A Festive Musical Interlude

The graphical debate pops it's head up again!!

Ever since the release of the Wii there has been a debate of graphics vs gameplay. The Wii owners will argue that it's the way you play the game that makes the machine relevant, while the 'next gen' contingent claim that graphics help to suck you into the game.

To some extent I agree with both of these statements, but lately I have been pondering this debate more.

Y'see, Codemasters are the source of my musings. I have always loved Codies right from the C64 days of BMX Simulator and the Dizzy series but I have started to get a little disappointed with them of late. The problem comes with this current gen of machines and in particular their Wii releases. The problem started with Dirt 2. As a big Dirt fan on the 360 I was really looking forward to applying some Wii steering wheel loveliness to the hardcore rallying action. Things looked promising as this is a driving game and Codies do some of the best road based games of recent years. Games like TOCA Touring Cars on the original Playstation, Race Driver on PS2 and Grid on 360 have proved that for high speed thrills you can rely on Codemasters to produce the goods.........until now.

Put simply, Dirt 2 on Wii turned out to be a complete dogs dinner!! Codemasters decided to hand development rights over to Sumo Digital rather than develop in house which didn't exactly go according to plan. Graphically the game was average, and before I hear the cries of "THE WII ISN'T ABOUT GRAPHICS" I agree. The problem is I love using the cockpit view in racing games, I find it the most exciting way to play, so for this game to omit the cockpit view completely is terrible! Just to get this into perspective, TOCA Touring Cars on PS1 managed to have a cockpit view, PS1 FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!! I have also seen what Sumo can do with Outrun 2 on the original XBox, it's gorgeous! This isn't a case of the Wii having less power, this is a case of developers being lazy! All of this may have been forgiven if the motion controls worked but the steering couldn't keep up with the pace of cornering needed in the race. Overall a massive disappointment.

So now Sumo are at it again, this time with a massive F1 license. This game at least ticks most of the boxes, the steering controls are spot on and it has the cockpit view I wanted. It's fairly smooth and chugs along at a blistering pace. So far so good then, but why are the graphics poor again? Luckily this doesn't seem to detract from the gameplay which is the most important thing, but don't devs think that Wii owners are worth the extra effort? I can't help feeling that after all this time some developers have still got the mental attitude of "Wii owners don't care about visuals because they didn't buy a PS3, let's cut the development budget".

From what I've played I love F1 2009 and I'm certainly going to buy it, but by doing so am I condoning lazy visuals? Am I proving them right? Do we deserve great controls, great games and great visuals all at the same time?

Answers on a postcard...............

DSi Speak Channel?

While searching for information for error 206602 kolma found this reference to a dedicated DSi Speak Channel

To redeem a Nintendo DSi Download Ticket number, such as for the Nintendo DSi Speak Channel, enter the number off the Nintendo DSi Download Ticket in "Settings and Features" off of the main Nintendo DSi Shop page, then select "Nintendo DSi Download Ticket."

It's since been deleted but the proof remains in the google cache.

Gameov3r doesn't need a DSi speak channel to communicate his needs. Gameov3r has the Forum.

Professor Layton and Pandora's Box

Spoiler Alert! The video below shows the completed mini-games found in the Professor's Trunk.




If you are still stumped by the formidable challenges then head over to the Gameov3r Forum for some assistance

The Book of Enforcement

Stephen Toulouse, Director of Policy and Enforcement for Xbox LIVE, discussing the development of the systems that Microsoft use to clean up their online service.



A full transcript can be found here.

one blonde, one brunette and?

Order the t-shirt here

Forum Access Issues Update 1

I've tried really hard to wake Gameov3r from his Caffreys induced slumbering to get him on the Freeforums case but so far all I can hear is the pitiful sound of continue? playing draughts in the litter tray. It's fortunate that we changed his diet midway through the week or else he'd only have the dark pieces to play with.

When the doors finally re-open I recommend leaving it a few hours before attempting to enter to allow for the build up of noxious fumes to dissipate.

I'm off to a birthday party (not mine) so I'll check back once I return home. If anyone does manage to jemmy the locks off make sure you have adequate PPE to prevent a recurrence of Tooms' accident after the relocation?


17:35 - the doors seem to be open again.

Forum Access Issues

A quick note for all Gameov3rians who are experiencing difficulties with accessing the forum this morning. The problem is not of our making but is an issue with freeforums. Many other forum admins are reporting an identical SQL ERROR problem on the freeforums support forum. Hopefully it will be swiftly resolved.

Pokemon Power!

Mrsff returned from San Francisco bearing gifts! The only real question is whether I can bring myself to break the seal or whether they will remain purely for decorative reasons. Why not charge over to the Gameov3r Forum to help me decide?

Out of Control!

It hasn't escaped my attention that reviewers these days can't seem to mention a new FPS title without mentioning "Call of Duty" in the same sentence. Don't get me wrong, I love the CoD games and the amount of hours I have clocked up online with these games is frankly obscene, but I think enough is enough.

I've heard a few comments on The Conduit's reviews in the last few weeks and a couple of them mentioning CoD, and having now played the game for myself, I can see that these comparisons are frankly ridiculous. Let's make one thing clear, anyone with half a brain can see that this game was never intended to go up against CoD, in fact I don't think High Voltage could care less about Activision's franchise. Never in Call of Duty have I heard a seductive female voice say "respawn in 3...2...1", there is no Middle East in The Conduit, no sand, no nukes and no marines. This is old school fragging plain and simple, this game almost pays homage to the likes of Quake and Unreal Tournament. I mean, if you're going to compare FPS titles it should be done like for like, would they compare Forza Motorsport to Outrun?? I highly doubt it!

