Retro News
September2009
Review Colin McRae: DiRT 2 (PlayStation 3)
Starting out with just a messy RV and a name to make, DiRT 2 puts you behind the wheel of the late Colin McRae's famous rally car and sets you out on a racing tour of the world
Operating from the back of your RV you'll embark on some of the world's most famous rally courses alongside some of the scenes biggest names including Ken Block and Dave...
August2009
Review Wolfenstein (PlayStation 3)
It's kind of ironic that Wolfenstein should fall victim to an overcrowded genre that it created
You step into the shoes of BJ Blazkowicz, a chirpy super-American with the chiseled looks of an overweight Nathan Drake. Once again the Nazis are being general douchebags, digging up some bonkers historical element known as Black Sun Energy. For time...
Review Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age Of Heroes (PlayStation 3)
Marvel Vs
Capcom 2, the 3-on-3 fighting game that demands silly money on eBay, just got that much more accessible via the wonders of the Playstation Network. The game is heralded as the very pinnacle of the 2D beat 'em up by the elite, largely thanks to its impressive roster and flat-out bonkers gameplay. We don't recommend this to those with...
Review G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra (PlayStation 3)
Based upon the recent movie, G
I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra pits you amidst Cobra's deadliest plot yet, putting you in the shoes of the Joes in a co-op arcade shooting environment. Taking its concept from classic run-and-gun shooters like Contra, The Rise Of Cobra is an isometric co-op shooting experience that can be played locally. There are a range...
Review Alone In The Dark: Inferno (PlayStation 3)
Sometimes games come along that truly innovate but for some reason collapse under the weight of their originality
Alone In The Dark: Inferno is one such example of brilliant ideas being released before fully developed. Alone In The Dark: Inferno is a vastly improved version of the XBOX 360 game. Improved camera and control make Inferno the...
Review Archer Maclean's Mercury (PlayStation Portable)
Archer Maclean's Mercury is a very clever puzzle game that is well worth the price of entry
It's a game you'll certainly want downloaded onto your PSP's memory stick for a drab 20 minute journey. Building on the classic Marble Madness, Mercury is a game involving blobs of, well, mercury, and the guiding of them through increasingly difficult mazes...
Review Sonic Unleashed (PlayStation 3)
The most horrendous thing about Sonic Unleashed is that it shows signs of being absolutely, totally, awesome
It's just a shame about the rest of the game. Mandatory medal-hunts. Awful God Of War-ripped sub-gameplay. Terrible voice acting. Drawn-out level design. Just a few of the reasons that Sonic Unleashed is not quite the game you'd expect it to...
Review Fat Princess (PlayStation 3)
Fat Princess is a co-operative multiplayer game comparable with few other titles
The objective of the game's main multiplayer type is to rescue your captured princess. The twist is that the princess cannot be swooped up like a heroine from movies of old; she'll have been force-fed ungodly amounts of cake by the opposing team, making her as heavy as...
July2009
Review Fritz Chess (PlayStation 3)
It's chess
Well in actual fact it's more than that. It's Fritz Chess, which means the game is powered by the best chess AI program currently available. There's a loose adventure mode taking you through a series of medieval "castle" opponents, but you won't be playing for the story; Fritz is all about the super challenging AI. Fritz Chess...
Review Shatter (PlayStation 3)
Simple in concept but deep in reality, Shatter takes the simple gameplay mechanics of Arkanoid and rebuilds them for the "New Arcade" generation
With a heavy focus on electronic music, score building and non-stop gameplay, Shatter may represent old-school classics at its core, but plays unlike anything. It's a classic example of the perfect...
Review Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (PlayStation Portable)
The Monster Hunter franchise has been a cultural phenomenon in Japan
It still stands as one of the main reasons for the PSP's success in the region - regularly outselling the Wii and occasionally overtaking the DS. There have been Western Monster Hunter releases in the past but rarely have they come close to even matching 10% of the franchise's...
Review Guitar Hero: Smash Hits (PlayStation 3)
Guitar Hero: Smash Hits is a worthy package depending on your music tastes and your desire to play those tracks as part of a full band experience
If for any reason you're not interested in the tracks available, then being forced to buy this game as full package is probably not recommended. Providing classic hits from the Guitar Hero franchise's...
