The licensed title is based on V8 Superstars, a touring car racing motorsport, which is currently one of the most popular motorsports in Australia and New Zealand. With a lack of coverage in the likes of Europe and the United States, this was always going to be a title to slip under the radar, thus making Superstars V8 Racing the type of title you’d seen on a shelf, pick up because of its very cheap price, have a look at the rear cover and quickly put back down again. At first glance, it may not seem very impressive, but don’t let first looks be deceptive.

Being a licensed title allows many recognised names to be presented, whether it is drivers, cars or even race tracks. Unfortunately, unless you’re a very keen V8 Superstars fanatic, you are unlikely to identify much. Despite this, Superstars V8 Racing is still a fairly enjoyable title.

Possibly the key element to the success of the game is the gameplay, which plays out very similarly to that of Forza Motorsport. In fact, it’s almost identical with the exception of the driving line aid, which has been replaced by a white indicator, appearing on the screen as you approach the corner; approaching too fast changes the colour of the indicator to red. It’s this similarity with Forza Motorsport which made Superstars V8 Racing such an easy title to pick-up and play.

Whilst the basic controls can be easily established by anyone (with the right trigger and left trigger acting as accelerate and brake respectively), the rest of the controls seem rather strangely positioned. Take the right bumper for example, which is used for reversing. Thankfully, if you’re not satisfied by the controls, Superstars V8 Racing offers full customisation of them.

Customisation is also available on the game’s many cars, though it’s not all paints and decals. To achieve the best out of your car, players can alter settings for the likes of the brakes and the suspension. In doing so, the car’s handling is more likely to meet the race track’s requirements, and therefore improve race times, especially in wet weather. Unfortunately, especially on lower difficulties, players are very unlikely to actually change any settings, though it does prove vital on the higher difficulties.

Superstars V8 Racing offers four difficulties in total, ranging from Easy to Legend. As you would expect, as you step up a difficulty, the awaiting challenge also increases, with players having to race flawlessly in order to succeed in Legend difficulty. This may sound like a tough challenge, but on some of the straighter race tracks it doesn’t prove to be as demanding.

The game features twenty race tracks, all of which have been excellently re-created from their real-life counterpart. Alas, whilst the tracks themselves look great and almost life-like, there are some very weak spots with the graphics, especially in the background. Whilst this wouldn’t be a problem normally, viewing a pixelated blue sky is not going to bring out the best in people’s swanky high-definition televisions. Nevertheless, the game’s eight-cylinder engine cars make up for this as they have been well modeled, and more importantly, look incredible.

Superstars V8 Racing does something we haven’t seen much of on the Xbox 360, and that is the inclusion of named drivers. Players have the option of choosing a driver from quite a selection, each of which having different levels of Experience, Knowledge and Reliability. The choice of driver doesn’t seem to affect the way in which you drive, unless players select Maria De Villota – who has particularly weak statistics. Well, you know what they say about female drivers…

In regards to game modes, Superstars V8 Racing features five game modes, neither of which is particularly new to the genre. The first of which is ‘Training’ where players simply select a car, a driver and s racing track and then race laps around it, without any opposition. In doing so, players can aim to beat the record time for the track. The next game mode is ‘Quick Race’ which is exactly the same as Training, though with the addition of opponents. Both game modes aren’t likely to be used often as there’s no real sense of achievement on completion of either, unlike with the ‘Championship’ game mode.

The Championship game mode consists of a number of races in which points are scored, with the winner being the driver with the highest amount of points. Preparation for races begins on the Friday with two practice sessions. Within these sessions, players are supposed to identify the best settings for the car and to generally prepare yourself for the next stage of Qualifying. I found myself skipping these sessions as you are given enough time in qualifying to do the same thing. As the name suggests, Qualifying simply requires players to achieve a better time than their opponents, taking place on the Saturday. The race then takes place on the Sunday. This process is then repeated until the Championship has ended. Alternatively, players can choose to participate in a one-off weekend via the ‘Race Weekend’ game mode which is a nice inclusion.

Last but not least is a game mode which seems to become a more common occurrence in video games, known as Superstar Licenses. Within this game mode, players participate in short challenges; whether it is to race to the finish-line in under a time limit or to overtake a number of cars before a certain point. On completion of the challenge, they are rewarded with a medal, based on their performance. The game mode itself is great, though very short-lived, with only twenty challenges on offer. The only reason players are likely to return to the game mode is to obtain the achievements.

