
Search This Blog
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Top Five bargain console video games for Christmas 2008
Even though they are old they still fall in the must-have category.
Top 5 choices:

1. Call of Duty 4
Although a year old it still stands miles above the rest and the recently released Call of Duty World at War stands on par if not worse if going back to World War II wasn’t your thing. The single player sets you during the modern day and uses a cinematic feel which is fantastically engrossing and to get those hard earned veteran achievements you’ll be playing it many times over. Although the single player is great it’s the multiplayer which takes Call of Duty into its own and truly excels. With the best leveling up system I’ve seen on a console shooter to date, the ranking up from private to corporal is enjoyable. The ability to customize your characters perks and special powers extends beyond the normal weapon selection. Honestly this game is still tremendously popular both offline and online, some people are actually coming back from COD: World at War, and if you’re into some proper first person shooting action then this is the game to get this Christmas.

2. Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Gosh, this one may be controversial depending on how much you cherish your childhood memories but you can’t doubt the success of the Lego games series. This year has seen the release of Lego Indiana Jones and Lego Batman but they all lead back to the Lego Star Wars series. I recommend getting the Complete Saga version as that gives you all 6 episodes on one disc. Even as a die hard Star Wars fan, I enjoyed this game. Don’t get me wrong; realism isn’t top of the list but it doesn’t disappoint in the enjoyment factor and keeps strictly to the storyline. Seeing those special moments recreated in Lego will make you laugh. Out of all the games on this list I think Lego Star Wars will take the longest for you to complete 100%; because of the way it’s been made you’ll have to play the game several times over to get the special treats. By earning studs you’ll be able to unlock characters so you can see once and for all what it would have been like if Mace Windu had magically been able to fight Emperor Palpatine to the death at the end of Return of the Jedi. These hypothetical situations are fun to play out but this game will appeal to not only fans of the Star Wars phenomenon but also anyone looking for something different this Christmas.

3. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
If you haven’t been part of the Guitar Hero craze you’ve been lying under a rock far too long. Last years release was the kick start to the music gaming revolution and has truly expanded with new Guitar Hero and Rock Band games going on sale this year. But that doesn’t pull away from the fact that this was a good game. To be honest the game hasn’t changed radically from Guitar Hero II. The only changes come in music tracks and instrument options. The basic premise is to feel like a rock star and play along with tracks by hitting the notes at the right time. It sounds easy but it gets hard quickly. Looking back, the songs aren’t going to be quite as up to date as you’d like but the famous tracks will be there to rock on too. With some money spent in the Xbox Live Marketplace you can update your tunes to something more modern. Remember you’ll need the guitar with this game to play properly as it’s not worth just using the controller. If you’re not at all interested in music I would steer clear of this.

4. Rainbow Six Vegas 2
This sequel wasn’t as much a new game, just as an expansion to the first. There was no major changes just slight graphical appearances which, in my opinion, appeared a bit better in HD than the prequel. But that’s not a bad thing; the original was such a good hit, putting you in the role of an elite anti-terrorist squad. Rainbow Six Vegas 2 builds on the success of duck-and-cover shooting as well as the team commands which seem quite easy to order and the missions are overall fun to complete. Set in and around the outskirts of Las Vegas, the environments aren’t repeated often but can seem bland. The multiplayer part of the game shares a similar leveling system as COD 4; they have a more cautious approach than the running and gunning of COD. This game requires patience during the single player campaign as well as multiplayer; but if you’re after that it can provide you with a thorough experience.

