Watch Dogs : Review

Set in Chicago, where a central network of computers connects everyone and everything, Watch_Dogs explores the impact of technology within our society. Using the city as your weapon, you will embark on a personal mission to inflict your own brand of justice.

Chicago's overarching network is known as the Central Operating System (ctOS), and it controls almost all of the city's technology and information - including key data on all of the city's residents.

You play as Aiden Pearce, a brilliant hacker and former thug, whose criminal past led to a violent family tragedy. While seeking justice for those events, you'll monitor and hack those around you by manipulating the ctOS from the palm of your hand. You'll access omnipresent security cameras, download personal information to locate a target, control traffic lights and public transportation to stop the enemy... and more.

Aiden Pearce

You are Aiden Pearce, a man shaped by violence and obsessed with surveillance, who monitors his family 24/7 in secret to protect them from something that happened in the past. Unfortunately, his family will get endangered once again.

Pushed to his limits, he will take justice into his own hands and confront a corrupt system using every weapon available to him. Aiden will become a modern Vigilante Hero – not a hero from the 70's with a cape, but a real human being that will deal with all the repercussions of his actions.

ctOS

The ctOS is an efficient system linking all the city's infrastructure and public security installations to one centralized hub. This system focuses on traffic efficiency, eco-development, tele-communications, and crime control throughout Chicago. It has brought notable benefits to citizens, including shorter commutes, lowered crime rates, a cleaner city, and much more.

Chicago

Watch_Dogs takes place in a contemporary Chicago that's been enhanced and transformed by the ctOS. In this version of Chicago, everything is connected. Banks, security systems, communication hubs, and even the city's basic infrastructure operate via the this connected network. The ctOS provides a new take on one of the world's great cities, and it's this omniscient setting that serves as the backdrop for Aiden's story.

Read More

Batman: Arkham City - Review

Batman: Arkham City is the superhero sequel to what many believe to be the best Batman game of all time. Going some better than Arkham Asylum, developer Rocksteady Games has crafted a sequel that somehow manages to top it. Stephen Ebert visits Gotham to check out potentially the best superhero game ever.

Where its predecessor Batman: Arkham Asylum had the Dark Knight fighting criminals within the tight confines of a prison, Arkham City gives players full freedom of a city turned home to no-gooders. In doing so, Rocksteady has equipped players to live out the life of a superhero in a way few such games do. In Batman: Arkham City, you really do become the bat.

Following on from the past events of Batman: Arkham Asylum, the neighbourhood around the Asylum has been transformed into a most macabre maximum-security prison that doubles up as the backdrop to the events of Batman: Arkham City. Left to their own deplorable devices, violent turf wars routinely break out between gangs headed up by some of Batman’s most vile, recognizable foes (most of which we won’t spoil here).

The good

Even without laying a finger on a control pad – Batman: Arkham City looks like a Batman game should. Rocksteady has clearly been taking tips from the Tim Burton-directed Batman movies of old. Settings are delightfully grim. The dark alleyways, menacing and the architecture, typically Gotham-like. It’s the Batman look spot-on. Players will find masses of it to explore. And no more does the player feel like Batman more than when grappling from building to building, before perching on the edge of a high-rise and gliding down, wings spread out before landing two size 10s in the faces of Gotham’s thugs.

Even from the beginning, players will already find themselves equipped with Batman’s tools of the trade. It’s as if Alfred knew the player was coming. By putting the bulk of Batman’s weapons at his disposal from the beginning – it’s easy for players to instantly feel at one with the bat. You’re a deadly superhero from the start.

But there’s still plenty to look forward to. Killing more of the cities baddies will earn XP, to unlock special combos, upgrades to gadgets and moves such as the Bat Swarm that sends a flurry of bats swirling around enemies, disorienting them whist you lay down the law. Batman: Arkham City only gets better.

Combat remains slick, and not too dissimilar to that of Arkham Asylum, with an emphasis on picking of enemies one by one wherever possible when sneaking around like in the movies. The basic punches and Batarang moves are still there, but so are new actions, and counters. Players can get away with tapping a button on the pad, but the real joy comes when stringing together perfect combos, many of which can be learned in the way mentioned above. Even without them, airborne take-downs, grappling enemy guns off them before battering them, and plenty more besides makes playing as Batman feel as it should.

We’ll say little of the campaign to avoid spoilers, but we will say that Batman fans are in for one heck of a thrilling treat. Batman: Arkham City improves on the original so much so that the experience is one of being physically transported into Gotham. Familiar baddies make an appearance. You’ll see The Penguin, Two Face and The Joker to begin with. Of course there are others – you’ll just have to find out who.