The game’s achievements have been brilliantly created, ranging from the very easy, to the fairly hard. Any average gamer would easily be able to achieve a good 500 GamerScore from the title in no time, with achievement junkies pushing further towards the 1000 mark.

Nevertheless, Superstars V8 Racing has two major flaws. The first one is the lack of a soundtrack, which has been replaced with a track that appears to be on a constant loop. Other than that, the game’s remaining audio is perfectly fine and a pleasure to have blasting out of your speakers. The second flaw is the multiplayer with the game, regrettably, not supporting local play. This is redeemed by the title offering up to twelve players online, which is a joy to play.

Superstars V8 Racing is a very good racing title, despite a few flaws, which will undoubtedly pass through almost everyone’s radar. This is ideal for racing fans looking to pass time whilst awaiting Forza Motorsport 3 with great anxiety.

The concept behind Sorry, on the surface, is fairly simple and one the majority of gamers will be able to get to grips with. It consists of each player moving four pawns from the “start” location to “home.” Pawns move the amount of spaces as portrayed on the card chosen by the player. In addition, a “Sorry” card can also be played, allowing the player to swap the position of their pawn with an opponent’s.

Hasbro have gone one step further with Sorry with the insertion of two other game modes: Bonus Cards and Custom. As the name of each suggests, Bonus Cards sees the inclusion of additional cards in the game, including the likes of “Sideswipe” which allows your pawn to move to the next corner of the board, sending any pawns in the way back to the “Start” location. Bonus Cards is a game mode worthy of its place in Sorry, brilliantly expanding on the original concept with some great new perceptions. Regrettably, the same can’t be said for the Custom game mode which is very limited as the only adjustments players can make are between the game mode and AI settings.

Credit has to go to Hasbro for vividly adapting the board game into a video game, rather than totally reinventing the way we play. Having the casual target audience in mind, the Sorry game board is presented on an in-game table, situated in a living room environment – just the way a regular family would normally sit down and play it. Thanks to this adaptation, the same family experience can now be enjoyed with the family gathering around the television with controller in hand, rather than the table.

Multiplayer expands on the single player with four player support in all three game modes locally and the traditional game mode online. Alas, it’s getting the numbers to play a multiplayer game of Sorry that lets the title down. I highly doubt the traditional gamer would sit down to play Sorry when the likes of Halo, Guitar Hero and FIFA are just a disc insertion away. This has clearly happened to the online side of things with not one lobby or player available.

Unfortunately, like the board game, Sorry is more frustrating than fun. This is mostly due to the amount of luck needed and partly because the balance of the game can change in a second with the use of a “Sorry” card. There’s no bigger annoyance than having to rely on one particular number to appear in your hand to ensure your pawn gets to the “Home” location or someone swapping the position of your pawn with theirs after you’ve got it right round the board.

Adding to the frustration is Mr. Potato Head, a character we are all familiar to seeing in the film, Toy Story. His appearance will almost certainly appeal to children and adults alike, though he can prove to be an annoyance. For the vast majority of the game, Mr. Potato Head is dashing around the board to keep up with the play with the repetitive sound effect of him sliding to a halt imminent. However, this isn’t the only annoying sound effect within the game as one of the major flaws with Sorry, is the looping soundtrack which could drive anyone crazy.

Fortunately, more characters have been integrated into the game. They come in the form of avatars that appear when the play switches. Avatars isn’t something witnessed in many Xbox Live Arcade titles as of yet, but even vague appearances, such as those featured in Sorry, prove to be a nice touch and give your avatar that bit of exposure they need.

Graphically, Sorry rates just above average as it’s fairly good looking, though fails to bring out the best of your swanky high definition television. There are some weak background details, but on the whole, it is perfectly acceptable for an Xbox Live Arcade title.

To conclude, Sorry is your typical Xbox Live Arcade title. It’s fun for a game or two, then you are unlikely to play it again, especially at the 800 Microsoft Point price tag. This isn’t helped by the lack of online players and sheer frustration the game causes. Though to give credit where it’s due, EA and Hasbro have done well to break into the more casual gaming market.

