The Importance of Being Online

My first Op-Ed article: How important is online?. I hope you enjoy it, I am working on my style and really appreciate any suggestions. Also, make sure you post your opinions, as they will be read out on the podcast next month! In this article, I will be discussing online and what it adds to and subtracts from games.

Online has, up until now, mainly something that PCs, and PCs only, do. Yes, the original Xbox connected to the internet, and technically so did the PS2, but even the Xbox was quite a lot of trouble to get it online and most games weren't even Live enabled. This has changed greatly in this generation. All current-generation consoles have online capabilities, in fact, I would go so far as to say, that online is what this generation is about. Great graphics barley make up half the market share, motion sensing is also about half the market share, but all 3 consoles, for better or for worse, have online. Not only this, but online is making stories for all 3 as well. Xbox Live has a massive reputation, obviously, but that isn't it, the PSN is trying to be a free, better version of Xbox Live and is one of Sonys main points to push. The Wii, also in the news about its online capabilities, namely how they are under-used, over-restricted and generally disappointing considering the Wii has built in Wi-fi. Finally, the PC's online is changing too, with Windows Live coming in to play, where some users are now paying for a service that used to be free. So to say online is at the forefront of gaming news would be a bit of an understatement, but how important is it really? Is it even a bad thing?

It is possible that online detracts from the games quality. As many of you will be aware, I recently purchased and completed Halo 3. I did so on the second to hardest difficultly, did not play it obsessively and managed to complete it in a matter of days (less than 5) For a game which has been in production for over 2 years, is that not a little short? If I had paid £40 for this game (as it happens, I managed to get it pre-owned) and did not have any intention of getting Live, I would be very disappointed with the game. While online may be very wide-spread, it isn't 100%. Some people could argue that, if you don't have online, you don't get Halo. I agree, but why should they miss out on a fantastic, albeit brief, game. Besides, it isn't just Halo. Call of Duty is another example (And I am sure Metal Gear Solid will be too) Some of this shortness can be attributed to the fact developers need to make amazing graphics or otherwise their title will just be shunned (that is what next months article will be on) However, I don't think it can be entirely responsible, as many of these games use pre-built engines anyway.

Also, as game developers are presuming the game is going to go online, they are delivering un-finished games. This used to be limited to PCs, where developers would just release a patch a month after launch. This was infuriating for the consumer, and when games are costing upwards of £40, it really isn't acceptable. That is not the worst of it, however. Some games take content out that had already been produced at the games launch to sell for more profits. Games aren't cheap, games are short, half the market is PAYING for online anyway, there really shouldn't be additional fees, particularly for horse armour.

That brings me on to my next point, cost. If assuming that you need online to enjoy a game to the full, you are going to need to spend some money. The 360 is the most guilty of this. If, firstly, doesn't have built in Wi-Fi. This is in itself shockingly bad, given that even the underpowered Wii does. But it gets worse, Microsoft charge £60 for the Wi-Fi card. It isn't a special card, it is a USB wireless adaptor, something that you can buy for PC for under £20 without going budget. It isn't even reliable, my friend has got through 4 since getting his 360 this Christmas. Surely Microsoft has taken enough of your money now? No, you have to pay for online. I mean, come on, that is ridiculous. Yes, Live is better than both the PSN and, obviously, the Wii, but £40 a year better? The truth is no, but it won't change because everyone, myself included, will keep buying it because they want to play their games online. It isn't just Microsoft who will rob you though, the PS3 has got a game coming out later this year BUILT around the idea of micro-transactions (Home)

Despite all that, online does have many good points too. The most obvious one is how it extends the game. Single player, no matter how long, will eventually get old, in theory, a decent evolving online game won't. Case in point: Halo. In 5 years time, Halo will still be a blast to play online. Offline multiplayer requires organisation, online doesn't Online means you can pick the game up for 5-10 minutes, play and go. Online means you can meet your friends online and be able to play them with out breaking commitments to other ties.

Also, many game developers will release more content after launch. Sometimes you will have to pay, sometimes you won't. It means that if they find something that isn't balanced, it can be fixed, increasing the longevity of the game. Halo periodically releases new maps that eventually become free. This, once again, keeps players coming back and helps to keep the game fresh. Yes, micro-transactions aren't cool, but if the content is right, then why not? You pay for games. I am not talking about horse armour, something I will never forgive Bethesda Studios for, but extra missions, new maps, different variants etc.

Finally, one of the key things about technology at the moment is user generated content. Take a look at any modern "Web 2.0" site. Post comments and write blog links are everywhere. Games are starting to embrace this, most obviously with things like Mii creation, but also more crucially things like screen shots and movies. Last generation, there were loads of movies created by fans using their favourite games, just search YouTube for Halo 2 Red Vs. Blue if you don't believe me. Or Halo Music Videos But this generation, things can get a little more advanced. With the ease of online, users can work together to make really good content. The online community is ready to embrace you.

So, do we need online? It definitely makes developers lazy, both with length of single player and bug fixing, but mulitplayer is usually the most fun element in a game and online multiplies that tenfold. I recently marked Metroid Prime 3: Corruption down for not having it. It would be, quite frankly, hypocritical to say no to online, as I just finished a Halo game online. However, one thing that might be possible if a developer was feeling really kind, and in some ways Metal Gear Solid is going to do this, is ship the offline portion on the disk having spent all the development time creating it. Then, because it will take a few months for everyone to complete, they develop the online portion and deliver it digitally. People who don't have online won't receive it, but it doesn't matter, because they won't be using it either. However, this won't happen as people are buying short games at full price. What I think we are going to see, however, is single player stuff being added later for a fee. Please leave your thoughts, comments and suggestions how I can make these articles better in the remarks button below.
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Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

System: Wii
Type: Shooter/Adventure/Platformer
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 9/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Story: 9/10
Multiplayer: n/a but it should be

Overall: 9/10

This was my most anticipated games for the Wii, Metroid Prime 1 was amazing. Except for the controls. The controls for this game look perfect. Surly this game is perfect. Unfortunately not, but it is still one of the best games I have ever played. This review will be written quite comparatively to Metroid Prime 1, if you haven't read my review or played on the game, I suggest you do.

The story in this game finishes the trilogy. While I don't want to give away the ending, it is average. It does leave the possibility of another Metroid, but doesn't seal it. The games first 3rd plays out much more like Halo with combat oriented, object driven first person shooting. This works well, thanks to the amazing control scheme. After that the game returns to its root and you are set loose on grand objectives and the entire system to explore and discover. The game is much more story driven than the first one, this is pulled off with some voice acting. Although I use the term "acting" loosely. At best, the voice acting is bearable, but most of the time it is clichéd and annoying. It is, to be fair, Nintendo's first attempt at voice acting, and shows why they shouldn't do it.