And when you’re finished with the main campaign, there are scores of side missions, which players are feel to explore at any time. A nearby phone box might call, or someone may scream for help asking for assistance. Riddler trophies are on hand once again, scattered throughout the city waiting to be scooped up with open arms. Some are easy to attain, while other require puzzles to be solved. Batman: Arkham City will have players playing long after the campaign is over.

The bad

Rocksteady’s vision of Batman is such that there’s are few negatives to consider. However, a lack of tutorial-based help when it comes to learning the early ropes of Batman’s combat repertoire is likely to leave those new to the franchise a tad left out. Although by the time you’ve beaten your first enemy to a pulp, the initial confusion soon fades. But even so, there’s very little to seriously nit-pick over.

The bottom line

Batman: Arkham City is the best Batman game ever. Rocksteady loves making Batman games, and it shows. The British developer has taken everything its learned from the original, and refined it to deliver a title worthy of superhero status.

Batman: Arkham City is out in stores now for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3

Read More

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 - Review

Call of Duty is unquestionably the biggest home console game franchise on the face of the planet. Each instalment breaks fresh records and destroys challengers such as EA’s Medal of Honor in terms of earnings. Of course, as we all know, popularity and overall quality sometimes don’t go hand-in-hand, and sooner or later Activision’s monstrous cash cow is going to come a cropper. Is that time now? Grab your rifle, soldier – we’re sallying forth to find out.

The good

Considering the millions of dollars of development budget thrown at Call of Duty each year, the end product is bound to look a bit special. But Black Ops 2 is a particularly stunning game. The visuals are almost peerless on home consoles, with detailed characters, complex and realistic environments and a surprisingly smooth frame rate. Facial animation is also unnervingly impressive – not quite as uncanny as it was in LA Noire, but damn close.

Once you get over the eye candy, what you’re left with is a game that’s equally strong for solo soldiers or in multiplayer. Single-player mode retains the brevity of previous instalments – you can finish it in a day if you’re dedicated enough – but the addition of branching pathways and alternate endings means you could finish it several times over without seeing everything. The engaging storyline – which skips skillfully from the 1980s to 2025 – keeps you interested during repeat playthroughs, and the addition of cool futuristic weapons makes this feel fresh against its series stablemates.

Of course, most seasoned Call of Duty veterans will immediately head for the online mode, which is a solid advancement of what has gone before. The all-new ‘Pick 10’ mode is a novel way of dealing with the age-old character class question; instead of forcing you to pick a class and therefore a set load-out, you can select 10 different items to customise your avatar, and ultimately your combat experience.

Once again, Treyarch has worked wonders with the multiplayer map designs, with really varied layout and scenery. None of the levels feature any unstoppable ambush points, yet they’re logical enough to commit to memory after a few hours’ play. Sadly, neither Activision nor Treyarch can conjure up any solution for the hordes of irritating, potty-mouthed teenagers you encounter online. But that’s just part-and-parcel of multiplayer shooters these days.

The bad

Despite its futuristic backdrop, kinetic script and amazing polish, Black Ops 2 is still quite a conventional shooter at heart. The core principles remain in place; you move from one part of the map to the other and trigger set-pieces at various points. It’s painfully clear that you’re not engaged in a multi-faceted conflict which encompasses thousands of soldiers – simply speaking, you’re the only person on the battlefield that matters. The game flows through you and only moves forward when you hit predetermined points on the map or achieve a certain objective; stand in one place and everything grinds to a standstill. To be fair, it’s an issue which impacts pretty much every FPS that alludes to create a cinematic experience, but it seems particularly apparent here.

Indeed, during the single-player portion of the game the need to constantly hit scripted points quickly becomes tiresome – especially when the game’s own structure begins to break down as you play. In an early mission you’re tasked with avoiding the attention of some guards by skulking through some tall grass, following an AI-controlled ally as closely as possible. The first time we attempted the mission, our friendly buddy walked us right up to a waiting enemy soldier, who was presumably in the wrong place during the scripted sequence. He sounded the alarm and we had to restart – annoying, to say the least.

There are similar examples in the game which almost border on being trial and error; you do exactly as you’re told but fail the first few times, forcing you to cook up another solution to get around the poor signposting. It really gets in the way of the storyline.

While the multiplayer mode is almost beyond rebuke, the frankly needless Zombie mode has completely outstayed its welcome. Introduced a few years back, it has become a hallmark of the Call of Duty franchise, despite the fact that the joke has worn thin and it’s now little more than window-dressing. It’s time for Activison – and the industry as a whole – to shelve its obsession with adding the undead to games which blatantly don’t need them.

