Coming only months after the ambitious and much improved 2010 World Cup tie-in, FIFA 11 seems to have taken all that was learnt from that particular effort and tied it into this fully fledged release. Rolling into FIFA 11, you’ll notice none of the lag on menu screens that blighted last year’s smooth finish, and moving into Manager Mode highlights some key differences to the series. Not only is FIFA content with providing, arguably, the most realistic footballing sim on the market (more on that later), but EA Canada have gone much further in bringing the FIFA experience closer aligned to football management sims (Football Manager, for example). ‘Career Mode’ now boasts three different choices of which to delve into; ‘Manager’ (the usual manager mode), ‘Player’ (previous years’ ‘Be a Pro’ mode is now brought streamlined into the main crutch of the game), or ‘Player/Manager’ (an amalgamation of the two). Serving each under the same banner of ‘Career’ is a logical step, but one that has been missing up until now. FIFA 11 might overwhelm new players who just want to start up a game, but for fans of the series there’s no denying that giving the option to play in each of its modes in one place is a nice touch, whereas last year ‘Be a Pro’ felt quite separate to the main game.

Our time in Manager Mode this year was wholly impressive, with a visual overhaul to the face of the news screen; bringing the league table, news articles and latest game information all entwined in one display, whilst the transfer market is now much more active and true-to-life, with contracts having to be settled and rival clubs outbid. We had a problem with how days are simulated through, often being sluggishly slow and protracted, although everything in the build up to the match is otherwise fantastic, building up atmosphere once you enter the stadium with accurately modelled players and a neat presentation. The commentary is just as woeful as it ever has been though; repetition is still a regular occurrence and the commentators will often be rambling on about something that has no relevance to the play.

That play, though, is some of the most fluid, dynamic and dare we say it, realistic, we’ve yet seen. In addition to the general improvements to AI (especially the goalkeeper, who will now react more suitably according to the action), FIFA 11 also marks the start of Personality+, an advanced system that is said to accurately project individual player traits onto the pitch. Sufficient to say, at this point it seems early days and the difference is minimal and barely discernible to you and I. ‘Pro Passing’ also makes its way into the game, requiring you to hold down the pass button depending on how powerful you want the touch to be – removing the magnet-to-metal feel of previous FIFA’s and, actually, results in a more slower (for the better) progression of play; you’ll now have to be more patient in the build up of play to earn success, which we can only applaud.

The system also makes it way into penalties, with a green meter bar having to be stopped in the green in order for shots to maintain their accuracy. How the meter reflects the more tense situations (for example, in the final of a cup) by reducing the amount of green available to the player is also a guaranteed winner in our eyes. Back into the main form of play, players are now much more likely to tussle accurately for the ball, replacing the stinted animations that made the system apparent, in favour of a more physics-based rough and tumble. There are a few bugs that ought to be patched at a later date, such as pop-in issues and long load screens, but this year’s FIFA is one of the most accomplished we’ve seen in some time.

Not urged to stop there, FIFA 11 expands upon its 10 v 10 mode – where 10 players in each team can control a specific position – to where the goalkeeper can now be used. The result is, surprisingly, a well conceived role where the right thumbstick is used for diving and your positioning must be spot on. While it’ll appeal to a more targeted audience, the inclusion is still great, and we can see many 90-minute last-gasp corner’s being taken with the keeper planted firmly in the opposing box.

The last few years have seen the FIFA series come on leaps and bounds. This year is no different, with a welcome update to the visuals and presentation stakes, whilst again, EA have beaten down hurdles to bring gameplay to a delicate balance between realism and fun. The whole package is huge and well worth a purchase, even for those who’ve picked up last year’s. We can’t see where they take it from here, but then we think that every year!

Read on to find out in our report of Sony’s E3 Press Conference 2010.

