Star Trek D-A-C

Following the release of the highly anticipated new Star Trek film by J.J Abrams, it is clear it is not a continuation from the last Star Trek film Nemesis, which was the last voyage of the Next Generation crew, but instead a reboot of the franchise from the beginning. It will not try and remake classic Star Trek films like The Wrath of Khan, it is instead a Star Trek in an alternate reality.

So what does this have to do with games? Well, as most blockbuster action films come with video games so does the new Star Trek film, Star Trek D-A-C.

Star Trek D-A-C is simple top down space game based on J.J Abrams aforementioned movie reboot of the series. It pitches the Federation against the Romulan Empire. Star Trek D-A-C allows you to choose between three ships, each with its own unique abilities that can help turn the tide of war. On offer are nimble fighters, powerful bombers and the almighty flagships. The new, sleek looking U.S.S Enterprise is available to Starfleet commanders.

The game features three modes of play, singleplayer, online multiplayer and online co-op. For each individual mode there are a further three more game types, Assault, Conquest and Team Deathmatch.

Star Trek D-A-C is not like most film-based video games. The film-based video games have a similarly “big budget” as there film counterparts do, though not usually the same scale. Film-based games try to have a side story to the film and try to enhance on what the film did in the theatre. Examples of these are the newly released X-Men Origins: Wolverine game and the upcoming Terminator Salvation game. Star Trek D-A-C is completely different. First off, Star Trek D-A-C is not available in stores but instead available for download through the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network services. Secondly, it looks to not have the budget these games tend to carry with them, which isn’t a bad thing. The top down 2d approach, similar in style to an RTS type game, works for Star Trek D-A-C. The not too fancy graphics also work, the lack of story to “complement” the film is also a good thing.

So your thinking there is nothing much too it then? Well yes, it is an incredibly simple game. Up to 6 people per side battle it out in a the depths of space. The game is classed as being 2D, but really it is played from a perspective that makes it look 2d. The game does, however, play on a 2D plane, which limits vertical movement, but in the background the developers have managed to create a sense of depth to the game, with lots of activity going on in the background. All the ships are rendered in 3D, and will even tilt when turning, other objects like space stations and asteroids are also in 3D.

Star Trek D-A-C is not a master revision of any Star Trek games, mainly because there aren’t many good ones worth remaking, like the movie it comes from, nor is it a mastery revision of film-based video games. It is just a simple space combat shooter that takes influence from the new film, and so far it’s the only game where you can control the new U.S.S Enterprise! And that’s what makes it stand out from the rest. On a last note, Paramount Digital Entertainment have kept what the D-A-C stands for a tight secret and will announce what it means later. Have any guesses? Ours would be on the lines of the three game types, Deathmatch, Assault and Conquest, boring yes so lets hope it means something better!

Star Trek D-A-C is out this month initially for the Xbox 360 via the Live Arcade service, and will be released later for the PlayStation 3 via PSN and PC.

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Dante’s Inferno: Poem to Game

To be honest we're suprised this videogame hasnt been made sooner, but Dante's Inferno is finally coming to a console near you. Based on the epic literary classic of the same name, the idea of adapting a poem into a game initially seems a bit strange, but consider the structure of the poem; the hero must journey through the various circles of hell in order to win his way into heaven. Sounds almost perfect for a game, right?

As you may expect, adapting a classic for the modern day gaming audience requires a certain amount of re-jigging. The quest begins with the titular hero confronting and defeating Death himself, in order to take his scythe. It's with Death's scythe that Dante is later able to overcome demons and other monstrosities that bar his way. As with the poem, Dante is fighting to find his love Beatrice, who resides in Heaven awaiting his return.

The gameplay is drawing paralells to Devil May Cry, with frenetic action grounded in the use of combos. However, Dante's Inferno looks to play a little slower than its counterpart, with more of an emphasis on longer, more devastating combos. There's a wide range of low, mid and high level attacks to string together in order to combat the increasingly monstrous enemies you'll encounter throughout the adventure.

Dante's Inferno also implements two further game mechanics worthy of note. Firstly, it is possible to attack and break enemy beasts into submission, thus providing you with a mount. These monstrous mounts can be used to bolster your strength in combat, and also to cover large travelling distances. Secondly, throughout your travels you will encounter Lost Souls that plead for absolution from their sins. It is your choice as a player to either absolve or punish them, and either outcome can be used to earn a form of currency which can be used to level up, augment weapons etc. Absolving or punishing Lost souls triggers a mini mission which needs to be completed, and choosing to absolve a sin will often prompt a more difficult mission.

Dante's Inferno is scheduled for release on the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 sometime early next year. Will it be another Devil May Cry/ God of War clone, or could this game actually offer something original? Time will tell....

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Movie adaptations to look out for!

It’s the time of the year when this years blockbuster movies come out in succession. It’s also the time when movie games, based on said movies, come out to coincide with the movie release. Video games based on films tend to sell very well, but don’t tend to be very good. This year, however, the games are looking fantastic. So what is in store for this summer?

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Who wouldn’t like to control a regenerating, virtually indestructible, claw wielding superhero? Well, in X-Men Origins: Wolverine you get to do just that! Developed by Raven Software, Wolverine is the video game companion to Marvel’s summer blockbuster of the same name. The plot for the game is not directly related to the movie, but it does feature Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in both his likeness to the character and his voice.

For a Marvel video game it is quite a bloody affair. Wolverine’s claws rip through Weapon X security guards, leaving pools of blood and dismembered body parts all over the place. This is no surprise, since Raven Software created one of the most bloodiest game series ever, Soldier of Fortune. It seems Raven have took the idea of Wolverine having these claws and put them into context in the real world and in the real world sharp metal claws equals blood, blood and more blood!