Graphically, the game looks great. However, if you compare them to Metroid 1, the only real difference is in the use of soft lighting. Skytown is beautiful, and Space Pirate Homeworld is creepy. Unfortunately, the games worlds aren't nearly as dramatic as they were in MP1. The game, like the first one, streams all the map to avoid loading times. Basically, when you shoot a door it takes a couple of seconds to open so it can load the next area. This works great, except sometimes it just takes too long. You can find yourself waiting upwards of 15 seconds for some doors to open. This really breaks up the fluidity of the game and is a real shame. The game does also experience the occasional latency, mainly when it is raining on the Space Pirate Homeworld and you are using your charge beam.

The game is the same audio treat it was in MP1, except with even better background music. The sounds are crisp and the music builds the tension perfectly with some truly memorable tunes. All of these tunes can be bought with credits that you collect throughout the game, see below. It is suffice to say, that I do listen to them as real background music and while I still think Zelda has a better sound track, it is still very good. Unfortunately, the beam rifle does not come though the Wii-remote, but this would probably get old quick, and get through your batteries quick.

The control scheme is obviously the main selling point of any Wii game, and this game is no exception. However, the difference between this game and every other Wii game, is it uses the Wiimote perfectly. It doesn't over use it, it doesn't simply replace buttons with wiggles, it , put simply, is perfect. Naturally, you point to aim, if you move towards the edge of the screen, Samus begins to turn. This may sound simple, but it works perfectly. This combined with the loose lock on, enabling you to strafe with independent aiming, provides a very fun and rewarding combat experience.

The game also has some gestures. One of the best is to do with the grapple beam, an item you acquire early on during your adventure. Basically, you lock on to an enemy, just the NChuck forwards then rip back to pull their shield off, opening them up for weapon fire. This action works well and is very rewarding. The game will also have you twisting, pushing and pulling the Wiimote to complete various actions throughout the galaxy. Most of the time, these work excellently and really serve to bring you inside the game. However, occasionally they feel gimmicky and sometimes you will have to repeat the action to get it to work. The control scheme, combined with a few other touches like a controller battery meter in your visor, make this game feel like a Wii game through and through, as opposed to Zelda, where it was more of an after thought.

One improvement the game has on MP1 is the Morph Ball puzzles. In Metroid Prime 1, they often felt like 2d puzzles that were begrudgingly converted in to 3D. This time round, the puzzles full embrace the 3D environment like the rest of the game. Also, because you receive all your power ups much more quickly, the puzzles quickly force you to use all of your abilities. As for the rest of the puzzles, they are on a par with MP1, usually scanning the item will be enough for you to solve it.

One of the things the game does that is very next generation-esque is achievements. they aren't actually called achievements and function a little differently, but the core concept is still there. You collect these things called credits. You can collect these credits in a number of different ways, depending on their colour. Some are very easy to collect, all you have to do is to scan a creature, others require a little bit more luck/skill, for example, clearing a certain area without loosing a single GF troop. Beating bosses also rewards you with credits. You can then purchase a number of things with these credits, including a screen shot taker, concept are, music and a little Mii thing to put in your space ship. Unfortunately, this system is undermined by two things. Firstly, it neither keeps track of how you got the credits nor how you have spent them, so their is no way of comparing with other people, and also most of the cool stuff requires you to get friend credits. These can only be got by having a wi-fi enabled friend with Corruption (a game without an online mode) to send you credits. This means that I have not been able to try out the screen shot taker or the Mii thing, as I don't have any friends who meet the requirements, and it is very infuriating.

Perhaps this games worst aspect is the lost potential. Obviously, the online is at the most forefront for critizim. The game NEEDED multiplayer. The campaign is short and lower replay value than MP1. The control scheme is more than responsive. The morph ball, if cleverly designed, could make an interesting dynamic (much like the Warthog in Halo). Skyworld among other areas, would make a fantastic map base. The Wii is online enabled. The list goes on. The lack of multiplayer will torment me for the rest of my life, as Metroid Prime has quickly become one of my favourite game series, and now it is over.

That is not the only lost potential in this game. Throughout the game, you have limited access to your ship. Some problems will require you to use your ship to do certain things and you can land you ship in designated places to save and fly to other locales. While this is a huge improvement on MP1, it should have been taken further. For example, there should have been bonus places to land your ship which weren't compulsory. Also, when you are flying, you watch a video of your space ship. Inside your space ship, if you get in to it without flying anywhere, there is a bunch of stuff to do, like health scans. It is all cool but pointless, the perfect thing to do whist waiting for the next area to load. Or even better, be able to look at the map. There are a number of other things in the game where you feel they should have been used more. None of these things are particularly important, but there are a number of things where you feel that with a little more effort, the great idea could be used to its full potential.

This is always going to be a tricky title to review. It is a great game in its own write, but the lost potential and the over standing superiority of Metroid Prime 1 do leave a some what dark shadow over this game. The game needed multiplayer, even if it was just offline. The control scheme is the first scheme to, in my opinion, rival, if not supersede, the mouse/keyboard combination. The accuracy allowed with the Wiiremote and easily accessible buttons with joystick make it perfect. This game isn't without flaws, not least the voice acting, but this is an amazing game which deserved far more press than it received. The story is good, the controls, and I really can't stress this enough, are fantastic and there is no reason not to get it. It is just such a shame considering the potential this game had.

Brawl is Mental

This has gone beyond a joke, anyone who thought Halo was big, should see the amount of stuff being put on to Brawl. The size of anticipation for this game is literally only rivalled by the sheer amount of content going in to it. In case you haven't been keeping up with Dojo updates, I suggest you read the latest post:Vault.

They filled up a huge post with one section of the menu. Also, on Friday, they announced the game would include Virtual Console demos (including Super Metroid!!!) I genuinely do no know how they can fit all this on one disk, or how I am going to be able to wait for this games, as of yet, unannounced release. Super Smash Bros' Brawl comes out in Japan on the 31st.

Also, just read a preview of The Forces Unleashed, mainly focusing on the 360 and PS3 versions. I don't know which console I am going to get this game on, as all the cool graphical and technical stuff on the 360 sounds awesome, but Wii Remote light-sabering sounds UNMISSABLE. I might actually end up getting both; ridiculous.

On a completly irrelevant note, I just finished my first proper website, a driving school in Thame. If you are considering learning to drive, I suggest you go with the Drive Masters: www.mgschoolofmotoring.co.uk If you have any suggestions or are interested in a website, email me @ thekileyenator@gmail.com

Moving Wallpaper and Long Road out of Eden

Sorry about not posting earlier as I have been...revising? Definitely not playing on Halo 3.

