World of Goo Review

Description:

World of Goo may ship in a plain-Jane box that makes it look exactly like the usual third-rate dreck that takes up space on a back shelf in your neighborhood department store, but this physics-based puzzler is one of the most innovative and addictive games to hit the PC in years. Independent developer 2D Boy has hit the jackpot, turning what appears to be a simple building game into what could just be the next casual-gaming obsession right up there with classics such as Tetris and Lemmings.

Actually, World of Goo's concept owes a big debt to Lemmings, the early '90s sensation that involved guiding suicidal green-haired goons across 2D levels loaded with hazards. The objective here is rather similar, although instead of guiding lemmings to an exit in each level, you're leading globs of goo across similarly dangerous terrain to pipes that suck them up. This rather odd task is accomplished by selecting the cute, gibberish-spouting blobs and turning them into nodules in framework buildings that reach for the sky and stretch across yawning pits like sticky scaffolding. When your wobbly structure is close enough to the level exit pipe, all of the goo balls that haven't been used as makeshift building blocks then roll over their former buddies to freedom.

Well, at least to as much freedom as can ever be offered by getting slurped into PVC plumbing. Each level requires you to "save" a set number of goo balls to succeed and move on, so you have to be economical in the amount of goo used as construction material. If you pass enough goo balls through the exit pipe to the glass beaker waiting at the other end, you win to gather goo another day. If you fall short of the required number, you do it all over again, trying to get your goo to safety in a more ecfficient fashion. Final scores are based both on the number of goo balls rescued and the amount of time you spent in the level.


The Good

* Brilliant design loaded with gameplay depth
* Varied levels sporting wide-ranging objectives and different types of goo
* Quirky, surreal sense of humor
* Fantastic, atmospheric soundtrack.


The Bad

* The controls can't always keep up with the action
* Visuals aren't as vibrant as they could be given the cartoony premise.


System Requirements

Minimum:
o Supported OS: Windows® XP or Vista
o Processor: 1GHz or faster
o Memory: 512+MB RAM
o Video: Any 3D graphics accelerator less than 5 years old
o DirectX® Version: 9.0c
o Hard Drive: 100MB

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Dead Space Review

Description :

The survival horror genre is rife with games in which you are isolated in a hostile environment full of monsters, and Dead Space is no exception. But from the moment you're thrown into the middle of the fray in the heart-pounding introduction until the bone-chilling conclusion, it's clear that this is something quite unique. With its disturbingly twisted visuals, its deeply engrossing story, and innovative strategic dismemberment combat system, Dead Space is a best-in-its-class game that surpasses other entries in its venerable genre in nearly every way and will be the standard by which they are judged for years to come.

When the Concordance Extraction Corporation loses radio contact with its Planet Cracker-class mining ship, the USG Ishimura, engineer Isaac Clarke is dispatched on a routine mission to repair its communications array. However, Clarke is also on a mission of his own, having recently received a cryptic message from Nicole Brennan, a medical officer serving aboard the Ishimura. While on board he intends to reunite with her and learn the meaning behind her strange broadcast. Unfortunately, the moment you set foot on the derelict ship, it's obvious that something terrible has happened.

As Isaac, you are separated almost immediately from the rest of your team by the former crew of the Ishimura, which has been transformed into horrifying monsters called Necromorphs. Forced to fight for his survival, Isaac makes do with the tools at hand to defend himself with, which are for the most part repurposed mining instruments like plasma welding guns or buzz saws. These improvised weapons are put to graphic, gruesome work as bodily damage and even severe head trauma isn't enough to kill a Necromorph--only by severing their limbs can you put them down for good. This nuance, referred to as strategic dismemberment, vastly alters the way combat is approached in Dead Space from the typical "aim for the head"-style gameplay seen in most action games and zombie apocalypse scenarios.

Every class of Necromorph requires a different strategy to handle, and knowing how to combat multiple types simultaneously is an essential skill if you want to survive for long. Though dismemberment is ultimately the key to victory, failing to finish off a monster properly will only send it into a berserker rage and force it to adapt to its new, partially appendageless situation so that it can continue trying to eat your face. Even more alarming than their ghastly appearances and uncouth manners is the fact that they are quite intelligent. Necromorphs attack in packs using loose team tactics, and are capable of traversing the ship's extensive ventilation system to sneak around for outflanking or ambushing. They feign death among the corpses of their peers to rise up and attack when you least expect it, and they often come in waves, leaving you wondering if it's truly over or if they're simply toying with you.

The most basic Necromorphs are humanoid monsters that attack in a frenzy. Horribly mutated undead babies also make an appearance, and they run along the walls and ceilings sprouting tentacles from their backs capable of throwing organic projectiles. Others still are heavily armored but vulnerable from behind, are bloated with dozens of spiderlike parasites that are released upon their host's death, or shriek madly as they carry explosive pods toward you in a suicidal charge. In one fully interactive gameplay sequence that comprises some of the more amazing moments to be experienced in Dead Space, you're assaulted by the gigantic tentacle of an even larger, unseen beast that drags you to a gruesome and bloody death as you struggle to shoot yourself free.

Finally, at several key points in the story, Isaac stumbles upon some of the most incredible and truly terrifying boss monsters to be seen in the survival horror genre. Though revealing the circumstances around which you confront these nightmares would do much to spoil them, it is safe to say that these epic encounters are easily some of the most remarkable seen in years.


The Good

* Deeply engrossing story
* Breathtaking visuals and nerve-wracking audio
* Strategic dismemberment adds an entirely new, satisfying dimension to combat
* Complete lack of a traditional heads-up display immerses you into the experience
* Truly terrifying gameplay keeps you on the edge of your seat.


