Borderlands (Review)

Platform: Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, Playstation 3
Developer: Gearbox
Publisher: 2K
Release: October

Very original and yet it's not at the same time...

Borderlands is an FPS/RPG of the loot whoring kind that seems to borrow elements from so many games that even though this is an original IP, it feels like I have played this before.

The story is nothing special, it merely serves as the purpose to play through the game and offers nothing in terms of character relationships or even character development. You arrive on Pandora (unfortunately not as gorgeous as Avatar's Pandora...) which is mostly a dusty wasteland, inhabited by thugs of the Mad Max variety and creatures of the WTF variety. Your purpose is to find "The Vault" a myth that holds unimaginable wealth and has been hunted for by hundreds of travellers to no avail.

There are 4 selectable characters to choose from, each with a specific set of skills and abilities. You can be a Soldier, Siren, Berserker or Sniper, each with 3 "trees" of abilities that you can put a point in each time you level up. However, this doesn't mean that if you choose the Sniper character that you can't use a shotgun. The more you use a weapon, the better you become at using it, for example my Sniper's best weapon by far is the shotgun. The only difference between the characters in the beginning are their Action Skills but eventually a level 50 Siren will be very different from a level 50 Berserker depending on how you distribute your Skill Points.

The gameplay is very solid and plays more like Halo 3 or Call of Duty 4/Mod 2 than say Fallout 3. The action can be very high tempo but even if you find yourself with no shield and no health, there is a Second Wind function that allows you the chance to kill an enemy as you are bleeding out. If you are successful, you will regain all of your shield and a small bit of health and that keeps the action flowing. That function has saved me more times than I can remember. The enemy AI is a little bit suspect sometimes, but is usually pretty good, however there will be instances where they will run your direction and yet face a completely different one. You will never really struggle too much with the missions and the enemies unless you decide to take on something that is a higher level than you are, which makes the game enjoyable yet still challenging. I pretty much cruised through the game at a steady pace, not that it was easy, but much like Mario Galaxy, if you just keep plugging away then you will progress.

Every enemy will usually drop something when they are killed, be it weapons, ammo or money and that's what this game is really about, the loot. Gearbox Software have created an engine that will generate an obscene amount of weapons, making the chance to find something unique higher. I found myself constantly hunting for better weapons and better weapon set-ups, like a shotgun with added acid damage or an assault rifle that has a scope. I often found that the best weapons weren't necessarily the ones with a higher level or the rarest drop rate and occasionally I have compromised when taking a slightly less powerful weapon for a weapon with a faster firing rate or better scope.

Graphically, the game is pretty detailed, using Epic's Unreal Engine (to be honest, what isn't nowadays) and has a strong, comic book inspired design. However, the environment gets boring sometimes and there are only really 5 or 6 types of enemies. The higher the level those enemies are, the more variety you will see but for the most part you won't see anything new for a while. All the characters have an individual style and the bosses and later enemies are characterised well too, but the planet still feels too small. I will say I was disappointed with the final boss, which ended up being a very generic final fight with a generic final boss (who, by the way, was very easy to beat once I had found and exploited a technique).

The Audio, much like the story, is nothing to right home about but is still solid and appropriate for the game. There is really only one moment in the game where I have felt that the music was good and that was the introduction movie which uses a licensed track. There are small pieces of dialogue from your character every time you level up or score a critical hit, and they break up the grunts and screams of either yourself or your enemies when being attacked. Characters you interact with are voiced well and I have found myself feeling anxious or paranoid when I could hear an enemy but not see them.

For all the negative things that I have mentioned in this review, I do genuinely like the game. But the fact it reminds of other games I have played makes it feel less special. The gameplay is like Halo 3 or CoD:MW1/2, the graphics are like Prince or Persia, the style of the game is like Fallout 3 or Bioshock, the Guardians are like the Space Pirates from the Metroid series and the loot dropping is akin to WoW or Diablo. Admittedly these are all good games and imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but the originality soon wears off once you begin to recognise each of these games in Borderlands.

It's fun, addictive and a very solid game, just don't expect to be blown away by it

Plants vs. Zombies (Review)

Platform: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, Xbox Live Arcade, Nintendo DS
Developer: PopCap Games
Publisher: PopCap Games
Release: May 2009 (PC)/September 2010 (Other Platforms)

Across a lifetime of video gaming, there are a few things that I have realised. There are some games that I’ve loved playing because they were a challenge; some games I’ve played time and again because they scared me; some games I’ve played because I enjoyed being in the shoes of the character. Plants Vs Zombies fits into one simple category. It’s fun. There is no real way to put it into words. It’s simple, and yet different players will come across complex and differing strategies. It’s easy to pick up and play, and hard to put down.