Moving Wallpaper - ITV 9:00PM Friday


Moving Wallpaper (and Echo Beach after) is a new ITV (?!) comedy. The idea is that Moving Wallpaper, on at 9:00pm every Friday, is a comedy about making a soap, and then Echo Beach, 9:30pm every Friday, is the soap they have created. Apart from the fact this is a refreshingly original idea, it is actually brilliantly executed. The comedy is genuinely funny, quite apart from "The Vivian Vyle Show" a BBC comedy that just wasn't funny. Also, as you would expect, there are little jokes in Moving Wallpaper which you notice in Echo Beach. Fortunately, these are not over used and really enhance the program. I don't watch a huge number of Soaps as I find them predictable, and while this is no different, I am enjoying watching it. As you can tell, I don't normally review TV programs, which is why that review isn't very good, but I do recommend watching this and, if you can, catch up on the previous episodes.



Long Road out of Eden - The Eagles
Once again, I don't normally review music CDs, but deal with it. The Eagles have recently got back together to produce this album and while no track is going to replace Hotel California, the album is surprisingly good. The music is very mixed, with some tracks being reminiscent of classic Eagles, others sound like country folk songs, some sound like charity singles and some are more boyband-esque. Highlights of the album are: "Long Road out of Eden" and "Busy Being Fabulous"

Brawl Delayed

The US and Japanese sites have stated that Brawl, the much anticipated forthcoming game for the Wii has been delayed. For Japan, the game will now come out in Jan 31st and for the US to March 9th. While there has been no mention of the UK release date, I imagine that we will get Brawl at the end of March. The notice says:

Due to delays in the completion of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, we’ve had to change the release date of the game to Sunday, March 9th.

I deeply apologize to the people who have looked forward to playing the game for so long and ask that you hold on just a little longer. Thank you for your patience.

On a side note, today's update features some breath taking graphics. The game has looked good up until now, but when I saw these, it made me think of LittleBig Planet, the graphically stunning and Nintendoesque PS3 exclusive coming out some time this year.

Also, Medal of Honour 2: Heroes, is coming out Feb 7th in the UK, after I have finished my first web design contract so I will hopefully getting that, as it will be after my Xbox Live subscription runs out.

Finally, I will be posting an unusual post in the coming days, it will contain a review of, get this, the new Eagles album, Long Road out of Eden. Even more unusual, a brief review of, get this too, an ITV comedy. Anyone who knows me, will know that I never watch ITV, so this has got to be pretty special. If I don't get it done by Friday, all I can say is, watch "Moving Wallpaper" and then "Echo Beach" afterwards.

On a side note, I emailed EA about my A levels I am going to take. Unfortunately, I was at first very frustrated by their website as it required me to first create an account, then specify System, Game, Issue, Sub issue and even more specific sub issue. Also, because my question was so obscure and nothing to do with Billing information on Alpha Centurai, I was expecting a reply saying this is not relevant. However, I have already got my email back and the person, who apparently didn't know, and gone to find out. On top of this, the answer was very infomative and has genuinely helped me. So EA, thumbs up!

Warning: Xbox Live is not a replacement for real life

The new site is online (as you will have noticed) however, it sucks (as you will have noticed) This was because, largely, I got an Xbox 360 which I have been playing quite a bit. I had planned to add the finishing touches between Christmas and New Year...which wasn't happening. So I decided to launch the bare bones site, but don't worry, upgrades will be coming at the end of this month. However, the site isn't just a fresh look, oh no, it is an entire change. This site will now provide:

• Podcast - This will take place on the last day of each month and (fingers crossed) the first one will be January 31st(toes crossed). Also, I should have two friends helping me host it, so you can look forward to hearing them for the first time. For those who are worried, this will not be on Blog Talk Radio as the quality was unacceptable and I never got any live listeners.
  
• News in Summary - Also at the end of each month, I will do a round up of the major news that month. This will include both topics I have covered, and ones I didn't have enough to write a whole post about (kind of like my Nintendo update a while back) It will also serve as my blog update, giving you news relating to this blog including updates to the website etc.
  
• Op-Ed - Op-Ed is a type of article that isn't simply reporting facts or even stating an opinion on a particular news story. It is a much more general article about, for example, game development. While I am not clever (on interesting) enough to do a whole blog dedicated to such articles, I will be doing one at the start of every month. Any interesting comments will then be read out on the Podcast at the end. If you are still unsure about what an Op(posit)-Ed(itorial) article is, read this blog, all his articles are Op-Eds'
• Indie Special - Every 3 months, I will cover a Indie developed game, ie. one not made by a huge publisher but created by a self employed hobbyist. This "special" will include a review of their game and an interview with the developer. If you are an Indie developer and you are looking for some extra publicity, please leave a comment and I will get back to you ASAP.

If anyone else has any suggestions for regular features, please leave a comment.

I have Halo 3, Forza Motorsport 2 and for a short time, Viva Piñata. Obviously reviews coming your way for the first two before the end of January, along with my Corruption review and hopefully my Galaxy review. All I can say about Halo is, wow the campaign is short. I interspersed playing on the campaign with both Forge and Forza and still completed it in like 4 days or something. On the plus side, there is only one level that reminded me of Halo 2 and most of the rest of the game was spectacular fun.

I also have Xbox Live (trial) If you want to add me, my name is, some what randomly, thktestaccount. When I come to buy Live subscription, it will change to thk123, so I personally recommend waiting, but if you really are that desperate! So what's Live like? Well after a very dodgy start, Live is amazing. It is loads of fun when you get in to a game and get talking to all your team and Big Team Battles are as amazing as ever. Plus, to make up for the Live down time, Microsoft are giving away a free Arcade game (yet to be announced)

Finally, while at a sleep over the other day, I managed, finally, to play on Chaos Theory's online portion. Before I played on it, I was really looking forward to it, it looked amazingly cool. If you haven't heard about it, I suggest looking up the concept in detail, but basically, one team plays as spies, who are under equipped and must sneak in to the map, locate and hold 3 different objectives to win. The other team, the Mercs, have loads of weapons but can't climb on stuff or jump, which makes an interesting and potentially well balanced sides. Unfortunately, and it may just be because I was unlucky, but the maps felt way to big for four players, most people played death match, where the spies are massively under powered and the Mercs never use any of the camera equipment they just flick lights on and go looking. Great idea, it is a shame the execution isn't so great. I will try it again at some point, but at the moment I am kind of obsessed with Forza and Halo.

Game of the Year Decided

Gamespot has announced the winners of all its various categories, you can see what I thought of the readers votes here

Most Surprisingly good game
I am pleased to say that my vote, Medal of Honour 2:Heroes, is also what Gamespot choose.

Best Graphics, Artistic
I am pleased to say that GS also went with me on this one, despite the readers voting, and went with Galaxy for the Wii!

Best Mutliplayer Game
This was always going to be a close one between Halo and CoD, personally I think that Halo has the slight edge. Gamespot said: Rock Band..?

Most Improved Sequel

This was always going to be a close one. It went to Medal of Honour, once again, I do agree, because the last one was appalling.

