Developer(s): Traveller's Tales
Publisher(s): Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Distributor(s): Time Warner
Platform(s): Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, Wii, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360
Release date(s): NA June 29, 2010
EU June 25, 2010
AUS June 30, 2010
PlayStation Portable
NA June 29, 2010
EU August 05, 2010
AUS June 30, 2010
Genre(s): Action-adventure
Mode(s): Single-player, Multiplayer
Rating(s): ESRB: E10+
OFLC: G-PG
PEGI: 7+
Media: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Wii Optical Disc, Nintendo DS Game Card, UMD
Input methods: Keyboard, Gamepad, Wii Remote
Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4 is a video game in the Lego video game franchise, developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Released in June 2010, the game is based on the Lego Harry Potter line and its storyline covers the first four books and films of the Harry Potter series: Philosopher's Stone (Sorcerer's Stone in the U.S.); Chamber of Secrets; Prisoner of Azkaban; and Goblet of Fire.
Gameplay
Lego Harry Potter's gameplay is similar to that of most previous Lego games, with an emphasis on collecting and exploring. Casting spells is an integral part of the gameplay, with a wide range of spells available for unlocking as the player progresses. As there are many spells available in the game, you use the spell wheel to select your spell. Potion-making is another integral feature; potions can help the player complete levels or, if created incorrectly, have adverse side effects such as turning the player into a frog.
Changes to the mechanics of previous games include 'Student in Peril' missions, which are a group of challenges to help a student, and Polyjuice Potion, which allows players to temporarily change one of your characters into any other mini-figure unlocked. A major change is to the hub system. The Leaky Cauldron works as a central hub for purchasing unlockable extras and returning to previous levels, while Hogwarts acts as a constantly evolving massive hub with the unlockable characters found by picking up their hidden portraits.
The bigger areas in Hogwarts have led developer Traveller's Tales to improve the overall level design. Also included is another bonus level that allows players to customise the level similar to Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues. If you are lost in-game you can follow a trail of Ghost Studs to the next level. These do not count towards your stud total, but will guide you to the next section of the level. However one of the collectable 'red bricks', found in the courtyard next to herbology, gets the player an 'extra' that makes the ghost studs worth 1,000 each.
Multiplayer Mode
The game employs the two player split-screen technique intro. for Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues, but there is no online support for all consoles.
Changes for the Nintendo DS version
In the Nintendo DS version, several changes were implemented from the versions of the other formats. These include that there is only one hub, the Room of Requirement, but the explorable Hogwarts of the other versions has been removed and both boss battles and spellcasting have been simplified.
PC version
Despite listing the mouse as a recommended/required input method, there is no mouse support in the PC version.
System Requirements for Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4:
Operating System : Microsoft Windows XP/ Windows Vista/ Windows 7
Processor : Intel Pentium IV at 1.8 GHz / AMD Athlon XP 2200+
Video Card : 128 MB VRAM – NVIDIA GeForce FX 5800 / ATI Radeon HD 1300 Pro
Memory : 256 MB RAM (XP) / 512 MB RAM (Vista / Win 7)
Hard Disk : 4.5 GB of free Hard Drive space
Sound : DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
Direct X : 9.0c
Controls : Keyboard & Mouse
Installation : DVD-ROM Drive
Developer(s): Nintendo EAD Tokyo Publisher(s): Nintendo
Director(s): Kōichi Hayashida Producer(s): Yoshiaki Koizumi Takashi Tezuka Shigeru Miyamoto
Composer(s): Mahito Yokota Ryo Nagamatsu Koji Kondo
Series: Mario
Engine: Modified Super Mario Galaxy engine
Platform(s): Wii
Release date(s): JP May 27, 2010 NA May 23, 2010 EU June 11, 2010 AUS July 1, 2010 Genre(s): Platformer
Mode(s): Single-player, two player co-op Rating(s): CERO: A ESRB: E OFLC: G PEGI: 3+
Media: Wii Optical Disc
Input methods: Wii Remote and Nunchuk
The gameplay of Super Mario Galaxy 2 is similar to that of the first Super Mario Galaxy, with a focus on platforming based on and around 3D planets (referred to collectively as galaxies) with varying sizes and landscapes. The planets are smaller, allowing the player to jump from planet to planet more often. Mario is able to ride the dinosaur Yoshi, who can use his tongue to swing across gaps, as well as eat fruits that give him various powers, such as speed boosts, the ability to inflate like a balloon, or the power to reveal secret paths. While the player retains the ability to collect Star Bits with the blue Star Pointer from the first game, the Star Pointer is replaced by a red dot when riding Yoshi, which allows the player to aim and control his tongue. This can be used for swinging off objects, pulling levers or, as in previous games, swallowing enemies and spitting them out.
Some of the mechanics introduced in Super Mario Galaxy return, such as blue Pull Stars, sections restricting movement to a 2D plane, balance ball levels, and gravity-reversing background arrows. Power-ups such as the Boo, Bee and Spring Mushrooms also return, along with the Launch Stars and Sling Stars for interplanetary navigation. Also, new items and gameplay mechanics have been showcased since the game's unveiling at E3 2009. These include a drill that allows the player to drill through planets; the Rock Mushroom, which allows the player to smash through barriers; and the Cloud Flower, which allows the player to create new platforms in midair. The game also allows a second player to control an Orange Luma (Co-Star Luma) to assist Mario. As well as collecting Star Bits for the player, the Assist Luma can attack enemies and collect items such as coins and bubbles, holding on to them until Mario needs them.
