What Did You Play This Week?

Wow, where did that week go? I didn't end up playing much this week. One game I forgot to mention playing last week is Football Manager 2012.

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales – DS

as I revealed last week i'm currently renting this game. I didn't get too much further in the game, completing a couple of extra books. I'm currently a bit stuck on one of the mini-games, its annoying as it really does take you out of the experience. There have been a couple of mini-games that i've found difficult, but this is the first i've left and moved on from. I don't know if i'll be able to continue the game or have to go back to unlock more things.

Football Manager 2012 - PC

I got this game via Steam when it first came out. Until then, I had previously been playing Football Manager 2012. when I play a new Football Manager I start off with FC Bayern Munich, I find they have a solid squad and let me experiment with new plays and get used to the game without being sacked quickly. I'm a few years in into my game and enjoying it. It took sometime adjusting to 2012 after playing 2010, and that's one of the reasons why i've taken my time and not got more years in.

Eufloria – PS3

I had played the demo for this game a while back. I enjoyed it but didn't end up getting it. Now the game is on sale on the PSN I jumped at the chance to buy it. I've done the first 10 of so levels, including the tutorial, and i'm really enjoying myself. Graphically, the artsyle is simple and effective. Its clear what everything is and it looks great on TV. The music is also simple and effective, though I personally think it may repeat itself just a bit too much. Initially the controls may seem a bit complicated, but after the tutorial it becomes clear how simple it is to control.

The idea is simple, you are a type of flower and you have to colonise other barren spaces. Each space has its own properties, its these properties that determine your flowers. More speed is more streamlined, more power is more robust. Some lands have other flowers on them. Its then up to you to defeat them and colonise. As you play there are “Artefacts” to collect. These slightly change the music as you play. Some games just take a few minutes but some can last 30 minutes, but the key part so far is that if you get a stalemate your able to change your tactics. If this sounds the least bit interesting, I highly recommend playing the demo for the game.

What Did You Play This Week?

Yep this feature is returning. Its been more than a while since I last did one of these (it was called What Have You Played This Week). I didn't play many games this week but I got a few hours in.

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales – DS

This is the game i'm currently renting. I honestly can't remember why this, and the Wii version, are on my rent list, but its surprisingly good fun. It may sound like a kids game and honestly it is a pretty casual game. Its a bit hard to describe what happens. Its a Final Fantasy World of sorts, there are crystals, a Cid, and Chocobo's. The game revolves around magical books, you have to go into them and complete mini games. These games are simple but competitive and completing them gives you either a Chocobo card, a Battle Card, or a change to the world.

So far i'm around 9 hours in and enjoying it. There have been a couple of times when I have gotten stuck. Thankfully the game has a smart way to point you in the direction. If the characters conversation isn't enough, as a Chocobo you can eat stuff like apples and when you do you get a moment of inspiration which helps point you in the right direction whilst not taking you out of the game.

The game mixes up the gameplay from competitive mini-games to simple competitive card battles, with some exploring as well. As well as finding and completing books, there are cards to find throughout the game, either on the ground or by completing mini-games or by talking to characters. You can use these cards to create a deck to use in battles. There are 120 to find and i've got around 50 of them.

The game looks good considering how old it is. The beginning, when you start the game, is cute and fun, and the overall approach is simple, colourful, and fun. The music is staple Final Fantasy music with a simple, bouncy twist. The game looks like the Final Fantasy III and IV remakes on the DS. Most of the game is controlled by the touch panel, with the top screen mostly used to show the map.

RAGE – PS3

I didn't expect too much from the game but I bought it for cheap. I have only played a couple of hours but i'm pretty disappointed. The graphics are the main issue on the PS3. There is pop in everywhere. When your not moving and looking in one direction the game looks really good, but as soon as you move graphic detail pops in. not only is it distracting its disappointing. I've heard a lot about how good the game looks but I'm not prepared to wait and put my game on hold. Another issue i've had so far is controls. I've played a few shooters before but its taken me a while to get used to the controls of this game. The aiming seems sluggish and off, which doesn’t help when the early enemies bounce all over the place. But again i'm only a few hours in.

Super Mario 3D Land – 3DS

I only just got this game, a long story, and you know what...its great. Its very pick up and go, the levels are short, varied, and well designed. The game looks great and makes good use of the 3D screen and tech. I've only completed the first world so far but already i'm happy in saying that this is a must own game for a 3DS Owner. Expect more impressions as I progress through the game.

What Have You Played This Week?

As those who follow the site know, i've been pretty busy at work. What also didn't help was being pretty ill on Saturday and getting in no gaming whatsoever. Next week i'm not at work as much so hopefully i'll be able to sit back and relax with some games.

Tiny Tower – iPhone – My tower is now 73 floors high and I have 131 residents.

Ratchet And Clank: A Crack In Time – PS3 – still making progress. Its nice having the space sections, it helps break up the gameplay and can act as something to do after a story chapter has finished.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – I Dived back into my save game. I've quit as manager of Vanuatu. In my 4 years in charge i've bought them to 69^th in the world rankings, but I couldn't get them into the world cup. Hopefully after the world cup some nations will need a new manager. I'm still in charge of Havant and Waterlooville. It's my 3^rd year in the premiership, i'm in the UEFA Cup, and i'm currently top of the league.

