets. You know, just to make sure the lawman is dead. Then something weird occurs as officer O'Connor 'wakes' up wondering how he has survived his attack. And then (here comes the odd bit), he realises he didn't survive at all and finds himself looking down on his bloodied corpse. He meets his long dead wife who explains to her ghostly spouse that he can't join her in the Afterlife until he clears up the unfinished business he has in the living world.
And this is where the 'fun' begins. Walking through walls, possessing cats (you read that right), playing poltergeist, jumping into living bodies and reading their minds and executing glowing demons who truly are quite terrifying, especially when you get too close to one and it screams in your face. Basically you acquire the abilities we all imagine ghosts have (apart from the cat possession thing, although it would explain why cats seem to have different rules to other animals).
Murdered: Soul Suspect is one of those games that pop up now and then, leaving you wondering where it came from, and how it slipped under your gaming radar. Mind you, it was released around the same time as bigger, more well known videogames so perhaps there's no mystery there. But make no mistake, Murdered: Soul Suspect is well worth your dosh. The puzzles aren't the obscure types found in games like Silent Hill and its very satisfying when pieces of the puzzle all come together to help track down the Bell Killer. There are other side missions to tackle as well as the main campaign but I won't spoil them here.

The game is definitely worth your gaming time, and it looks darned good on PS4. Personally ive had more fun playing this than Watch Dogs, a game im playing alongside Soul Suspect (though not at the same time obviously). And were I talking scores here, its easily a 4/5.

Sony PlayStation 20

20 years ago, two frikken' decades, Sony launched a home videogames console, the iconic PlayStation. We'd already had some pretty sweet games machines by then from the legendary ZX Spectrum to Nintendos SNES but I think we can say without argument that through clever marketing, it was the Sony PlayStation that made videogames cool. Hell, I even remember nightclubs having PlayStation booths which sounds kinda weird now looking back. But it proves if nothing else, that we gamers had seen nothing like it before. Videogames were now trendy *gasps*
Sure we had the likes of Street Fighter and Sonic the Hedgehog from consoles like Sega Megadrive and the aforementioned SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System), and these games systems paved the way for the even greater home arcades waiting in the wings (and let's be honest here, anyone having Wipeout 2097 on PlayStation in 1996 did feel like they had arcade quality games at home). Anyone young enough to have grown up with smartphones and tablets just won't get it. You had to have been there to witness a game like Tekken for the first time. Nowadays a tablet can handle these 90s classics without going into meltdown but in 1997? Games like Tomb Raider, Ridge Racer and Metal Gear Solid were pure gold.
I don't really consider myself a PlayStation fanboy, since ive owned (and still own and play) many other consoles including Sega Dreamcast (a personal favourite), GameCube and original Xbox (my 360 sadly flaked on me). But I must admit that its to Sony's boxes of tricks (I own all four), that I turn to first, so I guess there is a Sony fanboy lurking within me somewhere (wishing for a complete Resident Evil 2 reboot to arrive against all odds. Hey, a guy can dream right)?

So anyway, think ive bubbled on for long enough now. Especially since I have a few new PlayStation 4 titles to be cracking on with, including the aceness that is Styx: Master of Shadows and fighting a guy in a pink suit in the mighty Far Cry 4.
So have a very happy birthday PlayStation, here's looking forward to a few more decades of Sony glory! Its been an awesome ride so far and i'm glad you aeem to be winning the console wars this time around!

Thieving Magpie

Thiefl by Square Enix has certainly stolen its shadowy tricks into my heart. I never once imagined that a FPS stealth'em up would ever grab my attention. In fact I dismissed it as (stupidly) just anther game  as one of those average titles we usually get thrown at in preparation for the real big hitters.
Lucky then that a generous sized demo was released on the PS Store, and I wisely downloaded it to see if Thief had the skills to nick my heart (okay no more bad puns) and pleased  was I. Last time I got this excited over a game demo was Spiderman on the PS1. I couldn't wait to get my mitts on the full game, so naturally when it was released, I was like a child  possessed  , grabbing it in Game. And the result? F**king epic! (Apologies for the F bomb but its the only way I can sum up the game in case of doubters).
I'm not going to go over the story here, you can read that on a hundred other websites, this blog simply exists to either praise  a game, or kill it dead if its a pile of shyte. Can't comment on how it looks on PS3 but on PlayStation 4 it looks absolutely lush. I can imagine some giving it a kicking because Thief can be quite challenging at times but stick with it and great things await.
The main character, Garrett, reminds me of an 18th century Batman. Gadgets? Garrett has them in spades.