But here's the problem with games on the Wii, if a developer releases a party or 'family' game it gets bad reviews due to it being "yet another party game", however if a developer releases a more serious type of game it gets the "this game isn't right for Wii and is better on PS3 or XBox due to the graphics". You're basically damned if you do and damned if you don't!

Let's cut to the chase, yes The Conduit is linear but then so is CoD, yes the graphics aren't as good as a 360 game but it still looks great so who really cares, yes the storyline isn't exactly original but then neither is a war game set in the Middle East with nukes and an evil dicatator!!!

It's about time reviewers got out of their CoD rut that they seem to be stuck in and see things for the way they really are. The Conduit is old school fragging at it's best, it's time to embrace it not slate it!

Water Warfare

Water Warfare is a different beast to Onslaught. They might both be FPS Wiiware downloads released by Hudson and their controls are very similar, they may even use a great deal of the same code for all I know, but the tactics of the game are very different indeed.

Where to start?

Before you can begin you have to create your own avatar by selecting, gender, hair styles, clothes and facial expressions from the selection on offer and then on to the tutorial levels which are reasonably simple to complete. Learn how to jump (Z), shoot (B), use an item (C), pick up new weapons (B), run around (nunchuk), use the rifle zoom (A) in a safe learning zone before going out into the one player game.

The one player options are mission, where you have to complete set tasks against the clock, or battle royale which can be either a single player deathmatch or a team deathmatch. The reviews I've read suggest that completing the missions unlocks new items for your avatar, a subtle way to brag of your achievements. But all of this is really just a warm up for the main reason you spent 800 Wii Points on this game - the online battles. Compete in either single player deathmatches or team events (CTF or Deathmatch) against random other players or, if you've exchanged friend codes, a room full of your mates. Up to 8 people at any time can play in each of the 4 different arenas and in the few games I played online so far that had up to 6 players the smaller maps can feel quite crowded and frenetic.

Graphically Water Warfare is worlds apart from Onslaught. No grim barren alien biosphere for this game; instead a cutesy playpark and a Delfino Square style harbour area are joined by two others to make up the different play areas. But don't be fooled into thinking this is a shovelware title because of it's appearance. Underneath the childish graphics lies a competent game that rewards the brave and tactically astute and punishes the timid or foolish player. The controls are well executed and the frame rate didn't falter even in the most frantic moments online. If I was being picky then the camera angle is a little too high but not so much that it spoils the game.

The weapons are scattered around the area and you pick them up by pointing your target at them and pressing B. Each one has it's own characteristics from the basic water pistol that you start with through to the water bazooka and sniper rifle. You can even, by finding a second identical weapon to the one that you are using, double up and have two water pistols at the same time! Each weapon has a water gauge that is displayed at the bottom right of the screen. When it is empty you need to find a new weapon or fill up the one you are holding from one of the water sources that are scattered around. Filling your weapon takes time so keep an eye out for other players who might ambush you while you do it! I lost track of the number of times I tried to refill my weapons by shaking the wiimote. At the top of the screen you have a t-shirt that gets wetter when other players squirt you. If it is totally soaked you lose a life and respawn although in most games you are limited to 2 respawns and then when you get soaked the third time you are out.

Here's a video of the game to help you visualise the action



Overall then?

I like this game. It might be cutesy but it's tough because of the way that the weapons are designed. Just like in a real water fight you are constantly thinking about where the next refill will come from as someone bears down on you trying to soak you to the core. Mirroring my performance with Onslaught I've already hit the top 20 ranked players in the country (top 500 in the world) because of the low uptake of this title. I think that many people won't buy into it as they wait for The Conduit to be released which is a shame because this is a lot of fun for £5.60

If you like the look of the game why not come and splash around on the Gameov3r Forum

Icarian:Kindred Spirits

As is often the case when I come to write about games I have a confession to make. I'm rather partial to well designed side on platformers. Oh I've dallied with the 3D and the psuedo 3D but my heart belongs to the side on platformer so when I saw a new wiiware title I thought I'd give it a go. I exchanged 1000 Wii Points for Icarian:Kindred Spirits and began playing.

The story line is your usual mortal falls in love with goddess which is forbidden but in an unexpected change of heart the senior deity allows the goddess to search for her missing beau when he disappears after a crisis affair. Graphically it is a scorched ancient desert replete with columns and pillars, amphorae and viaducts. The soundtrack is atmospheric and also conveys a feeling of Ancient Greece played as it is on instruments such as the harp, santur and duduk.

The game can be played either one player with wiimote and nunchuk or two player where the second player assists the first by taking over control of some of the powers that are accumulated during the levels. The first is the ability to grab and move some objects, the second is to control the paths of wind, I've not yet reached a third ability but I believe that it is some kind of lightning strike. You run, walk, jump and fly through the levels trying to avoid enemies and scenery while solving puzzles that will allow you to progress further. A couple of times I've kicked myself once I've spotted the choice of path (it always seems so obvious once you've solved the puzzle) but on the whole the seasoned gamer won't have too many difficulties in smoothly progressing between restart points.

The controls are good and responsive with a feel and style similar to Lostwinds, another excellent wiiware platform game. The learning curve is well balanced carefully introducing new elements of peril at a steady and manageable pace. The only exception to that has been the 'boss' areas that I've encountered where there is a sharp, but not unmanageable, rise in concentration required.

Spread across the game there are 100 bonus items hidden away for you to collect in devious and sometimes seemingly inaccessible spots. Collecting all of these should add some length to the game which, unfortunately is reported to be very short. Some people are claiming to have completed it in under 3 hours.

