If you enjoy racing games but feel that in general they lack something in the excitement department than BlackRock studio’s Split/Second may well be the game for you. The game is an adrenalin fuelled experience from start to finish featuring some unique game modes and ideas that combine in rather excellent fashion.

The single player experience follows racers in an explosive gameshow where the ability to use the environment in order to take down opponents is just as important as driving skill. The campaign is split over 12 TV style episodes, each comprised of 4 main races plus unlockable bonus stages and a final elite race. Bonus stages and elite races must be unlocked by earning credits and taking down opponents. Players must then finish in the top 3 of the elite race in order to unlock the next episode in the series. Credits earned also go towards unlocking new vehicles throughout the campaign.



Along with racing staples such as straight up races and elimination rounds, the game also features some unique games modes. Detonation sees players looking to set the fastest laptime using a set vehicle, all the while avoiding myriad explosions and on track events designed to smash the players car. Survival is a new take on an overtake game mode, the twist being that the vehicles players have to overtake are trucks which release a barrage of explosive barrels all over the track. Helicpter attack/revenge sees players dodging missiles fired from a chopper and on occasion turning those same missiles against the heli.

The driving experience is very much an arcade one, so much so that there is no handbrake as the cars drift quite naturally around corners by themselves. The main gimmick of the game is the ability to set off power plays which include things such as setting off landslides or causing airtraffic control towers to come smashing down onto the track. The aim of these power plays is a simple one: stop your rivals by any means necessary. In order to gain the ability to use power plays, players have to meet certain criteria such as drifting around corners or drafting behind opponents. It’s a clever system which rewards players who race in an exciting style, and it’s this main gameplay mechanic that sets Split/Second apart from the pack.

Presentation wise the game is great looking and it features some of the most superb explosions I’ve seen on the 360. Nice touches include decals on players cars appearing which correspond to achievements earned during gameplay, and the subtle yet effective way in which motion blur and camera movement combine to convey the feeling of racing at great speed. Everything about the presentation of the game, from the UI to the opening and closing sequences of each episode accentuate the illusion that players are taking part in some kind of extreme sports style TV show.

The way in which the HUD is displayed is the most impressive piece of presentation in the game. What’s pleased me the most about this generation of consoles is the way in which HUD’s have been shrunk, or included in innovative ways in games. Until Split/Second racing games have lagged behind this move to a more streamlined HUD, but this game has moved things along superbly. The entire HUD is displayed below the players car, the main advantage of this being that the rest of the screen is then free, giving a better view of the action.



I do have a few gripes with the game. The AI suffers from a rather erratic difficulty level which can vary greatly from one event to the next. This means that quite often if players fall foul of a power play triggered by a rival then they will find themselves going from 1st to last in an instant. Also, on occasion, it seems simply impossible to catch the AI no matter how well you’re driving. It’s also frustrating to see the AI corner perfectly as your own car drifts way out wide, which is quite a frequent occurrence.

The elite races which form the overall campaign leaderboard suffer from an annoying HUD feature. For some reason the devs have decided to show the names of rival drivers over their cars for the entire race. This only happens during these elite races and can be very annoying as it often prevents proper viewing of the track ahead. The fact that the rest of the HUD is so well put together serves to highlight this as an annoyance.



The game is also rather short as far as racing games go, with each episode lasting around half an hour. This means the game is able to be completed within around 6-7 hours of play. There’s also not that an extensive a selection of tracks, and once locations of power plays have been learned it’s possible for experienced drivers to easily avoid the majority of them. Yes, it’s exciting to see a bridge explode the first time around, but the 5th or 6th time just isn’t as much fun. Multiplayer does extend the life of the game somewhat but suffers from the same issue of familiarity breeding contempt.

Split/Second is not for the racing purists. It’s a kind of wham bam thank you mam of racing games. Fun at first, but quickly losing it’s charm. That’s not to say the game should be discounted. As a short term rental proposition it’s a must in my opinion, but if you’re thinking of parting with some hard earned cash for it then I would urge caution.

Verdict: 7.5/10

In this weeks show we have a spoileriffic blowout on Red Dead Redemption. Peebs admits that nearly every game he plays is too difficult for him. We discuss the future of the podcast and much more.

Next week there will be no podcast as we are all having a well deserved break.

