Welcome to The TPS Report, home to video game blogs, mix sets and even the odd piece o' 3D art.

Broke arse student, freelance games reviewer and rambling obsessive that I am, I currently seek work in mags and web sites throughout the world. If you're in a position to make that happen - and like what you see around here - let me know. I've published work with the likes of IGN and Gaming Steve.

-Matt/Diggler

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28/7/2012 22:31

Preview Time! Games to Look Out For in 2011
8/1/2011 5:54

2010's Games of Shame
6/1/2011 22:47

My Fave Games of 2010!
6/1/2011 20:12

StarCraft II Review - Dig Loveth the RTS!?
7/11/2010 12:48

10 Must-Have iPhone Games
2/6/2010 18:09

A Little Hotlink to An Article I Stuck Up On GiantBomb
21/4/2010 15:01

Aliens Vs Predator is Here! Woo! Oh, Hang On...
6/3/2010 20:58

iPhone Games!
6/3/2010 20:40

The Top 30 Games of an Obscenely Packed 2009. Shit Gets Epic
7/1/2010 20:09

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Dig Follows Up His "Games to Look Forward to in 2006" List
Posted by Diggler - 17/7/2006 11:01

Wow, half way through 2006 already? Time sure flies when...not much is getting released. Okay, there have been one or two rather mind-blowing classics seen so far this year, but much like 2005, many of the truly great games I was hugely buzzing for have either been delayed by a couple of months, or even put back to bloody 2007. Hence, I felt it about time to revisit my 2006 preview from back in January, recap on those games which have actually seen release, as well as update on all the rest and where they currently stand. Bad news beckons, prep yourself...

Resident Evil 5

(Next-Gen Consoles)
It pains me to say that since the original article at the start of the year, there has been absolutely zilch released on Resi 5. No screenshots, no trailers, no news, nothing. Its presence was conspicuously lacking even at E3 this year too, which doesn't bode particularly well for a nearby release.

My predictions? Back door dealings may well be going on regarding system exclusivity between Sony and Microsoft. Considering the beauties Capcom have coming out for the 360 already, I wouldn't be surprised if Resi 4 ends up a Sony exclusive to keep 'em sweet actually (at least, of the "timed" variety). Either way, I wouldn't expect to see this game until at least 2007 now - its silence is rather deafening.

On the plus side, Resi 4 is coming to PCs in September. Hoorah!

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl

(PC)
Click to enlarge
A free-roaming FPS set in a nuclear wasteland, sounds like STALKER might finally show up next year. Yeah right...
Another year passes, and still no STALKER. That's right, GSC Game World officially announced the five year old vapourware title won't hit 'til "early next year". Do we believe 'em?

On the plus side, a recent magazine preview I caught a glimpse of, showcased brand new screenshots for the first time in ages, and I must say the game looks surprisingly beautiful at this point. The dated trailers and snapshots which have all worn holes through our monitors from endless viewings over the years almost look like a completely different game in comparison; STALKER's flippin' gorgeous now. As a result, consider me pumped for this one once again. Will it really be the Oblivion of FPS games?

Incidentally, GSC also posted some interesting words on their forums recently, as to the never ending delays surrounding the project. Basically, it's one big fess up, in which they ultimately admit to, well, fucking up bad. I quote;

"On S.T.A.L.K.E.R. we made every possible mistake one could make. Every possible fault to do was done...Once the project is done we could release a book 'The ways you don't want to make your games.'"

Modest, if nothing else.

Elder Scrolls IV - Oblivion

(PC/Xbox 360)
I'll tell you this much, half way into 2006 and Oblivion is easily my game of the year thus far. Bethesda's fresh and epic take on the single player role-playing game dragged the genre kicking and screaming into the next-gen, with glorious graphics, amazing combat, and the most freeform gameplay you'll probably ever see.

I really have nothing else to say on this glorious masterpiece that I haven't already, other than; get it.

Project Offset

(PC/Next-Gen Consoles)
Offset remains shrouded somewhat in secrecy as I write this, however there have been one or two more (very pleasing) trailer-slash-tech demos posted on the net that beg some viewing. Again, with so little info out there, a 2007 release date seems way more feasible at this point, but mark my words, as a full on medieval FPS with crazy Battlefield style online modes, Offset is gonna be one to watch over these coming months.

