Geo-Political Simulator Published by Eversim Available for PC You certainly can't fault Geo-Political Simulator for lack of ambition. A deep strategy game with the emphasis on deep, GPS puts you in the big leather seat of any nation on Earth of your choosing. As well as the big stuff like terrorism, counter-espionage, war, and diplomacy, there's also all the little things that prime minister and presidents have to deal with, like agricultural subsidies, art and film endowments, education and dealing with unions. You mainly run your country through departmental spreadsheets that let you control economies and budgets and it's nicely and simply laid out, if sometimes a bit vague on certain areas. As in real life, running a country is a difficult balancing act. Cut investment in one area and you could face massive civil unrest as the ramifications take hold. This results in a strong challenge but sometimes you feel a bit in the thick of it and after a dozen worker strikes you stop caring. It can be very satisfying to turn around a developing country and there is a lot of satisfaction in overcoming the obstacles this game throws at you, but the in-depth level of play means that GPS is most definitely not for the casual gamer. 3/5 Sam Webb The Political Machine Published by Kalypso Media Available for PC Stardock are behind the superb space real-time strategy Sins of a Solar Empire so expectations were high for this American election simulator. Instead of epic starship battles you take control of a presidential candidate and attempt to take control of the biggest seat of power in the world. TPM features easy-to-grasp board-game-style gameplay and potential candidates have 41 turns, each representing a week, to zip around the country to get votes by using political operatives, catering to different groups' needs and charming the media. Pressing concerns include high gas prices, addressing climate change, the looming spectre of Iraq and other key issues from the past year. Obama and McCain are featured this time around, as well as other less well-known candidates. Despite the obvious bias that would make this more geared towards Americans than us Eurotrash, TPM is still a fun and surprisingly accessible game, and while dealing with similar material to Geo-Political Simulator, this comes off as the superior game of the two. 3/5 Sam Webb Fracture Published by Lucasarts Available on PS3 and Xbox 360 While futuristic third person shooters are rarely groundbreaking events, the same couldn't be said about Fracture, at least as far as the weapons are concerned. Set in a dystopian future United States, your alpha male character, the appallingly monikered Jet Brody, has his finger on the trigger of a pretty damn cool gun, one simple press of a button has the ground literally reforming around your feet, allowing you to reach previously inaccessable heights. Enemy fire getting a bit too close for comfort, another button press and you're standing in a ditch, oblivious to the hot lead flying above. While the majority of the game doesn't really stand out as being anything new, this simple yet effective weapon is a nifty twist on previous games. Without it, I would be hard pushed to say that Fracture was anything other than a cross between Unreal and Haze - no bad thing in itself but it's always nice to have something to set you apart from the crowd. Sadly new toys soon lose their shine and, once you've grown accustomed to your tectonic technology, you're brought back down to terra firma with a bang, and left with a pretty average shooter. Fracture may have high hopes but the reality is that unfortunately, it's a bit of an uphill slog and ultimately bog standard. 2/5 Matt Barron Ship Simulator 2008 Published by Lighthouse Available for PC Unsuprisingly, enjoyment of this game is entirely dependent on how interested you are in boats, sailing and, um, boats. If you couldn't care less stick to Halo or Pro Evo. However, desktop captains will find a hell of a lot to appreciate here. Players take control of a variety of ships, including the infamous RMS Titanic, a boat you may have heard of, from huge cargo ships to a tiny jetski. You can either undertake missions, single player or on-line with other armchair sailors, or just roam free on the seas. It is highly customisable and players can set all aspects of the weather, including clouds, wind, rain, thunder and wave size. Another nice touch is that you can wander around the ship to your hearts content. However, hardcore simulation fans will find the relatively simple controls a bit lacking in depth. Ship Simulator is also astonishingly slow, but it could be argued that they are being true to the experience. This collector's edition features the add-on New Horizons, as well as a making of and booklet about the ships featured. 