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 Metal
Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Playstation 3)
Bringing Hideo Kojima's seminal stealth-action series to a brilliant
close, Solid Snake's fourth adventure marks an enormously satisfying
finale. With an older protagonist hobbled by age, MGS 4 takes place inside
a futuristic battle field and the consequences caused by high-tech
gadgets, nano-technology and world-wide control on the minds of soldiers.
Its gameplay stays true to the MGS formula for the most part, with a new
Octo-camo suit and the MKII robot adding some falsh. Guns of the Patriots'
engrossing storyline, fleshed out characters, elaborate cinemas and,
startlingly realistic environments just scratch the surface of MGS4's
technical achievements. Hideo Kojima's farewell is definitely one of the
most technically impressive titles on the PS3 to date, with brilliant,
innovative design evident in almost every aspect of its production. |
 Grid
(Playstation 3)
Codemasters’ latest racing title Grid
offers an expansive approach covering many racing disciplines on courses
throughout the world. Grid falls in the middle between arcade and
simulation approach, making for an accessible yet challenging racing
title. Grid’s extensive damage modeling is impressive and cars actually
degrade in performance when crashed. Totaling your vehicle ends the race
but players can use the cool Instant Replay feature to rewind the action
and try again. Grid’s robust career mode and large selection of licensed
vehicles make for a deep title that will appeal to hardcore and casual
racing players alike. |
 Soul
Calibur IV (Playstation 3)
The epic stage of history is open once again for Namco-Bandai's Soul
Calibur IV, which brings an impressive array of new modes, characters and
features to the fray. An expanded roster of more than 30 characters is
just the beginning, with new character creation and customization modes,
extensive online play, downloadable and tons of extra content. Soul
Calibur IV's superb production values showcase brilliant character
designs, smooth animation and epic backdrops. With plenty of secrets and
surprises to uncover, this is another outstanding installment in the
long-running Soul Calibur franchise that delivers the excellent gameplay
you've come to expect from the series. |
 1942:
Joint Strike (Playstation Network/Xbox Live)
Players looking for a frenetic dose of neo-classic gaming should find
Capcom's 1942: Joint Stroke offers exactly what they're looking for in an
easily digestible downloadable form on Playstation Store - a similar
edition is also available via Xbox Live, with both versions sporting
nearly identical features. As veteran players might have guessed, Joint
Strike is an update of the long-running vertically scrolling 194X shooter
series, the newest installment offers new co-operative play and joint
attacks, sleek HD visuals and the classic gameplay mechanics players have
come to expect from the series. With it's low price, immediate appeal and
addictive play, 1942: Joint Strike is an excellent shooting title that
effectively brings the series' legacy forward.
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 Space
Invaders Extreme (PSP)
This is a nearly flawless title that updates the classic title with
contemporary elements without losing the essence of its appeal. Mixing the
trademark play mechanics with ingenious mini-games, smarter enemy
formations, boss battles, tons of power-ups and new layers of strategy
makes this version of Space Invaders Extreme feel reinvigorated, fresh and
innovative. Addictive as a solo experience, the game is even better
playing against a friend in its brilliant online Wi-Fi mode. Add a techno
beat, psychedelic visuals and franchise's classic play mechanics, and you
have a title that's definitely worth playing for classic and contemporary
players.
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 Gran
Turismo 5 Prologue (Playstation 3)
Serving more as an extended demo than a
full-fledged installment in the series, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue still
delivers a solidly entertaining racing experience that adds a few new
elements to the game. The biggest addition is the inclusion of online
play, which allows you to compete against other players and rank your
performance against them. The game itself stays true to the GT tradition
of realism and authenticity with stunning recreations of vehicles ranging
from standard production models to exotic sports cars. Visually, GT5P
pushes the PS3 with fill 1080p rendering that delivers beautiful car
models with reflective hoods, photo-realistic equipment and an impressive
new inside the car view. While not as elaborate as earlier models, this
prototype is definitely worth checking out for a glimpse of Gran Turismo's
next evolution. |
 SNK
Arcade Classics (PS2 & PSP)
Bringing
together 16 classic titles on a single disc, SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1
delivers a solid selection of the company’s legendary games on the PSP
and PS2. There’s a varied genres covered ranging from action titles like
Top Hunter and Magician Lord to shooters with Last Resort and of course
several fighting titles like World Heroes, Fatal Fury and King of Fighters
’94. Each title is faithfully reproduced here, looking and playing
identically to their arcade counterparts. Numerous extras such as
unlockable artwork, moves lists and movies round out the package which
offers a solid lineup of challenging and entertaining games for classic
gaming fans. |
 Pro
Evolution Soccer 2008 (Wii)
There have been a few soccer titles released for the Wii to date, but none
of them have really tried to take full advantage of the console's unique
interface design until now with Konami's excellent Pro Evolution Soccer
2008 delivering a specially tailored control system that showcases the wii-motes
flexibility and intuitiveness. While this takes some getting used to, its
innovative design helps to separate this version from the many other
editions on the market. There's an excellent selection of single, multi
and online game modes, several licensed teams and players. The visuals are
somewhat average with graphics that aren't anything to write home about,
but the positives outweigh the negatives and PES 2008's innovative
gameplay makes this an excellent soccer game for Wii owners. |
 Hot
Shots Golf: Out of Bounds (Playstation 3)
This release brings the popular casual sports title to the PS3 in fine
form with several exciting changes that make for an even more playable and
entertaining game. The most important of these is the new Advanced Shot
system which makes it easier to aim and shoot with a greater degree of
accuracy. There are also several new modes, with the online component
adding a significant new depth to the game. In addition, the game's
visuals have been upgraded and Out of Bounds looks fantastic in HD.
Overall, this is another excellent installment in the long running series
that offers a superb balance between accessible play and challenging
strategy. |
 Sega
Superstars Tennis (Playstation 3)
With an interesting cast of characters including Sonic, Ulala and Dr.
Robotnik, Sega Superstars Tennis isn't your average sports simulation.
Eschewing realism for humorous game inspired environments and arcade
physics, this enjoyable action-sports title allows novice and advanced
players to enjoy a round without getting into to much technique. Several
bonus mini-games bring even more flavor to the action and an online mode
adds to the fun. It's not the deepest title ever made, which will probably
end up leaving players wanting more, and not in a good way. |
 Space
Ace (Blu-Ray/PS3)
Bringing the classic Laserdisc arcade title to high-definition screens for
the first time, Digital Leisure's latest edition of Space Ace is the
definitive version of this nostalgic title. With an outstanding digital
transfer, you'll be able to appreciate the beauty of Don Bluth and co.'s
animation which has never looked better. The game itself seems to be more
cohesive this time around with better reaction time and a less bumpy feel,
which reflects the advancements between the two titles. It's more complex
command structure and better timing make this a much smoother game, though
there's still some trial and error involved. Space Ace is an entertaining
blast from the past that should appeal to players with fond memories of
the original title. |
 Pro
Evolution Soccer 2008 (Playstation 3)
This is a solid and deep outing for Konami's successful franchise. The
game feels very much like previous installments with a similar set of
controls and techniques that allows veterans to jump right in. There are
some minor gameplay tweaks that help the overall feel of things, but the
changes aren't too significant.. An extensive selection of modes including
cup, tournament and online modes adds some depth to the experience, but
PES 2008's signature mode is the Master League, where you can control
every aspect of your team from trades to training over multiple seasons.
While it's not flawless, PES 2008 offers an authentic and deep soccer
title that should please fans of the series. |
All
original content c. 2008 the-laser.com
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