Quantum Theory review

by William J. Haley, October 18, 2010

Japanese developers have been attempting to breach the Western market ever since the unexpected early triumph of the Xbox 360 over the PlayStation 3. Capcom and Nintendo have summoned Western developers to do their bidding (Dead Rising 2 and Metroid Prime, for example), while Square Enix outright bought Eidos, and all the large-breasted, Western-friendly treasure hunters that came along with it. Tecmo Koei doesn’t quite have the same deep pockets. Instead, they looked at one of the most popular games available this generation—in this case, Gears of War—and tried desperately to emulate it. Quantum Theory is the result, and I hate to report this but, yes, it’s just as bad as everyone thought it would be.

I caught a quick glimpse of Quantum Theory almost a year ago, and thought immediately to myself “Gears of War with shapeshifting landscapes… could be cool.” If Quantum Theory had managed to live up to that simple formula, it would have been a much better game. Sadly, the gameplay cannot even properly emulate the game it is directly inspired by, and the potential of the constantly shifting tower that the player is attempting to ascend is mostly squandered. I say mostly, because there are moments where Quantum Theory lets you sample what could have been.

The experience is mercifully brief (approximately five hours on normal difficulty), being more reminiscent of a quarter-hungry arcade game where waves of similar enemies fill a series of similar rooms and must be defeated before moving on to the next. Quantum Theory arbitrarily extends its third act just when you think you’re almost done. Out of nowhere, I was flashed back to what is essentially a prologue chapter. It wasn’t bad, but it also didn’t really add anything relevant to the story that hadn’t already been alluded to many times before. I can’t help but feel the Wayne’s World Effect happened here, where after completing the game the developers realized it was only 40 minutes long and decided to add more waves of enemies to every room and even more slow-motion cutscenes of people getting killed.

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My Soul to Take 3D review

by Ben PerLee, October 11, 2010

My Soul to Take is about as soulless as a movie can get. It’s as if Wes Craven, longing for the days of old when his slasher flicks reigned supreme, made a film designed only to appeal to those same old tropes and ideas. Poorly acted and executed, not only is the plot bare bones, it also makes very little sense. Craven seems to have fallen into the trap of long exposition and boring scares, leaving a film that is uninspired, failing to fulfill its most basic roll of b-film entertainment.

For those who need to know about the tripe before consumption, rumors in the small town of Riverton tell of the Ripper, a man who slaughtered his victims with a blade etched with the word

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Game review: Enslaved: Odyssey To The West

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ONE of the best-looking games I've seen recently is Enslaved: Odyssey To The West, a futuristic action title from Namco released last week.

Part Terminator, part Avatar, part Monkey (that 70s show from the Far East with the dude moving around on a cloud), the game is set 150 years in the future, when civilisation has been wiped out by a race of machines.

Monkey and Trig, having escaped from a slave ship into what was New York, now overgrown and desolate, need to return to Trig's village.

The relationship is confused slightly by the fact Trig has enslaved Monkey through a headband that means if she dies, he dies.

What follows is an enjoyable romp through a colourful post-apocalyptic world, with Monkey pulling off combo moves every time they come across one of the dastardly machines. He doesn't mind a bit of platforming either, running up the sides of abandoned and crumbling buildings like Assassin's Creed or Prince Of Persia.

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Game review: Dance Paradise

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DANCING - that'll never work on a console! Incorrect, with the launch of two new dance games, both offering the chance to move around the living room to a raft of hit tracks.

First up is Dance Paradise, a Kinect-compatible title from Mindscape that'll be in the shops in early November on the Xbox 360.

The game features 40 tunes, including hits and video clips from Snoop Dogg, Pussycat Dolls, 50 Cent, Pixie Lott and Lily Allen.

Like Guitar Hero for the body, you mirror the tracks on the screen while holding the motion-sensitive controller.

Spinning into the shops this week and offering similar fun is Ubisoft's Just Dance 2, a sequel to the popular Just Dance for the Wii.

It'll have you pulling off some extraordinary physical contortions, again backed by a track list of fashionable hits.

The title also boasts several party modes, including an eight-player dance-off and a calorie counter, so you can keep track of your fitness.

Dance games might not be for everyone but young girls and boys and the older casual crowd will enjoy being put through their paces.

Expect a good showing in the charts for both Just Dance 2 and Dance Paradise in the coming months.

Amazon.co.uk Widgets


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Medal of Honor review

by Brian Rowe, October 12, 2010

Medal of Honor deserves respect. It single-handedly launched the WWII-shooter craze 11 years ago, hooked PC gamers with Allied Assault, invigorated console shooters with Frontline, and then, tumbled into irrelevance. Trading Nazis for the Taliban, and trenches for modern battlegrounds is more than an attempt at a sequel—it is a complete reboot of the series, and a chance for redemption. But, effort alone does not warrant praise in our hobby.

The single-player campaign begins with a nondescript mission in Afghanistan, sans a purpose or background story. What follows is a calamitous chain, or rather, circle of events, in which the SEALs are aided by the Rangers, the Rangers are saved by gunships, and the gunships are then helped by the SEALs. Danger Close wanted to avoid political storylines in order to focus on the heroics and sacrifices of the servicemen depicted. It’s a noble cause, but ultimately pointless if the depictions are hollow shells.

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Def Jam Rapstar review

by Robert Workman, October 14, 2010

Konami’s sing-along games haven’t exactly been the greatest as of late. Karaoke Revolution left a lot to be desired (particularly the American Idol entries), and we aren’t exactly thrilled that a Glee-themed game is on the way. Well, some of us, anyway. That’s where Def Jam Rapstar provides a breath of fresh air. It’s like Karaoke Revolution, but with the goofiness replaced by a genuine rap vibe that makes the game undeniably fun. Furthermore, there’s a community angle that really expands it in ways we didn’t think possible.

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Lost Horizon review

by Mike Splechta, October 16, 2010

Adventure games are back and in full force, and the latest game in the genre, Lost Horizon, showcases how a modern adventure title should be made.

Lost Horizon stars a charming smuggler turned adventurer named Fenton Paddock. Developer Deep Silver sure liked Indiana Jones and the persona of Han Solo because a little bit of both can be found in Fenton. Even the title screen is a movie theater, having Lost Horizon as the main feature.

Once a British war hero, Fenton gets called back to duty unofficially when his close friend Richard goes missing in Tibet. Though this simple rescue mission quickly turns into a quite larger adventure, ultimately to find the city of Shambala, before the Nazis get to it first. Throw in a sassy girl sidekick into the mix, and you got yourself all the right ingredients for a grand adventure.

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