Having completed the PC version of the game several times, I didn’t expect to get much play time from the XBLA version. And yet, I found myself being drawn in again by its pied piper music, colourful design, and addictive gameplay. For those who missed out on the craze of the PC version, PvZ on the surface, is a straightforward
tower defense game. Zombies are attacking your house (and want to eat your brains. Mmm. Brains). Your only defence is the array of mutant plants at your disposal (49 in total). In standard tower defense style, you have to collect resource (sunlight) and use it to build offensive and defensive equipment to aid your survival. The weaponry ranges from the simple (pea shooters; cabbage catapults) to the crazy and heavily explosive (jalapeno pepper bombs; frozen watermelon launchers). The main game is split across fifty levels, ten on each of the five areas (front garden day; front garden night; back garden day; back garden night; and rooftop). Each area offers different challenges, and different zombie types. Night time levels make it more difficult to collect sunlight, while back garden levels have the added challenge of water. As you move through the game, you unlock more powerful plants, and seed packets that can be used to improve simpler plants (at a price). With the main game complete, there is still plenty to do, including mini games, tending to your
Zen Garden, and my personal favourite survival mode.

The XBLA addition of the game brings with it new multiplayer modes Co-op and Versus. In co-op mode, both players can plant, and one can apply butter to zombies (just as weird as it sounds)to slow them down. If anything, co-op mode did seem to make the game a little too easy, and felt slightly more like a “Girlfriend Mode”. Versus on the other hand is a stroke of genius, allowing players to go head to head, Plants vs
Zombies. The plant player, plays as normal, while the zombie player collects “Brain power” in order to place their zombie horde. The main problem with VS mode seemed to be that it wasn’t very well matched, so one player (usually Plants) could easily feel outmatched. The main worry with point and click strategy style games being ported to console, is that the control system won’t ever be able to rival a mouse. In this case, PopCap has done a brilliant job, and if anything I would say that the 360 control system seems like a more natural way to play the game.

Whether you have played a different version of the game or not, this is a game that I could not recommend more highly. It is intensely addictive, and will be enjoyable for hardcore and casual gamers alike. If nothing else, play it just to watch the music video that plays out the end credits...

Dead Space (Review)

Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360,Microsoft Windows
Developer: EA Redwood Shores
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release: October 2008

In the dark, on your own, with nothing but a mining tool to save you from what lurks in the shadows of the USG Ishimura. Dead Space is truly one of the most atmospheric games ever created.

I am a little late to the show in reviewing this game now, seen as it has nearly been on shelves for two years. However, I have just finished it and feel that I should spread the word on this supremely impressive game.

As a fan of 3rd person survival horror games; Resident Evil and Silent Hill being my all time favourites, I was intrigued by the style that Dead Space was made in. I am one of those people who feel that a game can either create atmosphere by removing action, or forget it all together. I am not a fan of the newer games in the Resident Evil series because of this exact reason. However, Dead Space manages to maintain a delicate balance on a very thin line.


The game takes place for the most part on a mining vessel named the USG Ishimura. A team were sent out to check up on them and find that there is no radio response and no sign of any lights on board. After crashing your ship into the docking bay, things just get worse as members of your crew are attacked and you end up separated. You are playing as the character Isaac Clarke. With your trusted mining tool at your side you have to run, kill and maim your way through hordes of evil, and eventually find out what the Hell is going on aboard the ship.

The first thing people will notice with Dead Space is that there is absolutely no HUD on screen. All of the elements which usually make up the HUD are placed in plain sight as part of the character. Your health is shown on the character’s back; communications are shown as projections from the characters suit, etc. All of this brilliantly designed to make it look more realistic and involve the player to a degree I have rarely experienced. Minimalist displays are something that many games have used since; a prime example being Split/Second.

Another mechanic touted by this game is the “strategic dismemberment”. This sees the player using his weapons to shoot the limbs off of the enemies in attempts to either slow them down, or even kill them. The beauty of using this technique is that you are rewarded by being able to drop enemies faster. If you choose to ignore this and just blast away, you will find that they are far more difficult to kill.

