Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

That’s right! Only two more days before it’s released, but I have had the chance to get a hold of this game, and I took it.  The result: you get the review NOW!

Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod....

Ok, so, let’s do this in sections, since there’s sooooo much information to cover. First section:

Story Mode

The cut scenes are great, in both quality and timing.

You begin the game actually as Darth Vader.  To be honest, this was in my opinion the worst part of the game, because Darth Vader walks like he’s ninety years old.  He’s super powerful, though, and it’s a great opportunity to learn how to use the control system.  After running around killing wookies, the story somehow inserts itself, and you learn the origin of Vader’s secret apprentice. After a moderately macabre movie (I did that strictly for the alliteration), the game begins, for real this time, and you get to kill more stuff! (See screenshots below)

Yeah, I'm killing Storm Troopers (I have to keep my Sithy-ness a secret)

I pledge allegiance to Darth Vader (else he will Force Squish me)...

As you progress throughout the game, you will have the opportunity to learn new Force Powers and upgrade ones you already have. Learning new moves us facilitated primarily through story (boss battles), whereas upgrades are done through a point system. As you kill enemies, they drop little bundles of blue force upgrade credits. Credits pay for upgrades through either the pause screen or when you are in your ship (covered later).

You can read the rest of the review in our forum.

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Dark_Alex has released 4.01 M33-2, this update fixes a few small bugs that were present in 4.01 M33. Also at the same time Dark_Alex has released the 1.50 kernel add-on for PSP fat owners.

* NID resolver: Fixed scePowerGetCpuClockFrequency issue. This is the same bug that happened in 3.80 M33-1, it won’t happen again ??

* Fixes recovery problems that have appeared in prior version (incorrect position of back string in language others than English, enable, and disabled strings not translated in plugins, hide pic0+pic1 couldn’t be changed, language file in flash1 wasn’t working..

* Spanish recovery translation typos fixed.

Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.
Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.

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You might have watched the TV series and maybe seen the two Jackass movies. Very funny movies at that. Well now you have a change to do all the crazy things these guy’s do in a new game. Not surprising the game is called.. Well…. Jackass – The game.

The Jackass director has been injured and is taken of to hospital, leaving you to be the director of a new TV season of Jackass. But only 7 episodes! Each of the episodes has 5 stunts you have to complete. So that only makes 35 stunts / 35 short mini games.

Very Basic controls. Here all you need to do is tap the X button, Later ["] to stop.

So the game is a really a collection of mini-games. Most of which are very basic to control. Some only use two buttons. For example to accelerate tap the X button rapidly. Many games use more keys of course, but again its fairly basic and simple. All the games are very easy to control.

Since the games are simple to control and you tend to complete them and move on. There is no real replay factor value here, after playing the same stunt a few times over it bores very quickly. What is good is that you are rewarded bonus content upon completion of a stunt . Stuff like new characters to play as or clips from the TV show and behind the scenes footage of the crew recording their lines for the game etc.The game also features replays, multiplayer modes Ad Hoc and Infrastructure. Plus downloadable stunts (currently at the time of my review there were no new stunts). And an upload and download replay’s function over the infrastructure online mode. So this does add a bit more lastability to the game.

Closing Coments:

While a fun game to play and a very different game on the PSP. The controls at best of times are just too easy and simple. I wouldn’t mind been able to do a little more than just tap X a few times, followed by ["] to stop. How about steering control? Its over too quickly, as the 35 mini games just aren’t enough and lack replay value.

Screenshots:

Concept 8/10 :

Jackass as a game, No other game is like this one. Unique on the PSP.

Sound 7/10 :

Real voice overs by Jackass crew, Sound track fits in perfect with the series.

Graphics 7/10:

The character models are great. Backgrounds are some times blurry and lack details.

Gameplay 5.0/10 :

Not that much player intervention required and its over too quickly.

Load times: 5/10:

Nothing amazing here, but its certainly no WWF VS RAW.

Entertainment factor 5.0/10 :

Fun to play at times, replaying stunts to get the objectives can be a right pain due to lack of replay factor.

Replay Factor 3/10 :

After replaying a stunt a few times, you don’t want to go back.

TOTAL – 5.7/10

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Bowling isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But if your a fan and bowling is your game then Crave Games might have a game for you or not…. The game features customisable players in career mode, quick play mode and mutliplayer mode, up to 4 players with the same psp or Ad hoc wifi mutliplayer.

Bowling control is rather easy, analog stick to control the aim (left or right) and D-pad for spin and angel of bowl. Once your aim is set you use the analog stick again for swing accuracy and strength. (As seen below in the screen shots)

Interesting feature is that you can either play with the screen in vertical orientation or standard horizontal orientation. Vertical orientation is quite good as you see more of the bowling lane and this format suits a bowling game such as this.

Features:

Real time changing lane conditions for the player to master during the course of a match. Work your way from an amateur to a true professional Brunswick Pro Champion. Authentic Brunswick bowling products to improve your character’s performance. Ten different environments to choose from.

More screens:

Concept 6/10 :

A portable Bowling Sim. Covers all aspects of pro bowling.

Sound 5/10 :

Good sound effects, Music is not so great here. Same tracks repeated over and over.