Please don’t forget the 5 star itunes reviews for our awesome witty / dry humour

Naughty Bear is released this coming Friday and I for one am rather looking forward to it. I’ve yet to see any actual gameplay but I’m hopeful from the series of excellent trailers that have been released that the game will be hilarious. To further prove my point, here’s the rather excellent launch trailer.



Anyone else picking this up, or am I the only one who finds teddybear violence entertaining?

It’s one of the most satisfying experiences in gaming: landing an awesome headshot and knowing that you’ve taken your enemy down. One shot, one kill. The feeling just cannot be beaten. But which games feature the most gratifying, most awesome, most visceral headshots? Read on to find out my top 5.

5 – Sniper Elite (Xbox)

Without a doubt one of the most realistic shooters ever released, Sniper Elite featured superbly accurate ballistics that were well ahead of their time, the game being released back in 2005. Elements such as bullet drop, wind effect and breathing combined to make this probably the best sniper simulation game to date (I have high hopes for Sniper: Ghost Warrior, but time will tell on that one). The most exhilarating part of the game was when the player landed a headshot and the path of the bullet was followed by the camera all the way onto the enemies head. That was then followed up by a view of said enemy crumpling to the ground. Brilliant.

4 – The Halo Series (Xbox + Xbox 360)

Not an obvious choice this one, but headshots are such a massive part of Halo that I really couldn’t leave it out. Whilst pelting your enemies heads with shots from the pistol or battle rifle forms a major staple of the gameplay, the headshot that meant I just couldn’t leave halo out of this list is the one players can make with the human sniper rifle. The weapon itself just oozes cool: in all of it’s various iterations it has always looked and sounded simply superb. Seeing the world lit up in green on the viewfinder as you walk around a map unscoped is just brilliant. Admittedly, ownership of this weapon has been behind many of the arguments I’ve witnessed on Halo over the years between n00bs who’ve picked it up and the l337 brigade who demand useage of it. But even that doesn’t diminish the incredible joy that comes from landing a headshot, seeing an enemy knocked off their feet and smiling as the little headshot badge pops up.

3 – Unreal Tournament 2004 (PC)

This game is included in my list for one reason and one reason only: the announcer. Manage to land a headshot in this amazing online multiplayer game and you’re greeted with an awesome ‘HEADSHOTTTTTT’ from the announcer. The feeling of empowerment this engenders in the player is incredible and it’s simply one of the best experiences I’ve had in gaming.

2 – Call of Duty: World at War (Xbox 360)

Another game I’m including for one main reason, and this time it’s the sound. That ‘dink’ which accompanies a headshot is a subtle yet effective means of letting the player know they’ve landed a kill shot. It’s exhilarating as the shooter and heartbreaking as the receiver. Arguably the most satisfying headshot in all of the Call of Duty series.

1 – Gears of War Series (Xbox 360)

There was only ever going to be one number one in this list, and that’s Gears. The popping sound, the blood gushing from an enemies neck and the view of skull fragments splattering over the battlefield just cannot be beaten. Whether the shot is landed by a sniper rifle or pistol, the sheer viscerality of the moment is simply sublime. Brilliant headpopping moments litter both the single player and multiplayer experiences throughout. It’s awesome, it’s Gears, it’s my number one gaming headshot.

Agree or disagree with my choices? Let me know in the forums.

 In this weeks show Webby finds out that he is over confident and cocky. Shorter show this week as doing E3 special mid week. We mostly discuss what we have been playing and take questions.

As most of you probably already know Project Natal was last night renamed “Kinect”. However the release date was a bit vague. The official word last night was before the end of the year. However this banner on the Xbox GB home page shows that the much anticipated motion controller will be available from November this year. Currently no price has been 100% confirmed, with rumors varying from £50 to £150.

Expect more to come out of tonight’s Microsoft E3 Keynote.

Following Microsoft’s kinect one-off special event held in LA earlier this morning, we look at the top 20 reactions from the gaming press, courtesy of Kombo.

20. @oliviamunn: Walked in late to Microsoft Natal E3 event with every single person in white rob shirt thing…. No. No, I don’t want any koolaid, thank u.

19. @jeffcannata: Yes, Kinect does nintendogs, too. But it is a tiger! Extreme!

18. @mattbertz: Somewhere in Los Angeles, Nintendo is laughing

17. @CheapyD: And the only thing better than playing motion control sports mini-games is watching video of other people playing them

16. @Vahn16: That Star Wars trailer was so obviously pre-rendered. I think this event is actually making me angry with it’s underwhelming-ness.

15. @CheapyD: I’m in a marketing acid trip!