For what it is, a £7 wiiware title, I rate this game highly. All of the different components fall into place to give a worthwhile experience which and I will be sad once I've completed it.

Come and share your flights of fantasy on the Gameov3r Forum


UPDATE: News today that due to a trademark issue (Kid Icarus if you're curious) the game will be renamed NyxQuest:Kindred Spirits. Not quite as elegant a title I'm sure you'll agree?

Please......................Wait

Much like Gameov3rs blog posts lately, the Xbox 360 guide has been suffering from some annoying de.......................lays. Usually just a few seconds here and there but enough to be a little annoying at times. To be honest I thought it was just my in.................ternet connection playing up a bit as it's only really been noticeable to me the past month or so. However Major Nelson bought it up in his latest podcast having heard many complaints about precious gaming time being lost due to this very problem. He's assured us that they are doing everything they can to get it sor...........................ted and let you know that it aint just you.

Check out the GAMEOV3R Forum

Fatality

So the new Vidzone for the Playstation3 was released yesterday. It's a free service that allows you to stream what I assume is a large selection of music videos straight to your tv. It's a small download which went without a hitch but lets get back to that assumption above... Logging in to Vidzone presents you with a surprisingly drab grey loading screen which soon became far more exciting with the addition of a FATAL ERROR banner. A mild panic set in. What has happened? What have you done to my PS3? Am I looking at a hefty repair bill all because of some service I was just a little curious about? Smearing peanut butter in to the fan vents can be fatal, as can inserting wafer thin ham into the blu ray drive slot, that's why I'm not participating in these activities at the moment. I'm sat on my sofa with a dualshock in my hands, I thought I was fairly safe.

I calmed down and continued reading. Apparently the service is experiencing a higher than expected level of demand. Short sighted maybe but fatal, no. At worst it's a mild annoyance and a shoddy example of how to launch a new feature. I therefore kindly ask that you chill out a little when writing your error reports, a simple sorry is sometimes enough.

Finish him!! on the GAMEOV3R Forum

Mirror's Edge

Late to the party as usual but if you haven’t played Mirror’s Edge, stop playing whatever you're playing and go and get it now. I don’t care if it was released last November. I need to shout about this game. This game should be played, it should be celebrated and definitely shouldn't be left on the shelf to become an overlooked classic. Let me explain.

I have largely ignored this game since its release. I played the demo and while it did impress I found the controls a little difficult to master so, while I was interested, I didn’t bother buying. I read reviews which were generally very positive, highlighted only a few minor issues and yet I still ignored it. Fallout 3 and Fable 2 amongst others are to blame.

Over the weekend though I decided it was time I played Mirror's Edge and, as the youngsters say in their emails and txts to each other, "OMG!". What an utterly fabulous game. I found myself totally engrossed in Faith's exploits. The gameplay is so fluid that it makes water envious. The Flow, as it’s called in the game, is the way in which you make the main character, Faith, strings together a series of jumps, slides, sprints, wall runs, and massive leaps while maintaining her stride. I had a huge grin on my face when I sped through a level executing a series of moves.

There’s a combat element involved. It isn’t central to the game and so is relatively shallow but it works very well. Hand to hand combat, melee attacks, and FPS style shooting are all present. It isn’t central because it’s possible to play through the entire game without shooting anyone. There’s even an achievement for doing just this. This removes Mirror’s Edge from every other FPS game on the shelves and places it by itself as a bit of a hybrid that contains puzzle, platform, race, fps, and fighting elements. Mirror’s Edge is all the better for it. I thoroughly enjoyed disarming guards and casting their gun away before running off up a wall while I laughed to myself.

I loved the anime style cut scenes and the in game graphics are as unique looking as they are brilliant. The style is something Suda51 would be proud of. The story is good enough to draw you into the world that’s presented and the characters have enough depth that you can take an interest in them.

The story mode is relatively short though there are multiple ways of approaching most levels. There are also plenty of moments when you'll have Faith not moving any of her computer generated muscles while you stare at the tele trying to see where on earth you're supposed to go next. When you do work out a route and execute a perfect selection of moves to achieve that route it's very, very satisfying. I suspect that when I play through Mirror’s Edge again it won’t take many hours at all. But, with the knowledge of the levels comes the speed and fluidity that Mirror's Edge does so very well.

Even if the story is a bit short there's more than just that on offer. The time trials and speed runs add new challenges and again there are many ways to get through the levels. To achieve top ranks will take some time and a mastery of running. These additional modes certainly have that "one more go" factor. An element of gaming that I love. There is also some DLC that I haven’t tried but I’ll probably get at some point now I’ve become a fan.

I don't know whether the controls were improved between the release of the demo and the full game but I had no problems controlling Faith this time. Any time that Faith missed her footing it was entirely my fault and not down to dodgy controls or poor collision detection. Leaping from roof to roof, running along cranes, sliding under pipes etc are all in a day’s work for a Runner and I got pretty good at it pretty quickly thanks to the controls.

The game has a sound track fitting of a AAA blockbuster game and it completes the Mirror's Edge package with a gloss that its name exudes.
This is a truly unique experience. If you have not yet played this game I would urge you, 360 and PS3 owners alike, to drop what you're playing and check this out. You won't regret it.

Plus, if you still need convincing, it's now really cheap to pick up
Xbox360 - £12.99 at dvd.co.uk

PS3 - £12.91 at dvd.co.uk

So .... er .... yea, late to the party. What was released this week? Finger on the pulse as ever eh. So what, if you missed this game and it's a few months old. Just get it. Forget that tempting new Terminator Salvation crap and get something with substance. Thrilling, glossy, substance. For more thrilling glossiness head on over to the Forum AND we still look exactly the same.

