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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Preview Time! Games to Look Out For in 2011
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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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The Top 20 Games to Look Forward to in 2005
Posted by Diggler - 29/12/2004 22:13

Although I can't see it matching up to this year, 2005 should play out as an interesting 12 months for all the major platforms. Not only do we have some absolute beauties coming our way right across the board, but we'll also start getting some proper solid info regarding the next generation of systems too. If rumours are to be believed, perhaps we'll even see some of the new consoles on store shelves by next Christmas.

Be sure to check out the web sites for some of these bad boys at the bottom of the page, especially the ones you haven't heard of previously. You'll find many more images and even video footage on some of them. Take it away...

20. Middle-Earth Online (PC - ETA June)

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"Remember The Shire, Mr. Frodo? And how you used to cradle my balls?"
Kicking off the list is a game you'd have to be dead not to be anticipating on some level. On the one hand it's yet another fantasy MMORPG, but considering it's from the franchise, it's hard not to get excited about this one.

Whether you wanna fling arrows at unsuspecting orcs like Legolas or simply run around as a hairy little Hobbit, MEO offers it all - this truly is Tolkien's world brought to life. It may not have anything at all to do with the movies - this one is purely licensed from the books - but at least EA will have absolutely no say in it whatsoever.

MEO features time-based advancement, which basically does away with traditional repetitive grinding. Instead you level up skills automatically over time - even when offline. You can also expect epic quests to partake in, and all the usual MMORPG trademarks such as crafting, guilds and PvP combat.

Graphics appear to be coming along beautifully, but the real question is can it all match up to World of Warcraft in terms of raw playability? Only time - and hopefully early entry into the beta - will tell.

19. Project: Snowblind (PC Xbox PS2 - ETA February)

On the surface, Project: Snowblind looks like yet another standard first person shooter, but the mere fact that this one originated as a Deus Ex sequel makes me keen.

Whether it's been shifted to a completely new universe, or merely had a change in title is a little unclear, but either way it appears to be turning into a nice fast paced take on the classic Deus Ex concept of machine guns and bio-mods.

As well as a single player campaign, expect a strong emphasis on online battles when Snowblind arrives in all but a few months.

18. Conker: Live & Reloaded (Xbox - ETA March)

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Storm the Normandy beaches then battle evil Terminator teddy bears. That's Conker
As I've mentioned in the past, Conker's a game that I missed out on when it originally came out on the N64, but from just my brief time with the single player demo I'm already hooked.

The new Xbox port includes the entire single player original, along with a brand new multiplayer segment that almost rivals a complete game in its scope.

On top of that, we can expect much enhanced visuals which at this stage already rival anything else out there this generation (at least, of the cute 'n' cuddly cartoon variety).

It's funny, it's pre-cum-inducingly gorgeous, and on top of that it'll let us re-enact scenes from the very best flicks of all time with a hilarious cartoony twist. A bona-fide Rare treat.

17. The Movies (PC Xbox GameCube PS2 - ETA June)

Peter Molyneux games tend to be adventurous affairs that never quite live up to all they originally promised. They still remain entertaining "mere mortals" for the most part though, and with Fable now complete and his other major project BC recently cancelled, The Movies should be the next one out the door.

On the one hand it's a Sim City style take on managing a film studio, where the player must construct sets, buy costumes, audition a cast and hire a crew, but on top of that it actually lets you get right in there and make the movies themselves via built-in animation tools. These movies will then be tradable online and we're even promised the opportunity to enter them into world famous film festivals as well.

I'll believe the latter when I see it, but never the less this should be an interesting and very original take on the stagnating Sims concept.

16. A Good PSP Game (No ETA)

I'm not normally a big fan of handhelds, but ever since its recent Japanese launch the PlayStation Portable has continued to wow me more and more with every slither of media I come across. I'm telling you, once you see the amazing quality of the screen on this thing, it's instant love at first sight. If anything, it looks more like you're holding a mini plasma screen TV in your hand than a traditional handheld.

With the ability to play PS2-quality games, watch DVD-style movies, read PC media via memory sticks, not to mention the fact that it can also used as an MP3 player and has built-in wireless connectivity, the PSP seems oh so tempting right now.