Graphics 8/10:

No complains here, good graphic details and models.

Gameplay 5.0/10 :

Its seems too easy at times to get a strike, career mode very slow and painful.

Load times: 6/10:

Load time are ok however Player models in quick play mode take a too long to load up, the UMD drive struggles away.

Entertainment factor 5.0/10 :

It wan’t keep your attention for too long. Unless bowling is your life. 2-4 player modes are fun on the same unit.

Replay Factor 3/10 :

I doubt you’ll be playing this much, if only the mulitplayer modes

TOTAL – 5/10

Unless your addicted to bowling, best save your money for another deserving PSP title.

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Today’s PSP review Brian Lara 2007 Pressure Play (Brian Lara International Cricket 2007) by Codemasters. The first Cricket game on the PSP System. (Could be named Ricky Ponting 2007 Pressure Play, in Australia / NZ)

The game features all the ICC Teams in the 2007 cricket world cup. Be it a little late for the world cup which was some time ago this year. The game has all the names and players would would expect, Brain Lara of course, Ricky Ponting, Stephen Fleming etc. As a cricket fan myself and remembering the days of Brain Laras Cricket on the old Playstation I was keen to see how this game had turned out.

Gameplay is some what different in ways to other cricket sims, Bowling is a matter of placing the marker with the analog stick where the ball will bounce and a sliding meter bar you have to click to control the pace of the bowl. Fielding is some what automatic here, but again you have to click to time the catches and throws well. This involves another sliding meter which you have to click in the red zone in order to take a catch. Too slow and you’ll drop the ball. Its all in the timing. (As seen in the screenshot below)

Timing is the key here to catch or run out players

Batting shots are different here X is a ground shot, Circle is a lofted hit, Square is a defensive shot–with the PSP’s analog stick used to direct the hit. Timing is an important factor in making a successful hit, as players will need to start their swing at the appropriate time to make the best contact with the ball. To help with timing, a metered bar appears in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen which shows if you’re swinging early, late, or on time.

This metered bar also contains the bowler confidence indicator and the batsman confidence meter.

Batting can be tricky, again timing is the key

The graphics are fine for the PSP. Nothing special here, however sometimes it looks like a Playstation one. And the models at times appear a little odd. Ape players or Big heads and little bodys?

Ingame models are fine, sometimes look at little strange or big headed.

The game features a Pressure play mode, where you have to score 2 sixes in 2 overs etc to pass the pressure play. Its basic a quick gameplay feature. The game also allows you to simulate the innings, for example you can bat and then decide to let the computer simulate the innings for you. You don’t have to bowl all 10 overs. This can help speed things up.

One downside I found is there are no custom players or career mode as such. This feature is often in the EA sport games isn’t in Brian Lara 2007 Pressure Play. Which is a slight disappointment.

More screens:

Concept 8/10 :

Cricket Sim. And the PSP’s first cricket game finally arrives to the system.

Graphics 6.5/10 :

Not the best graphics by all means.

Sound 7/10 :

Fine, good sound effects

Gameplay 6.5/10 :

Overall its fine however, lack of Fielding gameplay, almost automatic with minimal player input.
Some quick catches are without any player input.

Entertainment factor 6.5/10 :

Cricket fans will be happy here.

Replay Factor 7/10 :

I’m sure if your a cricket fan then you’ll be back for more. Try a
quick 20/20

TOTAL – 7/10

Cricket has finally hit the PSP and Brain Lara 2007 Pressure will keep most cricket fans happy
that need a dose of portable cricket.

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A few days ago I got my hands on Dead Head Fred, a game by Vicious Cycle. Where you take on the role of
Fred a Private Investigator who was murder while investigating the local nuclear Plant owner Mr Pitt.

This third-person action title you basically smash and punch your way through a lot of zombies. The graphics are top notch, good textures and animations for a PSP. As well as the voice acting too throughout the game from the main actor . However the game lacks the finer details when it comes to gameplay, I found at times its frustrating to control and well as the game areas normally are very small and you’ll have a goal from that one area before you can exit it. You can’t really explore as it loads in a certain area are and that’s it.The load times are fine, but again its only normally loading in 1 smallish area at a time.

Killing the same enemy with the same attack combo time after time isn’t exactly my idea of fun. This becomes a bore after the seventh time. After playing a few hours you come to see that between the cleverish jokes (questionable?) And little cut scenes theirs not much too this game that your standard punch em up with a few basic puzzles mixed in.

More Screenshots:

Graphics 8/10 :

Decent textures and good models, shows just what the PSP is capable off.

Sound 7/10 :

Some good voice acting here. Certainly no Resident Evil 1.

Gameplay 4/10 :

Frustrating gameplay at the best of times, Slow and the same
moves over and over again to kill the same enemy. changeable heads doesn’t
add that much value to different attacks and rage combos.

Entertainment factor 4/10 :

Could have been a great game, if only the combat was worked on
and larger (explorable) areas.

Replay Factor 2/10 :

Not Likely, if you manage to finish it. I doubt you would want to play it again.

TOTAL – 5/10

An overall disappointment, its one of those “it could have been a lot better”..High hopes..

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