Wii Breakfast

With the announcement of the Wii Vitality Sensor erm... thingy at E3, the need to connect random objects to the Wii Remote is reaching fever pitch...



Tell us what you had for breakfast on the GAMEOV3R Forum

The Last Guardian Trailer (Project Trico)

I posted the early Project Trico trailer last month, but this is the first official one shown by Sony at E3. The game now called "The Last Guardian" is a PS3 exclusive release from Team ICO and is the third entry in the series following ICO and Shadow of the Colossus. Looking more detailed than the leaked version with a few extra bits of game play shown. No release date was announced which probably means we still have quite a wait...



Check out the GAMEOV3R Forum

LEGO Rock Band

LEGO and Rock Band... each brilliant fun on their own, but together? I'm still not sure and keep swaying between 'why' and then 'well why the hell not'. I know one thing though. I much prefer this LEGO Rock Band animation to the real trailer at the bottom...





Some say GAMEOV3R could beat a mini fig in a 100m sprint. I don't say anything, but I often wonder if they mean a LEGO figure or just a surprisingly small green fruit? Find out on the GAMEOV3R Forum!

Project Trico

I think my soft spot for Team ICO games just got a little softer. I don't know any other developer that manages to make me feel emotions in a game like they do.

This is apparently very early footage of the game so plenty may change but it certainly looks genuine enough to me. It certainly fits in with what team leader Fumito Ueda had to say about the game recently.

The Japan studio bosses are here so I can’t say anything specific, but it might be something similar to what’s been done. … The essence of the game is rather close to ICO.
- Fumito Ueda, Team ICO, GDC 2009

Check out the GAMEOV3R Forum

Warp Whistle

check out the GAMEOV3R Forum woo hoo!

Multiple Fractures

I recently played through Fracture on the 360 having picked it up for a tenner. It's certainly worth that much and like I do with most games I checked out the achievement list to see what challenges were there for me. A fairly standard list with a smattering of multiplayer ones was the answer. Complete one multiplayer game was one. Hardly an achievement really but why not I thought.

It took a while to find a game which I wasn't that surprised at with the game having been out a while and with multiplayer competing with the likes of Halo and Gears. Eventually a 2 on 2 team deathmatch type affair was begun... soon to become a 2 on 1 team deathmatch with me being the one. I don't blame the guy from dropping out really it wasn't thrilling to be honest. I stuck it out though... achievement unlocked, even though I lost... badly.

Then I spotted that another achievement was to do the above 1500 times. 1500 times?! You can not be serious! I looked around for John McEnroe but like most people on Xbox LIVE he must have been playing something else too. 1500 games of this isn't an achievement it's an endurance test. How on earth did the developers think it would be popular enough for people to reach that one? It left me wondering if anyone actually has this achievement and following on from that, if you do, why?!

Seriously gamers... check out the GAMEOV3R Forum! oops...

Sackboy Confirmation!

Are you one of the 5000? Brag about it on the Gameov3r Forum

Free Sackboy for UK YouTube Subscribers

The official LittleBigPlanet Youtube page is offering a free Sackboy to 5000 UK Youtube users who subscribe to them before the 1st July 2009.

You'll then need to either message them or send an email to: littlebigplanet@scee.net containing your name and address.

LittleBigPlanet UK

UPDATE: Offer is now closed

Check out the GAMEOV3R Forum

Name That PixelJunk 1-4

The PixelJunk games on the PSN have been a brilliant series so far. Inventive ideas mixed with quirky presentation and graphic styles have earned them many fans. The trailer above is the fourth game which looks like a mixture of Eden and Thrust from all those years ago with added water and lava.

At the moment it's nameless and is referred to as PixelJunk 1-4 which is where you come in. Visit their website for the game here and submit your idea to get your name in the credits and an original t-shirt.

Our forum is called The GAMEOV3R Forum... that took us ages to come up with... we're not going to win the competition are we

Opoona: First Thoughts

With my £6 credit from trading in NiGHTS burning a hole in my pocket I grabbed Opoona from the shelf of Blockbuster. Not cheap at £30 but I needed another gaming fix. I've played for a couple of hours and my first impressions of this quirky RPG?

Buy it.

It's strange. The graphics for the characters are very stylised and some of the backgrounds are visually rather pretty. The game world is a mix of science fiction technology and untouched nature. The accompanying music is electro-dancey and sets the mood well, encouraging you to progress at pace. The progression is as you would expect from any RPG .. .. .. a bit of story followed by learning the basics and acquiring new weapons, skills, abilities and friends .. .. .. battles to earn money and experience points. It all gels well together into an enjoyable experience that makes you want to see what will happen next.

The game can be controlled purely by using the nunchuk (a feature that was promoted when the game was first announced) and that's what I've been doing. It took me about 20 mins to become comfortable with the controls but at the moment I think they work really well.

The only negative point for me is that the battles are random battles. I'm not a fan. Apart from that though the battles are really rather fun! Once it starts there is no my turn / your turn .. .. .. it's real time action so quick responses are needed. Use the analogue stick to fire your bonbon at the enemies either underhand or overhand, with slice or fade.. .. .. you choose the strength of shot by the length of time you hold the stick before releasing it. You can add powerups to your bonbon to increase it's effectiveness in defeating the enemies as well as increasing your defense.

The objectives within the game are set by your career options. Each career has a license which you must complete before moving to the next grade, from trainee, through 1*, 2* etc. I'm not far enough in to have begun more than the first career path but I'm assuming, from the room where the new licenses are issued, that there's at least 20 different choices. The tasks that I've completed so far are "survive 10 battles" and "collect 5 eggs", my current assignment is to head somewhere and kill all of the baddies there .. .. .. .. I may be some time.

