Gamertell

Last time we took a look at the original trilogy of Prince of Persia games, and now we move onto the era of Ubisoft. The French developer took the franchise in a new direction, while maintaining the original feel the series was known for.

The Sands of Time

Despite the mainly negative reaction to the first 3D Prince of Persia, when publishing giant Ubisoft picked up the rights to the franchise it decided to…

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Zombies get a bad rap. The majority of them just can’t help their innate, ravenous urges. I’m sure if they had a choice in the manner, we’d see quite a few vegetarian, or even vegan, members of the Undead. You don’t get mad at lions for chasing cute zebras, or vultures from scavenging off the zebras’ carcass once the lions are done.

Quite a few video games even portray some more rational zombies. So since not all zombies are evil, we shouldn’t instantly condemn or fear them. Zombies are simply a part of the circle of life, and we should accept the good along with bad. Besides, if someone isn’t able to outwit/outrun a zombie, then maybe that person deserves to get eaten…

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If you want to purchase downloadable games on the current generation of consoles, only one company has made it counter-intuitive. It’s not Sony - they charge actual $US money for games. Neither is it Nintendo, which uses and one-to-one, point-to-penny system.

Why the hell, then, does Microsoft bother with a non-equal point system? I have two guesses: misdirection and laziness.

For those of you who fear math, click through and check out a few online and downloadable Microsoft Point converters…

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Title: Ikaruga
Price: 800 Microsoft Points (US$10)
System(s): Xbox Live Arcade
Release Date: April 9, 2008, 9 am GMT
Developer: Treasure
ESRB Rating: “Everyone”
Pros: Fast-paced classic arcade action and amazing graphics. Single-player and offline two-payer modes rock.
Cons: Reaction time for switching polarity is a little slow and online games/connections tend to stutter.
Overall Score: One thumb up, one sideways; B+; 88/100; **** out of 5

Click through for the full review…

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For those of you who have decided to take my advice and download the Japanese arcade game Ikaruga for Xbox Live, here are a few tips that should help you enjoy the game…

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For all you completionists out there who feel the need to collect every possible point, below is the complete list of current Achievements for Xbox Live Arcade version of Ikaruga (available now for download).

Some gamers are speculating that there may be others that are unlocked as you play through the game, so if you catch/unlock/achieve any extras, please let us know. So far there are 200 possible points with the existing list…

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PC Authority writer Alex Kidman listed what he believes the five most violent games in last 25 years in a recent article. Instead of jumping to attention getting titles that have only been out for a few years, like Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat or Silent Hill, Kidman does his research and goes after some games which truly deserved their mature ratings. The five titles he lists as most violent/graphic are Custer’s Revenge, Night Trap, Carmageddon, Thrill Kill and Manhunt.

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Next up to cast a shadow on PC gaming’s vitality is id Software, which had been a driving force in the platform’s popularity during the ‘90s with the Doom and Quake games. 

Last Thursday (March 20, 2008), id’s Director of Business, Steve Nix, told Eurogamer that the average first-person shooter player isn’t just some guy armed with a keyboard and mouse anymore. Although id will continue to steadfastly support PC gaming, it must take into account the current market shifts. Nix told Eurogamer that even formerly die-hard PC gamers are making the jump to consoles.

“I know that I have friends who are…

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An international coalition of teachers unions is protesting the re-release of Rockstar’s Bully: The Scholarship Edition for the Xbox 360 and Wii, The Globe and Mail reported.

he ESRB gave both versions of the game a “Teen” rating, which means the game is suitable for ages 13 and older. That’s one below the “Mature” rating for those 17 and older. But that didn’t stop the…

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A lot of lesser known, smaller games got their moments in the sun at the Game Developers Conference, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t any love for more established, smaller sized games. Xbox Live’s Arcade has been one of the providers of tiny games that get you and all your friends buzzing for a week and a half. At GDC 2008, the results of a community vote for 2007’s batch of Live Arcade games was unveiled. Any chance Space Giraffe took top honors?

It was Hudson’s Bomberman Live as Best Overall with just a bit of an upset over Namco Bandai’s Pac-Man: Championship Edition, which won for Best Original Game. And looks like Bungie’s magic couldn’t rub off on its 1994 shooter Marathon, as Konami’s Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was named…

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