I advise an in-depth browse of their rather impressive web site while you wait.

Gears of War

(Xbox 360)
Click to enlarge
A "stop 'n' pop" third person shooter in which big bulky men shoot ugly alien invaders with enormous friggin' guns, Gears looks to be vintage Xbox material at its best
Since its fab E3 showing earlier this year, the balls-out gore-fest of a third person shooter known as Gears is finding itself considerably more popular than ever...and it ain't even out yet. Microsoft are pushing this game as their primary weapon against the PS3 launch right now, and if the recent Mtv documentary was anything to go by, its 2006 launch date seems almost enforced at this point.

Tons of screens and footage have hit the net in recent months, but for me the coolest news has been hearing how the co-op mode works. Apparently, the entire game has you fighting alongside an AI buddy you see, but at any point you can invite a real life buddy in over Live to swap out with the AI and take his place. When he gets bored, he can bugger off and let the AI resume. I've never seen a drop-in/drop-out two player mode in a game of this scope before, especially over the internet. Live, how I love thee.

Oh, and our protagonist's voice? Comes courtesy of John Di Maggio, aka Futurama's Bender. That's a winning sign right there.

Playstation 3

Ignore the negative hype, the PS3 will roxor your soxors
Sony may be looking a little worse for wear after its mediocre E3 showing, but humorous press conference viral vids about giant enemy crabs aside, I personally think the whole thing's been blown way out of proportion. The PS3 is still destined to be a powerhouse bastard of a machine, and with integrated blue-ray player, tilt controller and new online features, it may well even one-up some of its competitors in the areas they aim to shine. We'll see I guess, but I'm certainly glad I have my pre-order in place this early in the game.

As far as this year goes, the line-up ain't mind-blowing, but with Resistance - Fall of Man we should have at least have some fun sci-fi shooty goodness to keep us amused on launch day, while the soon to follow MotorStorm will hopefully provide much in the way of dirty, muddy online racing fun.

The real meat of the line-up though - slamming beat 'em up Heavenly Sword, awe-inspiring murder 'em up Assassin's Creed and fan favourite Metal Gear Solid 4 - won't touch down 'til 2007 however. Shame.

Wii

We now know its name, the full extent of the controller's capabilities, and even some of the launch window titles. We also know the graphics are far from up to those of the competition, although I personally wouldn't hold too much stock in what was seen at E3 if I were you. For one, the games were far from finished, and secondly...well, rumours speak of many demos running primarily off Gamecube dev kits. Hopefully the end results will look far more impressive, either way.

While Nintendo's urine-soaked Wii looks like a cute little toy of a machine in its own right, I'm almost more excited for the built-in Virtual Console feature at this point. All them old NES and SNES games available for direct download over the fabled interweb? Yes please
At its best, The Wii sounds like it offers up the amazing, fresh and innovative gameplay experiences we all hoped from it. Titles like Wario Ware, Wii Sports and Super Mario Galaxy (all launch titles) are the games in particular that are currently being hailed as making exceptional use of the barmy controller, and truly showing us the "revolution" we all wanted to see.

It's when more traditional games try to shoehorn in the new controller functionality that less pleasing word of mouth starts to rear its ugly head. Zelda is apparently a complete nightmare to control, and perhaps most disappointingly of all, FPS titles like Metroid Prime Corruption and Red Steel seem to be opting for much more of a flat light-gun "Operation Wolf" feel than the more fully interactive aiming system we had hoped for. Apparently you do have full 360 degree movement in such games, but only by pulling the remote against the far edges of the screen. This, I hope gets fixed way before release 'cos it sounds like a complete deal breaker to me.

Is the Wii really gonna play host to more mature and action packed titles as Nintendo promise, or will it remain the "DS" of home consoles, concentrating solely on fun and simplistic games while Microsoft and Sony take care of the hardcore crowd? It could go either way at this point it seems, but I'm certainly curious...if a little more sceptical than I was six months ago.

Auto Assault

(PC)
Personally, Auto Assault ended up like many MMOs do for me. Fun to play around with for a couple of hours in your free month, but ultimately repetitive, monotonous and kinda dull.

