Mass Effect

A science-fiction game that boasts amazing playability, intricate character/story development, and a whole host of incredible creatures, planets, and missions.

As a relatively baby to the modern gaming world, a game based in space is not my usual forte. In the past I have preferred less involved games, that are a pick them up put them down kind of style, rather than being glued to the screen for hours. However, Mass Effect kept me in front of my 42” solidly!

In the game setup process, you are able to create your character: how they look, what type of fighter they will be, and also, choose from several back stories which will shape the course of the game you will play. Once you enter the game, you quickly enter an enthralling plot, with vivid characters who you interact with in a variety of ways. Some will become your shipmates, others will become tense enemies. As you take on missions, you develop not only the story, but also your character. They pick up new talents, new weapons and training, as well as a catered personality. You are able to play as the person you want them to be by choosing from several responses when faced with dialogue or an event. This freedom is absolutely terrific, as it makes the game feel suited to your needs as a player: rather than having a character who does whatever he wants in cut scenes, you have the ability to make a few decisions that have drastic effects on your storyline.

This is a game to really throw yourself into, it demands attention, and the longer chunks you play it in, the more enjoyment you get out of it. The fight scenes, at first, seem clunky and overly complicated, but once you master the fighting style, they are an excellent mix of dangerous action and precise decision making.

The script is a little cheesy in places, but this is something which I found endearing as I progressed. Characters interact in a way which seems typical for the genre, but sheer diversity of people and places makes it very exciting.

This is an excellent game, worth spending hours playing during rainy weekends and nights after work. If you like getting heavily involved into a story, some great fighting, and spectacular locations/characters, then I urge you to play.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior

First person shooter that tries to make a whole game out of just sniping…destined for disaster.

Anyone who has played Battlefield, COD and the like will know that in war games, sniping is a very important element. It offers players a chance to be strategic, cunning, and skilful rather than running around blowing everyone’s heads off. But could you play a whole game of just sniping? Sitting in the bushes waiting to take a killer head shot? Without all the running around? Well, I did.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior is about a team of soldiers trying to eradicate a volatile regime. You play one of the snipers, as well as one of the ground soldiers. Tasks include things like scaling up to vantage points, making your way through villages undetected, and taking out important characters. Stealth is a huge part of this game, one which can be very frustrating. On so many occasions I would be crawling through a village at a snail’s pace just to avoid being seen, it got rather tiring!

The sniping is good, and getting head shots causes an amazing slow motion scene to follow of the bullet travelling through the air which is very cool. But the game can get very tedious when you have to go unseen all the time. If enemies see you, they fill you with holes from machine guns and you die…no chance in hell. This kind of one-sided shooting is not appealing.

The storyline is another victim of the war game-syndrome which seems happy with a very lukewarm plot strewn together across a multitude of different landscapes trying to add variety to the game play. The characters are nothing special, and the weapons lacked any sense of imagination or creativity.

In conclusion, this is a game to play, not if you like sniping, but if you like stealth. It is about being a ghost, and doing some cool head shots along the way.

Bioshock 2

A truly unique game that has an epic storyline, wonderfully diverse characters, and excellent game play.

In the depths of an underwater world, you play a “Big Daddy”. Living in a suit, you peruse the city around you looking for answers, enemies, and the little orphan girl you are supposed to protect. Anyone who has played the first Bioshock game will know of the dark, weird style, and the second instalment is more of the same.

Your character can use weapons with one hand, and plasmids with the other. The weapons include brilliantly devious devices such as grenade launchers, shotguns with explosive ammo, and mini turrets that shoot away at all of your enemies.

The more exciting element, however, is the plasmids. Your magical hand (which uses a substance called EVE to power) can have the ability to freeze people, set enemies on fire, shoot swarms of bees, and even use telekinesis to throw objects. It is so much fun once you master it.

Players may find the storyline too complex, and get confused especially in the beginning. However, the sheer imagination that has gone into this game should not be undervalued, and anyone who appreciates magnificent writing will be pleased with Bioshock 2.

One of the best examples of why Gaming is slowly taking over the world of culture.

Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and The Damned

An addition to the GTA4 game that was immensely popular, it follows a biker gang called The Lost as they run riot over Liberty City after they leader is released from prison.

You play one of the higher ups in the gang, called Johnny Klebitz, who looked after the gang while its leader Billy was locked up. Now that The Lost has been reformed to its former glory, you take part in missions to win back territory, score points against rival gangs, and to earn cash and prestige for your clubhouse. All the while riding some awesome motorcycles.

Rockstar are behind this game, and, as with any of their games, it is brilliantly produced, with a plenty of cutting edge gaming and usability. The most impressive aspect of TLATD is the story and characters. From the outset, I was drawn into the plot surrounding the biker gang, and the tension between Johnny and Billy, and as the story unfolded, it become increasingly appealing. The characters which emerge throughout the game are vivid, interesting, and realistic, which is an important aspect for the game. Unlike GTA4, I took to the main character immediately, and was quickly enjoying seeing how his life was thrown into chaos.

