Gadgetoid

Review by Johnus Maximus

How far would you be prepared to go to save the life of someone you love? This is the theme of Heavy Rain, a crime thriller that follows the lives of four individuals affected by a serial killer, and which successfully blurs the medium of film and video game.

Developed by Quantic Dream and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Heavy Rain is released on February 26th exclusively for Playstation 3 and is an essential purchase for any discerning gamer.

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Review by Johnus Maximus

Pistols, shotguns, swords, whips, ice skates, hair? The diverse selection of weaponry at your disposal is just one of the reasons Bayonetta fills such a unique role within the button masher genre.

Developed by Platinum Games, published by Sega and available now for Xbox 360 and PS3, Bayonetta is a game likely to divide opinions due to its complex yet rewarding combination combat system, it’s incomprehensible storyline and outrageously violent and sexual content.

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by Johnus Maximus

There’s not much in my life that warrants getting up before 7am on a day off, not even the potential to grind some more achievements whilst having a bacon and egg butty and a huge mug of tea will make me rise from my pit before lunchtime.

In the last weekend of October all this changed, as it was time for the second annual Eurogamer Expo, situated at Old Billingsgate on the bank of the Thames. Read on for my thoughts and feelings on the event.

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Review by Johnus Maximus

Believe it or not, the first Ghostbusters movie was released a little over twenty-five years ago. To coincide with the anniversary of its release in June this year, developers Terminal Reality and publishers Sony Computer Entertainment released Ghostbusters: The Video Game.

Reprising the original cast members, this game follows on from the events of Ghostbusters II and sees the team take on a new recruit. Action, adventure and comedy ensue. The game is available now for PS3 and will be launched on the Xbox 360, PC and Wii in October.

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Sony Online Entertainment is bringing Heavy Weapon to the PlayStation Network on 27th of August.

This side-scrolling shooter is from Popcap Games, the minds behind the massively addicting Bejeweled, Peggle and Zuma.

In it, you engage in thermo-nuclear war with your Atomic Tank. Play by yourself or with up to three friends, across nineteen levels and three different game modes.

Full details can be found at the official PlayStation Heavy Weapon page: http://uk.playstation.com/games-media/games/detail/item228872/Heavy-Weapon%E2%84%A2/

Features and screenshots after the jump…

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Review by Johnus Maximus

Banished to a world they constructed without their master’s consent, the Seraphim must try to unite the many warring factions of Ancaria. Betrayed by very races they created, civil wars are consuming the world and the abuse of magical energy is threatening its destruction.

This is the setting for Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, a vastly addictive and immense action RPG from Ascaron and published by Deep Silver, released in June and available for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.

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It’s been a while since the release of Dynasty Warriors 6, so it was inevitable that the release of this spin-off title would happen. Developed by Omega Force and published by Koei, it is available now for both PS3 and Xbox 360.

Combining the hack’n’slash gameplay of the Warriors series with the strategy elements of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series this game lets you play as one of hundreds of selectable characters in scenarios which see you trying to conquer China. Let down by a poor tutorial system, this fun game will put some players off at first glance.

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I’ve been tinkering with PlayTV for the PS3 again recently, a rare occurrence given my reliance on Sky+ which renders it almost entirely obsolete.

Specifically I’ve tried using PlayTV via Remote Play and additionally tried exporting recordings to the XMB and copying them onto USB storage to try and play elsewhere.

Both of these things worked surprisingly well!

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If you get a bundled HDMI cable with your PS3 it’s not likely to be anything special. Sure, cheap and cheerful HDMI cables will work but there’s got to be a reason for spending £40 over £2.5, right?

The XPP158 from IXOS is built specifically for the Playstation 3, offering not only impeccable build quality but assurances of full HDMI 1.3a compatibility at 1080p.

The XPP158 eliminates Far End Cross Talk using a 4 later PC board in each connector. Interference is, of course, much less of an issue in digital connections and the XPP158s “elimination of FEXT” is simply an overly technical way of saying that the cable eliminates interference between its discrete wires, theoretically resulting in a better picture and sound quality.

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It’s getting awfully close to Christmas, so if you need things brief I’ll go right ahead and say that this is one of the best, if not the best, Prince of Persia titles in recent years. It simply is a must-buy game that puts a refreshing new spin on the series, bringing the protagonist Prince into expansive and breathtaking outdoor environments where he’s free to put Sly Raccoon to shame with his ape-like athletic ability. And it’s the first of a trilogy!

Oh and exercise his new found wit and the American accent inexplicably bestowed upon him despite his ancient Persian decent. Of course, we all know that Persians are nine feet tall and laced with gold jewelry so we’ll just consider him to be a misplaced, sword-wielding free runner.

But, I digress. If you’re considering it, buy it. If you’re not considering it, consider it, then buy it. It’s that simple.

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