There's a lot to be said for its futuristic, wasteland-tinged setting - something you seldom see in RPGs these days, let alone MMOs - plus I dig the real-time nature of the combat and the emphasis on pimping out your car and customising it to your heart's content. Ultimately though, it's just a driving shooter with a monthly fee if you ask me, and with its abysmally low user-base, I wonder how long its future truly holds.

Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures

(PC)
Click to enlarge
Part MMORPG, part single player game, all violence, Conan sounds like one of the few genuinely interesting MMO's still in production
E3 footage of Conan certainly showed promise, as do the numerous previews and write-ups starting to trickle out across the various gaming sites. I certainly dig the concept of a single player game that turns MMO once you hit level 20; that's a fab way to introduce quality single player content and focused questing as you level up, while later adding in social interaction, PvP and the various other MMO traits we all know and love too.

The fact Conan is also mega-ultra violent almost gets me more giddy however, decapitations will be seen regularly for instance, something all too rare in the MMO space right now and a trait destined to be a huge hit when it comes to player versus player showdowns.

Release dates vary from late this year to early next year depending on who you listen to, and there are also rumours of a 360 port further down the line, but right now nothing seems concrete on either front unfortunately. Still, with action-based combat, heavy use of combos and even full mount battles, this is my most anticipated MMO of the minute.

Halo 3

(Xbox 360)
So Halo 3 won't touch down in 2006, pretty much as guessed, but if nothing else we do finally have official confirmation of its existence, with word on the street speaking of a March 2007 launch date instead. Little has been released in the way of details thus far unfortunately, but there have been both a very sweet - if all too brief teaser trailer - and an incredibly insightful seven minute long documentary released over the past couple of months.

Halo fever is slowly starting to ramp up though, dudes. I can't wait!

Okami

(PS2)
Okami is just around the corner as I write this, touching down around September. In fact, it's already out in Japan I do believe, and word so far is one of universal positivity. The PS2's "Zelda", so they say.

Expect this one to go down as 2006's Shadow of the Colossus more than anything though; a wondrously artistic tour de force of an adventure game, visually unlike anything else ever seen, that...probably ultimately sells like crap to the FIFA and Madden obsessed masses. With titles like this, Lost Planet and Dead Rising all in development though, is it fair to say Capcom are at the very top of the food chain right now? It seems they can put no foot wrong.

Err, Final Fight: Streetwise aside.

Legend of Zelda - Twilight Princess

(Wii/Gamecube)
Link goes all Shadow of the Colossus
Nintendo have confirmed that the new Zelda game will in fact have two simultaneous releases now; the original Gamecube rendition, and the "enhanced" Wii port, both touching down on the new system's launch day.

Considering the somewhat mediocre response to the Wii version coming out of E3 though, I might consider snagging this one on Gamecube to be honest. Some games it seems - and this is something which I imagine becoming a far more important trait to recognise in the coming gen - just work better with a bog standard dual analogue gamepad.

What I'm a little more interested in right now though for comparison's sake, is whether the Wii version will in fact look significantly better than the Gamecube title or not. 'Cos if it doesn't...well, it doesn't bode too well for the system's longevity.

Half-Life 2: Episode 1

(PC)
Unquestionably the greatest FPS of the year thus far, Half-Life 2's continuation (formally known as "Aftermath") proved a fantastic - if short lived - rollercoaster ride that really just reminded us why we all fell in love with the series in the first place. We chatted about this quite in-depth on our July podcast, so I'll point you towards that rather than ramble on about it here, but with this about as close to a Half-Life 3 as we're ever likely to get (even by Valve's own admission), it's simply must-have material that every sane gamer should have completed multiple times by now.

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One of 2006's greatest yet, don't miss out on the return of Gordon Freeman...
...and Dog
Fans will be pleased to hear however, that we haven't seen the last of Half-Life here in 2006. Indeed, Episode 2 will touch down at the very end of the year too, offering up the continuation of the awesome storyline, as well as boasting new "cinematic physics" to boot. Whatever that means.