Best Use of a Control Scheme
This has to go to a Wii game, doesn't it? The voters went for Assassins Creed, which is absurd. Gamespot went for Zelda Phantom Hourglass, which is fair enough, the sword fighting is really quite good.

Most Disappointing Delay
This went to GTA, although personally it had to be Brawl for me.

Best 360 Game
Goes to Call of Duty. From this, I guess that this will also be Game of the Year, as 360 had a very good year.

GAME OF THE YEAR
How wrong could I be, Galaxy WINS Game of the Year. I knew it was amazing, but wow. Congrats Ninty, now you have sold hundreds of consoles and made great games.

On a side note, I got money for a 360, and so BOUGHT ONE!!! I have Halo 3, Forza 2, PES 06 and Viva Pinata (those last two I am going to sell) Loving every minute of it. Will bring you reviews of all them and more in the new year. On Veteran Gamers new site. Still on for launching this Jan 1st, albeit with slightly less features than originally planned.

Gamespot Game of the Year Awards

Well, as we near the end of the year, all sites start to give out their analysis of the year, and gaming sites are no exception. I don't play enough video games to do my own awards (other than the Game of the Year) but I do like to keep a very close eye on Gamespots. Gamespot have now opened up the read choice voting for all the awards, so head over here to cast your vote. Below is my comments on some of the votes and their results.

Special Achievement
Best Graphics, Artistic - Assassins Creed
Now I am not going to argue that Assassins Creed's graphics aren't good, because they are amazing. But they aren't artistically amazing, just ultra-realistic. Both Bio-shock and Galaxy are much more artistically focus and Eternal Sonata looks to be too.

Best Multiplayer - Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
I was highly surprised to find that Halo didn't win this award. Call of Duty did. I have already stated my opinion on this battle, but I was still surprised as I thought that the Halo fanboyism would be far greater than that of a recently released Call of Duty.

Best Expansion Pack - Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance
Nothing very surprising here, except Civ BtS didn't win. However, it wasn't a console game that got it, which is odd as normally the console support is far greater on Gamespot.

Most improved sequel - Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
This was a very tight call for me, as Call of Duty 3 was bad, Halo 2 I wasn't a fan of, Medal of Honour 1 for the Wii was appalling and the last Mario was also not mean to be very good. On top of which I want to own all 4 of those titles before March next year! I went for Medal of Honour as the original was so bad. Unsurprisingly, Call of Duty won, as with quite a lot of these awards, it comes down to popularity over actually success in the area (aka. Assassins Creed)

Best Control Scheme - Assassins Creed
This is a terrible, but point proven, example of popularity winning the award. Assassins Creed beat Medal of Honour, Wario, Phantom Hourglass and Resi Evil 4: Wii Edition. Not that there was anything wrong with the control scheme in Assassins Creed, but it was hardly revolutionary like Medal of Honour, Phantom Hourglass or Wario. Unfortunately, as they were less rounded games, they loose the vote.

Dubious Awards

Worst Trend - Lousy Wii Ports
If there is one award that is spot on, it is this one, as the winner was Poor Wii Ports. Although, in my opinion, quick party games and waggles for buttons are just as guilty. Comes hand in hand with well selling console though...

Flat out worst game - Deal or no Deal
The fact that this game got released speaks great volume. The TV program was bad enough, Deal or no Deal, I mean, COME ON

Best of Genre
NONE

Best of Console

Xbox 360 - Halo 3
Call of Duty, got beaten by Halo! Not the best shooter, or the best multiplayer, but it is the best 360 game, that makes sense.

PS3 - Call of Duty 4
A little embarrassing is that all bar 1 of these games came out on 360 earlier, and the winner wasn't the best on 360. Unlucky PS3

Wii - Super Mario Galaxy
Galaxy, unsurprisingly, won this. But I was disappointed to see that Metroid Prime didn't get a mention, it was one of the highlights of the year for me.

Game of the Year
This was very close, but the read winner as of now is currently, just 1% above Crysis, coming in a close second.

Well that's all, make sure to cast your votes as come of them were very close. I reckon that Call of Duty will get the Game of the Year official award, but we will have to wait and see.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare First Impressions

Yesterday, I got the opportunity to play on the new Call of Duty from Infinity Ward, set in the modern world. I managed to play both the single player and the multiplayer, and I can assure you it is a first class shooter and a much needed break from World War 2!

The single player is, at first, a little strange, particularly if you are coming from Halo 3, which most 360 owners will be, as you can only jump about 1ft in the air. Also, if you want to shoot with any kind of accuracy, you need to enter aim mode. However, once you get in to it, the feeling is exhilarating. You genuinely believe you are in a SWAT team. This is largely due to the team chatter. Which, unlike basically every other game ever, doesn't just say them same 3 lines over again ("Tango down") Another thing which also goes quite a long way towards making you feel is the graphics. Except for the odd thing which randomly looks terrible, like the opening water,the graphics, lighting and rain are spot on. Oddly, the game doesn't apply physics to everything, like most ultra hi-def shooters do. The environments, despite this, feel realistic.

Remarkably, I didn't want to spend loads of time looking round, like I usually do. This is, once again, down to the fact you feel like you are a member of the SAS. The missions are compelling, and there are beautiful set pieces round every single corner. I am not exaggerating, there is literally no breaks in the action. Although this does make the game more action packed the Matrix Reloaded, you never get to spend half as long as you would like to at each battle because you need to keep going. Although I haven't played though all of the single player, I have heard that it is short. I think this density can be blamed for that and a little spreading out would also make the fighting even more intense.

Then, I tried the multiplayer, and while it still may need to stand the test of time, I think we genuinely have a rival for Halo MP. The fun class system, servers and very little voice chat makes the games seem more akin to a PC shooter than a console shooter. The game also adds dynamics such as being able to call in a Helicopter to aide you if you get 5 kills in a row. At first this feels cheap, but once you get near 5 kills and you have worked out you can take down the helicopter, it makes the combat much frenetic, as your death is worth more than just one point. Although I only got to try a couple of maps in Team Death Match, I am hooked. The class system, while may not be as crucial in this as say, Day of Defeat, does add an interesting dimension to the multiplayer, particularly with the perks system, where you can choose 3 special abilities, like drop grenades when you die! All in all the multiplayer is great and while on time will tell if it is as addictive as Halo, I believe this could be the game to topple Halo.

This game has jumped in to my "Want to get for my 360" list, a great honour indeed. I can safely recommend this to all PC shooters players as the game is as close to a PC shooter as you are ever going to get. Console shooters, be warned, this is NOT Halo. There is no bunny jumping and beat down really is a last resort. Please don't let that put you off though, providing you are prepared to play it realistically, you have a highly refined and truly polished game. Once again, I find myself taking my hat of to Infinity Ward (Call of Duty also warranted a nod of the hat)

Super Mario Galaxy Second Impressions

Well I got some more time with Galaxy, and it has blown every other game right out of the water. The amount of variation between the now 6 galaxies is out-standing. On top of which, I am still only a fraction through the game.