3/5 Sam Webb So Blonde Published by Eidos and dtp Available on Wii, DS and PC If you enjoyed classic Lucasarts point and click adventure games like Beneath a Steel Sky and Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, So Blonde might be right up your alley. In this adventure game you play Summer, a 17-year-old redhead (kidding!) who gets washed up on a spooky Caribbean island and must outwit voodoo priests, pirates and, most terrifyingly, romance! With any game of this type, a fair amount of time is spent searching through different locations by clicking around and irritation rapidly sets in, but when you do get a breakthrough it's a worthwhile thrill. The puzzle elements are joined by a few retro minigames that are well-executed and fun. The graphics are colourful and attractive, if not jaw-dropping, and the story does try to avoid the more obvious blonde jokes. The voice acting is excellent too, although you will occasionally want to slap the beejesus out of some characters. Another flaw of note is the near-constant loading screens. Adventure fans should give it a look. 4/5 Sam Webb PDC World Championship Darts Published by Oxygen Available on Xbox 360, PS2, PSP and PC
Darts games are a difficult thing to review. As arguably one of the more pedestrian sports, there are less things to lend themselves to a computerised version. It's not fast, it's not furious and the basic premise is as simple as it gets - aim your arrows, get the points, win the match. Thankfully, there is an element of star power applied, with the option to play as yourself or as one of the many professionals on the current circuit. Finding yourself behind the throwing arm of Phil 'The Power' Taylor and friends is fun although play shoddily and you may be dubbed 'Naffarama' by commentator Sid Waddell. Inevitably, the action hots up when you have the chance of a 180 score during your exhibition/tournament match. The camera provides detailed close up shots to enhance your view - very useful despite the increased difficulty in aiming due to your characters nerves kicking in. But make the shot and the plaudits are yours. PDC does the best it can with limited options. It may appeal to fans but for me it got a bit boring. If I'm gonna play darts, I'd much rather play down the pub.
3/5 Gary Simpkins
NHL 09 Published by EA Sports Available for PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, PC Fans of ice hockey will already know how fast and furious the game can be, and will be delighted to know that NHL 09 translates this quality well onto the small screen. On introduction to your first match, you can see that no punches are pulled. Strap on your skates and create your own player, earning you your own hockey card and a chance for the coach to rate you as your career progresses. But be sure to play well and keep your stats up or you may find yourself being traded.
Throw yourself into a team and experience the six on six playing action. As you rack up game experience, your player's ability improves, inviting you to learn the impressive skill stick, giving you greater control of the puck as you block, stop and pass better and faster to your team-mates, and strive to hit the back of the net with a well placed slap-shot. This being ice hockey, there's always the opportunity for a bit of dirty play. Lift your opponent's team stick before they get the puck or throw down your gloves and give your opponent some serious beats (taking advantage of the new hitting engine). But beware, if you don't fancy spending time in the sin bin, don't do the crime!
Overall, NHL 09 is a well paced, exciting game with great graphics and plenty of options for the hardcore sports fan.
4/5 Gary Simpkins
Pure Published by Disney Interactive Studios Available on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC If words like tracks, tricks and all-terrain are guaranteed to get your motor revving, ATV racing game PURE could be just the game for you. Strap on your pads and get in the saddle for a high speed, high altitude dirt tracking. Following on in the tradition of the amazing PS3 launch game MotorStorm, Pure is an enjoyably fast jaunt, where, if you haven't got the skills to pay the bills, you'll find yourself eating dust. The whole game revolves around tricks. Pull off a couple of easy tricks and you'll gain enough boost to pull off more complicated manoeuvres. A simple maxim can be applied, better moves = more boost. The more complicated the stunt, the longer it takes to complete, but with a little practice in loading your jumps, you soon find yourself flying around all over the place, and the real test of your mettle can begin. So far, so good. But Pure isn't without it's annoyances. After a few races, you start to get really tired of your rider's incessant enthusiasms. Thankfully, a fantastic soundtrack goes some way to diverting you from sticking your boot through the TV. For racing fans, Pure is a good game to see who's got the guts and who's got the gasoline. For others, it's a fun, four-wheel trick-fest, despite it's misfires.
