lost in games

Oh how we love the World Cup. It gives us an excuse to consume an obscene amount of alcohol together with lots and lots of chips and nuts while it’s still daylight. It also gives us an excuse to leave work on time (or even earlier)! Maybe extend those lunch breaks as well?

Anyways…

Contest Instructions

In order to celebrate this heavenly event i am inviting you to answer a simple question “Which team will win the World Cup?”.

The winner of the contest can select one of the below games titles which will be mailed to him/her as soon as the World Cup is over. If there are two or more winners then a draw will be made to get the final winner.

1. God of War 3 (PS3)
2. Red Dead Redemption (PS3/360)
3. Alan Wake (360)
4. Heavy Rain (PS3)
5. Splinter Cell: Conviction (360)
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)
7. New Super Mario Bros (Wii)

more details on how to enter this contest at Onthisisland

Edge claims that it has been told by a trusted source that the video camera-controller, Natal, will be released this October at US$150. If this is true, i think it will prove to be an expensive proposition for most people. It will only be able to capture a very small niche market within the 360 community. Unless of course Natal comes with a really compelling game like Wii did with Wii Sports. LINK

There are rumours flying around that Sony will give the HD treatment to Ico and Shadow of the Colossus (like it did with the God of War series) and release the pack just before the Last Guardian. This is indeed great, great news as Sony did a great job with the God of War collection. I am not sure though thay these two games need the upgrade as much as the GoW did because of their minimalism in design.

The bad news is that according to the rumours the pack will be released in 2011, which means no Last Guardian this year?? LINK

I am playing Dragon Age: Origins on the 360. I was planning on writing a few things about it but i came across Jim Sterling’s review on Destructoid. It’s what i would have wrote if i was any good at this.  We share the same opinion for the game so far so here’s a link to the review. LINK

Hey, it’s Mario!

In 2007 Edge magazine awarded the first Super Mario Galaxy with a perfect 10. Now SMG2 (Wii) has also received a 10 from Edge. It seems that a perfect game has been improved to perfection in the space of two and a half years…..

If you own a Wii, it’s time to dust it off. Mario is the unidisputed game of the week.

360

UFC Undisputed 2010
Blur

PS3

UFC Undisputed 2010
Blur
ModNation Racers
Soldner-X-2: Final Prototype

Wii

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Pirates Blun-Arrr

PC

Blur

DS

Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force: Herbert’s Revenge
Dawn of Heroes

PSP

Hexyz Force
ModNation Racers

Is that possible? This morning Micromania had a games bazaar at their Nicosia store and had some really good deals. I managed to get 13 games for 120 Euros including Saboteur (360), Little Big Planet (PS3) and Trauma Center (Wii) for just Euros5 each. When you also consider that 1 of them was Euros40 that leaves Euros80 for 12.

Games shops should do these more often to clear out unsold games and also to attract customers (like myself) who usually find their bargains online.

What a wonderful little game this proved to be. Impressive visuals that really suit the theme and some great characters to play with. The interaction of the 4 Wonderland characters you are using with Alice is also really well executed with you helping her out to make big jumps, climb and also protecting her against the Red Queen’s soldiers. The puzzles are well thought out and never frustrating (it is an easy and short game). What is frustrating though is the fiddly and repetitive combat. This is the one big let down in the game.

All in all, i recommend it to practically everyone but especially as a game for a younger audience.

Micromania is organising a Games Bazaar this Saturday, 22 May 2010 at their Nicosia store. The announcement and games available are on the website.

Here are some cheap games i have noticed:

@EUR5

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (360)
Timeshift (360),
Naruto: Rise of a Ninja (360)
GTA: Vice City Stories (PSP)
Twisted Metal: Head-on (PSP)

@EUR15

Echoshift (PSP)
Bioshock (PS3)
Race Driver Grid (360)
CoD: World at War (360)
Little Big Planet (PS3)
Wipeout Pulse (PSP)
Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros Treasure (Wii)
Saints Row 2 (360)
Mercenaries 2 (360)

What a week this promises to be!

Long Weekend quote suggestions.

“Honey, I think I lost around Euros200 cash. What? What games? Oh these. These are old ones!”

“Yeah mum, the teacher did not give us any homework for next week.”

“I am sorry honey but it’s best not to go anywhere this long weekend. It will be so crowded.”

“I think we need to save the money for our proper summer holidays”

“Sorry mate I can’t come over today. I am baby sitting”

“Beach? No way, the water is still too cold.”

Best excuse of the week Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption (PS3, 360).

Also other good excuses are Alan Wake (360), Split/Second (PS3, 360, PC) and Prince of Persia (PS3, 360).

360

Alan Wake
Read Dead Redemption
Split/second
Shrek Forever After
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten sands

PS3

Read Dead Redemption
Split/second
Shrek Forever After
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten sands

Wii

Bit. Trip Runner
Trauma Team
Trackmania
Shrek Forever After
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten sands

PC

Split/second
Runaway: A Twist of Fate

DS

Trackmania 2
Shrek Forever After
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten sands
Blue Dragon: Awakened shadow

PSP

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten sands

I rarely go the cinemas anymore. There must be a very good reason for me to go. Last year there were two (Batman: The Dark Knight and Star Trek).

Last weekend i went to watch Kick-Ass a movie adaptation of the comic book series written by Mark Millar but which i have never read.

The movie exceeded all my expectations. I thought it was funny, had excellent fight scenes, it managed to mix reality and the comic book world brilliantly and provided us with some fantastic characters.

Definitely one of the best movies i have seen this year and one of best comic book adaptations to date, if not the best.