[Posted on Console Monster]

As with previous titles in series, the Sega Professional Tennis (SPT) Tour returns full of brand new court games, tournaments and events. The rather fun task of creating a player to compete against the world’s best has been improved immensely from Virtua Tennis 3 – with a wider range of customisation options and styles available. Not only is there a lot of them, but they are also very easy to use. Possibly one of the more authentic features is being able to choose the way your player serves and stands. Every little detail is covered and it really is one of the best player creation tools available.

Once you’ve badly re-created yourself (in my case anyway), players are greeted to the World Map which has been significantly enhanced to be more life-like with players able to select each and every country to choose as their home. Depending on the country you choose to be your home, determines your coach which unfortunately left me with England’s previous number one and now BBC pundit, Tim Henman. Oh dear!

Your coach will help you develop in three different areas: Groundstrokes, Footwork & Techniques and Serve & Volley. Points for each category are earned in practice matches as well as earning them in the improved Tennis Academy. The Tennis Academy used to be a place in which you could only earn medals. This is the same in Virtua Tennis 2009 but now, depending on the activity completed, points are earned for one of the three areas. Fully completing an area, leads to new playing styles for the player to occupy them self to.

Another way to improve in each area is to compete in Court Games, one of the most popular features to come out of the Virtua Tennis series. Some of the classics make a welcome return but it’s the new ones that prove to be the more exciting such as Pirate Wars, in which players defeat the attacking pirate ships by returning their balls and avoiding cannonballs and Block Buster, in which players destroy the blocks with a powerful and accurate shot. These new Court Games continue to provide a more entertaining way of developing the in-game players.

The SPT Tour is also newly structured with players having to make their way through the one-hundred ‘Amateur’ ranks before onto the ‘Professional’ ranks. Whilst it is most definitely more time-consuming, this increases the game’s lifespan. Other new inclusions to the SPT Tour are the cut-scenes of your created player winning the tournaments, random sponsorship and charity events which often involve players dressing up in fancy dress and having to pay for instant drinks and how low stamina can cause injuries, leaving players out for a number of weeks. All these features improve the SPT Tour to a great extent and will keep players happily entertained for the vast majority of the game.

Virtua Tennis 2009 contains Xbox Live support, matching that of the previous title, with ranked and player matches on offer. The only change in the sequel comes in the form of online leaderboards, a new inclusion which boasts a more competitive experience. In doing so, you’ll find less players quitting out of matches and therefore creating a more enjoyable game.

And what would a tennis title be without big name stars? Virtua Tennis 2009 contains twenty professional well-known tennis names including the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and, Scotland’s own, Andy Murray. All twenty players have been superbly recreated into their virtual selves from their facial appearance to the clothes they wear. The rest of the game’s graphics however are quite like mixed doubles. On one hand, the environments and stadiums have been created very nicely  with everything looking realistic, though at the same time, keeping that Arcade style everyone is familiar with, whilst on the other hand some of the character designs, which are evident on the game’s loading screens aren’t pleasant viewing.

This problem wouldn’t be too bad if the loading screens were short, but with matches, tournaments and court games taking a good while to load, on many occasions I found myself waiting in the loading screen longer than the match or court game itself. This can be improved by installing the game to the hard drive, but this shouldn’t be essential in this day and age.

By far the most drastic change from the game’s predecessor is the new camera angle when playing a singles game. The camera is at a lower angle and a little bit closer to what Virtua Tennis players will be used to. In fact, it feels a lot like Top Spin. Whilst it may take a while to get the hang of, it is a great addition and one I’m sure Virtua Tennis fans will enjoy. Nevertheless, the camera angle for doubles games remains the same.

Yet another feature which remains the same is the game’s controls, which are as easy to get to grips with as holding a tennis racket, with the thumbstick your way of moving the player around the court and the four coloured buttons representing the four different types of shots (Ground strokes, slice and lob). Possibly one of the biggest flaws with Virtua Tennis 3 was the lob which wasn’t very effective. This has been significantly improved for the 2009 version of the game as lobs can now be pulled off with ease.

To conclude, SEGA has served up as a great sequel, fixing problems with Virtua Tennis 3 though going that step further with an extended SPT Tour.  The online leaderboards are definitely the cream on the strawberries, making Virtua Tennis 2009 the best sports title of this summer.