3/5 Matt Barron
LEGO Batman Published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Available on PS3, PS2, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii, DS and PC Typical - you wait ages for a Lego game, then two come along in quick succession. Following on only a couple of months after its Indiana Jones version, this game sees you take on the roles of Batman and Robin after a host of villians run riot in Gotham. Over three missions you battle with some familiar (Riddler, Penguin, Catwoman, Poison Ivy and of course, The Joker) and not so familiar (Manbat, Bane, Harley Quinn) baddies. As with the rest of the Lego series, it is up to you to guide the dynamic duplo through various puzzles and challenges in order to send the villanious mob back to Arkham Asylum where they belong. So far so similar - but there are some important changes that make this version much better than its Indy predecessor, and dare I say it, better than the Star Wars originals. For a start you can don different Batman and Robin costumes - each with a variety of weapons attached - creating enough variety in your two main characters to keep you occupied. But the main, and best, difference is that once you have completed a mission as Batman and Robin, you can then go back and complete it as the villianous mob you were just fighting against. And this is on top of the free story option that you can still do in both versions. LEGO Batman has the cheek and charm you would expect from a Lego game, but with some small enhancements that take it from fabulous to flippin' fantastic. If you don't enjoy controlling a robot that emerges from a funky disco dancefloor, this may not be the game for you - but then if you are that sort of person, I'm not too sure there is much hope for you. 5/5 Matt Barron
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames Published by EA Available on Xbox 360, PS3, PS2 and PC On first play, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames feels very much like your average third-person shooter. Upon selecting your character from a list of three - each with their own attributes, of course - you need to lock, load and lay waste to not only plenty of bad guys, but also a significant amount of South America to boot. I didn't know a video game forest fire could look so pretty. Despite the occasional good looking scene, the graphics are generally a bit average, as is, I'm afraid to say, the story of your 'up-to-the-neck-in-it' mercenary. The double crossed soldier of fortune gimmick has sort of been done to death. So, the graphics and storyline are nothing to write home about - does World in Flames have anything to offer? Well, yes actually. Ok it's nothing new but there is an overall sense of fun about the game which makes it endearing. It doesn't reinvent any wheels here but for sheer playability, it comes up trumps, which is more than can be said for a lot of other third person shooters out there. I don't want every game I play to be trendy and avant garde, sometimes I just want to sit back, switch my brain off, and just blow stuff up. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames is a simple game for those with simple shoot 'em up pleasures. Those who take Metal Gear Solid as the bench mark should probably give it a wide berth.
3/5 Matt Barron
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 Published by EA Available for PS3, PS2, PSP, Xbox 360. Tiger Woods, eponymous face of EA's perenial golfing extravaganza, once again lends his clean shaven visage to this year's installment. Building on the somewhat disappointing template from last year, EA has tweaked gameplay to provide 'a personalized and customized day on the links'. Have they succeeded? Yes, my friend, yes they most certainly have! To hold your hand from the tee is Hank Haney - Tiger Woods' very own personal playing coach - offering much needed advice to keep your balls out of the sand. An invaluable asset to guide you through your career and assess your game from fairway to green, and providing a good framework to build on as you drive, chip and putt your way up the leaderboard. Prefer to be the master of your own destiny? No problem, use the club tuner to refine the contents of your golfing bag, meaning nary a hook or slice will fetter your drive. The personal touch is at your fingerprints! Staying on top of your game has never been easier. The new dynamic skills that are available after every round emphasize consistency as well as improvement.