Galaxy 2 includes a map system similar to those in Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. This is navigated via a mobile planet called Starship Mario (so named because it's shaped like Mario's head) that serves as a hub world, which can be visited anytime and is expanded upon when new abilities are unlocked. Completing levels unlocks new stages, but certain areas cannot be accessed until the player has collected a certain number of Power Stars. The game is separated into 6 worlds, with a seventh Secret World, each world harder than the previous one. Each world (except the secret world) is ended by a battle with Bowser or Bowser Jr. Players can also collect Comet Medals hidden in the stages to unlock harder levels with tougher challenges. Similar to New Super Mario Bros. Wii's 'Super Guide' feature, Galaxy 2 has a 'Cosmic Guide' feature that lets the computer play through a section of a level if players are having difficulty. However, if players use this, they will only receive a Bronze Star upon completion, requiring them to complete it themselves in order to earn a Power Star. There are also monitors that show hints to the player. As in Super Mario Galaxy, Mario's brother Luigi is also a playable character, unlocked whenever Mario can locate him at the start of a level. Clearing levels with Luigi unlocks a Ghost Luigi representing a developer speed run that players can race against for completion time. The game also features 242 stars, 120 normal stars and 120 green stars, the latter being unlocked after all of the former are collected; this then leaves 1 final stage with 2 stars, one immediately available and one unlockable.
Developer(s): Treasure
Publisher(s): Nintendo
Platform(s): Wii
Release date(s): JP October 29, 2009 EU May 7, 2010 NA June 27, 2010
Genre(s): Rail shooter
Mode(s): Single-player, two player co-op
Rating(s): CERO: B ESRB: T PEGI: 12
Revealed at Nintendo's conference on October 2, 2008, it was released on the Wii in October 29, 2009 in Japan and will be released in June 25 2010 in North America and Europe. Set many years after the first game, Sin and Punishment 2 has so far been confirmed to include two new characters: Isa Jou (the son of Saki Amamiya and Airan Jou, the main characters of the first game), and a young girl named Kachi. Nintendo has also announced that the game is compatible with Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, featuring online leaderboards. While the original game featured English voice acting in both the Japanese and English versions, the sequel has Japanese voice acting for the Japanese version, as well as the option to switch between Japanese and English voice acting in the non-Japanese versions.
The game can be controlled using one of four control methods: Wii Remote with Nunchuk, Wii Zapper, Classic Controller (as well as the Classic Controller Pro) and the Nintendo GameCube Controller. Playing as either Isa or Kachi, the player traverses through on-rail levels, moving and shooting independently. Attacking enemies can either be shot at from afar, or melee attacked when they are close enough. Some missiles can be melee attacked to turn them against enemies. Getting successive enemy hits whilst remaining unscathed increases the score multiplier, knocking enemy missiles, or alike, also increases the score multiplier.
The two-player mode is a letdown. Rather than putting a second character on the (admittedly crowded) screen, the mode adds a second targeting reticle. The second player becomes not much more than an assistant; he or she may be good for a little extra damage, picking up some extra points, and clearing the screen of hazards but has no special attacks. With nothing to do but paint targets with the Wii Remote, the second player's experience is diluted beyond recognition. The weak co-op offering aside, Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Skies impresses with its gratifying action and wealth of ideas. Wii owners owe it to themselves to experience a high-energy on-rails shooter with this diverse and fresh-feeling game.
Developer(s): Avalanche Software
Players can play as Emperor Zurg exclusively in the PS3 version of the game.
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP / Windows Vista / Windows 7
Processor: Intel Pentium IV at 2.4 GHz / AMD 3000+
Video Card: 128 MB VRAM – DirectX 9.0c compatible with Shader Model 2.0 support (NVIDIA GeForce FX 5600 / ATI Radeon 9600 video card)
Memory: 1 GB RAM
Hard Disk: 6 GB of free Hard Drive space
Sound: 16-bit DirectX 9.0c-compatible sound card
Direct X: 9.0c
Controls: Keyboard & Mouse
Installation: DVD-ROM Drive
Developer(s): Harmonix, Demiurge Studios
Publisher(s): MTV Games
Distributor(s): EA Distribution
Series: Rock Band
Platform(s): Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii
Release date(s): June 8, 2010 (NA)
June 11, 2010 (UK)
Genre(s): Rhythm game
Mode(s): Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s): ESRB: T
Media: Blu-ray Disc, DVD, Wii Optical Disc
Input methods: Guitar controller, drum controller, USB microphone, gamepad.
The game's soundtrack consists of songs by the popular punk rock group Green Day. Green Day: Rock Band features virtual depictions of the three band members performing the songs in new venues designed for the game. The game incorporates existing Green Day songs already released for the Rock Band series as downloadable content, and allows players to export its full tracklist to the other Rock Band game titles except The Beatles: Rock Band.
Green Day: Rock Band features gameplay similar to other games in the Rock Band series, played by avatars of the Green Day band members at recreations of venues from their concert tours.
See also: Gameplay in Rock Band series
Green Day: Rock Band allows players to perform simulated rock music by providing up to four players with the ability to play three different controllers modeled after music instruments (a guitar controller for lead guitar and bass guitar gameplay, a drum controller and a microphone for vocals). Players simulate the performance of rock music by using their controllers to play scrolling on-screen notes. For lead and bass guitar, this is accomplished by holding down colored buttons mimicking guitar frets and pushing the controller's strum bar; for drums, this requires striking the matching colored drumhead, or stepping on the pedal to simulate playing bass drum notes. When singing vocals, the player must sing in relative pitch to the original vocals. A pitch indicator displays the singer's accuracy relative to the original pitch. The game will support harmonies as introduced in The Beatles: Rock Band, allowing multiple singers to perform the vocal portion. Harmonies will be added to the six songs already available as downloadable content for the game when played in Green Day: Rock Band.
