In this weeks show we spend an awful lot of time talking about what we have been playing. Webby obsesses over Final Fantasy 13. Lots of news this week including rumours of no DLC for MW2, Battlefield 2 online problems and more Windows phone news.

Don’t forget the all important Itunes reviews

For those not in the know, Blood Bowl is a strategy game set in the games workshop universe and loosely based on American football. Teams consisting of different races (Elves, Orcs, Goblins and Humans amongst others) compete to score touchdowns by moving the ball into the opposition endzone, just like in the U.S sport.

However in this game pounding your opponents into the turf until they are dead is just as valid a tactic as a long pass. Each of the races specialises in different aspects of the game: the elves are superb passers of the ball but are very easily injured, whereas Orcs are rarely incapacitated but often struggle with even picking up the ball. Players on Goblin teams can even make use of special weapons such as chainsaws and pogo sticks.

The game features both the traditional 2 halves of 8 turns in turnbased mode, and the all new realtime ‘blitz’ mode. The realtime mode though is an absolute joke, as it’s realtime in name only. Players pause the match in order to give instructions to their team which are then played out when the game is restarted. It’s a good job then that the turn based mode has been executed much more successfully.

In turn based mode players can choose from a set of actions to be performed by each of the players on their team. The main actions revolve around moving, passing the ball or tackling opponents. The success or failure of each action is determined by a dice roll which is performed in the background in the case of all rolls with the exception of blocking (tackling) What dice roll is required to succeed is determined by the stats of the player performing it, and adjustments based upon the in game situation at the time.

If all of this sounds very complicated, that’s because it is. The turn based rules of blood bowl have been built up over the years since its release in 1987. To fully understand the rules of the game then players really need to read the ‘Living Rule Book’ which is over 60 pages long, and not included with the game. This makes the game exceedingly inaccessible to new players, many of whom will no doubt be put off by the bewildering array of things to learn. There is a tutorial included to try and ease new players into the game, but it is insufficient to say the least.

So, you may well be thinking that this game is worth avoiding. If you’re put off by having a lot to learn then that would probably be the best idea. If you’re willing to stick it out, however, then there’s a really fun gaming experience to be had here. Blood Bowl is well known amongst tabletop gamers for it’s superb balance of strategy and luck. Once you’ve learned the rules then it’s possible to appreciate this game for what it is: a high quality strategy experience. Earning star player points for actions completed during matches allows players to rank up, thereby gaining new skills and allowing managers to customise their style of play.

The single player game allows for cup competitions, one off games, tournaments, and the career mode. Be prepared for a long game should you choose career mode as it consists of a large number of tournaments each of which are made up of several matches. The beauty of this mode is that it allows for much ranking up which really can allow players massive customisation over their team.

I’m afraid that I can’t pass much judgement on the multiplayer part of the game due to the fact that on several occasions when I’ve tried to give it a go there hasn’t been a single other person online. I am able to bemoan the fact that you are not able to gain experience online and therefore a lot of the addictiveness of the game will be missing from it.

As much as I would like to be able to recommend this game to all of you, I can’t. The flaws are too many and too apparent. You just have to work too hard in order to find the fun here, which is an absolute shame. This makes my disappointment all the more profound, as I know from experience just how excellent the tabletop game is. I just wish that Cyanide had managed to translate this entertainment more capably into what should have been a quality game.

Verdict: 4.5/10. Only worth considering if you’ve got a lot of patience.

In this episode we discuss gaming addiction and if the 360G crew have this addiction. We discuss what we have been playing. We have lots of Natal news and the winner of the Geo Wars 2 competition is announced.

Enjoy the show and don’t forget the itunes reviews

Cool looking video of the upcoming Metro 2033. This all new engine certainly looks very impressive. If the game plays as good as it looks then we’re in for some fun times!

The first game of the series is Spec Ops: The Line™. The game is currently under development in Germany by Yager for 2k games. First off I can hear you all saying “Yager?” Well they were founded in 1999 and released “Yager” a shooter on the original Xbox gaining mediocre scores at best (6.7/10 Gamespot) and that is basically all I could find on these guys. Any way enough of that lets get down to business…

The game was announced last year during the Spike VGA’s with what can only be described as a breath taking trailer. The third person shooter will be the 9th in the Spec Ops series (Although “The Line” is a standalone game) and will be released on Xbox360, PS3 and PC late 2010 (No official date as yet.)

The game is set in a post apocalyptic Dubai, no not your nuclear war etc… but a series of sandstorms that have all but wiped out the Arab city. You, the player, will play as Captain Martin Walker who is accompanied by a Delta Force bravo team to rescue U.S. Army Colonel John Konrad and his loyal squad who remained behind in Dubai when everyone else was fleeing. Unable to reach anyone after the storms hit the US Army fears that Konrad and his team are dead. Until they pick up a week distress signal resulting in the rescue mission. During the game the player will face the common A.I enemy threats as well as threats that are posed from the ongoing natural disasters that are bombarding the city. As the game progresses better weapons and equipment become available along with squad commands.

The game uses the natural sandstorms to constantly change the arena of battle. The game will use an unpredictable engine that randomises when, where and how powerful these storms will be. The storms may block or open paths, turn a battle in your favour or indeed put you on the back foot.

Although gameplay footage is not available yet the trailer and screenshots that are available look stunning to say the least. The screenshots show a great variety of locations both in doors with equally nice textures and lighting effects. The atmosphere created in the trailer gives a real indication that the game will be not just about fighting and killing but also the human sacrifices’ made in order to complete the mission.
Multiplayer is included however details are sketchy. Currently Yager describes the games multiplayer as “a campaign that expands the single-player experience.” So the possibility of co-op, maybe?

The game is poised to be one that will truly surprise the vast majority of gamers. Bringing together the apocalyptic game styles of Metro 2033 and modern warfare styles as seen in Battlefield and Modern Warfare 2 to create what will hopefully be a great game that can really challenge for the game of the year title. I for one am really looking forward to this title and really do hope that it holds out as a really good game.
So make a note of Spec Ops: The Line™ coming 2010.

Useful Links
Screenshots (Gamespot)
Videos (Gamespot)
Official Site

By James Taylor UK

Good news for anyone who’s been following the progress of this interesting looking spy based RPG: the European release date has been announced as May 28th.

The premise sounds excellent to me, as I’ve always enjoyed the Bond and Bourne films. Getting a chance to take a few steps in their shoes should make for an interesting experience.

The much loved Gadget Show (as shown on Five TV) have recently reviewed the Natal, and I must say, this short review is probably one of the better, unbias pieces I’ve heard. If you’re interested in the Natal at all, I suggest viewing the link below.

Click here for the video.

Good times.