Crackdown 2 – Xbox 360 – I enjoyed the first game but I wasn't sure about getting this version. But when the price dropped to under £10 for it new I decided to try it. I've only played it for a little bit but it feels like i've done a lot. I've already turned on 1 station, with a second ready to be turned on. I've also started reclaiming territory. Everything’s pretty familiar but the game feels more difficult, especially trying to turn on a station. With the freaks coming out at night and being more of a pain than a threat, early on the game isn't that much fun. I've yet to try multiplayer, which i've heard is more fun.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective – DS – this is a hard to come buy game in the UK now and when I spotted it for £15 I jumped to get it. Graphically the game is amazing, one of the best looking games on the DS. The music is also great. I'm only 6/7 chapters in so far but the story is pretty engaging and the characters fun and unique. Whilst the game has a tutorial, it does throw you in the deep end somewhat, but once you grasp what can be done, the game really becomes enjoyable. There is a demo for this game on the Wii in the Nintendo Channel, but if you have a DS and are looking for something different i'd recommend this game from just the small amount i've played.

So what did everyone else play this week? If you've got any questions about the games i've played or want to comment with the games you've played, please do so in the comments section below.

What Have You Played This Week?

This ended up being another busy week for me, work wise. I did get some gaming time in here and there, but some of my usual games fell by the wayside.

Tiny Tower – iPhone – My tower is now 60 floors high and I have 110 residents.

Ratchet And Clank: A Crack In Time – PS3 – i've played a few more hours now. I still think it has taken a graphical drop but it feels like there's more action on the screen. A nice new touch is the flying parts, its been too long since i've played a space game and these sections help scratch that itch. The clank time stuff is interesting and works well, I just feel the tutorial wasn't as clear as it could've been. What helped in that tutorial was the other character showing how it was done. Some of the story appears to be missing, especially when you meet a friend of your fathers.

Dark Void – Xbox 360 – I played a bit more. There are moments in this game when it gets hard when the game throws several enemies at you. But after a couple of retries it's easy to get through them.

Puzzle Quest 2 – Xbox 360 – I dived back in and played for a hour or two. Its fun, and I made some more progress. I managed to forge the two hammer parts back together now.

Pocket Academy – iPhone – i'm a big fan of Kairosoft games and when I saw they had released a new one I quickly bought it. Their previous game, Hot Springs Story, was fine but this see's them back to Game Dev Story quality. So far i'm only in my 5^th year of my first school. Like previous games you build up your thing, add more parts to it, and aim to get better. There are several additions this time with you being able to provide job advice for students, being able to send clubs into competitions, and more. It does start slow and money can be tight, but it was my first go and after the first couple of years it does get easier. I'm really enjoying it and i'm kinda hoping their Andoird racing game comes to iPhone soon. This game does not support game center.

Streets Of Rage – PS3 – I downloaded this a while back as i'm a PlayStation Plus Subscriber. I only played through the first couple of bosses but I enjoyed myself. I never played this game before on the Mega Drive, I may have played another game in the series but I can't really remember. I was surprised by how well it looks, the characters are large and their animations are clear. There is a good variety of moves and enemies to fight against.

Golden Axe – PS3 – This was another free game I got being a PlayStation Plus Member. I had a later version on the Mega Drive but this was my first time playing this one. It's short, I think I completed it in around 40 minutes. It's also very hard and I didn't enjoy the controls. It is free but still, I don't think it's worth many people playing it as they will find it very hard.

What Have You Played This Week?

I had hoped this week would give me more gaming time but I was wrong, I ended up being busier than I thought. But I did manage to complete a game and play a few other titles.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – Europa league was a bit difficult, it came at a time when I was still trying to improve my squad and everyone wasn't quite fit but i've made it into the first league stage.

Pokèmon White – DS – Not too much played. Mostly i've been catching Pokèmon online and transferring them to my game.

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen – PS3 – I did manage to complete the game. I did the story missions and additional missions for both the Autobots and Decepticons. Honestly, its not a great game. You get far more story by watching the movie and there weren't many times I was really enjoying the game. The trophies are a bit of a pain and I only got around half of them. I only managed to catch 1 other person playing multiplayer for the few weeks I had the game. Even if your a fan of Transformers or the second movie, its hard to recommend the game. I feel the first movie tie in game was perhaps better, more attention seemed to be on the transformers than in this game. But at least this game didn't feel broken, it played fine throughout.

Tiny Tower – iPhone – My tower is now 53 floors high and has 90 residents.

Ratchet And Clank: A Crack In Time – PS3 – this is my current rented game. I played and owned the previous 2 PS3 games and loved them. From the off the characters are still funny and well written. The only shame I’ve found so far is that this game seems less technically impressive than the previous 2 Ratchet games. A couple of examples are some water looks very blocky and some in-game animations also look blocky. It doesn’t detract from the gameplay and i'm only a few hours in and having fun.

Dark Void – Xbox 360 – I had been playing this a while back but stopped for some unknown reason. I'm now onto episode 3. its fine...graphically it does have its moments and the flying combat sequences, whilst perhaps running a bit too long, are fun enough and challenging enough at the same time. The story is a bit average but overall i'm enjoying playing it.

What Have You Played This Week?

Just as I thought, I didn't get much gaming time in this week. I played a lot of Tiny Tower but that was really it on the iPhone. As well as work, I have got a new TV i've been setting up ( A Panasonic Viera TXL32DT30) and i'm hoping to really test it during the next week.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – I made it into Europe, I finished 7^th in the league. I'm making a bigger push for top 6 this season, I have a new stadium also that's giving me lots of money.

Pokèmon White – DS – Not too much played. Mostly i've been catching Pokèmon online and transferring them to my game.