The Bad

* Repetitive mission objectives
* Close-quarters combat is troublesome.


System Requirement

Processor: Pentium 4 2.8Ghz or Equivalent
Display Card!: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 256MB ATI Radeon X1300 XT
Memory: 1024MB
Free Disk Space: 13GB
Operating System: Windows XP / Vista

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King's Bounty: The Legend Review

Description :

King's Bounty: The Legend is a Real-time / Turn-based Strategy with RPG elements. In a fairy tale fantasy world of fearless knights, evil mages, wise kings and beautiful princesses the player controls a hero. Leading their character through the game world, exploring it, commanding armies in battle and accomplishing various quests can mean great reward or huge defeats.

Actually, about the only fair negative comment you could make about King's Bounty is that there isn't really anything new here. Just about everything feels like a rip-off of Heroes of Might and Magic. As with that long-lived Ubisoft franchise, the core of this game is all about taking on the role of a hero in a solo campaign (there is no multiplayer option) and guiding parties of mercenaries across a real-time map to fight turn-based battles on hex grids. A strong RPG flavor is granted through character creation, which allows you to choose from warrior, paladin, and mage classes and then trick out your avatar with skills, artifacts, weapons, armor, spells, and assorted other Gygaxian accoutrements. You then explore the huge medieval fantasy world of Darion in the service of King Mark the Wise, plying the trade of a treasure hunter. A story slowly develops regarding the king's older brother and the standard evil threat to the continued existence of, well, everything, although you don't have to pay much attention to it. Essentially, you just wander around doing good deeds, guiding an icon of your hero through the usual D&D-inspired landscape to slay monsters, loot treasure, scoop up skill runes, mana crystals, and leadership banners, and solve quests handed out by your king and various passersby.

Despite that description, this isn't a hack-and-slasher. Instead of whaling on monsters with a small party of adventurers as in the typical RPG, you wage tactical battles with veritable armies of troops on turn-based battlefields. Mages, priests, knights, archers, monsters, and the like are hired at special buildings such as the king's castle for use as shock troops in your hero's party. You start off with a paltry handful of these goons, but soon wind up at the head of a tremendous force of killer Renaissance fair refugees. Stuff enough gold into your pantaloons and increase your hero's leadership skill as you increase in level and you'll be able to afford the services of loads of hirelings. The scale of battles always remains manageable, however, as each unit type is depicted by just a single character model on the battlefield no matter how many of those units you actually command. This keeps the focus on pure tactics and allows you to whip through battles lickety-split, while still letting you make use of each unit's special abilities. As just about every unit comes with some sort of skill involving spells or bonus attacks, cutting to the chase without dealing with hordes of units is vital to keeping the game straightforward and simple.

Difficulty is also scaled well. Starting off on easy knocks down monster hit points to something quite manageable, and cranks up the amount of gold awarded so that you never seem to run out of the coin needed to hire reinforcements. It's gratifying to see newbies getting let in on the action like this; too many games of this ilk seem to want to punish players, or at least present such a grueling level of difficulty that only veterans of the genre need apply. With that said, moving to normal difficulty is one heck of a leap. Enemy hit points take a huge jump and your gold gets slashed to practically nothing, turning what was a pretty fast-moving game into what can be a grueling slog through battles of attrition.


The Good

* Solid gameplay based on a traditional tactical RPG formula
* Good turn-based tactical depth
* Strong RPG flavor and storyline
* Colorful graphics evocative of old-time role-playing.


The Bad

* Not much in the way of innovation
* No multiplayer.


System Requirement

Minimum system requirement:

* OS:Windows XP/Windows Vista
* Processor:Intel Pentium 4 2.6GHz
* RAM:1GB
* Graphic Card:Nvidia GeFirce 6800/ATI Radeon X800
* VRAM:256MB
* Free Hard Disk Space:5.5GB
* DirectX version:9


Recommended system requirement:

* OS:Windows XP/Windows Vista
* Processor:Intel Pentium 4 3GHz
* RAM:2GB
* Graphic Card:GeForce 7900/ATI Radeon X1900
* VRAM:512MB
* Free Hard Disk Space:5.5GB
* DirectX version:9

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Microsoft Flight Simulator X Review

Description :

Microsoft Flight Simulator X is an incredible piece of software, providing almost unbelievable capabilities for a consumer product. Unfortunately, on most systems at anything other than the lowest of the game's graphics settings, the simulation has significant performance issues. How much these issues hinder your enjoyment of the game will depend upon what kind of frame rates you need to enjoy a civilian flight sim.

All of the features hardcore simmers have come to expect in the Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise are here in spades, such as the entire world being modeled in exquisite detail; simulations of everything from ultralights to gliders to Cessnas to commercial airliners to helicopters; realism that makes the sim a great trainer for those seeking a real pilot's license; and more. But Flight Simulator X also adds significant features tailored to the player who would be bored to tears by simply flying from Akron to San Francisco in real time, most notably a series of goal-oriented missions (and an editor that will surely result in a huge number of add-on scenarios). These include well-done tutorials and many missions with compelling goals and surprising midflight twists. Some are lighthearted fun, such as playing the role of a stunt pilot (complete with announcer) trying to land on a moving bus or racing a jet-powered truck. Others are intense--for example, trying to fly a chopper to an exploding ocean oil rig and rescue stranded workers. Even simple missions have a compelling nature to them, particularly search and rescue scenarios where you may be seeking a capsized sail boat or a lost camper in snowy mountains. You collect rewards and souvenirs, which is a nice touch that adds an extra incentive to complete the tasks. Even hardcore simmers will find themselves sucked into these missions, wanting to find out just what's behind that clandestine mission flying into Area 51 or what is going to happen on your flight to pick up a famous movie star.