It gets better though, the game will come bundled free with the long-awaited Team Fortress 2 (if you can believe that) and a new puzzle game-slash-experiment titled "Portal". This actually takes place within the Half-Life time line, and apparently sees you using - believe it or not - some kinda new portal gun to speedily traverse around environments and obstacles quicker than you can say "Prey".

If that weren't enough, Half-Life 2 will also touch down on both PS3 and 360 around the same time, while including all of the above plus the Episode 1 add-on. Busy month for Valve, then...

Mass Effect

(Xbox 360)
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Blade Runner meets Oblivion, cross-bred with GRAW and the Star Wars game we always wanted, Mass can't come soon enough
Bioware's mammoth upcoming sci-fi action RPG trilogy sounds pretty much like Dig's perfect game on paper. Let's run through the list shall we? Beautiful futuristic metropolis-style setting? Check. Rich and complex RPG gameplay with free-roaming planet hopping? Check. Real-time third person combat that does away with the usual turn-based wank-fests? Check. Stunning emphasis on character interactions and movie-quality dialogue? Check. Beautiful next-gen visuals? Check. One of the greatest developers of all time at the wheel? Check. Shall I go on? Check. This game just sounds like heaven.

On the downside? Murmurs hint towards an early 2007 release date now, most likely designed to fill that post Christmas slump we usually enjoy in video gaming. Boo-urns.

Making up for it though, Bioware finally released a dollop of stunning HD footage on the Marketplace this week, which I must say totally and utterly floored me. PC guys can snag that over on GameTrailers too, in the vague hope they see a port a little further down the line. With Jade Empire getting one later this year, one must presume Mass will too.

Sam & Max: Season 1

(PC)
Click to enlarge
It's been a long time coming - and many a cancelled game later - but Sam & Max, and indeed the point 'n' click adventure game as a whole are finally back!
The upcoming and long-awaited return of point 'n' click darlings Sam & Max promises to be a humungous event in the world of PC gaming. Not only due to adventure gamers seeing a much yearned for follow-up to arguably one of the greatest games ever to grace home computers, but also in the amazing online delivery system planned for the bastard.

Forget your Sin Episodes and your Half-Life 2s, Sam & Max are showing us how episodic content should be done. The game will release a new movie-length adventure every damn month you see, one that takes a good couple hours to play through from beginning to end, with numerous additional cut-scenes and in-game shorts released in the intervening weeks to keep the story blazing along too. It not only sounds like genuine episodically delivered gaming for the first real time ever, but also a fabulous marriage between interactivity and passive cartoony viewing on top.

Although technically not a LucasArts production, the mere fact developers Telltale Games are made up of numerous former LucasArts employees - including many who worked on the original game - also helps ramp up the excitement. Expect the first "episode" come October.

Alan Wake

(PC/Xbox 360)
Just what the shit is this game exactly?
Who knows, but it sure looks tasty as
balls
They say the next-gen war will be waged over third party exclusives, and with controversial battles over the likes of Grand Theft Auto and Assassin's Creed, that certainly seems to be the case already. Latest rumours even hint at Microsoft buying out Rockstar, but whether that proves true or not, they've certainly been busy little bees behind closed doors in regards to Remedy's Alan Wake. As a result? It's now coming exclusively to PC and 360.

Beyond a new E3 trailer - one that looked utterly glorious I must say - there's been little else released on Wake however. What does the gameplay involve exactly? Is this another free-roamer, a linear adventure game, or something else entirely? More importantly, is it still due out this year? With so precious little info out there thus far, I somehow doubt it.

Its emphasis on beautiful, panoramic vistas and spooky, Silent Hill-style ambience looks incredibly enticing either way. I just wish the bastard would hurry up and spill some info.

Black

(PS2/Xbox)
Black is probably my biggest disappointment of the year so far. As a mindless FPS with one thing in mind, it's fun for two minutes, then boring as fook, and to make matters worse, is far from the be-all end-all explosive mega-orgy that was expected.

It's really just a bog-standard console shooter at the end of the day, one with a crap story and ridiculously long levels that never end. Avoid.

Splinter Cell - Double Agent

(PC/PS2/PS3/Gamecube/Xbox/Xbox 360)
Put back from its original March release date all the way to September, we can only hope those extra six months of development time have given Double Agent the spit and shine Sam Fisher deserves.