5. Assassins Creed
This makes my list on wow factor alone. Given the single player is quite short, Assassins Creed amazes people on it’s scale. There is a huge virtual map of four cities set during the time of the Crusades and never has history been so much fun as you play an assassin fighting against the Christian Crusaders, the Muslims and any evil force. Although over a year old the graphics hold up giving truly amazing views from the top of buildings; for once you just stop and stare in a video game as you try and point out things on the horizon. However that is just small compared to what makes this game a must play - the movement system is immense albeit easy. It doesn’t take long to get used to and you’ll be jumping across buildings and free running around ancient Jerusalem before you can say “Kill that infidel!” The implementation is very streamlined and makes simple running on the ground quite boring. Overall an entertaining game in an otherwise unexploited era but won’t be on your played list for long.
Homemade video game 'Hunter Forever' makes 2008 top ten list in Time Magazine
A 21-year-old computer whiz who created an on-the-cheap Flash video game - Hunter Forever on his home PC has hit the big time in the gaming world - the No. 8 spot on Time magazine's list of the top-10 releases of 2008, alongside such blockbuster titles as Grand Theft Auto IV, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Gears of War 2. "I was thinking, how did they manage to mistype some other game that badly? Then I realized. I spent the next couple of hours in a state of shock, pretty much - not being able to believe it. I was so dazed I didn't even tell my parents until the next day."
Sony sell over 3.5million PlayStation 3 games in November
Total game sales for the PS3 during November topped more than 3.5 million, in a month that saw Sony sell over 378,000 PlayStation 3's.
For November, PlayStation 3 hardware revenue was $261 million, representing a growth of 9% since the start of 2008.
Software for all PlayStation formats generated $352 million, up 16% since the first month of 2008.
Top Five games for Nintendo Wii this Christmas
The console does skew more towards kids and younger families, but honestly, there's enough variety and pure good gameplay to make a Nintendo Wii a great choice for anyone of any age who love games.

1. Wii Fit
Careful who you give this too, you don't want to intimate they need to lose weight.This is a blast though, using the Wii balance board and software to keep track of your weight loss goals and to streamline certain exercises. It's nothing you couldn't do on your own, pushups, lunges, yoga, but it does offer input, instruction and motivation. Wonderfully practical, and somewhat engaging "game" that will be a great introduction to fitness for those who often find it boring to work out. Some mini-games to keep the interactive levels high.

2. Animal Crossing: City Folk
Sort of a Sim City for kids, Animal Crossing: City Folk has you build the game.You can do it yourself, with friends or family in your house or even with other friends online. You move into a house, furnish and build it as you like, help to build the town, interact with everyone and everything, and even use the game's microphone to chat to friends over the internet.This game lets kids be in charge of everything and does it extremely well.
Animal Crossing: Let's Go To The City (Wii)
3. Wii Music
This isn't like the other music games out there, but it is a wonderfully creative way for kids to unearth the beauty of music. You use the Nintendo Wii controllers by shaking them around in time to either complete tasks in mini games or just to jam with friends.You play everything from the Theme to Zelda to Carmen, loads of classical choices in between. And the instruments? Well, yes, there's guitar and drums, but there's also tubas, banjos, flutes, recorders and even cat and dog suits. Very heavy on the cuteness, very heavy on musical exploration, very big on fun.
Wii Music (Wii)

4. Ultimate Band
This is like the other music games out there, without all the clunky peripherals and price. Ultimate band plays rhythm-based hit songs from big artists, but just using the Wii controllers to play the songs. Sure it's not as deep or realistic as Guitar Hero or Rock Band, but is essentially the same concept and still offers a fun musical experience in a social setting.
Ultimate Band (Wii)