Taking to the stage backed by three huge screens, Sony’s Jack Tretton ( President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America) was his usual cool, calm and collected self, promising that Sony have a “a lot of action and a lot of great product” to deliver. Emphasising the future proof nature of the PS3, Tretton explained that Sony are looking to be “dazzling and transformative” and that “consumers want all their games, music etc accessible in one device”. That device – unsurprisingly – is the PS3.

It was now Kaz Hirai’s ( Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc) turn to promote Sony two chief tenets – ‘Innovation and Content’, both areas that the company are looking to take to new levels. Sony are the “undisputed leader in 3D”, we were told, and the PLayStation 3 is a “perfect vehicle for 3D distribution” with “35 million 3D-ready PlayStation 3s” already in peoples’ homes. The company was certainly keen to emphasise how serious it is about 3D; in their words, “2010 will be remembered as the year that PlayStation brought authentic 3D to the industry” – a lofty claim indeed.

To back this claim up, Sony revealed a short demo – in 3D for those at the event – of the much anticipated Killzone 3. Guerrilla Games’ Herman Hulst detailed how important an element 3D is in the production of Killzone 3, before a live demonstration of two sections from the game. Set in snow bound, industrial areas and frosty canyons, it was all as loud, dirty and good looking as we’ve come to expect from the series, with the new-fangled jet packs looking like a lot of fun to use. Though we’ve yet to experience the 3D for ourselves, this certainly has the potential to deliver on a pretty spectacular scale to those lucky enough to own a 3D TV. The game is due to launch in February 2011, and will also fully support the PlayStation Move.

The list of games that Sony confirmed will come with full 3D and PlayStation Move support was undoubtedly pretty impressive, including the likes of Motorstorm: Apocalypse, Gran Turismo 5, Mortal Kombat, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, NBA 2K among others. Sony, it seems, are absolutely serious about getting a 3D TV in everyone’s living room, and this was certainly a spirited attempt at convincing early adoptors to part with their cash.

Before moving onto looking at the PlayStation Move in more detail, Tretton noted the 10th Anniversary of the PlayStation 2, which was the “second most played console last year” and one which “continues to provide value”. Luckily for those of us itching to get to the more juicy parts of the presentation, attention was soon shifted to Move.

PlayStation Move:

As a whole, Sony’s PlayStation Move pitch this year was solid, if not particularly mind-blowing. With only a handful of new titles to show, the intention was clearly to cement the technology’s focus on precision, and Sony’s desire for it to bridge the gap between casual and hardcore gamers.

The first new Move title to be shown was Sorcery from developers The Workshop. Clearly aimed at Harry Potter fans, the title focuses on wand-based magic, with wrist-flicks and gestures casting spells. Visually, it looks part-Zelda, part-Fable, and the concepts on show certainly look intriguing.

Also demoed was EA’s Tiger Woods PGA Tour which, we are told, is “no longer about pre-canned animations, but 1-1 movement”. The small, subtle movements that the game looks to facilitate certainly looked impressive. The Move support wil be available via a downloadable update.

Also announced was Heroes On The Move, which looks to be a party game featuring Sony favourites Ratchet, Clank, Sly Cooper, Jake, Daxter and Bentley.

It was at this point that the slightly dry feel of the presentation took a more comical turn, with the arrival of (PlayStation advert star) Kevin Butler. What followed is probably the first videogame-based stand up routine we’ve ever seen, and you know what – it was actually quite funny. “Am I crazy or did I see 100 French acrobats prancing around an arena the other night?” (mocking Microsoft’s recent Cirque du Soleil extravaganza). The PlayStation 3 and Move will enable us all to “box using game characters who have important features likes arms…and necks” we are told, and most significantly, he outwardly declared his – and Sony’s – love of games. This segment worked well, and went a long way to show that you don’t have to give away new consoles to connect with your audience.

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Gamers of a certain age no doubt have fond memories of the After Burner series (memories of grappling with the arcades boisterous joystick or tumbling in the deluxe revolving cabinet…) but the jet-fighter series has only received moderate exposure in recent years (2006 saw the arcade release of After Burner Climax, and Black Falcon hit the PSP in 2007). Outrun Arcade Online showed how well Sega’s arcade classics can be transferred to the home consoles – let’s hope After Burner Climax can achieve the same level of quality. D+PAD will bring you a full review as soon as we can jump into the cockpit!