All I need is a single mind-blowing game to really solidify the deal and get me psyched enough to buy one, because at the moment there's really nothing that screams out at me with its brilliance. Wipeout and Ridge Racer remixes are nice and all, but Sony, please give us a new GTA or something to really show off what this beast is capable of. I'm talking genre-defining brilliance.

It's bound to happen at some point next year for sure, and I'll be right there cash in hand when it does.

15. Pariah (PC Xbox - ETA March)

Definitely one to watch, or just another FPS to chuck on the pile?
Another next generation first person shooter, this time from the guys behind Unreal.

In it you play Jack Mason, a high-strung doctor who finds himself crash landing on a futuristic Earth that's now nothing more than prison-filled wasteland. With your infected patient of a sidekick, you have to get out of there within 16 hours before "contamination cleansing" begins and wipes out every living thing.

With an enticing story, lush visuals, fully-usable vehicles and a wonderful sci-fi setting, it certainly seems to be coming along nicely. In the heavily populated first person shooter market, will it have enough to stand out from the crowd though? I can't wait to find out.

14. Splinter Cell - Chaos Theory (PC Xbox GameCube PS2 - ETA March)

Sam Fisher returns in the ultimate stealth series that continues to go from strength to strength. Most may be interested in the much improved AI and new Doom III-style lighting upgrades, but fuck all that, the reason I'm psyched for this one is the new co-op mode. Such a simple yet ingenious idea, I can't believe it's taken until now to appear in the franchise. Anyone up for some online wall boosting action?

13. LEGO Star Wars (PC Xbox PS2 - ETA April)

Don't close the window in disgust, this is one of those absurd ideas that's just so dumb it's brilliant. The simplistic idiocy of running around the three Star Wars prequels in Lego-vision is gonna rock, I promise you.

Just checking out the early promo footage that's floating around and seeing Darth Maul slay Qui-Gon with a big old blocky lego-saber is enough to win anyone over. The 2-player co-op mode should be an absolute riot.

You can see a few brief clips up at IGN among other places.

12. World of Warcraft (PC - ETA February)

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Our American cousins are already playing World of Warcraft as I type this. Bastards
Yeah, it's out in the USA already, but here in Europe it appears we're not worthy until next February. Part of me's sick of the old levelling up treadmill rut that MMORPGs appear to be stuck in, but this one is getting stupidly high reviews right across the board that it's now become impossible to ignore.

My time beta testing it earlier in the year was also met with some major tent pitching in the lower depths of my pants.

In just the brief time since its launch state-side, World of Warcraft has already become something of a phenomenon. Word of mouth is universally one of positivity, even from the most jaded of haters. The only slight downer so far seems to be the slightly poor implementation of player vs. player combat, which is in need some sprucing up. With our releases spaced out by a few months though, hopefully any minor niggles will be well and truly history by the time we get it installed.

11. Ghost Recon 2 (PC - ETA June)

It's already out on the PS2 and Xbox, but as good as it is on the consoles, this thing could well and truly explode on the PC, otherwise known as the FPS platform of choice.

It's due out in June, and if all goes to plan, you can expect me to be playing this in a clan, it's that good. In the meantime, no doubt I'll be getting plenty of practice blowing away terrorists on the Xbox version.

10. S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl (PC - ETA May)

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An FPS with RPG elements - S.T.A.L.K.E.R could be the millennium's new Deus Ex
It's hard to believe we still don't have this one yet, it seems to have been stuck in development hell for an age. Never the less, despite all the big FPS releases of recent times, S.T.A.L.K.E.R still looks set to provide a nice original spin on the aging genre, via its massive, truly epic gameworld.

As a S.T.A.L.K.E.R, you're sent in to the nuclear wastelands of Chernobyl to hunt for precious artifacts, however the twist comes in the fact that other living breathing AI controlled S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s also roam the world much like you do.

The game features a 30 square kilometer playing area, complete with RPG-style stats and dialogue trees, and even the ability to eat and rest for much more depth and realism. That said, you can also expect to go up against radiation-fuelled mutants for many a Doom-style scare too, and even engage in 32-player online action.