There are about 50 missions in the deluxe version of FSX and about 30 in the standard version. The deluxe version comes with 24 airplanes, versus 18 in the Standard version; more high-detail airports, 45 versus 40; more high-detail cities, 38 versus 28; the advanced Garmin G1000 glass cockpit; and the new tower controller module. This last feature lets you step into the control tower and take the role of the air traffic controller in multiplayer mode. While it probably won't keep you out of the cockpit for long, it is an interesting (and stressful) option. And for the record, if you're interested enough to purchase Flight Simulator X, you should go ahead and purchase the Deluxe version. All of the additional content makes it worth the added costs.

In addition to the missions, free flight mode provides practically unlimited options. You can select from any of the included aircraft (or add-ons that you may download or purchase) and fly to or from any of 24,000 airports around the world. Not only is it pretty much guaranteed that any significant airport that you'd like to fly in or out of is in the sim, but the odds are also good that your local neighborhood grass airstrip is in there, too. The new high-detail airports show off Microsoft's new "living world" emphasis in FSX. Now when you taxi into one of these featured airports, you'll see fuel trucks realistically dashing from gate to gate, luggage carts driving out to aircraft, Jetways extending to connect with your parked airliner, and more. The new active world extends beyond the airports, as you now can look down while in flight and see moving automobiles and trucks on the roads below. You'll also see a variety of boat and ship traffic while flying over water (buzzing a cruise ship with your 747 provides a special thrill!) and an assortment of wildlife, depending upon your location. While it sounds like a small touch, it does make a significant impact on the feeling that you're flying in a real-world environment.


The Good

* An incredible amount of content
* realistic enough to be used for real-life flight training
* missions are a fun challenge for casual gamers and serious simmers alike
* the entire world simulated in amazing detail.


The Bad

* Low frame rates on most current-day PCs.


System Requirements

* Microsoft® Windows® XP SP2 / Vista
* PC with 1 GHz equivalent or higher processor
* 256 MB of system RAM for Windows XP SP2 / 512 MB Vista
* 14 GB available hard disk space
* DVD-ROM drive
* 32 MB DirectX 9 compatible video card required
* Sound card, speakers or headphones required for audio
* Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device
* 56.6 Kbps or better modem for online play

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The Witcher Enhanced Edition Review

Description :

The Witcher: Enhanced Edition is a great role-playing game. Developer CD Projekt has corrected almost all of the problems that made the original something of a flawed gem. Butchered English dialogue has been rewritten and expanded upon, removing the nonsensical lines that made the plot something of a guessing game last year. Engine performance has been dramatically improved across the board, so the game runs smoother on moderate systems, and you no longer have time to read a magazine while waiting for levels to load. Character models have been dramatically enhanced, removing a fair number of the unrealistic features that made the original game come off as somewhat cartoonish in spots. A pair of new stand-alone adventures has been added to bulk up gameplay outside of the main storyline. Just about everything seems more solid and stable, from the smooth-as-glass combat mechanics to the speedier interface. And, best of all, these gameplay enhancements are freely available to download for those who purchased the original game last year.

Core gameplay is more polished than revamped, so in some cases, you have to look pretty closely to tell the difference between old and new. You still play the lank-haired Geralt of Rivia, a monster-killing mercenary known as a witcher who travels a medieval fantasy kingdom in search of jobs. Basically, you're a battlemage who can freely switch between using a pair of great big swords to slay fantasy-game beasties and firing off spells with elemental magic signs. Basic melee attacks are handled through the left mouse button, with you timing your clicks to string sword strokes together into big-damage combos. If you run four such attacks together, Geralt becomes a whirling dervish capable of slicing his foes to ribbons. Each sword can also be wielded in strong, quick, and group styles, allowing you to tailor attacks depending on what sort of opponents you happen to be facing. Spells are cast by mapping elemental signs to the right mouse button. Much of this magic is generic to fantasy RPG gaming. For instance, you'll launch fireballs, you'll throw up a protective shield, and you can charm enemies into doing your bidding. None of the spells are all that involved or time-intensive, so you can readily hack and slash with one button and launch fireballs with the other.

Character development is equally clear-cut and carried over unchanged from the original Witcher. Skills are purchased and buffed with bronze, silver, or gold talent coins earned every time you level up. These abilities allow you to increase Geralt's basic chance to hit, damage done, along with adding special effects, such as stunning opponents or causing them crippling pain. Nobody's reinvented the wheel here, although there is a broad range of abilities to choose from that let you specialize in various areas. You can roll all of your coins into spells and turn into kind of a wannabe sorcerer. You can go for strong sword skills and become a melee brawler. Or you can do the jack-of-all-trades thing and spread your abilities across the spectrum of choices. Geralt remains a sword-twirling fighter first and foremost no matter what you do, although you can at least tweak his talents to favor preferred combat methods.

Where this enhanced Witcher takes a welcome turn is with its story and presentation. Although the plot of the first game was a remarkably mature tale that ditched traditional black-and-white RPG morality for a gray universe, the story was sloppily adapted from its original Polish. In it, you took the lesser-of-two-evils approach and found a common cause with rapists and murderers. A bizarre decision to cut back the English dialogue preserved only chopped-up portions of the full script, leaving plot points hard to understand and cut-off conversations in midstream. All those issues have been corrected here. Thousands of lines of English dialogue have been rerecorded, fully fleshing out the storyline and removing the awkwardness of the original game. The English translation has been gone over with a fine-toothed comb to get rid of some jarring word choices from last year. The game is still a lot more modern sounding than some would probably like, throwing around F-bombs and curse words in ways that just don't seem to fit with swords and sorcery. But at least the script has been smoothed out and given a unified voice. Any way you look at it, this is a huge improvement over the first Witcher, which veered wildly between formal D&D-speak and New Jack City.


