Review: The Saboteur (Xbox 360)

Review: The Saboteur (Xbox 360)

Pandemic have been known as the jokers in the pack that is the gaming fraternity. Destroy All Humans and Mercenaries 2 were always great fun and aimed at a more mature audience, without skimping on the genuine laugh out loud moments and core gameplay that most titles need nowadays to keep us old farts happy.

The Saboteur could not be more mature. Based in Nazi Europe during the Second World War, the story focuses upon an Irish mechanic, Sean Devlin, and his attempt to take down the German war machine with a little help from some dear friends, as well as a few new acquaintances he meets along the way (look out for Father Denis and Dr Kwong in particular). The reason for his attack on the Third Reich is revenge, after watching his best friend Jules being killed by racing driver come part time surgeon, Kurt Dierker. After escaping their HQ, which doubles up as a motor factory, he saves his late pal’s sister and father from the enemy and vows to them that the Nazis will get what’s coming to ‘em.

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Review: Flips: Artemis Fowl (DS)

Review: Flips: Artemis Fowl (DS)

In a similar vein to Flips: Too Ghoul for School, Flips: Artemis Fowl is another series of interactive books. This time round however, the game is aimed at older children who might want a more focused reading experience than Too Ghoul For School offers with its many distractions.

Artemis Fowl is a series of books about the teenage criminal mastermind of the same name. It’s a darker affair compared to the likes of Too Ghoul for School, and rightly so considering these books are aimed at the ‘tweenie’ age group, 10-13. Despite being a child, Artemis Fowl is quite ruthless as is shown in the first book where he kidnaps a member of the reconnaissance unit of the fairy police force. Think of Artemis Fowl as an anti hero of sorts with some of the moral quandaries later in the series blurring the lines between right and wrong. No surprise then that kids love their sense of adventure and moral ambiguity.

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Review: Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360)

Review: Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360)

How do you describe a game that has an almost limitless amount of story arcs? You don’t. Well, I could, but that would ruin the experience for you, and with Mass Effect 2 that is something you do not do. Even if you did tell someone the plot, chances are that they would not even experience half the things you did.

Carrying on where you left off with your original Mass Effect character is a unique experience; possibly creating the one true sequel in gaming. Now I know this is a big claim, but it really is special. In most sequels you are continuing the story laid in place by the game designers, but now you are continuing your own story. Think about that. Every decision you made in the original game is carried across into this one, with even more big decisions awaiting you throughout.

Very few developers have managed to lay down such huge moral decisions like BioWare have. You have the paragon and renegade options that were laid in place in the original. Although now BioWare have added a new way of making decisions: during cut-scenes an option will flash up on the screen, pressing the corresponding button will trigger an action, either renegade or paragon. This adds a new dynamic edge to the moral system, forcing you to think quickly.

A lot of the moral decisions come from your squad, or more so their stories. Throughout the game you have to recruit squad members and gain their trust, in doing so you become emotionally attached to them, caring about them more, or maybe even hating them more. The choice is yours. I have never played a game that has moved me like Mass Effect 2. You have to play it honestly, ignoring possible achievements, to really get the most out of the game.

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