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I'm a Splinter Cell megafan who loved all the previous outings, but even my patience is wavering for this bloody game
Spearheaded by Ubisoft Shanghai - those responsible for the pleasing (but not as good as Chaos Theory) sequel, Pandora Tomorrow - the title sounds dark and ambitious in a way not really seen in the previous games. In particular, the emphasis on a more solid, emotional single player storyline peeks huge amounts of interest that the previous titles never really strived to capture.

Recent footage showcased over at 1up didn't bode particularly well however, in stark contrast to the beauty seen at E3. The quality has been so variable with this game so far, that the end result could go either way I guess...yet with a release date just over two months away, it really should be looking a whole lot better by this point.

On the plus side, we now know Michael Ironside is indeed back on board handling voice acting duties, and if you really can't wait another couple of months, you can also grab an early sneak peak at Double Agent via the recent PSP game (at least one or two of its later levels are set in and around the game, including the entire prison break level).

I just hope this ends up the mind-blowing, gut wrenching Splinter Cell title we've been promised for the past year.

Neverwinter Nights 2

(PC)
As far as I know, Neverwinter's also still due come September. The best news I heard lately regarding this bad boy though, was that the previous graphics renderer had been completely torn out and redone from scratch. With it, the quality of released screenshots has seemingly shot off a fair bit in comparison to earlier offerings.

The single player mode sounds a little more epic in scope this time around too, with a greater emphasis on party members (including the ability to control, and as with last time, even snog some of 'em) and what we're bizarrely told is a more "realistic" look and feel to the entire game-world. Odd, for a universe revolving around elves and dragons.

It remains Neverwinter's online component which holds the most interest though, with a semi-persistent online setup that'll let you and 63 of your mates not only take on quests together, but also build and share your own adventures from scratch. Can't wait.

Assassin's Creed

(PS3)
What did I tell you, eh? When known only to me by its codename of "Project Assassins" back in January, most had never even heard of this game, yet half a year on, it's pretty much spearheading the entire Playstation 3 line-up above all else. Sadly, it most definitely won't make the 2006 launch date however. What a pisser.

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A third person murder 'em up with inventive new control mechanics and an emphasis on free-roaming crowded cities to explore, Assassin sounds awesome
This game takes the concept of the assassination missions from Oblivion and basically creates an entire game out of 'em. You play an assassin in the Third Crusade, one tasked with whacking one dude after another, but the neat twist comes in the gameplay mechanics. Blending into crowds becomes a must-learn skill, while climbing walls and legging it across rooftops becomes your primary method of escaping the angry hordes. With a strong emphasis on character animation and control, you'll have to contend with tripping up when running too fast, and avoiding fellow passers by who will apparently swarm the towns in far greater numbers than we've ever seen in a game before.

The climbing mechanic is what really sets this game apart the most though; apparently different buttons control separate limbs, and you can pretty much hang on to any sort of jut or rivet that's over just a few inches long. What does this mean? Quite simply, bricks, windows, tiles, arches - all this stuff becomes your virtual climbing frame, used to approach your marks, and subsequently escape the streams of guards via whatever route and manner you wish. It's like Hitman meets Prince of Persia, by way of Splinter Cell and Thief.

On the downside? It appears the gorgeous medieval setting of the screenshots is little more than a charade. The game is actually set in modern times we're now hearing, with you playing some kinda crazy mentalist in an asylum who's experiencing bizarre flashback hallucinations of some sort. Hmmm. Way to drop the ball on the atmosphere, Ubisoft.

Rumours persist of ports to other systems, but for the time being, it remains PS3-only. Either way, it'll be one of the biggest games of 2007, mark my words.

Star Wars - Empire at War

(PC)
If nothing else, Empire at War just solidified my opinion of the RTS genre as one I should really avoid. I mean if Star Wars can't rev my engine when it comes to these sorts of games, what can?

That all said, those in the know tell me that for RTS fans, this one's worth a bash primarily for the space sections alone, and admittedly, even I got a brief buzz from those missions in the short time I spent with the game. Controlling Star Destroyers and TIE Fighter squadrons from a commander's point of view is kind of enjoyable actually, and certainly one aspect of the Star Wars universe which games have never really explored particularly well up 'til now.