The Good

* Revised and expanded script vastly improves the storyline
* Graphics enhanced across the board in comparison with the original game
* Load times greatly improved
* Lots of additional content.

The Bad

* Still a little buggy
* Both new adventures are short and rather shallow.


System Requirement :

* MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
OS: Microsoft® Windows® XP Service Pack 2, Vista (Operating System must be up to date with the latest fixes) Processor: Intel Pentium 4 2.4GHz or AMD Athlon 64 +2800 RAM: 1024 Mb RAM for Microsoft® Windows®XP / 1536Mb for Microsoft® Windows® Vista Video: 128 Mb Video RAM or greater with DirectX9 Vertex Shader/ Pixel Shader 2.0 support (NVIDIA GeForce 6600 or ATI Radeon 9800 or better) Free HHD Space: 8.5 Gb available hard drive space Soundcard, speakers or headphones DVD-Rom 8X.

* RECOMMENDED SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
OS: Microsoft® Windows® XP Service Pack 2, Vista (Operating System must be up to date with the latest fixes) Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo (dual core) or equivalent AMD processor or better, RAM: 2048 Mb RAM Video: 256 Mb Video RAM or greater with DirectX9 Vertex Shader/ Pixel Shader 2.0 support (nVidia 7900 or faster with 512 MB of memory). Free HHD Space: 8.5 Gb available hard drive space. Soundcard, speakers or headphones DVD-Rom 8X Unsupported Hardware: · Processor: o AMD Duron Series o AMD XP+ Series o INTEL Celeron Series · Video: o S3 Colt o S3 S27 o S3 S8 o ATI X300 o ATI X600 o ATI Crossfire Series.

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Sacred 2 Fallen Angel Review

Description :
Hack. Slash. Grab loot. Repeat. That formula is followed to a tee in Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, another action-first RPG you can toss onto the pile atop Diablo, Titan Quest, and the first Sacred, now more than four years old. But this isn't just another paint-by-numbers take on the fast-clicking genre that gave too many of us carpal tunnel syndrome. While the new game hews closely to the modus operandi of traditional hack-and-slash role-players, it offsets the lack of innovation with a monster-slaying rhythm guaranteed to hook you so thoroughly that you might as well have been hypnotized. This, plus a decidedly offbeat sense of humor and great multiplayer support, makes the game stand apart from the pack.

As usual with clickfest role-players, there isn't much here in the way of plot. Bad things are going down in the D&D-style land of Ancaria, and you play either the noble hero who can set everything right in the light campaign or the evil villain who can wreak even more havoc in the campaign of shadows. The main plot isn't well laid out at all, particularly in the beginning. You can figure out on your own that problems are brewing with the High Elves and T-Energy, a glowing blue substance pumped all over the land in what look to be oil pipelines, and hone in on the main story by forgoing side quests for plot-oriented ones (which is easy to do as side quests are marked with gray circles on the map and story quests are marked with orange ones). But beyond that, nothing is given any serious dramatic push.

At least the game keeps you busy. Running around handling tons of quests is always in the forefront, which gives everything a hectic, odd-job feel. It's as if the game is constantly building toward something, but never gets there. Just when you think you're going to finally find out what the deal is with the elves and the T-Energy going nutso, you're instead hit with another apparently random assignment to find rare herbs for a potion, search a graveyard for a lost chicken, find somebody's missing spouse, kill a bunch of undead, or whatever. Only the sheer number of quests, their good variety, and the way that the game constantly hits you with these rat-a-tat-tat errands keeps you interested. It's tough to get bored when you have over a dozen quests on the go. Still, the massive size of the map will occasionally annoy you. A lot of time is spent hoofing it from Point A to Point B to solve or wrap up quests, as the game's teleportation system is awkward and lacking in gates. At times, you'll think the world feels unnecessarily big, and that you're spending more time in transit than you are killing monsters and collecting loot.

Most of Sacred 2's character is actually provided through visuals and sound. This is a real looker, with gorgeous sylvan scenes that include flower-strewn fields, dense forests, and babbling brooks, along with mountain and desert terrain reminiscent of postcards. Load times are practically nonexistent, except for those odd moments when you venture below ground for a bit of dungeon-crawling. Added details are everywhere, particularly in the towns and villages that seem to have been laid out by master architects and landscapers. The only drawback to the countryside is that it is often too meticulously sculpted. There are lots of impassable cliffs, uncrossable rivers, and impenetrable bushes, forcing you to check with the full-screen map constantly to avoid wandering into a dead end or cul-de-sac. Unless you're one of those people who never gets lost, you will run into a lot of "can't get there from here" moments. Character art and animation are equally superb. Many creatures in the game are given distinctive touches that separate them from fantasy archetypes. Kobolds here, for instance, are wizened gnomes with massive schnozzes, not the little lizard-goblin things of D&D fame. Earth elementals are muddy flying spirits. And even more generic fantasy monsters tend to show off at least one distinctive design element, such as the weird, spiky helmets on the skeletal undead. Each type of creature also generally comes in a half-dozen or more varieties with differing appearances and abilities, from grunts all the way up to bosses.

Audio adds even more personality. Background music and battle effects deal in the usual Renaissance fair string plucking and sword clashing, but the game also has a unique take on some of the tunes and the character voices. Part of the soundtrack consists of licensed songs from German hair-metal band Blind Guardian, most notably a title track so gloriously stupid that you can't help banging your head to the opening cinematic. Character lines occasionally consist of droll commentaries that break the fourth wall. Dying enemies will mutter things like, "I knew it, I'm nothing more than an extra" and "I know where you parked your car, player!" Heroes shout typical battle cries along with comments such as, "My statistics continue to improve."


