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Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction

 

After what seems like an age since those original screenshots were first unveiled, Splinter Cell: Conviction is finally here and it looks almost unrecognisable. Indeed, if the path taken in Conviction is anything to go by, the series itself has now undergone a complete overhaul. It has evolved for the modern era of gaming. Sam is now a changed character and the rigid pure stealth of old has gone, no doubt to the chagrin of many long standing fans, but the Splinter Cell series is certainly not immune to the necessity of change.

 

Sam has gone rogue in a quest to discover who killed his daughter – that means he’s finally off his leash, free to do things his way in his search for vengeance and, crucially, free to jettison stealth and engage in combat when the need arises. The mystery surrounding the death of his daughter Sarah is only a small part of the story, and it’s really only in the second half of the game - when this particular storyline takes a back seat - that the game becomes particularly engaging.

 

Mission structure is varied. There’s really no let up in the action and definitely no filler. Most of the time this works wonders. One level you’re sneaking quietly into a high security building in a throwback to the series’ roots, in another you’re chasing an assassin through the crowded backstage of a political rally. There’s one occasion where Ubisoft make a huge error of judgment in an underwhelming flashback sequence that not only ultimately feels pointless, but also turns this excellent stealth action game into a mediocre third person shooter for its brief duration. That one level aside, the single player campaign is a lot of fun.

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Tekken 6 Review

 

Ever since its phenomenal third installment Tekken has been regarded as one of  the top franchises in the fighting game genre, however the series has been on rocky ground ever since. Tekken: Tag Tournament was almost a port of Tekken 3 but with upgraded visuals (due to it appearing on the PS2 rather than the PSone) and a new Tag-Team element, Tekken 4 took things further down-hill and was a slow-paced, clunky embarrassment which under-performed in every aspect. It wasn’t until Tekken 5 that the series managed to climb back up (Heihachi style) and reclaim dominance. Now almost 5 years later, with the power of the PS3 and Xbox 360 at their disposal can Namco manage to keep the franchise relevant, especially with great fighters like Street Fighter IV already on shelves?

My first impression of the PS3 version of Tekken 6 was far from pleasant, after forcing me to update to Sony’s “optional” 3.01 firmware I then had to  sit and wait for the game to patch itself which altogether took roughly 20 minutes. Once I finally reached the main menu things didn’t get any better, as soon as it loaded I was bombarded with a wealth of information and unnecessary distractions that I quickly had to wrap my head around. On the left were the usual selections (Online Mode, Offline Mode, Gallery, Options etc.), on the the right was my “profile information” which displayed my won/lost ratio, my fight money and my report rank, while in the background a character from the game was moving around in his fight stance while tanks drove by behind him shooting and causing mulitple explosions. This was by far one of the most clunky main menus I have ever seen and navigating through it was a pain until I learned where everything was.

 

 

Once I entered the Arcade mode and saw the huge array of fighters my heart began to warm-up. There are over 40 characters available from the start including 6 all new combatants. Arcade mode in itself is a severe disappointment though, forcing you to fight against a seemingly unbeatable robot, an overpowered Jin Kazama and a cheap, larger than life final boss. If you do manage to make it through this torture-fest your sense of accomplishment will be instantly shot down as the credits roll as soon as the final match is over without even so much as a “Congratulations”. Another reason why you may not want to bother with the Arcade mode is the fact that it is no longer the home of the games story, If you want justification as to why you’re going around punching people, robots, panda’s and kangaroos’ in the face you’ll have to consult the awful Scenario mode.

By now fans should be used to Namco’s failed attempts to inject third-person brawler modes in to Tekken games but usually these modes were considered mere extras and playing through the arcade mode provided you with the games story. However Tekken 6 takes the complete opposite approach and now the Scenario mode is the place to go if you want to learn what’s going on and unlock most of the titles achievements/trophies. Here you play as newcomer Lars Alexandersson fighting alongside an AI Controlled Alisa Bosconovitch, as a pair you run around uninspired 3D environments beating up hordes of enemies and collecting loot. I’m not going to waste time trying to explain the illogical, convoluted story but it involves Lars attempting to recover his memory and discover his roots. Early on in the campaign you can choose to play as any other character from the roster but whoever you chose will be replaced by Lars during the cut-scenes with no explanation what-so-ever which just serves to make the terrible story seem even more disjointed.

 

 

Like all good fighters Tekken 6 really comes to life when playing against other human opponents and you can choose to do so either locally or online. Local VS mode can be incredibly fun and the game does an excellent job accommodating for both newcomers and series veterans. As the button layout and move lists are relatively unchanged from previous installments I found myself able to jump in a whoop ass with no problems. Newbies will also find themselves pulling off several moves and basic combos simply by mashing on the four face buttons.  While this may sound like a bad thing, all bashing mashing can be countered using perry’s and well timed side-steps so if your girlfriend manages to beat you in a round or two you’ve only got yourself to blame. When you feel like you’re good enough to take on the world you literally can with the excellent online mode. But be warned, as the fighting system encourages you pummel your opponent while their defenceless via air juggles and ground attacks, playing online against skilled players can at times feel extremely unfair and one-sided. Also present are all the game modes you’ve come to expect, namely Survival, Time Trail, Team Battle and Practice. There is also a new Ghost Battle mode where you can fight endless streams of opponents to earn cash (used to customize your characters appearance) and quickly upgrade your rank from a Beginner to a Tekken God.

