ilomilo Game Review XBOX Live Arcade

The first thing you will notice about ilomilo is that it is possibly one of the most adorable and cute games ever to hit the XBOX Live Arcade. The bizarre, yet extremely beautiful patchwork world of ilomilo is reminiscent of games like LittleBigPlanet, but manages to retain it's own unique feel and art direction. The two little stars of the game are ilo and milo, adorable little plush creatures who want nothing more than to be reunited. These two delightfully cute little guys always seem to end up stranded apart from each other and it's your job to reunite them, solving the puzzles and using the strange gameplay mechanics to successfully reach this goal. This is a wonderful little game full of charm and fun.

As i previously mentioned, the goal here in each level is very simple, reunite ilo and milo. The characters will begin at opposite ends of the cubic maze and you can switch back and forth between the two, controlling one at a time. The game begins cheerfully with it's cute adorable charm, but soon begins to get extremely difficult. You can manoeuvre various types of blocks around the environment and they will create new paths and ways to reunite you with your missing friend. Special carpets can be used to walk over the edges of cubes, changing the direction of the cubic maze, and the maze itself is filled with pesky critters who want nothing more than to get in your way. The key here is planning ahead, to solve these challenging puzzles you will need to visualize your next move three steps ahead, to work out how to get where you need to be.

TRON: Evolution Game Review

TRON is a movie franchise that should have great video games, however, the usual tie-in movie games with the release of a big budget film have disappointed gamers in recent years so what can we expect from TRON: Evolution.

TRON: Evolution fills the gap between the original 1982 film and the upcoming sequel. You play as a system monitor who is trying to stop Clu's rise to power. It's a third-person action adventure game with allot of Parkour (just think of Mirror's Edge) and combat. Although it's not as good as any of these games it's sort of a mix between Mirror's Edge, Assassin's Creed, and Prince of Persia, but glow-in-the-dark. If you are a big TRON fan then you might find the story rather interesting considering it explains what happened to Flynn and expands on the TRON universe while answering a few questions, but it's nothing ground-breaking. Also the very sexy woman from House MD "13" does all the voice work, that was the thing i enjoyed most about this game to be honest.

Majin and The Forsaken Kingdom Game Review

The one memory you will likely take from Majin and The Forsaken Kingdom, is the abysmal voice work for the loveable monster protagonist. While the game it'self is rather fun and provides a fair deal of variety, the constant child like phrases that you have to listen to, become repetitive and annoying.

The games story is told through beautifully designed 2D cut-scenes, it begins with Majin who has failed to fulfil his duties as a protector. A hundred years ago, Darkness infected the kingdom's leaders and plagued the countryside., causing the death and destruction of almost everything and everyone. You play as a young thief in the present day who has the ability, much like Dr. Doolittle, to communicate with Animals. You meet Majin in a sad way, tied up and left to starve in a castle, the nameless thief rescues Majin and the pair team up to take on four Dark Generals and the King, with the hope of restoring the land to the way it was.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 Game Review

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the sequel to one of the best games you will ever play, this means it has a lot to live up to and i am pleased to tell you it matches the brilliance of the first game, even exceeding it in certain areas. Some of the most creative and Imaginative level designs you will ever see in a video game are beautifully brought to life with the vibrant bold colours. The immense variety of enemies, power-ups, and worlds make this a truly unique expirience and sets this game apart from any other 3D platformer on the Wii, maybe even the world.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 uses the same game engine, same controls, and same basic concept which made the first game such a hit with fans around the world. The developers found out what did and did not work with the first game and they have managed to use this to create another masterful game which offers one of the most fun and fulfilling experiences of our generation.

The original Super Mario Galaxy was a game built on creativity, everything felt unique and looked marvellous. They took the traditional 3D platformer and turned it into a perfect example of what games should be about. Players had the ability to roam standard Mario-style levels to miniature planetoids with their own orbital gravity, while still utilizing the same familiar gameplay mechanics.

Limbo Game Review

Games are beginning to turn into a form or art and Limbo is the latest game to catch the eye of the gaming world with it's film noir style graphical direction. The game produces no dialogue, no text, and gives no explanation. It's hard to imagine how this can then be called "Art" by the critics in the gaming industry and be considered one of the best games of the year. The fact is Limbo manages to communicate everything that it needs to say without saying a single word, using the setting, Sound, and Environment to create an atmosphere that is almost unmatched by any other 2D Puzzle Platformer i have ever played. On top of all this the ending is one of the greatest moments in recent gaming history.

In Limbo you take control of a young boy after he wakes up in a dark forest. There is no indication of how you got there, why your there, or where you should go. You don't even know who you are. You set out on your journey and you find out very soon that this is a very dangerous unforgiving world you are in, your motivation at this point is to find a way out of this forest. The game has no unnecessary cut scenes or loading times, it's just you locked in this horrific atmospheric world unaware of what lies beyond your next step. The game manages to lure you into it's unique environment, isolating you from anything else.