While gameplay-wise it still sounds enticing, the graphics and technology aren't looking as impressive as they did a year ago, and one has to wonder if S.T.A.L.K.E.R still has the goods to wow us on that level. Still, playability is what counts, and this could be one of the premier FPS titles of the year.

9. The Legend of Zelda (GameCube - ETA Unknown)

No more cutesy cell-shading, Link is finally back...and this time he's BUMPMAPPED!
I'll admit, I've been neglecting Nintendo ever since the N64 came out, and thus still need to work my way through the last couple of Zelda games before this sucker's released.

Zelda is one of those series that originally got me into gaming in the first place - I remember vividly playing the old NES version and being captivated like nothing else. There truly was no game vaguely like it at the time.

Above all the others though, the third Zelda title - A Link to the Past - remains a game of particular brilliance to this day, and after recently picking up a GameCube, I'm truly psyched for this upcoming more "adult" themed adventure.

In the meantime, I better hurry up and finish that damned Wind Waker...

8. Revenge of the Sith (Xbox PSP PS2 - ETA May)

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ROTS features motion-capped combat from the Episode III actors and stuntmen
Since I last spoke about this one, LucasArts have put up a sweet new trailer on their web site, comprised of in-game footage and great looking cut-scenes. Just on my first viewing, it was more than enough to smack this bitch up into the top 20.

Whatever your feelings on the prequel movies, no one can deny that running around with a lightsaber is ball-sweatingly bad arse fun. This game appears to be going for a fast-paced Ninja Gaiden feel too, one that'll suit the super hectic Jedi combat style nicely.

Star Wars games are hit and miss for many people, but all signs point towards this one coming out on top. Still not convinced? Check out that trailer on the official site, but beware of huge ass spoilers for the film.

7. Jade Empire (Xbox - ETA March)

Jade Empire is the game BioWare opted to develop instead of another Knights of the Old Republic title. Although it follows that same formula; a deep, plot-heavy console RPG with the good old dark/light side angle in full effect, extra special attention has been dedicated to wrapping it all up in a much more stunning next generation engine complete with a new real-time beat 'em up fighting system.

If you can look past the move from a Star Wars setting to mythical China, there's really nothing to suggest this won't eclipse Knights of the Old Republic in every way.

Tons of footage up at BioWare's Jade Empire web site.

6. Republic Commando (PC Xbox - ETA March)

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Take down General Grievous' droid armies in some top class Clancy-style Star Wars action
If LEGO and Jedi aren't your thing, and you want your Star Wars action a lot darker and more intense, keep an eye on this bad boy; it's Rainbow Six, Halo and Dark Forces all chucked into a blender. A tactical military blast 'em up that'll take the Star Wars name to an exciting new place that it's seldom been before.

Republic Commando bridges the gap between Episode II and III, giving us a brief glimpse into the Clone Wars. As a soldier it's your job to get in there, get the job done, then get out. The Xbox demo is already released and it certainly got me excited, now let's just hope the final game delivers.

And please LucasArts, for god sake get that co-op mode added if you know what's good for you.

5. StarFox: Assault (GameCube - ETA February)

2-player split-screen Arwing action? Spunk!
Man I can't wait for this, it's been a long time coming.

The first StarFox game on the Super NES was truly remarkable. It mixed stunning 3D graphics unlike anything ever seen before it, with some fantastic game design that continued to grip you all the way up to the stunning climax. Whether it be the first time I heard that ominous count-down siren at the start, or my first battle against evil paper face Andross, it still remains a game firmly ingrained in my brain to this day.

It's with some disappointment than, that the most recent GameCube title strayed from the space theme hugely, but fingers crossed that it's been somewhat rectified in this follow-up. The prospect of jumping into my Arwing for another battle in the skies of Corneria makes me positively giddy.

4. Halo 2.5 (Xbox 2 - No ETA)

Put this one strictly in the rumour column, but word of mouth tells of a Halo 2.5 in the works for next year. Apparently it'll hit the shelves as an Xbox 2 launch title towards the end of 2005, and is basically the original Halo 2 with higher resolution graphics and various other upgrades. They say it'll only be available as a pre-installed game on the Xbox 2's bundled hard drive, and if you want to find out more you can do just that over at Team Xbox.

