Published September 20th, 2007
in General.
Paper Mario sure took it’s sweet time getting to Australia, but you know it was worth it. I’ve spent the day playing through Mario’s adventure and it really is a blast. I love the fact that the game is much less RPG than previous Paper Mario titles, it makes the game feel like a large exploratory updated Mario platformer.
It hasn’t been all pixls and oblongs though, for some reason or another Nintendo Europe shipped the game with a bug, which causes the game to freeze at a specific point in the game, there are also reports of the Wii freezing, which is not good….. It’s a little bit of a shame that PAL gamers had to wait six months and we get a product with a bug, a bug isn’t the end of the world, but if this was a Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 game there would be an update out for this..
Published September 19th, 2007
in Uncategorized.
I recently purchased a Nokia N73 and thought i’d pick up a few mobile games to see what the fuss is about. In short; not much. Most mobile games are quick dirty licensed titles designed to get youths subscribing to Jamster, but one little gem stood out from the pack; Sonic Jump.
Sonic Jump is a designed for mobile game where you control Sonic through several worlds. Sonic keeps jumping through the worlds and all you have to do is control where Sonic goes. There are bosses, chaos emeralds to collect and some luscious graphics that have entertained me for hours so far. I’m not one to normally be much of a fan of mobile games, so it’s with pleasure I recommend gamers who want a few hours distraction pick up Sonic Jump. It’s definitely not something you’ll regret.
Published September 18th, 2007
in General.
Well the Tokyo Game Show is coming up, I wanted to do this topic tomorrow but an embargo I’m under was extended, so I guess I’ll talk about TGS today. The Tokyo Game Show is the last large scale show of the year, which means that publishers have one final ’shot’ at showcasing their title to media and the public.
Due to the disappointing Leipzig and E3 I feel that TGS is going to be rather impressive. I think it’s pretty much a guarantee that Sony will be showcasing the Dual Shock 3 at the event, gosh if they don’t it’s an oversight, but I feel it’s going to be out this year, maybe even alongside Gran Turismo Prologue.
Nintendo obviously won’t really have a presence at the show, which is a little disappointing. But, to be honest we know quite a bit about their lineup, Metroid is out in the States, Super Smash Brothers is sure to be a bundle of fun and Mario Galaxy looks nothing short of being one of the Games of the Year, they can pretty much rest on their laurels.
Well, what about Microsoft? Well there pre TGS presentation was pretty strong, they had plenty to say and it’s clear they mean business, I’m hoping that we get some updated demos (DMC4 anyone?) as part of Microsoft’s ‘bringing it home’ campaign. As usual, stay tuned to PALGN during the next few days, we’ll live blog everything important and the latest news will be up instantly, with our staff working around the clock, i’m sure you expect nothing less.
And, We’re going to be launching a competition in a few days to giveaway not one, but 2 Xbox 360’s so… keep you eyes peeled.
Published September 17th, 2007
in General.
This weekend I played through John Woo’s Stranglehold, an action game that feels just a little inspired by Max Payne. Despite the fact the game only had six chapters I found it rather enjoyable. The game isn’t going to win any awards for innovation but it’s a thoroughly enjoyable game and one that most guys will probably love to death.
The only real issue I had with the game was the fact that the camera had a tendency to get in the way, it does become rather frustrating when things heat up towards the end of the game and you’ll find yourself having to turn on Tequila Time just to avoid a barrage of gun fire because you’re facing the wrong way. Overall though Midway should be quite happy with the game, the colloboration with John Woo has paid off.
I’ve already thought of a few ideas for a potential sequel, but the game also did a good job of making me long for a true third Max Payne title. The series was killed off far too quickly and with destructible environments Max Payne 3 would be a game I would line up for without a second of a doubt.
Published September 15th, 2007
in General.
Bit of a heads up, I’m restarting my blog again on Monday as it’s beginning to get busy and I’m having the opportunity to play a tonne of games..
So check back Monday as this weekend I’ll be completing Stranglehold so I should have some impressions. 