The upcoming expansion however, looks absolute tripe.

Metroid Prime - Hunters

(DS)
The best DS game of the year, if not ever. I was expecting a nice little handheld title in Hunters, but what I didn't expect was such a glorious looking, fun to play and damn solid FPS game in its own right. It really is bloody brilliant.

Not only does this title look about as good as most PSP offerings in the visual department - quite a feat for the dinky little Nintendo handheld - but the control system and sense of accuracy that the DS touch screen affords, has crafted one of the most enjoyable FPS games of the year...at least, of those which you play on the crapper.

Okay, LocoRoco kind of overtakes this one as my personal fave handheld game of the year thus far, but this bad boy's most certainly biting closely at its heals, and Hunters is a wonderful follow-up to the Gamecube Prime titles that doubles up as an incredibly proud moment for DS owners as a whole. I should really hurry up and finish the bugger now that I think about it...

Enemy Territory - Quake Wars

(PC)
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The Quake universe boosts its multiplayer component up in a notch in this visually stunning tactical squad shooter of the future. At least, it will next year...
Yet another long-awaited title now postponed to 2007 (sigh). With this year's Battlefield 2142 looking surprisingly slicker each and every day however, perhaps avoiding direct competition as a futuristic online team-based FPS in the late 2006 months will prove wise for iD's multiplayer take on the Quake universe though.

One aspect I'm particularly psyched about is the emphasis on objectives and class skills. Unlike the Battlefield games, where players are simply thrown into a free-roaming battle and tasked with finding their own action, the Enemy Territory model is one far more focused and linear. There are specific, pre-scripted objectives that must be carried out for each team, ones that can only be accomplished by specific classes and tight-knit team work, and it keeps the action very focused and fast-paced. This should translate to some awesome multiplayer action, when thrown in with vehicles, planes and the still pleasingly twisted Quake universe recently revisited in Quake 4.

I even hear the Strogg army can murder human players and turn their bodies into mobile spawn points. YES.

Crackdown

(Xbox 360)
Click to enlarge
You are Robocop mixed with The Hulk, in a wide open living, breathing comic cityscape. Leap across rooftops, chuck cars at innocents and shoot junky scum in the nuts
Crackdown's a weird one. As another GTA style free-roamer - one in which you play a super cop of the future - the concept entices, while hinting back to one of the my favourite games of the past few years, Spider-Man 2. I also really dig the idea behind the visuals, with a bold comic book-feel seldom seen before. So far, so good.

Yet footage and word of mouth vary so hugely, it's hard to get too excited about Crackdown until we actually get the sucker into our palms. Some critics speak of glorious visuals and huge dollops of fun, while others tell of ugly, garish graphics and a minor lack of innovation.

However this turns out, the co-op mode should at least provide some decent laughs if nothing else though, allowing you to play through the entire thing with a buddy I do believe, and it's great to see the 360 line-up focusing so heavily on awesome two player online action in games like this and Saint's Row...traditionally much more single player focused offerings. It's due in December.

Medal of Honor: Airborne

(PC/PS2/PS3/Xbox/Xbox 360)
Airborne dropped off the radar big time this year, and was officially moved to 2007 a couple of months back. Most likely designed to avoid direct competition with the various Brothers in Arms and Call of Duty sequels planned for later this year, the added time for spit and polish should also do it the world of good too, given EA's track record in how sloppy Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault shipped.

Ghost Recon - Advanced Warfighter

(PC/PS2/Xbox/Xbox 360)
I think I've taken up way too many pages of the site with this title as it is. Needless to say, it's my fave online game at the moment over on the 360, and personally, I also find the PC version far more compelling than Prey too.

An awesome tactical shooter both by yourself and with some mates, it's one of the best games out so far this year. Just avoid the PS2 and Xbox renditions.