The second galaxy you get to play on is themed around Bees. The bee suit is one of the more simple suits in Galaxy, apparently, however, just the dynamics it adds are incredible. The boss in this galaxy is considerably harder than in the first Galaxy, but still shouldn't take you very long to complete.

I also got to play on the much famed Ray Surfing level. This is the first level to properly use the Wiimote, and it works fantastically. It doesn't feel gimmicky or even unnecessary. The controls are easy to use and have all the finesse of Super Monkey Ball and the whole point of that was game was its fidelity! This track is amazingly fun, and I still race down it to try and beat my time (1:01:78 if anyone wants to try) and on top of this it is accessible, with my own mother being able to play it.

In addition this, I played on the remainder of the observatory (of which I think there are 8) This included the big boss fight against one of Bowser Jr.s hench robot things. Looked, graphically, very impressive but it was easy to beat. It also included a small galaxy based on one planetoid of flip switches, but this was clearly a bonus galaxy if you like. However, possibly my high light for the entire game so far was on galaxy that was outside the observatory. In it, you are standing on this base that looks a little like party rings with cookie cutter shapes cut in to it. Sounds normal, but it is moving, and not the way you want to go. It starts off just going the opposite way to you. Then it starts going horizontally, and then swapping between the two horizontals as you go along, then switches to curves and ends with entire sections missing. It is tricky to explain, so either play on it yourself or watch this video:



Overall, I am loving every minute of this game and I can't wait till after Christmas where I can play it without restrictions. Also got to play on Call of Duty 4 for the 360. Will be doing some impressions for that too,but it is as amazing as everyone says it is.

Wii Shop and Photo Channel Updates

My Wii started glowing at some un-Godly hour this morning, so when I got up I turned it on to find out what it was. I presumed it was a new Check Mii Out/Mii Competition Channel competition, however it was a Wii Update. In this update the Wii shop would be updates, allowing you the further update the Photo Channel.

Wii Shop
Apart from the obvious change of Channel icon, the Wii shop now supports "gifting" Basically, you browse to a VC title of your choice, then when you select it, you have the choice to either download it, or send it to one of your contacts. Although I wasn't able to try this, as I have no Wii Points, this sounds like an excellent feature and I will be trying it out when one of my friends next has a birthday. I originally thought that it would be possible to send your games that you have downloaded, however it would appear that is is only possible with new games. This is unfortunate, as it would mean if you didn't like the game, you could send it to a friend, or even swap it. However, this is presumably impossible because it might make piracy possible, with people copying games on to SDs cards, gifting and then playing the SD card. When you do gift something, you are allowed to send a message and attach a Mii. Sadly no option of cheesy animated Christmas cards.

Photo Channel
The photo channel has two changes. The first is mainly technical, the channel no longer supports MP3, but now ACC. ACC, as Nintendo correctly states, is higher quality for the same file size as MP3. However, MP3 is much more wildly supported, the only thing I know to use ACC is iTunes. I am surprised they just stopped supporting MP3, I thought they would just add support. The other update allows you to choose one of your pictures and set that as the channel icon. While this is quite neat, it is a bit irrelevant, particularly as the message implied you would be able to put images in separate channel slots.

Galaxy First Impression

I got, as an early Christmas present, Mario Galaxy. I am only allowed to progress while the friend who gave it to me is here, so these impressions are based on the opening galaxy (equivalent to 3 levels)

The game starts with a very dramatic and beautifully rendered cut-scene. Warning, spoiler: Bowser steals Princess Peach...again. There is a very brief training level where you have to catch some star people. This introduces you to the basics of jumping and the idea of spherical planets. Yes, after a bit this idea works very well. However, when I first started to navigate these planets, it did make me feel little queasy and even now I sometimes find navigating on doughnut shaped planets a little confusing with only one joystick.

The two bosses I have thought have been very entertaining, if not very difficult. The graphics are amazing. Plane and simple, they are amazing. Not amazing for the Wii, simply amazing. They might not be as technically stunning as say GoW, but the fun artsy design some very impressive animations make the game easily the best graphics Wii game and wouldn't be dismissed on so called true next generation consoles.

The Co-Op experience is a little limited as the second player only controls a pointer and all he is tasked to do is collect star bits and hold enemies in place. For any real gamer, this will got old quickly. However, it is great if your non gamer friend is going to watch you play anyway, as what they are doing isn't going to ruin the other persons attempts, however, they can still help and feel a part of it. I still wish the other player could control Luigi

The music is great too with very little recycled songs so far. In fact, some of the songs are on an epic scale similar to Zelda. Overall, this game looks, sounds and plays great and I can't wait to play further in to the game. Enjoy the run up to Christmas!

2007 Christmas Guide

Christmas is fast looming, so here is my guide on what you games you should get for your relative/friend. I will be giving my top 3 recommendations for each console for the differnt age groups. First, if you are choosing a console, read the bit below. If you have already chosen/bought a console, scroll down for the games and make sure you don't have to go to Game the next day.
Which console?

Wii
I own a Wii, however, I am not going to straight out recommend it to everyone. If your relative friend, who hence forth will be known as the receiver, is under 12, then without a doubt, this is a safe choice. If it is going to be a family console, once again, full recommendations, if the receiver missed gaming when they were a kid, Wii is the answer. However, if the receiver is a "core" gamer, such as myself, you should think a little first. Providing they enjoy a bit of thinking as well as just action, then I will still recommend this console. If, however, they prefer instant and simple run'n'gun gameplay, the Wii's choice of games becomes a little restricted, with my favourite games on the Wii all requiring at least some pause. If you are sure that this won't be a problem, I once again, recommend the Wii.

Xbox 360
This is a rock steady console, I am hoping to pick one up after Christmas. The range of games covers all ages and their is no age group which I specifically wouldn't recommend it to. The younger age group's choice of games is a little limited, with many of the big blockbuster titles carrying heavy age ratings, however, there are games such as Viva Pinta and if they are in to driving games, a plethora of them exist. One thing I should point out is beware of the hidden charges. One of the main reasons for getting a 360 is the online, Xbox Live. However, this comes with a subscription charge of £40 a year, plus you will need to connect your 360 to the internet, which can also be quite expensive. If you want to use a wireless internet connection, you will be required to pay £60 to buy a wireless adaptor. The 360 comes with many of these charges to get everything out of it, but these can be added as and when needed.

PS3
I do not recommend the PS3 at this time. It has limited library of games and a low install base (meaning fewer games to come) Also, for younger audiences, there is virtually nothing. However, if you own a full 1080i HD TV, the PS3 does come with a built in Blu-ray player and is currently much cheaper than all other Blu-ray players. Unlike the 360, you pay for everything up front with the PS3, and I am not going to lie to you, if you buy a PS3, it will still be technologically impressive in 5 years time. If nothing else, it is the best media centre on the market. Despite this, if you are looking for a games console, look else where, as it does come down to the games, which there are next to none on the PS3.