14. @jwhdavison: At Microsoft thing. Wearing a white sheet, having stepped through a hole in the wall to be greeted by a family in multiple languages.

13. @Vahn16: If any creepy dancing people touch me, I will fight them.

12. @BenKuchera: Guys, you can take the ponchos off, it’s called kinect and it has Wii Sports. We know already.

11. @jeffcannata: You know what wod make this event better, Microsoft? Anything.

10. @DanRyckert: According to tweets I’ve seen, the Kinect event seems to involve: KKK members, magic smocks, floating couches, and people dancing on flowers

9. @GI_AndyMc: In any other place this many people in white sheets would be hit with tear gas. I hate myself right now.

8. @louiethecat: I don’t know WTF to think about this but I am scurred and wanna go home.

7. @Andrew_Reiner: I don’t even know what to say…

6. @jeffcannata: Microsoft now has a standing army.

5. @jeffgerstmann: So does Sony rename their thing to Müv or Mooove or something now to complete in the misspelled motion controller wars?

4. @Vahn16: From now on, when I’m embarassed, I’m going to imagine everyone in these ponchos.

3.@andrew pfister: Can’t wait to see what E3′s closing ceremony is like.

2.@Vahn16: The only way this could have been worse was if James Cameron came out and talked for two hours

1. @GI_AndyMc: Now I know why Robbie Bach quit.

Can you say flop?

Thanks to an Italian gaming website it seems we have confirmation of the new xbox 360.

Read the rest of this entry »

Last year Microsoft dropped the bomb that is Natal on us at E3, and boy were we blown away. Things don’t get more hi-tech than that, right?

Only hours ago Microsoft sent an e-mail to mutliple media sources with this to say:

“E3 is the world’s largest gaming show, and the place where we make the BIG announcements about what’s coming up on Xbox. With the massive Project Natal announcement at last year’s event, you’d think we’d find it hard to top that. Well, think again.

“This year at E3 we’ve got even BIGGER announcements to share with you.”

To find out what they’re talking about, be sure to check www.Xbox.com on June 14th!

Electronic Arts has finally revealed their E3 line-up and boy does it look promising.

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today revealed the games it will present at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) June 15th-17th This year’s lineup features multiplatform games in all genres, including heart-pumping racing and shooters for the hardcore player, action-packed sports games for the loyal sports fan and accessible mobile and casual games for the whole family.

This year’s media briefing will feature news and demonstrations from big EA titles such as Medal of HonorTM, Need for SpeedTM, Dead SpaceTM 2, EA SPORTS ActiveTM 2 and The SimsTM 3 for console; all new properties EA SPORTSTM MMA and titles from EA Partners, Crytek and Epic. The briefing can be viewed live at www.ea.com/e3 at 11.00pm BST on Monday 14th June.

“This year, EA will go to E3 with a showcase of blockbuster titles – games that combine a great single-player experience with deep online features and support,” said EA’s COO John Schappert. “There is something for everyone from hardcore to casual players.”

Titles which will be previewed in EA’s booth (#1601) at the LACC include:

BulletstormTM

Epic Games, People Can Fly and EA present Bulletstorm, a new original intellectual property from the teams behind the award-winning, multimillion-selling Gears of War, Unreal Tournament and Painkiller series of games. Bulletstorm delivers a blood symphony of incredible gunplay and carnage on a grand scale in this unique, action-packed, over-the-top first-person shooter. The Bulletstorm skillshot system rewards players that “kill with skill” by laying waste to enemies in the most imaginative methods possible. The more insane the skillshot, the more points players collect to upgrade and unlock weapons, which in turn allows them to execute even more inventive moves and exaggerated skillshots. This is creative mayhem at its best.

Platforms – Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3, PC
Ship Date – 2011

Crysis® 2

From the award-winning independent developers at Crytek comes Crysis 2, the next explosive installment in the critically-acclaimed Crysis franchise. In Crysis 2, New York is under the attack of a frightening alien species that combines deadly weaponry and exceptional sensory abilities to present gamers with the most challenging opponents ever seen in a first person shooter. Surrounded by catastrophic devastation, players will need to harness and master the power of the Nanosuit, giving them a unique set of superhuman abilities, in order to become the ultimate weapon and save New York.

Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Ship Date – 2010

Dead Space 2

Visceral GamesTM award-winning survival horror saga returns. The blood-curdling Necromorph invasion explodes in Dead Space 2, the terrifying sequel to the 2008 hit that sent players into deep space on a mission to save humanity. In this chapter, engineer Isaac Clark takes the action to the enemy, dominating an onslaught of gruesome monsters, beasts and undead creatures that challenge him physically, emotionally and psychologically. Armed with new advanced mining tools, Isaac takes on hundreds of disgusting enemies, makes valued new allies and explores an all-new space installation known as “The Sprawl”. All this as Isaac flirts with the possibility of falling into the abyss of his own dementia. The action and horror are more intense than ever as Isaac must do whatever it takes to save himself and defeat the relentless Necromorphs.

Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Ship Date – 2011

EA SPORTS Active 2

EA SPORTS Active 2 is now in development with a new suite of fitness programs launching this fall, featuring an innovative Total Body Tracking wireless control system powered by motion sensors in leg and arm straps that will provide complete freedom of motion. Additionally, it will feature a heart rate monitor that provides constant on-screen monitoring, allowing users to capture intensity and optimize performance over time. Users will now also be able to track and share workout data on the new EA SPORTS Active 2 online hub. EA SPORTS Active 2 will make working out simple, effective and will go with you wherever you are.

Platforms – WiiTM, PlayStation 3,iPhoneTM & iPod touch®
Street date – TBA

EA SPORTS MMA

EA SPORTS MMA brings the authenticity of the world’s most intense combat sport home like never before. Choose from the world’s top fighters or climb the ranks of the worldwide circuit with your created prodigy to become the ultimate mixed martial arts champion. Travel the globe and learn a multitude of fighting techniques and skills from masters in each discipline. Select from various weight classes, rule sets, and take on all challengers in multiple cage types or a ring. The challenge continues online with a robust offering that includes the ability to create custom fighters, prize fights, and more. Are you ready? Let’s get it on!

Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iPhone & iPod touch
Street date – Late 2010

FIFA 11

FIFA 11 reinvents player authenticity – on and off the ball – for every position on the pitch. All-new Personality+ sees individual abilities reflected in game, allowing clear differentiation for every player. Real Madrid’s Kaka will deliver crisp, creative passes, Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta will utilize tighter turns and close control to dribble through defenses, Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney will hold off defenders and strike shots from distance with pace, and top-flight defenders like Giorgio Chiellini of Juventus will anticipate, predict and react to offensive players to win back possession. Building on the FIFA 10 gameplay that won 50 sports game of the year awards, FIFA 11 introduces new Pro Passing where pass accuracy is determined by a gamer’s ability on the control pad, and player skill, situation and urgency on the pitch. Visit http://www.facebook.com/easportsfifa to share and connect with fans all over the world.

Platforms – PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DSTM, PSP®, Mobile
Ship Date – 2010
Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsTM Part 1 The Videogame

With all the action taking place outside of Hogwarts for the first time, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 represents a shift in tone for the Harry Potter games. On the run with a horde of merciless enemies on your tail, you will find yourself in unknown territory, far from the safety of the school grounds, fighting for survival at every turn. You will need to muster your most powerful magic against relentless assaults from all sides. A new game engine built specifically to leverage the technology of HD consoles ensures high definition graphics and intense combat gameplay that will immerse you in the action like never before. There are no more lessons, no more training. This time the danger is real. It’s time to fight for your life!

Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS, PC, Mobile
Street date – Autumn 2010

HASBRO FAMILY GAME NIGHT 3
Enjoy family fun with your favorite Hasbro game brands at the Family Game Night Theme Park! HASBRO FAMILY GAME NIGHT 3 features five new classic and remixed versions of THE GAME OF LIFE, CLUE, TWISTER, MOUSE TRAP and YAHTZEE HANDS DOWN. Spin the wheel of fate in THE GAME OF LIFE, find out “whodunit” in CLUE, tie yourself in knots with TWISTER, make trigger crazy chain reactions in MOUSE TRAP and try your hand at the YAHTZEE HANDS DOWN card game. Play with your own customized Xbox avatar or Wii Mii, and challenge family and friends in online multiplayer for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 while keeping track of your victories on online leaderboards.

Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii
Street date – October 2010
ESRB Rating – “E” for Everyone

iPad

EA MobileTM recently launched best-selling iPad titles will also be showcased at E3 in line at the EA booth. Players can experience a top-quality mobile gaming experience with BOGGLE, SCRABBLE, Tetris, Need for Speed SHIFT, Mirror’s EdgeTM and Command & Conquer Red AlertTM, all available for the iPad from the App Store or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

Platforms – iPad

Madden NFL 11

Madden NFL 11 redefines the way you experience the game of football. SIMPLER: From 350 plays down to 1, the all-new GameFlow system puts you in the helmet of an NFL quarterback to execute an authentic, situational game plan, one play at a time. QUICKER: With 60-minute game times reduced to as little as 30 minutes, spend more time on the field and less in the playbook. FULL games, HALF the time. DEEPER: Madden NFL 11 is feature-rich including an all-new online innovation, improved animations, more intuitive controls, and Madden NFL Ultimate Team…all to the play-by-play of the most exciting voice in sports, Gus Johnson. Madden NFL 11 is – SIMPLER. QUICKER. DEEPER than ever before.

Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, PSP, iPhone/iPod touch
Street date – 13th August 2010

Medal of HonorTM

Medal of Honor is back with an all-new setting and a new hero. For the first time in the franchise’s 11-year history, Medal of Honor is leaving the WWII theatre and putting players in war-torn Afghanistan. EA has assembled a powerhouse team at EALA to develop the single-player campaign and is coupling their expertise with the multiplayer know-how at DICE. This fall, Medal of Honor will introduce players to the Tier 1 Operator: a relatively unknown entity directly under the National Command Authority who takes on missions no one else can handle. Inspired by real events, Medal of Honor reveals the mission of today’s most elite American soldier – his will, his mindset and his uncompromising professionalism.

Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Ship Date – 15th October 2010

MONOPOLY Streets

Play the world’s family favorite game brand in a dynamic 3D world on next-gen consoles as you buy properties, auction with your friends, build hotels and create the ultimate MONOPOLY digital experience! To celebrate the 75th anniversary of everyone’s beloved and well-known family game, the world of MONOPOLY comes to life through a living, breathing city that you can build and own. It has everything fans love about the time-tested Hasbro game, presented as a fully animated street level tour through the eyes of MR. MONOPOLY. Players will be engaged in a head-to-head race to build the greatest city and accumulate the most wealth. Play against friends locally or online and see their Xbox® avatars or MiiTM populate the world! New features such as property auctions also add unique elements to the classic play. From the economical motels on Baltic Avenue to the luxurious Boardwalk suites, there is excitement around every turn of this re-imagined favorite.

Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS
Ship Date – October 2010

MySims SkyHeroesTM

Take to the sky to lead the resistance against Morcubus and his drone army and to stop his plans to take over the skyways! MySims SkyHeroes is an all new adventure that brings the thrill and high-speed action of flying to the creative, immersive world of MySims.Go from unknown pilot to celebrated hero as you defeat dangerous enemies in aerial dogfights, test your reflexes in fast-paced speed challenges, and take on massive enemy bosses that demand all your skill as a pilot to survive. As you progress, you build, customize and tune your aircraft to give you an edge in combat. Face Morcubus’ drones with an ally in split-screen cooperative gameplay, or take the game online to challenge your friends in fun, competitive 12-player high speed action.

Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS
Ship Date – September 2010

NBA® ELITE 11

NBA ELITE 11 is the new moniker of the long running EA SPORTS NBA videogame franchise. NBA ELITE 11 will revolutionize the way basketball simulation games are played, with an all-new technology base, a new control scheme and a real-time physics system. Centered on delivering the ultimate control to users, NBA ELITE 11 will redefine what is expected in a basketball videogame.

Platforms – PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Ship Date – October 2010

NBA JAM

Boomshakalaka! It’s baaaaaaaaack… EA SPORTS NBA JAM revives the classic franchise with vintage NBA JAM gameplay, and all-new features that deliver a fresh new take on the game. Featuring the sights and sounds that fans of the franchise will instantly recognize, EA SPORTS NBA JAM mixes the old school with the new, to deliver a one-of-a-kind sports presentation on the Wii.

Platforms – Wii
Ship Date – October 2010

NHL®11

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the franchise that captured 22 ‘Sports Game of the Year’ awards, over the past three years, has raised the bar yet again with NHL11. Powered by an all-new Real-Time Physics Engine, and introducing broken sticks, quick dekes and an all-new faceoff system, NHL 11 lets you create highlight reel moments as you experience the most authentic NHL action yet.