Graphics-wise Wolverine looks great, but this is to be expected. Movie video game tie-ins are expected to be as good looking as the films they represent. This usually has a unfortunate effect on the rest of the game as the developers focus on making it look like the movie and sacrifice gameplay, AI and other important aspects. However, in this case Raven Software have managed to not sacrifice the important aspects. The controls are fluid and intuitive with moves being mapped to only a few buttons and AI is generally good with the usual inclusion of cannon fodder.

In essence, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is just like its main protagonist, a raw, animalistic beast, and that’s what makes it so good. Wolverine is available on the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Terminator: Salvation

The new Terminator Salvation movie looks awesome. Many people doubted whether another film should be done especially after Terminator 3. The same could be said for the games. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was a poor game at best with the only cool thing about it was it had terminators in it. Then again most movie based video games generally aren’t that great, but there are a few exceptions, and Terminator: Salvation is looking to be one of those games that will buck the trend.

The main reason for this is the inclusion of two-player co-operative play. While only limited to split screen, co-operative play has been a big hook since its inclusion in Gears of War. Not only that, GRIN the developers have put a lot of time and effort into creating a believable post-apocalyptic world and its shows.

In this post-apocalyptic world you, as John Conner, and your team carry out specific missions to take the fight to the machines. Conner can take cover behind various objects and trade fire whist behind them. But GRIN have designed the combat system to allow you to flank the enemy by exploiting the environment. This is a neat feature and adds another dynamic to the gameplay.

The games story takes place two years before the film when John Connor is in the military. It follows you as John Connor on his missions before the events of the film and his development into the heroic leader most fans know him as in the first couple of films. GRIN seem to have nailed the post-apocalyptic world of the Terminator universe, co-operative play and have developed a combat system that allows for various ways of taking down the machines. Terminator: Salvation looks like a movie video game worthy of the attention. Terminator: Salvation will be available on the PS3 and Xbox 360 when released.

Ghostbusters:

Yes Ghostbusters was released in the 80’s but this is a game based on a movie franchise worth writing about. In essence the Ghostbusters game is the third film in the series (even though a third film has been announced). The story is written by the writers of the original film, Dan Acykroyd and Harold Ramis, so already it’s a must!

The original cast has been faithfully recreated to look almost identical to what they looked like in the two films. The game negates having a heads-up-display to show information, like health, and instead opts for a similar system to Dead Space, were your proton pack displays all you vital information.

Now about those proton packs, apart from crossing the streams, you need to also worry about overheating, luckily you don’t need to worry about ammo. The ghost-trapping gameplay works a treat, with you throwing out traps and slamming them with your proton beam, everything feels just as it should. The developers, Terminal Reality, have also managed to create an atmosphere that borders between scary and humorous. As you walk down spooky corridors you comrades start making fun of you or crack a joke of and occasionally shout out advice.

The graphics of Ghostbusters depends on which version you purchase, the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions have very realistic, shiny graphics that the owners almost expect to see these days, where as the Wii version has a more cartoony look to it. This maybe due to the lack of powerful hardware in the Wii, but it the chosen graphics work extremely well. You could go as far as saying it makes it feel that more Ghostbusters-y. Rumours have been flying around about co-operative play being included then taken out. If this is the truth it would be the only negative in what looks to be a great game. Hopefully, there is co-operative play as there would be nothing better than playing this game with three of your friends.

Which ever version you pick up, Ghostbusters looks to be a video game treat. Many fans have been waiting for a Ghostbusters game like this, me included. Ghostbusters will be released 16/06/2009 for the DS, PS3, PC, Xbox 360 and Wii.

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Xbox 360 Warranty Extended…

If the Red Ring of Death (or RROD) was bad enough, reports flew around about an increase in the number of E74 errors. The E74 error is related to video problems, which can be caused by either a faulty AV connector or the more often loosened ANA/HANA scaling chip. When the E74 error occurs, the console will display ‘E74’ on the screen and can be associated with the 3 flashing red lights error on the Xbox console.

In wake of this, Microsoft have extended the Xbox 360 warranty, originally designated general hardware failure, to cover the E74 error and allow repair of the console when this error occurs. Microsoft will also refund customers for an out of warranty repair as it now classed as a general hardware failure.

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

After the massive success of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Game of the Year from Infinity Ward, it is still collecting rewards two years after it's release, there would be no doubt that a sequel would be on its way. With Activision's policy of releasing a game from the Call of Duty franchise, with Infinity Ward and Treyarch releasing their variant alternately, this year is Infinity Ward's tough task of matching and bettering the standards set by the brilliant Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

So far news of the second installment has been hard to come by, until Infinity Ward sent out a cryptic message on Twitter. Then at the Games Developers Conference (GDC), Infinity Ward and Activision revealed a teaser trailer for the masses.

The trailer oozes subtle clues, but doesn't really say anything about what the game will be like and what improvements Infinity Ward have made. All those will have to wait until the release, which has been stated as November 10th.

On an interesting note, nowhere in the trailer does it say Call of Duty, only Modern Warfare 2. Are they dropping the Call of Duty tag from their games? Is it just for marketing purposes? Who knows, but recently the Call of Duty series has dropped the numbering system with Call of Duty: World at War, which people thought was Call of Duty 5. Whatever Activision and Infinity Ward are doing with the Call of Duty franchise, Modern Warfare 2 is definitely going to be anticipated. you can watch the trailer below.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 'Security Teaser' trailer

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