It’s not often that the phrase ‘cut-and-paste’ can be used to compliment a game’s visuals, but with mind-bending platformer And Yet It Moves this is absolutely the case – the games graphics, you see, are made almost entirely from torn sheets of paper, glued together to construct a game world unlike anything you’ve seen before. That the game-mechanics underneath are equally original makes for an experience that is not only one of the premier games on Nintendo’s WiiWare channel, but also one of the most beguiling titles of recent years. Read the full story »

Like many of Nintendo’s flagship titles, the Metroid series has managed to remain fresh through a number of iterations – from the 8-bit charms of the NES original, via monochrome adventuring on the Gameboy, a full colour refresh on the SNES and a leap into 3D and a first-person perspective with the much loved Prime trilogy – while always retaining the series staples of exploration, shooting, platforming, a haunting atmosphere of isolation and a silent central character in Samus Aran. The announcement that the latest instalment would be a joint venture between Nintendo and Team Ninja (of Ninja Gaiden fame) raised questions as to whether this might mark the end of Metroid as we know it; would the series be taking a sharp turn down previously unexplored alleyways? Now the fruits of this partnership are complete, we can see if Nintendo’s gamble has paid off or if Metroid: Other M marks a series in decline. Read the full story »

Tormented by personal tragedy and filled with an insatiable rage, Shank carves a bloody path in his quest for ultimate vengeance. As Kratos has proved many times, there’s no better way to begin the bloodletting than to arm up with twin blades for some hardcore grunt-slicing action. Shank may have the weapons and stone-cold demeanour to get the initial murdering done, but as the death count rises and the enemies begin to respond, he’ll need the player’s every trick to see him through to success. The over-the-top action of this arcade outing is surprisingly relentless, but is it a cut above the rest or just another case of style over substance? Read the full story »

Continuing our D+BATE series, this week the D+PAD team turn their attention to 3D gaming. Read the full story »

If you’re the sort of person, like this writer, for whom karaoke is an exercise in extreme humiliation when in a public environment, but a quietly transcendent activity in more private confines, then the rise of karaoke videogaming – not to mention plush Japanese-style booths like those found in Lucky Voice – will have come as a godsend. We Sing Encore, the follow-up to last year’s successful We Sing, is the latest console-based interpretation of this most alcohol-dependent of pursuits; it may not have the most radical of approaches, but the job in hand is executed well nonetheless. Read the full story »