Wii
Under 9s

• Super Mario Galaxy - Super Mario Galaxy (3+, £35, not available from Amazon, but in Game stores) received fantastic reviews from just about everywhere. The games difficulty is said to rise gradually, meaning it will be accessible to younger audiences and still a challenge for the elder. Also, the game features a drop in/out co-op allowing for you, if you have 5 minutes spare from the turkey, drop in, help a little, and then go back to the dinner.
  

• Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz - SMB:BB(7+, £25, not available from Amazon, but in Game stores) is a fun game that uses the Wiimote fantastically. The single player will entertain most, providing they have a little patience, and the multiplayer contains a wide variety of games. Read my review

• Second Wii Remote - 2nd Wii Remote(3+, £32, not available from Amazon, but in game stores) will allow you to play games in Multiplayer. For games such as Super Monkey Ball, this is almost compulsory and I highly recommend this product to anyone, as multiplayer really does enhance enjoyment. Also, I advise you to get a Nunchuck(3+, £15, not available from Amazon, but in Game store) as it is required for some multiplayer games

9-14

• Super Mario Galaxy - Super Mario Galaxy (3+, £35, not available from Amazon, but in Game stores) received fantastic reviews from just about everywhere. The games difficulty is said to rise gradually, meaning it will be accessible to younger audiences and still a challenge for the elder. Also, the game features a drop in/out co-op allowing for you, if you have 5 minutes spare from the turkey, drop in, help a little, and then go back to the dinner.

• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - The epic conclusion(12+, £32.98, available at Amazon) to the Metroid Prime series. I loved this game. The controls are great, use the Wiimote, but doesn't over use it. The story is great, there is, unfortunately, next to no replayability as there s no multiplayer. Despite this, I recommend this to all gamers (not non gamers, as the game can be a little complicated) You can read my first impressions.

• Legend of Zelda: Twighlight Princess - This launch game (12+, £32.48, if bought from Amazon it will not be dispatched for Christmas)still stands strong. While the game might not utilise the Wii remote to its full potential, the puzzles are brilliantly designed and the plot is gripping. Some people will find this game quite tricky and if the reviver doesn't like puzzle solving, steer clear. Read my review

15+

• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - The epic conclusion(12+, £32.98, available at Amazon) to the Metroid Prime series. I loved this game. The controls are great, use the Wiimote, but doesn't over use it. The story is great, there is, unfortunately, next to no replayability as there s no multiplayer. Despite this, I recommend this to all gamers (not non gamers, as the game can be a little complicated) You can read my first impressions.

• Resident Evil 4 - Resident Evil 4(15, £25, available at Amazon, but will not be delivered by Christmas) has quite a confusing control scheme, but once you get past that you have a thrilling and tense story that will take most people quite a long time to get through. Once you have done that, there is even more. Arguably the best graphics on the Wii to boot.

• Super Mario Galaxy - Super Mario Galaxy (3+, £35, not available from Amazon, but in Game stores) received fantastic reviews from just about everywhere. The games difficulty is said to rise gradually, meaning it will be accessible to younger audiences and still a challenge for the elder. Also, the game features a drop in/out co-op allowing for you, if you have 5 minutes spare from the turkey, drop in, help a little, and then go back to the dinner.

Xbox 360

Under 9

• Viva Pinata - I am not entirely sure what this game (3+, £39.98, available from Amazon) is about. All I know is it is kid friendly, fun and was received very well by the press. The limited time I did have with it, it seemed to be about nurturing a garden and filling it with fun creatures.

• Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga - This Lego game (3+, 29.99, available from Amazon but will not be dispatched by Christmas) is great fun. While I haven't personally been on this game, I have played on the previous instalment and it has kept my 8 year old brother for over 85 hours and this game includes that game and another 1, so this will occupy them for quite a long time...

• PGR 4 - This is a fun, arcadeish racing game(3+, £37,.98, available from Amazon) is fantastic racing game. It even features motorbikes! However, some less able reciverers may find this game too trick (my 8 year old brother handles it fine)

9-15

• Forza Motor Sport - This ultra-realistic racer (3+, £17.98, available from Amazon, but will not be dispatched by Christmas) is not for the feint of heart. This game is great if you are prepared to put the dedication in. The driving is hard to master and you are going to have to spend some time customising your car to get the best possible ride for the lowest cost. However, if Forza 1 is anything to go by, it is well worth it.
  

• Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock - This game (12+, 64.98, available from Amazon, but will not be dispatched by Christmas) is expensive, that is largely due to the fact it comes with a wireless guitar to play the game. I played on this game for a bit and I loved it. It is amazing fun and if you are prepared to, I would recommend getting two guitars, as the MP is said to be very good.

• PGR 4 - This is a fun, arcadeish racing game(3+, £37,.98, available from Amazon) is fantastic racing game. It even features motorbikes! However, some less able reciverers may find this game too trick (my 8 year old brother handles it fine)

15+

• Halo 3 - This is the blockbuster movie of games (15+, £37.96, available from Amazon) is amazing. I was never a huge fan of Halo 2, so take my word, this game is great. I would only have some slight reservations if you do not intend to get live as that is where the mean of the game lies. Read my first impressions here

• Elder Scrolls: Oblivion - This is possibly my favourite game (15+, £40, not available from Amazon) Now I could go in to great lengths about why I think this game is amazing, but this customer review on Amazon sums it up:

"Anyways, Once you've past the first mission, you exit through this tunnel and all you see in front of you is a open world. You can go anywhere,do anything, go north, south, east or west, over rocks, swim in the waters, fight people camping out, nick their stuff, hunt for deer, lions, bears, fish, go to towns, talk to the people, get missions, do or do not do the missions, follow the main quest, don't follow it, do side quests, join guilds, large guilds, secret guilds or smaller clans, fight in the arena, become a champion, or don't, hunt out monsters, hunt out vampires, become a vampire, collect different herbs for recipies, make potions, sell potions, find weapons, use weapons, sell weapons, enchant/enchance weapons, cast spells on yourself, cast spells on others, fight with fists, swords, bows or magic.... IT'S ENDLESS!"

Read my quick review of Oblivion here

• Gears of War - This game (18+, £37.98, available from Amazon) This game is great, it won GotY (Game of the Year) last year, which speaks a great volume considering that is the same year as Oblivion. The single player is fun, the co-op is fun, the multiplayer is intense. There isn't much wrong with this game, unless you don't like the site of blood. Read my review.
  