Review Rock Band Unplugged (PlayStation Portable)
Those of you around in the early days of the Playstation 2 may remember a classic that went by the name Amplitude
Rock Band Unplugged is that same game without the electronica. Running with the Rock Band franchise, Rock Band Unplugged provides a range of "hits" from the likes of Weezer, Lit, Bon Jovi and many other rock veterans. The game...
Review God Of War: Chains Of Olympus (PlayStation Portable)
Kratos's PSP début is angry as ever
The game is set as a prequel to the Playstation 2's first God Of War title, where Kratos has been saved by Ares and is working out a seemingly never-ending chain of payback to the Gods of Olympus. The tale develops much further later on in the game and gives Kratos a much deeper sense of character, but we don't...
Review topatoi: The Great Tree Story (PlayStation 3)
Putting you in the thimble spinning wheel like vehicle known as GEMMA, you play as Raph, the subject of a crash landing and the knight in shining armour who will save his girlfriend from kidnap
There's a story mode and additional platforming challenges available, with leaderboards and collectables providing further challenge. Despite being a...
Review Battlefield 1943 (PlayStation 3)
A Playstation Store download, Battlefield 1943 is a complete competitive multiplayer first-person shooter experience based on the Battlefield franchise
The game provides two factions (Japan vs. USA) and three maps set in the pacific. A fourth map will be unlocked when Playstation 3 owners garner 43 million kills co-operatively, a neat little...
Review Overlord II (PlayStation 3)
Overlord II is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Overlord
The game picks up a short while after the last - where the previous Overlord - putting you in the shoes of a brand new antagonist. Controlling the Overlord essentially relies on issuing commands to your legion of Minions of whom will do your evil bidding whenever you should require it...
Review The Punisher: No Mercy (PlayStation 3)
Set in the gritty universe of The Punisher, No Mercy is an arena based shooter built with the Unreal Engine
The game is a multiplayer focused release, providing a single player story and co-op mode tied together with some comic-book style plot where the crux gameplay is still based around arena shoot-outs. There are a range of characters from The...
Review Fahrenheit (PlayStation 2)
Hot stuff
Fahrenheit is a compellingly quirky Playstation 2 affair that we can guarantee plays nothing like any other game you've played. It's original, it's cinematic and while the plot takes a turn for the worse later on, remains refreshing right the way through. Playing through the tutorial to Fahrenheit gives you the instant sense that...
Review Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (PlayStation 3)
Based on the film of the book of the same name, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince is the penultimate Harry Potter story which builds into the crux of Harry's story
The plot essentially culminates in the search for Voldemort's soul via Horcruxes. If you're unfamiliar with the book's plot then you're going to find The Half-Blood Prince pretty...
Review Numblast (PlayStation 3)
Despite being a puzzle title inherently involved with numbers, it's with pleasure for us to inform you that Numblast has absolutely nothing to with maths
You rotate quadrants of four numbers aiming to create 4x4 squares of the same number. Doing so will increase the number tally, making it possible to score outrageous combos by placing higher...
Zuma is a simple puzzle game from PopCap games
A string of marbles move along a winding path towards a skull waiting to eat the string. Alas, you play as a marble shooting frog, able to match up coloured marbles and clear them away before the skull eats them up. Chains are possible via the magnetic properties of similarly coloured marbles, making...
June2009
Review Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood (PlayStation 3)
Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood is the prequel to the similarly titled XBOX 360 release
It follows the early lives of brothers Ray and Thomas McCall, soldiers for the Confederacy in the American Civil War. The tale of the McCall's is told via Tarantino style time-leaps, an inviting technique which leaves the plot open to a lot of twists along the...
Review Fight Night Round 4 (PlayStation 3)
Building on the early success of Fight Night Round 3, the latest iteration of EA's boxing franchise builds on the realistic feel and excellent graphics of its predecessor
The game includes a main campaign entitled the Legacy Mode, which allows you to choose a character and see build them through the ranks. Your ultimate goal is to retire at the...
Review Wolfenstein 3D (PlayStation 3)
Serving as a history lesson for FPS newcomers or a nostalgia trip for the old-school, Wolfenstein 3D's presence on the PSN is certainly justified despite feeling ancient in almost every way
Wolfenstein 3D is a game that has been around for a whopping 17 years and as such offers very little new. There are trophies to unlock and subsequent rewards for...
Review Red Faction Guerrilla (PlayStation 3)
Red Faction Guerrilla follows the tale of Alec Mason, a simple miner looking to make an honest living on the developing surface of Mars
But politics are rife on Mars - and the EDF are taking control in none to friendly ways. Unable to resist the temptation of avenging his brother - who fell at the hands of the EDF - Alec Mason is dragged into the...