5. Disney's Time Out
Like last year's Smarty Pants, this is a trivia/Quiz game, but, as the title suggests, with a Disney flavour. From the Mouse family to newer faves like Lilo and Stitch and the Lion King (with Aladdin as your host), trivia questions and mini games make this a fabulous way for kids to get into the competitive spirit.More than 5,000 questions are included on all things Disney.
Nintendo Wii doubles last year sales in US...
Nintendo's home console sold 2.04 million units, over twice the amount sold for the same period last year, while the company's DS system also shifted 1.57 million units.
Total sales of software, hardware and accessories topped USD 2.91 billion during the month of November.
Sales of the Xbox 360 were more than double the PlayStation 3 during the month, with 836,000 and 378,000, respectively.
"The expanded supply of Wii systems at retail was clearly evident in the sales figures this month," commented Anita Frazer of sales group NPD.
"The 360 realised a nice unit sales bump over last November and the PS3 year-to-date unit sales growth is impressive."
Sony's PSP was its strongest hardware performer, selling 421,000 units, while the PlayStation 2 also managed 206,000 units.
"It's clear there can be more multiple victors this generation, and while price is certainly a strong factor, particularly as the current economic situation continues to prevail, the most important factor that will drive success in 2009 will be the line-up of compelling games that will keep consumers involved in the industry," added Frazer.
Sales figures for all hardware during November follow:
- Wii - 2.04 million
- DS - 1.57 million
- Xbox 360 - 836,000
- PSP - 421,000
- PlayStation 3 - 378,000
- PlayStation 2 - 206,000
La Tale fantasy video game for PC
LA TALE is a MMORG set in a fantasy world of sword and sorcery. The player creates a character in the class that best suits their gaming style; Warrior, Knight, Wizard, or Explorer.La Tale is a side-scrolling game which looks and feels like a "platformer" -- a genre of video games where players have to navigate an environment by getting their characters up onto platforms. The gameplay is controlled mostly with the keyboard and characters will perform the animations of climbing, walking, swinging hand over hand, or swimming as the environment dictates. Game controls are simple, tooltips are plentiful, and PC requirements low.




Cute and colorful in an anime style, this game is fun to play and easy to get into. Character development is not complex, although players would be well advised to read guides that are already out on the various skills and classes. Apart from exploring dungeons and killing monsters with sword or magic to earn gold, players will enjoy dressing their characters in a multitude of fashions. They will need to learn a single crafting skill, which is a nice social aspect of the game as crafters are dependent upon each other to produce sub-components or the final item.Another engaging aspect of gameplay are pets. Like players, they get stronger the more they experience, and kids get to watch them grow from egg to baby to adulthood. Pets provide different benefits to the player, depending on the type of pet you have, and they are bought from the item shop using money earned in the game or real money.
Street Fighter IV collectors edition video game pack announced
Gamezplay.org are pleased to announce Capcom will celebrate the return of the revolutionary Street Fighter series and the upcoming release of Street Fighter IV for the PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360, Capcom by creating the ultimate Collectors Edition pack for European and Australian fans of the series.
Along with the game itself, the Collectors Edition pack, which will be available for both the PS3 and Xbox 360, will include the following contents housed in a classic Street Fighter scene outer case –


- Limited edition figurines of all time favourite character Ryu and the all new character Crimson Viper, positioned within the familiar settings of the 'crowded Chinese downtown'.
- A bonus disc containing a feature length HD quality anime movie, created specially for the launch of Street Fighter IV and a selection of the best game trailers to date.
- A mini strategy guide created in the style of a comic art book detailing the moves and biographies of four of the new characters to the series; Viper, Abel, El Fuerte and Rufus
- Exclusive downloadable game content
Street Fighter IV the Collectors Edition will be punching its way into fans hands on February 20th 2009.
More Cool Stuff from X-Blades video game



Fireball: I always loved fire, even as a little girl. Then people noticed that I was able to command fire in some mysterious way. That's why I have a special affinity for these skills and I like learning them. A Fireball can be hurled against all kinds of enemies, even airborne opponents. On impact, it explodes and throws the opponent to the ground. This spell is really effective against Ice Elementals.X-Blades is a fast-paced action adventure game, featuring a blend of cinematic style and beautiful anime-inspired characters, combat and environments. Players assume the role of Ayumi, a charismatic and fearless treasure hunter who users her pistol blades and magic spells to defeat her enemies. X-Blades will be available later this winter.
Fire Blades: The power of Fire amazes me, because it truly is a skill that has aided me in many battles. I've learned to harness the power of fire and imbue it into my very own gunblades. This is quite a skill to master because the last thing an adventurer wants to do is melt her own weapons accidentally. This spell also allows me to shoot blazing projectiles at my enemies as well. Fire is a beautiful thing. (Requirement: Fireball)
Dark Elementals: A particle of the Dark which has a slight awareness of its own existence. Little more than a parasitic vampire, Dark Elementali suck away their victim's energy after melting it down with dark magic. Since they consume a lot of energy and spawn quickly, they're often hungry and extremely aggressive.
Ice Elementali: Ice Elementali are the embodiment of Cold magic. The result of dangerous experiments conducted by ancient magicians, these creatures can stop the use of magic by binding their victim's body with ice, thereby slowing them down. As are all Elemantalis, they're vulnerable to magic opposed to their own.
Rise of the Argonauts video game on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC - Feb 2009

