Issue 81: December 2010

Gran Turismo 5 (PS3)
Developer: Polyphony Digital
Publisher: Sony
Genre: Racing
7/10
Summary: Among boring modes, slow and repetitively structured career mode, uneven graphics and insane presentation I find improved and dynamic car physics, a definitely good enough online mode and gorgeous Premium-cars. But it's not enough to beat Forza Motorsport 3.



Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)
Developer: Retro Studios
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Platformer
8/10
Summary: Apart from some smaller control problems, Kong's return is a solid production that generates constant smiles when I play. The fans should all scream like monkeys of delight.



World of Warcraft: Cataclysm (PC)
Developer: Blizzard
Publisher: Blizzard
Genre: MMORPG
9/10
Summary: Cataclysm is both a remake of the game we all have played for so long, where most of the improvements are made for the better, and an even bigger piece of brilliant online role-playing game.



Blood Drive (PS3, X360)
Developer: Sidhe
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Action / Racing
4/10
Summary: No amount of zombies in the world can hide the fact that Blood Drive is unfinished, not thought through at all and very boring. Now the wait for Twisted Metal is even harder.



Splatterhouse (PS3, X360)
Developer: Namco
Publisher: Namco
Genre: Action
4/10
Summary: Splatterhouse is both a fun concept and has a sweet attitude, but it's not especially fun for longer periods of time and all the blood in the world can't make me forgive the uneven difficulty, the slow controls and the terrible checkpoints that make me replay long parts of the game.



Apache: Air Assault (PS3, X360)
Developer: Gaijin
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Flight / Action
7/10
Summary: Anonymous helicopter action that manages to include the most important; sweet choppers, cool battles and well done missions.



Epic Mickey (Wii)
Developer: Junction Point
Publisher: Disney
Genre: Platformer / Action
8/10
Summary: Fun platforming and most of all a stunningly surrealistic setup make Epic Mickey a designer's dream. This is one of the best platformers of the year.



Tron: Evolution (PS3, Wii, X360)
Developer: Propaganda Games
Publisher: Disney
Genre: Action
7/10



Rage HD (Iphone)
Developer: Id Software
Publisher: Bethesda
Genre: Action / Shooter
4/10



Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (Multi)
Developer: EA
Publisher: EA
Genre: Action
2/10



Sonic Colours (Wii)
Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Genre: Platformer
7/10

Issue 80: November 2010

Kinectimals (X360)
Developer: Microsoft
Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Simulator
5/10



Dance Central (X360)
Developer: Harmonix / MTV Games
Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Music / Rhythm
8/10



Kinect Sports (X360)
Developer: Microsoft
Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Sports / Party
5/10



Fighters Uncaged (X360)
Developer: AMA Studios
Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Fighting
4/10



Kinect Joyride (X360)
Developer: Microsoft
Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Racing / Party
4/10



Call of Duty: Black Ops (PC, PS3, X360)
Developer: Treyarch
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Shooter / Action
9/10
Summary: The singleplayer component offers up a thriller-like story with a tighter direction than spandex, while the multiplayer component introduces several lovely news. Masterful, Treyarch.



Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (PC, PS3, X360)
Developer: Criterion
Publisher: EA
Genre: Racing
8/10
Summary: Hot Pursuit gives you a big dose of accessible arcade racing for the one who wants to torment luxury rides in beautiful country resorts. The career mode is barely good enough, but the game completely shines through online with its addictive missions, perfect setup and well-done social functions. Sure, this feels more like Burnout than Need for Speed, but I only see that as something positive.



Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (PC, PS3, X360)
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre: Action
8/10
Summary: Some smaller bugs and Ezio's terrible accent can't change the fact that Brotherhood is a big-scale adventure stuffed with good action and stunning acrobatics. The online mode is a really successful newcomer too.



Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom (PS3, X360)
Developer: Game Republic
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Genre: Action / Adventure
7/10
Summary: Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom is a cousy action adventure that covers a pretty big genre hole for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Now we're hoping for a sequel with a little faster pacing and even more difficult cooperation puzzles.



Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (PC, PS3, X360)
Developer: Lucasarts
Publisher: Lucasarts
Genre: Action
5/10
Summary: Do over, do right, Lucasarts. Only three leveltypes, invisible walls and both a short and pointless story. You can do better.



Rock Band 3 (PS3, Wii, X360)
Developer: Harmonix
Publisher: MTV Games
Genre: Music / Rhythm
10/10
Summary: The level of ambition and the entertainment value speaks clearly; Rock Band 3 is genre perfection. No matter if you're singing three-vocal harmonies or banging drums on the Easy-level, Harmonix's game shines from brilliance.



God of War: Ghost of Sparta (PSP)
Developer: Ready at Dawn
Publisher: Sony
Genre: Action
8/10
Summary: So much rage packed into such a small package. God of War: Ghost of Sparta shows yet another aspect of the extremely tormented anti hero Kratos and lets us crush a little bit more of the Greek mythology gods.



Fable III (X360)
Developer: Lionhead
Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Action / RPG
8/10
Summary: Original, comedic, atmospheric and incredibly charming. Fable III will not disappoint any role-playing fans.