[Posted on Console Monster]

The first episode, titled Fright of the Bumblebees, sees Wallace and Gromit producing 50 gallons of honey for the tea and crumpet festival – how very British – to pay off their debt caused by one of Wallace’s crazy conceptions, though the amount seems too much for the pair’s bees to handle unless they can obtain enough flowers. Fortunately, Wallace comes up with a formula to increase the growth rate of some seeds, inspired by a muscle formula advertised on a leaflet he got through the letterbox. Being Wallace and Gromit, it was never going to be smooth-sailing and in growing the flowers, Wallace also grew the bees, causing unrest on West Wallaby Street.

Wallace and Gromit in Fright of the Bumblebees uses a similar play system to one witnessed in Telltale Games’ most successful series, Sam & Max, which involves a point-and-click-like system. Rather than being a direct point and click, the game requires the controlled character to look in the direction of the desired object or character and to press the A button. Alternatively, players can cycle through a room or places content using the left and right bumpers. It takes some getting used to though; once the rather simple tutorial and the first act of making Wallace his breakfast is complete, players should be well and truly used to the unique style of play.

Having laughed and enjoyed Wallace and Gromit for years now, it was great to see the humour was implemented into the game’s fine script, with Wallace coming out with some bee-zarre bumblebee jokes to Gromit’s signature facepalm; the comedy witnessed in the television episodes has been superbly captured and performed.

Despite the lack of Peter Sallis (the voice of Wallace), the stand-in does an excellent job of filling in the slippers of such a recognised voice, and as for the rest of the game’s audio, whilst it may not be to the standards of a retail title, what is evident is adequate for an Xbox LIVE Arcade title. A similar thing can be said for the game’s graphics, as the characters have been very accurately modeled with a very good use of texturing, including the odd fingerprint, and buildings have been structured and designed to be almost identical to those everyone is familiar with. These little touches make the gaming experience that little bit more thrilling.

Even though I have a lot of praise for Wallace and Gromit in Fright of the Bumblebees, the length of the title wasn’t pleasing. The game comprises of four acts, each of which take around thirty minutes to complete. This wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t for more game modes and more options, but unfortunately they are nowhere to be found.

At 800 Microsoft Points, I really recommend Wallace and Gromit in Fright of the Bumblebee. Despite its fairly short length, it’s a brilliantly developed title with a script full of the typical Wallace and Gromit humour. With another title confirmed to release soon, the episodic series has really started with a buzz.

[Posted on Console Monster]

The concept behind UNO was to be the first person to successfully call “UNO” and be the first person to discard of all their cards on the discard pile. Taking it in turns, cards of the same colour or number to the one on the discard pile would be placed on top. Alternatively, players can place an “action” card which changes the colour of the pile. Not being able to play, results in the player obtaining a card from the deck.

UNO Rush follows the same conception with a few changes. There are two obvious differences which are that players can now see each other’s cards and more than one card can be played at a time. This can only be done if the following card in the player’s hand is the same colour or number. In doing so, this allows players to think more strategically though the new timed system means it has to be done quickly. There’s also a new “action” card which reshuffles the player’s deck. This can prove to be a sneaky tactic if the opponent happened to line them all up perfectly and very annoying if you are on the opposing end of one. Other than them, the familiar UNO style shines through with matching designs and layouts, as well as game modes.

The game modes in UNO Rush are identical to those seen in the predecessor with Standard, Partner and House Rules game modes returning. For those of you who haven’t experienced them, Standard game mode requires players to rid of all their cards, with points awarded for doing so. The Partner game mode has the same basis though diagonal players share the points. Last but not least is House Rules which allows players to choose and decide on their own rules for the game, being able to change the likes of total points and even the game’s speed.

UNO Rush introduces a brand new game mode called Elimination, which is a more unique game mode. Within Elimination, players receive a stroke for not being able to place a card. Three strikes and the player is withdrawn from the game and the last player standing victors. This is a great game mode which I thoroughly enjoyed.

All these game modes can be played in multiplayer both online and, something new to the series, offline. As part of the fun behind UNO Rush is being able to change the colour of the discard pile to prevent your opponent from placing a card, up to four players can play on the same console locally. This is the only change to the multiplayer with player matches and ranked matches also on the agenda, though a welcome change none-the-less.