In the meantime, why not take a look at the trailer here, and peruse the screenshots below?

Amidst the hubbub of a preview event in London organised by Sega, first impressions were good. Granted, terms such as ‘good’ and ‘decent’ hardly get pulses racing and are often indicative of some niggling issues that serve to pull the experience down. Could it be a poor handling of the source material or a simple case of been there, done that? Thankfully neither is a problem here; there’s an impressive level of variety on offer and the intense three-way battles work about as well as you’d hope. Instead, any issues stem from possible inconsistencies in the quality of modes. Where some are sure to become instant favourites due to their adrenaline-pumping, spine-gouging thrills, some fall short of greatness having transitioned from a good idea in theory to a poor one in execution.

Of the three playable classes, the Marine is by far the easiest to get to grips with, making for a good jump-on point for anyone intimidated by the otherwise complex control scheme. You could be forgiven for expecting the humans to put up little resistance against the monstrous hordes, especially given the pasting our guys take in the movies. This time things are a little different as sticking together and working as a team really will pay dividends once the enemies clamber in. Get caught on your own, however, and you’ll likely empty a clip into the air before meeting the business end of a Xenomorph’s extremity. You can pick up weapons littered about the stages and you’ll have access to the trusty radar complete with panic-inducing sound effects. So far, our only complaint is that after years of Modern Warfare, the Marine just doesn’t handle as well as we’re used to, though perhaps such a thing would bestow an unfair advantage on the battlefield.

Survivor is essentially ODST’s Firefight with a Marine taking on increasingly fierce waves of Xenomorphs. In truth this is nothing new to gaming and AVP fails to bring anything fresh to the table. You’ll stand in place, blasting anything in view until succumbing – it’s not much fun, even if it does make you feel like you’re taking part in a hopeless last stand.

Domination is AVP’s answer to Capture the Flag; where two teams must rend flesh from bone, disintegrate, dismember and generally give the opposition a bad time in an attempt to capture their bases. It’s certainly a twist on a multiplayer staple and is likely to give the game legs once players tire of the campaign. Infestation was another of the more successful matches of the night, serving as Rebellion’s take on Halo 3’s Zombie mode. Beginning the round with a randomly chosen Alien, it’s up to the Marines to survive as a team or risk becoming one of the aggressors themselves. As a Marine, this presents the unsettling situation of slowly being outnumbered as your own numbers dwindle, with the resulting species switch generating a feeling of empowerment coupled with an overwhelming sense that you’re now on the winning team.

Taking the reigns of the Xenomorph is an interesting experience once you get to grips with its sheer speed. A light claw attack, a heavy tail whip and a menacing hiss are all available but what makes the gameplay truly unique is the ability to climb a range of surfaces then bound between them. The speed at which you traverse these walls and ceilings can make it disorienting especially when just starting out. To alleviate this problem a simple hold of the trigger buttons will have you drop to the ground, offering time to get your head together or have it removed entirely – a welcome addition either way. Attacking in packs is the key to success and should you get the opportunity for an instant kill, prepare to be treated to some of the most satisfyingly gruesome finishers to date. Performing one of these takes time and seeing as the battle continues to rage around you, opting to play it safe rather than gutting your prey in public will often be the more appropriate strategy.

For us at least, Predator Hunt is a mode with plenty of unrealised potential, where a group of Marines must stand together or risk being picked off by a lone Predator. Unfortunately, most of these matches were spent running around for extensive periods of time, as the designated Predator made its way towards the team in the hopes of picking off a daydreamer. Perhaps the map chosen by the devs failed to showcase this mode’s strengths and it’s certainly possible the atmosphere required just wasn’t present on the busy show floor. In either case the Predator does offer a welcome alternative to controlling the grounded Marine or the close-quarters Alien.