Mario, get Yer Guns

What are the odds I will go off subject in this post? Still, I will try.  After reading yet another article calling yet another videogame a "burglary sim", I had to put pen to blog.  Why? Because its lazy journalism, sloppy and winds me up. Hell, the same could be thrown at television but for some peculiar reason we don't do that.
I don't watch television but from the clips I've seen on the interwebz and things I hear on forums, nothings changed from when I did used to watch it. Scheming, plots, adultery, revenge, murder, and bloodshed. Its all there, played out by glamorous women and guys with chiselled physiques. Gotta look your best when you're knee deep in sin right?
And so it goes that videogames have followed that same path. Those age restrictions on the box aren't there to make the case look pretty, videogames have matured and its illegal for soft parents to give in ("for ten minutes peace") and buy wee Jimmy a shooter with a bloody big red 18 stamped on the box. Is that ten minutes peace really worth a hefty fine? Dont think it doesn't happen because it does (more often than you'd care to think).
So we have a burglary sim now do we? What about Grand Theft Auto? Armed robbery sim? Dishonored? A murder sim?
These are games fer Crissakes, but the way some journalists describe them make them sound like guides on how to raise hell for real. One of my current favourite videogames is Thief, a game where, yep you guessed it, you skulk around an 18th century London inspired city, pilfering gold watches and clubbing hapless city guards over the noggin. But I don't play the game to train as a cat burglar, anymore than a fan of 24 watches the show in hope of becoming a CIA agent (or whatever the heck Kiefer Sutherland is meant to be).
And what frustrates me more is that I read this on a gaming website not the Daily Mail  (where one expects such petty sniping). Honestly, videogames have become a massive business in these last few years and deal with mature subjects. Can't we be at least as responsible when writing about them?

CounterSpy review

There is little point beating around the bush, or shadowy enemy installation here: CounterSpy is bloody brilliant. Its stylish, cool, doesn't take itself too seriously, and most importantly its a jolly fine blast to play. Such a blast that after stopping the Doomsday Clock from going off (this time on the moon), you will be wanting more. And more. And being as players can complete CounterSpy in the 2 hour mark,  this is my only gripe towards it. I want more dammit, so much more.
True to its stealthy ways, CounterSpy (by Dynamighty games), appeared out of nowhere, popping up on my PlayStation 4 dashboard unannounced  like a fel shaded ninja. And with those looks I was hardly going to ignore IG, especially when  I clocked the trailer. If the gameplay doesn't hook you, that wonderful theme music will,  a bombastic little number made for movieland rogue agents everywhere.
Your guy is a matchstick type hero with white eyes and an arsenal of guns and sneaky moves at his disposal. He might look a bit weedy but don't be fooled, this dude from C.O.U.N.T.E.R spy agency is as much a master of weaponry /shadows as any Solid Snake. Hell even Snake can't steal the enemies national defence lunch money. Its little quirks like this this that give CounterSpy much added coolness. Did I tell you that I love this game?
Infiltrate Imperialists or infiltrate Socialists but get those all important launch plans soldier before those rockets fly, and the moon gets a new make over.
And how much for this slice of stealth pie? A mere ten of your earthling pounds sir! Worth every penny too in this humble gamers opinion. Believe you me, CounterSpy will get every much as plays as big hitters like The Last of Us and you can take that to the bank. Or secret bunker.

As I am so fond of saying, this game is f**king ACE. 5/5

Lego: Last Of Us

If this was from an actual game? Totally buy it I would. Sadly its not, BOO! But hats off to the creator of this awesome tribute video, its one of the best things ive seen all week. The Last Of Us Lego! Ace.