The missions are typical sandbox/gangster/action missions, such as eliminating rivals or destroying shipments, but the use of motorbikes makes it seem fresh. Many of the additional missions (those not connected to the story) can be a lot of fun, such as the races which take place all over the city. While you are on these races, you have the ability to attack fellow racers with a baseball bat, in a throwback Road Rash style.

The game's failings are quite easy to pinpoint. Firstly, it is short. You can complete the story in one day without breaking a sweat. So do not expect to be given a well developed, engrossing tale that seems to go on forever, because this one is short and sweet. Also, one aspect of the game which can get annoying, is that you almost always have to be on a bike to do missions. This can be difficult, if, like me, you destroy your bike quite easily. You will have to then go and find a bike, or call up a buddy to deliver a bike to you, costing you important playing time.

Overall, it is a great addition to a great game, and one that offers some exciting new elements which will entertain you for a maximum of a month.

Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit

A car game that cements its position as one of the most relevant for the Xbox 360.

Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit allows played to play as both street racer, or the cops chasing them. This diversity in play makes the game far more enjoyable, and allows for some excellent online action.

Taking on the multitude of course within the Seacrest area, players will find the road vary enough to make the game enjoyable, but not so much that you need to be an expert racing driver to play them. The challenges for racers include simple time trials, duel races, as well as 8-car races, gauntlet runs against the police, and hot pursuit with a plethora of technical weaponry that makes the game feel like a cross between GT5 and Mario Kart. For the cops, the challenges are the same, only working as the chaser rather than the chased. The weapons are slightly different, including road blocks and helicopter support. The spike strips and Electronic Magnetic Pulses (EMPs) are a lot of fun.

The most impressive aspect of this game is the cars! They are awesome. So many great names, and stylish looking models, it is a car fanatics wet dream. Players can choose different colours for most models, allowing for a personalised ride.

Online capabilities are extensive, allowing you to play against friends and randomers alike, as either a cop or racer. Your NFS friends will be able to see your career race times, and you can compete against each other. You can also share dreamshot photos of your races at any point, such as victory against the police or a massive crash, posting them online on your wall.

This is an entertaining game, that offers a decent variety for gamers, and a different experience from your usual racing simulator.

Red Dead Redemption

Rockstar games produce a worthy successor to the GTA series.

Set in the wild west, this gun slinging action-sandbox game was one of the most talked about releases of last year. It follows the journey of John Marston, as he tracks down members of his old gang in the hopes of turning them over to the FBI. He is being forced to do this by the authorities who have his wife and son held hostage. John must come face to face with his peers and risk being killed from a multitude of enemies as he takes on the villainy and lawlessness of Texas and Mexico.

It is an undeniably great game, filled with exceptional characters, a great storyline, and missions that will entertain any level of gamer. One can follow the main plot, taking on the gang members, and the other characters who reveal themselves along the way, as well as undertaking minor tasks that John will find during his stay. Included within this are many side games such as poker, blackjack, liar's dice, and many more which provide some light entertainment for those not wanting a hardcore session.

The graphics are worthy of a Rockstar game, and the scenery is sublime. Sometimes gamers may find themselves tranquilly travelling across the landscape without any sense of direction, just to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Animals are aplenty, and available to hunt: from small rabbits and birds, to grizzly bears and snakes. These can also be skinned and the products can be sold for profit.

Two criticisms must be raised. Firstly, there is a lot of riding around on a horse, it is inescapable. You may find yourself paying for stagecoach rides because you cannot stomach another ten minute ride across the country. While the scenery is immense, if you are in the flow of doing missions, the amount of travelling involved can be laborious. The second issue I found with the game, was the music. It is repetitive and often irritating during moments where you are not within the storyline and just perusing the towns and bars. Although, it is important to mention that the song at the very end of the game is stunning.

Mainly, however, Red Dead Redemption is one of the best games or recent years. It has so much detail and entertainment that one can't help but love it. The online capabilities could be better, but they are still fun. If you love GTA or Saints Row, or any other sandbox game, Red Dead will offer you an immense experience in the wild west.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

With the immense success of the Call of Duty series, it is not surprising to see a bounty of other warfare style games aimed at the modern gamer. Battlefield is a worthy rival to the COD games, with excellent game play, characters, weapons, locations, and functions.

From the outset, it is an action packed thrill ride, taking you through many different worldwide battlefields, in search of a mysterious new weapon that has been developed. The team are filthy-mouthed operatives of a secret division, who maintain a low-key presence that is highly skilled, and highly dangerous.

Brilliant game with plenty to do outside the main story line. The online capabilities are impressive, with plenty of coop games to work through against your friends and other online gamers. The story mode is simple but effective, no long-winded cut scenes, or pointless journeys, just cold, hard war with all the necessary trimmings.