Mercenaries 2 - World in Flames

(PS3)
Click to enlarge
As a staunch worshipper of the original, Mercs is my fave GTA clone yet, even blowing away Rockstar's original. Let's hope the sequel delivers
While Mercenaries 2 has been finally confirmed as real, one or two disappointments surround it at this early stage. Firstly, it won't touch down til 2007, secondly it appears to be a PS3 exclusive - cutting off half its predecessor's fan-base - and thirdly...well, I dunno, the screens released so far just don't really rev my engine. While technically sound, the beautiful foggy, atmospheric feel of the original seems all but gone, scrapped in favour of a more soul-less sunny look that just doesn't push my buttons really.

But the good news? Two player co-op is in, which is quite possibly the only flaw I found with the original. Also, the physics and destruction has been reportedly expanded upon hugely this time around too. As the title hints at, fire plays a large role this time around, including new fluid and oil physics, which could result in some hilarious traps and humungous firework displays involving huge gas tankers and the like. Ooh, good times.

Hopefully we'll see more of Mercs 2 in the upcoming months. Non-disclosed press viewings behind closed doors so far hint at brilliance.

The Outfit

(Xbox 360)
Another big arse disappointment for me, The Outfit can be described as a very pedestrian third person shooter with shoe-horned in RTS elements that never really gel at all. Jack of all trades, master of none, it kinda fell flat in both departments for me.

And with that, The Outfit joins Amped 3 and Far Cry as one of the few 360 games I completely and utterly regret splashing out fifty sheets on. Avoid.

Prey

(PC/Xbox 360)
I'm playing this as we speak, and while impressive and fun, it's one of those unfortunate games where early vids and screenshots might well have shown off all the good bits before the damn thing was even released. Hell, if you played the humongously long demo, it's almost not even worth grabbing the full game as you already experienced all the best bits for free.

It's about as close as you'll get to another Doom, Quake or FEAR for a good long while however, and the concept of portals and crazy gravity puzzles certainly serve it well in terms of standing out from the crowd a bit, but it won't last particularly long I'm afraid, and those with a susception to motion sickness in their games might well want to avoid it entirely.

Barf.

World of Warcraft - The Burning Crusade

(PC)
In good old Blizzard fashion, The Burning Crusade has also been put back, quite possibly to the end of next year if you can believe that. A shame, but not particularly unexpected; those guys are known to play-test and polish their games pretty much indefinitely before shipping 'em.

There's some okay-ish footage of the new flying mounts going around on GameTrailers if you're gagging for a fix in the meantime, but ultimately I wouldn't hold your breath in seeing this add-on any time soon to be honest. By which point, perhaps WoW may finally have been dethroned...

Okay, maybe not.

Dead Rising's been ramping up amazing word of mouth these past six months, and looks set to go down as one of the flat-out funniest games ever
So a mixed bag of beauties colliding with some big arse disappointments thus far then, especially in the number of delays of many long awaited titles we really ought to have by now. The industry's relentless need to shove everything back until the last few months of the year continues to annoy the piss out of me year in, year out it seems.

On the plus side, we're still due a stunning flood of big arse releases in the lead up to Christmas, and if nothing else, numerous other bad boys have popped up on my radar since compiling the original list, most of which aren't actually all that far away at this point.

In particular, the zombie massacre/speed run splatter-fest Dead Rising is just around in the corner in August, while Dark Messiah of Might & Magic is also expected within the next few months and could well prove to be a possible Oblivion beater in the first person medieval adventure game genre.

Forza Motorsport 2 will be hitting later this year too, hopefully providing more ace online racing action for the realism freaks, while a DS rendition of one of my fave franchises of all time will be taking stage in the form of Starfox Command any month now as well. Oh, and we have PS3 and Wii launches to contend with too in a couple months down the line. Can't forget those.

Best get saving chapperoos.

Untitled Document

The Polynomial. Like playing a rave

Untitled Document

Game
Fallout 3

Enjoying a fully modded out re-visit. Wow

Film
The Road

Pretty much due to the above

Show
Breaking Bad

Already shaping up to be the best season yet

Tune
Explosions in the Sky

Easing the pain of living in a post-Friday Night Lights world

Untitled Document

Forums

The TPS Forum
Official boards for the site

RLLMUK Forum
The old Edge forums gone independent. The busiest and most interesting gaming board around, worthy of multiple visits a day

NTSC-UK Forum
Another exceptional gaming forum, featuring one of the friendliest communities on the net, and up to the minute news