The bottom line

For all of its faults, Black Ops 2 remains a solid piece of entertainment. The clever time-switching single-player mode feels surprisingly fresh and new when compared to the overwrought terrorist-bashing of the Modern Warfare sub-series. It also lets the developers have a bit of fun with all the crazy new weapons they’ve dreamt up. The multiplayer mode is robust and entertaining, and devoted fans will love it.

We’re sure that Call of Duty’s reign at the top will come to an end some day, but when the entries are as refined and bombastic as this, it’s hard to see it happening anytime soon. It’s unquestionably dumb and lacks subtlety, but Black Ops 2 delivers.

Read More

Call of Duty: Ghosts - Review

Call of Duty: Ghosts, otherwise known as ‘Yep, it’s that time again’, is here.The best-selling first-person shooter series of all time, Activision’s Call of Duty is a video game blockbuster in every sense of the word, offering staggering production values, intense action and a Hollywood-style storyline. The franchise has enjoyed commercially-successful yearly updates for quite some time now, but with the next-generation looming and EA’s Battlefield 4 breathing down its neck, can it perform the same trick again this year? Suit up, solder – we’re going in.

The good

While EA’s Battlefield concerns itself with modern-era military actions, Call of Duty isn’t afraid to dip its toe into the future every now and then. Ghosts’ opening level sees you taking control of a soldier in space who has to defend an orbital laser cannon when it comes under attack by the villainous Federation (think Cold War Russia, but based in South America instead). This opening mission is pure Call of Duty; it’s epic, awe-inspiring and sets up the dramatic storyline perfectly.

From that point onwards, you’re very much the underdog. America is in ruins and it’s up to you to take the fight to the invading Federation. When your back is against the wall you’ll take any help you can get, and in Ghosts, that includes the four-legged variety. Much has been made of Riley – the first combat dog to feature in the series – and his addition does genuinely add to the gameplay. Although his involvement is largely scripted, it’s nevertheless enjoyable to see him leap onto an enemy during a gunfight and turn the tide in your favour.

Outside of the single-player campaign, Ghosts has the usual multiplayer options. It’s here that you’ll probably spend most of your time, thanks to the streamlined matchmaking services and large selection of maps. Activision smartly hasn’t tampered with the controls – it nailed them long ago.

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag review

The bad

Despite the bluster and massive explosions, this year’s Call of Duty outing has a tired feel to it. Perhaps it’s the strain of having to perform the same trick year-in, year-out, but Ghosts feels like it’s lacking in new ideas. The solo campaign – despite its promising opening and the introduction of Riley – is one of the most tepid the series has seen so far. Visually, the game suffers from the same issues which plagued Battlefield 4 – the engine is clearly built with the next-gen in mind, and as a result the current generation offerings end up looking a bit rough in places.

Multiplayer isn’t as captivating as we’d like, either – largely because we’ve recently experienced Battlefield 4, with its deformable maps and fleets of tanks and other vehicles. Online has always been Call of Duty’s jewel in the crown, but this year it feels decidedly tired and lifeless compared to the excitement of EA’s challenger.

The bottom line

Call of Duty had it coming – there’s no realistic way that Activision could maintain the same degree of quality with each yearly update. What we have here is a decent-looking game which gets the pulse racing occasionally and sometimes impresses with its storytelling, but for the vast majority of the game you’ll be wondering exactly what has changed for the better since last year. The answer is very little – in fact, Ghosts feels second-rate when compared to last year’s Black Ops 2. As the next generation looms over us, it’s time for franchises like Call of Duty to reinvent themselves, or they run the risk of becoming totally irrelevant.

Read More

Battlefield 4 - Review

Just as FIFA and Pro Evo Soccer battle it out for the title of best football video game, EA’s Battlefield and Activision’s Call of Duty have now fallen into the habit of competing with each other to be considered the best military FPS entry. This year, the stakes are higher than ever as Battlefield brings its Frostbite 3 engine to the table, while the emergence of next-gen systems lends these sequels increased significance. However, many people will be playing Battlefield 4 on their 360 and PS3, which begs the question: how good can the game be when the developer’s vision is being held back by aging hardware? Let’s find out.

The good

Battlefield 4 seeks to improve on every element of the game, from the single-player campaign mode to the online element which has made the series so popular over the years. Going solo means you’ll get to enjoy a typically tense romp through various international locations as Tombstone Squad attempts to avert a global war. Packed with set-pieces and boasting some entertaining shoot-outs, the campaign is much improved over the one that shipped with Battlefield 3.

However, as any seasoned Battlefield fan will tell you, it’s the online portion which really gets the pulse racing. There’s the usual selection of deathmatch modes to enjoy, but developerDICE has gone the extra mile with new features. The most notable is “Levolution”, which involves dramatically altering the map to change the pace of the battle. The first time you see an entire building collapse or a damn explode is sure to cause your jaw to drop, but it’s the way in which these events alter the way the map feels and plays which is the most impressive thing.