Review Gunstar Heroes (PlayStation 3)
Gunstar Heroes was bizarrely excluded from SEGA's Ultimate Mega Drive Collection, and while it's irritating to not have your entire collection of Mega Drive titles collectively under one roof - it does make the PSN version of Gunstar Heroes worth so much more than it might have been
Alas, Gunstar Heroes is a game you're pretty much going to want to...
Review Sacred 2: Fallen Angel (PlayStation 3)
Set in the vibrant world of Ancaria, Sacred 2: Fallen Angel bares many a similarity to hallmark PC titles such as Diablo
You'll initially select a character from a list of six including the standard fare High Elf to the less than conventional robotic Anubis. Initial customisation is weak, although this comes into play as you collect, buy, sell and...
Review Damnation (PlayStation 3)
Damnation is a stomping cyber-punk affair about everything and nothing
Taking control of rebel gang member Hamilton Rourke, you're plunged into an alternate past (or future?) where the American Civil War is fought with robots. Fighting an evil dictator known as Prescott and his horde of super charged soldiers you'll see five main levels over a 10...
Review Ghostbusters: The Video Game (PlayStation 3)
Playing as an elusive silent protagonist only referred to as "Rookie", you fill the shoes of the fifth Ghostbuster, learning from the best and embarking on a campaign to save Manhattan from a ruthless army of undead reapers
Whilst we were initially concerned, playing as the fifth Ghostbuster gives you a snapshot view of the interaction between the...
FUEL is a massive (5,000² miles massive) open-world racing game, set in a post-apocalyptic future
Think Fallout 3 meets Burnout Paradise and you're along the right lines. There's a loose story about global warming and a lack of fossil fuels, but this is a racing game through and through. You enter races, earn credits, buy better vehicles and win...
Review Trash Panic (PlayStation 3)
Coming from Japan, Trash Panic is as suitably bonkers as you'd expect
Trying to explain the concept of the game in a few sentences will be difficult, but we'll try our best. Challenged with a rectangular playing field [a.k.a. bin], you'll be presented with a range of junk - from simple office stationery to entire golf courses (really); you're tasked...
Review Bionic Commando (PlayStation 3)
A reboot of the franchise starring mechanical armed Nathan "RAD" Spencer, Bionic Commando mixes elements of platforming and shooting tied together in a rather loosely written bizarre-o-rama storyline
The game is set 10 years after Capcom's NES original, in which time has not been kind to protagonist Nate. As he waits for his execution on death-row,...
Review Cellfactor: Psychokinetic Wars (PlayStation 3)
Cellfactor: Psychokinetic Wars is a steam-punk first-person-shooter in the vain of Quake and Doom
The gameplay has a frantic feel to it, with characters defying physics both in their armoury and combat abilities - hence the name, we assume. Cellfactor has a rather simplistic single-player "campaign" accompanied by some more worthwhile...
May2009
Review Virtua Tennis 2009 (PlayStation 3)
Virtua Tennis is SEGA's acclaimed arcade tennis title, putting you in the shoes of a range of different circuit superstars - Federer, Nadal, Murray, Ivanovic, Sharapova, etc
The World Tour mode allows you to create your own player and watch them rise through the ranks of the SEGA Pro Tennis tour; completing mini-games and training challenges with...
Review inFAMOUS (PlayStation 3)
You play as Cole McGrath, the subject of an inexplicable explosion, and the carrier of some deadly electrical powers
With the entirety of Cole's hometown - Empire City - suffering the consequences of the blast, the government puts the location under quarantine. With a loss of order, and gangs rising from the underground, Cole embarks on discovering...
Review Bejeweled 2 (PlayStation 3)
Bejeweled is a simple puzzle game where the player must match sets of three jewels to progress through increasingly difficult stages
Unlike Tetris and Columns, the screen is constantly full, making the challenge all about finding the jewels to match and also creating "chains" to increase the high score. Matching four jewels creates an...
Review Buzz!: Junior: Robo Jam (PlayStation 3)
There have been a lot of Buzz
games over the last few years. They were an asset on the Playstation 2 simply because they could blur the lines between casual and hardcore players, much like Nintendo's Wii. Capitalising on the mixed age appeal of the quiz games, Sony diversified the gameshow genre to include minigame compilations under the Buzz!...