As long as you have a decent Internet connection or similarly skilled friend to play with Tekken 6 is a fantastic game but the disappointing single player offerings, terrible story and the re-use of animations and voice work from previous games in the series hurts the title overall. If you’re a Tekken fan you’re probably going to buy this game regardless of what any reviewer has to say but for everyone else I suggest you consider purchasing Street Fighter IV, Soul Calibur IV, Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe or even Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection on the PSN before you put your money on the counter and take this game home.

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WWE Smackdown V.S. Raw 2010 Review

 

THQ and Jakks Pacific’s latest iteration in the Smackdown series aims to redefine the genre by making customization the centerpiece of the game. Now in its 11th year, Smackdown Vs Raw 2010 steps into a bold new direction providing the true essence of a definitive WWE experience. Here are a few reasons why now is a good a time as any to step back into the ring.

 

 

Create your own experience:
Smackdown Vs Raw 2010 boasts an impressive new mode for story management titled Story Designer. This feature lets you craft your own WWE storylines to your heart’s content by creating moments, matches, or both. The use of these insanely deep tools range from adding text dialogue and camera cuts to developing a cast of wrestlers with no limit to your creativity. Once completed, you can preview the story or upload it to the online community via Xbox Live. PS3 fans have further upload options with the ability to post creations on You-tube. When using the default roster of wrestlers you are allowed to create up to 500 scenes with over hundreds of precut animations. The only drawback here is that your limited to 10 created superstar scenes that your character can appear it. This seems like a strategy by THQ aimed at getting the consumer to purchase next year edition for the additional content. Overall though the tool has enough versatility that you can create up to a decade’s worth of material. If you want two divas to face off in a Hell In A Cell Match then it’s totally possible. Add in the fact that stories can be uploaded and this easily translates to new content always being available.

 

 

There have also been some worthy additions to the Create a Superstar Mode. Now not only are you able to design your own wrestler, but you also can edit the current roster using the Superstar Thread tool. With this device you can change the outfit colors for each wrestler or diva. Again the drawback here is your limited to threads only and therefore can’t change hairstyles, jewelry, or facial features. It seems pretty silly to be able to change MVP’s costume color but not be able to edit the color of his nose bandage. Once again I expect there to be more options available in the next update.

 

 

The Returning Features:
The Road To Wrestlemania mode returns to greatness with 6 new storylines including Edge, Randy Orton, Shawn Michaels, and Mickie James just to name a few. Each story begins with a general introduction by various WWE superstars on what Wrestlemania means to them before branching off into there own individual story. Overall the stories include the right formula of drama and suspense that you would expect from any Raw or Smackdown show. You’ll once again have to make choices throughout that greatly affect your outcome. It’s also worth noting that in some cases you’ll want to change the difficulty settings to gain certain unlockables. For example, you may be given the task of beating Kane in under 3 mins to unlock a bonus arena or hidden character. In this instance playing under the Legend setting will rarely get it done as the computer likes to reverse every move. There are also stories that can be played cooperatively (Brand Warfare story) and as your created superstar. If Road to Wrestlemania isn’t for you, then you can always play the Career mode. This is a standard feature that follows you in your quest to collect every title belt the WWE has to offer. You can choose from any wrestler on the roster to participate in these challenges. There is also the new Championship Scramble Match, which will provide fun for up to 5 players. Lastly, the Royal Rumble match has been significantly upgraded. Your now able to eliminate your opponents in one of four ways (Over the Top Rope, Bottom Rope, Corner Turnbuckle, and Special Finisher). You will often need to tap multiple timed commands to escape elimination. This element of gameplay not only refreshes an otherwise old concept but also forces you to develop a strategy for survival. The one match type that should be explored next is the legendary Survivor Series Match as many fans have expressed interest in seeing this.

 

 

mproved Gameplay and Online:
Once you step inside the ring you’ll notice the combat system has also changed. THQ decided to use the same system implemented in the Legends Of Wrestlemania engine. There is a halo bar that appears below each wrestler and gauges when your able to perform signature moves and finishers. This allows for a more smooth control mechanism, which won’t frustrate the gamer as much. The one area that determines your difficulty lies in the Game option settings. Playing on Easy will make the A.I. a pushover while upping the ante to Legend will provide for a more challenging foe. The online play was vastly improved with no noticeable lag time. This of course will vary based upon the strength of the hosting connection. Last year many fans made created wrestlers and cheated by giving them a 99 overall rating. This year that concept has been fixed by forcing everyone to develop their created superstar’s attributes by participating in online matches. The one area that needs improvement with online lies in the addition of defending titles or creating belts. It’s bad enough that you can’t create a belt and even worse that you can’t defend one online. This also could account for creating a better reward system and point builder should THQ decide to explore this option at a later date.

Final Verdict:
WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2010 does an excellent job of portraying the wrestling franchise that fans have known and grown to love. While there still are many customizable options and match types that need to be added, you can’t argue that THQ has taken a promising step forward with this release. The ability to alter your own stories is something past GM modes touched on but nearly really nailed to this degree. If you’re a wrestling enthusiast don’t hesitate to check out this game. Otherwise, you might as well book yourself for a one-night stay at the Smackdown Hotel.

 

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We get the feeling that few Rock Band Stage Kits were sold to begin with, but those who proudly plunked down a Benjamin on this when it originally shipped were probably stoked to use it with The Beatles: Rock Band . Unfortunately for "those people," such a scenario won't ever be possible... at least, not without some serious DIY tinkering on the user end. Harmonix has confirmed to our pals over at Joystiq that a compatibility patch won't ever be produced for the newest RB title, and when pressed about compatibility with future titles, the rep simply stated that the company "hasn't announced any future titles at this time."

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