As in previous Rock Band games, successfully hitting the proper notes in sequence earns points for each player and boosts their "performance meter". If a player fails to match the notes, their performance meter drops. If the meter empties, that player is forced to drop out of play, temporarily silencing that instrument and causing the band's overall performance to drop. Any player to drop out can be "saved" if another player activates "Overdrive", which is collected by successfully completing specially-marked phrases, and for guitar and bass players, using the controller's whammy bar to alter the pitch of marked sustained notes. Overdrive can also be used to temporarily increase the amount of points the band earns. Activating Overdrive is specific to each "instrument". For guitar, the controller must be temporarily shifted to an upright position; for drums, a specific drumhead must be hit at the end of a drum fill when prompted; and for vocals, a noise must be registered by the microphone when prompted. The game will not feature any "Big Rock Endings", which allowed players to improvise at the end of a song for additional scoring as in the other Rock Band games, nor will including any clapping or tambourine sections for the vocalist player, due to lack of places in Green Day's songs to include these features.
Immediately before playing a song, players must choose their difficulty level (ranging from "Easy" to "Expert"). A "No Fail" mode has been carried over from Rock Band 2 and is accessible from the difficulty selection screen rather than from the game's main menu. This mode allows players to complete songs regardless of their performance. In addition, No Fail mode is automatically enabled for any player who chooses the "Easy" difficulty. Players are also able to identify their handedness for guitar, bass, or drums before the start of or during a song via the game's "pause" menu. Upon completing a song, the players are given a star rating, from 1 to 5 stars, or 5 gold stars for very high scores if all band members are playing on Expert.
Green Day: Rock Band features a Career mode similar to The Beatles: Rock Band, however, it allows the player to immediately select any of the available songs and records to play from the start instead of stepping through specific sets. The Career mode has a "meta-game" through various challenges that subsequently unlock additional rewards (photographs or videos contained on disc), such as by completing every song in a specific set with a 4-star rating or better. In addition, some challenges require the players' band to earn enough "cred" to unlock them; these additional challenges three or four song challenges built around certain themes. A Quickplay mode allows players to select one of more of the songs available to the game to play outside of Career Mode.
A drum trainer mode will be available to help players become accustomed to the instrument controller. The trainer will include a set of stock rhythms that are generic for most songs, and a set of "Tre's Greatest Hits" with drum patterns and solos taken from Tre Cool's performances, including one "ferocious" solo that runs across two different lessons.
Music selection
The game is the first Harmonix game to feature a full album in the game as shipped, with the entirety of American Idiot, Dookie, and 21st Century Breakdown being playable. The inclusion of the full album of American Idiot was the centerpiece of the game's development, according to Harmonix' Chris Foster, due in part to the nature of the album which is meant to be listened as a whole, as well as the album's success and forthcoming Broadway musical. This led the team to also including 21st Century Breakdown, an album similar to American Idiot that is meant to be heard as one complete work; as Harmonix had already released six songs from the album as downloadable content, they did not want to make those that had purchased the songs have to pay for them again in the full game, and instead designed the game to immediately incorporate those songs into the game if the player had already purchased them. Once these two albums were selected, Harmonix' CEO Alex Rigopulos determined that they needed to include the full Dookie album, the major label debut of the band and one of the most requested albums by Rock Band fans, in order to complete the experience. Though Harmonix had considered including material from the earliest Green Day albums, 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours and Kerplunk, but master multi-track recordings required by the Rock Band game engine to provide proper feedback when playing were not readily available,. According to Cool, while the master tapes for Kerplunk exist, they are in poor shape and the process to digitize them would destroy the tape; as such, Cool stated "We’re making sure we have the right dudes to do it" as potential future downloadable content for the game. Harmonix opted against using live versions of songs on these albums, feeling that the game needed to stay with the studio versions of the songs. Once Harmonix had selected to focus on the three albums, they decided against including any additional non-Green Day songs, instead focusing on rounding out the group's history to present a complete Green Day experience.
Green Day: Rock Band features songs with up to three parts of harmony, featuring the same functionality as The Beatles: Rock Band. Harmonix noted that many of Green Day's songs are actually two part harmonies traded off with other lines, such as in "Rock and Roll Girlfriend"; only one song in the game, "Homecoming", features a three-part harmony. They authored the vocals on most of the songs to have the third vocalist (if present) singing the trade-off lines alongside the two-part harmony singers. There is very little censoring of the lyrics; according to the project lead Chris Foster, only about four to five words across the entire game are muted. Harmonix considered their standards for inclusion of songs to be similar to downloadable content, allowing for mature references to drugs and sex. Harmonix left intact certain pairings of songs that "blended" together due to how they were released on media, such as "Brain Stew/Jaded" and some songs on the American Idiot album. They opted to leave the pairing of "Chump" and "Longview" as separate songs due to how "Longview" was eventually released as its own single.
Developer(s): High Moon Studios (PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360) Vicarious Visions (Nintendo DS) Next Level Games (Nintendo Wii)
Publisher(s): Activision
Engine: Unreal Engine 3
Platform(s): Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release date(s): June 22, 2010
Genre(s): Action-adventure
Mode(s): Single-player, Multi-player, Cooperative multiplayer
Rating(s): ESRB: T
Input methods: Keyboard & Mouse, Gamepad, Wiimote
Transformers: War for Cybertron is a third person shooter that takes place prior to the original Transformers animated series, when the Transformers still lived on the fictional machine planet Cybertron. The game has two distinct campaigns, one for each faction. The story of the Decepticon campaign is a prelude to the Autobot campaign's story. Both campaigns can be played in single-player or cooperatively via online multiplayer, and can drop in or out of the game at any time. Each campaign level features three playable Transformers. If fewer than three players are present, the game's AI controls the remaining playable characters.