When I watched the original trailers for Dead Space, I was sceptical as to whether the game would be all action and no story. I was wrong. Despite it not being an Oscar winning piece of fiction, it keeps the player enthralled with the mystery, and allows you to become attached to the character even though he never opens his mouth. I am not entirely sure if it is the story that makes you feel empathy, or the lack of dialogue for your character creating a personal connection with the circumstances.

If you want a game that will scare you, challenge you and keep you occupied with content, then Dead Space is your game! I have no hesitation in saying that it will be worth every penny and you will be on the edge of your seat from the first encounter to the games shocking conclusion.

Kinect Sports (Preview)

Platform: Xbox 360
Developer: Rare
Publisher: Microsoft Games Studios
Release: November 2010

With the release of Kinect for 360 looming, the team at Gamepocalypse sat down with Rare to find out a little more about their launch title Kinect Sports. Available in the demo we played were 100 metre dash; bowling; and javelin; and we were treated to video footage of football, which is presumably in an earlier phase of development.

The first thing you notice about Kinect is the sheer level of control that it allows over your character. In bowling, the player can select a ball with their left or right hand, and we were able to add spin, throw overhead, or merely marvel that when we moved our legs, the avatar moved too.

Although at first glance, Kinect may appear like an attempt to follow in the footsteps of the Wii, as soon as you play it you will see the difference. Where Wii Sports was fun between friends, Kinect Sports is genuinely challenging. The 100 metre dash left us out of breath, and gave me more of a workout than Wii Fit ever has.

Obviously, it’s still early days, and only time will tell if Kinect will become the 32x of the generation as some fear, but this is definitely an encouraging start.

Crackdown 2 Toy Box DLC (Review)

Platform: Xbox 360(Reviewed)
Developer: Ruffian Games
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release: September 2010
Cost: 560 MS Points

My first attempt to review the latest Crackdown 2 DLC was foiled by the now much publicised crash bug, that stops the game from working at all once the DLC has been installed. To be honest, this was about as bad an experience as I’ve had with any DLC, and so not off to a good start.

However, once that was patched and I got playing, I started to see the redeeming qualities. In both the free and paid versions, you are treated to the “Keys to the city”. In a similar manner to Crackdown, this allows you access to the standard Dev tools, such as God Mode, and the ability to spawn items at will.

The bigger addition is the thruster boots, that allow you to fly anywhere in the city. Joined up with a solid rocket launcher and some Quackers, there isn’t much that can stop you. The thrusters also work well with the wing suit to allow Agents with level 5 agility to fly anywhere in the city once they master the skills.

There is also a new multiplayer mode (vehicle tag) to keep you interested. In addition to the features of the free version, the paid DLC includes five new weapons, two new vehicles, and new coloured suits for your agent. More importantly, there are new avatar unlockables and achievements.

All in, the (now patched) Toy box is a fun DLC, and worth a play; but steeply priced at 560 points.

Crackdown 2 (Review)

Platform: Xbox 360(Reviewed)
Developer: Ruffian Games
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release: July 2010

If you didn't like Crackdown; if you didn't marvel at the wonders of Prototype; if near unlimited power, and an open world to reap havoc on isn't your brand of vodka; stop reading now, because it'll all go down hill for you from here. If you didn't play Crackdown, it was a third person action game in a similar vain to Prototype and Infamous; where the player controls a super-human Agent, capable of leaping a city in a single bound. It focuses mainly on action rather than story line, and has few cuts scenes or deep plot.

The second game carries on from the first, and even though the developer has changed, the gameplay is very similar. The main addition is the four player online multiplayer, which allows you to take your Agent into another player's game to lend a hand. During play, we saw no obvious slow down or glitching, and there seemed to be no limit of distance between the players, so you could take on different objectives in parallel.

The biggest down side is the change in mission structure. The early missions consist of following the same four objectives over and over. Unfortunately this also leads to an incredibly short play time (you can easily complete the game in 5 hours or less and if playing online with 3 other players, significantly less than that.)

That said, there are always plenty of agility orbs to collect (500 stationary and 30 moving) and freaks-a-plenty to melee to a pulp; and there are side missions to do after completion, such as cleansing tactical locations of Cell soldiers, or Freak Breaches of freaks. Online orbs are a welcome addition to encourage exploration in groups, and the arsenal of weapons and vehicles is well balanced (including the jaw dropping UV Shotgun).

All in all, a solid effort from Ruffian, but perhaps not as good as the first Crackdown outing.