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen – PS3 – i'm still working my way through the game. It feels pretty short, so even though i've only played a few more hours it feels i've made a lot of progress through the story (i've seen the movie so I kinda know what's going to happen). Still not great, the voice acting especially is starting to grind but that's more the script than anything else.

Tiny Tower – iPhone – My tower is now 42 floors high and I have 73 residents. For those who play, they'll understand that i've played a fair bit of this game. I'm keeping it free to play, I don't intend on buying credits. Oh I also have fully upgraded the elevator.

Chime – PS3 – I quickly chucked this in to see how the TV sounds, I only did a couple of 6 minute stages....its still great!

What Have You Played This Week?

Yes it's back. I honestly forgot to write this a couple of times, mostly cause I was either playing a game or watching a movie. I had played several games over the past couple of weeks, one I particularly enjoyed was Dante's Inferno. This week I didn't get too much played and I imagine next week will also bad as i'm going to be busy.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – Yes i'm still playing. I'm still in the premiership and i'm a mid table team right now. I'm currently in April and getting transfers ready to boost my team to try and get Europe. I'm also trying to get Vanuatu to the World Cup. Qualification is easy except for New Zealand. What ever the outcome I will quit either after the qualification or after the world cup. I want to manage a bigger nation, i've done all I can in the 4 years i've been with Vanuatu.

Pokèmon White – DS – Not too much played. Mostly i've been catching Pokèmon online and transferring them to my game.

Might & Magic: Clash Of Heroes – PS3 – i've completed the necromancer part of the story and i'm making my way through the next story, I can't remember names but this kid is in demon country. The game is getting hard now but still enjoyable.

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen – PS3 – I played the first movie tie-in game on the 360 and whilst it was decent, it had some tech issues like real big difficulty spikes that made it less fun to play. This game looks better but i'm only a few levels in and i'm having issues. There are no subtitles which is annoying as the voice of the robots is either too loud or too quiet. You also have to hold a button to stay transformed which is also a pain. I'm not much of a fan of having to complete a level within a time limit either, but i'm going to keep on playing before commenting too much more.

Tiny Tower – iPhone – I have played this game way too much. It has a simple bit look to it with loads of charm. You basically run a tower and have to keep building it up, having residents to work in the businesses in the tower. The game runs in real time and always appears to be running. Its easy to get wrapped up in it...and I certainly have. Its hard to describe why it's addictive, the game is very simple and there's not much to it.

Mr.Ninja – iPhone – This game was on offer and several people on twitter had recommended it. It has a great artstyle and the music is very appropriate for the game. All you do is tell the ninja to jump at certain points. The aim is to jump at the right moment to kill all the enemies. The platform your trying to do this from is a round circle.

What Have You Played This Week?

Can you believe it, no Football Manager 2010! crazy I know but I still got some serious gaming in on other platforms.

Pokèmon White – DS – I continued exploring but mostly I just did the online Pokèmon games and earned new Pokèmon that way. I now have access to the forest, sky, and sea.

Tiny Wings – iPhone 4 – I got a couple of games in. its a fun game and perfect for pick up and play.

Dalton – iPhone – as fun as this game has been. It does seem to cause some issues with Game Center.

Falling Fred – iPhone – This game looks great and is very easy to play. All you do is control Fred by moving the iPhone. But Fred is fairly large and obscures some of the screen so as you fall faster it starts to become difficult avoiding stuff and having decent control over him.

Puzzle Quest 2 – Xbox 360 – I Like popping back into the game now and then. I really enjoy it and i'm currently making my way through the necromancer area.

Portal 2 – PS3 – I've really started to enjoy the story, the plot twists, the levels. It is simply a great game with plenty to find along the way. I'm just starting chapter 8 as i'm writing this.

Might & Magic: Clash Of Heroes – PS3 – I do like this game. It's tough the further you get in which makes picking up and playing it a bit difficult, but I do like coming back to the game and playing a bit here and there...even if it's just a bit of levelling up.

Pokèdex 3D – 3DS – Whilst it's not really playing, I have had this since it was released and what I'm tending to do is keep my 3DS on in sleep mode and periodically turn to app on to download new Pokèmon. They do look goo and whilst the UI is a bit annoying it works well. It's a shame the app is limited to only Black & White Pokèmon, but I fear they made add further Pokèdex Pokèmon as paid DLC

Burnout Paradise – PS3 – I got this game for free cause i'm a PlayStation Plus Member. I was never too much of a fan on the 360 but as it was free I thought i'd give it ago. I'm still not overly impressed, it feels and looks better than the 360 version for sure, but i'll give it some more play before I comment to much further. I personally can't help but feel the game was a step backwards for the series after the amazing Burnout Revenge.

What Have You Played This Week?

Whilst I have downloaded all my free games from the PSN and PlayStation Plus, I have yet to play any of them. But they're all ready and installed for when I'm free.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – first season in the premiership is still under way. I'm in early February and I look set to stay in the premiership, though I imagine it'll be a tense few months.

Pokèmon White – DS – I continued exploring but mostly I just did the online Pokèmon games and earned new Pokèmon that way. I now have access to the forest, sky, and sea.

Tiny Wings – iPhone 4 – I got a couple of games in. its a fun game and perfect for pick up and play.

Dalton – iPhone – as fun as this game has been. It does seem to cause some issues with Game Center.

GoGoGadget – iPhone – I have no unlocked the free Inspector Gadget theme song for my ringtone. There may only be a couple of levels in the game but each of them is very long, so long in fact that i've yet to get through the first one. This game has a lot of charm and a lot of unlockables that keep me going back to it.