The Good

* Solid, if mostly traditional game design
* Wide range of quests
* Good variety of enemies and monsters
* Gorgeous visuals and offbeat audio.


The Bad

* Bugs make the game unstable
* World map is massive and convoluted
* Poorly developed main plot.

System Requirement
Minimum system requirement:

* OS:Windows XP(32 / 64 Bit)/Windows Vista(32 / 64 Bit)
* Processor:Intel Pentium 4 2.4Ghz
* RAM:1GB
* Graphic Card:nVidia GeForce 6800/ATI Radeon
* Graphic Memory:256MB
* Free Hard Disk Space:20GB
* DirectX Version:9


Recommended system requirement:

* OS:Windows XP(32 / 64 Bit)/Windows Vista(32 / 64 Bit)
* Processor:Intel Dual Core 2.0Ghz
* RAM:2GB
* Graphic Card:nVidia GeForce 8800 GTS/ATI Radeon HD 3870
* Graphic Memory:512MB
* Free Hard Disk Space:25GB
* DirectX Version:9

Source : www.gamespot.com

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Brothers in Arms : Hell’s Highway Review

Description :

The first two games in the Brothers in Arms series distinguished themselves among the crowd of WWII shooters on the strength of their smoothly integrated first-person squad control and gritty, moving portrayal of a band of Allied soldiers. Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway sticks to these strengths, and commanding your squads through Nazi-occupied territory is more thrilling than ever thanks to the vibrant, beautiful scenery and the brutal, exhilarating action. Sergeant Baker (your character) and his squad are all nuanced, sympathetic characters, though the story doesn't quite live up to the promise of its protagonists. Despite a few irregular beats, Hell's Highway is an exciting, intense shooter that is sure to quicken your pulse.

This go-around finds Sergeant Matt Baker and his crew carrying the memories of their fallen brothers and welcoming replacements into the fold. As they get set to drop into Holland as a part of the ambitious but doomed Operation Market-Garden, you meet the men whose lives you will be responsible for. The story isn't so much a narrative as it is an exploration of the relationships between soldiers; it's a mature look at the way bonds can be forged and broken in the emotional furnace of war. Through engaging cutscenes and lively battlefield communication, you'll find yourself developing an attachment to these characters. Many great moments, both comic and tragic, resonate with an admirable emotional clarity that unflinchingly evokes the turbid reality of war, where triumph and tragedy walk hand in hand.

Unfortunately, some of these potentially great moments will fall flat if you're not well acquainted with old characters like Leggett, Allen, and Garnett. Hell's Highway often tries to lean on emotional pillars created by traumas from the first two games (both released in 2005), but the "previously on Brothers in Arms" segment isn't solid enough to support these references, and the framework crumbles a bit as a result. As the game progresses you'll gain the knowledge needed to prop up these references; this makes a second play-through more appealing, but it's a shame this understanding isn't established earlier.

Once on the battlefield, your comrades become potent weapons at your command. Hell's Highway offers a tutorial on the proper way to manage your squads, and you'd best pay attention, since going it alone will get you into trouble in a hurry. Strategy boils down to firing on German positions to keep them suppressed, then flanking around to a better angle and finishing them off. Your men are capable soldiers and will shout advice at you if you seem to be stagnating. They will also do their fair share of killing but are still occasionally liable to run on the wrong side of a wall when ordered to a different position. It hurts to lose one of your men in battle, regardless of the fact that he'll be patched up at your next checkpoint. You are their commander and they are entrusting their lives to you, a weight expertly transferred to your shoulders by Sgt. Baker's cutscenes and voice-overs. Hell's Highway motivates you strategically and emotionally to be a smart leader, and it's surprisingly engaging to focus on something other than yourself in a first-person shooter.

Battles become even more complex as you take more squads under your command and incorporate machine gun and bazooka units. The former is excellent at suppressing enemies, while the latter can destroy sandbag barriers and elevated enemy positions in houses and towers (particularly awesome). As you get the hang of squad command, you'll begin wielding your men as extensions of yourself and moving through battlefields as an elite, coordinated unit. Taking apart and dispatching a field full of entrenched German units is immensely satisfying, and this feeling of power is what makes Brothers in Arms so rewarding.


The Good

* Great blend of squad control and first-person combat
* Vibrant, detailed environments
* Battlefield sounds will put you on edge
* Interesting characters
* Action camera is exhilarating.


The Bad

* Story relies overmuch on knowledge of past games
* Texture irregularities can sour cutscenes.


System Requirement

Minimum System Requirements
OS: Windows XP/Vista
Processor: Pentium D @ 2.6 GHz or Athlon FX-55 Equivalent
Memory: 1 GB
Hard Drive: 8 GB Free
Video Memory: 128 MB
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
DirectX: 9.0c
Keyboard & Mouse
DVD Rom Drive

Recommended System Requirements
OS: Windows Vista
Processor: Intel Core 2 DUO @ 2.6 GHz
Memory: 2 GB
Hard Drive: 8 GB Free
Video Memory: 256 MB (nVidia GeForce 7600)
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
DirectX: 10
Keyboard & Mouse
DVD Rom Drive

Source : www.gamespot.com

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Prince Of Persia 2008 Review

Description :