The Next Gen Consoles

Xbox One (or XBone as its 'affectionately' become known to gamers) was released just 15 minutes ago. Playstation 4 out next week. But most gamers I know on forums are waiting until next year until they get one because there are still great games out for PS3. Oh and there are not many new titles worth the splurge, especially at £50 a pop :o Killzone is the only one I would be interested in. Watch Dogs too but thats been delayed.
Ive still got loads to finish myself: Sly Raccoon 4, Heavy Rain, Killzone 3, Hitman Absolution, Arkham Origins, Borderlands 2, Bioshock Infinite, Far Cry 3 etc, not to mention the awesome The Wolf Among Us series, so even though I will be getting a PS4 (I was offered a special exclusive deal) I can't see me playing much on it for its first few months of life.
The graphics jump this time around are not going to be as spectacular either. Gone are the days of SNES to Playstation 1 improvement, or even the PS2 to PS3 which still feels like yesterday (was only 2007 remember). Going from PS2 (still a [b]great[/b] console) to PS3 was very impressive; jaws were indeed dropped when Motorstorm first hit our screens after MGS3 or Hitman: Blood Money on PS2 (again still fantastic titles) but the PS4 and XBone don't look to be much different to what we have now. Oh the number crunchers will notice for sure but yer average player will not.

The Wolf Among Us

Bufkin on the lash

Wishing to live "happily ever after", the Fables, well known characters from folklore, are all living in the Bronx in a hidden community called Fabletown. Humans cannot see them because using magic spells called Glamour, they are able to live below the radar, and stay out of the clutches of the prison-like Farm. A good thing for both them and us. Im not sure how happy the average New Yorker would be living knowingly alongside the Big Bad Wolf, Snow White and Beowulf's Grendel. Now before you start thinking I had LSD for breakfast, this is the world of The Wolf Among Us, a game recently released by Telltale Games for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. And jolly great fun it is too!
If you ever played their previous offering, The Walking Dead, you will know the tune. Its a point-and-click affair, released in bite sized episodes and bathed in very stylish cel-shaded visuals. You'd better believe it, The Wolf Among Us, looks bloody gorgeous. And it plays pretty well too. So both thumbs UP then.
Unlike zombie mayhem however, this is a fairy tale murder mystery based on the Fables comic books written by Bill Willingham but because the characters are from stories like Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Pigs, it all feels instantly familiar even if you've never picked up Fables. You take on the role of ciggie loving, perma-stubbled Bigby Wolf, aka 'The Big Bad Wolf'. He's now sheriff of Fabletown, ordered by Snow White to keep the peace among the mythical creatures of this curious little world. That will be the 'Wolf Among Us' then. It reminds me of L.A. Noire, only the concept of this game is infinitely cooler. QTE's (Quick Time Events) pop up throughout fights in The Wolf Among Us but the jewel of the gameplay is being a detective and using the multiple choices on offer when questioning the colourful cast. Stay sharp wolfie, because the outcome of your Q+A can leave suspects having it away on their toes, or worse dead.
The Fables remember too. For instance if you act an azzhole to landlord Mr Toad (formerly of Wind In The Willows) his help will become limited. You may well have been the infamous Big Bad Wolf in a previous life but do you really want to behave like a dick now that you are supposedly reformed? Exactly. Mind you, there can be no denying there is something very satisfying about coming over all Dirty Harry at times. Its part of the fun.
The only grumble I have, and to be fair, its a minor one and not really worth fretting over, are the QTEs in fisticuffs. It feels too scripted and I would have preferred a more 'free' fighting method. Perhaps wading in like Grand Theft Auto? Quick Time Events can feel overly fussy, especially during insanely fast parts. And I like QTE as a rule. Its not awful, in fact you feel heroically smug after pulling off a flawless button mashing, its just that...well I fancied giving my old nemesis the Woodsman an old fashioned pasting like we were in a scene from Tekken. But as I say, this is just small fries compared to the big, meaty juice-fest burger that is the rest of The Wolf Among Us.
Of course the doubters will say that this title doesn't have the emotional impact of The Waking Dead with Clemy and Lee but I beg to differ (as always). There is a fairy tale serial killer on the loose for fudges sake! Someone lurking in the shadows and bumping off much loved childhood characters. Now come on, tell me if that doesn't tug on yer heartstrings just a wee bit? What kind of abominable evil would seek to kill Colin (Three Little Pigs) or Bufkin (winged monkey from Oz tales, now working as Fabletown's librarian)?
Of course reviewing a game after only one episode feels awkward because there is still much to do and see, and there is always the nagging doubt that things could go boobs up a few episodes in (which would be a major disappointment after such a stellar start). But I will live dangerously and predict that The Wolf Among Us will continue to drop jaws. The characters are brilliant, the game world fascinating, and its all woven into a wonderfully crafted story filled with potential. It would take a maggot of epic proportions to spoil this apple. Plus as a final deal breaker, each episode costs a mere £3.99. Four quid for roughly two glorious hours in an exciting new world! I am hooked as is my line and sinker. Pass the drinks Bufkin.

