The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile
Console: Xbox 360
Release Date: 6th April
Developers: Ska Studios
Cost: 800 MS Points
The sequel to the award winning Dead Samurai has hit the Xbox Live marketplace and it is being snatched up faster than the prequel. Now in case you didn’t know the Dishwasher series of games is the work of one man, mostly! James Silva is the creator of the series and aside from artwork and a few other details, he pretty much works solo on his projects. So what is the game about? Well once more you take on the role of The Dishwasher or Yuki on a journey of self-discovery in which you try to unravel your past and defeat enemies and bring down ‘The Banker, General and Judge’.
The game looks almost exactly the same as the first but the graphics feel and play a lot smoother and are overall an improvement on what we first witnessed. Playability is also very similar, (why tinker with something good?) and both Yuki and the Dishwasher have their own solo campaigns for you to complete. It is a dark and twisted world that Yuki and Dishwasher exist in and to survive you will need to pull some bloody and devastating attacks with a wide variety of weaponry at your disposal.
Fans of the first game won’t be disappointed and for anyone looking for a dark/fun beat-em and slash-em then look no further.
Heavy Fire: Black Arms
Console: Wii
Release Date: 7th March
Developers: Teyon
Cost: 500 Wii Points
Rail shooters were really popular in the early 90’s and they still have a place in today’s market it would seem! Heavy Fire: Black Arms isn’t the greatest game ever made and it is definitely not one of the greatest rail shooters either but if you are hungering for a bit of mindless fun and like explosions then, Black Arms will provide you with that quick fix!
The story of the game (we had to double check to make sure we had this right because who really cares about plot when you are shooting stuff!) revolves around your role as a special forces recruit tasked with stopping the Illegal Arms Trade – nothing too deep or thought provoking there! The game looks well but we found graphics a little choppy in places and the explosions lack any real gusto! Carnage is also limited!
At the end of the day, Heavy Fire: Black Arms is not going to be a game we will rant and rave about it, it is mediocre but at 500 points it is worth a download if you are looking for something to pass the time. If you want something better then it’s probably best to move along and invest them into something a little wiser!
Moon Diver
Console: PS3 / Xbox 360
Release Date: 30th March
Developers: Feel Plus
Cost: €12.99
Definitely our favourite game out of today’s bunch and it took a lot to knock The Dishwasher down a peg! Moon Diver is brought to us Feel Plus and Square Enix and brings the best of retro platform gaming to a modern audience looking for something cool and flashy!
The year is 2081, the world is in a post-apocalyptic state and it is only going to get worse. Faust, a young man hell-bent on wiping all life off the face of the planet is setting his plans in motion and only the Moon Divers can hope to stop him. Utilising their unique abilities and deadly force they must catch Faust and stop him at any cost.
The game is a 2D platformer featuring nice graphics with particular emphasis on colourfully destitute backgdrops! Combat and playability is pretty simple to get used to and you will find yourself hacking and slashing your way through level after level with some ease (trying this on a harder difficult really ups the challenge of the game). You may also play online and bring your friends into the action with up to four players being able to play at any one time. The highlight for the game is not in the storyline or playability or even the graphics, the soundtrack to the game is a pure treat and will catapult you into the world of Moon Diver.
Yes, the game is repetitive! Yes, the graphics could be better! Does all that make this a bad game? Not even close! The game is an excellent throwback to old platformers while combining all that with the sleekness of modern platformers!