As the Predator, you can fire your shoulder-mounted Plasma Cannon, use devastating blade attacks and select your nifty cloaking device which does exactly as it says on the tin, only revealing your position to the keen-eyed via a telltale shimmer effect. Nimble and unseen, bounding between locations and making use of stealth is key to effectively stalking your prey. It’s all about sneaking up behind a straggler, going in for the kill then taking them out with a bloody finishing move. In a bold design choice to mix things further, the Predator is the only character not to regenerate any health over time, resulting in a mad dash to one of various electrical nodes strategically planted around the maps. These nodes will leave you open to attack if you’ve timed your recharge badly, making tactical thought a must should you wish to become a true master of this legendary hunter.

We can confidently predict that AVP will make for a fine distraction between high profile games this February. The graphics are solid – if sometimes too dark – and boast impressive animations, lighting effects and character models which succeed in evoking memories of the classic films. There are some concerns as to whether it’ll hold its own amongst some of the more hotly anticipated titles this year, though it could very well prove us wrong with a strong campaign and online community. After all, having sat through both appalling Hollywood attempts and suffered a monumental wait for our next AVP fix – we’ve earned it. Check back soon for our full review.

Reeves leaves Sony after fourteen years, where he was first responsible for managing the regional offices of SCEE in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In 2003 Reeves was appointed President and COO of SCEE, before being appointed CEO two years later.

“David’s contribution in firmly establishing the PlayStation brand and expanding the business in Europe/PAL territories in his 14 year tenure at SCEE is immeasurable,” said Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to David for the many accomplishments he made to the PlayStation business and wish him the best luck in his future endeavours.”

“It has been a wonderful ride with PlayStation,” said David Reeves. “I never got to visit all 106 countries but managed 66. I have just two things to say on leaving: I want to thank all of those people who have supported SCEE and me personally in the past 14 years; you have been magnificent! Secondly, I am going to spend my time now trying to repay society for all I have taken from it. If your children are having physics lessons at the local school or wondering why their ski instructor is very elderly, your car mechanic has a bad back, or the social worker keeps bringing you PSP games, then it could just be me! Good luck to everybody at SCEE and everybody who continues to support us.”

Andrew House, Sony Corporation’s Chief Marketing Officer, will take Reeves’ place as SCEE President as of May 1st.

There’s nothing more aggravating than fancying a quick game of SingStar and having to face ten minutes of untangling cables, only to find that the wire doesn’t stretch back to your favourite armchair. The situation’s made considerably worse when you’re under the influence which, if you’re anything like us, you will be when dabbling with SingStar.

Enter SingStar’s new wireless microphones which launched across PAL territories late last month, offering a solution to all your cable-cluttered problems. But with a recommended retail price of £34.99, is a wire-free setup entirely worth it?

SETUP >>

Titled Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier, the game picks up from where the original trilogy left off, with Jak and furry friend Daxter teaming up with Kiera on her quest to become a Sage and save their world from the threat of darkness.

As well as the series’ usual on-foot platforming, the game will also include five different aircraft allowing players to blast airborne enemies and battle sky pirates with your powerful Gunstaff – a brand-new weapon that can transform into other new weapons.

The Lost Frontier is currently being developed by High Impact Games, the team that previously developed Secret Agent Clank.

Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier releases this Autumn, and just in case you were wondering, this isn’t an April Fools joke. Check out the first screens below.

View Photo Album

Speaking on his Twitter, Boyd said,

“Hold tight for the Call of Duty: WaW Map Pack, it’s coming later today…800 MS Points.”

Map Pack 1 includes three new multiplayer maps and one extra map for the bonus mode ‘Nazi Zombies’, details of which can be found here.

A price for the maps on PSN has not yet been confirmed.

UPDATE: Map Pack 1 is now available to download from the Xbox.com Live Marketplace.