Berzerk Ball – iPhone – This is a simple good looking game. All you have to do is hit a geek with a bat type thing. As the geek flies he hits insects, mines, and giant robots which propel him further. The aim is to get as far as possible which unlocks extra characters. Its a easy game to jump in for a few minutes and try to beat scores and buy better equipment.

Falling Fred – iPhone – This game looks great and is very easy to play. All you do is control Fred by moving the iPhone. But Fred is fairly large and obscures some of the screen so as you fall faster it starts to become difficult avoiding stuff and having decent control over him.

Puzzle Quest 2 – Xbox 360 – I Like popping back into the game now and then. I really enjoy it and now i've made my way into the Necromancers.

What Have You Played This Week?

I'm happy I got some more gaming in during the week. Mobile gaming is still something I get in but i've tried to get more Pokèmon play in as well. The list maynot look like a lot but it was the time spent with each game.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – I got Havant & Waterlooville promoted after a easy end to the season. Prepping for the premiership was tough, I sold several players, trimmed the youth teams, and beefed up the coaching staff. It's been a tough start to life in the premiership. The first few games were tough but it only has taken a couple of wins and draws to keep me a couple of wins above the drop.

Pokèmon White – DS – I went Pokèmon catching throughout the week. I also explored some more areas . The trainers left in the game are pretty high up so i've been catching, breeding, and playing around with my squad and the different Pokèmon i've caught via the web game. I have had difficulty obtaining a Pokèmon I earned online, but after emailing the Pokèmon help center it looks like I should get it after the Tuesday maintenance.

Tiny Wings – iPhone 4 – I got a couple of games in. its a fun game and perfect for pick up and play.

Dalton – iPhone – as fun as this game has been. It does seem to cause some issues with Game Center.

GoGoGadget – iPhone – This is a fun game. It is a free Inspector Gadget game. It's a running game and you control gadget and help him jump, swing, and glide. It looks great and the music is fun. What makes this game stand out is the bonus features. As well as being able to stream episodes from the cartoon, you can also unlock a ringtone, look at concept art, earn powerups and much more.

Super Mega Worm – iPhone - This is fun game. I enjoyed the retro 16 bit look, the ridiculous story, and the fun gameplay. I picked this up when it was free, but it is well worth picking up for some money. The controls may take a bit to get used to (more how they're implemented on the screen and not so much how games controls)

What Have You Played This Week?

I didn't get much console gaming done so I tried to get in more mobile gaming. Things should be returning to normal here and hopefully i'll be back gaming on consoles once again.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – I Won the Oceanic Cup Final with Vanuatu and I also won the Championship. Setting up for the premiership is hard, lots of players going, coming in, sorting out loan moves. I also have a new stadium being built, massive loan, and real pressure to stay promoted.

Pokèmon White – DS – i've not really played much of the game. Instead I focused on playing the web games and getting new Pokèmon.

Tiny Wings – iPhone 4 – this is a nice and easy pick up and play kinda game. I tend to play 5 minutes here and there. Every time I play I get a bit better which is great.

Hot Spring Story – iPhone – I love Game Dev Story and I wanted to try Kairosoft's other game and this doesn’t disappoint at all. The game world where this game takes place is unfamiliar but that's not an issue as there's plenty of information available. This feels a bigger, more indepth game compared to Game Dev Story and i'd say it would be best to try Game Dev first as it's probably a bit easier and less than intense. It is fun and its just as addictive as Game Dev Story. I have played through once and i'm keen to keep on playing, improving, and learning.

Portal 2 – PS3 – I love the first game. It really was an experience...and the only game I enjoyed out of the Orange Box. I've got the dual portal gun now and i'm loving it. The characters are fun, the story is interesting, and Glados is just as I remember....oh she remembers as well.

Air Penguin – iPhone – this is a simple game that's very addictive. Its motion controlled, and the levels are short. Its easy to complete the levels and if there is a hard one there are bonuses you can buy to make it easier. This is a great game to introduce people to iPhone gaming. Its simple, good in short bursts, looks great, and works well with the iPhone.

Dalton – iPhone – this is a simple running and jump game. The twist here is various power-ups and zombies. It was free and its a game I play for a couple of minutes. I'm not great at these sort of games, but the random placement of powerups keeps it fresh.

Spirits – iPhone – I have only dabbled with this game so far. It has a great look to it and appears to be a twist on Lemmings. You have spirits which you have to get to a goal. Each spirit can be given a job to help others get to the end. The levels are fun, the graphics are interesting, and the controls are simple. So far its enjoyable.

What Have You Played This Week?

I didn't think i'd get much gaming done this week and I was right. A mixture of work, site, family commitments, and general stuff just got in the way of any serious gaming. The site was also impacted by my busy week and I apologise for it.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – Havant are still top of the Championship and i've got Vanuatu into the Oceanic Cup Final. I'm getting some January transfers in, oh I released I forgot to hire a physio so I promptly got that fixed.

Pokèmon White – DS – Elite 4 defeated. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, i'm sure in previous games it was actually a challenge. I got my team to lvl 50 and gave it a go. The hard part comes with the events afterwards, i'm not going to go into details to avoid spoilers. I've swapped out Boldore and replaced it with Golurk.

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes – PS3 – again, I didn't play much of this game. I leveled up my necromancer and did a few battles but not much.

