Life Ain't A Game

Videogames exist in a strange universe. No matter how different two games may seem, you’ll always find common rules that link the two – like Forza 4 and Prince of Persia sharing a rewind function, for example. Now imagine if our world was governed by those rules. Would it be better? Or worse? In this feature I take a look at real life through a skewed lens, and ponder what it would be like to live in a world governed by the rules of the videogame.  

Jedi Beats Tank's Five Favourite... Grudge Matches

Welcome to my brand new blog celebrating all things cool in the world of videogames. In each one I’ll present a new list of my five favourite… whatevers, along with a brief explanation as to why I think they belong on a top 5 list. 

Now, since I only pretend to know a little bit of a lot about games and the industry, it’s likely that I’ll miss a fair few items that deserve (or even demand) a position on one of these lists. If that’s the case, feel free to comment with your own nominations and generally make me feel a wee bit small. Or a lot small, if you like – just remember, though, I’m a family man…

Crackdown 2 - Xbox 360 Review

CRACKDOWN 2

Formats: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Format Reviewed: Xbox 360

Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

Developer; Ruffian Games

Release Date: 9th July 2010

Score: 85%

Back in 2007 when Crackdown was released, most people knew it simply as “that game what came free with the Halo 3 beta”. It was what they like to refer to as a “sleeper hit”, sidling into the market on the back of Microsoft’s biggest Xbox cashcow and taking everyone by surprise by actually not sucking at all. To be fair, it was the fact that Realtime Worlds’ little gem was really a rough diamond that endeared us all to it. It didn’t feel big budget, it didn’t feel pretentious, it was just a game that let you blow stuff up, jump over buildings and become addicted to collecting hundreds of little orbs. It never claimed to be anything else, and as a result was one of 2007’s best games and remains one of the 360’s most enjoyable breakout hits.

Ninja Blade - Xbox 360 Review

NINJA BLADE

Formats: Xbox 360, PC

Format Reviewed: Xbox 360

Publisher: Microsoft

Developer: From Software

Release Date: 03/04/2009

Score: 77%

Have you ever, upon leaving the house to head off to the pub/school/church, found that the coat you intended to wear was either in the wash or misplaced, forcing you to sling on the old one from the back of the wardrobe that you never wear any more, and then, having done so, found a tenner folded up in the inside pocket? Well, Ninja Blade, the new demon-battler from Microsoft and From Software is like that: a pleasant, unexpected, slightly lint-covered surprise. Okay, actually there's no lint, but you get the overall thrust of the analogy.