In Major Nelson’s latest podcast, Kramer said:

“Capcom’s kind of on a 30 year high right now, it’s a pretty amazing place to be. Between everything we’ve got going right now, between the launch of Street Fighter IV and Resident Evil 5, and our big titles for next year, Lost Planet 2 and Dead Rising 2.”

So there you go, hopes for a Christmas zombie-bash dashed.

And if you didn’t know that Dead Rising 2 was even in development, which rock have you been living under? Check out the first skull-cracking shots and trailer here.

UPDATE: Kramer has reportedly told Joystiq that he was talking about the next fiscal year, which begins on April 1 2009 and runs until March 31 2010. So they might be out in 2009 after all.

MotorStorm Arctic Edge sees the music, the festival and the brutal off-road racing arrive in the breathtaking yet lethal and unpredictable setting of Alaska. With temperatures plummeting, sudden avalanches, broken ice bridges, and three different racing altitudes, this is possibly the most inhospitable environment the MotorStormers have ever had to deal with. With grip at a premium, and in addition to the six existing classes from the original MotorStorm, two new vehicles have been introduced to combat the ice, the cold and the snow – the Snowcat and the Snow Machine. One has the power and size to blast through packed snow, whilst the other has the grip and pace to combat most of what the sub-zero conditions can throw at it.

MotorStorm Arctic Edge is great for single player action, online multiplayer or playing with friends; two to eight players can compete against each other wirelessly via Ad Hoc Mode on PSP. Alternatively, you can also compete via online multiplayer using Infrastructure Mode on PSP to make it to the summit of the online global leaderboards.

A further new introduction to the MotorStorm festival is personalisation of your vehicle class. Each vehicle in the game has a selection of different parts – for example wheels, exhausts, spoilers – liveries and stickers to choose from. Players can also create their own liveries from a set of base patterns and decals.

MotorStorm Arctic Edge releases later this year and you can check out the first trailer over at ThreeSpeech.

But just in case that wasn’t good enough, Activision’s signed up Motörhead vocalist and bassist, Lemmy, to star alongside Lars, James, Kirk and Robert.

Lemmy says, “It’s great to be in Guitar Hero with all these famous people and I’m really pleased to be in it with Metallica…but James is still taller than me.” One day Lemmy, one day…

And just in case you’re not a fan of Metallica (if that’s even possible), Guitar Hero Metallica will also feature tracks from Alice In Chains, Bob Seger, Foo Fighters, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Queen.

Check out the latest screens below showing the band in action. Game’s out this spring.

View Photo Album

Roy Meredith of Championship Manager said: “If you love your stats, news, trivia and discussions, you will not find a more comprehensive football website anywhere.

“Championship Manager is a game for all fans of football who want to delve deeply into the sport and our website is an extension of that and much more. The insights from members of the Football Council will be fascinating and the analysis you can draw from the site’s data makes the website a genuine homeland for all fans of the beautiful game.”

Of course, the people’s favourite footy manager sim in recent years has been Football Manager, which recently launched its online variant. Thing is, the 01/02 edition of Championship Manager was actually made by Sports Interactive, who then went on to make Football Manager, which means it’s probably worth a go. Confused yet?

Anyway, if you fancy yourself as a bit of a giant killer but aren’t too fussed about shelling out for the latest version, head over to the CM site and get yourself registered. Once you’ve done that, click this link and you’ll be able to download CM 01/02 for free.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REVIEW >>
THIS REVIEW WILL ALSO FEATURE IN ISSUE 10 OF D+PAD MAGAZINE

Click the links below and you’ll be whisked away to D+PAD TV where they’re all currently showing. You’ll want to check out that Ghostbusters trailer in particular – looks like it’s shaping up to be something rather special…

Ghostbusters
Ready 2 Rumble Revolution
Afro Samurai
Heroes Over Europe
The Witcher: Rise of the White Wolf
RacePro
Eternal Sonata PS3
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm
My Horse & Me 2
The Chase
Sam & Max Season 2
Codename Panzers: Cold War
EVE Online
Q3
Demigod