Review Zen Pinball (PlayStation 3)
Zen Pinball is the latest digital take on the classic past-time, giving players a choice of four tables to compete in a range of different modes
Each table varies in tone to the other; whether it be the automotive "V12" or the Honda advert inspired "Tesla". There's no standout here - each is as glorious as the last with DLC...
Review SingStar Pop Edition (PlayStation 3)
Music games have a huge pool of popularity just now
You've got Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Rock Revolution - erm - Wii Music and many more. All of which cater to different crowds and different types of music genres. In the cases of the aforementioned - Wii Music's nursery rhymes aside - it's usually the commercial rock crowd. Thank goodness for...
Review X-Men Origins: Wolverine (PlayStation 3)
Based on the new Hugh Jackman Wolvie movie, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is set just before the X-Men films, filling in much of the character's back-story; something which may or may not please comic book aficionados, but is tackled all the same
The game is directed via a series of flash-backs, which can get confusing, but the majority of the time works...
April2009
Review The Chronicles Of Riddick: Assault On Dark Athena (PlayStation 3)
The Chronicles Of Riddick: Assault On Dark Athena is actually a package consisting of two games; the fresh Riddick chapter Assault On Dark Athena and the earlier XBOX-cult exclusive Escape From Butcher Bay
As it stands, that makes The Chronicles Of Riddick: Assault On Dark Athena a rather beefy package, including two complete 9-hour games and a...
Review OutRun Online Arcade (PlayStation 3)
OutRun Online Arcade is a port of the classic OutRun 2 SP arcade board, a SEGA AM2 game which featured in part in the home console releases of OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast
Based upon Yu Suzuki's original racing classic, OutRun 2 SP introduced slip-streaming and an American theme. OutRun Online Arcade is a perfect port by Sheffield's SUMO Digital,...
Review FIFA 09: Ultimate Team (PlayStation 3)
Ultimate Team is an extension to the excellent Fifa 09, allowing players to earn coins, buy trading cards and complete a sticker album
Upon loading Ultimate Team you will be given your first pack of cards featuring some amateur players. From here you can build your team and play matches in order to earn coins. Earning coins allows you to buy new...
Review Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists Of Plastic (PlayStation 3)
Originally developed for the PC by Mark Healey, the co-founder of Media Molecule, Rag Doll Kung Fu is a parody of classic kung fu movies
The game is a simple arena based beat 'em up, akin to Nintendo's Super Smash Bros., where up to four players select an action-figure protagonist and battle it out on a purposely cliche stage. Rag Doll Kung Fu has a...
Review Wanted: Weapons Of Fate (PlayStation 3)
Set shortly after the ending of the movie, you take control of Wesley Gibson, a smug-faced assassin with the ability to curve bullets
With the death of his mother burning in his veins, you'll embark on a one-man crusade for revenge, with the narrative flitting between the past and present. Wanted: Weapons Of Fate consists of a 6-hour single campaign...
Review The Godfather II (PlayStation 3)
Obviously taking license from the incredibly successful 1974 movie, The Godfather II is the follow-up video game to 2006's mixed success sandbox adventure
Deviating sacrilegiously (but necessarily) from some areas of the original movie's plot, you play as Dominic, a soldier under the previous game's protagonist Aldo Trapani. After a brief encounter...
Review Buzz!: Brain Of The UK (PlayStation 3)
Buzz
is a popular Playstation quiz franchise, providing a satirical look at gameshow culture. The PS3 version of Buzz!: Brain Of The UK plays host to 1,000s of new questions, alongside the return of online multiplayer and the ability to create and distribute your own quizzes online. Just like Buzz! Quiz TV, Buzz! Brain Of The UK has gorgeous...
Review Buzz!: Brain Of The UK (PlayStation Portable)
Buzz
is a popular Playstation quiz franchise, providing a satirical look at gameshow culture. The PSP version of Buzz!: Brain Of The UK plays host to 1,000's of questions, a short singleplayer campaign and a couple of multiplayer options. As always, the Buzz! presentation is razor sharp, providing some new "parody" lines from master host...
March2009
Review Afro Samurai (PlayStation 3)
Afro Samurai is a reimagining of the "popular" anime series (we air-quote it because, while we're not anime zealots, we've never heard of it - Ed)
As a child, Afro Samurai witnesses the murder of his father to the hands of the Number One Headband (the bestest swordsman there is). It's from this moment on that Afro Samurai seeks out the Number Two...