Throw your bonbons around on the Gameov3r Forum

Bye bye Megaton!

If, like me, you choose to play through Fallout 3 as one of the good guys you probably didn't detonate the bomb in Megaton. Not seeing this game changing event kind of bugged me so once I'd finished the story I went and checked through my game saves to see if I could restart at the opportune moment to press the big red button. As luck would have it I found a save that allowed me to go and blow up Megaton without too much wandering of the wastes.

And so, here for your delectation is the destruction of Megaton. This is followed by a chat with Mr Burke, who I still felt like shooting, and near the end of the video you'll meet an old friend from Megaton. Seeing this old friend could spoil the surprise for you if you're thinking of playing through Fallout 3 again and you're going to take the "destroy Megaton route". I'd suggest you stop the video when Mr Burke leaves the balcony at about 3.05 to avoid any potential spoilers.

Now, before you press play, you may want to grab a pair of Joojanta 2000 peril sensitive sunglasses. You can never be too careful where nuclear bombs are concerned.



Irradiate yourself with a drink over on the GAMEOV3R Forum

Lode Runner Increases in Price

Lode Runner was released on the XBLA yesterday and if you were quick you'd have been able to pick it up for 800 points.

Apparently this was a mistake by Microsoft and today it's gone up to 1200. Also gone is a possible purchase from me and many others by the looks of it...

Link

Priceless... that's the GAMEOV3R Forum

THE ICEMAN1313

I hate it when people disconnect online so either they don't record a loss or just deny you the win. What's even worse is someone that will happily take 7 or 8 wins against you in a row and then when you finally trap them in a position where you can't lose, they disconnect. Ring any bells THE ICEMAN1313? All you can do is add them as an unpreferred player which leaves you feeling unsatisfied.

This is what happened while playing Connect 4 yesterday which I managed to get a free code for. Incidentally it's quite a fun little game with numerous modes of play but certainly way overpriced at the 800 points they're asking for it.

The last time I encountered this was with Rock Band where people would disconnect right near the end of a song if they were losing. I think game makers need to consider this a little more with the steady move to online play and make sure there is some kind of retribution for disconnecting early, otherwise people will just stop playing these games. If you can't bare to lose you shouldn't be playing in the first place.

So then THE ICEMAN1313, named and shamed. Will it make a difference? No, but I feel satisfied :)

Quit reading this and check out the GAMEOV3R Forum

Supermarket Dash

Wakka wakka on the GAMEOV3R Forum

Xbox 360 Extended Warranty Covers E74

I've read several small articles regarding the E74 error that seems to be the new RRoD. I hadn't realised it had become quite such a big deal however with Microsoft now making an official announcement to say that the extended warranty has now been extended... more.

"While the majority of Xbox 360 owners continue to have a great experience with their console, we are aware that a very small percentage of our customers have reported receiving an error that displays "E74" on their screen,"

"After investigating the issue, we have determined that the E74 error message can indicate the general hardware failure that is associated with three flashing red lights error on the console. As a result, we have decided to cover repairs related to the E74 error message under our three-year warranty program for certain general hardware failures that was announced in July 2007."

One article suggested that the announcement only covers the US so far but I haven't been able to find anything on the Microsoft website that states that. I can't really see them treating other countries differently having now acknowledged the problem.

Further details

Click the link to see which error message the GAMEOV3R Forum will give you today...

LEGO Nintendo DSi

You have to give this credit for the level of detail. Just look at the writing on the back and the little screws! Created using 51,324 LEGO pieces... the new Nintendo DSi.



Some say the GAMEOV3R Forum is held together using LEGO...

MKWii Battle Tips

I've been discussing with other forum members how to improve their skills in the Mario Kart Wii battles. Sometimes a picture can express a thousand words far more clearly. Hopefully it will make the regular Monday night session even more exciting than it already is.

Want to burst our bubble? Head over to the Gameov3r Forum

8-BIT Waterslide in REAL LIFE

Got any spare nodes? We need more on the GAMEOV3R Forum

Vote Earth for Earth Hour 2009

Find out more

Check out the GAMEOV3R Forum

Wii Firmware Update 4.0

Finally, after Miyamoto and Reggie hinted at a storage solution around E3 time last year, the expected firmware update has arrived that allows Wii Channels to be stored on an SD card. It integrates well into the existing Wii Menu and once accessed follows a similar format to the data maintenance screens. The new features allow access to channels stored on the SD card, letting you play them without having to copy them first to your Wii memory. Like this



Need help with your storage solutions? Ask us on the Gameov3r Forum

Xi Comes Home

A strange thing happened yesterday... I entered Home on the PS3 and spent maybe 20 minutes actually enjoying what I was doing. I know, hard to believe isn't it? I've never been Homes biggest fan yet I've poked my nose in when updates have become available just to see if it's improving. The Red Bull flying game wasn't bad but was short lived. Then I looked at the Far Cry 2 and more recently the Capcom Resident Evil spaces. Both were disappointing and left me feeling like I was wondering around a small part of the gaming world except with all the fun gaming bits removed. So what happened yesterday?

Xi that's what. Accessed from the main square by walking up to some graffiti on a wall you'll be teleported to a new area called the hub. Once there a voice directs you to do certain things like find three pieces of a torn photo. Once you've done this you're given further instructions to access and complete a puzzle on an online gateway upstairs, perform a certain action in a specific place or research some information on a website, all the while picking up clues to enter words into your holoPAD. Doing this adds either a portion of a picture or for some reason unknown to me, a butterfly to your collection. I'm assuming these activities will be released every few days or so as there are quite a few pieces to collect.