Space Invaders Infinity Gene – PS3 – I played around with the music mode again. But im getting to the point where I think i'm just going to go an try and complete the main single player part of the game.

Game Dev Story – iPhone 4 – I've played through twice now. It was a lot more successful than my first attempt but again I hit a ceiling of not being able to progress any further. I tried other types of staff this time round as well as putting more effort into marketing, trying out different platforms, and trying new game combinations. I think next time i'll focus more on staff training and seeing what happens.

Tiny Wings – iPhone 4 – this is a nice and easy pick up and play kinda game. I tend to play 5 minutes here and there. Every time I play I get a bit better which is great.

Super Soviet Missile Master – iPhone 4 – this is another game I play now and then. Its very very simple but I enjoy it and its somewhat different from other games.

What Have You Played This Week?

Its been a couple of weeks since I last did one of these. It was mostly due to a mix of bank holidays, public holidays, internet destroying itself. Still, here we are again and yes there's the usual suspects on this list but it should become clear that I now have a new toy...yep my beloved HTC Hero has been replaced with my phone upgrade the iPhone 4. I did play more games, but the ones I mention here are my particular highlights.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – what i've not mentioned in news on this game is that i've been the national coach of Vanuatu. Some may think its a strange choice and its not easy at all, but I have a special affinity for the country and tend to look to help them out in these sort of games. Havant is doing great in the Championship and pushing for promotion. Its meant to be harder, but i'm finding this season in the championship easier than the last season in League 1.

Pokèmon White – DS – simply, I have all 8 gym badges now. I'm at the stage where i'm levelling up my team to lvl 50+. my current team is, and its the team I used at the last gym, Boldore, Leavanny, Zebstrika, Lampent, Sigilyph, and Samurott. I've also been making use of the Pokèmon Global link now its online. The games are pretty simple, but they are a ok way to waste 10 minutes and get a new Pokèmon for free. The link between the game and site is pretty slow and feels like a workaround limitations...but it gets the job done. So far i've got 5 Pokèmon this way and several items. It'll be interesting to see if the Global Link is only for this game or if it's the start of something much bigger...i personally think it's the latter.

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes – PS3 – I didn't play too much. This isn't because the PSN is down, that actually hasn't affected me beyond I haven't had the BBC iPlayer or LoveFilm. I'm kinda having to grind with the necromancer character and i'm finding it a bit tough. Initially it was because I wasn't using the weapons effectively and slowly i'm getting better at using this character.

Game Dev Story – iPhone 4 – This game is very addictive. I love the simple graphics, it harkens back to Theme Park and Theme Hospital. The idea is simple and its very easy to play the game for long periods of time. My first play through was very exploratory and I didn't do that well as a company. The second play through was much better, multi million sellers and I was making money hand of fist. The next play through I aim to play with the staff more and use more of the options the game gives you, like the boosts the salesmen sells. This probably isn't for everyone, but it isn't too in depth and the tutorial is very good and if your curious it's worth playing.

Tiny Wings – iPhone 4 – This game, like the one above, has been talked about for a long time by several people and I was interested to give it a go. Its simple, looks great, and is very fun. I'm glad I picked it up. I was pretty terrible on my first couple of goes, but i'm understanding it more and enjoying the simple challenge it offers. This is more casual than Game Dev Story and I would recommend this for most people.

Super Soviet Missile Master – iPhone 4 – This is made by Behemoth and I had picked this up a while ago on iTunes just in case I did get an iPhone. This is a very basic game, your a missile and you have to avoid things that stop you bombing a country. Its a good way to waste 5 minutes and it very retro in style...maybe 8bit or earlier.

Super Mega Worm – iPhone 4 – This is another game that was popular a while back and when it was free I downloaded it just in case I got an iPhone. The idea here is your a worm and you have to kill everything. The clue in the title is that your more than just a worm...your a Tremors sized worm. Its a fun little game but a little repetitive. The different ways to kill things is fun and the animations are good.

Unpleasant Horse – iPhone 4 – I only recently picked this up and i've not played it much. Graphically it looks fine and it plays fine. Its one of those games that pretends to be easy when actually it requires a bit of skill and luck to truly master it.

Swords & Sworcery – iPhone 4 – People have been talking about this game for a while now and admittedly I was too curious not to get it. I've only played through the first story, the first play through of the game, but I really enjoy the artstyle. Its very stylised but its still clear what everything is. There is also room for your imagination to fill in the blanks, to add more to the art which is an amazing achievement and it comes in handy when it comes to the end of the first part. I enjoyed the music, I find it fits well with the game but I can understand if some people are not too keen on it. Its kinda hard to describe as there really is nothing like it. It is a “point and click” adventure game, but its also an interactive novel (in that your pushing the story along). The use of twitter is good but perhaps a touch gimmicky. Many people say its the first game made for the iPhone that's not some simple mini-game, and although my experience with games on the iPhone is still limited I tend to agree. If you consider yourself a hardcore gamer, than you should have this.

What Have You Played This Week?

Wow, where did that week go. It looks like next week could be the same. So not much gaming at all this week. The only surprise was when I played the Might & Magic: Clash Of Heroes demo I enjoyed it soo much I bought it straight away.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – not quite up to December in the game yet. Still having a strong season but not much else to report.