Another welcome change is the inclusion of avatars, which appear besides the player’s deck, replacing Gamer Pictures. The interaction with the right thumbstick improves the game’s fun factor as your avatar can look in the direction of an opponent. Alternatively, the Xbox Live Vision Camera can be put to good use if you fancy greeting your opponents with a nice hello or showing off your victory dance when you thrash the opposition.

The game also supports the use of the Big Button controller which came with Scene It? Owning them myself, I decided to give it a try and was disappointed by how difficult it is to navigate through the card pile with them. It’s comforting to know that the option is there but it was an unnecessary option and one I wouldn’t recommend.

Graphically, UNO Rush matches the same graphics and details achieved by UNO, though the familiar soundtrack has been replaced by something not as catchy coincidentally letting the title down on the audio front. However, this is made up via some returning sound effects and audio pleasantness.

Overall, UNO Rush is a worthy sequel to UNO. Despite some of the changes taking a bit of time to get used to, give the title a chance and you’ll fall in love, just like you did before. Don’t be put off by the 800 Microsoft Point price tag; this is another Arcade classic no-one should miss out on.

[Posted on Console Monster]

The first of the new game modes is ‘Keepaway,’ which is your typical Capture the Flag style game mode we are ever-so-familiar with, though with a Halo Wars twist. The flag is represented by a dynamic sentinel, which, when destroyed, is assigned to the unit that eliminated it. For a capture point to be scored, the flag carrier must be kept alive for the two-minute time limit. The winner is the first team to reach three capture points. Whilst this seems like an unusual game mode for a real-time strategy title, it is surprisingly really good and one that has been brilliantly implemented.

Next up is ‘Tug of War’, which requires players to build up their strength by creating base points and destroying enemies. Player’s advancement is indicated on a progress bar at the top left of the screen. As your team becomes stronger, the indicator on the bar moves closer to your end and the opposite when your opponent becomes stronger. When the bar reaches either end, the game finishes and the winner is the team/s with the stronger army. Whilst it’s a clever conception, this is the weakest of the three game modes as it isn’t initially clear what is required to score points, and in all fairness it’s not actually that fun to play.

You know what they say about saving the best till last, and this is where the ‘Reinforcement’ game mode comes in. The game mode uses a waves feature in which new troops are delivered and player’s resources deplete every two minutes or so. With the creation of new troops disabled for the game mode, players have to strategically eliminate the enemy, with the limited resources in place. This game mode is a great new concept, which is one of its kind and whilst being a challenge it is also enjoyable – something I haven’t witnessed in quite some time.

All three game modes can be played on all of the game’s current maps, on all four difficulties and with a range of players. This integration into the game was executed well and there’s no confusion surrounding it.

Whilst I like the new game modes on the whole, the major factor in whether you should purchase the Halo Wars “Strategic Options” downloadable content is the price. Unfortunately, this is probably the off-putting factor, as for 800 Microsoft Points (about £6.40), all players receive is three new game modes. This seems a little too pricey, especially with new downloadable content arriving on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on a very common basis. If new campaign missions had been included, this would be a must-buy, though unfortunately this downloadable content is for frequent Halo Wars players only. Let’s hope Robot Entertainment’s next attempt is worth the price you pay.

[Posted on Console Monster]

When Fable 2 released in October 2008, the need for downloadable content was imminent, as many players found themselves finishing the game within hours of putting the disc into their Xbox 360 consoles. This need was met in January with the release of “Knothole Island”, which despite adding a few more hours to the playing time, it was greeted by a mixed response. A few months on, “See the Future” has arrived on the docks of Bowerstone.

Similarly to “Knothole Island”, access to “See the Future” is made at the dock in Bowerstone Market, where Murgo the Trader – a familiar face witnessed in the childhood sequence – is positioned with his ever-so-familiar caravan. Murgo offers players cursed goods for the very cheap price of 5 gold coins each. When players use these items, they open up mysterious places with new quests to complete and new items to obtain.

The first mission comes from a snowglobe containing a small model village that was once a real town in Albion. The inhabitants of the village are now ghosts, who are destined to an endless ordeal until the curse of the shadowy threat is eliminated. Upon entry to the village, players will be greeted to a lack of colour, and after a quick adjustment of the brightness in-game, and on the television, you will soon come to realise that it is a major role within the mission, as all the colour has been drained by the shadows. The shadows come in three different colours, each of which can only be defeated in a particular way. Blue shadows can only be defeated with melee weapons, yellow shadows with long-ranged weapons and red shadows with magic. The mission itself is fairly varied in terms of locations, enemies and objectives and is undoubtedly one of my favourite missions in Fable 2.