Multiplayer
War for Cybertron has several multiplayer modes to choose from. "Escalation" is a mode for exclusive pre-order characters and characters unlocked during the campaign. Non-stop waves of robots attack until the player(s) are defeated, similar to Gears of War "Horde" mode. Players are also able to spend points earned from defeated enemies on health, ammo, new weapons and unlocking new areas in the map. "Deathmatch" is a free-for-all game type where the player with the most kills at the end of the game is the winner. In "Team Deathmatch" players are divided into Autobot and Decepticon teams. The winning team is the one who earns the most kills. "Conquest" is a capture-and-hold style game, similar to the conquest mode found in the Star Wars Battlefront series. In "Countdown to Extinction" players must take an active bomb and place it at an enemy base, similar to the Assault mode in the Halo series. "Power Struggle" is the game's equivalent to the common Capture the Flag game type. Finally "Code of Power" is a mode consisting of two and a half minute rounds where teams vie for a giant melee weapon.
Competitive multiplayer games do not allow use of canon Transformers. Players must create their own Transformer based on the class they wish to play which determines their vehicle form. They may then choose a specific look for that form, and customize the color scheme, weaponry and abilities they take into battle. Classes include a "Leader" class, a "Soldier" class, a "Scientist" class, and a "Scout" class, each with unique abilities, vehicular transformation, and weapon loadouts. Scouts are cars, Leaders are trucks, Scientists are jets and Soldiers are tanks. The multiplayer aspect also features a experience and leveling up system.
Though the prospects of a great single-player Transformers campaign are tantalizing, Tieger doesn't want gamers to think the multiplayer component is being thrown together. "I love multiplayer," he says. "As a studio, we are huge multiplayer gamers. Multiplayer is a huge portion of what we're going to give gamers. It's been part of our development process since the first day we started developing this game. The level of commitment behind multiplayer is very large. The experience we give you is as big as Cybertron in my mind."
All the talk in the world really doesn't mean a thing. The proof is in the gameplay. "It's all about how it feels under your thumb," Tieger concedes. There is definitely a lot of promise in Transformer war of Cybertron, but I have to see it to truly believe it. Hopefully Activision soon show us that there really is more than meets the eye when it comes to licensed games
Developer(s): EA Canada
Publisher(s): EA Sports
Series: FIFA World Cup
Platform(s): PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation Portable, iPhone OS
Release date(s): NA 27 April 2010
INT 30 April 2010
AUS 29 April 2010
Genre(s): Sports
Mode(s): Single-player, Multiplayer
Rating(s): Apple: 4+
ESRB: E
OFLC: G
PEGI: 3+
Media: Blu-ray Disc, DVD, Wii Optical Disc, UMD
2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa is the official video game for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, published by EA Sports.
A playable demo was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on 8 April 2010. It includes Italy and Spain as the playable teams, and features the new two-button control method intended to make the game accessible to players who are new to the FIFA series, and the ability to upload video replays to EA Football World.
Players choose a team from the 199 nations available and compete against the computer or against other players through online gaming services PlayStation Network or Xbox Live. All 10 official World Cup stadiums are available for play.
EA has announced that there will be gameplay improvements over FIFA 10, such as a higher rate of player fatigue for matches at higher altitudes, with an advantage to a home team who plays at a higher altitude against an away team who does not. EA have also announced that players can get injured outside of international matches.
Last words:
With an authentic World Cup experience layered over a great gameplay foundation, 2010 FIFA World Cup is well worth checking out if you're a fan of the competition. That said, it doesn't try to reinvent the wheel; most of the game modes are adapted from existing ones, while very minor changes to gameplay mean it plays a very similar game to FIFA 10. This lack of innovation results in a game that isn't essential, especially if you own FIFA 10, but if you must have an accompaniment to the World Cup, then you'll have a lot of fun with the official game.
Developer(s): EA Tiburon
Publisher(s): EA Sports
Release date(s): NA June 8, 2010
Genre(s): Sports (Golf)
Mode(s): Single-player, Multiplayer, online multiplayer
Rating(s): ESRB: E
Input methods: Gamepad, Multitouch, Wii Remote/Wii MotionPlus, PlayStation MoveDeveloper(s): EA Tiburon
Publisher(s): EA Sports
Platform(s): PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, iPhone OS
Release date(s): NA June 8, 2010
Genre(s): Sports (Golf)
Mode(s): Single-player, Multiplayer, online multiplayer
Rating(s): ESRB: E
Input methods: Gamepad, Multitouch, Wii Remote/Wii MotionPlus, PlayStation Move
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2011 features the Ryder Cup tournament for the first time in the game franchise's history. The game also features for the first time a 24 player online multiplayer mode allowing game players to compete in the Ryder Cup online, representing either the American or European side of the tournament.
The Wii version introduces 2 new swing modes, one being Advance Plus, a mode in which the direction of the swing is tracked, and another being Tour Pro, in which the camera changes to first person and the club is 1:1 controlled (the club is seen as if you were looking downwards). It is suggested that in this mode, you place a real golf ball on the ground so you may see a point of reference while play. The version also adds 36 miniature golf holes and an online disc golf mode.
There are more than 25 professional golfers and a handful of novelty characters on the PGA Tour 11 roster, but while Tiger's near-perfect ratings for power, accuracy, control, and putting make him an obvious choice, it's far more rewarding to play as a custom golfer. That's not only because digital camera support makes it easy to put your face in the game, but also because whereas the stats for other golfers are fixed, custom golfers improve as you earn experience points across several different modes and spend them on stat increases and better equipment. The only downside to playing as a custom character is that, as part of the creation process, you have to choose one of 20 mostly dumb nicknames for spectators to use when they feel the need to yell words of encouragement in your general direction. Nothing detracts from the sense of occasion as you sink a winner on the 18th hole at St. Andrews quite like hearing some moron cheering for Big Dog, Blammo, or Playa.