What also makes this new area more welcoming is that it actually has a bit of character sadly lacking elsewhere. A slightly deranged robot called Stapler who gives you additional tasks to perform and even the fact that some of the panels in the corner of the room aren't properly fixed and sit leaning against the wall. It may not be much but it gives the area some personality. For once not everything is perfect.

Whilst very simple it works and finally gives people a reason to come back. So Home is getting interesting... well I'll be damned.

If you really want to feel at home check out the GAMEOV3R Forum

You Sank My Battleship!

I've just seen what's new on the Xbox LIVE Arcade today and I'm deeply disappointed. Why? What's got you so worked up I hear you ask... actually I think these are just the voices in my head but that's probably for another time. It's not so much what's available today it's a pricing issue. Lately XBLA games seem to have been creeping up in price and often I haven't purchased a title purely because I feel it's too expensive. Now I'm not against games coming out at 1200 points or even more if they're offering something that's worth it, which brings me back to today and the arrival of Hasbro Family Game Night. Download the game room for free and then add in the games you actually want for Microsoft points. Perfect, why pay for five games in a pack if you only want to play one? So how many points? Go on have a guess... no really go on, it'll be fun... 400? Try doubling it. Yes 800 each! For Connect 4 or Yahtzee or Battleships?! Scrabble is only available in the US and Canada apparently. Who on earth thought that was reasonable? I mean the price, not that we can't get our Scrabble fix here in the UK.

Looking on Amazon.co.uk I see the game came out in November for the Nintendo Wii containing five games, adding Sorry and Boggle to the list above and now selling for £17.99 (which you could then trade in should you wish). If those five games were all available on the XBLA it would set you back £33.75! Makes the mind Boggle doesn't it? Let me think now... I've got 800 points and the choice is Rez HD or Connect 4, a choice I could make in my sleep! So come on now own up, was this your idea EA? Just admit it so I can lay off the exclamation marks! Bugger, there goes another...

Incidentally did anyone spot the women washing up in the background on the 50's game box while the men play?

C - 4, K - 9, C - 5, it's a hit! on the GAMEOV3R Forum

Video Games Bafta Winners

So the gaming Baftas 2009 were held yesterday and contained a few surprises in and out of the winners list.

Call of Duty 4 picked up three awards for Gameplay, Story and Character and The People's Choice. Professor Layton and Boom Blox picked up awards for Handheld and Casual respectively. Great to see these games getting recognition even if it had to be with the rather ambiguous 'Casual' tag. GTA IV failed to pick up anything despite being nominated in seven categories, as did Fallout 3, my personal favourite game of 2008.

Game of the year went to Super Mario Galaxy.

Some of the big winners you'll note were actually released in late 2007 but were allowed to be included due to a scheduling change.

The full list of winners can be seen here.

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"Kijuju!"

Via the Capcom Blog comes news of the competition of the day.

To promote Resident Evil 5 contestants are encouraged to scour the streets around Trafalgar Square searching for body parts that have been placed in the area. Should your search be successful then head to Westminster Bridge before 11am this morning, hold your recovered body part high in the air and shout "Kijuju!". The Capcom team promise to make themselves known to successful contestants.

Each body part has a value. Arms and legs are worth 2 points, a torso 3 and a head 5. The player who accumulates the most points by 11am wins a trip to Africa. Get searching! You only have 2 hours left .. .. .. .. .. ..

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Shut It Rico! - Killzone 2

Having picked up Killzone 2 on Friday and played it through to completion I'm already looking forward to working through it again on a harder difficulty level and trying it out online properly. The last but one mission where you get to use the Exoskeleton contains some of the best visuals I've ever seen in a game. If you've played the demo and think the graphics are good just wait until you see this.

My one complaint with the game (you knew one was coming didn't you) is why on earth Guerrilla Games thought it would be a good idea to put in such an obnoxious, foul mouthed arse of a character to work along side you called Rico. He takes a much larger part in the second half of the game and I absolutely hated the guy. I'll admit this to you now, at one point in the game it's just you and Rico in a lift. I was so fed up with his behaviour and his over use of the 'F' word that I took the opportunity to shoot him... right in the ear. Now if ever there was a time for him to swear this was it, but no, he relatively calmly (for someone who's just been shot) told me to watch where I was shooting and yes unfortunately he survived it.

Top game then but hurry up with the patch containing the option to duct tape Rico's mouth please!

Mind your language on the GAMEOV3R Forum

Battalion Wars II

A few nights ago I met up with another forum member for some post work online fun with the Wiiware game Onslaught but it was not to be. It felt like the Nintendo server was making horn shapes with its thumbs in its ears and a loud raspberry emanating from its tongue, not allowing us to connect together for a game. Instead we decided, and I can’t remember whether it was Myrrhman or myself who suggested it, that we should try Battalion Wars 2 instead. We’ve played the game many times together across Nintendo’s Wifi but the last time was over a year ago.


BW2 has three different online options – co-op, assault and skirmish – and as we had been looking forward to the cooperative action in Onslaught that is what we chose.
I think the point that I realised just how rusty we both were came as my units got caught in the crossfire between an enemy light tank and helicopter gunship. I have no idea what my team mate was up to but I assume that it was similar to my pitiful experience.

How do I?

aaarrrggghh

NO I don’t want you to attack

erm

I want to control that unit

what’s the right button?

By the third attempt at the mission the old familiarity was back again and we cruised through, attaining an ‘S’ Rank for a perfect 100% score. On then to the next co-op mission and another ‘S’ rank, this time at the first attempt!