In many modern games, you rain death upon your enemies; how refreshing, then, that your main task in Prince of Persia is to breathe life into a darkening world. That doesn't mean that the forces of evil aren't on your tail in this open-world platformer, but the most indelible moments of this enchanting journey are uplifting, rather than destructive. Similarly, the latest iteration in this long-running franchise is a rejuvenation for the series, and it's an ambitious one, offering up a new titular prince and casting certain game traditions aside in favor of player immersion. And for the most part it succeeds, eliminating illusion-breaking mechanics like game-over screens and long loading times in the process. This re-imagining comes with a few caveats, however, and if you're a longtime series fan, you'll quickly discover--and possibly resent--that Prince of Persia is, far and away, the easiest game in the series. But if you can clear your mind and let the game's magic wash over you, its easygoing joy and visual beauty will charm you into forgiving a sprinkling of flaws.

n some ways, Prince of Persia represents a return to Sands of Time's storybook vibe, which had been somewhat lost in that game's two sequels. Yet our new hero isn't exactly Prince Charming, but rather a wisecracking nomad interested only in his donkey (named Farah, in one of several nods to previous games) and the riches she apparently carries. His royal status is referenced but never fully explored, though his companion Elika is clearly a princess, and as the game progresses, you'll become much more invested in her past than the prince's. Together, they seek to imprison the evil god Ahriman, who has been inexplicably set free by Elika's own father. To do so, they must restore a series of fertile grounds to their former fecund glory, thereby banishing the inky black corruption that has enveloped the land. Storytelling isn't the game's strong suit, and the dismissive, often unlikeable prince is hardly beguiling, a poor fit for the captivating journey ahead. Thankfully, Elika exudes enough charm for the both of them, and the relationship they slowly forge lends plenty of emotional impact to the game's final moments.

This relationship enriches the very core of the experience, given that Elika is not your standard game sidekick. She isn't just a helpless companion, but an important part of a number of gameplay mechanics. As the prince, you will pull off moves familiar to franchise fans: jumping, climbing, scaling, and wallrunning among them. There are also a few new acrobatics to play with, such as the aptly named roofrun, where the prince scuttles along the roof in a vaguely simian manner. But if the moves are familiar, Elika's presence enriches and enhances them. She will jump on your back as you scale across vines, reach for your helping hand as you climb, and perform an elegant pas de deux with you when you need to pass her on a narrow beam. In some ways, this relationship recalls that of Ico and Yorda in 2001's ICO.

While in ICO Yorda was totally dependent on her companion, here Elika is far more helpful to the prince than he is to her. She is, in fact, your constant savior, because she will not, and cannot, allow you to die. Should you fall, Elika will grab you by the wrist and whisk you to safety--meaning the last checkpoint. There is a checkpoint at almost every platform, so aside from possibly having to repeat a few seconds of gameplay, there is absolutely no penalty for plummeting to your doom. You will never see the words "game over," and you won't need to save and reload before difficult sequences. Nor will you need to ever puzzle over how to make it from point A to point B: Elika can fire off a magical homing orb that will show you the precise way of getting to your destination. Combined with simple platforming controls that require a minimum of key or button presses, these facets make Prince of Persia one of the easiest games you'll play all year.

This ease of use makes each individual action seem relatively meaningless as you string moves together. For many, this will translate to a diminished feeling of reward; aside from a few exceptions, there is no sequence that feels remotely challenging, certainly not for players familiar with the old-school difficulties wrought by the early games in the series. Yet while the unique satisfaction of overcoming hurdles is missing, it is tempered by other kinds of rewards. The platforming is fluid, and seamlessly chaining a number of moves together is simple but visually appealing, making for some silky-smooth motion that you'll get a kick out of. To get the most out of it, however, you will want to use a controller. While the keyboard controls work surprisingly well for platforming, the numerous quicktime events aren't well suited to a keyboard, and the key prompts are more confusing when you aren't using a gamepad.


The Good

* Intricate level design
* Beautiful art direction
* Platforming is entertaining and looks great
* Cinematic combat moves are cool to pull off and impressive to watch
* Elika's presence leads to unique gameplay mechanics.


The Bad

* Really, really easy
* The new prince isn't a good leading man
* Some combat and platforming annoyances.


System Requirement

Minimum system requirement:

* OS:Windows XP/Windows Vista
* Processor:Intel Pentium D 2.6GHz / AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
* RAM:1GB(Windows XP)/2GB (Windows Vista)
* Video Memory:256MB
* DirectX Version:9
* Free Hard Disk Space:8GB


Recommended system requirement:

* OS:Windows XP/Windows Vista
* Processor:Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz / AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+
* RAM:2GB
* Video Memory:256MB
* DirectX Version:9
* Free Hard Disk Space:8GB

Source : www.gamespot.com

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FarCry 2 Review

Description :

Caught between two rival factions in war-torn Africa, you are sent to take out "The Jackal," a mysterious character who has rekindled the conflict between the warlords, jeopardizing thousands of lives. In order to fulfil your mission you will have to play the factions against each other, identify and exploit your their weaknesses, and neutralize their superior numbers and firepower with surprise, subversion, cunning and, of course, brute force. Real-time story telling, systemic auto-healing, minimal in-game interface are just few of the features that make you feel the tension of being alone against barbarous warlords that threaten thousands of innocent lives. Choose from a wide range of weapons to make your way to your primary target. Meet the fight head-on with your machine-gun, go berserk with your machete or make stealth kills as a Sniper. If you feel that the atmosphere is not warm enough, light up your flamethrower and let your enemies and everything around them feel the heat.