After creating your custom golfer, you're encouraged to play through an eight-step tutorial that does a great job of introducing you to some of this year's most significant gameplay changes while also rewarding you with a decent number of experience points. The most significant new feature, which comes into play in a number of the tutorial steps, is the concept of player focus: an ingenious system that adds a layer of strategy to just about every shot you play by limiting the use of powerful player aids. You start each round with a finite amount of focus, and you spend a portion of it anytime you hit a ball at more than 100 percent strength, apply spin to a ball while it's in the air, temporarily reduce the size of your targeting circle with the new accuracy boost feature, or use the putt preview. The only way to replenish your focus, which doesn't happen quickly, is to play shots without using any of these things. It's a superb setup, because it forces you to take advantage of these arguably overpowered aids only when you feel you really need them, rather than using them as crutches on every hole.
Last Words:
That Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 improves on its predecessor is impressive. That it improves on it enough to be recommended without hesitation even if you own last year's game is remarkable. Even if you have little interest in the new Ryder Cup and online team modes, and don't anticipate playing with the new true-aim system, the introduction of focus along with a host of other less significant improvements out on the course still make this the golf game to own.
Developer(s): EA Canada (Xbox 360, PS3), HB Studios (PC, PSP, PS2), Sumo Digital (Nintendo Wii) and Exient Entertainment (Nintendo DS)
Publisher(s): EA Sports
Designer(s): David Rutter (PS3 and Xbox 360)
Kaz Makita (Wii)
Paul Hossack (PS2, PSP, DS, PC, iPhone OS)
Series: FIFA
Aspect ratio: 720p
Version: PASK
Platform(s): PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, PSP, iPhone OS, Java ME
Release date(s): AUS 1 October 2009
EU 2 October 2009
NA 20 October 2009
iPhone OS
INT 2 October 2009
Genre(s): Sports
Mode(s): Single-player, Multiplayer
Rating(s): ESRB: Everyone (E)
OFLC: G
PEGI: 3+
Media: Optical disc, all systems except iPhone, mobile phone (download) and Nintendo DS (Game Card)
Input methods: Gamepads, Keyboard, Mouse (menu only), Multitouch (NDS)
EA has released the official system requirements for the PC version of FIFA 10. The football game is scheduled to hit the markets on October 2 (Europe) respectively October 20 (North America) and will be published for several platforms including PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.
The demo of FIFA 10 appeared on Xbox 360, PlayStation3, and PC on 10 September in Europe, on 11 September in Australia, and on 17 September in North America. The playable teams were Chelsea, Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Marseille and Chicago Fire. The stadia used in the demo were Wembley Stadium (Xbox 360 version), and FIWC Stadium (PlayStation 3 version). The demo offered friendly matches with half lengths of three real-time minutes. As well as playing a friendly match, the demo allows users to upload created in-game videos and screen-shots to EA Football World. The tagline for the game is "How big can football get?", and "Let's FIFA 10".
FIFA 10 is the second version of the game to sponsor a football club. Along with football magazine FourFourTwo, FIFA 10 is the co-sponsor of English League One club Swindon Town. The FIFA 10 logo appears on the front of the team's away shirt and on the back of the home shirt.[8][9] It is the first FIFA game to do so since FIFA 07, which sponsored Accrington Stanley for the 2007–08 season.
Manager Mode enables the player to take charge of any club in any of FIFA 10's featured leagues.
The Manager Mode has been revamped for FIFA 10, with many previous issues and criticisms addressed. EA has claimed that over 50 key improvements have been made to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions.
Changes to gameplay
The "Total Football Experience" is a new feature in which football news from around the Manager Mode world is visible, including player transfers, fixtures and results in foreign leagues. A new "Assistant Manager" can be used to take care of the team's line-up and to rotate the squad based on importance of the upcoming match. For example, if the next match is against a low rated team, he will make sure that players normally on the bench will start the match. Pre-season friendlies have been introduced to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game, as a chance to flatten out any wrinkles in a team's lineup before the domestic season begins.
Results for simulated matches are more heavily based on team strength and do not appear to be as "random" as has been the case in the past. This results in more realistic performances and eliminates instances where stronger clubs would be fighting relegation and clubs with weaker players were winning the league. Non-player clubs also now rotate players more often based on factors such as fatigue, player form, and the relative importance of a match, so the lineup for a top team in the early rounds of a domestic cup may consist of less-able and younger players as opposed to a full-strength squad. The names of the "generic" stadiums can be changed in Manager Mode to reflect the name of the player's club's home ground.
Finances
All financial matters are based less on a team sponsor and more on the club's board of directors, who provide two overall budgets: The wage budget, a yearly amount for paying players, and the club budget, for buying and selling players as well as making other improvements to the club. There is a "Board Difficulty" setting, which determines the financial generosity of the board.
The transfer system has been made more authentic, as money is no longer the monopolizing factor in acquiring a player. The acceptance of an offer will be based on factors such as the number of players in your squad in the same position, and the promise of higher-level competition outside the domestic league, such as the Europa League or Champions League. Furthermore, obtaining a player will be more realistically prolonged as other clubs may also attempt to sign the same player. Bids can be submitted for several different players simultaneously, and if the clubs accept, the manager has the choice of which, if any, of the players to ultimately sign.
Players
The "Player Experience and Growth System" has changed. The manual experience growth from FIFA 08 and FIFA 09 has been abolished; player growth will now be determined by in-game performance, demands placed on the player, and achievements based on the player's particular position. There are three categories for gaining experience: "mental", "physical", and "skill". Younger players with higher potential will gain experience much faster, and each player will have an individual growth point, which in turn promises more authentic player growth patterns.