Most striking of all is the little things. Seeing blades of grass flying as you tee off or watching your ball veer wide thanks to a sudden change of wind gives the game a satisfying sense of reality. Every aspect is improved from last years stumble, cementing Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 as the best golfing available and, as such, a must have for all sports fans. 5/5 Gary Simpkins
Mary Kings Riding School Published by Ghostlight Available for Nintendo DS
I really enjoyed playing this game. It was challenging at times but still fun to play. First you can create your horse. Then you can visit the stables where you can tack the horse, pick an outfit for yourself, care for your horse and train your horse. Then you can take part in cross country, show jumping and dressage events, moving from one nation to the next as you get better. The dressage event was my favourite part of the game because it really put me through my paces. As you play you can also shop for accessories for your horse and go to the pastures to see your horses. The further you get in the game, the more places you visit and the harder the events get. But the training sessions remain at the same level. This was the one difficult part of the game because the training only prepares you for the cross country and show jumping events, and not the dressage. I thought the game was entertaining and while it is aimed at young girls, I think anyone who likes horses and horse riding would enjoy playing it.
3/5
TNA iMPACT! Published by Midway Available for PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, Wii Ever watched American wrestlers on tv and thought 'I could do that'? TNA iMPACT! now offers you such a chance - an opportunity to get inside the famous TNA six sided ring as, or against, your fave characters. Strap on your spandex and take on the likes of Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe or the legendary Sting as you power slam, axe kick and pile drive your way through Fatal Four-way matches, Ultimate X's and more. Those who wish to build their own career can do just that. Story mode offers players the opportunity to take control of your own character - a great way to get a feel for your pugilistic prowess and learn skills at your own pace. Thankfully, TNAi! doesn't take itself too seriously - a problem which has often been levelled at other games of the genre. The graphics are good and, although you can't escape the joystick waggling method of control, gameplay is enjoyable, especially when competing against people online. You really can't beat a successful body splash from the top turnbuckle for pure, brutal pleasure. TNA iMPACT! is by far one of the best wrestling games I've played for ages. A flurry of facepaint and fisticuffs, it truly packs a punch. 4/5 Matt Barron
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Published by LucasArts Available for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Nintendo DS, PS2 and PSP Star Wars games are often something of a torrid affair, many falling short of their vast potential. But not all - Star Wars: Battlefront 1 and 2 and Knights of the Old Republic were an absolute blast, far superior to a plethora of previously weak tie-ins. Perpetuating this high quality - rightly deserved of such a seminal series of films (well, mostly) - is Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, offering the player a fine opportunity to sample the nefarious 'Dark Side', and be on the painless side of force-lightening for once. Marrying the latest trilogy to the original, the action takes place between Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith and Episode 4 - A New Hope. As Starkiller (a nod to trivia fans), you fill the role of Darth Vader's secret apprentice, hunting down the Jedi Knights remaining at the end of the last film and ensuring the success of the Empire. Familiar faces both old and new crop up as you perform your grim task, spanning an array of colourful and otherworldly terrains. As you complete your missions, fighting through armies of enemies in a (sometimes repetitive) lightsabre hack 'n' slash style, you refine your use of the force, and it's here that the game is at it's best. By building up these telekinetic skills, you can form killer combos and attacks guaranteed to leave even the most ardent foe dazed and confused, be it Jedi, wookiee or rancor. One flick of the wrist can send a boulder powering into your opponent or smashing a blast door into shrapnel. Never before has a gamer had such fluid control of the mystical force. Star Wars:The Force Unleashed is hugely enjoyable romp through the legendary mythos of the double trilogy. It can be repetitive when fighting multiple enemies but the levels are interesting and the story engaging. The force is strong with this one! 4/5 Matt Barron