Pokèmon White – DS – I beat the ice gym. It was a little easier than I thought. I've Kept Litwick and replaced Simisear with Leavanny. I've watched N capturing the rare Pokèmon and have decided to capture Victini

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes – PS3 – as I said before, I tried out the demo first and just enjoyed it soo much. The demo is very good itself as it has a good tutorial, several battles, and ends on a cliffhanger. So far in the game i've moved onto the second land. The first land is wood and elf themed and is a good introduction to the game, some characters, and different ways the battles can be played. It looks simply great, much like Capy's other game Critter Crunch. The battle system is deceptively simple as there is plenty of depth to it. Its easy to just attack and win with it, but there are levels of complexity you can try by doing combo's, making walls, and using champion characters. Whilst all these additional features sound hard, the game does a good job introducing them to players. I've not come across any major issues, occasionally your opponent face doesn't appear in the pre battle screen, but I have to say the game's load times are a little long, but when you see how good and detailed the HD art is its easy to understand.

What Have You Played This Week?

Another week and still no 3DS gaming. That will become clear when I do a write up about me and my experience with the 3DS. Writing initial impressions is one thing, but living with it and talking about it is what i'll do. Gaming wise, not much this week. I didn't have much free time so it was more in fits and starts than a proper session. Oh and sorry for the F1 2010 moan, lol.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – Well I got promoted to the Championship. It was a tough season in league 1, but the league was tight and a good run of results at the end got me into the playoffs and I won that. I have a bit of money now but can't expand the stadium, due to council concerns, so i've got the board working on training facilities. This will be tough, I have a small squad and I think i'll have to rely on my youngsters.

Pokèmon White – DS – not much this week but the time was spent preparing for the Ice gym and trying out a few new Pokèmon. My current squad, well the squad i'm going to use at the gym, is Zebstrika, Simisear, Litwick, Dewott, Sigilph, Boldore. There's a good chance Litwick could join my squad and replace Simisear but we'll see.

Formula 1 2010 – PS3 – I've yet to actually start a race in the career mode but I have got in a quick grand prix. I don't know why i'm not falling for this game. I'll try a few more races with different cars, maybe a few more time attacks, but if I don't get into it i'll just send it back. Graphically its fine, cars...well we know my thoughts on the out of date car models, the tracks look fine. I have experienced some strange glitches in my short time with the game, the best being when 2 Renaults parked on the racing line during a practice for the Malaysia GP. I just get a feeling that its missing something, certainly in some areas it needed a bit more polish. One thing that always bugs me is when your in the pits during quali and practice, the guy who says you can leave the pits is always wrong!, lol thank goodness its all auto pilot. I can think of another bug that cost me heavily in a race, I was pitting, it was all going fine, then when the car turns into the pit slot, it got stuck. Instead of going in the gap, the car went into the pit team and stayed there. I couldn't do anything as its all auto pilot. So I went from first to last, I still don't know what fixed it. Its not all bad, but so far it has a very average feel about it. The speed is also strange. Yes I can tell a speed difference between the different cars and a different way in which they handle. But that doesn’t feel replicated in the race experience. Oh and i've not worked out how to activate the F-duct on the McLaren and i'm assuming its not represented in the game. Even writing this is making me feel like sending it back and not giving it more of a chance.

Chime Deluxe – PS3 – I played through the rest of the songs. I'm a bit rusty from the 360 version but it was still fun to play through. The music is just spot on, and whilst some of the stage layouts are a little annoying I feel that's more because I want a Lumines style game to come out because this game is good and reminds me of them.

What Have You Played This Week?

I know, no 3DS Games this week! Well that's cause when it's not had Pokèmon in it, family have wanted to play it so they've been playing, and loving, the AR Games and Face Raiders. But the 3D has been a slight issue with only myself and sister not having any issues with it. Some have turned the 3D of and still enjoyed playing around, whilst others turn it down. I have managed to get some game time in this week oh and I also managed to get a Spot Pass Hit.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – Still in League 1 and still with Havant & Waterlooville. Its tough and the season has been full of highs and lows. Thankfully I had a very easy draw in the FA Cup and got quite far so that earned me some money.

Pokèmon White – DS – I didn't get too much further this week. Most of my game time was spent exploring a mountain and trying to catch a very rare Pokèmon that seemed to appear once every 3 hours!

Pac-Man Championship Edition DX – PS3 – I have all the trophies in the game which means that yes i've now completed it. Well completed in the sense that every level has a score. The fun will be trying to beat that score and get higher in the rankings.

Split Second – PS3 – Well i've played a few more “Seasons” now. The first was easy but the rest of the game is not. Difficulty does ramp up but its manageable and its not got a point where it feels too hard, the fast frenzied nature of the game means sometimes you finish near the back just because a building fell on you. The racing as a whole is really good. The cars feel like the old Burnout games, but with a touch more refinement, and the circuits are designed to let you drift, draft, and over take with ease. The destruction element is really fun, each level has several small things that explode, one or two medium things, and 1 big thing that explodes, and it usually changes the layout of the circuit cause its soo big. Couple this explosive action with the fast pace of the races, and its really easy to loose yourself and get involved. But, whilst the racing is great, all the fluff around it does detract. Having “Seasons” isn't bad, its a nice way to break up the monotony of racing over and over by splitting things up into groups of 6, and there are 12 seasons in all. Its the over the top nonsense around it that's too much. They saw their game had explosions and action and turned the fluff around the races into some major action movie/tv show which I personally didn't think it needed. Its not around all the time its only between “Seasons” when it really gets in the way, and only a little when introducing a new racing mode. There are several different styles of races that fit perfectly well into the game and each are fun and challenging in their own way. I've not finished the game but the racing alone makes it worth the £10 I spent on it. Oh, the online multiplayer...i've yet to find anyone else so it looks like it's single player racing all the way.