A "Live Season" feature has been implemented within Manager Mode, whereby a player's "form" rises and falls based on performance (within Manager Mode itself rather than real-world events). He will receive a temporarily higher or lower rating along with temporarily higher or lower stats, to reflect this.
Fictional players that are added to Manager Mode by the game itself now have regionalised names, so for example a player from Brazil will not have an English-sounding name.
Virtual Pro
"Virtual Pro" allows the player to create a footballer and take him through the four Be a Pro seasons, include him in the Manager Mode career, use him in Kick off, Tournament, and Lounge mode, as well as using him in the Arena. Game Face has also been added to FIFA 10 as in other EA Sports games, where gamers can create their Game Face on the web at easports.com or easportsfootball.co.uk, then download them into the game. Once a Game Face character is created, he can then be applied to the player in game. Faces can be changed on the web any time. The game face is used as the player's avatar in online play. Players can also grow their players attributes and player traits, celebrations, and kit can be unlocked to make the player realistic and unique. A created player can also be taken online to play with friends in the Fifa Clubs mode.
Fifa in PSP
Stadia
The list of stadia and weather conditions for each one were announced on 27 August 2009. The game features 50 stadiums, including most of the larger stadiums from Europe's most prominent leagues, such as the Allianz Arena, Camp Nou, Emirates Stadium, Anfield, Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and San Siro, and as well as a range of generic stadia and practice arenas. Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu was made available as a free download on launch day. The weather conditions possible in each stadium range from day and night versions of clear to cloudy, rain, or snow.
The stadium names of the generic stadiums can however be changed in a special section of the main menu to reflect the name of the users club's homeground if the user chooses to do so. The capacity of each ground is also listed so that a capacity similar to a club's actual stadium capacity can be chosen to make game experience more authentic.
Ultimate Team
On 1 December 2009, EA Sports announced that the Ultimate Team game mode expansion that was introduced in FIFA 09 would be released in February 2010 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game. Like the previous version, the mode allows for the creation of a custom team based on the collection of various types of cards. The expansion was released on 25 February 2010.[citation needed], and featured new PlayStation Network Trophies and Xbox Live Achievements for FIFA 10. It costs 400 MS Points/$4.99/€4.99/£3.99.
The mode is an update to the Ultimate Team mode from FIFA 09. Users who owned the original Ultimate Team were given two free Gold packs after creating their team, along with a date below the teams name to show the year the team was founded. Like the original, each team is given a full team of players to begin with, along with a stadium, emblem and a home and away kit. New players, staff and items can be purchased from the 6 different pack types available, split into three categories(Gold, Silver and Bronze), or by trading with other users by bidding on cards they are opting to sell, offering them deals or buying them for a specific price. The in-game currency is coins, which are awarded for playing games, playing in tournaments or trading with other users. Bonus coins are awarded for completing different requirements, such as winning a game, being awarded Man of the Match and for possession and passing accuracy. The card packs for Ultimate Team still have basic Bronze Packs (500 coins), Silver Packs (2500 coins) and Gold Packs (5000 Coins), but now also have a bonus pack in each category, called Premium Packs, costing slightly more coins (Bronze cost 750, Silver cost 3250 and Gold cost 7500) but giving 3 rare cards, instead of the 1 given in basic packs.
Like the old Ultimate Team, to keep your players on your squad you must give them contracts. However, unlike last year, players who run out of contracts are rendered unplayable until a contract is applied to them, rather that being removed from your team altogether. Contracts can be found in packs or bought in the trading section. Unlike the old Ultimate Team, players can now store an unlimited amount of players, stadiums, staff members, kits and emblems, to use whenever they need to. The Trading section has also been improved, allowing improved searching and a watch list, to keep track of certain items.
Covers
Each regional version of FIFA 10 features different players on the cover. The United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland covers feature Theo Walcott, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney;[ the Australian cover features Wayne Rooney and Tim Cahill, the New Zealand cover features Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard, the German cover features Bastian Schweinsteiger and Wayne Rooney; the Italian cover features Ronaldinho and Giorgio Chiellini; the French cover features Steve Mandanda, Karim Benzema, and Guillaume Hoarau; the Spanish cover features Karim Benzema and Xavi;[20] the Polish version features Wayne Rooney and Robert Lewandowski; the Portuguese version features Frank Lampard and Simão; the Russian version features Sergei Semak; the Hungarian version features Wayne Rooney and Balázs Dzsudzsák; and the North American version features Frank Lampard, Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Sacha Kljestan.