The second mission comes from a cursed skull, which when used, leads players to a land beyond the dead, in which a Cursed Knight has been awaiting a hero to save him from his fate. For something sounding so serious, the mission’s title: “The Costume Party” doesn’t seem to fit the purpose of the task, until you discover what you have to do in order to save the Cursed Knight from his fate. Players have to dress up as and imitate hobbes and balverines in order to open gates and succeed within the mission. Similarly to the first mission, The Costume Party is fairly varied in terms of locations, enemies and objectives, though the more evident hint of repetition lets it down.

The last offering from the downloadable content is the Colosseum, a challenge in which players battle it out in combat against enemies to win prizes. If you have played through the game’s main storyline, you will have encountered a similar feature known as the Crucible, though the Colosseum promises, and indeed proved, to be a lot more of a challenge, something the more advanced Fable 2 players will appreciate and will keep on returning to time after time.

As well as receiving prizes from the Colosseum, “See the Future” also boasts a lot of new items for players to find and collect. Whilst the majority of the items seemed to be the likes of dyes and Murgo models, there were some nice pieces of clothing and a good few condoms from a friendly old man… But by far the best items on offer are new potions, which allow players to change the breed of their dog. In doing so, some of the dog’s abilities improve, as well as giving he/she a nice new coat.

Fable 2 players will also appreciate the price of the downloadable content. At 560 Microsoft Points (which comes to approximately £4.65), the content on offer is fantastic, making “See the Future” worth a few moments thought and definitely one to consider.

Unfortunately, it’s not all high-flying as the main problem with both of the missions in the downloadable content is the length. They will only have gamers playing for a few hours, maximum, which aren’t ideal for those looking for another huge burst of gameplay.

To conclude, Fable 2 “See the Future” is a great piece of downloadable content. It boasts some great new missions and items alike, despite the lack of additional gameplay it brings.

[Posted on Console Monster]

The concept of Space Invaders Extreme is the same as the original with players controlling a spaceship which can move horizontally left and right along the foot of the screen, with aliens – known as space invaders – occupying the remaining space. The aim of the game is for players to eliminate all the space invaders. Losing all your lives, results in game over.

Space invaders come in different sizes and colours, with some proving to be a lot tougher than others. The bigger the invaders, the more shots they take to defeat. The colour of a space invader can help determine what power-up appears, as once a four colour combo has been achieved by eliminating four of the same colour invader in succession, the power-up drops to the bottom of the screen ready to be collected by the spaceship. Upon collection, players have a certain time period of around ten seconds in which to use the power-up. Power-ups can definitely prove to be very advantageous and have been implemented well into the game so that more-skilled and precise players will be able to obtain more, though the more novice gamers will be also be able to obtain them as well.

Before continuing with the review, I must point out that it took me a while to get into Space Invaders Extreme. This was probably down to the fact that most Xbox Live Arcade re-makes have been disappointing and were not worthy of playing. Thankfully, Space Invaders Extreme has changed my perspective on them, and once I truly started playing, I was mesmerised.

Possibly one of my favourite features of the game is the graphics and audio, which can only be described as a package of retro-goodness. Yeah, they aren’t fantastic, they don’t make your jaw-drop and they certainly don’t bring out the best of your high-definition television and surround sound, but Backbone Entertainment have captured the ever-so-familiar two-dimensional formality, we’ve witnessed throughout the game’s long history.

I was also pleased to see that the game has the same pick-up-and-play style we all love with only the use of the left thumbstick and the A button throughout the entirety of the game. How about that for keeping things simple!

Also keeping things simple is Space Invaders Extreme’s Arcade game mode which gamers are likely to spend the majority of their time on, aiming to play their way through the game’s many stages. The game mode has been re-created and re-envisioned from the original, with each stage starting off relatively easy before the difficulty increases with progression. Enemies become harder to defeat and with plenty of ammunition flowing in both directions, it really can get hectic; another of the game’s many alluring features.