Formula 1 2010 – PS3 – Those who follow the site know I have strong opinions about his game and the lack of forward thinking from the Codemasters team, an example being how the cars in the game look very little like the cars that finished the 2010 season. I decided to rent this game as i'm still an F1 fan and the new season has got me all excited. I've not played much so far but the racing aspect is good and handles well. The cars feel different and there is a noticeable speed difference. Sure the cars don't look like I remember but that experience wasn't bad. The fluff around all this isn't so great. It takes longer than it should to be able to even have a chance to race. They make you start your career mode before you've seen the main menu. Once you've set yourself up for career and they explained all sorts, then your given the chance to race. But as I had just done all this career stuff I thought I was stuck with Virgin Racing. Turns out i'm not as you can choose a different team for Time Attack. It would've been easier if the career stuff started when you choose it.

Chime Deluxe – PS3 – I have this game on the 360 and I really enjoyed it. I liked the idea of buying a good game for charity. The PS3 version is a bit more expensive but its a definitive version of the game. There is just soo much depth to the game in that you can never have the same game twice. Each level is a song, each piece adds something, each quad adds something else, and each filled part of the level adds something else. The songs are good and fit very well to the game style and how it works. There is a demo, its not perfect as you only get to play one level, but it does show the idea of the game and if your interested or liked games like Lumines i'd recommend you at least try the demo.

Super Stardust HD – PS3 – I love this game. It just never stops giving, lol. First it was rumble, then trophies, then 3D, and now there's even more DLC. The game is simple, fun, and looks great. The DLC adds a game style the PSP version has and it works well. If you like twin stick shooters like Geometry Wars, you should at least try the Demo for the game.

What Have You Played This Week?

I'll admit I have A Nintendo 3DS. Its a bit early to say some deep thoughts on it, but I will say that so far the 3D does work but the viewing angle is small. I'm moving from a DS to a 3DS so for me its great to get the thing online and I like the new home screen, which is customisable! I hope to write up some more in-depth impressions during the week. Hopefully there'll be someone around for SpotPass to work!

Football Manager 2010 – PC – Well I've now got Havant & Waterlooville to League 1. stadium is still tiny and its hampering the amount of money I bring in. this means i'm regularly having to get players in on free and sell them to help balance the books.

Pokèmon White – DS – I'm now over 31 hours in and i've beaten the Electric Gym. My Pokèdex says i've seen/caught 88 Pokèmon. Not much more to say this week. Its still fun, still engaging, and all the new Pokèmon make it interesting trying to balance a squad and to remember their names.

Pac-Man Championship Edition DX – PS3 – I've reached and completed Championship I stage. Its a good game to pick up and play for a little bit at a time.

Blur – PS3 – I Dived in and put a few hours in. i've had issues connecting to the online servers, but once i'm connected finding an online race has been fine. There are still competitive people playing the game. The single player career difficulty is just right and i'm enjoying progressing in that. I am having some issue trying to complete the vs challenges though.

Ridge Racer 3D – 3DS – Yep that is a 3DS game which means I do have one myself. This is actually a good game. The trailers and screenshots i've seen do not give this game justice, it looks a lot better. The 3D effect is good and is used in several different ways. The controls are solid. The only issue is the amount of menus you have to get through to get into a race and the loading times. Some of the menus could be made clearer too as its not that clear what's being used for Street Pass. But as a launch game, there is plenty to do here and for me personally it is the best launch game for the system.

Split Second – PS3 – I played through the first season in the game. So far the racing has been fun and frantic, if a little easy. It'll be interesting to see how the difficulty increases and I hope to get some multiplayer races in next week.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma – PS3 – This was this weeks rented game. Unfortunately after just a few hours I took it out of the system and put it back in its envelope. I just found it too hard. It was taking a long time to get through each section and ultimately I just wasn't having fun. For me there was little to no reward for pushing through the game. It just wasn't for me. It looks great but it's controls felt a little laggy and the camera can be a pain. It requires more skill than God Of War and Darkstalkers, but it still felt like a solid game, I just didn't have fun.

What Have You Played This Week?

I have completed Darkstalkers. i should have finished it earlier as its a great game. no new rented game this week yet but i did start Dark Void which i got too cheap for new recently.


Football Manager 2010 – PC – another season, another promotion. Havant & Waterlooville are now playing in the League 2.

Pokèmon White – DS – 25 hours in, 5 badges and 65 Pokèmon in the Pokèdex. My team currently has Boldore, Sigilyph, Pansear, Dewott, Zebstrike, and Leavanny. I've found with the last couple of gyms its best to have a team of 4/5 and use that spare Pokèmon slot for one that's good against the gym. What can I say, i'm having a fun time playing it.

Darkstalkers – PS3 – Finished! Yep your eye are not deceiving you, I have completed the game. And wow, it really does end well. As i've mentioned before, the main character was starting to feel over powered but by the end the balance is restored and the battles feel meaty. By the time the end comes I had most of the collectables so I opened a FAQ to get the 2 pieces of armor I was missing, which look great on the character. The twist I thought was coming did, but it didn't detract from the main game or the other events that happened at the end. Getting a portal gun was fun and it had some interesting uses of it. Overall, Darkstalkers is a great game. It may be tough in the beginning, but it is well worth it. The story is really good, the graphics were good as well apart from cutscenes as they didn't seem to take advantage of the PS3 and looked compressed like the 360 version most likely had. I can see the Zelda comparisons and it doesn’t harm the game as its great enough to stand on its own.