Have you ever assumed that you’ve remembered the controls for a game only to realise too late that you haven’t?



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Nintendo Classic Controller PRO

The controller above has appeared on Nintendo's Japanese website and it appears they've been listening to the criticisms leveled at the original Classic Controller.

The main ones being that the analogue sticks have been spaced further apart so your thumbs will no longer meet in the middle and the shoulder buttons have been moved into a more conventional layout. Of course you probably already spotted the added grips dangling at the bottom and that the cable now comes out of the top.

When it's coming isn't clear or whether we'll even get to see it over here.

Control yourself on the GAMEOV3R Forum

GAMEOV3R meets Noby Noby Boy!

So far in this 'game' I've managed to snap myself in two and had to eat my own butt to become one again. I've eaten a person and and a pear and pooped them out as a new person with a fruit for a head. I've contributed over 8000 metres to the length of the GIRL in an effort to reach the moon. At the point of writing her total length stands at just over 81 million metres with the top player having added over half a million of that. What happens when she reaches the moon I have no idea. I also have no idea what I'm playing or why I'm playing it. If all that sounds strange it's because it is, but this virtual playground is fun and compelling in a way I can't explain. And I thought we at GAMEOV3R had warped minds!

There's a great interview with the creator here which makes things a little clearer... only a little though.

Noby Noby Boy is available on the PSN now for not much more than the price of a sandwich. Possibly the very sandwich that makes this game one short of a picnic.

Stretch out on the GAMEOV3R Forum

Onslaught Wii

Onslaught Wii was released on the Virtual Console on the 13th Feb 2009. Being hugely indifferent to the whole FPS genre I wasn’t really bothered about it but I had 1000 Wii Points doing nothing and, with the temptation of 4 player online gaming making the decision easier, so I downloaded it. I've played for a couple of hours now (on easy mode .. .. .. don't laugh!) so my initial reactions to the game are thus:

You are part of a research team stranded on an alien planet when your ship crash lands and your first task is to make your way to a known base. Using the nunchuk to move and the wiimote to point and shoot you make your way through the dingy caverns, punctuated by the bright green of alien slime. From the outset you have a choice of weapons including a rocket launcher which can be selected by each direction on the d-pad so pick your favourite and off you go. The map in the top left of the screen lets you see where the next group of bugs are so you can decide your route from what you haven't already killed. Complete the mission and you then can progress to the next group of missions. Fairly early into the game you can ride a vehicle and inflict twin cannon destruction on the enemy.

I should probably say at this point that I've enjoyed playing the game so far and for £7 it seems like relatively good value to me. I'm going to focus on the negatives as I perceive thm for a while although I have no real idea of the standards that have been set in this genre apart from a 2 week flirtation with MOHH2 (before the frustration of not being able to reliably connect online boiled over).

1. The scenery isn't hugely detailed, is fairly repetitive and the colour palette is limited. This may just be setting the scene for the alien environment or lack of memory to be able to add more detail. It hasn't detracted from my enjoyment though.
2. There are a limited number of enemy types. Each type behaves, as you would expect from a bug, in a pre-defined manner with little deviation. The difficulty comes from the weight of numbers of these things that can, at times, come at you from all angles.
3. Map layout. One level in particular has had my screaming in rage as I can't find the way to get through to the part where I need to be. I've tried going quickly, slowly, searching every possible route but I can't find how to get to the centre of the level (where I need to be). I might be missing something .. .. .. .. on other levels the path you need to take may as well have flashing arrows pointing the route. This might just be my inexperience shining through.

The positives then?
1.If you liked the movie Starship Troupers and wanted, like every Citizen should, to fight the menace of the bugs then this game allows you to do that!
2.The basic controls are smooth and accurate.
3.There are some nice touches included too. If you get too close to a bug when you shoot it you will get splattered with green goo which needs to be wiped off by swiping the nunchuk. Look up and you can see a dark sky with a beautiful starfield.
4. There are a mix of level objectives including 'reach this point' and 'defend this point' so there is some variety of challenge.


Overall .. .. .. .. so far .. .. .. .. I'm still not a convert to FPS but I will be playing this some more.


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Banned and Reborn

The Great Giana Sisters, a Super Mario Bros clone, is getting a new lease of life long after being banned. Not by the fashion police though it's wonder why they didn't step in first.

This year will see an updated version of the game released on the .... wait for it……. W a i t for it! ….. on the Nintendo DS. Nintendo may be going soft in their old age seeing how it was they that had the Giana Sisters removed from the shelves for copyright infringement back in 1988. It’s true that the sisters copied the brothers. Blatantly and gloriously but they didn’t better the NES Mario Bros masterpiece. Nevertheless the sisters were very well received back in their day. Zzap64 reviewed the game and bestowed it with a Gold Medal award and a healthy 96%.

The Great Giana Sisters is well worth checking out if you have a penchant for platformers and have a C64 or a **cough** emulator **cough** handy. With the DS already laden with great platform games it’ll be interesting to see how the sisters do when they're released in June.

Maybe Nintendo really are going soft. Or maybe they want a to see the sisters fail miserably against New Super Mario Bros.

So, in a fight….. would the sisters kick the brothers into a pile of dismembered pixels or would the brothers flatten the sisters? Looking at that mohawk I’d have to say my money is on the girls!