PS3
Unfortunately, there insufficient games for me to break down in the 3 categories, so I will just do my top 5 PS3 games with ratings and leave it up to you to decide which suits your reciver, *sorry*

• Resistance: Fall of Man - This looks to be a fantastic shooter (15+, £29.99, available from Amazon) I have heard nothing but praise for it. The single player is meant to be great, as is the multiplayer and the game's visuals look amazing to boot. PS3 exclusive and a PS3 must have

• Elder Scrolls: Oblivion - This is possibly my favourite game (15+, £40, not available from Amazon) Now I could go in to great lengths about why I think this game is amazing, but this customer review on Amazon sums it up:

"Anyways, Once you've past the first mission, you exit through this tunnel and all you see in front of you is a open world. You can go anywhere,do anything, go north, south, east or west, over rocks, swim in the waters, fight people camping out, nick their stuff, hunt for deer, lions, bears, fish, go to towns, talk to the people, get missions, do or do not do the missions, follow the main quest, don't follow it, do side quests, join guilds, large guilds, secret guilds or smaller clans, fight in the arena, become a champion, or don't, hunt out monsters, hunt out vampires, become a vampire, collect different herbs for recipies, make potions, sell potions, find weapons, use weapons, sell weapons, enchant/enchance weapons, cast spells on yourself, cast spells on others, fight with fists, swords, bows or magic.... IT'S ENDLESS!"

Read my quick review of Oblivion here

• Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction - Although this game (7+, £2.98, available from Amazon) hasn't been as well received as previous PS2 entries, it still stands to be a great game and might have had the potential to move consoles if the consoles price was just a little lower and the range of games a little higher

• Call of Duty 4: Modern - This game (15+, £39.99, available from Amazon) got amazing reviews. The single player looks, from what I have seen, amazing. However, it is supposed to be short and so I would recommend making sure you have online before choosing this game.

• Assassin's Creed - This free roaming (16+, £39.48, available at Amazon) game features heavy amounts of Parkour. The game does feature some annoying issues (such as un-skipable, dull speeches) which detract from the polished graphics and fun free-running system, but a fun game none the less.

I hope this was helpful. For most games I have provided links to Amazon, but you may have also noticed that a lot of the time Amazon will not deliver by Christmas. I recommend using play.com and local Game and HMV stores may have the products in stock. Also, remember that most shops offer gift cards, so if you can't get what you or the receiver wants, get them this and allow them to choose it themselves. Have a very happy Christmas and spread the good word (of this site!)

Crazy, Crazy World

Two random things that just make no sense (like the law against suicide- what is the point?)

Went in to Game after school today and saw they had changed the 360 bundle I was planning to purchase (the games included) The games it now includes were 2 games that I didn't want. So I asked if it was possible to swap the games, and this is their policy:

"No we are not able to do that, however, if you don't open them, after a week you can swap them for any game in our stock"

So I asked, isn't that just the same as just giving me the games when I buy it? Yes, but there isn't anything we can do. What is the point?! I am going to go home, set up my 360, add some friends, try to set up silver live and then wait a week, playing on my Wii. Seriously...that literally makes no sense.

Second thing, today the Brawl update is about friend codes. They are different from your Wii codes. So you have to add the same person twice to get them both on your Wii and Brawl. Why? Why would you do that, it is obviously possible to do MP games (Endless Ocean) so what do these separate codes add? You can read the update here

Gerstmann Story

Many of you will be aware of a editor called Jeff Gertmann. I am sure many of you are also aware of his recent termination at Gamespot, where he has been working for over 10 years, presenting all the live events and reviewing most big titles (including Halo) Visitors of GS will also know of the extensive advertisement campaign for Kane and Lynch. Jeff reviewed said game, but not very positively. I will briefly sum up the rumoured story and then add my opinion. It is rumoured that Edios, the publisher of K&L, following the review, withdrew thousands of dollars worth of advertising. The new head of CNET is apparently taking the company in a new, much more commercial direction and allowing advertising partners to have a much more editorial control on reviews. This would completely undermine every GS review as you would not know if they mean what they say, or just are being forced to.

So, what do I think of this? Well at first, I was furious. However, unlike many people, I am not going to delete my profile, as the GS community is still great and many members of staff and it is, after all, "where gamers go to know" Naturally, if there have been loads of ads on GS for a game, I will look at IGNs review and player reviews. What does everyone else think about this?

Nintendos new green policy: recycling content

Just a small jive at Nintendo, then back to normal anti-PS3 stuff. Some of you may be aware that a recent survey conducted by Greenpeace, to rate all companies on how environmentally friendly companies are, gave Nintendo a 0/10, the first company ever to do this. But don't worry everyone, they are now recycling content!

Also, some of you will follow the Brawl updates (RSS feed on right>>) Today, they announced that they would be including some melee maps in Brawl. Now you could argue that these are in addition to the ones in Brawl so it is good. However, they, presumably, require some transformation to run with the new engine. I would prefer it if they could work on a new maps or even better some more online functionality. To be honest, I am not too bothered, but I thought the title was too good to not use.

Guitaur Hero and Medal of Honor Heroes

OK, so I got the chance to play on the new Guitar Hero last Monday. I have never been a fan of GH, despite never having played on it, I thought the concept lame and that people who played on it should just learn real guitar. Since Monday, I have made a U-Turn. The game is very different from playing a guitar, and in some ways much harder. It started off with me just watching the Shop Assistant playing it, then he asked me if I wanted a go. Now, I don't want to be arrogant, but when it comes to new games, I am usually quite quick at picking it up and not being rubbish. I may never master a game, but I usually reach an acceptable level. To say it was embarrassing would be the understatement of the year. I was playing on the easiest difficulty and I barley hit any notes. After 3 songs, I couldn't bear the embarrassment and thanked the assistant and walked away, to a easy section. However, as I walked home, I wanted to play GH. I wanted to beat it. That feeling hasn't stopped growing. I am eagerly awaiting my next opportunity to play this. However, despite wanting it loads, its price is just too big for me to take the leap just yet. On a side note, I don't like making excuses, but I may have been rubbish because there was no sound, which is quite important in a rhythm game I think. Another side note is the graphics were deeply uninspiring. While the game might not need any graphical flare, I was playing the 360 version and there were some serious aliasing issues (jagged edges)

The bad news is quite unexpected. The UK release date of Medal of Honor 2: Heroes for the Wii has been pushed back to the end of January. This literally doesn't make any sense as the game is out in the US. Still there isn't much I can do. I do intend to email them, so they can at least explain, in the mean time, it may mean I can get Galaxy.

You can see the banner at the top in full size here...

Blog Update

Had my final science core exam today. It was fine, but very strange. Full of satire and politics. Like there was one question that asked about a spy who had been poisoned by radioactive stuff. That Russian-spy-whose-name-I-can't-spell anyone? Another was "What do you think the real reason super market chains support green" and the answer was "To draw in more customers" What was also weird was some of the questions, which were multiple choice on a science paper, were a matter of opinion and had more than one technically correct answer. Well, its all sent of now, so it doesn't matter. I am coming up to my mocks, so posts may remain a bit sparse.