Commander Mode – which returns from the original PC-based versions of Battlefield – is another innovation. You can control and influence the turn of battle using a tablet device, calling in airstrikes and assisting your troops. It’s even possible to play this mode when you’re away from your console, bringing a new dimension to the concept of “second screen” gaming.

The bad

Battlefield 4 is a visually appealing game and the massive online battles are truly impressive, but it’s clear that the Frostbite 3 game engine has been designed with the next-gen in mind. There are times when the visuals look slightly rough and muddled, and some of the environmental detail is lacking. It shouldn’t really come as a shock to learn that a PS3 game released more than half a decade since the console’s launch looks a bit rough around the edges, but we’ve seen some amazing current-gen titles lately and Battlefield 4 isn’t quite as polished as we’d like.

The bottom line

With some critics suggesting that Call of Duty is past its best, 2013 is the year where Battlefield has the most to prove. To a certain extent, it does that – the game engine is impressive and the online mode is simply breathtaking. You won’t find a more exciting FPSexperience on any console, with massive pitched battles, destructible locations and loads of cool vehicles to drive around in.

It’s just a shame that Battlefield 4 on current-gen feels like a second-rate experience, but that’s the price you pay for being able to play it on a console that isn’t the Xbox One or PS4. It may be a less impressive version, but it’s still worthy of your attention all the same – especially if you’re looking for top-notch online play.

Read More

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag - Review

Ubisoft’s historical action series has investigated the Crusades, romped through renaissance Italy and trudged the blood-soaked battlefields of the American Revolution, but its latest outing is possibly the most unique yet. Instead of stalking the shadows, you’re tasked with captaining a pirate galleon on a quest which is initially driven by a desire for personal gain, but ends with world-shattering consequences. Does the Assassin’s Creed series still have enough ideas to make this journey worthwhile, or is this yearly cycle having a telling effect? We hope you’ve polished your cutlass and re-coppered your hull, because we’re about to set sail and find out.

The good

One of Black Flag’s most impressives facets is its setting. Cast in the role of bloodthirsty and greedy pirate Edward Kenway, you start the game a million miles away from the honour-bound heroes of previous instalments. Kenway becomes an assassin entirely by accident, and starts the adventure with nothing but gold and booty on his mind.

Once you get your hands on a ship, the game world opens up alluringly before you; you can sail anywhere, explore any island and generally perform all kinds of pirate-style deeds against passing ships. Transitioning between on-foot combat and ship-based battles is near-seamless, and you feel in control at all times. We witnessed massive contests between ships of war in Assassin’s Creed III, but in Black Flag they’re even more gripping.

Fans of the original Assassin’s Creed titles will be pleased to learn that although this nautical sequel brings a lot of fresh ideas to the table, much has remained the same. You can still skulk through the shadows and take down enemies one by one, proving that stealth is still a bit part of the game’s appeal. However, the more open environments allow for a greater variety of tactics; you can achieve some of the game’s objectives without harming a soul.

It’s also worth mentioning how amazing Black Flag looks, even on current-gen hardware. With the PS4 and Xbox One just around the corner, it’s amazing to think that the existing consoles are now coming to the end of their extended lifespans, yet can produce visuals as amazing as these.

The bad

When you’re creating a world as large and detailed as the one seen in Black Flag, it’s almost inevitable that some issues are going to arise. Previous Assassin’s Creed games have been subject to game-breaking bugs and this is no different; there are a few moments where the game simply falls over – usually when you’re attempting to safely anchor your ship before heading to land – a victim of its own incredible scope.

It’s also worth noting that the different styles of gameplay don’t necessary meld as well as you might expect; the bluster of the naval battles feels curiously at odds with the softly-softly approach required when performing close-quarters combat. The rooftop-running that has become the hallmark of the series since it was conceived also feels curiously out of place at times; the towns in Black Flag lack the grand scale of those seen in Assassin’s Creed 1 and 2, and therefore there’s less incentive to scale tall buildings to appreciate the view.

The bottom line

After Assassin’s Creed III, many critics fully expected the series to fall into a pattern of safe sequels which added little to the core experience, but thankfully Black Flag – despite coming just twelve months after its prequel – avoids this issue. It’s packed with new ideas and exciting locations to explore, and feels different enough from what has gone before to be labelled innovative.

From a technical perspective, it’s awe-inspiring, and once again suggests that the forthcoming upgrade to new console hardware could be slightly premature. Like the swarthy pirates it showcases, Black Flag possesses a relentless and dogged character, and will captivate you for many hours.

Read More