NeoGAF
A more US-centric gaming board, with huge piles of traffic and even the odd famous face

Gaming Shows

The 1up Radio Network
1up.com's collection of weekly gaming podcasts, the pick of which would have to be ListenUP, full of juicy rumors and interesting banter week in, week out

Area 5
Formerly The 1up Show, since losing their jobs the old video editing team have continued doing what they do best, in an independent internet-based TV show, covering whatever upcoming games they can get their hands on, and various other bits and pieces

Fully Ramblomatic
A hysterical gaming blogger posting what he calls "zero punctuation" video reviews that have to be seen - and heard - to be believed

A Life Well Wasted
Freelance journalist Robert Ashley's internet radio show, with a far more interesting and professional demeanor than your typical podcast. Interviews, fast-paced editing and catchy tunes abound

On the Spot
The humongous gaming site known as Gamespot broadcasts a video show each week, in which upcoming games are demoed live on air, and viewers are invited to send in questions to find out more

The Hotspot
Gamespot's audio-based companion to On the Spot, in which site editors cover the week's news while simultaneously poking fun at all that is gaming

Gaming Steve
A more mature podcast, hosted by a long-time games industry professional armed with a ton of insider info and loads of interesting opinions. The Dig's been known to post articles and stories on here from time to time

Consolevania
Quick-fire internet-based TV show with console reviews and comedy sketches. Funny as hell

Major Nelson
An interesting "blogcast" hosted by a Microsoft employee, featuring stacks of exclusive behind the scenes news and interviews relating to all things Xbox 360

The Kojima Productions Report
Official podcast from the team of Hideo Kojima, creator of the much-loved Metal Gear franchise. Full of news and interviews relating to all things Metal Gear, it's probably one for die-hard fans only

Pure Pwnage
Mockumentary series on the life of a pro gamer. Episode five is possibly the funniest thing on the internet

Other Sites

Kotaku
What you could call gaming's homepage. Constantly updated news and links on the entire industry, from minute breaking headlines, to funny arse viral vids

Game Trailers
Easy to use multimedia-rich web site offering official trailers, video demos and sneak peaks at all the upcoming releases

Game Videos
Sister site to 1up.com, focusing on game trailers, video interviews and even the odd documentary

Gamespot
The Gamespot front-end, and the gaming equivalent of the Internet Movie Database. Includes detailed reviews and extensive video features on pretty much all systems and games ever made

Giant Bomb
Speaking of Gamespot, the controversial "letting go" of editor Jeff Gerstmann resulted in him starting up this new venture with fellow former writers of the site. Great podcast in particular

1up.com
Discounting the audio and video shows mentioned earlier, 1up's main site is also worth a visit in its own right. Not only bustling with quality gaming articles and extensive developers' blogs, it also doubles up as a massive friends network, ideal for meeting fellow gamers and joining like-minded communities

Live Marketplace Feed
The most up to date and reliable way to keep track of all the new Xbox Live Marketplace content, from new weapons and map packs, to movie trailers and game demos

Xbox Reloaded
360 backwards compatibility can be a minefield. This blog attempts to shed some light on the issue by playing original Xbox games for you and reporting back the results

GameFAQs
The ultimate resource for walkthroughs and cheats

Disposable Media
A wonderful (and free) E-zine, full of reviews and articles on gaming, movies, music and TV. Puts most high street mags to shame

X-Fire
A must-have for all PC gamers, X-Fire is a buddy list and communications tool that keeps constant tabs on what games both you and all your mates are playing, on or offline

Steam
A contender to the X-Fire throne that has pretty much overtaken it straight out of the gate. Valve's Steam client contains friends lists, downloadable games, Live-style achievements and plenty more to sink your teeth into

MyGamerCard.net
Convert your Xbox Live gamercard into an image, for use on forums and web sites for free. That's mine further down

Ain't it Cool News
The latest news, gossip and spy reports from the world of movies, TV and (occasionally) video games

Smodcast
Writer, director and actor Kevin Smith - he of Clerks fame - records a monthly podcast in which he and fellow pals discuss everything from trying to felate oneself, to the time his dog got covered in ejaculate. Riveting stuff

 

Matt Robinson, 2011

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