Have a square go on the GAMEOV3R Forum

I've Got You Under My Skin

I've been a bit of a late comer to the Little Big Planet party. Despite it's many 10/10 reviews something didn't sell it to me. I loved the characters but watching the brief trailer that played in game shops around its release it seemed a bit... erm how can I describe it... imprecise? Things being dragged around in a clumsy manner and faltering jumps are some of the things that created a first impression I guess. I put it on my Christmas list anyway with it being available for under £20, it would while away a few hours at the very least over the holidays... and it did. In fact it still is. The apparent clumsiness from watching is all part of the physics that make everything feel completely solid and believable in the game, from cardboard to bricks to material blocks. I think I've regressed back to childhood in wanting to build things out of everyday objects. Emptying moms cupboards to make buildings out of tin cans and cereal packets. The 'clumsiness' just adds to the charm and often results in some of the funniest moments in the game. I'm not saying it can't on occasion be frustrating in particularly tricky sections of a level but change Sackboys expression, tilt the controller to make him wiggle, wave his arms around and just try holding back a smile.

A level based on the achievement in Half-Life 2: Episode 2 where you're asked to carry a garden gnome throughout the entire game...

Gnome Liberation Front (no sound)


It's gotten under my skin even more over time having completed the main story levels and the Metal Gear Solid download pack (Well worth it by the way. The five levels don't take that long to complete but getting the trophies provides a good challenge and the paintinator adds a whole new dimension to the game). I'm now really starting to look at what people have been creating and some of it is truly stunning. Whether they're original creations, based on popular tv shows and games or just incredibly clever use of the creation tools. Speaking of which... check out the Little Big Computer below. Looks simple enough if you don't know the tools available to you but fast forward and just look at the workings!



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Nearly a year old and

It’s been 10 months since Mario Kart Wii was released in Europe and I thought I’d get in a personal early first birthday retrospective. One of the first major titles to hit shelves in Europe before North America there was much comment, much excitement, and much trepidation from the gaming community prior to release. After the success of MKDS, which has just passed 14 million sales, many found it hard to see how Nintendo could improve on the franchise.

I was one of the many that descended on the 24-hour supermarkets to pick up a copy at midnight, driving furiously home so that I could play the game while most gamers were in bed dreaming of red shells. I got home, unpacked my wheel and began to re-learn how to play Mario Kart. Since then it has barely left my Wii.

Many people couldn’t adjust to the updated control scheme. I recall one blogger likening the Wii Wheel to “strapping a biscuit tin to your wiimote”; many complained about a lack of accuracy. Me? I just plugged away at it getting better with every hour of track time.

Then there were, and still are, those who complain “it isn’t fair” or that the game is “a whole lot of luck and very little skill”. These whining voices are from a generation of gamers who want instant gratification, easy wins and no learning curve. They aren’t prepared to accept that their shortcomings as gamers are to blame as it must be the game’s fault.

Then there are those, like myself, who aren’t naturally brilliant but have learned how to play the game; learned the tricks, the techniques that allow us to improve our scores. We’ve played endlessly online (which is by far the best Nintendo online interface) and been beaten by some of the best out there, but always learning and always getting that little bit better.

I’ve set myself the challenge of hitting a ** rating by the end of the month, a step up from my current * rating. So far out of the 5 revisited Grand Prix I have achieved my goal on the first attempt. Only 8 more to go until that second star is mine!

Mario Kart Wii. You have provided me with many laughs, many tears and more than the occasional swear word. Nearly Happy First Birthday to you.

Why not join in the regular races arranged on the Gameov3r FORUM

Sackboy Knitting Pattern

From the response to the home made Sackboy posted on the GAMEOV3R forums it seems everybody wants one. I was aware that one of the knitting magazines (Simply Knitting) printed a pattern to take you through the process but not really being down with the knitting scene I didn't get a copy that month.

This may be old news but I just found out that courtesy of The Sun they've made the pattern available as a free PDF right here.

Print out in hand I'm off to find someone who can knit!

Get knitted on the GAMEOV3R Forum

Super Paper Mario Returns!!!

Well, ok, he doesn't actually return. In fact Mario is nowhere to be seen in any form here in this article. What I do have though is a game thoroughly inspired by Paper Mario and the concept of taking a gaming icon and turning him and his world paper thin. I give you..... Super Paper Snake!!



Show us what you can do with a piece of toilet paper on the GAMEOV3R Forum

Snow Fun!

We've already had a few snow men posted on the forum and this is one sent in to Kotaku from a reader called Anneka. Can you do better?...



Show us what you can do with a load of snow on the GAMEOV3R Forum

Feeling great!

After a long day at the office there’s nothing quite like a massage to relieve the stress from those aching shoulders. Thanks to the XNA Community games a massage is now available straight from your 360 controller!

Rumble Massage is a new community game which will set you back 200 Microsoft points or for an even cheaper thrill .. erm .. I mean for a free taster you could always try the demo. There are various vibration settings to satisfy even the hardcore massage fans including the mind bogglingly named "Epic Mode".

Official description: Shoulders and back getting stiff from 18 hours of straight Gaming? Try Rumble Massage! Put a controller behind your neck and feel the soothing vibrations of the Xbox 360 controller. With the ability to control the rumble intensity and pulse, relaxing after a hard day of gaming has never been easier.
Note that the developer clearly states where you place the controller. Even so this piece of software reminds me of the rumble pants designed to work with REZ. Can’t imagine why I would think that.

Cheap thrills also available HERE

Killzone 2: Living up to the hype?

I haven't really got caught up in all the fuss surrounding Killzone 2. The first one didn't grip me and I kind of felt that there was just too much weight being put onto this new one that it couldn't possibly do anything other than disappoint. Then I watched this...



and then this. It's not original for sure but it certainly looks a hell of a lot of fun!

Now I've gone and added to all the hype check out the GAMEOV3R Forum