In Far Cry 2's chaotic world of mercenaries, gunrunners, and armed militias, you'll find yourself dropped into a dizzying web of shady clients and paper-thin alliances. All manner of names and faces are introduced during the course of the storyline, but the real star isn't anyone brandishing a smuggled weapon in search of blood diamonds; it's the daunting and awe-inspiring 50-square kilometers of African landscape that make up the game's open-world setting. Aside from providing the opportunity to soak up an amazing sunset, Far Cry 2's free-roaming terrain brilliantly harmonizes with the first-person combat. The diverse landscape and myriad environmental factors work alongside a wide assortment of weaponry to give you tremendous freedom to approach each mission. Combined with solid multiplayer, Far Cry 2's sheer breadth of action provides you with plenty of reason to stay lost in the African wilderness despite an underwhelming plot and the occasional sense of tedium in navigating from one location to another on the gargantuan map.

Far Cry 2's story is filled with potential. You're a mercenary working for a client who's sent you to an unnamed African nation engulfed in civil war, and your job is to take out a notorious arms dealer known as "The Jackal." He quickly proves to be an elusive figure, so you'll need to begin working for various warring factions that the Jackal has armed so you can trace the supply line back to your target. The two primary organizations at the heart of all this bloodshed are the militaristic UFLL and the revolutionary APR. You'll spend the bulk of the story working for these two groups, getting to know their power structures, and taking on all of the violent tasks they throw your way. Complicating things is the fact that your character has malaria, which means you'll need to occasionally play nice with the more ragtag Underground, the only group with the medical connections necessary to keep your potentially life-threatening symptoms at bay.

Each story mission can be played in multiple ways. There are 12 potential buddies randomly scattered throughout the storyline who you can befriend (nine of whom are available to choose as your silent protagonist), and they're often keen to tack on their own interests to the quests handed out by the UFLL and APR. Instead of just taking out a target, you have the option to earn extra reputation points by working alongside your buddy to first squeeze any remaining assets from the soon-to-be-deceased. This also earns you the ability to increase your level of companionship with that buddy. It's a neat reward, but it doesn't shed much light on their backgrounds. But that's par for the course; the main story is delivered in such a rushed, quick-and-dirty way that you never feel very involved in the game's overarching conflicts. The plot is less Blood Diamond than it is early Grand Theft Auto, a long roster of changing faces that scroll by far too quickly to capitalize on the politically charged setting.

The Good

* Incredible amount of freedom to approach each mission
* 50 square kilometers of visually stunning African landscape
* Hefty single-player campaign should take at least 30 hours
* Diverse reward and upgrade systems feed off each other very well
* Robust map editor on all three versions.


The Bad

* Story does very little with politically-charged setting
* Traveling for long stretches can become tedious.

Farcry 2 System Requirement

High Requirements:

* CPU: E6600 Core 2 Duo
* Graphics: Nvidia 8800GTS
* RAM: 2GB
* Hard Drive Space: 6-8GB
* Optical Drive: DVD Drive

Minimum Requirements:

* CPU: Athlon 64 3000+/Intel 2.8ghz
* Graphics: Nvidia 6600 or ATI X1600 - Shader Model 2.0
* RAM: 1GB
* Hard Drive Space: 6-8GB
* Optical Drive: DVD Drive

Recommended Requirements:

* CPU: Dual-Core CPU (Athlon X2 / Pentium D / Core 2 Duo)
* Graphics: Nvidia 7800GT or ATI X1800XL Pro (SM 3.0)
* RAM: 2GB+
* Hard Drive Space: 6-8GB
* Optical Drive: DVD Drive

Source : www.gamespot.com

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Pro Evolution Soccer 2009

Description :

Pro Evolution Soccer 2009, soccer games, which have been waiting for the game of football lovers by rival Winning Eleven. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 attended by more humor gamers, the game players can enjoy all the logo of their favored team in the game that were previously impossible to enjoy.

In addition to the team Manchester United and Liverpool, Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 will also display the logo and all the attributes of the Champions League during the 4 years of the contract. Video Games football will be launched also for mobile phones so that users can play anywhere, anytime, provided that the ability to support mobile phone applications.

On the graphic, image design, all players will again be improved so that more resembles the designs again appearance of the original players, and also the movement while playing in a more subtle. In addition, there is a feature that allows users to manage, design and a great leader.

The good

* Become A Legend mode is promising.
* 2 vs. 2 online multiplayer for the first time.
* Online lag has been ironed out for the most part.

The Bad

* The Champions League mode lacks substance.
* An auto-trick feature spoils the fun.
* Player animations are jerky at times.

System Requirement

The Minimum system requirements:
- Windows XP SP2, Vista
- Intel Pentium 4 1.4 GHz
- 1 GiByte RAM
- 6 GB an empty seat on a disk
- GeForce FX or Radeon 9700th Pixel / Vertex Shader 2.0 and 128 MiByte VRAM.
- 800 x 600 expansion of the display

Recommended system requirements:
- Windows XP SP2, Vista
- Intel Pentium 4 3.0 GHz
- 2 GiByte RAM
- 8 GB hard disk
- GeForce 6800 GT / GS, Radeon X1600 or higher. Pixel / Vertex Shader 3.0 and 256 MiByte VRAM
- 1, 280 x 720 expansion of the display

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Left 4 Dead

Description :
Fight together...or die alone. A new and highly virulent strain of the rabies virus emerges and spreads through the human population with frightening speed. The pandemic's victims become grotesquely disfigured, wildly violent psychopaths, attacking the uninfected on sight. One of the "lucky" few apparently immune to the sickness, you, unfortunately, are also trapped in a city crawling with thousands of the bloodthirsty Infacted. Together with a handful of fellow Survivors, you must fight your way to safety or die alone. A co-operative multiplayer action game from the makers of "Counter-Strike," Left 4 Dead is built atop the most advanced version of the Source Engine and introduces version 2 of Turtle Rock's artificial intelligence (A.I.) technology.