Dark Void – Xbox 360 – I bought this game for around £5 recently. For that price i'm willing to give most games a go. The game appears to be split into 3 episodes and i'm nearly done with the first. So its a bit early to give a full verdict, but so far its not bad. The story feels like it's missing a step/cutscene but that's not a big problem. The graphics are pretty average. In the first chapter, the distance could look better, its very simple, much like Uncharted as there's plenty to see. The game controls well. The enemy is a bit of a bullet sponge and headshots sometimes work, though that could be down to the weapon i'm using. Flying combat takes time to get used to but it does work and so does the vertical cover and moving up/down from cover to cover. So far its well worth the money I paid and i'm interested where the story is going to go.

Slam Bolt Scrappers – Demo - PS3 – I downloaded this demo because I didn't understand what the game was. Safe to say after the demo I do, but i'd recommend everyone downloading the demo cause it was genuinely fun. The demo itself is good, it has a tutorial and has 3 stages to play through. I'm considering getting the game from just the demo. To explain the game isn't easy. It combines Tetris with tower defence. For example, you need to combine blocks in a tower, the tower is like a tetris field. Once these blocks are grouped into 4 they create weapons. These weapons can be upgraded by adding more blocks on them. These weapons attack enemy towers. To get blocks your main character fights flying monsters. The opposing tower also has a character who's after blocks. Both characters can fight each other. Trust me, it sounds frantic but its surprisingly well under control. The graphics are good, controls take a little bit to get used to but that's cause i've played Tetris/Lumines and these controls are slightly different.

What Have You Played This Week?

Yep another week of Darkstalkers, its beginning to look like i'll finish it before the end of next week! It was also another week of Pokèmon taking over my life so I didn't get much else in this week.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – Well I got Havant & Waterlooville promoted and i'm coming up to December in my second season. Its a bit tougher this season, not only is the competition tougher, but I also rebuilt most of my squad and backroom staff. So it was a slow start to the season i'm doing fairly well, in around the play-offs.

Pokèmon White – DS – Well i'm over 17 hours in and trying to win my 4^th badge. I've changed my Pokèmon team around a bit over the week. This 4^th gym battle is particularly annoying as it's able to destroy my team easily. But i'm training my team up and looking into other Pokèmon i've caught, seeing if they can help. For those interested, my current team is Blitzle, Boldore, Pansear, Dewott, Siglyph, and the 6^th space i'm not too sure with at the moment with the gym battle.

Darkstalkers – PS3 – so i'm still playing through and still enjoying it. I still think the game is perhaps a tad too easy now i'm powered up, but that could also be to help show how limited and powerless you are at the start of the game. I've defeated the second and third bosses and i'm working my way to the 4^th. I have an idea what the twist at the end of the game is going to be but i'm sure i'll find out when I get there.

Motorstorm Apocalypse – Demo – PS3 – I'm a big fan of Pacific Rift and i'm looking forward to this game, though I know i'm not getting it when it first comes out. The demo is a choice of 2 vehicles and 1 track. It may not sound like much, but Motorstorm is well known for having tracks with more than 1 way of getting round them. A new feature is a Split/Second style way of changing the track layout. So whilst it looks small, there is a far amount of depth to it. The demo looks great, controls well, and has a great sense of speed.

Explodemon! - Demo – PS3 – I'm intrigued with this game and I have been looking forward to a demo. I completed it and it is a good demo. It's a good length and it provides some back story and gives you a good idea of what the game is. I'll admit some things were not clear and whilst there is a tutorial system, its easy to miss one or two tips. The graphics look nice and the humour is great. Its not S'plosion man, it is it's own game.

What Have You Played This Week?

Your eyes are not deceiving you, I did play Darkstalkers. In fact I managed to get in several hours. Most of my time was spent playing Pokèmon White. I didn't intend to get it, I just forgot I pre-ordered it. Soo...11 hours later it kinda took over my gaming week, lol.

Football Manager 2010 – PC – I've had a great start with Havant & Waterlooville. Injuries have been annoying and i've had to make use of the loan market. I'm top of the league, had a fun little FA Cup run...and overall things appear to be going great and I look set to get promoted already, its coming up to the end of December.

Pokèmon White – DS – Like I said above. I completely forgot I pre-ordered it. But now I have it, I don't regret it coming at all. Its fair to say I like the traditional Pokèmon games. What's really refreshing with this is that they've made the location soo different and they've shaken up the Pokèmon. Having all new Pokèmon is great, but they've also moved around where they are, so you won't come across bug Pokèmon until after your second badge. The story is thought provocative, you and the other main characters are fine, and the flow of the game is great. Online is down at the moment and will be until possibly April so I can't comment on that yet. If your a fan I do recommend it, but it will take a bit longer to complete than previous games.

Darkstalkers – PS3 – Yes I got back in. Pokèmon tried to gain all my attention but eventually my DS needed a re-charge. It was a bit of a shock jumping back in during a boss battle. It took several deaths to re adjust myself to the controls then learn what I needed to do to kill the boss. It was the first boss and I got through...and then I played right through to the second boss. The game does seem to be getting easier the more I level up my weapons and learn new moves. I'm quickly back into the story and enjoying myself. Some of the puzzles are simple but they can take a little time to complete and the general slow pace of moving around the world can make the slow moments drag on, but overall its fun and combat is great and has a good weight to it, for example in games like Dynasty Warriors weighty combat is substituted for the spectacle of killing hundreds.