Monster Madness: Grave Danger Published by SouthPeak Games Available for PS3 Oooh, this brings back memories. Sitting in my room until the early hours playing Zombies Ate My Neighbours on my Super Nintendo. Happy days! With it's retro tongue firmly planted in it's retro cheek, Monster Madness:Grave Danger is 'Zombies...' rejigged for the next-gen crowd. Poking fun at all those great, schlocky monster B-movies of the fifties and sixties, you guide your character around the town of Suburbia, mowing down the undead hordes armed with everything from chainsaws to sink plungers. With it's bright, cartoony visuals, Grave Danger certainly has some appeal, and it lends itself to short-term pick-up-and-play. The problem is that it still has that early nineties arcade feel. But in this age of ipod's and suchlike, who's really interested in gameplay circa 1993? Gameplayers have grown up yet this game hasn't. As I said, this is fine in small doses but ultimately, gamers expect a bit more body. Monster Madness:Grave Danger breaks no molds. What it does do is offer a curio to those who recall the halcyon days of console gaming, and are eager to relive them. 2/5
Soulcalibur IV Published by Namco Bandai Available on PS3 and Xbox 360 In the world of one-on-one fighting games, the Soulcalibur series is something of rumble royalty, with every new episode building on the last. Soulcalibur IV is no different, it knows what works and delivers on every level. First things first, the whole game looks amazing, and is a great template to show what the PS3 is graphically capable of. The characters - a pernicious band of pugilists - all pack a tremendous punch, beautifully rendered in hi-def 3D. And with brand new critical finish moves to perform, the effects will blow you away as you do the same to the opposition. Joining the familiar faces are a fresh selection of battle scarred brutes, all masters of their own absurd but brilliant weaponry and moves. But the biggest draw has to be the new introduction of Star Wars characters, the Apprentice (from the new Star Wars: The Force Unleashed game), Yoda (on the Xbox 360 version) and the man in black himself, Darth Vader (on the PS3 version). Soulcalibur IV sets a very high bar for one-on-one fighting games. Stacks of characters and options mean that the player won't get battle-weary anytime soon. 5/5
Nostradamus: The Last Prophecy Published by Lighthouse Available for PC The games industry has finally taken notice of all my letters and created a Nostradamus-themed mystery procedural adventure game with a cross-dressing heroine. It was only a matter of time. The game’s plot revolves around the French Queen Mother, Catherine de Médicis, who has been dogged by a series of murders ,so she travels to see Nostradamus in a small French town for help. The housebound prophet can’t undertake the investigation himself but pledges the services of his son César. However, César is hundreds of miles away so Nostradamus secretly plans to disguise his daughter Madeleine as César and allow her to conduct the investigation. As you do. The game takes the form of a first person point-and-click adventure from the viewpoint of Madeleine. The puzzles are entertaining, if sometimes frustrating, and the music, sound, dialogue and graphics create an atmosphere that is pleasantly authentic and draws you in. In a nice touch you have to use the science of the day to solve some problems, giving it a CSI: Renaissance vibe which gamers may enjoy. Madeleine is also a sympathetic and intriguing character and you will genuinely care about what happens to her. Like a rhubarb and custard crumble, N:TLP is old fashioned but a treat nonetheless. 3/5
Madden NFL 09 Published by EA Available for PS3, PS2, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii, DS Ok, I'm gonna come right out and say it... I don't get American Football! Don't understand it, never have. So reviewing Madden NFL 09 is something of a challenge for me, but even more of a challenge for EA Sports, who have to make it as simple as possible for newbies like myself. First stop, taking the Madden Test, a useful training simulation which pits you against a virtual, tron-like opponent to test you abilities at various aspects of the game, both offence and defence. Your resulting score tailors the game to your talents, making each ensuing quarter a more personal challenge. Training over, and it's onto the field for some much needed first hand experience. I have to say that the first time I played an actual match, I was at a loss as to what the hell was going on. But as you rack up the games, the knowledge soon follows, and while it takes time to get a full understanding of the plays, you can get by by keeping to this simple maxim, 'Running with ball = good, bottom of the pile = bad', (although the game would certainly benefit from clearer instructions). But even if it takes longer to get the gist, you can always just sit back and enjoy the fantastic graphics - always a stalwart of EA Sports games. Madden NFL 09 is unlikely to make me reserve my seat at the next Superbowl, but it will definitely keep me coming back for more, if only to learn something new about the game!
4/5 | 
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