Brat score 5/5

L'enfant Terrible

Itchy. Tasty...Evil 2

Pass the ketchup

Resident Evil 2 is one of my favourite videogames of all time. Even the rats gnawing on Mr Zombies leftover bones know this. I must have played it easily over 50 times (I went through a phase of playing it on a 'loop' once) but even though I have squeezed every possible ounce of thrill and enjoyment out of Resi 2, and know every alleyway and hidden secret better than the back of my hand, I can still pop it into my Playstation 2 or Dreamcast on any given moment and BLAM! I am hot for the undead hoards once more.
Playing Resident Evil 2 for me is like revisiting an old childhood park; a place which holds many cherished memories, suspended among the rusted iron, rising up from the warm gravel, waiting for me to get drowned in that comforting glow of the distant past. And no, im not exaggerating, this is really how it is for me. Its more than a game, its an experience and replaying it always sends me spinning back to a time when I had fewer responsibilities and those dear to me, who have long since passed away, were still here. Closer to boy than the man life forces one to become (some can be lucky mind.)

Resident Evil 2 memories:

1. Meeting creepy Chief Irons in his office, with the mayors dead daughter slumped on his desk.

2. Lighting the flare after coming off the sky tram and trying to get a last glimpse of the police station you'd fought so hard to escape from. I don't know why but this always shakes something in me.

3. Birkin "G" monster walking past/above you and Sherry in the sewers **shiver**

4. That pesky T-103 Tyrant stalking you throughout the game.

My PS2, Dreamcast copies & guide



Chief Irons has it under control...kinda

inFamous

Baaa!

inFAMOUS (Playstation 3) is a great videogame, no doubt about that. Granted I was late to Cole MacGrath's party but when I saw it for a mere £5 in Game I snapped it up. Glad I did too because playing as a normal guy who suddenly finds himself with badass superpowers, able to leap around skyscrapers like Spider-Man and shoot powerful electricity from his hands, is tons of fun (and for a fiver I have no f**king business complaining anyway). The Reapers (the games bad guys) are cool too; faceless, hooded maniacs who plunder Empire city like psychopathic demons on a mission of utter carnage.
At first you start with minimal powers but as you progress they get stronger and you can also buy better superpowers to unleash total devastation on anyone fool enough to attempt to get in your way. Fancy a cyclone of electricity to the face? Can do! Or how about we suck the guts out of you with a bio-leech? Believe you me, playing Cole can be a very satisfying experience. But alas it can also be pretty frustrating due to the controls and considering how great the controls were in Sly Raccoon, another of developers Sucker Punch games its disappointing. Sure he climbs like a gibbon on amphetamine but whereas in Sly Raccoon you felt sure footed and confident in making high leaps, with inFAMOUS you don't. I often find myself unable to drop down for a few seconds and when chasing thugs across rooftops Cole occasionally decides to face a different direction. Like I said, frustrating! Especially as some of the missions are annoyingly timed affairs (hate timed missions) where every step is critical.
Thankfully these niggles are not game breakers and I can definitely see myself replaying this game as evil Cole. Yup that's right, you can either do good deeds like help injured citizens or be a total prick and mess up their day BIG STYLE (as if it wasn't already messed up enough thanks to those lunatic Reapers everywhere.) And these Good/Evil deeds have their own Karma points and ranks; on the Good side you rise from Guardian to Champion to Hero, while on the Bad, Darth Vadery side of the fence Cole goes from Thug to Outlaw to Infamous. There are different powers in both camps too so I will be needing to see what 'delights' being evil will bring. (Im actually shocked that ive not chosen the evil path on my first playthrough because in other videogames like Skyrim or Oblivion I find it difficult to be anything other than bad *cackles evilly* )