Why I Don't Mind Batting for Both Teams (Figuratively Speaking...)

I’ve been a self-confessed Xbox “fanboy” (as much as I hate the term “fanboy”) for a good nine years, ever since I borrowed my uncle’s console and a copy of Halo while he buggered off to Tenerife for a fortnight. Two weeks and three playthroughs later, and my Playstation One went over the trade-in counter quicker than a copy of BMX XXX.

FROM ARENA TO SKYRIM... The Evolution of The Elder Scrolls

These days you can’t scan the PR blurb of three games in a row without seeing the acronym “RPG” somewhere. Whether it’s Borderlands using role playing elements to flesh out its FPS mechanics or an appalling mess like Rise of the Argonauts trying to make itself sound more interesting, games of all genres have begun to incorporate bits and pieces of the role-playing template from looting to levelling in order to add layers to their core idea – even modern console shooters use experience progression systems to unlock new weapons and equipment in the style of an RPG. 

Jedi Beats Tank's Five Favourite... Heroic Sacrifices

What would an action story be without heroics? What would victory be without sacrifice? The worlds created in videogames are rarely button-bright affairs; often they’re dark and war-torn, shattered by conflict or terror. Yet into these dark realms, heroes must stride, whether to rid the world of evil or save it from some horrendous end. The stars themselves are tyrannous, Fate is cruel and callous and, sometimes, not everyone makes it out alive.

Today we pay tribute to the fallen, without whose bravery Humanity would be far worse off. 

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…

Arrested Development

Freedom of Expression is a term that’s bandied around a lot in these days of “gore-porn”, 3-hour blockbusters, hip-hop, thrash metal, reality TV on all 400-plus channels and every other celebrity “accidentally” leaking a home-made sex-tape, and certainly it’s a term that’s really hard to quantify in terms of taste and decency. Very little seems to be off-limits in this world of mixed media entertainment – until, of course, videogames are brought to the fore.

Dragon's Dogma - Preview

Consoles have seen their fair share of dragon-based games in recent years, from Dragon Age 1 & 2 and Divinity II to the upcoming Skyrim – but none can boast the level of dragon-twatting promised by Capcom’s new action-RPG IP, Dragon’s Dogma. Borrowing heavily from their own Monster Hunter series, Capcom are hoping to make Dragon’s Dogma unique by giving you the chance to get up close and personal with all manner of cottage-sized beasties, from feathery griffons to multi-headed hydrae.

Bulletstorm - Xbox 360 Review

BULLETSTORM
Formats: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Format Reviewed: Xbox 360
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Epic / People Can Fly
Release Date: 25th February 2011
Score: 92%