Review Stormrise (PlayStation 3)
Stormrise pitches a moderately engrossing sci-fi plot involving a race of human survivors known as The Echelon
As human survivors of a failed climate control experiment, they go up against the Sai, an evil tentacle bearing race. The game doesn't exactly do a strong enough job of explaining its premise, but the characters develop enough to create...
Review Burn, Zombie, Burn! (PlayStation 3)
Bruce, a rad quiff-sporting stereotype, was hoping to spend his weekend cozying up to bubble-gum popping spouse Daisy
Sadly, there's an unannounced zombie invasion issuing him with the task of clearing out the undead. Thankfully Bruce has a stash of crypt crocking weapons available. Burn, Zombie, Burn! is an old school arcade shooter inspired by...
Review Vin Diesel Wheelman (PlayStation 3)
Wheelman puts you in the shoes of Hollywood super-star Vin Diesel, as he tears up the streets of Barcelona posing as Milo Burik
Finding his feet in the Spanish province, Vin Diesel starts to learn about Barcelona's criminal underground and builds up a relationship with numerous shady locals as a wheelman. Wheelman is an arcade style driving game...
Review No Gravity: The Plague Of The Mind (PlayStation Portable)
No Gravity: The Plague Of The Mind is a space-bound shooter set in the year 8002
You play as one of the few remaining adventurous pilots, tasked with the mission of scouring space to wipe out the vicious "mind plague". No Gravity's interpretation of space is fantastic. It mainly achieves such gorgeous visuals by the way it fills the screen with...
Review Resistance Retribution (PlayStation Portable)
Set somewhere between the events of Resistance: Fall Of Man and Resistance 2, Resistance Retribution follows new protagonist James Grayson, a British soldier scorned by the death of his brother early on in the game
Crazed with revenge, Grayson goes on a lone revenge spree against his brothers murderers, the Chimera. The British army, none too...
Review Tom Clancy's HAWX (PlayStation 3)
Tom Clancy's HAWX puts you in the shoes of US pilot David Crenshaw
The plot is set somewhere in between the events of Ghost Recon 2 and EndWar, though they have little influence. Swayed by the big-bucks of lavish security firm Artemis you quickly wave your goodbyes to the tight-fisted US government and take to the skies as a hired gun. Naturally,...
Review Patapon 2 (PlayStation Portable)
Patapon is a rhythm game that combines elements of RPG and strategy with its beat-matching gameplay
You use the face buttons to create a beat, of which certain patterns control the angry-eyed Patapon warriors you oversee. On its surface, Patapon feels like basic rhythm game. But as you progress you'll find the game has a lot of depth which requires...
Review Killzone 2 (PlayStation 3)
Killzone 2 is the sequel to the ambitious but flawed PS2-shooter Killzone
The game details the events that occur during an ongoing war between the ISA and an extra-terrestrial dictatorship race, the Helghast. You play as Sev, a single member of the ISA Alpha Squad. Killzone 2 is the best looking console game we've ever seen. Everything from the...
February2009
Review SEGA Mega Drive Ultimate Collection (PlayStation 3)
SEGA Mega Drive Ultimate Collection is a compilation of over 40 of SEGA's Mega Drive games
Included are the likes of Sonic The Hedgehog, Streets Of Rage and many more which helped to define not only the Mega Drive, but also the 16-bit era. A series of interviews are also included alongside some classic arcade emulations to make the package complete...
Review Street Fighter IV (PlayStation 3)
Street Fighter is, arguably, the most famous beat 'em up franchise in the world
In its fourth iteration, developers Capcom have dumped new gimmicks in order to create a focused, balanced and competitive experience based on the elements that have made the game a worldwide success. Street Fighter IV is so well balanced, so well thought-out and so...
Review Noby Noby Boy (PlayStation 3)
Where to start? Created by Katamari mastermind Keita Takahashi, you play as BOY, a small-worm like creature with four legs who can stretch almost infinitely
His front legs are controlled with the left stick and his back legs with the right. Essentially pulling the sticks apart will stretch BOY until he reaches the constraints of the randomly...
January2009
Review Magic Ball (PlayStation 3)
The whole concept of the game relies on excellent physics
Gone are the static "blocks" of old Breakout games and in their place pirate ships, dragons and all sorts of buildings and barrels. Everything is affected by the contact of the ball with some power-ups causing objects to fly across the screen; the wind effect is an excellent example...