System Requirement :

* OS: Windows XP, Vista, Vista64
* CPU: 3.0 GHz P4, Dual Core 2.0 or AMD64X2 (or higher)
* RAM: 1 GB for XP / 2GB for Vista
* Disc drive: DVD-ROM Drive
* Hard drive: At least 7.5 GB of free space
* Video: Direct X 9 compatible video card - Video card must be 128 MB or more and should be a DirectX 9-compatible with support for pixel shader 2.0 (ATI 9600 or high. Or, Nvidia 6600 or higher)
* Sound: Direct X9.0c compatible sound card

Source : www.gamefaqs.com

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Dynasty Warriors 6

Description

Featuring a new proprietary combat engine, Dynasty Warriors 6 delivers the exhilaration of single-handedly destroying thousands of soldiers on massive fields of combat. The lightning-fast, kung-fu fighting, fluid motion-captured animation, intuitive combat system and immersive environments create an unparalleled gaming experience, and push the limits of tactical action.

About DYNASTY WARRIORS 6

Selling over 18 million units combined worldwide, KOEI's award-winning DYNASTY WARRIORS series and SAMURAI WARRIORS® series of Tactical Action games have become a global phenomenon.

Based on the epic novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the genre-defining DYNASTY WARRIORS 6 depicts the massive battles ignited by the fall of the Han Dynasty when three rebellious states moved to overthrow the Emperor of China.

DYNASTY WARRIORS 6 delivers the unparalleled exhilaration of single-handedly destroying thousands of soldiers on massive battlefields. Utilizing spectacular fighting techniques motion-captured from some of today's leading stuntmen and stuntwomen in Asia, DYNASTY WARRIORS 6 immerses gamers in a truly cinematic kung-fu adventure. The game's lightning-fast fighting, intuitive combat system and breathtaking environments create a visceral gaming experience that pushes the limits of Tactical Action.

Also slated for this November, DYNASTY WARRIORS 6 for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system will now come as a single disc. Action-packed with the full cast of playable characters and pulse-pounding scenarios of the original release, this new version features platform-exclusive content including never-before-seen "Musou" mode stories, new weapons, plus five additional stages and 10 new scenarios.

DYNASTY WARRIORS 6 for the PlayStation 2 ships to North American retailers the week of November 18, 2008. The game is in stores now for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

Developed by KOEI's Omega Force, DYNASTY WARRIORS 6 is rated "T" (Teen– Violence) by the ESRB. DYNASTY WARRIORS 6 is for 1 to 2 players (offline). For additional information

DYNASTY WARRIORS 6 for Windows-based PC System Requirements :

Minimum: Pentium® 4 1.6GHz, Windows XP/Vista, 512MB RAM, 5GB or more of free space, 640×480 High Color enabled, 3D Accelerator with Hardware T&L and Pixel Shading supporting 128MB or more of VRAM, DirectX 9.0c+, DirectX 9.0c+ compliant, 16-bit stereo with 44KHz playback supported by Windows XP/Vista, keyboard

Recommended: Intel® Core™2Duo 2.4GHz, Windows XP/Vista, 512MB RAM, 5GB or more of free space, 1280×720 True Color enabled, 16:9, 3D Accelerator with Hardware T&L and Pixel Shading supporting 128MB or more of VRAM, DirectX 9.0c+, DirectX 9.0c+, DirectX 9.0c+ compliant, 16-bit stereo with 44KHz playback supported by Windows XP/Vista, DirectX 9.0 compatible, 12-button game pad

The following video cards have been tested and found compatible with the product.

ATI Radeon™: X1650, X1950, HD 2600, HD 3650
NVIDIA GeForce™: 7600, 7900, 8500, 8600, 9600

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Call of Duty: World At War (Review & Cheat)

Description:

Utilizing the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare engine, Call of Duty: World at War throws out the rulebook of war to transform WWII combat through a new enemy, new tactics and an uncensored experience of the climatic battles that gripped a generation. As U.S. Marines and Russian soldiers, players employ new features like cooperative gameplay, and weapons such as the flamethrower in the most chaotic and cinematically intense experience to date. Call of Duty: World at War introduces co-operative play, bringing fresh meaning to the "No One Fights Alone" mantra with up to four-players online for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, or two-player local split-screen on consoles. Nintendo Wii will also support a unique co-op mode for two players. For the first time ever players can experience harrowing single-player missions together for greater camaraderie and tactical execution. The co-op campaign allows players to rank up and unlock perks in competitive multiplayer by completing challenges and earning experience points, adding continuous re-playability and team-based gameplay. Whether playing competitively or cooperatively – if players are online with Call of Duty: World at War – they always gain experience points. Based on a player’s experience rank and rank of the player's friends, Call of Duty: World at War scales dynamically to provide a deeper level of challenge.

System Requirement :

Minimum System Requirements
OS: Windows XP/Vista
Processor: Pentium 4 @ 3 GHz/AMD 64 3200+
Memory: 512 MB (1 GB for Vista)
Hard Drive: 8 GB Free
Video Memory: 256 MB (nVidia GeForce 6600/ATI Radeon X1600)
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
DirectX: 9.0c
Keyboard & Mouse
DVD Rom Drive

Cheat Codes

While playing the game, press ~ to display the console window. Type "devmap mak" and press [Enter] to enable cheat mode.

Password	Effect
give all	All weapons
sf_use_bw 1	Black and White movie mode
devmap [map name]	Change maps
notarget	Disable AI
god	God mode
sf_use_ignoreammo 1	Infinite ammo
mapname	List maps
noclip	No clipping mode
sf_use_invert 1	Photo negative mode
sf_use_chaplin 1	Silent movie mode

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