Rise of the Argonauts immerses players in a gladiatorial adventure set in a wondrously imagined vision of ancient Greece. Taking the role of Jason, a hero and expert warrior, players will battle alongside Hercules, Achilles, Atalanta and other Argonauts as they engage in brutal combat against formidable beasts and enemies, in a vast world alive with fickle gods, jaw-dropping panoramas, deep exploration and epic quests. The search for the Golden Fleece is not only one of exploration, but of transformation: from warrior king to exalted hero touched by the gods.





Pets and Mounts for Runes of Magic PC video game introduced free to play and download
Mounts not only allow for faster travelling, but they also are a status symbol for every Runes of Magic player. They can be rented for a period of time from merchants for ingame currency. This feature is accessible for players right from character level one. Amongst others permanent mounts for lifetime are available at the item shop.











Due to a large selection of pets, collectors will get their money’s worth in Runes of Magic. Besides goblins, cats and wolves, exotic pets like a small Grim Reaper are following the players at every turn in the vast game world. But the following also is essential: the little companions can rarely be found in the loot of defeated enemies. Impatient players can use the item-shop, where they can buy pets and mounts for either a trial period or their whole life.
In the future Frogster plans additional features for their pets. Already in development are companions that can assist players in battles, cast beneficial magic spells on players and can even fight in special arenas against each other. Frogster also plans to introduce mounted combat in one of the upcoming patches: players can fight on horseback against monsters, as well as human opponents.Runes of Magic – a world full of wizardry and adventure
With an extensive range of features Runes of Magic prepares to redefine the standard of free-to-play MMO games. Right from the launch Runes of Magic will convey its absorbing story through more than 1.000 quests embedded in an atmospheric world. Players can choose between six main classes. Combined with a secondary class they dispose of 36 individual character classes over all. All characters possess unique skills with impressive combo attacks and can use mounts. A particularly attractive feature for guilds and players is the possibility to arrange their own virtual homes with individual furnishing. Thanks to an extensive crafting and reputation system, thrilling PVP as well as demanding dungeons and boss-monsters, no wishes remain unsatisfied. The Taiwanese developer Runewaker has developed Runes of Magic according to western MMO standards within a time frame of three years. The studio will provide new challenges for players every three to four months with free add-ons and updates. MMO fans can find more information, pictures and videos on the official website www.runesofmagic.com.
Runes of Magic features
- Free2play: no monthly fees, free download
- Extensive dual class system (six primary and secondary classes)
- Versatile spell- and attack-combinations
- Enthralling background story
- More than 1.000 quests and quest series on launch
- No zone boundaries thanks to seamless architecture
- Dungeons: Instanced and tile based as well as persistent
- Individually developable skills and spells
- Armor sets with special bonuses
- Dynamic item system with hundreds of runes for upgrading
- Optional PvP system with arena battles and guild wars
- Ranking system with player-ranking lists
- Multitude of unique mounts
- Epic crafting system with the chance to improve existing items
- Personalization of player houses through individual furnishing
- Reputation system
- Customisable user interface with the option to use Add-Ons
- Map and radar system to find dealers, resources and quests easily
- Ingame auction houses for trading items
- Teleport-Runes for instant travel
- Mouse and keyboard controls for movement
- Regular updates with new content
- Cross-server fights in three-server-battle in development
- Guild houses in special zones in development