If that wasn't enough, more exaggerated rumours have also appeared claiming that Bungie are planning on pulling a big surprise out of a hat on February 9th. Basically, if you complete Halo 2 on Legendary difficulty (no easy feat), during the end credits you'll see the ominous words "Coming February 9th". Before you get too excited, this could reference anything at all from minor downloadable content to perhaps an official announcement on Bungie's next game. The mobbing hordes however, would like to believe it's the surprise release of Halo 3.

These rumours aren't to be taken too seriously for the moment, but there's always hope. At least hope that whatever it is, it'll tie up the story of Halo 2 in a much more climactic manner.

3. Doom III: Resurrection of Evil (PC Xbox - ETA March)

While I dug the hell out of Doom III at the time, it now feels terribly lacking when placed under the immense shadow of Half-Life 2. It sounds like lessons have been learned for this up-coming expansion pack though, as the technology is now to be used for more adventurous purposes. Primarily this'll include more emphasis on human interactions, as we must now protect a female scientist for the majority of the game, and it'll also see proper use of the physics engine via the "new" gravity gun. Still not a whole lot of originality though, eh?

Best of all though, expect the monstrously powerful Doom II double-barrelled shotty to make a welcome return, along with a host of new spawns of Satan to bash the fuck out of.

I'll also use this opportunity to sneak in a 21st entry onto the list; the Xbox version of the original Doom III that's also due out the same month. I'd never have believed the Box would be capable of running Doom III in any way, shape or form, if it hadn't already proven its power with Riddick earlier this year.

This port also deserves an extra special mention as it includes an online co-op mode not even seen in the PC version. On the downside it may well lose a whole heap of that single player tension as a result, which was really the best thing about the whole damn game, but then again, having a team mate along for the ride will mean he can hold the sodding flash light up while you concentrate on blowing bad guys away.

2. Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 (PC Xbox PS2 - ETA February)

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All signs point towards another amazing WWII FPS. Will they ever end?
Another World War II game? Another first person shooter? Yawn.

But wait! This one actually looks fucking brill. Intense squad-based combat, massive outdoor battles, unparalleled historical accuracy right down the names of the soldiers and the locations of the buildings, and a riveting true to life story involving the Allied paratroopers of the 101st Airborne. Heck, it's gonna be Band of Brothers the video game.

I can't stress enough how much you gotta check out Ubisoft's official web site for this one. On it you can find a multitude of video footage including the amazing 130mb E3 demonstration from earlier in the year. If that's not enough to get you revved up for this bad boy, you need a new hobby.

1. Quake IV (PC - No ETA)

With many long-awaited titles finally hitting store shelves this year, we now need a new Holy Grail to start looking forward to. They don't get much bigger than Quake though folks. May I remind you that so far the Quake series has single-handedly invented true 3D first person shooters (Quake), pushed hardware acceleration into the mainstream (Quake II), and kick-started the online competitive gaming revolution like no other (Quake III Arena).

Now the franchise is going back to the single player story of humans vs. the Stroggos last seen in Quake II, and it certainly promises brilliance. With the Doom III engine at its core, and developer Raven's promise of massive squad dynamics with fully usable vehicles, we have a potential game of the year right here.

And may I remind you to check out those first teasing glimpses of the game posted a few days ago.

Oh and...

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How about it Valve?
Although not making the list as there's yet to be any solid confirmation, I think it's safe to say we can expect a couple of Half-Life 2 expansions coming our way soon. In fact, expansion packs have been all but promised by Valve for a while now, new chapters apparently to be delivered online via Steam.

Judging by how the original Half-Life was handled in this regard, we could be seeing the same storyline played out from other perspectives ala Opposing Force and Blue Shift.

Will we see anything as early as 2005 though? And will they explain what the hell the story was all about in Half-Life 2 for that matter? Most importantly of all, will we get to play as Dog?!

Half-Life 3 is also 100% confirmed by Valve, however I can't see it appearing within the next 12 months judging by the monotonous six year long wait we endured for the last game...

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

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Matt Robinson, 2011

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