Leagues
There are 31 leagues and over 500 teams in the game, as well as 41 national teams. New to FIFA 10 is the Russian Premier League, which is not featured in the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions.[24] Unlike previous versions of FIFA, the Netherlands is included as a fully licensed national team.[25] Due to promotion/relegation and other league expansions, there are 46 teams that were not included in FIFA 09, including 25 that have never appeared in a FIFA game before.[26] The leagues in FIFA 10 are:[27]
* Australia Australia
o A-League
* Austria Austria
o Austrian Bundesliga
* Belgium Belgium
o Belgian First Division
* Brazil Brazil
o Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
* Czech Republic Czech Republic
o 1. Liga
* Denmark Denmark
o Danish Superliga
* England England
o Premier League
o Football League Championship
o Football League One
o Football League Two
* France France
o Ligue 1
o Ligue 2
* Germany Germany
o 1. Bundesliga
o 2. Bundesliga
* Republic of Ireland Rep. of Ireland
o League of Ireland Premier Division
* Italy Italy
o Serie A
o Serie B
* South Korea Korea
o K-League
* Mexico Mexico
o Primera División de México
* Netherlands Netherlands
o Eredivisie
* Norway Norway
o Tippeligaen
* Poland Poland
o Ekstraklasa
* Portugal Portugal
o Portuguese Liga
* Russia Russia
o Russian Premier League[24]
* Scotland Scotland
o Scottish Premier League
* Spain Spain
o Liga BBVA
o Liga Adelante
* Sweden Sweden
o Allsvenskan
* Switzerland Switzerland
o Swiss Super League
* Turkey Turkey
o Süper Lig
* United States United States
o Major League Soccer
Minimal system requirements:
• CPU: 2.4 GHz single-core
• RAM: 512 MiByte (XP) or 1 GiByte (Vista)
• Graphics card: Geforce 6600 or better, Ati Radeon 9800 Pro or better, Support for Shader Model 2.0 or better, DirectX 9.0c
• VRAM: 128 MiByte
• Sound: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound device
• Input: Keyboard or Dual Analog Gamepad
• HDD: 4.4 GB or more, free disc space
• Internet: Broadband Internet connection required for Installation and online gaming
Recommended system requirements
• CPU: 3.2 GHz single-core or 2.4 GHz dual-core
• RAM: 1 GiByte (XP) or 2 GiByte (Vista)
• Graphics card: Geforce 7800 or better, Ati Radeon X1800 or better, Support for Shader Model 2.0 or better, DirectX 9.0c
• VRAM: 256 MiByte
• Sound: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound device
• Input: Keyboard or Dual Analog Gamepad
• HDD: 4.4 GB or more, free disc space
• Internet: Broadband Internet connection required for Installation and online gaming
REVIEW ROUND-UP
Graphics: 4/5 – You wont see a football game look any better.
Sound: 2/5 – Soundtrack is surprisingly bland and boring, commentary is as rubbish as always.
Gameplay: 5/5 – Tons to do plus a improved controls makes the game utterly enjoyable, in fact far more enjoyable than any previous “Fifa”.
Longevity: 4/5 – Tons of modes and things to do, however not 5 out of 5
Overall: 4/5 – I give the game 4 Ronaldo shin kicks out of 5. More of the same greatness that was delivered in “Fifa 2009” with some vastly improved controls, however some big flaws knock the game a little bit.
Developer(s): Codemasters
Publisher(s): Codemasters
SCEE (PS3/PSP in Europe)
Namco Bandai (Australia)
Engine EGO
Platform(s): Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable
Release date(s): Console versions
NA 8 September 2009
EU 10 September 2009
UK 11 September 2009
Microsoft Windows
NA 1 December 2009
EU 3 December 2009
UK 4 December 2009
Genre(s): Racing
Mode(s): Single-player, Multi player
Rating(s): ESRB: T (X360, PS3, Win), E10+ (Wii, PSP), E (DS)
Media: Blu-ray Disc, DVD, Wii Optical Disc, UMD, Steam.
Input methods: Keyboard & Mouse, Gamepad
Melding turbo-charged off-roading with extreme sports attitude, DiRT 2 takes off-road racing to a new level, with thrilling new race types, big event atmosphere, stunning locations, a new breed of off-roading heroes and feature a line-up of super-charged licensed speed machines covering seven vehicle classes.
Turbo-charged off-roading with extreme sports attitude: DiRT 2 has more attitude, more adrenaline and more DiRT than ever – off-roading just got cool.
Take it on Tour: DiRT 2 will take players on a World Tour to compete in aggressive multi-car and intense solo race events in the most diverse and challenging real-world environments.
Love your ride: Embark on a game-long love affair with your favourite cars. Rather than being forced through a checklist of in-game cars, DiRT2 enables players to pick their favourite rides and drive them across multiple disciplines.
The complete off-road online package: DiRT 2 invites players to become part of an extreme sports community, with full online multiplayer race events and community integration across multiple disciplines.
Gameplay:
Colin McRae: Dirt 2 features five racing disciplines, all of which are playable offline (against AI bots when applicable) and online. In addition, three 'special modes' are included. Colin McRae: Dirt 2 runs on an updated version of the EGO engine, which powered Codemasters' Race Driver: Grid as well. The engine features, most notably, an updated physics engine, which models realistic weight transfer during turning maneuvers, allowing the player to incorporate advanced driving techniques, such as the Scandinavian flick.
Rally racing occurs on non-circuit roads which usually involve public (closed) routes and technically challenging courses. Usually involving staggered starts, each driver competes against the clock. In addition, during rally events, a co-driver is present, constantly reading pacenotes to guide the driver along narrow and meandering tracks of up to 6 km in length.
Rallycross races involve cars identical to those used in rally events; the races themselves, however, are completely opposite. Each rally-cross race involves up to eight racers competing in multiple lap events on circuit tracks of mixed surface type. The tracks, half tarmac and half dirt, exist in closed settings, such as in or around stadiums, and are approximately 1 to 1.5 km in length.
The most similar real-world equivalent of Trailblazer events are hill climbs. Unlike hill climb events, however, trailblazer races do not require a positive change in elevation. Similar to rallying, trailblazing features staggered starts. Trailblazer (and hill climb) cars, unlike rally cars, usually feature massive aerodynamic aids, such as spoilers, diffusers, and splitters to help keep traction at higher speeds, regardless of track surface or conditions.
Raid races are multi-car events involving heavyweight vehicles, such as buggies and trophy trucks. Each race begins with a simultaneous start of up to eight competitors, with tracks averaging 5 km in length.
Landrush events are similar to raid races, but take place on a circuit. Each event features eight racers on a dirt track of about 1 km, and involve multiple laps.