Super Meat Boy Game Review

Super Meat Boy is the definition of a traditional 2D platformer. Gameplay boils down to nothing but running and jumping, this might seem like very little but when you think of games like Mario and Sonic you begin to realise anything is possible with these building blocks. Meat Boy's goal is always the same, make it from point A to point B in order to rescue his love (Bandage Girl) who has been captured by the evil Dr Fetus (crazy Baby in a jar). This of course is no easy task, and can be very challenging when faced with the numerous obstacles in your way, like a Buzzsaw, Spike, or a Monsters Jaw, each of which will splatter Meat Boy into a thousand bloody pixels if he comes into the slightest of contact with any of them. The reminder of your previous failed attempts will be noticed as you try again to manoeuvre the obstacles, this time while looking at the blood you have already spilled.

With a game like Super Meat Boy the biggest and most important aspect of the game is the controls. Meat Boy feels great to control, he is the perfect weight and speed and the developers managed to make him feel just as he should. Beginners won't take too long before mastering Meat Boy's movements and being able to judge his movement with precision.

EA Sports MMA Game Review

When it comes to Mixed Martial Arts THQ's UFC series is leading the way, but with EA Sports deciding to dive into the octagon what can we expect for their first attempt with EA Sports MMA. While EA lack the big-name license, they still manage to provide a great roster of fighters along side solid gameplay and most importantly a game which feels as brutal as the sport itself.

For anyone who is unfamiliar with MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) it's a sport which pits two men against each other much like Boxing, the difference is due to the lack of rules the fight is more of a no-holds-barred affair. Each fighter is placed inside an octagon, or Boxing ring with a pair of gloves (smaller than traditional Boxing gloves) and the action begins. Unlike Boxing the action can take place on the ground as well as the standing game, this allows for different forms of fighting to compete with each other. You will use traditional Boxing techniques alongside Muay Thai, Greco-Roman Wrestling, Judo, Sambo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Karate and much more to defeat your opponent. The sport is immensely varied and allows players to be whatever type of fighter they want to be. This also helps create very interesting matches between two opposing styles.

(EA Sports MMA Middleweights)

Vanquish Game Review

Vanquish is the latest third-person shooter to hit the market from the creator of Resident Evil, Shinji Mikami. This alone is enough to capture the interest of the gaming world. Vanquish is a Sci-Fi third-person shooter which provides eye catching cinematic moments along side gameplay which feels as great as the game looks.

Vanquish, the fourth attempt from Platinum Games, takes place on a orbital space station called Providence. The station has been overtaken by a Russian extremist group known as The Order Of The Russian Star. The extremists take control of the station which is energised by microwave energy and use it to attack San Francisco. After the attack San Francisco is devastated leaving the United States with no option but to send a full fleet in order to prevent the next attack on New York. The military are not alone in their fight against the extremists, joining them is DARPA researcher Sam Gideon who comes equipped with the ARS battle suit. The military are under the impression Sam is joining them in order to gather intel on the suit's performance in the field however this is just a front for Sam's secret mission. His goal is to locate and rescue the captive professor candidate who created the energy system powering the station and suit. This may sound very traditional for anyone familiar with the Sci-Fi genre of games or movies and it is, the games weakest point is definitely it's mediocre story but with fantastic action sequences and cinematic thrilling moments the game does enough to let you forget about this issue.

Dragon Ball: Origins 2 Game Review

I'm sure everyone will know about DragonBall Z but before DBZ came Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball: Origins 2 follows from it's predecessor taking on the next chapter in the story and for fans of the first game or Dragon Ball in general, this is a great thing.

Origins 2 picks up where the first game left off and continues through the next few sagas staying true to the TV show. Goku travels to the frozen north and fights the Red Ribbon Army before returning to meet up with Krillin, Yamcha, and Bulma. This game is created with the fans in mind and really if you have never watched the Dragon Ball series or read the Manga you might feel a bit lost, however this shouldn't put you off experiencing what is essentially a great and fun game.

Like i said before, this game is made with the fans in mind and keeps very true to the TV series basing each level loosely around an episode from the show, all the important plot elements are told through cut scenes. You play as Goku fighting through Humans, Animals, and even Dinosaurs before attempting a boss battle. The combat revolves mainly around Goku using either his fists or Power Pole, it is fluent and fast passed rewarding players who complete stages within certain time limits.

Super Scribblenauts Game Review

Scribblenauts amazed the gaming world with it's creative charm and imaginative world when it was released late 2009. Now we are introduced to Super Scribblenauts, This sequel fixes all the problems with the previous title such as the awkward controls for our hero, Maxwell , and even manages to expand the Scribblenauts universe. The sequel is even more fun and creative than the first game, retaining all of it's charm and providing a delightful puzzle platforming experience for any Nintendo DS owner.

Scribblenauts is a game which can create any non-trademarked item and then that item will act as it would in reality. For example, you can create God, yes GOD! and even give him an AK-47 if you wish to. Next you could create the Devil and hand him a Lazer Gun. Now as you know God and the Devil are not best of friends and when equipped with a weapon they will fight to the death. This provides almost no limits of imaginative and creative way's to entertain your mind.