I managed to get a game on Assassins Creed at my great friends house. The tutorial is so long that I don't feel I have had enough time with the game to post a proper first impressions post, but here are my really initial impressions. The game, isn't the new Oblivion. Lets just get that out of the way. Once you clear that, the game is actually very good. It feels like a much improved version of Crackdown in that its technically stunning and you can jump miles. There are little bits of Oblivion, Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia too. The controls feel a little complicated and take some time getting used to, or at least I found that they did. However, the parkour feels great once you can do it. The animations are particularly fluid, which adds to the effect. Finally, the first time you turn up at Damascus, it literally takes your breath away. It is huge. More coming soon...

Read a surprisingly positive review for Links Crossbow Training, the game bundled with the Wii Zapper. Unfortunately, it will not be joining my list of things to get. This is mainly due to the fact I am hoping to get a 360 some time early next year! The bundle is £269 and comes with Halo 3 and Assassins Creed (although I am going to try and change it for Oblivion) To afford this, I am applying for a number of Christmas jobs, but fingers crossed, I should be able to get it. Also, you may be interested to know that the VG website (in progress) has gone under a complete make over. This time, the colour is white. . I have started the header, which you can see here (it looks better on my computer as I haven't properly optimized it yet) :

In the final banner, it will have Super Egg (in current header) holding a Wii Remote and 360 controller. On either side, it will have a number of well known video game characters, including Link, Samus, Mario, Master Chief and Solid Snake (Ed: Will this be delayed, bud um TISH) Also, at the start of all Media content (yes that's right, media content) there will be a small indent in which Super Egg takes out one of those video game characters in their style. For example, Master Chief will be standing there, a grenade will be chucked and the Egg will slice him with a power sword. Mario will be jumped on and will turn in to a shell. Obviously, they will look better in my head than they ever will in real life, but I intend to make them the best I can possibly do.

Christmas Shopping Guide Coming Soon...

Corruption Complete

I have finished Metroid Prime 3 for the Wii. It took about the same time as Metroid Prime 1, but no where near as challenging. Although I will be posting a full review some time before the end of the month, here are my thoughts upon completing the game. The game, overall, is very good. The controls are fantastic, the graphics are great, the worlds are varied and there are some interesting dynamics. However, there is a lot of unharnessed potential in this game. I will go in to more details in the review, but things like the space ship, the different planets and the controls feel like they could have been used a lot more before they would start to feel "used"

I am yet to find everything, however I am already on 85% (much higher than in MP1) and apparently there is this thing that shows where all the power ups are. So, I think this game is coming to an end. The new difficulty is said to be much harder, but a multiplayer mode feels strongly missing. Like I said, full review coming soon.

A few Wii games that I have been following have come out and the reviews released. Although I haven't had the opportunity to play on them yet, the reviews are very positive. The most notable of them is Super Mario Galaxy. I was always slightly sceptical about a 3D Mario game, having never played on M64 or Sunshine, however, with a GS score of 9.5, there has to be something good in it. Plus, there are 2D galaxies too! Am I going to get this? My brain says yes, however, I am currently planning to get a 360 soon after Christmas, so I am only going to be able to get one game.

So what is the other game that is in the contest. Medal of Honour 2: Heroes. What, a Medal of Honour game is competing with Mario?! Let me explain, I thought the controls in MP3 where amazing. Both IGN and GS say they are better in Heroes, due to the fact one can customise them indefinitely. On top of this, it has a, apparently, rock steady 32 player online mode. Something which is rare enough on the Wii.

Other games that sound amazing are Assassins Creed and Call of Duty 4. I admit I wasn't really sure what to expect from Assassins creed, but from what I have read, it sounds amazing. Parkour galore and apparently on a similar scale to Oblivion. Yet another game I need to get for my 360...

Call of Duty 4 I noticed at E3 and it literally blew my mind. I was on the edge of my seat, and I was watching a poorly streamed video of it, not even playing it. The campaign is said to be short, which is a shame as everything I have heard about it is a "woah" a minute. Still, the multiplayer is also meant to hold up to just a high quality.

I should be able to play on both of those games hopefully. I finally got the chance to play on a PS3 yesterday. Well, I say play, it hung, twice. I hope it was just the way the console was set up in the store, but it didn't exactly reflect great on the PS3. On the plus side, the controller does feel amazing. Either because it was wired or because it didn't have rumble it was very light. I love the new R2/L2 buttons and I still stand by my statement that the dual shock will always beat the Xbox controller. Shame the console isn't quite as good. Or the range of games. Or the price. You get the picture.

Check Mii Out

Check Mii out finally came out today, waking me up with the blue glow. Unfortunately, I was too tired and so waited for this morning before trying it out. I downloaded it and started it up. First, you have to choose a Mii to be your "Mii Artasian" Basically, people can see your nickname and Mii when ever the click on a Mii you have created. No Wii Codes required for that!

Next you are presented with two options. The main submission plaza and the competition area.

In the main plaza, you will find 50 Miis parading about. By default, it presents the top 50, however, you can change it to present, top 50 of that day, all time, 50 random ones and your favourites. Also, you can choose if you just want national Miis or worldwide. Finally, you can choose to have the Miis standing in line, A La Mii Channel, or get them to walk by, 3 at a time, cat walk style, doing little poses (very amusing) Once you have done this, you can click on any Mii you see. From here you can choose to import the Mii to your Wii Console, favourite the Mii (this increases their score and adds them to your favourites) or see friends. This last option I am not entirely sure about, it definitely shows Miis that have similar characteristics and also definitely shows Miis made by the same person. It doesn't show who has favourited it though. You can see who made this Mii and his other creations and see its ratings. Overall, I think this to be surprisingly good as there are many people with either loads of talent or loads of time (or probably both) and you can get yourself some really cool looking Miis. You can search either by giving an entry number of by choosing gender and speciality. If you want to see my submissions, they have the entry codes: "7582-1768-0682" and "8672-0969-5924"

The other element is more competitive. Every week, Nintendo will put up a new person and we, the people, must make a Mii to look as similar as possible. The opening one was "Mario without his cap" After a week, it opens up for voting. I am not aware of any prize other than fame, which is pretty useless on the Wii thanks to friend codes... None the less, should be a bit of fun, and once again you will be able to take the Mii, so if you want a capless Mario but can't make one yourself, this is your opportunity.

Overall, recommend downloading this, is a bit of fun and should get you some very cool Miis. If you are artistic, this looks like a very good portal. This channel does call for two things though. Firstly, the only way this community can take off is if Nintendo needs to relax about sharing Wii Codes. Also, because there are so many people who own a Wii, the amount of different Mii combinations is going to seem very small soon. I think Nintendo needs to bring out more options if they want to keep this channel alive. You can download this channel from the Wii Shop in the Wiiware section, please bare in mind, if you have not performed a Wii Systems Update since the 10th of October, you will need to do so to install this channel.