There are two other game modes in Space Invaders Extreme, both of which are multiplayer. They are Survivor and Score Attack. Locally and online, either game mode can be played in co-op mode or versus with up to four players.

Survivor mode sees players playing through the game’s levels, in order to distinguish how long they can survive for. The winner is the player who lasts longest. The game mode plays out really well though there are two major flaws. The seemingly most obvious one is that games can last for long periods of time, depending on player skill and that the way in which the screen is split, makes the playing field a lot smaller than you would expect as too larger gaps are present at both the top and the foot of the screen. This isn’t a problem when you’re playing with four players, but anything less and it can get a bit awkward.

Score Attack mode on the other hand, is flawless and furthermore, it’s fun. With all the participants battling out on one large screen, fighting over the power-ups and attempting to put each other off in order to score as many points as possible, Score Attack is a great addition to what was already a decent title.

Unfortunately, Space Invaders Extreme has a similar problem to one witnessed in the majority of Xbox  Live Arcade titles, with no-one actually playing the title online which is a shame as it is a fun experience.

Finally, the inclusion of bonus rounds proved to be a worthy addition. Bonus rounds are unlocked by firing at specific UFOs as they pass through the playing field, which temporarily pauses the game and a bonus round is played out. Successfully completing the bonus round which range from eliminating a certain amount of invaders to collecting a certain amount of gold blocks, unlocks a power-up or special game mode in which points can easily be racked up.

To conclude, Space Invaders Extreme is extremely good. It’s one of the better re-makes on the Xbox Live Arcade though the lack of game modes is a slight disappointment, despite the fact that the ones evident in the game do a great job of keeping players entertained. Whilst the 800 Microsoft Point price tag may be a little too high for the content on offer, it certainly isn’t too high for the fun it provides.

[Posted on Console Monster]

The objective of Flock is to herd animals into the motherflocker (careful how you say that), an alien mothership, using your UFO craft and its various tractor beams. As the game progresses, players have to overcome more obstacles and challenges in order to thrive; this ranges from holes and pits to scarecrows and predators, each of which could eliminate your beloved animals.

The animals you have to herd into your motherflocker include sheep, bulls, pigs and chickens – with each one having their own special abilities which could help you succeed in the level. For example: Bulls can break fences and gates which could help other animals reach the goal quicker. These little things will help you obtain a faster completion time, which is rewarded with gold, silver and bronze medals. These medals are rewarded for collecting the amount of animals within the time limits, as listed in the quota. There is also a ‘perfect abduction’ star which is awarded for obtaining all the animals within the level. Both of these proved to be a good inclusion and will get players replaying certain levels.

Your typical campaign would be an enjoyable few hours long if it had an interesting storyline. This is one of the major problems with Flock. The lack of a storyline makes it just level after level of collecting animals, but probably the most disappointing aspect is that there are only just over fifty levels, and with each one lasting around a minute or two, it won’t take long for players to finish what is known as the single player campaign.  On a positive note, the names of each level – as well as providing a clue – contain humour based on the animals within the level. This is the type of thing only Capcom can pull off well and it has worked in their favour.

However, there is a solution to the lack of levels, and this comes in the form of a level editor. Best of all, the level editor is very easy to use and challenging levels can be designed within minutes thanks to the simple controls, easily accessible menus and great layout. New items for the level editor are unlocked in the game’s campaigns after using them within the level. This means it’s worth playing through the campaigns before experimenting. If that wasn’t enough, created levels can be shared through Xbox LIVE using Level Sharing. You can upload your own created levels and download other user’s levels too. This works incredibly well as each creation downloads in seconds and the rating system works well.

The game’s only multiplayer comes in the form of the multiplayer campaign, which unfortunately is only available locally. The game mode would probably have worked slightly better with Xbox LIVE play, due to the way in which the camera has to incorporate both UFOs and with some pretty big levels, at times this isn’t really ideal. The multiplayer campaign does have its strong points, with some clever challenges that require involvement from both players.

Graphically, the childish cartoon presentation has been executed well and the use of colours suits the game’s style. It’s also worth noting the nicely done textures. This just shows that Xbox LIVE Arcade titles can look great. A similar thing could be said for the game’s audio, which has been brilliantly produced in order to capture the animal sounds and the UFO itself. Probably the highlight of the audio is the game’s soundtrack which is embaaarrassingly catchy.