Time Crisis: Razing Storm (PS3)
Developer: Namco Bandai
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Genre: Action / Shooter
4/10



The Shoot (PS3)
Developer: Cohort Studios
Publisher: Sony
Genre: Action / Shooter
6/10



Shaun White Skateboarding (PS3, X360)
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre: Extreme Sports / Action
5/10



The Sims 3 Console (PS3, Wii, X360)
Developer: EA
Publisher: EA
Genre: Simulator
8/10



GoldenEye 007 (Wii)
Developer: Eurocom
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Shooter / Action
6/10
Summary: Even if the developers have peeked more than a little at Rare's old game and include several homages to the original, GoldenEye 007 for the Wii is never more than a bleak copycat.



Arcania: Gothic 4 (PC, X360)
Developer: Spellbound
Publisher: Dreamcatcher
Genre: RPG
6/10



WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2011 (PS2, PS3, Wii, PSP, X360)
Developer: Yuke's
Publisher: THQ
Genre: Fighting / Sports
6/10



The Fight: Lights Out (PS3)
Developer: Coldwood
Publisher: Sony
Genre: Fighting
3/10



LEGO Universe (PC)
Developer: Netdevil
Publisher: Warner
Genre: MMORPG
5/10



James Bond 007: Blood Stone (PS3, X360)
Developer: Bizarre Creations
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Shooter / Action
5/10
Summary: The last four missions outshines the first four, but even so it doesn't save Bond from a weak five and Bizarre's latest becomes one of the year's biggest disappointments. Unfortunately...



Super Meat Boy (X360)
Genre: Action / Platformer
9/10



Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare (PS3, X360)
Developer: Rockstar San Diego
Publisher: Rockstar / Take Two
Genre: Action / Adventure
9/10



DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue (PS3, X360)
Genre: Action
7/10

Issue 79: October 2010

EA Sports MMA (PS3, X360)
Developer: EA Tiburon
Publisher: EA
Genre: Fighting/Sports
6/10
Summary: Gorgeous graphics won't save this game. The mechanical gameplay setup feels stiff, boring and repetitive. EA, you can do better than this.



Fallout: New Vegas (PC, PS3, X360)
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher: Bethesda
Genre: RPG
8/10
Summary: Fallout: New Vegas is a spinoff that stands on its own legs thanks to some brilliant news gameplay-wise and a really good story. If it weren't for all the small, technical hitches I would've gladly given it a nine.



Medal of Honor (PC, PS3, X360)
Developer: Danger Close Games
Publisher: EA
Genre: Shooter
7/10
Summary: Gruesome military porno, stunning graphics and remarkable sound saves Medal of Honor from a lower grade. Pale multiplayer mode and short gameplay time keeps it from getting a higher one.



Vanquish (PS3, X360)
Developer: Platinum Games
Publisher: Sega
Genre: Action/Shooter
8/10
Summary: Vanquish is, without exaggeration, the most action stuffed game I have ever played in my entire life. It's also well balanced, nice looking, varied and extremely addictive.



NBA 2K11 (Multi)
Developer: Visual Concepts
Publisher: 2K Games
Genre: Sports
8/10
Summary: NBA 2K11 is an ultrarealistic, tough and very demanding basketball game for the most hardcore. We've yet to see what EA can do with NBA Elite. We won't get the answer until February.



Two Worlds II (PC, PS3, X360)
Developer: Reality Pump
Publisher: Top Ware Interactive
Genre: RPG
7/10
Summary: This is for RPG- and fantasy-fans that can forgive lacking playability in favor of an almost infinite amount of content.



Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3, X360)
Developer: Mercury Steam
Publisher: Konami
Genre: Action
8/10
Summary: A pace-wise stunning action adventure with great controls, cool design and really awesome graphics. Something for every vampire lover to sink their teeth into.



FIFA 11 (PC, PS3, X360)
Developer: EA Sports
Publisher: EA
Genre: Sports
9/10
Summary: With bigger demands and better animations, digital football has never been more alike the real thing. FIFA 11 is the best football game ever. Thank you for that, EA.



Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 (PS3, X360)
Developer: Cyber Connect2
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Genre: Fighting
6/10



Front Mission Evolved (PC, PS3, X360)
Developer: Double Helix Games
Publisher: Square Enix
Genre: Action/Shooter
5/10



Quantum Theory (PS3, X360)
Publisher: Tecmo
Genre: Action/Shooter
2/10



Wii Party (Wii)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Party
6/10



WRC 2010 (PC, PS3, X360)
Developer: Milestone
Publisher: Black Bean Games
Genre: Racing
5/10
Summary: I was really, really hoping for great things - even if my gut feeling beforehand was telling me something else. Unfortunately Milestone does not manage to create a believable sense of speed. They also don't succeed with the track layouts, and the default settings are downright stupid.



Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock (PS3, Wii, X360)
Developer: Neversoft
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Music/Rhythm
8/10
Summary: A rocking music game and a worthy finish for Neversoft. What's lacking in ambitions and new thinking is compensated with a great setlist and a playful career mode.



Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (PS3, X360)
Developer: Ninja Theory
Publisher: Namco
Genre: Action
8/10
Summary: A really nice adventure in an original and very well designed game world. Ninja Theory freely mixes intense action with calmer parts and the combination is intriguing.



Final Fantasy XIV (PC)
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Genre: MMORPG
8/10
Summary: If you are tired of World of Warcraft, old graphics and very familiar quests, and want both a gorgeous and fresh alternative, Final Fantasy XIV is probably just what you're looking for.



Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I (PS3, Wii X360)
Developer: Dimps / Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Genre: Platformer
6/10
Summary: Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is a decent platformer, but far from the brilliant comeback I was hoping for.