Special Modes
In addition to the five straight game types, there are three special variants, each applicable to multiple modes.
Gatecrasher, which uses Rally courses and cars, involves smashing yellow barriers; competitors race against the clock. When smashed, the 'gates,' strategically placed along the best racing line, add time to the clock; whichever racer finishes the event with the most time on the clock wins. The format of the race is more similar to a multi-competitor time trial than to a traditional rally race.
Domination, playable Rallycross and Land Rush stages, involves multiple drivers competing to set the lowest time in any given track sector. Points are awarded based on the final number of controlled sectors, as well as the final race position.
Last Man Standing is an elimination-style race, during which the driver in last place is eliminated in an 20-second interval.
Multiplayer:
Colin McRae: Dirt 2 features a set of multiplayer modes which the user can partake in over, the PlayStation Network, Windows Live and Xbox Live as well as local multiplayer. Up to eight players can compete in ranked (Pro Tour) or unranked matches (Jam Session). Within the 'Jam Session' category, any class of cars may be used on any track; the game lets hosts know when a combination is not necessarily advisable, such as Trailblazer cars on a Rallycross circuit. Ranked matches are, by comparison, much more restrained; only the prescribed cars may be used on a track.
Minimum Specifications:
OS: Microsoft Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7
Processor: Intel Pentium 4 3.0Ghz, AMD Athlon 64 3400+
Memory: 1GB (2GB for Windows Vista)
HD Space: 10GB
Video Card: ATI Radeon X1500, NVIDIA GeForce 6800
Recommended Specifications:
Enhanced for DirectX 11
OS: Microsoft Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7
Processor: Intel Core i7 or AMD Phenom II
Memory: 3GB
HD Space: 10GB
Video Card: ATi Radeon HD 5700 Series
Developer(s): Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Quebec, Ubisoft Singapore, Ubisoft Casablanca
Publisher(s): Ubisoft
Composer(s): Xbox 360, PlayStation 3,
PC: Steve Jablonsky
Wii, DS, PSP: Tom Salta
Series: Prince of Persia
Engine: Anvil / Jade
Platform(s): PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, Java ME
Release date(s): Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable:
NA May 18, 2010
EU May 20, 2010
Microsoft Windows:
NA June 12, 2010
EU June 12, 2010
Genre(s): Action-adventure
Mode(s): Single-player
Rating(s): BBFC: 12
ESRB: T
Input methods: Keyboard and mouse, Gamepad
Ubisoft takes us back with a classic Sands of Time adventure, but is it a welcome return or would you be better off suffering the charmless heroics of Jake Gyllenhaal?
Déjà vu is a word of few definitions, both personal and formally. It can strike emotions of dullness, the sheer repetitiveness of life grinding even the best of us down to mere dust. The other is blissful return, the feeling of “coming home” as it were.
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands falls right in the centre of these two polar extremes. You feel euphoric for the return of the original Sands of Time formula many have cried out for, but only to a certain extent. And anybody looking for the much more fantastical, falteringly simplistic 2008 rebirth won’t find it here. This game harkens back to the originals of the PlayStation 2 era: a linear yet free-form experience.
The storyline follows a similar pattern to Sands of Time: The Prince finds a power that cannot be harnessed, attempts to utilise said power, cocks it up. The key focus here is puzzles and platforming. This is where the game both succeeds and falters. Not much has changed from the original iterations. The success of this being that we have control and gameplay of the utmost fluidity, a true joy to control… all except for the camera. The fixed camera angles sometimes prove problematic for the player, hiding death drops just off-shot.
However, ignore these niggles, and the game works well. It’s was the human connection between you and the game that hit home with Sands of Time. The initiative learnt as you progress – not once forced upon the player, all done without ever realising – is the beauty of the gameplay. This time round it’s not such a grand surprise, but the fact it’s there is a pleasant addition.
New additions to the formula are what keep Forgotten Sands fresh, if only for a limited time. Water puzzles, where you have to stop time to use gushing drains of water as platforms and handholds is interesting the first time around. Same as combat with 15+ enemies is a good concept for the first battle. Yes, the game has harkened back to a game that I adore. But it’s has not done away with the biggest graft I had with Sands of Time, that it’s just so damn repetitive.
You finally get into a set structure of free running, fighting, free running, puzzle solving, boss fighting, free running. I’m not saying it’s a bad formula. It’s just done to death in The Forgotten Sands.
Mix this with mediocre graphics and sound design and tunnel vision can ensue. Ubisoft have gone straight for mid-section presentation values. Character animation is good, but the environments are washed out. Same for the sound design. Combat sounds are decisively meaty, but the voice acting is sometimes obnoxious and forced.
I was quite lost on putting a final opinion to this. And through feeling, it was easy to deduct what it was. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is a forgettable piece of entertainment. It ticks all the boxes that Sands of Time fans craved, but is that really all we wanted? The true definition of a summer release: here today, gone tomorrow.
Minimum System Requirements for PC Game:
OS: Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7
CPU: Intel Pentium D @ 2.6 Ghz / AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
RAM: 1 GB
HDD: 8 GB free disk space
Graphics: 256 MB Graphics Memory
Sound Card: DirectX 9 Compatible
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Network: 128 kbps Broadband Internet Connection
Recommended System Requirements for PC Game:
OS: Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2.66Ghz / AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+
RAM: 2 GB
HDD: 8 GB free disk space
Graphics: 512 MB Graphics Memory
Sound Card: DirectX 9 Compatible
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Supported Graphics Cards:
NVIDIA GeForce 6800 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 100 / 200 / GTX series
ATI RADEON X1600 / HD 2000 / HD 3000 / HD 4000 / HD 5000 series
Laptop versions of these cards may work but are NOT supported.