The game’s achievements are shear brilliance with a good mix of easy and hard achievements. Most players will easily be able to obtain a good 100 GamerScore from the title, but only the best will be able to obtain the full 200.

Flock is an Xbox LIVE Arcade title you’ll either totally love, or udderly despise. If you enjoy the demo, the full game is worth a purchase, even at 1200 Microsoft Points.

[Posted on Console Monster]

The goal in Lode Runner is simple: Collect all the gold without making contact with the enemy robots or getting yourself killed, using a floor-destroying gun. The gun can only destroy weaker floors to the left and right of the game’s unnamed character, and not directly underneath him. Destroying the floor offers new pathways to gold, but can also prevent the enemy from moving for a few seconds if they happen to fall into it. If an enemy happens to make contact with the player, a life is lost and the level is restarted; losing all your lives results in Game Over. More lives can be obtained through a bonus level at the end of each level, in which clever thinking is required.

In fact, the whole game requires clever thinking, but more importantly, doing it quickly. Players do not have the time to stand around and plan on how they are going to obtain each bit of gold – due to the game’s enemies. A lot of the fun in the game comes from the mad rush and the sheer excitement of escaping the robots. Another thing about Lode Runner is despite the many attempts you may have at a level, the urge to keep playing is there. To put it simply, it’s quite addictive.

One of the best features of Lode Runner is the amount of great game modes the title offers. The main game mode is ‘Journey’ – your typical campaign mode which sees gamers playing through the game’s sixteen chapters, with each chapter consisting of five levels. Depending on how long it takes you to complete each level the game mode offers a good few hours of play time to keep you occupied.

Possibly the most fun game mode to play is ‘Hang On’ in which players gather as much gold as possible whilst enemies pursue you. Twisting and shooting your way through a rather intense few minutes is possibly the highlight of the entire game, as well as being tremendous fun. The last of the single player game modes is ‘Puzzle Mode’ in which players simply have to gather all the gold, but it’s not as simple as it sounds.  Not only does the mode require clever-thinking and knowledge in order to succeed, but timing is crucial as well. At some points within the mode, players have to destroy a block, collect the gold and quickly return before the block re-appears. It truly is a challenge and one worthy of participating in.

All three single player game modes have been altered for the multiplayer so that co-op partners can join. Lode Runner supports up to four players on each of its multiplayer game modes. The Co-op Journey is slightly easier than the single player journey as the same amount of enemies and gold is evident. When one of the pair dies, a blue orb spawns on the level, which, if collected, resurrects the other player. This could prove vital as some of the gold requires teamwork and sacrifice in order to triumph.

Co-op Puzzle is more-or-less identical to the single player version with the added addition of some gold that can only be obtained through the use of co-operative play. ‘Last Man’ is possibly the fastest game of tag you will ever see. The mode consists of three rounds with all four players having to survive for as long as possible from the pursuing robots. A timer runs for each individual player which totals up the amount of time the player has survived; once all players have been tagged, the next round starts. The victor is the one with the highest-time gained through the three rounds. It really is a joy to play and I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun on an Xbox LIVE Arcade title. All these multiplayer game modes are also available to play over Xbox LIVE, another great addition to the game.

Possibly the best addition, likewise to the title released 26 years ago (despite the game saying 25), is the inclusion of a Level Editor. Any level throughout the game can easily be recreated in the fairly simple-to-use level editor as well as any of your own ideas. These can then be shared over Xbox LIVE. The only real let-down with the level editor is that the controls take a bit of getting used to. Other than that, it’s very simple to use.

Graphically, Lode Runner has been done very well. Despite obtaining a fairly pleasant 3D makeover, it has still managed to keep the same style as portrayed in its 1983 release. From nice looking backgrounds to well designed ladders and blocks, Lode Runner is not only a beauty to play, but also to look at.

Lode Runner’s achievements reward nicely, but are quite time-consuming. They range from earning your first star to having to complete both single player and co-op journeys and therefore the sound of ‘bleep bloop’ will not be heard as often as you might like.

Controversy surrounded Lode Runner from release when the title originally pricing at 800 Microsoft Points changed to 1200 Microsoft Points hours later. This shouldn’t put you off purchasing this fantastic title though. One of my favourite Xbox LIVE Arcade titles to date and one I will be playing for a while to come.

[Posted on Console Monster]