Alice: Madness Returns
Console: Xbox 360/ PlayStation 3/ PC
Players: Single Player
Release Date: 16th June 2011
Developers: Spicy Horse
Publishers: Electronic Arts
Genre: Platformer
Price: €44.99*
In the only adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland that we’ve really appreciated the highly successful Alice received its sequel only a few weeks ago. Highly anticipated by fans of the first game the twisted platformer forces Alice back into the world of Wonderland having only escaped it and the Rutledge Asylum a short while after the events of the first game.
While we’re all for clinging to the elements that made a game good in the first place Alice: Madness Returns desperately pushes it’s now somewhat outdated gameplay style which after a few hours of gameplay becomes exceptionally frustrating and tedious (button bashing the attack key will often see you through the toughest of enemies with little to no skill involved).
However the game looks great and developers and writers have maintain their ability to tell a flawlessly creepy and dark story (Tim Burton please pay attention!) and though at times the accents are slightly grating we were only happy to immerse ourselves once more in the madness!
As a new enemy seeks to bring ruin to world of Wonderland Alice must combat her own delusions and hallucinations in the real world if she is to have any hope of saving her friends in the other world… grab that Vorpal Blade and prepare for madness!
Good Points: Great storytelling / Interesting graphics and colours
Bad Points: Typical platform / No real challenge
Rating: 6/10
infamous 2
Console: PlayStation 3
Players: Single Player
Release Date: 10th June 2011
Developers: Sucker Punch Productions
Publishers: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Open World
Price: €49.99*
Cole MacGrath is back and with him comes disaster once more, Empire City is once more thrown into the chaos of the power of Conduits as the Beast, a super-powered being has appeared to wreak havoc and destroy all that exists. Realising that he does not possess enough power to defeat the entity Cole, Zeke and NSA Agent Lucy flee the city to seek out Dr. Wolfe, the man responsible for development of the ‘Ray Sphere’. (If you haven’t played the first game then this all probably sounds like something from dodgy made-for-tv movie that airs on the SyFy channel at least twice a month!).
Their search for the doctor leads them to the city of New Marais, ruled by Joseph Bertrand a man hell-bent on wiping his city of Conduits.
As Cole you will have to combat multiple forces if you are to succeed in this sand-box open world once more utilising your powers as a Conduit, wielding electricity as both weapon and tool. Several elements from the first game return including abilities as well as gameplay features – puzzles will need to be solved and decisions to be made that will affect the entire course of the game.
One of the more interesting features that is due for release some time in the last few months of the year is the ability to create missions for the game (that doesn’t sound like anything fancy!) but it will utilise the PlayStation Move controls literally putting the city of New Marlais in your hands!
Good Points: Looks great / Plenty to do
Bad Points: Repetitive, weak plot
Rating: 7/10
Duke Nukem Forever
Console: PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 / PC
Players: Single Player
Release Date: 10th June 2011
Developers: 3D Realms
Publishers: 2K Games
Genre: First person Shooter
Price: €49.99* (not worth it so if you really want to buy it wait for bargain bin!)
Do not expect much from this review! Possibly the most talked about game for the last few years with rumours of its demise and revival a constant on the gaming circuit for years. Duke Nukem Forever was nothing short of the greatest disappointment we’ve ever had the displeasure of playing…EVER! And we spent hours trying to make Raiden get completely naked in Metal Gear Solid Sons of Liberty and tried every hack to revive Aerith in Final Fantasy VII but none of those even come close to how much we were sorely underwhelmed by the Duke’s return.
To 2K games and 3D Realms we say… SHAME ON YOU! True this is not the most objective review in fact this is more of an open letter filled with scorn than an actual review so let’s just point out some of the more unappealing elements of this ‘game’:
Terrible graphics
Ridiculous gameplay – reviving elements from previous Duke games would be better off for a Marketplace download rather than a fully launched title
Outdated humour constantly regurgitated to the same exhausted sighs and bemused faces.
NOT EVEN GOING TO BOTHER WITH A TRAILER…
Good Points: … the box makes a great coaster!
Bad Points: There aren’t enough words in the English language to describe our disdain for this game but we can probably summarise it… WE HATE IT
Rating: 1/10