The major new addition to Super Scribblenaughts is the ability to add adjectives to anything you summon. So for example, if you summon a cute little Dolphin then feed him an exploding fish, the Dolphin be blown to pieces leaving you either sad, or extremely delighted and thrilled with your sadistic creativity. I have spent countless hours just messing around on the main menu which allows you to play the game without any missions, sort of like a practise mode to help you learn by yourself. Lately i have had a Seal killing fetish for some strange reason.

Dead Rising 2 Game Review

First of all if you were not a fan of the first game then Dead Rising 2 won't be for you. The sequel is essentially the first game improved in every way. Everything that worked so well in the first game has been multiplied insanely to give fans of the first game an even better experience this time around. Capcom have also managed to fix the pre-release issues allot of critics were complaining about such as, the frame rate, and extremely long loading times.

In Dead Rising 2 you will play as Chuck Greene. Chuck's wife was gobbled up by Zombies years ago and his daughter infected by the same incident however with a daily dose of Zomberx he is able to save her from turning into the walking undead. As a contestant on "Terror is Reality" Chuck must mutilate the undead for money, however after the show there is a mini Zombie uprising which Chuck is framed for. The remaining survivors hold out in the Fortune City safe house to await rescue in 3 day's leaving Chuck with no option but to fight the undead, find his daughters meds, and clear his name.

Dead Rising 1 was basically complete a mission in the various locations casino/hotel/mall before the time runs out, gain experience points, use the experience gained to level up more health, more moves, and more inventory spots. Then repeat the process. So if you were not a fan of this then you won't like Capcom's latest version which is really just the same thing but with enough new features to make the game feel fresh enough to spend your money on.

FIFA 11 Game Review

Game Information

• Developer (EA Sports)
• Publisher (EA Sports)
• Genre (Sports)
• Console (Xbox 360, PS2, PS3, PC, Nintendo Wii, DS)

When it comes to Football games there is only 2 options, EA Sport's FIFA franchise or Konami's PES. The two rival company's have been battling for top spot on the league table for many years now and with FIFA's success in 2010 what can we expect from their latest release, FIFA 11.

There is no doubt about it, FIFA 11 is the best Football game to date. The game takes everything we loved about it's predisecore and scraps any of the problems such as inconsistent refereeing, Disgraceful Goalkeeping and much more.

As with any Sports related game the Story always seems to be the least important of the three sections in this review, However with FIFA 11 there has been allot of work put into creating a Career mode worth playing through without any simulations. FIFA 11's Career mode replaces the Manager Mode used in FIFA 10, It allows you to play first as a Player, Then Player Manager, and finally as a Manager. The re-introduction of the Transfer system is welcomed back and improved greatly with the ability to plan ahead with a new calender system introduced to help select what or who you will need in the future. The game now implements a two-stage negotiation process meaning once a bid is accepted you will then have to negotiate with the player offering them wages and perks to join the club. Rather than the previous version where you offered a price and wage in one motion, This means you can have an offer accepted by a club and then rejected by a player.One of my personal favourite new features to FIFA 11 is the introduction of an unlimited simulation process meaning you can simulate as far into a season as you like without having to simulate each individual match which is a long and frustrating process.

The biggest difference from 10 and 11 is the introduction of playable Goalkeepers, quite fitting that we are finally given 11 vs 11 with FIFA 11. Yes, you can now play as a Goal keeper and No it's not exiting in career mode, only online with friends. If you play as a Goalkeeper in career mode expect to stand alone waiting for those 1 or 2 chances during a 90 minute match when you will have the opportunity to dive left or right. However online it's a different story, when surrounded by team mates being controlled as friends and interacting vocally over the headset it can be quite a thrilling experience.The only major change in gameplay other than controlling Goalkeepers is the new Passing System called Passing Personality+. No longer will you have those games that remind you of Ping Pong with the mindlessly constant tap of the A or X button. This new passing system means different players pass in different way's, Some can't pass the same distance or with the same power as other players. Of course the superstars can still provide excellent passes and deliver perfect crossed balls, it's most noticed when you attempt a pass or cross with a lesser known player and expect a Cristiano Ronaldo delivered ball and you end up having to chase your ball longer than you expected. This new passing system changes the gameplay and helps to stop allot of the problems when playing online against other users who like to pass in a pattern. Of course the 360 direction for players is back and works just as well as in FIFA 10. The Goalkeeping has been improved greatly and although there are still some problems and awkward goals it has been reduced dramatically from FIFA 10.

The main problem i had with the Graphics in FIFA 10 was when i played on a HD TV in 1080p colours such as Light Blue, Lime Green, or Yellow would appear almost white because of the lighting and poor colours. Thankfully i can tell you this problem has been fixed and now we can look at Manchester City, Lazio, or Argentina and be blown away by the bold vibrant and beautiful colours this game offers. Player models have also been improved dramatically for the superstars who now have their own unique expressions and emotions.

FIFA 11 is the best Football game ever created some might say, and it is hard to argue that point. The only problem i have when buying a new FIFA game is the feeling that all i am buying is This seasons strips and an up to date team list. This year it feels like you are getting a new experience like with FIFA 10 and it's worth the money.

FIFA 11 is a great Football game but without improving too much on FIFA 10 i give this 8/10