Platforms – PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Ship Date – September 2010

NHL®SLAPSHOT

EA SPORTS is bringing its first ever hockey game to the Wii with NHL SLAPSHOT. The game includes the revolutionary NHL SLAPSHOT Hockey Stick, a plastic hockey stick that allows you to insert the Wii RemoteTM and NunchukTM in and use the device as a hockey stick control, to offer the most accessible and intuitive hockey controls on the Wii.

Platforms – Wii
Ship Date – September 2010
RISK: Factions

Developed by Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers studio Stainless Games and featuring cinematics from veteran animation studio Power House Animation, this new take on Hasbro’s globally popular game of strategy will offer innovative ways of experiencing the timeless turn-based board game in both objective-based and world conquest modes when it hits Xbox LIVE® Arcade on June 23rd for 800MSP. Players will be able to engage as one of five playable factions, each with different strengths, as they wage war on new maps with dynamic terrain in their quest for missile silos in order to strategically dominate the game. RISK: Factions features outlandish factions, a unique art style, new gameplay twists and off-beat humor that promises to challenge and captivate both new and seasoned RISK fans on their quest for world domination.

Platforms -Xbox LIVE Arcade
Launch Date – June 2010

The Sims 3 for console and handheld

Create Sims with unique personalities, fulfill their desires…or not, and control their lives within a living neighborhood in The Sims 3 for console and handheld this fall. All-new features make it easier than ever to play with life as players can unlock the ultimate “Karma Powers” for instant control and unleash them on their Sims. With Karma Powers, players can help their Sim “get lucky,” bless them with “instant beauty” or be deviant and curse them with an “epic fail.” Exclusive to the Wii version, players will be able to enjoy an all-new beach town with unique residents, traits, careers and lifetime wishes. Never before seen on Nintendo DS, players can use the stylus to build their Sims’ homes, craft their Sims’ including facial features, hair styles and clothing, and dictate personalities in the most robust Create a Sim yet for a handheld game.

Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS
Ship Date – October 2010

The Sims 3 Ambitions

Sims can now experience some of the most exciting and varied jobs ever in The Sims 3 Ambitions. For the first time, be in charge of how your Sims’ career progresses and get to decide if they will work for good or evil, pursue creative endeavors or technical affairs, climb to the top quickly or be a slacker. Put out raging infernos as a firefighter, hunt down vengeful spirits as the ghost hunter, invent brilliant and potentially destructive gadgets as an inventor, craft glorious masterpieces as a sculptor, and solve riveting cases by any means necessary as an investigator with dozens of cases to solve and numerous clues to find. Change the look and feel of your Sims’ town and the residents by becoming an architect or stylist.

Platforms – PC, Mac®, Mobile
Ship Date – 4th June 2010

Spare Parts

In this new online action adventure from EA Bright Light, players join courageous robots Mar-T and Chip as they find themselves dumped with the trash on a strange planet. Working together in co-op mode, the mechanical duo must find a way to repair their ship and escape the planet before nefarious Lord Krung can dispatch his henchmen to destroy them. Mar-T and Chip will need to collect upgradable action parts to unlock new abilities that will aid them as they battle countless enemies including the evil Krofax, hostile spider monkeys and even a Super Huge Mega Laser! Can our heroes rescue their other stranded robotic friends and unearth all of the spare parts they need to make their escape?

Platforms – Xbox LIVE Arcade / PlayStation Network
Launch Date – Winter 2010

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 11

Lead your team to glory in Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 11! Fight for honor, fight for country in the all-new Ryder Cup Challenge on The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales in 2010, which is the course of this year’s Ryder Cup. The Ryder Cup brings together the best American and European golfers in a team competition format, and the cover of Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 11 is a direct reflection of the tournament – as Tiger Woods denotes the U.S. team and Rory McIlroy represents the Europeans. In addition to The Ryder Cup, gamers will be able to create their own team and take on others in Online Team Play – up to 12 versus 12. In addition, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 11 will be supporting the all-new PlayStation Move controller for an authentic golf swing experience. So swing away and hit the links! Platforms – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, iPhone
Street date – 2nd July 2010

Anyone else excited to hear about Crysis 2? Here’s a video to wet your appetite.

If you fancy taking place in the Crysis 2 beta read below:

“Looking to get your hands on Crysis 2 early? Now is your chance! Early registrations will be tracked, and our first wave of users will have a chance to win a key as and when the Crysis 2 beta takes place. All you need to do is sign up [here, once it has been relaunched (tomorrow)] early and one day in the near future you may be receiving a mail with an invite to the game.”