Forza Motorsport 4 is a fantastic driving game package. It refines all of the series’ better qualities and, in a lot of ways, is the best game of its kind out there. Its highly configurable nature means that it is both accessible to the layman and familiar to those already accustomed to Forza’s brand of intensive racing simulation. If you’ve already played plenty of its predecessor Forza Motorsport 3 however, this sequel will often feel like treading over old ground, as it doesn’t quite re-invent the wheel or change up its formula too dramatically. Read the full story »

When tackling the task of making a sequel to the blockbuster movie Jurassic Park, director Steven Spielberg and screenwriter David Koepp faced something of a dilemma: “Sure you can do dinosaurs” Koepp was quoted as saying, “but what can you do with them?” In short, the sequel could no longer rely on the ‘Wow!’ factor of the dinosaurs and would have to impress and evolve in other areas to make the endeavour a worthwhile one. Despite the fact that the Uncharted series treads a similar block-busting path, what to do with its own (metaphorical) digital dinosaurs is not something that Naughty Dog has ever seemed to struggled with – though packed with heart-stopping set-pieces, the series’ core has always been in gripping narratives, strong characterisation and tight gameplay mechanics, with the technical showboating very much inhabiting the supporting role. Read the full story »

Insomniac’s pairing of an intrepid Lombax and his robotic companion is one of the few platforming franchises to successfully make the transition to the current generation of consoles. Surrounded by a sea of realistic shooters of both the third and first person varieties, the Ratchet and Clank series has stood out by sheer virtue of offering something different, and doing it very well. The previous game in the series – A Crack in Time – was a high point in the duo’s history, and yet for the follow up sees Insomniac making considerable changes. It’s a risky move, and one that doesn’t fully pay off, leaving Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One as an interesting and enjoyable game that nevertheless feels slightly out if place with its contemporaries. Read the full story »

There comes a point in any videogame genre’s lifetime when innovation begins to falter and titles begin to settle into the comfort of the familiar. For dance games, the last big innovation was Dance Central’s controller-less, full body tracking, a technological advancement that was a fantastic fit for the genre. While the PS3 currently lacks the technology to ape Harmomix’s title, SCEE puts up a spirited effort with Dancestar Party – which is one of the more complete packages on the scene. Read the full story »

It may be difficult to appreciate the significance of Tintin’s big-screen debut, especially if you weren’t brought up on Herge’s classic comics (which were released from 1929 right through to 1983) or even the ace early-90s animation – but Spielberg’s interpretation of the young Belgian reporter is, for a particular demographic, a very big thing indeed. The reaction to The Secret Of The Unicorn has been generally aghast at the perceived liberties taken by Steven and co, alongside misgivings with its use of technology, culminating in one writer claiming that he had left the cinema feeling “as though I had witnessed a rape”. Read the full story »